After Divorce: Why My Aloof Ex Starts Chasing Me?
Chapter 125 I Like This Gift

Chapter 125: Chapter 125 I Like This Gift

The stewed ribs, the soup was used to accompany the noodles, eaten up completely clean, but the meat was hardly touched.

Shen Qingqing ate a few pieces, Jiang Zhixun didn’t eat a single one.

With Shen Qingqing’s appetite, she could easily eat two more meals.

The weather was hot, and to prevent the food from spoiling, Jiang Zhixun fried the leftover ribs again in oil.

Without the moisture, the preservation time could be extended a bit.

Two apartments with doors facing each other, the rich aroma wafted straight into Shen Qingqing’s home.

Perhaps due to losing her job and dining out less frequently, Shen Qingqing unexpectedly found herself craving.

Even though no one saw it, she still felt embarrassed.

Ultimately, she decided to move the easel indoors and continue painting, using this method to calm herself.

Outside, the sun set behind the hills, the sky darkened, and the light bulb in the room illuminated the space with a soft, warm yellow glow.

Shen Qingqing wore a pure white cotton dress, her silky long hair draped down her back, intellectual yet elegant.

With the motions of her painting, a portion slid off her shoulders, the tips of her hair drawing beautiful curves in the air.

Jiang Zhixun brought something over and stood quietly at the doorway, watching her.

With each additional glance, the regret in his heart deepened.

He had let a wonderful woman slip through his fingers.

And had hurt someone who once loved him.

Now, he knew he was wrong. No matter what choice Shen Qingqing makes, he would stay in place, waiting for her to turn back.

The warm yellow light, clearly comforting, reflected the solitude in the man’s silhouette.

Perhaps the loose strands of hair disrupted her movements, Shen Qingqing reflexively wanted to fix her hair, but her hands were smeared with paint...

For a moment, she was at a loss.

After hesitating for a few seconds, just as she was about to use the back of her hand to brush away the hair stuck to her face, her hair was suddenly gathered by someone and tucked behind her ear.

The ticklish discomfort instantly disappeared.

Jiang Zhixun bent down, holding Shen Qingqing’s thin shoulders, his gaze earnest, "Qingqing, forgive me, please?"

Shen Qingqing looked up, catching the pain and regret flickering in the man’s eyes.

Having seen his unruly side before, the current Jiang Zhixun left Shen Qingqing feeling unsure.

She couldn’t shake the sense that he was wrapped in grief, as if her refusal would shatter him into pieces.

Shen Qingqing didn’t want to make things hard on herself.

She could refrain from saying hurtful things, but she absolutely wouldn’t say something that went against her heart just to accommodate Jiang Zhixun’s feelings.

Setting down the paintbrush, she stood up, intending to go to the bathroom to wash her hands.

Looking at the man standing before her, Shen Qingqing snapped, "Move aside."

Jiang Zhixun didn’t budge.

Instead, he took the opportunity to hug her, resting his chin on Shen Qingqing’s shoulder, closing his eyes briefly.

From an angle Shen Qingqing couldn’t see, his face was filled with desolation and confusion.

"I truly know I’m wrong, and deeply regret it. Let’s start over again—this time, I won’t disappoint you."

Shen Qingqing’s pupils dilated.

This implication... she had dated Jiang Zhixun, and then they had fallen out?

A long-standing puzzle suddenly found its breakthrough.

If that were the case, her forgetting Jiang Zhixun seemed perfectly reasonable.

After all, once a breakup happens, people become strangers.

"Let me go."

Saying so, she struggled for a bit.

Jiang Zhixun didn’t want to let go, but he feared hurting Shen Qingqing—she had fractured a bone before, so he had to be careful.

He lightened his grip slightly but didn’t fully release her.

Gripping Shen Qingqing’s shoulders once more, he stared at her lips, "That night at the guesthouse, we kissed."

The struggling ceased abruptly.

Shen Qingqing froze.

Why was the guesthouse being brought up now?

Surely nothing improper had happened between them, right?

"That night, you held me and wouldn’t let me go."

Shen Qingqing became even more flustered, "You, we..."

The rest of her words couldn’t find their way out.

Her face flushed bright red with embarrassment.

Jiang Zhixun looked at her and said earnestly, "Shen Qingqing, you have to take responsibility for me."

Shen Qingqing retorted confidently, "I don’t remember, that has nothing to do with me."

"You’re trying to renege? That night, you kissed and hugged me, touched me in many places, and even..."

Heart racing and short of breath, Shen Qingqing hurriedly interrupted Jiang Zhixun, too afraid to hear more shocking revelations from his mouth.

"You didn’t suffer any loss. Why bring all this up now? Since it’s already in the past, you should just forget it."

"Didn’t suffer any loss..."

Jiang Zhixun echoed these three words, his sharp gaze narrowing, his expression turning dangerous.

Shen Qingqing had a bad feeling.

Turning to run, she was effortlessly scooped up and held tightly around the waist by the man.

"What you did to me, I’ll do to you. That would mean no loss at all. And since you said you forgot, we can review it again."

Shen Qingqing wanted to curse him out.

Knowing she was no match for Jiang Zhixun, she could only soften her tone, "The neighbors will hear."

A faint chuckle came from overhead, "Close the door first. Later, try to control yourself—don’t make too much noise. The soundproofing might not be great."

With two steps, Jiang Zhixun extended his long legs and shut the door.

At first, Shen Qingqing thought this man was just being cheeky, tolerable when he acted normal.

But now that she knew they had dated before and shared an unusual connection, Shen Qingqing’s thoughts shifted.

This man clearly came with bad intentions!

"Jiang Zhixun, you’re being shameless!"

"Mm."

"Put me down!"

"No."

As they got closer to the bedroom, panic welled up in Shen Qingqing’s chest, bringing her to the verge of tears.

She began babbling, "I’m calling your parents! If you dare do this, you won’t have a good outcome!"

Jiang Zhixun held back his laughter, "Perfect timing—they’ve been wanting a grandchild."

"You wouldn’t dare!"

"Oh, I would."

He changed direction, carrying Shen Qingqing into the bathroom instead.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Shen Qingqing attempted to kick Jiang Zhixun where it would hurt most.

He pinned her legs down.

Jiang Zhixun sighed, "Am I that kind of person?"

How could Shen Qingqing know what kind of person he was?

But now it seemed Jiang Zhixun had only been scaring her earlier, and she couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Leave."

"Mm."

He turned on the faucet for her to wash her hands, then obediently walked out of the bathroom.

Standing in the living room, he looked at one of her paintings.

His mind wandered to the sensation of holding her just now.

He had been so close, just a hair’s breadth away from losing control and kissing her soft, moist lips.

Fortunately, his rationality hadn’t completely deserted him.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t know how to clean up the mess now.

Shen Qingqing might scold him, or she might hit him, but no matter which outcome, their relationship would worsen.

That wasn’t the result he wanted.

When they had a marriage certificate, on the night Shen Qingqing got drunk, Jiang Zhixun hadn’t crossed that line.

Now that they were divorced, he wouldn’t cross it either.

Unless Shen Qingqing wanted to, he wouldn’t take that step without the certificate.

Inside the bathroom, the sound of running water was constant. Based on his understanding of Shen Qingqing, she might stay in there indefinitely, unwilling to come out.

Unable to bear her sulking in there, Jiang Zhixun reached for the unfinished painting on the easel and carefully rolled it up.

With this, he could keep it as a memento, a way to think of her in the future.

He spoke to the person inside the bathroom, "I’m leaving. I like this gift."