147: Chapter 147 You're Still a Little Girl

Feeling those two gazes from the direction of the bed fixed upon her, her toes curled up in embarrassment inside her shoes.

Damn it! Caught red-handed!

Xia Ran squeezed out a smile, stammering as she tried to bluff her way out:

"Th-that, I was just passing by. I, I'll leave right now! I, I won't disturb you two anymore!"

After saying this, she gently opened the door, intending to leave this place of trouble.

However, just as she lifted her foot, before she had the chance to step out,

"Heh."

A very soft, yet mocking cold laugh from Li came from the bed.

She still maintained that kneeling posture, her red lips parting slightly:

"You are still the same as before, Xia Ran."

"When you encounter some trivial matter, you like to run away like a frightened rabbit, wishing you could bury your head in the sand."

"But when you encounter those life-threatening major events that require weighing pros and cons, you instead stiffen your neck, stubbornly hold on, and recklessly rush in to confront them head-on."

"Should I call you cowardly, or should I call you stupidly cute?"

Every word from Li was like a fine needle, accurately piercing Xia Ran's most sensitive pain point.

Xia Ran's foot, which was raised halfway and preparing to retreat, suddenly froze in mid-air.

She was like someone under a paralysis spell, motionless. Only the veins on her forehead throbbed clearly and violently twice, revealing the raging anger in her heart and the shame of having her sore spot poked.

Trivial matters? Running away?

Stupidly cute?!

Li! You damn wretch! What do you know?!

A nameless fire of being looked down upon and humiliated erupted with a "boom" in Xia Ran's chest!

Run away? Retreat? In front of her, Li? No! Absolutely not!

Xia Ran turned around abruptly and glared fiercely at the woman on the bed who looked so calm and indifferent.

That suspended foot did not step out; instead, it stepped backward, re-entering the Captains Cabin.

Then, under Li's intrigued gaze—

Xia Ran walked "stomp, stomp, stomp" a few steps to the corner of the room.

She reached out, dragged a chair over, and placed it squarely, exactly one meter away from the big bed, in the "best viewing area" with an excellent line of sight.

"Bang!" The chair was put down by her somewhat roughly.

Xia Ran sat down aggressively, even crossing her legs, arms folded across her chest, striking a pose that said, "I'm staying right here and not leaving."

She lifted her chin, trying hard to make her expression look cold and arrogant:

"You two, continue."

Her eyes locked onto Li, 'You were the one who started it, don't blame me for being a third wheel.'

Hmph! Li, aren't you arrogant? Didn't you mock me for being cowardly?

You must think I'll run away with my tail between my legs, right?

Fine! I'll just watch right here! I want to see if, under the nose of this spectator, you two can still continue! Can you still be as immersed as you were just now!

I originally wanted to leave you some private space, but since you are heartless, don't blame me for being unrighteous!

Xia Ran thought viciously in her heart, a sense of vengeful pleasure flooding her mind.

Qi Yun looked at the situation before him.

What is this situation?

This scene shouldn't be an occasion for arguing, right?

In this kind of setting, the only scenario where an argument would break out that he could think of was catching a mistress.

Li's voice sounded calmly once again:

"Continue."

Qi Yun: "..."

He lowered his head to look at Li, only to see her turning her face, her purple eyes gazing at him, with a hint of urging in them.

Qi Yun shook his head, seemingly shaking those distracting thoughts out of his mind.

Fine, it's not the first time in public anyway; he's used to it.

He no longer paid attention to Xia Ran sitting not far away, focusing his attention back on Li before him.

He reached out and held Li's slender, supple waist.

Xia Ran: "...!!!"

Watching Qi Yun actually ignore her and return to his work, her eyeballs almost popped out!

Qi Yun! You! Are you even human?!

A living person as big as me is sitting right here watching! Can't you have some sense of shame?!

Li is shameless, are you following suit and becoming shameless too?!

Xia Ran's cheeks instantly turned red enough to drip blood, and her breathing unconsciously became a bit more rapid.

She wanted to look away, wanted to cover her eyes, wanted to rush out the door immediately.

In her ears, Li's words, "a coward who likes to run away when encountering small matters," seemed to ring out again.

No! I cannot lose! I cannot be looked down upon by her!

Xia Ran bit her lower lip hard, forcing herself to keep her eyes wide open, her gaze "firmly" locked onto the man and woman on the bed.

I'll watch! I'll just watch! Who's afraid of whom!

She cheered herself on in her heart, but her sitting posture became increasingly rigid.

Time flowed slowly.

Less than two minutes had passed.

Certain images and sounds constantly assaulted her senses, making her restless, and her gaze began to uncontrollably want to drift elsewhere...

Just at the moment when her head was about to complete its first strategic shift—

"Hmm?" A mocking hum escaped from Li's throat.

Her head stiffened abruptly, then immediately twisted back, her gaze firmly returning to the original spot.

I cannot lose! I cannot let her laugh at me!

Xia Ran roared in her heart, using all her lifelong perseverance to maintain her surface "calm."

"Change positions." Li's cold, clear voice sounded again.

"Let our audience... enjoy it properly."

Then, under Xia Ran's suddenly widened eyes, the two of them really changed into a more direct position.

Xia Ran: "!!!"

She felt her brain was about to overload and smoke!

Blood surged crazily, and her ears were buzzing!

The visual impact brought by that scene far exceeded her poor imagination!

Li! You! You did this on purpose!

Xia Ran screamed in her heart, her body uncontrollably trembling slightly, and the arms originally folded across her chest tightened unconsciously.

"Your breathing has become a bit rapid, Xia Ran." Li's slightly panting voice suddenly sounded, carrying a hint of teasing.

"Y-you're talking nonsense!" Xia Ran immediately retorted shrilly.

She forced herself to control her breathing, trying to calm it down.

"Your face has also turned even redder. What's wrong, watching us..."

Li's voice sounded again, unhurried.

She meaningfully elongated her tone:

"Could it be that you actually also want to..."

"I don't! Stop talking nonsense! You, you pervert!"

Xia Ran suddenly raised her voice to interrupt her, her face blushing to the point of explosion.

Li laughed in a low voice and didn't speak again.

Torture!

Every minute and every second was torture!

Xia Ran felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, every second feeling like a year.

Why isn't it over yet?

She wailed desperately in her heart. It felt like a century had passed.

Finally.

On the verge of Xia Ran feeling her nerves about to snap and her reason about to collapse—

Everything slowly returned to calm.

Qi Yun let out a long breath, leaning against the head of the bed, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

Li also slowly got up, her movements still elegant, despite her hair being slightly messy, her cheeks flushed, and her breath not yet steady.

She didn't immediately put on her clothes, just grabbed the bed sheet, draped it casually over her body, and then, barefoot, walked towards Xia Ran who was frozen in the chair.

Li walked up to Xia Ran and stopped.

She leaned over slightly, reached out her slender, fair fingers, and before Xia Ran could react at all, gently patted Xia Ran on the top of her head.

Slowly, she said:

"Do you know, Xia Ran?"

"In my eyes, you are still a little girl."