It was then that An Ziqi realized that Xiao Moli had witnessed her being humiliated by that woman with the five-dollar note and that he had been helping her to get back at them all along.
Since her family business went bankrupt six years ago and her father became a gambling addict, An Ziqi had shouldered the responsibility of being the family's breadwinner.
Thus, regardless of the type or extent of humiliation that she suffered outside of her home, she would simply bear with it.
No one had ever shielded her from any of it before.
Xiao Moli was the first.
At that thought, she suddenly sniffed and felt very touched.
Whatever. Even if Xiao Moli were to claim that it was part of her scheme to seduce him, An Ziqi would still want to hug him.
Laughing, she rushed forward and hugged him.
"Thank you!"
Xiao Moli noticed the teary eyes on her radiant face.
Lips twitching slightly, Xiao Moli finally managed, "Stupid woman."
He then shoved her aside with disdain and got into the car.
Smiling broadly, An Ziqi followed him into the car. She wore that smile throughout their journey.
Glancing at her, Xiao Moli could not take it anymore and sneered.
"You look like an idiot grinning like that."
'Stupid woman! It was just too easy to please her,' Xiao Moli thought.
"What's wrong with my grin? I smile when I'm happy and cry when I'm sad. Aren't those the basic forms of emotional expression in a human being? Holding back and suppressing your smile will cause paralysis," An Ziqi replied logically.
At that, she rubbed her chin and looked at Xiao Moli, saying in all seriousness, "Xiao Moli, I'll bet that you don't smile often enough."
Was she implying that his face was paralyzed?
Looking straight ahead without diverting his glance, Xiao Moli said coldly, "Believe it or not, I can throw you out through the window right now."
Eyeing the figure on the speedometer, An Ziqi wisely kept quiet.
However, that did not dampen her spirits.
At the entrance to their home, An Ziqi keyed in the access code with a sense of familiarity and walked into the apartment, still smiling.
Xiao Moli followed her into the apartment.
Xiao Yining was in the living room, engrossed in a video game.
Seeing An Ziqi and Xiao Moli come in together, his eyes flashed brilliantly as he looked from one to the other.
Putting down the tablet in his hands, he clapped his little palms together and jumped off the sofa.
Running toward them, he asked happily, "Mummy, did you finally decide to go on a date with Daddy?"
An Ziqi stared at him. This little rascal really did not care what mayhem he created.
"I had soiled my clothes and stopped by a store to buy a new one on the way home, okay?"
Grinning broadly, Xiao Yining stuck out his chubby little finger and shook it in An Ziqi's face.
Then he pointed to one of the bedrooms.
"Mummy, go inside and take a look. Open the door and be surprised!"
Intrigued, An Ziqi walked toward the bedroom.
Pushing the door open, An Ziqi was indeed stunned.
Neatly arranged in the spacious wardrobe was an assortment of clothes for casual wear, Western clothes, formal clothes, and a wide selection of bags and shoes. There was something for every occasion and need.
Retrieving a piece of clothing from the rack, An Ziqi noted the figure from the price tag that had not yet been removed and was dumbfounded.
As the thought came into her mind, she quickly dived into the rack of clothes for a look. She was shocked to death at the price of each piece of clothing.
She recalled that, just the night before, the room had been bare and covered in a thick layer of dust, as though no one had lived in it for a very long time.
It had certainly been transformed very quickly.
Could it be that there would soon be a female owner in this apartment?
Or had the little rascal decided to finally release her from her obligation and move on to a new target?
Just when she was thinking that, Xiao Yining strolled in with his chubby hands tugged behind him.
Smiling, he asked, "Mummy, do you like it?"
Blinking, An Ziqi turned to him and asked, "Are all these for me?"
Looking offended, Xiao Yining glared at her.
"Did you think that Daddy bought these for me?"
Did Xiao Moli buy them?
When did he buy them?
An Ziqi tried hard to recall and did not remember seeing him on the phone at any time.
Surely, this guy had not transcended to a level where he could transmit instructions telepathically?
His subordinates must be beyond human if they had been able to accomplish all this within such a short time.
But that was not the point here.
Deep in thought, she walked out of the room.
Xiao Moli was lying supine on the sofa in the living room, switching noisily from one channel to another with the remote in his hand.
His tie had been dislodged and thrown into a corner of the carpet while his white shirt was opened two buttons down.
With his eyes half-closed, he looked casually sexy.
To someone like An Ziqi who valued physical appearance, this was fatal attraction.
It was totally irrational for a man to look so much more beautiful than a woman.
"Wipe your drool off your face."
Hastily, An Ziqi reached up to wipe her mouth.
Then, she came to her senses and felt really stupid.
Laughing dryly, she said solemnly, "Thank you for the clothes, but I cannot accept them."