Ch. 1271..1280

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1271

This girl… Xiao Su smiled, unbeknownst to himself. The man then texted, ‘I’ve finished my work, so I’ll be going back now.’ He then kept his phone and took his jacket and car keys before going out. When he came back, Xiao Su reflexively took his keys to open the door, but when he remembered there was someone inside, he pressed on the doorbell instead. After a moment, someone opened the door for him.

Jiang Xiaobai was wearing a casual shirt with a big bear on it. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she was wearing a cartoon headband, looking chill. She smiled when she saw Xiao Su. “Oh, you’re back. That’s fast. I’ve noticed that your text was sent 20 minutes ago, so you’re not working really far from home, huh?” Before he could say anything, she pulled him inside and slammed the door shut, acting like a strongwoman.

“I don’t know what you like, since it’s the first time I’m cooking for you, so I made a bit of everything. Have some more if you like it, but just stay away from those you don’t. They won’t go to waste, since I’m going to finish them all.”

The girl kept on nagging at him. Xiao Su noticed she was wearing a pair of cartoon slippers that made some pitter-patter sound as she walked around. She seemed to like these cute items, for all her getup was cartoon-themed, so it made her look energetic.

For some reason, Xiao Su had this feeling of being welcomed home by his wife after work, but he quashed this thought down quickly. What am I even thinking about? I have someone I love, while she’s just my fake girlfriend. When he put down his jacket and saw the whole table filled with food, the man was shocked. “You made all these?”

Jiang Xiaobai knew he was shocked the moment she saw his look, so the woman put her hands on her hips. “So, what do you think? I’m great, aren’t I? Don’t need to worship me though. This is just normal for the great me!”

“The great me?” Xiao Su arched his eyebrow and glanced at her.

Jiang Xiaobai quickly said, “Oh, just something I made up. Let’s eat. I’ll take a bowl of rice for you.”

Xiao Su grunted. “I’ll do it myself.”

When he was about to take the bowl, Jiang Xiaobai suddenly smacked his hand. Xiao Su was taken aback, then the woman scolded, “What are you doing? You should wash your hands before eating. You’ve been working the whole day. Even if you don’t really care that much in life, this should be where you draw the line.”

Oh, yeah. I’ve forgotten about it. The man fidgeted awkwardly, then he went to the kitchen to wash his hands. The moment he came into the kitchen, Xiao Su thought he came to the wrong place, so the man stood rooted to the spot for a while before recognizing this place as his kitchen.

However, there were a lot of things there, such as new furniture, bowls, and even cutleries. All of them had cartoons on them, which was Jiang Xiaobai’s signature style. These are all hers? She took all of these here in the span of a few hours? How did she manage it?

Xiao Su looked around and washed his hands before going out. “Did you buy all those things in the kitchen?” Jiang Xiaobai placed the bowl of rice in front of him and nodded. “Yeah, I bought those. So? Don’t you think that your kitchen looks a whole lot better now?” Well, you moved a lot of things into my kitchen, so of course it changed, but… Xiao Su frowned, then he took out his wallet. “How much do they cost?”

Jiang Xiaobai was taken aback to see this, then she asked, “Are you saying you want to pay for those?”

You’ve put the stuff here, so who else is going to pay but me? Xiao Su was already feeling awkward about having a girl coming over to cook for her. He only agreed to it because they made a deal. Now that she had brought all these stuff for him, it would be remiss of him not to pay her back. “Yes.”

“Eh, it’s fine.” Jiang Xiaobai waved her hand nonchalantly. “I moved all those stuff from my home, so I didn’t spend any money, aside from paying the movers for helping me. Though if you insist on paying me, I won’t mind it.”

Xiao Su was stunned. These are all taken from her home? He couldn’t believe it. After a few moments of silence, he asked, “Where are you going to cook and eat if you’ve moved everything here?”

Where am I going to cook and eat? Jiang Xiaobai said matter-of-factly, “Of course I’m going to eat with you.” Before Xiao Su could say anything, she became pumped up. “See? I’m really kind, right? Not only did I move my stuff here to cook for you every day, you’ll have someone to eat with you after this. You must be feeling happy right now.”

Um…

“Not that I’m bragging, but my cooking skills are off the charts. Someone tried to hire me, but I said no. You got yourself something great here. Come one, let’s eat.” She started urging him to eat as she said, “I’ll finish the things you can’t. Don’t waste the food. I worked hard on them.”

Xiao Su noticed she was serious about food, so it was obvious she treasured food. He wasn’t a picky eater, so the man started eating too. Jiang Xiaobai thought her food would be going to waste today, but Xiao Su didn’t have a specific diet, and he could eat everything. Both of them ate seriously and quietly, so it didn’t take long for them to finish all the food on the table. Jiang Xiaobai patted her belly and frowned. Oops, feels like I’ve overloaded myself. Gotta cook less after this.

“You can really eat,” Xiao Su suddenly said quietly.

Jiang Xiaobai almost jumped up in anger, so she retorted, “Hey, it’s bliss to have food, you know?”

Xiao Su said nothing, then he went to clear the table. Jiang Xiaobai wanted to say she would do it, but then she thought it was fine to have him do the dishes, for she had worked hard on cooking. I’ll be cooking, while you do the dishes. Fair and square. No complaints. She smiled at him with satisfaction. “Well, you’re a smart one. I thought you’d just up and leave after eating.”

Xiao Su didn’t reply to her, then he quickly took all the plates and cutleries into the kitchen. The man pursed his lips as he looked at the stuff in the kitchen and swallowed what he had to say. It wasn’t easy for a girl like her to move all her stuff here, so it would be inappropriate of him to ask her to move them back. Besides, she does cook well. Xiao Su used to think that the thing about eating was to fill his belly, nothing else, but now he had a different feeling when he had that meal. Having someone by his side as he had a meal wasn’t something he hated, especially when both of them were doing it seriously.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1272

After Yan had come back from her trip, Luo Huimei kept following her around and asked her about her trip. She would keep on probing her about the place, how she felt about it, and if she had taken any photos. Yan thought her mother was just concerned about her love life, so she answered her without even thinking.

A moment later, the woman even let her see the photos she had taken. Even though they were mother and daughter, they acted like friends, and that was why Yan was willing to tell her mother about all these things and share the joy of her love life with Luo Meihui.

Luo Meihui was also happy to hear her daughter’s stories. She was Yan’s mother, so of course she was happy to see her daughter happy, but then they stumbled across the photo where Yan and Han Qing took a wefie on the hotel’s bed. It stunned both of them.

Yan realized what was happening a few moments later, so she wanted to take her phone back, but her mother took it away.

“Give me back my phone, mom.”

“Oh, what’s the rush? It’s not a weird photo, so why can’t I see it?” Luo Meihui tucked the phone away and refused to give it back to her.

Yan puffed her cheeks angrily, for the person before her was her own mother. She would have gone and fought her if she was someone else, but she couldn’t, because Luo Meihui was her mother. Thanks to her taking so many photos of the sights there, Yan had conveniently forgotten about the photo they took while they were in the bed. She didn’t dare post this photo on her wall, for the woman thought it to be erotic, since they took this photo after they had been intimate under the blankets. She could see the decor on the wall from this photo, and then the woman thought of what happened that night, which made her blush again. Ah! I can’t just get embarrassed this easily!

“Oh, you’re blushing!” Luo Meihui was not going to let it slide, so she squinted at her daughter after staring at her face. “Have you guys done the deed already?” she asked it in a direct manner, making her daughter blush and stomp her foot shyly, looking not unlike a little girl. “Mom!” she complained.

“What?” Luo Meihui retorted in annoyance. “So you know I’m your mom, huh? If that’s the case, stop messing around and answer me. Or do you think of me as an outsider?”

Hmph. She mumbled, “You were being too bold with that question.”

“What? I’ve raised you for so many years, and now you’re already going to run away with someone else? Why can’t I ask this question? You shouldn’t be this unreasonable, my child.”

“I am not being unreasonable,” she mumbled, then the woman hung her head low in defeat. “Alright, alright, I’ll tell you. Yeah, we did do it.” She then raised her voice, “But I did it willingly. He didn’t force me, and he was unwilling to do it in the beginning. I forced him to do it.” She shifted Han Qing out of the blame field and took all of it herself.

Luo Meihui rolled her eyes. “Do you think I’m a kid that you can just lie to? You’re already defending him before the marriage, and I can just imagine how bad it’s going to be when you do. Besides, if you’ve seduced him to do the deed with you, but if he had refused, then you’re doomed.”

“What? Why?” Yan looked at her mother like a dumb little kid.

“Did your brain turn into mush the moment you fell in love?” Luo Meihui poked her forehead and nagged on. “If he had refused to touch you, you can’t date him. It could mean he has erectile dysfunction, or he doesn’t love you, or he’s gay.”

“Mom, that’s extreme. That’s just too binary, so you have to think a lot. Maybe he just wants to be responsible to me, or maybe he’s just conservative. You’re exaggerating stuff.”

“But the reality is that the conclusions I made are true, while yours aren’t. I’ve experienced it, so of course I know about it.”

Fine. Yan stuck her tongue out and decided not to argue with her mother, who was an experienced woman. They were a generation apart after all. Even among the youngsters, clashes of thoughts exist, let alone with people a generation apart. She could imagine how wide the gap would be.

“I don’t give a d*mn if you want to fall in love or go freaky or anything, nor do I want to. However, you have to think for yourself. Have some protection to keep yourself safe. Don’t just let him do whatever he wants, okay?” Luo Meihui wasn’t worried before this, but this trip had obviously pulled her daughter and the guy closer. She would be fine if they could marry, but if they couldn’t, and if her daughter were to get pregnant because of the lack of protection, then Yan would be the one to get hurt.

Yan felt guilty at the mention of this, for they didn’t have time to go for protection that night, and it was already too late when they left the island. She didn’t know whether she was impregnated or not, so the woman was worried now that her mother had mentioned this. Even so, she couldn’t do anything about it, so all she could do was wait and see if she was pregnant. Yan was planning to get a pregnancy test kit from the pharmacy later one. If her period didn’t come on time, she would test for pregnancy at once.

Luo Meihui knew she had guessed the worst scenario correctly when her daughter didn’t answer her, and she didn’t look her in the eyes. Yan’s mother grabbed her by her collar. “What?! You guys didn’t do any protection?”

Yan stammered, “W-W-We… Um, it was a special situation, so…”

“God d*mn it!” Luo Meihui cursed in front of her daughter, her knuckles cracking. “Men are all pigs! Why didn’t he wear any condoms before doing you? And why were you that dumb, you brat? You didn’t even take any morning-after pills? What if you get pregnant?”

Scary… Yan bit her lip and looked down, as if she was a child who had broken a vase.

“Did you talk to him about this?”

“I did.” She nodded.

“What did he say? What’s his plan?”

Yan thought about it and shook her head. “Please don’t ask these questions anymore, mom. It’s hard to talk about it. I have my own plan, see. If I get pregnant, I’ll give birth to it.”

“The heck?” Luo Meihui’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’d give birth to it? Did he say he would marry you?”

Um… She blinked at her mother. “No, I guess. But I don’t care about that. If I do get pregnant, I will give birth to it. Hmph!”

Luo Meihui replied, “Alright, I have to get you back to your mother. Apparently her daughter’s an idiot.”

“Mom, you know I love him. Even if we aren’t meant to be, I don’t want to force him.”

Luo Meihui hugged her daughter tightly after listening to her, then she closed her eyes in resignation. My child, you’re degrading yourself in this relationship. No matter how great that man is, you shouldn’t lose yourself over him. However, Yan wouldn’t listen to anyone now. All she could think of now was her own happiness which could never be understood by anyone.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1273

Since Xu Yanwan said she didn’t need any help with her matter, Han Qing didn’t do anything. Even so, their families used to be friends, and even though they lost contact later on, that didn’t erase their history. The more important point here was that Xu Yanwan and Han Qing had been engaged when they were kids.

Even though Xu Yanwan didn’t mention this when they met, Han Muzi was still worried no matter how she thought about it. She was Han Qing’s sister as well as Yan’s friend. Both of them were important to her, so if this relationship were to go wrong, she would be devastated.

Thanks to that, Han Muzi felt depressed lately, to the point where she lost sleep. Ye Moxuan slept on the same bed as her, so he knew what she was thinking of. All he said was, “You don’t have to worry about this. The one who should be is your brother.”

Han Muzi shook her head in disagreement. “I’m his sister, and I’m also Yan’s friend. I can’t not worry about them. You don’t know about this, but when I went to Han Group back then, I heard her telling the receptionist that she was engaged to my brother when they were little.”

“So what?” Ye Moxuan didn’t think much about it. “Nobody cares about the promises they made when they were kids. Besides, Xu Yanwan wouldn’t talk about the engagement when she knew her family had gone downhill, let alone your brother. If she does, everyone would think that she’s trying to use your family to help her when she’s down.”

“After meeting her back then, I don’t think she would mention this, since she isn’t that kind of woman. However, if this matter does exist, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s still there even if she doesn’t mention it. Also, if the engagement was decided by our elders, it’s going to make our family look bad if we pretend not to know it just because she doesn’t mention it.”

Ye Moxuan suddenly laughed and raised Han Muzi’s chin up. “Since when did you care so much about trust and the Han Family’s reputation?”

Han Muzi rolled her eyes. “What? I’m a part of the family, so of course I have to care about their reputation. Why? Do you think I should care about the Ye Family’s reputation instead?”

“Hm? Well, of course. You’re my woman now.” He leaned forward and pecked her on the lips, his voice raspy. “You’ll be a part of my family, always. Won’t your conscience come knocking if you don’t care about my family’s reputation?” He then kissed her deeper, prying her teeth open and danced with her tongue. The man only let her go when her breathing became ragged and she glared at him. “Why? Are you blaming me for not paying attention to this matter?”

Han Muzi replied, “No. I was just thinking that it’s not good to have Qing talk about this engagement stuff. I think I should do it as his sister… Mmph.”

Before she could finish, Ye Moxuan bit her lower lip. “This is our time. If you talk about someone else’s matter, I’m going to get angry.” Even though Han Qing was her brother, Ye Moxuan felt jealous that his wife tossed and turned and lost sleep over another guy. He wouldn’t allow it as long as it was a man she thought about.

Han Muzi scrunched her nose up guiltily. She thought she had taken the wrong approach about this. There was another way to resolve this matter, so there was no need for her to dwell on this for now. Fine, I’ll sleep for now and see Han Qing tomorrow to talk about this. She then blinked and looked at her husband. “Alright, I’ll not dwell on this anymore. I’m sleepy, so let’s sleep.”

Ye Moxuan hugged her and said huskily, “Let’s sleep.”

Hey, you don’t have to hug me while you sleep, you pervert. However, she had gotten used to sleeping with him. His broad shoulders and his familiar, dependable scent made her feel safe. She mumbled for a bit and drifted to sleep.

Han Muzi went to the Han Group the next day. Han Qing was in a meeting when she arrived, but since she was his sister, the woman went to his office to wait for him. Surprisingly, the moment she came in, Han Muzi saw Yan sleeping on the sofa, arms and legs akimbo. When Yan heard someone opening the door, she looked up and met Han Muzi’s gaze.

A few moments later, Yan jumped up from the sofa and sat there, looking at Han Muzi awkwardly. She fidgeted around and said, “Um…”

Han Muzi looked at her in amusement and closed the office’s door. “Why do you look so nervous seeing me? You look like I’ve caught you doing some hanky panky.”

Yan evaded her gaze and bit her lip. “No, it’s not that. Though it’s embarrassing to have you see me looking like this in your brother’s office.”

Han Muzi chuckled. “Yeah right. You lived with me for the past five years, so I’ve seen all there is to you. Why are you worried about embarrassing yourself now?”

Yan snorted, her expression still slightly awkward. “That’s not the same. We’re in your brother’s office right now.”

“So what?” Han Muzi sat down beside her and tossed her handbag away, then she said nonchalantly. “You guys are just one step away from humping in the office. It’s going to be more embarrassing then, no?”

Huh? Yan blushed, then she looked at Han Muzi, her eyes wide, her tongue gotten by the cat. It took her some time to stammer, “Muzi, w-when did y-you become s-so…”

“What are you trying to say?” Han Muzi went over and headbutted her head. “Someone once told me that even if she had to rape my brother, she would do it because she wanted to sleep with him. Someone even sent me the message right after doing the deed with him. You started this, and now you’re accusing me of being perverted? That’s unfair.”

D*mn it. Yan had nothing to say, so she closed her eyes, embracing embarrassment as her old friend. Then, she shouted, “Yeah, I am as perverted as you say I am! I want him to hump me right on this sofa!”

Clack. At this moment, the office’s door was opened. The moment Han Qing opened the door, he heard the bold declaration made by Yan. Even though he was a silent, reserved man, Han Qing stumbled and almost fell forward after hearing that. After Yan was done shouting, she heard someone opening the door and the sound of someone stumbling.

When she looked at the direction of the sounds and met Han Qing’s gaze, everything turned silent. Then, she saw the top management team, who was standing behind Han Qing, looking stunned and in awe. The woman also saw Su Jiu smiling faintly, looking like he was watching a good show.

It was at this moment, Yan knew she messed up. Everything spun around her, and she wanted nothing more than to faint and ignore everything that was happening.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1274

Why?! Why must this awkward thing happen now?! Why did I speak my mind? Why?! All Yan could feel was embarrassment and awkwardness. Because of how intense that feeling was, she lost all bearings on reality and sat there like a log which didn’t react to anything.

“Ahem.” Aside from her, Han Muzi, who was by her side, was also awkward. She didn’t expect Yan to say something so daring after being teased. She didn’t mind if they were the only ones who heard that, but she didn’t expect someone to open the door so suddenly. Nor did she expect that someone to be the man Yan wanted to hump with on the sofa, and she didn’t expect him to bring the company’s top management team.

Han Muzi thought this was the most awkward moment in Yan’s life. No arguments there. She coughed awkwardly and smiled before standing up. The woman told Yan, “I admire people who have dreams like you. Work hard for that. I’ll be leaving now.” Han Muzi then quickly went to the door and looked at her brother. Han Qing felt helpless when he saw his sister giving him a teasing look.

“I’ll come over later, Qing. Let’s have dinner together.”

“Sure.” Even though it was awkward, Han Qing had recovered from the shock, so he agreed to his sister’s invitation.

After Han Muzi’s departure, the top management team who were shocked by Yan’s brazen shout snapped out of it as well.

“Ahahahaha, seems like Mr. Han has something to settle. Let’s talk about the matter just now another day.”

“Yeah. You do your stuff, Mr. Han. We’ll discuss it on our own.”

When Yan overheard that, she wanted to find a place to hide. The woman bit her lip, her face as scarlet as a rose. However, Han Qing looked calm at this moment, and he said, “Yan.” All the hairs on Yan’s body stood on end when her name was called. What is he trying to do, calling my name like that? “Go to the waiting room and wait for me. I have to settle something here, okay?” He drawled at the end, as if he was seducing her lovingly.

She was already in an awkward position to start with. The woman wanted to leave when Han Muzi did, but her legs felt like lead back then, so she couldn’t even move. All she could do was stand right there. Yan silently cursed Han Muzi in her heart, calling her a bad friend who ran away at an important time like this. She left me alone to face everyone…

Now that Han Qing had asked her to go to the waiting room, she nodded dumbly and stood up. The woman pretended nothing had happened as she slowly went into the waiting room. Only she knew that her legs were trembling from fear as she went toward the room. After going into the waiting room, Yan slammed the door shut and slid down as she leaned against it. All her strength left her, and she was as soft as jelly now.

Ah!!! Yan covered her face, embarrassed to see anyone. Even when she flirted with Han Qing back then, she didn’t feel as embarrassed as she was now. Saying it was different from doing it. She could say that she did it back then to help him, but what about this time?

She couldn’t say that she didn’t say that, for nobody would believe her. The most important thing of it all was that he asked her to stay inside the waiting room as he talked about business out there with all the management staff. How did he manage to stay calm under this situation? And he even called his staff inside to talk about business? Won’t he feel awkward?

Han Qing wasn’t awkward at all. His expression was as calm as ever, and not a hint of emotion flared from him. All he had was professionalism at this moment. However, the top management felt awkward about it, for they had inadvertently heard the matter of their boss’ private life, personified in such a bold statement. They thought they would be having nightmares after they got home.

Everyone there wanted to leave along with Han Muzi, but much to their surprise, Mr. Han called them in to talk about business as if nothing had happened at all. The heck? Isn’t he supposed to close the door and ask us to leave? He’s hard to understand.

One minute had passed. Two minutes had passed. After half an hour, Yan was still sitting on the cold floor, oblivious to the fact that the sounds of discussion outside had died down, for she had never been listening to begin with. When someone pushed the door behind her, she jumped up like a surprised bird, then she looked back nervously at the person who came in.

After meeting his eyes for a moment, Yan looked away and tried to find somewhere to hide. When she laid her eyes on the restroom, the woman tried to scurry there, but she was one step too slow.

Han Qing pulled her back and hugged her. “Why are you running?” He sounded raspy. The man hugged the soft, petite woman tightly. “It’s been half an hour. Don’t you think it’s too late to hide now?”

Yeah, it has been half an hour, but I just sat there? If it wasn’t because of him coming in, she wouldn’t have thought of hiding. Yan didn’t dare talk to him. She looked down at the floor, not wanting to meet his gaze, her tongue tied up in embarrassment. Man, that was embarrassing.

Never in my life had I ever been that embarrassed before. Yan started feeling upset over this. How could I embarrass myself that way? Will Han Qing think I’m a slut? Will he… Halfway through her train of thoughts, her chin was cupped, then Han Qing raised it up gently, so she would look at him.

Han Qing took a glance at her and saw the sadness in her eyes. He was taken aback, then the man squinted. “What is it?”

Yan teared up after he asked her that question, but then she quickly bit her lip and shook her head vigorously. She was the one who said that, so she couldn’t cry now, for that would make her look fake.

“Because of what you said just now?” He quickly guessed what she was thinking, then he released her chin and held her face as he gazed into her eyes. “Why? Are you worried I might think of you as a slut because of what you said?”

Yan paused, then she stammered, “H-How did you know…” How did you know that I was thinking about that?

Han Qing smiled, then he said gently, “If I can’t see through what my girlfriend is thinking, doesn’t that make me a worthless boyfriend? Don’t be silly. Don’t think too much about what you have said. Besides, I did say that you’re my girlfriend, so you can do whatever you want.”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1275

I can do whatever I want? Yan looked at him at a loss, her eyes teary.

“Or do you never listen to me at all?” he asked.

Yan quickly shook her head. “No. I will never ignore what you say. I remember every word you told me.”

“So why are you still so afraid of me?”

Yan couldn’t answer that. Love begets worry, and worry begets fear. She couldn’t tell him that she was being afraid because she loved him too much, but he rejected her every advance back then. She couldn’t tell him she was insecure, and that she would wake up in the middle of the night, thinking that this might be a dream. She thought this dream was too beautiful and too good to be true. Yan sometimes thought that she was just a passerby in a dream world, a world where everything was not real.

“You silly girl.” He sighed, then the man hugged her and placed his chin on her head. He said with resignation, “You have to trust me more, or to be exact, you have to trust yourself more.” Yan closed her eyes as she leaned against him. “You love me, yes, but I love you too.”

He sounded gentle and soft as he told her what he felt deep down. Yan could feel herself being filled up by love, so she nodded, almost crying. “Okay.”

“Will you hide from me again?” he asked.

Yan shook her head. “No. I will face everything with you. I will never run.” After she had calmed down and thought about it, nothing really did happen back there. She overreacted because she was too nervous and insecure, so she had to conquer these emotions after this.

“Alright, then let’s talk about what you said earlier.”

Huh? What I said just now? What did I say just now? Yan blinked, then she had a bad feeling about what was to happen.

Han Qing backed off and stared at her. “I heard you said you want to…”

He smiled faintly at her and didn’t finish what he had to say. Even so, Yan blushed quickly, then the woman went to cover his mouth and gasped, “Nonsense! I said nothing at all!”

“Oh?” Han Qing smiled, then he breathed into her palm. She could feel his breath, and it was burning her hand like fire. It almost scalded her, so the woman quickly pulled her hand back, but Han Qing grabbed it. “Why are you avoiding me?” he asked raspily. “I thought you said you wouldn’t do this anymore. Did you forget what you just said?”

Yan replied, “What we said just now is different.” She was saying that she wouldn’t be so over-sensitive anymore, not this. “You twisted the meaning of what I said!”

“Oh, really? Weren’t you the one who said she wouldn’t run anymore?” No matter what she had to say, Han Qing didn’t plan to let her go. He leaned closer to her as they spoke, their scent mingling together.

“E-Even if I was the one who said it, s-so what? I-I was just—”

“It doesn’t matter.” Han Qing grabbed her hand again, then he kissed her forehead. “What matters is that you’ve said it.”

D*mn it. Yan had the feeling that she had gotten herself into trouble. She was just saying that for fun in the office earlier. He can’t really be dragging me out there, can he? As she dwelled in her thoughts, Han Qing scooped her up in his arms and exited the waiting room, much to Yan’s shock. “Wait!” She quickly grabbed his collar, her eyes wide. “Are you being serious? I was just joking, so…”

Han Qing stopped in his tracks and looked at her with a faint smile. “Oh, you were joking? But I took it seriously, so how are we going to deal with this?”

“Y-You took it seriously? Impossible.” Yan almost lost her voice. Her lips were chattering, and she started stuttering.

“You don’t believe me?” Han Qing put her on the sofa and held himself against the armrest, locking her within his arms, surrounding her with his pheromones.

Yan shrunk a bit, and for the first time, she knew what panic felt like. Holy sh*t, we’re in the office. I am not that kinky yet. She came here frequently, so if she and Han Qing were to do it in this place, the woman would be unable to treat everything here as normal ever again. At the thought of that, Yan felt that she should say something to save the situation. “Um, we’re in the office, s-so it’s n-not good if we do it here…”

“Really?” He smiled. “Don’t you think this place is perfectly fine?” He leaned over and kissed her on the neck and went down on her collarbone. When she felt his warm breath on her, Yan felt electrified and shuddered all over.

Yan’s hands that were on his collar were clenched, and she felt incredibly nervous. “L-Listen to me. I-It’s not appropriate here. Why don’t we change places?” What am I talking about? Why am I making it look like I want it? Yan really wanted to bite her tongue off and kill herself. Oh my god.

Just when she was about to cry from panic, Han Qing suddenly leaned against her neck and chuckled before tidying up her shirt. Then, he held the back of her head and patted it. “Alright, don’t be scared. I won’t do this to you at this place.”

Oh, are we not going on with this? Yan breathed a sigh of relief and slowly calmed down. “Don’t be scared,” he called her down and kissed her on her forehead. “Tidy yourself up. Muzi came earlier. I think she wanted to talk to me.”

When Han Muzi was mentioned, Yan remembered how she was left behind earlier, then the woman called Han Muzi a bad friend quietly. “Are you going to see her now?”

“Later. I’ll have lunch with you first, then I’ll send you home.”

“Okay.”

After ten odd minutes or so, Yan came out with Han Qing from the office, her face scarlet. When they were taking the elevator down, the couple bumped into the top management who were about to leave too. The moment she saw them, the woman quickly hid behind Han Qing, for she couldn’t meet their gaze. Han Qing nodded at them, his expression inscrutable. Then, he took his girlfriend with her and left in his car. After they had departed, the top management team looked at one another.

“What happened? Why did President Han come down so soon?”

“Could it be that even though he looks young and strong, President Han is actually…”

The man drawled, but everyone knew what he was trying to say, so their expressions looked grim. We seem to have bumped into something incredible.

“Shh. Don’t let President Han hear this, or we’re going to get it.”

“Let’s get out of here.”

Someone sighed. “It’s a pity though. The president is still so young, so why did he…”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1276

Han Qing didn’t know he had become the topic of discussion among his subordinates. He dined with Yan before sending her home. He called Han Muzi while on his way home, and the siblings booked a private room in the restaurant.

Han Muzi came alone. While Ye Moxuan wanted to escort her, she didn’t agree to it, as she would be discussing something serious, and having him around wouldn’t be conducive to the conversation. Besides, Little Bean would tag along if Ye Moxuan were to come, thus she set out on her own, and Han Qing went to fetch her.

The siblings ordered a few dishes and chatted as they ate. It had been a while since they last had a meal together. Han Qing used to be a siscon who doted on Han Muzi and couldn’t wait to give her his all after they were reunited. However, her life revolved around Ye Moxuan after Han Muzi found her other half, so the siblings couldn’t get together as much.

Han Muzi was overcome by emotions when she recalled when Han Qing used to travel all over the world. She had just given birth to her baby, while Yan had just fallen for Han Qing. Han Muzi smiled at the recollection.

“What’s so funny?” The smile on her face soothed Han Qing’s mood, and his tone softened as he spoke to her.

Han Muzi replied softly, “It’s nothing, I’m just reminiscing old times.”

“What about it?”

“We were reunited back then, and you still had to work everyday. You had to travel overseas frequently, yet you never showed your exhaustion despite how much you had slimmed down.”

The mentioning of those times hit Han Qing in the feels, but he merely wore a faint smile. “What of it? You’re my only sister, so looking after you is my responsibility.”

“Yeah, I was so worried that you might opt to remain single for life, but I suppose there’s no cause for worry anymore.”

Han Qing pondered on the subject upon Han Muzi’s mentioning of it. He continued putting food into Han Muzi’s bowl as they ate in silence.

“So, what do you plan on doing with Xu Yanwan’s situation?” Han Muzi asked abruptly.

“What?” Han Qing seemed unfazed.

Han Muzi smiled before explaining herself, “I mean, her family is going through a rough patch. Our families used to be friends with each other, but are you sure you’re not going to lend her a helping hand?”

Han Qing pulled his lips into a thin line before explaining casually, “Yanwan has a similar temperament with Mr. Xu, so I will honor her decision to not accept my help. Me extending a helping hand would actually be a blow to her ego.”

The two of them had spent some time together back then, so Han Qing was rather clear about Xu Yanwan’s personality. However, his tone alarmed Han Muzi, and she narrowed her eyes in response. “Qing, do you claim to know Xu Yanwan well?”

“Why are you addressing her by name?” Han Qing looked at his sister in resignation before correcting her by saying, “She’s a few years older than you, and we were family friends, so you should address her as Miss Yanwan.”

Han Muzi shrugged as she replied, “I did address her accordingly while speaking to her, and I’m merely doing this for convenience’s sake while in front of you. Besides, it’s just a name that doesn’t hold much meaning to it, so why the hustle?”

Han Qing frowned upon listening to her excuses. “A name is significant! The Han Family and Xu Family used to be on so good terms that Mr. Xu—”

“Qing, are you engaged to Xu Yanwan?” Han Muzi interjected, and they fell into silence. Han Muzi stopped eating and instead stared at Han Qing solemnly. “Am I correct?”

Han Qing pursed his lips before putting more food into her bowl with a casual expression. “That was a long time ago when we were both children. It was never mentioned again throughout the years, so it’s nulled.”

“Nulled?” Han Muzi blinked in astonishment. “Was the engagement done through a verbal exchange, or was there an exchange of tokens?”

“No, there wasn’t.” Han Qing shook his head. “As far as I know, both parties never exchanged tokens, and it was merely a jest between the grown-ups. Although they mentioned it multiple times, it was never put into effect.”

“Does it mean you never thought much about it?” Han Muzi asked.

“Yeah, why should I be concerned over some bogus engagement?” Han Qing nodded with a nonchalant expression. However, Han Muzi recalled the expression and gaze that Xu Yanwan held while speaking to the registrar. It indicated how serious she was about the engagement, and she obviously held it dearly to her heart.

Besides, Xu Yanwan wasn’t looking for Han Qing for help, but was merely intending on meeting up with him. Han Muzi reached a conclusion after some thought. She looked to Han Qing before saying, “Although you didn’t think anything of it, what if Xu Yanwan had always thought that it was true, and held it close to her heart?”

Han Qing was shocked to hear that, and he arched his brow while speaking. “I don’t suppose that would be the case, as she never mentioned it. Besides, we hadn’t been in touch for many years.”

I have to say, even though he’s my brother, he’s too much of an idiot to understand the complicated feelings of women. Han Muzi couldn’t help but mock him internally. She soon realized that Ye Moxuan might just be the same, so perhaps it was a common trait among men. She sighed in exasperation before saying, “Qing, you don’t know her. The fact that she made no mention of it doesn’t mean she didn’t care about it.”

Han Qing finally understood why Han Muzi wanted to dine with him. “Is this why you’re here?”

“Why do you ask? Do you think it doesn’t concern you?”

“I thought my sister was merely intending to dine with her brother without any ulterior motives. Worry not; I will handle matters accordingly.” Han Qing stared at her in resignation.

“Pray tell, how are you planning to settle things?” Han Muzi probed curiously, to which Han Qing hadn’t come up with an answer. “You don’t even know what she thought of the engagement, so how do you expect to settle things with her?”

“Muzi, you’re making too big a deal out of this.”

“Is that so? Then explain why she would come to you under such circumstances if not seeking for your help?” Han Muzi smiled as her words caused Han Qing to pause in his movements. “Don’t you dare tell me that she would have the heart to reminisce old times with an old friend while faced with this much adversity. I could even ask if she paid a visit to anybody else in your stead.” Han Qing pursed his lips while looking toward his sister solemnly.

“Are you running out of excuses now? Why don’t I put things into perspective for you? Xu Yanwan was concerned about the engagement as well as you as a person, so she came to you first thing after she was out of her predicament.”

“Muzi…”

“Do you still stand by your previous opinion on the matter?”

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1277

Han Muzi’s intention of informing Han Qing of the situation was none other than having him pay attention to the underlying problem and handle it accordingly, as it had to do with his reputation. Besides, both families used to be on good terms with each other, so it wouldn’t actually be appropriate of Han Qing to feign ignorance over the matter.

Aside from that, Han Muzi was also hoping to secure Yan’s position after Han Qing had settled things between him and Xu Yanwan, only then would she be able to rest assured. It’s such a bother to tend to both Han Qing and Yan, Han Muzi exclaimed internally.

Meanwhile, Han Qing never realized that Han Muzi could be so thoughtful. While he didn’t pay heed to the engagement, something did feel off upon her mentioning it. Women were more attentive to details, which was why it took a woman to know a woman.

While Han Qing thought Xu Yanwan had forgotten about their engagement, it also didn’t make sense that she came to him at a time like that without seeking for his help, so he did wonder what she was after.

“Do you agree with my opinion?” Han Muzi asked.

“You sure are all grown up now.” Han Qing cast her a glance.

“Isn’t that the most obvious thing here? So what are your plans now? Are you going to take matters into your own hands, or would you like me to do it in your stead?”

Han Muzi was actually quite keen on stepping in. Things would probably take a turn for the worse if Han Qing were to step in, as Xu Yanwan was too proud a person to be able to accept being turned down by her crush. On the other hand, Han Muzi was also worried that Han Qing might hurt Xu Yanwan with his straightforwardness.

“Are you sure you would like to step in?” Han Qing stared at his sister as if she was joking.

“Absolutely, as I am a woman, and I know her better. Plus, it’s nothing outrageous to help her out when she needs it. She is talented, so making her start from scratch was treating her a little too poorly.”

“True, Yanwan is talented, and her time spent working beside Mr. Xu must’ve taught her a lot.”

“Does that mean you would like me to handle things?”

“If you so wish.”

“Okay, we have a deal.”

They ate in silence for a few more moments after their conversation, before Ye Moxuan’s call came through. He told her gloomily that Little Sprout was crying and had her return as soon as possible.

Han Muzi paid close attention to the background noise, but determined that Ye Moxuan was lying when she couldn’t hear the cries of the infant. However, she didn’t want to expose him, thus she said, “I’m almost done, and will return as soon as I’ve finished my meal.”

“Are you done yet?”

“Nearly done. Just give me five more minutes.” Han Muzi replied after scanning the dishes that remained on the table.

“Okay, I’ll be waiting for you outside.”

Wait, what?? Did this guy seriously come all the way here? Han Muzi was surprised by the fact that he said that. “Where are you? Don’t tell me you’re outside the restaurant?” Han Muzi’s conjecture was met with silence on his end before he grunted in the affirmative, which rendered her speechless.

Han Muzi relayed the situation to Han Qing after hanging up, while the latter quipped, “While it is kind of impressive that he managed to get to us within such a short period of time, can’t he just stay away from you even for a moment? Whatever, you should leave since he’s here.”

“But we haven’t finished our meal.” Han Muzi stared at the remaining dishes with a sense of guilt.

“It’s fine, there isn’t much left, so you should go.”

Han Muzi relented as soon as Han Qing said so, thus she nodded while retrieving her bag. “I’ll go first then.”

“Yeah, safe trips.”

Han Muzi saw a familiar figure leaning against the wall as soon as she stepped out of the private room. She was startled for a moment before walking over to the figure. “Didn’t you tell me you would wait outside?” Han Muzi asked.

Ye Moxuan tucked his phone away before approaching her to give her a hug. “I came in as I was feeling a bit impatient. I would probably barge in if you came out any later than you have.”

“What’s your problem? I merely left for a while, so why are you tailing me? Am I a prisoner?”

“It’s been an hour since you were eating with him without me, so why couldn’t I come looking for you?” Ye Moxuan sounded displeased.

“What do you even mean by that? He’s my brother and your brother-in-law!”

“As long as he’s a man, it makes no difference.” Ye Moxuan wore a grim expression.

“You’re being unreasonable!” Han Muzi chided, but she didn’t seem angry at all, and instead she sounded a little abashed.

Ye Moxuan pulled her closer and bit her on her lip. “Yeah, I am, so you should never meet up with other men without me, and you should never stay too long.”

“You’re nuts,” Han Muzi chided him. Then, she asked, “What about our Little Sprout? Did you leave her alone at home to come after me?”

“She’s isn’t as important as you.”

“Ye Moxuan!”

“Alright, let’s go home.” Ye Moxuan held Han Muzi in his arms and the latter moved along reluctantly. She told him about her conversation with Han Qing on the way back home, and she mentioned her intention to hire Xu Yanwan to work in the company, which Ye Moxuan frowned upon.

“That’s your brother’s business, so why are you meddling in it?”

“He’s my brother, and I’m afraid he might further mess things up, so I don’t see a problem in stepping in.”

What kind of man would have his sister pick up his pieces for him? Ye Moxuan frowned as he figured he should give Han Qing a call.

However, Han Muzi seemed to have read his mind and quickly put her foot down. “You’ll be banned from entering my room if you’re going to give my brother a call.”

“It’s technically our room, not just yours.”

“Is that so? Then I shall move out if you’re going to blabber.”

Ye Moxuan responded with silence while Han Muzi went on, “I am a member of the Han Family before I am one of the Ye Family, so that is something that I will insist on doing.”

He finally relented due to her insistence, and Han Muzi contacted Xu Yanwan the next day. Xu Wanyan told Han Muzi that she had already sent her resume out and was waiting for a reply. Han Muzi then informed Xu Yanwan of a vacancy in her company which she recommended the latter to give it a try.

There was an extended silence on Xu Yanwan’s end before she replied, “I know you’re trying to help me, Muzi, but as I said that day, I do not want charity. I would instead prefer to revive my family through my own efforts, as I can’t afford to disappoint my parents. I appreciate your concern, but I would have to decline your offer.”

“Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself, Miss Yanwan? I didn’t magically conjure the job vacancy. I’m merely pushing you to give it a go. What’s the difference of sending your resume to one other company after sending out so many? Besides, you are the best judge of your own abilities. Your resume will be screened by the company’s HR department after the submission, so I’m not playing any active part in it.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1278

“Well…”

“You have nothing to worry about. I just found out about the job vacancy, and it had been vacant for some time as we couldn’t find a suitable candidate. I can also assure you that your accommodation would be settled if you can land yourself a place in the Ye Group, as one of the employee benefits is a single apartment unit suitable for a single woman such as you.”

Xu Yanwan was tempted by the offer, but she really didn’t want to receive help from others, as it would cast her in an unfavorable light. Besides, she liked Han Qing a lot, and she would never be able to stand on par with Han Qing if she were to accept help from his sister. She wore a bitter smile upon reaching the conclusion. “Muzi, I appreciate your offer, but I can’t accept it. I’m sorry.”

How come? Han Muzi laid everything out in the open, so she wasn’t expecting Xu Yanwan to turn her down. She tried to stand in the latter’s shoes and quickly realized that she would most probably turn down an offer from her crush’s sister too. So that’s how it is… Han Muzi’s gaze deepened.

She never thought that Xu Yanwan had such deep feelings toward her brother. Didn’t they lose contact for a couple of years? So why does she still hold such deep feelings for him? Did she never get herself another boyfriend? Or… Han Muzi felt that something was off, thus made another call to Xu Yanwan and asked to meet up with her.

They sat in silence in the cafeteria upon meeting each other. Han Muzi surmised that Xu Yanwan had grasped onto the situation as well upon noticing the expression she wore, thus opened up with a faint smile, “Yanwan, the Han and Xu families used to be on friendly terms. Although I don’t remember you as much as you do I, but considering that you used to take care of me, I would say we have bonded to some degree. I wanted to help you while understanding why you would turn me down, which was why all I wanted to do was to tell you about the opportunity, and the rest would be up to your own capabilities. Is this also unacceptable?”

Xu Yanwan’s knuckles turned white from how hard she gripped onto the coffee cup, all the while looking toward Han Muzi sternly. “I’m really sorry.”

Han Muzi smiled nonchalantly before taking a sip out of her coffee and asked, “Yanwan, can you tell me why you wouldn’t accept my help?”

With a long face, Xu Yanwan remained silent, and Han Muzi went on, “Can I make a guess, since you’re intent on keeping your silence?”

Upon hearing her words, Xu Yanwan glanced at Han Muzi out of reflex. The latter had sharp and immaculate features, and her eyes were especially so. They were clear and bright as crystal, as if they could see through everything.

Meanwhile, her stepping in to make a guess on Xu Yanwan’s circumstances stirred up a sudden sense of panic within Xu Yanwan. Did she read my mind? That should be impossible…

“Yanwan?” Han Muzi called out to Xu Yanwan when she noticed the latter seemed distracted.

Pulling herself together, Xu Yanwan shook her head. “You don’t have to say it out loud. I know you probably had it right.” Xu Yanwan wore a dismal smile as she spoke, “You’re smart enough to be able to arrange everything accordingly, so it made sense that you could surmise my intentions.”

Han Muzi was startled by her outright confession. Did I get it right? Was she really turning me down because she is in love with Han Qing, and her pride wouldn’t allow her to get help from his sister?

“My family had fallen from grace, and I was ashamed of it. If I accept your help, I doubt I would be able to stand proud before him in the future,” Xu Yanwan explained. Han Muzi listened in silence while realizing it was just as she thought.

“However, you can rest assured. I was able to surmise that he has a girlfriend when you told me he was living a blessed life, so I wouldn’t make a move on him.”

Han Muzi didn’t say a word but was washed over by a sudden feeling of pity toward Xu Yanwan.

“I’m not that despicable. Although I like him and did hold a sliver of hope for his reciprocation, I didn’t contact him throughout all these years, and I was satisfied upon seeing him leading a good life. I won’t try to undermine him, and all I will do is watch from afar.”

Han Muzi was at a loss of words while being seized by the feeling that she was the villain. She wanted to arrange for Xu Yanwan to work in the Ye Group out of an urge to help the latter, which was fair enough, but a second reason was to put some distance between Xu Yanwan and Han Qing, as she wouldn’t put her bet on Xu Yanwan being able to control her feelings.

Han Muzi was different from Han Qing in the sense that she wasn’t acquainted with Xu Yanwan, and she couldn’t guarantee that Xu Yanwan’s morals would withstand the test of time, as it was human to change.

“Muzi, is Han Qing’s girlfriend your friend?” Xu Yanwan asked suddenly, which caught Han Muzi off guard, thus looked at Xu Yanwan in surprise.

“You don’t have to be surprised, as I should’ve known better. You’re so keen on solving the problem precisely because both people are important to you, or else you would’ve focused on your brother’s happiness and wouldn’t consider much else.”

Han Muzi was startled for a moment when Xu Yanwan pointed out everything, but she quickly admitted with a smile, “You are right, she is my friend, and they finally got together after my brother spent so many years alone, so I hope that their relationship would progress smoothly.”

“Understood. You can rest assured that I will never interfere with their relationship.”

In the end, Xu Yanwan didn’t accept Han Muzi’s proposal, instead insisting on finding a job through her own means. Han Muzi said nothing upon witnessing her insistence, only telling Xu Yanwan that she could come to her for help anytime when needed. They then parted ways and left.

Jiang Xiaobai began living in Xiao Su’s house after a few days of being his personal cook. In the beginning, she only moved her cooking utensils into Xiao Su’s house. She then brought her computer along as they were dining together, but she quickly realized the chairs in his house were uncomfortable to sit on, so she brought her own office chair.

She had a matching office table that came with the chair, thus she moved both into Xiao Su’s house. She spent half a day in peace before feeling that her room seemed dull, which affected her performance, thus proceeded to move all her ornaments, curtains, and paintings into his house.

So whenever Xiao Su came back from work, he would always find several new items in his house that were seemingly conjured out of nowhere. While he had inquired Jiang Xiaobai about it in the beginning, he stopped doing so after some time.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1279

It was in such a manner that Jiang Xiaobai had almost moved everything out of her own house within a week’s time. She was packing her clothes when Fang Tangtang paid her a visit, and the latter was stunned by the sight of her almost empty room. “Am I at the wrong place?”

Jiang Xiaobai looked back at Fang Tangtang. “Haven’t you visited my house many a time? How could you not know what my house looks like?”

Fang Tangtang was dumbfounded while scanning the room. She did a double take and stood by her opinion that it didn’t look like Jiang Xiaobai’s house at all. “Are you sure this is your house?” Fang Tangtang was in disbelief.

“Of course, it is.”

Fang Tangtang asked with difficulty, “Was your house robbed? Or was it thievery? Have you called the police? Or are you perhaps f*cking bankrupt?”

Jiang Xiaobai stared at Fang Tangtang as if she was an idiot before retorting in disdain, “Do you have amnesia? Weren’t you the one who suggested that I move everything to Xiao Su’s house? I am now his personal cook, so I would of course need to move my stuff over there. My room would of course be empty after everything was moved, so why would you think it weird?”

“Do you not find it weird?”

“Why should I?”

“Why not?”

Jiang Xiaobai was confused as to why it would seem weird. “Is this weird?” she mumbled to herself.

Fang Tangtang was baffled as she spoke up, “Why wouldn’t it be weird? You’re merely his cook, which was the reason I suggested that you move your own utensils to his house instead of buying new ones, but I don’t remember ever telling you to move everything! Look at you, your house is practically empty! To be frank, it felt as if you were robbed a hundred times over, which is scary.”

Robbed a hundred times over? It was a weird way to describe the situation, but Jiang Xiaobai had to concede that perhaps the situation was rather abnormal. However, she was able to quickly clarify, “It’s not totally out of the ordinary to do so. While I’m his cook, I also have a full-time job, and it’s tiring to have me travel between places all the time, so I would of course have to move my stuff into his house. I have to set the place up as per my preferences so as to give myself a nice environment to work in, and I don’t see a problem in that.”

However, Fang Tangtang only stared at her in silence after her explanation.

“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s creepy.”

“I was wondering if you’re going to move into his house after moving all your belongings there.”

Fang Tangtang’s assumption stunned Jiang Xiaobai, and it took her a moment to pull herself together before chiding Fang Tangtang, “Are you nuts? We’re only pretending to be a couple, so I will never move into his house!”

Xiao Su had always been reminding Jiang Xiaobai that they were merely pretending to be a couple, which made it seem like she was the one bugging him, while she wouldn’t actually have done what she did if it wasn’t for her mother. Life is hard!

“I beg to differ.” Fang Tangtang approached her with a stern expression. “You might actually end up together.”

“That’s impossible,” Jiang Xiaobai denied instantly.

“Do you have no confidence in yourself at all? Or do you perhaps hold no feelings toward him?”

Jiang Xiaobai said nonchalantly, “He already has someone he likes. Plus, I’m fine on my own, so why should I tie myself down to another man? I can always go on a blind date instead of getting together with him. That way, I could at least find someone who loves me truly. So, why would I trouble myself?”

Jiang Xiaobai spoke in a rapidfire manner as if to clarify or prove something. However, Fang Tangtang could detect something else, thus made fun of her with a gleeful expression, “Alright, I’ll be watching when your statement backfires on you since you’re so adamant about denying it.”

Jiang Xiaobai had always shied away from boys throughout the years she knew her. As with most cases, feelings between a couple were cultivated through them spending time with each other. Jiang Xiaobai would be spending the majority of her days with Xiao Su, and Fang Tangtang would wager that Jiang Xiaobai would end up developing feelings for him.

“So what will you be taking with you today?”

“My casual clothes, so that I can wear them while watching dramas on the sofa. He isn’t poor, but he has absolutely nothing in his house, and I’m baffled by how barren his house is,” Jiang Xiaobai replied. Xiao Su wasn’t at home yet, so Jiang Xiaobai brought Fang Tangtang to his house and showed her around.

Fang Tangtang had to agree that Xiao Su’s house was as barren as Jiang Xiaobai stated it to be, and all the stuff she saw belonged to Jiang Xiaobai. The house was full of vitality, which was a stark contrast to Xiaobai’s empty one.

Fang Tangtang picked up a call after the tour and left in a hurry. Jiang Xiaobai began cooking when she noticed it was about time. There wasn’t much to do at work, so she didn’t turn her computer on, instead turned on the TV to watch some drama.

Xiao Su had arrived at the ground floor after getting off work when one of the office’s female staff approached him with a flustered expression. “A-Assistant Xiao, are you getting off work?”

He cast her a glance and recognized her as one of the female staff, thus nodded in response. “Is something the matter?”

She seemed almost shy about it while looking downward and asking with a low voice, “I-It’s just that… I know of a new restaurant around here which serves decent food, so I’d like to know if you’re interested in joining me for a meal over there…”

Xiao Su caught on to what the woman was attempting to do despite his initial puzzlement. She was asking him out on a date. She went on, as she was afraid that Xiao Su might turn her down, “We can have Chinese food if you dislike western ones…”

“I’m sorry, someone had prepared dinner for me at home.”

“What?” The woman seemed surprised. “Are you married?”

Married? Why would that be her first impression of me? How did she even jump that far ahead? he thought.

Xiao Su was about to deny her claim before the woman lowered her head sadly. “It’s alright, I won’t be bothering you again, goodbye.” She then fled the scene, leaving Xiao Su to ponder on the question alone, Does cooking at home connotes the idea of me being married?

Xiao Su arrived home to be greeted with the familiar scent of cooked rice as soon as he opened the door, while the house seemed both strange yet familiar. It was his house, but it felt different.

He used to come home to a cold space without furnishings, with him as the sole occupant. Although he bought a TV, he never used it. However, the house seemed livelier and more vibrant than ever since Jiang Xiaobai’s arrival. The TV was always turned on and showing dramas when he arrived at home.

Nothing To Give But My Heart Chapter 1280

A woman was in the midst of questioning a man.

“Do you actually love me or her? You can only choose between me and her!”

“Darling, you need to trust me. You’re the only person whom I love. It was never her.” Or maybe it went like this: “B*tch slave, I will show you the true meaning of rules and tradition today!”

If it wasn’t some dramatic romance television series, it would be a palace drama. It could’ve been either, since they repeatedly alternated between these two genres on TV. At first, Xiao Su felt weird hearing the scenes, but he was surprised afterward when he discovered that such plots really existed in the amazing television world. However, there were still many people who watched plots like this.

Xiao Su never understood the minds of those people. Jiang Xiaobai was an example and she could even make herself cry just by watching it. There was once that Xiao Su found her hugging a pillow with a bunch of tissues thrown in front of her when he returned. Her eyes were swollen due to her crying at that time. He thought that something had happened to her, but when he asked Jiang Xiaobai, she immediately pointed at the TV screen, which featured the female lead who had a miscarriage in the television series. “You see how miserable she is. I’ve never seen such a miserable female lead. Ugh…”

Xiao Su was rendered speechless as he realized his mistake. I shouldn’t have asked this much.

This time, he smelled the scent of cooked rice along with Jiang Xiaobai cursing at someone after he pushed open the door. “Ah. That damn supporting woman. How could she be this evil? Give me a knife and I’ll slash her!”

Xiao Su remained silent. She sure is lively. After closing the door, he went into the house and changed his shoes stoically. When he walked in, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Jiang Xiaobai heard his footsteps, so she simply said to him, “You’re back.”

“Yes,” Xiao Su answered her before remembering what the female employee in the company said to him earlier. Do they actually think that making food for someone means that they are married? If they see this scene in my house, I’m afraid they will…

Just as he entered, he realized that she was watching a palace drama television series. In her words, this was the one that was trending lately. “I’ve already prepared the meal, but this episode is almost over. You need to wait for it to finish before I bring it out for you or you can bring it out yourself too.”

Naturally, Xiao Su never said much to her, so he rolled up his sleeves and went straight into the kitchen. A while later, he brought out everything to the table. When Jiang Xiaobai was done with her series, she switched off the television and realized that he had arranged everything perfectly on the table. She smiled as she walked over to him. “You’re quite self-conscious unlike those male chauvinists.”

As she was about to sit down, Xiao Su said to her coldly, “Did you wash your hands?”

Upon hearing that, she finally realized with a shock. “I forgot about it. I’ll wash them now.” Then, Jiang Xiaobai turned toward the washroom to wash her hands. When she was washing her hands, she thought to herself, I never expected that the tide would turn one day. Back then, I was the one who asked him to wash his hands. Now, it’s the other way around.

She pouted as she dried her hands. After that, the two of them sat facing each other and ate their meal. Actually, it would be a lie if they said that they weren’t initially awkward with each other. After all, it was quite awkward for a man and a woman unfamiliar with each other to have a meal together while sitting face to face. However, Jiang Xiaobai endured it all with her thick skin and became used to it as the days passed. Not only that, she was even able to handle all the calls from her mother lately. She spoke of how she lived her life in her boyfriend’s house, and her mother always squinted her eyes while being fooled by the former.

However, her grandmother’s 70th birthday fast approached—it was a few days later. Her mother had called this morning and asked Jiang Xiaobai to bring her boyfriend along to the birthday party.

In fact, Jiang Xiaobai wasn’t never interested in that eccentric grandmother of hers—never mind attending the latter’s birthday party. Not only was her grandmother eccentric, she was also biased toward the males in the family. She was the only daughter in the family, so her grandmother had always been dissatisfied with her mother—even commenting privately once that the latter wasn’t capable of giving birth to a son. Her grandmother had also sometimes insulted her mother directly.

Yet, Jiang Xiaobai’s mother wouldn’t let herself be bullied easily, so she would talk back to Jiang Xiaobai’s grandmother no matter what. Despite talking back to her all of the time, Jiang Xiaobai’s mother still harbored the sorrows within her. That was why Jiang Xiaobai was personally unwilling to attend her grandmother’s 70th birthday. However, Mrs. Jiang had forced her to attend because her grandmother was already unsatisfied with her granddaughter. If Jiang Xiaobai chose not to attend the birthday party, her grandmother would probably scold her right through the latter’s bone. Therefore, Jiang Xiaobai agreed to her mother’s request resignedly.

At the end of the conversation, Mrs. Jiang also asked Jiang Xiaobai to bring her boyfriend along with her.

Jiang Xiaobai would have actually been fine with it because if Xiao Su was really her boyfriend, she could bring him there for him to understand the kind of person her grandmother was, but the problem was that the two of them were a fake couple. If he followed her to the party, they were bound to be questioned from all sides and there might even be people who would come up to attack them. Just the thought of it annoyed her.

“Aren’t you eating? What are you thinking of?” Suddenly, Xiao Su’s question came from her front. As Jiang Xiaobai returned to her senses, she realized that she had zoned out while wondering about something else. However, Xiao Su now stared at her curiously, so she could only explain to him awkwardly, “Nothing. I’m just thinking of my grandmother’s 70th birthday.”

“70th birthday?”

Jiang Xiaobai nodded while she rolled her clever eyes. Instantly, she smiled brightly while watching Xiao Su in front of her before asking with a smirk, “There will be a lot of delicious food at my grandmother’s 70th birthday party. Are you interested in—”

“No,” Xiao Su rejected her immediately without any hesitation.

Even though it was expected, she was still surprised at how fast and ruthless he refused her. She felt empty inside as a result, but she still maintained a smile. “Can’t you just make it less embarrassing for me? You could’ve just been tactful when rejecting me, such as saying that you need to work or you need to attend a meeting so that you won’t need to come along with me.” Listening to her, Xiao Su frowned his eyes and looked at her while his expressions clearly asked her why all the trouble for this. “You really are a straightforward man. You have no idea on how to care for a girl’s fragile heart.”

“Fragile?” Xiao Su pressed his lips before asking her, “You?”

“Fine. Fine.” Jiang Xiaobai waved her hand indifferently. “I’ll go there alone when the time comes. Let’s not talk about it anymore. Let’s eat.”

The birthday party wasn’t far away as it was only three days later. Jiang Xiaobai sent a text to Xiao Su early in the morning, informing him that she would probably be unable to cook for him for the entire day, so he needed to take care of himself today. Xiao Su was startled for a moment after he saw the text before replying to her, ‘Are you going to attend your grandmother’s birthday party?’

She answered him with a ‘yes’.

He then remembered her joyful face that day when she asked him to come along. She looked quite happy that day, so there shouldn’t be a problem. However, for some reason, he asked another question. ‘Are you alright going alone?” After he sent the text, he felt that he was being a little nosy, but she quickly replied to him, ‘I’m fine. You just need to take care of your own meals today.’