Ultimate Series, Past Lives Revealed

38: TogetherWhen the group followed her to Hao Jiaqi’s house, Arthur Wang asked with a face full of curiosity, ”Did you buy this house yourself?”

Hao Jiaqi replied with a smile, ”That’s right, I bought it with the money I earned through my own hard work.”

At this moment, Wang Dadong plopped down on the sofa without any restraint, then helped himself to a glass of water from the kettle, gulping it down.

Beside them, Ding Xiaoyu couldn’t help but look at Hao Jiaqi with heartache after hearing her words, momentarily forgetting that he was also out there struggling on his own.

Seeing this, Wang Dadong couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up and praised, ”Hey, then you’re really something!”

Then, Ding Xiaoyu suddenly stood up and said gently to Hao Jiaqi, ”Jiaqi, what delicious food would you like to eat today? I’ll cook something for you myself.”

Hao Jiaqi quickly responded, ”How about I help you out?”

Ding Xiaoyu nodded with a smile, expressing his great pleasure in preparing this delicious meal together with her.

Seeing this scene, Arthur Wang’s mouth dropped open in surprise as he said, ”You guys actually have to cook yourselves?”

Wang Dadong rolled his eyes at him and said crossly, ”What else? Xiaoyu and Jiaqi are the only two at home. If they don’t do it themselves, are they supposed to expect a meat pie to fall from the sky?”

Arthur Wang said, ”I don’t know how, otherwise, I could help too.”

Wang Dadong burst into laughter upon hearing this and teased, ”Haha, you’re the dignified Prince of the Underworld! Making you cook? Stop joking, okay!”

Being told that, Arthur glared and said, ”Who says cooking depends on one’s status?”

In the kitchen, Hao Jiaqi skillfully began picking and washing the vegetables, while Ding Xiaoyu, holding a kitchen knife, carefully cut the meat into uniform pieces. Then, he lit the stove and prepared to show off his culinary skills... After Hao Jiaqi quickly finished her preparations with nimble hands, she turned her gaze toward Xiaoyu, who was seriously stir-frying at the stove.

She saw Xiaoyu skillfully wielding the spatula; his focused and handsome appearance made Hao Jiaqi look on, somewhat entranced.

In a daze, she actually had an illusion, as if Xiaoyu was currently like a considerate husband, meticulously preparing a delicious meal for his beloved wife.

Realizing the thoughts in her head, Hao Jiaqi suddenly snapped out of it, her cheeks instantly turning as crimson as the sunset.

Oh my, how could she think so fast and so far ahead?

They had clearly agreed before to just observe Xiaoyu first and only officially confirm their relationship and get together after graduation.

However, at this time, Ding Xiaoyu was not unaware; he had long felt that burning gaze behind him that hadn’t moved for a long time.

Finally, unable to contain his curiosity, he turned his head to investigate.

As a result, he saw that Jiaqi was staring straight at him, and her pretty face had somehow already turned completely red!?

Seeing this, a thought to tease her suddenly surged in Ding Xiaoyu’s heart. Thus, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, and he said with a mischievous grin, ”Jiaqi, do you want a kiss?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, even he was startled, wondering how he could have been so impulsive to say such a thing.

But what surprised him even more was that Hao Jiaqi, as if under a spell, blurted out without even thinking, ”Yes!”

This crisp and neat answer made Ding Xiaoyu freeze instantly. He had only intended to make a joke, but who knew Jiaqi would agree so without hesitation.

For a moment, Ding Xiaoyu himself became shy instead, hurriedly plating the stir-fried dish from the pan, fearing that delaying too long would cause the food to burn.

At this point, Hao Jiaqi finally snapped out of her daze completely. Looking at the shy Xiaoyu before her, she couldn’t help but giggle, ”Hehe, but you were clearly the one who asked if I wanted a kiss just now, and I haven’t even kissed you yet!”

Hearing this, Ding Xiaoyu’s face turned even redder, like a ripe apple, as he stammered in response, ”We... after all, the two of us aren’t truly together yet, so... so we can’t!”

Hao Jiaqi pouted, ”But you’re my reserved partner! We’re currently cultivating our feelings!”

Before her voice even faded, she rushed to Xiaoyu’s side like a cheerful little deer, stood on her tiptoes, and lightly brushed her lips against his cheek, leaving a kiss as light as a dragonfly skimming the water.

Then, as if she had completed a great feat, she turned and left with the dish, feeling satisfied.

Ding Xiaoyu stood frozen on the spot as if an immobilization spell had been cast on him. His right hand unconsciously touched the spot Jiaqi had just kissed, and a silly smile gradually spread across his face.

After a long while, he finally snapped out of it as if waking from a dream and carried the remaining dishes slowly out of the kitchen.

When they arrived at the dining table, Arthur Wang and Wang Dadong were staring at the two of them incessantly with curious faces.

Seeing this, Hao Jiaqi couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered. She lowered her head and shoveled rice into her mouth, looking like a starving ghost reincarnated.

While stuffing food into his mouth, Arthur Wang looked up and glanced at Ding Xiaoyu and Hao Jiaqi opposite him, and he understood everything in an instant.

He swallowed the food in his mouth and teased, ”I say, could it be that you two were kissing in the kitchen just now?”

As soon as these words came out, the already shy Ding Xiaoyu’s face turned completely red, and his head lowered until it was almost buried in his bowl. Beside him, Hao Jiaqi also started coughing repeatedly from being choked, her pretty face flushing red like a ripe apple.

Seeing this, Wang Dadong didn’t restrain himself at all; instead, he clamored even more excessively, ”Oh my, look at the level of blushing! It’s definitely not as simple as just a kiss! And you two are living together. A man and a woman alone in a room, that’s truly like dry wood meeting a raging fire!”

Hearing these words that couldn’t be any more blunt, Hao Jiaqi’s face became even more flushed, even the tips of her ears turning red.

Just then, disregarding his own shyness, Ding Xiaoyu quickly stood up, poured a glass of water, and handed it to Jiaqi, saying softly, ”Drink slowly, don’t rush.”

Seeing this, Arthur Wang couldn’t help but laugh out loud and agreed with Wang Dadong, saying, ”I think the Arrogant One has a point. Jiaqi, don’t bother with that observation period anymore. Just get together with Xiaoyu! You guys are already living together anyway!”

After saying that, he gave Ding Xiaoyu a meaningful wink.

Facing the two’s heckling, Ding Xiaoyu didn’t say anything. He just gazed intensely at Jiaqi beside him. His face, which had just cooled down from shyness, quickly flushed again at a visible rate, as beautiful and moving as the brilliant sunset glow in the sky.

Hao Jiaqi’s delicate face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple. She lowered her head shyly and whispered, ”It... it depends on Xiaoyu!”

Right then, Ding Xiaoyu seized the moment and mustered his courage to say, ”Jiaqi, from the first moment I saw you, I was attracted by your beauty and kindness. Will you be my girlfriend?”

With that, he slowly extended his right hand, and in his palm lay a ring shining with brilliant light. He had carefully selected and bought this ring long ago, just waiting for this moment to personally put it on Jiaqi’s hand.

Standing to the side, Arthur Wang saw this and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

He sighed inwardly, ”I didn’t expect that Xiaoyu, who usually seems so simple, would be so delicate and thoughtful in matters of the heart, even preparing the ring in advance!”

On the other side, Wang Dadong was extremely excited and kept heckling loudly, ”Say yes, say yes...” His voice rose and fell like waves, echoing throughout the space.

Hearing Wang Dadong’s shouts, Hao Jiaqi’s heart raced even faster. She looked up, her gaze meeting Ding Xiaoyu’s.

After a brief silence, she was heard softly responding in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, ”Mm!” Then, she slowly reached out her fair and slender jade-like hand. Although the movement was gentle, the affection contained within was more than obvious.

Looking at the jade-like hand extended by the beauty before him, Ding Xiaoyu’s heart, which had been so nervous it was almost jumping out of his throat, was suddenly wrapped in a warm current. All his unease and anxiety vanished instantly, replaced by an uncontrollable excitement.

He took a deep breath, carefully picked up the ring, and gently slid it onto Hao Jiaqi’s slender finger.

When the ring was securely on Jiaqi’s finger, Ding Xiaoyu finally couldn’t help but cheer, ”Great! From now on, you are my girlfriend!”

He held Jiaqi’s hand tightly, as if fearing she would disappear if he let go.

Seeing his good brother successfully win the beauty’s heart, Wang Dadong’s face was also filled with an incredibly happy smile. He stepped forward, slapped Ding Xiaoyu hard on the shoulder, and said with a laugh, ”Congratulations, Xiaoyu! You’re finally off the market!”

Arthur Wang said, ”Congratulations to you both!”