Less than an hour later, Xie Heng came back with the fried chicken, still warm.
Lu Xi : “……”
She felt a bit conflicted.
That night before, she had eaten fried chicken because she had just arrived in this world and wanted to indulge herself for once, to enjoy life and not stay so tightly wound.
Once was enough.
Eating such greasy, high-calorie food late at night, if it weren’t her own son who bought it, she definitely wouldn’t eat it.
This time, Xie Heng had bought a two-person portion again, along with four Orleans-style grilled chicken wings, planning to split them evenly with Lu Xi.
“Don’t move.” Lu Xi took the two wings he had given her, then split them in half again and returned some to him. She winked at him. “This is enough for me.”
Xie Heng watched her action and quietly asked, “Are you still mad at me?”
Lu Xi : “No.”
Did he think she was some kind of punching bag that could stay angry forever1?
She had taken a nap in the afternoon, and by the time she woke up, her anger had dissipated. That was just how she was, her temper flared up quickly but faded just as fast. Thinking about Xie Heng’s age and the fact that he was her own son, what was there to keep holding onto?
But Xie Heng didn’t believe her.
He wasn’t just worried about her being mad anymore.
Earlier, in Ye Sisheng’s office, they had been discussing the court case, but before they could finish, he had dragged her away… Would Ye Sisheng be upset? Would he refuse to testify for her now?
He had acted on impulse and hadn’t thought things through at the time. Now he was starting to regret it.
If he had messed up something important for her, how was he supposed to fix it?
Xie Heng chewed on the fried chicken, but it tasted bland, nowhere near as delicious as usual.
“About today… I’m sorry.” His voice was small and uncertain, his head lowered as if he didn’t have the courage to look at Lu Xi.
Lu Xi was a little surprised.
Leaving aside whether he truly understood what he had done wrong this time, at least his tone was much more sincere than before, none of that cocky, annoying arrogance.
“Mm, as long as you know you were wrong. Just don’t do it again.” Lu Xi didn’t want to press him further.
Family matters, as family members, some things should be handled with moderation. If everything had to be settled with absolute fairness, like in a courtroom, it wouldn’t last long.
After all, a home wasn’t a place for constant debates and lawsuits.
After a while, Xie Heng couldn’t hold back anymore and asked, “Was Ye Sisheng mad? Is he still willing to help? Should I go apologize to him?”
Lu Xi paused, then realized what he was asking. She looked at him with a smile, her gaze filled with both amusement and appreciation.
Her son was actually pretty good.
He might act impulsively and make mistakes, but he could also quickly reflect on them and was willing to make amends.
She reached out and ruffled Xie Heng’s hair. Though it looked spiky and rebellious with its bright blue streaks, it was actually soft to the touch, just like the boy himself. He seemed bold and overbearing, as if he was incredibly tough, but if you got close and understood him more, you’d find a delicate, gentle side underneath.
With a smile, she said, “No need, he already called me. He’ll testify.”
Only then did Xie Heng breathe a sigh of relief.
But…
He sneaked a glance at Lu Xi.
That guy called her again, huh? Other than business, did they talk about anything else?
Even though Xu Jiaming had explained things logically, Xie Heng still couldn’t help but mind.
Lu Xi, enjoying the fragrant fried chicken, had planned to control herself, but in the end, she couldn’t resist eating more than she intended. Xie Heng, that little rascal, really knew how to make up for his mistakes.
Noticing the odd expression on his face, she raised an eyebrow and smiled. “What are you thinking about now?”
Xie Heng put down his chicken, pressed his lips together, and asked, “What do you think of Ye Sisheng?”
“……”
This kid really dared to think and ask anything.
Lu Xi was glad she wasn’t drinking water, or she would have spit it all over him.
She found it ridiculous. “What do I think? What kind of feeling do you expect me to have for him? If I told you I see him as a kid, would you believe me?”
Xie Heng’s eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously. “Of course I’d believe you! But you, why didn’t you say so earlier?”
If he had known she didn’t like Ye Sisheng at all, he wouldn’t have made such a fuss. He hadn’t even had enough time to admire Ye Sisheng’s collection room!
Lu Xi raised an eyebrow. “Say it earlier? Did you ask? You just grabbed me and left.”
“……”
Yeah.
He hadn’t asked.
Xie Heng’s gaze flickered guiltily. He scratched his head and muttered, “I was too impulsive. Don’t be mad.”
Seeing his sincere apology, Lu Xi chuckled, then sighed. “I wasn’t just mad at your impulsiveness. I was mad that you didn’t trust me. I’m an adult. You think I can’t handle something like this? Do I really need you stepping in for your Dad?”
The boy shrank his neck and raised both hands to his head, giving her the most earnest puppy-eyed look. “Don’t scold me anymore, I really know I was wrong.”
“……”
Seeing him admit his mistake so sincerely, what else could she say?
The atmosphere at home became lighthearted again.
Lu Xi didn’t dare eat too much. After finishing her portion, she still felt tempted but knew when to stop.
Sometimes, she really envied Xie Yizhao and Xie Heng. That father and son seemed to have bodies that never gained weight, probably thanks to their habits.
Xie Yizhao was understandable, with his balanced diet and consistent exercise. But Xie Heng ate so much every day, like a walking rice bucket, yet thanks to his high activity levels, he remained tall and lean, without an ounce of extra fat. She was so jealous.
“Oh, right,” Xie Heng suddenly thought of something and stopped Lu Xi. “My Dad might ask me about what happened today.”
Lu Xi looked at him.
Xie Heng cleared his throat and cautiously asked, “Should I tell the truth?”
“If I told you not to, would you ask me for money?” Lu Xi stood up, watching him with an amused expression.
This little rascal, his thoughts were way too easy to read.
The young man took off his plastic gloves, wiped his hands with a tissue, and pretended to do so meticulously. Meanwhile, he casually said, “Well, if you’re offering, I won’t refuse.”
Lu Xi stifled a laugh and resisted the urge to pinch his cheek. “Just be honest. It’s fine. Your Dad is mature and magnanimous, he won’t get jealous.”
She had noticed that while Xie Heng might not be particularly sharp in other areas, when it came to money, he was incredibly keen, almost ridiculously so.
Behind her, Xie Heng pursed his lips.
She really was stingy.
Even though his attempt to make more money failed, Xie Heng wasn’t too upset. With the ‘salary’ Lu Xi still owed him, he had already earned over ten thousand yuan. There was a month left until Christmas, more than enough time to buy a decent gift.
As for his Dad, Xie Heng had thought it through. If he really asked, he’d tell the truth, but he’d conveniently leave out the part where he acted impulsively. He’d only mention Ye Sisheng’s actions.
Not to stir up trouble, of course. Just to give his Dad a little sense of urgency, so his Dad wouldn’t be too relaxed. Otherwise, his Dad’s wife might get snatched away by a cunning young man.
Yet, that very evening, Xie Yizhao called him and only asked two questions.
—Had he stayed with Lu Xi the whole time?
—Had he made her angry?
Not a single mention of Ye Sisheng.
Xie Heng was speechless. Several times, he wanted to bring it up, but since his dad didn’t ask, bringing it up himself would make him seem like a gossip. So, he swallowed it back down.
After hanging up, the more Xie Heng thought about it, the more dissatisfied he felt.
He felt his Dad wasn’t taking Ms. Lu seriously enough.
Or rather, Xie Yizhao was too confident. He didn’t see Ye Sisheng as a threat at all. He probably thought that since Ms. Lu was already his wife, there was no need to worry about her leaving.
A word popped into Xie Heng’s mind.
Puxin man.
His Dad wasn’t exactly ‘ordinary’, but his Dad was definitely a bit blindly confident.
And from what he knew, Ms. Lu hated puxin men the most.
Now that he had the money, Xie Heng felt he had a responsibility to find an opportunity to remind his Dad, for the sake of their family’s stability.
Sigh.
Lying on his bed, Xie Heng let out a long sigh, staring at the ceiling.
This family really couldn’t function without him.
What he didn’t know was that earlier that evening, before calling him, Xie Yizhao had already spoken with Lu Xi.
He hadn’t asked, but Lu Xi had told him about the day’s events herself.
Out of respect for Ye Sisheng’s privacy, Lu Xi didn’t go into too much detail. She only mentioned that he had once had a crush on her, but she had never known about it, nothing more.
Xie Yizhao simply responded, “Does he know who you are now?”
Without hesitation, Lu Xi tattled, “Xiao Heng messed things up, so I didn’t get the chance to say… Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.”
Thinking back, she realized that in the moment, she had been unsure of what to do. Although Xie Heng had acted impulsively, he had, in a way, saved her from an awkward situation.
Xie Yizhao said calmly, “Then just let things take their course. You don’t necessarily have to be there on the day of the trial.”
Lu Xi thought about it. True, if she didn’t appear in court, and Ye Sisheng was only testifying, he might never find out.
But… honestly, when Xie Heng dragged her away earlier, what he had said was a bit of a giveaway.
If Ye Sisheng was observant and analyzed the situation a little, he could probably figure out the truth.
Yet, during their phone call just now, he hadn’t asked about it at all.
Lu Xi rubbed her temples, deciding not to dwell on it. As Xie Yizhao said, she should just let things unfold naturally.
“When will you be back?” she asked in a relaxed tone.
Her communication with Xie Yizhao had increased a lot lately. In the past, when he was on a business trip, they wouldn’t call each other. She would go about her own life, not bothering him and not wanting to be bothered.
But things were different now. She had grown accustomed to having Xie Yizhao around every day, and their interactions had become more natural.
Even when he was away for work or out for dinner, he would call to check in with her.
Strangely enough, it felt like they were becoming more and more like a real married couple.
Xie Yizhao’s voice softened, steady and reassuring. “I’ll be back in time for the school event.”
“Alright.” Lu Xi smiled, unable to hide the joy in her voice.
The school uniform design competition was happening this Saturday night.
That day also marked Mingli’s school anniversary, a bigger event than the sports meet.
Just a glance at the school forum told Lu Xi that it would be a packed day. No classes at all, with honorary alumni—many of whom were well-known public figures—coming to visit. The school had even invited a few celebrities with positive image to perform. The uniform design competition’s runway show was scheduled for the afternoon.
It was clear that the school took this event very seriously.
The organizing committee had even set up a group chat for the participating parents to discuss details.
Lu Xi didn’t engage much in discussions about trivial things like performance schedules or event sequences. She just followed the arrangements.
Eventually, it was decided that the runway show would take place in the school auditorium, with students participating voluntarily.
Lu Xi had no objections and simply sent the 🆗 emoji in the chat.
She was also part of another parent group, the one for Xie Heng’s class, which included the homeroom teacher, subject teachers, and other parents. Conversations there were always polite and respectful, with everyone cooperating well.
When Lu Xi first joined, the homeroom teacher even privately messaged her to remind her to change her username.
She had noticed that all the other parents in the group chat had names like ‘XX’s Mom’ or ‘XX’s Dad.’ It struck her as ridiculous, as if she had suddenly aged ten years for no reason.
At the time, she resisted the idea and simply changed her display name to ‘Lu Xi.’ That felt much more comfortable.
The homeroom teacher, seeing her insistence, didn’t push further.
However, this led to constant confusion in the group chat. Parents frequently asked whose parent she was, and some even assumed she had joined the wrong group, suggesting the teacher remove her.
After going back and forth for a while, Lu Xi got fed up. As expected, standing out only brought trouble. In the end, she gave in and changed her name to ‘Xie Heng’s Mom.’ From that point on, peace was restored.
For this temporary group, though, there was no need to change her name.
Once all the important matters were settled, Lu Xi remembered something. She asked the event coordinator if the stage in the auditorium could be set up like a runway.
She had been to the auditorium before. The stage was big, but it wasn’t in a runway format, which would affect the show’s presentation.
After all, they couldn’t just have the models walk from left to right and then right to left, it would be completely lackluster.
The coordinator hesitated before responding : [It’s possible, but it’ll take time to prepare.]
Lu Xi replied, [Then let’s do it. There’s enough time. If we’re hosting a competition, it needs to be professional.]
After all, the prize money was 200,000 yuan.
The coordinator hadn’t even refused yet when, out of nowhere, a parent—someone named ‘Zhou Qian’s Mom’—sent a voice message, sounding impatient.
Her general tone was : “Who’s the parent making such a fuss? It’s just a small school competition, a fun activity, why complicate things?”
Since she had been directly questioned, Lu Xi had no choice but to change her group username to ‘Xie Heng’s Mom’ again.
Then she responded : [I’m not nitpicking. The competition on the school’s anniversary represents the school’s image and honor, it should be as well-executed as possible, don’t you think?]
And just like that, something interesting happened.
A moment ago, no one had paid her any attention. Some even sided with Zhou Qian’s Mom. But now, the tide completely turned. Parents flooded the chat in agreement, their messages unusually enthusiastic.
[Xie Heng’s Mom is right. I’m bringing relatives to watch that day, there needs to be some grandeur.]
[It’s just a runway setup, no big deal. My company does this, do you need assistance?]
[Exactly! A professional setup is the least we can do for the tuition we pay every year.]
…
Lu Xi didn’t care whether they were sincere. As long as she achieved her goal, that was enough.
Honestly, once she spoke up, the school would have accommodated her request anyway, if only for Xie Yizhao’s sake.
The coordinator acted quickly. By the time of the rehearsal, the T-stage was set up just in time. Lu Xi brought Xie Heng and the other kids along so they could get familiar with it and avoid being too nervous during the actual show.
She had assumed the two girls would be the most nervous. Surprisingly, though they were a little stiff at first, Huang Ying and Zhou Xixi quickly adjusted, their movements and expressions natural.
As for Xu Jiaming and Song Siyang, one was used to giving speeches when receiving awards, while the other was a carefree joker. They had no issues at all.
The most nervous one turned out to be Xie Heng.
Most people, when nervous, go pale, shake, or feel the urge to use the restroom.
But this blue-haired brat? The more nervous he got, the darker his expression became. He spoke even less than usual and was visibly more impatient.
When asked, he stubbornly denied it.
Lu Xi sighed. Worried that his state of mind might affect his performance the next day, she resorted to the ultimate solution : money.
She transferred money to him in advance.
The moment he saw the money, his eyes lit up. His entire demeanor changed, like a cat wagging its tail.
Lu Xi reminded him, “Since you took the money, do your job properly. Don’t mess this up.”
“Don’t worry!” Xie Heng lifted his chin and gave her a confident grin. His gaze flickered as if something had just occurred to him.
He followed behind Lu Xi.
“Oh, right. Can you promise me one thing?”
Lu Xi : “Depends. What is it?”
Xie Heng lowered his head slightly, hiding the hint of shyness in his eyes.
“If one day… you decide to leave my Dad, can you tell me in advance? I… want to go with you.”
- something like this, I guess :
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Awww🐶😆