Chapter 254 - Bai Jia Li's Unexpected Visit

Qu Xing Xu heard the door close. He was sure that she had run away before he could come after her but what was with the oncoming footfalls? Did Lin Xiaofei return because she forgot something?

Before he could find a reason for her to come back to the study, the door opened and a frown immediately appeared on his handsome face.

Instead of seeing his wife by the door, another woman stood there. And she seemed to be out of her mind to come to him at night with only a thin robe to cover herself.

"What are you doing here?" Qu Xing Xu asked the woman.

Bai Jia Li hid the flinch that was caused by how intense his stare was and covered it with a moving blink that could make any man fall under her spell. "I saw that there were no guards standing guard to the study when I was walking around. I came here to check if something bad happened to you."

Qu Xing Xu's lips raised when he heard her. "Is that so? Then, I thank Young Lady Bai's concern for this duke." He said to her and added, "However, it's already so late and I already finished what I need to do here so if you have anything you want to say to me… Say it."

Bai Jia Li bit her lips. The words she wanted to say stayed stuck in her throat.

When she continued to stay silent and couldn't bring herself to speak, Qu Xing Xu went to take his coat that was hanging over one of the chairs and wore it. The rustling noise of fabric was the only thing that was heard in the study.

When he was done, Qu Xing Xu was about to pass by her and leave the study when Bai Jia Li finally found her courage to stop him.

Her raised hand was about to touch his arm and the expected warmth of his skin was nowhere close as Qu Xing Xu evaded her.

Bai Jia Li looked at her fingers dejectedly. "Am I really that unattractive to you, Brother Xing Xu?"

A few years ago, Bai Jia Li could still remember when she first set her foot on the Qu residence under her sister and family's guidance. As a young girl with a pretty face and amiable character, the Bai Family of course did not have a good intention in sending their daughter who was at her marriageable age to the residence where an unmarried man was living.

At first, Bai Jia Li did not know of her family's arrangement and agreed to come to the duke's residence to accompany and help her older sister. But after meeting the devilishly handsome Duke of Xin, she knew deep inside her that she won't let this chance to get closer to him slip away from her grasp.

But unfortunately, even after different tactics were applied and chances were given to her, Qu Xing Xu remained cold and unapproachable despite him smiling at her and saying a few words to her.

And even up until now, Bai Jia Li was pining for his attention.

"Please answer me, Brother Xing Xu." She demanded. Her nails dug her palms. "Am I so unattractive to you that you couldn't even give me a chance to stay by your side?"

Qu Xing Xu replied shortly and coldly, "Yes."

Bai Jia Li almost gasped loudly when she heard his reply. How could he be so ruthless with his words? If it was another man, they would definitely try to say some compassionate words while rejecting the female who asked them this question. They would even try to not hurt her feelings.

But Qu Xing Xu did neither.

"Why? Is it because of how I dress? How I styled my hair? Or was it because I applied too much makeup?" She became desperate as she continued to ask him. "Everything I did from my dress, hair, and makeup is all for you! Can't you see that?"

"I can… Very much so that your face powder would choke me whenever you try to come close to me." Qu Xing Xu replied. "But that is not what the problem is."

"Was it because of her?" she immediately questioned him, knowing where this was going.

Bai Jia Li already knew that Qu Xing Xu treated Lin Xiaofei differently just from how he smiled at her and how he would secretly touch her hands when she first came to the Qu residence. But how could that be the only reason?

If Qu Xing Xu really loved that girl, why do other men who had their first love by their side still look for other women? Why would they try to take other women to their beds?

Love and affection is simply not the answer to that.

And as a young man who should be up to trying something new, Qu Xing Xu should be no exception. He should be getting tired already beside Lin Xiaofei. And he probably only wanted that girl because of her grandfather, General Lin.

"It's because of her, right?" she said once again. "She's forcing you to stay by her side. Maybe you married because the Lin family forced you."

From start to finish, Qu Xing Xu was frowning, but when he heard this, he couldn't help but let his lips turn upward into a smile.

He stepped forward, closing in to her and making Bai Jia Li step backward.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the study turned colder and heavier, as if there was a cloak covering the air surrounding them. The pressure was too much for Bai Jia Li that her knees almost buckled forward and her heartbeat was going insane.

"Are you finished?"

Qu Xing Xu's voice rang out in the study. His voice was very calm and could be said as pleasing to the ears. However at this moment it seemed to have an ability to cause one to think of running away as fast as one could. It was horrifying.

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