Lu Xi furrowed her brows and slowly lifted her gaze to look at Xie Yizhao.
…?
Since when did he become so good with words? Was he… complimenting her for looking beautiful every day?
Now it was her turn to wonder if she should check his forehead to see if he had a fever.
However, the man looked perfectly normal—calm and composed. He spoke such sweet words without blushing or skipping a beat, even carrying a certain righteous air.
“…”
She didn’t even know what to say.
The words were pleasant to hear, but she wasn’t quite used to Xie Yizhao’s sudden romantic side. Still, thanks to his face, even overly sweet words like that didn’t come off as greasy.
Lu Xi liked hearing them.
Was she beautiful? Of course.
Was she beautiful every day? Obviously.
So, he was just stating a fact.
Lu Xi narrowed her almond-shaped eyes and smiled before walking into the dressing room to grab clothes for a shower.
Tonight, she was wearing the choker that Xie Yizhao had gifted her the other day. The clasp was at the back of her neck, and she reached behind to undo it herself. After several failed attempts, she sighed.
…Maybe she had too much milk tea—too much sugar, making her fingers shaky.
“Xie Yizhao?”
She called him over without hesitation.
What were husbands for? Moments like these, of course.
Xie Yizhao assumed she was changing inside, so he hesitated when he reached the door. Lu Xi called out again, her voice carrying a hint of complaint, “Hurry up.”
So, he walked in.
Lu Xi was holding the chain with one hand, her almond eyes slightly wide as she looked at him for help. “I can’t get it off. Help me.”
“Mm.”
Xie Yizhao stepped behind her, his gaze landing on the smooth, porcelain-white skin of her nape. The delicate golden chain looked fragile, as if it would snap with a single tug.
In the mirror, Lu Xi was still in her dress from the evening. The large, richly colored emerald at her collarbone made her skin look even fairer, almost dazzlingly so.
Xie Yizhao shifted his gaze away. He looked at the clasp and began to undo it.
The mechanism was actually quite simple—just a slight push and it would open. Yet, at this moment, his fingers seemed clumsy, unusually slow, fumbling for nearly a full minute before he finally unfastened it.
Lu Xi : …
The process was oddly frustrating. She regretted asking him for help.
He inevitably touched her while working on it. His fingertips were slightly rough, while the skin at the back of her neck was sensitive. Several times, she had the urge to flinch.
She didn’t get it.
He was such a smart man, and his fingers were so long—so why was he so slow?
Maybe it was the atmosphere. In the mirror, she saw him standing behind her—a tall, handsome figure, like a guardian statue.
And suddenly, she recalled what that young girl had said earlier.
A lot of people liked Xie Yizhao?
A strange thought popped into her mind—food always tasted better when others wanted a bite.
Now she could understand that girl’s perspective.
Men at his age, compared to the impulsive, inexperienced twenty-something guys, had experience, financial stability, and the depth that came with maturity. And most importantly, his looks and physique still outclassed the majority of men out there.
From Lu Xi’s personal experience, he had definitely improved in emotional intelligence compared to when he was twenty.
At least now he knew how to use his words.
“Actually,” Xie Yizhao spoke at that moment, “if you can’t undo it next time, you can slide the clasp to the front and use a mirror to unfasten it.”
Lu Xi : “…”
She blinked.
That… actually made sense?
She hadn’t thought of that.
But—what was she saying about his emotional intelligence improving? That was clearly an illusion. He was still just as good at ruining the mood.
Lu Xi felt a little annoyed but also amused.
This was the Xie Yizhao she knew.
Who knows if those young girls would still like him after seeing him like this?
Early the next morning, the servants of the Xie family were already up doing their chores. The kitchen had breakfast ready for Young Master, and the butler arrived at Xie Heng’s room at exactly seven o’clock to wake him up.
At this age, if a boy is determined to stay in bed, even ten alarm clocks blasting in his ears wouldn’t wake him up.
“Not getting up, not getting up.” Xie Heng turned over, pulling the blanket over his head, his long legs stretched all the way to the edge of the bed.
The butler spoke earnestly, “Young Master, just yesterday I praised you to Madam, saying that you would wake up on time for school.”
Xie Heng : “…”
So annoying.
The persona had already been established.
If he couldn’t get up now, wouldn’t he just be giving Ms. Lu something to laugh at?
“Fine, fine, I’m up, okay?!” Xie Heng got out of bed, his hair a complete mess from sleep, his face looking both drowsy and resentful.
He moved quickly, brushing his teeth and washing his face in five minutes. He didn’t apply anything on his face, casually fixed his hair, and headed downstairs.
Breakfast was already served, and he started eating immediately.
At that moment, Xie Yizhao came out of his room. He usually didn’t like using the villa’s elevator and preferred taking the stairs down, which happened to pass through the dining area.
Father and son ran into each other—one dressed in sportswear, ready to go for a run, the other devouring an egg pancake.
Xie Heng was startled and quickly swallowed his food.
He usually got up late, and by the time he came down, Xie Yizhao was already gone, so they rarely ran into each other. Today was just bad luck.
But fortunately, his dad was going for a run, meaning his Dad would leave soon, so he should just eat quickly on his own.
“Good morning.” Xie Yizhao glanced at Xie Heng wolfing down his food like he hadn’t eaten in three days.
Then, all of a sudden, Xie Yizhao changed his mind and walked over to sit at the dining table.
He asked the butler, “Is there more breakfast?”
“We’ve only made pancakes, eggs, and milk for now, but we can prepare something else for you.”
Xie Yizhao : “No need. Just give me the same as Xiao Heng.”
Xie Heng froze for a moment and blurted out, “You’re not going for a run?”
“Not today,” Xie Yizhao said calmly.
Xie Heng couldn’t say much after that. He couldn’t exactly kick his Dad out, could he? But thankfully, Xie Yizhao was a man of few words and ate quietly. At first, Xie Heng felt a little awkward, but after a while, he got used to it and even sneaked glances at his Dad from time to time.
How could Xie Yizhao not notice? He lifted his gaze slightly. “If you have something to say, just say it.”
Busted.
Since he’d been caught, Xie Heng simply put down his chopsticks, leaned back in his chair, and said openly, “By the way, Zhou Wenyuan has already withdrawn from school. You really acted fast.”
Yesterday, at the school entrance, the bulletin board that displayed outstanding students used to have Zhou Wenyuan’s photo, but it had been removed. People on the forum were even speculating that he had dropped out because he was too embarrassed after embarrassing himself at the school event.
During lunch break, Xie Heng had seen Zhou Wenyuan sneaking around in an alley. When he saw Xie Heng, he didn’t dare to come and say anything like before.
Xie Yizhao said flatly, “He committed fraud. He doesn’t deserve to stay at Mingli.”
Xie Heng let out a mocking laugh. “He doesn’t deserve it, but I do? If I weren’t your son, I’d have been expelled long ago.”
Did his Dad really think he didn’t know why he donated those buildings to the school?
His classmates envied him for having a rich Dad, someone who could clean up any mess he made with money. But every time he saw those two buildings at school, it left a bad taste in his mouth.
His father was too exceptional—so high above him that he was out of reach. Xie Heng knew he would probably never achieve the same level of success in his lifetime.
At school, no matter how much trouble he caused, even if he skipped an entire class, no teacher could expel him.
Simply because he was Xie Yizhao’s son.
So no matter how much of a delinquent he was, Xie Yizhao would always protect him. Because they were father and son. Otherwise, Xie Yizhao would have discarded him like trash.
No one understood this better than Xie Heng himself that he was not the son Xie Yizhao wanted.
“Good that you know,” Xie Yizhao said indifferently, glancing upstairs. “Keep your voice down.”
Xie Heng clenched his fingers. He tried to hold back but couldn’t suppress his anger.
Ignored again.
He abruptly stood up, the chair scraping against the floor with a sharp creak. His brows were filled with barely restrained defiance. “Since you look down on me so much, why not just kick me out? I’ll never be as good as an outsider in your eyes anyway!”
The butler was in distress.
How did this happen? Things were fine just moments ago, and now Master and Young Master were at it again. Truly, this father-son relationship wasn’t one without conflict. Young Master had been obedient earlier, but the moment he saw his father, he exploded.
Suddenly, there was movement from the third floor.
Lu Xi’s bedroom door was yanked open. The woman stepped out, her long hair tousled, eyes still drowsy with sleep. Her tone was unpleasant: “You two, there’s someone trying to sleep in this house. If you want to argue, take it outside.”
Xie Yizhao silently glanced at his son.
Xie Heng : “……”
It was odd. Lu Xi didn’t shout or curse—her voice was soft. But under her cold gaze, his temper deflated by half.
Damn. He’d forgotten she was sleeping in.
Xie Heng felt a little defeated, but he had just thrown harsh words at Xie Yizhao—he couldn’t lose his momentum now. So he let out a cold huff, slung his bag over his shoulder with a dramatic flourish, and prepared to leave.
In his mind, he thought : Time to slip away.
Let his Dad handle Ms. Lu’s wrath alone!
“Stop right there. Neither of you are going anywhere—I have something to say.” Lu Xi’s face was cold as she turned and strolled back into her room.
Did he think he could wake her up and just walk away?
She took her time—washed up at her usual unhurried pace, did her skincare routine, and even put on a bit of makeup.
Let’s see if either of them dared to leave before she came downstairs.
Being married for years, Xie Yizhao knew a thing or two about his wife’s morning temper.
He frowned slightly and glanced at the tightly shut door on the third floor. Since there was no immediate sound, he remained composed, standing up casually. “Tell Old Li to get the car ready. I’m going to the office.”
As for his sportswear? He could change at the company.
Xie Heng’s eyes widened as he delivered a soul-piercing question: “Dad! Where do you think you’re going? She said we have to wait together!”
Trying to escape? No chance!
Xie Yizhao : “……”
This brat.
Was he born just to go against him?
Downstairs, while the father and son were locked in their silent battle, Lu Xi had already finished getting ready. She casually called a maid over and asked what the argument was about.
After listening, she was speechless.
Seriously? This was what they woke her up for?
The silly goose not understanding things was one thing, but for Old Xie, as a father, his parenting skills were practically in the negatives.
Lu Xi felt it was necessary to make him play a child-rearing simulation game. Maybe he’d actually learn something.
Woken up without a good night’s sleep, Lu Xi looked weary as she came downstairs. Her expression was cold, and even without saying a word, she exuded a low-pressure aura.
Of course, Xie Heng wasn’t the type to obediently accept a scolding. He stiffened his neck and said rebelliously, “If you have something to say, say it quickly. I’m about to be late for school.”
Lu Xi glanced at him. “Since when did you, a failing student, become so diligent?”
“……”
Xie Heng’s breath hitched.
He was a little pissed.
But unable to refute.
Lu Xi walked toward him, her face devoid of expression.
She’s probably going to pinch his face… Xie Heng clenched his fingers slightly.
Lu Xi reached out her hand.
His breath tensed.
However, her hand merely landed on his head, lightly ruffling his hair. In a soft voice, she said, “You specially dyed it Provence Blue, but you don’t even take care of it properly.”
Caught off guard, Xie Heng’s heart skipped a beat.
Hmph.
She called him a failing student and ruffled his head like a dog, but she didn’t scold him or pinch his face.
And her touch was gentle. It actually felt… nice.
Lu Xi withdrew her hand, her voice cool. “Next time you argue with your Dad, keep it down. Don’t disturb my sleep.”
“…Yeah.”
That’s it? She’s letting him off?
Xie Heng raised an eyebrow and shot his Dad a smug look.
You’re next.
Xie Yizhao ignored his son’s childish provocation, pursed his lips slightly, and as Lu Xi approached, he spoke first. “Sorry for waking you…”
Lu Xi cut him off, raising her clean face, her gaze slightly languid. “You too. Xiao Heng just wants you to praise him once. Is that so hard?”
Didn’t he do a great job praising her yesterday?
Xie Heng instantly panicked. “Who wants his praise! I don’t!”
Seriously, how could she spread such lies?
Xie Yizhao’s gaze darkened slightly as he looked at his son in surprise.
He wanted praise… So all the troublemaking, the aimlessness, the constant provocations toward him as a father—was it all for this?
It sounded ridiculous.
Xie Yizhao had never considered this possibility before. But now that Lu Xi pointed it out, he started to understand.
When he was Xie Heng’s age, he had never gone through a rebellious phase. His father had also been busy, and they had little interaction, but he himself was naturally calm and self-disciplined, with a clear plan for his future. He had always stayed on the right path and never deliberately challenged his father’s authority.
But back then, many boys his age were just like Xie Heng—lost, discouraged, and acting out in defiance, just to feel noticed by their parents.
Perhaps Xie Heng was the same.
He looked at Lu Xi, then at Xie Heng. His gaze softened slightly as he said, “I’ve never thought any other child was better than you. If I made you feel that way, then I apologize.”
That was his fault.
As a father, he had made Xie Heng feel neglected, to the point where he had to use such misguided ways to get attention… Perhaps Lu Xi was angry at him too—for not taking good care of their son.
Maybe that’s why, after she returned, she kept him at a distance, even drawing clear boundaries in the bedroom.
Xie Heng stared at his Dad in shock.
Weird.
This high-and-mighty Dad was actually lowering himself to apologize?
Xie Heng suddenly felt a complicated mix of emotions.
At the same time, he couldn’t help but admire Lu Xi—was his Dad really that much of a wife slave? He actually listened so obediently?
Lu Xi walked straight over and sat down in Xie Yizhao’s seat without hesitation. Casually, she picked up his glass of milk and took a sip before asking Xie Heng in a calm voice, “So? Happy now?”
Xie Heng curled his lips slightly and gave a light cough. “You haven’t praised me yet.”
Xie Yizhao shot him a glance.
This unfilial son was getting ahead of himself.
Praise him for what? For his top-tier fighting skills? Or for his excellent wall-climbing and class-skipping techniques?
Lu Xi chuckled, resting her chin on her hand as she blinked at Xie Yizhao, eyes full of expectation. “Hubby, hurry up and praise him, I want to hear it too.”
Xie Yizhao pressed his lips together.
He’s not happy.
Lu Xi only ever called him ‘Hubby’ when she was teasing him.
Like yesterday.
He sighed inwardly and looked Xie Heng up and down again. Finally, his gaze settled on that dazzling blue hair of his.
He resisted the urge to frown.
Even birds trying to build a nest on that thing might get blinded.
Earlier, Lu Xi had complimented his hair. Though Xie Yizhao couldn’t quite appreciate it, following that line of thinking seemed safe.
Forcing himself, he said, “Your hair is… quite interesting. This color is definitely unforgettable.”
Xie Heng frowned as he listened, sensing that something was off.
Was his Dad praising him? Or was this some kind of high-level sarcasm?