Chapter 37: Is It Sincere?
When it came to matters between men and women, Zeng Xiaofan was a complete novice, utterly inexperienced. So he didn’t overthink it; upon arrival, he went straight to the point.
From a distance, Zeng Xiaofan locked eyes on Aunt Yao and hurried toward her in quick, small steps. Yet, his excitement was so overwhelming that sweat broke out on his palms and his legs felt weak. His focus on his goal was so intense that he failed to notice his surroundings. After only two steps, as he was about to reach Bai Qingyao, fate intervened: a small stool lay in his path unnoticed, and he tripped over it.
“Ugh!” he grunted, losing balance instantly and stumbling straight onto the bed—landing squarely atop Bai Qingyao. In that moment, they were pressed together, face to face, arms entwined.
“Ah!” Bai Qingyao cried out in pain, “What are you... what are you doing...?”
“Ouch… you’re going to crush me!” she groaned, writhing in discomfort, while Zeng Xiaofan, breathless, dared not let out a sound.
This was the closest he’d ever been to Aunt Yao, barring that mishap during the blackout in the restroom. And now, she was clad in such alluring attire...
Bai Qingyao gave a few pained sighs; perhaps his excitement was infectious, for her voice grew increasingly hazy. “You brute… so rough…”
“Look how worked up you are… Is it really necessary?”
“You’re burning up like you’ve got a fever…” she murmured, reaching out to gently push his chest. The firmness of his muscles made her delicate brows knit in surprise.
“When did you develop such a big chest?” she wondered aloud. “Hmm?”
“And abs too?”
“One… two…”
“Three…”
“Seven… eight…”
The further her hand traveled, the more something felt amiss. Suddenly, her mouth gaped wide, even her nostrils flared. She drew in a sharp breath, recoiling as if bitten by a snake.
“Ah!” Bai Qingyao shrieked, tearing off her blindfold. “Who are you! You’re not Xiao Changgui!”
The unnerving sensation jolted her completely awake, terror sending her soul flying.
---
The instant she pulled off her blindfold, her screams grew even louder.
“Ah!”
“Xiaofan…”
“Xiaofan…”
“Oh my!”
“How could it be you?!”
“You… you… what are you doing on top of Auntie?!”
Mortified and flustered, Bai Qingyao hastily kicked him off and snatched a nearby blanket to cover herself tightly.
Zeng Xiaofan was beside himself with panic. “Uh… Auntie…”
“I… I…”
“What do you mean ‘I’! Turn around, quickly!”
“Hideous! Don’t face me!” Bai Qingyao was on the verge of collapse, covering her eyes with both hands.
Zeng Xiaofan snapped out of his daze, hurriedly picked up a towel from the floor to cover himself, and turned away.
“Ah… Auntie… I…”
“I…”
He tried to explain, but caught in the act, and in such an awkward state, how could he clear things up? He opened his mouth, but words failed him.
Bai Qingyao gazed at his strong, broad back, recalling the scene just moments before—the strange sensation she’d felt—her mind was thrown into chaos.
Clutching the blanket with one hand and pressing her forehead with the other, she took a long while to calm herself.
“Did Xiao Changgui send you in here?” she asked coldly.
Zeng Xiaofan nodded hurriedly. “Yes, yes… Uncle Changgui practically begged me…”
“I felt bad for him…”
Before he could finish, Bai Qingyao interrupted, “I understand. Leave, and tell Xiao Changgui to get in here!”
“Yes, yes…” Zeng Xiaofan fled the room as if escaping.
Her scent still lingered at the tip of his nose, leaving him shaken and a little disappointed.
As he opened the door, Xiao Changgui stood sheepishly outside, clearly having overheard everything.
“Did it work?” Xiao Changgui whispered.
Before Zeng Xiaofan could answer, Bai Qingyao’s voice thundered from inside, “Work your sister! Xiao Changgui! Get in here, now!”
---
Xiao Changgui shrugged and went in, while Zeng Xiaofan, mortified, couldn’t bear to stay home a moment longer and made for the door.
“Zeng Xiaofan!” Bai Qingyao’s voice rang out again.
With one foot already out the door, he stopped in embarrassment. “Auntie… what is it?”
“Is there something else…?”
“Stay outside and behave! I’ll deal with you later!”
“Uh…” Zeng Xiaofan could only sit in the living room, feelings tangled and unsettled.
Inside the room, Bai Qingyao glared furiously at Xiao Changgui. “So this is your little trick tonight! Playing games with me?”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“How could you let Xiaofan come in and…?”
“You might not care, but I still have my pride!”
“Xiaofan calls me Auntie! In my eyes… he’s practically half my son…”
Xiao Changgui hung his head in sorrow. “I know… I just had no other choice.”
“Do you really want to see the Xiao family left without an heir?”
“That’s a small matter; what about when we’re old? Lulu’s a girl, she’ll marry someday—even if she doesn’t, she’s still a girl. When we’re old, who will support her?”
Bai Qingyao’s eyes flickered with complicated emotions. She understood well the issues Xiao Changgui raised.
She knew letting Xiaofan in wasn’t necessarily a bad idea.
But she couldn’t fully accept it—especially having been tricked this way, it only made her angrier.
“So you think you can treat me like this?”
“What do you take me for?”
“Do you even see me as a person?”
“Have you ever thought to respect me?” Her voice grew more impassioned, her proud figure rising and falling with each breath.
“I’m sorry… Yaoyao…”
“It’s true, I wronged you… but I only wanted…”
“Ah, if only it had worked… If it had, I’d accept your blame and criticism, bear any shame you put on me.”
His face grew paler as he spoke, as if all his spirit drained away.
Bai Qingyao fell silent for a long time. At last she bit her lip and lowered her head, speaking softly:
“Gui-ge… do you truly wish for Xiaofan and me to… to be together?”