Chapter 51 : Jealousy

“You’re back?” Liang Qingqing greeted, her steps light as she rushed over to Liang Junqiang’s side. Her dark eyes, however, were fixed on someone twirling around as if plotting something mischievous.

“Yeah, just came down from Peach Mountain,” Liang Junqiang said with a smile, not noticing any tension between them. He glanced around and seeing no one else, lowered his voice and said, “I secretly picked a few peaches. I’ll share them with everyone later.”

Nowadays, everything is collective property. Liang Junqiang’s action, though it might be significant, didn’t attract trouble and no one minded too much. After all, who hasn’t snuck up the mountain for a peach or two? It’s just a matter of turning a blind eye.

“Ugh, they’re so sour and astringent, I don’t like them,” Liang Qingqing wrinkled her nose, clearly showing her distaste.

Liang Junqiang knew she couldn’t handle sour things, so he smiled and said, “They’re definitely not as good as the peaches Brother Chu Qi bought last time, but don’t worry, I picked the ripest ones. I tried one just now and it was quite sweet.”

Hearing the name Chu Qi, Liang Qingqing paused for a moment, then remembered who it was. However, she didn’t think much of it. Her attention was immediately drawn to Liang Junqiang’s next comment. Raising her eyebrows and smiling, she tilted her head toward Fan Yanxing with a delighted look and said, “Did even Comrade Fan pick some?”

“Indeed, he was thinking about how much you like them, so…” Liang Junqiang, with no filter, spilled everything like a machine gun before getting a glare from Fan Yanxing who ended up swallowing the rest of his words.

Fan Yanxing pressed his lips together, showing no particular emotion, but his gaze grew a bit darker.

Chu Qi? The transfer order should be coming soon, right?

With that thought, he glanced at Liang Qingqing, who looked at him with bright, happy eyes. Her expression was so smug it could almost fly away. Her features were stunning and lively, constantly drawing attention. She had never been quiet!

Su Jinchuan, Chu Qi, and a bunch of unnamed people who had pursued her…

Just thinking about it made him almost crazy with frustration, but he knew he couldn’t blame her. After all, what’s wrong with being beautiful? Still, it made him uncomfortable, and he wasn’t interested in anything, not even in talking.

This girl was sensitive and might have sensed something, so she came over to comfort him.

Fan Yanxing’s lips curled slightly, his fingertips rubbing together on his lap, feeling a bit smug. No matter what, Qingqing was his partner now. Why should he bother with those without any status? That would just be losing face.

“Who says they’re not as good? I think these peaches are definitely sweeter than the ones Chu Qi bought,” Liang Qingqing said, her eyes curving into crescent shapes.

Hearing this, Liang Junqiang’s mouth twitched. His little sister’s ability to lie with a straight face was growing stronger. Clearly, those peaches were still in his pocket, and she hadn’t even seen them. How could she know if they were sweet or not?

He glanced at Fan Yanxing out of the corner of his eye and, seeing the smile at the corner of his mouth, his mouth twitched even more.

Alright then, so he was just a middleman in this exchange.

With a final glare at the two of them, Liang Junqiang strode into the kitchen, raising his voice as if afraid no one would hear, “Wife, look what I brought back for you!”

“Hmph, it’s not like he doesn’t have a wife!”

Before he could fully enjoy the moment, he heard Ma Xiuzhi’s reprimand “What are you making such a fuss about? You’re an adult, aren’t you afraid others will laugh at you?”

“Mother’s right, heh heh,” Liang Junqiang quickly lowered his voice.

Liang Qingqing overheard and covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. Before she could fully react, a large hand appeared in front of her, holding two peaches. They were small but bright red, with no blemishes or bruises. They were clearly carefully selected and brought to her.

She looked up at the owner of the hand. He seemed a bit uncomfortable, but his eyes were gentle. “These are for you.”

Liang Qingqing reached out to take them, deliberately grazing his palm with her fingertips. His hand remained still, but his long eyelashes fluttered slightly. He swallowed, his gaze fixed on her with an expression that seemed to ask, “What gives you the courage to do this here in the yard?”

Usually, she was so careful about avoiding suspicion in public that she would never have made such a bold move on her own.

Soon, Liang Qingqing provided him with an answer.

“Hmph, I thought you were mad at me and wouldn’t talk to me anymore. Looks like you still care about me,” she said in a soft, tender voice, with a slight whine at the end as if she was being affectionate. Although her words were not entirely flattering, they still made his heart melt.

Upon hearing this, Fan Yanxing’s heart skipped a beat. He knew she must have noticed his mood.

“I’m not mad at you,” he said, though he didn’t dare to be mad at her.

“Really? Then why didn’t you say a word to me this afternoon? Liar,” Liang Qingqing pouted, her lips almost sticking out as if to hang a soy sauce bottle. Her voice was deliberately low, laced with a touch of lazy charm and, most of all, an unmistakable hint of grievance.

Fan Yanxing suddenly fell silent, a wave of inexplicable guilt washing over him. Though his frustration wasn’t directed at her, he had let some of his irritation spill over onto her. He opened his mouth to explain but didn’t know where to start, feeling utterly perplexed.

“Qingqing…”

Seeing Fan Yanxing’s reaction, Liang Qingqing’s initial intention to use her charm to smooth things over changed. A few thoughts crossed her mind, and she abruptly stamped her foot and said, “Don’t call me that.”

“Don’t talk to me now, either. I won’t hear it,” she said, clutching the two peaches. As she turned to leave, she shot him a glare, though her eyes were noticeably red, glistening with tears.

“Others may not know who I like, but don’t you know?”

Her whispered words as she turned away reached his ears clearly, making him feel as if his breath had been knocked out of him.

“Qingqing!” Fan Yanxing instinctively took a couple of steps forward, wanting to chase after her. But Liang Qingqing had already run into the kitchen, where her family was and now was not the time to explain. He couldn’t follow her in.

Fan Yanxing rubbed his forehead, filled with regret. Despite their relationship progressing today and being so close, it all seemed to have been ruined by his own actions.

Qingqing must be furious with him now.

Why did he have to throw a tantrum in front of her over someone insignificant like Su Jinchuan?

He knew she was smart and held grudges. Now she probably felt hurt and wronged because he let his anger affect her.

So what if she looked at Su Jinchuan a few more times? It was nothing serious just a few glances.

He clenched his fists. He didn’t want to admit he was jealous of Su Jinchuan, but every time he remembered how Qingqing had affectionately called Su Jinchuan “Comrade Su” not long ago, he felt choked up, as if he were being driven mad.

Fan Yanxing took a deep breath, trying to steady his rapidly escalating emotions.

At least she accepted the peaches, which meant she wasn’t so angry that she wanted to end things with him. But if he didn’t work hard to make things right, she might not forgive him.

At the same time, her comment brought an inexplicable joy to his heart.

Who she liked… was naturally him.

Fan Yanxing glanced at the kitchen door and stood there for a moment before stepping inside. As soon as he entered, he saw Liang’s little kid sticking close to Liang Qingqing. The child was saying something that made her laugh heartily, her brows raised and her laughter like a delicate thread, pulling tightly on his heartstrings.

As he got closer, he overheard their conversation.

“Auntie, keep this little bird,” Songzi said, opening his palm to reveal a small, featherless bird. It looked somewhat cute.

He continued chattering, “Auntie, you said you liked those wild fruits last time. I picked some more today. Mom is washing them now, so you’ll be able to eat them soon. I’ll pick some more for you tomorrow.”

Listening to this, Liang Qingqing took the little bird from Songzi with a mix of amusement and exasperation. This little rascal actually had the nerve to have his mother wash fruits for his aunt, playing the role of a benefactor!

She was about to scold him but then noticed someone entering the room and changed her mind, her smile growing even more. “Songzi is so thoughtful and considerate, unlike some other kids who just make people angry!”

These words were directly aimed at Fan Yanxing’s ears, causing his heart to skip a beat.

Fortunately, at that moment, Wang Xiaomei entered carrying the wild fruits that Songzi had mentioned. The kid, still with a sweet demeanor, even insisted on feeding Wang Xiaomei a piece first. His mannerisms were almost identical to Liang Qingqing’s. It seemed that the saying “a tiger father has no dog son” was spot on, or in this case, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“All right, all right, I’m not eating anymore. You and your auntie enjoy,” Wang Xiaomei said with a smile, having a piece herself. Noticing Fan Yanxing standing idly, she quickly invited him to sit, “Dad hasn’t come back yet, but he should be here soon. We’ll start the meal then. Comrade Fan, please have a seat.”

“Okay.” Fan Yanxing accepted the invitation without hesitation, politely nodding and sitting down on a nearby chair. Unfortunately, that chair happened to be right next to Liang Qingqing, bringing them closer together.

Liang Qingqing was about to move aside pretentiously but felt her clothing being tugged lightly from underneath the table. Without even looking back, she knew it was him. Who else could it be?

She paused for a second but decided not to move after all.

Seeing this, Fan Yanxing breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively took her hand that was resting on her lap. Her hand was soft and delicate and despite her seeming annoyance and using her nails to pinch his palm, he did not let go. Instead, he took the opportunity to interlock their fingers.

In the direction that Fan Yanxing couldn’t see, Liang Qingqing’s lips curled up in a subtle smile.

Their little exchange under the table went unnoticed by everyone.

When Liang Xueyong came home and dinner officially began, Fan Yanxing obediently let go of her hand. Liang Qingqing gave a soft, audible snort meant only for him and then turned to Songzi, saying, “Come, sit here.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the little rascal jumped into the space between her and Fan Yanxing.

For a moment, Liang Qingqing clearly saw Fan Yanxing’s face darken.

The meal was enjoyed with great satisfaction, as it was a rare opportunity to have a hearty meal. Moreover, Liang Qingqing had been staying with the Liang family for a while and it was her chance to make up for her intrusion by treating everyone to a good meal.

Seeing his insistence, Ma Xiuzhi had no choice but to accept.

Receiving so many goodies in one go, Ma Xiuzhi didn’t say much but she was undoubtedly pleased. After the meal, she had the leisure to take Liang Xueyong out for a walk.

Seeing how affectionate his parents-in-law were, Liang Junqiang and Huang Shumin decided to follow their example and went out together.

The house suddenly felt much emptier.

Fan Yanxing sat in the courtyard, trying to relax but he seemed distracted. His gaze wandered toward the main room where he could hear the occasional laughter of women and children. Liang Qingqing was inside with Songzi, drawing.

After a long wait, Songzi finally “sensed” it was time to leave but Liang Qingqing then called Liang Shuqiang to bring her some hot water as she needed to freshen up.

Fan Yanxing had no choice but to wait in the courtyard and by the time everyone had returned, it was even harder to find a moment to talk.

He scratched at several large mosquito bites, feeling an ominous premonition growing in his mind.

As expected, for several days in a row, he couldn’t find a chance to be alone with Liang Qingqing.

She was doing it on purpose!

Finally, on the day before his day off, he managed to corner Liang Qingqing, who was in her room reading a manuscript.