Chapter 258: Don't Call Me Madam

Xu Yanfeng had sent Xia Xi the detailed home address, but Xia Xi had no access card, couldn't even get into the elevator, so she called Xu Yanfeng: "I'm here, can't go up."

Xu Yanfeng: "Didn't you say you were going to work overtime?"

"Overtime's done."

"Wait."

Xu Yanfeng had just finished dinner with Zi Heng, thinking Xia Xi would come back very late, worried the son would be hungry, he told the nanny to start the meal first.

When he brought Zi Heng home, the nanny had already prepared the dishes, just waiting for the pot to finish cooking, and soon served them on the table.

The atmosphere of father and son eating was no different from in the car, as if they were in a Siberian winter. Those who didn't know would think their family had a rule of "no speaking while eating or sleeping."

The elevator doors opened, Xu Yanfeng looked up and saw Xia Xi waiting outside.

She wore a sky-blue shirt, two buttons undone, revealing a bit of the white T-shirt collar underneath, topped with an oversized black wool coat, and paired with white straight-leg jeans below.

Her makeup was light, not covering her features, still radiant, with a mature charm added compared to her college days.

She didn't need to do anything; others' gazes would follow her, and they couldn't see anything else.

Xia Xi felt a bit uncomfortable under his overly frank stare, tucked her hair behind her ear, pushed the suitcase in, and when she pushed it the second time, Xu Yanfeng snapped out of it, helped her take the suitcase into the elevator, and meanwhile told her the elevator code and reminded her: "Later, when you go up, record a fingerprint on the door lock for convenience."

Xia Xi gave an "uh" and had nothing more to say.

Xu Yanfeng held the suitcase handle, tapped it idly with his fingertips: "Why bring so much stuff?"

"All necessities."

"Everything that needed preparing is ready; you don't need to bring anything."

Xia Xi hesitated slightly, lowered her lashes, recalling long ago when they first got together, he had prepared her a year's worth of clothes and various daily necessities in his own apartment.

He seemed aloof and indifferent to everything, but actually was meticulous.

Lost in thought, the elevator chimed, Xia Xi took a deep breath, and followed Xu Yanfeng out.

One elevator per household, privacy excellent, the marble hallway wide enough to ride a bike.

Opening the door, Zi Heng was sitting in the living room, well-behaved and waiting; seeing Xia Xi, the little one's eyes lit up, he rose from the sofa and ran to jump into her arms.

Xia Xi quickly dropped the suitcase, opened her arms to catch Zi Heng, tickled his armpits, lifted him up then set him down.

Xu Yanfeng finally heard his "mute" son speak: "Mom, why did you come back so late? Have you eaten? Youyou didn't come with me; Auntie took her home. Did Auntie call you?"

He had many questions; Xia Xi placed her hand on his head, ruffling his soft hair, and answered patiently one by one: "I worked overtime a bit, so I came back late. I haven't eaten yet. Auntie sent me a message; I know."

Xu Yanfeng now believed it, the son wasn't autistic, no wonder Xia Xi could say so confidently, "If you're autistic, he couldn't possibly be autistic."

Xu Yanfeng moved everything Xia Xi brought into the master bedroom; Xia Xi glanced briefly at the furnishings, not looking closely: "I sleep… in this room?" Then you sleep where?

She swallowed that last sentence back.

Xu Yanfeng glanced back at her, half-smiling: "Any problem?"

"No." Xia Xi felt hot, took off the wool coat and draped it over her arm, composed herself, "I mean, where do you sleep?"

In the end she still couldn't hold back and asked.

Xu Yanfeng's tone grew more relaxed: "Of course I sleep in..."

He deliberately paused, indeed seeing Xia Xi widen her eyes, taking a breath. Having achieved his aim of teasing her, Xu Yanfeng finished the second half: "The guest room next door. Do you want me to sleep here too?"

Xia Xi didn't hesitate for a second, firmly denying: "I didn't think that."

The nanny was tidying in the kitchen; Xu Yanfeng left the master bedroom, went to the kitchen, told the nanny to make something more to eat, Xia Xi still hadn't eaten.

Xia Xi opened the suitcase to sort things; Zi Heng knelt beside her to help, and she took the chance to ask him: "How's getting along with Xu Yanfeng?"

Zi Heng shook his head, unwilling to elaborate, looking troubled: "Very annoying."

Xia Xi: "..."

Zi Heng hugged her arm, face pressed against it: "The kids' room is too big; I definitely won't be able to sleep at night, can I sleep with Mom?"

"Sure." Xia Xi took out a set of small pajamas from the suitcase, stuffed them into his arms: "After you wash up, get into bed early; you still have school tomorrow morning, I'm afraid a sudden change of environment will give you insomnia."

"Oh." Zi Heng obediently went to the bathroom to wash up.

Having only unpacked part of the suitcase, Xu Yanfeng came over and knocked on the door; the door wasn't closed, he leaned against the doorframe lazily: "Come out to eat."

Xia Xi pushed up with her knees, stood, grabbed her work tote from the sofa, pulled out a folder—the one she had printed when leaving the office—and walked to the door to hand it to Xu Yanfeng.

Xu Yanfeng instinctively reached out to catch it: "What is this?"

Could it be some kind of cohabitation agreement or something like that.

"A budget sheet." Xia Xi walked past him without stopping, headed straight out, her voice continuing: "Just a preliminary budget; if there are changes later I'll add them in, you take a look first."

She needed to let him know roughly how much money the renovation of Jingyu Yuan would require, not to treat money as nothing; when you really add it up, each item alone is a huge sum, so her earlier visit to General Manager Ge to ask for a discount was normal procedure.

Just the reception lobby's ceiling uses an entire face of gold-thread nanmu lattice carving...

Xu Yanfeng opened the folder, feeling a sudden blackness before his eyes; it wasn't that he thought the budget amount was too much, but that Xia Xi's move seemed to treat home as a workplace—he felt as if he were sitting in the CEO's office at Xu Shi Zongbu.

The nanny placed several dishes on the table; Xia Xi sat down and politely thanked: "Thank you, too much trouble."

"No trouble, no trouble." The nanny, flattered, said: "Madam, tell me what you like to eat. Today I'm a bit rushed, I don't know if what I made suits your taste."

Xia Xi, out of the corner of her eye, noticed Xu Yanfeng looking over; she explained to the nanny: "I'm not a madam, please don't call me that; just call me Xia Xi. I'm not picky, I'll eat whatever you make."

The nanny gripped the apron in front of her with both hands, looking somewhat embarrassed at Xu Yanfeng.

Xu Yanfeng nodded: "Listen to her."

The nanny gave an "ai", didn't ask further, and went about her work.

Xu Yanfeng put the folder down, strolled leisurely to the table, and stopped.

The nanny's cooking was quite good; Xia Xi had been busy all afternoon, her stomach was already hungry, she was eating with relish when a shadow came over, she found it hard to keep eating, and lifted her eyes to look at him.

Xu Yanfeng sat opposite her, earnestly saying: "Zi Heng ignores me."

Xi Xi choked, took a sip of soup: "That's your business, telling me won't help. Although he's a little kid, he also has independent thoughts; I don't want to interfere or force him to do what he doesn't want, everything is left to his own judgment and decision."

"Serious." Xu Yanfeng frowned slightly: "I didn't ask you to interfere or force him."

"Then what are you telling me..."

"Complaining."

"..."

Xi Xi choked and coughed; how could it feel like he was pretending to be pitiful? It must be her illusion.

How could Xu Yanfeng pretend to be pitiful? He's extremely proud.

After quickly finishing dinner, Xi Xi retreated to the master bedroom. After a while, she came out holding a sheet of paper and a magnetic pin. She scanned the surroundings, looking for the best spot, and finally pinned the paper in a conspicuous place.

Xu Yanfeng approached and saw clearly what was written on the paper.

A 100-day countdown calendar; today is February 7, and this day has been crossed out in black on the calendar, leaving ninety-nine days.

Is Xi Xi planning to check in every day until the 100 days are over?

Xu Yanfeng: "......"

He only slumped for a second, then Xu Yanfeng rallied. Back then, Xi Xi pursued him for over a semester. But if we count from when he first fell for her, it's less than a semester.

He had long liked her, but due to various concerns, he dragged his feet and refused to agree.

It makes no sense that, given their mutual emotional foundation, a hundred days couldn't win her over.