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?]