Chapter 1616

Samuel slowly approached Xiao Qingqing. As he drew near, Xiao Qingqing, who had been perfectly composed moments ago, began to feel uneasy. Her breath grew shallow, and she looked up at the man now standing before her, suppressing the nervous flutter in her chest. "Uncle... is something wrong?" she asked cautiously. Samuel curved his lips into a faint smile and raised a hand to gently ruffle her hair. "You call me 'Uncle,' so how could I be a stranger to you? Little one, you can stay here as long as you like. No charge—just say thank you, alright?" "But I..." Xiao Qingqing wanted to protest, yet the weight of his gaze made her swallow her words. The unspoken tension in the air pressed down on her, and she relented with a soft, "Thank you, Uncle." A rare glimmer of amusement flickered in Samuel's usually inscrutable eyes. "Good girl," he said calmly. "Get some rest now. Goodnight." With that, he withdrew his hand from her head and turned to leave. Only when the door clicked shut did Xiao Qingqing exhale quietly, her shoulders relaxing slightly. She turned back toward the room, intending to sit on the bed—but the thought that it was where Samuel had slept made her hesitate. Instead, she sank onto the plush carpet beside the bed, resting her head against the mattress and closing her eyes. The image of Ding You emerging from his room in a bathrobe flashed through her mind, and she let out a bitter laugh. Maybe the heavens truly despised her. She had spent so long mustering the courage to open her heart, only for it to end in failure. Perhaps it was because, from the very beginning, she had sought in Ding You the warmth her own family had never given her. She had wanted too much, been too greedy—and now, this was her punishment. But maybe it was for the best. Breaking up with Ding You meant no more walking on eggshells, no more forcing him into uncomfortable positions because of her. Yes. This was fine. Xiao Qingqing curled up on the couch for the night, her restless mind keeping her awake until the early hours of dawn. When sleep finally claimed her, it was deep and heavy—so much so that she barely registered the murmuring voice near her ear in the haze of dreams. "Why are you sleeping here?" Her eyes fluttered open groggily, only to find Samuel's strikingly handsome face mere inches from her own. She bolted upright, staring in shock at the man crouched beside the sofa. After a moment of assuring herself this wasn’t a dream, she managed a nervous, "Uncle Jing? When did you get back?" Samuel casually picked up the remote and opened the curtains, tilting his chin toward the window. "It's already dawn. I didn’t just *get back*—I came *again*." Xiao Qingqing awkwardly smoothed the hair at her temples and glanced at the untouched keycard still lying on the TV stand. Confusion flickered in her eyes—if she had the key, how had he gotten in? Noticing her bewilderment, Samuel’s lips curved into a faint, unapologetic smirk. "You didn’t answer when I knocked. Thought you might’ve done something reckless, so I had the staff let me in." Xiao Qingqing let out an embarrassed chuckle. *Oh.* That explained it. She must’ve been too exhausted, too deep in sleep to hear anything. "I’d never kill myself," she muttered. "I was just dead asleep." After enduring so many unbearable days and nights, why would she throw it all away over a failed relationship? She wasn’t that foolish. Pushing herself off the sofa, she hesitated, unsure what to say next. This uncle of hers always wore a stern expression, as if keeping everyone at arm’s length. But Samuel merely gave her a brief glance before turning toward the dining table. "Go wash up. Then come eat." Following his gaze, she spotted a takeout bag on the table. "Uncle Jing… did you bring breakfast?" she asked, hesitant. "Obviously? If we don't eat now, we'll be late for school." Xiao Qingqing nodded, her heart swelling with gratitude as she cast one last lingering glance at the dining table before turning toward the bathroom. By the time she finished washing her face and stepped out, Samuel had already set breakfast on the table. She walked over, only to find that not only was he not leaving, but he had also taken a seat, clearly intending to eat with her. A flicker of nervousness crossed her face. "Thank you, Uncle Jing," she murmured. Samuel looked up, his gaze lingering on her tired expression. "Didn’t sleep well?" She shrugged. "First heartbreak—can’t help overthinking things. I’ll get used to it with more experience." A faint smile touched his lips. "You won’t have to go through this again." Xiao Qingqing blinked in confusion. "Huh?" Instead of elaborating, he gestured toward the couch. "Why didn’t you sleep in the bed last night?" "Oh, I... didn’t shower. Didn’t want to dirty your sheets." "You slept without washing up?" He shook his head disapprovingly. "Bad habit. Needs fixing." The words struck a chord—her father used to say the same thing. For a moment, she just stared at Samuel, lost in memory, before lowering her head. *I miss Dad.* Noticing her sudden shift in mood, Samuel frowned. "What’s wrong?" "Hm? Nothing," she said, forcing a smile as she met his eyes. "I’ll change that habit, I promise." "Even if you don't change, you could at least sleep on the bed. I don't mind, really. Now be a good girl and eat." Xiao Qingqing choked slightly on her soy milk, coughing lightly. This man... really had the air of a doting father. If Third Uncle ever became a parent, he'd probably be a great dad. After breakfast, Samuel pointed to the shopping bag on the bed. "I'll go get the car. Change into these and meet me downstairs—I'll drive you to school." "Thank you, Third Uncle," she said, but when she turned and saw the clothes, her brows furrowed. She recognized the brand—she'd been to this boutique with Nuannuan before. Nothing in that store cost less than five figures. Hastily, she protested, "Third Uncle, this really isn't necessary. I can just wear my own clothes. Once I get back to campus, I'll change in my dorm." "What, you don’t like what I picked?" "Of course not! It's just... too expensive." She lowered her voice, frowning. "I already owe you so much. I can’t take on more." "When I give a gift, I don’t take it back. Consider this debt already added to your tab. Put it on, or I’ll be upset. Go change—I’ll wait for you downstairs." He turned to leave but paused, as if realizing she might not obey. Glancing back, he added with deliberate emphasis, "Change. Or I’ll drag you back here and dress you myself. And you know I mean it, don’t you?" As Samuel left the room, Xiao Qingqing’s cheeks warmed. Did he really not see her as a woman at all? To casually threaten something like that... A shiver ran down her spine. Fine, she’d wear it—otherwise, she’d be late. She could always find a way to pay him back later. Quickly, she changed and hurried downstairs. Samuel dropped her off at school. Xiao Qingqing handed him the key card and said, "Uncle, thank you for letting me stay last night. Here's your key." "Keep it. You might need it again later." "Huh?" A faint smile tugged at Samuel's lips. "I won't be staying there for a while. It's just sitting empty, so hold onto it for now. We'll figure it out later." With that, he clicked the door unlock button. At the soft *click*, Xiao Qingqing snapped out of her daze. Pushing the door open, she stepped out and waved at him. As Samuel drove away, she turned around and spotted Mu Nuan waiting for her. Just as a smile began to bloom on her lips and she raised her hand to greet Mu Nuan, Ding You—who had been leaning against a tree by the roadside—suddenly strode toward her with purposeful steps...