Chapter 1047: A Couple in Name Only

Cai Xiaotang stared at the photo for a few more seconds, then felt increasingly annoyed the more she looked at it, so she simply closed it to avoid the sight.

Her initial sleepiness was also completely transformed into anger.

Thinking of Liu Xin'ai and Qin Yiyan, whom she had encountered on the night they watched fireworks during the Lunar New Year, she recalled that strange feeling again.

The awkwardness she couldn't put her finger on at the time had finally found a suitable adjective because of this photo.

A couple in name only!!!

The feeling between the two of them at the time was just like a married couple deliberately putting on a show of harmony in front of outsiders!

That was why it made people feel inexplicably strange!

"Knock, knock, knock—"

The suddenly sounding knock on the door interrupted Cai Xiaotang's train of thought.

"Xiao Tang, are you asleep?"

Jiang Baobao's voice also rang out from outside the door.

"No, come in!"

Cai Xiaotang hurriedly replied.

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Baobao pushed the door open and walked in.

"Baobao, you're back. What did the Doctor say?"

Cai Xiaotang asked hurriedly as soon as she saw her.

She had contacted Jiang Baobao while on her way back.

Jiang Baobao was at the Hospital for a routine prenatal checkup at the time, and she had thought it would be later before she could return; she hadn't expected them to arrive one after the other.

"The Doctor said everything is normal. I heard from Li Xiao that you were a bit tired, but since you had only just gone upstairs, I came to see you."

Jiang Baobao replied, her hand subconsciously resting on her belly.

She was only a few months pregnant, so the curve of her belly was not yet particularly obvious.

But overall, it looked a bit rounder, and being meticulously cared for by Li Beijue, she looked to be in excellent spirits.

Cai Xiaotang, however, yawned again.

"I'm fine, just a bit sleepy. Maybe I didn't sleep well on the plane..."

"Then hurry up and rest. I won't disturb you; we can talk after you've caught up on your sleep."

Jiang Baobao said, preparing to stand up.

Seeing this, Cai Xiaotang hurriedly waved her hands: "It's fine, it's fine. I was planning to sleep, but now I'm so angry I'm full..."

"Full from anger?" Jiang Baobao was startled upon hearing this: "What's wrong? Did Li Xiao make you angry again?"

Her face was full of confusion.

She thought about how Li Xiao's expression and tone of voice had been nothing out of the ordinary when she came up just now.

Immediately after, she saw Cai Xiaotang pick up her phone and open the screen with a huff.

"Here, see for yourself."

Cai Xiaotang presented the photo she had just been looking at to Jiang Baobao.

Jiang Baobao glanced at it, and the expression on her face instantly became somewhat surprised.

"This..."

Looking at the intimate pair on the screen, a flash of worry quickly crossed her expression.

"Qin Yiyan, he..."

Her expression was somewhat hesitant; thinking of the few brief meetings she had had with Qin Yiyan before, she hadn't seen him as that kind of person.

However, with his status, it wasn't exactly rare for such news to be exposed.

It was just that Xinaijie must have seen it too...

"Look! You're speechless too, right! I really couldn't tell that Qin Yiyan was that kind of person! I was just thinking, no wonder we felt he was so strange when we saw Xinaijie during the New Year; it was because he wasn't happy at all being with this person! And he still had to cooperate and act for us!"

Cai Xiaotang complained indignantly.

Jiang Baobao also let out a long sigh, recalling the scene when Liu Xin'ai first spoke of getting married, feeling a bit wistful for a moment.

Immediately after, she heard Cai Xiaotang suddenly change the subject and suggest:

"By the way, Baobao, why don't we ask Xin'ai to come out and sit for a while?"

"This... wouldn't that be inappropriate? After all, it's Xin'ai's private business..."

Jiang Baobao shook her head gently.

Cai Xiaotang hurriedly explained: "Of course I don't mean to talk to her about this. I just think that if she's unhappy, would she feel a bit better if we were there to keep her company? If she's willing to confide in us, that would be even better. If she doesn't say anything, we won't ask. Didn't Xinaijie say before that none of her good friends were in the country? After all, being alone all the time, she'll get stifled."

Her tone was sincere, full of concern for Liu Xin'ai.

Jiang Baobao pondered for two seconds and then nodded gently.

"That might be good. Since the weather is warming up now, shall we try asking Xinaijie?"

"Mm! Let's try!"

Cai Xiaotang said, picking up her phone and dialing a call to Liu Xin'ai.

She had assumed it might not go through.

But to her surprise, only two seconds passed before the call was answered.

"Xiao Tang? You're back?"

Liu Xin'ai's voice sounded somewhat surprised.

When Cai Xiaotang was away, she would occasionally post photos of scenery and food on social media, which Liu Xin'ai could see.

Upon receiving the call, she had already guessed a little.

Immediately after, she heard Cai Xiaotang reply enthusiastically: "Yeah! I'm back! And I brought gifts for everyone! Xinaijie, are you free tomorrow? It just happens to be the weekend, do you want to come out and sit for a while? Have some afternoon tea?"

"Baobao happens to be free too!"

"Tomorrow..."

Liu Xin'ai hesitated for two seconds.

Then she agreed directly: "Sure, let's meet at two in the afternoon, at that coffee shop we went to before, is that okay?"

"Of course it is!"

Cai Xiaotang seemed not to have expected her to agree so directly, her tone sounding somewhat excited.

After exchanging a few more words, the two of them hung up.

Jiang Baobao asked hurriedly: "Did Xinaijie agree right away?"

"Mm, it's already set!"

Cai Xiaotang nodded, then pondered for two seconds and added: "However... Xinaijie's voice didn't sound like she was angry or sad; maybe she doesn't know about the gossip news yet?"

"Let's talk about it when we meet tomorrow."

Jiang Baobao shook her head and pulled the quilt from the side over for Cai Xiaotang.

"You rest first, don't worry so much, wait until you've recovered your energy before talking about it."

"Okay."

Cai Xiaotang agreed obediently, watched Jiang Baobao leave, and before long, fell into a deep sleep.

On the other side—Liu Xin'ai put down her phone and looked at Qin Yiyan, who was standing two steps away.

"Do you still have something to do? Or do you want my phone?"

Her tone had no fluctuations, her gaze indifferent.

"Your father's recent test results,"

Qin Yiyan casually handed over a medical report.

Liu Xin'ai hurriedly took it.

Just as she was about to open it, she heard Qin Yiyan say again: "You have an appointment with someone at two tomorrow afternoon? I'll have the driver take you then."

Liu Xin'ai's movement of taking the report paused, then she let out a scoff.

"Is it to take me, or to monitor me?"

Qin Yiyan did not speak, but his eyes darkened abruptly.

He had no intention of monitoring her.

It was just that he had heard the servants at home say she hadn't been resting well lately, getting up before dawn every day and not eating much, so he was worried she wasn't in a good state to drive.

It was just...

"Heh, monitoring, isn't this something you brought upon yourself?"

Qin Yiyan was not to be outdone, his sharp tone piercing into the bottom of Liu Xin'ai's heart with every word.

Liu Xin'ai's movement of checking the medical report stiffened, a flash of coldness crossing her eyes.

In the spacious room, a tense atmosphere was on the verge of breaking out.