Chapter 09

Ultimately, she lacked confidence in his feelings

Then, I heard her calling out with a sobbing tone: "Brother—"

Feng Jinxiao suddenly turned around and saw Xiao Yuhang kneeling in front of the shattered glass counter, her eyes filled with tears

Such a love that can make a woman act so recklessly is not something that everyone is fortunate enough to possess

Not wanting to wake him, Xiao Yuhang carefully removed the large hand that was wrapped around her after a deep sigh, and in the darkness, she got out of bed barefoot.

"Did you lose your wallet?" Seeing her blink her big eyes and nod emphatically, Feng Jinxiao remained calm: "If you really like it, just buy it. I can lend you the money"

The bright bracelet encircled his neck, and Xiao Yuhang replied cheerfully: "Who told you to pick it up with your hands?"

Such an expensive wind chime, how could one bear to throw it away? Xiao Yuhang hung the auspicious bell back in its original place and gently touched the clapper with her hand

"Hurt—" Xiao Yuhang pushed back, placing a hand on his shoulder blade to remind him in a low voice

He was too forceful, almost brutal, and Xiao Yuhang felt pain, yet she could not help but be overwhelmed by her emotions. She responded passionately, actively extending her tongue to tease him, her long bare legs tightly entwined around his waist

However, she had to steal back then

The sound of fabric tearing, along with her scattered moans that faded beneath their tightly pressed lips, unraveled Feng Jinxiao's reason. He gripped her waist with one hand, without the slightest hesitation, pushing the heat deeper and deeper until he reached her innermost depths, allowing their clamoring bodies to find relief

Feng Jinxiao felt that he must be crazy to be explaining this to a failed female thief at this time and in this place. He gave up: "To put it simply, stealing is wrong and illegal"

From the floor-to-ceiling window of the living room balcony to the drawer in his study, he finally found the Dongba auspicious bell that he had brought back from Lijiang. Xiao Yuhang wanted to find some tools, but he discovered that the bell tongue, which had originally been torn by her, had somehow been repaired and showed no signs of damage.

The despair in her tone made Xiao Yuhang unable to hold back her tears. The pain in her heart was, surprisingly, no less than when she had severed ties with Feng Jinxiao. At that moment, she even felt a bit of resentment towards her brother; how could he be so indifferent to such a deeply devoted woman? Did he not know that when she learned he was risking his life as an undercover agent in a drug trafficking organization, there was a woman who desperately passed the selection of the G City SWAT team, just to one day be able to lend him a helping hand.

This is certainly understandable. In the world, apart from the seventeen-year-old Xiao Yuhang, it is difficult to find anyone who can speak of "stealing" with such composure and unflinching calmness.

She turned around with such calmness, slowly yet resolutely stepping out of the terminal, one step at a time. Xiao Yuhang followed her to the parking lot, where she stood there, maintaining an upward gaze for a long time

Her delicate and fragile appearance evokes a sense of pity in others

It seems that you do not intend to help me. In that case, could you refrain from reporting me? After all, it is not yours, so you will not incur any loss. If you do not want to see me steal, then you can leave, but before you go, please do not hang it back up, as I am not tall enough and it is quite troublesome to steal it.

"Why did you get up?" The man's hand came with a low voice, pressing against the skin at her waist, lifting her up from the chair in a horizontal embrace. Turning his head, he saw the auspicious bell hanging high again, and his brows slightly furrowed: "Didn’t you say not to hang it anymore?" He certainly hadn’t forgotten how furious she was when she tore down the wind chime and threw it down the stairs during their last argument.

What kind of logic is this? Faced with such a cunning little girl who can argue so well that one cannot feel angry, Feng Jinxiao did not know whether to cry or laugh. Just as he began to seriously consider how to handle this matter related to the books, she spoke again

Such an active invitation, who could possibly resist it

In the end, she certainly got what she wished for; otherwise, this string of auspicious bells would not be present with Feng Jinxiao at this moment. However, the price paid was truly exorbitant. An item worth less than one hundred yuan cost Feng Jinxiao over a thousand dollars due to her momentary impulse

At this price point, of course, "it will not."

"Will you send it to me?" She still felt it was inappropriate: "Then I owe you a favor, which is harder to repay than money. How can it compare to simply stealing it? That would settle everything once and for all"

After a brief silence, Feng Jinxiao's temples tightened: "The act of stealing public and private property with the intent of illegal possession is considered theft. Do you know the sentencing range for this?"

When she clearly stated her intention to steal the auspicious bell, the shock on Feng Jinxiao's face was unmistakable

The entanglement is vivid and thorough, making it difficult to manage one's own feelings

Ding-dong

Feng Jinxiao endured and said: "Then I will not return it."

Thus, Feng Jinxiao not only purchased the auspicious bell but also paid for Xiao Yuhang's medical expenses, ultimately having to compensate the shop owner for the glass counter.

As the only female member of the special police team, she is in no way inferior to the male teammates who fight alongside her; as the leader of Assault Team Two, she is the most admired and valued disciple of Feng Jinxiao. She has been injured and has shed blood, yet Xiao Yuhang has never seen her shed a single tear. The only exception was two years ago, on the day of the drug trafficking operation in City A, when Xiao Yi confronted the criminal and Linzi's bullets to save the person he loved.

Xiao Yuhang was uncertain whether He Rao was holding back tears at that moment or was simply empathizing with the pain that He Rao felt while watching Xiao Yi in the sky

In the deep night, she stood quietly by the window on the twelfth floor, smiling as she listened to the crisp sounds played by the power of the wind

Ke He Rao, however, has nothing, not even memories of conversations and books

I asked the boss, this string of auspicious bells is sold for one hundred yuan. I am quite good at bargaining, so at this price, I could buy it for sixty, at most eighty yuan. Under his rather indifferent gaze, Xiao Yuhang seriously inquired: "Will stealing something at this price lead to a prison sentence?"

The moonlight was gentle, and the woman's eyes were bright and clear. Feng Jinxiao squinted at her and asked, "Can we sleep now?"

He Rào pressed his right fist against his chest, and due to the excessive force, his knuckles had turned pale: "If that bullet had been aimed at me, it would not hurt more than it does now"

He simply walked away. Crossing the ocean to heal from losing someone who had silently waited for six years. Unbeknownst to him, another woman had been left utterly wounded by his indifference during those six years

Xiao Yuhang hurried to the airport to see He Rao standing in the corner of the terminal. Following her gaze, he looked over to the security check area, where he saw the figures of Xiao Yi and He Xi embracing.

"Are you trying to learn from Lei Feng and help others?" Xiao Yuhang glanced at the shopkeeper, appearing deeply afraid that their conspiracy would be discovered, and spoke in a low voice: "But I can't be happy about it. I have already lost my wallet, incurred a significant loss of money, and now I have to pay you back, which makes the loss even greater. Don't you think so?"

A faint smile played on his face, and he appeared gentle under the night sky. Xiao Yuhang obediently rested her face on his shoulder, but mindful of his injury, she did not dare to apply too much pressure: "Of course"

The young girl, Xiao Yuhang, glanced at the wind chime, then at his serious face, and replied earnestly: "I don't know"

Returning to the bed, her body was enveloped by a powerful chest, the delicate skin making intimate contact, that comfortable sensation causing Xiao Yuhang's body to begin sweating. Just then, the man's strong heartbeat relentlessly pressed against her chest.

Indeed, it is a case of losing both the wife and the soldiers.

His original intention was merely to tease her, which is why he deliberately hung the lucky bell back in its original place. He went to find the shop owner, intending to pay first and then assist her in stealing. As a result, she, feeling anxious and unable to remain calm, climbed up to take the wind chime, not only injuring herself but also smashing one side of the glass counter.

Xiao Yuhang gently placed her hand on Feng Jinxiao's bandaged shoulder blade, caressing it little by little, inch by inch. Such extraordinary tenderness made her forget how long it had been since she had given him any. This man, whom she had known for six years, had spent half of that time unable to distinguish between love and hate.

In the past, Xiao Yuhang felt that her love life was fraught with difficulties, but after meeting He Rao, she realized that she was much luckier than her. At least now, she is still together with Feng Jinxiao, and the experience of being in love with him makes her feel that even if their eventual outcome does not align with her wishes, she has at least had the experience of having loved.

This concern brings satisfaction to the passionate man. He kisses her forehead and gently reassures her, "It's alright, don't worry."

It is not right; a person can never truly empathize with another's pain. Just as she, despite returning to Feng Jinxiao's side, never mentions what she endured back then. What difference would it make if she brought it up? How much pain she feels, should it be imposed upon him? If he feels pain, she will only feel more; if he does not feel pain, it will be even harder for them to continue.

Such a warm and soft body lying in his embrace instantly shattered even Feng Jinxiao's strong self-control. He had refrained from waking her earlier, considering that if he got up just a moment before her in the morning, he could temporarily conceal the injury, which is why he dared not even kiss her and had to take a cold shower before going to bed. Little did he know that when she woke up in the middle of the night and saw his bruises, there was nothing left to consider.

Even so, he did not even furrow his brow

With a uniquely masculine strength and scent, his virile body pressed against her. Feng Jinxiao's hand slipped under her T-shirt, kneading the skin of her back and the book, then moving to the front, recklessly igniting the long-desired body. His lips drew in her breath, grinding against her to absorb the warmth from her mouth.

There is always a reason for being moved by someone

She squatted on the floor, picked up the auspicious bell to examine it, and felt that this item was not particularly attractive compared to the various wind chimes available on the market. If it were not for its connection to Naxi culture and its positive connotations, it might not have a good sales prospect.

For Xiao Yi, this embrace signifies letting go. For He Rao, is it not the same?

"Then that's settled." She immediately breathed a sigh of relief

Feng Jinxiao almost ran back, bending down to pick her up and walking out.

Xiao Yuhang tilted her head slightly, with nowhere to escape except to comply. As the movements gradually quickened, her nails dug into his broad back. In that moment of slight pain, accompanied by her warm and moist embrace, Feng Jinxiao heard his own gasping sound

Memory is like a recorded tape, spinning back in sync with the heartbeat, returning to a scene from six years ago

It was from that moment on that a seed of love was planted in the heart of the little Xiao Yuhang

For the sake of He Rao, Xiao Yuhang did not send Xiao Yi

Xiao Yuhang actually did not drink too much. Before making the last call to Feng Jinxiao, she was still sober, because it was not her who needed to vent through alcohol tonight, but He Rao.

Staring into the girl's eyes, clear as spring water, Feng Jinxiao felt a sense of helpless compromise in his heart. He hung the auspicious bell back in its place and walked towards the shopkeeper. However, before he could finish the negotiation, he heard the sound of shattering glass and the girl's scream from behind.

Looking back on the foolish things done that summer, Xiao Yuhang couldn't help but doubt how she managed to get into university with her intelligence. She was so obsessed with stealing that string of auspicious bells, as if she were possessed. And that man, who always acted with principles, actually spent so much money to clean up the mess caused by her rebellious and absurd behavior