Chapter 316: Played by Xu Guanshan

Xu Yanfeng answered the phone, and to let Xia Xi hear more clearly, he turned on the speakerphone. Zi Heng glanced at him, thoughtfully turning the TV volume down to the minimum.

The next moment, Zhong Yinghong's gentle, smiling voice came through: "Are you busy?"

"Not busy." Xu Yanfeng said, "If you have something, please tell me."

"Your girlfriend……" Even though she had prepared what to say, at the moment of speaking Zhong Yinghong still couldn't help hesitating, "I heard you said you already proposed to her?"

Xia Xi widened her eyes, tilted her head to look at Xu Yanfeng, pointing at him with her finger; the words she didn't say were: You brought up the proposal to your mother?

Xu Yanfeng smiled, took Xia Xi's hand and placed it on his leg, responding to Zhong Yinghong on the phone: "Mm."

Zhong Yinghong continued: "Since that's the case, take some time to bring her to my house for a meal. I mentioned it briefly when I called you last time, but you never gave me a definite reply, and I don't know what you're thinking. Now that you're already engaged, not meeting formally and having a chat makes us seem not serious enough, a bit rude. What do you think?"

Xu Yanfeng looked at Xia Xi, raising his eyebrows; he had guessed correctly—indeed, it was an invitation for Xia Xi to visit the old family home.

Xia Xi shook her head wildly, her face full of refusal.

Xu Yanfeng blinked slightly, wondering: She… doesn't want to go?

He had previously asked her if she was scared, just joking; could she really be afraid?

Zhong Yinghong waited a while, hearing no response from Xu Yanfeng, and felt doubtful: "Ah Feng, did you hear what I said?"

"I heard it." Xu Yanfeng came back to himself, lowered his eyelids, voice slightly low: "I need to ask her opinion first. Her company has had some issues lately, she's busy, and may not be able to spare time."

"Then let me know after you've figured it out." Zhong Yinghong reminded, "You must tell me in advance, otherwise I'm afraid I won't have time to prepare."

"Okay."

"By the way, about your father……" Zhong Yinghong didn't finish her sentence, her tone clearly lacking confidence.

Hearing this, Xia Xi pressed her lips, staring at the phone held by Xu Yanfeng, her breath unconsciously tightening, her heart also rising, as if awaiting a verdict.

Xu Yanfeng calmly asked: "What's wrong with my father?"

Zhong Yinghong sighed: "You know your father's temperament—don't you? I never mentioned your matter to him. After leaving your residence last time, I went back and, in front of your father, indirectly asked his opinion on your marriage; he remained the same, stubborn, unwilling to listen to any advice. If pressed, he just walks away. So to this day he still doesn't know you have a partner."

Xu Yanfeng indifferent to Xu Guanshan's attitude: "You don't need to worry about my father's side."

Zhong Yinghong hearing him say that, felt helpless: "You two father and son…… sigh."

She also didn't know what to say, possibly because Xu Guanshan is too strict, often finding fault, and the son has never been close to him. Xu Junmo is somewhat better, but Xu Yanfeng's relationship with his father is as cold as winter.

The call ended here. Xu Yanfeng's dark pupils deep and solemn, he stared at Xia Xi, his gaze containing a hint of scrutiny: "Why don't you want to go back with me to meet my parents?"

Seeing the question unavoidable, Xia Xi lightly tugged the corner of her mouth and said: "I told you last time, I'm not really eager to enter marriage; I always feel that seeing the parents means marriage is not far off. Of course, I'm not saying I don't want to marry, just that I don't think it's the right time yet. Otherwise, I wouldn't have accepted your proposal. Do you understand?"

Xu Yanfeng turned her words over in his mind, slowly saying: "I sort of understand, yet I also don't quite understand."

Xia Xi: "……"

Xu Yanfeng indeed wasn't clear enough; according to Xia Xi's words, she doesn't reject marriage, just considers timing. So if she trusted and loved him enough, what difference would it make if the time were earlier or later?

Xia Xi didn't want to discuss this further, but there was one thing she was still curious about: "Your mother……"

Xu Yanfeng: "Hmm?"

Xia Xi, thinking while speaking: "Her impression of me seems different from last time we met; perhaps because she was talking to you." It could also be that last time her meeting with Zhong Yinghong was too rushed, they barely exchanged a few words, not enough for her to get to know this person.

Xu Yanfeng slightly furrowed his brows, looking thoughtful: "What are you saying?"

Xia Xi paused, replaying what she had just said, also feeling it was a bit tangled. She then asked bluntly: "Your mother inviting me to eat at your house—does that mean she agrees to us being together? Does she know my family background? Does she mind?"

She wouldn't ask Xu Guanshan, because he would definitely not agree.

In an instant, the clouds parted to reveal the moon, and Xu Yanfeng finally understood what she was worried about.

"Xia Xi, are you worried that my family won't accept you, which is why you don't want to go back to meet my parents?" Xu Yanfeng precisely summarized her meaning, paused, as if finding it absurd, couldn't help laughing: "How could you think that?"

Xia Xi remained silent—not because she wanted to think that way, but because the fact really is so; he just hasn't seen it clearly.

Xu Yanfeng eased the smile from his lips, gripped her shoulders, leaned slightly forward, his expression utterly serious: "From childhood to adulthood, Lady Zhong has never interfered with any of my decisions. When I was young, my father arranged for me to study calligraphy and Go, but I didn't like it then; I wanted to play soccer and practice taekwondo, and my mother would sneak me out behind my father's back to do what I truly loved. So using the word 'agree' is too inaccurate; regardless of whether she agrees or not, I tell her what's happening, and she knows. That's all there is to it."

Xia Xi could feel that Xu Yanfeng wasn't just saying nice things to comfort her; what he said was likely true.

Moreover, in the phone call, Zhong Yinghong's words inside and out showed no dissatisfaction or resentment, only some difficulty.

From this we can see, Zhong Yinghong is an open-minded mother who respects and understands her son's choices; even if accepting them takes a process, she will try to accept rather than obstruct.

Xia Xi suddenly laughed, not looking at Xu Yanfeng, her gaze sweeping past his shoulder to some point in the void, laughing for a long while. She clearly realized that back then, she should have been played by Xu Guanshan.

Xu Yanfeng saw her smiling expression carry a hint of bitterness, cupped her face with his palm, his tone holding a tension he himself hadn't noticed: "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing." Xia Xi shook her head, focused her gaze, and settled it back on his face.

She was thinking: if Xu Guanshan hadn't deceived her back then, would she still have agreed to make a deal with him? The answer is she's not sure. One can never, after choosing a path, know the scenery of the other road.

She doesn't know what the consequences would have been if she had stubbornly insisted on being with Xu Yanfeng back then.

But she knows that now, this is fine.

So there's nothing to regret either.

Xia Xi smiled again, lifted her hand to cover the back of Xu Yanfeng's hand, after careful consideration gave her answer: "Let's talk about it after I get through this busy period, okay?"

Could Xu Yanfeng say no? Of course not. He respects all her decisions.

Lu Mingji is on a business trip for a week and hasn't returned yet, so Li Tai's matter naturally falls entirely to Xia Xi's responsibility.

She has met Li Tai several times: once at a private estate, once at a hospital, once at a coffee shop, and today in the company's meeting room. Xia Xi's lips have been worn raw, and only then has Li Tai's attitude softened a bit.

But Li Tai added a new demand: "I don't want to see Gao Ge again; I hope this project is still handled by you, Xia Gong. I know you're in charge of the Jingyu Yuan project, and perhaps my private estate means nothing to you, but now that it's come to this, it's Broad and Elegant begging me to show favor, and I'm also willing to give you a chance. How to do it, I think you should know."

Xia Xi showed hesitation; Gao Ge's plan has already been partially implemented, and if she takes over now the effect probably won't be good. Their styles differ greatly.

Li Tai tapped the table, voice resonant: "Any problems?"

There's no alternative; Xia Xi could only reply: "No problem."

After so many rounds of negotiation, Xia Xi is also exhausted; both sides stepping back a bit is the best outcome.