Chapter 30: She Once Thought That Ji Xiao Would Only Give A Sense Of Security To Everyone Except Her, But It Turns Out She Had It All Along
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The Roman clock hanging on the wall reflected the warm autumn sun and the golden hands silently moved to the Roman numeral "XII".
Wei Qingyu sat on the still soft bed, holding the bracelet she had just taken out from under the bed.
The special braided bracelet looked exactly like the one on her wrist, and the round-shaped small peach basket looked no different.
However, when Wei Qingyu's fingers gently rubbed the small peach basket taken out from under the bed, she could feel a row of fine marks.
She repeatedly felt this imperceptible mark and placed the small peach basket in the sunlight.
Irregular fine holes spread across the brown-red belly of the basket, resembling bite marks left by some animal. Wei Qingyu's eyebrows slightly furrowed, and the faint calls of children from afar sounded in her ears.
"Aaah! Run faster! It's catching up!"
A little girl wearing a brown skirt and a white shirt hurriedly ran across the spacious cement road of the village, her slightly plump hand tightly holding the slender hand of another girl behind her.
At this moment, eight-year-old Ji Xiao was pulling eight-year-old Wei Qingyu, running on the newly built main road in the east of the village.
Behind them, there was also a large white goose with a big chunk of feathers missing from its wings.
"Wei Qingyu, hurry up!" Little Ji Xiao pulled Little Wei Qingyu, whose steps were gradually slowing down, anxiously urging her.
Little Wei Qingyu's face had turned completely red due to the intense exercise, her frail body heaving up and down with labored breaths.
She stopped, gasping for breath, and said, "I can't go on, Ji Xiao. You go ahead..."
"What are you talking about? How can I leave you behind!" Little Ji Xiao looked resolute as she glanced at Little Wei Qingyu. The big white goose, which had been following them closely all along, spread its wings menacingly and lunged towards them.
In the blink of an eye, just as the big white goose was about to attack them, Little Ji Xiao swiftly kicked out at its raised chest.
The big goose was kicked over, rolling down the roadside slope uncontrollably.
The scorching sun of the afternoon shone on this deserted road, reflecting a youthful heroism on Little Ji Xiao.
Little Wei Qingyu looked at Little Ji Xiao who protected her, her heart pounding even more intensely.
She gently grasped the skirt around Little Ji Xiao's waist and whispered softly in her ear, "Thank you, Ji Xiao."
The voice was soft and sweet, sounding as delightful as fermented sweet rice dumplings.
Ji Xiao blushed slightly and said, "It's nothing. With me protecting you, you don't need to be afraid."
As they spoke, the temporarily defeated big goose lunged up from the slope.
Its wings were even larger than before, almost the size of two nine-year-old children, with sharp teeth bared, looking particularly menacing.
Seeing this, Little Ji Xiao instinctively stepped back, trying to confront the big goose with her gaze.
But the big goose didn't give her a chance. With accumulated grievances, it viciously charged towards them.
Little Ji Xiao immediately grabbed Little Wei Qingyu's hand and ran, shouting as they ran, “I just pulled out a few of your feathers, why do you have to do this?!"
"Aack! Aack! Aack!" Whether it understood Ji Xiao's words or not, the big goose chased after them, honking loudly.
This time, the big white goose got clever. It took advantage of Little Ji Xiao's distraction and suddenly flapped its wings, swooping towards Little Wei Qingyu beside her.
Caught off guard, Little Wei Qingyu watched in horror as the terrifying sharp teeth clamped onto her skirt. Fear spread through her heart, and the young girl instantly burst into helpless tears.
It was at this moment that tearful Little Wei Qingyu felt a force pulling her away from the grip of the big white goose.
Before Little Wei Qingyu could react, she was embraced by a soft and familiar hug.
Through her misty eyes, she saw Little Ji Xiao reaching out to shield her in her arms.
The absolute sense of security tightly enveloped her, instantly dispelling the unease in her heart.
However, the big white goose continued its relentless attack, regardless of who was protecting whom.
The girl's arm, tied with a red string, was directly facing the big white goose's mouth, ready to attack again.
But just a second after the goose lowered its beak, it retracted its neck from its attacking posture.
The row of fine teeth hit the little peach basket on Little Ji Xiao's wrist, bumping against the goose's teeth, causing it to cry out in pain.
With the danger temporarily averted, Little Ji Xiao looked at the big white goose flapping its wings and wailing with lingering fear in her heart.
She didn't know if it was the influence of Little Wei Qingyu's sobbing, but she couldn't hold back anymore, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Wasn't she afraid?
Such a big white goose, chasing them all the way relentlessly.
She was just putting up a front in front of Little Wei Qingyu.
"Why are you chasing us!! Qingyu just wants one of your feathers!!! You stingy goose, wuwuwu!!!
"You're so mean, wuwuwu... I hate you, I hate you!!!"
All the fear erupted uncontrollably, and Little Ji Xiao, who was protecting Little Wei Qingyu, cried uncontrollably.
With blurred vision, she looked at the big white goose, which was trying to retreat, reached out to tight grip its neck, and launched an unconscious frenzy of retaliation against it.
Under the azure sky, only an eight or nine-year-old girl, with one hand firmly grasping the big white goose's neck and the other hand tightly pinching its wings.
Then, as if she had transformed into an Alpha in advance, she lifted the big white goose directly, with an indomitable spirit, and after swinging it around like a discus, she threw it away.
The wind lifted the pleats of the girl's dress, and her slightly disheveled ponytail followed suit, swaying with a graceful arc.
Little Wei Qingyu stood not far away, staring blankly at Little Ji Xiao in front of her, unable to blink.
The big white goose was a bit dizzy from Little Ji Xiao's swings, flapping its wings as it fled into the distance.
But Little Ji Xiao wouldn't let up, with a tear-streaked face, she ran over and grabbed the big white goose by the neck for another round.
The sun quietly hid behind the clouds, and the passing wind ceased.
That day, everyone couldn't forget the heartbreaking cries of the aggrieved little girl echoing through the quiet eastern village, mixed with the goose's heartbreaking screams.
Night slowly enveloped the entire guesthouse village, a bright moon hanging from the treetops, making the night peaceful and serene. The aroma of food wafted into the courtyard, and Little Wei Qingyu's chubby corgi was earnestly gnawing on a big bone on the ground.
By now, Little Ji Xiao was sitting quietly between Little Wei Qingyu and Xu Manlin, her face devoid of much expression. She had changed out of the battle attire she wore while fighting the big white goose, and put on the white cotton dress brought by Little Wei Qingyu, looking obedient and gentle, without any trace of her fierceness from the fight with the big white goose.
The wooden dining table was surrounded by many dishes, but there was a large empty space in the middle.
The sound of stir-frying from the kitchen suddenly stopped, and soon Ji Qingyun came over carrying a large iron basin, hurrying along.
“Come, Xiaoxiao, it's roast goose with potatoes." Ji Qingyun placed the fragrant stewed goose meat in the center of the table. "Let's devour this goose together tonight! Okay?!"
Little Ji Xiao looked up at the delicious meat in front of her, and a spark ignited in her eyes that had been unresponsive just a moment ago.
She picked up her bowl of rice and picked up a piece of goose breast meat, her chubby face full of seriousness. “Mm!"
"Xiaoxiao is our hero, so you should eat more tonight!" Wei Lindong said as he added a goose leg to Little Ji Xiao's bowl. "Xiaoxiao, you were really amazing just now. Neither uncle nor your dad could subdue that big goose in one go, but you did! You're awesome!"
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
"After all, Xiao Xiao has practiced martial arts. Dealing with a big white goose is definitely more effective than us rough guys without any technique," Ji Qingyun praised generously.
"So it's true that heroes come out in their youth," Little Wei Qingyu said, glancing at Little Ji Xiao.
Seeing the smile that Little Wei Qingyu directed towards her, Little Ji Xiao felt a bit embarrassed and lowered her head.
Taking a big bite of the goose leg, she couldn't help but let her lips, which had been pressed together, curve up.
"Yes, yes, what Qingyu said is absolutely right!" Wei Lindong nodded repeatedly, clinking glasses with Ji Qingyun.
The atmosphere at the dining table suddenly became lively, with glasses clinking and laughter filling the air.
Little Ji Xiao barely spoke and just quietly ate two bowls of roast goose with potatoes and a salted goose egg peeled for her by Xu Manlin.
As the moon rose from the low treetops to the highest ones, Ji Qingyun and Wei Lindong chatted and laughed, and the table was already littered with empty dishes and cups.
Xu Manlin watched Ji Qingyun and Wei Lindong still chatting at the table and went to the kitchen to prepare some cold dishes.
Little Wei Qingyu followed behind her, seeming to want to do something as well, quietly watching Xu Manlin prepare the cold dishes.
"What are you thinking? Do you want to do something?" Xu Manlin had long noticed her daughter and asked gently as she mixed the cold dishes.
"I want to make a fruit platter for Ji Xiao," Little Wei Qingyu softly replied.
"Do you want to thank her for protecting you today?" Xu Manlin asked again.
Little Wei Qingyu nodded earnestly, and the two bows on her head swayed as she did so.
Xu Manlin smiled softly and set down the appetizers in her hands before turning to the nearby well.
Along the edge of the well was a rope, and with a few pulls, Xu Manlin lifted several moderately sized watermelons.
As Xu Manlin cut one of the watermelons into quarters, she said, "How about making a little pig watermelon for your sister?"
"Okay!" Little Wei Qingyu nodded happily and took the melon baller from Xu Manlin's hand.
With the small melon baller in Wei Qingyu's hand, in no time, the nearby white porcelain bowl was filled with beautiful red watermelon balls.
Xu Manlin helped Wei Qingyu handle the difficult corners inside the watermelon, carved eyes on the watermelon peel to make pig eyes, and used the leftover watermelon peel to make ears and a nose, saying, "Go and give Xiaoxiao a piece to eat. She'll surely like it."
Little Wei Qingyu happily smiled and picked up the bowl of watermelon she had prepared, skillfully stepping over the slightly high threshold of the kitchen door, which was still a bit tall for her.
However, when Little Wei Qingyu returned to the dining table, Ji Xiao was nowhere to be seen.
The yard echoed with the sounds of Wei Lindong and Ji Qingyun drinking and chatting. It was lively yet lonely.
Little Wei Qingyu held the watermelon, feeling a bit lost as she looked around for Little Ji Xiao's figure. Finally, she saw her sitting at the threshold of the front gate, lost in thought.
The little girl leaned lightly against the doorframe, her small figure appearing even smaller under the starry sky.
She seemed to still be feeling a bit sad, her usually upright back now slouched.
Little Wei Qingyu walked over and handed her the watermelon, asking in a childish voice, "What's wrong with you?"
"I'm fine," Little Ji Xiao replied, taking the watermelon from Little Wei Qingyu and forcing a smile.
But the smile was particularly forced, looking worse than if she had cried.
Wei Qingyu didn't hesitate to see through Little Ji Xiao and pointed at her nose, saying, "You say you're fine, but you look ugly."
The cool fingertips of the little girl landed on Little Ji Xiao's nose, instantly breaking her disguise.
Little Ji Xiao let go of her forced strength, holding the watermelon and leaning on Wei Qingyu's shoulder as usual, saying, "Qingyu, I'm feeling a little upset."
"What's wrong?" Wei Qingyu asked softly.
“Look." Little Ji Xiao took off the small peach basket she was wearing on her hand, placed it in her palm, and said, "That big white goose bit it."
Little Wei Qingyu took the small peach basket from Little Ji Xiao's hand and examined it carefully.
Under the light at the front gate, there were indeed rows of unevenly arranged small dots on the basket's rim.
In an instant, the image of the big white goose chasing after her and biting flashed in Little Wei Qingyu's mind.
She still remembered Little Ji Xiao's bravery when she shielded her, and she could empathize with the fear Little Ji Xiao felt when she was almost bitten by the big white goose.
"I hate that big white goose," Little Ji Xiao said dejectedly.
The little girl's closed jawbone lightly left a sensation on Little Wei Qingyu's shoulder, slowly sinking into her heart.
Little Wei Qingyu looked at the small peach basket in her hand for a long time, with waves of light flickering in her turquoise eyes.
She didn't want Ji Xiao to feel fear every time she saw this small peach basket in the future.
After a moment of contemplation, Little Wei Qingyu let out a particularly light sigh.
Little Ji Xiao immediately cast a puzzled and questioning glance at her.
Little Wei Qingyu looked at Little Ji Xiao with full confidence and said, "What's wrong with this? I know a magical way that can restore your small peach basket to its original state!"
"Really?" The little girl's previously dejected posture straightened instantly, and her white face was filled with the impending joy of regaining what was lost.
"But this method can't be known by anyone else, otherwise it won't work." Little Wei Qingyu carefully explained to Little Ji Xiao, "Later, you have to close your eyes."
“Mm-mm, mm." Little Ji Xiao nodded eagerly, holding the watermelon tightly and closing her eyes tightly.
But where in the world could there be a way to restore something that had been destroyed?
Moreover, Little Wei Qingyu was only eight years old.
She simply took off the red string from her wrist and quickly replaced it with Little Ji Xiao's.
Under the deep night sky and the warm summer breeze, the moonlight exposed the tension in the girl's eyes.
Little Wei Qingyu tightened her grip on the small peach basket that originally belonged to her, took a deep breath, and said, "Open your eyes!"
With a nervous heart, Little Ji Xiao opened her eyes and looked at the small peach basket given to her by Little Wei Qingyu.
The dense marks of the big white goose's teeth were indeed gone, leaving only a smooth surface under the moonlight.
"Wow, it's so magical!" Little Ji Xiao looked at the small peach basket in her hand, which had returned to its original state, excitement filling her golden-orange eyes.
Afraid that Little Ji Xiao's excitement would give everything away, Little Wei Qingyu quickly pretended to be nervous and covered her mouth, saying mysteriously, "Shh! We can't let others know, otherwise it will change back again!"
Little Ji Xiao immediately covered her own mouth and nodded earnestly.
Seeing the joy on Little Ji Xiao's face, Little Wei Qingyu secretly tucked the small peach basket from her wrist into her sleeve and smiled contentedly.
….
Wei Qingyu could hardly believe her eyes.
If the peach basket under the bed was the one she had lost before, then whose was the one she was wearing on her wrist now?
A thought echoed in Wei Qingyu's mind.
Her mother had only made two peach baskets, one on her own wrist and the other on Ji Xiao's.
But at some point, this peach basket disappeared from Ji Xiao's wrist.
Wei Qingyu had always thought that Ji Xiao had lost this peach basket.
But why did it appear in her hand on that day?
There were no answers to her questions, and they couldn't be easily dismissed.
Wei Qingyu got up from the bed, holding the peach basket, and walked to her room.
The icy white door handle was twisted open, and the room, with its closed windows and doors, still retained the chaotic smell from that day.
The faint scent of cheap musk made Wei Qingyu furrow her brow, and she went straight to the window and pushed it open.
The wind rushed in from outside, dispersing the unpleasant smell.
Faintly, Wei Qingyu seemed to catch a hint of peach brandy in the air.
It was barely noticeable, sharp with a hint of peach fragrance.
Bit by bit, it resonated with the missing puzzle piece in her heart.
The girl's turquoise eyes trembled slightly as she looked at her disheveled bed, and almost instinctively, she reached for the pillow on the side.
A figure sitting on the edge of her bed suddenly flashed in her memory.
Wei Qingyu suddenly realized that indeed someone had taken care of her while she was unconscious, there was no such thing as Ji Qingyun receiving a call and being forced to leave early.
That person had embraced her almost uncontrollable self from the ground with a unique sense of security, soothing her with the gentlest voice and administering suppressants.
Then she had been carried to the bed, warm fingers tracing over her waist, conveying the most comforting warmth to her restless and anxious self.
Just like the soft reassurance Ji Xiao had given to Qiao Ni that day.
Just like the warmth and reliability when Ji Xiao caught her as she jumped off the wall.
Wei Qingyu's hand clenched the pillow tighter, and the turquoise eyes churned with turbulent waves.
In her heart, she felt conflicted. On one hand, she thought the blurry figure in her memory was Ji Xiao, but on the other hand, she kept denying it.
Reason in her mind repeatedly reminded her of how despicable and cruel Ji Xiao was at the time, questioning why she would extend a helping hand to her.
Yet, her emotions softly whispered in her ears, telling her that people can change. Over the past month or so, Ji Xiao hadn't tormented her and even helped her when Liu Meina had ulterior motives.
A faint breeze flowed through the slightly open window, carrying the scent of peach brandy, gently brushing over Wei Qingyu's scattered hair.
She tightly grasped the small peach basket in her hand, memories she once desperately wanted to forget swirling chaotically in her mind.
"Qingyu, we're back!"
The sudden voice from downstairs interrupted Wei Qingyu's recollection.
Wei Qingyu recognized the voice as Liu Yue's and hurriedly tucked away her chaotic memories.
She carefully placed the other small peach basket into her pocket and quickly descended the stairs.
In the living room on the first floor stood the still burly and robust Liu Hu alongside the still graceful Liu Yue.
Wei Qingyu looked at these two familiar figures, feeling as if time had stood still.
Tears welled up in the young girl's eyes, and even before reaching the bottom of the stairs, she said, "Uncle Liu Hu, Auntie Liu Yue, you're back."
"Miss!" Liu Hu hurried to Wei Qingyu's side before Liu Yue.
"Miss..." Liu Hu choked up.
An Alpha who had teetered on the brink of life and death now had red eyes out of guilt because of a young girl.
"Alright, don't blame yourself anymore. After all, you're the boss of a bunch of bodyguards. You should be more steady," Chen Linji patted Liu Hu's sturdy back, gesturing for him to sit down on the sofa and have a drink of water.
Wei Qingyu looked at the rarely-seen expression on Liu Hu's face and didn't know what to say.
At that moment, Liu Yue, who had been standing by, walked over and hugged Wei Qingyu as usual.
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
Wei Qingyu was a head shorter than Liu Yue, so she was forced to once again bump into that tightly wrapped softness.
The scent of small blue orchids bloomed gently from her body, gently brushing against Wei Qingyu's nose.
It was hard to imagine that such a charming woman could exude such a delicate pheromone.
Even Omega, who involuntarily repel the scent of their own kind's pheromones, found it strangely comforting.
"Let Auntie take a look. How have you been in the past six months?" Liu Yue scrutinized Wei Qingyu carefully, her brows furrowing with concern. "You've lost weight, haven't you? About ten pounds?"
Wei Qingyu listened to Liu Yue's words and shook her head. "It's not that extreme."
"How can it not be that extreme?" Liu Yue frowned again, then continued, "Is that little scoundrel with the last name Ji bullying you? I heard from Liu Hu that you're living with her now? Is that little scoundrel becoming more and more unruly?"
Hearing Liu Yue mention Ji Xiao, Wei Qingyu couldn't help but recall the recent events.
She forced a smile and said, "No, our relationship is still okay."
"No need to be afraid, tell Auntie the truth, Auntie will go and deal with her in a few days." Liu Yue didn't believe her.
When Liu Hu and Liu Yue came to the Wei family, Wei Qingyu was already in junior high school. At that time, Ji Xiao was already being spoiled by Ji Qingyun and had started to become unruly. Wei Qingyu's relationship with Ji Xiao had also become somewhat distant.
So Liu Yue had no idea how close Wei Qingyu and Ji Xiao used to be. Her impression of Ji Xiao had always been the "devil incarnate" described by her brother.
Wei Qingyu knew that Liu Yue was always outspoken. Although she didn't understand why it had to be "in a few days," she didn't want Ji Xiao to suffer unjustly. "It's really nothing."
"Really?" Liu Yue was half doubtful. Behind her, Liu Hu, who had calmed down, grunted and cleared his throat roughly, saying, "I'm telling you, why do you have to force Qingyu to lie? Just rest assured, that child is still an Alpha. Haven't you forgotten what I told you not long ago?"
Wei Qingyu's sensitive nerves tightened at the mention of "not long ago," and she quickly asked, "What... what happened?"
"It was during the Mid-Autumn Festival. She hit her old man with a bat and threw him into the woods," Liu Hu explained briefly.
Wei Qingyu was instantly stunned.
Which recent Mid-Autumn Festival could it be, if not the one where she was almost assaulted by Ji Qingyun?
Wasn't it the Mid-Autumn Festival when she woke up with the small peach basket she had exchanged with Ji Xiao?
Wasn't it the Mid-Autumn Festival where Ji Xiao came back after "fighting," covered in mud?
"I'm telling you, Brother Chen, that girl is really fierce. I was sweating downstairs just watching. With such a long and thick baseball bat, she swung it around and gave her old man a whack. I swear, it was so satisfying to watch," Liu Hu vividly described the scene to Chen Linji, who was still unaware of the incident, adding gestures and tones to emphasize, his face showing admiration.
Wei Qingyu, listened in disbelief as the blurry face of that girl from her memories slowly turned towards her.
She interrupted Liu Hu's narrative and asked, "Uncle Liu Hu, are you saying that Ji Xiao also came here at that time?"
"Yeah, at that time I was about to go upstairs, the door hadn't even had time to close when she arrived. I thought to myself, 'Well, kill two birds with one stone, later I'll give both this father and daughter a lesson and see if they dare to bully you in the future.' As a result, that little girl snatched Ji Qingyun from me!" Liu Hu said with a tone full of regret, "But it's also a relief."
"Is it from the last time you asked me to erase the traces?" Chen Linji seemed to recall something, echoing.
"Yes, yes, yes." Liu Hu nodded repeatedly, smiling, "As for technology, I haven't expanded into this kind of business yet, I'm just a rough guy, I can't play with it yet."
The memory's latch clicked in this instant, and the missing puzzle piece of Wei Qingyu fell back into place.
In Wei Qingyu's mind, the blurry figure slowly turned around, pixels retracing, piece by piece forming the appearance of Ji Xiao.
The familiar corners of the eyes and brows appeared in Wei Qingyu's mind, and in the golden-orange pupils, there was a gentleness she had never thought she'd feel.
‘It's okay now, you're safe.”
‘Wei Qingyu, you're safe.’
A familiar voice, a familiar tone.
She had thought that Ji Xiao would only give a sense of security to everyone but her, but it turns out she had it all along...
"I think it's getting late, how about we go to a restaurant?" After chatting for so long, Liu Hu was getting hungry and suggested.
Liu Yue nodded repeatedly, saying, "Sure, sure, your treat."
Just as Liu Hu was about to retort, Wei Qingyu hurriedly interjected, "No need."
Her voice sounded a bit urgent, surprising the three of them.
Wei Qingyu instantly realized her abnormality and quickly added, "Uncle, I said I was going to the library, and I told Ji Xiao I'd come back for lunch. If I don't go back, she might get suspicious."
"That works too since we've all met now, it won't be hard to meet again in the future," Liu Hu immediately said.
"Yeah, that's right, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future, right, Old Chen?" Liu Yue also quickly expressed.
"Of course." Chen Linji nodded and said, "I'll have the driver take you back now."
"Then, I'll trouble you, Uncle." Wei Qingyu nodded slightly and got back into the same car she arrived in.
The noon sun carried the lingering warmth of autumn as it fell on Yanlu Lane. Wei Qingyu sat in the car, smiling and waving goodbye to the three standing at the door, but her smile faded as soon as they turned the corner.
Wei Qingyu looked down at the small peach basket in her hand, memories of the past year living together flooded her mind.
That person was once twisted and indulgent, locking her in a dark room and tormenting her repeatedly, using all sorts of despicable means. She had sworn to retaliate with a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye.
But even so, she still spoke up for Omegas, was generous in helping classmates who had been divided, and countless times reached out a helping hand to her in times of danger.
To save her, she even knocked out Ji Qingyun, who usually doted on her the most.
Wei Qingyu couldn't understand, couldn't see through it.
She looked at the passing scenery on the street and urged the driver ahead, "Uncle, please go faster."
She, who had always been calm and composed, could no longer restrain herself and had to go find Ji Xiao to get some clarity.
Author's Note:
Two in one, there is no second update
