The only consolation was that the light was still faint, not affecting her vision much. She could clearly see Qiao Qi’s expression darken.

But what was there to be relieved about? Who wanted to see someone look at them like that? Qiao Qi’s eyes seemed to possess x-ray vision. After all those times, he could probably map the contours of her body with his eyes closed. Even through her clothes, he could “see” the marks that covered her, ambiguous and enticing, red and purple. Just the thought forced him to take deep breaths to control his emotions, to prevent an even more frightening expression that might scare her.

Niu Shurui was unnerved by his gaze. What was wrong with Qiao Qi today? He’d never looked at her like this before. Why was the look in his eyes so similar to Ye Li’s last night…? She averted her gaze, feigning nonchalance. “What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Noticing her blinking more frequently than usual, Qiao Qi asked, “Are your eyes bothering you again?”

“Yes,” Niu Shurui quickly agreed, seizing the opportunity to change the subject.

Her bag was still by Qiao Qi’s side. He rummaged through it, his movements suddenly freezing. After a moment, he pulled out the eye drops. He didn’t hand them to her, but stared intently at them.

Niu Shurui was puzzled and didn’t dare speak.

After a long pause, Qiao Qi slowly asked, “Whose are these?”

She was taken aback. “Aren’t they… the ones you gave me?” Her voice trailed off, losing confidence. She couldn’t see any difference in the eye drops, but surely Qiao Qi could? “The ones I gave you were opened. These aren’t,” Qiao Qi stated, each word precise. His face was devoid of emotion, his usual gentle demeanor gone, replaced by a chilling coldness.

“Niuniu, where were you last night?” Qiao Qi reached for her hand, pulling her back as she tried to retreat, his voice deceptively soft.

The sudden closeness made Niu Shurui uncomfortable. His aura was overwhelming, his face tight with anger, his grip on her waist firm and unrelenting. The pressure on her sore spots made it difficult to breathe deeply, so she took shallow breaths, terrified he might discover something else.

Niu Shurui began, “There’s really nothing—”

“If there’s nothing, why can’t you tell me?” Qiao Qi interrupted, making her sound even more guilty. His voice was light, yet it made her heart pound.

“Qiao Qi, didn’t we agree I’d tell you when I’m ready? I know you’re worried, but I have my own thoughts… I’m an individual, not someone’s possession…”

Niu Shurui attempted to reason with him, but it only fueled his anger.

Alarmed, she quickly changed tack. “Children grow up, they have their own privacy. I promise I’ll tell you, okay? Gege?” She looked at him expectantly, reaching behind her to discreetly free her hand.

Her fingers barely grazed his warm palm before he caught them, intertwining his fingers with hers, pressing her hand down.

Niu Shurui’s brow twitched; she suppressed the urge to struggle.

Suddenly, a strange sensation brushed against her cheek. Qiao Qi’s hand gently caressed her face, his expression unreadable.

Goosebumps erupted on her skin. Niu Shurui stared at Qiao Qi, utterly speechless.

After a moment, his hand moved to her ear, gently rubbing it, then he suddenly smiled. “I’m just teasing you. Why are you so afraid of me? Niuniu, haven’t I told you? In this world, I’m the only one who’s truly good to you. Good to you from the bottom of my heart… so how could I ever hurt you?”

Her ear burned under his touch. His fingers traced the outline of her ear, then gently pinched her lobe. Sensing her stiffness, Qiao Qi slowly withdrew his hand. “Let’s eat.”

Niu Shurui’s heart hammered in her chest. She stiffly picked up her chopsticks, her hand trembling so much she couldn’t manage to pick up any food. As she was about to give up, Qiao Qi picked up some food and held it to her lips. “Open your mouth.” She looked up at him, opened her mouth, and ate, chewing mechanically.

Her emotions were a tangled mess. If discovering Ye Li’s true nature after a year together had been shocking, then realizing Qiao Qi, after twenty-odd years, was also two-faced was enough to make her question everything.

Ever since she could remember, she’d followed Qiao Qi around. In her memory, he had always been a gentle, refined gentleman. Aside from the occasional mild reprimand when she was being difficult, she’d rarely seen him express anything but a smile towards her.

As a psychologist, she believed no one could wear a mask forever. Yet Qiao Qi made her think he’d done just that.

A bitter smile touched her lips. Suddenly, Niu Shurui thought of those who couldn’t distinguish between the two Officer Jiangs. She realized she was just like them. It was she who had been blinded by preconceived notions.