Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Xia Yongqing and Rose never told Xia Wanzhi that they had decided to respect her wishes and let her stay in Beicheng.

So Xia Wanzhi was still racking her brain for ways to remain here.

When she learned that Xia Yongqing had already bought their tickets back to the UK three days later, Xia Wanzhi was so anxious she could have climbed the walls.

“Wanzi, dinner’s ready.” Xia Yongqing knocked on Xia Wanzhi’s bedroom door.

A moment later, Xia Wanzhi opened it. “Xie Tan invited me over to eat next door.”

Xia Yongqing’s face darkened at once. “Does that Xie guy cook better than I do?”

Xia Wanzhi was in a huff. “Yes!”

But when she went across the hall, Xie Qiyan and Xie Tan were already halfway through their meal.

“Here to mooch a meal?” Xie Qiyan had a teasing smile on his lips. “So it turns out Sister Wanzi and I have gotten this close.”

That last sentence was aimed at Xie Tan, but it was clearly meant to tease her.

Xia Wanzhi gave a little huff. She didn’t eat, either. Instead, she scooped Changsheng over, sat down on the sofa, and started petting him.

From the living room, she could see the dining area, and Xia Wanzhi’s gaze happened to fall on Xie Qiyan.

Maybe it was because he had lived overseas for so long, but even the way he ate carried a gentlemanly air-unhurried and composed. His pace at meals actually matched hers quite well.

If this man weren’t so sharp-tongued, he honestly wouldn’t be that annoying.

At the very least, after spending time with him lately, Xia Wanzhi’s impression of him had quietly changed without her realizing it.

The one hostile toward Xie Qiyan now was Old Xia.

Xia Wanzhi wondered if she had shot herself in the foot. She had originally thought that since Old Xia was softhearted, she might find a sliver of hope through him and get to stay in Beicheng. But he just had to find Xie Qiyan unpleasant, and then stubbornly suspect that something fishy was going on between her and Xie Qiyan, insisting that she leave with them.

So for the past two days, she had been sulking. On top of that, she had promised to come over and keep Xie Tan company more often, so she kept running over to Xie Qiyan’s place at every opportunity, deliberately trying to make Old Xia angry.

With that thought, Xia Wanzhi put Changsheng down and slunk back home to act cute with Old Xia.

At the dining table, Xie Tan sniffled. “Brother, is Sister Wanzi really leaving?”

Xie Qiyan paused with his chopsticks. “Not necessarily.”

There was no way Xia Wanzhi would give up the Studio she had finally managed to keep and leave Beicheng.

Besides, there was still the contract binding her.

Xia Wanzhi still had to paint for her for the rest of her life.

So far, she hadn’t painted a single piece.

She wasn’t getting away.

Seeing how calm and unbothered he looked, Xie Tan couldn’t help asking curiously, “Aren’t you worried about Sister Wanzi at all?”

“She’s not my sister. What am I supposed to be worried about?” Xie Qiyan shot back with an amused laugh.

Besides, he didn’t think Xia Wanzhi was incapable of handling a pair of parents who were completely wrapped around their daughter.

Xie Tan said, “But she’s your…”

Xie Qiyan looked over.

Xie Tan chickened out and added in a tiny voice, “Neighbor…”

Early the next morning, Xia Wanzhi went to the Studio to paint as usual. She stayed in the art room for most of the day, and when it was almost lunchtime, Xie Qiyan suddenly showed up.

Xia Wanzhi’s head nearly exploded. “What are you doing here?”

Xie Qiyan was perfectly justified. “I can’t come? Don’t forget, I’m also your client.”

Xia Wanzhi was speechless.

It was almost time for Old Xia to deliver her lunch.

Of all times, he had to come now.

“My schedule is already full this month,” Xia Wanzhi refused without the slightest mercy.

“Tomorrow is next month. I’m booking your schedule for next month in advance.” Xie Qiyan pulled out a chair and sat down.

Xia Wanzhi gritted her teeth. Just as she was trying to figure out how to get rid of him, her gaze flicked to the side-and she spotted Comrade Old Xia walking toward her with lunch.

“Quick, quick, quick! Hide!” Alarm bells went off in Xia Wanzhi’s mind. She grabbed Xie Qiyan by the arm and hurriedly shoved him into the display room.

Xie Qiyan was extremely unwilling. “Is this how you treat your client?”

“Please endure it for a moment, President Xie. I promise I’ll make it up to you afterward.” Xia Wanzhi pressed her palms together sincerely.

The next second, with a bang, the door was shut from the outside.
Xie Qiyan: “…”

It wasn’t until he heard Xia Yongqing’s voice outside that Xie Qiyan finally understood what was going on.

It wasn’t as if the man had come to catch them in the act. Why hide him?

She was making it look like she was keeping a husband in a gilded cage.

“Dad!” Perhaps because she felt guilty, Xia Wanzhi was especially enthusiastic.

Xia Yongqing didn’t notice anything off. The two of them had been in a cold war these past few days, so seeing her treat him so warmly lifted his mood as well. “All right, no acting cute. You’re hungry, aren’t you? I brought you red-braised pork and steamed fish. Try them.”

Once they were separated by two countries, he wouldn’t be able to cook for her whenever he wanted anymore.

Xia Yongqing’s old eyes stung with emotion.

“It’s delicious.” Xia Wanzhi ate with obvious delight.

“Where’s Zhuzi?” Xia Yongqing stood and looked around the Studio.

Xia Wanzhi’s gaze followed him. “She went to deliver a painting to a client.”

Xia Yongqing nodded, then headed straight for the art room.

Xia Wanzhi stood up with her bowl in hand, panic surging through her. “Dad, what are you looking at?”

With his hands clasped behind his back, Xia Yongqing finished inspecting the art room and came back out. “Sit and eat. Don’t mind me. I’m just taking a look around.”

With that, he made to head toward the display room. Xia Wanzhi’s pupils trembled. She set down her bowl and chopsticks, rushed over to block him, and forcibly tugged him into making a turn. “What’s there to see? Come watch me eat and chat with me.”

Xia Yongqing gave her a suspicious look. When he followed her back to the dining table, he glanced back at the display room.

She was hiding someone.

She was definitely hiding someone.

Xia Yongqing saw right through it, but he didn’t expose her.

Rose had suggested he observe her for another couple of days, and he had.

What he observed was that Xia Wanzhi had changed tactics. She had stopped opposing him and instead followed his wishes by keeping her distance from Xie Qiyan. She didn’t even drop by next door anymore.

Xia Yongqing stared at Xia Wanzhi with a complicated expression. Now that he knew she was hiding someone, he was even more convinced that there was definitely something going on between her and Xie Qiyan.

That apartment in Lanting Bieyuan was said to belong to Xie Tan, but anyone with eyes could guess it was obviously Xie Qiyan’s doing.

She was living in Xie Qiyan’s apartment and had become Xie Qiyan’s neighbor. Even a stray dog would have to pause and bow to the sheer inevitability of it.

Young people these days had no idea that age and experience counted for something. They really thought they could hide it from him.

She had gone over to someone’s home to eat and pet the cat so naturally. She must have done it plenty of times.

Maybe they really had gotten together in secret behind everyone’s backs.

Thinking of what Rose had said to him, Xia Yongqing considered it and decided that compared with Zhou Yu, Xie Qiyan truly wasn’t bad either.

After a long while, he compromised. “Your mother and I discussed it. You’re grown up now. We won’t stop you from pursuing love.”

Xia Wanzhi looked up in confusion. “Huh?”

“We’ll handle your grandfather. We’ll just say you’ve met your true love. If we pester him enough, I don’t think he’ll refuse. You can stay in Beicheng without worry.”

Xia Wanzhi’s eyes widened.

“But don’t forget, September ninth is your grandmother’s birthday. When the time comes, bring your boyfriend to the UK to offer birthday wishes.”

Xia Wanzhi blinked. “What boyfriend?”

Xia Yongqing gave a cold snort. “Stop pretending. Isn’t Xie Qiyan your boyfriend?”

Xia Wanzhi blurted out, “Nonsense. My boyfriend isn’t him!”

Xia Yongqing frowned. “Then who is it? There’s another man?”

Xia Wanzhi was still lost, but belatedly realized that Old Xia had relented and agreed to let her stay in the country. So whatever he was talking about, she nodded and agreed first.

Seeing how excited she was, Xia Yongqing felt the pain of having his family’s precious little padded jacket peeled off and draped over someone else. Heartsore, he left.

The moment he was gone, Xia Wanzhi nearly fell apart.

How had Xie Qiyan become her boyfriend?

“When did I become your boyfriend?”

A magnetic voice drifted over from the doorway of the display room. Having heard every word of the father-daughter conversation, Xie Qiyan leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, looking at Xia Wanzhi at his leisure.