Extra 5 : The Cub Turns into a Little Bear (5)
Lu Xi didn’t think much of it and signaled to Xie Yizhao with her eyes: “Is this yours?”
Xie Yizhao lowered his gaze, pressed his lips together lightly, and said in a calm tone, “This weekend is my mother’s birthday banquet. I invited a few classmates over, and I’d like to invite you as well.”
Lu Xi was momentarily stunned.
Invite her? Did she and Xie Yizhao even count as classmates?
It didn’t seem like they were that close.
Xie Yizhao asked, “Are you free?”
Lu Xi didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she curiously flipped open the invitation and glanced at it. The banquet was on Saturday evening, held at Xie Yizhao’s home.
Wangyue Mountain Residence… She had heard her Sunt mention this wealthy neighborhood before. She had always dreamed of buying a house there one day. In fact, her Uncle’s family had enough money, but buying a place there would be a bit of a stretch.
Her Uncle and Aunt had attended a banquet at the Xie family’s residence before. Last year, the Corporation hosted a charity gala, and they had taken her two younger cousins along.
Her Aunt had told her that these kinds of events were dull and that she’d probably find it boring if she went.
Lu Xi didn’t really care. She hadn’t wanted to go anyway, she would have preferred to go shopping with her friends.
But this time, Xie Yizhao had personally invited her, which was unexpected.
Madam Xie’s birthday banquet…
The invitation was exquisitely crafted, clearly custom-designed, and even carried a subtle, elegant fragrance. Suddenly, Lu Xi felt a little interested. She blinked at Xie Yizhao and asked, “Will it be fun?”
Fun? Xie Yizhao had never heard of someone attending a banquet just for entertainment.
He frowned slightly and answered honestly, “Probably not. Even I think it’ll be boring.”
Lu Xi let out a disappointed “Oh” and decisively shook her head. “Then I won’t go.”
Xie Yizhao wasn’t surprised. The moment he said it wouldn’t be fun, he had already guessed that Lu Xi would refuse.
After a brief pause, he said softly, “But there will be good food.”
Lu Xi lifted her head to look at him.
Seeing the sudden brightness in her eyes, with flecks of light sparkling in her amber pupils, Xie Yizhao couldn’t help but smile slightly. “We’ve invited some well-known chefs and pastry artists this time. The food should be pretty good.”
He often saw Lu Xi around campus, always holding a cup of bubble tea. She probably had a sweet tooth.
Lu Xi did enjoy sweets.
Hearing this, she suddenly thought, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to go after all?
She didn’t hesitate and promptly accepted the invitation, carefully placing it in her backpack.
Just as she was about to ask for a pen, she suddenly thought of something and smiled at him. “Since I’ll be a guest at your house, can you make an exception for me today?”
She looked at him with hopeful yet nervous anticipation.
Xie Yizhao asked, “Make an exception for what?”
Lu Xi hesitated, then said, “I was late just now… Can you not report my name?”
Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow. “Were you late? I thought I was the one who delayed you, which is why you were standing here.”
With that, he handed the umbrella back to Lu Xi, took the notebook from her hands, and said in a low voice, “Hurry inside.”
Lu Xi snapped out of her daze, glanced at him, and softly said, “Thanks.”
She quickly walked through the academic building and entered her classroom.
She was lucky today, she hadn’t run into the homeroom teacher and had dodged a bullet.
But as for Xie Yizhao… Was he really not going to report her name?
She had only tried asking on a whim and wasn’t confident that Xie Yizhao would cover for her.
After all, he always seemed indifferent and aloof, giving off the impression of someone who kept to himself and wasn’t particularly warmhearted. Plus, they didn’t share any special bond.
But by the afternoon, everything remained calm.
The class monitor hadn’t approached her, nor had the homeroom teacher. It seemed like she had indeed escaped writing a self-reflection.
Lu Xi breathed a sigh of relief. But at the same time, she grew even more puzzled.
She couldn’t quite figure Xie Yizhao out.
Soon, she heard that Xie Yizhao hadn’t just invited her. He had also sent invitations to a few other students. Some from the school’s sports teams, some from his own class, both boys and girls.
As the school’s most talked-about figure, Xie Yizhao was always the center of attention. Anything related to him spread quickly.
This was the first time he had ever invited classmates to his home, and for his mother’s birthday banquet, no less.
Hearing this, Lu Xi felt relieved.
So she wasn’t the only one invited. That was good.
She had no intention of getting romantically involved with Xie Yizhao. If rumors of an early relationship spread, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but she already received enough attention at school. She didn’t want even more eyes on her.
Her Uncle had also advised her against dating too early.
She definitely didn’t want a talk from the homeroom teacher—or worse, from her Uncle.
Since many people were going, her presence wouldn’t stand out too much.
Now, all she needed to do before Saturday was prepare a gift for Mrs. Xie.
The problem was, aside from her Aunt, she had no experience giving gifts to older women. She couldn’t think of what to give.
Luckily, a few close friends in her class were able to give her some ideas.
Lu Xi hadn’t intentionally kept her invitation to the Xie family banquet a secret. Something like this couldn’t be hidden anyway. Rather than letting others gossip about it afterward, she decided to be open about it. She even took out the invitation to show her friends. This way, there would be less idle chatter.
Friend A : “Jewelry, like a necklace or bracelet. Mrs. Xie will definitely like it.”
Lu Xi thought : Any jewelry that could catch Mrs. Xie’s eye must be insanely expensive. She’d heard that Mrs. Xie usually bought her jewelry at private exhibitions or auctions, spending money like it was nothing.
A broke middle schooler like her couldn’t afford that.
Friend B : “The best way to choose a gift is to cater to her interests. Why don’t you ask Xie Yizhao what his mom likes?”
Lu Xi : That’s a good idea! Jotted it down in her notebook. If nothing else works, she’ll just have to ask him.
Meanwhile, the little bear in her pocket had been buzzing with excitement all day.
He had overheard everything this morning. His Dad had invited his Mom on a date! Amazing! Since his Dad was making the first move, their story was finally unfolding! That meant he wouldn’t disappear!
This thought made him so excited he couldn’t sleep all day. He kept squirming around in Lu Xi’s pocket.
Lu Xi could feel his excitement.
It was strange. Maybe it was the effect of the app binding them, but she felt like she was becoming more in sync with the little bear and could sense his emotions.
Like right now.
If he weren’t stuck in her pocket with limited space to move, she was sure he’d be bouncing up and down with joy.
Several times during class, he had wriggled around so much that she got annoyed and had to reach into her pocket to poke his little head as a warning.
Finally, when she got home from school that evening, she let him out.
The little bear had been holding back all day. The moment he landed on her soft bed, he was so happy that he clumsily rolled over.
Lu Xi had experience by now. She quickly dressed him in tiny clothes, then kissed his bear face to turn him into his human form, so he wouldn’t be running around naked.
Little Xie Heng transformed back and looked a bit embarrassed.
He was now wearing one of Lu Xi’s old pajamas—pink and lacy, making him look like a little girl… Fortunately, only his Mom would see him like this.
Otherwise, the kids at kindergarten would definitely laugh at him.
Lu Xi ruffled his hair and asked, “Do you really like Xie Yizhao that much?”
Xie Heng nodded seriously, “Of course, I like Daddy!”
“So he’s your Dad, I’m your Mom, and you’re our baby?” Lu Xi had already gotten used to his nonsense and could even answer ahead of him.
Xie Heng nodded happily.
Lu Xi stroked her chin and frowned, “I get it now. Do I look like your Mom, and does he look like your Dad?”
Xie Heng shook his head. He opened his mouth, wanting to tell her that he was actually their future child.
But an invisible force prevented him from saying it.
The little one suddenly felt downcast, lowering his head in disappointment.
Seeing him like that, Lu Xi’s smile faded.
Did she accidentally bring up something sad for him?
Right… A child this young, not living with his parents but instead bound to some strange app—could it be that something happened to his parents? Were they… gone?
Thinking of her own past, her heart sank.
She instinctively reached out to pat his head, then leaned down and gently hugged him.
What a poor little thing.
When her parents had their accident, at least she had relatives to take her in. Living with her Uncle’s family all these years, she never had to worry about food or shelter.
But this little one was so young, yet he had to be bound to a stranger. And if he failed his mission… who knew what kind of punishment he might face?
Sensing Lu Xi’s sadness, Xie Heng didn’t know how to comfort girls. He just clumsily hugged her tighter.
Mommy was so warm and smelled so nice.
The little one decided—being held by Mom was the best. Dad’s arms might be bigger, but his chin was always scratchy. Not like Mom, whose face was soft, and who held him so gently.
Unable to resist, he snuggled deeper into Lu Xi’s arms, rubbing against her affectionately.
Lu Xi took the chance to hug him close and inhale his sweet baby scent. He smelled like milk and was incredibly soft and cute.
Only after she had her fill did she reluctantly let him go. “In a few days, I’ll be going to your Dad’s house for dinner. I’ll bring you along, okay? Excited?”
Xie Heng lifted his head, his eyes sparkling. “Then… can Dad hold Xiao Heng?”
Lu Xi paused. “Your name is Xiao Heng? Which ‘Heng’?”
The little one tilted his head and answered crisply, “The ‘Xie’ from ‘Xiexie’, and ‘Wang Xing Heng’1.”
“Oh, I see! So that’s your name.” Lu Xi happened to recognize the character and couldn’t help but show off a little. “My teacher said this character refers to a type of jade. Jade is rare and precious. Your parents sure picked a great name for you.”
Xie Heng proudly raised his chin.
Of course! Lots of people had complimented his name before.
He had heard that his Dad was the one who named him…
Suddenly, Xie Heng felt a pang of longing for his Dad.
Lu Xi still remembered the cub’s question from earlier. She thought for a moment and said, “No problem, I’ll find an opportunity to let Xie Yizhao hold you, but you can’t give yourself away.”
“Okay! I… I won’t move around or talk!” Xie Heng made a motion of tightly covering his mouth.
With the little bear cub settled, Lu Xi finished her homework and started browsing an online shopping site for a gift.
Xie Heng hadn’t turned back into a cub yet. He sat on Lu Xi’s lap, watching with her.
“Is this for Grandma? She likes silk scarves. Let’s get her a silk scarf.”
Lu Xi was still wondering who ‘Grandma’ was, but when she saw the cub’s serious little expression, she suddenly understood.
Since Xie Yizhao was his ‘Dad,’ wouldn’t that make Xie Yizhao’s mother his ‘Grandma’?
She was speechless.
Wasn’t this little guy getting way too comfortable with the role?
That said, a silk scarf was a good idea. It was an accessory, not too expensive, and within her budget. She could pick out a nice one for Mrs. Xie.
Lu Xi bought it online right away, and it would arrive within three days.
She ordered two scarves, same brand, different styles.
Two days later, when the package arrived, she gave one to her Aunt.
“For me?” Her Aunt was surprised. Her Aunt’s birthday had already passed last month.
Lu Xi nodded. “I’m attending Mrs. Xie’s birthday banquet this weekend. I bought a gift for her and got one for you as well.”
Cen Yun was stunned for a moment before hesitantly asking, “You mean Xie Mingheng’s wife?”
“Yes, Xie Yizhao is my classmate. He invited me,” Lu Xi replied naturally.
Cen Yun looked a little awkward and let out a sheepish laugh. “What a coincidence. Your Uncle and I are going too. We were just about to ask you. Let’s go together then.”
But Lu Xi shook her head. “I’ve already made plans with my schoolmate. We’re going together.”
Although she lived here, her relationship with her Uncle and Aunt wasn’t particularly close. They usually didn’t take her to these kinds of events, and she understood. It wasn’t like they were a real family.
Still, as someone living under another’s roof, she couldn’t always do as she pleased.
Sometimes, she had to play along with social niceties.
But there were times when Lu Xi couldn’t help but imagine the future.
One day, when she was an adult, maybe she would have a home of her own. Maybe then, she would feel freer and happier.
She didn’t know when that day would come or if it would be as wonderful as she imagined.
On Saturday night, Lu Xi went with a female schoolmate.
The girl had also received an invitation from Xie Yizhao. She was his class monitor, well-liked at school, and someone Lu Xi often hung out with.
On the way there, Lu Xi learned that all of Xie Yizhao’s invited guests were the classmates sitting around him in class.
“That morning after our early study session, Classmate Xie gave invitations to his seatmate and the students sitting in front, behind, and beside him. I just happened to sit in front of him,” the girl said, looking both delighted and confused.
Clearly, she hadn’t expected to be invited, since she and Xie Yizhao weren’t close at all.
Lu Xi : …Wasn’t this way of handing out invitations a little too random?
If the Xie family weren’t so wealthy and didn’t lack gifts, she might have suspected Xie Yizhao of inviting them just to pool together presents.
It seemed that the invitation she received that morning was just a matter of chance.
She didn’t dwell on it, though. She was more excited about the desserts tonight.
This time, the little bear was hanging from her phone.
She had specially bought a phone case with a strap attachment. Following the seller’s tutorial, she modified it slightly so she could hang the cub on it.
That way, he could easily watch his ‘Dad.’
Lu Xi was now completely unfazed by the cub’s childish chatter. She was used to it. All she was thinking about was finding the right moment later to let Xie Yizhao hold this clingy little bear.
But when she arrived at the Xie residence, she was stunned.
Tonight… why were there so many people?
The Xie family had indeed invited many guests. Some were business associates, and Mrs. Xie, being well-connected and influential in high-society circles, had also invited many ladies from her social group. She had even founded a charitable foundation, so there were plenty of female guests tonight.
In comparison, the classmates Xie Yizhao had invited were just a small group.
But since they were personally invited by him, they were still considered important guests. The butler made sure to take good care of them, seating them together at a table near the buffet area.
When Lu Xi saw Xie Yizhao, she deliberately raised her phone, letting the little bear see him.
Xie Yizhao was busy tonight.
Although this was technically his mother’s birthday banquet, it was more than just a celebration—it was also a social event.
He was used to it. Following his parents around, he was both learning and making connections.
But tonight was different.
Xie Mingheng was introducing him to an elder when the butler suddenly came over and informed him that his classmates had arrived.
Hearing this, Xie Yizhao looked over to the table he had prepared for them in advance.
And his gaze landed right on Lu Xi’s bright eyes.
She smiled at him and waved, looking sweet and confident.
Xie Yizhao unconsciously smiled at her.
Xie Mingheng noticed this, looked over, and happened to catch the scene. He paused slightly, glanced at his son, and couldn’t help but curl his lips into a faint smile.
“Are your classmates here? Then go keep them company,” Xie Mingheng said.
It was time to let the kid relax a little.
Xie Yizhao hesitated for a moment before nodding.
As he walked over and sat down, his classmates greeted him enthusiastically, though with a hint of restraint.
Among them, only a few boys from the school team were somewhat familiar with Xie Yizhao; the rest weren’t particularly close to him.
Noticing their unease, Xie Yizhao took the initiative to chat with them. When his parents walked by, he even introduced his classmates and led them to the buffet area to get food.
His attitude was courteous but not overly warm, striking a perfect balance. Before long, his classmates relaxed.
Lu Xi had never seen this side of him before.
Most boys their age were impulsive and restless, but he was rare—calm and composed. If he wanted to, he could make people feel at ease, like a gentle spring breeze.
Tonight, Lu Xi discovered another of his strengths.
He didn’t lie.
“Your family’s desserts are really delicious. I love this coconut-flavored ice cream.”
That was the first thing Lu Xi actively said to Xie Yizhao that night.
Xie Yizhao wasn’t particularly interested in desserts, but hearing her say that, he suddenly wanted to try it. So he got up and brought back two servings.
Placing one in front of Lu Xi, he said naturally, “The portions are small. If you like it, you can get more.”
Lu Xi was briefly stunned and suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
She had only admired how considerate Xie Yizhao was toward others, but now that this thoughtfulness was directed at her, she couldn’t help but feel a bit different.
Her face seemed to warm slightly.
Unconsciously, she picked up her phone. Just then, she felt a soft little paw scratching her palm.
Xie Heng, looking exasperated : “Mommy, you’re blocking my view of Daddy!”
Lu Xi : …
She suddenly realized—this little cub called her ‘Mommy’ and called Xie Yichao ‘Daddy,’ and now, with Xie Yizhao sitting right beside her, she inexplicably felt a bit embarrassed.
Fortunately, Xie Yizhao was completely unaware, so she managed to keep a straight face and continued eating her ice cream.
Casually flipping her phone face-down on the table, she pointed at the fluffy little bear on her keychain and showed it to Xie Yizhao. “Remember this little bear? You picked it up for me that day.”
Xie Yizhao nodded lightly.
Looking at the bear, he felt like it seemed… a little smaller than before. Was it just his imagination?
He never liked plush toys, but for some reason, this tiny thing looked unexpectedly amusing.
“It’s actually kind of cute,” Xie Yizhao said, giving the bear’s face a little squeeze. Then, in all seriousness, he added, “Ugly-cute, actually.”
Little Bear felt like it had been struck by lightning.
Ugly?
No one had ever called it ugly before…
Lu Xi nearly burst out laughing.
Case closed! Even if Xie Yizhao was the cub’s Dad, he was definitely a stepdad!
- In the raw, he said, “谢谢的谢,王行珩。” The first part 谢谢的谢 (xièxiè de xiè) means “Xie of xiexie(谢谢/thank you)”. Then, the second part is 王行珩 (wángxíng héng). In itself, the word 王行珩 (wángxíng héng) didn’t have any meaning and didn’t refer to anything. I think he’s talking about how the character is wirtten. Combining 王 and 行 into one character becomes 珩(héng). See the footnote on Chapter 1 for more details on what the name meant. ↩︎