Being Raised in Captivity by the Former Canary - Chapter 16

Quan Ruo’an woke up early and, as usual, turned on all his devices to glance at them.

To his surprise, two new messages had appeared on the home screen of his backup phone.

They had been sent at 4 AM. Had she not slept at all, or had she woken up in the middle of the night? Quan Ruo’an stared at the messages from the only contact in his WeChat, unconsciously reading them over and over before their meaning finally sank in.

Jixue: Elder Sister, let’s meet.

Jixue: I have something I want to tell you.

Quan Ruo’an felt a sudden, inexplicable unease. He hated this feeling.

The scent of betrayal began to seep through the cracks.

Frowning, Quan Ruo’an refused to dwell on it. He played the Gold Master role to the hilt. Without asking a single question or uttering a word, he tossed over an address like a careless afterthought.

Every line dripped with cold indifference, arrogance, and self-importance.

No. 32 First Ring Road, West Garden District, 6:30 PM.

When Jiang Jixue saw the familiar address, her heart seemed to stop for a moment. Was this some kind of humiliation or mockery?

She had already convinced herself that Quan Ruo’an and Nana had dined at a table adorned with roses.

No matter, she thought. I need to sever ties anyway.

Frowning, Jiang Jixue typed a trembling “Okay” in response.

Quan Ruo’an happened to be holding her backup phone when the notification popped up. She instinctively tapped the message, revealing a solitary “Okay” against the white background, following the address she had sent.

Quan Ruo’an waited, but no follow-up emoji or sticker arrived.

Aren’t people supposed to send a few sweet-talking messages and cute emoticons after something like this?

“Why do people sometimes use emojis and act so affectionate when texting?” Quan Ruo’an asked casually, her tone nonchalant.

Ruo Shui was startled by the question. After a moment’s hesitation, she replied, “President Quan, I think it depends on the person’s habits.”

Quan Ruo’an had anticipated Ruo Shui’s response and immediately countered with a question she had prepared in advance:

“Then why would the same person, after a few days, stop sending emojis and emoticons altogether?”

“Ahem, President Quan,” Ruo Shui hesitated, glancing at her, “I take back what I said earlier. You didn’t mention emoticons before.”

Quan Ruo’an’s eyebrow twitched involuntarily, her expression hinting that she wanted Ruo Shui to continue.

Understanding her boss’s tsundere tendencies, Ruo Shui preemptively answered before Quan Ruo’an could ask: “Emoticons are usually used to show affection or to make oneself seem cute to the other person, right?”

Hmm, she’s beautiful, wealthy, and generally quite gentle when she’s with Xiao Xue. Even if their relationship was purely transactional, it was understandable—even forgivable—for Xiao Xue to develop feelings for her.

Quan Ruo’an had always been confident in her own allure. After Ruo Shui’s explanation, she compared it to her memories of Jiang Jixue and found the description remarkably accurate. Suddenly, she felt a surge of compassion.

Xiao Xue’s lie about being her girlfriend was understandable, really. Thinking about it, it was forgivable. The young girl was at an age where she was easily embarrassed and couldn’t withstand gossip, so she wanted to prove it true.

Ruo Shui noticed her boss’s somewhat dreamy expression and hesitated about whether to continue.

The office had been silent for a while.

Quan Ruo’an clicked the mouse to start a song and glanced at her. “And then?”

So she still wants to hear more…

Ruo Shui gathered her thoughts and continued, “If she frequently used emoticons and stickers in her messages, and then suddenly stopped after a few days, it means she’s lost interest in the other person—or even grown tired of them.”

Quan Ruo’an let out a long, questioning “Hmm?” and asked with genuine curiosity, “Why would she lose interest?”

Having grown up in luxury and treated with utmost deference since childhood, Quan Ruo’an subconsciously assumed that everyone would naturally be more accommodating towards her. After all, she was beautiful, wealthy, and held a high social status.

Ruo Shui hesitated, seeing her boss’s expression, unsure whether to speak. She had a good guess who the person not using emoticons was.

Under Quan Ruo’an’s silent, urging gaze, Ruo Shui finally relented.

“It’s probably because the other person did something… arousing.”

Quan Ruo’an’s expression immediately darkened, his eyes turning cold.

Arousing.

He had only wanted to teach her a lesson, to stop her from falsely claiming to be his girlfriend.

He had planned to “break up” with Nana in a few days anyway.

It seemed that breakup would have to be moved up.

Quan Ruo’an clicked his tongue, feeling inexplicably irritated.

He thoroughly enjoyed the convenience of his kept-woman arrangement—a stark contrast to his previous relationships.

Now, he was completely in control. He hadn’t yet extracted enough emotional value from Xiao Xue; he still needed her.

Since receiving the news, he had been forced to reflect. It seemed everything was slowly slipping from his grasp.

He wouldn’t allow that to happen.

Tonight’s date with Xiao Xue was an intervention.

Seeing her boss’s face clouded with melancholy, Ruo Shui sighed inwardly.

Miss Jiang had always been different from others.

Given her boss’s arrogant and aloof nature, it was hardly surprising that he had driven Miss Jiang away.

Having served Quan Ruo’an for a long time, Ruo Shui, as an outsider, saw things with crystal clarity.

Quan Ruo’an only stayed at the office for half a day before leaving early that afternoon.

At the villa on the outskirts of R City, Quan Ruo’an’s waterfall of black hair was partially restrained by a white jade hairpin, the rest cascading like ink across her shoulders. Her gaze swept across the room and landed on a hair tie Jiang Jixue had left behind during her last stay.

As if possessed, Quan Ruo’an walked over, picked up the hair tie, and slipped it onto her wrist. She thought to herself, I’ll give it to her tonight at dinner, and then invite her to stay here.

Living in the apartment she had rented specifically for Xiao Xue near the campus still felt a bit unfamiliar.

Without realizing it, she had already made many compromises for Xiao Xue.

Quan Ruo’an suddenly realized this and was startled by the revelation.

After getting dressed and washing her hair, Quan Ruo’an drove to the agreed-upon meeting place.

When the waiter led him to the private booth, Quan Ruo’an pushed open the door to find Jiang Jixue already seated at the table, waiting.

The young woman’s features were delicate and refined. She wore a snow-white, off-the-shoulder top, her hair tucked behind her ears, revealing a pair of butterfly earrings that shimmered with tiny, glittering fragments. Hearing the door open, she glanced up with a detached air.

Their eyes met, and Quan Ruo’an’s gaze lingered on her face.

The person sitting across from him truly seemed as pure and pristine as ice and snow, untouched by the slightest speck of dust.

From the moment he pushed open the door, Quan Ruo’an had sensed her coldness. It wasn’t just her innate aloof and frosty demeanor, but a palpable chill directed specifically at him.

For some reason, Quan Ruo’an felt a pang of heartache and bitterness.

Quickly suppressing these uncomfortable emotions, he casually walked in and sat down opposite her, meeting her gaze.

Then, in his usual gentle tone, he asked, “Have you been waiting long? Are you hungry?”

Jiang Jixue lowered her eyes, her voice cold and soft. “…No, I just got here.”

“I didn’t expect you to arrive so early. Should I have them bring the food?”

“Mm. Don’t order too much.”

After saying everything she wanted to say, she left.

Quan Ruo’an smiled faintly, her lips pressed together, and didn’t respond.

Only after the waiter placed a glass vase with roses on the table and left did Quan Ruo’an revisit the earlier topic. “Do people not use honorifics before names in conversation anymore?”

Jiang Jixue didn’t know what to say. Could she really tell Quan Ruo’an that she couldn’t bring herself to call her “Elder Sister” anymore? She didn’t have the face to use that title, especially since they weren’t even cousins.

The bouquet of roses on the table seemed to grow more dazzling and glaring by the moment. Jiang Jixue swallowed hard, her throat tightening with emotion.

So, she could only remain silent.

Seeing her reaction, Quan Ruo’an decided to be direct. If she didn’t resolve this now, the child might truly cut ties with her.

“Graduation season is coming up. Have you started working on your thesis project?” Quan Ruo’an asked gently. “Do you have enough money for materials? Art projects require a lot of time, effort, and money. If you need more, just tell me. Elder Sister will transfer you some.”

Before she spoke, Jiang Jixue could manage. But the moment Quan Ruo’an mentioned it, her heart burned with guilt.

She had started her thesis project a month ago, and every detail, big or small, carried Quan Ruo’an’s shadow.

Quan Ruo’an noticed Jiang Jixue’s silent, pursed lips, and his heart softened imperceptibly.

“Xiao Xue,” Quan Ruo’an said slowly, pausing for a moment, “Elder Sister wants to be honest with you. I want to apologize. What I said that day was a lie. I’ve been single ever since I met you. Nana is just a manager at our company.”

Jiang Jixue doubted her ears again. After hearing his words, she burned with anger, wanting to throw a glass of water in his face.

To prove his sincerity, Quan Ruo’an pulled up a screenshot of his chat with Nana and showed it to her.

The image showed Nana asking how she should address the “little one” when they met, followed by the comment, “You really never do anything human.”

“…Why would you do this?”

She was Quan Ruo’an’s Golden Canary, unable to truly lose her temper with him. Whether his initial motives were to tease her or gauge her reaction, she couldn’t afford to show excessive emotion until their contract was terminated.

She had no right to demand explanations from him. Still dazed and desperate for answers, Jiang Jixue crossed the line slightly and asked the question that had been burning in her mind.

Quan Ruo’an seemed completely oblivious to Jiang Jixue’s boundary crossing. Instead, he softened his tone, his voice becoming soft and coaxing, almost like a child’s plea. “Baby, don’t just focus on scolding me. Those people around you are getting too close. It makes Elder Sister feel uneasy.”

The scent of perfume drifted closer as Quan Ruo’an sat beside her. The word “baby” seemed to burn and throb in her ears.

As Quan Ruo’an drew near, Jiang Jixue felt her heart pounding uncontrollably, her whole body flushed as if she had a fever, her mind spinning and hot.

Quan Ruo’an’s cool hair brushed against her arm, and a glance revealed the delicate white jade hairpin at the back of her head.

It perfectly complemented her gentle demeanor today.

Jiang Jixue steadied her nerves, and after a long pause, she managed to squeeze out, “…There’s no one around me who’s getting too close.”

After thinking for a while, Jiang Jixue realized she had indeed been alone at school.

“But from Elder Sister’s perspective, that classmate of yours clearly likes you. Seeing you two on a date made me feel uncomfortable.”

A classmate?

Jiang Jixue: “Tingqin?”

Quan Ruo’an hummed in agreement, a genuine hint of grievance in his tone.

Jiang Jixue met his watery, shimmering eyes. She had never seen Quan Ruo’an like this before. Her Elder Sister had always seemed so unattainable.

Is this matter resolved now?