Chapter 289, Can you trick me (three more times)

"Have you not been eating properly these past few days? You look so haggard. What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you," Chu Chen said as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, burying his head into the nape of her neck.

His deep voice gradually became hoarse, "These past few days, I’ve missed you so much."

Gu Xinuo lowered her gaze to see her hands around his waist, "Didn’t you tell me not to appear in front of you again?"

"It was Ajiu who made me say that." At the critical moment, Chu Chen sold out Ye Jiuliang completely.

Luckily, Ye Jiuliang wasn’t there, or he would have gotten into a fight and cursed him for being a fair-weather friend.

Gu Xinuo’s lips trembled faintly; her voice cold, "Let go, we have no relationship anymore."

"Nuo, it was my fault for misunderstanding you before you finished speaking. I’m sorry, can you forgive me just this once?" Chu Chen’s hands on her waist tightened gradually, "Can’t we make up and be okay?"

"You’ve forgotten that you just took back my necklace; I’ve already left the K organization," Gu Xinuo quipped.

"Then I’ll give you this one, okay?" Chu Chen took out his own necklace from his pocket, spreading his fingers to reveal a necklace identical to hers resting quietly in his palm.

Gu Xinuo looked at the necklace in his hand and broke into a smile, "Chu Chen, you think I’m that easy to fool?"

When they had ordered those necklaces for the four of them, they had made a pact that the necklace could only be given to their other half.

Exchanging necklaces with him, wouldn’t that mean...

"Then I’m easy to fool. Is it okay if you fool me?" Chu Chen’s lips slightly curved, his voice soft and coaxing.

Gu Xinuo glanced at him sideways, "Are you happy to see me embarrassed, conspiring with Ajiu and the others to deceive me?"

"It was Ajiu’s idea." Chu Chen betrayed Ye Jiuliang once more.

Gu Xinuo hummed lightly, "Stop slandering my Ajiu all the time."

Chu Chen let out a sigh, "Don’t you know to protect me once in a while?"

He always knew to protect Ajiu; maybe he should feel relieved that Ajiu was a woman.

"Let go; someone will come soon." Gu Xinuo pulled his hand away, laughter returning to her eyes.

The iron grip found its way back around her waist, and he stubbornly sought a definite answer, "Does this mean we’re together now?"

With warm breath caressing her ear, Gu Xinuo’s cheeks heated up, and she deflected, "The bracelet just got broken."

"Nuo, don’t change the subject," Chu Chen moved to face her, his gaze intently fixed on her blushing face.

Gu Xinuo pursed her lips and reached out to take the necklace from his hand, the one engraved with his initials.

Chu Chen paused for a moment, then his handsome face broke into an elated smile.

He suddenly picked her up and tossed her into the air.

"Chu Chen, don’t drop me," Gu Xinuo shouted in alarm, warning him urgently.

"Someone’s coming."

Chu Chen smiled with a smirk, carefully setting her down and pressing a hand on her head, then pressed his lips to hers.

"Chu Chen..." Her lips parted, but the half-spoken words were forcibly sealed.

Gu Xinuo’s eyes widened, her mind a jumble.

Chu Chen narrowed his eyes in satisfaction, his arm tightening around her waist.

What did it matter if someone was coming? Kissing his wife was the right thing to do.

...

The night deepened, with neon lights brightly splashing their myriad colors over the city, turning night into day.

A black motorcycle raced down the road, cold winds lifting the hem of a rice-white skirt into a breathtaking arc.

"Ji Mingqian, slow down," Jiang Yisheng clung to the hem of his clothes with one hand and patted his shoulder with the other.

What he rode felt less like a motorcycle and more like a roller coaster.

Remembering that the person behind him was not accustomed to motorcycles, Ji Mingqian slowed the vehicle down.

"Jiang Yisheng, your acting tonight was so solid, you’d be a powerhouse in the entertainment industry," he teased.

Jiang Yisheng’s lips twitched slightly, and he swore in a rare burst of vulgarity, "Fuck off."

He never wanted a second occurrence of this evening’s events in his lifetime.

It was too damaging to his image.

Ji Mingqian chuckled, then deftly changed the subject, "You hardly ate tonight; want to go get some food?"

"I need to go back and change my clothes first," Jiang Yisheng said.

Every second he spent in these clothes, he felt uncomfortable.

"Change what? These clothes suit you quite well," Ji Mingqian teased.

As the words fell, his arm was twisted fiercely.

Ji Mingqian winced, "Jiang Yisheng, I’m driving, you know."

Jiang Yisheng scoffed, "There’s nothing to do with me here, I’m going back."

"You’re heading back to Beijing so soon?"

"I need to start preparing for my tour."

"Tour?" Ji Mingqian was surprised, "Abroad or domestic?"

Jiang Yisheng raised his hand to adjust his helmet, "Both."

"Need any guests to appear?" Ji Mingqian casually asked.

Jiang Yisheng paused, a faint smile spreading in his eyes, "Why, are you coming?"

"My appearance fee is pretty high, will you pay?" Ji Mingqian retorted, the curve of his lips deepening.

Jiang Yisheng pursed his lips with a smile, "I won’t pay, I didn’t say I wanted to invite you."

Ji Mingqian let out a bad laugh, twisted the throttle, and suddenly increased the speed of the car.

"Vroom vroom vroom—"

The arrogant engine noise echoed on the road, the unexpected surge in speed giving Jiang Yisheng quite a fright.

"Ji Mingqian, are you trying to get us killed?"

"Hahaha."

Ji Mingqian turned his head to dodge his violent slap, the boisterous laughter spilling from his lips.

A moment later, the two arrived home, and Jiang Yisheng received a message from Ye Jiuliang.

"Jiuliang left before us, how come he isn’t back yet?" Ji Mingqian changed into slippers and casually threw the car keys on the table.

"He went back to Beijing," Jiang Yisheng said, glancing at the message, his tone quite helpless.

It looked like his cousin was really on his case.

Ji Mingqian was surprised, then didn’t hesitate to mock, "He’s a cabbage that’s been rushed to be picked, can’t keep him even if you wanted to."

"Let’s order takeout, it’s too cold outside, I’m not going out," Jiang Yisheng said, heading upstairs.

Ji Mingqian collapsed on the sofa, stretching his long legs out on the table.

He slowly took out his phone and started browsing for takeout.

He liked spicy food, Jiang Yisheng didn’t, so he had to order two different flavors.

After a while, Jiang Yisheng came downstairs, wearing black pants and a thin blue wool sweater. The simple clothes, worn by him, became something both desirable and unattainably elegant and lofty.

The slightly damp, tousled hair hanging over his forehead added touches of cuteness and adorableness.

Ji Mingqian was entranced, the gradually clearer footsteps pulling his thoughts back.

He said, "The takeout has arrived, it’s in the dining room, have it while it’s hot."

Jiang Yisheng nodded and his gaze fell on the shoes Ji Mingqian had put back on, "Are you going out?"

Ji Mingqian picked up the jacket on the sofa and put it on, "A few friends want to get together."

Jiang Yisheng made an ’oh’ sound and turned towards the dining room.

He pulled out a chair to sit down just as the sound of the door closing came from outside.

"Bang—"

Half of the dishes on the table were spicy, the other half mild.

Jiang Yisheng’s gaze flickered slightly as he picked up his chopsticks to eat.

The spacious dining room was filled only with faint clinks of tableware, slightly desolate.

After dinner, Jiang Yisheng cleaned up the dining table, then went to the living room to watch TV.

At the designated time, he turned off the TV and went upstairs to sleep.