Chapter 57

Chapter 57

“I was wrong.” Xia Wanzhi clung to Ms. Ross’s arm and admitted her mistake with great enthusiasm. “But Dad was the one who said he’d let me stay in Beicheng because I was with Xie Qiyan. He even encouraged me to bravely pursue love.”

“Your father and I never intended to force you to go back to the UK with us,” Ms. Ross explained. “We both respect your wishes.”

“Then Dad…”

“Your father suddenly changed his mind because he mistakenly thought you liked Xie Qiyan. He didn’t want you to be with Xie Qiyan, and he was worried you were already in too deep to pull yourself out, so he wanted to take you away from Beicheng to find your prince,” Rose explained with a smile.

“In reality, he still goes along with you in everything. No matter how much he has against Xie Qiyan, he was still willing to postpone going back to the UK for a few days. He planned to observe Xie Qiyan and see whether he was worth entrusting you to.”

“I don’t like Xie Qiyan…” Xia Wanzhi had already explained this countless times.

“That’s not for you to say.” Rose sounded as if she were speaking in riddles. She pressed her hand lightly over Xia Wanzhi’s heart. “Nothing comes from nowhere.”

Xia Wanzhi was a little lost.

“I’ll explain this to your father. In any case, we won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do. I’ll handle your grandfather as well. And you don’t need to pretend to be a couple with Xie Qiyan to fool the parents. I don’t want fake. I only want real.” Ms. Ross pressed her cheek against Xia Wanzhi’s and pulled her into her arms. “Stay here with peace of mind and have fun with your friends. Mom’s got everything covered.”

Moved, Xia Wanzhi wiped at her damp eyes.

Thank goodness she had a mother. Otherwise, if she died in this life, it would definitely be from being wronged to death by her own father’s overactive imagination.

At four in the afternoon, Comrade Old Xia and Ms. Ross boarded their flight.

Xia Wanzhi watched them leave at the airport. Only after their figures disappeared did she feel a hollow emptiness settle in her chest.

Especially some of the things Ms. Ross had said-there were parts she hadn’t quite understood.

“Reluctant to see them go?” As they left the airport, Xie Qiyan noticed her repeatedly looking back toward the boarding gate. His broad palm pressed against the back of her head, steering her forward. “Isn’t your grandmother’s birthday in a few days? You’ll all be reunited again then.”

Xia Wanzhi curled her lip. “My mom could tell we were acting. My dad’s the only one whose brain made up an entire drama.”

Xie Qiyan’s steps paused slightly, his breathing turning lighter. “So?”

“So you don’t need to be my boyfriend anymore.” Xia Wanzhi felt as though a weight had been lifted. But the moment she looked up and met Xie Qiyan’s gaze, she subconsciously wanted to avoid it again.

She couldn’t quite grasp this strange feeling.

Xie Qiyan stopped walking altogether. Confused, Xia Wanzhi lifted her eyes.

His gaze looked gentle enough, but his expression was serious. As their eyes met, he leaned down slightly.

Xia Wanzhi instinctively tried to take a step back, but his hand held the back of her head in place and even guided her a step forward.

He bent at the waist, his light breath falling beside Xia Wanzhi’s ear. “That won’t quite work.”

His magnetic voice flowed thread by thread into Xia Wanzhi’s ears. Her whole body went numb, and a flash of astonishment crossed her eyes.

“What… do you mean?” Xia Wanzhi nearly tripped over her own tongue.

“Your parents are fine, but with the Old Master and Xie Tan, there’s a bit of a problem.” As he spoke, he straightened and kept his palm cupped around Xia Wanzhi’s head, continuing to lead her forward.

He looked exactly like a domineering boyfriend with his little girlfriend tucked against him.

“What does this have to do with your grandfather and Xie Tan?” Xia Wanzhi shrank her neck and forcefully pried his hand off, her expression one of someone determined to get to the bottom of things. “Don’t tell me you’re trying to stick yourself to me now?”

Xie Qiyan raised an eyebrow slightly. “Your dad asked me for my phone number last night. Xie Tan saw it.”

Xia Wanzhi swallowed. “And then?”

“Uncle also asked around about a few things, and Xie Tan overheard,” Xie Qiyan continued unhurriedly.

Xia Wanzhi unconsciously slowed her breathing. “Asked… asked about what?”

“When I started liking you, how long you and I have been together, what advantages I have compared to Zhou Yu, whether I’ll like you for the rest of my life, and whether I’ll marry you in the future.” Xie Qiyan seemed to be holding back a smile, his posture taking on a lazy ease.
Xia Wanzhi: “!!!”

Old Xia, you fool! How could you do something so wicked?

“How did you answer?”

“That’s not the point,” Xie Qiyan said gravely. “The point is, Xie Tan saw it and heard it, then turned around and told the Old Master. Given the Old Master’s personality, do you think he might have already prepared the betrothal gifts for me?”

“The Old Master has always liked making a scene. For something as major as preparing betrothal gifts, word has probably already spread through the Xie Family. And the Xie Family loves to gossip, so they’ve probably started telling outsiders too.”

Xia Wanzhi’s expression froze completely.

This… seemed a little serious.

“I can go apologize,” Xia Wanzhi said, clearly taken in by him, her voice weak.

Xie Qiyan arched a brow slightly, as if deliberately pretending he hadn’t heard her clearly. “Kiss? Isn’t that a little fast?”

Xia Wanzhi jolted at his outrageous words, then, embarrassed and furious, slapped him. “Apologize! I’ll personally apologize to Grandpa Xie!”

After they left the airport, Xie Qiyan opened the passenger-side door. “No need.”

Xia Wanzhi didn’t understand. “Why not?”

“What I need is a girlfriend.” Xie Qiyan buckled his seat belt. Before starting the car, he lowered his gaze slightly, his eyes landing on Xia Wanzhi.

Xia Wanzhi froze on the spot.

She had the distinct feeling she had just been set up.

“Last month, the Old Master finalized a list of marriage alliances, and I was on it. Xie Lin and Xie Nan were to marry into the Luo Family and Lin Family respectively. As for me, after the trending-search incident happened, the Old Master crossed out the woman’s name and left it blank.”

Xia Wanzhi kept staring at him without blinking, waiting for him to continue.

“The fact that I was able to take over Xie Corporation was half the Old Master’s doing. There are some things I can’t defy.” Xie Qiyan’s tone softened.

Businessmen valued profit. Even though the Old Master had handed power to Xie Qiyan, he was still the chairman. If he said it was wind, no one could call it rain.

Marriage alliances involved interests. Xie Lin and the Luo Family, Xie Nan and the Lin Family-every one of them was tied to profit.

Only Xia Wanzhi was different.

The Old Master genuinely wanted Xia Wanzhi to become his granddaughter-in-law.

So when he learned there was a possibility that Xie Qiyan and Xia Wanzhi might develop into something, he had crossed out the marriage he had arranged for Xie Qiyan without the slightest hesitation.

No matter how slow Xia Wanzhi was, she now understood what Xie Qiyan meant.

“You want me to pretend to be your girlfriend to deal with Grandpa Xie?” Though she understood, Xia Wanzhi still had to confirm it.

Xie Qiyan imitated the tone she had used the day before yesterday. “Little Sister Xia, think it over. I won’t let you suffer any losses.”

Xia Wanzhi: “…”

On the drive back, Xia Wanzhi thought about it seriously the entire way.

She had already adjusted her attitude yesterday and gotten into character. Now, all that had changed was the target she needed to win over.

In essence, there was no difference.

“For one year?” Xia Wanzhi put forward her condition.

Xie Qiyan quietly suppressed the fleeting smile in his eyes. “Deal.”

She was so simple it made ripples spread uncontrollably through his heart.

He had never intended for it to last as long as a year.

Xie Qiyan thought that if he really sold her off, she might actually help him count the money.

At eight that evening, Xia Wanzhi moved all the leftover ingredients Comrade Old Xia had left in the kitchen over to Xie Qiyan’s place, nearly filling his entire refrigerator.

After ending his conference call, Xie Qiyan leaned against the kitchen island with great interest and asked, “Are you moving in with me?”

Then he tactfully added, “You don’t have to be that enthusiastic.”

Xia Wanzhi shot him an icy look. “Stop your evil thoughts. I can’t cook, so I’m giving these to you.”

Xie Qiyan raised a brow slightly.

Xia Wanzhi tugged her lips into a smile. “You said you wouldn’t let me suffer any losses. So, Brother Xie, for the next year’s worth of meals, I’ll have to trouble you to take care of them all.”