Chapter 32 - Love it or love him?

Jian Qiao was touched by Cassia’s farewell smile.

Although this woman was greedy, she also had a pure side. Her smile was as sweet as a child’s.

The carriage had gone far away, but Jian Qiao continued to gaze in that direction.

Rege blocked his view with one hand and asked sourly, “What, are you smitten with her, too?”

“No, I just think she has a beautiful smile,” Jian Qiao said truthfully.

Rege’s face turned black.

Jian Qiao immediately added, “But in my eyes, your smile is by far the best. Every time you laugh, I feel rays of sunlight beaming on my head, and there’s a warm feeling all over my body. That’s why I love to see you smile. I’d give anything to make you happy.”

Rege: “…”

If he hadn’t been toughened on the battlefield, his sullen face would have turned red in an instant.

The gentleman Earl was really something! Not even bees could compete with him. He produced sweet honey all on his own, he didn’t even need to search for flowers.

Rege rubbed his burning ears and licked his pointed tiger teeth, then said in a muted voice, “I also love to see you smile. I too would give anything to make you happy.”

At the time, Jian Qiao wasn’t conscious of how much enthusiasm these words contained. But he was already very content, so his eyes shone brightly. “When I’m with you, that’s when I’m happiest.”

Not a word of this was false.

After two lifetimes, Jian Qiao had only opened his heart to a single friend, and that was Rege. Since then, the feelings of loneliness and loss seemed to have slowly drifted away.

“I wrote you two letters. After you get in the carriage, open them in order, don’t mess up.” Jian Qiao handed over the two envelopes.

“What’s this?” Rege raised his eyebrows.

Jian Qiao put up a slender index finger against his pale lips. This meant not to ask more questions.

“You’re always so mysterious,” Rege grumbled, then took the gentleman Earl into his arms. He said in a low voice, “Then goodbye, my friend. I’m hosting a banquet tomorrow, can you come?”

“Of course, I’ll definitely be there.” Everything Jian Qiao planned to do was already finished, and in a little while he’d return to Desolette. Therefore he wanted to seize every moment to spend time with his good friend.

Amazing, a person like him actually had a friend.

Jian Qiao gently nudged his chin against Rege’s shoulder, not knowing whether he sighed in satisfaction or dismay.

Rege’s calm heart mysteriously stung a little because of this sigh. He could feel how the gentleman Earl always hid himself in a thick fog, and never really came out.

“Don’t sigh, my dear. When I hear you sigh my chest feels tight,” Rege said in a pleading tone, lightly stroking Jian Qiao’s soft hair.

“All right, I won’t sigh again,” Jian Qiao immediately agreed.

Negative emotions are much more contagious than positive ones. He should have thought of that long ago. Rege channeled a steady stream of positive energy to him, and he should respond more positively as well.

“I’m sorry to make you feel uneasy, I didn’t mean to. I’m just reluctant to part with you. Every time I can’t bear to let you go.” Jian Qiao described his feelings without any concealment.

Rege chuckled in a low voice. The tremor in his chest and the sudden rise in his body temperature were simultaneously transmitted to Jian Qiao, dispelling the haze in his eyes.

A feeling of joy flowed between their hearts, and they shared it with each other.

Jian Qiao turned to look sideways at the big sunny boy with the bright smile and said sincerely, “My heart clears up when you smile.”

“I know.” Rege touched Jian Qiao’s eyelids with his fingertips. He found that the man’s eyes were shining brightly, and in that light he could see his own figure.

Those eyes were filled with himself.

This feeling made Rege’s heart soar with emotion. He was simultaneously very happy and excited. But he didn’t know why he was so happy and excited.

Their hug lasted so long that passersby stared at them.

Jian Qiao had no choice but to withdraw from Rege’s embrace. Pointing to the two letters grasped in the other man’s hand, he once again admonished, “Look at them in order, don’t get confused.”

“All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Rege stroked the area over his heart, which felt empty. Every time he said goodbye to Jian Qiao he felt this way.

The carriage drove away, and Jian Qiao remained on the street, watching.

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Meanwhile, Rege couldn’t wait to open the envelope with the number “1” written on it.

【 Dear Ray, If you agree to end that stupid game at once and completely stay away from Cassia, you can open the second letter. If you don’t agree, please ask your servant to return the second letter to me unopened. PS: Please don’t return it in person, I don’t want to see you yet. Your unwise decision has made me angry!】

Rege almost laughed out loud.

In his mind he sketched the gentleman Earl’s angry face. The man’s frowning little eyebrows and angry round eyes had no lethality at all, but would make him even lovelier.

“I agree, of course I agree. I understand your desire to have me all to yourself. Jian, you’re so greedy.” Rege didn’t realize how doting he sounded as he whispered or how happy he looked as he shook his head.

He opened the second letter quickly.

【Dear Ray, If you opened this letter, then congratulations, your wise decision has won my reward. I’ll make a private contribution to cover all your expenses today. The sapphire cufflinks, the jet rosary, and the blood diamond ring, just like the bottle of perfume, are all gifts for you from me. Don’t feel bad about the ring you lost in your bet, now you have a better one. Although I have little ability, I’ll do everything in my power to protect you. If I can keep you from being cheated and toyed with or hurt, it will be my greatest happiness.】

Jian Qiao was true to his word. He really would give everything to make Rege happy.

Seeing this, the smile on Rege’s face slowly faded. He looked at the letter with deep eyes, then hid his face with it.

The lake of his heart was rippling, and beneath the ripples were rapidly surging vortexes.

“Jian, ah Jian, how can I repay you?” Rege whispered hoarsely.

Of course he knew what Cassia had in mind, he just didn’t care. He’d seen so many people far greedier than her.

But what he didn’t expect was that Jian Qiao cared. Jian Qiao cared if he gave someone money and ended up with nothing. Jian Qiao cared if that woman deceived him, fooled with or wounded him.

Even if his concern was totally unnecessary, Rege’s sturdy heart was firmly hit.

Something took advantage of the impact to slip into his heart.

“I want to go back to the jewelry shop, hurry!” he sharply ordered the coachman.

The coachman immediately turned around.

After a short space, Rege pushed open the door of the jewelry shop, knocking the door chimes into a clanging chaos.

Jian Qiao, who was lounging against the counter reading the account book, looked up at him with an expression of surprise, followed by anger.

“You don’t agree with my request? You—”

Before Jian Qiao could finish his words, Rege hit the glass countertop with one hand, jumped neatly behind the counter, and held Jian Qiao by the shoulders. He lifted him up, brought his mouth closer, and kissed him fiercely on each cheek.

The two crisp smacking sounds attracted everyone’s attention.

Jian Qiao was stunned by the kisses.

Before he could react, Rege again propped himself on the glass counter and vaulted out. Kissing the lion’s head ring on his thumb, he said enthusiastically, “Jian, I love it! I came back to tell you that I love it. I agree, I agree with everything you said!”

In fact, he loved the person who gave the presents even more. Yet somehow he wasn’t able to say the words out loud, even though he’d abused the word “love” so many times with so many people.

The door chimes jingled and jangled again. The man who arrived in so much haste rushed out with equal violence.

Jian Qiao wiped the drool marks on his face and stood there for a while. Only then did his dark eyes gradually reveal a bright light.

“Ray is a two-year-old,” he shook his head and murmured in a low, inaudible voice.

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The following day, Jian Qiao arrived at the ducal palace. He expected another ball, where everyone would drink and chat while looking for the dance partner of their choice, then spin around all night to melodious music.

But it wasn’t.

The guests were placed at small round tables spaced close together, while the dance floor was vacant and covered with a red carpet.

The ballroom looked more like a small theater.

“What kind of banquet is this?” Jian Qiao was led by the butler to take a seat next to Rege.

To his surprise, the old Duke was sitting on the other side of Rege. It seemed he was very interested in this particular banquet.

“Don’t ask, just watch.” Rege shook his head in a mysterious manner.

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Just then a group of dwarfs in fancy clothes came on the stage, and among them was the female dwarf whom Rege had exchanged for a horse. They were performing one of the most popular plays of the day.

In order to increase the appeal, they’d made some adaptations to the plot, adding a lot of exaggerated lines, absurd details, and nonsensical actions. When they used the short and stumpy body of a dwarf clown to interpret the love between the prince and princess, it produced a wonderful, comedic silliness.

To create a warmer atmosphere, Rege invited many guests.

The noise of their roaring laughter almost knocked down the gold chandelier full of candles that hung above the hall.

The old Duke also showed a long-lost smile.

The only person who watched the stage performance quietly, without changing his expression, was Jian Qiao. He didn’t smile, didn’t applaud, and didn’t convulse with laughter like the others.

In his opinion, watching these little people slap each other while reciting their exaggerated lines wasn’t funny at all. Unlike modern theater performers who only act on stage, in order to please the noble lords as much as possible, they were really fighting.

They slapped their companions relentlessly one by one, making the clapping sounds echo through the hall.

Their red, swollen cheeks were imprinted with the hardships and bitterness of life.

They had to rely on self-deprecation, self-injury, even self-destruction to survive. Their small bodies only needed a small corner of space, but in exchange for that small corner, they had to sacrifice their dignity and lives.

It really wasn’t funny at all.

Jian Qiao gazed at the stage with dark eyes, and didn’t notice Rege was secretly peeking at him to gauge his reaction.

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Just then the butler ushered in another guest. She was wearing a lot of perfume and squeezed into the small round table with Jian Qiao and Rege.

As soon as Jian Qiao saw her, his brow furrowed.

“Please give back the ring.” He extended his open hand to Rege and his voice was icy.

When Rege turned his head he almost flew into a rage.

Shit! Why was Cassia here again, like some kind of ghost who refused to leave? He obviously didn’t invite her!

TL Notes:

Shit! – This was in English in the raw text

暴跳如雷 – fly into a rage – to be in a thundering rage, to stamp with fury