In the afternoon, after watching the game, Song Siyang originally suggested staying a little longer and taking a nighttime flight home.

“It’s a rare trip, let’s check out that famous internet-famous restaurant!”

Xie Heng and Xu Jiaming both refused.

Xu Jiaming said, “I need to go back and study tonight.”

“I have practice tests to do tonight too,” Xie Heng patted Song Siyang’s shoulder. “Besides, the later you go back, the higher your chances of getting beaten. You can’t escape it.”

Song Siyang was on the verge of tears. Who was he doing all this for, anyway?!

It was all because he hadn’t explained things clearly yesterday. His Aunt had misunderstood and thought he was in a relationship—and worse, that he’d gotten a girl pregnant. His Mom had called and scolded him to death.

Last night, Song Siyang had spent ages explaining, swearing up and down, nearly resorting to a video call to kneel in front of his Mom to prove his innocence.

In the end, his voice had turned hoarse from shouting, and he begged Xie Heng and Xu Jiaming to vouch for him.

“Xie Heng is my childhood friend and neighbor, and Xu Jiaming—well, no need to say more, he’s a top student. You have to believe them, right?”

Finally, the two of them took the phone and said this:

Xie Heng : “Aunt, I’m Xie Heng. I can confirm he’s not dating anyone or doing anything bad, because no girl at school is interested in him.”

Xu Jiaming, in an obedient tone: “Aunt, I confirm that everything Xie Heng said is true.”

Song Siyang was so furious he wanted to punch them.

But his Mom actually believed it a little. She only told him to return home as soon as the game was over. She and his Dad were going to interrogate him together.

Initially, Xie Heng hadn’t planned to talk about Lu Xi. After all, it was his family’s business.

But along the way, Song Siyang kept ranting, and since Xu Jiaming was sitting right there, he overheard everything whether he wanted to or not.

He didn’t react much, just hesitated slightly before asking Xie Heng, “CEO Lu… she…?”

He didn’t finish his sentence.

Xie Heng understood. With an annoyed expression, he lightly kicked Song Siyang to shut him up, then responded indifferently, “Seems like it.”

His tone sounded calm, but his eyes betrayed a trace of worry.

Xu Jiaming raised an eyebrow wordlessly. “Why does Song Siyang know more about your family than you do? What kind of nonsense is this…”

Xie Heng sighed in frustration. “I’m just not sure. I don’t know. They never told me anything.”

Xu Jiaming didn’t quite get it. What was the point of hiding something like this? It’s not like they could keep it a secret forever.

Xie Heng suddenly remembered something. His eyes lit up as he turned to Xu Jiaming. “Right! I remember your Mom and Ms. Lu are close. She must know something. Has she ever mentioned anything to you?”

“No,” Xu Jiaming shook his head. After thinking for a moment, he added, “I think you guys got it wrong.”

Xie Heng froze and stared at him. “So you do know something, don’t you?”

Xu Jiaming was briefly at a loss but quickly composed himself and lowered his gaze.

How could he possibly know?

Even if he did, Lu Xi wouldn’t tell him anything.

It was just a gut feeling, he couldn’t explain why.

After a moment of thought, Xu Jiaming slowly said, “It’s just a guess, but don’t you think it’s weird? The baby hasn’t even been born yet, so how would they already know it’s a girl and not a boy? They can’t have done a DNA test. It sounds fake to me.”

Xie Heng thought about it. It did seem a little suspicious.

Licking his lips, he frowned. “Could it be that it’s half true, half false?”

Song Siyang caught on and shook his head. “I don’t know. All I know is that’s what CEO Lu said. If you want to find out, just ask her yourself.”

Xie Heng curled his lips into a smirk.

“As if. I don’t even get why they’re hiding it from me.”

Song Siyang recalled how Xie Heng’s mood had visibly improved after receiving Lu Xi’s call last night. Cautiously, he asked, “Maybe they’re afraid you’ll throw a fit and get jealous?”

Xie Heng looked irritated. “Bullshit! Am I that kind of person? I don’t care!”

But the truth was, he did care.

He cared so much that he just wanted to rush home and get to the bottom of this.

But he didn’t think he was jealous, just a little upset that Mr. Xie and Ms. Lu had kept this from him. He was family, yet he had to hear about it from outsiders.

As for whether she was having a baby sister or brother, why would that make him jealous?

It’s not like having a new baby in the family meant he’d get kicked out.

Back when he was rebellious, his Dad hadn’t thrown him out. Now that he had Ms. Lu on his side, would some newborn really threaten his status?

Still, Xie Heng wasn’t going to ask outright.

He was determined to be a cop in the future. This was a small case, he’d investigate it himself.

And if he couldn’t find out, well, if it was true, the truth would come out in a few months anyway.

For now, his priority was retrieving the perfume. He had forgotten which one he bought, and he had lost the receipt. He needed to check the ingredients to make sure it was safe for Ms. Lu to use.

He had been to her walk-in closet many times and knew there was a dedicated shelf for perfumes.

So when he saw her asleep, he thought he could sneak in, grab the perfume, and leave unnoticed.

But he got caught red-handed.

And was even accused of being a ‘perfume thief.’

Xie Heng : “…”

This was so unfair.

He looked at Lu Xi, opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but didn’t know how to say it.

“Sorry, okay? I’ll give it back to you.”

Xie Heng had no other choice. Before Lu Xi could lose her temper, he quickly made his escape. But just as he reached the door, he cleared his throat and couldn’t help but add, “By the way, before using perfume, you should check whether it’s safe. Same goes for all that stuff you keep rubbing on your face all the time.”

Lu Xi looked confused. “What do you mean, whether it’s safe?”

“…I mean, some things aren’t good for your health. You get what I’m saying, right?” Xie Heng felt troubled. Why did he, the son, have to worry about something like this?

Old Xie was really slacking off.

Lu Xi was stunned for a moment, furrowed her brows, and thought, was he talking about allergies?

It felt a little odd, but it made sense. Lu Xi couldn’t help but smile, glancing at the boy, feeling both helpless and amused. “Thanks for your concern. Don’t worry, these are all fine for me. Nothing will happen.”

Only then did Xie Heng feel relieved.

He might have been reassured for now, but Lu Xi wasn’t so sure.

Ever since that day, she had the feeling that Xie Heng was acting a little strange.

After sleeping for a whole day, she went downstairs and asked the kitchen to make her a late-night snack. She sat alone in the dining room, eating.

Before long, Xie Yizhao came home.

He had an important meeting that evening and didn’t come back for dinner. When he walked in, he first asked the butler about Lu Xi’s whereabouts. Upon learning that she was eating in the dining room, he went straight over and sat down across from her.

Lu Xi looked up and saw him. Remembering last night, she suddenly felt a little shy.

It was strange. She was clearly used to him by now. In the past, they had been a normal married couple, and she had never been overly sensitive. But last night was different. It turned out that when emotions were intense, things really did feel different.

She lowered her head slightly.

The steam from her bowl rose up, misting her eyelashes. Lu Xi couldn’t help but rub her eyes.

Every time she glanced at him, she would find him watching her intently.

So Lu Xi stared back, her eyes curving into a smile, thinking she might as well make him embarrassed too.

“Wait a moment.”

Suddenly, Xie Yizhao stood up and leaned toward her. Lu Xi stayed still, her innocent eyes widening as she looked up at him.

Seeing her soft and slightly dazed expression, Xie Yizhao couldn’t help but smile faintly. He reached out and moved closer to her face.

Lu Xi didn’t know what he was going to do, but she cooperated by closing her eyes.

A fallen eyelash had landed on her lower eyelid when she rubbed her eyes earlier. Xie Yizhao gently brushed it away with his fingertip. “Alright, you can keep eating now.”

Hearing that, Lu Xi opened her eyes but didn’t immediately pick up her chopsticks. Instead, she rested her head on one hand and gazed at the man’s handsome face, her eyes filled with laughter.

Xie Yizhao pressed his lips together slightly, saying nothing, simply looking back at her.

Xie Heng stepped out of his room, planning to go upstairs and check on Ms. Lu. But when he walked along the hallway and looked down, he happened to witness this scene.

The atmosphere was so intimate, even a completely innocent boy with no dating experience like him could tell.

Their gazes were so soft and sticky, it was practically unbearable!

He felt like he’d been mentally poisoned.

Unable to hold back, he coughed lightly. The two people downstairs, who were openly showing off their love at home, looked up at him. Only then did Xie Heng continue down the stairs.

Lu Xi glanced at Xie Yizhao, and both of them tacitly toned down their expressions.

She continued eating her late-night snack while Xie Yizhao leaned back in his chair, loosening his tie with a composed demeanor.

Xie Heng didn’t even bother saying anything.

If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes just now, he might’ve actually believed these two.

He walked straight to Lu Xi’s side, curiously peering into her bowl. “What are you eating?”

Lu Xi found his behavior odd. “Small wontons.”

“What kind of filling?”

“Fresh pork,” she replied, then frowned at him and protectively covered her bowl. “Don’t even think about it. If you want some, go ask the kitchen. I haven’t had enough yet.”

Xie Heng lowered his gaze, roughly estimating the original portion size of the bowl.

He remembered that Ms. Lu had always had a small appetite. Back then, when he bought her fried chicken, she sometimes couldn’t finish it, leaving the rest for him or Xie Yizhao.

Suddenly eating this much… wasn’t that a symptom of pregnancy?

Xie Heng turned around and immediately went to search for information online.

At this moment, he was already 50% sure.

Lu Xi found his behavior strange. The next day, she heard from the butler about another peculiar thing the blue-haired kid had done.

That morning, before heading to school, Xie Heng was dropped off at the front door by the butler.

“Young Master suddenly asked me if your meals were being specially planned by a nutritionist. Then he said something about how, if any strange people came by to give you weird food, we absolutely shouldn’t let you eat it.”

He also gave a long list of other instructions, like making sure Madam didn’t lift heavy objects and not making her angry.

The butler had been completely baffled.

Who would give the Madam weird food?

When would she even have the chance to lift heavy objects? And who in this household would dare to make her angry?

The butler looked worried. “Madam, Young Master has been studying until late every night lately. Do you think he’s under too much pressure and getting emo?”

He had actually learned this phrase from his daughter.

Lately, young people loved using it.

Lu Xi also felt that something was off about Xie Heng.

Teenagers were at an age where they tended to overthink things, magnify their emotions. She had gone through that phase herself.

So she decided to have a heart-to-heart with him when he got back from school that evening.

But she hadn’t expected that after making the rounds in their social circle, the rumor would return to her in an entirely different form.

It was Mrs. Yin from the banquet who told her. People were now saying she was pregnant with Xie Yizhao’s child, and that it was a daughter.

Mrs. Yin had heard about it at a dinner gathering the day before. Something felt off to her. Clearly, one of the more loose-lipped ladies from that banquet had taken Lu Xi’s casual joke and exaggerated it into a full-blown rumor.

“We’re friends, so I wanted to give you a heads-up,” Mrs. Yin reassured her. “But honestly, these things die down in a few days. Who knows who was bored enough to spread it?”

Lu Xi was dumbfounded.

After hanging up, she felt both exasperated and amused. Mrs. Yin was right. Whoever started this really was both petty and insufferable.

As for Mrs. Yin’s reason for telling her, it could be because the Yin family was close with Xie Yizhao, or maybe she genuinely wanted to befriend her. Either way, Lu Xi still thanked her.

Whatever her motives, Lu Xi had to admit she was grateful.

She couldn’t help but find the situation both ridiculous and funny.

At least now, she finally understood why Xie Heng had been acting so strangely lately.

But… something still didn’t add up.

So his recent odd behavior, was he trying to help her with prenatal care?

---

Lu Xi was just about to step into the bedroom to check when suddenly, the dressing room lit up again.

But it wasn’t from the ceiling lights. The glow came from the floor—countless candlelights spread across the entire dressing room.

Lu Xi raised an eyebrow, suspicion creeping into her heart, but she couldn’t help finding it incredibly beautiful.

A small candle flickered near her feet. She crouched down for a closer look and realized they were LED lights shaped like candles, each encased in a glass cover—delicate and elegant.

She had a pretty good guess now.

This had to be a romantic surprise prepared by Xie Yizhao… A sweet smile curved her lips.

She just didn’t know what he was planning next.

As she hesitated, her call connected, and she heard his voice—not just in her ear but also coming from the bedroom.

“I’m in the room. Come find me?”

Lu Xi : “Alright.”

One candle might be dim, but when so many were spread across the floor, their combined glow was quite bright. Lu Xi switched off her flashlight and walked into the bedroom with ease.

The bedroom was spacious—nearly a hundred square meters. The bed was positioned to the left, a sofa stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, and there was a wide open area where she sometimes did yoga or aerobics when she didn’t feel like going to the gym.

Now, Xie Yizhao stood next to the sofa.

On a nearby shelf sat a black vinyl record player, which Lu Xi only just noticed.

More candlelight adorned the wooden floor, casting a soft golden glow and elevating the atmosphere to something almost dreamlike.

Lu Xi couldn’t help but smile at Xie Yizhao, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. “What’s next?”

Xie Yizhao arched an eyebrow with a smile. “Shall we start with a song?”

Wow, not just lighting, he even thought about setting the mood with music?

Lu Xi nodded eagerly, playing along with full enthusiasm.

Xie Yizhao turned, walked to the record player, took out a vinyl record he had prepared in advance, and carefully set the needle in place.

The record player immediately filled the room with music.

It was a song that Lu Xi loved to listen to. The first time she heard it was at their wedding. The melody was incredibly romantic, with a deep male voice that seemed to whisper tenderly into a lover’s ear, recounting his infatuation with her.

The song had been chosen by the wedding planner, but this small arrangement had made even their cold, business-like marriage seem a little more romantic.

Lu Xi: “<Wonderful Tonight>? The song from our wedding?”

Xie Yizhao saw that she remembered it too, and a flicker of emotion crossed his gaze. He chuckled softly and nodded. “Mm. That day, you said you wanted to see me dance. Do you still want to?”

Lu Xi’s eyes lit up. “Of course I do! But… are you going to dance here?”

She responded so quickly, as if afraid that if she hesitated even a second, Xie Yichao would change his mind and she would miss a great show.

After all, this was Xie Yichao dancing!

“Yes, right here.” Xie Yichao took slow steps toward her, reaching out his hand amidst the romantic candlelight and soft music. In a low voice, he asked, “May I?”

Lu Xi felt her heart flutter slightly.

She had learned to dance as well, so she understood his invitation. Tilting her head playfully, she deliberately made things difficult for him. “Weren’t you going to dance alone? Why drag me into it?”

That way, she wouldn’t get to enjoy the spectacle of him dancing alone.

Xie Yichao remained unruffled. “It’s been too long since I last danced. I’m a little out of practice. You can guide me.”

“…” Lu Xi stared at him in surprise, genuinely curious how he could tell such an obvious lie with such a straight face.

But she had to admit, his words pleased her.

After a moment of thought, she lowered her gaze with a faint smile, lifted her hand, and gently placed it in his. With a playful wink, she said, “I’m out of practice too. If I step on your foot, don’t take it personally.”

Xie Yizhao was silent for a few seconds before chuckling. “Why do I feel like you’ll do it on purpose?”

Lu Xi just smiled without answering. Who knew?

She truly was a little rusty, and she could tell Xie Yizhao wasn’t exactly skilled either. But in the end, their dance wasn’t about precise steps. They simply held hands, with her hand resting on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around her waist. Swaying gently to the music, their rhythm was slow and comfortable.

At least, neither of them stepped on the other’s feet.

As the song ended, the next track began—another soft, romantic melody. Without realizing it, Lu Xi rested her head against his shoulder.

She felt Xie Yizhao’s arm tighten slightly around her waist, and from time to time, his fingers brushed against her hair.

Lu Xi couldn’t help but look up at him.

The candlelight cast a warm glow on his face, making his gaze seem incredibly gentle. When he lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her lips, his touch was just as tender.

Dazed, Lu Xi closed her eyes.

She had no idea how much time passed… One song? Two? She was too relaxed to count. The music was merely background noise, while she and Xie Yizhao were completely absorbed in each other.

It felt like sinking into a deep blue ocean, the outside world fading away until only the two of them remained.

When Xie Yizhao lifted her into his arms, Lu Xi already had a sense of what was coming.

After all… this wasn’t the first time.

From the moment the candles were lit, she had a feeling about where the night was headed, and she had no intention of resisting.

Even so, she still heard Xie Yizhao’s low voice asking, “Xixi… is this okay?”

She opened her eyes, her gaze hazy, taking a moment to refocus.

The candlelight highlighted the sharp angles of his face. He looked down at her intently, his eyes burning with warmth. Though eager for her answer, he remained silent, waiting patiently for her decision.

Lu Xi thought for a moment before teasing, “What if I say no?”

Xie Yizhao pressed his lips together, hesitated for a few seconds, then murmured, “I can wait.”

But no matter how composed he seemed, he was still a man. Even someone like Xie Yizhao couldn’t completely hide when he was saying one thing and feeling another.

Lu Xi couldn’t help but laugh as she snuggled into his embrace, playfully nudging him with her knee. In a quiet voice, she said, “Forget it. I wouldn’t have the heart to tease you like that.”

Besides, tonight, Xie Yizhao was both irresistibly sexy and incredibly gentle, perfectly aligning with her tastes.

She couldn’t deny she wanted him just as much.

Xie Yizhao paused, drawing in a slow breath as he gazed down at her, his expression unreadable. She was truly testing his patience now.

After her little act of mischief, Lu Xi regretted it slightly. Trying to make amends, she looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes and nestled deeper into his arms.

Seeing her like this, Xie Yizhao couldn’t help but smile.

Over the years, people who knew about their situation had asked him—wasn’t he torturing himself by refusing to give up on her, even when there seemed to be no hope?

He had asked himself the same thing. Maybe it was true. Maybe saying it didn’t hurt was a lie.

Even now, with her back in his life, he still wasn’t completely at ease.

He couldn’t even pinpoint exactly when he had started to care for her.

Was it the moment she clung to him at their wedding?

Was it after their son was born?

Was it the day she disappeared?

Or was it during these recent days, as they slowly found their way back to each other?

The emotions were intense—deep, persistent, and unwavering. What he was certain of was that, during this period, he had gradually come to recognize his own feelings. Though they tormented him, he liked her. And he liked this torment, too.

Because his Xixi was worth it.

---

Lu Xi herself didn’t dislike this kind of torment.

But… she felt that Xie Yizhao tonight was a little frightening.

She was still in her twenties physically, yet she really didn’t want to admit—why was there such a huge gap in their stamina? How could he still wake up on time and go to work the next day?

*Ahem*—actually, there was a slight difference.

This morning, for the first time ever, Xie Yizhao didn’t go for his usual morning run. After waking up, he lazed around with her for a while.

The servants weren’t home and wouldn’t arrive until after nine. It was just the two of them in the house, silent and undisturbed, with no need to worry about soundproofing issues.

Xie Yizhao got dressed and sat by the bed, looking at her. His smile was faint, yet he radiated confidence.

Lu Xi lifted her eyelids, lazily turned over, and showed him her back.

She ignored him. She was truly exhausted and drowsy, mumbling, “I’ll go to work in the afternoon.”

Xie Yizhao chuckled softly, brushing her hair as his gaze fell on her delicate, fair earlobe. A dark look flashed in his eyes as he murmured, “Mm, then I’ll head to work.”

Lu Xi was already fast asleep before she even heard his words. Naturally, she didn’t notice that Xie Yizhao had stayed by her side until the servants returned. He had specifically instructed the butler to keep things quiet so she wouldn’t be disturbed before finally heading to the office.

Since Xie Yizhao had explicitly told them not to wake her, the butler made sure the household remained silent all morning.

By noon, however, Lu Xi still hadn’t gotten up, and the butler grew concerned, finally sending someone to wake her for lunch.

Though she was still drowsy, hunger was hunger.

After going downstairs for lunch, she checked the time and, without hesitation, decided to take the day off from her studio.

She had gone to sleep close to four in the morning. As someone who never stayed up late, she was now so exhausted that she was losing the ability to think properly.

Right before she fell asleep again, she couldn’t help but resentfully think—there was a reason Xie Yizhao was so successful.

She had heard that some people naturally had more energy than others, both mentally and physically. Seeing how energetic he was this morning, she could only conclude—serves him right for making so much money.

As for her, today, she didn’t want to be CEO Lu. She only wanted to be Mrs. Xie, a Mrs. Xie whose energy reserves were depleted and who needed to sleep in.

When she woke up again, it was already 7:30 PM.

She was roused by noises coming from the walk-in closet.

Something had fallen to the ground with a thud, followed by a sharp, panicked intake of breath.

Lu Xi frowned as she sat up, glancing outside. The sky was already completely dark, with only the soft glow of the nightlight illuminating the bedroom.

Was it a servant in her closet?

Lu Xi quietly got out of bed. The heating in the room kept her warm, so she didn’t bother putting on shoes.

Passing by the full-length window, she inadvertently caught sight of her neck in the reflection. She instinctively touched it, then grabbed a coat from the sofa and put it on to cover up.

“Xiao Chen?” she called softly, walking toward the closet.

Xie Heng froze.

He glanced at the side door leading to the bedroom, then at the closet door, quickly calculating the distance. If he ran now, he could definitely make it out.

But then again, why should he run?

Before coming in, he had already informed the butler that he was borrowing one of his Dad’s suits. Even if he got caught, it wasn’t a big deal.

Running now would only make him look guilty.

So Xie Heng stood his ground. When Lu Xi appeared, he forced a casual smile to mask his awkwardness and waved at her. “Hey, you’re up?”

But inwardly, doubts crept in.

He had only gotten home at six, and the butler had told him she had been sleeping all day.

Didn’t TV dramas say that pregnant women tended to be extra sleepy…?

Xie Heng fell into deep thought, completely forgetting what he was holding.

But Lu Xi had already seen it. She raised her brows in surprise. “You’re taking back the perfume you gave me?”

Xie Heng stiffened.

Only now did he realize what he was holding.

A brief flash of panic flickered in his eyes as his brain worked at lightning speed. “Of course not! I… I bought the wrong one! I was just going to return it to the mall and exchange it for something else. Something even better! More expensive!”

She didn’t want to listen, the blue-haired brat is chanting nonsense!

Lu Xi strode over, snatching the perfume from his hands. She eyed him warily, her expression full of accusation. “You gave this to me. I don’t want anything else, I just want this one. You little perfume thief.”

---

Lu Xi held the card, which still carried a hint of perfume. She was at a loss for words.

Xie Heng was truly such a good boy.

She realized that, for Xie Yizhao, he had lost his wife for sixteen years. And for Xie Heng, he had spent those sixteen years without a mother by his side.

To Xie Heng, she was indeed someone lost and found again.

She had always thought that while Xie Heng appeared carefree, deep down, he was actually very sensitive—afraid of loneliness yet caught in the confusion of adolescence. He used to be covered in thorns, eager to push people away. But as long as even a sliver of light shone into his world, he would retract his spikes and reveal his softer side, treating you with unreserved sincerity.

Sincere, brave, pure-hearted—those words described Xie Heng perfectly.

Lu Xi’s eyes grew misty.

She picked up the card and couldn’t help but study it for a long, long time. On a second look, she noticed even more than before.

Xie Heng’s handwriting was usually careless, wild and untamed. It wasn’t illegible, but his teacher had mentioned before that his messy handwriting would cost him points on his exams, especially in Chinese. Still, Xie Heng never cared.

Changing one’s handwriting was difficult, and writing neatly required patience.

And patience was precisely what Xie Heng lacked the most.

But the handwriting on this card was much neater than usual. She could tell it was written with effort—each stroke stiff and deliberate, yet without a single mistake.

Lu Xi bit her lip, trying hard to hold back her tears.

Oh no.

She could tell how much effort he had put into this. Given his usual standard, he must have rewritten it countless times, wasting many cards before getting it right!

Lu Xi carefully put away both the gift and the card, unable to resist touching the beautiful gift box. Then, as if remembering something, she picked up her phone and called Xie Heng.

It was only a little past nine, he was definitely still awake.

Xie Heng answered quickly, his voice lazy. “What’s up? What do you need from me?”

Lu Xi pursed her lips and smiled. “Nothing, just calling to hear your voice.”

To hear his voice? Xie Heng’s lips curled up. Ha, she missed him, didn’t she? Why not just say it outright?

He cleared his throat, setting down the skewer he was holding. “Is the house really boring and empty without me?”

Lu Xi : “Not really.”

Xie Heng continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “Alright, alright, stop rushing me. I’ll be back tomorrow.” This family just couldn’t do without him.

Lu Xi’s motherly smile slowly disappeared. She gritted her teeth.

Brat. He was so well-behaved when silent, but as soon as he spoke, he could infuriate her to death!

His emotional intelligence… really had a long way to go.

Lu Xi sighed, already feeling a headache coming on.

Then Xie Heng suddenly asked, “By the way, aren’t you out on a date with my Dad? Where is he?” Why was she calling him at this hour?

Lu Xi blinked. Oh, right. Where was Xie Yizhao?

She turned her head, realizing she hadn’t noticed his whereabouts. She’d been too focused on unwrapping her gifts.

“He’s probably in the study working,” she replied casually.

Xie Heng was speechless.

What the hell?

His Dad was slacking off? He had cooperated perfectly, getting himself sent away to another city just so they could have space for a romantic date. And now his Dad was… working?

Then what was the point of kicking him out?

Besides, given Lu Xi’s current situation, shouldn’t his Dad be staying with her, acting like a considerate husband?

Xie Heng was so frustrated he could barely breathe.

Across the table, Song Siyang and Xu Jiaming looked at him in confusion. A moment ago, he had been smug and pleased with himself. Now he looked as if something had completely ruined his mood.

Lu Xi, oblivious to her son’s inner turmoil, didn’t pay much attention to Xie Yizhao’s absence. Instead, she suddenly chuckled. “Oh, right, I opened the gifts. I really like them. The pearls are beautiful, and the perfume smells lovely. But my favorite gift is still your card.”

Xie Heng : “…”

His gaze lowered, his face growing slightly warm. He awkwardly touched his ear.

After a long pause, he muttered, “Oh… as long as you like it.” She didn’t need to call just to tell him that, so embarrassing.

But as long as she liked it, that meant he had chosen well. The money hadn’t been wasted.

“Anyway, if there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now. I’m eating barbecue with them,” Xie Heng quickly changed the topic.

But Lu Xi wasn’t ready to let him go just yet. Smiling, she said, “I’ll be here every year from now on. I expect a gift from my son every year, understand?”

Xie Heng’s lips pressed together. His expression, previously tense, softened like the arrival of spring. “Got it.”

“Okay then! Tomorrow, I’ll wear my pearl necklace and perfume and go out looking beautiful.” Lu Xi’s tone was full of joy.

Xie Heng’s face changed slightly.

He swallowed and said nervously, “Uh… don’t use the perfume yet. Wait until I get back.”

Lu Xi was stunned.

After a moment’s thought, she agreed.

It was a strange request, but sometimes her blue-haired son just had his little quirks. She didn’t overthink it. Perhaps he just valued the sentiment and wanted to be there when she wore the gifts.

After finishing her call with Xie Heng, Lu Xi was in an exceptionally good mood.

She immediately picked up the necklace and went to the dressing room to try it on.

That’s right, she had promised not to wear perfume for now, but her little one never said she couldn’t wear the necklace first, did he?

This brand specialized in pearl jewelry, with luxury pricing and multiple tiers—some more affordable pieces cost a few thousand yuan each, mid-range ones were tens of thousands, and the more expensive ones could have a single pearl priced in the six-figure range.

Lu Xi didn’t have many pearl accessories in her jewelry box. She had always preferred diamonds and gemstones, believing that pearls required a certain grace that only came with age—at least thirty—to truly bring out their elegance.

But this one was simply stunning.

The pearl was round and luminous, exuding a sophisticated glow. Even though it was paired with diamonds, its radiance wasn’t overshadowed. Instead, it appeared warm and beautiful, carrying a sense of timeless serenity.

Lu Xi adored it.

With her keen eye, she didn’t need to check the price. Given the pearl and diamonds, it was certainly worth six figures or more.

Her little one really went all out.

And it wasn’t just this, he even gave her a free model card. At a rate of five thousand yuan per appearance, this little money-grubber must have taken quite a loss.

Yet all he asked for in return was a pair of basketball shoes.

Lu Xi felt a pang of heartache but couldn’t help laughing.

Why did Xie Heng remind her so much of a little squirrel?

Diligently storing up food, only to give it all away the moment she patted his head—pouring out everything he had saved for winter, just for her.

Adorable, but a little pitiful.

Lu Xi wondered quietly whether such a personality was good for him. He was honest and generous, which was undoubtedly a virtue, but her motherly instincts couldn’t shake the feeling that he was just too easy to fool, maybe not all that sharp…

As she mused, she carefully took off the necklace and placed it back in her jewelry box.

Just then, the room suddenly went dark. The lights in the dressing room all went out.

Lu Xi froze.

The dressing room was connected to the bedroom, and she saw that the bedroom was pitch black too. Her brows furrowed.

Could the power have gone out?

She had lived here for so long without ever encountering a power outage—not even a tripped circuit.

Today, Xie Yizhao had given all the household staff a day off, even the butler had gone home. If it really was a tripped circuit, she’d have to find Xie Yizhao to fix it.

She wasn’t sure if he even knew how…

Lu Xi wasn’t particularly worried. This was her own home, and she knew Xie Yizhao was in his study. His power must have gone out too, so he would come looking for her soon enough.

Even though she wasn’t anxious, she still turned on her phone’s flashlight and prepared to call Xie Yizhao.

As the flashlight lit up, she heard Xie Yizhao’s phone ringing at the same time.

It seemed to be coming from the bedroom.

Lu Xi frowned. Did he go to the study without taking his phone?

---

Xie Heng searched for a while but couldn’t come up with a definite answer.

Some people online said it was fine, others said it wasn’t. A bunch of medical terms made his head spin.

He looked up at Song Siyang. “I remember your aunt is a doctor, right? Can you ask her if pregnant women can use perfume?”

Song Siyang was momentarily stunned. Why was he asking this?

Xie Heng had no choice but to tell him his concerns.

Song Siyang laughed. “No way, how is that possible? It’s just a bottle of perfume. Are you overthinking this?”

“Have you never watched palace drama series? In those, people just need a bottle of fragrance to cause a miscarriage.” Xie Heng thought for a moment, and suddenly his eyes lit up. “Right! It’s called musk!”

Song Siyang looked him up and down with a speechless expression. “Brother Heng… you watch palace dramas?”

Xie Heng choked, feeling a little awkward. He glared at him with a bit of forced aggression. “Of course not! It’s just that Ms. Lu was watching at home, and I happened to pass by and accidentally saw a couple of scenes. It’s not even interesting at all.”

—Actually, it was pretty good.

At first, he thought it was boring—a bunch of women in the palace fighting over some ugly man. Just hearing about it sounded dull. But after watching a few episodes, the plot turned out to be quite gripping.

He even secretly binge-watched the whole series.

Song Siyang gave Xie Heng a look of sympathy.

He understood. His own mother was also obsessed with melodramatic soap operas, and he had been a victim of this kind of ‘brainwashing’ too.

“Alright, I’ll ask for you.”

Song Siyang quickly sent his aunt a message, asking if pregnant women could wear perfume.

Soon, it was time to board. The two of them left the fast-food restaurant and got on the plane, which would take two hours to reach their destination.

Once seated, Xie Heng sent a message to Ms. Lu to check in.

[Taking off now. I’ll text you when I land.]

After thinking for a moment, he figured that since he had accepted a gift from Old Xie this time, he shouldn’t play favorites. So he sent the exact same message to Xie Yizhao as well.

Then, he switched off his phone and went to sleep. Song Siyang did the same—checking in, shutting down, and dozing off until they were woken up by a flight attendant for the meal. After eating, they went right back to sleep.

When they landed, someone arranged by Xie Yizhao was there to pick them up and take them to the hotel.

“I’m the driver and bodyguard assigned by Mr. Xie. If you need to go anywhere these next couple of days, just let me know.”

Xie Heng frowned in mild frustration.

Ever since that fight last time, he knew his Dad had started assigning people to follow him again. But this time, he didn’t really mind. Whatever. It wasn’t like he was planning to do anything bad.

Xu Jiaming had also come to the airport to pick them up.

The four of them headed toward the exit together.

Xie Heng turned his phone back on, sent his location to confirm he’d arrived safely, and reminded Song Siyang to do the same.

Then, he walked ahead, casually chatting with Xu Jiaming. After a while, he noticed something was off. Song Siyang wasn’t following. He frowned and turned back.

Song Siyang was on a call, looking flustered, his face flushed red.

“Aunt! It’s not my Mom who’s pregnant… and it’s definitely not my girlfriend, stop guessing!” Song Siyang ruffled his hair in frustration. “No, I don’t even have a girlfriend!”

He explained for quite a while, but his Aunt still sounded suspicious and said she would tell his Mom about it.

Song Siyang hung up, utterly devastated.

Great. He was definitely getting scolded when he got home.

But despite wanting to snitch on him, his Aunt, being a doctor, still gave him a serious warning—pregnant women should avoid strong fragrances. They also had to be careful with skincare and cosmetics, making sure the ingredients were safe. It was best to use products specifically made for pregnant women.

Xie Heng frowned slightly.

Good thing he was going back tomorrow. He’d figure out a way to get that bottle of perfume back then.

---

Meanwhile, Lu Xi was having hotpot with Xie Yizhao at a restaurant.

It was the same place she had brought Xie Heng to before.

Winter was perfect for hotpot—warm and cozy. No way was she eating cold, bland Western food or sushi.

She was the one who suggested this place. Midway through the meal, she asked Xie Yizhao, “So? Pretty good, right?”

The man nodded lightly. “Last time, you and Xiao Heng came here without me. Now I finally get to try it.”

Lu Xi blinked.

Was he jealous of her, or was he sulking at their son?

If he was jealous of his son, then why was he so ruthless, using a basketball game ticket to send him away to another city?

Such a… cunning old fox.

But whatever. She was in a great mood today and wasn’t going to argue with him.

Xie Heng wasn’t here tonight, but that was fine. She wasn’t the kind of parent who had to keep their child glued to their side 24/7. He had his own life, and she and Xie Yizhao, as parents, also needed their own time together. Lu Xi had a very open-minded approach to this.

Around 8:30, Lu Xi and Xie Yizhao walked out of the restaurant.

Just then, both of them—one before, one after—received a message from Xie Heng confirming his safe arrival.

Lu Xi smiled.

Very nice. The rebellious young master was now voluntarily checking in. Such great progress.

She still remembered when she first arrived. He would stay out all night, hang out in bars, mix with bad influences, and had nearly been drugged once. Nine out of ten of his sentences were sharp and prickly, like a little blue-haired porcupine.

She glanced at Xie Yizhao. He was also looking at his phone, the corners of his lips faintly curved.

No doubt, he’d received the same message.

It seemed like it wasn’t just their son who had changed.

This father had changed a lot too.

Xie Yizhao lifted his gaze and saw Lu Xi standing a few steps below him on the stairs, looking at him with a half-smile, her expression one of knowing amusement.

He couldn’t help but chuckle, momentarily dazed.

Lu Xi probably wasn’t aware that although she hadn’t been drinking, the way she smiled now was strikingly similar to that day when she had thrown herself into his arms in her wedding dress—bright, full of life, like a beam of sunlight piercing through a dense forest, making his heart skip a beat.

Xie Yizhao still didn’t know why she had acted so out of character after drinking that day.

But at least at this moment, he was certain that the smile Lu Xi gave him was genuine. And she must like him a little more now than she did back then.

That was enough.

“Let’s go to the next place.” Xie Yizhao descended the steps and took Lu Xi’s hand. “After this, we can head home. It won’t be crowded there.”

Lu Xi nodded. As long as it wasn’t crowded, she didn’t mind. It was still early anyway.

Half an hour later, they arrived at a hotel, where a small auction was taking place in a convention hall on the nineteenth floor.

The term ‘small’ didn’t refer to the quality or value of the auction items, but rather to the number of attendees. There were fewer than thirty people in the hall.

From Lu Xi’s experience, auctions with fewer participants didn’t necessarily offer extravagant items, but they often featured rare, one-of-a-kind collectibles.

For instance, shortly after getting married, she had once attended a similar auction and successfully bid on a gift that had been given by a European royal princess to her lover—a button made of agate and ruby, exquisitely crafted.

But later, the princess and her lover had a tragic ending. Their relationship was discovered, and the princess was punished by the royal family, forbidden from ever seeing her lover again. The lover’s life took a turn for the worse—he faced multiple assassination attempts, went bankrupt, and ultimately had to sell the button just to survive.

It was a rather lamentable story.

Lu Xi had her doubts about its authenticity. She had looked up that princess before. The princess wasn’t very well-known, and historical records about her were scarce, let alone any mention of this supposed ‘love affair.’

Perhaps it was just a gimmick to pique buyers’ interest and make them spend impulsively. Well, it had certainly worked on her.

After taking their seats, Lu Xi shared this story with Xie Yizhao.

Then, with bright eyes, she asked him, “Do you think the story is real?”

Xie Yizhao replied, “Truth doesn’t really matter. As long as it moves people, it’s a good story.”

Lu Xi pondered for a moment and found his words quite reasonable. She then asked, “So, what’s up for auction tonight? Any emperor’s belt? A prince’s buckle?”

Her eyes gleamed mischievously.

Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow, gently squeezing her fingers. In a soft voice, he said, “No princess’s button, but if there’s something you like, just bid for it. Consider it my gift to you.”

That piqued her curiosity even more.

Would it be jewelry? A rare collectible? Lu Xi resisted the urge to ask further. She knew this man enjoyed keeping surprises. Even if she asked, he wouldn’t spill.

But soon enough, she got her answer.

The ninth item of the night was a signed sketch by a renowned late designer.

Lu Xi’s eyes immediately lit up.

It was a designer and brand she adored. Unfortunately, after the designer’s passing, the brand’s subsequent designers never quite measured up, and in recent years, it had gradually declined.

Without hesitation, Lu Xi decided to bid on the sketch for her collection.

However, she had a price limit—300,000 yuan. Any higher, and she’d have to let it go.

There was a time when 300,000 felt like just a number to her. But things were different now. Earning money on her own had taught her its value (except, of course, when she was spending Xie Yizhao’s money).

Three hundred thousand wasn’t just a number. It represented the time and creativity she had to invest.

Even if Xie Yizhao was the one paying, she still felt it wouldn’t be worth it if the price exceeded that amount.

Luckily, she was fortunate, or perhaps this item simply didn’t entice many bidders. After only two competing bids, she won it for just 210,000 yuan.

As they left the auction, Lu Xi, holding the carefully packaged sketch, happily linked her arm through Xie Yizhao’s. “Thank you for the gift! I love it!”

He must have known about this item in advance and understood her tastes, which was why he brought her here.

A perfect combination of thoughtfulness and surprise. Now, that was how you gave a great gift.

Lu Xi couldn’t help but feel that when it came to gift-giving, she had been completely outclassed by the two men in her household.

How were they both so good at this?

On the way home, Lu Xi couldn’t resist asking Xie Yizhao, “Do you think the gifts I give you are too perfunctory? Not surprising at all?”

Xie Yizhao was momentarily stunned, as if surprised by her question.

But he quickly recovered, smiling gently. His tone was calm yet sincere. “How could I? Honestly, after all these years, just being able to go on a date with you again is the greatest surprise.”

This time, it was Lu Xi’s turn to be taken aback.

She understood what he meant.

She gazed at his handsome profile in silence.

It was strange. Her heart felt warm and sweet, yet at the same time, there was an inexplicable ache at the tip of her nose.

Truthfully, ever since she had dreamed of her own fate, then mysteriously traveled through time to the present, she had never once cried over it.

Because for her, those missing years were nothing but a void—an empty space that had never truly existed.

It was as if she had gone to sleep, and when she woke up, she had crossed time.

But for Xie Yizhao, those sixteen years were real.

For a long time after she disappeared, that marriage bed had only him in it.

Lu Xi’s throat tightened. She wanted to tell him she was sorry for leaving him alone all these years.

But in the end, she didn’t say it.

Instead, she lay down, resting her head on his lap, finding a comfortable position. She took his hand, traced circles in his palm, and finally hooked their pinky fingers together, pressing their thumbs against each other.

“In the future, you’ll receive plenty more gifts from me—every year,” Lu Xi said, looking up at him with wide eyes. “Pinky promise.”

Xie Yizhao was momentarily stunned before he chuckled, looking at Lu Xi with a hint of something unreadable in his eyes.

“Mm, pinky promise. I’ll remember.”

Lu Xi wouldn’t stay trapped in melancholy forever.

When she got home, she quickly bounced back to her usual self. The first thing she did was rush to her room and unwrap Xie Heng’s gift.

She had been waiting for this moment for so long.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she unwrapped the gifts.

Seeing her so thrilled, Xie Yizhao couldn’t help but smile. Meanwhile, Lu Xi was too focused on unwrapping her gifts to notice the addition of a vinyl record player in her room.

Nor did she notice the subtle expression in Xie Yizhao’s eyes.

She started with the biggest box. It was the one she was most curious about.

“A pearl necklace! It’s gorgeous!”

Lu Xi knew her jewelry well. The pearl had a stunning cool blue hue, its luster like a glowing little bulb.

That silly kid must have spent a fortune.

Lu Xi blinked, recalling how he had been so stingy about money lately, and suddenly, she understood.

Brushing aside her emotions for now, she carefully put away the necklace and hurriedly opened the second gift.

This time, it was a bottle of perfume.

She was pleasantly surprised. The scent was different from the one on the perfume card. It had a fresh, citrusy orange note that she instantly loved. She couldn’t resist spraying a bit on her wrist.

It smelled amazing.

Only one gift remained.

A tiny mini gift box.

Lu Xi held it in her hands, hesitating for a moment. She suddenly felt reluctant to open it. Because once she did, there would be no more surprises left.

This time, she was extra careful, unwrapping it slower than the previous two, savoring the experience.

But eventually, the gift was revealed.

Inside, there was only a stack of cards, clipped together in a pink folder.

As soon as she opened it, a wave of fragrance wafted out.

Perfume cards.

She picked them up and flipped through them one by one.

[Free Model Card (x15)

Card Usage Rules: With this card, you may summon your son as a model at any time, under any conditions, for free.

Redemption period: No expiration.

Eligible recipient: Ms. Lu only.

Friendly reminder: These cards are precious. If lost, they will not be replaced.]

At the bottom, there was a special note.

[To: My dearest Ms. Lu, my lost and found Mom.]

---

Lu Xi held the card between her fingers and caught a whiff of the lingering perfume on it. It was a floral scent…

Her gaze immediately shifted to the three gift boxes of varying sizes on the floor.

Could there be a bottle of perfume inside one of them?

She pressed her lips together thoughtfully.

Giving someone perfume was quite the gamble. Scent was such a personal thing—what one person loved, another might find unbearable. Even if you tried it at the store and liked it, the way it smelled at home could be entirely different.

If the perfume was the same as the scent on the card…

Lu Xi took a deep breath and fanned the air slightly, trying to acclimate herself to the fragrance.

Even if she wasn’t fond of it, if Xie Heng was the one who gifted it to her, she would still use it a few more times.

She crouched down and gathered the three gift boxes in her arms. They weren’t heavy, which only made her more curious about their contents.

Just then, she caught sight of a shadow on the wall by the staircase. Someone was standing there, seemingly rubbing their ear.

Lu Xi called out, “Xiao Heng? Did you go back to your room?”

The shadow’s hand suddenly froze, hesitated for three seconds, then turned its head toward the wall. A moment later, the entire silhouette shifted backward, as if trying desperately to disappear into the darkness.

Lu Xi couldn’t help but laugh.

Sometimes, Xie Heng was just so adorably silly.

She shook her head, pretending not to notice and choosing not to expose him. Instead, she raised her voice slightly and said, “Wow, my sweet little baby actually got me three presents! I’m so happy!”

With that, she carried the boxes into her room as if nothing had happened.

After closing the door, she didn’t immediately put the gifts down. Instead, she stayed by the door, pressing her ear against it, intently listening for any movement outside.

Just then, Xie Yizhao came out of the bathroom and saw Lu Xi standing there with a stack of gift boxes, her entire body leaning against the door. He raised an eyebrow and stepped closer.

“What are you doing?”

Lu Xi shot him a side glance.

“Shh—”

She beckoned him over with a gesture. Amused, Xie Yizhao played along, walking over quietly to join her in eavesdropping.

Sure enough, within a few seconds, they heard a series of light, excited footsteps pattering down the hallway.

Lu Xi couldn’t help but smile.

In her mind, she could already picture Xie Heng jumping up and pretending to shoot an imaginary basketball into the air—a vivid scene playing out.

Xie Yizhao obviously heard it too. Although he wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, seeing Lu Xi’s beaming expression and hearing those energetic footsteps, he quickly deduced who it was.

He chuckled. “Xiao Heng got you those?”

Lu Xi nodded. “Does he not realize how bad the soundproofing is in this house?”

After all that effort to hide himself, he still got caught so easily.

Xie Yizhao shook his head in quiet amusement. Without needing to be asked, he took the gift boxes from her arms. Lu Xi, knowing he would, released them into his hands effortlessly, watching as he carried them over to the sofa and set them down.

She followed him and sat beside the gifts, staring at them with anticipation.

Three boxes. What could be inside?

Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow. “Which one is mine?”

Lu Xi glanced at him.

She suddenly coughed awkwardly.

Well, at least the man was self-aware. He knew that at most, only one of these gifts could be his. But he was still too optimistic, expecting even that much.

Lu Xi widened her eyes innocently, staring at him.

Xie Yizhao immediately understood. He pressed his lips together. “…”

That little brat really had no shame. Taking his things but not even leaving him a single gift.

His expression darkened slightly. Lowering his gaze, he nudged the smallest gift box, a faint sense of dissatisfaction creeping in.

Not even this tiny one was for him?

He glanced at Lu Xi. “Do you really need all three?”

Lu Xi grinned unapologetically. It wasn’t that she wanted them, it was that her little baby had given them to her.

Suddenly remembering something, she handed him the card she had been holding, barely suppressing a smile. “Here, this one’s from Xiao Heng to you.”

Xie Yizhao took it, scanning the words with an indifferent expression.

“…”

His initially cool demeanor shifted ever so slightly. He glanced at Lu Xi, let out a small cough, then swiftly folded the card and tucked it away as if it were nothing. “Alright. At least he put some thought into it this time.”

Lu Xi winked at him playfully.

It seemed that whatever Xie Heng wrote had satisfied him.

As for her, even though she hadn’t opened her presents yet, her little boy had already made her happy enough. This was what you called a win-win situation.

She never expected that her Little Xie would turn out to be such a gift-giving expert.

Lu Xi sat on the sofa, the three stacked boxes resembling a tiny, adorable house. She gazed at them with growing curiosity, her fingers itching. In the end, she couldn’t resist—her hand reached out toward the gifts.

Before she could touch them, Xie Yizhao gently tapped the back of her hand.

She looked up at him.

With a teasing glint in his eyes, he said, “He told you to wait until tomorrow night to open them.”

“…” Lu Xi puffed out her cheeks in frustration, narrowing her eyes at him. “Are you going to tattle on me again?”

Xie Yizhao’s smile deepened. “I’m simply reminding you not to break your promise.”

Lu Xi huffed. She shot him a pointed look, suddenly tempted to kick him out to sleep on the couch.

She let out a small harrumph, tapping his hand meaningfully. “A smart husband knows better than to make his wife angry the night before a date.”

Xie Yizhao immediately softened his tone. “I’m just saying, if you want to open them now, go ahead. I won’t tell.”

Lu Xi finally smiled in satisfaction.

But…

He made a good point. Since Xie Heng hoped she would open the gift on Christmas Eve, she could wait another day.

Lu Xi put the three presents away in the walk-in closet—on Xie Yizhao’s side, far from her sight, to prevent herself from giving in to temptation.

But it was so hard to endure.

The gifts were right there, yet she couldn’t open them. Not knowing what Xie Heng had given her was pure torment. Even watching dramas didn’t feel enjoyable anymore, her mind kept wandering.

She even lost sleep over it.

With thoughts of the gifts filling her mind, Lu Xi couldn’t help but consider sneaking into the closet once Xie Yizhao was asleep. That way, no one would know.

Xie Yizhao never had trouble sleeping. Not long after lying down, his breathing became steady.

She lifted the blanket, preparing to slip out quietly.

But the man suddenly wrapped his arms around her from behind.

His low, slightly husky voice sounded by her ear. “Can’t sleep?”

Her ears burned as she shrank her neck, instinctively sensing danger.

“No, I can sleep. Goodnight!” Lu Xi quickly lay back down, clutching the blanket tightly and shutting her eyes firmly.

Behind her, she heard Xie Yizhao chuckle softly.

Lu Xi pursed her lips, smiling as she drifted off to sleep.

She really hoped tomorrow night would come quickly…

---

By the time she woke up, it was already the next morning.

Even though it was Christmas Eve, for Lu Xi and Xie Yizhao, it felt just like any other day.

He went for his usual morning run before heading to the office, while Lu Xi spent the morning at her studio, working until 6 PM when Xie Yizhao came to pick her up.

She had remembered their date tonight and made sure to manage her schedule, finishing work on time.

It was her first time running a business. In the beginning, everything was overwhelming—so many firsts, so much to figure out.

Fortunately, she had Lin Yun, the assistant Xie Yizhao had lent her. Lin Yun was incredibly capable, helping her establish company policies and coordinate workflows. Now that Lin Yun had stepped back, Lu Xi’s own assistant was handling things well. Though less experienced, she was competent enough to keep operations smooth.

Lu Xi adapted quickly. As long as she could organize her work properly, she could handle the busy pace without chaos.

She also had a clear perspective on her studio’s goals. It wasn’t about making huge profits or following Xie Heng’s ambitious vision of going public in three years or expanding internationally in five. She wasn’t interested in that. As long as the business didn’t lose money, grew steadily, and didn’t disrupt her lifestyle, she was happy.

At 6:10 PM, Xie Yizhao stepped into her office.

Lu Xi had already packed up and was ready to leave. Since he hadn’t arrived yet, she had been staring absentmindedly at a freshly designed dress on her computer screen.

Her assistant had come in several times to deliver things, noticing her focused, slightly serious expression, and assumed she was dissatisfied with the design.

In reality, Lu Xi was admiring her own work.

How did she manage to design such a beautiful dress?

The thought of handing it over to a client instead of wearing it herself made her a little reluctant.

All their current orders, apart from the previous school uniform project, were custom pieces. Each gown cost six figures, and their wealthy clients hated the idea of anyone else wearing the same dress as them.

Lu Xi understood completely. She wouldn’t want that either.

For tonight’s date, she had spent the morning trying on different outfits—various styles, from sweet to sexy. She thought she looked great in all of them and couldn’t decide, so she took photos and sent them to Xie Yizhao for help.

His reply came quickly : [They all look great, but do you have something warmer?]

Lu Xi was speechless.

His commitment to health and practicality never wavered.

After thinking about it, she had to admit he had a point. Normally, she was chauffeured everywhere, and her studio had heating, so she rarely felt cold. But since it was Christmas Eve, they might walk around outside. It made sense to dress appropriately for winter.

So she chose a cream-colored coat and, to match Xie Yizhao’s suggestion of warmth, added a dark green scarf. The color combination was very Christmas-like.

Just then, Wei Ning knocked on the door. “CEO Lu, your husband is here.”

Lu Xi caught the excitement in her tone. Remembering that Wei Ning had mentioned her own date at lunch, Lu Xi couldn’t help but smile.

Xie Yizhao walked up to her, glanced at her computer screen, and leaned down to murmur, “CEO Lu, can you get off work now?”

Lu Xi narrowed her eyes slightly.

That line pleased her.

He had lowered himself to call her ‘CEO Lu’. Was he flirting on purpose? She realized she liked it a lot.

“Sure, let’s go,” she responded, playing along with a bit of reserved grace.

As she stood up to grab her coat, Xie Yizhao beat her to it, holding up her white coat and helping her put it on.

Her hair got caught inside. Just as she was about to fix it, he gently pulled it out for her, his touch lingering for a few seconds before he let go.

She noticed. Her lips curled up involuntarily.

When they walked out of the office, they were holding hands.

Xie Yizhao quickly realized that everyone in the office was staring at them—eyes bright with curiosity and amusement.

At his company, none of his employees would dare look at him this way, not even Li Xiao.

Honestly, he never thought of himself as particularly strict. He was just used to maintaining a professional demeanor at work, which naturally made him seem distant.

But this was Lu Xi’s studio.

Clearly, the atmosphere here was much more relaxed, nothing like a massive corporation with rigid rules. Employees even had bubble tea and snacks on their desks, chatting and laughing freely.

So, Xie Yizhao decided to match Lu Xi’s attitude.

He nodded at the staff, his expression warm.

“You all can get off work too. Go have dinner if you have plans, go on dates if you have one.” Lu Xi waved her hand grandly.

A wave of cheers erupted in the office.

After Lu Xi and the others left, the employees packed up their things and headed downstairs together.

Of course, they couldn’t help but chat a little along the way.

And this time, their topic of discussion was surprisingly unified. It was all about Lu Xi.

“Is our Sir Boss really that handsome?” asked a new employee who had just joined a couple of days ago and had yet to meet Xie Yizhao.

“Not just handsome, his background is incredible too. Oh, and you haven’t seen CEO Lu’s son yet, have you? He’s another top-tier, high-quality male of the future.”

Wei Ning grinned and summed it up, “The son’s still a bit lacking compared to the father—too young and inexperienced. In short, our Sir Boss is the most handsome!”

‘Sir Boss’—a counterpart to ‘Madam Boss’—was a nickname they had secretly given to Xie Yizhao.

One time, Lu Xi overheard them using it. To their surprise, she nodded approvingly, actually finding it quite catchy.

She even changed Xie Yizhao’s contact name in WeChat to this. Every time she saw a message from him, she couldn’t help but smile.

Sitting in the car, Lu Xi was in an exceptionally good mood today. She poked Xie Yizhao and asked, “So, Sir Boss, what’s on the agenda tonight? I’m looking forward to it.”

Xie Yizhao was momentarily taken aback. “Sir… Boss?”

Without hesitation, the shameless boss sold out her employees. “That’s the honorary title my colleagues gave you.”

Honorary?

Xie Yizhao was speechless for a moment. Then, after a brief pause, the corners of his lips curled into a quiet smile. “Let’s eat first.”

Lu Xi noticed the teasing look in his eyes but didn’t press for answers. Instead, she gazed past his shoulder at the bustling crowd outside, which had a strong festive atmosphere.

The problem was… weren’t there a little too many people?

They were still in the business district, yet the streets were already packed. Lu Xi couldn’t imagine how crowded it would be once they reached a popular shopping area.

She used to love the festive hustle and bustle—going clubbing, joining countdown events by the riverside on New Year’s Eve.

But not anymore.

After experiencing that nightmare and being reborn, Lu Xi now cherished her life dearly. She avoided riverbanks, disliked crowds, and felt a vague sense of unease in packed places.

So, she decisively suggested, “How about we head home after dinner? It’s too noisy outside.”

Xie Yizhao coughed lightly, his gaze deep as he looked at her. “Go home… for activities?”

Lu Xi caught the hint of something suggestive in his eyes, froze for a second, then realized what he was thinking. She pinched his fingers and whispered, “Not that kind of activity…”

Xie Yizhao chuckled and lowered his gaze, his thoughts unreadable.

After a while, he finally said, “That’s perfect. The activity I planned is at home too.”

Lu Xi looked at him, opened her mouth to ask but hesitated.

She looked so adorable like this that Xie Yizhao couldn’t help but admire her for a moment. Then, he reached out, pinched her cheek, and said in a low voice, “Don’t misunderstand. The activity I meant isn’t that kind either.”

Lu Xi : Heh, really? I don’t believe you.

The driver couldn’t hold back and glanced at them through the rearview mirror.

Lu Xi guessed what he was thinking, cleared her throat, and casually changed the subject. “By the way, where’s Xiao Heng? What’s he up to tonight?”

Xie Yizhao smoothly followed along. His tone turned serious. “Watching a basketball game with his friends.”

Something felt off to Lu Xi.

Last night, she had been too focused on unwrapping presents to think about it. But now, it hit her. Xie Heng had mentioned having plans tonight and even hinted at knowing Xie Yizhao’s ‘scheme.’

She eyed Xie Yizhao suspiciously. “What did you do to our son?”

“…” Xie Yizhao was speechless.

Just as he was about to explain, Lu Xi’s phone lit up.

Both of them glanced down at it.

[Blue-haired brat sent you a location.]

[Jiang City Airport, Terminal A, McDonald’s]

Lu Xi : ?

Why was he at the airport?

---

“Don’t you think McDonald’s and KFC at airports and train stations taste worse than everywhere else?” Song Siyang asked with a look of disgust.

Xie Heng, adjusting his brand-new basketball shoes, stretched his long legs towards Song Siyang. “I don’t think so.”

Song Siyang clicked his tongue, finishing the last bite of his burger. As he wiped his hands, he glanced down at Xie Heng’s shoes and couldn’t help but shake his head.

These kinds of sneakers were usually bought as collectibles. Yet, this guy was actually wearing them, proudly showing them off.

So what if CEO Lu bought them for him?

Song Siyang was a little jealous.

He had bombed his midterm exams this time. Normally, with Xie Heng around, his own poor grades didn’t stand out too much. But this time, Xie Heng had suddenly shot up 57 ranks. The night his parents saw the results, they nearly gave him a mixed-gender double-team beating.

For the holiday, they only covered his round-trip ticket to the game, no other gifts.

They even warned him to start studying properly next year, or else he’d be in trouble.

Song Siyang felt bitter.

Honestly, he really envied Xie Heng. CEO Lu treated Xie Heng so well, better than his own mother treated him.

Xie Heng, completely unfazed by Song Siyang’s complaints, was busy searching for the best food spots in Nanlin City. His plan was to have a feast as soon as they arrived.

Xu Jiaming was also going. He had already reached Nanlin City for a competition and was just waiting for Xie Heng and the others to meet up with him.

There’s still half an hour until boarding. Two teenagers sit in a fast-food restaurant, idly scrolling through their phones.

Xie Heng is a little curious—he wonders where his Dad is taking Ms. Lu for their date tonight.

He wants to ask several times but holds back.

Suddenly, Song Siyang remembers something.

“Oh, right! Let me tell you a secret—you might be getting a cute little sister soon!”

Xie Heng freezes.

A cute what?

Seeing his confused expression, Song Siyang runs a hand through his hair. “No way, you don’t know?”

“What?”

“CEO Lu said she’s planning to have a daughter with your Dad!”

Xie Heng frowns. “Nonsense. When did she say that? Who said that? Why don’t I know about it?”

Song Siyang: “At the Yin family’s banquet last time. She said it herself! My Mom heard it from someone.”

He pauses, hesitating, but still lowers his voice and adds, “Apparently, it’s already happening. You better be careful these days, don’t make her upset.”

Xie Heng : ???

His expression shifts, and he instinctively pulls his legs back, lowering his head with a complicated look on his face.

Song Siyang swallows nervously.

When his Mom told him, it sounded pretty legit. He didn’t think too much about it, just wanted to chat with Xie Heng and give him a heads-up.

But looking at him now… should he not have said anything?

Xie Heng probably doesn’t want a little sister stealing his spotlight, right?

However, what Xie Heng is actually thinking about is something entirely different.

She’s pregnant?

Then… can she still wear the perfume he gave her?

His expression turns serious. Without hesitation, he pulls out his phone and starts searching : [Can pregnant women wear perfume?]

---

Xie Heng saw the message from Song Siyang and was speechless.

In the end, he had to call Song Siyang on a video call, let Song Siyang see his face, and then bring up the matter of borrowing money again. He even had to promise that he wasn’t kidnapped before Song Siyang finally believed him.

Song Siyang : [Haha, sorry, I’ve been harassed by too many scam calls.]

Xie Heng : [Do you have money? You and Xu Jiaming can each lend me half, and I’ll pay it back within three months.]

Song Siyang : [Brother Heng, since you asked, of course, I’ll lend you some. But I can only afford five thousand.]

“……”

If Song Siyang were in front of him, Xie Heng would have smacked Song Siyang on the head.

Only five thousand, and yet Song Siyang made such a big deal out of it?

But five thousand was still money. At least it eased some of the pressure.

Then, Song Siyang said Xie Heng didn’t need to pay it back. As long as Xie Heng gave him a pair of limited-edition basketball shoes, they’d call it even.

Xie Heng was speechless. “Didn’t you buy that pair too?”

Just mentioning it made Song Siyang angry. “Don’t bring it up. Last time, a brat from my relatives’ family came over and cut off the tags. My Mom even stopped me from beating him up. If it were you, wouldn’t you have hit him?”

Ha, Xie Heng had no such worries.

He never let the housekeepers into his room. He cleaned it himself, and there were never any kids running around his house.

Compared to his room, Ms. Lu’s walk-in closet was probably more at risk.

Xie Heng imagined what would happen if someone ruined the clothes, shoes, and bags Lu Xi loved. He’d probably be the one who have to stop her from beating people up.

Back to the matter at hand. “Okay, I’ll trade with you, but not at that price.”

He wasn’t stupid.

That pair of shoes could easily sell for eight thousand online. Five thousand was too cheap for Song Siyang.

After five minutes of bargaining, they finally settled on seven thousand.

So now, not only did Song Siyang have to give Xie Heng five thousand, he also owed Xie Heng another two thousand.

Song Siyang complained bitterly : “You’re not the same Brother Heng who used to treat money like dirt.”

Xie Heng : “I’m very satisfied with who I am now.”

Of course, he was different now. His real mother was back, and he’d have plenty of occasions to spend money on gifts in the future.

How could he not be careful with his finances?

The remaining forty-five thousand was lent to him by Xu Jiaming.

Right after Xie Heng ended the video call, he suddenly saw a transfer in the group chat, for exactly forty-five thousand.

He was stunned for a moment.

Even Song Siyang was shocked : [No way, Lao Xu, you’re this rich? How much does your Mom give you a month?]

Xu Jiaming : [Five thousand. I have a habit of saving.]

[…]

Xie Heng was silent for a long time.

He had always admired Xu Jiaming’s intelligence and academic ability. As for basketball and gaming, those were things he could handle too. But now, his admiration for Xu Jiaming had reached another level.

They were the same age, but Xie Heng had always spent whatever money he received, never thinking about saving.

Because he never thought he’d ever run out of money.

But Xu Jiaming did…

Xie Heng thanked Xu Jiaming and promised to repay him within two months. He also quietly started planning to save money himself.

He wasn’t too worried about repaying the debt. In two months, he could get ten thousand in allowance from his Dad.

He might even find a way to earn some money.

Worst case scenario, he could sell some of his new signed jerseys and limited-edition basketball shoes. That alone would be enough to pay off the debt in no time.

With the money in hand, the next day after school, Xie Heng went straight to the mall and bought the gift.

Two hundred and ten thousand.

He used to think that was just a number.

Even though his dad wouldn’t give him that much in one go and he’d never bought anything this expensive before, he was sure that if he asked, Xie Yizhao wouldn’t refuse him.

But this time, spending that money really hurt.

For the first time, he felt what it was like to actually spend money and owe money.

Two hundred and ten thousand was a huge amount.

Probably two or three years’ salary for a lot of people.

Because he truly felt the weight of this money, he also felt that it was worth it.

After buying the necklace, Xie Heng passed by a perfume counter.

He had about a thousand left in his hand, so he picked one with a fresh, sweet scent.

After paying, he took the shopping bags and, catching sight of the sample cards at the counter, asked the sales associate for some.

Loaded with gifts, he headed home, feeling both satisfied and a little nervous.

Would Ms. Lu like it?

She had so much jewelry already. Would she even think his choice was good enough?

---

Under the same roof, the same dilemma.

Christmas was approaching.

Lu Xi had reacted much faster than Xie Heng. Not just because she used to love celebrating holidays, but also because this year, her studio was launching special holiday events.

For the customers who had already placed orders with her, she asked her assistant to prepare small gifts for each of them.

Expressing such thoughtful gesture is a way to maintain good client relationships.

There are also some promotional offers for new customers.

She provided a general direction for these, leaving the rest to the planning and marketing teams.

As for the holiday dress she had promised to prepare for Yang Yihan at Xu Jiaming’s request, she had it ready and sent to the house next door by the servants.

Xu Jiaming specifically messaged her to say thank you.

It seemed that, at the very least, he was quite satisfied with the outfit.

Right now, what troubled Lu Xi the most was the two men at home.

What should she get them as gifts?

However, Lu Xi had a different mindset from Xie Heng. She didn’t like to stress over such things.

With her extensive experience in receiving gifts, she knew that the key to gift-giving was to cater to the recipient’s preferences.

Instead of wasting time guessing what someone might like, carefully selecting something, only for the recipient to possibly be indifferent about it, she believed in simply asking them directly. That way, she could get them exactly what they wanted. This was a win-win, making everyone happy.

As for surprises, while they sounded nice, they were completely unnecessary. One wrong move, and a surprise could turn into a shock.

So that morning, Lu Xi, for once, was awake when Xie Yizhao returned from his run.

Although she only stayed awake for a brief moment.

She merely opened her eyes slightly, looking at Xie Yizhao—fresh from a shower and dressed in a suit—and asked in a drowsy voice, “What do you want for a Christmas gift? I’ll get it for you.”

Xie Yizhao was momentarily stunned—not only because it was the first time someone had asked him this so straightforwardly, but also because he was surprised that Lu Xi had managed to wake up at this hour.

Just as he was about to respond, he saw that she had already closed her eyes again, seemingly having run out of energy and fallen back asleep.

Xie Yizhao couldn’t help but chuckle, his handsome face softening with a trace of amusement.

He picked up the watch on the nightstand, fastening the strap slowly, as if prolonging the moment just to look at the sleeping woman a little longer.

Once he was ready, he leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead.

---

After work that evening, Xie Yizhao handed Lu Xi a sticky note.

Another note?

Lu Xi glanced at him, puzzled. Seeing his composed expression, she unfolded the paper—and after just one look, she understood. But her brows furrowed slightly.

A gift list?

She still remembered asking him that morning what he wanted.

But the note was filled with items, neatly numbered, sixteen in total.

Lu Xi blinked, tilting her head slightly before looking at him with curiosity. “Are you saying I need to make up for all the Christmas gifts I’ve missed over the years?”

Xie Yizhao chuckled. “That does sound good, but no. Just start from this year.”

Looking at his expression, Lu Xi suddenly realized something.

This gift list was valid indefinitely. Meaning, for at least the next sixteen occasions, she wouldn’t have to think too hard about what to get him?

Interesting. And… wasn’t this incredibly considerate?

Lu Xi squinted her eyes happily.

She suddenly felt as if she had already received a Christmas gift—Xie Yizhao’s thoughtful surprise.

She had only intended for him to help her solve one problem, but he had efficiently solved sixteen for her instead.

Scanning the list again, her eyes curved slightly with amusement.

A record player, a pair of comfortable running shoes, a scarf, a wristwatch…

None of them were difficult to pick out.

Lu Xi smiled as she read on, but then her gaze landed on something in the third row on the right.

[A date—just the two of us.]

This entry seemed different from the rest. The handwriting was darker, as if he had intentionally emphasized it.

“Oh, by the way,” Xie Yizhao said, his tone lighthearted and relaxed, “gifts can be repeated. I mean, I wouldn’t mind receiving the same one multiple times.”

Lu Xi pursed her lips.

He wasn’t even trying to be subtle.

“So you wrote down all these items just as a way to plant the idea?” she asked.

Xie Yizhao : “You could say that.”

Lu Xi chuckled, unfolding the sticky note and, right in front of him, began carefully folding it into a heart shape.

Back in school, she had learned to fold little stars and hearts out of paper when she was bored.

She hadn’t expected her hands to still remember the skill so well. She managed to fold it successfully on the first try.

Xie Yizhao watched as she transformed the note into a paper heart like a magician performing a trick. He couldn’t help but pause for a moment, slightly taken aback.

Seated beside him on the sofa, Lu Xi tilted her head and smiled at him. She took his hand, placed the paper heart in his palm, and gently closed his fingers around it.

With a sweet smile and a glimmer in her eyes, she said, “Then, I’ll leave Christmas Eve planning to you.”

Xie Yizhao could clearly see the mischief in her gaze.

It was impossible to miss.

He chuckled softly, feeling a pleasant warmth in his chest—an indescribable sensation.

He liked that she never held back in front of him.

He reached out, leaning toward Lu Xi, his hand slightly clenched into a fist, enclosing the peach heart in his palm. He placed it beside Lu Xi in a gesture of an embrace. From another angle, one might even mistake it for a kiss.

“It’s my honor.” Xie Yizhao’s breath landed near her neck—warm, slightly ticklish.

Lu Xi felt a tingling sensation at the nape of her neck. She paused for a moment, suddenly thinking of something, and reminded Xie Yizhao, “Be careful this time, don’t let the kid interrupt again.”

Xie Yizhao let out a low chuckle from his chest. “Mhm, everything will be arranged.”

---

At this moment, Lu Xi was still unaware of what Xie Yizhao had planned.

The next morning, Xie Heng came downstairs for breakfast and received a gift from Xie Yizhao.

He held an envelope, sealed with a decorative sticker. The design looked quite vintage, clearly not a letter.

He gave it a shake and heard something inside. Probably cards or something similar.

Raising an eyebrow, Xie Heng asked, “A gift?”

Xie Yizhao didn’t head out for his morning run immediately. Instead, he pulled out a chair and sat down. “Open it and see if you like it.”

“Oh.” Xie Heng pressed his lips together, trying to keep his expression neutral.

It was the first time his Dad had given him a gift since he’d grown up.

He opened the envelope right away and poured out the contents.

Picking up one of the items, he took a closer look—it was a ticket to a basketball game.

And it just so happened to be for his favorite team!

Xie Heng couldn’t suppress his smile. His eyes lit up, and just as he was about to say thanks, he noticed that there wasn’t just one ticket. There were three.

Along with them, there were round-trip plane tickets to another city.

It was only then that he realized the game was scheduled for Christmas Eve and wasn’t in their city.

Xie Heng frowned slightly, sensing that something was off, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Xie Yizhao, calm and composed, said, “I’ve booked a hotel for you. You can bring two friends along—fly out on Saturday night and return Sunday night.”

Xie Heng nodded, quickly dismissing his doubts. Instead, he found his Dad’s arrangements thoughtful and meticulous.

The other two tickets were perfect for his friends, Song Siyang and Xu Jiaming. They could all go together.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Xie Heng happily put the tickets away.

“Uh… thanks, Dad.” It had been a long time since he last said those words. It felt awkward, but once he did, he actually felt good inside.

“Mhm, as long as you like it,” Xie Yizhao replied with a faint smile as he stood up. “I’ll get you another one if there’s a chance in the future.”

Xie Heng blinked.

His Dad had been way too nice lately.

Unaware of Xie Yizhao’s plan, Lu Xi took a direct approach and simply asked Xie Heng what gift he wanted.

Xie Heng, straightforward as ever, immediately sent her a link to the limited-edition basketball shoes he had traded with Song Siyang.

“I’ll take these.”

Lu Xi didn’t hesitate either. She paid for them on the spot. Seeing Xie Heng’s delighted expression, the way the corners of his lips lifted and his steps grew lighter, she watched as he walked to the stairs and, out of nowhere, mimicked a jump shot.

Lu Xi : “…”

—Silly goose.

Back in school, she never understood why boys always did that move—it looked so dumb.

Never in a million years would she have imagined that her own son would be just as silly.

But with that, the problem of finding gifts for the two men in her life was perfectly solved. Lu Xi let out a breath, feeling utterly satisfied.

She realized she had a bit of a double standard.

She found it exhausting to pick out gifts for others but didn’t like being asked what she wanted, and it ruined the element of surprise.

Of course, if they asked, she would still answer. But neither of those two men had figured out her trick yet.

---

The night before Christmas Eve.

It was supposed to be an ordinary evening. Lu Xi was lying in bed watching a drama while, in the bathroom, Xie Yizhao—having just returned from his study—was taking a shower.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the bedroom door.

A distinct rhythm—*knock, knock, knock, knock, knock-knock-knock*.

Lu Xi immediately knew it was Xie Heng. She drawled lazily, “Come in.”

A few seconds passed before Xie Heng’s voice came from outside the door. “No, you come out.”

Lu Xi : “?”

Was this rebellious brat looking for a fight this late at night?

Amused and exasperated, she set down her tablet, put on her slippers, and strode to the door with a commanding presence.

When she opened it, he was nowhere to be seen.

Her gaze dropped to the floor, and her expression gradually turned surprised.

Several gift boxes were stacked there.

A large one at the bottom, a slightly smaller one on top of it, and an even smaller one above that—like a little tower.

At the very top, resting on the tiniest box, was a small folded card.

It was bent into an inverted “V,” resembling a rooftop.

Raising an eyebrow, Lu Xi glanced around. The hallway was empty. She bent down and picked up the card.

The handwriting was Xie Heng’s—slightly messy, free-spirited, but not bad-looking.

[For Ms. Lu—your Christmas gift. Originally, I planned to give it to you tomorrow night, but something came up, so I had to do it early. Please make sure to open it tomorrow night, okay? Pinky swear?]

[By the way, tell Mr. Xie that I already know about his little scheme. I’ll play along, consider it my gift to him. No need to thank me!]

Just as she was thinking this, she saw Xie Heng lie down directly, stretching out his long legs and sprawling into a starfish position. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, then turned his head to look in her direction.

“Mom, Dad bullied me.”

The boy’s eyes were slightly red. Despite his tall stature, his voice was pitiful, like a stray puppy that had just been kicked. He spoke softly, “Aren’t you going to do something about him?”

He really sounded like he was about to cry.

Lu Xi put down the strawberry in her hand.

She couldn’t help but walk over, crouch down, and gently ruffle Xie Heng’s soft blue hair.

Because of the sweat, his hair was slightly damp.

Alright, even though she really wanted to see the rebellious son get beaten until he cried, seeing him looking so pitiful, his eyes red as he called out ‘Mom’ like he was really about to cry, she couldn’t help but find it both amusing and endearing.

She tried really hard to resist the urge to take out her phone and snap a picture.

After all, Xie Heng’s current appearance was truly worth commemorating.

Even though she couldn’t take a picture, nor could she post it on her social media… if she did, she’d get a hundred likes in less than an hour!

Lu Xi, despite sympathizing with Xie Heng, couldn’t help but tell the truth: “To be fair, your Dad didn’t actually hit you.”

At most, Xie Yizhao kicked his leg, nudged his butt, and tapped his shoulder.

Xie Yizhao even held back his strength.

Sometimes, Xie Yizhao just tripped him, making him fall—it was never serious.

Xie Yizhao stood beside them, looking down at his son who was lying on the ground acting spoiled, and shook his head.

Seeing him like this, he couldn’t help but recall when Xie Heng was just a little cub. His expression softened slightly. “You… when you fight, you forget everything. Just now, you clearly had the chance to grab my belt.”

Xie Heng was stunned.

Damn, he had been too focused earlier and completely forgot about grabbing the belt. He was too caught up in wanting to go head-to-head with his Dad.

His face turned red and then pale, and he simply shut his mouth, refusing to speak.

After a few seconds, Xie Heng raised his hand and muttered in a muffled voice, “Pull me up.”

Lu Xi was the closest to him, so she reached out to grab his hand.

But she couldn’t pull him up.

The boy was like a giant ginseng doll buried deep in the ground. She even felt a counterforce, as if he was pulling her down instead. If Xie Yizhao hadn’t caught her, she might have fallen over.

“I got this.”

Xie Yizhao patted the back of Lu Xi’s hand, then looked at Xie Heng and extended his hand toward him.

The moment he reached out, he easily pulled the boy up.

Xie Heng seized the opportunity. The instant he stood up, he swiftly reached out and yanked the black belt from his father’s waist. With a swift motion, he pulled it away.

“Alright! I got it! I beat you!” Xie Heng held up Xie Yizhao’s belt, lifted his chin, and grinned smugly.

Lu Xi was stunned.

That worked?!

She gave Xie Heng a strange look. “Xiao Heng, this isn’t exactly honorable, you know. You just pulled a sneak attack!”

Xie Heng was completely unapologetic. “I learned from my Dad. Besides, he never said the fight was over.”

Lu Xi thought about it and realized… he was right.

Then it hit her. She suddenly looked at the rebellious son with a peculiar expression.

She hadn’t expected him to actually learn from battle experience and start taking a more roundabout approach to victory.

Xie Heng put down the belt. “Dad, you’re not going to go back on this, are you?”

Xie Yizhao’s lips curled slightly. Since stepping into the martial arts hall, this was the first time he had shown any amusement toward Xie Heng. “No, you’re smart. This round is yours.”

Xie Heng blinked.

He muttered, “What do you mean ‘this round’? It totally is…”

But he couldn’t stop himself from laughing.

He clenched the belt in his hand, the corners of his lips curving upward in satisfaction.

Even though he couldn’t beat his Dad in a fight, this time—this time, he had won! And his Dad even acknowledged it.

Still… his Dad was ridiculously strong.

Lu Xi didn’t fully grasp it, but Xie Heng could feel it in his bones. In those brief twenty or so minutes, his Dad hadn’t even been serious. Every move he made was measured. If he had actually gone all out, Xie Heng would have been flat on the ground in no time.

First off, his Dad was way stronger than him.

As the saying goes, sheer strength can overpower skill.

Plus, it was clear that his Dad had trained systematically. His moves had structure and rhythm—unlike Xie Heng, who was just swinging wildly based on instinct and experience.

Xie Heng felt a little frustrated again.

It seemed like he wouldn’t be able to beat his Dad anytime soon.

---

After Xie Heng took a shower and changed his clothes, Xie Yizhao—despite barely sweating—also went to shower.

By the time the three of them left the training room, the moon was already high in the sky.

Xie Heng walked behind them, lost in thought. Though he wasn’t usually talkative, he seemed even quieter than usual.

At that moment, a man who looked about thirty-five came down from upstairs. When he saw Xie Yizhao, he immediately smiled. “Senior Brother, what brings you here today?”

Lu Xi couldn’t help but blink.

Senior Brother?

What kind of title was that?

Xie Heng snapped out of his thoughts and curiously looked at the man.

Xie Yizhao seemed slightly resigned to the title. He tugged at the corner of his lips and nodded. “Just bringing my family here to have some fun.”

Gao Song was very warm and friendly. When he saw Lu Xi, he hesitated for a second before quickly realizing who she was and greeted her with a cheerful “Sister-in-law.” Then, he turned to Xie Heng and smiled. “You must be Xiao Heng. You’ve grown taller, already a young man now.”

Xie Heng had met him before—he had come to pay respects to his father during New Year’s. He gave a small, polite smile in response.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Xie Yizhao, Gao Song bid them farewell, and the family of three left the martial arts hall.

Even after getting into the car and heading home, Xie Heng was still pondering—what did he mean by calling his Dad ‘Senior Brother’?

Lu Xi was curious too.

And her way of solving problems was to ask directly.

“Who was that guy just now? And why did he call you Senior Brother?”

Hearing her question, Xie Heng didn’t turn around, but he definitely perked up his ears.

Xie Yizhao had already guessed she wouldn’t be able to resist asking. He chuckled lightly and replied, “Because he’s my junior.”

Lu Xi almost burst out laughing—what kind of answer was that?

She couldn’t help but give him a glare, feeling a little annoyed. She pinched his arm and said, “Don’t joke around. You didn’t actually join some sect, did you?”

Xie Heng’s train of thought was the same as Lu Xi’s. Hearing such an old-fashioned term as ‘sect’ immediately made him think of the martial arts and cultivation novels he’d read. He casually chimed in, “Shaolin, perhaps?”

Xie Yizhao shot him a glance, unimpressed, then raised his hand and smacked the boy on the back of his head.

If he’d really joined Shaolin, would he still have this rebellious son shortening his lifespan¹?

Clearing his throat, Xie Yizhao turned his head and met Lu Xi’s bright apricot eyes. Only then did he smile and explain in a low voice, “Years ago, I trained under a master and learned some martial arts.” After a pause, he added meaningfully, “I didn’t join any sect.”

Lu Xi stuck out her tongue.

Alright, maybe she had been overthinking it.

But now she had even more questions. Just as she was about to speak, Xie Yizhao’s phone rang.

When he picked it up, Lu Xi caught a glimpse of the name on the screen—

Yin Zongming.

She immediately realized it must be about Xiao Feiyuan.

Xie Yizhao glanced at her before answering the call.

He didn’t say much, mostly listening while the other person spoke. Every now and then, he responded with a word or two. After about three or four minutes, he pinched the bridge of his nose and said in a detached tone, “CEO Yin, you’ve had a tough time as well. It’s good that your son is fine this time, but in the future, you should be more careful. The wrong friends can ruin an entire family.”

After hanging up, he looked up and locked eyes with Xie Heng.

The latter stiffened slightly and quickly looked away. He muttered stubbornly, “What are you looking at me for? I haven’t hung out with those useless friends in ages.”

Xie Yizhao : “Good.”

Xie Heng fell silent.

Meanwhile, Lu Xi’s attention had been drawn to the phone call. She was intrigued and asked Xie Yizhao how the Yin family had handled the situation.

This time, Xie Yizhao didn’t keep her in suspense and told her directly.

Yin Zongming was decisive. Taking Xie Yizhao’s advice, he had his house searched, and after finding nothing suspicious, he immediately handed the people over to the police.

Not just Xiao Feiyuan, but also his own incompetent second son, Yin Xiang. They were both sent in for investigation.

Fortunately, Zhou Yueheng had been present. As a media tycoon and a friend of the Yin family, he would do his best to keep the matter under wraps.

Luckily, the results showed that only Xiao Feiyuan had an issue.

Even his hair samples tested positive, indicating that he had been using for at least six months.

Thinking of that distinct smell, Lu Xi frowned. He had probably started back in university…

He even admitted to using before heading to the party, not during it.

The legal process would take over from here. There might be compulsory measures, but no matter what, Xiao Feiyuan had completely offended Yin Zongming. His future was doomed.

Lu Xi had only three words for him : Serves him right.

He deserved it.

Regardless of how the Yin family would deal with him, Lu Xi had to admit that Yin Zongming was quite ruthless. If his son had been involved, turning his son in would have cleared his own name, but the damage to Yin Xiang would have been significant.

After some thought, Lu Xi said, “CEO Yin didn’t cover for his son. His values are pretty solid.”

Xie Yizhao chuckled. He didn’t think Yin Zongming did it out of moral righteousness. He cleared his throat and said, “Maybe. But if it were me, I would’ve done the same.”

The blue-haired brat, who had been enjoying the gossip, suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

Goosebumps rose on his arms.

He scoffed and quickly regained his cocky tone. “Forget it. You won’t get the chance. I don’t even smoke.”

He hadn’t been to a bar in ages.

Places like that didn’t interest him anymore.

After that day, Xie Heng couldn’t help but feel a newfound respect for his Dad.

Before, it had been psychological. Now, it was physical—real fear.

He had considered bringing up his dream of becoming a cop with Xie Yizhao. But now, he abandoned the idea.

If he couldn’t even win a fight against his Dad, what right did he have to talk about dreams?

---

Life soon returned to normal. Work for some, school for others, and slacking off for the rest.

Two weeks passed.

Yet, Xie Heng still couldn’t get over how powerless he had been under his Dad’s hands that day. But since there was no immediate solution, he soon found himself facing a new dilemma.

Christmas was coming.

With stores and social media plastered with advertisements, the whole world seemed to be reminding him—it was time to spend money on a gift for Ms. Lu.

Xie Heng had studied Lu Xi’s preferences.

Besides clothes and bags, she liked jewelry.

Clothing required trying on, and as for bags—his current budget wasn’t even close to the price range of the ones in her wardrobe.

Xie Heng spent three days choosing, even consulting his deskmate’s connections and gathering opinions from over twenty girls in the class.

In the end, he settled on a pearl necklace.

A single Australian white pearl, set with diamonds, 15.2mm in size. Even as a straight guy with no knowledge of jewelry, he found it absolutely stunning.

Especially the diamond design—it happened to form the shape of a Christmas tree, with the pearl like a gift adorning it.

Ms. Lu would look amazing wearing it.

She would definitely be the most dazzling Mom in the crowd.

Now, there was only one problem.

The necklace cost 210,000 yuan, but he only had around 150,000. There was no way he could make another 60,000 in just a few days.

After some thought, Xie Heng opened an app and pulled Song Siyang and Xu Jiaming into a group chat.

A minute later, the two received a message.

Xie Heng : [I urgently need money. If you’re my bros, give me 50,000 yuan. I’ll pay you back as soon as I have it! I swear on my parents’ honor.]

Song Siyang : [?? Brother Heng, did someone hack your account?]

---

1. Shaolin is a Chinese martial arts developed by Shaolin Temple, so all the practitioners are monks… which means they can’t marry or have children. ↩︎

---

The three of them walked into Gao Yi Martial Arts Hall together.

Xie Heng trailed behind, curiously looking around. It was his first time realizing that martial arts halls still existed. It felt like something out of a historical drama.

However, once inside, he saw that the interior was quite modern. There were various automated facilities, and even an AI robot walking around, handing out towels and water.

Lu Xi also found the place intriguing.

It was her first time in a place like this.

Unlike Xie Heng, who looked everywhere, she was more reserved. She only glanced at the front desk and the surrounding layout, listening to the various sounds coming from inside the hall. It all seemed very interesting.

Next to the front desk stood a promotional board with advertisements for enrollment, membership discounts, and introductions to the hall’s renowned instructors.

It seemed this place wasn’t just for training but also recruited students. Lu Xi glanced at Xie Yizhao, wondering what his role here was.

Her question was soon answered by the front desk attendant.

“Boss Xie! What brings you here today?” A robust young man grinned brightly, his white teeth showing in a cheerful smile.

The hall was heated, so the young man was dressed lightly in just a long-sleeved T-shirt, his muscular arms on full display.

Lu Xi : Hmmmmm.

This martial arts hall’s strength was clearly well-represented.

Perhaps noticing her thoughts, Xie Yizhao glanced down at her and couldn’t help but cough lightly, squeezing her fingers.

Lu Xi immediately composed herself. She blinked at Xie Yizhao and asked, “Did he just call you ‘Boss Xie’?”

It was subtly different from ‘CEO Xie.’

Xie Yizhao said calmly, “Mm, I’m one of the owners here.”

Lu Xi and Xie Heng both turned to look at him in disbelief.

His investments even extended to a martial arts hall?

Seeing their expressions, which practically read “How many more hidden identities do you have?”, Xie Yizhao chuckled. “I’ll explain in detail later.”

He then turned to the front desk attendant. “Get us a larger training room.”

The attendant nodded and glanced at the two people beside Xie Yizhao. He wasn’t clueless. Though he had never met Xie Yizhao’s family before, one was holding hands with him, and the other followed obediently like a little tail. Not to mention, the younger one looked almost identical to Xie Yizhao, with facial features resembling the woman as well. It was obvious they were family.

He asked, “Should I call someone to spar with you?”

As he spoke, he was about to head upstairs to the large training area on the second floor.

Xie Yizhao stopped him. “No need.”

The attendant hesitated. “Then…? Alright, my shift ends in ten minutes anyway.”

Xie Yizhao’s gaze landed on Xie Heng. “Today, my son will spar with me.”

The front desk attendant froze.

Father versus son?

Wasn’t there a rumor that Boss Xie and his son didn’t get along? He didn’t expect things to be this bad…

The attendant nodded and led them to a training room on the third floor. He also had someone bring in some fruit, snacks, and two clean training uniforms. Before leaving, he couldn’t help but shoot Xie Heng a sympathetic look.

Xie Heng : ?

What was that look for?

Why did it feel like he was being underestimated?

He was actually pretty good at fighting, okay?!

Xie Heng was not pleased. He was always confident in his combat skills and had never been looked down on like this before.

“Go change,” Xie Yizhao instructed, pointing at the uniforms before taking one himself and heading into the bathroom.

That left only Lu Xi and Xie Heng in the room.

Lu Xi, completely at ease, took the opportunity to check out the surroundings. The room was reminiscent of a dance studio, with mirrors on all sides and a row of chairs along one wall. She grabbed some fruit and snacks and sat down.

Seeing Xie Heng still standing dumbly by the door, she waved him over and patted the seat next to her. “Did you eat earlier? Want to grab a bite?”

“Hmph.” Xie Heng stood firm. “I heard everything just now.”

“What?”

Xie Heng grumbled, “You told my Dad to beat me up.”

Lu Xi bit her lip.

Oh, come on, he was still holding onto that?

She was starting to realize that this kid could hold a grudge. Why did he only remember the bad things?

“You ungrateful brat. I even reminded your Dad not to hit your stomach, head, or face. Shouldn’t you be thanking me?”

Xie Heng : “…”

Okay, maybe sparing his stomach was fine.

As for his head and face… He really didn’t want to dwell on the reason.

Lu Xi took a bite of her strawberry, shaking her head at the way Xie Heng was looking at her. As if he’d already seen through her excuses.

This little brat was definitely going to get beaten up.

Xie Yizhao soon returned, dressed in black training attire with a thin belt around his waist. He looked sharp and composed.

It was Lu Xi’s first time seeing him in this outfit, and her eyes lit up.

Xie Heng said nothing. He simply picked up his uniform and quickly changed.

When it came to fighting, he was experienced. No matter what, he couldn’t let his momentum falter, or he’d definitely lose.

Standing opposite Xie Yizhao, he raised his chin arrogantly. “Come on, don’t hold back. I can handle it.”

Xie Yizhao pinched the bridge of his nose.

This kid—was he overconfident, or just naive?

Xie Yizhao smirked slightly, took one step forward—

And Xie Heng instinctively took one step back.

Lu Xi : “…”

He kept feeling that the brat’s mental resilience was a bit off today.

Could this be the legendary ‘bloodline suppression’?

Xie Heng himself felt a little awkward. He scratched his head and said, “Wait! Let’s clarify first, how do we determine the winner?”

Xie Yizhao: “Whoever knocks the other down and keeps them on the ground for ten seconds wins.”

“……” Xie Heng was in disbelief. A wave of sorrow welled up in his heart. As expected! His Dad really was trying to beat him to death today!

Lu Xi was also slightly stunned. Huh? Isn’t that a bit too ruthless? Surely it’s not that serious.

Just as she was about to step in and say something, Xie Yizhao suddenly spoke again in a calm tone: “That was the rule for underground boxing matches. As for us, father and son, there’s no need to go that far. Whoever pulls off the other’s belt first wins.”

Lu Xi let out a sigh of relief and sat back down.

Xie Heng also couldn’t help but exhale, finally feeling a little better. Until he suddenly realized something was off.

So his Dad… was messing with him just now?

Isn’t this just straight-up bullying a kid?

Feeling wronged, Xie Heng shot his Dad a look and stiffly said, “Alright then, don’t worry, I follow martial ethics. I won’t hit your stomach, head, or face—ah!”

Before he could even finish his sentence, Xie Yizhao suddenly made a move, stepping forward swiftly to grab his collar.

Xie Heng’s heart jolted, and he instinctively tried to dodge.

He had seen this move from his Dad before. Once his collar got grabbed, he’d be beaten black and blue!

But Xie Yizhao seemed to have predicted his reaction. His right hand clenched into a fist and swung toward Xie Heng’s left cheek.

In that instant, Xie Heng felt a gust of wind rushing at his face, making it stiffen slightly.

He hesitated for just one second. Realizing he couldn’t dodge in time, he reflexively shut his eyes.

However, just as Xie Yizhao’s fist was about to land, it abruptly stopped. Instead, he loosened his grip, caught Xie Heng’s arm, and yanked him to the side.

“Open your eyes. Stand firm. Try again.”

Xie Heng lifted his eyelids, only to see his Dad’s stern face.

“That was my mistake just now.” He averted his gaze, coughed awkwardly, then suddenly widened his eyes as he realized—“You… you ambushed me? How could you ambush me?!”

That’s not honorable at all!

Xie Yizhao remained unfazed. “In real fights, who waits for a countdown?”

Xie Heng was momentarily at a loss for words. But thinking about it, he had to admit. That was true.

Nobody ever gave a heads-up before throwing a punch in a real fight.

Seeing him zoning out, Xie Yizhao couldn’t help but deliver a triple-layered taunt: “Do you space out this easily when fighting?

“When someone punches you, do you close your eyes?

“I noticed last time. You always dodge left when you fight. That’s an obvious weakness.”

As he spoke, he didn’t stop moving. Lifting his leg, he quickly kicked at Xie Heng.

Unlike when he had kicked Xiao Feiyuan before, this time Xie Yizhao held back, reducing his strength. His foot landed on Xie Heng’s calf.

Still, the taunt had rattled Xie Heng, and he failed to react in time. Though the kick wasn’t heavy, it still made him stumble and drop to one knee.

Xie Heng : “……” Ahhh, this is so embarrassing.

And Ms. Lu was watching too!

Sure, kneeling to his Dad wasn’t a big deal, but not under these circumstances!

His face burned with humiliation.

But strangely, the pain actually cleared his mind.

Standing up, he stared at his Dad. This time, his eyes were different.

Even Lu Xi noticed, he had entered battle mode.

“I mean, this is my first time fighting my Dad. I have no experience. And come on, it’s my Dad, I can’t go all out on him like I would with other people, right?” Xie Heng tried to salvage his dignity, sneaking a glance at Lu Xi in the mirror as he spoke.

Lu Xi slowly nodded.

—That’s true… but, sweetheart, could you stop shaking your legs?

This time, however, after getting back up, Xie Heng was clearly more focused.

He no longer hesitated until the last second before dodging, and instead of just avoiding attacks, he started looking for chances to strike back.

But none of his attacks landed.

Xie Yizhao was too good. He predicted every move in advance. Whether Xie Heng threw a punch or kicked, even when he got desperate and tried to headbutt his Dad’s chin, Xie Yizhao blocked it effortlessly.

Xie Heng knew it wasn’t a good look, but he refused to accept defeat.

For a moment, their foreheads and hands were locked in a standoff.

Lu Xi watched in awe, holding a strawberry with a tiny bite taken out of it, momentarily forgetting to eat.

Even as an amateur, she could tell. Xie Yizhao was in complete control.

Logically speaking, a headbutt should have more force and impact. Yet Xie Yizhao blocked it with one hand and didn’t even budge. That meant his strength was immense.

Looking at their expressions—

The younger one was sweating, his pale face flushed red, ears burning, pushing himself to the limit.

The older one? Just looked a bit more serious than usual, but otherwise relaxed. And there was even a hint of… affection in his gaze as he looked at the stubborn fool in front of him.

Sensing that Xie Heng was reaching his limit, Lu Xi silently counted in her head, guessing how much longer he could last.

At twenty seconds, Xie Heng finally backed away.

The boy completely lost his strength, glancing aggrievedly at his Dad before lowering his head. He clenched his molars, took a few steps back, and then plopped down onto the ground.

Lu Xi : ?

What’s going on?

Did he get beaten so badly that he couldn’t even stand up?

---

Of course, Xie Heng only dared to think about it.

After witnessing those two punches and a kick from Old Xie just now, he suddenly felt a little weak at the thought of facing his fadther.

His reverence for his old man had reached an unprecedented height.

Xie Yizhao saw that the man in the water was about to pass out and finally let go, instructing the bodyguards to fish him out.

By the time the bodyguards dragged Xiao Feiyuan—who had swallowed half a pool’s worth of water—out, he was still conscious but barely, lying on the poolside half-dead, with one side of his face swollen.

Xie Heng couldn’t hold back. He walked over and kicked the man twice, finally feeling some relief.

Having vented his anger, he walked back to his parents, putting on an innocent face.

Xie Yizhao had noticed his ‘little action’ but merely curled his lips and said nothing.

Lu Xi glanced at Xie Yizhao, then at the ladies by the greenhouse who were looking in their direction. She suddenly felt a little uneasy. “What now?”

After all, they had beaten someone up. Would this cause trouble?

Xie Yizhao knew what she was worried about and shook his head. “It’s fine. I’ll handle it.”

His voice was deep, carrying a reassuring strength.

Lu Xi nodded.

She trusted him.

Right, she must have been too disgusted by Xiao Feiyuan just now, making her mind a little muddled, forgetting Xie Yizhao’s nature.

He always had things under control. Even if he made a mistake, he would have a way to clean it up.

But this was still the Yin family’s banquet. Now that a commotion had been caused, would the Yin family have any objections?

Lu Xi voiced her concerns to Xie Yizhao.

He still had his arm around her. Upon hearing this, he chuckled, lowered his head, and kissed the top of her hair. “Don’t worry. Yin Zongming will thank me for this.”

Lu Xi : ?

Alright, now she wasn’t worried at all. Instead, she was curious. She really wanted to see how the host would thank him.

Xie Heng thought his Dad and Ms. Lu were really a bit much.

They were still outside, in public no less! He didn’t even know where to look.

Over on the other side, the ladies’ circle was just as dumbfounded.

Though they kept up appearances, pretending not to see anything and saying nothing, their minds were in turmoil.

If people say an old flame rekindled burns hotter, then this fire was practically scorching. It looked like it could burn them out of existence.

Some watched with envy, while others felt a pang of bitterness. Comparing their own husbands, they only found them lacking.

Not being as wealthy was one thing, and looks were innate—nothing could be done about that. Yet, they weren’t even as considerate.

They had been away for so long, and their husbands hadn’t even come looking, let alone made a single phone call.

However, the sharper among them quickly guessed that this matter had something to do with Lu Xi, and the one who got beaten up most likely deserved it.

Mrs. Yin reacted quickly.

Regardless of how the incident started, it was best to keep it from drawing too much attention. She immediately instructed the family’s bodyguards and servants to guard the entrance to the courtyard, preventing more people from coming over, and then informed Yin Zongming.

This wasn’t something she could personally handle, it was best left to her father-in-law.

Fortunately, most of the guests were still in the banquet hall, so not many had seen what happened.

Yin Zongming arrived shortly.

Beside him was Elder Zhou Yueheng.

“Mr. Xie, what’s going on here?”

Yin Zongming had heard about it over the phone, but his daughter-in-law hadn’t explained clearly why a fight had broken out.

When he arrived, he saw a man lying by the pool, soaking wet, his face swollen, eyes rolling back. If not for his rising and falling chest, he wouldn’t be sure if the guy was dead or alive.

Xie Yizhao said indifferently, “He started it, and I handled it. Consider it helping you take care of a problem.”

Yin Zongming was stunned. “What do you mean by that?”

He didn’t even know this person!

Xie Yizhao stepped away from Lu Xi, stopping next to Yin Zongming. In a low voice, just loud enough for those present to hear, he said, “I suspect he used contraband. It’s best to call the police.”

Yin Zongming’s expression changed instantly.

He looked again at the man on the ground, his voice deepening. “Mr. Xie, do you know him? How certain are you?”

Xie Yizhao completely ignored the first question. “He has a record.”

Yin Zongming’s face darkened, and Elder Zhou’s expression turned grim as well.

They both immediately grasped the gravity of the situation.

If this man had been involved in such things before, that was one thing. But if he had done it here, at the Yin family’s home…

Yin Zongming’s face turned ashen. He suddenly felt the urge to personally stomp on the guy a few more times.

Was this idiot insane?! If he wanted to cause trouble, why not do it far away? If he wanted to die, couldn’t he die somewhere else?!

No matter what grievance he had with Xie Yizhao, at this moment, Yin Zongming only felt that he had been well and truly beaten.

Scum like this deserved to be beaten to death and thrown into a lake. The Yin family had never wronged him!

He handled things even faster and more meticulously than his daughter-in-law, immediately ordering the butler and assistants to lock down the information, investigate the man’s background, and search every corner of the villa for any traces he might have left behind.

“Who the hell brought this guy here?”

Yin Zongming was utterly exasperated.

Tonight was his granddaughter’s birthday party, and he had only invited guests he was familiar with. He had no recollection of the swollen-faced man on the ground.

Before long, the butler brought someone over.

It turned out to be Yin Xiang.

Yin Zongming stared at his second son, feeling a pang in his chest.

Tonight, besides Xiao Feiyuan, Yin Xiang had also brought along a small-time celebrity—his new girlfriend—who had been getting intimate with him in his room before Yin Zongming’s assistant dragged him here.

He was already fuming, but upon arrival, seeing Xiao Feiyuan lying on the ground left him utterly stunned.

“Dad, why is he on the ground? Did he fall into the swimming pool or something?”

Yin Zongming’s expression darkened. “You brought this person here?”

“Yeah, he’s a friend of mine. Didn’t I invest in that tutoring institution project recently? He’s my business partner.”

As soon as Yin Xiang finished speaking, Yin Zongming raised his hand and slapped him across the face. “Nonsense!”

Yin Xiang was momentarily dazed by the hit.

Covering his face, he looked at his furious father, completely clueless about what he had done wrong.

Yin Zongming pointed at Xiao Feiyuan, then at Yin Xiang. “You… you two…”

He nearly blurted something out but caught himself upon noticing the people around him.

He had seen this kind of thing before. In families like theirs, it wasn’t uncommon for some young heirs to go astray, getting ruined by these indulgences. Most of the time, it was bad company leading them down the wrong path.

If Yin Xiang had gone down that road as well, it would feel like the sky was collapsing.

“Old Yin, now’s not the time to be worrying about that,” Zhou Yueheng reminded him in a low voice. “You should deal with the one on the ground first.”

Only then did Yin Zongming snap out of it.

His brows furrowed deeply as he suddenly felt at a loss.

Tonight’s incident not only implicated his family but also dragged Xie Yizhao into it. He thought for a moment, then turned to Xie Yizhao. “CEO Xie, what do you think we should do about this?”

Xie Yizhao’s expression was indifferent as he replied casually, “Call the police.”

Yin Zongming was stunned, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. “Call the police? Wouldn’t that blow everything up?”

Xie Yizhao : “The difference is whether you expose it yourself or let someone else do it for you. If you do it, you’re just a concerned citizen reporting an issue. If someone else does, they might be trying to take down your entire family.”

At first glance, this sounded like a threat from Xie Yizhao.

But thinking deeper, Yin Zongming felt a chilling fear creeping in.

He no longer had the mental space to worry about whether his son was dabbling in destructive habits.

His mind was racing, recalling all the enemies he had made, past grudges, and whether this was an orchestrated scheme. Was someone deliberately pushing Xiao Feiyuan toward Yin Xiang, setting this up to create chaos at such a critical banquet and use it as an opportunity to ruin the Yin family?

All it would take was a single phone call to the police, reporting drug involvement at their event. The authorities would surely come for a search, and everyone might be taken in for testing.

Then what? The Yin family’s reputation would be in shambles. How would they even show their faces in public after that?

Not only would they offend everyone, but they’d also become a laughingstock.

A shiver ran down Yin Zongming’s spine.

He was so furious that he had to vent somehow, or he might just pass out from anger. Unable to hold back, he strode over and kicked Xiao Feiyuan again.

---

Meanwhile, Lu Xi and her family of three left the Yin residence not long after.

They ate the meals, took care of kids, and they even got into a fight. It had been a full day.

As they settled into the car, Lu Xi couldn’t help but ask, “How did you know about him…?”

Xie Yizhao didn’t hide anything. “I had him investigated.”

Lu Xi : “……”

When?

Could it be after he saw that guy flirting with her?

Xie Yizhao glanced at Lu Xi and pressed his lips together. “Sorry, I just found him suspicious. I couldn’t rest easy.”

Lu Xi thought for a moment. His reasoning seemed valid.

Fine, he was handsome, so whatever he said made sense.

Thinking back to that odd smell on Xiao Feiyuan, she finally put the pieces together. No wonder Xie Yizhao had said the Yin family would thank him later.

As for what Xiao Feiyuan had said earlier, she no longer cared.

Could you really expect rational words from someone with a messed-up brain?

Judging from his lewd comments and even mentioning her past troubles…

Lu Xi glanced at Xie Yizhao and gently held his hand.

While the two in the back seat were having a moment, in the front, Xie Heng remained unusually silent.

Even his blue-dyed hair seemed to be radiating a gloomy aura.

Lu Xi had originally wanted to ask what the Yin family would do about the incident, but noticing Xie Heng’s mood, she couldn’t help but pat his blue hair. “Why are you depressed?”

Xie Heng muttered, “Nothing.”

He had just realized something. Compared to his Dad, he was absolutely useless.

He couldn’t match his intelligence, emotional awareness, height, or build. Even his most prized skill—fighting—now seemed at risk.

And he always said he’d protect Ms. Lu.

Clearly, his Dad was way more capable of protecting her.

Lu Xi : “Oh, well, if you’re not saying, then just stay depressed.”

“…” Xie Heng choked for a second before he finally couldn’t help it and turned to glare at Xie Yizhao. “Dad, be honest, were you just like me back in the day, always getting into fights?”

Xie Yizhao smiled faintly. “No.”

“Nonsense! Then how are you so good at fighting?”

Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow. “Am I? He just choked on water and couldn’t fight back, that’s all.”

Xie Heng was speechless. “Come on, that might fool Ms. Lu, but I know better. The way you threw those punches—the force, the angle—and you even wrapped your hand with your tie. That all screams professional!”

Xie Yiczao smirked. “You flatter me. When it comes to fighting, you have more experience.”

Lu Xi coughed. “Alright, enough of this mutual praise. Don’t drag me into it.”

What did she do to deserve this?

But now that Xie Heng mentioned it, Lu Xi recalled that Xie Yizhao had casually tossed his tie into the trash earlier. She wasn’t even sure if his hand was okay.

Those punches were powerful, and force is always mutual.

She quickly grabbed Xie Yizhao’s hand for a closer look.

Thankfully, his knuckles were only slightly reddened, nothing serious.

She suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.

She really was an amateur. When she saw Xie Yizhao’s move earlier, she thought he was just showing off. Because, honestly, it looked good, like something out of an action film, pure cinematic violence.

She was already lost in thought, wondering if she should find a similar movie to watch later that night…

Then Xie Heng mumbled, “I don’t buy it. If you’re so good, fight me and let’s see who’s stronger.”

Lu Xi : ?

Did she hear that right? The son was challenging his own Dad to a fight? Was this blue-haired brat trying to get kicked out of the house?

But Xie Yizhao remained unfazed, even amused. “Sure, you pick the time and place. Just book in advance, I might be busy.”

Lu Xi : ??

Shocking! The Dad actually agreed, and with such enthusiasm! She had a feeling he just wanted an excuse to beat up his son…

Xie Heng was stunned too.

Wait, his Dad… actually agreed?

“You really want to fight me?” Xie Heng curled up his long legs, suddenly a little hesitant.

Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow. “What? If you’re scared, it’s not too late to back out.”

Xie Heng clenched his fists.

He had a bad feeling about this.

Was his Dad just looking for a chance to vent his frustration from earlier?

He knew his Dad had been wanting to hit him for a long time!

What now? He was starting to feel a little nervous.

But it was fine. Lu Xi would definitely stop them. No way would she just stand by and let father and son fight, right?

Xie Heng glanced at the rearview mirror, silently pleading for her intervention.

But Lu Xi’s eyes were bright with excitement. “Can I watch? Can I place bets in advance?”

“…”

Xie Heng gritted his teeth. “No, gambling is illegal.”

Come on, Mr. Xie, control your wife!

Lu Xi looked disappointed.

“And anyway, fighting with my Dad is terrifying. You’re too timid, better go home and sleep.” Xie Heng tried to scare her off.

Xie Yizhao gently pinched Lu Xi’s fingers and looked up. “Oh? You don’t want your Mom to see you getting beaten to tears?”

Xie Heng: “…”

Enough!

He angrily turned to stare out the window, sulking like a kid who had just been scolded.

Xie Yizhao chuckled and told the driver, “Take us to the martial arts gym.”

The driver didn’t ask which one or for an address. Thirty minutes later, the car stopped in front of a place called Gao Yi Martial Arts Hall.

Xie Heng suddenly felt doomed.

It looked like… he was definitely getting beaten up today.

Just before getting out of the car, Lu Xi suddenly remembered something.

“Wait, I have one thing to say about this fight.”

Xie Heng’s eyes lit up with hope.

Lu Xi turned to Xie Yizhao and earnestly instructed, “No drawing blood, keep it controlled. Crying is fine, but don’t hit the stomach, the head, or the face.”

---

At this moment, she realized that she had accidentally walked to the edge of the swimming pool. She simply decided to stand there while talking on the phone with Xie Yizhao.

When the topic of having a daughter came up, Lu Xi suddenly thought of something.

Had it been an hour since she last saw Xie Heng?

Could he still be playing with those little friends of his?

She was focused on her call and didn’t notice someone approaching from behind.

“What a coincidence, we meet again.”

The sudden voice startled Lu Xi. She turned around and saw Xiao Feiyuan’s face, instinctively glaring at him.

Why did he always appear so sneakily out of nowhere?

Lu Xi originally had no particular opinion of Xiao Feiyuan. She neither liked nor disliked him. But now, she was beginning to feel a sense of aversion, sensing something off about him.

His utterly unremarkable, forgettable face had only been ordinary when he was younger. Now, with age catching up to him, he was overweight, his hairline receding, his whole demeanor greasy… Time had not been kind to him. Not only did he look older, but there was also something downright sleazy about him.

Lu Xi instinctively wanted to move away.

But Xiao Feiyuan suddenly leaned in and grabbed her arm, his eyes flashing with an unsettling fervor. “You’re Lu Xi, aren’t you? I know you are. You have a mole on your eye and your earlobe…”

Lu Xi felt a wave of nausea hit her, disgust rising sharply in her chest.

Was this guy out of his mind?

Even if he recognized her, he should have known who she was. Xie Yizhao was still at the banquet—how dare he harass her at a time like this?

Xiao Feiyuan stared at her, his expression bizarre. “Weren’t you dead? How are you alive again?”

Lu Xi : “…”

He was acting downright crazy, like he had been drinking.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

“Let go of her! Let go of my Mom!”

Two voices rang out almost simultaneously.

Lu Xi froze for a second. She shifted her gaze, first spotting a bodyguard rushing toward her, and then lifting her head, looking around. She finally saw Xie Heng standing at a window on the first floor of the villa, his face dark with fury as he stared in their direction.

She frowned.

Xiao Feiyuan’s face was truly revolting.

It was broad daylight, and her bodyguard was right there, so she wasn’t in any real danger. But having his hand on her arm made her feel filthy and disgusted.

“Get lost.” Lu Xi lowered her phone, struggled a little, and then swung her arm forcefully, trying to shake him off. At the same time, she lifted her foot, her high heel’s thin stiletto slamming down hard onto his shoe.

Xiao Feiyuan’s face instantly twisted in pain. A sharp agony shot through his foot, and he involuntarily released her.

Lu Xi still wasn’t satisfied and shoved him.

She swore she didn’t use much strength—how strong could she even be?

Yet, Xiao Feiyuan staggered left, then right, wobbling like a drunken man who had lost his balance, before toppling headfirst into the swimming pool with a loud splash.

Lu Xi : ?

The bodyguard who had just rushed over to protect Lu Xi : ?

And Xie Heng, who had just flipped out of the window and was preparing to beat the man to a pulp : ?

Xie Heng’s footsteps faltered, his eyes filled with disbelief as he looked at Lu Xi.

No way.

When did his Mom become this powerful? Her slender arms and legs had just sent a man three times her size flying into the swimming pool?

The bodyguard stood by the pool, looking a bit conflicted.

The man had fallen in… Should he rescue him? But the madam hadn’t given the order, so he didn’t dare move.

Lu Xi merely glanced at Xiao Feiyuan. Whether he was drunk or just couldn’t swim, he was currently flailing around in the water.

Her voice was cold. “No rush. Let him soak for a bit, clear his head. Pull him out when he’s about to drown.”

“…Understood, Madam.”

Only then did she remember she had been on the phone with Xie Yizhao. She glanced down at her phone. At some point, the call had been disconnected.

Lu Xi frowned, thinking back. It must have been when Xiao Feiyuan suddenly grabbed her that she accidentally ended the call.

“…”

Xie Yizhao hadn’t called back immediately.

Which meant…

He was coming in person.

Sure enough, as if sensing something, Lu Xi immediately turned toward the side entrance of the villa, only to see Xie Yizhao striding toward her. His expression was darker than she had ever seen before.

In no time, Xie Yizhao was standing by her side.

“Are you okay?” His voice was tense.

Lu Xi looked at Xie Yizhao’s handsome face, and the mere sight of him helped ease the disgust she had felt earlier from looking at something so ugly. She greedily stared at him for a few seconds before finally smiling and saying, “I’m fine. He didn’t do anything to me. I even pushed him into the pool.”

But her response was interpreted quite differently in Xie Yizhao’s mind.

Just now, Lu Xi had looked up at him and stared blankly for a long time.

Her eyes had been dazed and unfocused, as if she were in shock, like her soul had been drawn away.

She must have been frightened…

Xie Yizhao wrapped his arms around her shoulders, gently stroking her in comfort. He lowered his head and softly kissed her forehead, his eyes full of tenderness.

But in the next instant, when he glanced at the man still struggling in the pool, his gaze turned ice-cold.

Meanwhile, Xie Heng had also run over.

“Are you okay?” he asked, looking at Lu Xi with concern.

Lu Xi also looked at him and couldn’t help but ask, “It’s been over an hour. Where did you go? Don’t tell me you were still babysitting?”

Xie Heng swallowed hard and clenched his fists.

Is this really the time to be asking that?

It’s over. Ms. Lu was so scared that she was talking nonsense!

And it was all because of that bastard!

Xie Heng’s face darkened, his eyes turned red, and he rolled up his sleeves, ready to jump into the water and beat the guy up.

Just then, Xie Yizhao spoke in a calm voice, “Get him out of the water first.”

The bodyguard immediately understood the command, took off his jacket, and jumped into the water to fish the man out.

Xie Heng stared at his Dad in disbelief, feeling a little angry.

He wanted to question his Dad, but when he saw his Dad’s indifferent profile, he held back the words.

His Dad was not someone to be messed with. There was no way he’d let anyone bully Ms. Lu without consequences.

This guy must come from a family that owns a company, but his Dad was powerful enough to destroy him—business tactics, financial warfare, whatever it took to bankrupt him and leave him drowning in debt.

Yes, that had to be it!

Thinking this, Xie Heng felt a little better.

Xiao Feiyuan had only choked on a few mouthfuls of water and hadn’t passed out, so the bodyguard quickly dragged him ashore.

“Step back a little,” Xie Yizhao said gently to Lu Xi.

Lu Xi was a bit confused but still nodded and took a step to the side.

The bodyguard, having witnessed everything earlier, found the man utterly disgusting. Even after rescuing him, he showed no concern and simply dumped him onto the shore.

Xiao Feiyuan collapsed onto the ground like a dead dog, coughing violently.

Xie Yizhao walked up to him.

His gaze lowered slightly, but as if he saw nothing, he casually stepped on Xiao Feiyuan’s right hand.

“F*ck! It hurts!!” Xiao Feiyuan screamed like a slaughtered pig as his hand felt like it was being crushed.

Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow and said calmly, “Oh, sorry, I didn’t see your hand there.”

After a pause, he looked at the bodyguard. “Help him up.”

Lu Xi and Xie Heng both stared at him in shock.

Did he really not see it?

The bodyguard also had his doubts, but he was a professional, so he showed no reaction. He simply stepped forward and pulled Xiao Feiyuan up.

At this moment, Xie Yizhao slowly took off his tie, wrapped it around his right hand, and clenched his fist.

Even now, his face remained emotionless, his gaze so cold that no emotions could be read from it.

Even Lu Xi was fooled by his usual calm and rational demeanor.

Xiao Feiyuan had just been helped to his feet, still unsteady, when Xie Yizhao grabbed his collar and landed a heavy punch on his left cheek.

The punch was brutal.

Xiao Feiyuan’s head snapped to the side, and blood mixed with spit flew out of his mouth.

Thankfully, Xie Heng reacted quickly, pulling Lu Xi a bit farther away in disgust.

Xiao Feiyuan staggered and nearly fell, but Xie Yizhao caught him and delivered another vicious punch.

Finally feeling a bit satisfied, Xie Yizhao looked at the swollen, wretched face in front of him with disgust. He shook out his arm before raising his leg and kicking Xiao Feiyuan back into the pool.

Lu Xi was stunned.

Was… was Xie Yizhao drunk?

Xie Heng was even more shocked. He had watched the whole thing without even blinking.

His Dad… hit someone?

And from his stance and movements, he seemed way too skilled at it.

There was no way he hadn’t been in at least a hundred fights before!

Xie Yizhao glanced at the pool and instructed the bodyguard, “Keep an eye on him. If he looks like he’s drowning, fish him out again.”

Then he walked over to Lu Xi.

Seeing her staring at him, opening her mouth as if to say something but then closing it, he couldn’t help but reach out and smooth her hair, his voice low and hoarse. “Sorry if I scared you.”

Lu Xi pursed her lips and nodded reservedly.

Her actual thoughts: Ahhh! He’s so hot! I want to marry him! Wait—I already did! Ahhh!

Xie Heng finally snapped out of his daze.

Watching his Dad beat someone up and then turn to comfort Ms. Lu in a low voice, he felt a bit conflicted.

Of course, he was happy about it, but for some reason, he also felt a little jealous.

His dad was so sneaky—showing off in front of Ms. Lu, and worst of all, it actually worked. Even he was kind of impressed.

Meanwhile, the ladies in the garden had heard the commotion and had all come out to see what was going on.

They didn’t know the full story and had missed the part where Lu Xi was being harassed. All they saw was Xiao Feiyuan flailing in the pool like a half-dead fish.

Then, right after he was pulled out, they watched as Xie Yizhao suddenly started beating him up.

The wealthy, pampered ladies were completely dumbfounded.

Mr. Xie was hitting someone?

Mr. Xie even knew how to hit someone?

Mrs. Yin muttered in a daze, “My God, what did he do to make Xie Yizhao beat him so badly?”

Zheng Suxin, who was now on good terms with Lu Xi, reacted quickly and said, “Who cares? Mr. Xie is a rational man. If he’s hitting someone, that guy must’ve deserved it. Probably a scumbag.”

Some of the ladies felt that something about her statement wasn’t quite right.

But they still found themselves nodding in agreement.

Xie Yizhao really didn’t seem like the type to hit someone without reason.

“Hurry, help me fish him out,” Xie Heng suddenly sneered as a thought crossed his mind.

The bodyguards saw the young master’s expression turn ruthless and couldn’t help but shiver on behalf of the man in the water.

Was the young master planning to imitate his Dad and give the guy another beating?

Not that it would be undeserved. The guy really had it coming.

Xie Yizhao noticed as well. He shot his son a glance. “That’s enough, don’t mess around.”

Xie Heng choked on his words, frustration lodging in his chest.

Why?

You got to show off, and now you’re taking away my chance to look cool?

Feeling unconvinced, Xie Heng looked at his Dad, a sudden thought popping into his head—

If he and his Dad fought, who would win?

---