Pampered by My Ex's Cousin

Chapter 393 - 387: Fate Plays Such Tricks on People (Part 2)

Qi Helian’s handsome face darkened in an instant as he said, "Maybe it was a boy."

"Impossible," Ji Anning firmly denied Qi Helian’s guess, "She was wearing a white shirt, suspenders jeans, and bangs that reached her eyebrows, how could it be a boy?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Helian suddenly reached for the wine glass in front of him and tipped his head back to drain the liquor in one gulp.

Then he stuffed a piece of beef into his mouth with a dark expression, biting down hard.

From across the table came Ji Anning’s self-deprecating chuckle, "I think at that time he mistook me for a boy."

After saying that, she shook her head with a smile. When she smiled, two very faint dimples appeared on her face, as if filled with liquor, emanating an intoxicating scent.

Qi Helian looked at her, lost in thought for a moment, then he too bent his lips into a smile, "Maybe you were dark and skinny back then."

He spoke in a speculative tone.

"How do you know?" Ji Anning frowned, dissatisfied with Qi Helian’s guessing about her childhood appearance.

But upon further thought, it did seem to be the case. She had just arrived at the Ji Family, a strange environment, thinking every day about how to return to her parents. On top of that, being bullied by Ji Mingyue and Ji Xiangting in secret, she really was dark and skinny.

She didn’t tell Qi Helian that she had actually sneaked off to the train station from the Ji Family, intending to run away.

Qi Helian grinned, "I guessed."

After a casual reply, he immediately asked, "Why is that memory so meaningful to you?"

"Because if it weren’t for his violin catching my attention, I would have been tricked away by those two human traffickers." Ji Anning’s eyes revealed a hint of sorrow, "Ah, then I wouldn’t know where I’d be now, or perhaps I would never see my parents again."

Everything about her now, including Ji Chicheng, would have been strangers passing by.

"Then... what did that girl look like, do you still remember?" asked Qi Helian, "Have you thought about finding her to properly thank her?"

He looked at Ji Anning, his shimmering eyes filled with a hint of anticipation.

"I remember her thick, straight bangs; she was very pretty, dressed nicely, very clean, her family must have been quite wealthy," Ji Anning said while reminiscing, "He was just playing in the square, and in the end, no one was watching him anymore, yet he still thanked me, the last audience member who stayed."

"Hmm," Qi Helian nodded, "Thank you for staying with... for staying with him until the end."

The violin music from the other side suddenly stopped, and Ji Anning looked over to see the violinist holding his violin, giving a gentleman’s bow to the guests at that table before leaving with his earnings.

As she brought her attention back, Qi Helian looked at her and asked, "Do you play the violin?"

Ji Anning shook her head, "During the time we were preparing for our college entrance exams, our class teacher played the violin for us every night during self-study to relieve our stress."

"It was Teacher Gao, the fattest among the elites, do you know him?"

She put down her knife and fork and opened her arms wide, using gestures to describe how fat the teacher was.

Utterly adorable, this rare glimpse of her lively side delighted Qi Helian. His eyes filled with affection, he smiled and nodded slightly, "I know, Gao Zhongxiang."

Ji Anning nodded, "Right, that’s him, even his neck was hidden by his fat, and it looked odd with the violin resting on his shoulder, but he played beautifully, really bringing us a lot of joy."