After The Beautiful Drama Queen’s Marriage To The Wealthy Tycoon - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Holding Hands

The small boat swayed steadily. Though it seemed slow, it reached the center of the pond in no time. Jiang He twitched his fingers and finally couldn’t help but speak up: “How long are you going to hold on? My hand is so hot; it’s getting sweaty.”

Most of the lotus flowers had withered by this season, but an occasional bloom still stood tall in the center of the lake. If one was lucky, they could still find some late-ripening lotus seed pods.

However, Jiang He’s mind was entirely on Qi Hanchuan. His hand was being held firmly, the boat was rocking gently, and the ripples on the lake seemed to mirror the unrest in his heart.

Qi Hanchuan suddenly stroked Jiang He’s palm and said with a straight face, “It’s not sweaty.”

Jiang He tried to pull away twice but failed. He frowned, looking disgruntled. “Why do you have to keep holding it? It’s not like I’m going to fall out.”

Qi Hanchuan repeated his previous line: “I want to hold it.”

Jiang He looked up into Qi Hanchuan’s calm, bottomless eyes and grew even more annoyed. “You’re retaliating. You’re definitely getting back at me.”

Qi Hanchuan, you petty ghost, Jiang He thought. He had already won the earlier round, yet he still wanted to bully him.

He didn’t understand what was going on in the man’s head, and Qi Hanchuan didn’t offer an explanation. Instead, he reached out to pluck a lotus pod, finally releasing Jiang He’s hand to peel the seeds.

Jiang He immediately pulled his hand back and stuffed it into his hoodie pocket, terrified of being grabbed again.

Qi Hanchuan didn’t coax him. He peeled a fresh lotus seed and handed it over. “Want one?”

Jiang He eyed it suspiciously. “Can you even eat lotus seeds at this time of year?”

“Depends on your luck,” Qi Hanchuan said truthfully.

Jiang He’s clever eyes darted around as a mischievous idea formed. His mood brightened instantly. “You eat one first.”

Qi Hanchuan chuckled and efficiently popped one into his mouth. “It’s sweet. Do you want it?”

Jiang He wasn’t so easily convinced. He stared at Qi Hanchuan’s face, looking for any sign of a lie. “You’re not tricking me?”

Qi Hanchuan said nothing and peeled another one for him.

Jiang He hesitated for a few seconds before taking it. Before putting it in his mouth, he scrutinized Qi Hanchuan one last time, then took a tentative bite. His eyes lit up instantly. “It’s delicious!”

Qi Hanchuan smiled and continued peeling for him. Though the texture of lotus seeds in this season wasn’t as good as in July or August, they were still quite pleasant.

But luck never lasts forever. On the fifth seed, Jiang He hit the jackpot. The bitterness was so intense his features contorted, and tears nearly pricked his eyes. He looked up just in time to see Qi Hanchuan smiling.

He exploded instantly. “You did that on purpose!”

Qi Hanchuan suppressed his laughter. “I don’t have the power of prophecy. You were the one who asked for it.”

Jiang He snatched the pod from his hand, peeled one, and shoved it at him. “You eat it!” He refused to believe he was the only one with bad luck.

Qi Hanchuan ate it and gave a maddeningly calm smile. “Very sweet. Thank you.”

Fuming, Jiang He threw the pod into the water and slammed his hands against the side of the boat. The boat rocked violently, terrifying him. He lunged forward and grabbed Qi Hanchuan’s hand, his voice trembling. “Is it going to flip?!”

“If you hit it two more times, it will,” Qi Hanchuan said dryly.

Jiang He gave him a shove, causing the boat to sway again. Terrified, he gripped Qi Hanchuan’s hand even tighter, complaining through gritted teeth, “Who told you to provoke me?”

“The lotus pod provoked you,” Qi Hanchuan said helplessly. “It has nothing to do with me.”

Jiang He was so angry his teeth itched. He squeezed Qi Hanchuan’s hand. “You peeled it for me! Did you intentionally pick a bitter one for me?”

The boat swayed more violently. Seeing that Jiang He was genuinely scared, Qi Hanchuan grabbed his arm and looked down into those beautiful eyes. “If I could predict the future, every seed I gave you would be sweet.”

Jiang He froze. When he realized what the man was implying, he felt an awkward heat rise in his chest. His instinctual defense was to be sharp-tongued: “Have you gone stupid from eating lotus seeds? What nonsense are you talking about?”

Qi Hanchuan didn’t get angry at the insult. Instead, he said with a smile, “You don’t like the nice things I say, and you don’t let me say the unpleasant things. Aren’t you being a bit too overbearing?”

Jiang He felt increasingly flustered. He wrenched his hand away and scooted his butt back to create some distance, crossing his arms. “I am that overbearing. What are you going to do about it?”

“Nothing,” Qi Hanchuan said. He turned and picked up the oars, not forgetting to remind him: “Hold on tight.”

Jiang He instinctively obeyed, then frowned. “Where are we going?”

Qi Hanchuan pointed to a courtyard across the pond. “Over there.”

Jiang He craned his neck to look. “Is your ‘secret base’ that little courtyard?”

Qi Hanchuan didn’t answer. He rowed in silence, occasionally plucking a lotus pod to bring back for soup or porridge.

Jiang He’s anger came quickly and left just as fast. Soon, he was leaning curiously over Qi Hanchuan’s back to see the view ahead. Qi Hanchuan was so tall he completely blocked the line of sight, and since standing up was dangerous, this was Jiang He’s only option.

Warm breath brushed against his ear. Qi Hanchuan tried his best to ignore it, but his grip on the oars tightened unconsciously, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. “Sit properly.”

“No,” Jiang He refused, wrapping his arms around Qi Hanchuan’s neck. “You’re blocking me. I can’t see the front.”

“The boat will flip,” Qi Hanchuan warned.

“It won’t. We’re both in the middle; it won’t flip.” Jiang He patted his shoulder. “Row faster! I want to see your secret base.”

The small boat glided through the withered lotus pond and came to a steady stop in front of the small courtyard. Jiang He was so excited that the moment it touched the steps, he used Qi Hanchuan’s shoulder for leverage and hopped out, running ahead without looking back.

Qi Hanchuan gathered the lotus pods he had picked and followed. The gate was unlocked. After getting a nod from Qi Hanchuan, Jiang He pushed it open.

It was a small, beautiful traditional Siheyuan. Despite the season, the yard was filled with flowers, and the air was thick with fragrance. The osmanthus tree was particularly pungent, but Jiang He’s eyes were drawn to the Confederate Roses. Everything was stunning; he wandered around touching and smelling the blooms, his mood reaching an all-time high.

He bent down to smell a Camellia and turned to Qi Hanchuan. “Did you plant these?”

Qi Hanchuan set the lotus pods on a stone table in the gazebo. “A small portion of them.”

“You like gardening?” Jiang He fiddled with a petal. “That doesn’t fit your vibe at all.”

“And what ‘vibe’ would fit me?” Qi Hanchuan asked curiously.

Jiang He couldn’t quite put it into words. “Anyway, planting flowers isn’t it.” He felt Qi Hanchuan belonged in a boardroom, crushing his enemies. Until today, he had never associated gardening with the man before him.

A rare tenderness appeared in Qi Hanchuan’s eyes. He lightly touched the stamen of a rose. “My mother planted these before she passed. I just help maintain them and replant the ones that die.”

Jiang He’s heart skipped a beat. He looked at the courtyard again, stunned. Qi Hanchuan’s mother…

Before Jiang He could think of how to comfort him, a gentle voice spoke: “When I was a kid, I came here by accident. My father locked me in my room and let me starve for three days as punishment. When I woke up from fainting, he told me this place was mine now. I was very happy.”

In Jiang He’s memory, Qi Hanchuan had always been cold and silent. Lately, he had been gentle, but Jiang He assumed it was just because he was sick and clingy. This was the first time he saw a warmth that radiated from the inside out.

He must miss his mom so much too.

Being sick made Jiang He more emotional. His nose began to sting, and a lump formed in his throat. Qi Hanchuan didn’t notice. He looked away from the garden and said, “Let me show you around.”

Jiang He kept his head down, his shoulders slumped. The comforting words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat. He was usually a chatterbox, but he was at a loss for words now. He had been pampered since birth; at twenty, he could still act spoiled in his mother’s arms, and his father and brother would always be there for him. He felt like any attempt at comfort would just be rubbing salt in the wound.

Qi Hanchuan sensed something was wrong but didn’t speak. Jiang He appeared lawless on the surface, but he was actually sensitive and soft-hearted. Qi Hanchuan didn’t know what to say either. I don’t need comfort? It’s okay? I’ve been fine all these years?

He wasn’t good at lying. He hadn’t brought Jiang He here for comfort; he just wanted him to see it. This courtyard belonged only to him; since it became his, no one else had ever set foot here.

Jiang He’s mood had dipped. After the tour, he said he wanted to go home.

“Wait for me,” Qi Hanchuan said.

Jiang He sat on a stone stool, chin in his hands, staring worriedly at the flowers. Qi Hanchuan returned quickly with a pair of shears. When he moved to cut a flower, Jiang He jumped. “What are you doing?!”

“Cutting a few to take back,” Qi Hanchuan said, shears in one hand and a bloom in the other.

Jiang He ran over and snatched the shears away, tossing them aside. “Don’t cut them! They’ll just wither in a few days if you take them back.”

Qi Hanchuan didn’t insist. He looked down at Jiang He’s teary eyes. “Why do you look so upset?”

Jiang He suddenly looked up. “We’re married, right?”

“Of course,” Qi Hanchuan nodded.

“And we’re a family, right?”

Qi Hanchuan nodded again. “If you want us to be, we are.”

Jiang He turned away, took a deep breath, and spoke rapidly: “My parents are your parents. Tomorrow, take me to offer incense to Mom. I haven’t even met her yet. You’re a really incompetent son.”

Qi Hanchuan froze. Then, a smile filled his eyes. “Alright. I’ll take you tomorrow.”

His way of comforting people is so unique, Qi Hanchuan thought. He’s quite cute.

Jiang He was incredibly embarrassed. He scratched his head and started walking away with stiff, awkward steps. “Let’s go. I want to go home. Are we rowing back?”

Qi Hanchuan picked up the shears, noticing the flush on the back of Jiang He’s neck and ears. “No. The back gate leads directly to the parking lot.”

Jiang He gave a small “oh” and waited for him. He didn’t know the way and needed Qi Hanchuan to lead.

On the way out, Qi Hanchuan remembered the lotus pods. Jiang He followed him quietly. Because of the emotional moment, things were a bit awkward, but thankfully Qi Hanchuan didn’t bring it up again. Soon, Jiang He was back to his usual self, chattering away.

He complained about how unsafe the boat felt, said they should plant a Confederate Rose at home because it was pretty, and reminded him that lotus seeds were too bitter and he never wanted to eat them again.

Qi Hanchuan listened quietly. When Jiang He finally finished, he said, “I’ll bring the lotus seeds back to make soup for you.”

“Is it good?” Jiang He asked.

“Probably.”

Jiang He walked with his hands behind his back, kicking a pebble into the pond. He watched the ripples and said as a matter of course: “You drink it first. If it’s good, then I’ll drink it.”

Qi Hanchuan agreed. Satisfied and smiling, Jiang He’s voice was as sweet as honey: “Thanks, Hubby.”