Xie Heng searched for a while but couldn’t come up with a definite answer.
Some people online said it was fine, others said it wasn’t. A bunch of medical terms made his head spin.
He looked up at Song Siyang. “I remember your aunt is a doctor, right? Can you ask her if pregnant women can use perfume?”
Song Siyang was momentarily stunned. Why was he asking this?
Xie Heng had no choice but to tell him his concerns.
Song Siyang laughed. “No way, how is that possible? It’s just a bottle of perfume. Are you overthinking this?”
“Have you never watched palace drama series? In those, people just need a bottle of fragrance to cause a miscarriage.” Xie Heng thought for a moment, and suddenly his eyes lit up. “Right! It’s called musk!”
Song Siyang looked him up and down with a speechless expression. “Brother Heng… you watch palace dramas?”
Xie Heng choked, feeling a little awkward. He glared at him with a bit of forced aggression. “Of course not! It’s just that Ms. Lu was watching at home, and I happened to pass by and accidentally saw a couple of scenes. It’s not even interesting at all.”
—Actually, it was pretty good.
At first, he thought it was boring—a bunch of women in the palace fighting over some ugly man. Just hearing about it sounded dull. But after watching a few episodes, the plot turned out to be quite gripping.
He even secretly binge-watched the whole series.
Song Siyang gave Xie Heng a look of sympathy.
He understood. His own mother was also obsessed with melodramatic soap operas, and he had been a victim of this kind of ‘brainwashing’ too.
“Alright, I’ll ask for you.”
Song Siyang quickly sent his aunt a message, asking if pregnant women could wear perfume.
Soon, it was time to board. The two of them left the fast-food restaurant and got on the plane, which would take two hours to reach their destination.
Once seated, Xie Heng sent a message to Ms. Lu to check in.
[Taking off now. I’ll text you when I land.]
After thinking for a moment, he figured that since he had accepted a gift from Old Xie this time, he shouldn’t play favorites. So he sent the exact same message to Xie Yizhao as well.
Then, he switched off his phone and went to sleep. Song Siyang did the same—checking in, shutting down, and dozing off until they were woken up by a flight attendant for the meal. After eating, they went right back to sleep.
When they landed, someone arranged by Xie Yizhao was there to pick them up and take them to the hotel.
“I’m the driver and bodyguard assigned by Mr. Xie. If you need to go anywhere these next couple of days, just let me know.”
Xie Heng frowned in mild frustration.
Ever since that fight last time, he knew his Dad had started assigning people to follow him again. But this time, he didn’t really mind. Whatever. It wasn’t like he was planning to do anything bad.
Xu Jiaming had also come to the airport to pick them up.
The four of them headed toward the exit together.
Xie Heng turned his phone back on, sent his location to confirm he’d arrived safely, and reminded Song Siyang to do the same.
Then, he walked ahead, casually chatting with Xu Jiaming. After a while, he noticed something was off. Song Siyang wasn’t following. He frowned and turned back.
Song Siyang was on a call, looking flustered, his face flushed red.
“Aunt! It’s not my Mom who’s pregnant… and it’s definitely not my girlfriend, stop guessing!” Song Siyang ruffled his hair in frustration. “No, I don’t even have a girlfriend!”
He explained for quite a while, but his Aunt still sounded suspicious and said she would tell his Mom about it.
Song Siyang hung up, utterly devastated.
Great. He was definitely getting scolded when he got home.
But despite wanting to snitch on him, his Aunt, being a doctor, still gave him a serious warning—pregnant women should avoid strong fragrances. They also had to be careful with skincare and cosmetics, making sure the ingredients were safe. It was best to use products specifically made for pregnant women.
Xie Heng frowned slightly.
Good thing he was going back tomorrow. He’d figure out a way to get that bottle of perfume back then.
Meanwhile, Lu Xi was having hotpot with Xie Yizhao at a restaurant.
It was the same place she had brought Xie Heng to before.
Winter was perfect for hotpot—warm and cozy. No way was she eating cold, bland Western food or sushi.
She was the one who suggested this place. Midway through the meal, she asked Xie Yizhao, “So? Pretty good, right?”
The man nodded lightly. “Last time, you and Xiao Heng came here without me. Now I finally get to try it.”
Lu Xi blinked.
Was he jealous of her, or was he sulking at their son?
If he was jealous of his son, then why was he so ruthless, using a basketball game ticket to send him away to another city?
Such a… cunning old fox.
But whatever. She was in a great mood today and wasn’t going to argue with him.
Xie Heng wasn’t here tonight, but that was fine. She wasn’t the kind of parent who had to keep their child glued to their side 24/7. He had his own life, and she and Xie Yizhao, as parents, also needed their own time together. Lu Xi had a very open-minded approach to this.
Around 8:30, Lu Xi and Xie Yizhao walked out of the restaurant.
Just then, both of them—one before, one after—received a message from Xie Heng confirming his safe arrival.
Lu Xi smiled.
Very nice. The rebellious young master was now voluntarily checking in. Such great progress.
She still remembered when she first arrived. He would stay out all night, hang out in bars, mix with bad influences, and had nearly been drugged once. Nine out of ten of his sentences were sharp and prickly, like a little blue-haired porcupine.
She glanced at Xie Yizhao. He was also looking at his phone, the corners of his lips faintly curved.
No doubt, he’d received the same message.
It seemed like it wasn’t just their son who had changed.
This father had changed a lot too.
Xie Yizhao lifted his gaze and saw Lu Xi standing a few steps below him on the stairs, looking at him with a half-smile, her expression one of knowing amusement.
He couldn’t help but chuckle, momentarily dazed.
Lu Xi probably wasn’t aware that although she hadn’t been drinking, the way she smiled now was strikingly similar to that day when she had thrown herself into his arms in her wedding dress—bright, full of life, like a beam of sunlight piercing through a dense forest, making his heart skip a beat.
Xie Yizhao still didn’t know why she had acted so out of character after drinking that day.
But at least at this moment, he was certain that the smile Lu Xi gave him was genuine. And she must like him a little more now than she did back then.
That was enough.
“Let’s go to the next place.” Xie Yizhao descended the steps and took Lu Xi’s hand. “After this, we can head home. It won’t be crowded there.”
Lu Xi nodded. As long as it wasn’t crowded, she didn’t mind. It was still early anyway.
Half an hour later, they arrived at a hotel, where a small auction was taking place in a convention hall on the nineteenth floor.
The term ‘small’ didn’t refer to the quality or value of the auction items, but rather to the number of attendees. There were fewer than thirty people in the hall.
From Lu Xi’s experience, auctions with fewer participants didn’t necessarily offer extravagant items, but they often featured rare, one-of-a-kind collectibles.
For instance, shortly after getting married, she had once attended a similar auction and successfully bid on a gift that had been given by a European royal princess to her lover—a button made of agate and ruby, exquisitely crafted.
But later, the princess and her lover had a tragic ending. Their relationship was discovered, and the princess was punished by the royal family, forbidden from ever seeing her lover again. The lover’s life took a turn for the worse—he faced multiple assassination attempts, went bankrupt, and ultimately had to sell the button just to survive.
It was a rather lamentable story.
Lu Xi had her doubts about its authenticity. She had looked up that princess before. The princess wasn’t very well-known, and historical records about her were scarce, let alone any mention of this supposed ‘love affair.’
Perhaps it was just a gimmick to pique buyers’ interest and make them spend impulsively. Well, it had certainly worked on her.
After taking their seats, Lu Xi shared this story with Xie Yizhao.
Then, with bright eyes, she asked him, “Do you think the story is real?”
Xie Yizhao replied, “Truth doesn’t really matter. As long as it moves people, it’s a good story.”
Lu Xi pondered for a moment and found his words quite reasonable. She then asked, “So, what’s up for auction tonight? Any emperor’s belt? A prince’s buckle?”
Her eyes gleamed mischievously.
Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow, gently squeezing her fingers. In a soft voice, he said, “No princess’s button, but if there’s something you like, just bid for it. Consider it my gift to you.”
That piqued her curiosity even more.
Would it be jewelry? A rare collectible? Lu Xi resisted the urge to ask further. She knew this man enjoyed keeping surprises. Even if she asked, he wouldn’t spill.
But soon enough, she got her answer.
The ninth item of the night was a signed sketch by a renowned late designer.
Lu Xi’s eyes immediately lit up.
It was a designer and brand she adored. Unfortunately, after the designer’s passing, the brand’s subsequent designers never quite measured up, and in recent years, it had gradually declined.
Without hesitation, Lu Xi decided to bid on the sketch for her collection.
However, she had a price limit—300,000 yuan. Any higher, and she’d have to let it go.
There was a time when 300,000 felt like just a number to her. But things were different now. Earning money on her own had taught her its value (except, of course, when she was spending Xie Yizhao’s money).
Three hundred thousand wasn’t just a number. It represented the time and creativity she had to invest.
Even if Xie Yizhao was the one paying, she still felt it wouldn’t be worth it if the price exceeded that amount.
Luckily, she was fortunate, or perhaps this item simply didn’t entice many bidders. After only two competing bids, she won it for just 210,000 yuan.
As they left the auction, Lu Xi, holding the carefully packaged sketch, happily linked her arm through Xie Yizhao’s. “Thank you for the gift! I love it!”
He must have known about this item in advance and understood her tastes, which was why he brought her here.
A perfect combination of thoughtfulness and surprise. Now, that was how you gave a great gift.
Lu Xi couldn’t help but feel that when it came to gift-giving, she had been completely outclassed by the two men in her household.
How were they both so good at this?
On the way home, Lu Xi couldn’t resist asking Xie Yizhao, “Do you think the gifts I give you are too perfunctory? Not surprising at all?”
Xie Yizhao was momentarily stunned, as if surprised by her question.
But he quickly recovered, smiling gently. His tone was calm yet sincere. “How could I? Honestly, after all these years, just being able to go on a date with you again is the greatest surprise.”
This time, it was Lu Xi’s turn to be taken aback.
She understood what he meant.
She gazed at his handsome profile in silence.
It was strange. Her heart felt warm and sweet, yet at the same time, there was an inexplicable ache at the tip of her nose.
Truthfully, ever since she had dreamed of her own fate, then mysteriously traveled through time to the present, she had never once cried over it.
Because for her, those missing years were nothing but a void—an empty space that had never truly existed.
It was as if she had gone to sleep, and when she woke up, she had crossed time.
But for Xie Yizhao, those sixteen years were real.
For a long time after she disappeared, that marriage bed had only him in it.
Lu Xi’s throat tightened. She wanted to tell him she was sorry for leaving him alone all these years.
But in the end, she didn’t say it.
Instead, she lay down, resting her head on his lap, finding a comfortable position. She took his hand, traced circles in his palm, and finally hooked their pinky fingers together, pressing their thumbs against each other.
“In the future, you’ll receive plenty more gifts from me—every year,” Lu Xi said, looking up at him with wide eyes. “Pinky promise.”
Xie Yizhao was momentarily stunned before he chuckled, looking at Lu Xi with a hint of something unreadable in his eyes.
“Mm, pinky promise. I’ll remember.”
Lu Xi wouldn’t stay trapped in melancholy forever.
When she got home, she quickly bounced back to her usual self. The first thing she did was rush to her room and unwrap Xie Heng’s gift.
She had been waiting for this moment for so long.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she unwrapped the gifts.
Seeing her so thrilled, Xie Yizhao couldn’t help but smile. Meanwhile, Lu Xi was too focused on unwrapping her gifts to notice the addition of a vinyl record player in her room.
Nor did she notice the subtle expression in Xie Yizhao’s eyes.
She started with the biggest box. It was the one she was most curious about.
“A pearl necklace! It’s gorgeous!”
Lu Xi knew her jewelry well. The pearl had a stunning cool blue hue, its luster like a glowing little bulb.
That silly kid must have spent a fortune.
Lu Xi blinked, recalling how he had been so stingy about money lately, and suddenly, she understood.
Brushing aside her emotions for now, she carefully put away the necklace and hurriedly opened the second gift.
This time, it was a bottle of perfume.
She was pleasantly surprised. The scent was different from the one on the perfume card. It had a fresh, citrusy orange note that she instantly loved. She couldn’t resist spraying a bit on her wrist.
It smelled amazing.
Only one gift remained.
A tiny mini gift box.
Lu Xi held it in her hands, hesitating for a moment. She suddenly felt reluctant to open it. Because once she did, there would be no more surprises left.
This time, she was extra careful, unwrapping it slower than the previous two, savoring the experience.
But eventually, the gift was revealed.
Inside, there was only a stack of cards, clipped together in a pink folder.
As soon as she opened it, a wave of fragrance wafted out.
Perfume cards.
She picked them up and flipped through them one by one.
[Free Model Card (x15)
Card Usage Rules: With this card, you may summon your son as a model at any time, under any conditions, for free.
Redemption period: No expiration.
Eligible recipient: Ms. Lu only.
Friendly reminder: These cards are precious. If lost, they will not be replaced.]
At the bottom, there was a special note.
[To: My dearest Ms. Lu, my lost and found Mom.]