Engagement Annulled? Now The Husbands Kneel and Beg for Her Favor

CREAK—

With the faint sound of a door opening, light spilled into the silent, narrow room. The attic, full of youthful memories, welcomed its two masters for the first time in a long while.

The two of them entered the attic, one after the other.

It had been a long time since he’d been here, but Xie Youchen still found the light switch with pinpoint accuracy after walking in.

Just as he was about to press it, Jiang Qingli, as if predicting his move, raised her voice to stop him. ”Don’t turn on the light!”

She sounded a bit urgent, as if she was afraid of something being discovered.

Xie Youchen paused for a moment, then said, ”Alright.”

Jiang Qingli let go of his hand and went to close the door.

With the light and sound from outside cut off, the attic was plunged into pitch-black silence.

As a result, the other person’s presence became exceptionally distinct and clear.

Jiang Qingli’s heart began to beat a little faster. She fumbled her way to the window, wanting to let the moonlight in.

But when she pulled back the curtains, she found the moon was hidden by dark clouds.

Jiang Qingli: ”...”

’So much for romance!’

She abruptly pulled the curtains shut again. While searching for the wall lamp switch, she tripped over some clutter that had been left there who-knows-when. Thankfully, Xie Youchen caught her with a steady hand, preventing a fall.

After steadying her, Xie Youchen immediately withdrew his hand.

Jiang Qingli touched the tip of her nose. ”I remember there used to be a desk lamp here...”

Xie Youchen said, ”Let me get it.”

A few seconds later, a light came on.

Jiang Qingli was a little surprised and praised him, ”Your memory is still the best.”

Xie Youchen just smiled.

During the three years that other soul had occupied Jiang Qingli’s body, Xie Youchen often thought back to this attic.

Therefore, he knew the layout and every piece of furniture here by heart.

There was a small coffee table in the attic. Jiang Qingli dragged it out, placed it between them, and had Xie Youchen sit down.

Although Xie Youchen didn’t know what she was planning, he obediently knelt on the floor opposite her, his posture perfectly straight.

Jiang Qingli propped her elbows on the coffee table, thought for a moment, and said, ”Do you still remember? You said I could do bad things here.”

Xie Youchen said, ”I remember.”

This attic was created as a place for Jiang Qingli to escape her heavy schoolwork. She would toss her pointless assignments aside, and Xie Youchen would pick them up and do them for her.

Sometimes, Jiang Qingli would have a bout of conscience and reflect, ”Isn’t this a little bad? Third Dad will definitely be angry if he finds out.”

”It’s fine,” Xie Youchen would say. ”As long as we don’t let them find out.”

Jiang Qingli would then ask, ”This doesn’t make me a bad kid, does it?”

Hearing this, Xie Youchen would stop writing and look at her seriously. ”In here, no matter what you do, your big brother will pretend not to know, alright?”

And so, Jiang Qingli would smile in satisfaction and go back to playing games and reading for fun.

That was why Jiang Qingli had brought Xie Youchen here.

Her fingers clutched the hem of her dress. She took a deep breath and said, ”I think what I’m about to say might be a bit outrageous, a little immoral, and maybe even infuriating. If you don’t like it, um, you have to keep your promise and pretend it never happened once we leave this room!”

She said it all in one breath, then raised her eyes to stare at him.

Faced with this domineering, one-sided demand, Xie Youchen simply curled his lip slightly, just as he had every other time he’d covered for her. ”Alright. I won’t tell anyone else.”

His indulgent attitude always made it so easy to find courage.

Jiang Qingli looked into Xie Youchen’s eyes and said slowly, ”Xie Youchen, I think I like you.”

-

The girl’s voice was calm.

Every single word landed in his ears with absolute clarity.

Xie Youchen had guessed, had tested the waters, but to actually hear her say those words still sent a tidal wave crashing through his heart.

Tens of thousands of butterflies took flight at once, the roar of their wings filling his heart.

...

Time seemed to stop. Neither of them moved.

Jiang Qingli stared at the unmoving young man across from her, his eyelids half-lowered, her heart pounding like a drum.

’I thought I was being pretty subtle... how did I still scare him this badly?’

’Then again, for childhood friends who grew up together, saying something like this is pretty shocking.’

Jiang Qingli bit her lip. She could barely stop herself from asking what he was thinking, but just then, he lifted his long lashes and looked over.

The young man licked his lips, his voice slightly hoarse as he asked a question:

”What kind of... like do you have for me?”

Was it the ’like’ between childhood friends? The ’like’ born from a lifetime of dependence? Or... the same ’like’ he had for her.

The young man sat perfectly upright, like snow on a high mountain—noble and unattainable.

However, in the places the light couldn’t reach, the knuckles of the hands resting on his knees were stretched taut, white from the pressure.

In the warm yellow light, Jiang Qingli caught a glimpse of the magma about to overflow from beneath his calm, gentle exterior.

She mulled it over, wanting to be sure. So she stood up, walked over to sit beside him, and looked him in the eyes from up close. ”What do you think?”

As if burned, Xie Youchen averted his gaze.

His Adam’s apple bobbed twice. Xie Youchen closed his eyes and said softly, ”Ah Li, don’t tease your big brother.”

He still couldn’t break the habit of referring to himself that way.

It was a form of address an elder would use, yet his slightly trembling lashes made one want to cherish and protect him.

Jiang Qingli’s courage suddenly swelled. Staring at his face, she muttered, ”I told you it was something bad...”

She stressed her words, emphasizing, ”I’m not teasing you. I just like you. Why don’t you believe me?”

Sometime during all this, a light rain had begun to fall outside.

The raindrops pattered against the glass, the dense sound making the dim attic feel like a scene from a dream.

’No, this isn’t a dream.’

’He had never had a dream this wonderful.’

Xie Youchen composed himself and looked at her again.

He took Jiang Qingli’s hand and asked earnestly, ”Ah Li, is it because I’ve returned to the Xie Family? Are you not used to it, and that’s why you’ve developed this misconception?”

”It’s not a misconception!” Jiang Qingli glared at him, annoyed. ”I said I like you! Can’t you understand? I’m a grown woman! Do you really think I can’t tell the difference between liking someone and not—”

”Ah Li,” Xie Youchen said suddenly. ”Big brother likes you, too.”

The hand holding hers was trembling slightly.

But his voice was firm.

As if he had said it countless times before, he didn’t wait for her reply, continuing his explanation as smoothly as flowing water:

”It’s the kind of like that makes me want to marry you.”

Jiang Qingli hadn’t expected him to say it so directly. Her heart skipped a beat, then began to pound violently.

Her body went stiff. Xie Youchen didn’t look into her eyes, but continued, ”Maybe you haven’t figured out the boundaries of your feelings, but I have. I’ve always been very clear about them.”

”You’re grown up now. You have your own mind, you can make your own decisions, you can make your own choices.”

”So, I will be clear with you.”

”If you want my ’like,’ then from now on... we will develop a more intimate relationship.”

”If you don’t want it, then after today, we’ll go back to how things were. I will still be your big brother.”

He laid out the consequences before her as if he were explaining a problem.

Before finishing, he made her a promise. ”No matter what you choose, you can change your mind at any time. I promise you, I will cooperate. I won’t pester you, nor will I develop romantic feelings for any other woman.”

Having said his piece, Xie Youchen released her fingers and looked at her gently.

”Ah Li, how do you want to choose?”