Seeing him like this, Xu Ciye couldn't bear it and said loudly, "Pei Xiubai! Calm down!"
Even the bodyguard saw that something was wrong with him and couldn't help but say: "Shao Pei, you..."
"Will do!"
The little girl's mouth was about to be squeezed into a chick beak by him, and her speech was even more muffled, but her big, clear eyes were astonishingly beautiful, filled with a convincing sincerity:
"Brother will definitely get better! Lili promises!"
In the book, it was said that after waking up from being a vegetable, Xiubai's luck became extremely, extremely good. Within just a few months, he even found a doctor capable of treating his legs and went on to defeat the male lead!
Facing her big, sincere eyes, Pei Xiubai's expression was still cold and detached, yet deep in his chest, his heart trembled fiercely.
Sure...
Will it get better?
Just because someone believes... he will get better?
It was like a feather had brushed across the tip of his heart — faint, but enough to stir ripples. All the violent, restless emotions that had surged moments ago were, for reasons he didn't understand, slowly smoothing out.
Just when everyone thought he was about to explode again — Xu Ciye even tensed, ready to snatch Lu Li away at any cost —
Who knew, the very next second, the youth unexpectedly released his hand. His dark gaze lingered on the little girl, thin lips pressed tightly together.
Some people actually… believe his legs can be cured.
Ridiculous.
Absolutely ridiculous.
He himself didn't believe there would ever be such a day. But this little thing…
Seeing him let go, Xu Ciye let out a long breath and hurried over to check Lu Li's face.
Her skin was fair and tender, the kind that would bruise red with the lightest touch — let alone being gripped hard by Pei Xiubai just now.
The little girl's cheeks already had faint blackish finger marks.
"Lili, does it hurt?" Xu Ciye crouched down, eyes full of distress, speaking softly, "If it hurts, Uncle will take you to the doctor."
"It doesn't hurt."
Little Loli shook her head obediently. It didn't truly hurt — but her skin was too soft.
Still, she puffed her cheeks in grievance. Being pinched by her brother was bad enough.
Humph! Bad brother!
He almost made her face smaller!
The black-haired youth, on the other hand, was pressing his lips together. His dark gaze fell on the faint marks on her face, fingers curling unconsciously.
He never regretted doing anything.
And she had brought it on herself by touching on his greatest taboo. She deserved what she got.
And yet… his chest felt oddly heavy, like something sinking into deep water, making him unreasonably irritable.
He forced his gaze away, voice cold as he told the bodyguard: "What are you standing around for? Go!"
The bodyguard jerked as if waking from a dream and hurried to push the wheelchair. But before they'd taken more than a few steps, the crisp, milky voice of the little girl came again:
"Brother Xiubai..."
Xu Ciye and the bodyguard's scalps went numb in unison.
This could not be good.
The bodyguard pretended not to hear and kept pushing, but Xu Ciye quickly tried to stop the little ancestor before her courage got her killed.
For the first time, they were perfectly in sync.
They were almost at the door when her small, anxious voice rang out again:
"Brother Xiubai..."
"Stop."
The youth's voice cut through, cold and sharp.
The bodyguard froze instantly. He didn't dare to keep moving.
Xu Ciye, helpless, let Lu Li go — he could never resist when she looked at him with those teary, aggrieved eyes. He'd probably give her his own life if she asked.
And so, the little loli ran over to Pei Xiubai again.
The youth lifted his dark eyes. Seeing her slightly flushed face, he paused and asked quietly, "...What is it?"
The bodyguard blinked in surprise.
It was the first time he'd heard Young Master speak in such a soft tone — without impatience or boredom.
Xu Ciye stayed right beside Lu Li, ready to snatch her away if things went wrong.
And indeed —
The little girl pursed her mouth, but her pale, tender face was extra serious. She looked up at the teenager with all the gravity her chubby cheeks could muster:
"Brother Xiubai, can you give me another kiss?"
She had kissed him once, but she didn't know if that had given him enough luck. If it wasn't, and Brother Xiubai still ended up hit by a car, wouldn't all her efforts have been wasted?
Xu Ciye, bodyguards: "..."
They knew nothing good would come of this!!
The boy froze.
"Just one more!"
She was proud of her word — one promise, one kiss, never twice without reason.
Seeing he didn't answer, she raised a white little finger and said earnestly, "Really! Brother Xiubai, Lili won't lie to you!"
Her expression was so adorable it could cause nosebleeds. Who could refuse her?
But Xu Ciye was already reeling from her first stunt. He wanted to roar to the heavens — Lu Junhan, your daughter is a little tiger!
You shameless baby!
Do you even know what indecency is?
Of course, the little girl had no idea. She patted her small chest and promised solemnly, "Brother Xiubai, don't worry, I will never take advantage of you..."
"Who the hell are you trying to take advantage of?"
A low, magnetic male voice suddenly came from not far away.
The man's brows drew together as his black eyes swept over them. His voice was cold: "I'm gone for a little while, and you're already playing house with someone?"
Xu Ciye almost collapsed with relief at the familiar voice.
"Father!"
The little loli's eyes lit up. She spun around and launched herself into his arms. The pink hem of her princess dress and her twin ponytails fluttered like twin butterflies.
She tilted her face up, sweet as sugar:
"Dad, I missed you so much! Why were you gone so long?"
The man caught her in one arm but didn't answer. His gaze narrowed slightly as he turned toward the boy in the wheelchair.
Pei Xiubai met the look without flinching, neither yielding nor showing fear.
Lu Junhan retracted his gaze, lips curling into a cold sneer as he asked Xu Ciye, "Where'd this kid come from?"
Before Xu Ciye could respond, the little loli chimed in brightly, "Dad! This is Brother Pei Xiubai. I picked up his cat, and he came to find Maomao. He's amazing!"
"Pei Xiubai?" The man narrowed his eyes. He'd heard that name before. His lips lifted in a lazy, cutting smile. "Oh, that's Pei Mingzhi's crippled son?"
The boy's eyes chilled instantly, dark pupils flashing with frost that could cut.
Xu Ciye's heart leapt into his throat. Lu Junhan was a madman, and Pei Xiubai wasn't much better. If these two actually fought, they'd probably bring the whole building down.
But the little girl didn't catch the sarcasm in her father's tone at all. She simply corrected him seriously:
"Dad, you're wrong. My brother isn't crippled — he'll get better! And when he does, he'll be super powerful!"
As soon as the words left her lips, the icy air around Pei Xiubai thawed just a little.
Lu Junhan wasn't about to bicker with a child. He merely gave a cold snort. "Brother? Since when so affectionate?"
Xu Ciye breathed easier. This little girl really was an angel sometimes — she knew exactly what to say.
But just then, Song Qingwan walked by. Her complexion was pale, and the back of her hand still bore the mark of a recent IV drip.
[Going out briefly. Will update later — mua~]