Who was she with tonight?! Xia Ning’s eyelids twitched. She raised her head to look into his brooding eyes.
“It was just a friend,” said Xia Ning in a low voice. “Someone you don’t know.”
She knew that Qiao Yu was hostile toward Jin Yan and didn’t want to tell him that she was with Jin Yan tonight, for that would make Qiao Yu’s imagination go wild again.
“I see. I don’t know your friends well enough.” Reaching out, Qiao Yu held Xia Ning’s hand, then frowned. “Your hands are so cold. Go take a hot bath before you catch a cold.”
“Alright.” Xia Ning nodded. She then glanced into the room and asked, “Where’s Enoch?”
“He’s sleeping in my mother’s room tonight,” said Qiao Yu.
“I see.” Xia Ning drew her hands back, then went into the room.
Qiao Yu turned his head, following Xia Ning, and his eyes dimmed a little. He followed her into the room, then switched the light on.
The sudden brightness dazzled Xia Ning. Shielding her eyes, she put her handbag down on the sofa, then went to the bathroom with her nightgown. She could feel Qiao Yu’s eyes following her.
Closing the door to the bathroom, Xia Ning watched herself in the mirror and saw that she looked pale. She stroked her cheek, thinking that she was still not good at lying.
In fact, she was already regretting not having told the truth. Her relationship with Jin Yan wasn’t an unspeakable secret.
But she just didn’t want to pull Jin Yan into what was going on between her and Qiao Yu.
Xia Ning came out of the shower to find Qiao Yu already in bed. Heaving a sigh in relief, she turned off the bedside lamp, then quietly climbed into bed.
She had thought that the man was already asleep. However, as soon as she lay down, he moved closer and held her.
Feeling a pair of arms wrapping around her waist, Xia Ning stiffened. She closed her eyes a little. “Why are you still up at this hour? Were you waiting for me?”
“Yes.”
“I promise I’ll tell you if I’m going to come back late next time.” Xia Ning whispered.
“Yes.”
Xia Ning didn’t say anything else after that. Hearing the even breathing of the man behind her, she gradually fell asleep.
It seemed forever when the man behind her suddenly opened his eyes. He stared at her from behind for a long while before closing them and went to sleep.
The next morning, Xia Ning woke up to find that it was nine o’clock. Qiao Yu was supposed to go to the Gao family on the second day of the new lunar year.
She went downstairs to find Qiao Yu already gone. Gao Wanhua had stayed at home as usual to keep Enoch company.
“Morning, Mom!” said Xia Ning to Gao Wanhua. She went straight to the sofa and picked Enoch up. “Enoch, morning!”
“Mummy, did you upset Daddy?” Enoch looked at Xia Ning. He wasn’t as enthusiastic as usual and looked rather bewildered.
Xia Ning was surprised to hear that. “What’s wrong?”
“Don’t listen to Enoch. Qiao Yu probably didn’t sleep well last night. That’s why he looked a little pale,” said Gao Wanhua.
Xia Ning looked at Gao Wanhua but found her explanation suspicious. She didn’t think it would be that simple.
“No, it’s not like that. Daddy was unhappy.” Enoch insisted. “I know Daddy’s angry face. He didn’t answer me when I called him. He was looking at his phone the whole time.”
Looking at his phone?! Xia Ning looked at Enoch in bewilderment. Had someone sent Qiao Yu some message, which had upset him? He couldn’t still be mad at her coming back late last night, could he?
What she didn’t know was that her activity with Jin Yan in the cinema and the mall had been recorded. Someone had compiled the photos into an album and posted it online!