Chapter 260: My mom and Uncle Lu went on a date

Lu Mingji knocked on Xia Xi's office door.

"Come in." Xia Xi had just turned on her computer, looking at the renderings of Jingyu Yuan, she repeatedly confirmed every detail.

Lu Mingji pushed the door open and saw Xia Xi with furrowed brows, her finger touching her lower lip, a look of serious concentration. She wore a pure black low-neck knit sweater, her skin fair and translucent, surpassing snow in whiteness.

She had her hair up today; compared to her usual aloof beauty, her demeanor seemed gentler.

Lu Mingji's heartbeat skipped uncontrollably.

Xia Xi lifted her eyes, the corners of her mouth slightly curving: "What's up?"

"Oolong latte, no cream, half sugar." Lu Mingji placed one of the coffees on her desk.

"Thank you." Xia Xi picked it up and took a sip, "Did you come just to bring me coffee?"

Lu Mingji rubbed his thumb and forefinger twice, thinking about how to speak.

Seeing him hesitate, Xia Xi said teasingly: "You wouldn't be here to borrow money, would you? I'll say it now—I don't have any."

Lu Mingji smiled, his tension easing a bit. He looked at her and asked, "Do you have time tonight?" That question seemed hard to get a yes to, so he quickly added, "I have something important to tell you."

Xia Xi wiped the teasing look from her face, becoming serious: "What can't be said now?"

"Don't be nervous, it's not a work problem, it's something else." Lu Mingji coughed, stopping himself in time—saying more would let her guess, and he wasn't ready to reveal it—"Just tell me if you have time."

Xia Xi: "Yes."

"All right then." Lu Mingji hooked the corner of his mouth, feigning ease: "When you're done, let me know and I'll come find you."

Leaving Xia Xi's office, Lu Mingji let out a long breath.

Xia Xi tilted her head, recalling Lu Mingji's earlier words—not a work issue, but a personal one? She couldn't figure what it was, so she stopped thinking; a pile of work awaited her, she had no time to ponder.

Xia Xi sent Xu Yanfeng a message ahead of time: "I have something tonight, you pick up the kids."

Xu Yanfeng: "When will you be done? I took your car, as we agreed this morning—I'll pick you up after work."

Who said that to you?

Xia Xi's mouth twitched slightly.

Not knowing what Lu Mingji wanted from her or how late it would end, she replied to Xu Yanfeng: "No need, I'll take a taxi."

Xu Yanfeng: "You said, if you don't drive, you walk home."

Xia Xi's face was expressionless; she had never said that, he was deliberately twisting her words.

She brushed off Xu Yanfeng's words, emphasizing again: "Remember to pick up the kids."

Just like yesterday, Xu Yanfeng left early, disappearing by four. A few secretaries from the secretary's office asked Guan He: "Does General Manager Xu have any happy news lately? He seems different—just now we saw him, he was like a breeze in spring."

Regarding the boss's private matters, even if Guan He knew, he would say nothing, giving a vague reply: "Maybe there's some happy news."

A few secretaries gathered and speculated: "Could it be that we're getting a boss's wife?"

Guan He shrugged; they were basically right—General Manager Xu already has kids, so a wife shouldn't be far off. He turned the thought over in his mind twice, feeling it a bit odd.

Upon further thought, isn't it strange? The order is reversed compared to normal people.

Xu Yanfeng visited the kindergarten again; Teacher Song no longer looked at him with scrutiny, she relaxed and called the two kids over: "Dad's here to pick you up, hurry home, see you tomorrow."

Youyou pulled Zi Heng's hand and waved at the teacher: "Goodbye, Teacher Song."

This morning, Youyou asked Zi Heng for a long time, inquiring how he spent last night at that uncle's house, whether he'd been bullied, and she said she was so worried she hadn't slept well last night.

Zi Heng didn't believe she hadn't slept well.

After telling her about the new place, Youyou was sure she wouldn't be sold off, and decided to go with him tonight.

Xu Yanfeng habitually took the backpacks for the two kids.

Youyou curiously sized him up; he was so tall that to see his face she had to crane her neck, which grew sore. After a while she realized he wasn't that fierce: "Uncle, where's Mom?"

"Mom's at work; wait till you get home and play a bit, then she'll be back." Xu Yanfeng spoke to the little girl, his voice unconsciously softening: "Why do you call me uncle? I'm your dad."

Since Xia Xi raises Youyou as her own daughter, this little girl is also his daughter.

Youyou furrowed her brow, scratched her head, unable to sort out the relationship: "How can you be my dad?"

Xu Yanfeng: "Maybe you're not used to it? If you want to call me uncle, go ahead and do that."

Youyou looked at Zi Heng, covered her mouth and whispered: "Is he really my dad?"

Although she didn't want to admit it, it was the fact; Zi Heng nodded.

In the car, Youyou's little mouth never stopped, chatting with Xu Yanfeng the whole way. She was naturally lively and open, quick to warm up to people; by the time they got home she was no longer afraid of Xu Yanfeng.

Youyou ran around the spacious living room, arms outstretched: "This place is so pretty!"

"Come see your room." Xu Yanfeng put down the backpacks, opened a door, and a pink princess-style view greeted them.

A HelloKitty-themed bed, with two layers of canopy above—one white gauze, one light pink silk; the carpet is a fluffy little bear pattern; the floor lamp is moon-shaped; there are several rows of various Barbie dolls, plush toys piled up as well. In the corner, a white castle has been built, its tiny windows lit.

Youyou stared, eyes dazzled, mouth almost splitting at the back of her head: "Are all these mine?"

"Yeah, if you need anything else, just tell me."

"Thank you, uncle, you're really nice."

Xu Yanfeng felt warm inside; the little girl was indeed more thoughtful than the brat. He turned to look at the brat, the young teen frowned slightly and reminded him lightly: "Zhou Leyi, don't get so happy you forget Shu—your homework isn't done yet."

Youyou was immersed in the fairy-tale dreamlike atmosphere, couldn't hear what he was saying, and answered randomly: "I don't eat sweet potatoes."

Zi Heng: "……"

Leaving the two kids to play here, Xu Yanfeng went out; he still had some work unfinished, so he went to the study.

Not wanting to be far from the kids, Xu Yanfeng took the computer from the study, sat in the living room, and worked while keeping an eye on the children's movements.

Doing two things at once wasn't a problem.

Youyou stroked each of her favorite Barbie dolls in turn; a sudden emotion seized her mind, she stared blankly at Zi Heng, tears welling up with no warning.

Zi Heng: "?"

She had just been happy to the point of being lost, how did she suddenly start crying—did he provoke her?

Youyou sniffled, not crying out loud, but she felt very sad. The relationship she hadn't figured out in the car suddenly became clear at this moment: that man is Zi Heng's dad; otherwise Xia Xi's mom wouldn't have moved here.

She is not Xia Xi's mother's child; that man is naturally not her father.

She doesn't know where her father is.

Zi Heng handed her a tissue to wipe her tears: "Are you crying because you're happy?"

Youyou blinked her wet big eyes and said sadly: "That's your dad, right? Not my dad."

Zi Heng froze for a moment; she was crying because she was thinking of her dad. He didn't know how to comfort Youyou, so he pinched a tissue roll with his fingers and carefully said to her: "Mom said we're one family, no distinctions; my dad is your dad. If you want to live here, live here; if you want to live at Grandma's, live at Grandma's."

Hearing Youyou's sobs, Xu Yanfeng immediately put down his computer and walked over; just as he approached the room, the conversation of the two kids came through, he stopped in his tracks and didn't go in.

As it turned out, Youyou knew she wasn't Xia Xi's biological child.

This topic isn't that heavy when the kids discuss it among themselves; he shouldn't get involved.

Xu Yanfeng didn't disturb them; he quietly retreated to his original spot.

The nanny came over and asked him when the meal would be ready; kids get hungry easily.

Xu Yanfeng glanced at his watch, got up and walked toward Youyou's room; before entering, he knocked on the door: "Are you two hungry? Should we wait for Mom to come back and eat together? I'll call her to ask when she'll return."

The image of the three of them having breakfast played on loop in his mind all day; with Youyou added in the evening, the atmosphere would only become more harmonious.

"Sure, sure." Youyou's bad mood came and went quickly; right now she was playing with the glowing castle in the corner.

"No need to call." Zi Heng responded to Xu Yanfeng for the first time: "My mom isn't coming back for dinner tonight; she has a date with Uncle Lu."

Xu Yanfeng's eyelid twitched as he looked at Zi Heng: "How do you know?"

Zi Heng pointed to the phone watch on his wrist: "Mom called me."

Xu Yanfeng: "When?"

Zi Heng: "Just after school let out."

Xu Yanfeng's face darkened.

Does Xia Xi even consider this place a home? She doesn't come back and doesn't even tell him, making him wait this long—it's too much. When she returns, he will strongly condemn her.

No need to wait for her return; he wants to condemn her now.