Qin Jiujiu saw Li Changgui sitting on the doorstep from afar. The Li family's main gate was only opened a sliver, suggesting he had snuck out again.
Upon seeing Qin Jiujiu, Li Changgui's small face broke into a smile. However, when he saw the person next to Qin Jiujiu, he immediately hid behind her.
Children have an intuition about good and bad people. Although Xie Jing appeared to be a gentle youth, the cold aura emanating from him was something adults might miss, but children could sense quickly.
Qin Jiujiu subtly shielded Li Changgui behind her, not daring to guarantee that Xie Jing wouldn't get angry.
Qin Jiujiu quickly took out some pastries from her Qiankun bag. Some were from her home, and others she had bought yesterday, originally intending to give them to Xie Jing. However, he hadn't even let her in, directly refusing her. Furthermore, she considered that Xie Jing, unlike her, didn't have a sweet tooth. Thus, Qin Jiujiu offered some to Li Changgui.
Seeing the delicate pastries before him, Li Changgui hesitated and didn't take them.
"What's wrong, Little Changgui? These are all brought by your sister for you."
Li Changgui still didn't take them, but his eyes clearly showed his liking. Qin Jiujiu thought for a moment and said to him, "This brother won't mind. Little Changgui, take them."
Only then did Li Changgui cautiously glance at Xie Jing, and then took a piece of Osmanthus cake from Qin Jiujiu's hand.
"Little Changgui, is your father home today?"
Li Changgui shook his head, indicating that Li Zheng was not home at the moment. Qin Jiujiu was satisfied with this outcome, as they planned to sneak into the Li mansion today.
"Then, Little Changgui, you should go inside. Sister and brother have something to do."
Li Changgui had wanted to stay with Qin Jiujiu for a while longer, but seeing Xie Jing, he dejectedly went inside.
Qin Jiujiu initially wanted to give him all the pastries she had, but then she reconsidered, fearing it might arouse suspicion from the Li family. She promised Li Changgui she would visit again later.
After watching Li Changgui enter, Qin Jiujiu turned to look at Xie Jing. She was quite worried that he might be impatient, but she couldn't discern his thoughts from his face.
"Miss Qin, how do you know him?"
It was clear that the "him" Xie Jing referred to was Li Changgui.
Qin Jiujiu briefly recounted yesterday's events. Just as she was about to say more, Xie Jing suddenly turned his head and walked towards the side gate of the Li residence.
The Li residence was not large but not small either, a standard courtyard house. It had three gates: a back gate, a main gate, and a side gate. Qin Jiujiu was unaware, but Xie Jing was very familiar with the route to the side gate. She immediately stopped speaking and followed Xie Jing.
When she realized Xie Jing intended to fly in, she knew it would be troublesome. Flying like in the dramas was impossible for a mortal like Qin Jiujiu without wires, and she hadn't been able to get a teleportation talisman from the male lead these past few days. Teleportation was impossible, and flying herself was even more so.
Qin Jiujiu watched as Xie Jing skillfully flew onto the top of the wall, and then she broke character.
"Brother Yan Xing, carry me along too! I'm very light, it will be easy for you to bring me..."
Xie Jing was about to leap down. Hearing Qin Jiujiu's soft voice, he couldn't help but turn back and look at her. He just watched.
Qin Jiujiu: "Sigh?!"
Was Xie Jing planning to carry her up with his eyes?
Of course not! Qin Jiujiu had no choice but to lower her voice, "Brother Yan Xing, give me a hand..."
She tried to charm Xie Jing with what she thought was her most amiable smile, but he merely watched. She stretched her hand out as far as she could, though it was only far in her perception, but he still made no move.
Xie Jing: "Didn't you manage to get through last time?"
Did he mean for her to crawl through the dog hole again?!
Qin Jiujiu dared not speak out of anger. Although she was furious internally, she couldn't show it and had to placate this demon.
"Brother Yan Xing, it's not possible here!"
Qin Jiujiu looked around. There was no dog hole. She gestured with her eyes to indicate this. Xie Jing seemed to have noticed. Then she heard him laugh and say, "Why not?"
This was forcing her to admit that she had crawled through the dog hole last time!
Xie Jing, you truly are a dog! I even used to be a fan of yours. Although I stopped being a fan after his true colors were revealed, I did like him for a while. After all, in the beginning, when the plot reached this point, Xie Jing was still a handsome young man! Kuai Shu Ge.
Qin Jiujiu seriously suspected that there was something wrong with the novel she was reading. He was so much of a dog; how could he be anything like the character in the novel?
Xie Jing was still looking at her, as if he wouldn't help her without her confession!
Qin Jiujiu slowly lowered her hands. Between dignity and the mission, which should she choose? As a model youth, dignity should come first!
So Qin Jiujiu said, "There's no dog hole here."
Dignity was important, but Qin Jiujiu felt that raising the villain's favorability was more crucial. Her life depended on it! But she still felt a bit embarrassed, so she said it very quietly. However, Xie Jing, with his keen hearing as a cultivator, still heard it.
But he continued to look at Qin Jiujiu, as if he hadn't received an answer.
Qin Jiujiu: This person was clearly smiling just now!
He didn't realize he had unconsciously accepted Qin Jiujiu's use of this appellation for him. He had thought it sounded unpleasant when Qin Jiujiu called Xie Jing "brother," but when she called him that, he felt that the title should indeed come from her lips.
Last night, when he heard Qin Jiujiu call him that, he was stunned. His heart skipped a beat, and then began to race violently.
He had been feeling his heart pound frequently lately. Before this, apart from when he was killing, his heart had always been still.
Xie Jing watched as Qin Jiujiu extended her hands again. She was truly short. Even though she stood on tiptoe with all her might, she was still short. Seeing her struggle to stretch her arms, Xie Jing thought: How can there be such a short person in this world?
In reality, for a woman, especially an ancient woman, this height was quite common, but Xie Jing simply hadn't paid attention to others.
"Brother Yan Xing, give me a hand..."
Qin Jiujiu's petite and delicate figure could be considered a straight man's killer. When she first transmigrated and saw the characters in the novel, she had this thought: the author must have based them on these archetypes.
What Qin Jiujiu didn't expect was that even someone like Xie Jing, who was oblivious to worldly matters and only cared about the heroine, would find her cute.
Her intention was for Xie Jing to simply pull her up. Although it was a bit risky, she could accept it. She didn't expect Xie Jing to fly down and lift her up directly.
Yes, lifted! Although it was brief, Qin Jiujiu was startled. She had just extended her hand wanting him to pull her up. She didn't expect him to fly down. Just as she thought a scene from a drama, where the male lead carries the female lead, would happen, suddenly a hand appeared on her shoulder, and she was lifted up.
What was this scene like? One could imagine a scene like an eagle snatching a chick.
Qin Jiujiu: If you weren't Xie Jing, I would have slapped you to death!
But he was the terrifying villain, Xie Jing. Facing him, Qin Jiujiu had only one word: endure!
She looked at Xie Jing's smug expression, as if to say—it was a small matter, no need to specially thank this lord! She felt her hair standing on end, but she could only get angry internally. Turning her head, she still had to say with gratitude, "Thank you, Brother Yan Xing!"
Then Xie Jing didn't even acknowledge her and walked away.
Qin Jiujiu: What's wrong with him?!
Before she could finish her internal grumbling, Qin Jiujiu resigned herself to following him with her short legs. This time, she had to stick close to Xie Jing. Although being with him was risky, this was a task assigned by the male lead, and he shouldn't expose himself easily for now.
Besides, Xie Yun had repeatedly instructed him to protect her! Xie Jing respected his elder brother greatly at this time. Qin Jiujiu believed this and felt that keeping close to him was the safest option.