Chapter 97

Chapter 97

“Sit down and pick one.” In the lounge, the Old Commander-in-Chief beamed as he pulled Xia Wanzhi into a seat, then placed a tablet in front of her.

Rose had no idea what was going on and looked at Xia Yongqing.

Hadn’t they gone off to explain the pretty-boy situation in detail?

It was a good thing the old man hadn’t erupted like a volcano, but that delighted, smiling expression of his was even scarier than a volcanic eruption.

Xia Yongqing kept tugging at his sleeves and rubbing his nose, looking guilty for some reason.

With everyone watching her, Xia Wanzhi swiped through the tablet a few times with a complicated expression. A bad feeling rose in her heart, and she asked, caught between laughter and tears, “What is this?”

“Doesn’t our Little Princess like pretty boys? Grandpa had people screen them all for you at once. Take a look and see which one you like.” Old Richard was beyond excited. As he swiped through the pages, he explained, “This one is a prince from the Oulai Family. This one is the heir of the Suoya Family. What do you think? Aren’t they especially fair-skinned?”

“And this one. Look, his profile says he has a chef’s certificate. He’s pretty fair too.”

Xia Wanzhi looked up, shocked, speechless, and feeling the whole thing was absurd. “…”

Rose: “…”

Speechless as she was, she was also incredibly grateful that she hadn’t suffered this sort of… beating when she was young.

Xia Yongqing silently sighed inwardly as well. If he’d known the Old Master would arrange something like this for his precious daughter, he never would have said Xia Wanzhi liked pretty boys.

Ms. Qiao Shu hadn’t known about this. She put on her reading glasses and came over to join the fun. After taking a clear look, she tapped the table with a series of crisp knocks and questioned him, “Thirty-two? He’s that old and you still put him in for Wanzi to choose from?”

“This one isn’t good-looking.”

“This one’s face looks too fierce.”

“This one doesn’t have enough hair.”

“This one is too short…”

As expected of the mistress of this family!

Xia Wanzhi hugged her grandmother’s waist with a look of worship, obediently leaning her head against her. Every time Qiao Shu said something, she echoed, “Grandma is right!”

Old Richard was practically smoking with anger. “This is only the first round of screening.”

“Everyone in your Becker Family has rebellion running through their veins. Do you really think this girl will obediently cooperate with you and screen these crooked melons and cracked dates?” Qiao Shu’s aura overpowered Richard’s as she gave a soft snort. “I think you simply have too much free time.”

Old Richard did not talk back.

There was no way for him to refute that.

“There’s a ball tomorrow night. Since you don’t want to choose through a screen, then choose in person.” Richard had arranged this long ago. Knowing Xia Wanzhi would come over for his birthday, he had deliberately set this up.

He coaxed Xia Wanzhi, “Dance a little, drink a little, chat a little. If you don’t like anyone, that’s fine too. Just treat it as making friends.”

The ball was being held by Richard in the name of the Becker Family. Everyone present knew about it except Xia Wanzhi.

Qiao Shu glanced at Xia Wanzhi and stroked her head. “You can’t refuse. Aside from letting you choose someone you like, this ball is more importantly meant to let you get acquainted with some noble children. That will benefit you.”

Got it. Whether she found a partner or not didn’t matter.

Connections were the most important thing.

Seeing Qiao Shu’s serious expression, Xia Wanzhi could only nod.

Rose, who hadn’t seen her daughter for two months, pulled Xia Wanzhi up to the rooftop to chat and admire the night view. While she was at it, she asked a little about Xie Qiyan.

“Let’s talk about something adult.” Rose wrapped an arm around Xia Wanzhi’s shoulders and suddenly asked, “How far have you and your Brother Xie gotten?”

Xia Wanzhi coughed lightly. “What do you mean, how far…”

Was she kidding? This was her own mother!

Was this something she could talk to her own mother about?

She would get scolded.

“What are you shy about? Back then, when I pursued your father, I went straight for him. Besides, this is the UK. Don’t be reserved. Express yourself boldly, my child.” Ms. Ross smiled brightly and rubbed Xia Wanzhi’s back to help her relax.

The corner of Xia Wanzhi’s mouth twitched. “…”

“You are a warrior.” Xia Wanzhi gave her a thumbs-up.
Honestly, she was a warrior too.

The night she and Xie Qiyan confirmed their feelings for each other, the Becker Family blood in her had flared up, allowing her to take Xie Qiyan down in one fell swoop.

Between her and Xie Qiyan, there was no such thing as who had pursued whom first.

They had confirmed their feelings for each other that very night.

She had taken the initiative to pin him down, and he had taken the initiative to kiss her.

A draw.

“Hey, how did this become about me?” Ms. Ross made a fuss of it, then arched a brow and lowered her voice. “Fine, you don’t have to say it. I’ll ask.”

A bad feeling came over her.

“Did you use protection?” Ms. Ross looked solemn. “I have no problem with Xie Qiyan as a person, but the matters behind Xie Qiyan are very complicated. If you aren’t prepared to shoulder them with him, face them with him, and solve them with him, then you must protect yourself. Don’t let an unexpected child push you forward before you’re ready.”

The way Xia Wanzhi treated Xie Qiyan was completely different from the way she had treated Zhou Yu.

It was only when Rose saw Xie Qiyan that she realized this was what her daughter looked like when she truly liked someone.

For a time, she had thought Xia Wanzhi wasn’t like her.

After all, Xia Yongqing was a reserved, indirect man.

And daughters often took after their fathers.

Back when Xia Wanzhi was with Zhou Yu, she had simply been pushed along by the circumstances at the time.

As a mother, failing to notice what her daughter truly felt had been Rose’s negligence.

She had never interfered with Xia Wanzhi’s decisions, but this time, she had to help vet things for her.

Xia Wanzhi listened to the latter half of her words especially seriously.

It was like being jolted awake from a dream.

Xia Wanzhi was dazed for a while.

Caught up in the heat of love, she had almost forgotten about all those matters with the Xie Family.

“Mom, he and I haven’t gotten that far.” Xia Wanzhi lifted her lashes and rested her head on Rose’s shoulder.

“Oh.” Rose was a tiny bit disappointed. “I had just started thinking you were like me, and not even a moment later, you’ve gone back to being like your dad.”

Xia Wanzhi: “…”

Like what? Like you, forcing yourself on someone?

Xia Wanzhi couldn’t return to the hotel that night.

Xia Yongqing seemed to have grown suspicious and was specifically keeping an eye on her.

With no other choice, she lay in bed and video-called Xie Qiyan. “Prince Yan, when are you coming to save your princess?”

Xie Qiyan had just finished showering. He was wrapped in silk pajamas, the sash untied, exposing that sexy chest as he sat there openly in a single armchair.

He must have just gotten out of the shower. His hair was wet, and droplets slid down his cheeks and neck, all the way lower.

What a beautiful man, fresh from the bath.

“Tomorrow,” Xie Qiyan said without hesitation.

Xia Wanzhi arched a brow. “All by yourself? How are you going to snatch me away?”

Xie Qiyan laughed. “If I can’t snatch you away, I’ll have to steal you.”

Xia Wanzhi: “…”

Too lazy to banter with him about nonsense, Xia Wanzhi stared at his figure with great interest. The shameless bloodline of the Becker Family awakened in her, and she licked her lips before flirting, “Boyfriend, let me see your legs.”

The person on the other end froze for ten seconds.

He nearly lost to her.

“Which leg?” Xie Qiyan teased.

Xia Wanzhi held up two fingers. “Both.”

“Thighs or calves?” Xie Qiyan adjusted his sitting position.

Xia Wanzhi gave a light cough. “All of them.”

Xie Qiyan leaned closer to the screen, suppressing the dark desire hidden in his lowered eyes as he stared intently at her expression. “Who looks at a man’s legs? If you’ve got the nerve, why are you still pretending to be shy? Want to see something else?”

Xia Wanzhi’s thoughts were getting a little R-rated. “Can I? That doesn’t seem right.”

“You can. Your boyfriend is generous.”

And then the camera turned.

Xia Wanzhi instantly covered her face.

She had no idea just how generous he meant.

Anyway, whatever he showed, she would look.

After mentally preparing herself, she cautiously opened one crack between her fingers, only to see that Xie Qiyan had already turned the camera back around and covered himself up from head to toe. Xia Wanzhi cursed, “Xie Qiyan, you moth-”

No, she couldn’t curse like that.

Xia Wanzhi stopped herself in time and let out a sound instead.

“Mua…”