You Should’ve Said Earlier that you’re Such a Little Flirt! - Chapter 15

Lin Konglu hadn’t intended to do anything in the first place, but at this moment, she couldn’t resist the urge to tease her.

Lin Konglu was still gripping her wrist tightly. Her thumb gently brushed and caressed the delicate skin of Xu Qingqiong’s wrist with a suggestive undertone. While her movements were improper, her expression remained perfectly serious.

Xu Qingqiong felt an itch from the contact and tried to pull her hand away, but she wasn’t as strong as Lin Konglu. Being held like that made her heart race with uncertainty, fearing that Lin Konglu truly intended to do something.

There’s still a driver in the front, she thought.

The moment Lin Konglu loosened her grip slightly, Xu Qingqiong immediately snatched her hand back and distanced herself as far as possible.

Xu Qingqiong stared at her with a face full of suspicion, her arms crossed defensively over her chest. She truly looked like a little kitten with its ears pricked and pupils dilated, on high alert for danger.

However, she didn’t even realize that she wasn’t actually resistant; a little touch was enough to make her go soft.

Lin Konglu couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. She reached out to pat her head to soothe her and explained, “I was just joking.”

When a person who is usually cold-faced smiles, it is stunning—even dizzying. The smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and spread to the corners of her eyes and brows. It was like a firework suddenly lit, bright and beautiful.

Xu Qingqiong was dazed by this slight smile, unsure of how to react for a moment. She didn’t even resist as her head was patted.

But in the next second, the smile vanished. Lin Konglu returned to her cold-faced expression.

She actually looks great when she smiles, so why always keep a cold face? Xu Qingqiong grumbled internally.

Back to the Main Topic

It was precisely because of that car accident that her grandmother had finally decided to send her abroad to study, where she stayed until this year.

In truth, Xu Qingqiong’s memory was a bit fuzzy. Her recollection of the accident was chaotic, disordered, and noisy—just a series of fragmented flashes in her mind.

She was aware that she might have forgotten something. But every time she tried to remember, it felt distressing and painful.

She had heard that the brain secretes substances to forcibly blur out painful memories.

During those two years, her health was poor due to the accident. After going abroad, she spent most of her time recuperating rather than focusing on coursework. She rarely went out, and with no familiar people by her side or any form of entertainment, her spirited personality had almost been ground down to nothing.

Subconsciously, Xu Qingqiong was unwilling to remember. As time passed, she truly couldn’t recall the details anymore.

Now, when she tried to look back, there was only a hazy, dim outline.

She felt this was for the best. She didn’t want to ruminate on the pain; pain repeatedly brought up is still pain.

The vehicle soon arrived at the destination.

To show his respect for Lin Konglu, Ye Jianguo was waiting at the door early. Seeing the car arrive, he immediately waved and stepped forward briskly to greet them, helping to open the car door with great enthusiasm.

“Qingqiong, Konglu, you’re finally home! Come on out. Your aunt made many of your favorite dishes.”

Standing beside him was a woman in her thirties, wearing a long dress and possessing a very gentle aura. Presumably, she was the new wife he had married just a few months ago.

Seeing him made Xu Qingqiong annoyed. After getting out of the car, she walked straight past him.

However, Ye Jianguo’s target wasn’t her but Lin Konglu. He spoke to Lin Konglu in a bothersome tone, “Konglu, we’ll be family from now on. Don’t be a stranger, come inside.”

Lin Konglu glanced at the frustrated Xu Qingqiong standing in the distance and gave a slight smile. “President Ye, this is only our first meeting. There’s no need to be so familiar.”

Ye Jianguo hadn’t expected this attitude. She looked gentle enough, but she felt like a wall that nothing could penetrate. He laughed twice and prodded, “But you and Qingqiong are getting married soon. We’ll be family after that. If we’re too formal, outsiders might think your relationship with Qingqiong isn’t good.”

Lin Konglu let out a soft snort and stared at Ye Jianguo. “What does the relationship between the two of us have to do with outsiders?”

She put a heavy emphasis on the word “outsiders.”

Ye Jianguo felt like she was implying he was the outsider, and he felt stifled.

At that moment, Xu Qingqiong turned back, quickly grabbed Lin Konglu’s hand, and pulled her forward.

It was a very secluded little house in a typical Chinese style, featuring a clear water pond, winding corridors, and a small attic on the top floor.

Xu Qingqiong was very familiar with this place. With an expressionless face, she led Lin Konglu forward with practiced ease.

Her grandmother had stayed here while recovering from her illness. Aside from the nanny, only doctors would visit periodically for check-ups; it was very peaceful. Xu Qingqiong had also lived here for several years; no one knew this little house better than she did.

After Xu Qingqiong received the news and returned to the country, Ye Jianguo had somehow obtained information about the will. Taking a forceful stance, he had moved in with his people early on.

At the time, she hadn’t reacted quickly enough, allowing Ye Jianguo to take the initiative. After consulting a lawyer, there wasn’t much she could do for the time being.

The group entered the room and sat down.

Ye Jianguo waved his hand. “Lanjing, go pour some tea.” Then, putting his arm around her, he said to Xu Qingqiong, “This is Wen Lanjing, your Aunt Wen. You’ll be seeing each other often from now on.”

Wen Lanjing had the kind of look that was as gentle as water. She pursed her lips and smiled softly.

Xu Qingqiong glanced at her and then looked away.

Ye Jianguo also ran a small company producing craft paintings. Business had been good lately, and he spoke with a self-satisfied tone: “While it can’t compare to your company, it’s still a bit of an achievement.”

“But I’ll still have to rely on you a lot in the future.”

He had always wanted to expand his business and wanted to see Lin Konglu’s attitude this time.

After all, the status of SES went without saying. If he could get his hands on their designer resources, things would be much easier.

However, in every word he spoke, he was bursting with pride over his own “achievements.”

Lin Konglu took a glance and didn’t take the bait. She said calmly, “I can certainly help. I happen to know about some upcoming welfare policies for small and micro-enterprises. I’ll have my assistant organize the details for you later.”

In Lin Konglu’s world, his company probably only counted as a “small or micro-enterprise”—completely insignificant.

Ye Jianguo had been full of himself, but he didn’t expect to be stabbed in the heart like this. His face instantly turned a steely blue.

Xu Qingqiong, never one to shy away from a scene, couldn’t help but laugh. She hadn’t realized Lin Konglu was so good at sarcasm. She chimed in from the side, “Tsk, what ‘small and micro-enterprise’? You don’t have to save him face—it’s just a crappy little factory.”

This time, Ye Jianguo’s face went from blue to black. He could hardly speak straight. “I’m your father! How can you talk like that?”

She thought this old man was quite interesting. When he was young, he lived off women because of his face. Now that he was old, he suddenly wanted to have a career to erase his past and establish his “masculine dignity.”

On the surface, he looked like a decent human being, but in reality, a leopard doesn’t change its spots.

In her grandmother’s words: Idiotic men, not a single one of them is any good.

Of course, the original words were very refined and cultured; this was Xu Qingqiong’s own summary.

But the meaning was the same.

Old geezer.

Ye Jianguo was a failure as a husband, a failure as a father, and an even bigger failure as a human being.

He’s better suited to being a beast, Xu Qingqiong thought expressionlessly.

She inexplicably felt that Lin Konglu had come specifically to help her vent her anger.

This old man had never been able to get the upper hand with her.

But this was the first time since her grandmother passed away that someone had so clearly stood by her side to protect her.

Family is more of a source of confidence—the support behind you when you must retreat, and the fulcrum when facing the world.

Facing the fear and helplessness of the world alone, the place in her heart meant for family had been hollowed out. That empty feeling meant there was no way back and no one to provide unconditional support.

Xu Qingqiong’s heart felt sore and soft. She quickly closed her eyes, forcing her emotions back down.

When she opened them again, she retorted without hesitation, “You’re my father? I’m your father!”

“You!” Ye Jianguo’s face darkened instantly from the insult, but he barely managed to restrain himself. “How can you speak like that!”

He then turned hypocritically to Lin Konglu. “President Lin, it’s all my fault. I accidentally raised the child to be like this.”

Lin Konglu took a sip of water and replied, “Of course it’s your fault. Whose else would it be?”

Ye Jianguo was choked by her words, unable to speak for a moment.

With someone backing her up, Xu Qingqiong immediately began to act cocky. Her smug little look was quite cute as she mockingly mimicked Ye Jianguo’s words: “President Lin, it’s all my fault, I accidentally raised the child to be like this~”

Ye Jianguo’s face twisted in rage.

“It’s okay, I don’t blame you.” Lin Konglu was laughing internally. She tugged at Xu Qingqiong’s wrist and handed her her own cup of water, signaling, “Have some water.”

Xu Qingqiong was indeed thirsty. She took the cup, not even noticing whose it was, and downed it with great bravado before slamming the cup back onto the table.

Lin Konglu immediately turned to Ye Jianguo and said, “Pour another cup.”

Ye Jianguo: “…”

Not wanting to say more, Xu Qingqiong went upstairs to the study to pack her things. Ye Jianguo, harboring unknown intentions, tried to follow her up.

Lin Konglu remained seated. Her suit was impeccable, and her aura was one of innate rigor and coldness. Without moving an inch, she stopped him, her tone light: “President Ye, this is Qingqiong’s family matter. Why are you going up?”

Being handled by two young women made Ye Jianguo’s expression shift through various colors. Though he felt hatred in his heart, he put on a kind face again. “No matter what, I am still Qingqiong’s father. I’m just seeing if she needs help.”

Lin Konglu took a sip of water. “Oh, there’s no need.”

“If she needs help, she has me.”

Ye Jianguo took a deep breath, telling himself not to get angry. He couldn’t afford to offend Lin Konglu.

He couldn’t help but look upstairs, his expression unconsciously carrying a hint of dark triumph.

…Those who deserved to die are all dead.

If that old woman hadn’t made a will stating that if Xu Qingqiong met with an accident, all the inheritance under her name would be donated to charity associations for free…

Otherwise… Hehe…

Ye Jianguo gnashed his teeth in jealousy and hatred. In the blink of an eye, he met Lin Konglu’s keen, perceptive gaze. Startled, he quickly retracted the expression on his face.

Lin Konglu had actually been observing him. Ye Jianguo hadn’t changed much over the years.

On the outside, he looked like a lean and elegant middle-aged man, but his eyes revealed his true nature. No matter how much the appearance changed or how good the disguise was, the things in one’s bones wouldn’t change. It was impossible to expect a beast to turn into a human.

Ye Jianguo felt extremely uncomfortable under her gaze. Muttering to himself that he hadn’t provoked her, he couldn’t help but ask, “President Lin, why are you looking at me?”

Lin Konglu flashed a smile and said leisurely, “President Ye, you look familiar. Have we met before?”

Ye Jianguo let out a couple of laughs, completely missing the point of her words. “Is that so? That shows we have a connection! Now that you and Qingqiong are about to get married, in the future…”

Lin Konglu remained noncommittal, saying with a faint smile, “Is that so?” and ended the topic directly.

Ye Jianguo gave a dry laugh, feeling awkward by her hot-and-cold attitude. “Of course.”

Lin Konglu lowered her head to take a sip of water, ignoring him.

Ye Jianguo had probably forgotten that during the car accident, when he had abandoned the burning vehicle and fled in panic, there were two people in that car.

Besides Xu Qingqiong, there was her.

After going upstairs, Xu Qingqiong ran into Wen Lanjing at the door of the study. Wen Lanjing seemed to be waiting for her, her expression looking a bit hesitant.

Xu Qingqiong glanced at her sideways and walked straight past without saying a word.

She didn’t have much animosity toward this woman, nor did she want to say much. She was purely curious—this woman’s looks and temperament weren’t bad; how could she have taken a liking to an old thing like Ye Jianguo?

As they brushed past each other, Wen Lanjing looked at her and finally called out hesitantly, “Qingqiong.”

Xu Qingqiong stopped and turned back to look at her in confusion.

Wen Lanjing twisted her hands a bit nervously and explained, “The things in the rooms have been kept exactly as they were, especially the study. Nothing has been moved.”

Xu Qingqiong gave a soft “mm,” indicating she heard.

“Do you need my help?”

Xu Qingqiong pushed open the door, leaving behind a short “No need.”

The door closed. Xu Qingqiong stood still, her eyes lingering over every detail of the room.

The room remained as it was, but since no one had entered or cleaned it for three months, a thin layer of dust had accumulated on the desk, which was a painful sight.

After losing its owner, the space seemed to have been frozen, sealed, and abandoned all at once.

The moment she heard the news of her grandmother’s passing, Xu Qingqiong hadn’t reacted at all; her brain was in a state of blank emptiness.

Rather than grief or sadness, it was initially more of a sense of being lost and directionless. Then, the grief slowly flooded her chest.

But a person cannot be grieved every second; life goes on.

And her grandmother had been plagued by illness for the past two years. Her heart problems had become increasingly serious, and she had undergone various surgeries.

Xu Qingqiong had actually been mentally prepared. So, she quickly gathered her emotions and forced herself to return to normal. She finished her graduation procedures, returned to the country, consulted a lawyer about the will, and worked tirelessly for solutions.

She thought she had already accepted it; after all, three months had passed.

But when she saw an old Chinese dictionary by the bedside, the Pixiu paperweight on the desk, and a toothbrush in the bathroom, she momentarily felt as if the person was still there.

That clear, specific grief struck her violently again.

Xu Qingqiong held onto the edge of the table, standing quietly for a while, and couldn’t help but squat down, hugging her knees.

The pain brought by the passing of a loved one is a long-lasting ache, like a continuous drizzle of rain that leaves one’s whole life damp.

On ordinary days, you don’t think of it or realize it. It’s only at a moment like this that you truly realize the person has really left and will never come back.

Just then, there was a sound at the door, and someone pushed it open.

Xu Qingqiong instantly blinked away the tears in her eyes, regained a normal expression, and stood up to look at the person entering.

It was Lin Konglu.

Xu Qingqiong was born stubborn. Because of a difficult and premature birth, she was very weak as a baby and spent over ten days longer in the incubator than other children.

Newborns’ nails cannot be clipped. When the IV needle was placed in her forehead, because of the discomfort, she would stretch out her tiny hands and scratch her own head until it was covered in bloody marks.

The moment she looked at Lin Konglu, she straightened her back, erasing even the last traces of sadness from her face. Subconsciously, she didn’t want to appear weak in front of her.

“What are you doing up here?”

Lin Konglu stood beside her and helped her pack. “Helping you.”

Xu Qingqiong resisted. “No need, I can do it myself.”

“I know you can.” Lin Konglu didn’t even look up, following her words. “But this will be faster. I want us to go home early.”

The way she said it made it seem like she was in the same trench as Xu Qingqiong—that she was on her side. This subtle sense of shared enmity carried a hint of warmth.

Xu Qingqiong’s ruffled feathers were smoothed instantly, and she could no longer say anything to refuse. She muttered dryly, “…Oh.”

Taking advantage of her daze, Lin Konglu had already rolled up her sleeves and picked up a book, asking, “Are all of these to be taken away?”

Xu Qingqiong: “Yes.”

Because there were many items, she had called a moving company, but these books were important and specifically categorized, so she wanted to pack them herself.

Xu Qingqiong wanted to say thank you, but when she turned around, Lin Konglu had already moved behind another bookshelf to help her organize.

She had no choice but to keep quiet and continue packing the boxes at hand.

The study was large, with a layout similar to a reading room, featuring several rows of bookshelves.

Lin Konglu maintained a calm facade, using the bookshelves as cover to openly look at her.

Xu Qingqiong didn’t notice her gaze at all, kneeling on the floor and focusing on categorizing a row of books into a box.

Expressions and words can be controlled, but physiological reactions cannot. Almost at first glance upon entering the room, Lin Konglu judged: She had cried.

She could see slight bloodshot streaks in her eyes, her eyelashes were damp, and her nose and cheeks had a soft redness.

She stared intently at Xu Qingqiong’s cheeks, her emotions suppressed as she scanned them. Her fingers pressed against the spine of a book, and her breathing became hurried for a moment.

Unconsciously gripping the book in her hand, she accidentally grazed the pages. The sharp paper cut her finger, and Lin Konglu instinctively let out a hiss.

“What happened?” Hearing the sound, Xu Qingqiong put down her book, rounded the bookshelf, and walked over quickly.

“It’s nothing, just a paper cut.” Lin Konglu avoided her gaze, her long eyelashes drooping heavily to hide her emotions.

The wound was on the pad of her middle finger. It wasn’t large, but it was deep. In a matter of seconds, a string of bright red blood droplets quickly seeped out.

Xu Qingqiong pinched her finger, looked at it with annoyance for a few moments, and then quickly went to a low cabinet by the window to get a first-aid kit.

Xu Qingqiong made her sit on the sofa, found alcohol and cotton swabs from the kit, and knelt down to help her disinfect. After a simple cleaning, she found a band-aid to put on her.

The two were very close. Lin Konglu allowed her to hold her finger. Xu Qingqiong’s soft hair piled up on her knees, black as clouds, and her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings.

Her gaze drifted along the lines of Xu Qingqiong’s body, moving to the curve of her neck and shoulders.

Xu Qingqiong was wearing a camisole shirt today. From her angle, Lin Konglu could clearly see the graceful curves hidden in the shadows.

Lin Konglu’s breathing paused slightly.

At that moment, Xu Qingqiong carefully pinched her finger and muttered, “Luckily the injury is on your left hand. If it were the right…”

Lin Konglu was a typical right-hander; her right hand was the dominant one for everything in life—including in bed.

Lin Konglu looked at her a bit dazed, her thoughts accidentally taking a subtle detour. She hurriedly followed her words and explained, “Actually, the left hand works too.”

Xu Qingqiong’s movements froze. She let out a “ha” and looked up at her in surprise. “You can write with your left hand too?”

“…” Lin Konglu fell silent, instantly realizing she had misinterpreted her meaning.

Support You Should’ve Said Earlier that you’re Such a Little Flirt!