151: A man and a woman alone late at night playing such a childish game as idiom chain?

As she waited for the call to connect, Zhao Jiaqi felt her heart rate suddenly quicken again, with a pounding sound echoing in her ears.

Even her breathing became rapid.

She stared intently at her phone screen, her eyes filled with both anticipation and worry—anticipation that Gu Xiaoxiao would answer the video call quickly, proving her guess wrong.

And worry, what if her guess was right? What then?

It wasn't that she wanted to stop her good friend from being with Lu Chen; she just felt that Gu Xiaoxiao shouldn't be given to Lu Chen so easily.

Once that step was truly completed, Gu Xiaoxiao would genuinely have no turning back.

Zhao Jiaqi felt she couldn't watch Gu Xiaoxiao give herself away so easily.

At least, not yet.

At the very least, she had to wait for Lu Chen to return to how he treated Gu Xiaoxiao in the beginning.

Even if he couldn't return to the very start, he should at least go back fifty percent!

Otherwise, how could she feel at ease entrusting Gu Xiaoxiao to Lu Chen?

The thought of Gu Xiaoxiao's emotions being completely controlled and swayed by Lu Chen filled Zhao Jiaqi with helplessness.

It was already like this now; if they truly took that step, what would it be like in the future?

Every 'beep' of the phone was like a heavy knock on her heart.

Zhao Jiaqi's hands were slightly sweaty, and her grip on the phone was a little slippery.

She silently prayed in her heart, "Xiaoxiao, please answer the video call quickly; don't make me worry."

As time passed second by second, her anxiety grew stronger, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, glistening under the light.

Zhao Jiaqi paced back and forth, muttering, "Answer it, answer it..."

The moment the video call connected, Zhao Jiaqi's heart, which had been hanging, finally settled.

She let out a long breath, and her tense shoulders instantly relaxed.

Since the call connected, it meant nothing had happened.

Lu Chen couldn't possibly be so deranged, could he?

Zhao Jiaqi's gaze eagerly focused on the screen, and as soon as Gu Xiaoxiao's face appeared on her phone screen, she began to scrutinize it carefully.

Gu Xiaoxiao's face was slightly flushed, like clouds dyed by the setting sun on the horizon, exuding a unique charm. The blush spread from her cheeks all the way to her earlobes, as if one could feel the blood flowing beneath her skin.

Her eyes were watery, like a clear spring, yet they carried a hint of an unfamiliar meaning that Zhao Jiaqi had never seen before, and her gaze was somewhat evasive, not daring to meet Zhao Jiaqi's eyes.

Gu Xiaoxiao only showed the part of her body above her shoulders. Her snow-white skin appeared exceptionally smooth and delicate under the light, like a freshly peeled egg, so tender that it seemed it could break with a touch.

Her collarbones were elegantly contoured, like a meticulously sculpted work of art, subtly appearing and disappearing on her gently rising and falling shoulders, revealing a touch of delicate charm.

Her slender neck was as fair as jade, graceful like a swan's neck, with a few wisps of loose hair casually draped over it, adding a hint of laziness and allure.

Zhao Jiaqi looked at Gu Xiaoxiao on the screen, and a wave of doubt arose in her heart. She narrowed her eyes slightly, a hint of inquiry in her gaze.

What was wrong with Gu Xiaoxiao? Why was her face so red, and why was her gaze so shifty?

Zhao Jiaqi subconsciously asked, "Xiaoxiao, what's wrong? Why is your face so red?"

As she spoke, her brows furrowed slightly, her face full of concern, her eyes fixed on the screen, not missing any subtle change in Gu Xiaoxiao's expression.

Gu Xiaoxiao's face was slightly red, and her gaze flickered, as if she was avoiding something, then she said:

"Maybe it's because the air conditioning here is too hot." Her voice trembled slightly, revealing a hint of imperceptible nervousness.

Zhao Jiaqi stared suspiciously at Gu Xiaoxiao on the screen, her scrutinizing gaze seemingly wanting to penetrate the screen and see through Gu Xiaoxiao's thoughts.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone carrying a hint of doubt: "Really?"

Gu Xiaoxiao quickly nodded vigorously, as if eager to prove the truth of her words, and said urgently, "Yes."

Zhao Jiaqi slowly nodded, but the doubts in her heart had not completely dissipated. She then asked, "What are you doing now?"

Gu Xiaoxiao smiled lightly, trying to make her expression seem natural, and replied, "Playing a word-chain game with Lu Chen."

Zhao Jiaqi frowned, her face filled with confusion, and she couldn't help but repeat, "Word-chain game?"

She found it hard to imagine that late at night, a single man and woman alone in a room would be playing such a childish game.

Gu Xiaoxiao nodded vigorously, as if afraid Zhao Jiaqi wouldn't believe her, and explained, "Yes, a word-chain game. Haven't you played it before?"

Zhao Jiaqi pouted, saying with a look of disdain, "Why play a word-chain game instead of going home to sleep late at night?"

Her tone was full of incomprehension and complaint.

Gu Xiaoxiao still had a smile on her face. She paused and said, "Jiaqi, I won't be going back tonight. Lu Chen said he was worried Mu Beixuan would come looking for me again, so he has arranged a room for me."

As she spoke, she gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, but an imperceptible hint of joy flashed in her eyes.

When Zhao Jiaqi heard this, she was slightly stunned, and the expression on her face instantly darkened, as if covered by a shadow.

She bit her lip and said softly, "Alright, if that's the case, then I'll go back by myself." Her voice carried a hint of disappointment and some helplessness.

Gu Xiaoxiao nodded and said with concern, "Be careful on your way. I'll come find you tomorrow."

Gu Xiaoxiao's eyes revealed a hint of guilt and apology.

Zhao Jiaqi pouted, feigning anger, and said:

"Why would you come find me? You just stay there honestly. After I rent a new place, then you can consider whether you want to come over, but I hope you can still come with me. You understand what I mean, right?"

Gu Xiaoxiao nodded obediently and replied, "Okay."

Zhao Jiaqi hesitated again, her gaze once more focusing on the screen, carefully observing Gu Xiaoxiao.

At this moment, Gu Xiaoxiao was sitting on a soft sofa.

Behind her was a warm yellow floor lamp, its soft light spilling over her. Her hair was casually draped over her shoulders, with a few strands falling on either side of her face, further enhancing her delicate features.

Zhao Jiaqi watched for a while and, finding nothing amiss, slowly said, "Bye."

Gu Xiaoxiao also softly replied, "Bye."

Afterward, Zhao Jiaqi hung up the phone. Although her doubts were temporarily set aside, she still felt that Gu Xiaoxiao was somehow different tonight, but she couldn't quite pinpoint what was wrong... The next day.

The rising morning sun ascended from the horizon, struggling to squeeze through the gaps in the pristine white curtains, quickly filling the entire room.

On the fifty-square-meter bed,

After a soft 'hmm' escaped from the depths of Gu Xiaoxiao's delicate throat, she slowly opened her eyes.