Chapter 51: Could This Be......?

Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Could This Be......?

Huo Jingchen remained where he was for a moment, his gaze resting quietly on Xi Yunxui.

There was something different about the way she stood there.

Perhaps it was because the garden had finally grown quiet after Madam Huo and her friends had left.

Perhaps it was because the afternoon sunlight had softened, casting a warm glow over the courtyard. Or perhaps it was simply because, after spending so much time around her these past few days, Huo Jingchen had begun noticing little things about her that he had never paid attention to before.

The slight curve of her lips when she was pleased.

The way her eyes narrowed whenever she was thinking.

The faint crease between her brows whenever she was worried.

And right now, Xi Yunxui was clearly thinking about something else.

Her attention seemed to have drifted somewhere far away.

Huo Jingchen looked at her for several seconds before finally moving.

He stepped closer.

Xi Yunxui didn’t notice.

His gaze fell to her left hand.

Almost without thinking, Huo Jingchen reached out and gently took it.

His fingers wrapped around hers.

The warmth of her palm immediately travelled through his hand.

Xi Yunxui’s thoughts scattered.

She blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then she slowly looked down at their joined hands before lifting her eyes to Huo Jingchen’s face.

"Young Master?"

Her voice was quiet.

There was a faint question in it.

She didn’t explicitly ask why he was holding her hand, but the way her eyes flickered toward their hands made the question obvious.

Huo Jingchen finally seemed to realize what he had done.

Yet, strangely enough, he didn’t release her immediately.

For those few seconds, he simply stood there, holding her hand.

The feeling was... peaceful.

Too peaceful.

Almost addictive.

He knew he should let go.

He knew it was inappropriate for him to keep holding the hand of one of the household’s maids for no reason.

But some stubborn part of him didn’t want to.

It was as though the moment he released her, that strange warmth surrounding his heart would disappear.

Eventually, reason won.

His fingers slowly loosened.

He released her hand reluctantly.

Xi Yunxui lowered her gaze to her hand for a brief moment before looking back at him.

Huo Jingchen cleared his throat softly.

"I’m home."

The words were simple.

Yet there was an unmistakable warmth in his voice.

And anticipation.

Almost like a man announcing his return to someone he had been looking forward to seeing.

Xi Yunxui noticed it.

Her heart gave another strange little flutter.

She immediately dismissed it.

Probably because I’ve been standing for too long.

She smiled faintly.

"Welcome home, Young Master."

Those three words seemed to brighten Huo Jingchen’s eyes.

He stared at her.

There was something about hearing her say welcome home that made the mansion feel different.

For the first time in a long while, coming home actually felt like coming home.

Xi Yunxui, unaware of the thoughts running through his mind, tilted her head slightly.

"Where would you like to eat?"

Huo Jingchen paused.

He could have eaten in the dining room.

He could have asked the servants to prepare a table for him.

Yet his eyes unconsciously moved toward the kitchen.

"The kitchen is fine."

Xi Yunxui blinked.

"The kitchen?"

"Yes."

"There is a dining table there, but..." She hesitated before smiling. "Are you sure?"

"I’m sure."

His answer came without hesitation.

Xi Yunxui nodded.

"All right, Young Master. Please wait a moment."

She turned toward the garden table.

"I just want to tidy everything up first."

Huo Jingchen followed her gaze.

The plates, bowls, teacups, and serving dishes from Madam Huo’s gathering were still arranged across the table.

"You don’t need to."

Xi Yunxui turned around.

"I’ll ask the servants to take care of it."

But Xi Yunxui gently shook her head.

"It’s fine."

There was no stubbornness in her voice.

Instead, there was a soft sincerity that made Huo Jingchen pause.

She glanced at the dishes.

Then she smiled.

"Besides, there’s a certain happiness that comes from seeing people finish a meal you’ve prepared."

Huo Jingchen’s expression stilled.

Xi Yunxui continued, seemingly unaware of the effect her words had on him.

"When someone eats everything you cooked and enjoys it enough to finish the entire meal..." She smiled a little more. "It feels like all the effort was worth it."

Her voice was gentle.

"It’s a small thing, but it makes the person who cooked the food happy."

Huo Jingchen simply stared at her.

Something inside his chest tightened.

Not painfully.

Warmly.

He suddenly understood why watching Xi Yunxui move around the house had begun to feel so comforting.

She wasn’t simply working.

She put genuine feeling into everything she did.

Cooking.

Cleaning.

Helping people.

Even arranging a table.

She seemed to find happiness in making other people comfortable.

And somehow...

He wanted to be one of those people.

More than that.

He wanted to be someone whose happiness she cared about.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

She’s really different.

He had met countless people throughout his life.

People who approached him because of his family.

His wealth.

His position.

His appearance.

His influence.

Almost everyone wanted something from him.

But Xi Yunxui?

She didn’t seem interested in any of those things.

She was simply Xi Yunxui.

And lately, whenever he saw her, something inside him changed.

His mood improved.

His thoughts became calmer.

He looked forward to returning home.

He noticed when she wasn’t there.

He found himself wondering what she was doing.

He had even left work early simply because he wanted to see her.

And now...

He wanted to eat the food she had prepared while sitting beside her in the kitchen.

Huo Jingchen’s smile slowly disappeared.

His eyes widened slightly.

A thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Could this be...

His heart gave a heavy beat.

Love?

He froze.

The word itself seemed absurd.

He had known Xi Yunxui for less than two weeks.

Less than two weeks.

How could someone develop feelings that quickly?

He had always been disciplined.

Controlled.

He didn’t make emotional decisions.

He didn’t become attached easily.

And yet, around her, that discipline seemed to disappear piece by piece.

He remembered holding her hand.

His concern whenever she left.

The strange disappointment he felt when she wasn’t home.

The happiness that surged through him whenever he saw her.

The warmth in his chest whenever she called him Young Master.

Huo Jingchen’s brows furrowed.

This doesn’t make sense.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice Xi Yunxui had already picked up several plates.

He didn’t notice King C had climbed down from his arms either.

He simply stood there, staring into space.

Until—

"Young Master?"

Xi Yunxui’s voice came from the entrance of the house.

Huo Jingchen blinked.

He looked up.

Xi Yunxui was standing several steps away, holding the remaining dishes against her chest.

King C was beside her.

The little creature stared at Huo Jingchen with golden eyes before casually turning his head away.

Huo Jingchen stared at the empty space where he had been standing.

When did they leave?

He cleared his throat.

"Yes?"

Xi Yunxui smiled.

"I’m going to put these in the kitchen. I’ll prepare your meal shortly."

Huo Jingchen nodded.

"All right."

She disappeared into the house.

Huo Jingchen remained at the entrance for another few seconds.

Then he exhaled slowly.

He needed to stop thinking about it.

Whatever this strange feeling was, he needed to understand it before allowing himself to make any assumptions.

He straightened his sleeves and followed her inside.

Don’t overthink it.

His expression returned to its usual calmness.

It’s only been less than two weeks.

But despite telling himself that, the warmth lingering in his chest refused to disappear.

And somewhere deep inside, a small part of him already knew that whatever was happening between him and Xi Yunxui was becoming increasingly difficult to dismiss as simple concern for an employee.