Chapter 19 – You’re unworthy of Anan.

A few days after the birthday, Qi Hong came again.

After chatting for a bit, he said: “Letting A Zhen live here, it was Dad’s lack of consideration. I’ve thought about it, and I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to live together, so let’s find her another place to live.”

Had this scumbag father changed so fast? Before Qi Anan could say anything, Qi Zhen immediately obediently responded: “I know, Dad, I think so too. It’s better to live by myself and not disturb others. I’m troubling you and Brother to worry about me. Thank you, Anan, for your care these days.”

After saying this, Qi Zhen smiled gently and sincerely at Qi Anan. Seeing that she was willing, Qi Anan also nodded in agreement and packed her luggage with her.

It was a pity, it should be challenging to get sugar this summer vacation, so she could only hope for the start of school. But that was fine. After school started, she didn’t need to rack her brains to get the two of them together. They both have god-like grades and would definitely be placed in the same class.

Qi Hong soon left, and Qi Anan started her summer vacation in stand-alone mode. There was an independent home theater on the top and an open-air swimming pool on the bottom. It could be regarded as experiencing the salted fish lifestyle of a wealthy daughter.

(t/n: salted fish: lazy, tired, doesn’t want to do anything.)

In the scorching summer sun, the young girl’s skin was more glowing and translucent than ever, like the most delicate lotus flower in the pond waiting to bloom. This past summer, Qi Anan’s body shed some of its childishness, showing the unique soft sweetness of a young girl.

Little by little, all these changes she had were suffered by the sight of Jiang Lu.

Only since Qi Zhen’s birthday did Jiang Lu clearly and intuitively realize that he knew too little about Anan. In his imagination, a warm and lively little girl like the sun should be held in the palm of her entire family.

But this wasn’t the case.

Jiang Lu knew that Qi Zhen had just shot herself in the foot. That’s why Qi Hong became so angry after being embarrassed that Qi Zhen would definitely not live there long. She would roll sooner or later, but her last words to Anan made him uneasy.

Jiang Lu went to Qi Anan’s house for two days in a row, watching from a distance outside the door, worried that Qi Zhen would make small movements. She behaved until her things were moved away that day.

The turbidity in Jiang Lu’s chest was relieved a lot.

However, Qi Zhen had already left. Jiang Lu couldn’t help but go again every few days. He didn’t dare to get close, so he quietly glanced at her outside the door. He was like a greedy thief. He had succeeded twice without being discovered. He once tasted the marrow and went on and couldn’t stop.

(t/n: tasted the marrow: since you tried it once, you want to do it again.)

Qi Anan was spraying flowers in the garden. She was a delicate and beautiful young girl, more delicate than the flowers.

She had grown up, bright, lovely, like a moving pearl in the sun, while he had long since become one with the abyss.

Jiang Lu had quietly been there seven or eight times this summer vacation. The last time there wasn’t much time left before the start of school. The autumn breeze gradually picked up, and the heat dissipated a lot.

On this day, Jiang Lu left the side door of the community as usual and saw the car parked on the side of the road at a glance. He paused, stared with his dark and sunken eyes for a while, and then walked towards the car calmly.

Qi Yan opened the car door and walked down, his hand casually propped on the car door. His face had no expression: “Long time no see, did you know I was waiting for you?”

Jiang Lu nodded: “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have parked here.”

Qi Yan pulled the corner of his mouth. His gaze was complicated: “You really don’t look like someone your age. Get in. You know I have something to say to you.”

Jiang Lu got into the car with a calm expression.

Qi Yan drove to an old plaza, a remote location, and because of the lack of infrastructure, very few people came here, and there was no one at this time.

“You’re so smart. You can probably guess what I want to say to you.” Qi Yan parked the car, lit a cigarette, put his hand on the window, and there were little flickers.

Jiang Lu was silent for a short while: “I know.”

“Want one?”

Looking at the cigarette Qi Yan handed over, Jiang Lu didn’t hesitate much and took it and lit it skillfully.

“I didn’t expect that sending away a Qi Zhen wouldn’t stop you. You have been a frequent visitor to our family during this time. Oh, a frequent visitor outside the door.”

The corners of Qi Yan’s mouth hung with a smile, but his eyes were cold, and there was no smile, “I didn’t know you well enough before, and only recently did I check you properly.”

“Not only you’re an unrecognized illegitimate son. You’re also the son of a prostitute.”

Jiang Lu’s hand hanging at his side clenched up little by little.

“Never mind, I’m just telling the truth,” Qi Yan smiled, “I’m not saying this to humiliate you. I wouldn’t want to hurt people if I didn’t have to. You’re unworthy of Anan, I thought you would understand it yourself, but I didn’t think you would need someone else to remind you in the end.”

Jiang Lu’s hand suddenly loosened, and after a long time, he whispered: “She doesn’t know I’m coming.”

Qi Yan nodded: “Indeed, that’s why I’m so polite to you now. You looked at my sister and didn’t do much else. You didn’t do any other things, so I’m treating you as if you still have a little conscience.”

He threatened, “But if you don’t know any better and try to get closer, I definitely won’t let you off easily.”

Jiang Lu tilted his head slightly. His gaze was careless but extremely sharp.

Qi Yan’s heart sank. This Jiang Lu was so young, but he could have such an aura. Neither servile nor overbearing, with no disadvantages at all. Facing this threat, he didn’t feel at ease at all. How could he let such a person get close to Anan?

“Jiang Lu, I actually admire you very much, whether it’s your talent or you as a person,” Qi Yan said in a deep voice: “There are some things I investigated more deeply but didn’t find anything. I can only say that how you handle things is not only perverse and ruthless but also watertight.”

(t/n: watertight: no evidence.)

“A person like you will have a partner on par with you in the future. But this person won’t be Anan. She’s gentle and innocent and unsuitable to be with you.”

Jiang Lu’s gaze shifted to the cigarette he was holding between his fingers. This one was about to be finished smoking. The smoke was flickering on and off at his fingertips.

“Can I trust you?”

Qi Yan frowned: “What?”

In a deep voice, Jiang Lu said: “Would you protect her with your heart? How could a person like Qi Zhen live next to her? Isn’t it disgusting?”

“There will never be such a thing again.” Qi Yan said after a two-second pause.

“And your father,” Jiang Lu’s voice was cold as he commented, “Stupid and blind.”

He was rarely so sharp-tongued, but mentioning him, the anger and indignant still tumbled in his heart.

Although it was Qi Hong who was being scolded, in Qi Yan’s ears, he couldn’t care less: “He doesn’t deserve to be Anan’s father. I brought up Anan. I took care of everything for her.”

“I’m her brother. I won’t harm her. Anan will never be a victim of a family marriage. She’s good-looking, has a likable personality, and comes from a privileged family. I will find a partner for her with clean family background, good character, and gentle and good manners. Such conditions, you’re unworthy.”

Jiang Lu quietly listened to Qi Yan’s description. He seemed to be able to see a gentle and elegant man holding Qi Anan’s hand, leading her farther and farther away from his world.

The desire to monopolize her was repeatedly disturbed in his heart. Still, in the end, Jiang Lu admitted that Qi Yan was right.

He took a deep breath, as if he wasn’t in pain, and pinched out the unburned cigarette butts with his fingers: “If there are no mishaps, Qi Anan and I will never meet again.”

“It’s not just that I don’t want you to see each other anymore. I want your name to completely disappear from her life,” Qi Yan sighed and went on in a low tone, “I don’t care if it’s unfair to you. I’ll be the villain.”

“I know your grades are excellent. Unsurprisingly, you should be the champion of the high school entrance examination this year, and you will be the champion of the college entrance examination in the future. You will become a name everyone will never forget. Still, I don’t want you to stand on such a high pinnacle and let Anan remember you forever.”

“If you can accept mediocrity, I can compensate you after you go to college. You can keep the chief position in the company as long as you want. I can give you two percent of the company’s shares if you still feel aggrieved.”

Qi Yan finished saying it in one breath, and his tone was frank. He wasn’t joking. He was trying to change the life Jiang Lu should have but would also try to make up for his equally wonderful other life.

But Jiang Lu didn’t open his mouth again. He wasn’t in a hurry, didn’t promise, and didn’t refuse. Like a natural-born negotiator, the rhythm and aura were highly stable.

Qi Yan was helpless, so he had to reveal another hidden trump card: “I’ve investigated it. You and your mother turned against each other. She had done a lot of outrageous things to you. After regaining her strength this time, she won’t let you go easily. The altar is too high, and it’s too easy to fall into the mud. When you have a halo, you shouldn’t want to be splashed with a bucket of dirt.”

Jiang Lu snorted: “I think if I don’t agree with you, the person who will throw dirt on me will probably you.”

Qi Yan didn’t deny it: “So think about it.”

Unless absolutely necessary, he would never want to make enemies with someone like Jiang Lu. The current cutting edge was already so powerful, and it would be even more impossible to restrain him in the future. But he wouldn’t be afraid if he really stepped on his bottom line.

Qi Yan thought about it and started the car recording, “You listen to this again.” This was a long time ago. He and Qi Anan had a conversation in the car.

The recording started, and it was Qi Yan’s slightly serious voice: “No puppy love.”

Immediately after, Qi Anan’s crisp and delicate voice came: “Nothing, I promise not to have puppy love. Even if I have puppy love, it’s impossible to be with him. Don’t worry.”

Jiang Lu’s face finally paled.

This voice was so lovely. Every word seemed to hit his heart.

Jiang Lu couldn’t help but remember that day. Qi Anan also said in such a beautiful voice: “His name is Jiang Lu, 江 Jiang as in 江河 (jiānghé) river, and 陆 Lu as in 陆地 (lùdì) shore and land.”

“He’s super smart and very good at learning. He takes first place in every exam and is so annoyingly awesome. He’s a legend in our school! He’s kind and gentle, especially caring. He’s so good-looking; he has strong points from head to toe. He’s outstanding.”

He closed his eyes. There was a dull and slow thumping of the heart against the chest, a sound, two sounds.

It was rare. Qi Yan glanced at him and said in his heart that he hadn’t seen him change his face after saying so much. Only after listening to such a passage did he see a few mood swings.

Finally, Jiang Lu said: “I know what to do.”

“But remember, I’m not doing it because of you.”

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