Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Morbid Obsession (2)_1 Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Morbid Obsession (2)_1 âLetâs go home,â he said, while stooping down to fill in the cave.
Ruan Jiaojiao couldnât keep things to herself and asked him on the way back, âBrother Xi, what else did you put inside? Why do I feel like I smelled the fragrance of fruits?â
Ruan Jiaojiaoâs sense of smell was not as sharp as it had been in her past life, and the caveâs earthy scent made it difficult to be certain, although she was suspicious.
Xiu Xi, who was holding her hand, stiffened.
This was clearly a sign of guilt, and Ruan Jiaojiao became even more suspicious.
However, she didnât dwell on it much, assuming it was his own stash of food. After all, heâd had a hard life before, and he might still lack a sense of security, wanting to hide some food to ensure his future livelihood.
If it really was fruit, then he must have picked it when he went to the front mountain.
She shook his hand and whispered a negotiation, âBrother Xi, I wonât eat your fruit, but next time you go to the front mountain and see any fruit trees, could you dig up a few small ones for me? I want to plant them in the yard. That way, when they grow up, I will have lots and lots of fruit to eat.â
As she spoke, Ruan Jiaojiaoâs voice lifted with joy, her eyes squinting happily as if she could already see the blissful days ahead with a bounty of fruits.
Xiu Xi in front of her stopped.
He halted in front of the rear doorâs threshold, turned his head to look at her with a serious expression, and a touch of hurt.
âWhatâs wrong?â Ruan Jiaojiaoâs heart skipped a beat when he gazed at her, and she blinked, reconsidering her recent words, which didnât seem to have been wrong.
âDonât you want to?â Ruan Jiaojiao asked, biting her little mouth, feeling downcast but still said, âItâs okay then, if Brother Xi doesnât want to, no worries.â
âNo, itâs not that I donât want to,â Xiu Xi hastily explained, seeming to have something he didnât want to say, but seeing Ruan Jiaojiao misunderstanding him, thinking he didnât want to share his private stash of food with her, appeared somewhat hurt.
He had no choice but to reveal the secret heâd been keeping.
âThere are fruits inside, many of them, given by monkeys,â he confessed.
It turned out that long, long ago, even before the monkeys had abducted Ruan Jiaojiao, the monkeys from the front mountain had been bringing fruits for Ruan Jiaojiao. Each time, they were delivered to the Ruan Familyâs backyard and never encountered by the family members, as he would intercept them.
He was naturally carnivorous and not interested in fruits.
But he didnât like other creatures bringing her food to eat; that was his prerogative. So he buried all the fruit.
He hadnât expected those monkeys to be so bold as to abduct her later on.
After he brought her back, those monkeys continued to bring her fruit, but he still hid them awayâŠ
And yet, he never anticipated his carefully guarded secret of several months would be spilled during a casual compliment from Ruan Jiaojiao when she said âI like you the most.â
Ruan Jiaojiao stared blankly at Xiu Xi, taking a good while to digest what his words meant.
âBrother XiâŠâ
âDonât be mad,â Xiu Xi urged, looking at her worriedly.
ââŠâ Ruan Jiaojiao.
She wasnât angry, she was just too shocked.
First, she hadnât expected those monkeys to continue to bring her fruit, apparently treating her as one of their own young, although she thought her body was quite beautiful, nothing like a monkey.
Second, she hadnât anticipated Xiu Xi to hoard the fruit like that.
She could actually feel that this little antagonistâs concern for her seemed to be⊠going off trackâŠ