Chapter 458

"What on earth is Qiao Ranxin thinking? If she wasn't deliberately manipulating things behind the scenes, how could I possibly be with her..."

"Wu Liang, I'm done washing up. You can go take a bath now. I soaked in the bath for a little too long, sorry."

Just as Wu Liang was muttering to himself, the wooden door behind him was suddenly pulled open.

Snow-white steam drifted out from inside, and a full, jade-white long leg stepped out first. Qiao Xinying, who had changed into a Japanese-style nightgown, walked out of the bathroom barefoot.

"Or should you let the steam inside dissipate before you shower? I just had a sauna session, it was quite comfortable."

Qiao Xinying held a towel and dried her wet hair while looking at Wu Liang, who was sitting in the inner bedroom.

Her wet, curly hair was as vibrant as silver-gray silk, with tiny beads hanging from her long eyelashes, and a hint of a smile in her cherry-pink eyes.

Her delicate features became even more radiant under the moisture of the water mist. Transparent water droplets slid down her snow-white thighs and onto the ground. Qiao Xinying stretched languidly and let out a comfortable groan.

Hmm~ Taking a shower after dinner was definitely the wisest choice; the fatigue from today's hike has completely dissipated.

My body, which had been feeling a bit tired, was completely relaxed, and I felt like I had been reborn.

"Why are you still sitting here? Or did you not hear what I just said?"

Seeing that Wu Liang did not react for a long time, Qiao Xinying picked up two glasses of lemonade from the counter, walked to Wu Liang's side, and handed them to him.

She wiped the water droplets between her legs, gently covered her skirt, bent down and sat down next to Wu Liang, swaying back and forth in front of him a couple of times.

"If you don't go take a bath soon, the bathwater I prepared for you will get cold."

"Or were you stunned by the sight of a beautiful woman emerging from the bath? Were you captivated by my pretty face and figure?"

Qiao Xinying rested her chin on her hand and looked with great interest at Wu Liang stood there like a wooden statue.

She didn't know why she felt so relaxed and natural in front of Wu Liang, without the tension she had felt before.

Perhaps it was because they had known each other for a long time? Or perhaps she still carried the image of Wu Liang from her childhood in her heart, which is why she didn't feel particularly unfamiliar with Wu Liang in person.

"No, that's not true. I'm just curious why you agreed to your mother's suggestion."

Wu Liang, who had finally come to his senses, shook his head, glanced at Qiao Xinying sitting next to him, and swallowed without making a sound.

Qiao Xinying is indeed a beauty, and one who is in no way inferior to Qiao Ranxin, even though they are not biological mother and daughter... Why are these two so similar...?

Qiao Xinying is just Qiao Ranxin's adopted child, why is she able to perfectly inherit Qiao Ranxin's innate charm and almost identical face and personality?

These two are more like a biological mother and daughter than a real mother and daughter, especially Qiao Xinying's current lazy and carefree temperament, which is exactly the same as Qiao Ranxin's.

"This wasn't my mother's advice, it was just that I was a little lucky."

"Everyone has the same chance. I just happened to be chosen to share a room with you."

Qiao Xinying tossed her wet long hair and smiled faintly, her beautiful eyes scrutinizing Wu Liang's profile.

She has almost forgotten the purpose of her return. She originally planned to come back and break off the engagement with Wu Liang, but look at how things have turned out between her and Wu Liang now.

What an ironic and dramatic turn of events! If it were a month ago, she would never have admitted that she and Wu Liang would sleep in the same bed.

"In any case, this is all thanks to your mother's crazy ideas."

Smelling the soapy scent emanating from the beautiful woman beside him, Wu Liang couldn't help but glance at the dazzling Qiao Xinying's skin, which was even whiter than Yingxue's.

The tender, smooth skin, soft as jade, and the water droplets that slid down the collarbone floated on the two round, jade-white peaks.

"Do you really hate being with me that much? Does being with me make you uncomfortable?"

Qiao Xinying stretched out her small hands and curled the ends of her hair, while her soft, snow-white little feet kicked Wu Liang's buttocks twice as if venting her anger.

I already apologized to this guy for the previous misunderstanding, so why does he have no gentlemanly manners at all?

"I don't dislike it, but it makes me uncomfortable."

Wu Liang grabbed Qiao Xinying's little foot that was kicking his butt.

That's obvious, of course I'd feel uncomfortable, because your mom wants me to date you!

Chapter 56

Being with Wu Liang made Qiao Xinying feel inexplicably at ease, especially after she truly got to know Wu Liang as he is now, this feeling became much deeper.

Wearing only a Japanese-style pajama, Qiao Xinying and Wu Liang sat back to back, and the two fell into a brief silence.

No one spoke up to break the silence; instead, they all kept quiet and enjoyed the peace.

After shifting her position and shifting her body a couple of times, Qiao Xinying leaned against Wu Liang and raised her head to look at the wooden ceiling above.

The unique woody scent emanating from the tatami mats relaxed her nerves considerably. The faint fragrance in the room swept away all the fatigue of the day.

Stretching lazily and relaxing her graceful body, Qiao Xinying now entrusted all her weight to Wu Liang for support.

Having let go of her previous doubts and put aside her initial wariness, an extra sense of comfort, sweet as honey, filled her heart, giving her a long-lost feeling of warmth.

She closed her eyes and recalled her childhood, remembering the scene of her bullying Wu Liang when he was young.

Back then, Wu Liang, who was still a little kid, looked really bad when she cried, and she was always too cowardly to fight back when bullied by her.

I never imagined that after all these years, that bullying brat would grow up to be so handsome and outstanding.

Is this still the Wu Liang she knows? He's an indescribable guy; everything that's happened to him can only be described as a miracle.

"If you think back to those times now, do you think I was terrifying back then?"

"I'd like to know how you viewed me back then, and how you view me now."

Qiao Xinying broke the silence between the two by speaking first, turning around and drawing circles on Wu Liang's back with her small hand.

She could probably guess what Wu Liang was thinking at the time. He must have thought of her as a tigress, someone she couldn't afford to offend. She still remembered the resentful look in Wu Liang's eyes.

"You've already guessed it, so why are you asking me?"

The tingling sensation on his back made Wu Liang shudder, and he shifted his body to create distance between himself and Qiao Xinying.

He didn't know what Qiao Xinying's purpose was. Someone who used to hate Wu Liang so much would not suddenly become so close to him.

In her eyes, Wu Liang has always been a bug, a fact that is difficult to change in the short term.

If that's the case, then why did she take the initiative to approach me, and even act like this...?

"Put your clothes on properly, they're about to fall off. I'm a man, after all, so please be careful."

Wu Liang frowned slightly when he saw Qiao Xinying's half-exposed shoulder.

Why is this girl so unguarded? Could it be that, as the other party said, she has taken a liking to him?

But what exactly did she see in him? His looks? His personality? His figure? Or something else? If so, he can change that.

Moreover, she had only spent two short weeks with him, and given Qiao Xinying's personality, it was impossible for her to compromise so quickly.

Unless, unless someone subtly hinted at and guided Qiao Xinying, her self-perception could undergo such a 180° change in a short period of time.

There is probably only one person in the world who can gain Qiao Xinying's complete trust and complete lack of doubt.

"We've seen each other's naked bodies countless times since we were kids, do you think I'd still care about this?"

"Besides, I am your fiancée. Even if it's just in name only, our relationship has already gone far beyond that of ordinary friends."

"My mother once told me that if I knew you now, I would be shocked and even develop a strong interest in you."

After losing Wu Liang's support, Qiao Xinying lay flat on her back between the two of them on the bed.

Her long eyelashes were glistening with moisture, and her watery eyes gazed calmly at Wu Liang stood not far away.

Perhaps this is what is called fate, or perhaps it is the destiny that my mother once mentioned.

This time she lost, she lost completely. Her mother was right. Now she desperately wanted to know all of Wu Liang's secrets.

How did he become who he is today, what interesting things happened in the process, and what are his thoughts on the future?

She became extremely interested in how Wu Liang had become like this, partly because her mother had piqued her interest, but mostly because it was her own intention.

"So it really is Qiao Ranxin..."

Wu Liang smiled helplessly, pressing his temples where the veins were throbbing.

But thinking about it, it's obvious that apart from Qiao Ranxin, there is no other person in the world who could have such a great influence on Qiao Xinying.

He couldn't understand it. He couldn't comprehend Qiao Ranxin's actions. To so bluntly push her daughter in front of him for him to taste was practically giving her away for free.

"I'm going to take a shower. You can go to sleep if you're sleepy. Don't worry about me. I might need to soak for a while longer."

Shaking his head to clear his mind, Wu Liang walked to the door and turned off the chandelier, leaving only the floor lamp faintly lit at the edge of the bed.

But he didn't realize until he turned off the light that it almost made him faint.

"Oh, this room is quite romantic, they even put on this show."

Qiao Xinying covered her mouth and murmured with a smile. In the instant the room dimmed, the cherry blossom-colored vines lit up by the bedside like patterns adorning the floor.

The dim light, though slightly subdued, imbued the dimly lit room with a touch of delicate pink and elegant sweetness.

The vines that twined around the edge of the bed were wrapped around the edge of the bed, and the long, gorgeous patterns converged in front of the two pillows. A heart shape outlined by pink vines suddenly took shape at the top.

From any angle, the deliberately arranged vine patterns and the eerie heart-shaped petals look remarkably like...

Bang!

The dull thud of the door closing, accompanied by the sound of footsteps fading into the distance, disappeared into the room, leaving Qiao Xinying lying on her side on the bed, staring blankly at the patterns in front of her.

"Is that guy shy because he saw these?"

Qiao Xinying chuckled as she looked at the tightly closed bathroom door, then brushed the long hair that had fallen across her forehead behind her ear.

A rare hint of shyness and genuine smile appeared in her watery eyes. Wu Liang was much more innocent than she had imagined.

"I'll wait for you; a night alone is just too boring."

"I don't believe you can stay in the bathroom for an hour or two. If you're so capable, then don't come out."

Qiao Xinying licked her cherry lips and smiled slightly. This night might be quite interesting.

Chapter 57: Qiao Ranxin in Wu Liang's Eyes

"Bathroom"

I lay with my eyes closed in the bathtub filled with fragrant bubbles, the rich milky scent filling my nostrils.

Feeling the warm water temperature, Wu Liang sighed wearily and immersed himself even deeper into the pool.

He was completely defeated by Qiao Ranxin's Qiao Ranxin and couldn't judge her with normal human reasoning.

What mother would decorate such a private room with a floor lamp that exudes sex appeal? Take a good look at the textured patterns reflected by that floor lamp.

The pink and alluring Xiao Ai etched above the headboard looks exactly like the erotic tattoos often seen in pamphlets.

Why would such messy things appear in a proper hotel room? Is "sex" all that's left in Qiao Ranxin's mind?

"Should I have never traveled far from home? I have a feeling that woman is deliberately targeting me."

Wu Liang wet the towel beside him and placed it on his forehead, murmuring softly.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that there was something fishy or wrong with this trip.

If we think a little bolder, is it possible that this trip was specially arranged for him by Qiao Ranxin?

Could it be that she did this because she wanted something to happen between herself and Qiao Xinying, or perhaps to get closer to Yao Shi, Han Yu, and the others on this Bolun Island known as a paradise?

"But thinking about it, it's impossible. How could anyone in this world be willing to use the entire school's teachers and students as a foil just to satisfy a petty thought that doesn't even count as personal desire?"

"If such a person really exists, then that person must be an incurable idiot."

Wu Liang stretched and yawned, then muttered to himself, "If Qiao Ranxin really only wanted him to be with Qiao Xinying, or wanted to get closer to Yao Shi and the others, and was willing to drag the whole school, which was kept in the dark, into this trip, then she must have gotten her head stuck in a door. After all, doing such a thing would not benefit her at all. She could not gain anything from it, Qiao Xinying, herself, and Yao Shi would not be grateful to her for it."

Even if Qiao Ranxin succeeds and she and Qiao Xinying get together, what benefits will she personally gain?

She wouldn't gain her own approval, nor would she receive gratitude from Qiao Xinying and the others; doing these thankless tasks was utterly meaningless to her.

"I hope it's not what I think, otherwise I'll really have to get to know you all over again."

Wu Liang frowned and bit her lip lightly. Don't tell me you just want to be a selfless person and secretly bring us all together.

I don't believe you would do something so stupid. The Qiao Ranxin I know is not such a generous and gentle woman.

She would never sacrifice herself for everyone's happiness, and she would never go to such lengths for that scoundrel Wu Liang.