961 CONFUSED YU JIAO


    JI XIUYING was washing a pot when she heard the door opening. She nced back and saw her daughter walking briskly towards her room. No, it’s almost like she was running at that pace.


    “Jiao Jiao, have they gone?” she asked.


    Her question made Yu Jiao stopped. But because she kept her head down, Ji Xiuying couldn’t see her expression.


    “Yes, they already left,” Yu Jiao answered before she could ask if there was something wrong. “Mom, I’ll go to my room first. I-I’m kind of tired. Oh, and just leave some of the dirty dishes there. I’ll wash them tomorrow.”


    Ji Xiuying wasn’t able to react because Yu Jiao quickly went to her room before she could. She nced at the closed door of her daughter’s room. Was it just her imagination or was Yu Jiao’s ear tips red for some reason?


    —–


    Yes, it’s not Ji Xiuying’s imagination. Because until now, Yu Jiao’s face was still hot as an open stove despite the cold weather. Even her heart was still beating crazily inside her chest.


    The moment she entered her room, she slid down to the floor as if she was melting. She touched her chest and forced herself to calm down. She breath in and breath out, trying to even out her breathing.


    Seriously, just what was happening to her? Was the visual shock of Luo Ren smiling at her so great that she literally had some sort of breakdown? Okay, breakdown was a bit over the top, but you get the point.


    .....


    Yu Jiao knew that Luo Ren was handsome. She’s not blind, so how could she not? She just really didn’t give it much thought. Because she had never really thought that physical appearance was important. In fact, there wasn’t even a time that someone’s looks affected her.


    That was, until now.


    Aside from turning materialistic, was she also turning superficial?


    She groaned inwardly. Could her brain be making these stupid reasons because it couldn’te up with a proper exnation for her weird reaction towards Luo Ren?


    She could understand if that was the reason. Because she really didn’t know why or how this happened. She clenched her fists and only then did she remember that she still had Luo Ren’s gift in her hand.


    She looked down at the box and decided to first open it before she started dwelling again on things she couldn’t understand. It’s not like the answer would immediatelye to her if she did. Even if she continued sitting here thinking, the answer wouldn’t magically appear in front of her.


    So, Yu Jiao stood up first and walked towards her bed. She sat down before untying the bow on the gift box. Once she did, she simply removed the lid of the box. What’s inside was a ck velvet box.


    For some reason, her heart started beating wildly again when she saw this box. With trembling fingers, she picked up the velvet box and opened it.


    What greeted her was a pair of earrings with a small, red, teardrop-shaped drop. The gemstone used didn’t seem to be rubies. The red color of a ruby was more intense and vibrant than this one. These earring drops also had a slight purplish tint in them.


    Nevertheless, the earrings were still very beautiful. It had a simple design and yet it also had elegance without appearing too extravagant.


    She touched the earrings and mumbled, “I thought it was a ring...”


    The moment she said that, she felt intense shame and reflexively close the velvet box.


    What the heck was that just now? Did she actually feel disappointed she didn’t receive a ring? Honestly, what was happening to her today? Was she possessed or something? Was some soul from another world trying to hijack her body?


    Yu Jiao closed her eyes tightly to stop thinking about those things anymore. But it didn’t help at all. Instead, her actions, up until just now, kept circling inside her head. So, to put her focus somewhere, she opened the velvet box again and simply search the inte on what could the gem used in the earrings be.


    It didn’t take long before she found the answer.


    It was a ga. It was a gemstone that was associated with a range of positive qualities and energies, including protection, strength, passion, creativity, and health.


    And it was also the birthstone for January.


    ———-


    Luo Ren couldn’t stop the smile from appearing on his lips. He didn’t even care if his father or brothers, who were in the same car, would think of him as weird as they saw him smiling like a silly kid.


    “Ah Ren, if your mind is not on the road, then let me drive.”


    He heard his father say.


    “Dad, don’t worry. I’ve got this,” Luo Ren said. Even if his emotions were on cloud nine right now, his focus was still on the road. As evidence of how carefully he was still driving. “I’m just simply... very happy right now.”


    “Did something good happen with Jiao Jiao?” Luo Yan asked as soon as he said that.


    Luo Ren only grinned. “Maybe.”


    Yes, definitely. Just based on what Yu Jiao said earlier about her expecting a gift from him and the way she reacted after he told her to not change, he could onlye up with one conclusion.


    That Yu Jiao was finally starting to be aware of his presence now. His position in her life was finally starting to go up a level. Now, he was certain that he was no longer just the older brother of her friend to Yu Jiao. He was probably starting to be something other than that to her.


    But even if that’s the case, it didn’t mean that he could rush things up. If he suddenly confessed now, things might just backfire. So, it’s still for the best to take things slow and just continue on what he was doing now. Wasn’t the fact that Yu Jiao had that kind of reaction meant that he was on the right path?


    Thinking of her, he couldn’t help but smile once more.


    [I wonder if she liked my gift.]