Chapter 70
[Girlfriend, I miss you.]
Lying in his room, Xie Hejing stared at the empty space around him. Something felt missing. After a moment, he picked up his phone and sent that message to Nan Xu.
At that time, Nan Xu was in the shower. By the time she saw the message, half an hour had already passed.
[Then keep missing me for now. I’m going to put on a face mask.]
Xie Hejing: “…”
He replied bluntly.
[I want to come to your room.]
As the cool mask settled on her face, Nan Xu lazily massaged her hands and glanced at her phone.
[No. My parents are coming to Zhi’an tomorrow, remember? We have to pick them up in the morning. You forgot? You should sleep early tonight.]
[But I can’t sleep without you.]
Nan Xu paused. She didn’t want him tossing and turning all night either, so she suggested:
[How about this? I’ll give you my body pillow. Hug it and go to sleep, okay?]
She figured… it should feel about the same, right?
Xie Hejing: “…”
[I want to hug you.]
How could he possibly hug a pillow when he had a girlfriend?
[But… you, you can’t ever control yourself.] Nan Xu hesitated, torn.
If he ended up oversleeping tomorrow again, what excuse could he use this time? Watching dramas till late?
[I can control myself.]
Xie Hejing sent the words through gritted teeth.
Nan Xu was doubtful: [Really?]
[I promise. I just want to sleep. I’ve already been lying in bed for an hour, and I still can’t fall asleep.]
He had gone to bed early, thinking he’d rest before meeting Nan Xu’s parents the next day, but the moment he closed his eyes, sleep wouldn’t come.
He tossed and turned, wide awake, and after an hour of staring at the ceiling, he started wondering if he’d even last until morning.
[Fine.]
Nan Xu finally gave in.
When Xie Hejing arrived, he was dressed impeccably—long-sleeved pajamas, pants, every button fastened all the way to the top.
He looked so proper that Nan Xu couldn’t help laughing.
“You really do look like you’re only here to sleep.”
“What else would I be here for?”
He was serious. If he messed up tomorrow’s schedule, he probably wouldn’t sleep for days out of guilt.
Nan Xu, still unconvinced, asked again: “You’re sure you won’t lose control and go take another shower in the middle of the night? That’d just make it harder to sleep.”
“If I can get a little sleep, I’ll take it.”
Nan Xu nodded. Her skincare was done anyway. She lifted a corner of the blanket.
“Then sleep.”
“Mm.”
Xie Hejing lay down, but only on the very edge of the bed, as if he didn’t dare come any closer.
Nan Xu blinked at him in surprise.
“You’re not going to hold me? You usually like sleeping while holding me.”
Nan Xu figured that Xie Hejing probably had a habit of hugging something when he slept.
Whenever the two of them were together, no matter how much he tried to restrain himself, he always ended up holding her in his sleep.
Just seeing Nan Xu, catching even a whiff of her scent, was enough to make Xie Hejing’s earlier words “I can control myself” almost fall apart.
Right now, he didn’t even dare to hold her, or even look at her for too long.
With his eyes closed, his voice sounded calm and cool. “Mm, let’s just sleep like this tonight, otherwise…”
Nan Xu turned off her bedside lamp and asked, “Otherwise what?”
“Otherwise I’ll get too worked up again till midnight,” Xie Hejing replied.
When she thought about it, it did make sense. She tucked herself in and said softly, “Alright then. Good night.”
The room fell completely silent, the lights all off. Ten minutes passed, and just as Nan Xu was about to drift off to sleep…
Xie Hejing called out quietly, “Nan Xu…”
She didn’t respond to the first call.
Then he called again, “Nan Xu!”
Yawning, half-asleep, she murmured, “What is it?”
“I still want to hold you.”
He simply couldn’t stop himself when she was right there beside him.
“Then hold me,” Nan Xu turned over.
Before Xie Hejing could move, she had already reached out and nestled herself into his arms, rubbing her head lightly against his chest.
Wrapping her arms around his waist, she murmured sweetly, “You smell so nice, Brother.”
Xie Hejing almost lost another night’s sleep because of that one line. His throat bobbed violently, his breathing turning uneven.
Nan Xu, eyes still closed, moved her hand a little higher, gently patting his back as she whispered, “Let me lull you to sleep.”
Looking at her drowsy face, still trying to stay awake just to soothe him, Xie Hejing felt as if his heart had been dipped in honey, warm and sweet.
He reached out and pulled her closer. “Go to sleep. I’ll fall asleep soon.”
Holding her tightly, breathing in her gentle scent, his mind finally began to settle.
“Mm,” Nan Xu murmured, finding a comfortable spot in his arms, “good night.”
“Yeah… good night.”
. . . . .
Wen Qiu and Nan Xiaocheng arrived in Zhi’an at noon.
Nan Xu, Xie Hejing, Zhang Huiwan, and Xie Hengzhi all went to pick them up. The meeting with Nan Xu’s “boyfriend” was set for the evening.
So during lunch, the four elders didn’t question Nan Xu much. After all, it had been years since they’d last seen each other, and they had plenty to catch up on.
Nan Xu took the chance to say she had to work in the afternoon. The elders were too busy chatting to stop her, only reminding her to bring her boyfriend on time that evening.
Especially Nan Xiaocheng, who said, “I really want to see which young man managed to steal my daughter’s heart without a word.”
Xie Hejing, sitting beside them, gave a small, awkward cough.
Nan Xu quickly lowered her head to hide her laughter and muttered, “You’ll find out tonight.”
They had arranged to meet at a restaurant.
When Xie Hejing pulled up to the entrance, Nan Xu got out first. “You go park the car. I’ll wait for you upstairs.”
“Mm. I’ll be right there,” he replied.
When Nan Xu walked into the private room, she realized all four pairs of eyes were fixed on the doorway.
The moment she entered, every gaze landed squarely on her.
She hadn’t been nervous before, but now her heart suddenly tightened. “Why is everyone looking at me?”
Nan Xiaocheng stood up and walked over to her, glancing behind her. No one was there.
Then he looked toward the doorway again. Still no one.
“That guy didn’t dare to come?” Nan Xiaocheng asked.
Nan Xu clutched the strap of her bag, her palms nearly damp with sweat. “He’s here… just behind me.”
“Alright.” Nan Xiaocheng moved to stand by the door, waiting.
A few seconds later, he happened to meet Xie Hejing’s eyes as the door opened.
Nan Xiaocheng: “…”
Xie Hejing: “…”
“Hello, Uncle,” Xie Hejing greeted.
“Mm.” Nan Xiaocheng nodded. “Hejing, come in first.”
Nan Xiaocheng kept peering down the hallway, he wanted to be the first to see Nan Xu’s boyfriend.
“Ah, okay.” Xie Hejing replied and naturally walked over to stand beside Nan Xu.
Seeing that Xie Hejing still hadn’t taken a seat, Zhang Huiwan couldn’t help reminding him, “Hejing, come sit down. Don’t just stand there, when Jiaojiao’s boyfriend comes in later, he might misunderstand.”
At that, Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow, then directly reached out and took Nan Xu’s hand.
Nan Xu paused slightly, then squeezed his hand back, smiling up at him with a hint of mischief.
“Xie Hejing!!!”
Zhang Huiwan slapped the table, her eyes nearly popping out.
Xie Hengzhi looked utterly confused, his gaze darting back and forth between Xie Hejing and Nan Xu.
Hearing Zhang Huiwan’s outburst, Nan Xiaocheng turned around in confusion and followed her line of sight… only to see the two of them holding hands.
He almost choked on his breath.
“Jiaojiao, your boyfriend… is him?”
Nan Xu smiled brightly. “Mm.”
Among everyone, Wen Qiu remained the calmest. A gentle smile stayed on her face; she only froze for a moment before her expression softened into genuine amusement.
When she saw Nan Xu and Xie Hejing at the airport earlier today, she had already sensed something. Knowing her daughter well, Wen Qiu noticed how differently Nan Xu looked at Xie Hejing, her eyes were filled with trust and affection.
Especially when Xie Hejing helped carry her parents’ luggage, Nan Xu hadn’t shown a hint of awkwardness or refusal.
Normally, if someone other than close family helped her, Nan Xu would insist on saying thank you several times and politely decline.
But this time, she didn’t. Instead, she had said casually, “Dad, Mom, if there’s anything you want to eat, just tell me or Brother Hejing.”
From that one sentence, Wen Qiu had already guessed most of it. Their hand-holding just now only confirmed what she suspected.
To be honest, she was quite pleased with Xie Hejing.
During their years abroad, Xie Hejing sent them things every month.
Whether it was food or daily necessities, he always made sure everything was well prepared.
At first, Wen Qiu thought it was Zhang Huiwan’s idea. It wasn’t until their last video call, when the topic came up, that she realized Zhang Huiwan had no idea about it at all—and even she wasn’t sure why Xie Hejing had been doing it.
Now, looking back, all of his actions finally made sense.
Xie Hejing was polite, thoughtful, and dependable. Someone who could handle things on his own. Wen Qiu might have recognized that even earlier than Nan Xu did. After all, she had watched Xie Hejing grow up.
The two families used to be neighbors, and the children were about the same age. Back then, the adults had even half-jokingly entertained the idea of arranging a childhood engagement.
But later, they decided against it. They wanted their kids to grow up freely, to love freely.
Because of work, Nan Xu’s family moved to the west side of Zhi’an City, a bit farther away from the Xies, and that idea was completely set aside.
Who would’ve thought that, after all these years, Nan Xu would end up with Xie Hejing anyway?
Wen Qiu stood up and walked over to her daughter, pulling her into a warm hug. “Jiaojiao, I’m so happy that you’ve found someone you love and who loves you, too.”
She could tell how much Nan Xu liked Xie Hejing. The way Nan Xu looked at him was exactly how Wen Qiu used to look at Nan Xiaocheng.
Nan Xu hadn’t expected her mother to say something like that. She had prepared herself for doubts, questions, maybe even disapproval.
But instead, her mother hadn’t asked a single thing—she simply supported her, wholeheartedly and joyfully.
Nan Xu hugged her mother tightly, her voice trembling. “Mom…”
Nan Xiaocheng, meanwhile, had no time for their emotional moment. He strode straight up to Xie Hejing, looking him up and down.
Xie Hejing stood tall and calm, letting himself be scrutinized. “Hello, Uncle.”
Nan Xiaocheng’s temple throbbed. “So it’s you! It was you all along!”
Beside him, Xie Hengzhi broke into a wide grin, repeating over and over, “Good, good, this is great.”
That meant Nan Xu would be his family’s daughter-in-law. He couldn’t imagine a better match.
Zhang Huiwan glared at him. “What are you saying? When did Xie Hejing manage to steal Nan Xu away? This brat hid it so well, even from me!”
She shot Xie Hejing a sharp look. How had she missed it completely? The boy had secretly won Nan Xu over right under her nose.
Xie Hengzhi took a satisfied gulp of his drink. “What’s wrong with that? This way, Nan Xu will officially be part of our family.”
“She already is part of our family,” Zhang Huiwan said matter-of-factly.
But then she stopped for a moment. Even though she had always thought of Nan Xu as her own daughter, she also knew that one day Nan Xu would fall in love, get married, and leave home.
She thought back to Xie Hengzhi’s words…
He was right, this really wasn’t bad at all. She wouldn’t have to worry about anyone treating Nan Xu badly.
Still…
Zhang Huiwan had always seen Nan Xu as her own child. The thought left her both proud and wistful, like her own flower had been picked, yet also as if her own son had brought one home.
Wen Qiu released Nan Xu and gently patted her back. “I’m really proud of you for having the courage to follow your heart.”
Nan Xu’s personality was remarkably good since she was a child; she was willing to share everything with others.
But Nan Xu was never the type to fight for things. Whether in dealing with people or understanding situations, she had always been a little naive, a little slow to catch on. And when faced with the unknown, she often chose to retreat.
Wen Qiu had worried about her daughter’s future for years. Sometimes, she thought that by the time Nan Xu realized she liked someone, that person might already be long gone.
She worried Nan Xu would get hurt in love, or worse, be deceived by someone undeserving.
Thankfully, her daughter had grown up safe and healthy, and even more thankfully, Xie Hejing was by her side.
Wen Qiu could almost imagine how much effort Xie Hejing must have put in, how much patience and care it took for Nan Xu to finally understand what love was and to take that brave step forward.
“Mom’s really proud of how much you’ve grown,” Wen Qiu said warmly, gently rubbing Nan Xu’s cheek. Then she turned to Xie Hejing.
“Auntie has to thank you too… for protecting her, for taking care of her, for helping her grow.”
Xie Hejing froze. He could easily face Nan Xiaocheng’s scrutiny with calm composure, but confronted with Wen Qiu’s sudden gratitude, he didn’t quite know what to do.
“I… Auntie, you’re giving me too much credit. There are still a lot of things I haven’t done well,” he said.
Before he could say more, Zhang Huiwan marched right up to him and declared, “Then fix all the things you didn’t do well.”
Clearly, she had already accepted the situation and was even a little excited about it.
She clapped Wen Qiu on the shoulder. “Who would’ve thought, after all these years, we’d actually end up as in-laws? We should’ve just gone through with that childhood engagement back then!”
Dinner that night was harmonious, if you ignored Nan Xiaocheng’s occasional side glances.
Nan Xu gave a helpless little smile and quietly texted Xie Hejing:
[My dad keeps staring at us.]
[He should. Guess I’ll just have to work harder to ease his doubts.]
Nan Xiaocheng couldn’t bring himself to relax. His daughter had barely been home a few days, and she already had a boyfriend. He wanted to say no flatly, instinctively.
Wen Qiu calmly placed some food on his plate. “Jiaojiao’s just stepping into a new chapter of her life. We should be happy for her.”
“Whether her choice is right or wrong doesn’t matter. As long as she’s willing, we should support her.”
“Besides, she still has us behind her.”
Her words eased Nan Xiaocheng’s heart. He stopped watching the two of them so closely and even found himself joking with Wen Qiu again.
“You don’t think Jiaojiao will forget about us once she has Hejing, do you?”
“She won’t. Neither of them are that kind of person,” Wen Qiu said confidently.
Nan Xu would never forget them, and as for Xie Hejing, he certainly wouldn’t. If he were, those monthly packages and messages of concern would never have happened.
After dinner, everyone tactfully left the two of them alone.
Xie Hejing held Nan Xu’s hand as they strolled slowly toward home.
“How do you feel about today?” she asked. “Were you nervous?”
Hejing replied, “Not nervous. Just… a little regretful.”
Nan Xu immediately turned to him, a bit anxious. “Regretful? What do you regret?”
“Regret not being with you sooner.”
He chuckled, recalling what Zhang Huiwan had said earlier. “Apparently, our families almost arranged a childhood engagement. Too bad they didn’t go through with it, I could’ve been with you years ago.”
Nan Xu turned her head with mock indignation. “You wish.”
“Even if we had that engagement, it wouldn’t matter if I didn’t like you.”
“True,” he admitted with a grin.
Then Xie Hejing pulled her back into his arms, resting his chin lightly on her head, savoring the quiet, perfect moment.
“Still had to chase you anyway.”
Nestled against his chest, surrounded by his warmth, Nan Xu breathed in the comfort of it and asked softly, “Was it hard? Did you ever think about giving up, Brother Hejing?”
She could feel how much he had invested in her, how much effort it had taken for him to get here.
He teasingly pinched her delicate earlobe, smiling.
“Once I knew it was you,” he said, “there was no giving up.”
“No matter how hard it was, I’d still chase you.”