Qiao Jinrun's parents warmly entertained Jiang Li. The atmosphere when everyone sat together for dinner was very cozy.
Tonight, the moon outside was full.
Before leaving, Jiang Li accompanied Ruru in the bedroom for a while.
Jiang Li placed her hand on Ruru's forehead. Looking at her peaceful and serene little face, her emotions began to surge.
"Ruru, you will surely become an excellent actress in your next life. Let's make this promise."
Qiao Jinrun leaned against the wall beside the bedroom door, quietly watching Jiang Li.
"If we had met earlier, she would definitely have liked you as an older sister." Qiao Jinrun smiled. "She might not even want to recognize me as her older brother. She would just follow you around every day."
Jiang Li turned her head and said with a smile, "How could that be? If I had a brother like you, I would feel very happy."
"Really?"
"Why would I lie to you?" Jiang Li stood up from the chair beside the bed. "Ruru must also feel happy to be born into this family."
Qiao Jinrun's gaze swept across her face, and he said gently, "What about you? Do you like our family?"
Jiang Li answered without hesitation, "Yes, I do."
Being loved by parents and doted on by an older brother, although the days were ordinary, they made people feel happy and at ease.
Of course she liked it.
Qiao Jinrun looked at her, his breathing gradually slowing down. "Then, you can consider this your home."
"Really? Then I'll come often..." Jiang Li didn't notice the implication in his words at first. It was only when she looked up into his eyes that she realized.
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.
Jiang Li smiled and changed her answer. "I need to think it over carefully."
Qiao Jinrun had expected Jiang Li's reaction. He just smiled and said nothing.
He knew she would decline.
Even though she seemed happy every day, there was always a faint sadness in her eyes.
That was a scar that couldn't be healed overnight.
When leaving the Qiao family, Qiao's mother was reluctant to let her go. She held Jiang Li's hand and told her to come and play often. She was always welcome.
Jiang Li hugged her with a smile. "Auntie, I will."
"Come on. Look at you. You're so emotional. You treat everyone like your daughter." Qiao's father coughed twice. "Let the girl go quickly. It's late at night. Be careful on the way."
Jiang Li nodded with a smile. "Then I'll go. Goodbye, Uncle and Auntie."
Qiao Jinrun accompanied Jiang Li downstairs. When they reached the community entrance, Jiang Li said she would take a taxi back to Sister Chen's place and told Qiao Jinrun not to see her off anymore.
Before getting into the car, she turned to face Qiao Jinrun. "Thank you, and thank Uncle and Auntie too for their warm hospitality tonight."
"As for your proposal, I will think about it seriously. I'll try not to keep you waiting too long." She blinked her eyes, trying to make her tone as light as possible.
Qiao Jinrun met her gaze.
"My parents also really wanted to see you. Their warm hospitality was purely their own wish."
He said calmly, "Jiang Li, I think the problem you're facing now is not giving me an answer, but seeing yourself clearly."
"You still haven't found the right way to reconcile with this world."
Jiang Li paused.
Qiao Jinrun looked at her unhurriedly. "Before, you were reluctant to accept the reality of not being loved; now, you're rejecting all possibilities of being loved."
Jiang Li was in a daze for a few seconds, then nodded helplessly. "You always see me so clearly."
Her life had been very stable recently, and she had been living a fulfilling life every day. But whenever it was quiet, she would always feel empty somewhere.
Qiao Jinrun had answered her recent confusion.
Because she was afraid of the end, she wanted to avoid all beginnings.
---
That night, when she returned to Sister Chen's place, she sat on the sofa with Xixi and chatted for a while. Then she lay on the bed that Sister Chen had made up for her in advance, staring at the ceiling.
She didn't usually have the problem of not being able to sleep in a new bed, but she just couldn't fall asleep.
Qiao Jinrun was right. She really needed to actively embrace a new beginning instead of continuing to live like a walking corpse.
She had never had a normal and healthy relationship, so she hesitated when starting a new one.
After thinking it through, Jiang Li turned over and wanted to send Qiao Jinrun a message of thanks.
She turned on her phone screen and found that Xiao Yanzhi had sent her a message a few minutes ago, but he had retracted it. However, the chat box was still there.
Jiang Li sent a question mark.
Soon, a reply popped up on the screen: Aren't you asleep yet?
Jiang Li: Do you have something to say?
About a minute passed. Jiang Li thought he wouldn't reply, but then another message popped up: Can I call you?
Just this short line of words made it seem humble.
Jiang Li's heart tightened for no reason. She bit her lip. Just as she replied with a "Yes", the other person's call came in the next second.
She felt her heart skip a beat.
After the call was connected, neither of them spoke first. There was only the soft sound of breathing on the receiver.
Jiang Li opened her mouth. "You..."
Xiao Yanzhi also spoke at the same time. His voice was hoarse. "Today is my birthday. You forgot."
Jiang Li was silent for a moment before answering. "So? Did you call specifically to ask for a birthday gift?"
When she asked, her tone was nonchalant. She slightly curled her lips. "But I didn't prepare a gift for you, and I don't plan to wish you a happy birthday either."
Xiao Yanzhi was silent for a moment.
Jiang Li heard him take a deep breath and then exhale on the other end. Then he slowly replied to her, "It doesn't matter."
"Yes, you don't need it either." Jiang Li was surprised by his compromise and still continued on her own. "With Miss Yu accompanying you on your birthday, you still have time to call me."
Xiao Yanzhi was stunned. He was confused by her accurate guess. "How do you know that Yu Wan came to see me tonight?"
"Of course I know. I gave her the address of Ruiyuan. Shouldn't President Xiao thank me for being so considerate?" Jiang Li's voice was smiling.
Xiao Yanzhi's voice became even hoarser. "Why? Why did you give her the address of Ruiyuan?"
His voice was deep. "Ruiyuan is the house I gave you. It's your home. Others aren't qualified to be there."
At least, she shouldn't have so casually given the address to Yu Wan.
"President Xiao really has a different standard every day."
Jiang Li heard his words and let out a soft scoff. She only felt it was absurd. "When you took Qin Yaoyao back and said you would live with her there in the future, did you ever think that it was my home?"
Xiao Yanzhi's eyes dimmed, and his voice was also dull. "I'm sorry, Lili. I had my own difficulties at that time. I had to deceive her to numb her vigilance.
"She was a person sent by Tan Mizong to be placed beside me. If I wanted to gain the right to speak in the Xiao family, I had to find a way to get rid of the dissidents first so as to pave the way for our future.
"Also, the relationship between Yu Wan and me is very special. If you want to hear about it, we can set a time to sit down and have a good talk."