Favoring a Hidden Mistress? Engagement Broken-Chapter 57 - 55:

"...Wanwan," Pei Yuqing finally spoke, his voice hoarse.

Xie Wanqing was overjoyed, thinking he had finally stopped holding back. But as soon as she turned around, she saw the medicine bottle in his hand being handed over. Her curved lips instantly dropped.

A raging fire of anger erupted from somewhere, rushing to her head, burning away her rationality. She snatched the Jade Bottle and threw it directly into the lake.

"Who wants your pills! Pei Yuqing, don’t you think your behavior is inappropriate? On one hand, you seem gentle and considerate to me, yet on the other, you never admit your feelings. Are you trying to string me along with your hot-and-cold treatment?"

"No," Pei Yuqing clenched his now empty hand tightly. It was hard to see his expression in the night, but his tone carried rare confusion, "I never intended to lead you on."

"Really?" Xie Wanqing sneered, "Then tell me, what exactly is our relationship?"

Friends?

Even in this liberal era, there’s no such thing as unrelated men and women meeting in private like this.

Lovers?

Clearly, my feelings are obvious, but he stubbornly refuses to acknowledge it.

Siblings?

That’s even more laughable. Not only do we have no blood ties, but even with my actual brother Xie YanYu, we have never spent the night together like this since coming of age.

So, what are we?

Pei Yuqing couldn’t answer at that moment.

He finally realized that because of his involuntary actions, their relationship had indeed crossed the line.

It’s truly not the way of a gentleman.

At first, he only wished to admire her from a distance.

He remained silent for so long that Xie Wanqing was thoroughly disappointed, almost doubting if she had been deluded, misunderstanding his intentions.

Or was he really indifferent, treating her just as a friend’s sister and nothing more?

...No!

She refused to believe it!

Whether out of anger or defiance, Xie Wanqing suddenly grabbed the lapel of his clothes and stood on tiptoe to kiss his face.

The sweet scent of the young woman abruptly approached, and before Pei Yuqing could react, she had touched his cheek lightly as a dragonfly skims water, leaving him startled in place.

He stood silently for a while, and when he snapped back to reality, his kissed right cheek flushed with heat. Fortunately, the night obscured it from her eyes.

Just as Pei Yuqing was thinking he was lucky, the audacious girl placed her cool little hand on his cheek again.

Touching the man’s face, Xie Wanqing could feel the heat almost burning her hand. She laughed mockingly, "A hypocritical pretender."

"..." Despite having a good temper, Pei Yuqing found it hard to hold back at this point. He lowered his eyes to stare straight at her.

Xie Wanqing confronts him fearlessly, "Am I wrong? Do you dare say you don’t like me?"

Under the night sky, her gaze remains clear and bright. Having gotten up after resting, her hair is loosely adorned with a jade hairpin, and stray strands fall by her temples as she looks up at him. They are standing very close.

Close enough for him to clearly see her beautifully shaped lips slightly parted, ready to say more mocking words.

Pei Yuqing suddenly felt his throat dry and instinctively stepped back.

Xie Wanqing didn’t stop him; she released his lapel without a word and turned to leave.

She had no desire to discern whether he was being stubborn, pretending, or if it was all her misunderstanding of his feelings.

As she walked away decisively, Pei Yuqing couldn’t resist calling her name.

But this time, she had no intention of stopping. He hesitated momentarily before finally stepping forward to catch up.

"...I like you."

Xie Wanqing’s steps faltered, but she didn’t turn around.

Pei Yuqing looked at her back, his palm slowly clenching, his voice hoarse, "I like you."

No one else has ever pushed him to this extent.

If he didn’t like her, why would he put so much thought into things, why let her control his emotions, or why wait at the teahouse every day hoping to see her?

...Why would he let her kiss him?

He could have dodged.

She was right; he was truly a hypocrite.

Xie Wanqing turned around, looked up at him for a moment, and said softly, "Bend your waist; my neck is sore."

"..." Pei Yuqing’s eyelashes quivered as he slowly bent down.

They looked each other in the eye, their gaze intertwined.

Xie Wanqing said, "Will you still keep your promise?"

The promise made when she remembered who he was, was it still valid?

Pei Yuqing stared steadily at her and said, "You tell me."