Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Bracelet

To be honest, Jiang Xiaotian always felt somewhat stifled staying at his uncle’s house. Of course, he kept in mind all the kindness his uncle showed him, but when it came to Li Xiaoqing and his aunt, he simply couldn’t put his discomfort into words.

He was well aware that both of them disliked him. If only their attitudes were the same, he might have been able to bear it, but Li Xiaoqing’s dislike was blatant, while his aunt’s was both concealed and obvious. She never directly admitted to disliking him, but anyone could see that she even harbored a sense of loathing toward him.

It had already become apparent in the two days he’d spent at their home—not to mention anything else, but with his keen ears, Jiang Xiaotian could hear everything if he didn’t consciously avoid it. No whispered conversation could escape him. That’s how he knew that his aunt’s fury wasn’t just because his uncle had spoken up for Li Xiaoqing, but also because he’d bought Jiang Xiaotian many expensive clothes.

Jiang Xiaotian might be greedy for money, but he never coveted his family’s wealth. He felt pained that his uncle had spent so much on him.

Yet, in reality, this amount of money was nothing to his uncle’s family. Never in his wildest dreams did Jiang Xiaotian expect his aunt to be angry over such a trivial matter.

He truly felt helpless. Add to that Li Xiaoqing’s attitude toward him, and that was why he decided to leave early.

As he expected, before noon even arrived, his uncle had already called him countless times, nearly ordering him to come back in a commanding tone.

But even if he didn’t leave, he didn’t want to be a source of resentment any longer. After some explanation and persistent refusal on his part, his uncle finally relented, though he absolutely refused to accept that Jiang Xiaotian wouldn’t return next year.

“If you don’t come back for New Year’s next year, then don’t call me your uncle anymore, do you hear?” His uncle’s tone was anything but a joke, so Jiang Xiaotian had no choice but to agree.

He understood Li Zhiyuan’s predicament; the man’s feelings were no better than his own. On one side was his deceased sister’s son, on the other, his wife and daughter. He was caught in the middle, pleasing no one. Li Xiaoqing and his aunt wouldn’t give him any face, so it was left to Jiang Xiaotian to play the good guy.

When he returned, Ling’er was rather surprised to see him.

But family matters shouldn’t be aired in public, so Jiang Xiaotian simply told her that his cousin wasn’t celebrating her birthday this year, so he’d come back early.

Looking at the luxurious room, Jiang Xiaotian’s gloomy mood eased considerably.

Since he was here, he might as well make the most of it. He hadn’t yet savored the extravagant life here—he still had a few days, and if he spent them sulking, wouldn’t that be a waste?

First, he took a bath, then changed into a new set of clothes—incidentally, the ones his uncle had bought for him. Truly, expensive clothes felt different once you wore them.

His previous life was so difficult that he hadn’t even thought about grooming himself. But now, with some spare money and nothing urgent to do, he went straight for a full salon treatment—haircut, styling, the works—and came out looking sharp.

Ling’er worried that his already unremarkable looks might turn out even worse, so she insisted on going with him to supervise.

But after the whole process, even she was surprised. “Turns out you’re not as ugly as I imagined.”

He didn’t understand her nonsense, but looking into the mirror at the young man before him, he could only think of one word: handsome!

Neither of them planned to wander around Jiangzhou. The first and second floors of the Platinum Tower, besides the front desk, housed a massive shopping mall filled with all kinds of brands, even some he’d never heard of before.

Ling’er, though a dragon, was still a woman, and was quickly captivated by the dazzling array of goods. Basically, whatever caught her eye, she bought—after all, her black card had almost no spending limit.

Her lavish spending left Jiang Xiaotian utterly dumbfounded. He couldn’t help but sigh—if even dragons could be so rich, why shouldn’t he work hard too?

When it came time to eat, Ling’er was even more familiar with the place; she’d already figured out all the restaurants—what was good, what wasn’t, which were upscale and which were cheap—she could recite them all.

In her presence, Jiang Xiaotian felt like a country bumpkin who knew nothing, just muddling along.

Perhaps noticing his low spirits, Ling’er was especially attentive, ordering him all sorts of delicious dishes.

He had to admit, the food in a grand hotel was truly different—small portions, but exquisitely crafted, with even the plating showing great care. But Jiang Xiaotian was a straightforward man; as long as it tasted good, nothing else mattered.

Yet Jiang Xiaotian was observant. He noticed that gluttonous Ling’er barely touched her chopsticks today. Instead, she kept watching him, her thoughts a mystery.

“Aren’t you hungry, Ling’er?” he asked, mouth full of food.

As soon as he spoke, he almost spat out his food, making such a comical face that Ling’er couldn’t help but laugh.

She didn’t answer, instead pulling a bracelet from her pocket.

“Put this on.”

Jiang Xiaotian looked—it was the one she’d just bought. No wonder she’d bought two; when he’d asked, she’d said she wanted to switch them out, but it turned out one was a gift for him.

“This has my aura on it. If you ever find yourself in mortal danger and I’m not by your side, just crush it, and I’ll come find you.” Ling’er’s tone was calm, but Jiang Xiaotian felt a surge of emotion.

Just as she’d said, wherever he went, he was disliked by all, as if the whole world rejected him.

Even his own cousin and aunt, for reasons he couldn’t fathom, looked down on him so.

In truth, his meek character had been shaped by this family. Orphaned from a young age, with no one to guide him—when bullied, there was no one to protect him. He’d once wanted to be a strong man who stood tall, but in the face of his aunt and cousin, the slightest deviation from their wishes would make him a target for endless criticism. That was why he’d become someone who never fought back or talked back—a soft-hearted pushover.

But just like today, whenever Jiang Xiaotian thought he was worthless, Ling’er would always be there by his side.

His aunt would explode in anger over a few pieces of clothing his uncle bought him, but Ling’er had never been stingy with him.

Looking at Ling’er’s hand suspended in midair, Jiang Xiaotian’s eyes suddenly filled with tears.

“What’s wrong with you?” Ling’er was dumbfounded—Jiang Xiaotian was crying!

He wiped his eyes and carefully took the bracelet, immediately putting it on. “Thank you, Ling’er! This is the first time in my life someone has given me a gift!”

Ling’er pouted. “Don’t lie. I don’t believe you never got a birthday present. Besides, didn’t you have an ex-girlfriend?”

Jiang Xiaotian froze, then grew awkward and ashamed. “To tell you the truth, I’ve never celebrated my birthday…”

Ling’er was taken aback, her smile fading. “Huh? Then how do you spend your birthday?”

“Me? On my birthday my uncle would send me a birthday message, and that was it. Nothing else. So I can’t even remember the date anymore. But it doesn’t matter—thank you, Ling’er!”

He even kept the little gift box, afraid he might lose it.

Ling’er watched this normally thick-skinned boy now handling the bracelet so gingerly, feeling something indescribable in her heart.

She’d been by Jiang Xiaotian’s side for a long time, and she understood his temperament well. He was easygoing, yet not, and very gentle—but that gentleness was so forced it made one ache for him. His softness had been beaten into him.

She’d already guessed that his sudden return meant he’d been wronged, so she’d especially bought the bracelet for him, hoping it would make him happier.

Of course, his disregard for his own life was also part of it—Ling’er considered Jiang Xiaotian a friend, and naturally didn’t want to see him die.

She had a feeling that although this guy was clumsy, lacked talent, and had an overly soft heart, he would go far in life. She was willing to help him along the way.

“All right, you’d better keep it safe. Don’t say I didn’t warn you—if you lose this bracelet, you’ll lose your life,” Ling’er snorted.

Jiang Xiaotian nodded eagerly, treasuring it—not just because it was his first gift, but because it was from Ling’er. That made it all the more meaningful.

After that meal, his mood greatly improved, all thanks to Ling’er, who seemed to always know what was on his mind.

Perhaps in the martial world, Jiang Xiaotian had already become a byword for young assassins—decisive, ruthless, powerful.

But in front of Ling’er, he would always be her little brother.

Over the next two days, Jiang Xiaotian followed Ling’er around, eating and having fun, gradually growing more cheerful. He realized he didn’t need to dwell on those things anymore—he and Li Xiaoqing truly no longer belonged to the same world.

Here, almost all the staff knew him and treated him with respect. Why go back to endure that humiliation?

Good news came quickly too.

On the morning of the third day, Jiang Xiaotian received a call: his car was repaired and ready for pickup.

He was stunned. Hadn’t they said it would take at least a week to fix?