Ch. 1221..1230

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1221

Yan felt that she no longer had to treat her with manners since Lin Qin’er was acting so rudely. She pulled on a long face and said, “I didn’t hear anything earlier because I was in the toilet. You look so angry. Are you putting the blame on me?”

Lin Qin’er was stunned. She didn’t expect Yan’s expression to turn sour in just a second. Yan stood there with a long face like a foul and evil-foreboding lady.

Have I misjudged her? This little girl actually has such a dark side to her?

As soon as Yan’s expression changed, Lin Qin’er suppressed her anger and lost the guts to vent. Lin Qin’er thus changed her tone while saying, “Oh no, it’s not a big deal. Since you didn’t hear me knocking on the door, I can’t be putting the blame on you. I thought you were ignoring me on purpose, so I got a bit anxious. You won’t blame me, right?”

Upon hearing her words, Yan smiled at her.

“Why do you think I would ignore you on purpose? I have no reason to ignore you, right? Or was it you who were the one who did something wrong and felt guilty? Was that also why you thought that I was ignoring you on purpose?”

Lin Qin’er was taken aback by her words. She didn’t expect such words to come from Yan, especially when the words contained inquiries.

What’s happening? It had only been a while. How did she turn into a whole different person?

No, this can’t be. It had only been an hour. What could have happened in this period of time?

Was it Han Qing who told her what happened?

That’s impossible. How would a man like Han Qing discuss such small matters like these?

Or was she the one making a wild guess?

As she thought of this, Lin Qin’er glanced at Yan’s face, as if she was trying to confirm something.

At that moment, Yan unexpectedly let out her bright smile and softly said, “Oh no, were you taken aback by what I said earlier? It seems that I looked quite decent when I was trying to act serious.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was just joking around with you earlier. I didn’t know it would scare you. Miss Lin, please don’t be angry at me. Let me apologize for what I have done.”

Lin Qin’er was speechless.

What is this young girl trying to do?

“Oh, did you get my toothbrush and facial cleanser? I can see that you’re here empty-handed. Didn’t you say earlier that you would send them over for me?”

Yan seemed to look a little disappointed. “I knew it. I should’ve searched for them myself.”

Lin Qin’er suddenly came back to her senses. Although she didn’t know which part of Yan was telling the truth and which part wasn’t, the show must still go on since she already said so.

Even if her act couldn’t go on any longer, she still had to keep it well and not let the secret out of the bag.

“Oh! Now that you’ve mentioned it, I couldn’t find your toothbrush and facial cleanser anywhere. Did you wrongly remember where you left them? If you really can’t find them, why don’t you let me go in and help you search for them? Maybe they’ve been left somewhere in your luggage?”

Upon finishing, Lin Qin’er took a step forward and wanted to enter the room. However, Yan was already blocking the door before her. “It’s okay. If I really can’t find my toothbrush, I shall just use Han Qing’s toothbrush. I think he brought a facial cleanser too, so I can just use his for the time-being,” she smiled and said.

“Use his toothbrush? Don’t you think it’s a bit unhygienic to share a toothbrush?”

“It does seem a bit unhygienic,” Yan gave a serious thought about it and said, “but we are a couple so I think it would be okay to just share once. I’ll just get a new one later when we head out in the afternoon.”

What Yan said seemed to be pervasive, and Lin Qin’er couldn’t find anything else to say.

“Thank you so much for coming by to inform me about this. I think I’ll go wash up now, bye.”

Upon finishing, Yan took the lead to close the hotel room door before Lin Qin’er could react.

Just when Lin Qin’er thought of saying something else, the door had been closed with a slam, causing her to almost yell out in anger

As soon as Yan closed the door, she leaned on the door and took a deep breath. Her fast-wittedness and improvisation had seemed to work. It was really fun to see Lin Qin’er being taken aback by herself.

Lin Qin’er probably didn’t expect her to have such a serious side.

But things would be much better this way. At least Lin Qin’er would not think that she could be bullied easily!

Although Lin Qin’er hadn’t taken any actual actions so far, she still remembered her approach last night, whether it was intentional or unintentional.

It seemed that Yan felt uncomfortable when other women tried to approach Han Qing.

“Are you feeling much better now?”

As Han Qing’s voice suddenly sounded behind her, Yan was taken aback by shock and immediately turned around, only to hit Han Qing’s chin with a bang.

“Ouch…”

Han Qing was immediately knocked back with a grunt. She had hit the spot where his defense was weak, and it was a serious collision.

Yan wasn’t any better either. Not only did she hurt Han Qing’s chin, that bump also caused her forehead to be in pain. Within a few seconds, a red mark appeared on her light-complexioned forehead.

“It hurts,” Yan covered her eyes, as she looked at Han Qing pitifully and accused him.

Seeing her in pain, Han Qing no longer had the heart to find fault in her. He could only forget about the pain on his chin and go up to her. “Does it hurt? It’s all my fault. Let me take a look.”

Han Qing took a look at the red spot, gave it a gentle blow and helped her rub it. With such gentle treatment, Yan slowly raised her head. “Hey, do you think I’m making trouble out of nothing? ”

“Making trouble out of nothing?” Han Qing stopped rubbing for a moment and looked into Yan’s eyes. Without warning, he leaned forward and blew hot air onto her face.

“What do you mean by ‘making trouble out of nothing’? You can do whatever you want. Furthermore, I’m your boyfriend, so even if you keep making trouble out of nothing, I would still tolerate you. Alright?”

Ever since they were together, Yan realized that he had always been very tolerant toward her. Even at times when she felt that she was making a mistake, Han Qing would never lose his temper, nor did he say anything that was harsh. He’s just too perfect whenever they got along.

But this was what made her feel deeply disturbed.

With that, Yan reached out to hug Han Qing’s thin waist and thought to herself, Then will you always tolerate me?

Of course, she didn’t have the guts to voice it out.

In the afternoon, the travelling agent finally showed up and gave them an awkward smile as he said, “Mr. and Mrs. Han, due to the delay in the morning, we only have time left for the afternoon and evening. Therefore, I have modified today’s schedule and made a few plans along the way. Would you both like to take a look and see whether you are satisfied with it?”

Upon finishing his words, the staff handed the plan to Han Qing, but he ended up passing it directly to Yan who was sitting next to him without even looking at it. With a soft voice, he said, “Take a look and see whether you like it.”

Yan was stunned for a moment. She didn’t expect Han Qing to pass it over to her without even looking at it, which gave her the misconception that everything would be decided by her.

“Okay, let me have a look then.”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1222

She took the itinerary and studied closely.

Today’s schedule was pretty simple—just sailing out to a beautiful island by boat. There were many activities on the little island, including a bonfire party at night. The hotel came with various interesting themes. Apart from shuttle services to the hotel after a long tiring day, there were also hot springs which sounded fascinating.

Yan agreed immediately as she planned to take more pictures with Han Qing at some beautiful spots on the little island—those taken on the bed last night were just inappropriate.

Looking at Yan’s satisfied expression, the crew was relieved. Just a moment ago, he was still worrying that his last-minute planned schedule would be a flop. But well, at least the customer was satisfied now.

Just when everyone was getting ready to depart, someone had joined the crowd.

“Yan, where are you going?”

Surprised by the unexpected voice and the sight of this person, Yan glanced toward the newcomer.

Lin Qin’er?

When did she come? Yan was not aware of her arrival at all.

While she was puzzling over the unexpected event, Lin Qin’er approached her. “Yan, why do you ignore me?”

Yan came around. “Nothing, why are you here? Have you recovered from the injuries? You should be resting in the hotel now.”

“It’s too boring in the hotel. I was alone and tired, so can I tag along with you?”

Tagging along with them? Yan was reluctant as this was a good opportunity to be alone with Han Qing. Ever since she sensed the motive of Lin Qin’er, she was no longer willing to go out with her.

Sensing the hesitation from Yan, Lin Qin’er approached her and grabbed her arm. “Yan, please bring me along! It’s really boring to stay alone in the hotel.”

As a soft-hearted person, Yan felt bad for declining Lin Qin’er. But since she was not alone on this trip, she turned to Han Qing for his permission.

Knowing what she was going to ask, Han Qing spoke softly, “You can do whatever you want. You don’t have to ask me.”

The affection was all over his eyes and face. It seemed that as long as Yan didn’t commit any felony, he would always agree to whatever she wanted to do.

Such a man and such affection. Why can’t I have all these? Lin Qin’er thought. She was jealous and wished if it could be all hers.

Now, she needed to hurry up and do something.

“Alright, you can tag along with us, but I need to ask the crew whether we can bring an extra person.”

The crew member—who had been standing next to Lin Qin’er and Yan from the beginning—heard everything they had said.

When he heard that Yan was going to ask him, his face turned awkward in an instant.

“The trip is customized for two persons. There would be problems if we were to add another person…”

Immediately, Yan was thrilled. Maybe she was selfish after all, but it would be better if her problem could be solved by someone else.

Unfortunately, Lin Qin’er replied in the next second, “Don’t worry, I will pay for my own expenses. How much is it?”

Upon hearing, the crew who was still reluctant a moment ago brightened up and agreed.

“Okay, so this is settled. You will pay for all your expenses. After all, there will be surcharges for one extra person.”

The crew was relieved that the problem was solved, thinking that he had accomplished something. Mr. Han and Mrs. Han should be very happy too, right?

Turning his head, he was startled to meet Yan’s woeful stare. All of a sudden, he realized that he had made a mistake and wanted to bite his tongue to kill himself.

How come he was so dumb? The couple came here for a trip and certainly didn’t want a gooseberry tagging along. Why hadn’t he thought of this earlier? Why did he only think about money? If the couple was unhappy when the trip was over and left him a bad review, all his bonus for the first half year would be gone…

But the milk has been spilt, the crew member thought to himself, feeling miserable.

Sigh, it looks like I have no choice but to play it by ear. I will follow the couple closely and do whatever I can to create any opportunity for them to be alone.

Whatever it took for his half-yearly bonus!

When they got on the board, the crew member looked at Yan resolutely and whispered, ”Don’t worry, Mrs Han. I will not let you down.”

Hearing that, Yan was confused. What just happened? What did he mean by he would not let me down? What was the crew member trying to do?

Before Yan could ask anything, the crew had turned to leave.

She was confused but she returned to her seat anyway. There was no one else sitting on their row, but Yan wanted to be closer to the water, so Han Qing exchanged his seat with her.

When she returned, she saw that Lin Qin’er had reached their row and was approaching the seat which Yan had picked earlier.

Immediately, her expression changed. Before she could utter anything, someone had spoken coldly, “You made the wrong way.”

It was Han Qing. To reach the seat on the inside, one must pass by Han Qing. Therefore, when Lin Qin’er wanted to move inside, Han Qing abruptly stretched out his long leg, blocking her way while mercilessly staring at her.

Without expecting Han Qing to be so mean to her, Lin Qin’er mumbled, “Mr. Han, can’t I sit inside? There are still plenty of seats outside anyway.”

With that, Lin Qin’er pointed toward the seat on the outside next to Han Qing.

Yan wanted to go over, but she remained at her spot upon seeing this scene. She wanted to see how Han Qing would handle the rest.

But Han Qing had taken back his gaze and ignored Lin Qin’er.

Lin Qin’er was furious. She just wanted to sit on the inside, but she didn’t expect Han Qing to be so mean. He blocked her way and ignored her completely.

She was so embarrassed. Unwilling to give up, she had her eyes on the seat on the other side of Han Qing.

Just when she was about to sit, the cold voice spat again, “I already told you that you have made the wrong way. Why are you still here?”

Lin Qin’er raised her head in shock and found Han Qing’s stare piercing through her. Stunned, she blurted, “What? Which wrong way did I make? I can’t sit there and now I can’t sit here too?”

“Yes.” Han Qing nodded without hesitation.

Lin Qin’er stammered after hesitating for a while, “But why? Mr. Han, do you have any misunderstanding with me?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1223

Lin Qin’er was glancing down and looking hurtful when she uttered those words. She knew that this look was her killer weapon, and no man could be spared, unless the man was a dork.

Lin Qin’er acted as if she was wronged, but Han Qing never looked at her. She saw a crew member at the corner of her eye, so she shot him a look and the crew took the hint.

He hurried toward her.

“Miss Lin, our theme is honeymoon, so each row is reserved for only a married couple. You and Mr. Han are not husband and wife, so you cannot sit together with him on the same row.”

The crew rambled on, but deep inside he was thinking, God knew what rule this is, it’s made up by me on the spot anyway.

After all, it was for his half-yearly bonus. For the sake of positive feedback, he would recite the four great masterpieces in Chinese literature, let alone making up a rule.

Lin Qin’er narrowed her eyes. “Is there such a rule?”

“Yes, there is.”

The crew member nodded his head vigorously. “This rule sounds ridiculous. However, since most of the customers are here for their honeymoon, there has never been any complaint until this unusual situation today.”

Lin Qin’er glanced around and realized that every row was indeed taken up by couples. Since there were many empty seats around, nobody had attempted to sit on the same row with other couples.

It appeared that she was the odd one on the boat. Seeing this, somebody finally yelled, “What’s wrong? Isn’t this a honeymoon trip? What is the woman doing here alone?”

“Exactly, what is wrong with her? Why is she alone? Has she been abandoned by her husband?”

“Seriously? She has been abandoned by her husband and now she is trying to sit with another man? Is she trying to snatch somebody’s husband away?”

“So disgraceful. We’d better stay away from her, lest she come to sit with us.”

Everyone was talking in a low volume, but everything said was audible in a cramped space like this. Immediately, Lin Qiner was mad. “What nonsense are you guys talking about? I’m trying to snatch somebody’s husband away? I’ve been abandoned by my husband? Have you seen it with your eyes?”

The crew member was smiling awkwardly now. “Miss Lin, don’t be angry. This is indeed the rule. Why if… I get you another seat?”

An idea flashed across Lin Qin’er’s mind. She squinted her eyes and looked at the crew. “You were saying that only husband and wife can sit together, right?”

The crew member nodded. “Yes, that’s what I meant.”

“Great, it seems that Mr. Han has to sit alone now.” Smiling at Han Qing, Lin Qin’er continued, ”Because he and Yan have never gotten married; they are just boyfriend and girlfriend.”

Accusing her of having an affair with someone’s husband? Fine then! In that case, she would expose their non-existent marriage.

Hearing the words, the crew member was startled. “What did you say? They are not married?”

What was going on? How could they not be married? They did not refute when he addressed them as ‘Mr. Han’ and ‘Mrs. Han’?

From a distance, Yan furrowed her brow upon hearing what Lin Qin’er said.

She was now certain of Lin Qin’er’s intention. It seemed that this woman didn’t know whom she was up against.

It was she and Han Qing who helped her, yet she was still plotting against her.

Yan was furious. She thought she could pretend to be courteous at first, but she could also ‘cooperate’ if Lin Qin’er wanted to play acting.

Acting? Even a toddler could do that.

But now Lin Qin’er obviously wanted to wage war against her. Did she think she could bully me just because I’m younger?

Yan almost lost her temper, but wasn’t that what Lin Qin’er wanted?

Her eyes moved slowly from side to side, and very soon a solution came across her mind.

At once, she walked over. “Miss Lin, why do you want to curse my husband and me?”

The nosy crowd grew more excited now with Yan’s appearance. They also realized that this girl before them was a young effervescent lady, although her outfit looked ordinary.

What about Lin Qin’er? Her figure was extraordinary and nothing like a girl. Every woman was envious of what she had.

The married couples on the boat were patiently watching this unexpected scene which was thought to have added some excitement to the trip.

“Two women fighting for a guy?”

“Can’t believe we can still watch a show like this on a trip. What’s going on? Isn’t the registration only for married couples? How could this happen?”

“Exactly, this is so strange.”

“Who do you think the guy would choose? The two ladies have totally different styles.”

“Are you stupid? The guy had just refused to let the woman sit next to him, so certainly he would not choose her. Look at her; her body already betrayed her as a slut…”

The crowd was gossiping in enthusiasm.

It was mostly the women who were talking; their husbands would not utter a word unless they had been prompted by their wives.

It seemed that Yan had the upper hand now.

After finishing her last sentence, she continued, “My husband and I have helped you, bringing you along to this boat. It does not matter if you don’t have something nice to say, but now you are cursing us for divorce.” With that, Yan let out a deep sigh, looking sad and downcast.

But in her heart she thought, It’s just putting up a show anyway. I can do that too!

Since Han Qing didn’t correct the crew member who said that they were a married couple, she might as well go with the flow. That seemed fair!

Lin Qin’er didn’t expect Yan, whom she thought as naive, would embarrass her in this way. She gasped, “Yan, what are you talking about? When did I curse you and your husband for divorce? You personally told me that you are never married. Do you want to deny it now?”

“Miss Lin, did you remember wrongly? If we were not married, then why were we here for a honeymoon?”

The surrounding audience nodded in agreement.

“True, if they were not married, then why were they here for a honeymoon? There are many other trips available, so why would they sign up for this one?”

“Exactly, this woman is so vicious. Maybe she wanted to seduce the girl’s husband because he is handsome? She even cursed them for divorce? Tsk, so vicious.”

“Maybe she thought every man would fall for her because of her figure? Why doesn’t she look at her face, which is totally unattractive!”

“Some women only rely on their talent to conquer the men. You have no idea.”

All the women in the audience were married, so they unabashedly criticized what they saw.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1224

No matter how open-minded Lin Qin’er was, she wasn’t the type to openly bring up this kind of topic. Glaring at the crowd angrily, she yelled, “What does this have to do with you all? Every one of you is acting like gossiping housewives! Were your husbands aware that you had such nasty personalities before you got married? How despicable of you!”

Before she said those words, the surrounding people had merely spoken ill of her. However, her words just then offended the many women who were spectating for the fun of it and judging her. Thus, the more temperamental among them began to curse at her.

“Screw you! What right does a man-stealing b*tch like you have to call us despicable?! We may be nosy, but we are not as shameless as you are to seduce another person’s husband! That was without a doubt her husband, yet you blatantly sat beside him. Not only did you pretend that you made a mistake, but you even stubbornly refused to leave afterward. Plus, when you were embarrassed, you threw a tantrum and cursed them to get a divorce! Just who is the despicable one here?”

There were many couples among the crowd; among them was a couple that was at the bar yesterday. They witnessed the entire fiasco that could only be summed up as a personal disaster for Lin Qin’er, so they knew what had happened then.

At this moment, the woman of the pair then glanced sideways at Yan with an ambiguous smile, then she said gently, “Young lady, the next time you try to rescue somebody, you need to be more observant. Don’t unknowingly invite a wolf into the room.”

Yan couldn’t help glancing at the person again when she heard those words. The gaze the woman gave her was different from the rest. Moreover, the words she said carried a significant meaning to them. One glance was enough to tell her that the woman had been present at the incident yesterday.

Lin Qin’er started to become anxious. Thus, she stepped forward and held onto Yan’s hand. “Yan, when did I ever mean to curse you? I am extremely thankful for your help! Still, you told me last night that the two of you had yet to get married. Those were your words! All I wanted was to sit next to you just now, but the staff member was so inconsiderate and kept insisting that your row was full. Unfortunately, I lost my temper for a moment and said some words about your situation. Please don’t blame me for it.”

Looking at Lin Qin’er acting in this way made Yan sigh in her heart. This person sure changes her stance quickly; she managed to defend herself so swiftly too. How unfortunate…

Shaking her head, she removed her arm from Lin Qin’er’s grasp, then she replied, “Miss Lin, I’m not blaming you for anything; I’m just disappointed in you. I can understand how you would want to diss my situation in a moment of fury, but I have never mentioned anything to you about me not being married. Although I don’t understand why you need to come up with such a lie… I really do not appreciate what you said to me. Every single word of it was a curse toward us.”

After saying that, she took two steps backward; her fair face expressed a deep disappointment. It was as if those words were true, and Lin Qin’er was the one who had committed the greatest of all evils.

“Tsk. That’s why I said that this is the worst thing you can say to a married woman, right? How can you curse a person to get a divorce just because you are trying to snatch their husband? Young lady, seeing how she treats you, you better stay far away from her.”

“How can the staff member allow a woman like that onboard? What if she targets my husband and tries to snatch my husband next?”

“What are you doing as the staff member?! Wasn’t this supposed to be a honeymoon cruise? How can she join the cruise if she’s alone? Please kick her off the boat!”

“That’s right; hurry and kick her off the boat!”

In a blink of an eye, the entire crowd had turned against Lin Qin’er, hoping that she would not be able to continue staying onboard and would be forced to disembark instead.

Lin Qin’er finally began to panic; she could have just found a place to sit, but she had made this matter so difficult through her own doing. To begin with, it wasn’t as if she was an unintelligent person; it was just that Han Qing’s attitude had irked her, thus, leading to her thoughtless outburst. As the thoughts passed her mind, she felt very remorseful. Unfortunately, the crowd was giving her no chance to repent as they urged the staff member to forcibly disembark her.

The staff member was stuck between a rock and a hard place. In the first place, Lin Qin’er had already acquiesced to the previous requests, but now all the passengers on the boat were demanding for her forced disembarkment. This could cost me my job… Therefore, the staff member had no choice but to approach her. “Miss Lin, our policies are as stated. Why don’t you… leave the boat?”

Hearing those words, she viciously glared at the staff member, then turned around to face Yan. “Yan, it was my mistake; I have repented for it. I never meant to curse you or President Han. At the time, I was simply angered by my husband. As you know… my husband constantly beats me, and I was feeling resentful toward it. That’s why I accidentally said those words in a moment of anger. Will you please forgive me for that? Please?”

Although she felt immensely wronged, she had no choice but to admit to the charges imposed against her at this moment. It wasn’t the exact truth, but she could only beg for Yan’s help here.

“Miss Lin, you curse at others because of your own grievances. Who knows what other things you might do once we arrive at our destination? I think… it’s better that you leave.”

“That’s right, young lady. Don’t give in to her; let her get off the boat. This kind of person isn’t worthy of being rescued.”

“Did she say her husband often beats her? Could it be that he always beats her because she is too flirty and constantly seduces other men?”

Ding-ding-ding-ding! Unfortunately, somebody hit the truth on its head.

“D*mn, that might just be the case. Anyway, we won’t agree to let her board this boat under any circumstances. Make her scram.”

“Yeah, get the f*ck off the boat!”

Lin Qin’er grabbed onto Yan’s hand; her expression was more anxious than before. It wasn’t easy for me to get a chance to approach Han Qing; how can I let that chance slip away? If I leave now, I will never get another chance! Who knows when they will be back?

Yan had on a helpless expression. “Miss Lin, please let go of me. Right now, everybody wants you off the boat. I am but one person; my words hold no weight against this crowd.”

Lin Qin’er pleaded, “Yan, will you not forgive me?”

Yan replied, “You’ve seen it for yourself… This isn’t something I can decide by myself. Why don’t you… beg for forgiveness from everyone else?”

Lin Qin’er’s vision blacked out for a moment at those words. You want me to beg these women? Are you insane? I refuse!

In the end, Lin Qin’er was forcefully disembarked. Before she got off the boat, Yan felt a fierce and piercing glare directed at herself, which carried a heavy dose of hostility with it. That glare made her uncomfortable. Frowning, she couldn’t help feeling that it was an ominous sign. Even so, the atmosphere on the boat immediately became much better after Lin Qin’er left.

At first, everybody minded their own business. However, after that spectacle, they started to act familiarly toward Yan. After successfully kicking that shameless woman, Lin Qin’er, off the boat, they started to converse with Yan.

“Oh my God, you’re so naïve. I heard you helped notify the police when she was being beaten. Then, you even gave her a hand?”

Yan nodded her head helplessly. “That was how things went…”

“You are indeed young and innocent. That woman was dressed so scantily. Furthermore, she kept pressing herself against your husband too. I could’ve guessed with just my toe what her intentions were. That is also to say that you’re too much of a pushover. If it were me, I would have thrown her overboard a long time ago.”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1225

Yan was speechless. Throw her overboard? I don’t dare to do that. What if Lin Qin’er doesn’t know how to swim? Then I’ll have to go into the water to save her. The problem is… I can’t swim either. If I don’t jump into the water to save her and she drowns, then I will carry the sin of murder on my back.

This was a crime that she, Zhou Xiaoyan, could not afford to bear. Besides, she wanted to extend her hand to help others, not harm them. Even if Lin Qin’er had other intentions in mind, she had no wish to get her revenge. At most, she would settle all the past transgressions Lin Qin’er had done to her, then cut off all contact with the woman in question.

“You can tell from a glance that that woman is not young. Moreover, her eyes looked a little psychotic. I saw how she looked when she was leaving; it looked like she wanted to kill you. You and your husband better take care in the future.”

“True; watch over your husband well. No matter how sickening a woman is, they are all attractive to men. So, you must watch your husband well.”

Surrounded by the crowd as they gave her advice, she felt extremely embarrassed and could only smile at them. “Thank you, everyone; I understand.”

Later, the crowd gradually dispersed. Even so, Yan was too embarrassed to return to Han Qing’s side. Just now… she had lied—she and Han Qing were not married yet. Forget about marriage, it had not been that long since they started dating. But, what happened? Not only did she fake her identity as Mrs. Han, but she also lied and put on an act in her efforts to go against Lin Qin’er. Han Qing… Will he think that I am a scheming woman who uses underhanded methods?

Hence, she was fully regretting her actions now; she should not have done that. While she was feeling conflicted over it, a clear gaze fell on her.

“Are you not coming over? How long do you plan on standing there? Once the boat starts to move, you will be unsteady on your feet.” The light voice floated into her ears. In response, she couldn’t help blushing and lowering her head; she slowly made her way toward Han Qing.

Han Qing had saved a seat for her on the inner side, facing the sea. However, Yan did not dare cross over to the seat. Instead, she sat on a seat toward the aisle. However, before her butt touched the chair, he grabbed her with both hands and pulled her onto his lap.

“Ah—” She was so surprised, she nearly let out a shriek. Fortunately, she managed to stop her voice from coming out. Then, she widened her eyes and stared at him in shock. “L-Let go of me.”

After all, they were currently in a public place. For her to sit on his lap like this was bad for their public image. Be that as it may, he didn’t seem bothered by it and only said, “I saved a seat for you. Why aren’t you sitting here?”

“Ugh…” She shook her head and bit on her lower lip. “I don’t feel like sitting there anymore.” While she was talking, she struggled and tried to get off his lap. For some reason, his arms wrapped around her waist tightly—like an iron chain firmly locking her in place. Furthermore, he slowly moved his face closer to hers.

“Mrs. Han, why are you acting so nervous?” The deep, hoarse voice rumbled out of his thin lips; the heat from his breath mingled with hers. He pulled her chin in and held her tightly in his arms. When she heard how he addressed her, her mind went blank with a roaring sound.

After a moment, she turned her pitiful eyes upon him and whispered in a barely audible voice, “I didn’t mean to…” If Lin Qin’er had not mentioned that we weren’t married and tore apart our pretense on the spot, I would not have jumped out to stop her. For him to mention this incident, is he bothered by it after all? Does he think that I am a conniving woman? Will he hate me for it?

As the thoughts flashed through her mind, the expression on her face became wrought with anxiety. Reaching out, he tapped her nose. “Of course, I know it wasn’t unintentional.”

Her breathing paused. “What?”

“You did it on purpose.”

She denied, “No, I really didn’t…”

“Why are you so tense?” Han Qing tidied up her hair and her clothes for her; his voice was as light as ever. “You can say whatever you want; I won’t blame you for it.”

Hearing that, Yan was stunned. Then, she stared at him blankly. “You really won’t blame me for it?”

He smiled at her.

“Then… do you think that I am very devious for doing that? I mean… I chased Lin Qin’er off the boat.” Although the result was due to mass condemnation, it all began with her words. If she had not stood up and said those words, the crowd might not have held such harsh opinions toward Lin Qin’er.

However, he reached out and rubbed her head instead when he heard those words. Then, he said in an indulgent tone of voice, “Isn’t that a good thing? It shows that my young lady has grown up. At least now, she knows what methods to use when dealing with people like that.”

She was shocked speechless. Goodness! To think this was what he was thinking! His response was simply unexpected—she was sure that he would find her especially deceitful. After all, men seemed to hate women who were good at playing mind games. Contrary to her expectations, he dotingly patted her on her head as he claimed that she had grown up. How smooth! What a tease!

Sob, sob… She couldn’t help reaching out and grabbing the collar of his shirt and gazing at him in awe. “Do you really think that way?”

“How else should I think? Do you not trust me?”

Yan chewed on her lower lip, then she leaned closer to him while blushing hard. “I’m very touched, and a bit…” Although they were in a public area right now, a strong urge popped into her head suddenly when she heard those words. She wanted to kiss him; not only that, she wanted to kiss him hard and deeply. However, there were simply too many people surrounding them right now… She was too shy to kiss him.

“A bit what?” Han Qing was unaware of what was going through the young lady’s mind. He simply thought that she wanted to say something, but couldn’t bring herself to say it, so he asked her in a low voice.

She mulled over it for a bit, then blinked her eyes. All of a sudden, she leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek. I didn’t kiss him on the mouth; just his cheek. So, this isn’t considered a public display of affection, right?

Utterly stunned, he gazed at her in astonishment. The young lady’s kiss had caught him totally unaware. When he pulled her into his lap just now, she had been so shy that she had tried to push him away; her face was flushing beet-red. Who could have expected her to be so bold as to kiss him suddenly?

While he was still in a daze from the shock, she had already gotten up and moved over into the seat on the inside. Then, she lowered her head and focused on putting on her life jacket and buckling in her safety belt. She carried out her actions seriously as if nothing had happened a moment ago. Only the slight trembling of her eyelashes gave her away.

After sneaking a kiss, she had wanted to pretend that nothing had happened. Even so, she was unable to completely control the nervousness she felt inside. The careless little actions of hers that revealed her inner emotions were so endearing that Han Qing couldn’t help but feel attracted. He was tempted to pull her toward him, grab her chin, and show her how a kiss should work. However, he gave up on the idea after considering their immediate surroundings.

On the other hand, Yan seemed unbelievably calm on the surface, but her heart was jumping all over the place. When she tried to buckle her safety belt, it took her a few tries before she succeeded. After she was done, she noticed that her hands were still trembling slightly. But… the feeling of sneaking a kiss is pretty good.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1226

Yan slowly let out a congested breath, then she grinned in satisfaction. While she was doing so, she had been facing the window; she thought Han Qing wouldn’t notice. However, the moment she let out her grin, his voice floated into her ears. “What are you grinning so foolishly about, Mrs. Han?”

At those words, the smile on her lips froze suddenly. She was stunned for a long while before she snapped back to reality and looked in his direction. “W-What nonsense are you talking about? Who is grinning foolishly?” At the same time, her face had turned completely red.

Watching her, Han Qing lifted his hand and pinched her cheeks, then laughed softly. “Of course, it’s you. There are reflections on the window.”

When he spelled it out so clearly, her face that had been only half-flushed became fully-flushed instantly. Glaring at him fiercely, she turned her head away in an angry huff. I’m not going to talk to him anymore! Then, she seemed to remember something. Turning her head back, she huffed angrily. “And don’t call me Mrs. Han!” We aren’t married yet!

Holding on to his laughter, he arched his brows. “Oh? Didn’t you admit in front of everybody that we are a married couple just now? You’ve already recognized me as your husband, yet you won’t let me call you Mrs. Han. What are you trying to get at?”

In response, she explained herself with great effort, “I made it up on the spot because I was angry at somebody. You know that!”

Their voices were very soft. Moreover, to speak so softly yet be heard by the other party, they had to be very close to each other. So, the heat from their breaths blew against each other’s faces while they talked.

At such a close distance, the young lady’s rosy lips opened and closed right in front of him. In the beginning, he remained calm. However, as time went on, he became less and less collected as he was seduced by the way she looked. Thus, he coughed lightly. “Then, why don’t you and I put on an act right now? Can you do it? You’ve already called me your husband; if I don’t follow your example… won’t it be a loss for me?”

Widening her eyes at his words, she stared at him speechlessly. “What loss will you experience? You’re a guy; I’m the one that will lose out, okay?”

Han Qing smiled. “Who said a man doesn’t lose out on anything? Did you see that woman? She was trying to go after me at every opportunity. In the future, who will dare to flirt with me once they know I’m married?”

Hearing those words, her brows knitted together and her expression became unhappy as she stared at him and said nothing.

At first, he planned to make a joke out of it, then have a proper discussion with her about the issue of identifying themselves as Mr. and Mrs. Han. However, the young lady seemed to have taken it seriously. She was frowning and her nose was wrinkled; her expression looked very upset. Quietly telling himself that things were not going in a good direction, he proceeded to explain what he had just said. But before he could say a word, she stared at him intently and said, “Are you regretting it?”

“Huh?” Regret? What do I regret?

“You mentioned that your young lady had grown up. When I heard that, I was very happy, as I thought that you were on my side. But, after what you just said… you seem to be quite bothered by it, aren’t you? That Lin Qin’er… She has a better figure than I do, and she’s beautiful too. She is the ideal type of woman in any man’s eyes. On the other hand, I… don’t have anything.”

She could tell, and she knew how to compare too. When her clothes were worn on her, it looked like a little girl’s. However, when it was worn on Lin Qin’er, it gave off a completely different vibe. Lin Qin’er had a nice figure, so clothes had an alluring effect when worn on her. Whatever was missing from Yan’s figure was clearly defined on Lin Qin’er’s figure. It was a figure most men would love. On the other hand, she, to put it bluntly, was as flat as an airstrip—she did not have those assets.

Thinking about it, Yan felt like crying. Am I too thin? Is that why my figure is so lacking? Then, she pouted and gazed at him gloomily.

Han Qing said nothing in response. He couldn’t stop himself from grabbing her chin and sighing in exasperation. “I really want to crack your head open and have a look at what goes through your head.” Then, he leaned closer. “Am I not being obvious enough? When she came over, I didn’t even spare a glance at her, yet you thought that I regretted it? What am I regretting? Huh? You better tell me all about it clearly.”

Her chin was in his grasp, and they were very close to each other. However, her expression was full of grievances. Without taking into account the distance between them, she still wanted to air her complaints to him. “You must be regretting it! You regret the fact that I chased her off the boat. If she were still here, then you’d be able to show off just how manly you are. Just like what you said just now… You must feel like you’ve suffered a loss. I’m sure you wish to be adored by other people, especially a woman who has such a nice figure; unlike me, who has nothing at all. You should just go—mmph—”

Before she could finish, her vision turned black and her lips were covered by the person in front of her. At the start, her mind went blank, but she gradually realized that they were still out in public. Thus, she subconsciously tried to push him away with her hands. However, one of his hands was holding her chin while the other was pressing against the back of her head; the strength in his hands was so great that she was unable to free herself from his grasp. So, she could only do as he dictated—lift her head and accept his kiss.

Han Qing’s kiss was not gentle today; in fact, it seemed out of control. Due to the young lady’s remarks, he felt that he had to do something to prove it to her. Otherwise, the young lady would feel insecure, lack confidence, and be distrustful of him.

In truth, he could vaguely tell what she was feeling. It wasn’t that she did not trust him, but that she had no confidence in herself. She felt that she was not good enough, nor outstanding enough, so she worried that he would shift his affections to another. If he tried to explain again, it might make her misunderstand further, so he might as well show her with his actions.

She tried to push him away, but he did not allow her to escape. As there was a barrier, and the other married couples had left to continue their own conversations, nobody had the time to bother about what was happening between them. Therefore, the kiss between Han Qing and Yan went unnoticed.

Well, except for a staff member standing nearby who saw the entire thing. Still, as a staff member, he turned his face away in a professional manner, pretending that he had not seen anything. He also pretended to be invisible, but he was secretly crying in his heart.

Although he was still single, he had chosen to work in this industry. The couples were newlyweds on their honeymoon, so there would always be some bolder couples that publicly displayed their affection for each other. They might not mind, but as a staff member, he was constantly forced to witness their lovey-dovey acts, and in bucketloads too. Thus, the staff member clenched his fists and made a promise to himself. When I get back, I will work hard to find myself a girlfriend! I refuse to be forced to witness other people’s lovey-doveyness again!

At first, Yan struggled against Han Qing. However, under his lead, their kiss deepened and became enjoyable. Leaning against him dazedly, she couldn’t tell left from right anymore.

Han Qing finally released her after some time. Then, he pressed his forehead against hers. Panting lightly, he lifted his hand and lightly wiped away the traces of their kiss at the corner of her lips.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1227

Yan noticed his actions and felt even more embarrassed than before. Hence, she lay in his embrace and closed her eyes—too ashamed to look at anybody. Han Qing had yet to put on his life jacket. His chest was very broad; when she leaned against it, it was very warm, and she could hear the sound of his heartbeat.

Initially, the sound she listened to was the wild beating of a heart. Thinking that it was the sound of her own heartbeat, she laughed at herself for being so pathetic. However, after a while, she noticed that the sound wasn’t of her own heartbeat. If it isn’t mine, then whose is it?

Lifting her head to look at him, she saw that his expression was calm. He lowered his head to meet her gaze. That pair of eyes hid darkness in their calm depths; it was impossible to tell that he had been kissing her passionately mere moments ago. If she had not leaned so close to him, she would never have known. This person seemed impervious to desires and passions on the surface, but his heart was clamoring in his chest.

I see… I’m not the only pathetic one. Mulling over this fact, she instantly became happy. She smiled joyously as she looked at him, then reached out her finger and poked his chest. “Your heart is beating wildly.” The tone of her voice was gloating, seemingly making fun of him deliberately.

Fortunately, Han Qing was thick-skinned. Unafraid of her making fun of him, he caught her hand and pressed it against his chest instead, murmuring softly, “That’s right, and it’s all because of you.”

From the spot where her small and fair palm pressed against his chest, she could vividly feel his heart beating strongly against her palm—it was a powerful force. Yan blinked her eyes. At this moment, her calm heartbeat was spurred on by his frenzied ones. She had intended to make fun of Han Qing, but he had gotten flirty with her instead. The blush that had yet to fade away from her face returned with full force, burning her face. Thus, she lay in his embrace and decided not to say another word.

On the other hand, what was happening on the other side? After Lin Qin’er was forced off the boat, she stood at the entrance with an angry expression. Her hands that were hanging by her side clenched into fists, her nails digging into the flesh of her palm.

This is so maddening! If she knew she was going to be forcibly disembarked, then she would have controlled herself. Now that she had been chased out, there was nothing she could do. Furthermore, she did not know how long they would stay on the island. Am I going to continue waiting here? By the time her physically abusive husband weaseled his way out of the police station, she would be met with another round of storms even more terrifying than this. No! I can’t just sit here and wait for death. I must think of a way.

The island wasn’t far; even so, it took some time to get there. Yan originally lay in Han Qing’s embrace out of embarrassment, but the rocking movement of the boat made her drowsy. Thus, she fell asleep in his arms. By the time she woke up, they had arrived at their destination and everyone else had taken off their life jackets.

The environment on the island was superb. Before boarding the boat, they were asked to change into specially-provided shoes to be worn on the island. Furthermore, there were cameras installed all over the island. They were not allowed to litter, nor remove any of the shells from the beach. Due to these stringent rules, the little island had managed to maintain its pristine state until now.

The moment she stepped onto the island, she felt as if the very air she was breathing seemed different. There were many other tourists on the island, but they adhered to the written regulations in an orderly manner.

A staff member was providing an introduction by the side. “There is a villa zone in the middle of this little island which specifically corresponds to each guest. The number of visitors received on the island daily is limited, so it needs to be booked in advance. On the other hand, everybody can freely access the periphery area in their free time. Besides, there will be several activities carried out at fixed intervals, but you are free to choose whether to participate or not.”

Yan listened, nodded her head, and asked some questions at the same time. As time was short, the staff member took them around the island in a car. “This car will go around the island countless times daily. You can get on as long as you pay. If you do not have any change on you at the time, you can apply for a temporary card. You can swipe the card to get on and off the car without limit.”

After going around the island once and familiarizing themselves with the general layout of the island, the staff member brought them to the villa zone in the middle of the island. “Our company has arranged a couple’s sea view suite for the two of you. If you are dissatisfied in any way, you may call us up at any time to discuss a change of room with our staff members, Mrs. Han.”

Blinking her eyes, she thought back to the room at their hotel previously. Now that they were here, what was going to happen to their stuff there? Thus, she voiced her concern, and the staff member explained with a smile, “Please don’t worry, Mrs. Han. The rooms back at the hotel were specially prepared for you. You can rest assured that before the end of your travels, the room will be kept available for your use.”

Oh, that’s great. Nodding her head in satisfaction, she agreed. When the staff member was not taking notice, she stealthily held onto Han Qing’s hand and whispered, “Um… While we are on this island, will we be getting an extra room?”

Han Qing froze at her words, then lowered his gaze to look at her. He had a faint smile on his lips. “An extra room?”

“Yeah.” Yan blinked her eyes, then continued, “Didn’t you secretly book another room for yourself previously because you didn’t want to sleep with me? So…”

His footsteps stopped. “So? Didn’t we sleep together on the second night?”

She did not respond. Tilting her head to the side, a strange expression flashed across her eyes. Oh yeah, that did happen. She bit down on her lower lip with a conflicted expression. “But, there was no other choice in that situation. If you had the choice, you would probably get another room for yourself, right?” As she said that, she began to let her imagination run wild. Why isn’t Han Qing willing to sleep in the same room with me? Even if we slept in the same room, it’s not like he will do anything to me. But…

While deep in her thoughts, a sudden pain seared across her head. Snapping back to her senses with a soft yelp of pain, she stared at him a bit resentfully. “Why did you suddenly hit me?”

“If I didn’t hit you, won’t your mind wander off far away again? Silly girl, you’re a girl while I’m a guy. The one that has something to lose if we slept in the same room, is you.”

What? Is that what he was thinking? Does he think that I would be at a disadvantage, so he refuses to sleep in the same room as me?

“But, I don’t think that way!” Shaking her head, she unwittingly held on tighter to his hand. “We are traveling under the guise of a married couple; if other people were to find out that we sleep in different rooms, won’t it—” Before she completed her sentence, she seemed to notice something amiss. “Uh, what I meant was…”

“You don’t need to explain.” He smiled lightly as he gazed sideways at her. “To sum it up, you want us to sleep in the same room together. Just say it straight.”

“That’s not it!” Yan denied vehemently. “I just worry that the staff member might misunderstand. It’s not what I think…”

“Sure.” Han Qing pressed down against the back of her head, then leaned closer to her. “Let’s just say that I wanted it. Everything happened because I wanted it to, is that okay?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1228

Since he had already said so, it would be unreasonable of Yan if she continued to deny it. In the end, she lowered her head blushingly and said, “T-Then let’s stay in one room.”

After walking ahead, the staff member suddenly noticed that the two of them were not following behind him. He was about to walk up and talk to them when he saw her blushing as she stared at Han Qing and whispered something. Moreover, Han Qing was standing very close to her.

The staff member thought back to what he witnessed on the boat, then rubbed his nose in embarrassment. He did not step closer; instead, he stood where he was, looking elsewhere while he waited. In his heart, he thought to himself, Once I go back, I’m going to go on the blind date my mother wanted to arrange for me. Maybe I’ll get a girlfriend that way. Then, I can go traveling with her; I won’t be forced to suffer other people’s public displays of affection anymore!

After successfully arriving and checking into the hotel, Yan was instantly amazed by the interior of the room. Then, she gave Han Muzi a video call, sighing in amazement as she did so. “What do you think? Isn’t the interior awesome?” Showing Han Muzi the entire interior of the hotel room, she bragged, “You’ve given us such a beautiful opportunity to enjoy this because you decided not to come.”

Han Muzi helplessly watched Yan bragging, then she whispered, “That’s enough from you. Did you forget why I arranged for this trip?”

Yan abruptly remembered that Han Muzi had booked the trip even though the couple had no intention of going on vacation—it was a ploy by Han Muzi to give her a push from the shadows. She hastily looked over her shoulder and saw Han Qing standing on the balcony far away. Then, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Don’t just talk as you please! What if your brother heard it?”

Looking at the soft expression on her face, Han Muzi tilted her head to the side. “Is there no progress?”

“What progress?!” she exclaimed.

“You know what progress I’m talking about!”

“Don’t talk nonsense! I’m very virtuous! I won’t mess around!”

Hearing those words, Han Muzi smiled slightly. “You’ve denied it twice; you don’t seem to be such an innocent person after all. Besides, you seem like you would enjoy messing around.”

“Bah! I won’t! Don’t twist my words around! Enough; stop talking nonsense. What if your brother hears…” Yan glanced around at her surroundings, then decided it was safer for her to hide inside the bathroom. Otherwise, Han Qing might enter the room while Han Muzi was teasing her. Thus, she ducked into the bathroom to hide and told Han Muzi everything about the incident with Lin Qin’er.

“Lin Qin’er?” Han Muzi repeated the name, frowning. After a moment, she laughed softly. “Although it’s quite bad of me to say this, this name doesn’t sound right. It feels like it might be a fake name.”

“A fake name?” Yan frowned too. “It shouldn’t be a fake name. However, after witnessing her behavior, it feels like her personality and her name are equally pretentious. She was clearly out to get me, but she pretended to be innocent and ignorant. Tell me; how can she be so shameless?”

Han Muzi wanted to laugh at those words. “From what you said, she is rather shameless. Based on the situation, she was trying to benefit from getting closer to my brother, but she failed. In the future, if she is still as shameless as she was, then you don’t need to hold back; just rip her to shreds.”

Yan’s eyes lit up slightly. “Rip her apart? Will you support me?”

“Why won’t I support you?”

“But… if I do that, won’t your brother think that I’m very fierce?”

“I must say, Zhou Xiaoyan; that woman is trying to snatch your boyfriend! If you won’t be fierce in these kinds of situations, then when will you be fierce?”

That’s right! That woman is trying to snatch my boyfriend! It’s Han Qing! I finally managed to get together with him after chasing him for so long! How can I let someone else snatch him from me so easily? Thus, Yan nodded her head vigorously. “Alright, I know what to do now.”

Just as Han Muzi was about to say something to her, Little Sprout’s cries sounded from the side. She said, “Little Sprout peed herself; I need to clean her up.” Without waiting for Yan to reply, she ended the video call.

Staring at the blank screen after being hung up on, Yan couldn’t help sighing in her heart. Being a mother sure is busy. But, with Ye Moxuan’s personality, he wouldn’t allow Muzi to do anything by herself. So, why is she doing it personally today? Soon, she forgot about these thoughts and continued on her vacation.

…

At the same time, somewhere in China. The girl’s legs were placed on top of her computer table in a grandiose manner. Her powder-white fingernails were covered in a layer of pink nail polish; they looked shiny and very cute. “My dearest mother, this is the 18th call you’ve made to me this month, asking me to go on a blind date. Can we talk about this? Please don’t do this, okay? I’m very busy with my manuscripts, alright? I’m running out of the brain capacity needed to think of characters and plotlines; where will I find the time to look for a man?”

“You need to work so hard because you refuse to get yourself a boyfriend! The neighbor next door has just sent us a wedding invitation yesterday. That young lady is younger than you by five years and she has already settled down. You’re becoming an old lady! Why aren’t you dating yet? Instead, you stay at home all day writing manuscripts; aren’t you just trying to piss me off!”

Jiang Xiaobai stared at the computer screen and sighed in frustration. “So what if a girl younger than me by five years is settling down? Just you wait and see if she’s going to be happy in her marriage. The daily lifestyle after marriage requires money; after giving birth to children, you need money to feed them; after the kids are grown up, their studies require money. I’m enjoying my life right now. Why would I want to marry an unremarkable man to lower my living standards? Do you think I’m crazy?”

“Jiang Xiaobai! Don’t you dare give me that bullsh*t! Whatever it is, you need to come home today! Even if you don’t want to, you still have to! Otherwise, I’m going to send people over to your house to break the door down! We’ll see if you won’t come home then!”

Her mother set off on a tirade, then hung up immediately after. Listening to the dial tone sounding from her phone, she lifted her head to look up at the sky speechlessly. Then, she muttered to herself, “If you want to discuss the issue, then so be it. Why did you throw a tantrum, then hang up on me? Only I, as your daughter, can endure that nasty temper of yours.” After her monologue, she sighed as she threw her phone on the bed again. Initially, she planned to write a new manuscript for submission today. Look at what happened instead? In the end, she lost her motivation after her mother’s actions. Knowing her mother’s temper, if she didn’t return home, then her house door would really be kicked down tomorrow.

A blind date… I might as well go. I mean; it’s just a blind date, right? In the worst case, I can just be extremely rude to the guy. If he dares to go on a blind date with me, then I’ll bash his head in. Hehehe… By then, she just needed to go home and inform her mother that the guy was not interested in her; then wouldn’t everything be settled?

After making her decision, Jiang Xiaobai cleaned herself up, then left the house. As she had no real intention to go on the blind date, she was dressed casually when she left the house. It was no different from what she normally wore at home. All she did was wash her face and tie up her hair. Then, she called a taxi to bring her home.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1229

At the Jiang Family residence.

“Bai is great at everything, except that she doesn’t want to look for a boyfriend. Why doesn’t she think of her age? How can she still not have a boyfriend? She just stays home all day staring at her computer; the radiation has turned her entire face greasy! If it wasn’t for her Jiang surname, I wouldn’t recognize her as a daughter of mine!” Mrs. Jiang held a teacup as she gossiped with her best friend. She might be middle-aged, but she was still charming due to her extensive beauty regime which gave her supple skin and a well-maintained figure.

Throughout her life, she had placed great importance on skincare and maintaining her figure. For example, she would never allow her weight to go over a certain limit. Unfortunately, she found it detestable that she gave birth to a daughter who couldn’t care less about appearances. Despite all her efforts, she could not change her daughter’s way of thinking while raising her. It was something that angered her to no end. On the bright side, she and her husband had good looks, so Jiang Xiaobai was blessed with good looks too. Even if she was too lazy to doll herself up, she was still quite a beauty.

“I must say; I think Bai is doing quite well. It’s important to be down-to-earth and earn an income. The type of wife the current blind date candidate is looking for is someone like her.”

When Mrs. Jiang heard those words, she sneered in her heart, Looking for a down-to-earth wife that earns an income? Why don’t they just hire a nanny instead? “The guy you are introducing to her this time around won’t be like the last one, right? Demanding that once my daughter marries into the family, she would have to take care of her in-laws, do the laundry, cook their meals, and take care of everything in his daily life?”

“It won’t, it won’t! The last time was a mistake. This time, I guarantee that the guy I’m introducing is good.”

She snorted. “That’s good then. My daughter may have her flaws, but they are not utterly undesirable. Marriage is a two-person affair; my daughter may be expected to do the laundry and cook, but the other party must help out with the housework too. Otherwise, a marriage that only asks for a woman to keep on giving is impossible to sustain.”

“Yes, that’s right. You got it right, Mrs. Jiang. That’s the principle.”

Ding dong. When the doorbell rang, her face lit up. “Perhaps, Bai is home.” Thus, she got up to open the door. The moment she opened the door, she was greeted with Jiang Xiaobai’s depressed-looking face standing outside the door. Then, their gazes met. “Mom!”

Carefully giving Jiang Xiaobai a once over, she found that her daughter was wearing a plain white tee paired with shorts. She nearly rolled her eyes in anger as she pointed her finger at Jiang Xiaobai; she was so furious that she couldn’t speak. On the other hand, Jiang Xiaobai smiled in the face of her mother’s expression. Then, she took the initiative to shove her bare face forward. “Mom, I’m back! Is there any meat for me to eat?”

Mrs. Jiang did not reply. It’s bad enough that my daughter is without makeup and casually dressed, but to think that the first words out of her mouth were asking to eat meat? She drives me nuts! However, the voice of her best friend came from behind her, which was followed by the sound of footsteps. “Hey, Xiaoyu! Didn’t you say your daughter is back? Where is she?”

Hearing the voice of her best friend coming from behind her, Du Xiaoyu—Jiang Xiaobai’s mother—raised her hand and slammed the door shut without any hesitation. Bang!

Jiang Xiaobai’s face was still moving forward, so when Mrs. Jiang slammed the door in her face, it nearly hit her on the nose. Blinking her eyes, she reached her hand up to rub her nose. “What?” Subsequently, she clearly heard the conversation coming from inside the house.

“Xiaoyu, where’s your daughter?”

“Oh, the person that came wasn’t my daughter.”

“Then, who was it?”

“It was a delivery girl; she came to the wrong place.”

Jiang Xiaobai was speechless. Haha! She laughed coldly in her heart. My dearest mother sure is fickle! Earlier, she kept calling me to come home, yet now she says that I’m a delivery girl?!

However, Mrs. Jiang’s friend, who was inside the house, found it rather strange. “How could that be? Why would the delivery girl deliver to the wrong place? Isn’t that too unprofessional?”

Mrs. Jiang continued laughing wryly. “Who said she wasn’t? Why don’t you go inside and have a seat first? I’ll give Bai a call to hurry her up.”

“Sure.”

After that, she entered the restroom and gave Jiang Xiaobai a call. “Mom, is that how you should treat me after asking me to come home? Not only shutting me outside of the house but also claiming that I’m a delivery girl? Why am I not aware that I switched fields?”

Mrs. Jiang replied huffily, “You stupid girl! How dare you say that? Look at the way you are dressed! As the daughter of Du Xiaoyu, can you not look so slovenly? You are a girl! A girl!” By the end of her sentence, she was gritting her teeth and feeling dizzy from her anger.

“So what if I’m a girl? I’m comfortable in these clothes. It’s not as if I’m dressed like a beggar, nor would I hurt people’s eyes,” Jiang Xiaobai objected, “Look at yourself, Mom. Don’t you always pay attention to your image? Currently, you’re hiding in the restroom while calling me, aren’t you? Why don’t you lift your head to look in the mirror when you’re talking? I bet you’re gritting your teeth. Do you not care for your image anymore?”

Mrs. Jiang inadvertently raised her head to look into the mirror after her daughter pointed it out. Sure enough, she found that she was gritting her teeth; her face was twisted in a hideous expression. She was shocked by what she saw in the mirror, thus, she hurriedly calmed herself down.

“How was it? Were you shocked by how you looked?” Jiang Xiaobai chuckled into the phone.

Mrs. Jiang took a deep breath and worked hard to contain her emotions. After calming herself down, she softly said, “Go and hide in the stairwell immediately. You are not to show yourself at all. Once I send my guest off, you can come inside.”

Jiang Xiaobai replied, “Mom, why are you taking your revenge on me so soon? Hide in the stairwell? Nowadays, people only take the elevator; the stairs are very dusty! I don’t want to hide there.”

“Even if you don’t want to, you have to. You only have yourself to blame for dressing so carelessly. If you dare come out, you’re dead meat.” Then, Mrs. Jiang ended the call.

For a while, Jiang Xiaobai stood in front of the door with her phone in her hand. After mulling over it, she gave in and went into the stairwell. I’m so unlucky. If she were seen by her mother’s friend because she refused to hide there, then she would suffer a worse fate in the future. In the end, she resigned herself to her fate.

On the other side, after Mrs. Jiang ensured that Jiang Xiaobai was properly hidden, she said something to her best friend, then sent her friend on her way. The moment Mrs. Jiang’s friend stepped into the elevator, Jiang Xiaobai walked out from the stairwell. “My dearest mother, I was nearly bored out of my mind if you had stayed in there any longer.”

While making her retort, she forced her way into the house. Mrs. Jiang glared at her fiercely. “Bored out of your mind? But you haven’t lost your sanity being holed up in your house all day long? At least the stairwell has fresh air.”

“Mom, from the way you are talking, it’s as if there’s not a single breath of fresh air in the entire house. Should I still enter the house?”

“Of course!” Mrs. Jiang dragged her daughter into the house. “Come in.” Then, she slammed the door shut with a loud bang again, lest other people saw how Jiang Xiaobai looked.

“Are you really my daughter? You dress so poorly every day; can’t you dress up for a bit? Don’t tell me you plan on going on the blind date this afternoon dressed the way you are?”

Jiang Xiaobai shrugged nonchalantly. “That’s right; what’s wrong with it?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1230

Mrs. Jiang shrieked in a shrill voice, “What’s wrong with it?! Of course, you can’t!”

The shrillness of her voice was ear-piercing. Jiang Xiaobai reached her hands up and covered her ears. “Madam Du, please mind your image!”

Only then did Mrs. Jiang restrain her emotions. Reaching up to pat at her face, she spat out in annoyance, “I lost control of my visage all because of you.”

“Come on, Mom. If you stop getting angry, then you won’t lose control of your visage. Besides, what I said is the truth! This is how I usually look; if I go on a blind date, I should present myself in my original state. Otherwise, if I dress up beautifully, then show my partner my sloppiness after marriage, won’t I frighten him so much he’d ask for a divorce?”

Hearing those words, Mrs. Jiang wanted to roll her eyes snappily. However, she controlled herself after some consideration. She was an elegant lady—a woman who paid extra care to her image. Still, she found that the image she was so proud of crumbled to pieces when facing her daughter.

“Mom, I’m right, aren’t I? Look; if I go there like this and the other party becomes attracted to me, that means he sincerely likes me. On the other hand, if I dress up nicely, the other party is simply attracted to the fake me. Mom, do you wish for your daughter to find somebody who sincerely likes her or somebody who only likes her for her appearances?”

Mrs. Jiang glanced at Jiang Xiaobai, saying nothing. Then, she sneered, “You speak so righteously; don’t think I don’t know what you are aiming for. You just want to scare the other party away with your sloppy appearance, don’t you? You only need to tidy yourself up and you won’t chase the guy away. Seeing as you are my daughter, I have confidence in your good looks.”

Jiang Xiaobai sighed sadly. “All the men in the world love good looks. However, even if your daughter inherited your looks, it won’t last forever. Mom, when you married my father, wasn’t it because he was the only one among the crowd who had no interest in how you looked?”

Mrs. Jiang said nothing in reply. She felt annoyed just thinking about her husband. She thought back on how exquisite she was when she was younger; there was an endless line of men trying to court her. However, look at what happened in the end. Jiang Xiaobai’s father was as dull as a bookworm. When his friends asked him whether she looked beautiful, he had scratched his head and answered that she was not bad. Not bad? At the time, she was one of the most beautiful people in the school, yet in his eyes, she was simply ‘not bad’. Still, she could only blame herself for falling for an idiotic guy like him. However, it was exactly because he was an idiot that he would come out looking for her in the rain at midnight—just to pass her an umbrella. Then, after handing her the umbrella, he stupidly wanted to leave.

For the first time, she became attracted to him. Thus, the two of them got together. Afterward, she asked him for the reason he came out to give her the umbrella—was it because he liked her? However, he denied it, saying that he thought she was pitiful since she did not have an umbrella on that rainy night. So, that was why he did what he did.

At that time, Du Xiaoyu had lost her temper. They almost broke up because she realized that she was delusional about his love for her. How many suitors did she have? Why did she have to be in a relationship with somebody who had no interest in her? Luckily, the slow-witted guy finally understood what was going on. He managed to persuade her to stay, convincing her that he loved her for her talents and whatnot.

Jiang Xiaobai brought this story up with great relish. Later on, she even wrote a short novel based on this story and the sales for the short novel had been quite good. “It shows that men like my father are so rare and precious. A man who would bring you an umbrella in the rain and hold no other intentions toward you. I’m afraid he is the only person in the world who would do that.”

Mrs. Jiang continued to keep quiet. She was very furious because she felt that everything her daughter was saying was true. Therefore, she could not find the words to refute it. After all, despite being married for so many years, she was still being pampered. She did not need to do any of the housework; she only needed to maintain her beauty.

Jiang Xiaobai knew she had managed to persuade her mother. Thus, she smilingly hugged her mother’s arm. “Mom, if I can be as blessed as you are and find myself a man like Dad, won’t that be great? A man who really loved you wouldn’t care about your appearances. So, isn’t it fine if I dress casually when I show up at the blind date later? There’s nothing wrong with that, right?”

“Hah,” Mrs. Jiang sneered. “Don’t think I’ll let you off just because you bring up your father. Go into your room right now and get dolled up. If you don’t put on your makeup, or dress beautifully, don’t think about returning to your place for the next half a month.”

Jiang Xiaobai was rendered speechless. Two minutes later, she was chased to her room. The room had been prepared for her by her mother, so many of the things were unfamiliar to her. For example, there were brightly-colored dresses, translucent high heels, all sorts of lipsticks, and eye shadows in every shade. It seemed as if Mrs. Jiang had prepared everything for her—she had spared no effort for Jiang Xiaobai to go on the blind date.

Even so, Jiang Xiaobai was not in a hurry. Lying down on her bed, she picked up her phone and sent her best friend, Fang Tangtang, a message. When Fang Tangtang heard about how Jiang Xiaobai had been called home to go on a blind date, she burst out laughing, relishing in her friend’s misfortune. “To think you would face a day like this too, Jiang Xiaobai. Hahaha. Forcing you to go home for a blind date? See what happens when you don’t get a boyfriend? You’re being pressed into going on a blind date.”

Jiang Xiaobai was depressed. “How dare you laugh? Believe it or not, the next time you visit your crush, I won’t accompany you there.”

Fang Tangtang immediately replied solemnly, “Bai, you are too pitiful. How can Aunt Jiang do that to you? Something like having a boyfriend wouldn’t affect you whether you have one or not anyway; if you have no interest, she shouldn’t be forcing you like this.”

Jiang Xiaobai felt speechless at her prompt change in attitude. “What do I do now? She wants me to dress myself up, or else she won’t let me return to my place. She wants to ground me for half a month.”

“If it’s just half a month, then so be it. At home, you will be given food. You only need to eat and sleep, then continue eating when you wake up again. What’s the problem?”

“What’s the problem?! Are you treating me like I’m unemployed? Do I not have manuscripts to write?” Jiang Xiaobai roared in rage.

“That’s true… Then, you should just… go on the blind date.”

“What?”

“Cough, cough. You have other options besides going on the blind date—you can ask somebody to pretend to be your boyfriend. If you introduce him to your mother, won’t they stop forcing you to go on blind dates in the future?”

Hearing that, she sneered, “What kind of terrible idea is that? Will you believe me if I say that the moment I introduce a boyfriend to her, she will start forcing me to get married in the next second?”

Fang Tangtang murmured, “Aunt Jiang sure is terrifying.”

“I think she’s quite terrifying too. She had the freedom to choose her love, so why can’t I? Moreover, she said that I’m getting old! I’m obviously still just a young lady!”

“Pfft—don’t flatter yourself, alright? Still a young lady? You’re nearly thirty!”

“Be serious; hurry up and help me. I don’t want to be locked at home for half a month.”

“How can I help you? Currently, you have two choices. Either you be a good girl and go on the blind date, or you tell your mother you have a boyfriend.”

“Fang Tangtang, are you joking with me? How can I possibly go on the blind date? Moreover, what’s with the other lousy idea? Tell my mother I have a boyfriend? I don’t have one, alright?