Chapter 352

Xia Xi knew that lying in front of Xu Guanshan was useless; he could see through people's hearts, and she had no intention of deceiving him with falsehoods. The most direct and effective way to communicate was to be frank.

"When I made that promise to you earlier, I truly hadn't thought about having a future with him." Xia Xi put away her relaxed demeanor, her expression serious. "You're not unaware of how bitterly we parted; how could I dare hope for a future with him?"

Xu Guanshan sipped his tea, his gaze like an arrow piercing her: "Then tell me, what are you doing now?"

Xia Xi felt the study's air conditioning unusually cold, her body heat draining away bit by bit. She spoke calmly: "Matters of the heart are beyond our control; I tried every way to push him away, only to find that would hurt him more. I once hurt him badly, and I can't bear to torment him further. As for myself…" She gave a self‑mocking laugh. "I still have feelings for him, so I've conceded."

After saying that, she laughed again.

She really was foolish.

How could she bring up feelings with Xu Guanshan?

Does he understand?

If he understood feelings, he wouldn't have forced her to choose back then, nor would he have made her wound Xu Yanfeng in that way just to make him give up on her.

Xia Xi took a deep breath, rested her right hand on her left arm, and looked at Xu Guanshan: "Sorry, Chairman, I broke our agreement. But having come this far, I won't retreat."

Xu Guanshan was caught off guard by her words; she admitted things too candidly.

It was as if she were saying, I failed to uphold the deal, but now that it's come to this, you decide what to do with me.

Xu Guanshan's brows were deep-set; the anger at being deceived and fooled wouldn't lessen in the slightest because of her frankness: "Xu Yanfeng knows about back then…"

"He doesn't know." Xia Xi spoke urgently, understanding Xu Guanshan's concern: "He knows nothing."

Two seconds later, she realized that was too absolute and corrected herself: "He only knows that the claim I betrayed him back then is false; he doesn't know the whole thing was your doing. I still have that sense of morality."

Xu Yanfeng harbored doubts, suspecting there was more to the matter; he had asked her before, but she was unwilling to speak, so he chose to respect her privacy, giving her ample space, never pressing her, never making things difficult for her.

Thinking of him, Xia Xi's lips curled; he was just that good, always making her soften and ache, unable to bear treating him poorly.

"The part he knows wasn't revealed by me; he discovered the truth himself." Xia Xi said, "You might not know that even before he learned the truth, he was still willing to be with me."

Even before he knew the betrayal was false, he had already decided to win her back.

Someone like him wouldn't normally pursue anyone; his methods were clumsy to the point of being laughable, merely picked up from friends and gleaned from some flashy books.

With Xu Yanfeng like that, how could she bear to push him away again and again?

She ought to be grateful to have met someone like him in her lifetime.

She should also be glad that, back when she was young and clueless, she clung to him stubbornly and never gave up halfway.

"Why not tell him it was you who forced me?" Xu Guanshan asked.

"First, I had an agreement with you first; I received benefits, so it would be unreasonable to go back on my word and implicate you in wrongdoing. Getting back together with him already counts as breaking our agreement, just as I said—I'm not devoid of any moral bottom line." Xia Xi spoke slowly. "Second, I don't want our emotional affair to cause him to break with his elders; I choose to let the past stay in the past."

Xu Guanshan remained silent.

Indeed, if Xu Yanfeng learned that the past events were his manipulation, he couldn't possibly hold back from confronting him.

The sunlight outside grew stronger, the strips of light on the floor clearer, blindingly bright. Xu Guanshan glanced at the wall clock, calculated the time—Xu Yanfeng would be back soon.

"You don't hate me?"

Xu Guanshan gazed at Xia Xi's extremely calm face; at this moment, he actually couldn't read this woman.

"At first I certainly hated you, cursing you several times a day; later, after experiencing more, I stopped hating." Xia Xi shook her head, her smile relieved. "From another angle, I ought to thank you. Over the years, I've heard of lovers torn apart, usually ending with nothing gained. At least you sent me abroad to study and resolved my family's predicament, leaving me without worries; although you deceived me about some things, I also gained something. There's nothing to resent."

She paused, turned her face toward the window where sunlight danced on the green bamboo leaves, her voice languid: "If that were the case, I don't dare say what would happen if I forced myself to stay with Xu Yanfeng; after all, I'm proud and care about face, always relying on him—over time I might feel like a burden, ending exhausted and in a miserable finish."

Perhaps, that scenario she described won't occur; they might end up together nicely.

But who knows?

She ultimately cannot foresee how things would turn out if she took another path; the only thing she knows is that the present situation is fine enough.

Then there's no reason to complain.

One should be content; one cannot want everything.

Xu Guanshan's gaze lingered on Xia Xi's face for a long time, the silence stretching; he had only one final question: "What's the story with that child—is it Xu Yanfeng's?"

Xia Xi's heart jolted, and she only said: "The child is mine."

Upon hearing that, Xu Guanshan snorted coldly; she was so nervous—did she think he wanted to snatch that child?

As Xia Xi left the study, Xu Yanfeng happened to arrive home; the door hadn't even been shut before the outside heat wave swept in, and one could faintly hear the butler instructing the servants to carry the foam box out of the car……

In the blink of an eye, Xu Yanfeng stood before her, his jawline tight, fine sweat trickling down his temples, he asked nonchalantly: "Anything wrong?"

Xia Xi felt a bit embarrassed; Zhong Yinghong and Xu Junmo were still watching nearby. She lowered her eyes, handed him a tissue: "What could possibly be wrong. Hurry up and wipe your sweat."

Xu Yanfeng took the tissue slowly, casually wiping his face.

He unfastened his cufflinks, turned up his sleeves and folded them neatly—pale white forearms, muscles firm, lines smooth; he flipped his wrist, tossed the tissue into the trash, using the excuse of washing his hands to call Xu Junmo.

Xu Junmo followed helplessly.

The two brothers—one leaning against the bathroom door, the other standing at the washbasin scrubbing his hands—Xu Yanfeng turned his head and asked directly: "After I left, nothing happened at home, right?"

Xu Junmo: "Big Tiger summoned your girlfriend to the study for a chat; aside from that, nothing."

Xu Yanfeng furrowed his brows, turned off the faucet, straightened his back, and stared at him: "What did they say?"

Xu Junmo tipped his head back, looking toward the living room—Big Tiger should still be in the study, not having come out: "I don't know. Wait a moment."

Xu Yanfeng: "?"

Xu Junmo said mysteriously: "We'll talk later."

In the living room, Zhong Yinghong apologetically said to Xia Xi: "Really sorry, Ah Feng's dad is stubborn—he's been like this for decades; when he flares up, not even nine oxen can hold him back. He didn't say anything harsh to you, did he? Ah Feng has already clarified the online matter; maybe his father's mind just can't bend, so don't take his viewpoint to heart."

"The chairman didn't mention those online rumors." Xia Xi curled her lips slightly, speaking lightly: "We were just chatting casually. The chairman is terse; most of the time I'm the one talking while he listens."

Zhong Yinghong half-believed, half-doubted: "Like that?"

Xia Xi's eyes sincere: "Mm."

Only then did Zhong Yinghong relax a little, speaking earnestly: "If you ever feel wronged, remember to tell me; definitely don't bottle it up inside. If you're embarrassed to speak to me, also tell Ah Feng."

Xia Xi felt warm inside: "I know."

Zhong Yinghong changed the subject: "I just glanced at that fish—the box has ice packs, and it's still lively. Do you want it steamed, braised, or boiled? I'm good at cooking fish; I can do any style, and I'll make it myself shortly."

Xia Xi didn't stand on ceremony with her either, saying: "Steamed, please."

Zhong Yinghong laughed happily: "Okay."

Waiting for Xu Yanfeng to come over, someone kept Xia Xi company chatting, and Zhong Yinghong went to the kitchen. The servant had already processed the fish, scraping off the scales and removing the entrails. Zhong Yinghong tied on an apron, washed her hands, skillfully made a few cuts on both sides of the fish, rubbed on salt, placed ginger slices and cooking wine to marinate. While the fish was marinating, she proceeded to slice scallions, red chili strips, and other ingredients.

When the meal started, Xu Guanshan appeared again; his face showed no joy or anger, but at least he was no longer as oppressive as at the beginning.

Taking advantage of everyone's inattention, Xu Junmo sneaked into the study, took out the phone hidden there; the screen showed it was still recording, the timer continuously jumping, and he pressed pause with his finger.