MY - 45

“You answered someone else’s phone, but you didn’t reply to my text message.”

Jiang Xi was a little confused.

She said, “I did. You just didn’t see it.”

Lu Nandu was stunned. Jiang Xi gestured with her chin towards his phone, which he was still holding in his hand. “Check it.”

Lu Nandu hadn’t paid any attention to whether Jiang Xi had replied to him.

He opened his phone and saw that Jiang Xi had replied.

But even so, he was still unhappy. “You answered someone else’s phone first.”

Jiang Xi laughed. “Aren’t you being petty, getting jealous over something like this?”

She added, “I did reply to you after I got off the phone with Xu Yanran. My phone was charging when her call came in.”

Jiang Xi had forgotten to charge her phone before going to bed last night, and it had automatically turned off while they were eating.

Lu Nandu was speechless. At times like this, he was incredibly well-behaved, with a slight droop at the corners of his eyes and no witty comebacks.

Jiang Xi’s heart softened for a moment, and the words came out. “I didn’t ignore you.”

Lu Nandu was happy to be comforted. Seeing that Jiang Xi wasn’t angry with him now, he asked, “Who did you have dinner with?”

Jiang Xi looked at him and said, “Are you pushing your luck?”

Lu Nandu was a little reluctant. “How could I? I won’t ask anymore.”

Jiang Xi had gone out for dinner with Ji Yuanzhou tonight. After dinner, the two of them had a few drinks, but Jiang Xi didn’t drink much.

She smelled the distinct scent of alcohol on Lu Nandu. “Did you drink?”

Lu Nandu hummed.

Jiang Xi: “Drink less in the future.”

Jiang Xi didn’t mean anything by that, but Lu Nandu didn’t take it that way.

He was happy for Jiang Xi to be concerned about him and to listen to her reminders, even if she didn’t mean it that way.

He smiled at Jiang Xi. “Okay.”

“I’ll listen to you.”

Jiang Xi looked away from his face and didn’t say anything. She looked around and didn’t see his car. “Didn’t your driver come with you?”

She probably knew that Jiang Xi wanted him to call the driver to pick him up.

Lu Nandu said, “He’s off work.”

In reality, his driver was on call 24/7.

Lu Nandu had been drinking and couldn’t drive, and Jiang Xi had also had some alcohol and couldn’t drive him back.

She said, “Get a cab.”

Lu Nandu wasn’t surprised by her words. The area where Jiang Xi lived had convenient transportation, and it wasn’t hard to get a cab, even in the middle of the night.

After a glance at him, Jiang Xi walked towards the side of the road. “Let’s go.”

Lu Nandu could only follow behind her.

The streetlights were bright, casting a dim, yellow light on the ground.

The two of them stopped by the side of the road, their shadows tall and short.

The night wind was cold and whistled past, sweeping up a few fallen leaves on the ground.

After a few taxis with passengers passed, an empty one finally came to the intersection.

Lu Nandu saw it before Jiang Xi did.

Just as Jiang Xi was about to raise her hand to hail the cab, Lu Nandu suddenly spoke from behind her.

“Big sister, I don’t want to take a car.”

Cars were speeding past on the road, and Jiang Xi couldn’t quite hear what he was saying. She turned her head slightly. “Huh?”

Lu Nandu said, “I want to go home with you.”

This was heard with exceptional clarity, and Jiang Xi was stunned.

Seeing that Jiang Xi wasn’t speaking, Lu Nandu said, “I’ll just sleep on the sofa. You don’t have to prepare anything for me. I won’t cause you any trouble.”

The blue and white taxi came from far away and quickly sped past them. Jiang Xi didn’t raise her hand.

She lowered her eyes, wondering what she was thinking.

After a while, Jiang Xi didn’t look at Lu Nandu and turned around to walk back into the community.

She didn’t say a word.

Lu Nandu couldn’t figure out what she was thinking. He looked at her back and suddenly felt a little annoyed.

He knew he had crossed the line again.

But a few seconds later, he saw Jiang Xi stop.

Perhaps because she didn’t see him following, she turned to look at him. “Didn’t you say you wanted to come up?”

Lu Nandu was stunned.

Before he could react, Jiang Xi had already turned around and continued walking into the community. “Let’s go.”

Lu Nandu finally reacted and swore softly.

His eyes immediately curved into crescents. “Big sister.”

“Why are you walking so fast? Wait for me!”

________________________________________

This was the first time Lu Nandu had been to Jiang Xi’s house.

Jiang Xi’s house was very clean. The floors and the decorations were exceptionally neat and tidy.

She took out a pair of indoor slippers from the shoe cabinet at the entrance and placed them on the floor for Lu Nandu.

“They’re for Jiang Chi. He comes over sometimes. There are no other indoor slippers in the house, so just make do with these.”

Jiang Xi’s words clearly made Lu Nandu happy.

There were no other indoor slippers in the house, new or old. This meant that no other men besides Jiang Chi had been to her house.

After putting on her shoes, Jiang Xi went into the house first, and Lu Nandu followed. Since she wasn’t there, he didn’t dare to wander around and sat down on the living room sofa.

Soon, Jiang Xi came out of the kitchen with a glass of water.

She placed the glass on the coffee table in front of him. “Have some water.” She then sat down on the single sofa next to him.

Lu Nandu took the water and took a sip, looking around. “Have you always lived here?”

Jiang Xi glanced at her house and hummed in agreement.

Ever since she settled in Beijing, Jiang Xi had been living in this apartment and had never changed it.

Every place has its pros and cons. Jiang Xi’s apartment had the advantage of convenient transportation, but it also had its disadvantages, which was the noise. Sometimes, there would be a lot of honking even in the middle of the night.

Lu Nandu knew that Jiang Xi didn’t sleep well. “Have you never thought about moving somewhere else?”

Jiang Xi slowly drank her water. “No.”

But Lu Nandu frowned slightly. “It’s too noisy here.”

Jiang Xi’s sleep was weak, and she had indeed been bothered by this before. Even though she was used to it now, she would still sometimes be woken up by the noise.

But it wasn’t a big problem, as she might not be able to fall asleep even in a quiet environment.

She said, “It’s not a big problem.”

But Lu Nandu disagreed. “It’s a huge problem.”

Jiang Xi found it funny for some reason. “Are you here to be a guest or to find fault with my house?”

Lu Nandu: “How is this finding fault? I’m offering suggestions.”

Jiang Xi was leaning lazily on the sofa. “Then tell me, what kind of suggestions do you have for me?”

The next second, Lu Nandu said playfully, “Find a quiet place. I think my apartment is pretty good. Haven’t you seen it? It’s great.”

It not only had a good location but also a quiet environment.

Jiang Xi felt that Lu Nandu had probably gotten a taste of sweetness and had forgotten the pain, speaking without any reservations.

He said, “And it’s free.”

Jiang Xi laughed. “You’re a good landlord.”

Lu Nandu: “Nonsense. I’m not good. I’m only good to you.”

Jiang Xi felt that Lu Nandu’s emotional maturity was not much different from eight years ago. He was very direct in his words, presenting all his love to her in a grand and open manner.

Jiang Xi just glanced at him. “I’m not living there.”

Lu Nandu, of course, knew that Jiang Xi wouldn’t agree. It was an impossible thing. He was just speaking his mind, so he wasn’t too discouraged.

He mumbled, “You’ll live there in the future anyway.”

Jiang Xi grabbed a pillow next to her and threw it at him. “Are you childish or what?”

Lu Nandu didn’t dodge and let her throw it. He caught the pillow in his arms and smiled.

It was already late. Jiang Xi finally finished the water in her glass. “Go sleep in the guest room.”

It was better to sleep in the guest room than on the sofa.

But Lu Nandu thought of something and refused her. “No need. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Jiang Xi looked at him.

Probably afraid that she would see through him, Lu Nandu said, “I’ll just stick to my word. I said I’d only sleep on the sofa downstairs, so I’ll only sleep on the sofa.”

Jiang Xi had never seen him be so trustworthy.

He was clearly a rogue and mischievous.

But she didn’t say anything else or mention the guest room again. She got up from the sofa and went to the kitchen to wash the glasses.

When she came out of the kitchen, she said to Lu Nandu, “Come and get a blanket.”

Lu Nandu bantered with her. “I get a blanket to cover myself?”

Jiang Xi: “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“How can I not? It’s winter now.”

Lu Nandu followed her to the guest room and took out a blanket.

Jiang Xi stopped at the entrance of the master bedroom, her hand on the doorknob. “Good night.”

Lu Nandu was still holding the blanket. “You haven’t said good night to me yet.”

Jiang Xi was too lazy to talk to him. “Just go to sleep.” She then pushed the door open and went inside.

________________________________________

Perhaps because she had rested a lot in the morning, Jiang Xi didn’t fall asleep immediately after lying down in the bedroom.

The room was pitch black. The curtains were half-drawn, letting in some of the night.

Some habits from trauma cannot be changed. For example, Jiang Xi still habitually pulls the curtains shut every day.

The hurt may heal with time, but it is never without a trace. A long scar stretches across time.

Even if the person involved no longer cares, it doesn’t disappear and silently becomes a part of that person’s character.

When Jiang Xi couldn’t sleep, she wouldn’t find something to do. She would just lie in bed with her eyes closed until she fell asleep.

Occasionally, a horn would sound from a distance, and then it would be quiet again.

Jiang Xi only gradually fell asleep after more than an hour.

Maybe it was because she had a little to drink, but Jiang Xi’s sleep wasn’t shallow, and she slept quite soundly.

However, her nerves were still a little weak. A sound of breaking glass from outside the room in the early morning immediately woke her up.

Suddenly startled, a slight pain shot through her temple. She sat up in bed.

It was still gray outside the window, and the sun hadn’t risen yet.

There was no more sound from outside the door. Jiang Xi was sure the sound came from the living room. She looked at the door for a few minutes, then got out of bed, opened the door, and walked out.

The hallway outside the room was also pitch black.

Jiang Xi didn’t turn on the lights and walked to the living room.

The living room curtains weren’t drawn, and the night poured in from outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Jiang Xi was surprised to find that Lu Nandu wasn’t sleeping.

She couldn’t see his face, only a blurry figure sitting on the sofa.

Jiang Xi walked over. “Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”

“Did you break a glass?”

Surprisingly, after she said that, Lu Nandu didn’t give her any response.

In the past, as long as she said something, Lu Nandu would definitely reply quickly.

After walking a few more steps, Jiang Xi finally realized something was wrong.

She stopped and looked at Lu Nandu on the sofa.

He was just sitting there, not doing anything. When she spoke, he looked at her. But the light was too dim, and she couldn’t make out any expression on his face.

The living room was too quiet.

Jiang Xi looked at him for a few seconds, then walked over again.

She stopped in front of Lu Nandu, then bent down, her long hair falling over her shoulders.

She looked into his eyes. “What are you spacing out for?”

But it was at that moment that Jiang Xi realized something was wrong with Lu Nandu’s eyes.

There was disgust and fear, but also pain.

But by the time she realized it, it was too late. Her arm was grabbed tightly.

Lu Nandu violently pulled her arm. His grip was so strong that Jiang Xi frowned. “Lu Nandu, what are you doing?”

The person in front of her didn’t seem to realize what he was doing. Jiang Xi was instantly pinned down with his hand on her neck.

She heard him say a word through gritted teeth.

“Get out.”

Jiang Xi tried to push him away, but the moment her back hit the sofa, all her strength left her.

The broken glass on the sofa stabbed her back.

Lu Nandu had thrown her down with a lot of force. Jiang Xi didn’t know there was anything on the sofa and was completely unprepared.

She was in so much pain that her eyebrows furrowed, and she let out an involuntary groan.

Feeling the pulse in the delicate neck under his hand, and the familiar breathing, Lu Nandu was stunned.

Jiang Xi could feel that the person on top of her seemed to have realized something, and the grip on her neck suddenly loosened.

A large amount of air rushed into her windpipe. Jiang Xi couldn’t help but lean over the side of the sofa and cough violently.

Lu Nandu’s mind seemed to have returned to clarity. The violent rage in him hadn’t disappeared, but he had already pulled Jiang Xi into his arms.

“Big sister.”

His worst fear had still come true.

Jiang Xi coughed until her chest ached faintly and she slumped into Lu Nandu’s arms.

Lu Nandu’s body temperature, which was usually warm, now felt like an ice cave.

A sharp pain came from Jiang Xi’s back. Her tone wasn’t bad; she just gently pushed Lu Nandu away. “Go get the first-aid kit.”

However, Lu Nandu was stunned the moment she pushed him away.

Jiang Xi didn’t notice and said again, “The second drawer on the left of the TV cabinet.”

Lu Nandu finally reacted. “Ah, I’ll go get it right away. Wait for me.” He immediately got off the sofa.

Jiang Xi frowned slightly. Her throat was still a little uncomfortable, but it had eased up.

There was a series of clattering noises from the TV cabinet.

Jiang Xi looked over and saw Lu Nandu frantically searching for the first-aid kit.

Jiang Xi reminded him, “The second one from the left.”

Lu Nandu immediately opened the second drawer, took out the first-aid kit, and ran back to the sofa without closing the drawer.

Jiang Xi then noticed that his hands were shaking.

But the more anxious he was, the worse he did. Lu Nandu couldn’t open the first-aid kit for a long time.

Jiang Xi was calm. She could even feel that Lu Nandu was so anxious he was about to cry. She reached out and took the first-aid kit from Lu Nandu’s hands.

Lu Nandu obediently let her take it.

He thought Jiang Xi was ignoring him now and didn’t dare to move or get close to her. He was afraid she wouldn’t want him.

But Jiang Xi opened the first-aid kit and handed it back to him.

She said, “Go turn on the lights and help me put on the medicine.”

Lu Nandu was a little stunned. Jiang Xi reminded him, “Hurry.”

Lu Nandu was completely different from when he was unconscious just now. He immediately nodded obediently. “Okay.”

After the lights were on, the living room became bright.

He returned to Jiang Xi’s side. Jiang Xi had delicate skin. Her neck would turn red even with a slight pinch, let alone the force Lu Nandu had used.

When his eyes caught the red marks on Jiang Xi’s neck, Lu Nandu didn’t dare to look and hurriedly lowered his eyes.

Jiang Xi didn’t say anything to him and turned her back.

The moment Lu Nandu pulled her and pinned her down, the clothes on her back were lifted halfway, so the broken glass was directly embedded in her skin.

She had her back to Lu Nandu and lifted the clothes on her back halfway, revealing her slender, fair waist.

A broken-winged butterfly tattoo was prominent on her back.

It was a sharp contrast to her milky skin.

And now, next to the tattoo, the flesh was bloody and mangled.

This was the first time Lu Nandu had seen Jiang Xi’s complete tattoo, but he couldn’t care about that now. He was in a state of panic.

For a moment, he even forgot how to treat the wound.

Jiang Xi reminded him, “First, take out the glass shards.”

Lu Nandu looked at her back, hesitant to move. Finally, Jiang Xi heard the sound of a tool being thrown down behind her.

He hugged her from behind. He seemed to be afraid of breaking something, so he was a little careful.

His voice was choked with sobs. “Big sister, let’s go to the hospital.”

Jiang Xi remembered that Lu Nandu was very resistant to hospitals.

This wasn’t the first time Lu Nandu had attacked her. Last time, he also didn’t recognize her.

She suddenly asked, “Do you remember everything you did this time?”

Lu Nandu froze when Jiang Xi suddenly brought up this topic.

But then he nodded, very honestly. “I remember.” It was the truth.

Jiang Xi was silent and finally asked another question.

“Just now... did you not recognize me?”