Fatal Desire

Chapter 52 is polite, but not much.

Zhao Yansen glanced at her expression and raised an eyebrow slightly: "Get me a bottle of water."

"Oh." Song Xi got up, walked to the other end of the boat, took a bottle of premium mineral water, walked towards Zhao Yansen, and handed it to him.

Zhao Yansen didn't answer, but instead looked her over with interest, his tone casual: "Not willing?"

"Didn't I get it for you?" Song Xi didn't understand why he was being so troublesome. Did he expect her to laugh while handing him water before he would be satisfied?
"Xi'er, don't worry about your brother." Old Xiao cast his line again, settled down to fish, and spoke in a gentle, deep voice, "He has hands and feet, he can get a drink himself if he wants one."

Upon hearing this, Song Xi immediately placed the bottled water next to Zhao Yansen and then stepped back to his original spot.

Zhao Yansen unscrewed the mineral water bottle with one hand, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. Song Xi noticed and turned her face away, not letting him see her.

Zhao Yansen couldn't help but laugh.

She sat on a boat in the middle of the lake, her figure slender and her back straight, framed by the natural landscape, her graceful curves resembling a dragonfly skimming the water.

If it weren't for visiting his parents, Song Xi wouldn't want to see Zhao Yansen today.

Although they live under the same roof, and even if they don't see each other today, they will definitely see each other tomorrow, she just doesn't want to see him right now.

Did he think it was easy for her to choose photos?
Even though he was heartbroken, he still tried his best to choose the girl he liked.

Not only did he not appreciate it, he was also angry with her. If she wasn't allowed to choose, she simply wouldn't choose; why get angry?

It's like anything she's touched is rotten and he has to throw it away.

Why doesn't he just throw himself away?
Fishing isn't about catching fish, it's about finding a state of mind.

Clearly, Song Xi was in a bad mood and depressed, so he didn't catch a single fish after half a day.

She became even more depressed.

Zhao Yansen casually tossed the fish into the box and glanced at Song Xi. The girl's bright, sparkling eyes were fixed on the water, her face full of hope, as if she were waiting for a miracle to happen.

"Didn't catch a single one?" Zhao Yansen strode over.

It's an interrogative sentence, but the tone is affirmative.

Song Xi didn't want to pay him any attention, but still replied, "What's the rush? Jiang Ziya only met King Wen at the age of eighty."

Polite, but not much.

Zhao Yansen casually sat down next to her, his well-defined knuckles reaching for her fishing rod, but Song Xi warily snatched it back: "Don't touch my fishing rod."

As she spoke, she moved to the side, distancing herself from him.

It was like avoiding a plague.

Zhao Yansen was so angry he laughed. He stretched out his long arm, and just as he was about to touch her arm, Song Xi seemed to be startled and stood up instantly.

Zhao Yansen looked at her with a cold gaze.

Song Xi's heart was pounding, her brain was racing, and she quickly tossed him the fishing rod, saying, "If you want it, I'll give it to you."

Then he turned and walked over to Old Master Xiao, and said with a smile, "Grandfather, I can't catch any fish. Can I sit here and watch you fish?"

"Of course you can." Old Xiao didn't interfere with their playful daily life, his smile kind. "Fishing can't be rushed; you have to wait for the right opportunity."

"Mmm!" Song Xi listened attentively, like a good student.

Zhao Yansen looked at the harmonious and warm scene between the grandfather and grandson, then glanced at the fishing rod thrown onto the boat. His eyes darkened, and he lost interest.

Near the end, Song Xi finally caught a big fish at Old Xiao's place. She reeled in the fish with perfect technique, her joy evident as she touched the fish's slippery surface.

After fishing, the boat sailed towards the antique-style pavilion and slowly docked at the shore. As soon as they disembarked, their attendants immediately boarded the boat to unload the boxes containing the fish.

When they counted the fish, they found there were too many. Old Xiao said to put the small fish back into the lake. Song Xi put on gloves, stared intently at the fish box, and aimed at one of the fish.

She bent down, but before she could even touch the fish, its tail thrashed wildly, splashing water all over her. Song Xi was startled and quickly stepped back, never expecting the fish to be even more unpredictable than her brother.

Fortunately, the fish calmed down quickly. Song Xi continued to bend down, and this time the fish didn't make a fuss. She held the fish in her hands and carefully walked to the lakeside. Just as she was about to release it, the fish suddenly escaped from her hands, jumped to her feet, and gurgled out a puddle of water, which directly soaked her shoes.

The fish seemed to realize it had done something wrong, and after jumping twice more, it jumped back into the lake.

Song Xi: "..."

An ungrateful fish!

In ancient times there was a farmer and a snake; now there is Song Xi and a fish.

sigh.

Song Xi pulled off the silk scarf that was holding her hair back, sat on the bench in the pavilion, and bent down to wipe the water stains off her shoes. The water stains had seeped into her socks, making them very uncomfortable, and she couldn't wipe them off at all.

She didn't want to trouble Grandpa Xiao, nor did she want to go back in wet shoes, so she told Grandpa Xiao that she would play a little longer and let her grandfather go about his business.

After Mr. Xiao left, Song Xi instructed her attendant to go back and have her aunt bring her a pair of shoes.

A gentle breeze wafted from the pavilion, ruffling her smooth hair. Song Xi rested her hands on the railing, chin propped on her arm, listlessly admiring the scenery. The lake shimmered, like a sparkling, glittering Milky Way.

It was springtime, and the precious flowers were budding, exuding beauty and fragrance. The courtyard appeared simple and elegant, but in reality, the flowers, trees, and shrubs planted there were all of extraordinary quality, making it extremely luxurious.

My brother disappeared after disembarking; I don't know where he went.

This question suddenly popped into Song Xi's mind.

Why am I thinking about him again?

I don't want to think about it anymore.

Footsteps suddenly sounded behind me, steady and approaching from afar.

Each sound seemed to land directly on her heart, overlapping with her heartbeat, indistinguishable from it.

Song Xi thought she was hallucinating again, smiled, and didn't turn around, keeping her eyes fixed on the endless scenery in the distance.

Then a familiar voice came from beside him: "Your shoes are wet. How long are you going to wear them if you don't take them off?"

Song Xi was taken aback.

She slowly turned her head, and her vision was filled with a tall and slender figure gradually moving downwards.

Zhao Yansen squatted down, grabbed her ankle without saying a word, and took off her white shoes without giving her any chance to refuse.

Song Xi blinked her long eyelashes: "The shoes haven't been delivered yet, so if I take them off, I'll be barefoot."

Going barefoot is a very impolite behavior.

Zhao Yansen lowered his eyes and quickly took off her shoes and socks.

He raised his chin to look at her, the sunlight dancing in his dark eyes and reflecting on Song Xi's fair face.

The man's dry, broad hand was still holding one of her ankles, his calloused fingertips pressed against her skin, the touch hot yet familiar.

Their eyes met, and Song Xi felt a momentary dryness in her throat. She softly called out, "Brother."

Zhao Yansen stared at her for a long time, then turned around, his back to her, and commanded in a low voice, "Come up."

Song Xi climbed onto his broad, sturdy shoulders, wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes and eyebrows curving like crescent moons, and said generously, "Okay, I forgive you."

Zhao Yansen easily picked her up and chuckled, "What did I do that requires your forgiveness?"

(End of this chapter)