His late mother's portrait gazed down benevolently at Sun Jingwei and his new houseguest.
"Yep. You've got it." Jingwei smiled, it was softer and sweeter, yet a lot sadder than what she had ever seen from him.
p
"She is beautiful," Xue Ning said quietly, giving the painting another look, resisting the urge to bow in front of it to show respect. "But if you don't mind me asking, why a painting? Usually people frame photos instead."
"Oh I didn't really have any photos of her. Father took them all away when she died." Jingwei said serenely, but one could still detect the faint way his voice wavered at the end.
"... What?" Xue Ning asked in shock. "Are you serious? Took them away?"
"Yeah. I don't think he burned them, but Ge and I didn't get to see most of her photos." He shrugged. "I guess that was his way of coping with her death. He did love her very much."
Jingwei continued while Xue Ning listened in stunned silence.
"I only got this photo from Lady Yu, who knew her from before. The photo was small, so I decided to get someone to paint a larger version of her when I moved out!"
"..." Xue Ning stared at him, speechless. No wonder there was no hint of his mother's presence in the mansion, not a single wedding photo, no family portraits from when the boys were children, no candid photos of the family on vacation on the many shelves lining the living room.
It turned out that such an absence was deliberate! She felt rage flood her heart at Sun Haowei's cruelty. Even if he did feel ridiculous amounts of grief to the point that he avoided all mentions of his wife in his home, he should have still let her children retain some form of memory of her, not scrub her out of existence!
And after she bore him two sons too! There was no justice in this world!
"Xue Ning? Xue Ning? You okay?" Jingwei asked cautiously, seeing Xue Ning's face darken like a stormy sky.
"Ah? I'm fine. Why?" Xue Ning asked, trying to keep calm so that she doesn't do something stupid like call up Sun Haowei to yell at him for being a terrible father. If she were his deceased wife, she would have haunted him for the rest of his days.
Jingwei was still staring at her, a hand barely brushing the curve of her waist. Right. She stopped herself from daydreaming about that metaphorical haunting scenario and focused on the present.
No matter how much Sun Jingwei adored her, she's sure it wouldn't save her from being disposed of in some dingy back alley if Sun Haowei wanted it. He might even do it when Jingwei's back was turned! Breathe Xue Ning, she told herself. He's not worth it.
"Are you sure you're alright? The expression on your face looked like one of a serial killer," Sun Jingwei commented, only half-joking.
"How would you know?" She retorted instinctively. "Do you see many serial killers? Should I be worried?"
A brief, unidentifiable emotion brushed past his face, before it smoothed back to his customary smile. "Awww, you are worried about me. You look so angry because you care!"
Xue Ning spluttered. How had the conversation turned into this?
"Of course I care!" Jingwei opened his mouth, presumably to spit out more cheesy lines, but she covered his mouth with her hand to cut him off, feeling the warmth of his lips on her palm.
"And shush, even if I didn't, I'd still think what your father did was seriously fucked up." Xue Ning declared. "Even if he couldn't cope with your mom's death, removing all traces of her wasn't fair to you or your brother."
Jingwei stared back at her with soft shining eyes.
And then she felt a slimy sensation on her palm.
"Gross! Did you just lick my palm? Are you a dog?" Xue Ning shrieked and sprang behind in shock. She wanted to wipe it on her pants, but then thought better of it and decided to wipe it on Sun Jingwei's smirking face instead.
Jingwei danced out of the way, laughing uproariously. Joy filled him up like hot air in a balloon, like a glass of bubbling champagne, leaving him breathless with happiness.
Xue Ning cared so much for him! Upon hearing that the picture was of his deceased mom, she didn't think that it was weird and awkwardly moved away (like some dates he had). She wanted to learn more about why the painting existed, and after she found out the truth, she even wanted to sock his father in the face!
Suddenly he felt that every injustice he had faced in his childhood was worth it, if it meant that Xue Ning was here now to help him argue for justice on his behalf.
Yes, Sun Jingwei knew Xue Ning well enough to realise when she was looking particularly murderous and ready to punch someone's lights out. Not that he'd approve of her punching his dad, but it was the thought that counted!
Well, here's hoping their relationship improves when he marries Xue Ning, if not meals at the mansion would be horrendously awkward.
"Stand still and let me wipe your spit on you," Xue Ning demanded angrily, still holding out her hand like it was contaminated.
"Just wipe it on yourself!" Jingwei exclaimed, still laughing. He had deliberately kept himself out of her arm's reach. It was not hard, because Xue Ning's arms weren't very long. And part of him wanted Xue Ning to get used to having his mouth on her, because he had plans for their future that involved his lips on her skin.
But of course he wasn't going to say that - he didn't want to die so early.
He caught the eyes of his mother's portrait from the corner of his eye. She seemed to be looking at him knowingly from the picture, as though she could tell what he was thinking.
Somehow, that made him feel embarrassed, like a misbehaving child.
"Got you!" Xue Ning cackled triumphantly as she happily smeared her dirty palm on his T-shirt, straight down the line of his abs.
"Why Xue Ning, at least buy me dinner first before you take advantage of me!" Jingwei exclaimed like a scandalised maiden from the 19th century. "This is so scandalous!"
"Oi don't accuse me! You started it first!" She retorted, the tips of her lips curving into a smile. His mock outrage was hilarious.
"Who is so afraid of a little spit?" He asked challengingly.
"I'm not! It's unhygienic, you stupid man!" Xue Ning explained. "Who's afraid of your spit! Bring it on!"
How was he supposed to react to her audacious statement? Suddenly, Jingwei's brain was flooded with images on how he could 'bring it', and all of them were not safe for work.
He pictured his mouth fitting over hers as he swiped an eager tongue over her soft lips before diving into her mouth, kissing her deeply so that he could taste her.
When they parted, a string of spit would connect their lips, and she would gaze up at him with dilated eyes and pull him closer for a second kiss. He would oblige, because he would never be able to deny her this, deny her anything.
He would (could) easily carry her up and press her against the wall, and she could wrap those strong muscular heavenly thighs around his waist, grinding their lower halves together.
His lips would then trail from her lips to her neck, teeth nipping at her skin to mark her as his, and then they could carry on from when they were interrupted in that ambulance -
"Hey!" A hard smack on his chest distracted him from his thoughts. Xue Ning stared at him with suspicion in her eyes. This man definitely had been thinking about something lewd, she recognized that perverted gleam in his eyes and the way they focused on her mouth. His lips were parted too, and a tongue was peeking out.
It made her want to bite him. Luckily, she caught herself in time and smacked him awake.
"What's that for?" He protested, wincing as he was rudely awakened from his sexy daydream by the very person he was daydreaming about. He took a quick glance at his own crotch, thankfully, his cock was still asleep throughout this detour.
If it wasn't… Well, he could be waking up in the dumpster tomorrow.
Unfortunately for him, Xue Ning also caught his downward glance. Her frown grew deeper. Jingwei let out an awkward laugh, hands torn between protecting his family jewels or easing the furrow between her eyes. It was deep enough that he could probably tuck a dollar coin into the folds.
"Xue Ning, don't frown like that! You'll get wrinkles early!"
"And whose fault is that? It's yours! I can't believe you are thinking perverted thoughts in front of your mother's portrait!" Xue Ning exclaimed, scandalised.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter