Chapter 175: Chapter 172: It’s Been Four Years—Didn’t You Miss Me? (2)
"..." Ye Xiao’s palm was cold and numb, staring at him with wide eyes in shock.
"If you hate me, come to me for revenge. I’m offering myself to you, do whatever you want."
Rong Mochen tightly gripped Ye Xiao’s hand as she tried to pull away, his rough breath heavily falling on the delicate curve of Ye Xiao’s nose, his elegantly boned long fingers softly caressing the strands of hair at Ye Xiao’s ear, his voice hoarse, "What I owed you in the past, I will repay you one by one. Whatever you want, I’ll bring it to you..."
"You don’t owe me anything, and I don’t want revenge on you." Ye Xiao lifted her slightly reddened eyes, lightly curving her lips, "Because I am not the person Mr. Rong thinks I am."
A familiar sharp pain tore from the tip of his heart, Rong Mochen tightened his grip on her wrist, his dark eyes suddenly covered with a shade of crimson.
"If you don’t know me, then why are you tearing up?" Rong Mochen stared at her red-rimmed eyes.
Ye Xiao slightly pressed her lips together, softly saying, "Mr. Rong, you’re hurting me."
Rong Mochen still didn’t release her, with eyes bloodshot, his long arms locked around her waist like iron chains, his voice deep and heavy, "Whether you know me or not, be Ye Xiao if you want, it doesn’t matter."
"It’s not that I want to be Ye Xiao, it’s that I am Ye Xiao." Ye Xiao turned her eyes away, speaking in a cold voice.
Rong Mochen closed his eyes, released her hand, and wrapped his two long arms around her thin body, pressing her hard, very hard against his chest.
Ye Xiao clenched her hands tight, her eyes turning red like ox blood in an instant, her heart twisting in agony.
It wasn’t because he was holding her so tightly now, his arms shaking slightly, as if she were a precious treasure lost and found again.
But because, seeing him, the scenes replayed in her mind were all of the pain of losing her most loved and dearest person four years ago.
In four years, she had gone round and round, and she didn’t even have the courage to go back and take a look.
Gu Yan slumped weakly in the car, a face full of life-and-death despair looking at the black-screened phone placed before the steering wheel, sighing from time to time.
The passenger seat door suddenly opened from the outside, and a figure wrapped in frost sat up.
Gu Yan blinked, suddenly straightening up in his seat, sitting straight, his eyes wide as he stared at the inscrutable man beside him, cautiously opening his mouth, "Boss Rong, why did you come down so quickly?"
Rong Mochen kept his brow steady, his pitch-black eyes staring at a spot in Yu Yang Apartment, his thin lips pressed into a silent line.
Looking at his desolate, cold side profile, Gu Yan’s heart sank lower, even his breath quieting for a few seconds, Gu Yan said, "Could it be, we really got the wrong person, maybe she really isn’t Little Mo Mo."
Rong Mochen covered his black lashes, his voice still slightly hoarse, "Do you think she’s not?"
"..." Gu Yan’s eyes flashed, but he said nothing.
He couldn’t believe there could be two people in the world who looked so alike, even twins have slight differences.
And Ye Xiao and Jin Jumo not only looked the same, even their manner of speaking was similar.
If he had to say Ye Xiao wasn’t Jin Jumo, he’d be the first not to believe it!
"Gu Yan, no matter who she is, I want her, you understand?" Rong Mochen said in a low voice, a gravelly obstruction in his throat, rough and deep.
Gu Yan remained silent, finally nodding lightly, his voice hoarse, "I understand."
Whether she is Jin Jumo or Ye Xiao, as long as she has that face... it’s enough.
Gu Yan suddenly stared at Rong Mochen with a strange laugh, "Boss Rong, sometimes I really think you’re like a lunatic! Not normal!"
Rong Mochen’s dark eyes paused, the depths filled with boundless desolation.
It was after ten at night.
"Brother Ying, has Xiao Xiao not come yet?" Ye Xixi lazily nestled against Ying Jingyao, her chubby cheeks wrinkling in sleepy worry, pouting, her big eyes narrowing to a slit, about to close completely.
Lightly stroking Xixi’s little face with his thumb, Ying Jingyao looked at her lovingly, "She’ll be here soon, if Xixi’s sleepy, just sleep in Uncle Ying’s arms for a while."
Ye Xixi didn’t even have time to respond before closing her eyes and falling asleep, her long lashes casting two pretty shadows on her fair eyelids.
Ying Jingyao pressed his lips together, carrying Xixi into the children’s room next to the master bedroom, prepared especially for the two little ones, and placed Xixi on the soft bed.
Just as he was withdrawing his hands, the little one’s soft palm clutched his fingers, "Mommy, a kiss."
Ying Jingyao raised an eyebrow, leaning down to gently peck the little one’s tender cheek.
Only then did the little one let go contentedly, curling her plump body into a ball, peacefully sleeping.
Ying Jingyao stood beside the bed watching Xixi for a while, curling his lips in warmth, then turned to leave the children’s room.
As soon as he came out, he saw Hanhan sitting on the sofa, turning his head to look at him, with bright dark eyes reflecting anxiety.
Ying Jingyao glanced at the clock on the wall, then moved his long legs toward Hanhan, picking him up to sit on his big lap, "Worried about Xiao Xiao?"
Ye Yihan pursed his lips, his smooth forehead wrinkling like a little old man.
Ying Jingyao patted his little head, saying softly, "She should be here soon, no need to worry."
Ye Yihan leaned against him, pondered, and said, "Xiao Xiao is very smart, I’m not worried."
"..." Ying Jingyao’s brow moved slightly, lowering his eyes to look at Hanhan in his arms, saying he’s not worried yet staring closely at the door, his thin lips quietly moving.
At eleven o’clock, Hanhan had one eye open, but the other was uncontrollably drooping, his little head nodding down repeatedly, clearly very sleepy.
Ying Jingyao held his head against his chest, softly saying, "Hanhan, how about going to the room to sleep for a bit?"
Ye Yihan suddenly opened his eyes wide, straightening his small body, staring intently at the door, "I’m waiting for Xiao Xiao."
Ying Jingyao looked at the determined Ye Yihan, feeling somewhat gratified yet also pained, "Uncle Ying is here. Uncle Ying will wait for Xiao Xiao, Hanhan go to sleep first, it’s too late today, you and Xixi can sleep at Uncle Ying’s house."
Ye Yihan said nothing, his eyes wide open, lips pressed firmly together, stubbornly holding on.
Ying Jingyao sighed, picked up the remote on the table, and turned the heater up to the maximum.
As the clock pointed to midnight, Ying Jingyao’s eyebrows were tightly furrowed, he placed Ye Yihan on the sofa beside him, took out his phone, and dialed Ye Xiao’s number.
However, after dialing several times, it was always no answer.
His grip tightened on the phone as a deeper shade of worry crossed Ying Jingyao’s gentle face. Looking at Ye Yihan sitting on the sofa, staring at him with wide eyes, his heart tightened. He walked over to Ye Yihan, squatting slightly with his tall figure, "Hanhan, Uncle Ying needs to go out for a moment, will you go into the room and sleep with Xixi?"
Ye Yihan furrowed his eyebrows in conflict, then after a moment, nodded lightly.
Ying Jingyao kissed his soft, fluffy head, stood up, grabbed the coat hanging on the rack, and hurried out the door.
The elevator stopped on the first floor, opened, and Ying Jingyao almost rushed out, his steady steps now chaotic and swift.
"Jingyao?"
A soft and surprised female voice came from behind, and Ying Jingyao’s hasty steps halted abruptly, turning to look.
Ye Xiao stood about two meters away, wearing the peach-red long coat from when they separated in the afternoon, an off-white turtleneck sweater, fitted skinny jeans, and roughly five-centimeter ankle boots, standing gracefully.
Ying Jingyao took a couple of deep breaths, walked up in a few steps, and held her tightly in his arms.
Ye Xiao’s body stiffened, her eyes flickered with confusion, hearing his heavy breathing in her ear, she patted his back lightly and softly asked, "What’s wrong?"
Ying Jingyao buried his face in her fragrant hair, his warm and elegant voice raspy, "Why are you home so late?"
Ye Xiao’s eyelashes fluttered, "I ran into something, so I’m late."
Ying Jingyao tightened his arms, "Where is your phone?"
"...My phone and bag were left at a friend’s house." Ye Xiao wrapped her arms around his waist and softly said, "Sorry for worrying you."
Ying Jingyao said nothing, silently holding Ye Xiao for a while, then led her by the hand toward the elevator.
Ye Xiao looked at his tense back, pursing her lips obediently following behind him.
In the elevator, Ying Jingyao held Ye Xiao’s hand, his warm fingers gently pinching her delicate knuckles.
Ye Xiao watched his tightly knit brows, leaning slightly forward, tiptoed, and brushed his brow gently with her hand. As she retracted her hand, it was caught by his other hand.
Ye Xiao was momentarily stunned, looking at his tightly pressed lips, her eyes softly rippled, smiling, "I’m not a three-year-old child, why are you so worried?"
Ying Jingyao glanced at her, his brows even more furrowed, saying nothing.
Ye Xiao sighed lightly, squeezing his thumb, earnestly looking at him, "Jingyao, for these four years, I’ve never told you, but I’m really grateful to you, grateful for how you care for me, for Hanhan and Xixi. Without you, I wouldn’t have known how to get through these years."
"I do it willingly." Ying Jingyao’s eyes burned as they held Ye Xiao’s.
Ye Xiao paused, looking at him, "Thank you."
Ying Jingyao said nothing, just pulled Ye Xiao into his arms.
Ye Xiao quietly leaned against his chest, listening to his thunderous heartbeat beat against her eardrums, the chaotic heart calming in that moment.
Gently curling her lips, Ye Xiao reached her arms around his waist.
When Ye Xiao and Ying Jingyao returned to the apartment, they heard a rhythmical sound coming from the bathroom.
Both were taken aback and quickly walked toward the bathroom.
Ye Yihan nestled his head against her neck, closing his eyes.
Ying Jingyao took the towel from Ye Yihan’s small hand, and Ye Xiao carried Ye Yihan into the children’s room.
She placed him next to Xixi, tucked the blanket around him, then softly touched his brow, "Goodnight, sweetheart."
Ye Yihan contentedly turned over, facing Xixi, and fell asleep.
Ye Xiao watched the two little ones for a while, stood up, took the towel from Ying Jingyao’s hand, wiped Xixi’s face and little hands, finally kissing her small cheek before walking out with Ying Jingyao from the children’s room.
After leaving the room, somehow, the atmosphere between the two turned a little awkward.
Ye Xiao licked her lower lip, "It’s too late today, Xixi and Hanhan will stay here, I’ll pick them up in the morning for kindergarten."
Ying Jingyao looked deeply at Ye Xiao, "Okay. You stay too."