Chapter 168: Quite a Variety of Tricks

"How did you manage to sprain your ankle?"
Chen Ci's voice revealed a hint of worry.
Xiang Kui replied softly, "I didn't. Mianmian was just deliberately tricking you."
"......"
Chen Ci was practically driven to the brink of choking with frustration.
"So, do you know you were wrong?"
Chen Ci's voice sounded again.
Inside the living room, the lights were off. Except for the faint illumination filtering in from the outside, the entire space was plunged into dimness.
Xiang Kui was pinned firmly against the door by Chen Ci, his hands braced on either side of her, leaving her utterly unable to move.
She felt a bit dazed. It seemed that ever since they got together, she hadn't seen Chen Ci look like this in a very long time.
Even though it used to happen frequently that Chen Ci was driven up the wall by her antics, Xiang Kui could clearly sense that this time was different.
"Well? Do you know it or not?"
Chen Ci's warm breath brushed against Xiang Kui's face, carrying the faint scent of alcohol. The distance between them was extremely close, making it impossible to tell whose heart was beating more fiercely.
Xiang Kui nodded silently, her head inadvertently brushing against Chen Ci's chin.
"Cat got your tongue? Are you mute? Weren't you quite eloquent when we were arguing last night?"
Exasperated, Chen Ci pinched Xiang Kui's chin, forcing her to lift her head and look at him.
Through the dim light in the room, Xiang Kui could only make out the sharp outline of Chen Ci's jaw and his even darker, fathomless eyes.
"I know... I was wrong."
Her tone was filled with grievance and an aggrieved sense of wronged innocence.
Chen Ci licked the corner of his lips and continued, "You still feel wronged?"
Xiang Kui immediately shook her head. "Not wronged at all. Go ahead and yell at me."
"......"
So furious that he instantly let go of Xiang Kui, Chen Ci turned around in circles right where he stood.
If he spoke too harshly, he was afraid of upsetting her; if he spoke too lightly, he was afraid she wouldn't take it seriously at all.
For the very first time, Chen Ci felt so utterly aggrieved and helpless in front of Xiang Kui.
Suddenly, the cuff of his sleeve was gently tugged, followed by Xiang Kui's soft voice.
"I know I was wrong. I won't be so careless in the future."
Silently, Chen Ci brushed Xiang Kui's hand away. Undeterred, she grasped it tightly again, and finally, to prevent him from pulling away, she grabbed hold of his fingertips.
"Chen Ci......"
At that single call of his name, Chen Ci's resolve almost completely surrendered.
Yet, he suddenly realized that opportunities like this were rare—it was one of the few moments he could actually reason with Xiang Kui.
"Xiang Kui, I know how to accommodate you, and I can turn a blind eye to your idol-chasing hobbies, but this incident crossed my baseline. You'd better give me an explanation."
"An explanation? What kind of explanation?"
Xiang Kui was slightly bewildered and continued to ask, "Do you want me to make some kind of promise?"
Joy flickered across Chen Ci's brows; it was clear that Xiang Kui still knew how to play the game.

"Right! Make a promise to me, give me your word that you won't get involved in all that messy idol-chasing nonsense anymore."
"......"
Xiang Kui bit the tip of her tongue and asked hesitantly, "You don't expect me to unstan my idol, do you?"
Hearing this tone from Xiang Kui, the anger that Chen Ci had just managed to soften instantly hardened once again.
"What? You can't do it? You can't even do a little thing like this for me? And just now, standing so close to someone else, drinking alcohol to drown your sorrows? You've really grown some backbone, haven't you, Xiang Kui? Why don't you just pretend I'm dead!"
After Chen Ci unleashed a rapid-fire bombardment of complaints, Xiang Kui hurriedly covered her ears.
Chen Ci demanded, "What? Are you getting impatient with me now?"
"I am not."
Xiang Kui kept her hands over her ears and argued back.
Chen Ci fell silent for two seconds right where he stood, then turned and reached out to pull open the door behind Xiang Kui, looking as though he were ready to leave.
Unexpectedly, Xiang Kui suddenly lunged forward and hugged Chen Ci, pressing tightly against his chest.
"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you."
Chen Ci: "?"
Just like that?
She agreed just like that?
Although he didn't encounter situations like this very often, fortunately, Chen Ci understood the kind of person Xiang Kui was.
He asked, "You're not just deliberately trying to humor me and then go back on your word later, are you?"
Xiang Kui was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly defended herself, "Of course not! How could I do such a thing?"
Chen Ci raised an eyebrow. "Is that kind of thing something you haven't done enough of?"
"......"
This time, it was Xiang Kui's turn to fall silent.
Truth be told, she was a bit slow to pick up on Chen Ci's anger.
After all, regardless of whether she was right or wrong, Chen Ci was always the first one to apologize.
Xiang Kui had almost grown accustomed to this dynamic; Chen Ci doting on her was as routine as daily meals to him.
Yet this time, Xiang Kui suddenly realized that she had been taking all of that for granted.
That was why every time Chen Ci was driven wild with frustration by her, she still found it amusing to tease him, completely ignoring his true feelings.
He could dote on her and brush off those minor spats, but when a genuine crisis arose, Chen Ci truly suffered.
Nuzzling her face against Chen Ci's chest, Xiang Kui continued, "Really, I promise you."
Hearing Xiang Kui's tone, filled with genuine self-reproach and realization, Chen Ci's heart instantly melted into a mess.
He raised a hand to pat Xiang Kui's back, rested his chin on top of her head, and said gently, "I believe you."
"So we're making up?"
"Mn, we're making up."
"Whew—"
Xiang Kui let out a deep sigh of relief, then pulled away from Chen Ci's embrace. She smoothly opened the door behind them and said,
"Let's go, their skewered meat is insanely delicious. I'll take you to have some!"
Chen Ci: "......"
Do you seriously think I give a damn about meat skewers right now?!
So heartless!
"What are you standing there for?"
Turning around, Xiang Kui pulled Chen Ci along without giving him a choice and headed toward the outdoor barbecue stand.
Watching the two figures walking back together hand in hand, Ruan Mianmian suddenly burst out laughing.
"Oh my, have you guys made up?"
Xiang Kui raised the hand she was holding with Chen Ci, smiling brightly, "Of course."
The people nearby hurriedly covered their eyes with their hands.
A Kuan laughed, "Showing off your affection like this right in front of me—tomorrow I'm going to go find a girlfriend!"
Jin Jiu remarked, "You won't find one."
"Huh?"
"Yeah, you really won't find one."
"......"
Taking advantage of the moment, Xiang Kui sat back down in her original seat. Jin Jiu sensibly yielded his spot to Chen Ci, squeezing over to share a side with A Kuan.
Chen Ci picked up a meat skewer, sniffed it, and then looked out of nowhere at Ruan Mianmian, asking,
"Not bad, you've got quite a few tricks up your sleeve, huh?"
Feigning ignorance, Ruan Mianmian asked, "What do you mean?"
Chen Ci said, "You don't usually post on your Moments much, but you were awfully diligent today."
Suppressing her smile with a serious face, Ruan Mianmian replied, "Well, I was happy today!"
Chen Ci: "......"
Silently, Chen Ci bit into a meat skewer, looking utterly desolate.
Xiang Kui glanced at Chen Ci sideways and then happily dug into her food. She knew Chen Ci well; since he was willing to make up, he wouldn't hold a grudge or keep acting petty.
In high spirits, she felt she could easily eat a few more skewers.
Watching the pile of bamboo sticks rapidly multiplying in front of Xiang Kui, Chen Ci couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
Was his moment of righteous glory really just going to fade away from him so abruptly?
Buried in her feast, Xiang Kui puffed out her cheeks and asked Ruan Mianmian, "Mianmian, do you guys have mice in your house?"
As her words fell, the table went dead silent.
Ruan Mianmian had already quietly withdrawn her gaze, a trace of panic coloring her eyes.
She asked, "Did you see a mouse?"
"Not really."
Xiang Kui glanced up at her and said, "Just now in the living room when I was coaxing him, I heard a rustling sound coming from the second floor, like there was a mouse or something."