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Su Jingyang was completely lost, even if there was nothing between Ali and Ah-Yi, why did he lie about his birthday gift? Was the matter over just like this?

Su Jingyang always felt that the situation had been weird from beginning to end. After calmly finishing his duties and starting his break, he thought about it and decided to ask Ling Li.

Ling Li was cleaning up in the kitchen, he whispered to him without looking back: "I... I was confused at the time because he could help Ah-Xuan. I thought it wouldn't be good to not give gifts on his birthday, so that's why I thought of using your gift. But then I thought, you're Ah-Xuan's uncle and your gifts would have as much gravity, so I told him about it in the end."

Su Jingyang knew that he should believe this but still felt that something weird. He had always suspected that there was a shared secret between the two.

From that day on, Ling Li and Ah-Yi used actual actions to prove to him that the relationship between the two of them was really cold, even more estrangled than when they first met, and this strangeness was painfully obvious at first glance. It wasn't pretended, but there were no fights. Sometimes when they met, they would nod politely and not say anything.

Su Jingyang, who had treated the two of them as a couple before, felt like a big fool.

When the system no. 1 said at the time that promoting marriage would result in positive energy, he had planned to wait for Ah-Yi to come back and then work harder to match them up, wanting to kill two birds with one stone, but now... forget it.

The weather became drier and drier, and the rain continued to fall for several days. The roof of Su Jingyang's bedroom leaked rain and dripped on his bed, Su Jingyang couldn't sleep at all so he could only hug his pillow and go squeeze together with Ling Li. In the cold weather, people would crowd together to get warmer, even though the rain stopped and the roof was repaired, Su Jingyang still slept there.

Ah-Xuan lay in the middle of the two, listening to the sound of falling rain outside with his ears erected, his big eyes kept flickering around no matter how much Su Jingyang coaxed him to sleep.

"Go to sleep, go to bed!" Coaxing children to sleep was a task that tested endurance, Su Jingyang stretched out his hand and tried to maintain the expression on his face, but Ah-Xuan felt that he was playing with him, he put Su Jingyang's caught finger into his mouth and bit.

After biting, he smiled and said to Su Jingyang, "Uncle, your hands are so delicious."

After Ah-Xuan came back from Rongcheng, Su Jingyang didn't feel any major changes at first, but unknowingly after a few days, the child was finally able to use his chopsticks slowly, and his speech became a little clearer. Occasionally, he would absorb one or two fresh words and pop them out abruptly.

This surprised Su Jingyang and Ling Li very much, if Ah-Xuan could recover little by little this great would be great!

Su Jingyang leaned over and snorted, he bit him back, "No more sleep, uncle will eat you!" Ah-Xuan knew that he was joking and was dancing with joy, he kicked off the quilt covering him.

Su Jingyang put the quilt on him, he leaned over and pressed his little head into his arms, rubbing his hair, "Go to bed, play with your uncle, let's see who falls asleep first!"

Su Jingyang did this every time he couldn't coax him, Ah-Xuan pretended to be asleep to win. At first, his eyes were still rolling under his lids, but after a while, he would truly fall asleep.

Su Jingyang breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but smile, he kissed his puff face and let go of his fragrant body, tucking him into the quilt.

Su Jingyang looked at Ling Li on the other side of the bed. Ling Li lay there quietly, his eyes staring at them blankly.

After seeing Liu Yue's parents begging at Lin Ji pavilion today, Ling Li had been in a daze.

Su Jingyang didn't know who they were at the time, he just treated them as ordinary beggars and gave them hot meals and dishes. When he turned around, he found that Ling Li was standing at the sill of the backdoor, his face pale and his eyes staring fiercely, his whole body even showed a biting coldness.

Su Jingyang noticed that there was something wrong with him and hurried over to ask, only then did he learn that the old couple in ragged clothes were Liu Yue's parents; they were the ones that made Ah-Xuan into the way he was now, and harmed Ling Li's reputation!

Su Jingyang regretted it until his intestines were green¹, if it weren't for the fact that the two were already gone he would've rushed up and smashed their bowls; he would rather feed the food to the dogs!

Su Jingyang promised Ling Li that he would kick them out directly when he saw them again in the future. However, Ling Li always stood there quietly, as if he had lost his soul, saying nothing.

Su Jingyang had heard before that Liu Yue's parents were sick and sought medical treatment, gradually running out of energy to harass Ling Li. Now it seemed that heaven wasn't blind, their clothes were thin and ragged and they didn't even have enough to eat.

Regarding what happened back then, Su Jingyang wholeheartedly believed Ling Li, but he had a vague guess in his heart about what exactly happened, though he never planned to ask.

But at this moment, seeing Ling Li look so absent-minded, he couldn't help but wonder if he still had some compassion for that old couple...

It was probably because Su Jingyang gave them delicious and fresh food, the old couple tasted sweetness and came to Su Jingyang to beg for food the next day. Su Jingyang didn't say much, he coldly blasted them away, ignoring their kneeling figures.

Su Jingyang was about to turn around to go back to the restaurant when Liu Yue's mother sipped at him, her dry mouth flapping close and open with a series of resentful low curses as she took the sick old man away. Su JIngyang was speechless.

After giving them food the day before yesterday, he didn't get any positive energy, Su Jingyang felt that it was weird at that time, now it seemed that they had taken his behaviour for granted. If you give they wouldn't be grateful, if you don't they would curse you, simply wonderful!

Su Jingyang thought it was over and that he wouldn't see them anymore in the future, but he didn't know that someone had been secretly paying attention to Ling Li's movements and ran to tell Liu Yue's parents that someone brought meat to Ling Li's house every day, their clothes and dress were all brand new, he must've snatched up a big fish.

The Liu parents, who hadn't visited for a long time, gathered their energy and found Ling Li's residence. They yelled about old news again and wanted money for their son's life, they squatted at the gate and refused to leave.

Su Jingyang was so angry that he grabbed a shovel and prepared to shovel them away, but he was eventually stopped by Ling Li. There were many people watching the excitement outside the long-deserted area, Ling Li was afraid that his own reputation would be affected by him.

Su Jingyang actually didn't care about this but seeing Ling Li's pleading eyes, he couldn't bear to make Ling Li feel guilty, so he had to give up temporarily.

Su Jingyang thought that the couple would squat until dark, but coincidentally, Rong Hua and Rong Ci came back from outside and happened to see Liu Yue's parents crying and begging for money at Ling Li's gate.

Rong Hua had always only pretended to be good in front of Ling Li, she didn't temper in front of outsiders. It also happened that she was holding a cowhide whip in her hand, she couldn't help but flick it at the two, cursing as she whipped: "Daring to block at the door of Lao Tzu's² house, dog stuff, are you tired of living!"

The two were screamed and screamed again and again, but there was nowhere to hide. All the onlookers were frightened and fled by Rong Hua's fierce appearance and fled.

Soon after Liu Yue's parents were bleeding, they screamed for mercy and staggered under Rong Hua's whip. Rong Hua wanted to chase them down but was stopped by Rong Ci.

"You're going to kill people again, don't cause trouble."

Rong Hua sighed fiercely, the vicious depression between her eyebrows hadn't disappeared, "Coming here to make trouble, of course I'll kill them!"

She said so but still listened to Rong Ci. They were from Rongcheng and their identities were sensitive. It would indeed be a bit troublesome to kill people here.

But if they met again next time, Rong Hua would definitely not be afraid of making trouble.

Ling Li and Su Jingyang both heard their movements and hurriedly ran out to look for them. The moment the gate was opened, Rong Hua's face changed in an instant. She looked back with no trace of viciousness and leaned forward to hug Ling Li's arm, her tone was soft and completely different from just now, "Ali, Ali, were you scared, who were they? They're so slipshod!"

Ling Li patted her on the shoulder and looked in the direction of Liu Yue's parents fleeing in panic, he said softly, "It's fine."

Su Jingyang stretched his neck holding Ah-Xuan and watching, he breathed a sigh of relief that the two had finally left. Rong Ci suddenly paced to his side, Su Jingyang noticed and looked back at him. He then glanced down subconsciously; the jade pendant was still worn on his waist.

Rong Ci looked at him for a moment and said in a low voice: "Why is it that every time you're bullied you'll just passively take it? Who could you count on to protect you?"

"I won't count on you anyway," Su Jingyang was depressed as he said that, he looked back at him and said: "Because they'll clearly lose in a fight, I'm not interested in taking them on at all, but if you dare to bully me, I'll fight you desperately!"

Rong Ci looked at him up and down: "Desperately? Just like the first time we met, with your mouth?"

Su Jingyang said, "I can kill you with a bite!"

Rong Ci looked at him angrily and curled his mouth, "You have such an advantage, yet you can still brag. I almost believed you."

Su Jingyang didn't want to talk to him anymore and was about to take Ah-Xuan to the yard. Ah-Xuan suddenly broke away from Su Jingyang's hand and ran to Rong Ci, trying to crawl on Rong Ci, making a loud aegyo. Su Jingyang found that after returning from Rongcheng, Ah-Xuan became more and more intimate with Rong Ci.

Rong Ci naturally picked up Ah-Xuan and naturally followed after Su Jingyang's footsteps, walking side by side with him, he turned his head sideways to stare at his face and said in a slightly raised voice, "Hey, the egg cakes you made for me last time weren't too bad. I'm hungry, give it to me."

"Last time I made it for Ali, who said it was for you?" Su Jingyang gave him a blank look. "Also, why should I make it for you? I'm not your servant, I've worked so hard to cook noodles for you before but you didn't even eat a bite, do you think you can still tease me!"

"Last time..." Rong Ci caught sight of Ling Li's congealed figure behind him. After a moment of silence, his lips moved and he was about to speak but Ah-Xuan bit his fingers and blinked, he suddenly charged at Su Jingyang and shouted: "Uncle, uncle, Xuan wants to eat, wants to eat cakes, wants to eat!"

Su Jingyang's eyes widened for a moment, Ah-Xuan's mouth was full of sparkling saliva. Seeing that he wasn't moving, he reached towards hi and pushed him with his hands, hurriedly urging, "Go, go, uncle, I want to eat!"

"..." Su Jingyang gritted his teeth and stretched out his hand to grab Ah-Xuan's face. Under Rong Ci's smiling eyes, he gave a cold snort and resigned himself to the kitchen.

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Notes:

1- Regret it extremely

2- Literally translates as "I, your father"

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