After Ghost Marriage with My Arch-Rival - Chapter 21

Liu Xiangyi was momentarily stunned.

His car had broken down while he was having dinner with Xia Qing earlier that evening, so Xia Qing had driven him here. Knowing he’d have to trouble Xia Qing for a ride back later, Liu Xiangyi already felt quite bad about it.

Now that the man was asking for nothing more than a bag of oranges in return, the request seemed more than reasonable.

Liu Xiangyi lifted the bag of oranges and smiled. “Thanks for the ride. But don’t say that bit about not being friends anymore, the oranges wouldn’t like to hear it.”

The night shadows blurred Xia Qing’s features. Only by the faint moonlight could Liu Xiangyi make out the slight upward curve of his lips, finally revealing a hint of the youthful, shy smile someone his age should have.

Xia Qing then opened the car door and invited Liu Xiangyi inside. Before getting in, Liu Xiangyi cast one last glance behind him.

He had a nagging feeling that someone had been watching him just now.

“What’s wrong?” Xia Qing asked.

Liu Xiangyi scanned the area. At the foot of the mountain, surrounded by pitch-black woods in the dead of night, who could possibly be there?

“Nothing.”

Liu Xiangyi got into the car.

At the master bedroom door, the little crow sat cross-legged on the floor, counting the time on its chubby fingers.

It had only reached “five” when it saw a cloud of black mist drift back. The little crow looked up.

Eh?

Wh—why does A-Huai look so cold?

Before it could get a clear look, Zhong Qinhuai stepped inside.

The door slammed shut with a heavy thud.

The little crow tilted its head, bewildered. Is, is A-Huai angry?

It wasn’t until Liu Xiangyi returned home to shower that he realized his jade pendant was missing. After thinking it over, he figured it most likely fell off while he was climbing through the window.

So, the following night, he returned. The little crow was still perched on the banyan tree by the wall. Seeing him, it surprisingly didn’t try to stop him.

Instead, the fledgling swung its short legs, gloating:

“You’re in tr-trouble now!”

“You made A-Huai an-angry!”

“The con-consequences are very serious!”

Liu Xiangyi: “?”

He had gone out of his way to bring oranges yesterday; even if that brat didn’t want them, was there any need to get angry?

Sure enough, as soon as Liu Xiangyi climbed onto the balcony and looked up, his eyes met an expressionless face.

Zhong Qinhuai was standing by the window, staring right at him.

Liu Xiangyi: “…”

He vaulted gracefully onto the balcony, braced himself to offer a greeting, and then asked about his jade pendant.

A mocking smile curled at the corners of Zhong Qinhuai’s mouth. “President Liu was in such a hurry to leave last night. Was there someone you were so eager to see, or was someone waiting for you?”

Liu Xiangyi arched an eyebrow. “President Zhong, being this passive-aggressive is a good way to get yourself punched.”

Zhong Qinhuai fell silent.

When Liu Xiangyi pressed him again about whether he had found the pendant, Zhong Qinhuai couldn’t help but speak up once more.

His tone was icy. “So, President Liu came all the way back in the middle of the night just to look for it. Who gave it to you? Is it really that important to you?”

Liu Xiangyi: “…”

Liu Xiangyi took a deep breath and managed a smile. “President Zhong, you only need to tell me if you saw it or picked it up.”

Zhong Qinhuai lapsed into silence again.

Just then, Liu Xiangyi’s phone rang.

Zhong Qinhuai heard it—it was the voice of the young man from the foot of the mountain last night. After Liu Xiangyi hung up, he hesitated for a moment, then prepared to leave.

Zhong Qinhuai’s eyes darkened instantly. “Don’t want the jade anymore?”

Liu Xiangyi sighed.

Of course he wanted it back. But who could have predicted this “Great Young Master” would be so stubborn about returning it because of some unknown grudge?

Coincidentally, an urgent issue had cropped up at Xia Qing’s company, and as an investor, Liu Xiangyi needed to head over and handle it.

Weighing his options, he had no choice but to leave for now.

Just as Liu Xiangyi turned to go, Zhong Qinhuai suddenly reached out toward him.

His palm was open, and resting quietly in the center was the jade pendant.

Liu Xiangyi laughed. “So, President Zhong’s conscience finally kicked in and you decided to give it back?”

As he spoke, he reached out to take it.

However, the moment his fingertips brushed the jade, Zhong Qinhuai’s fingers snapped shut.

He gripped Liu Xiangyi’s hand firmly.

“Haven’t you had a crush on me for a long time, President Liu?” Zhong Qinhuai said suddenly.

Liu Xiangyi: “?”

He froze, looking up at Zhong Qinhuai.

Zhong Qinhuai’s eyes were pitch-black and deep, as if he had finally made a definitive resolution. He gazed at him intently.

“It’s not like we can’t date.”

“If that’s what you want, too.”