Chapter 102 Slap You

Chapter 102: I'd Slap You

The two sat for a while longer before Qin Shuyi stood up. "Let's gather a bit more firewood and head back. They'll probably come looking for us soon."

Jiang Tingyu nodded and got up to help.

It was getting late, and Qin Shuyi didn't plan to stay out much longer, though she was a little disappointed that the firewood might not be sufficient.

Unexpectedly, just a little further on, they found a large pile of dry branches gathered on the ground.

Jiang Tingyu exclaimed happily, "There's so much here! Someone must have collected it earlier and left it behind."

But Qin Shuyi stared at the pile, lost in thought.

After bundling the wood with Jiang Tingyu and handing a bundle to her, Qin Shuyi leaned in and whispered something in her ear.

Jiang Tingyu looked at her hesitantly. "Are you sure you don't need me to wait? It's dark, and it's dangerous for you to be alone."

"I'll be okay. You be careful too, take your time."

They weren't far from the campsite. If anything happened, shouting would bring people. Besides, she wore a custom-made whistle around her neck—a gift from her father, who knew she often went hiking.

Moreover, Qin Shuyi had her own suspicions.

...

After Jiang Tingyu left, Qin Shuyi bent down to gather a few more branches.

A moment later, she walked around to the back of a large tree.

For a long time, there was no sound from behind the tree, and no one emerged.

Until a woman's sharp, startled gasp broke the silence.

Someone's expression changed abruptly, and a figure rushed out from the shadows toward the source of the sound.

"Qin Shuyi?!"

As he got closer, he saw the woman leaning casually against the tree trunk, arms crossed, staring at him with a look that said, "Just as I thought."

Qin Yuan once said that if you have doubts, don't just guess—go and verify them.

With just a simple bluff, Qin Shuyi had flushed out a certain turtle hiding in its shell.

Ling Jue looked at the unharmed woman, stiffly halted his steps, and turned to leave.

"Stop," Qin Shuyi called out to him.

"What are you running from?"

Ling Jue's eyes darted around. "Didn't you tell me last time not to show my face in front of you?"

He had tactfully rephrased the word 'get lost.'

Besides, while he didn't think much of what he'd done, being caught red-handed was still quite embarrassing.

Ahem.

He slowly walked back, stopping about two steps away from her.

Qin Shuyi asked, "Did you make the chicken soup? Did you gather the branches too?"

Ling Jue curled his lips into a smile. "You recognized it?"

Although he had only intended to use small tricks to subtly remind her of his existence, the fact that she could identify his cooking by taste suddenly lifted his spirits.

Thinking this, he took another step closer.

His step was a bit too large, almost crowding her.

Truly, give him an inch and he'd take a mile.

Qin Shuyi punched him on the shoulder. "Step back."

Ling Jue clutched his shoulder—it didn't really hurt—but his tone was plaintive. "So you gently counsel other people's exes, but throw punches at your own ex, huh? Qin Shuyi, why are you so biased?"

He really had been there the whole time.

Qin Shuyi laughed in exasperation. "Comparing yourself to others? Well, Jiang Tingyu admitted her mistakes and let go openly and generously. Why don't you learn from her?"

Ling Jue pouted.

What did Jiang Tingyu wanting to be a good person have to do with him? He was determined to fight and compete.

Someone with weak morals couldn't be a refined gentleman.

Unwilling to concede, he muttered in a low voice, "I haven't done anything, have I? I didn't even say a word when you decided to spend the night outside."

"And in what capacity would you say anything?" Qin Shuyi asked calmly.

Ling Jue was speechless.

Ex-boyfriend, ex-boyfriend—that "ex" prefix was truly infuriating.

"Stop doing unnecessary things," Qin Shuyi said.

Staring at her every day—didn't he get tired?

Ling Jue pressed his lips together. "I want to."

He looked at her. "I'm an adult. You should respect my own wishes. Besides, I already know I was wrong. I won't do anything excessive."

Qin Shuyi sneered. "Then what did you do at the farmhouse?"

Actions speak louder than words. It's hard for a person to change their behavioral patterns, and Qin Shuyi didn't trust his promises.

Ling Jue: "..."

He was in the wrong, but...

"You hold grudges when I make mistakes, but when Chi Yu's ex-girlfriend caused a scene right in front of you, why didn't you say anything to him?"

Even after hearing that Qin Shuyi didn't like Chi Yu that much, he still resented this man who had taken advantage of the situation. After all, whether Qin Shuyi was interested or not didn't stop the other party from having ulterior motives.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Indignantly, he asked, "If my ex-girlfriend had been clinging to me back then, what would you have done?"

Even though no such person existed, it didn't stop him from imagining the scenario.

"I'd slap you," Qin Shuyi blurted out without thinking.

And then just dump him.

But the man, having only heard the first two words, suddenly froze.

He stared at her intently, then suddenly broke into a beaming smile, looking quite pleased with himself.

"Are you insane?" Qin Shuyi asked.

He gets hit and he's still happy about it?

But Ling Jue seemed very satisfied with her answer. "Why only hit me and not others?"

He smirked, his voice confident and pleased. "Qin Shuyi, you're only mean to me."

Qin Shuyi was speechless. "..."

There's no point talking to someone whose brain is broken.

"Anyway, stay away from me."

Ling Jue remained silent.

He couldn't agree to that.

He'd already been humiliated countless times before. Whenever he saw her, he couldn't help himself. This time, he simply chose not to answer.

Moreover, since he had already been discovered, he decided to be blunt. "Since you clearly know what the problem is, why can't you give me a chance to prove myself?"

Qin Shuyi looked at him, her voice laced with sarcasm. "When you wanted to play, I had to play along. When you got bored, you casually broke up. Now, just because you show a sliver of regret, am I supposed to happily, amid everyone's cheers and applause, sweetly reconcile with you and play another round of the marriage game?"

"Ling Jue, why do you get to be so lucky?"

In this world, there are many lovers like Jiang Tingyu and Chi Yu, who miss their chance due to each other's immaturity. Most of the time, after it ends, they either let go or are left with nothing but regret.

Why does Ling Jue think he's the lucky one? That he gets one more chance than anyone else?

"That's why I'm willing to wait," Ling Jue said, staring into her eyes, his expression serious and his tone solemn.

"I'll wait for your anger to subside, wait for you to see what else is out there. But if, in the end, you still feel you like me the most, then give me a chance to pursue you again. Let's start from scratch."

He was luckier than Jiang Tingyu.

Lucky that he felt regret immediately after the breakup, wanting to win her back, and that Qin Shuyi hadn't fallen in love with anyone else yet.

If it had been a year or two later, he wouldn't be able to say such things with such certainty.

Qin Shuyi didn't respond.

Ling Jue continued, "If someone pursuing you wants to treat you well, all you have to do is accept it and let him dote on you. You don't need to feel any burden. My actions are my own responsibility."

Then he added, "It's not like you haven't had multiple suitors before." Although he had chased them all away. "What's the difference between me, Chi Yu, and them?"

He coaxed, "You just need to choose the one that suits you best."

That person had better be him.

After speaking, he bent down to pick up the scattered firewood, taking a dig at others. "At least I wouldn't leave you to work alone, and I wouldn't let other women have a chance to bother you."

"Qin Shuyi, choosing me is a smart move."

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