Chapter 164: The Misunderstanding Deepens

"I'm not eating, I'm not eating, you go."

Shi Youxuan lost her temper and stood up to shoo him away.

"You are coming with me." Sheng Hanyu grabbed her hand; this was Shi Yucheng's home, and with Shi Yucheng and the servants around, it was inconvenient to discuss the topic between the two of them.

He wanted to explain to her when they were alone... and play the statement from the television again!

Sheng Hanyu felt that even if they were alone, it would be very difficult for him to say those mushy words all over again.

When he issued the statement, he had been too anxious; it was the result of an impulse.

Now that he had found her, he naturally wasn't that impulsive anymore.

"I won't!"

Shi Youxuan shook him off and said indignantly, "Sheng Hanyu, don't always act so high and mighty. I don't owe you anything, and I'm not your accessory. Why should I listen to whatever you say?"

If Sheng Hanyu could have said something soft at this moment, or played the statement from the television again right then to let Shi Youxuan understand his heart, nothing would have happened!

But he just didn't.

Instead, he emphasized once more that the little woman should go home with him.

"Come with me."

"I won't, I absolutely won't, let go of me..."

While the two were arguing, Shi Yucheng heard the commotion and came out of the kitchen, still wearing an apron around his waist: "What's wrong? What's wrong?"

Shi Youxuan felt aggrieved, tears hanging on her small face. Sheng Hanyu wanted to explain but didn't want to say it there; his usually unchanging ice-cold face was flushed with suppressed emotion, looking as if he were about to lose his temper.

To Shi Yucheng, the two of them looked like a son-in-law bullying his daughter.

"Well, you Sheng Hanyu, you act one way in front of people and another behind their backs? You spoke so nicely just a moment ago, but the moment you turn around in my house, you dare to bully Xuanxuan?"

He blocked the space between them, shielding his daughter behind him like a mother hen protecting her chicks.

It would have been better without him interfering; with Shi Yucheng making such a scene, Shi Youxuan cried even harder.

She hugged her father's waist from behind, letting her tears run wild: "Dad, you are so good to me..." Shi Youxuan was moved.

She was moved because Shi Yucheng dared to argue loudly with Sheng Hanyu for her sake!

This reminded her of when she had "gone missing" before; her father had gone to Sheng Hanyu's Villa to make a scene and caused him quite a bit of trouble.

One had to know that her father never argued with anyone, let alone caused trouble or provoked others, and he held the Sheng Family in awe.

But for her sake, he had broken many precedents. Shi Youxuan felt her father's wholehearted paternal love, and she was especially moved at this moment.

However, Shi Yucheng misunderstood; he thought his second daughter was frequently bullied by Sheng Hanyu, which was why she was crying so sadly now. He believed the so-called statement on television was all fake, and that Sheng Hanyu was just putting on an act.

Shi Yucheng's eyes went round, and he pointed at the door, starting to drive him away: "You go, our home doesn't welcome you."

The father-in-law's attitude had changed suddenly, and Sheng Hanyu didn't know why.

But he didn't want to leave alone; he still wanted to take his wife back.

"Please step aside, will you? There is a misunderstanding between Xuanxuan and me, and I want to explain it to her face-to-face."

Shi Yucheng said, "Say it right here, say it in front of me."

This was impossible. Even if they were alone, Sheng Hanyu hadn't figured out how to say it; in front of his father-in-law, he could say it even less.

But because he wouldn't say it, Shi Yucheng stood in his way, refusing to let him take her away at all.

"You go, I won't go back with you."

Whenever Shi Youxuan thought of his affectionate confession to Jian Yixin's photo, her heart ached terribly.

Sheng Hanyu had never confessed to her; it turned out it wasn't because he was reserved, but because he didn't love her!

Unable to take his wife back, he had no choice but to give up and return alone.

"Dad, I'm going back to my room."

After being stirred up by Sheng Hanyu, Shi Youxuan had no appetite at all. She went upstairs to her room, closed the door, and threw herself onto the bed to cry bitterly.

"Beep—"

WeChat chimed; it was a message from Sheng Hanyu.

It was a long, long block of text; it must be an explanation, right? Should she look or not?

Shi Youxuan hesitated for a long time, and finally decided to look.

Although she had heard Sheng Hanyu's confession to Jian Yixin with her own ears, deep down, she still hoped Sheng Hanyu could give her an explanation that she could accept!

Having made up her mind, she had just tapped open the message box—when her father pushed the door open without warning: "Xuanxuan, I cooked you a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Eat it while it's hot; if you don't have an appetite, a little bit is fine."

She was so nervous that her hand shook, and she deleted it!

"Okay, you can put it on the table, I'll eat in a moment."

The tear tracks on Shi Youxuan's face hadn't dried yet. Shi Yucheng noticed that a small patch of the bedsheet was soaked with tears; how heartbroken must she be to cry like this?

Shi Yucheng was not at ease leaving her alone.

He put the noodles on the table, but instead of leaving, he sat down: "Alright, I'll wait for you to finish eating before I go."

"Dad—"

Shi Youxuan was annoyed inside but couldn't say it. Meeting her father's worried gaze... she compromised!

She wouldn't say anything else; she would eat the noodles.

She really had no appetite and could only eat a few mouthfuls before she couldn't go on; she even felt a bit nauseous.

"I'm full."

"Alright, tell Dad when you're hungry again. No need for the servants; Dad will cook for you himself." Shi Yucheng didn't urge her to eat more, but took the bowl and went out.

"Ugh—"

As soon as her father went out, Shi Youxuan ran to the bathroom immediately. The feeling of nausea became increasingly intense, and she threw up everything in the bathroom.

Shi Youxuan's stomach had always been a bit delicate; when she was in a bad mood, she would feel nauseous and have acid reflux. She didn't think much of it; she had just been holding it in because she didn't want to worry her father.

After rinsing her mouth, she came back and picked up her phone, feeling slightly disappointed.

The phone was completely clean, with nothing on it; Sheng Hanyu had not sent another word, and she wondered if she should ask.

Asking didn't seem quite right, but not asking left her very curious about what he had just written.

The door was pushed open once more, and Shi Yucheng came in again: "Xuanxuan, eat some fruit to cool off."

On the plate were several large, red honey peaches with water droplets still on them, looking very appetizing.

She picked one up and gently peeled it with her fingers, removing a small section of the skin, then took a bite; it was sweet, juicy, and delicious.

Before long, the entire large plate of peaches had been eaten by Shi Youxuan, yet she still wanted more: "Dad, are there any left?"

"Yes, yes, I'll go wash some more for you..."

He turned to leave, but then stopped: "Xuanxuan, will you be alright eating so many peaches?"

A neighbor had just returned from their hometown and given him over a dozen peaches, freshly picked from their own tree, each weighing seven or eight taels, and Shi Youxuan had just eaten five in one go!

Five of them.

Even a strong young man couldn't eat that many, could he?

He was afraid his daughter would overeat, so he insisted she stop, but he put the remaining peaches in the refrigerator to keep them chilled for her.

Shi Youxuan was nagged by her father into going out for a walk to digest, and though she didn't want to, Shi Yucheng pushed her out anyway; she was pushed out, but she didn't bring her phone.

Her stomach was indeed a bit full, but she didn't feel like throwing up.

The father and daughter walked along the tree-lined path of the residential complex, occasionally greeting a neighbor: "Oh, Old Shi, your daughter is back? I haven't seen you smile this happily in a long time; is it because your daughter is back?"

"That's right..."

Shi Yucheng nodded with a chuckle, showing off: "Both my daughters are in Jiangzhou and visit me often; they're better than your son, aren't they? Why did you send him abroad in the first place? You can only see your son and grandson through video calls; if they were in Jiangzhou, wouldn't you be able to see them every day?"