Bai Yan entered Ji Xiaonian's room and saw the little girl resting on her bed.

He tiptoed further into the room and sat down at the edge of her bed gently to tuck her in.

Ji Xiaonian who was lying down with her back against him had not fallen asleep. She felt a presence in the room and turned around subconsciously, thinking that it was probably Yu Shengjie. ;

She was surprised to discover Bai Yan sitting at the edge of her bed.

However, the initial surprise was replaced by frustration once she remembered the events that had happened earlier that day. ;

She glared at him threateningly and questioned in anguish, "What are you doing here?"

Was he not supposed to be by the side of his so-called sister? What was he doing here at this time?

She felt a pang of pain in her heart as she was reminded of the scene witnessed near the Bai Residence. She thought that Uncle and Aunty would slowly forget about her now that they had Fang Miaoling.

Moreover, she had never seen Bai Yan smile, ever, but he did so in front of Fang Miaoling. ;

Tangled in her own thoughts, Ji Xiaonian felt jealousy and disappointment rising in her simultaneously. She did not want to speak to this man or receive his false display of affection.

Bai Yan who was sitting on the edge of the bed thought the little girl would be over the moon to see him or leap into his arms cheerfully like always. ;

However, he was treated with unexpected coldness and indifference.

This caught him off guard and naturally, he felt a heaviness in the chest.

Ji Xiaonian lowered her eyes to avoid his gaze. Without looking at him in the eyes, she turned over to continue sleeping. "Please leave, I'm tired," she said.

He was gentle and refined in front of other people but always put on an air of arrogance and treated her in a cold manner. Ji Xiaonian decided that she would not pester him continuously like a beggar anymore.

She was feeling down at that moment and did not want to see him.

Bai Yan never expected the little girl to treat him with this attitude.

It was completely out of his acceptable range.

The arrogant nature in him took over and he stood up to leave without a word.

He thought to himself that maybe, the little girl would call out to him before he could leave the room. ;

However, the little girl did not grumble the slightest bit even after he exited. ;

Bai Yan stopped by the door abruptly. He was reminded of the person he came across downstairs and realized that the latter's sudden appearance must mean something was wrong. ;

Emotions got the better of him and he subconsciously turned around to enter the room again. ;

Ji Xiaonian thought that Bai Yan had left.

She could not stop thinking about how cold and detached he behaved towards her. She felt a lump in her throat and tears flowed from her eyes endlessly like a stream.

Ji Xiaonian had no idea that Bai Yan had returned and was standing by her bedside silently. ;

"Ji Xiaonian, do you want some snacks? I bought some."

Standing by her bedside, Bai Yan looked at the feeble little girl and did not know what to say.

Hence, he just blurted the first thing that came to his mind.

Ji Xiaonian was really surprised by his voice and jumped up from the bed abruptly. Rubbing her puffy red eyes, she pouted and questioned him in between sobs, "I… I thought you left."

The heavy feeling in his chest grew more intense when he noticed the little girl's swollen red eyes and the tears that lingered on her cheeks.

He sat at the edge of the bed again and extended his slender fingers towards her. He caressed her fair cheeks gently and inquired softly, "Why are you crying?"

Feeling his tenderness for the first time, Ji Xiaonian felt very aggrieved all of the sudden.

She could not resist anymore and immediately threw herself into his arms and embraced him tightly.

"Boohoo… Brother Yan, are you and your family going to forget about me now that you have Fang Miaoling?"

"My Elder Brother has left and I only have you by my side. You don't know how devastated I was when I saw you all having fun with Fang Miaoling. It was as if I was completely out of your thoughts."

"I know it's petty of me but I couldn't help but feel jealous. Brother Yan, do all of you not care about me anymore now that you have her?" She asked pitifully as tears welled in her eyes.

In fact, she did not mind that Brother Yan had arranged for Fang Miaoling to stay with his family, but she craved love and attention from Bai Yan and his parents too. As long as they still cared for her, Ji Xiaonian did not mind having Fang Miaoling in her life.

However, ever since the latter's presence, Uncle and Aunty forgot about her birthday and even Bai Yan acted indifferent towards her.

It was this feeling of being abandoned that she could not endure. That was why a surge of emotions took over her and she could not hold in her tears anymore.

"..."

Looking at the poor little thing shedding tears in front of him, Bai Yan felt a pang of guilt and pursed his lips. ;

He did not expect that his ignorance would subject such intense pain towards the little girl.

It was all his fault.

After remaining silent for a long while, he embraced her gently in his arms and spoke in a low voice, "No one's abandoning you, stop filling your head with nonsense!"

With teary eyes, Ji Xiaonian lifted her gaze and asked him pitifully, "I told you before that I want to tag along when you picked Fang Miaoling up from the university but why didn't you wait for me?"

"..."

Could Bai Yan tell her that he did return to the university to pick her up as soon as he dropped Fang Miaoling back home?

However, she was already gone by the time he returned.

He called his housemaid to enquire at Ji Residence and was told that the little girl had already returned home.

If so, there was no need for him to pick her up anymore, was there?

Yet, Bai Yan never revealed a word about this. It was not in his nature to explain himself.

"Answer me, why didn't you call for me? Are you afraid that I'll bring you shame?"

When no explanation came from the man next to her, Ji Xiaonian pouted and stared at him. Then, the feeling of being wronged by him surged again. "You don't know how envious and devastated I felt when I saw you pick Fang Miaoling up from the dorm while everyone else was watching."

"Brother Yan, tell me if you really like me and if you really want to be with me!"

She continued to yell because he only remained quiet. ;

Bai Yan could not take it any longer but he also had no idea what to say. 'I should show her through actions,' he thought to himself.

Without a word, he held her tiny face with both hands and lowered his hand to kiss her little lips. ;

As if he was tasting a mysterious and delicious meal, he cautiously, tenderly, but passionately intruded her mouth with his sly tongue. He enjoyed ravaging and sucking the inside of her mouth with a greedy force.

"..."

Ji Xiaonian was totally stunned. Her whole body froze and her mind stopped functioning.

Bai Yan… He, he, he…

It was as if she lost control of her mind and could not form coherent thoughts.

Perhaps it was because of his teasing, her body suddenly reacted strangely. She could not help but wrap her arms around his neck, allowing herself to devour him in tune with his rhythm. ;

Ji Xiaonian knew that she would always surrender to Bai Yan no matter how bad he made her feel before. A tiny bit of tenderness from him was enough to make her fall right into his arms and she knew well that she was incapable of freeing herself from this trap.