"Oh my god, Xiao Jingjing, do you have no sympathy for a single dog like me? I’m getting goosebumps here, but I have to say... Zhan Qipei is quite impressive in this way."
Just as Qiao Jing was about to respond to Ni Yue, Yu Yangqi interrupted them.
"Who told you not to date me? Now you’re complaining about not having a partner?"
Ni Yue rolled her eyes speechlessly, glaring irritably at Yu Yangqi.
"None of your business."
She was used to being carefree on the outside, how could she possibly tie herself down with a relationship?
All she was desperately trying to do was to get Qiao Jing away from Zhan Qipei, to enjoy the carefree life with her.
What’s so good about being in a relationship? She would never date, let alone get married.
Ni Yue walked over to Qiao Jing and, without a word, took her arm.
"Xiao Jingjing, let’s go."
Qiao Jing nodded gently and took the lead with Ni Yue.
Each holding a flashlight, they started on the mountain trail made for climbing.
Zhan Qipei and Yu Yangqi were left behind, the task of leading the way, something men should do, now taken over by the two women.
The two tall men followed behind Qiao Jing and her companion, suddenly giving off the vibe of two younger brothers following two big sisters.
Zhan Qipei, really worried about letting Qiao Jing go alone, pursed his lips tightly and moved forward a few steps to grab her wrist.
The road ahead was so dark; he couldn’t rest easy letting Qiao Jing lead the way. What if she tripped or hurt herself?
Before Qiao Jing could respond, Ni Yue pulled her back protectively to her side, eyeing Zhan Qipei with suspicion.
"What are you doing? I’m just walking with Xiao Jingjing, not running off with her. Besides, in these wild woods, where could I possibly take Xiao Jingjing?"
Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, his gaze falling on Qiao Jing’s belly, as the atmosphere around him grew suddenly tense.
"It’s dangerous for her to walk alone. I won’t repeat myself a second time."
This situation was different from before; now it was a threat to Qiao Jing’s safety, and he wouldn’t let it go with just a few words as he had previously.
Qiao Jing noticed that Zhan Qipei was genuinely angry and her brows furrowed slightly.
Although she knew Zhan Qipei was concerned about her, this seemed to be taking it a bit too far. She was already three months into her pregnancy and steadily stabilizing.
Moreover, she wasn’t so delicate that a minor bump would cause an issue; they were only climbing a mountain, after all.
If today wasn’t Ni Yue’s birthday, she might have agreed to Zhan Qipei’s request. Since it was Ni Yue’s birthday, she intended to fulfill her friend’s wishes as much as possible.
With this thought, just as she was about to speak to Zhan Qipei, she not only heard Ni Yue’s voice but also felt her gaze on her stomach.
"Oh... oh, I remember now, I was having so much fun today I almost forgot. Xiao Jingjing, it’s better if you go with Zhan Qipei."
After dropping this line, Ni Yue stepped back, leaving space for the two in front.
With her careless personality, if anything happened, she couldn’t even take care of herself, let alone take good care of Xiao Jingjing.
And now that Xiao Jingjing was pregnant, she dared not take it lightly.
Yu Yangqi first looked gratefully at Qiao Jing, then curiously at Ni Yue.
What could make the stubborn Ni Yue suddenly give in?
Ni Yue realized she was unwittingly walking shoulder to shoulder with Yu Yangqi and hastened her steps, trying to shake him off.
Seeing Ni Yue moving forward, Yu Yangqi also quickened his pace.
Ni Yue paused her steps and cast a perfunctory glance at Yu Yangqi.
"What’s it to you, why are you so curious? Are you a curious baby?"
Yu Yangqi still didn’t know about Ni Yue’s pregnancy, and Qiao Jing wouldn’t mention it, so she felt it wasn’t her place to reveal it either.
Moreover, she realized she always particularly lacked patience with Yu Yangqi, perhaps due to some other relationship she had with him.
Yu Yangqi pretended not to care with a disdainful "tsk," yet his gaze never left Ni Yue.
"Sure enough, I can’t expect you to tell me, so I’ll go ask the boss instead."
After saying that, he looked towards Qiao Jing, ready to step forward and ask, but he noticed that Qiao Jing was currently walking very close to Zhan Qipei, and by going over now, he would undoubtedly be volunteering to be a third wheel.
Yu Yangqi immediately withdrew the step he had taken, a trace of embarrassment flashing across his face.
Ni Yue noticed this and let out a "pfft" of laughter, feigning a well-meaning reminder.
"Why not go ask? You’d find out if you asked Xiao Jingjing, are you sure you don’t want to ask?"
Yu Yangqi knew Ni Yue was doing it on purpose but was helpless to do anything about it, which was incredibly frustrating!
There was no helping it, the girl he liked could only be doted on.
Meanwhile, up ahead, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were stuck in a stalemate.
Qiao Jing looked at the large hand on her waist, and her usually expressionless face cracked a smile as she tugged at the corner of her mouth in silence.
"I’m walking on the inside, it’s okay."
If she had to climb a mountain with Zhan Qipei hugging her all the way up...
She simply couldn’t picture that scene and promptly cut off the thought.
Zhan Qipei stared at Qiao Jing for quite a while in silence, and upon realizing she was as stubborn as he was, reluctantly withdrew his hand.
Just as Qiao Jing was about to continue walking, she noticed that the man’s hand had shifted to Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!
Qiao Jing’s temple throbbed heavily twice, but in the end, she held back.
Compared to having Zhan Qipei hug her throughout the walk, it was better to be Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!
However, this made her feel as if Zhan Qipei was like a eunuch from a period drama,
While she was the empress being assisted??
The thought was too strange and off-kilter.
Zhan Qipei, protecting Qiao Jing walking on the inside, aimed the flashlight in his hand specifically at the path beneath her feet, occasionally alerting her to rocks and pits ahead.
But in reality, Qiao Jing’s vision was excellent. Even without the flashlight on her feet, she could still see the path clearly.
However, she didn’t interrupt Zhan Qipei, merely advising him once.
"Don’t just focus on my side, watch your own path as well."
Although the forest had a designated trail leading upward, there were still many rocks and uneven spots on the ground.
She could avoid them all, but Zhan Qipei, who was now putting all his concentration on her, might not be able to.
This irritating man, looking after her without a glance at his own feet and just walking like that, completely ignored his own safety.
After hearing Qiao Jing’s words, a gleam flickered in Zhan Qipei’s dark pupils.
His wife was showing concern for him!
Qiao Jing sighed lightly in some resignation and went along with him.
But she had only taken a few steps when she felt the hand supporting her suddenly pull away, and the figure that had been standing by her side the whole time began to fall forward!