Chapter 111

Chapter 111

Xie Qingfeng, staring at Jing Xi's face, narrowed his eyes and slowly said, "Are you leaving on your own, or should I kick you out?"

Jing Xi simply hugged him tighter, burying his head and closing his eyes, pretending to be dead: "Not leaving, suddenly it's cold again, Qingfeng is warm and comforting."

"Is this comforting? There's a blanket in the closet, go get it yourself." This guy really knows how to take an inch and then a mile. I give an inch, and he takes a step, right?

Jing Xi pretended to sleep, even deliberately snoring, though the sound was so melodramatic it could have been mistaken for an opera performance.

Xie Qingfeng immediately lifted his hand, ready to push Jing Xi off, but just before doing so, Jing Xi suddenly sat up and shouted towards the wall, "Auntie—"

Xie Qingfeng was startled and quickly covered his mouth, warning with a stern look at the innocently blinking man, "Are you crazy? What are you shouting for?"

The foster mother, already dressed, came to the door but didn't enter, just asking from outside, "Jing Xi, what's wrong?"

Jing Xi pointed innocently at the hand covering his mouth and then gestured outside, making it look like Xie Qingfeng was bullying him.

Xie Qingfeng whispered a warning: "Behave yourself."

Jing Xi innocently replied, "I want to share a blanket."

This was just taking advantage of the situation. After all, he only had these few days. If the national advisor really disliked it, he could definitely kick him out. But if he didn’t, it meant it wasn’t entirely unacceptable.

As expected, Jing Xi won his gamble. Xie Qingfeng gave him a warning tap and finally said, "Nothing, he just remembered there's one more gift he forgot to bring out."

The foster mother chuckled, "It's late, no hurry. Go to sleep."

Xie Qingfeng replied, then poked Jing Xi under the blanket, to which Jing Xi also responded.

Once the foster mother left, Jing Xi smiled at him, looking incredibly smug, but the next moment, he saw Xie Qingfeng lift his hand and form a barrier with his spiritual energy. Then… he kicked Jing Xi off the bed.

Jing Xi: "..." He had let his guard down.

With the barrier set, no sound could escape. No help was coming.

Jing Xi resigned himself to lying on the floor, looking up at Xie Qingfeng with a mix of helplessness and reproach: "How can you go back on your word? You just agreed to share the bed with me, and now you're kicking me out?" The national advisor is learning bad habits. He used to be so trustworthy, and now?

Xie Qingfeng looked at him calmly: "How am I being unfair? I agreed, but I didn’t say it was for tonight. After all…" His voice trailed off, and under Jing Xi's uneasy premonition, he continued, "You didn’t specify it was for tonight, did you?"

Jing Xi hadn’t specified at the time; after all, who would expect the national advisor to go back on his word?

He had merely said he wanted to share a blanket but hadn’t specified it was for that very moment. It could be the next night, a year later, or even further in the future.

Jing Xi looked dejected, gazing at him forlornly: "Fine, you're right." He’d learned his lesson and wouldn’t give him such an opportunity again.

Xie Qingfeng raised an eyebrow, clearly seeing through his little scheme. Well, he could just wait and see.

Jing Xi sighed deeply and changed his posture, sprawling out leisurely as if it were summer and lying on the floor was somehow cooler.

Xie Qingfeng initially didn’t want to bother with him, knowing Jing Xi’s tendency to take a mile when given an inch. He retreated, and Jing Xi would leap forward three meters, wanting even more: "Tomorrow’s New Year’s Eve. We need to get up early to prepare. Aren’t you going to sleep?"

Jing Xi, feigning resignation with closed eyes: "My heart is already dead, why bother sleeping?" Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he began singing a song about being heartless, with slow, melodious turns, making it sound as if Xie Qingfeng had cruelly abandoned him.

Xie Qingfeng's eyelids twitched, but he couldn’t just watch Jing Xi sleep on the floor all night. Reluctantly, he got up, took out the folded blanket, spread it out again, and patted the spot beside him: "Come up here."

Jing Xi continued to sing in a drawn-out voice: "Your heart is too harsh..."

Xie Qingfeng: "Three!"

Jing Xi: "..."

Xie Qingfeng: "One!"

Xie Qingfeng watched Jing Xi with a calm expression: "Are you going to leave on your own, or do I need to kick you out?"

Jing Xi quickly shed his robe and dived under the nearby blanket in a blink. His movements were so swift, but Xie Qingfeng still caught the whole process of him undressing, his brow twitching in annoyance: "You really never learn your lesson."

Jing Xi wrapped himself up tightly, justifying himself: "I'm considering your comfort. I just rolled around on the floor in that robe. Are you sure you want me wearing it on the bed we share?"

The thought made Xie Qingfeng’s skin crawl.

The floor might be clean, but it could have gathered dust or other particles. Even if the robe was clean, lying on it for so long, even though sleeping in separate blankets...

Xie Qingfeng closed his eyes, resigning himself to the situation.

Jing Xi, with a grin on his lips and in a great mood, turned off the light and closed his eyes to sleep.

At first, Xie Qingfeng stayed alert, expecting Jing Xi to try something. But eventually, he was too tired and quickly fell into a deep sleep. Thankfully, the night passed peacefully without any disturbances, but as he gradually woke up the next day, Xie Qingfeng immediately realized something was off.

He felt like he was wrapped in something heavy, making it hard to breathe. He should have noticed it right away, but perhaps because Jing Xi’s presence was so familiar, he subconsciously didn’t perceive him as a threat and had allowed the closeness.

However… Xie Qingfeng turned his head to see Jing Xi, who was fully embracing him, with one leg over him, and his head buried in his neck, his breath tickling his ear and neck, causing goosebumps all over his body.

Xie Qingfeng moved his arm, ready to push him away, but as if anticipating his reaction, Jing Xi, who had an arm around his waist, suddenly tightened his grip, embracing him fully.

Jing Xi, who had been burying his face in Xie Qingfeng’s neck, rubbed his face down his neck before looking up with a broad smile. Before Xie Qingfeng could react, Jing Xi quickly retreated, standing barefoot on the floor: "If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain. Indeed, the national advisor’s blanket is more comfortable than mine."

Xie Qingfeng’s brows knitted in frustration, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at him. Jing Xi had already reached the door in a blink, his hand on the doorknob: "I'm leaving, okay?"

Light was already streaming in from outside. In winter, days start late, so it must be around eight o'clock by now.

Xie Qingfeng slept so deeply for the first time, unaware of any danger or perhaps too trusting of Jing Xi, he didn't feel anything amiss in his sleep.

Clearly, Jing Xi had cautiously transitioned from initial testing to successfully embracing his beloved, indicating that in his heart, he already considered Xie Qingfeng one of his own, trusting him even in sleep not to push him away.

Unknowingly, he had become an indispensable part of the Grand Master’s life.

Only then did Jing Xi dare to be so bold and even eager to try.

But when he met Xie Qingfeng's deep gaze, he timidly lowered his hand and stood properly, admitting, "I was wrong."

Xie Qingfeng, seeing the other person dressed scantily, felt it was an eyesore. He simply ignored him and turned away to start getting dressed.

Jing Xi, taking the hint, quickly found his robe and tied it properly this time, wrapping it tight around his neck, a stark contrast to how he entered the room last night.

Jing Xi ran out just before Xie Qingfeng left the room. Xie Qingfeng paid him no mind, but as the door closed, his ears inexplicably reddened, hinting at a mix of annoyance and embarrassment.

The foster parents didn’t notice the tense atmosphere between the two. Since the incident of being embraced by the wrong child and then abandoned by his biological parents, Xie Qingfeng’s personality had become much colder.

Plus, with Jing Xi being sweet-talking, he spent the entire New Year’s Eve busy in the kitchen with the foster father, preparing for the dinner.

Xie Qingfeng, meanwhile, accompanied the foster mother to buy gifts for visiting relatives after the New Year.

Usually, Xie Qingfeng would accompany his foster parents to visit relatives, but this year, considering the recent events and knowing some relatives might be inquisitive or even unpleasant, the foster parents decided not to take him.

Xie Qingfeng, not truly being the original child, could tolerate his foster parents but saw no need to do the same for distant relatives he hardly knew, and he agreed.

On New Year's Eve, the four of them sat together with a large table full of dishes. The foster parents started off happy but unexpectedly found themselves tearful, reflecting on the challenging year they had endured. Though the hardships were behind them, the memories were still bittersweet.

The foster parents were resilient, quickly recovering their mood, looking at Xie Qingfeng and Jing Xi, they handed out two thick red envelopes: "Here, one for each of you, as a New Year's gift."

Xie Qingfeng stared blankly at the red envelope in front of him. Although it looked different, the tradition was the same as before.

Previously, it was his master who gave it, but now it was his foster parents.

Since his master passed away, it had been a long time since he had received a New Year's gift. His voice was momentarily hoarse, and he remained silent and motionless for a while.

The foster parents looked at him, visibly moved, their eyes red: "Silly child, aren't you going to take it?"

Xie Qingfeng's voice was soft: "I'm no longer a child."

The foster parents responded gently: "In our eyes, you and Jing Xi will always be our children."

Jing Xi, clearly not expecting to receive one, glanced at Xie Qingfeng before taking it: "I didn’t expect to get one too. Thank you, Uncle and Auntie. This is the first time I've received a red envelope."

The foster parents were taken aback: "Really?" It seemed impossible that it was his first time. Usually, parents would prepare a New Year's gift every year.

Jing Xi's voice was low, his eyes downcast and his expression unreadable. His biological mother had died early, and his father barely had time to hate him. If not for meeting the national advisor later, he might not have survived. Even when he was kept around, it was for his imperial destiny. How could the old emperor have truly cared about him, let alone given him a New Year's gift?

But Jing Xi couldn't reveal the truth, as his current identity was Jing Mianfeng, whose parents adored him.

Xie Qingfeng, fully aware of the situation, took the red envelope first: "Thank you."

When Jing Xi looked up again, his expression had returned to normal. He took the envelope and also expressed his thanks.

Soon, the foster parents shifted the conversation to lighter topics, though they were more attentive and warm towards Jing Xi. The foster father even opened a bottle of his treasured wine. This time, Xie Qingfeng didn’t stop him, but Jing Xi was cautious not to drink too much, fearing he might say something he shouldn’t if he got drunk.