Once Chen Qingqing had calmed down, she really did feel guilty.

She thought Xu Ye had been right.

The two of them had been together this long — how could she not have even that much trust in him?

And the thought of so many people having seen her crying that morning made her deeply embarrassed.

Chen Hansong hadn’t expected it to go this way either. He had meant to take Chen Qingqing out for lunch, and in the end he could only order two takeout meals. He had wanted to stay with his daughter a while longer, too, but the moment lunch was over she started hurrying him out the door.

He could never win against his precious daughter, so he had no choice but to drive away from Red Leaf Estate early.

Chen Qingqing sat blankly on the sofa. Thinking about Xu Ye coming over that afternoon made her a little nervous — she had no idea how she was supposed to face him. She stayed there a long time, and in the end, unable to sit still any longer, she got up and went upstairs.

She went into the bathroom and filled the tub, dropped in two bath bombs, then quickly undressed and lowered herself slowly into the water. A dense layer of foam soon spread across the surface…

After her bath Chen Qingqing made a point of changing into something else: a white off-the-shoulder top and a black pleated miniskirt.

Then she spent ten minutes putting on light makeup. She had good skin to start with, and even with a lot of the steps skipped, her looks were, as far as Xu Ye was concerned, second to nobody’s.

It was nearly two o’clock.

She had come back downstairs and was waiting anxiously for him to arrive.

Meanwhile.

Xu Ye had already set out from home.

He knew the way well by now. At Red Leaf Estate he stopped at the entrance, collected a parcel from the Fengchao locker, then drove on to the front of the villa.

He got out and pressed the bell.

Chen Qingqing heard it and got up immediately to go out into the courtyard.

The moment the door opened she looked up at him, and finding his expression still ice-cold, she dropped her head again, injured.

Xu Ye asked straight out, “Where’s your dad?”

“He… left.”

Xu Ye stepped inside, reached back to shut the door, then took her by the wrist and pulled her into the living room.

He sat down on the sofa. Chen Qingqing stood beside him, her small face still pitiful, like a child who had done something wrong.

“Do you know what you did wrong?” Xu Ye asked fiercely.

Chen Qingqing nodded and said, very quietly, “Yes.”

“Sit here.”

Chen Qingqing sat down obediently.

Only then did Xu Ye let his voice soften. “You didn’t even ask properly about a thing like this before crying like that. Are you stupid?”

For some reason, hearing that made her feel wronged all over again. She edged a little closer to him herself, utterly forlorn. “How was I supposed to know… When I saw you with your cousin, I… I thought you didn’t want me anymore.”

“As if.”

Xu Ye put an arm around her and drew her in against his shoulder. “You really are a silly girl.”

Chen Qingqing sniffled and nuzzled her head into it, and said, in that soft Wu lilt, “I’ll never doubt you again.”

Xu Ye pulled her in tight and laughed. “Kiss me now and I’ll forgive you.”

“Really?”

“Mm.”

Chen Qingqing lifted her head and leaned slowly in, and her lips landed on his cheek at last, leaving a faint lip print behind.

Feeling the coolness of the spot where she had kissed him, Xu Ye laughed. “There. Now I forgive you.”

“No.”

Chen Qingqing shook her head, her face red, and under his curious gaze her lips parted. As she spoke, a faint sweetness drifted across his face.

She said softly, “I want to kiss you again.”

It was the first time Chen Qingqing had kissed him of her own accord. Xu Ye kept one hand on her shoulder and the other around her waist, and slowly let himself be pressed down onto the sofa.

At that moment, without a sound, the camera in the corner turned to face the other way.

Several minutes went by.

Only then did Chen Qingqing remember that there was a camera installed in the living room. She looked up hurriedly, but it was too late for regret now. All she could do was hope her mother hadn’t seen what it had just recorded.

Xu Ye followed her gaze to the camera in the corner. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s not stay in the house. We’re going swimming.”

Chen Qingqing made a small sound of agreement, and the two of them set off for the complex’s activity center.

Perhaps they had come too early — there wasn’t a soul in the pool.

Xu Ye changed into his swim trunks and got straight into the water.

A whole afternoon of practice the day before meant he had the movements and the technique down. He hadn’t been at it long that day before he could swim a few yards.

Perhaps because her mood had turned from overcast to clear, when Chen Qingqing saw how fast he was picking it up she couldn’t help praising him a few times.

Give Xu Ye a little sunshine and he shone. Hearing her praise him, he swam over to the side, pushed his soaked hair back and asked, beaming, “Am I good or what?”

“You’re good.”

“How good?”

Chen Qingqing wrinkled her small nose and gave a snort. “Averagely good.”

Xu Ye wasn’t satisfied with that answer, but he didn’t say anything else — he only asked her to wipe his face with the towel. Chen Qingqing thought nothing of it and handed him her own bath towel. Then he gripped it and gave a sudden hard yank, and before she knew what was happening she went straight into the water.

“Ah!” The instant she fell in, Xu Ye had hold of her. She twisted, found she couldn’t get free, and asked immediately, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Shh~”

“Let go of me. Somebody’s going to come in.”

“There’s nobody~”

Both of them were in swimsuits, and Xu Ye was shirtless besides. Chen Qingqing didn’t dare move at all now — she could feel his body temperature climbing fast…

“Somebody’s coming.” Chen Qingqing suddenly called out.

Xu Ye’s attention slipped for a second, and she immediately broke out of his arms.

Chen Qingqing swam a few yards off, glanced down at the part of him that was misbehaving, then looked sharply away and climbed out on the other side with her face red.

Xu Ye finished practicing and climbed out.

Chen Qingqing had already changed back into her ordinary clothes. She threw him a clean bath towel and muttered, “Xu Ye, I’m hungry.”

Xu Ye laughed. “So am I. Why don’t you get back in and swim a couple more laps to warm the dish up, and then I’ll eat you?”

“Certainly not.”

Xu Ye laughed out loud and got up. “Wait here. I’ll go rinse off, and then I’ll take you out for a big dinner.”

Chen Qingqing gave an “oh.” Watching him walk away, she smiled and swore at him under her breath. “Rotten thing.”

That evening the two of them went for barbecue.

By the time they came back it was already dark.

The car stopped at the gate. Chen Qingqing unfastened her seat belt and asked, “Are you going to the factory tomorrow?”

“Mm.”

“Can I come with you?”

“Of course. I’ll come pick you up around eight thirty tomorrow morning, then?”

“All right.” Chen Qingqing pushed the door open to get out.

Xu Ye remembered something and quickly opened the armrest console, took out the parcel he had collected at noon and said, “The delivery you asked me for. I nearly forgot to give it to you.”

Chen Qingqing reached out to take it.

Xu Ye deliberately pulled his hand back and asked, leering, “So when are you going to put them on for me?”

“To… tomorrow.” Chen Qingqing snatched it away from him, got out in a hurry, opened the gate and went into the courtyard. Only once Xu Ye saw the lights come on inside did he drive off, laughing quietly.

(End of Chapter 271)