Coveted for a Long Time 47

Chapter 47

She shouldn’t have let the other party continue, but for some reason, Qiao Xi hesitated for a moment. The hand blocking in between ultimately didn’t use force, instead changing to stroke Fu Bei’s chest, climbing up bit by bit.

Raising her hand, the bath towel fell suddenly. Her jade-white skin was plated with a faint halo under the light, revealed inch by inch. Qiao Xi didn’t care about the bath towel, letting it fall, her hands resting on Fu Bei’s shoulders, slowly moving towards her neck.

This kiss was different from before. Perhaps the atmosphere was too quiet and peaceful, revealing a hint of deep affection and lingering. Both of them temporarily put aside the previous estrangement and rifts, caring about nothing at this moment. Knowing she wouldn’t resist anymore, Fu Bei moved the hand on her waist to her shoulder blade, touching it lightly like a crow’s feather. Feeling her shrink sensitively, she stopped in time, staying in place.

The street lights not far away were dim, and the residential complex was silent and deserted. Only in this room did ambiguous heat permeate, even the air carrying warmth, enveloping the two of them.

Because she was lying prone just now, Qiao Xi’s hair fell on her chest, just covering the curvaceous scenery.

Applying a little force, Fu Bei hugged her waist and back, lifting her onto her lap. Qiao Xi cooperated rarely, embracing her shoulders directly at this moment, arms around her neck. Pressed together so tightly and seamlessly, both feeling the other’s breathing and slightly scorching body temperature.

Qiao Xi barely retracted the thorns all over her body, finally willing to let Fu Bei touch the soft place in her heart. Even if brief, it counted as letting down her guard. She endured the intimacy of Fu Bei’s caress, letting the warm breath transmit into her body and spread to her limbs and bones. Her whole being was filled, her heart swelling with an indescribable sourness—satisfied, yet unsatisfied.

Closing her red lips gently, she moved one hand down, grabbing Fu Bei’s forearm. Fumbling, she found those long, slender, white fingers, catching the index and middle fingers, gripping and kneading them in her palm.

Fu Bei’s throat moved suddenly, her eyes deepening. Moving down along the spine, she touched the hibiscus flower, scraping it with her fingertips.

The itchiness was like ripples spreading in a calm lake, spreading from the hibiscus flower to her heart, making Qiao Xi’s mouth a bit dry. Unaccustomed, she straightened her waist, gripping the other party harder, but without large movements, letting Fu Bei hug her, very docile.

After a while, Fu Bei withdrew, lifting her long narrow eyes to look, then hooking Qiao Xi’s slightly messy hair on her chest behind her shoulder. Qiao Xi instantly felt a bit shy, not making a sound or stopping her, just lowering her head slightly, unwilling to meet her eyes.

With the end of the kiss, reason slowly returned, as if the emotion just now was fake, no longer existing.

Fu Bei held one of her hands, lifting it to her lips.

Realizing what this person might do, Qiao Xi tried to pull away repeatedly. Unfortunately, it was too late; she was held even tighter. Fu Bei lowered her eyes, planting a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.

The touch was faint, too light, so there was only a moment of warmth. Once leaving, there was no feeling at all.

But Qiao Xi still froze, dazed, pursing her red lips, not understanding the meaning of tonight’s scene. She had originally classified their current relationship as dispensable; the special companionship in bed was temporary, just enjoying without commitment. That was why she let Fu Bei come over so easily these days, even being very proactive, intending to indulge. Even in the bathroom just now, she was like this—compliant and greedy, lazily seeking pleasure, but never taking this relationship too seriously from beginning to end.

She and Fu Bei couldn’t even be considered lovers.

But during the kiss, she thought the other party was going to do something more, but in the end, she didn’t. Now, just looking at her like this, and making such a tender gesture.

The fleeting warmth on the back of her hand was clearly gone, yet it seemed to linger. Qiao Xi made no move, her expression unclear, no longer like before, even that superficial disguise gone.

Fu Bei still held her hand, whispering, “I looked for Uncle Qiao, looked for him many times.”

Before, Qiao Xi had been hiding. During school, she might return to the Qiao house, but disappeared as soon as holidays started. Fu Bei couldn’t find her, and wary of her family, she dared not act rashly, just dragging on like this. Now back in the country, finding out that the events of the past might be related to the Fu and Liang families, it became a stalemate again.

If the Fu family couldn’t wash their hands of what happened to Qiao Jianliang back then, she didn’t know how to resolve it, unable to explain. Qiao Jianliang had such a hard time then, plotted against by people around him, losing almost everything, just short of jumping off a building. Not many could bear the drop of standing on the edge of an abyss about to fall to the bottom. To this day, he still wasn’t clear about what exactly happened, but he wasn’t completely ignorant either; he was just alert and sensible, pretending not to know anything.

When the truth is finally revealed, how will it end?

“I know,” Qiao Xi said, unmoved. If she were truly moved, she would have turned back when this person looked for her, not waiting until now, let alone reaching this point today.

She looked down at Fu Bei condescendingly. Kneeling for too long made her legs ache. Moving a bit, her lips moved, pondering for a long time, then turning to answer the previous question: “These past few years were just like that. Don’t you know everything? Studying, opening a shop, my dad marrying Zhou Meihe, me moving out. Nothing new.”

Five years, neither long nor short. At first, even a day felt long and unbearable. Gradually, she became numb, walking through school every day, attending classes with Tang Yi, going to Qin Si’s place when free. Time flew by, fleeting. In the blink of an eye, the person she had searched for bitterly actually returned.

How many five years are there in life? This period was plain and unremarkable. She thought there would be a big void, but there wasn’t; life actually went on as usual. Time wouldn’t stop because one person was missing, and life wouldn’t collapse because of it. No one in this world absolutely cannot leave another. Everyone is the same; all living beings are mortals, without exception.

Seeing her attitude change suddenly, Fu Bei’s eyes deepened. After a moment, she still embraced her, leaning in to kiss the corner of her lips, talking about her own experiences in these years.

Qiao Xi zoned out, unsure if she was listening.

“Okay?” Fu Bei asked suddenly.

She was stunned, then puzzled: “Hmm?”

Fu Bei was very patient. “I have time next week; I’ll come find you.”

It seemed she hadn’t listened to the previous words at all, very perfunctory. Fu Bei lowered her eyes, not forcing it. If Qiao Xi wasn’t willing to talk, she wouldn’t push. Leaning in, she brushed against the corner of her lips.

Qiao Xi didn’t refuse, her eyelashes trembling, waiting for the next move.

However, the other party didn’t continue; there were no further actions. After a long time, she tied the bath towel for her.

The moment her fingertips touched her skin, Qiao Xi’s breath hitched. Lowering her eyes to glance at this person, after a moment, she grabbed Fu Bei’s wrist.

Fu Bei stopped, looking up to meet her eyes.

Qiao Xi remained silent for a long time. Her lips moved slightly, restraining the silence between her brows, asking in the lightest possible voice, “Why come back?”

It was a question, and also an affirmation.

Reality is mostly parting ways and wishing each other well. Where do all these twists and turns come from? Since it’s not absolutely necessary to be you, then after walking through the depression, each should start a new life. But why come back?

Clearly gave up, picking it up again—how can it be so easy?

Fu Bei was silent, but the moment Qiao Xi let go, she grabbed back. Qiao Xi, as usual, didn’t push her away.

Deep in the night, the world fell into silence. The streets became deserted, the residential complex quiet, and the room pitch black.

Qiao Xi lay on her side, closing her eyes but unable to sleep. Fu Bei hugged her waist from behind, pressing against her, unknown if she was asleep or not. In the latter half of the night, she fell into a heavy sleep. Until 4:00 or 5:00 AM, lying on her side made her waist sore, so she turned over to lie flat. Fu Bei remained in the original position, eyes closed, one hand resting on her.

Shrinking into the quilt a bit, raising her hand after a while, stopping before it left the quilt, finally giving up.

When a touch of white appeared on the horizon, vaguely approaching dawn, she was sleeping dazedly. Until she felt a weight pressing over, unable to move her whole body. As her consciousness gradually cleared, slowly opening her eyes, her vision was blocked. Realizing what was happening, she didn’t refuse, only compliantly bending her long, fair, sexy legs.

Later, she went back to sleep. When she truly woke up, the person beside her had long left.

Fu Bei said many things last night, but Qiao Xi didn’t listen seriously, taking almost nothing to heart. It wasn’t until the other party disappeared for two or three days that she reacted.

Zhou Jiaqi was annoying, and her brother Zhou Qun was about the same. Zhou Qun was thirty-four or thirty-five. Qiao Xi rarely interacted with him, only knowing he ran a game company, which seemed decent. However, this game company was quite unethical. Just starting in the past two years, under the guise of originality, it actually did dirty things like plagiarism and borrowing, constantly playing edge ball, earning quite a lot. This time, the capsize wasn’t losing a copyright lawsuit but being called for tea by relevant departments and ordered to rectify.

Qiao Xi inquired and found out Zhou Qun’s company was reported. The reason was that the newly launched game, developed with heavy investment, involved incorrect value orientation and deliberate inducement of teenagers, causing certain impacts. Anyway, the notification was very official; bluntly put, it was a violation.

The Zhou family was hit before and hadn’t recovered. Now with this matter, it was simply extremely unlucky. Zhou Qun condescended to visit the Qiao family twice, acting very familiar with Qiao Jianliang. After eating and drinking his fill, his words openly and secretly mentioned borrowing money for emergency relief.

Liquidity is the lifeblood of business. If the lifeblood dries up, it’s basically game over. Zhou Qun didn’t have enough liquidity and wanted to borrow some to turn around.

Qiao Jianliang was rarely shrewd this time. No matter what he said, playing dumb meant “not understanding,” and even conversely advised Zhou Qun to be down-to-earth. Zhou Qun’s face fell immediately. Thanks to his good temper; otherwise, he would have thrown down his chopsticks and left on the spot.

The Zhou family was in chaos over this. Elder Zhou refused to take out money, holding on tight and not letting go, telling Zhou Qun to solve it himself. Zhou Qun had nowhere to turn for help. When Zhou Meihe took Zhou Lin back, the siblings had a big fight; the scene was simply chaotic.

Zhou Meihe, having suffered anger at her maiden home, was furious. Coincidentally, Qiao Xi returned on this day.

Saying these words was nothing more than Qiao Jianliang treating Qiao Xi and Zhou Lin too differently; many things didn’t include Zhou Lin’s share. Zhou Meihe had long held a grudge in her heart. She and Qiao Jianliang got a certificate and married; they were a legally protected couple. But which couple lived like this? Qiao Jianliang guarded against outsiders tightly. Assets were dealt with before marriage, all given to Qiao Xi. Now living under one roof, although he didn’t mistreat the mother and son, the comparison was truly hard to accept.

A second marriage is also a marriage; a stepson is also a son. Why?

Zhou Meihe had many complaints in her heart. The more she thought, the more unfair she felt. At first blaming Qiao Jianliang, gradually blaming Qiao Xi. After all, she wasn’t biological, an outsider; complaining seemed justified. But she forgot that before marriage, Qiao Jianliang had put these things on the table and said everything clearly. What should be given to the mother and son was given. She herself was willing originally. Moreover, her intentions were never pure. Complaining so much was just bringing it on herself; human greed is insatiable.

Qiao Xi’s face turned dark. Slanting her eyes, she raised her eyebrows and asked, “If you have something to say, say it clearly. Why, have an opinion about me?”

Too direct words made Zhou Meihe’s face stiffen. Calming down for a moment, she replied with a fake smile, “What are you saying? Don’t misunderstand; I just said a sentence casually.”

Qiao Xi left her no face at all. She didn’t give face to herself; why should Qiao Xi give her face? Looking at Zhou Lin, who couldn’t fart even if kicked three times, then glancing at Zhou Meihe, she said coldly, “Then tell me what you mean. How did I misunderstand?”