Xiao Yi hadn’t expected that, in a villa this large, someone would still manage to find him after he had deliberately chosen such a secluded spot.
Aunt Jiang hurried over, looking at him anxiously.
“Sir, I’m sorry. He was too quick.”
Song Liang nodded.
“Exactly. Injured hand, perfectly speedy feet.”
“…”
Xiao Yi gestured to Aunt Jiang.
“Go back to your work.”
She nodded and left.
Song Liang remained leaning against the wall. With his arm bandaged, he wasn’t wearing anything particularly thick: just a white long-sleeved shirt and simple jeans. He looked every inch a youthful university student.
Coincidentally, Xiao Yi was also dressed simply, in a fine-knit black sweater. Its fitted high collar enclosed his pale neck, with the rise of his Adam’s apple still visible. The lines of his shoulders, back, and arms were clearly defined, creating an elegant, beautifully balanced silhouette charged with strength.
“Have you stared enough?”
Xiao Yi looked up, his expression dark.
Song Liang’s gaze paused, as though he had just come back to himself.
“Not yet.”
Xiao Yi: “…”
3085 had had enough.
【Please. For the sake of your broken arm, can we stop flirting with the final boss?】
Song Liang didn’t understand how looking at someone for a moment counted as flirting. Nor did he understand why Xiao Yi was scowling again, looking ready to throw him out if he dared take another glance.
But 3085 had a point. He had practically sacrificed an arm to convince this man of his devotion to Xiao Ji. Better not offend him.
So he turned his head toward the mass of roses behind Xiao Yi.
“I was looking at the flowers.”
Xiao Yi’s face grew colder still.
Out of ideas, Song Liang asked directly, “You’re not going to throw me out on my first day, are you?”
“No.”
Xiao Yi turned away, the chill lingering on his face.
“Liang Ziyu has targeted you. Xiao Ji will be in danger if he stays with you.”
In other words, Song Liang had only been admitted to the villa because Xiao Yi feared he would endanger his nephew.
Song Liang couldn’t help remarking, “Then this arm of mine was quite a worthwhile investment.”
Xiao Yi’s hand paused almost imperceptibly over the page.
“You’ve sacrificed so much for the Xiao family. Aren’t you afraid you’ll actually lose your life?”
Hearing the mockery in his words, Song Liang immediately slipped into character.
“Not for the Xiao family. For Xiao Ji. I love him enough to give my life for him.”
A brief, quiet scoff.
“Is that so?”
Clearly, he didn’t believe it.
Song Liang nudged the system.
【What if I act in character and he doesn’t believe me? Does that affect anything?】
【…It shouldn’t. You maintain the persona. Whether anyone believes it is up to them.】
Song Liang was reassured.
He knew the limits of his acting. He could probably fool an ordinary person, but an exceptionally intelligent villain like Xiao Yi was another matter.
Still, if the system said it made no difference, that meant the villain wouldn’t do anything to him over it.
He offered no further explanation, merely replying carelessly, “I want to marry Xiao Ji anyway. Believe it or don’t.”
The man in the glasshouse paid him no more attention and turned a page.
Sunlight cast the silhouette of a rose and its leaves along the margin, like a carefully drawn floral border.
Xiao Yi studied it briefly, then lowered his eyes to continue reading.
Suddenly, another shadow fell across the page.
He paused, realized something, and looked to his side.
The young man’s face was very close, almost beside his ear.
In the sunlight, even the fine down on that clean, handsome face was visible. Light spread from his straight nose to his pale red lips. His lowered eyes had the translucent quality of glass, as though touched by the sun’s brilliant gold.
“What are you reading?”
His voice carried its usual careless ease. He tilted his head toward Xiao Yi, seeming liable to brush against his cheek at any moment.
Xiao Yi’s pupils contracted. He abruptly stood and stepped back.
“What are you doing?”
Song Liang straightened and glanced at the book.
“Seeing what you’re reading.”
Xiao Yi’s expression was grim.
“Get out.”
“…”
Song Liang: 【Why is he angry again?】
【None of your damn business.】
Song Liang: “…”
Ever since he had promised not to report it, the little thing had stopped holding back its swearing altogether.
Seeing him remain still, Xiao Yi’s expression grew colder.
“I said, get out.”
“Just one question.”
Song Liang held up a finger. Without waiting for permission, he asked, “Why won’t you agree to me being with Xiao Ji?”
As though he couldn’t understand why Song Liang would even ask, Xiao Yi surveyed him coldly.
“What reason would I have to agree?”
His indifferent tone was full of mockery.
Song Liang heard none of it.
“There’s obviously nothing wrong with me. So it must be the Song family.”
…As confident as ever.
Perhaps Xiao Yi found it amusing too.
“Where does all that confidence come from?”
3085 thought no one knew. It was an unsolvable mystery.
Song Liang couldn’t understand why something so obvious was even open to debate.
“Aren’t I outstanding enough?”
“…”
Xiao Yi abandoned that line of questioning.
“Neither you nor the Song family meets the expectations for Xiao Ji’s future spouse. As for why he wants to be with you, you should know the reason.”
Song Liang was perfectly candid.
“I said I’d give him the Emperor’s Tear.”
“Then there’s no need to ask whether I approve.”
Apparently unwilling to engage with him any further, Xiao Yi started to leave.
A sentence from behind stopped him.
“But you clearly don’t care about the Emperor’s Tear.”
“…”
Xiao Yi paused.
“With your capabilities, finding me should have been easy. You haven’t acted because you don’t want anyone else discovering that I have it?”
Song Liang blinked at him.
“Does Uncle have a little scheme of his own?”
Xiao Yi regarded him with an unreadable, dark gaze.
After a long moment, he was about to speak when Xiao Ji’s voice sounded outside.
Both turned.
Xiao Ji entered the glasshouse looking tense, seemingly afraid of finding them fighting again.
Fortunately, Xiao Yi said nothing about it.
“Home early today?”
“Most of the year-end work is finished, so I came back early.”
Xiao Ji looked between Xiao Yi and Song Liang.
“Song Liang hasn’t been causing you trouble, has he?”
Xiao Yi glanced at Song Liang and held out his hand.
Song Liang obligingly stepped forward and handed back the book.
Xiao Ji: “…”
“Get ready for dinner.”
Leaving those words behind, Xiao Yi walked out of the glasshouse.
The moment he was gone, Xiao Ji’s expression changed.
“Who said you could come in here?!”
Song Liang replied, “My legs. The ones that aren’t crippled.”
The word “crippled” struck a sore spot.
Xiao Ji stared at him darkly.
“Don’t think saving me means you can do whatever you want in this family.”
“And the Emperor’s Tear.”
“…”
Xiao Ji found him more hateful by the second. He turned to leave, only to be caught by the arm.
He looked back impatiently.
“Let go—”
Before he finished, Song Liang bent close to his neck. Warm breath brushed his skin, raising a tingling sensation.
Xiao Ji went rigid. He immediately tried to push him away, but his arm was held tightly. He couldn’t even step back.
Heat rose along his neck.
“…Song Liang! Do you have a death wish?”
Song Liang ignored him. Holding his arm, he sniffed near his neck, then looked up.
“What’s that smell on you?”
Facing those clear, beautiful eyes with his own face reflected in them, Xiao Ji inexplicably faltered and looked away.
“…What’s it to you? Let go!”
Song Liang slowly straightened.
“You have several different perfumes on you.”
Xiao Ji frowned.
He had met some friends that day, and, as usual, there had been a few attractive young men and women present. He hadn’t been in the mood and had only had a few drinks, but some perfume had inevitably rubbed off on him.
What he hadn’t expected was Song Liang daring to question him.
He laughed coldly.
“Remember your place. You have no right to interrogate me.”
Song Liang watched him steadily for a moment.
Then, without saying anything, he turned and left.
The string of contemptuous remarks Xiao Ji had prepared lodged in his throat.
3085 couldn’t help asking, 【Why didn’t you threaten him with the Emperor’s Tear?】
“Too many threats can backfire. I’m still the one in the weaker position.”
【What if he goes after the other lead anyway?】
Song Liang looked thoughtful.
“I’m working on it. If nothing else works, I’ll castrate him.”
3085 was horrified.
【…Are you serious?】
“Of course.”
【…】
Behind him, Xiao Ji had just stepped out of the glasshouse when an inexplicable shiver ran through him.
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