Chapter 77

Chapter 77

When Jing Xi woke up the next day, he felt groggy, not exactly in pain, but a heavy, dull sensation as if someone had punched him in the forehead, his thoughts also somewhat scattered.

Jing Xi rubbed his temples as he sat up, the blanket sliding down. He looked down at his bare upper body, startled: ?

Perhaps the shock was too much, as he even forgot his discomfort. He belatedly remembered going to the bar with Xie Qingfeng. The drinks had seemed good, so he drank them all. But what happened afterward? He couldn't recall a thing.

Only vague, dreamlike images flashed through his mind, making Jing Xi gasp. Had he been knocked out by those four drinks?

Jing Xi’s mind was a mess, with fleeting images of him embracing the National Teacher, scenes in the bathroom, and Xie Qingfeng forcefully giving him medicine.

Overwhelmed by the flood of information and his current state, Jing Xi gasped, worried he might have acted out in his drunkenness. But no, even though he was powerful, the National Teacher was much stronger and could easily subdue him.

Or… did the National Teacher do something to him?

Quickly pulling off the blanket, Jing Xi sighed in relief upon seeing he was still in his pants. The National Teacher, who would rather stay away from him, wouldn’t possibly…?

Xie Qingfeng saw Jing Xi’s actions through the open door. Initially unaware of anything amiss, he stiffened at Jing Xi’s changing expressions, especially recalling his own leniency last night, and sarcastically said, "What do you think I did to you?"

Jing Xi, who had been preoccupied with his blackout, jerked his head towards Xie Qingfeng: "You... I was at the bar last night, wasn't I?"

"You don’t remember anything?" Xie Qingfeng scrutinized Jing Xi, making sure he wasn’t faking, his voice ominous, "You don’t know what happened last night? Getting blackout drunk on just a few drinks, how dare you drink like that?" His meaningful gaze made Jing Xi’s scalp tingle.

"You…" Jing Xi’s expression changed several times, then he slowly pulled the blanket up to his chin, leaving only his eyes exposed, "If something did happen, wouldn’t the National Teacher be responsible?"

Xie Qingfeng, unexpectedly put on the spot: …

Xie Qingfeng paused, then spoke expressionlessly, "You’re thinking too much. You took off your clothes yourself."

Jing Xi: "But, about the bath… what happened there?"

Xie Qingfeng looked at him as if he were the one at fault: "I thought you didn’t remember? Yet you remember that clearly."

Recalling the bathing incident gave Xie Qingfeng a headache. Jing Xi had clung to him, pouring out his grievances, softening his heart. Initially, when Jing Xi insisted he couldn’t sleep without washing, Xie Qingfeng took him to the bathroom, intending to just wipe his hands with a towel.

But as soon as Xie Qingfeng turned to find clothes, Jing Xi had stripped and turned on the shower, completely disregarding him as a stranger.

To prevent a drunk Jing Xi from falling in the bathroom, Xie Qingfeng had to stay, back turned, enduring the ordeal. Finally, after much struggle, he got Jing Xi to bed. Then, after making a hangover soup, Jing Xi got hot and took off his clothes again.

Xie Qingfeng wondered if Jing Xi was pretending to be drunk, but seeing him now, it was clear he had overthought it.

Xie Qingfeng: "You took off your clothes and dressed yourself. Believe it or not." Having said that, he turned and walked out. He had classes in the morning and wouldn’t have kept an eye on Jing Xi all night if he hadn’t been worried about his drunken antics. Now that Jing Xi was awake and fine, he could leave.

Jing Xi raised his hand, wanting to call Xie Qingfeng back, but hesitated, fearing he might make him angrier, especially since he was still on the verge of being kicked out.

When Jing Xi finished washing up and came out, Xie Qingfeng was silently eating breakfast in the dining room. Jing Xi sat down opposite him, cautiously. After Xie Qingfeng finished eating, Jing Xi finally mustered the courage to ask, "Last night… I didn’t say anything I shouldn’t have, right?" But he probably hadn’t, or he would have been kicked out before the fifteen-day deadline.

Xie Qingfeng, holding his empty plate, paused at Jing Xi’s words. His gaze fell on Jing Xi’s worried and apprehensive expression, recalling his distressed state the night before, and then remembered Jing Xi's cold demeanor when he first ascended the throne.

It was then that he finally understood why Jing Xi had coldly rejected all court petitions to take a queen, defending his stance resolutely.

Xie Qingfeng gave Jing Xi a final look and eventually spoke, “No.”

Even with Xie Qingfeng's assurance, Jing Xi couldn’t settle his mind. He watched Xie Qingfeng leave and then returned to his room in a daze, dejectedly sitting and hitting his head, unable to recall what happened while drunk the night before.

However, when he went to the kitchen half an hour later, he was startled to see an extra breakfast prepared: ?

Over the next few days, Jing Xi couldn't figure out Xie Qingfeng’s thoughts. If his drunken behavior had angered Xie Qingfeng, the latter's demeanor didn’t seem that hostile, still cold but not overly repulsive. If he hadn’t angered him, Xie Qingfeng’s reactions were strangely odd, even unexpectedly making breakfast for him one day.

It was just that one day, but it was puzzling enough, almost like… compensation?

However, Xie Qingfeng was too preoccupied to concern himself with Jing Xi's fluctuating emotions, as he faced his first university exam.

While other departments only had two exams per semester, his department was stricter. To prevent them from getting complacent after entering university, they had a preliminary exam right after a month, with questions set by the department itself.

With his focus entirely on the exam, Xie Qingfeng naturally neglected Jing Xi.

Jing Xi, hesitant to approach Xie Qingfeng, appeared listless and despondent, only seeming to come to life when Xie Qingfeng returned in the evenings. With the deadline for his departure drawing near, Jing Xi felt like an ant on a hot pan, yet dared not show his anxiety in front of Xie Qingfeng.

Even the news of President Zhu securing several lucrative deals, with the potential to double the company's assets, failed to spark much interest in him.

A few days after Xie Qingfeng's exams, the results were out, unsurprisingly placing him first in his major's professional courses.

After the exams, Xie Qingfeng resumed coming home for dinner. Initially, Jing Xi was delighted, though worried Xie Qingfeng might not eat the meals he prepared. Fortunately, Xie Qingfeng simply glanced at the food and ate it, but this behavior only heightened Jing Xi's unease: it felt ominously like a final farewell meal.

Under this distress, the evening before the agreed departure date finally arrived.

Xie Qingfeng had a full schedule that afternoon, and Jing Xi prepared a table full of dishes, timing the last soup to be ready by 6:30 PM, Xie Qingfeng's usual return time.

If Xie Qingfeng didn't return by then, he likely ate out, but Jing Xi hoped, on this last day, he would come home.

Jing Xi's phone lit up with a message. Fearing it was from Xie Qingfeng, he checked and saw it was from Liang Chenglei.

[Liang Chenglei: Mingfeng, the documents for the share transfer are ready, and approval has come through. We need Mr. Xie’s signature. When are you free tomorrow to set a time?]

Jing Xi, seeing the message, felt an even greater headache: Liang Chenglei was indeed punctual, timing his message to sting even more.

Remembering Xie Qingfeng's instructions, Jing Xi sighed and replied, then sadly looked at the table of steaming, unshared dishes.

Xie Qingfeng returned precisely at 6:30 PM. As he entered, he saw Jing Xi, who looked up abruptly at his arrival, resembling a dog that had been waiting for him.

Xie Qingfeng paused as he closed the door, then changed his shoes and approached the table, not questioning the lavish spread. He washed his hands and sat opposite Jing Xi, picking up a piece of sweet and sour pork rib.

Indeed, the culinary skills had improved significantly. Xie Qingfeng had been mistaken; the young emperor did have a knack for cooking.

After finishing a piece, Xie Qingfeng noticed Jing Xi watching him eat intently: “Aren’t you eating?”

His tone was so calm and natural, as if there had been no deception between them, just like old times. Jing Xi blinked in surprise and absentmindedly started eating.

Until Xie Qingfeng voluntarily washed the dishes and returned to his room, Jing Xi felt like he was walking on clouds, filled with questions: What did the National Teacher mean? Why didn't he mention preparing to leave tomorrow? Did he forget, or did he forget the deadline was tomorrow?

Should he remind Xie Qingfeng if he really forgot?

Should he pack his luggage? Though he didn’t have much, Xie Qingfeng had bought him many things, none of which he wanted to leave behind, just in case Xie Qingfeng decided to send him away unexpectedly tomorrow.

The next day, before dawn, Jing Xi resignedly prepared his last breakfast, the final farewell meal.

Xie Qingfeng had a morning class, so he got up early and saw Jing Xi already seated at the dining table, back straight, tense as if facing a great challenge.

Xie Qingfeng almost smiled at the sight, but managed to keep a straight face, sitting opposite Jing Xi. After breakfast, he left for class, leaving a tense Jing Xi confused: ??

He must have forgotten, right?

Jing Xi’s eyes shone brightly, but he spent the day anxiously. When Xie Qingfeng returned in the evening and still said nothing after dinner, Jing Xi couldn’t help but sneak glances at him.

When Xie Qingfeng caught him looking again: “What? Something on your mind?”

Jing Xi stared at Xie Qingfeng, quickly shaking his head: “Nothing!” He quickly took over when Xie Qingfeng stood to wash the dishes, “You’ve had a long day, let me do it!”

That night, as Jing Xi lay in bed, listening to the sounds from the next room and looking at his packed luggage in the corner, he couldn’t help but smile joyfully, even rolling around on the bed in delight.

Xie Qingfeng, initially reading in the next room, sensed Jing Xi's movements and couldn’t help but smile warmly.