Song Siyang fled in a panic.
Xie Heng and Lu Xi both fell silent.
When she finally realized what was happening, Lu Xi couldn’t help but laugh.
But because of what Xie Heng had just asked, she found that she couldn’t really laugh after all.
Where had she been for the past sixteen years… How was she supposed to explain that?
The words ‘I traveled through time’ were impossible for her to say, not just figuratively, but literally.
Xie Heng realized that his appearance had been seen, but he couldn’t be bothered to chase after Song Siyang. Instead, he simply sent a message threatening him to keep quiet.
He wasn’t worried about that side of things.
Putting down his phone, Xie Heng turned and saw Lu Xi looking deeply troubled.
Even with that Batman—no, wait, luxury eye mask on, her expression was still obvious.
Xie Heng suddenly felt a little nervous.
Had he asked something he shouldn’t have?
He hadn’t meant to bring it up, but it was all because of that dream last night—it had made him act impulsively.
He wasn’t stupid.
Lu Xi’s disappearance all these years had been far too strange. With his Dad’s wealth and influence, even if she had gone abroad, as long as she was still on this planet, there should have been some trace of her.
And ever since she returned, she looked like she was still in her twenties, exactly the same as before she went missing.
Sometimes, even Xie Heng forgot her actual age and assumed she was just in her early twenties.
She looked far too young.
No wonder people mistook her for a stepmother. Even he had taken a long time to believe the truth.
Sure, some of his classmates’ Moms looked young, but that was thanks to cosmetic procedures. From a distance, it was fine, but up close, the signs of aging were still obvious.
Yet, Ms Lu… from her appearance, her mindset, even her voice—she was just like a young girl.
He didn’t want to dig too deeply and upset her, but he really, really wanted to know what had happened to her all these years.
“If it’s some kind of secret you can’t talk about, just say so. I promise I won’t ask again,” Xie Heng said.
Lu Xi : “Maybe it is a secret. That’s why I can’t say it.”
Xie Heng was slightly startled.
She can’t say it… Not that she won’t, but that she literally can’t?
“You mean… you’re not allowed to say it?” Xie Heng’s imagination suddenly ran wild.
Could it really be some kind of classified secret? Would she be taken away if she spoke about it?
Seeing him suddenly acting all nervous, his eyes darting around like he was on high alert, Lu Xi frowned.
“What are you looking for?”
Lowering his voice, Xie Heng leaned in close and whispered, “Are we being monitored?”
Lu Xi : “…”
She resisted the urge to smack him and instead pushed his buzz-cut head away with a blank expression. “Just how many conspiracy novels have you been reading?”
“Oh.” Xie Heng sat back obediently, glancing at her expression.
He had just been joking, but this was getting ridiculous.
His eyelids were starting to itch. He really wanted to take off the eye masks…
Just as he hesitated, she suddenly spoke, sounding quite justified, “My situation is more complicated than you think. You might need to expand your imagination a little.”
Xie Heng : ?
Was his thinking too limited?
Feeling a bit exasperated, he started to suspect Lu Xi was messing with him. “Don’t tell me… you were abducted by aliens?”
Lu Xi paused.
She let out a soft laugh. “Nope. Try again.”
Xie Heng lowered his gaze, rubbing his ear thoughtfully. “So… you can’t say it, but if I guess right, you’ll give me a hint?”
Lu Xi : “I’m not sure. We can try.”
“…”
Xie Heng was speechless.
But now, he was even more intrigued. It felt like solving a mystery. Even if it wasn’t exactly detective work, guessing right would still feel like an accomplishment.
Settling in, he crossed his legs and shut his eyes in deep thought.
“You’re actually a clone?”
“…No, you’re the clone.”
Xie Heng wasn’t offended by the jab. Thinking harder, a light bulb suddenly went off in his head. “You were like Sleeping Beauty. You slept in some mysterious place for sixteen years, and then my dad brought you back?”
Lu Xi almost wanted to thank him—not only had he turned her into Sleeping Beauty, but he had also cast his own Dad as Prince Charming.
She couldn’t help but ask, “And this ‘mysterious place’ would be…?”
Xie Heng made something up on the spot. “Somewhere like Shangri-La.”
Lu Xi sighed. No wonder his literature grades were bad.
“No, none of that,” she laughed in exasperation. “Can’t you be a little more imaginative?”
Xie Heng : To be honest, his imagination was already running wild at this point.
He let out a helpless chuckle, then gave up entirely. “What, are you saying you actually traveled through time? Like, straight from the past to now?”
Don’t ask how he knew. He hadn’t watched it himself, but his deskmate did—constantly. So, he’d inevitably catch a glimpse now and then.
Just as she thought she was about to be rejected again, Lu Xi suddenly fell silent.
Xie Heng’s heart tightened in an instant.
What was she doing? Hurry up and say no!
Lu Xi’s heartbeat quickened.
She hadn’t expected Xie Heng to guess the truth so quickly. It made her a little excited.
And the secret she couldn’t speak of—if someone else said it, it seemed like it wouldn’t really affect her.
Even though she couldn’t nod directly, as if something unknown was holding her back, perhaps she could try another way.
“Xiao Heng, maybe you really are suited to be a police officer,” Lu Xi paused before adding, “You’re so smart. Mom is very proud of you.”
Xie Heng’s eyelids trembled involuntarily.
Was she implying…
No way?
Did he guess correctly? She had traveled through time?
That was even more absurd than aliens or clones, yet, though his rational mind doubted it, his emotions couldn’t help but believe her.
He knew now. It must have been the moment she fell into the river that day, the second she hit the water—she was chosen by fate and sent sixteen years into the future.
That explained why she still looked so young.
Xie Heng felt his palms heat up. Thankfully, his head didn’t ache, nor did he feel dizzy, or he might have thought he was coming down with a fever again.
Lu Xi had already removed her eye mask, wiped her face clean, and then reached over to help Xie Heng remove his as well.
Seeing his eyelashes flutter as he prepared to open his eyes, Lu Xi frowned slightly. “Wait a second, let me clean it off for you.”
The boy hummed in agreement and obediently sat still.
Lu Xi used a tissue to wipe away the essence around his eyelids and eyes, gently reminding him, “It’s still a little sticky. If it bothers you, you can go wash your face.”
Only then did Xie Heng open his eyes.
A pair of clear eyes, so similar to hers, gazed at her intently. His expression was full of happiness and contentment, with a hint of dependence.
Finally, he understood.
She hadn’t left this home or him all these years because she didn’t want him. There had been reasons beyond her control.
That was enough. Whether it was aliens, clones, or time travel—what did it matter?
“Then… will you ever disappear again?” Xie Heng fixed his gaze on her, unwilling to miss even the slightest change in her expression.
Lu Xi smiled calmly. “No, don’t worry. So, stop having nightmares.”
Xie Heng finally breathed a real sigh of relief.
A servant came in and announced that dinner was ready, inviting the young master and madam to eat.
Lu Xi estimated that by this time, if Xie Yichao wasn’t working overtime, he should be home soon. She was planning to go upstairs and freshen up.
“Oh, right.” Xie Heng suddenly remembered something. “Does my Dad know about this?”
Lu Xi thought for a moment, then shook her head without saying anything.
She wasn’t sure if Xie Yizhao knew or how much he had guessed. But he had certainly realized that the truth wasn’t simple, though he probably hadn’t considered the possibility of time travel…
However, unlike Xie Heng, who was at an age where everything in the world fascinated him—reckless, impulsive, and insatiably curious yet sincere and endearing—Xie Yizhao didn’t ask too many questions.
That day, the only thing he had cared about was whether she would leave again.
Now, Xie Heng had asked the same question.
Once he knew she wouldn’t, he was at peace.
And a Xie Yizhao like that made her feel at peace, too.
Xie Heng suddenly grinned, his eyes gleaming with pride. “Great! We won’t tell him, this will be our secret.”
Hah, his Dad said he wasn’t allowed to be a cop, yet look how smart he was. He figured out the truth so easily.
His Dad really didn’t know what he was missing.
Feeling good, Xie Heng slept particularly well that night. No fever, no nightmares. Even the soreness in his throat eased considerably after a good night’s rest.
The next morning, he insisted on going to Lu Xi’s studio with her.
Xie Yizhao had originally planned to take the day off, but since his son wasn’t staying home to rest, it saved him the trouble. Though he wasn’t exactly pleased about it.
It felt as if his rebellious son was deliberately avoiding him, choosing to work instead of taking a break with him?
Before leaving for work after breakfast, he patted Xie Heng’s shoulder. “Don’t cause trouble for your Mom.”
Xie Heng scoffed silently.
Of course not. He was there to help, earning money with his own abilities, not causing trouble.
Lu Xi couldn’t help but laugh.
She enjoyed seeing the daily battles between the father and son. Though they seemed to be at odds, it was much better than before, when they barely acknowledged each other and the house felt lifeless.
She wasn’t worried about their relationship at all.
Work was busy, but not chaotic, and for the time being, there were no major problems.
The only annoyance came in the form of occasional ‘flies’ buzzing around—harmless, but irritating.
For example, Mrs. Xia, who had appeared at the Yin family banquet the other day.
Lu Xi hadn’t taken their minor disagreement at the event to heart, brushing it off as Mrs. Xia simply being a bored socialite who liked to make small talk.
What she hadn’t expected was for the woman to spread rumors behind her back, claiming she was pregnant.
That woman had totally fooled her little Xie.
In this circle, there were no real secrets. If Mrs. Xia thought she could make up gossip and walk away unscathed, she was sorely mistaken.
With just a little digging, Lu Xi had easily traced the rumors back to her.
Lu Xi wasn’t planning to do anything drastic, like complain to Xie Yizhao and have him retaliate against the Xia family.
That would be excessive.
It is said that the Xia family has been in decline in recent years. Mrs. Xia’s son is also a disappointment, seemingly entangled in financial disputes and a divorce scandal—completely unpresentable.
If she were to seriously go against Mrs. Xia, it would only lower her own status.
For people like that, the best response is to not even spare them a glance.
But since the other party had come knocking herself, Lu Xi certainly wouldn’t give her a warm welcome.
That morning, it was nearly ten o’clock when Lu Xi arrived at the studio with Xie Heng. She had just been to a garment factory to check on some production details for a piece of clothing.
As she stepped into the office, she saw Mrs. Xia standing at the front desk, her face long, loudly berating the receptionist:
“What’s wrong with your app? I’ve been trying to book a custom order for two weeks and still couldn’t get a slot. Are you really that busy?”
The receptionist repeatedly apologized, “I’m terribly sorry, but we’re fully booked this month. Perhaps you could try again next month?”
Mrs. Xia let out a cold snort. “A studio this small, where the boss is also the designer and doesn’t even have much of a reputation, can you really be that busy? Are you just brushing me off?”
The receptionist, a young girl fresh out of college, glanced at the luxury watch and diamond ring on Mrs. Xia’s hand, as well as her affluent appearance. She panicked and didn’t know what to say.
Xie Heng frowned.
Who was this woman causing trouble? She had to be here to stir up trouble, thinking she could bully the receptionist.
His expression darkened, and he was just about to step forward.
But Lu Xi shot him a look.
Xie Heng understood immediately—she wanted to handle it herself. Pressing his lips together, he didn’t intervene, but he remained on guard, watching the scene unfold.
Lu Xi cleared her throat. “Who is this?”
Mrs. Xia turned around and, upon seeing Lu Xi, her expression changed slightly, a flicker of awkwardness flashing through her eyes.
She quickly put on a smile. “Oh, it’s me, Mrs. Xia. Have you forgotten, Mrs. Xie? We met at the Yin family’s gathering last time…”
Lu Xi interrupted, “Oh, I remember now. You’re the one who was spreading rumors that I was pregnant, right?”
Mrs. Xia was stunned, her expression shifting rapidly.
She had never encountered someone like Lu Xi who would hit straight where it hurt right from the start.
“No, that’s not true. I never said that…”
Lu Xi frowned slightly. “Also, don’t bother booking anymore. You won’t get a slot. Our shop is small, and we’re not capable of serving esteemed guests like you. We don’t want your money either. You can leave.”
Her words showed no courtesy at all, not even considering the presence of Mrs. Xia’s friends.
Lu Xi wasn’t planning to go after her, but she certainly wasn’t going to be polite either.
She knew her own worth. Her small studio wasn’t famous to the extent that Mrs. Xia would struggle to get an appointment for a month and then personally show up.
This was obviously an attempt to set her up.
Mrs. Xia was both furious and humiliated, her face pale. She glared at Lu Xi for a long time but couldn’t find the words to retort. In the end, her friend had to drag her away.
Lu Xi didn’t spare her another glance. She simply smiled at her colleagues, who had been watching the spectacle, and headed straight into her office.
The receptionist, having just witnessed her boss’s impressive combat prowess, was practically squinting in admiration.
Just then, she suddenly noticed the black handbag on the counter.
“Oh no, this belongs to that woman. She’s going to come back for it.” The receptionist picked it up hesitantly, wondering if she should chase after her to return it.
There was still time to catch up.
But she was also a little afraid of being on the receiving end of Mrs. Xia’s anger…
“No worries, I got it.” Xie Heng grabbed the bag and strode off. He wasn’t afraid of getting scolded.
Even though he couldn’t outargue that woman or fight her, if she dared to bully him, he could always go complain to Ms. Lu—and to Mr. Xie.
With his long legs, he quickly caught up and spotted the two women rounding a corner.
At this moment, Mrs. Xia was still seething, her hands trembling.
“She’s just relying on being Xie Yizhao’s woman, does she really need to act so arrogant?”
Her friend tried to console her, “Forget it. Just take it as giving CEO Xie some face. After all, she’s his wife, still young and pretty. Why go head-to-head with her?”
Mrs. Xia knew she had embarrassed herself. She forced her voice lower, but it was still louder than usual.
“Hmph, as if Xie Yizhao treats her that well. He only set up a tiny studio for her—how much could that cost him? Xie Yizhao is shrewd. Once the novelty wears off, who knows, he might just replace her.”
Her friend nodded. “True. He’s so wealthy, yet he won’t even open a bigger studio for her. Guess the richer they are, the stingier they get.”
Mrs. Xia scoffed. “Exactly. He wasn’t even that generous to his ex-wife. They even signed a prenuptial agreement before getting married.”
Xie Heng suddenly came to an abrupt stop.
His brows furrowed, and his expression turned odd.
Prenuptial agreement?
That kind of thing meant his Dad had planned ahead so that in case of divorce, he wouldn’t have to split his assets with Ms. Lu?
Damn.
His dDd was that stingy? Why not just hold onto his money and live alone—what was the point of getting married at all?