Chapter 37: A Midnight Gift Delivery

Chen Yu chewed a candy bean and fed it to her… Oh, for heaven’s sake, how utterly disgusting! Even if this wasn’t Li Tian’er’s body, she still wanted to turn Li Jixiang’s stomach inside out and retch for a good while.

It was as if a floodgate had been flung open—images of young Chen Yu tormenting Li Jixiang surged into her mind…

“You were so pitiful as a child. Your brother always felt sorry for you. Today, seeing you stand before me, I got a little carried away and wrapped my arm around your waist to show my affection, but you responded to me in that way… What on earth goes on in that little head of yours?”

As he mentioned her reaction, a sliver of suspicion crept into Chen Yu’s thoughts. Li Jixiang was only thirteen—how could she have thought to deal with him, or with any man, in such a manner? Had she already experienced something with a man?

Given the kind of household Li Jixiang came from, and living in such a remote place… The more he considered it, the more disturbing it became.

Chen Yu's expression shifted unpredictably. As he looked at Li Jixiang again, his gaze grew bolder, and he reached out to touch her cheek. Leaning in, he seemed intent on forcing a kiss.

Those scenes of Li Jixiang being toyed with by Chen Yu sent Li Tian’er’s blood surging. As for this so-called good brother, this man who couldn’t raise her popularity value in the slightest, she certainly couldn’t let him off so easily.

Getting back the valve core was a minor matter; exposing the true nature of the mayor’s son and making him a pariah in Xingqiu Town would be the ultimate revenge.

Just as Chen Yu’s face loomed, basin-sized and less than two centimeters from hers, she turned aside, pried his hands from her cheeks, and with lowered lashes and a demure air, slowly looked up at him—her gaze gentle, clear, and coy.

“It’s not really appropriate at school… I have to go home now. My grandmother went to visit relatives in the provincial capital, and the lock on our little shop’s shutter is broken…”

“Oh.”

The flood of information left Chen Yu momentarily befuddled. Was this little girl trying to seduce him?

He hesitated, then pulled out the valve core, squatted down, screwed it on, and tightened it.

Riding her bicycle out of the school gate, Li Jixiang could still feel Chen Yu’s burning gaze boring into her back.

After dinner at the An family’s home, and finishing her homework with An Chen and An Ning, Li Jixiang insisted on returning to her family shop for the night. An Chen’s mother, unwilling to defy Grandma Li’s instructions, carried a quilt to accompany Li Jixiang back to the shop. Once the bedding was laid out on the kang, An Chen’s mother soon fell into a deep sleep.

Having labored hard all day, she slept heavily—no amount of thunder outside could wake her now.

Glancing at the clock on the wall: eleven forty at night. If Chen Yu hadn’t shown up by now, he probably wouldn’t come tonight. But An Ning’s information was never wrong: Chen Yu had gone to the mall that evening and bought a bicycle, two packs of candy at the snack counter, and a small-sized, vest-style women’s nightgown at the lingerie counter.

The mayor’s wife was a stout, broad woman; Chen Yu only had a brother and no sisters. His purpose in buying a small women’s nightgown was all too clear…

Everything pointed to him making his move tonight.

Three soft taps sounded on the back window; she replied with three knocks. An Ning was already in position, just waiting to trap their prey.

Who knew how much time passed before a faint noise came from the doorway—probably the sound of a bicycle being leaned against the wall. Then followed the squeaking of the rolling shutter being lifted, the sound intermittent as if to avoid being overheard.

Though it was late at night and pitch-dark outside, it was still a shade brighter than the interior. Li Jixiang crouched behind the fruit rack, peering through a gap as the shutter slowly rose, revealing an opening just big enough for someone to crawl through.