Xiao Cheng opened his mouth, the guilt on his face becoming even more apparent. He raised his arm and gently stroked the back of Luo Jingshu’s head with extreme tenderness.
Before doing this, Xiao Cheng had already anticipated how Luo Jingshu would react. He hesitated but still went through with it.
Jiang Ying had always been meticulous in his actions. Although they all knew he had committed many crimes, they had never found the key evidence to convict him.
If they couldn’t get Jiang Ying sentenced as quickly as possible, things might take an unexpected turn.
Xiao Cheng couldn’t wait any longer.
But he wasn’t acting recklessly—he had the best helper: Jiang Zihe.
Jiang Ying would never have imagined that bringing Jiang Zihe back would actually give him the opportunity to prepare.
Luo Jingshu trembled slightly, and Xiao Cheng could feel warmth spreading across his neck.
Before he could say anything, a sudden pain shot through his neck—Luo Jingshu had bitten down on his most vulnerable spot.
“You trust Jiang Zihe that much?”
Luo Jingshu’s breathing was uneven, and his muffled voice carried his frustration. “What if he’s deceiving you?”
Xiao Cheng could have at least given him a heads-up, some mental preparation.
That way, he wouldn’t have been so terrified just now, nearly throwing himself at Jiang Ying in a desperate fight.
Xiao Cheng knew he was in the wrong. He was, in truth, gambling on that one-in-a-million chance.
If Jiang Zihe had deceived him in even the slightest way, Xiao Cheng’s entire plan would collapse, and the consequences would implicate the entire Xiao family.
To be honest, Xiao Cheng wasn’t entirely sure this would work. The plan had been formed on the spot, and now that he thought about it, fear crept into his heart.
Luo Jingshu had every right to be angry.
Xiao Cheng ruffled Luo Jingshu’s hair. “I was wrong, don’t be mad.”
How could he not be mad?
Even if Brother Cheng didn’t consider his feelings, he should have thought about Uncle, Aunt, and Xiao Ziyue.
If something happened to him at Jiang Ying’s hands, how worried would they all be?
Luo Jingshu didn’t dare gamble on his place in Xiao Cheng’s heart. Even as his anger surged, he couldn’t bring himself to fully vent his emotions on Xiao Cheng. He still held back, cautiously.
For some reason, Xiao Cheng suddenly saw the vulnerability hidden within Luo Jingshu’s anger.
Perhaps it was because, despite biting him, Luo Jingshu was clutching onto his clothes tightly, like a drowning man grasping his last piece of driftwood.
Xiao Cheng’s guilt deepened.
He had acted purely on impulse, and even though the plan had worked, he felt more regret than relief.
“Jingshu…” Xiao Cheng called him softly. When Luo Jingshu didn’t respond, he softened his tone even more. “Husband, I was wrong. Please don’t ignore me.”
Luo Jingshu was caught between anger and love.
Xiao Cheng always knew how to sweet-talk him, but if something like this happened again, he would probably still act the same way.
Xiao Cheng called him “husband” several times. Though Luo Jingshu stopped biting his neck, he remained silent, leaving Xiao Cheng feeling uncertain.
A stinging pain lingered on his neck. Since their reconciliation, this was the first time Luo Jingshu had treated him so rudely.
It was also the first time he had given him the cold shoulder.
Xiao Cheng could only continue apologizing earnestly—after all, he was the one in the wrong.
Luo Jingshu remained silent, but when they got out of the car, he still held Xiao Cheng tightly, afraid he might fall.
Xiao Cheng wanted to say something, but when He An and Xiao Yu approached, he swallowed his words.
Luo Jingshu had clearly decided to give him the silent treatment.
He helped Xiao Cheng into the hospital but only spoke to the others, completely ignoring him.
Xiao Cheng found it unsettling.
He suddenly missed the days when Luo Jingshu would act spoiled with him, when he would still call him “husband.”
While Luo Jingshu was speaking with the doctor, He An asked in a low voice, “Did you and Jingshu have a fight?”
Hadn’t they been fine earlier?
Luo Jingshu had been so anxious when he ran off alone to find Jiang Ying, and earlier, he had rushed in recklessly. He obviously cared deeply about Xiao Cheng.
So why was he ignoring him now?
Did something happen in the car?
He An glanced at his son’s pale face, and a thought suddenly struck her.
Xiao Cheng wasn’t someone who scared easily, but the last time he had been kidnapped, his face had still carried lingering fear and exhaustion. This time, however, he seemed unnervingly calm.
Was it because he had been kidnapped so many times that he was used to it? Or had he known this would happen all along?
Xiao Cheng frowned in frustration. “It was my fault.”
He An studied him for a moment, then suddenly stated, “You let yourself be kidnapped by Jiang Ying.”
She wasn’t asking. She was certain.
Xiao Cheng’s heart skipped a beat.
He hadn’t expected He An to figure it out so quickly. Under his mother’s sharp gaze, he felt a little guilty.
“…Yes.”
There was no point lying to He An. Since she had already guessed, she would eventually learn the full truth.
He An sighed. Her eyes were still red from crying earlier. “No wonder Jingshu is so angry.”
Luo Jingshu cared about Xiao Cheng even more than he cared about himself.
He would rather get hurt than see Xiao Cheng suffer.
And yet, Xiao Cheng had walked straight into danger.
“You’re too reckless,” He An said, shaking her head.
How could he pin all his hopes on Jiang Zihe?
Jiang Zihe wasn’t just a random roommate—he was Jiang Ying’s own brother.
What Xiao Cheng had done wasn’t just playing with his own life; it also showed how much he trusted Jiang Zihe.
And either of those things was enough to drive Luo Jingshu mad.
Because even now, Xiao Cheng still doubted him.
But someone else had earned Xiao Cheng’s trust.
He An glanced at the half-open door. “I don’t think he’s going to forgive you anytime soon.”
Xiao Cheng curled up under the blanket, looking dispirited. “I can’t make him forgive me.”
He knew there were flaws in his plan, but at the time, he hadn’t cared.
Xiao Cheng had wanted to do something—anything—rather than be protected like a fragile flower behind high walls.
But He An clearly didn’t approve of his actions, even if he had succeeded.
“I know you want to prove yourself, but Cheng Cheng, we worry about you too.”
There were safer ways. They might take longer, but they were more reliable.
Xiao Cheng covered his face with the blanket. “I get it.”
Seeing this, He An decided to drop the subject.
Just then, Luo Jingshu walked in. He had brought a cup of hot water, but instead of handing it to Xiao Cheng, he gave it to He An.
He An hesitated for a moment before silently accepting it.
Jingshu was still upset.
Even though Xiao Cheng didn’t peek out from under the blanket, his ears were listening closely.
He had clearly heard Luo Jingshu fill a cup with water, yet the person who told him to drink wasn’t Luo Jingshu—it was He An.
Xiao Cheng’s face was filled with disappointment and grievance. Luo Jingshu saw it but pretended not to.
He wanted Xiao Cheng to experience what it felt like not to be someone’s priority.
Luo Jingshu stood off to the side, staring at the floor, lost in thought.
Xiao Cheng sipped his water absentmindedly, stealing glances at Luo Jingshu every now and then.
No, he needed to find a way to end this cold war.
