"I thought he was going too far, so I hit him."
Xiaxia clenched her fists while leaning against her father's chest. Thinking back on it now, she still felt that she was too weak and hadn't beaten him up properly.
If it were his father, he would definitely make him cry his heart out.
Chu Qing asked about various details, which dragged on for more than ten minutes. By the end, Xia Xia's eyes were almost closed, and she would occasionally raise her head as if to answer her father's questions.
After Xiaxia fell asleep, Wei Yutang took the initiative to suggest:
"Let's wait until Xiaxia wakes up before we leave. Now is a good time to talk about transferring her to a different kindergarten."
Carrying a sleeping child home is indeed tiring, and it's normal for Wei Yutang to want to know more about the kindergarten, so Chu Qing nodded.
"I noticed you didn't eat much earlier, so I had the chef cook you some noodles. I'll take Xiaxia to her room to sleep."
The butler placed a bowl of clear soup noodles in front of Chu Qing, with a fried egg on top, unlike typical clear soup noodles which usually have vegetables on it.
Chu Qing had never been used to the vegetables in noodles, always feeling that they tasted bitter because they weren't cooked properly, but she didn't like wasting them, so she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw them.
"Eat first, no need to rush, the secretary will be here in a bit."
"good."
The secretary brought over information on several suitable kindergartens. After Xiaxia was put to bed to rest, Wei Yutang went downstairs and invited Chu Qing to the study to learn more about them.
The weather was quite nice today; the sunlight outside made it clear that it was warm. The housekeeper brought over two cups of tea and closed the door behind him before leaving.
The comfortable environment made Chu Qing relax unconsciously.
Before I choose a kindergarten for Xiaxia, I want to tell you something.
"Um?"
"Could you please consider being with me?"
Wei Yutang picked up his cup and took a sip of water. His overly calm tone made Chu Qing wonder if she had misheard him.
"What?"
"Think about it, will you be with me?"
Chu Qing's thoughts were completely thrown into disarray at that moment, and for a brief instant, her mind even wandered off to the point of feeling fortunate.
Fortunately, he had asked the system not long ago and found that developing relationships with objects in the mission world did not violate the rules.
"No need to rush to answer me."
Wei Yutang pushed the cup of tea in front of Chu Qing. He had previously intended to use the method of slowly boiling a frog in lukewarm water to gradually lower Chu Qing's guard and get her to agree to be with him.
Chu Qing was very important to him, and Wei Yutang was also very patient, having prepared for a protracted battle from the very beginning.
But today at the hospital, the tattooed man's questioning made Wei Yutang inexplicably unwilling to continue like this.
He didn't want to be speechless when others questioned his relationship with Chu Qing.
He wanted to stand openly beside Chu Qing and tell those who had doubts that he was no ordinary person, but Chu Qing's partner.
Chu Qing mechanically picked up the cup and took a sip of tea, trying to peek at Wei Yutang's reaction out of the corner of her eye, but unexpectedly met his gaze directly.
He couldn't understand how things had developed to this point, and even began to question whether he had placed too much faith in the original owner's memories.
In his mind, Wei Yutang's dislike for him was an established fact, and Chu Qing had never questioned it.
All the kindness he showed her seemed to Chu Qing more like a facade of peace that he had to maintain for Xia Xia's sake.
Even if there's a slight hint of ambiguity, he'll comfort himself by thinking that maybe he's just overthinking things.
After drinking half a cup of tea, Chu Qing gradually calmed down and took the initiative to ask:
Is it because of Xiaxia?
"no."
If it were only for Xiaxia's sake, Wei Yutang would only strive to be a qualified father.
He will fulfill his responsibilities as a father, but he will never use the desire to give his children a perfect family as an excuse to do anything.
Wei Yutang has always felt that this kind of statement is somewhat selfish, using the child as a reason to find excuses for many things before even starting, and pushing all the responsibility onto the child.
"Was my affection for you not obvious enough?"
Chu Qing raised his head blankly. It wasn't that it wasn't obvious enough, but rather that he didn't quite understand what it was about him that attracted Wei Yutang.
Occasionally, he would think that it was quite rare for someone to have a little tagalong who followed him around every day, showering him with compliments that were never repeated.
Romance wasn't part of the main storyline, and Chu Qing hadn't considered that possibility from the beginning.
Wei Yutang thought to himself that he had been following Chu Qing for so long, and Chu Qing hadn't even noticed that he wanted to get back together. It would be a lie to say that he didn't feel a little frustrated.
Then he thought about it again and began to comfort himself. From the moment they met, he knew that Chu Qing was very oblivious when it came to relationships.
Moreover, they are very fond of being cowards and can easily find an excuse to avoid things for a long time.
"I like you. It's me who likes you, and it has nothing to do with any external factors."
"I won't say this because of Xiaxia, or because it's suitable, or any other reason."
Chu Qing tried to retreat into his shell as before, but Wei Yutang held him down, laying bare all his emotions before him, leaving him no room to escape.
“I’m not in a hurry, there’s plenty of time ahead. I’m bringing this up today in the hope that you can take our relationship seriously.”
"What relationship?"
Chu Qing turned her head to stare at him, her hand placed to the side, her fingertips slightly white from the force she was exerting.
"The relationship between the pursuer and the pursued."
After much deliberation, Wei Yutang decided to trust his intuition.
The person in front of him was Chu Qing, the one who had unknowingly captivated him during his youth.
He is not perfect, but in some ways he has a stubbornness that is hard for ordinary people to understand.
Once Chu Qing nodded in agreement to be his pursuer, it was practically the same as being his boyfriend.
Chu Qing could clearly feel the intense passion in Wei Yutang's eyes as he looked at him, a passion that seemed capable of melting everything.
It's impolite to not respond to someone for too long, so Chu Qing organized her thoughts before speaking:
"I... I don't know how to tell you this. I don't have that plan right now. I just want to see Xiaxia grow up healthy and happy."
He struggled to explain, trying his best to clarify his current thoughts to Wei Yutang while keeping the details of the mission confidential.
Seeing his serious expression, Wei Yutang couldn't help but chuckle, and his tense spirit relaxed.
"Accepting my pursuit and that are not contradictory. Have you noticed that there are some misconceptions in your thinking right now?"
"What?"
“Xiaxia is your child, but before you became Xiaxia’s father, you were also an independent person, and you should have your own life.”
After Wei Yutang realized Chu Qing's idea, he felt extremely sorry for him.
They abandon themselves, using their children as a vessel for their own dreams, and making up for the grievances they suffer by spoiling their children.
This is Chu Qing's current state.
Chu Qing moved her lips, wanting to refute, but didn't know where to begin.
He wanted to deny it, but it seemed there wasn't a single point he could deny.
He came here specifically for Xiaxia, and his purpose in coming here was to let Xiaxia grow up in an environment full of love.
"Give me a chance to help you find your former self, okay?"
Wei Yutang extended his hand to him, without urging him, and gazed at him with gentle eyes the whole time, patiently waiting for his response.
When Wei Yutang was watching her, many details of their past interactions, things that Chu Qing had deliberately omitted and avoided thinking about, all surfaced before him.
I'm not sure if I like you right now.
After saying that, Chu Qing inexplicably felt like a scumbag who could shirk all responsibility after receiving the notification.
"You don't need to feel guilty. It's my business that I like you. I won't use my feelings to blackmail you into liking me back."
Wei Yutang's words sounded good on the surface, but in reality, he was like a big bad wolf wagging its tail.
Her methods were indeed despicable. She took advantage of Chu Qing's kindness and vulnerability, saying high-sounding words while actually just trying to trick him into feeling sorry for her.
Chu Qing felt truly ashamed upon hearing Wei Yutang's words. Wei Yutang's love was open and honest, making him seem like a cowardly deserter in comparison.
Do you like it?
Chu Qing silently asked herself the question, and then immediately denied the possibility that she didn't like it.
If he truly disliked Wei Yutang, he wouldn't have had so much contact with him despite his true feelings.
But if it's love, then that love makes him conflicted; he feels it's not pure at all.
He leaned back on the sofa and irritably rubbed his hair.
"Do you like me, or Chu Qing?"
After asking the question, Chu Qing felt even more annoyed. Chu Qing was him, and he was also Chu Qing.
It's not like him at all to get bogged down in a question that doesn't have a right answer.
Compared to his previous ease, Wei Yutang was noticeably silent for a longer period when Chu Qing asked him this question.
It's a difficult choice between being honest and not being honest. Those words, just like his friend said, sound like the old tricks a scumbag uses to try and win back his ex.
Is it difficult to answer?
"No, I'm trying to figure out how to say it so you won't get angry with me."
Chu Qing's words carried a questioning tone that he himself was unaware of.
If it were anyone else, Wei Yutang would definitely be displeased by this attitude, but if it were Chu Qing, he would actually feel somewhat gratified.
There is always a sense of offense in any close relationship. Just like most people will act willfully in front of their loved ones, or do things that may anger them.
"Speaking the truth won't make you angry."
Wei Yutang wasn't oblivious to the spite in Chu Qing's words, and after a moment's thought, he decided to be honest.
The fleeting satisfaction gained from deception will backfire dramatically once the lie is exposed.
"I admit that I didn't like the person you were before, but I don't know when I changed my mind."