Chapter 825: Cai Xiaotang's Delayed Realization

The next day.

Cai Xiaotang woke up feeling somewhat depressed, so she gave Jiang Baobao a call.

The two of them agreed to meet in the evening at a restaurant they often frequented.

As soon as Cai Xiaotang finished her work, she hurried over directly.

When she walked into the restaurant, Jiang Baobao was already waiting at their table.

"Baobao!"

Cai Xiaotang hadn't seen her for a while, so she hurriedly greeted her with excitement and walked over quickly.

"Xiao Tang."

Jiang Baobao watched Cai Xiaotang sit down with a smile, then teased, "Why did you suddenly want to meet up today? I thought you were so busy dating lately that..."

"Who's dating!"

Cai Xiaotang felt embarrassed by her words. As soon as this matter was brought up, she couldn't help but think of Luo Wanwan again, and her mood suddenly became complicated.

Seeing that her expression was off, Jiang Baobao hurriedly reined in her smile and asked worriedly, "What's wrong? You specifically asked to meet me out—could it be that you and Li Xiao are having a conflict?"

"It's not exactly that..."

Cai Xiaotang frowned slightly as she spoke, then suddenly let out a small sigh.

Hearing this, Jiang Baobao became even more nervous and urged, "Then what exactly is it?"

Cai Xiaotang struggled for two seconds before finally explaining, "Simply put, it's..."

She was conflicted about whether to confess Luo Wanwan's identity to Jiang Baobao.

Feeling that it was too complicated to explain, the words reached her lips, but she changed them instead: "Li Xiao has a friend who got injured recently. Her situation is a bit complicated; anyway, she has no one to take care of her and no money, so she had no choice but to stay at my and Li Xiao's place. The other party... is a woman, and she used to... like Li Xiao."

Cai Xiaotang explained the situation simply, hiding part of the truth.

Jiang Baobao was startled, and her brows furrowed instantly.

"Then why can't she stay at a hotel? Does she have to stay at your home?"

"This..."

Cai Xiaotang's gaze flickered for a moment, and she said helplessly, "Because the subordinates around Li Xiao also know her, and everyone felt it was better to bring her back to take care of her..."

Once she said it to this extent, Jiang Baobao reacted instantly.

Everyone around Li Xiao knows her.

Then presumably, the other party must also know Li Xiao's identity, or she herself is someone with a certain status.

Jiang Baobao couldn't help but frown as well. After pondering for two seconds, she asked, "She... she wouldn't happen to want to pursue Li Xiao again, would she? Since she moved in, she should know that you two are already married..."

"That's not the case."

Cai Xiaotang shook her head, then suddenly sighed again: "It's not her problem, it's my own problem. She and Li Xiao have known each other for many years, and I discovered... she seems to understand Li Xiao better than I do. Those little habits of his, I don't know them at all."

"Oh... so you're jealous!"

Jiang Baobao suddenly realized, her face showing a mix of amusement and restraint.

"I..."

Cai Xiaotang subconsciously wanted to deny it, but when the words reached her lips, she suddenly choked for a moment.

After a long while—she simply gave up and waved her hand.

"Yes, yes, yes, I am jealous! Who told me not to understand Li Xiao as well as she does! They have known each other for so many years, and how long have we known each other? Anyway, I'm just incredibly depressed! Laugh if you want to!"

Seeing her being so frank, Jiang Baobao's smile grew even wider, but she hurriedly offered comfort.

"But the person Li Xiao likes now is you. You said it yourself, they have known each other for so many years; if it were possible, wouldn't they have been together long ago? So don't think too much about it..."

Cai Xiaotang's gaze flickered for a moment, and she said nothing.

They had indeed been together long ago...

And if it weren't for that accident back then, maybe their child would already be in elementary school!

She didn't tell Jiang Baobao the truth, so she could only keep everything bottled up inside.

Immediately after, she heard Jiang Baobao ask again: "Then how long is she staying? Otherwise... why don't you mention it to Li Xiao and ask if she can go stay somewhere else first?"

"Forget it, I don't want people to think I'm narrow-minded..."

Cai Xiaotang refused without thinking, her tone dull.

"Anyway, it's just that I'm uncomfortable in my own heart and wanted to talk to you. It has nothing to do with anyone else. She actually has a pretty good temper, speaks softly and gently, usually stays in her room and doesn't come out much, and is always apologizing to me, saying she's caused me trouble..."

"Then why does she act like she understands Li Xiao so well in front of you?"

Jiang Baobao suddenly interrupted Cai Xiaotang.

Cai Xiaotang was stunned, staring blankly at Jiang Baobao, as if she understood something, yet as if she didn't.

Jiang Baobao sighed and poured her a cup of hot tea.

She then continued: "Although I can be certain that the person Li Xiao likes is you, Xiao Tang, have you trapped yourself in some kind of misunderstanding? In order not to let others think you are narrow-minded, you have no opinion on this matter, and you are even very good to that woman, which is exactly why you gave the other party the opportunity to disgust you."

"You mean..."

Cai Xiaotang blinked.

Jiang Baobao nodded very firmly.

"I think she might be doing it on purpose. Although it's not good to speculate about others' intentions, you are my friend, and I don't want to see you being wronged. It's never wrong to be a little more guarded. She liked Li Xiao before; who knows if she still has some lingering feelings now? If she were really as you said—feeling like she's bothering you, being very tactful in her words and actions, and always apologizing—then from the very beginning, she should have refused to go to your place to recuperate no matter what, and she certainly wouldn't have shown that she understands Li Xiao so well right in front of you."

"She..."

Cai Xiaotang was left somewhat dazed by Jiang Baobao's words, and she couldn't help but recall the events of the past few days in her mind.

Luo Wanwan drank the soup she had stewed.

Even though she knew it would cause her wound to become inflamed, she drank it anyway.

That day after she returned home, when Li Xiao stepped in to smooth things over for her, he clearly already knew about this matter.

And also...

She gave Li Xiao the wine he likes.

She told her that Li Xiao does not like to eat sweets.

She took books from Li Xiao's study to read...

Every single thing seemed to be silently demonstrating.

Just how intimate she and Li Xiao once were.

Just how well she understands Li Xiao.

Luo Wanwan... does she really still like Li Xiao?

Cai Xiaotang frowned tightly.

Suddenly, in an instant, she figured something out.

It was that she had been too concerned about her performance in front of Li Xiao and Luo Wanwan during this period.

She did not want the other party to think she was very petty and unreasonable.

So she ignored this matter as much as possible, treating Luo Wanwan only as an ordinary guest who had come to recover from injuries.

But...

If she changed her perspective.

If it were her, who had suddenly encountered an accident and been separated from Li Xiao for eight years.

When she returned, she discovered that there was already someone else by his side...

Then...

Cai Xiaotang's whole body stiffened, and she suddenly could not help but feel a palpitation.

Luo Wanwan...

Should still like Li Xiao.