Chapter 344 - 342: A Bit Lovestruck (Second Update)

Chapter 344: Chapter 342: A Bit Lovestruck (Second Update)

Xiao Yi looked at her with slightly opened eyes, finding her somewhat adorable. He raised his hand, delicately curled his index finger, and lightly tapped her forehead, chuckling softly: "I am, after all, from the Ministry of Justice. With so many clues among them, if I still couldn’t uncover them, it would be a disgrace to the title of Vice Minister."

With that, he held Xu Jing’s hand and started walking into the house.

Xu Jing was stunned for a while before she asked, "When did you find out?"

Xiao He had mentioned that he once intended to matchmake Song Erniang and Xiao Yi.

If he had known Xiao He’s feelings earlier, wouldn’t this complicate things?

Xiao Yi turned slightly to glance at her, seemed to see through her thoughts, and smiled faintly: "We’ve grown up together since we were kids. How could I not know Jingchen’s thoughts, including his previous intent to match me with Song Erniang?"

Pausing, a hint of helplessness appeared on his face, "That fellow Jingchen is always overly concerned about those around him, seldom considering his own matters. Therefore, knowing Song Erniang had no interest in him, he wanted to fulfill her from another angle.

He was like this even when we were small. Once, when a few of us and the Holy Emperor did something wrong and were punished to transcribe scriptures by Mr. Song, he always took the blame himself, receiving the heaviest punishment. We told him it wasn’t necessary, but he would just smile nonchalantly, saying he was only worried we wouldn’t finish Mr. Song’s transcription in time and would instead make Mr. Song even angrier."

This was indeed something Xiao He would do.

If he wasn’t of this temperament, he wouldn’t have cared so much when she suddenly appeared by Xiao Yi’s side, and later, focused so much on matching her with Xiao Yi.

Xu Jing rarely saw him ever consider things for himself.

"Although Song Erniang grew up with us, due to gender differences, we weren’t particularly close to Song Erniang."

Xiao Yi continued, "And speaking of growing up together, Song Erniang only occasionally followed Mr. Song into the palace to watch him teach us.

At that time, Xiao He and Song Erniang were the closest. He was always the first to notice if anything happened to her. Once during summer, while she was playing by the lotus pond in the palace, she accidentally fell in. Just then, we and the Holy Emperor were kicking a ball not far away. Xiao He suddenly dashed towards the pond like a madman and jumped in without a word. Worried something happened, I followed him in. Only then did he suddenly lift Song Erniang out of the water, and we realized she had fallen in."

At that moment, I sensed that Xiao He’s feelings for Song Erniang were not ordinary.

Such a thing had happened.

Usually, seeing Xiao He so carefree, she couldn’t imagine him being anxious and distressed.

She couldn’t help but say, "When Xiao He was trying to match you with Song Erniang, your feelings must have been complex."

Xiao Yi raised his mouth corners helplessly, "He thought no one knew his thoughts, but little did he know, both I and the Holy Emperor saw it clearly. Maybe only Chang Ting, with his simple mind, didn’t notice. Today, seeing Jingchen so troubled over the matchmaking of Song Erniang, I was quite pleased that, at least, it showed he’s willing to consider and fight for himself."

Throughout tonight’s birthday banquet, Xiao Yi’s attitude towards Xiao He remained as always; Xu Jing thought he hadn’t noticed Xiao He’s oddness.

Unexpectedly, he observed it all.

She couldn’t help but silently glance at the man beside her.

Indeed, perhaps a certain tacit understanding had gradually formed with him recently, and she had come to take Xiao Yi’s carefulness as a norm, overlooking this point.

Since meeting again in Anping County, this man’s keen observation always surprised her; like she never told him she liked investigating and solving cases, but he deduced it from their rare interactions. She never mentioned wanting to continue in this line of work, yet he had arranged everything silently.

Suddenly, she recalled those words Zhao Shao Hua had carelessly mentioned today, and an idea involuntarily popped into her mind—

Did Xiao Yi genuinely believe that ridiculous reason she previously gave for her drastic change? Did he truly never have doubts?

Thinking of this, her heart raced uncontrollably. She licked her lips quietly and said, "Let’s not talk about that. Now that Shaohua knows Xiao He’s feelings, she’ll certainly push him and Song Erniang from behind, but if Song Erniang is unwilling, there’s nothing we, the bystanders, can do.

Speaking of which..."

She paused and asked, "What did you think of today’s cake?"

Xiao Yi slightly raised an eyebrow, chuckling softly, "This idea of yours is quite novel. It must have been Chang Xiao’s happiest birthday ever. The other children loved it too. Just now, Chang Ting told me that his child, having just finished the cake, pestered him, saying he wants a cake for his birthday party the month after next too."

Chang Ting is Zhao Jingyi’s courtesy name.

Xu Jing was silently conflicted for a while, and finally said, "Today Shaohua said she feels like I’m not from the same place as them. Back then, did you think the same?"

She tried to keep her tone flat, acting nonchalant.

The man holding her hand slightly paused in his steps, turned to gaze at her with an enigmatic look.

Xu Jing’s heart tightened a bit, and she pretended to be calm, "What’s the matter? Is there something wrong with my question?"

"No, I was just a bit surprised by your sudden question."

Xiao Yi fell silent for a moment, then suddenly his lips pressed slightly, and he said, "To be honest, I used to think that frequently. Even now, I can’t see you as the same person as the former Xu Jing."

Xu Jing immediately felt her heart skip a beat, involuntarily staring intently at the man in front of her.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Yi slightly lowered his eyes, the smile on his lips laced with bitterness and helplessness, "If I told you, the one I’ve always liked, has feelings for, ever since meeting you again in Anping County, was you, would you be angry?

Jingchen once told me that if you like someone, you must like all parts of them, regardless of whether they are good or bad. Once, I was very conflicted and bewildered, but I couldn’t deceive myself.

The one who kept drawing my attention, who even disturbed my emotions, was the current you alone.

At first, I thought my selective feelings might not count as genuinely liking someone."

After returning to the Western Capital from Anping County, he once fell into such unresolvable turmoil, even despising himself, trying to convince himself this wasn’t true affection.

But all the conflicts and bewilderment were replaced by overwhelming panic and fear when he heard she might be in danger one day.

On the way rushing from the Western Capital to rescue her, he finally had no choice but to admit — whether despicable or impure, this was his feeling. At least at that moment, his feelings for this woman were genuine, beyond even his own control.

Xu Jing never expected that her whimsical probing would lead to such a sincere confession from the man.

Her heart raced faster and faster uncontrollably. Although Xiao Yi couldn’t know that her body already housed a different soul, he apparently instinctively distinguished between her and the former Xu Siniang.

Although this seemed to have caused him quite some distress, she couldn’t deny that his words made her very happy.

It almost made her feel that, no matter how she changed, the person he liked was the truest her.

When Xiao Yi finished speaking, seeing she hadn’t spoken for a long time, his heart panicked for a moment. He tightened his grip on her hand and whispered, "Jing, are you angry that I said this?"