Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Talk about a dog’s mouth being unable to produce ivory.

Xia Wanzhi finally understood the meaning of that saying today.

“Long time no see.” Since she was currently eating his family’s desserts, Xia Wanzhi maintained a basic level of politeness.

“Not that long. We just saw each other last night.” Xie Qiyan didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving. He carried a cup to the coffee machine and began brewing a fresh cup of pour-over coffee.

The rich aroma filled the air, but there was none for Xia Wanzhi.

Upon hearing his words, Xia Wanzhi looked up abruptly, her expression a mix of disbelief and sudden realization.

He knew the person last night was her?

He actually knew it was her last night!

It had taken her so much information to piece together that the Suit Thug from last night was him, yet he had recognized her at a glance in that dim lighting.

Xia Wanzhi set down her fork, barely managing to keep her expression in check as she spoke with a hint of sarcasm. “Is that so? How come I didn’t know? Brother Xie must have been sleepwalking.”

Xie Qiyan walked past her carrying his steaming cup of coffee. He wasn’t surprised by her denial; he merely spared her a glance before heading straight back to the coffee table.

Their relationship had always been like this.

They had detested the sight of each other as children, and now that they had reunited as adults, nothing had changed.

Xia Wanzhi could probably guess why he had recognized her instantly last night.

Now that he had returned to Beicheng to take control of the Xie Family, he was a man of immense power. He likely had his finger on the pulse of everything in this circle.

Moreover, with something as significant as the Xia Family’s bankruptcy, he was probably just waiting to watch her become a laughingstock.

The two of them stayed under the same roof, yet it felt as if they were in two different worlds, neither interfering with the other, tacitly treating one another as thin air.

It wasn’t until Zhou Yu arrived that the thirty-minute silence was finally broken.

“Zhi Zhi, why are you eating in here…” The moment he stepped into the dining room, Zhou Yu’s words trailed off as he saw Xie Qiyan. His expression instantly turned humble. “Cousin! You’re here too.”

Xie Qiyan looked up slightly. “Mm.”

Old Master Xie had three sons and one daughter. Xie Qiyan was the son of the eldest, making him the eldest grandson of the family.

However, this eldest grandson of the Xie Family was an illegitimate child.

Most children from prominent families played together, but Xie Qiyan had been ostracized since childhood because of his status as an illegitimate son. He felt no affection whatsoever for these cousins.

“I came to find Zhi Zhi,” Zhou Yu said, his fluster evident.

Xie Qiyan set down his cup. “Should I leave then?”

Zhou Yu waved his hands frantically. “No, no, no. Cousin, please stay seated. I’ll take Zhi Zhi outside.”

Xia Wanzhi: “…”

Xie Qiyan gave a light smirk. “Suit yourself.”

Xia Wanzhi was practically dragged out by Zhou Yu. His grip on her slender, pale wrist was so tight it hurt. Noticing that Zhou Yu’s palms were sweaty, Xia Wanzhi frowned slightly. “Are you afraid of him?”

Zhou Yu stiffened for a moment before denying it. “Why would I be afraid of him? I was just worried he’d make things difficult for you.”

“He wouldn’t go that far.” Xia Wanzhi pulled her hand back and looked down, rubbing her wrist.

“Things are different now. Try to stay as far away from Xie Qiyan as possible in the future.” Knowing Xia Wanzhi’s temperament, Zhou Yu leaned in slightly and held her shoulders, speaking with earnest concern. “It’s already set in stone that the Studio has to move out. There’s no use in going to him. Zhi Zhi, trust me, I’ll help you find a place better than the Xingyao Building.”

Xia Wanzhi looked into his eyes, trying to read his current emotions.

Sweaty palms, shifting eyes.

It was clear that he was the one afraid of Xie Qiyan.

“I get it,” Xia Wanzhi sighed softly, reaching up to pat his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I won’t provoke him.”

Rather than saying Zhou Yu was afraid of him, it was more accurate to say the Zhou Family feared that Xie Qiyan wouldn’t show Zhou’s Mother any mercy while he was reorganizing the Xie Corporation.

Things in the business world were rarely entirely clean.

Zhou Yu took a moment to compose himself, then smiled as he took Xia Wanzhi’s hand, tucking it into the crook of his arm as they returned to the main hall.
It wasn’t until lunch was served that Xie Qiyan, the newly appointed head of the family, finally appeared before everyone. The previously lively atmosphere instantly plummeted to freezing point, and every member of the Xie Family, young and old, wore a strained, unpleasant expression.

The moment Xie Qiyan entered, everyone except Old Master Xie stood up. Xia Wanzhi had been warmly arranged by the Old Master to sit right beside him. From this vantage point, Xie Qiyan’s expression looked even more somber than it had just moments ago.

“Don’t just stand there. Sit,” the Old Master spoke up, taking the lead since Xie Qiyan remained silent.

Xia Wanzhi didn’t like standing, so she habitually sat down as soon as she heard the word. As she did, she was startled to realize that many people were staring in her direction, some even letting out a sharp intake of breath.

With a cold gaze, Xie Qiyan reached up to roll back his shirt sleeve, revealing a glimpse of his pale, chilled wrist bone. As he took his seat, his voice was low and heavy: “Sit.”

One by one, the others sat down. Xia Wanzhi pursed her lips, thinking to herself that after Xie Qiyan seized power, the atmosphere of the Xie Family had become even more deathly silent.

Even though it was a family banquet, no one dared to engage in small talk.

Only Xia Wanzhi and Xie Tan were whispering to each other, discussing which dish tasted better.

At another table, Zhou Yu stared gloomily at the smiling Xia Wanzhi, feeling an indescribable sense of resentment and defeat.

At the main table, the Old Master sat at the head, with Xia Wanzhi and Xie Qiyan flanking him on his left and right.

To an outsider, it would have looked as if Xia Wanzhi was the Xie Family’s granddaughter-in-law.

“You want Xia Wanzhi to be obedient, but she has never been an obedient girl. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so thoughtless as to sit right next to your grandfather.” Zhou’s Mother retracted her gaze and secretly patted Zhou Yu’s hand under the table.

Zhou Yu took a deep breath and forced a smile. “The Xia Family went bankrupt, so Grandfather is being extra warm to Zhi Zhi out of pity. Don’t overthink it, Mom. Let’s eat.”

He maintained a decent facade, but the veins on the hand resting on his lap were bulging.

By the time the lunch banquet ended, Xia Wanzhi had been having such a good time with Xie Tan that she didn’t notice anything unusual on Zhou Yu’s end.

Xie Qiyan, however, having observed the entire scene, let out an ambiguous, cold sneer.

As the banquet dispersed, the Old Master returned to his room, and Xie Qiyan was nowhere to be seen. While several elders discussed business in the main hall, a group of younger generation members gathered in the side hall to drink and enjoy themselves.

Xia Wanzhi was familiar with the Xie Family estate. Taking a shortcut to the side hall, she saw the two Xie brothers at the entrance with their arms around Zhou Yu’s shoulders, offering him some ‘advice.’

“I say, cousin, the Xia Family is already finished. You still haven’t bagged that eldest miss yet?” The second brother, Xie Lin, gave a mocking laugh, seemingly steering the conversation that way on purpose.

The third brother, Xie Nan, lit a cigarette and handed one to Zhou Yu as well, chiming in, “Yeah, cousin, take a word of advice from your younger brother. If it’s really not working out, just find someone else. That bastard Xie Qiyan is purging the Xie Corporation; he’s definitely going to kick your mother out. When the time comes, if you want the Zhou family business to stay stable, you’ll need to marry a useful wife who can help you out.”

“But you’ve got to get a taste of her before you switch, right? Otherwise, how could you justify those twenty-odd years of companionship, brother Zhou Yu?” Xie Lin’s grin widened.

Listening to them, Zhou Yu’s expression darkened. He seemed shaken, yet hesitant. He leaned in and borrowed a light from Xie Nan.

The pungent smell of smoke was detectable even from the doorway.

Xia Wanzhi hated the smell of smoke, so Zhou Yu rarely smoked in the past.

But that was the past.

“Then again, with Xia Wanzhi’s delicate frame, I wonder if she can even handle-”

“Fuck-Zhou Yu, what are you doing!” Xie Nan cried out, scrambling to his feet in a mess. The cigarette in his mouth had been extinguished by a glass of red wine Zhou Yu had splashed over him.

Zhou Yu’s fists were clenched tight, unable to listen to any more of the filth. “Xie Nan, watch your mouth.”

Xie Nan wasn’t about to let it go and threw a punch right at his face. “Damn it, Zhou Yu, who the hell are you pretending to be!”