At seven in the morning, the villa district was quiet, but cars occasionally passed by on the driveway, and quite a few people were out jogging.
As the most prominent figure in this neighborhood, everyone here—whether they knew him well or not—recognized Xie Yizhao.
Upon seeing him, people greeted him one after another, and he nodded in response.
However, when they noticed Xie Heng jogging beside him, their expressions turned slightly subtle.
This was the first time anyone had seen Xie Yizhao jogging with his son… Wasn’t their relationship supposed to be terrible?
For Xie Heng, this was also his first time going out at this hour.
Normally, he would just be waking up, getting ready for breakfast and school. Once in the car, he would put on his headphones and doze off, never realizing that so many people in the neighborhood were out jogging at this time.
There were people of all ages—even little kids with tiny legs running alongside their parents.
He couldn’t help but swallow.
With this many people around, there was no way to race. This wasn’t a track field. If he accidentally crashed into an elderly person or a child, that would be a disaster.
Xie Yizhao stretched his limbs briefly, glanced at the dazed Xie Heng, and without a word, started running ahead.
Xie Heng snapped back to his senses, frowned, and quickly followed.
Seriously? Just starting to run without even waiting for him?
Before leaving the house, they had agreed to go jogging together and talk about why he had been targeting his Dad. But running wasn’t the best time for conversation, and there was no rush.
But Xie Heng didn’t care, he was impatient by nature.
“You called me out here—what exactly do you want to say—”
As soon as he spoke, a gust of winter wind rushed into his mouth, making him choke and almost cough. Xie Yizhao shot him a cool glance, and he flushed with embarrassment, clamping his mouth shut and focusing on running.
They jogged past their own house, turned left, and after about ten minutes, they reached Song Siyang’s house.
“……”
He was speechless.
Just how far had he run?
Xie Heng was already bored.
He didn’t like jogging—especially this slow-paced kind. It wasn’t exhausting, but it was dull and monotonous. He preferred playing basketball, the kind of explosive and intense sports. That was fun.
He couldn’t help but glance at his Dad’s back.
Sometimes, he really admired his Dad.
How could his Dad keep up this morning jog routine for so many years? Didn’t his Dad ever get bored?
But today, Xie Heng unexpectedly ran a full five kilometers. He was a little tired, but it wasn’t as boring as he had imagined.
Maybe it was because his Dad was here. It distracted him. While running, he kept wondering what exactly his Dad wanted to talk about.
Just then, Xie Yizhao stopped.
For him, daily jogging was a habit, five kilometers was nothing. He was only slightly out of breath.
Xie Heng, on the other hand, was panting heavily and feeling incredibly thirsty.
Without a word, Xie Yizhao walked over to a vending machine by a flowerbed, bought two bottles of water, and handed one to Xie Heng.
“…Thanks.” He took it and gulped down a huge mouthful.
Just as he was enjoying the refreshing sensation, Xie Yizhao said, “You should drink water slowly after exercising.”
Xie Heng froze mid-gulp, instinctively slowing down.
Of course, he knew that. His PE teacher had said the same thing. But when he played sports and got overheated, he never cared about such details.
Still, in front of his Dad, he obediently followed the advice.
After finishing his water, he noticed they were standing beside a flowerbed with several plum trees—white blossoms emitting a cool, delicate fragrance. The tiny flowers bloomed beautifully on the branches.
Xie Heng took a deep breath, inhaling the subtle floral scent.
Suddenly, he felt that those five kilometers weren’t a waste, and his mood improved.
Xie Yizhao checked the time. It was probably a good moment to talk.
Seeing that Xie Heng’s breathing had steadied, he pointed to a nearby bench. “Let’s sit and talk.”
Xie Heng unconsciously straightened his posture.
Once seated, he still felt a little uneasy, but Xie Yizhao spoke calmly. “Are you upset because I don’t support you becoming a police officer?”
Xie Heng was stunned. “Of course not!”
Xie Yizhao was slightly surprised.
He felt that his relationship with his son had improved significantly. Although not as good as with Lu Xi, but far better than before. Other than this career issue, he couldn’t think of anything else he had done to upset his son.
After a brief pause, he said, “Then tell me. I’m listening.”
He was genuinely curious.
“Fine, I’ll tell you.” Xie Heng had initially planned to investigate on his own, but since the prime suspect had presented himself, he might as well interrogate him face-to-face. “I heard that you signed a prenuptial agreement with Ms. Lu. Is that true?”
Xie Yizhao was momentarily taken aback.
He had never expected to hear those words from Xie Heng’s mouth—just as he had never expected his son to discuss corporate annual reports with him. Both seemed equally bizarre.
He frowned slightly. “Who told you that?”
Xie Heng wasn’t great at language class, but he was good at explaining things. In just a few sentences, he relayed what he had heard yesterday and then impatiently pressed, “So, is it true or not?”
Realizing that this matter involved that nosy Mrs. Xia again, Xie Yizhao’s frown deepened.
But soon, his expression smoothed out, returning to his usual calm demeanor. He glanced down, casually brushing a stray petal from his leg, and said in a cool voice, “Yes, it’s true.”
“……”
Xie Heng immediately sat up straight.
He found it hard to accept.
Logically, he understood that prenuptial agreements were a legal way to protect one’s assets. But emotionally, he couldn’t accept that his own Dad would use such a thing against his own Mom. It felt too cold.
Xie Heng held in his frustration for a long time, his chest rising and falling as he inhaled the cold fragrance of the plum blossoms, trying to calm himself down. But he couldn’t help it.
“Dad, do you have any idea how many people want to pursue Ms. Lu?” He scoffed. “I guarantee, if they had the chance to marry her, they wouldn’t dare ask her to sign a prenuptial agreement.”
Xie Yizhao : “…How many?”
Xie Heng, looking incredibly proud on Lu Xi’s behalf, replied, “Let’s not even talk about distant admirers. Just in the office building above ours, the CEO of that tech company had a huge crush on her. He used to send flowers every day.”
Xie Yizhao’s gaze darkened slightly, his lips pressing into a thin line. “And then?”
“Then, he found out that Ms. Lu was married and had a son, so there was no ‘then.’” Xie Heng shot his Dad a meaningful look.
That look practically screamed : “You’re blocking Ms. Lu’s chances at romance.”
Xie Yizhao’s furrowed brow relaxed a little.
Setting aside the distractions, he had never imagined having this kind of conversation with Xie Heng before. One, because he never saw the need, and two, because he never thought Xie Heng would care.
But clearly, his son was more mature and perceptive than he had assumed.
Xie Heng cared about Lu Xi, which also meant he cared about his parents’ marriage and this family.
If Xie Yizhao continued to treat him as an ignorant child, looking down on him and thinking there was no need to say too much, then it would be Xie Yizhao’s own failure as a father.
Xie Yizhao lowered his gaze, a trace of a gratified smile flashing through his eyes.
In fact, in this matter, he didn’t handle things as well as his son did.
Lu Xi was right. Although their son was impulsive and reckless, he was also sincere and straightforward, and that was part of his charm.
Clearing his throat, Xie Yizhao said, “That’s right. Your Mom and I signed a prenuptial agreement for certain reasons. But that agreement was shredded in the paper shredder in my study a long time ago.”
“Huh?” Xie Heng was stunned for a moment.
He couldn’t help but rub his short hair and asked, “So… is the agreement still valid?”
Seeing the clear expression of legal ignorance on his son’s face, Xie Yizhao smiled slightly. “For me, it’s no longer valid. But Lu Xi’s copy should still exist. As long as she tears hers up too, the agreement will be null and void.”
Xie Heng’s expression turned a little odd.
He took his time processing this information, and after a long pause, he blinked in confusion and asked, “But… why?”
His question was vague, because his mind was a mess with too many things he wanted to ask.
Why sign it in the first place?
Why did his Dad unilaterally destroy it? And why not tell Lu Xi?
Why were adults so complicated?
Xie Yizhao chuckled, roughly guessing the thoughts swirling in Xie Heng’s mind.
As for the past, he couldn’t fully explain it. The only thing he understood clearly was his own feelings now. “I did this because I want her to have everything I have. And I didn’t tell her because I didn’t want to pressure her or make her feel like I was trying to buy her love with money.”
As for when he would tell her… Xie Yizhao hadn’t decided yet.
He wanted to wait for the right moment. One where he was sure Lu Xi could accept everything happily and with peace of mind.
Xie Heng listened quietly, not interrupting, though his confusion only seemed to deepen.
It was almost funny to watch.
Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow. “If you don’t understand, just forget it. You’ll get it when you’re older.”
Few kids liked hearing that kind of statement, and Xie Heng couldn’t help but scoff. He glanced at his Dad’s calm expression, then stretched lazily, jumped up, and reached for the white plum blossoms high above him.
His expression was relaxed, and he said with a teasing smile, “But I did understand one thing. You’re not as much of a scumbag as I thought.”
Xie Yizhao’s lips twitched, his expression unreadable.
He stood up as well and, without hesitation, smacked Xie Heng on the head, catching him completely off guard. “Brat, let’s go home.”
Xie Heng was stunned.
How was his Dad always so quick with his hands?
And fine, he’d go home—but why hit him?
At first, Xie Heng was still annoyed, and thought of complaining to Lu Xi once they got back.
But when they finally arrived home and saw Lu Xi already up, sitting in the dining room having breakfast as usual, smiling sweetly at both him and his Dad, all his frustration vanished in an instant.
Lu Xi had no idea what the father and son had talked about outside.
And she didn’t ask.
All she knew was that when they came back together this time, even though they still acted like they didn’t get along, at least Xie Heng wasn’t openly hostile to his Dad anymore.
Progress was progress.
Even Xie Heng thought so.
His final exam results had just come out. He’d moved up thirty-one ranks, just as Xu Jiaming had predicted.
As Xu Jiaming had said, the higher you climbed, the harder it was to improve. Someone like Xu Jiaming, who remained firmly in first place, had pretty much reached his limit, at least within their school.
At this rate, if Xie Heng wanted to improve even further next time, he’d have to put in more effort than ever.
But that was a problem for next semester—or rather, after the New Year.
For now, Xie Heng planned to relax during the winter break, especially during the upcoming holiday.
This was their family’s first truly complete New Year’s celebration. Everyone would be there.
In the past, New Year’s Eve dinner usually consisted of just him and his Dad. The kitchen would prepare a big feast, but with only the two of them eating, and barely talking, the atmosphere felt cold and awkward.
Xie Yizhao would usually finish quickly and retreat to his study.
Xie Heng would lose his appetite, no matter how good the food was.
Sometimes, his Dad wasn’t even home, away on a business trip, and he wouldn’t bother staying either. He’d just go out and spend the holiday with his friends.
But this year was different.
With Lu Xi around, if his Dad wanted to be a decent man, his Dad definitely stay home for the holiday.
And because Lu Xi was here, even the house staff seemed more enthusiastic about preparing for the New Year.
Before, there had been no hostess in the house, and the master and young master didn’t really celebrate, so the chores were often done half-heartedly. It was all very perfunctory.
But not this year.
Now, the whole house was being thoroughly cleaned, groceries and festive ingredients were being stocked up, and traditional cured fish, sausages, and preserved meats were all being prepared properly.
Even the kitchen was getting ready for the big meal, consulting Lu Xi about the New Year’s Eve menu so they could plan ahead.
Lu Xi sat on the sofa, flipping through the menu the butler had brought her. It was the kitchen’s preliminary selection, and she could add or remove dishes as she liked.
She had decision fatigue.
The kitchen staff had done a great job listing all their usual favorites, so she didn’t see any need to change anything.
So, she called Xie Heng down to take a look.
Xie Heng plopped down beside her, studied the menu seriously for a moment, then suddenly had a thought and sneaked a glance at Lu Xi.
“Ms. Lu… do you know how to cook?” he asked cautiously, a hint of anticipation in his voice.
Lu Xi immediately crushed his hopes with a bucket of cold water. “I can steam rice. Does that count?”
She was instantly met with Xie Heng’s merciless laughter. “Haha, that’s hilarious.”
Lu Xi didn’t hold back either—she pinched his soft, youthful cheek. “Oh? And you? Can you cook? Why don’t you make something?”
Of course, Xie Heng couldn’t. He had never even washed rice before.
But could a man back down?
“Fine, I’ll do it. Just wait and see, there will be at least one dish from me at our New Year’s Eve dinner.” Xie Heng rubbed his face and made a bold declaration.
Lu Xi blinked playfully. “Alright, I’ll be waiting. Just don’t mess it up.”
“…”
Crap. His face was already hurting in advance.
The chances of failure seemed alarmingly high. What was he going to do?