Chapter 173

Chapter 173

When Xie Qiyan was little, he thought his father was the person in the world who cherished his mother most.

He never imagined it was only a dream someone had woven for him.

That dream shattered when he was five.

After Yao Qin sent him to the Xie Family, Xie Qiyan stood facing him from a distance. Still only a five-year-old child, he instinctively cried and ran over, calling him Dad in his soft, childish voice, asking if he didn’t want Mommy anymore.

At the time, Xie Tianqi had looked down at him from above, coldly pulled his hand away, and told him, “Yes.”

Cold. Heartless. Xie Qiyan had even seen disgust in Xie Tianqi’s eyes.

As if the happy days the three of them had spent together as a family in Nancheng had been nothing but an illusion.

From then on, Xie Qiyan believed Xie Tianqi was a man without a heart.

No, he wasn’t human.

He was worse than a beast.

After waking up and hearing that Hou Mengqiu had cheated on him and that Xie An was not his biological son, Xie Tianqi looked even calmer than he had when he learned Xia Wanzhi had married Xie Qiyan.

As though he had known about it all along.

“I hear you’ve been managing Xie Corporation quite well?” Xie Tianqi coughed heavily a few times, then actually began speaking up for Second Uncle Xie’s and Third Uncle Xie’s families. “Don’t forget that Xie Corporation doesn’t belong to you alone. Xie Lin and Xie Nan aren’t that much younger than you. What you can do, they may not necessarily be unable to do. Since you’re the eldest brother, you should look after them more. For some projects, you should just let go and hand them over to them.”

When Xie Tianqi was young, he had been constantly on guard against Second Young Master Xie and Third Young Master Xie. Even after he took over Xie Corporation, the three brothers still fought fiercely in the dark.

And now look at him. He had only just woken up, and after learning that Xie Qiyan was in charge of Xie Corporation, he had the nerve to start lecturing him.

Xie Qiyan frowned, but what he was thinking about was Xie Tianqi’s purpose in saying all this.

Human nature did not change overnight.

Xie Tianqi was far too selfish. There was no way he was sincerely thinking of his nephews.

So what was he worried about?

That Xie Qiyan would swallow Xie Corporation whole by himself?

But why?

“Uncle, how can you say that? Ayan has been taking plenty of care of his younger brothers and sisters,” Xia Wanzhi said, blinking innocently as she continued, “Never mind the projects assigned to Xie Lin and Xie Nan. Just their daily work alone keeps them so busy they barely know which way is up. Some time ago, Second Aunt was worried Xie Lin would be too tired when he was about to get married, so she even came to me specifically and asked me to put in a pillow-talk request with Ayan to assign him less work.”

Xia Wanzhi blinked innocently and went on, “Besides his younger brothers, Ayan also transferred some shares under Xie Tan’s name as a birthday gift. Isn’t that enough care for his younger brothers and sisters?”

Xie Tianqi’s pupils constricted. As though furious, he gasped heavily, trying to steady his breathing. “You… you…”

Xie Qiyan’s expression was cold. He had long since run out of patience. He had thought Xie Tianqi had called him in because he felt even the slightest bit of remorse, but now it seemed there was no need for Xia Wanzhi to keep listening to this nonsense with him.

It would only waste his precious wife’s breath.

On the way back, Xia Wanzhi glanced at Xie Qiyan several times, hesitating to speak more than once.

By the time they returned to Qingcheng Villa, the car had barely come to a stop when Xie Qiyan’s tall body leaned over Xia Wanzhi.

“I’m wondering exactly what it is that could make my Teacher Xiao Wanzi want to speak several times but not dare to.” Bracing one hand on the seatback behind Xia Wanzhi, Xie Qiyan brushed the tip of his nose against hers. With his other hand, he unfastened her seat belt, then wrapped his arm around her waist.
Scalded by his burning breath, Xia Wanzhi shrank her neck and pressed her lips together. Then she closed her eyes and blurted out the outrageous thought in her head. “Now that he’s awake, do you think Grandpa will let him back into Xie Corporation to take control again? If that happens… should we fight him for it?”

Now that the words were out, Xia Wanzhi snapped her eyes open. Her gaze burned with determination, and she vowed, “Don’t worry. The Becker Family and I are your strongest backing. He can’t beat you.”

After a moment’s thought, Xia Wanzhi added, “If Grandpa really does have that idea, maybe you can consider marrying into my family and then inheriting my grandpa’s conglomerate. But if you don’t like that, you could also think about starting your own business and building another Xie Corporation from scratch?”

It was still broad daylight. Xia Wanzhi lifted her eyes and crashed straight into Xie Qiyan’s dark, tender gaze. A little embarrassed, she turned her head away.

Xie Qiyan said nothing. He only lowered his head, buried his face in the crook of her neck, and kept kissing her.

“Wait, wait, wait…” Xia Wanzhi’s whole body heated under his kisses. “Did you hear what I said? I’m being serious.”

Honest to all, no joking.

Ever since they found news of Yao Qin, Xie Qiyan hadn’t been intimate with her like this in a long time.

Xia Wanzhi had no idea what had gotten into him. He clung to her, kissing her and laughing against her.

When he finally stopped laughing, Xia Wanzhi held his head and looked at him with a face full of resentment.

Xie Qiyan restrained his smile. His thin lips brushed over the space between her brows, his voice weary yet lingering with tenderness. “All right. In our family, what you say goes. If you want me to fight for it, I’ll fight for it.”

The sudden sweet talk made Xia Wanzhi purse her lips. She gave him a push. “Get up. Let’s get out of the car first. We can talk about the rest later.”

Whether they fought for it or not was secondary. The most important thing right now was getting Yao Qin to recognize Xie Qiyan.

Even the doctors couldn’t give a definitive answer for Yao Qin’s condition. Xia Wanzhi could only start with companionship and slowly try to wake her up.

Nothing was more suitable than Dream Painting.

She wanted to know exactly what was in Yao Qin’s dreams.

If Yao Qin was living in a dream, then Xia Wanzhi would enter that dream with her.

When the couple returned home and stepped through the door, they saw the living room in complete chaos.

Xia Wanzhi stared blankly at Liu Shubai, who was standing on top of the table.

Xie Qiyan, meanwhile, looked at Yao Qin, who was cursing Liu Shubai nonstop while hurling things at him.

Worried the two of them would be frightened, Liu Shubai raised his voice and explained, “It’s fine. Your mother said thieves broke in, so she’s… fighting the thieves.”

Xia Wanzhi: “…”

Xie Qiyan couldn’t relax. He watched Yao Qin nervously, terrified that she might hurt herself.

Most of the things smashed on the floor were pieces of porcelain Xia Wanzhi liked.

Xie Qiyan’s gaze shifted, and he looked at Liu Shubai with faint dissatisfaction. “She said thieves broke in, and you didn’t help? What are you hiding for?”

Liu Shubai: “…”

Wasn’t it because he couldn’t talk her down?

“Pay for it,” Xie Qiyan said flatly.

Liu Shubai: “…Fine.”

Good thing he wasn’t short on money.

After moving around and working up a sweat, Yao Qin panted and looked toward Xie Qiyan as he walked over to her. The moment she opened her mouth, she shouted, “Ayan, give me a hand! Drive all these thieves out!”

Xie Qiyan’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone seemed to stop breathing as they stared blankly at Yao Qin.

The air seemed to freeze. Xie Qiyan’s voice came out muffled. “What… what did you call me?”