Chapter 653: I'm Sorry_1

“Uncle…” Baili Xia lifts her head.

She thought he was going to take another puff, but to her surprise, he stubs out the cigarette with his thumb and carelessly tosses the butt on the ground.

“Uncle!” Baili Xia exclaims in shock, quickly grabbing his hand to inspect his thumb.

He just extinguished the cigarette with his thumb – a cigarette that was still lit!

Didn’t he fear getting burned?

And yet, he had undoubtedly crushed the cigarette with his thumb.

But, when she now looks at his thumb, apart from a bit of ash, there’s nothing amiss.

No blisters that she had feared seeing; not even a tiny red burn mark.

“My skin is thick, why panic?”

Mu Xiaojiu’s somber mood lightens significantly at her show of concern for him.

He reaches out to her, pulling her into an embrace.

This time, Baili Xia doesn’t resist, peacefully leaning into his chest, allowing him to hold her close.

Mu Xiaojiu leans forward, resting his chin on top of her head.

The rhythm of his heartbeat, gradually becomes louder…

Amidst the heartbeats, Baili Xia thought she heard a faint sigh from him.

Uncle…is sighing…

Baili Xia’s heartbeat skips a beat.

It feels strange— tough men like him and Brother aren’t supposed to sigh.

Yet, when they do sigh, the sense of helplessness is so heartbreaking.

Mu Xiaojiu doesn’t say anything, he merely holds her tighter.

Slowly burying his face into the crook of her neck, he closes his eyes, taking in her scent, enjoying the tranquillity of this moment.

Silence.

When no one speaks, it’s as if the air itself is still.

After what feels like forever, someone finally breaks the silence.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry…

Baili Xia is taken aback and turns her head, wanting to look at him.

Mu Xiaojiu slowly lifts his head from her neck, straightens his posture, and looks down at her.

“Uncle…” She is a bit confused, it really wasn’t his fault just now.

It was clearly her mistake.

She is an adult and should be responsible for her own actions.

She didn’t resist just now and even fell into it just like him.

That means she agreed to their intimate actions.

Having consented but then regretting it, the problem lies with her.

But Uncle…

why is he apologizing to her?

“What are you most afraid of?” He tightens his hold on her.

Baili Xia doesn’t understand, afraid of what?

“Last time…” Seeing her face turn pale, he exhales lightly, stroking her hair.

“Tell me, what hurt you the most from last time?”

He doesn’t want to hurt her again, but he can’t bear to let her go.

He’ll go crazy if he’s forbidden from touching her.

So now, the only thing he can do is to untangle this knot.

He’ll avoid whatever she fears, would that be okay?

Mu Xiaojiu really doesn’t have any experience in dealing with such things; he’s also trying to get along with her.

Just that sometimes, perhaps, he may lose his way.

Baili Xia just stares blankly at him, at a loss as to what to do.

They’ve never had a proper conversation before.

Whenever they met, it was either him bullying her or her being afraid of him.

They rarely chatted.

Afraid of what?

Can she tell him she is afraid of everything?

“You can try to talk to me if something’s bothering you.”

Mu Xiaojiu’s voice is as gentle as he can make it.

He’s also trying to learn how to treat a girl, he doesn’t want their relationship to be a perpetual cycle of coercion.