Bai Xi raised an eyebrow, but her gaze faltered upon seeing Han Mo’s expression.
She had expected him to be angry, perhaps to lash out and question her for saying something so shameless. Then, he might have laid everything bare, calling her brainless, and revealing the truth.
But… nothing of the sort happened.
Han Mo before her was pale, his eyes holding a hint of sorrow, devoid of anger, only loss and fear.
She had seen Han Mo in countless expressions.
Gentle, sharp; indifferent, devoted; restrained, wild… but today, this suppressed sorrow, this fear, was something she hadn't witnessed before. It inexplicably made her chest feel tight.
Truthfully, looking at Han Mo… she found herself unable to utter the even more outrageous words she’d planned. A sense of panic washed over her, coupled with an overwhelming wave of guilt, making her want to find a place to breathe. Otherwise, she might have just confessed everything then and there, not waiting for him to reveal the truth.
With that thought, Bai Xi took a deep breath and turned to pull open the car door, wanting to get out.
But Han Mo placed a hand on the car door panel, blocking her move.
Bai Xi froze for a moment, instinctively turning back to look at Han Mo. Before she could even see him clearly, he had already kissed her.
One of Han Mo's hands rested on the car door handle, while the other braced against the car window behind Bai Xi, trapping her within his arms. He kissed her with a gentle but firm pressure.
Bai Xi’s eyes widened, her mind going completely blank.
This kiss was different from their usual encounters; it was like a tempest, sweeping over her. It carried the emotions of the person before her… unrest, anxiety, anger, fear, all seemed to be conveyed to Bai Xi through this kiss.
Yet, despite its possessive intensity, this first kiss didn’t feel violent. He still held back, as if afraid of hurting her.
In that instant, Bai Xi felt a flicker of guilt, wondering if she had… gone too far? But soon, she found herself unable to think calmly, feeling as though she were melting into the kiss.
Not long after, their lips parted, and the air within the car seemed to lose its chill.
Han Mo hugged Bai Xi tightly, as if wanting to merge her completely into his very being. “Xi’er, please don’t leave me, alright?”
More than the presence of that other man, he cared about his relationship with Xi’er.
In the past, he had believed that witnessing Xi’er die in his arms was the greatest pain in the world.
As long as she was alive, it didn’t matter what happened to him.
But now, he not only wanted Xi’er to live happily but also to be by her side forever.
Yes, he was becoming more greedy, and therefore… he was facing such a punishment.
Bai Xi was held tightly in Han Mo’s embrace, her ear pressed against his chest, listening to the drumbeat of his heart. She inexplicably felt a sense of sorrow in that sound.
After a long pause, she finally couldn't hold back and spoke, “I’m sorry, Han Mo, I lied to you.”
At her words, Han Mo’s body stiffened even further, and his grip tightened.
Lied to him? Had she realized after their recent interactions that she didn't actually like him, and was now using the appearance of the imposter as an excuse to leave?
With that thought, his face grew paler, his voice trembling, “If it was a lie, then let it be a lie until the end.”
Often, it wasn't about not knowing, but about not wanting to know, not daring to know. It was as if, as long as she didn't know, as long as she hadn't heard the answer spoken from that person’s lips, she wouldn't have to face it.
Hearing this, Bai Xi felt a tiny prick in her heart. She once again felt that she might have indeed gone too far.
She considered for a moment, then extended her arms, wrapping them around Han Mo’s waist.
Han Mo had an excellent physique, his waist was slender yet strong. Even embracing him, she could feel the definition of his abdominal muscles.
She tilted her head slightly, looking into Han Mo’s eyes, allowing him to see hers clearly. She said earnestly, “I’m sorry, A’Mo. Actually, I knew that person was fake. I believed you were the one who saved me back then, so I had my subordinates in the dark department set up this scheme to force you to tell the truth.”
Upon hearing this, Han Mo froze completely, remaining motionless for a long time.
Bai Xi looked at him, thinking he was angry. She frowned slightly, “Indeed, lying to you was wrong, but to be fair, you also lied to me. We’re even at best, neither owing the other. So, please don’t be angry, let’s consider this matter…”
As he heard the first half of her statement, Han Mo’s heart sank, fearing that his own thoughts would be voiced by Bai Xi. However, when he heard her subsequent words, his mood inexplicably brightened.
He had intended to confess after kissing Xi’er. He simply couldn’t bear it any longer. It wasn't that he couldn't bear the existence of that other person, but he couldn't bear the fact that Xi’er might dislike him because of this matter and leave him. He had been about to admit it just now, to admit that he was the one who saved Xi’er, and to tell Xi’er that the other person was a fraud.
But… Xi’er had spoken first.
She said… he had known for a long time, known that the other person was him, and that’s why she had orchestrated this play with that person.
His Xi’er, what a tease, a little vixen.
His emotions were like a rollercoaster, fluctuating wildly… held captive by her, yet he welcomed it with all his heart.
Han Mo felt joy, helplessness, and most of all, doting affection. “So, that person was just someone you found to intentionally annoy me?”
Seeing Han Mo’s expression improve and his eyes soften, Bai Xi knew he was no longer angry. She gave a slight nod and, with a cool expression, replied, “Mm.”
Han Mo released his left arm, which had been holding Bai Xi, and removed his glasses.
Bai Xi looked at Han Mo without his glasses. They had been this close before, but at the time, she had still harbored doubts about her feelings for him.
After hearing Tong Yao's words yesterday, and now feeling her own heart ache when she saw Han Mo’s distress, she knew… she liked Han Mo.
At least, she liked him more than any other man, differently!
With that realization, she looked at him even more intently.
These eyes, which she had once found somewhat dangerous, were truly beautiful.
They say eyes are the windows to the soul, but Han Mo had fitted glass into those windows, obscuring the most captivating charm in his gaze. Liu Yue prided herself on her unparalleled disguise skills; even with altered eye contours and iris colors, she couldn’t achieve the depth of Han Mo’s eyes!
And this man, who had once saved her life, now belonged to her!
This feeling… was simply wonderful.
Just as Bai Xi was engrossed in admiring her man, Han Mo in front of her handed her the glasses he held.