Chapter 29: The Shadow

The wind howled loudly.

During lunch, Li Feng quietly moved some of Cao Xi’s favorite dishes closer to her, trying to make her smile, but was interrupted when Shui Niu snatched the dish away from him.

“Xi Jie, will Brot Qiu Ju her Zhao come to pick you up today?” Xiao Rui asked, stuffing her mouth with food.

Cao Xi smiled and replied, “No, he won’t be coming.”

“Why do you ask what Qin Zhao is doing?” Shui Niu was a little jealous, not understanding what it was about Qin Zhao that attracted Xiao Rui so much.

“There’s no reason to ask.” Xiao Rui stuck her tongue out at Shui Niu, and then turned to Cao Xi with a slightly flushed face, asking, “Does Brother Zhao have a fiancée?” Her eyes sparkled as she eagerly awaited Cao Xi’s answer.

This question caught Cao Xi off guard. “Does he? Qin Zhao has been calling someone his fiancée for a while now, but… could it just be a joke?”

Cao Xi awkwardly replied, “Yes, he does.” Then she lowered her head to continue eating.

Xiao Rui looked confused. “I heard he really has a fiancée.”

Cao Xi nearly choked on her food upon hearing that, coughing a few times before quickly changing the subject.

Shui Niu, fully jealous now, asked angrily, “So what if he has a fiancée?”

Xiao Rui paused for a moment. Li Feng had been quietly observing Cao Xi throughout, as if he was trying to figure something out.

---

After a busy day, when it was time to close up for the night, Li Feng walked over to Cao Xi. “Let me walk you home.”

Cao Xi declined, “No need. I can walk myself; it’s not too late, and it’s still light outside.”

Li Feng paused for a moment, as if about to say something, but his footsteps faltered. The two walked side by side, talking along the way. When they reached the door of Cao Xi’s house, Li Feng stopped her.

“Does Qin Zhao really have a fiancée?” he asked, his hand resting on the door, as he paused for a moment, pressing his lips together before adding, “Is she the one?”

He wasn’t sure why he was asking this question. He had already been wrong about it, hadn’t he?

Li Feng was a person who never allowed himself to be wrong. When he liked someone, he made sure they knew it. But when he started distancing himself from Cao Xi, she had begun to doubt if he was angry at her.

“Is it difficult to answer?” he asked, his voice quiet.

Just as Cao Xi was about to respond, they were interrupted by a knock at the gate.

“Cao Xi is my fiancée.” Qin Zhao stood at the door, his gaze meeting Li Feng’s directly, not avoiding it in the slightest.

Upon hearing this, Li Feng, who had been calm, felt an unexpected surge of emotion. His hands involuntarily clenched into fists, his eyes fixed on Qin Zhao, wanting to tear him apart with his gaze.

Cao Xi, hearing Qin Zhao’s declaration, felt relieved. His public declaration of their relationship made her feel slightly shy, but as she glanced at Li Feng, any lingering feelings of shyness quickly faded. The atmosphere had become tense.

Cao Xi hurriedly said, “Li Ge, I’ve arrived. I should go back and rest.” With that, she quickly turned and began to walk away with Qin Zhao.

As the gate closed behind them, Li Feng murmured to himself, “He’s so protective of her, not allowing her to suffer even a little bit of injustice. I envy him… and feel jealous.”

Li Feng’s retreating figure appeared lonely, his mind filled with an ongoing question: How did things come to this?

As Li Feng was walking down the alley, he was stopped by a thin figure. “Why do you look so down? Has something happened?” The voice had a hint of sarcasm.

“Why are you here?” Li Feng quickly shook off his momentary sadness, putting on a cheerful expression as he greeted the person.

Qiu Ju said, “I followed you here. You’re not leaving yet, are you?” With that, she reached out and looped her arm around his.

Li Feng looked down and kissed her cheek, joking, “You’re my treasure, my lucky star.”

“Me?” Qiu Ju grinned and wrapped her arms around his waist, looking up at him.

“Of course, you’re my darling.” Li Feng’s voice was soft as he spoke sweet words, but his eyes lacked any warmth.

---

Cao Xi had just closed the door when Qin Zhao pulled her aside. “Is it that difficult to answer?”

This question was one she had been trying to avoid.

Cao Xi hesitated. “How should I answer him?”

Qin Zhao’s eyes glinted with frustration. “Just tell him the truth. How long are you going to keep hiding it? It’s not like you’re going to admit it to him anytime soon.”

Cao Xi quickly interrupted him, “It’s not that I haven’t told him… I just don’t want him to think too much about it. He just called me his fiancée.”

Qin Zhao sighed, “I should have told you sooner, but we can’t keep this a secret. Let’s go public after your exam is over.” He felt it was time to act, rather than keeping her in the dark.

Cao Xi’s words struck Qin Zhao like a bolt, making him dizzy from the unexpected happiness.

Cao Xi leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, asking playfully, “How about that?”

Qin Zhao’s face flushed red, and a smile spread across his face. He looked sideways at Cao Xi. “We’ll figure it out later,” he said, then gently took her hand and led her toward the dining table.

He had prepared dinner early, but as he waited for Cao Xi to return, he had heard Li Feng’s question. At first, he had only intended to listen, but after waiting in vain for a response, he couldn’t stand it any longer and knocked on the door.

---

At dinner, Qin Zhao continually offered Cao Xi food, his face still tense, but his smile was close to overflowing with sweetness.

Qin Zhao: “Tonight, I’ll be studying.”

“Oh,” Cao Xi replied with a casual tone, continuing to eat.

“You’ve got your exam tomorrow, right? I’ll let you study and not distract you,” Qin Zhao added, even though he felt a bit aggrieved by the situation.

Cao Xi: “Yes, the exam is important.”

Her easy acceptance of the situation without any hesitation, not even looking back at their private time, left Qin Zhao a little upset.

He glared at Cao Xi, muttering, “After the exam, we’ll talk about it.”

Cao Xi was left confused. Everything had seemed fine just moments ago. Men’s moods were as unpredictable as the deep ocean, like trying to find a needle at the bottom of the sea.

---

Later that night, the moon hung high in the sky, and everything had settled down. Qiu Ju lay in bed, wrapped in blankets, her eyes scanning the man who was getting dressed. His toned waist and firm hips caught her attention.

Qiu Ju’s gaze wasn’t full of love for him but rather seemed to view him as a prize. Whether or not he truly loved her didn’t matter. He belonged to her now.

Yet, little did she know, once a man had given himself to someone, he no longer belonged solely to them.

“Darling, I have to go back now,” Li Feng said as he fastened his belt, then leaned over to kiss Qiu Ju on the lips.

Qiu Ju grabbed his sleeve, reluctant. “Why are you leaving now?”

Li Feng smiled and gently pinched her nose. “I have something else I need to do.”

“Don’t go tonight, stay a little longer,” Qiu Ju hinted, implying she wanted him to stay.

Li Feng looked at her and said softly, “I’ll earn money as fast as I can and get you a proper place to live.”

Qiu Ju understood the meaning behind his words and stopped pressing the issue. She released his sleeve and lay back down, snuggling into the bed, ready to sleep.

The night wind was chilly, brushing against Li Feng’s skin as he walked away. His shadow followed him closely, never leaving his side.