Chapter 1694: A Wolf in Front and a Tiger Behind

Although Jiang Motian headed straight toward Xie Wanyi.

Yet when the two were at their closest, Jiang Motian did not stop her steps, did not look aside, and actually walked right past him!

Seeing this scene, Li Xingyan felt secretly delighted.

But when he saw Jiang Motian walk to the doorway and chat happily with Xiaoshi, he could no longer smile.

Sigh, this is truly having a wolf in front and a tiger behind!

Li Xingyan sighed, then after thinking for a moment, he snuck over to the doorway, wanting to hear what those two were chatting about.

Jiang Motian was very enthusiastic; she asked with a smile, "When did you arrive?"

"Just arrived."

"Then come in and take a look."

Xiaoshi refused without even thinking: "No, no, I don't know how to appreciate art, and... there are so many of your friends and family inside; if I go in, I'll be out of place."

Jiang Motian had wanted to persuade him a bit more.

But seeing Xiaoshi looking so constrained, even nervously tugging at his own hem...

Jiang Motian changed her mind and said with a smile, "Then I'll stay here with you for a while."

This decision made Xiaoshi both surprised and delighted, and he even asked, "Won't it affect you?"

"It won't, come, sit here." Jiang Motian said, taking the initiative to sit on a stone.

She even patted it, signaling for Xiaoshi to sit over as well.

Xiaoshi smiled shyly.

At the same time, he also looked behind Jiang Motian without leaving a trace...

A rough glance showed no fewer than three people secretly observing the situation here!

Xiaoshi gave a soft hum in his heart.

On the surface, however, he sat very obediently by Jiang Motian's side.

The spot where he sat was very close to Jiang Motian.

That distance... was truly very close.

Jiang Motian felt a bit uncomfortable, so she prepared to shift a little to the side.

As it turned out, Xiaoshi sighed first.

This sigh successfully attracted Jiang Motian's attention, and she asked with concern, "What's wrong with you?"

"I envy you so much, having such good popularity, always surrounded by liveliness, while I..."

Xiaoshi lowered his eyes desolately, his expression listless.

Seeing this, Jiang Motian immediately comforted him: "No need to envy; if you can open your heart, you will also make many new friends."

"But I can't do that, though it doesn't matter; having you is enough, you are my only friend!"

Saying this, Xiaoshi stared at Jiang Motian with sparkling eyes.

It was as if Jiang Motian were the only hope in his hands.

That kind of gaze put a lot of pressure on Jiang Motian; although she was smiling, she felt a bit uneasy in her heart.

And the next second...

Xiaoshi gathered his courage and asked, "I don't have many requests, I just hope to stay with you. Tiantian, will you... always be by my side, right?"

The expectant look in Xiaoshi's eyes put even more pressure on Jiang Motian.

And... was she overthinking it, why did these words sound strange?

Jiang Motian did not answer according to his question, but instead corrected him: "I will always be your friend."

"That's good."

Xiaoshi smiled openly, as if Jiang Motian's previous feeling was just an illusion.

Jiang Motian returned a smile to him as well.

Afterward, she heard Xiaoshi say, "Don't move, it seems a bug has landed on your hair."

Jiang Motian hated small bugs, so she truly didn't move at all and even urged, "Quick, quick, quick, get the bug off!"

"Mm, it'll be done in a second."

Xiaoshi leaned close to Jiang Motian, his fingers passing through her hair.

From Li Xingyan's angle, those two... were almost pressed together!

And why did it feel like that brat Xiaoshi was kissing Jiang Motian's forehead!!

This little rascal...

Li Xingyan could bear it no longer and charged over first!

By the time he reached Jiang Motian's side, he grabbed Jiang Motian's hand and pulled her up!

Jiang Motian was stunned.

Before she could even stand steady, she heard Li Xingyan saying, "There are so many guests inside waiting for you, why are you slacking off outside?"

Xiaoshi also stood up, and he nervously explained for Jiang Motian: "Tiantian was just chatting with me for a moment, not slacking off."

"Why couldn't you chat inside?"

"It's that I didn't want to go in, so as not to embarrass Tiantian."

"Since you're so afraid of being embarrassing, then why did you come?"

These blunt words made Xiaoshi immediately lower his head, his fingers tightly tugging at his hem.

Jiang Motian felt Li Xingyan was being excessive, so she said, "Brother, don't talk nonsense!"

"Did I say something wrong? If you're afraid of being embarrassing, then don't go out; I think this logic is quite correct."

"But..."

"Tiantian, your brother is right; it was wrong of me to come and cause trouble. You... go on in, I'm fine."

After Xiaoshi finished speaking, he gave Jiang Motian another smile.

That smile was full of a sense of brokenness.

Yet it made Li Xingyan want to roll his eyes.

He thought to himself, why is it this pathetic look again, acting as if the whole world is out to persecute him!

While Li Xingyan was grumbling to himself, Xiaoshi gathered his courage and asked, "Can I still come to the Art Studio to find you in the future?"

"Of course."

The affirmative answer made Xiaoshi smile like a silly boy.

He then left, feeling completely satisfied.

Li Xingyan was also smiling.

But it was a cold sneer.

Don't think he couldn't tell; that last sentence of Xiaoshi's was clearly a provocation directed at him!

And what's more...

Li Xingyan asked Jiang Motian, "What is he doing coming to the Art Studio?"

"Taking care of the flowers and plants."

"For that kind of thing, let the gardener do it."

"Xiaoshi doesn't really have anything to keep him busy anyway, so I just treat it as a way for him to pass the time."

"At his age, time is precious; he doesn't even have enough for proper work, so how can he be passing it away?"

Jiang Motian was silent for a moment, then replied, "He needs a process to adapt."

"I'm afraid if he adapts for too long, he'll develop a dependency. I see he has a strong sense of dependency on you, and that is not a good thing."

Li Xingyan's warning made Jiang Motian look toward her side.

Then, she asked, "You seem to have a lot of opinions about Xiaoshi?"

"I just can't stand grown men being so wishy-washy. If you want something, go fight for it. Even Xie Wanyi has more backbone than him."

After saying this example, Li Xingyan regretted it.

How could he praise Xie Wanyi?

That guy must have been observing from the shadows just now.

Yet he managed to keep his cool and didn't jump out.

He had made himself the villain for nothing...

How detestable!

In his heart, Li Xingyan silently kept a tally against Xie Wanyi.

But it wasn't that Xie Wanyi didn't want to jump out; it was that he had other plans in mind.

At this moment, not far in front of Xie Wanyi, stood a person.

That person had also witnessed the entire process of Xiaoshi and Jiang Motian talking.

Watching this, she clenched her little fists and said indignantly, "This damn green tea, he only knows how to pester my sister, how hateful!"

The one complaining was none other than Li Moning.

And just as Li Moning's voice fell, she heard someone behind her say, "He is quite hateful."

She immediately turned her head to look.

When she saw Xie Wanyi, she raised her eyebrows slightly: "It's you?"

Xie Wanyi nodded at her, acknowledging the greeting.