Although They're Mentally ill, They're Extremely Easy to Comfort - Chapter 68

Entering Qiao Bo’er’s bedroom, the room was filled with the scent of her perfume. Ling Xi closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Before she knew it, her overwhelming emotions were let loose.

She sank into the soft bed. The pillow retained Bo’er’s lingering scent; every breath was a deadly pang of longing, yet it also offered great comfort to Ling Xi’s despair.

Ling Xi finally understood that her reserved and unspoken affection, without Qiao Bo’er’s reciprocation, became cheap and meaningless.

Losing her sense of security, she curled up into a ball, clutching the pillow tightly. Bo’er’s scent offered her a moment of peace.

Perhaps exhausted from crying, she fell into a deep sleep again in the early morning.

In her dream, Qiao Bo’er wore a fiery red gown, humming a soothing melody close to Ling Xi’s ear. Ling Xi wanted to hold her hand but found her to be like a mist—visible yet unattainable.

“Bo’er… Bo’er!” Accompanied by a hoarse cry, Ling Xi sat up, breathing heavily in panic, only to realize it was just a dream better than reality.

She didn’t know how long she had slept. The dusk sunset outside the window cast faint, desolate shadows, filling the room with an otherworldly strangeness.

“Awake?” Qin Yun sat quietly on a small sofa by the window, seeming to have waited for a very long time. “You’ve slept for a whole day. Get up and eat something.”

Seldom seeing Qin Yun in such a gentle, non-joking manner, Ling Xi lowered her head in self-reproach. “Sorry, I don’t have an appetite.”

Qin Yun stood up and walked to the bed, her tone becoming somewhat cold. “Being dejected won’t solve any problems.”

Ling Xi couldn’t fathom Qin Yun’s mood. She had so many questions now; her thoughts were a tangled mess she couldn’t sort out. “Miss Qin, may I ask you a question?”

Qin Yun sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, fairly patient. “Go ahead.”

“Did Bo’er and I know each other a long time ago? I asked her, but she didn’t answer.”

“She didn’t answer you, so what right do I have to answer that question?”

It was indeed unsolvable. Ling Xi didn’t press for details but slowly got out of bed.

“As for you, what are your plans? With no more harassment from Bo’er, everything is back to normal. You should be happy.”

Qin Yun’s calm counter-question hollowed Ling Xi’s heart. She covered her face, her chest throbbing with waves of pain that refused to subside.

Right. Qiao Bo’er had worked so hard to rip open the shackles on Ling Xi’s heart, just to give her a piece of candy. In her craziness, she had driven herself into Ling Xi’s heart.

Their happiness was right in front of them, within reach. How could it just vanish?

Qin Yun took Ling Xi’s arm and invited her, “Come, I’ll show you something.”

Walking into the study, a decorative cabinet as wide as the wall held only one piece of porcelain.

Ling Xi traced the outline of the porcelain through the glass.

This was not a good time to appreciate antiques. She didn’t understand Qin Yun’s intention but still offered a simple explanation: “Crackles intact, ringing like a chime, sky-blue like jade. Only Ru ware has a thousand years of lingering charm.”

“Perhaps to you, this is just a priceless collectible. But in Bo’er’s eyes, she said this Ru ware resembles you, which is why she didn’t even blink when bidding at the auction.”

“Resembles me?”

“I didn’t understand at first, but now… I get it. You have enough time to calm down and savor it slowly; you’ll eventually grasp her intentions.”

Qiao Si’s manor, bathed in the setting sun, finally welcomed the return of its true mistress.

The air was filled with the mellow aroma of sweet wine, and the house servants were busy preparing the outdoor dinner party.

Qiao Di’s slicked-back hair was neat, and he maintained his high-class attire. His carefully selected breast pocket square was Bo’er’s favorite red.

Sitting in the master’s seat at the European-style rectangular table, his well-defined fingers naturally swirled the stem of the tall glass.

His eyes, full of undeniable love, rested on Bo’er’s face, unwilling to look away for a moment. Appreciating her beauty, paired with red wine, was perfect.

Qiao Bo’er leaned back in the chair with a calm expression. Her thoughts drifted a thousand miles away, missing Ling Xi every moment.

Time flowed by second by second. The two faced each other without speaking or interacting.

The person who finally gave in was Qiao Di. He took a small sip of red wine, pursed his lips, and then raised his glass like a gentleman. “Welcome home. We should toast to our reunion.”

Qiao Bo’er still ignored him, picked up her glass, and took a drink herself. It was a familiar taste but not one worth savoring.

“I know you’re angry with me, but we still have many things to plan for in the long run. Now is not the time to hold a grudge. Today is a good day to come home; you should be happy.”

Qiao Di lowered his gaze, staring at the dark red liquid. He couldn’t help but compare it to Qiao Bo’er, squinting through the glass, firmly believing that red suited her beauty best.

Qiao Bo’er stood up and walked around the table to Qiao Di. Joy surged in Qiao Di’s eyes. But the next second, red wine poured over his head thoroughly ruined the elegance.

The surrounding servants were startled by the scene and stood rooted in place, not daring to make a sound.

Qiao Di narrowed his eyes, and the expression on his face hardened.

Qiao Bo’er threw the glass away, and amidst the sound of shattering, she coldly mocked, “Do you really think that just because you’re granted the Qiao Si surname, you can truly possess everything? We’ve reached this point purely because you forced me.”

Qiao Di did not flare up. He quietly picked up a napkin and wiped his face. Looking up at Qiao Bo’er, he smiled, “My Pearl is sick. I don’t blame you.”

This sentence was actually Qiao Di’s catchphrase. Qiao Bo’er had heard it for too many years, and it had unconsciously become ingrained in her, so much so that whenever Ling Xi asked an unsolvable question, she habitually replied the same way.

Zanda, who was standing nearby, frowned upon seeing Qiao Bo’er’s outrageous behavior. Just as he was about to step forward and take her away, a fatal electric current hit the back of his neck.

Two subordinates hidden behind the greenery simultaneously fired electrodes carrying explosive currents.

Qiao Bo’er turned around and saw Zanda half-kneeling on the ground, making muffled sounds of pain. The continuous current prevented him from taking immediate action.

“Qiao Di!” Hearing Qiao Bo’er’s gritted-teeth whisper, Qiao Di remained unfazed, still slowly wiping the red wine from his face.

Only when his face was finally clean did he unhurriedly toss the napkin aside, stand up, and appreciate Qiao Bo’er’s worried expression.

“You’re the one who caused the trouble, yet you blame me. You know I can’t bear to hurt you. But I also don’t like being wronged, so I can only transfer my unhappy emotions onto others, especially onto people you care about.”

Qiao Di’s tone was always an insidious, “you can’t do anything about me” kind of evil. He touched the cross pendant on his chest, as if dissolving his silent anger.

Soon, he signaled his subordinates. A group of bodyguards suddenly appeared, forcefully pinning Zanda to the ground and quickly handcuffing him.

“When you do something wrong, you should apologize properly.” Qiao Di’s gaze was on Zanda, but the words were meant for Qiao Bo’er.

Arrogant Qiao Bo’er’s eyes became slightly red. She couldn’t help it; she had never been able to defeat this man. Biting her lower lip, she struggled to force out the word “Sorry.”

Hearing the weak and utterly insincere apology, Qiao Di still accepted it gladly. He held Qiao Bo’er’s arm and led her back to the chair. “I accept your apology… I specifically had the chef prepare your favorite dishes. The manor has also been well-maintained. You should admire the scenery and enjoy the food.”

“You should also come out of your wishful thinking. Trying every means to force me back, can that solve the problem? We can’t be together. I’ve said this so many times.”

Qiao Bo’er didn’t want to give up and was testing Qiao Di’s bottom line.

Qiao Di bit his cheek, maintaining a gentlemanly smile. He didn’t want to tear off the mask on the first day. “Can’t we just eat a meal peacefully?”

“No. Looking at your face… makes me sick.”

Slamming a mouthful of wine, Qiao Di crushed the glass with his bare hand. Blood mixed with red wine created a glaring color in his palm.

Grabbing Qiao Bo’er’s chin, he squeezed it hard, again and again. Her beautiful face was stained with scarlet liquid, making her resemble an even more stunning rose.

“I don’t want to hurt you, I don’t! But you challenge me again and again, and that is your fault.” Saying this, Qiao Di grabbed Qiao Bo’er’s arm and dragged her in front of Zanda.

The immobilized Zanda was still restrained on the ground. Qiao Di lifted his foot and viciously stepped on Zanda’s head, threatening, “I said I wouldn’t hurt you, but I will return the harm you inflict on me to someone else.”

Qiao Bo’er wanted to push Qiao Di away, but his strength was surprisingly great. The difference in power prevented her from protecting Zanda.

Qiao Di was best at manipulation. He knew exactly how to make the woman in front of him submit. He leaned close to Qiao Bo’er’s ear and revealed a shocking secret: “What’s so great about that Ling Xi? All she can bring you are those few pitiful memories, nothing else!

I’m the one who cleaned up the entire family mess for you. I’m the one who accompanied your growth!

Do you want to know how her parents died?

During those nights when you wanted to be with her, I only spent a meager tens of thousands. That group of mercenaries didn’t even have to use a single bullet; they just turned into a handful of dust.

I gave you clear hints, but you ignored them. Don’t blame me for being heartless. You indirectly caused the death of her parents.”

Like a bolt from the blue, when the truth was spoken as a joke from Qiao Di’s mouth, Qiao Bo’er stopped struggling. She clutched Qiao Di’s collar and vented her fury. “Bastard!”

Qiao Di grinned, his clean, straight teeth revealing a frightening, sinister look. His smile was too eerie.

This fact easily made Qiao Bo’er lose her mind. She bit Qiao Di’s shoulder through his shirt until blood seeped through the white fabric.

Qiao Di didn’t push her away; instead, he hugged her tightly, even enjoying the pain inflicted by the woman he loved. He burst into wild laughter. “It’s okay. If you can’t love me, then hate me. Hate me thoroughly. After all, hate is also an extreme emotion, ha-ha-ha.”

After he finished speaking, a shiver ran down Qiao Bo’er’s spine. The needle in Qiao Di’s hand pricked the back of her neck. She looked up at Qiao Di with a slightly hoarse voice, “You…”

The anesthetic took effect violently. Qiao Bo’er went limp and collapsed into Qiao Di’s arms.

An increasingly twisted smile appeared on Qiao Di’s face. He held Qiao Bo’er securely and murmured, “You’re sick. I don’t blame you.”

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