Chapter 13.1

Jiang Rou found the shirt and pants she had made for him the previous time. At that time, she didn’t think much about it and bought two pairs of underwear for him when she bought herself some underwear.

Both the underwear and shirt had been washed and cleaned. The trousers hadn’t been washed, but it didn’t matter, as they weren’t for her to wear anyway.

Jiang Rou neatly folded the clothes and placed them on the stool, then moved the stool to the doorway of the room, reminding him, “I’ve put the clothes here.”

Without looking at him, she turned and walked into the room.

Li Xiao showered quickly. By the time Jiang Rou lay down on the bed, he was already out of the bathtub. With his short hair, he even washed it.

After drying himself off, he went to get the clothes. Originally, he thought Jiang Rou had found clothes for his dad or grandfather. He didn’t care much about those things. Whether it was clothes from dead people or someone alive, it didn’t matter. Even if it was from someone who died, it would still be his dad or his grandfather. Would they come looking for him? However, he didn’t expect that when he picked up the clothes, he would find they were new clothes he hadn’t seen before.

A light blue shirt, grayish-blue trousers, and even underwear. He guessed that these were bought by Jiang Rou for him after he left.

When he bought clothes for Jiang Rou at the mall, he didn’t think much about it. He just bought them. Now, seeing that she had also bought him new clothes at home, for some reason, his heart suddenly felt a pang.

This feeling is very unfamiliar, making it difficult for him to calm down for a long time, but he does not dislike what he is feeling right now.

He touched the clothes with his hands, suddenly understanding what Jiang Rou had said earlier about being reluctant to wear them. He also felt a bit reluctant.

He pursed his lips and took a long time to put on the clothes.

Because he was wearing new clothes, even the way he picked up the basin to pour water seemed stiff, afraid of dirtying the clothes with the water stains on the edge of the basin.

When Li Xiao returned to the room, Jiang Rou was almost asleep.

In a daze, something red was thrown next to her head, startling her awake.

Jiang Rou was startled and irritably opened her eyes to glare at him. “What are you doing?”

Her tone was somewhat disapproving.

Li Xiao didn’t seem to notice anything wrong and chuckled lightly. “Open it and see.”

Jiang Rou, feeling uninterested, closed her eyes again and turned over to continue sleeping.

Seeing her reaction, Li Xiao, belatedly realizing he had annoyed her, awkwardly rubbed his nose. But he couldn’t find the right words to apologize. After standing there for a while, he turned away and sat on the edge of the bed, rolling up his trouser legs while pretending to be calm, adding, “Didn’t you ask where the money came from?”

Jiang Rou, being disturbed by him, didn’t fall asleep immediately.

Upon hearing this, she couldn’t be bothered to be angry and frowned, turning her head to look at him.

With what seemed like eyes on the back of his head, Li Xiao also turned his head, meeting Jiang Rou’s gaze with an indifferent look. “If you don’t want to know, then forget it.”

He reached out to take the red package near her head.

Jiang Rou didn’t hesitate and turned over, saying, “What do you mean?”

His movements were too quick, and he had already picked up the red package. Then Jiang Rou saw that there were words on the package.

If she wasn’t mistaken, it seemed to be a banner.

She widened her eyes, doubting if she had seen it correctly. She sat up from the bed, rubbed her eyes, and as he was about to leave, she hurriedly said, “Let me see.”

Li Xiao seemed to not hear and stood up, pretending to leave.

Jiang Rou reached out and grabbed the corner of his clothes in frustration, tugging hard before he could move.

Li Xiao even turned his head to look at her. He raised his eyebrows and asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”

“…”

I doubt it wasn’t intentional.

Jiang Rou was too lazy to pay attention to him, so she straightened up and snatched the thing from his hand.

He didn’t resist, so when he saw her take it, he took the opportunity to sit down again.

Jiang Rou didn’t immediately open the package but flipped it over to see the bottom. She saw that the red banner had the words “Intelligence and Courage, Model of the People” written on it in large golden letters, with the seal of the W City Police Bureau, dated September 20, 1998.

It was just a few days ago.

Unable to contain her surprise, she looked up at him. “Is this yours?”

She had a guess in her mind.

Li Xiao didn’t seem to care much about this thing and reminded her again, “Look inside.”

Jiang Rou glanced at him and carefully opened the banner. Because of this surprise, she didn’t feel as excited when she saw the large bundle of money wrapped inside the banner. She just exclaimed, “So much money!”

Then she poured all the money onto the bed, neatly unfolded the crumpled banner he had, and uncertainly asked, “Is this banner yours?”

Li Xiao probably didn’t expect this reaction from her. He remained silent for a long time and only looked at her blankly. When he heard her question, he suddenly asked, “Is this important?”

His expression was somewhat strange.

Jiang Rou felt his question was absurd. What is the importance of a banner?

Brother Chen at the bureau saved someone and was given a banner by the victim’s family. He smiled for a whole month, and the bureau even took photos to publicize it online, and it even made the morning news.

Finally, Brother Chen framed the banner and hung it in his living room, and his kids kept talking about it to everyone.

Everyone in the bureau envied him.

As for this money, I’m sorry; Jiang Rou really doesn’t have much feeling. Although she comes from an average family, she doesn’t have money to spend. Moreover, her brother and sister-in-law have a successful career and earn a lot, often giving her pocket money.

Jiang Rou looked at him with a silly expression and asked, “What do you think?”

Seeing his indifferent expression, he nervously asked, “Can’t you steal this?”

I had a big idea that he might have stolen someone else’s money with a banner on the train.

Li Xiao gave her a cold glance and felt that she was pregnant and foolish. Even if he stole it, he wouldn’t keep it.

But he also understood that, in her eyes, all this money added up was not as important as this piece of cloth. As for this money, Jiang Rou didn’t feel much about it. Although her family wasn’t wealthy, she wasn’t short of money to spend, and her brother and sister-in-law had successful careers and earned a lot, often giving her pocket money to use.

Jiang Rou looked at him as if he were an idiot. “What do you think?”

Seeing his indifferent expression, she nervously asked, “Did you steal this?”

With a wild imagination, she wondered if he had stolen money along with the banner from someone on the train.

Li Xiao glanced coldly at her, thinking she was acting foolish because of her pregnancy. Even if he stole something, he wouldn’t keep it.

But he also understood now. In her eyes, all this money combined wasn’t as important as this piece of cloth.

Jiang Rou felt a little scared as he didn’t speak. She grabbed his wrist and said, “Are you really doing this kind of thing? No, you can’t do it. Hurry up and surrender yourself!”

“…”

Li Xiao remained silent, snatched the pillow from under his head, wrapped up all the scattered money on the bed, and tied it into a bundle. Without knowing if Jiang Rou’s attitude affected him, he didn’t find this money as valuable anymore. He casually threw it onto the nearby table and laid back down, turning off the lamp.

Jiang Rou next to him was still pestering him to surrender, probably annoyed. He replied angrily, “Why would I steal? I’ve never done such a thing before.”

He pulled the blanket over his head and fell asleep.

Jiang Rou was half suspicious, half doubtful, and lay down beside him. Before lying down, she carefully tucked the banner inside, preparing to put it away properly tomorrow.

However, she still felt uneasy and couldn’t help but move closer to him, asking softly, “Then where did you get so much money from?”

She knew from his past life that he received a sum of money for reporting pyramid schemes, but she didn’t know there was so much.

It seemed fishy, no matter how she looked at it.

But no matter what Jiang Rou asked, Li Xiao pretended to be asleep and remained silent.

Frustrated, Jiang Rou pushed him and turned over to sleep herself.

Li Xiao chuckled under the blanket.

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Lucia: Hello~ Thank you for reading~

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