A Former Police Officer Who Died And Get A Second Life!-Chapter 68: Lingering Jealousy

Cari looked down and voiced his loneliness and he was so unbearably adorable that it hurt.

Even so, thinking about what lay ahead, this was something Cari had to accept.

"In return, when I come back, I’ll grant one request from you, anything you want. As long as it’s something I can do."

When Qiong Xing told him it would be a reward for waiting, Cari smiled brightly.

"Really? You’ll listen to Cari’s wish?"

"If it’s something I can do. Of course, you can ask your papas too."

Since he already called them Papa, surely they would grant his wish as well.

"I don’t know when it will be yet, but think about it until then. Mayo too, of course."

"Okay!"

"Mayo~"

Mayo who had been lying down together with Cari, also wrapped himself around Qiong Xing’s arm a x rubbing his head against him happily as if to say how pleased he was.

"While it’s true that I can’t move like this because of your papas, it also means that your papas have gotten better. So please don’t blame them, okay?"

When Qiong Xing returned to the room, Leander and the others had been fussing over him with worried expressions and Cari must have sensed something from that.

He hadn’t said it was their fault, but Qiong Xing had seen him gently pushing at Leander and Elias’ backs as if urging them to head off to work.

"See, you’re hungry, aren’t you? Go eat together with everyone."

"What about Mama?"

"I don’t think I’ll be able to move for a little while longer, so at least you should..."

Before she could finish telling him to go on ahead, there was a knock, and Joa peeked into the room.

"...How’s your body?"

"My lower back still hurts, but other than that I’m fine. Still, I don’t think I can walk all the way to the dining hall, so could you take care of Cari... Whoa!"

Thinking that he could trust Joa without worry, Qiong Xing tried to ask him to look after Cari, but before she could finish, she was lifted up from the bed and cradled in his arms.

Being carried in princess style wasn’t something that embarrassed him anymore at this point, but realizing that it was Joa doing it made him feel apologetic rather than shy.

"Joa!"

"You can’t move, right? I’ll carry you. Come on, let’s go, Cari."

"Okay!"

His unshakable arms were incredibly reassuring, but thinking that he shouldn’t trouble him this much, Qiong Xing tried to struggle.

He was immediately scolded by Joa to stop moving and even Cari chimed in with a "Mama, no," which made him give up resisting.

So he have no choice but to just relaxed his body and leaned against his broad chest.

"I’m sorry."

"This is nothing. Just stay still."

"...Joa?"

"Hm?"

Was it just his imagination or did he seem slightly irritated?

The way he held Qiong Xing was gentle, but the crease between his brows and his lower-than-usual voice clearly showed his mood.

He wondered if he had done something wrong, but considering that they hadn’t seen each other since yesterday morning, it was hard to imagine what that could be.

He didn’t know what had happened, but since he wasn’t saying anything, he decided it would be best to leave it alone and not dwell on it.

That day as well, Cari had been following close behind since morning.

It was like a child chasing after his father’s back and while it made him feel a little embarrassed, it also made him happy.

What was more, behind Cari, Joa followed along as if watching over him and the sight was so endearing that, although Qiong Xing himself did not notice, the residents who saw it all looked on with gentle smiles.

"Where’s the isolation room?"

"I’m going there with Qiong Xing, so could you watch Cari for me?"

Joa still remember when Leander and Elias who had been literally glued to Qiong Xing because it was their day off asked about the room used during heat periods something unpleasant began to churn deep in his chest.

It wasn’t the first time he had talked with them about such things, yet for some reason an uncomfortable feeling welled up inside him.

He only became certain that it was jealousy when he saw Qiong Xing lying stretched out on the bed after returning from that room.

Qiong Xing looked somewhat languid and perhaps because of what they had done, there was an undeniable hint of allure about him.

Seeing Qiong Xing like that made him unable to help but resent Leander and Elias who had been the ones to leave him in that state.

Unable to hide his irritation, his voice grew low.

Qiong Xing seemed to notice it, but he said nothing.

"Cari, do you want to sleep with me tonight?"

Cari had waited while fighting off his drowsiness for Qiong Xing and the others who never came back no matter how long he waited.

In the end, they did not return that day at all and with no other choice, he let Cari who had finally fallen asleep, sleep together with him in his own bed.

"If they didn’t come back, then that’s what it means, I guess."

He knew.

He had known and in that sense he had even teased Qiong Xing about it before.

But something thick and murky welled up deep in his chest and seemed to spread throughout his entire body, leaving him restless and unable to calm down.

He had wondered again and again if that emotion might be what it was, but each time the image of the late Vita surfaced in his mind and he would tell himself that it was different.

"Those guys could at least say something to Cari too." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Joa wished they would think about how it felt for him, who kept getting asked, When are Mama and the others coming back?

Being bombarded with tearful questions like Why aren’t they coming back? Was Cari abandoned? left him with no way to tell the real reason and he had no choice but to somehow dodge the questions.