54 - The Panda Cub Bows For Love

Chapter 54 Showdown He Xiang's words were extremely serious, and there was a hint of insistence in her gaze as she looked at Jing Dan. Seeing He Xiang like this, Jing Dan was slightly taken aback. She felt that her question was not just casual. So, did something really happen last night? Or was it all just a dream? She bit her lip, feeling her ears heating up gradually. So, she actually knew about the kiss? And maybe even about her being a panda demon? Seeing Jing Dan's silence, He Xiang couldn't help but take a deep breath. "Jing Dan~" she called softly, almost pleading. Embarrassed, Jing Dan's cheeks flushed, and she whispered, "I really didn't dream last night?" Seeing Jing Dan nod, He Xiang felt a mixture of amusement and bitterness. She didn't expect this outcome. "Since you know it wasn't a dream, can you tell me why you kissed me last night?" He Xiang was very curious about this. Why would someone just kiss another person for no reason? Especially when it was her first kiss, taken away so recklessly by this kid. Upon hearing this question, Jing Dan didn't immediately respond. She was more concerned about another matter. Frowning slightly, she asked in a low voice, "When did you know that I’m a panda?" Considering how Jing Dan was acting now, completely different from her calm demeanor last night, He Xiang had seen through her early on. But Jing Dan, in her deceit, was she just watching her act? Pouting, Jing Dan thought He Xiang was mean! But she also knew she had no right to accuse He Xiang of being deceitful. Seeing her question and her sulky expression, He Xiang couldn't help but chuckle. "You lived in my house in your original form for a month. How could I not know what your fur looks like? And don't you remember once turning back into your true form in the middle of the night and sleeping on my stomach? Your fur stuck to my pajamas." Jing Dan: "..." She hadn't expected to be exposed so soon! "Why didn't you say anything!" Jing Dan felt even more embarrassed. The fact that she had been living under He Xiang’s care for a month was already shameful, but now that He Xiang knew the truth and still watched her performance, her embarrassment increased tenfold! "I thought you didn't want me to know," He Xiang said with a slight smile. "If you didn't want me to know, then pretending not to know fulfilled your wish, didn't it?" "And now you're telling me!" Jing Dan's face was turning red with embarrassment, thinking that He Xiang just wanted to see her awkwardness after knowing the truth! Seeing her current state, He Xiang felt a mix of pity and affection. She pulled Jing Dan towards the bed and sat her down, then knelt down to look her in the eyes, saying earnestly, "I can't hold back anymore. I want to know why you kissed me last night and what your intentions were." Though the kiss last night was sloppy and comical, it was still Jing Dan, drunk yet not forgetting to steal a kiss. Thinking about kissing her last night, Jing Dan's face turned slightly pink. She glanced at He Xiang's glistening red lips and then looked away, a bit shyly murmuring, "I want to eat jelly." He Xiang, who had been focused on her, was taken aback. "Jelly? What on earth?" "... You want jelly. Are you so drunk that you mistook my lips for jelly?" He Xiang was incredulous, realizing that Jing Dan possibly mistook her lips for jelly last night! She felt hopeless; it seemed like Jing Dan really had no feelings for her. "I think your lips look like jelly, and I wanted to taste them," Jing Dan said in a low voice, feeling embarrassed by her own words. He Xiang: "... If she continued, she wouldn't be able to handle it. She got up and absentmindedly touched her own lips. Frowning slightly, she thought, Did Jing Dan really find my lips jelly-like and crave their taste? Feeling confused, she finally said, "Have some milk. I'll go freshen up." She needed to find a place to be alone for a while. Being with Jing Dan made her fear losing her temper. Why did she fall for such a clueless person?! "Oh, okay..." Jing Dan's response was a little dazed, not quite understanding why He Xiang suddenly looked displeased. As He Xiang entered the bathroom, she received a call from He Yuan. Seeing He Yuan's name on the caller ID, He Xiang was briefly taken aback. He Yuan rarely called her... Thinking it might be something urgent, she quickly answered the call. "Mom," she greeted. "Mm," came He Yuan's indifferent response. "Is everything okay?" He Xiang asked. After a brief silence, He Yuan said, "I heard that you and Jing Dan participated in a romance reality show together." He Xiang: ... So what? She didn't quite believe He Yuan's claim of "hearing." Since they had just arrived at the place, and He Yuan was calling so soon, there was only one possible reason – He Yuan had watched the live stream and chose to call at night because they were busy during the day. "Is she feeling unwell today? She seems a bit pale," He Yuan's voice carried a hint of discomfort. He Xiang realized He Yuan must have watched the live stream. She had never expected He Yuan to be so observant, to notice Jing Dan's slight paleness. "She's fine; she just had a little too much to drink last night, so naturally, her complexion won't be great this morning." And that less-than-great complexion worked well to deter those people. He Yuan responded with an "Oh" and then asked, "Why did you let her drink?" He Xiang: ... If she wasn't mistaken, He Yuan was blaming her, thinking she shouldn't have let Jing Dan drink? Feeling more frustrated due to her already low spirits, she couldn't help but be amused by how concerned He Yuan seemed about Jing Dan. Did He Yuan regard Jing Dan as her own daughter? "She wanted to drink. Even if I stopped her, she would sneak out to drink," He Xiang retorted innocently. She really tried to stop her! He Yuan: ... "Well, take care of her in the future," He Yuan said before ending the call. He Xiang sighed wearily, looking at the now disconnected call, then glanced at the bathroom door as if she could see the little scoundrel outside. Truly a precious treasure; even her mother cherished her so. Putting her phone down, she sighed softly, feeling unsure about whether anything could happen between her and Jing Dan. As she emerged from the shower, she saw Jing Dan lost in thought, biting the rim of a glass, unaware of her presence. Without acknowledging her, He Xiang climbed into bed and lay down facing the opposite direction. She was unsure how to face Jing Dan now that the truth was out. Feeling the indentation on the bed beside her, Jing Dan snapped back to reality and saw He Xiang lying with her back turned. Furrowing her brows, she noticed that He Xiang had never slept like this before. Setting the glass down, Jing Dan climbed onto the bed cautiously, trying to get close to He Xiang to peek at her face from behind. Her hair brushed against He Xiang's face, reminding He Xiang of the tiny hairs that had brushed against her face when Jing Dan stole a kiss last night. "He Xiang?" Jing Dan called softly. He Xiang intended not to respond, but Jing Dan's persistent calling made her relent. "What's wrong?" "Do you mind that I kissed you?" Jing Dan asked softly. He Xiang: ... I don't mind you kissing me; I mind that you kissed me without any intention! Seeing her silence, Jing Dan persisted, "Are you angry?" He Xiang took a deep breath, lying down flat and looking at Jing Dan. "Can't you see at all how I feel about you?" Jing Dan blinked and shook her head. "I can see a bit." In truth, it was all because Hu Tu had spilled the beans! He Xiang: ... Why was she even more frustrated now? "So if I like you, do you feel nothing for me at all?" He Xiang asked bluntly. Talking to this person, she realized she couldn't beat around the bush; she wouldn't understand otherwise. Blinking, Jing Dan replied, "Do I need to feel something?" She felt that her current feelings were good enough. He Xiang: ... "Do you not like me at all?" She had to spell it out so clearly. He Xiang couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation. In the past, it was always others confessing their feelings to her, but now she found herself caught in Jing Dan's grasp! Jing Dan was stunned, staring blankly at He Xiang, her furrowed brows forming a small hill on her forehead. Seeing her expression, He Xiang sat up straight, leaning closer to her, and repeated seriously, "Do you like me?" Jing Dan met her gaze, looking somewhat perplexed. "How can I know if I like you?" He Xiang lowered her eyes and tapped her chest lightly with her fingertips, asking, "Is it beating fast here?" Jing Dan looked down and after feeling it, she replied earnestly, "It beats faster when you touch it; it feels a bit ticklish." He Xiang: ... Hopeless. But seeing Jing Dan like this, He Xiang felt reluctant to give up. She asked, "How would you feel if I wanted to kiss you now?" Jing Dan's gaze fell on He Xiang's lips, rosy and inviting. Perhaps last night, under the influence of alcohol, she didn't notice it clearly, but now that He Xiang mentioned it, could she indulge in another taste? "Is jelly delicious?" Jing Dan asked cautiously. He Xiang furrowed her brow momentarily and chuckled. "Alright, if jelly wants to kiss you now, would you be willing?" Jing Dan's eyes sparkled at the chance to openly eat jelly?! "Bring it on!" {End of this chapter}