Chapter 178: Du Du and Jiang Xingliu Side Story (6)

Chapter 178: Du Du and Jiang Xingliu Side Story (6)

Du Du slept unusually soundly this time, perhaps because he was utterly exhausted or because Jiang Xingliu’s embrace always carried an inexplicable sense of security.

In any case, Du Du slept deeply, only waking up later due to hunger.

He opened his eyes and took a moment to fully wake up.

His stomach ached from hunger, and he touched his belly, preparing to sit up and find something to eat.

But as soon as he moved, he noticed that his hand seemed to be held by someone.

In the faint light, he saw Jiang Xingliu leaning over his bedside, one hand holding his fingers, the other resting on his forehead, with dark circles under his eyes, looking quite tired.

He appeared to be asleep, his lashes casting shadows like crow feathers.

Du Du cautiously attempted to withdraw his hand.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Xingliu was a light sleeper and woke up almost immediately, his eyes clearing up in just a few seconds.

He looked at Du Du on the bed and softly asked, "Awake? What would you like to eat?"

Du Du touched his stomach and awkwardly replied, "Anything."

He was really starving.

Jiang Xingliu acknowledged with a hum, got up, and turned on the soft bedside lamp, making the room no longer dark but not too bright either. Then he walked out and soon returned with a steaming bowl of century egg and pork porridge.

"Zhi Zhi prepared this for you. I kept it warm. You've been asleep for a whole day and night. Have some porridge first, and once you're feeling better, I'll take you out for something tasty, alright?" Jiang Xingliu held a spoon, ready to feed him.

Du Du swiftly reached for the bowl, "I can eat by myself."

Jiang Xingliu didn’t say anything, just handed him the bowl and continued to sit by his side, propping his chin on his hand as he watched him.

Du Du’s mind kept replaying the scene in the forest where Jiang Xingliu had kissed him forcefully.

At that moment, driven by thirst, he instinctively sought moisture from Jiang Xingliu’s lips, and later... it seemed like he had bitten Jiang Xingliu until he bled.

Du Du bowed his head to sip the porridge, his wary eyes occasionally darting to Jiang Xingliu’s lips.

Sure enough, there was a noticeable wound there.

Du Du wished he could vanish into the earth, too embarrassed to speak. After emptying the bowl, he hastily thrust it into Jiang Xingliu’s hands, "You... you can leave now."

Jiang Xingliu raised an eyebrow, leaned closer to Du Du, and said in a hoarse voice, "What? Young master, are you going to burn the bridge after crossing it, acting as if nothing occurred?"

"Stop... stop talking nonsense," Du Du buried himself under the blanket, "There’s nothing between us! It’s not as if I’ve done anything to you!"

Jiang Xingliu tutted, "Ungrateful little thing? How did I get this wound on my lip?"

Du Du was very sensitive to the term "ungrateful," and suddenly felt as though his innermost thoughts had been laid bare, filling him with shame and humiliation.

After a lengthy silence, he finally murmured, his voice quivering, "I’m not ungrateful."

Jiang Xingliu was taken aback, tugged at the blanket, "Why the tears? I was only joking with you."

Du Du didn’t respond, just silently wiped away his tears.

"Don’t hide away, let me see," Jiang Xingliu pulled the blanket down, "Why are you crying? Was it really because I called you an ungrateful little thing? Sweetheart, I was merely flirting with you, why the tears?"

Du Du felt humiliated and his ears turned red from Jiang Xingliu's teasing, and he angrily said, "So what if I'm an ungrateful brat? You were the one who came after me, what does it have to do with me? I told you to leave me alone, but you wouldn't listen! I couldn't help it, I just, I just acted weird, I'm just sick, I'm just jealous, what could I do?!"

Jiang Xingliu was completely stunned, and after a while, he couldn't help but laugh and said, "Who are you jealous of, huh?"

Du Du gritted his teeth, feeling that it might be better to just lay it all out.

At least after Jiang Xingliu knew, he definitely wouldn't bother him anymore, because between him and Shen Zhixue, Jiang Xingliu would always choose Shen Zhixue!

He stayed silent for a long time before finally breaking down and cried, "Zhi Zhi."

Jiang Xingliu was slow to react, "Why are you bringing him up now?"

Du Du didn't speak.

It took Jiang Xingliu a while to realize, "Yuan Jibai, how can you be so... clueless, like Wan Chenghan, you're jealous of Shen Zhixue? Why?"

"You always pick him over me," Du Du covered his eyes, "I know I'm being awful, but every time I think about it, I can't help myself, you always choose him, in your heart, he always seems to come before me. I know, I clearly know you two aren't like that, but I just, I really... I'm really stupid, and bad. Zhi Zhi is so good to me, and I really like Zhi Zhi too, but, but..."

He rambled, overwhelmed by sadness and guilt, unable to clearly express everything he wanted to say.

Jiang Xingliu held his hand and softly asked, "What makes you think I’d choose him over you?"

"If you chose me," Du Du cried so hard he could barely catch his breath, as if he had suffered a great injustice, "then why, why didn't you come with me back then? You picked Zhi Zhi, you just didn’t want me anymore—"

Jiang Xingliu was both annoyed and amused, the little one's mind always filled with such nonsense.

No wonder he had been cold towards him from the start, it was because he thought he wasn't as important as Shen Zhixue in his heart.

"You really are," Jiang Xingliu laughed in exasperation, "Are you stupid or what?"

Du Du became even more heartbroken, "See? You’re just like this, always taking his side and scolding me, wuwuwu..."

Jiang Xingliu cupped Du Du's face and kissed him.

Du Du was still sobbing his heart out, but the sudden kiss made him stop crying instantly, and he even hiccuped, staring blankly at Jiang Xingliu.

"Why did you kiss me?"

"Yeah, why did I kiss you?" Jiang Xingliu pressed against his lips, gently pecking him, his tone slow and soft, like the most intimate whisper between lovers, "Because I like you, I love you, I want to be with you, I want to hug you, I want to kiss you, I want to wipe away your tears, do you really think I’d kiss Shen Zhixue?"

Du Du thought about that scene, feeling it was a bit weird, and he shook his head, "Uncle Jiang would kill you."

Jiang Xingliu was both amused and exasperated, "Even if he didn’t kill me, I’d never think of Shen Zhixue that way, okay? You and he are different—he’s family, and you’re the one I love, why does there have to be a first? I will always protect both of you, because now I have the ability to do so."

Du Du looked down, biting his lip, his face conflicted.

His eyes were wet, and Jiang Xingliu kissed away his tears.

"Du Du, if you don't like it," Jiang Huizhou spoke up, "Unless it’s absolutely necessary, I can steer clear of Shen Zhixue."

...Anyway, they hardly see each other now, he's busy chasing his wife, busy with military affairs, and Shen Zhixue is busy eating and drinking with that old pervert Jiang Huizhou.

Du Du quickly shook his head, "No no, that's not what I meant, don’t let this come between you and Zhi Zhi."

After saying that, he frowned and became conflicted again, "I know, I know there’s nothing going on between you two, I'm sorry, I just... I..."

He didn't know how to explain.

Jiang Xingliu rubbed his head and said, "It’s on me, Du Du... I went back on my word."

Du Du's nose stung with emotion, and he suddenly reached out, throwing his arms around Jiang Xingliu's waist. "Then you can't lie to me anymore in the future."

Jiang Xingliu nodded. "I promise I won't."

"And you can't keep scolding me or calling me stupid either."

"I was just joking. Our Du Du is the absolute cutest and smartest."

Du Du mumbled softly, "Well... I guess I’ll keep hanging out with you, but only because I want to."

Jiang Xingliu gently rubbed Du Du's reddened ears, his voice hoarse. "I’m the lucky one."