Chapter 14

Finally, Qi Xu closed his eyes and downed the tonic in one go. When he opened them, he met the eyes on the screen—those eyes with crow’s feet even without smiling—and behind the phone was Xie Huai, watching like it was a show.

“Has to drink it with someone watching him, really can’t be left alone for a second,” Old Master Shen said sternly. “Ah Huai, hold up the phone so I can see the bottom of his pot. That kid’s tricky—he always leaves a little bit.”

Xie Huai flipped the camera down to show the bottom of the pot. Before Old Master Shen could see the screen, he said, “Grandpa Shen, there’s still a mouthful left, and he hasn’t eaten the sea cucumber either.”

Qi Xu groaned, “What kind of snitch are you?”

Xie Huai looked up and said honestly, “Just telling it like it is.”

Old Master Shen huffed, his face scrunching up, his beard practically flying: “Qi Xu, drink up! Ah Huai, do me a favor and supervise him to finish everything in that pot.”

Xie Huai obediently said, “Don’t worry, Grandpa Shen. Mission accepted.”

Old Master Shen turned to Xie Lao Ye and said, “Your grandson’s still the obedient one.”

Qi Xu: “…”

Only people with poor eyesight would think he was obedient.

With that thought, Qi Xu locked eyes with the elderly man on the screen.

Xie Bingkang, the true backbone of the Xie family. Unlike Shen Dehong, Xie Lao still held real power in the family and hadn’t fully handed it over to the younger generation.

In the previous life, it was only after Xie Huai returned from overseas to inherit the family’s business empire that Xie Lao finally fully relinquished control.

A pair of young, calm eyes met with a pair of old, sharp ones. Both saw the ridiculousness in the other’s expression upon hearing those words.

The elder had silver eyebrows and white hair, carefully holding a teacup, gently brushing away the foam. Golden thread embroidery decorated his sleeves, making him look especially dignified.

Qi Xu called out, “Grandpa Xie.”

Suddenly, Xie Lao spoke up, saying to Old Master Shen, “Your grandson’s pretty obedient too.”

Old Master Shen had something to say about that: “Don’t be fooled by this kid’s obedient looks. He’s the type who never lets anyone take advantage of him. He even secretly swapped the tea in my cup with his medicinal broth, saying we should share blessings together…”

Before he finished, Qi Xu raised his hand and cut off the video call he should never have answered from the start.

Then he grabbed his phone and lazily sent a voice message to the other side: “Grandpa, the connection’s bad. Let’s talk when I get home.”

After that, he put his phone away—out of sight, out of mind.

Having finished the pot of tonic soup, Qi Xu looked at the dishes on the table with zero appetite. No wonder the old Chinese doctor told him to eat first, then drink.

Xie Huai saw Qi Xu hesitate to pick up his chopsticks, staring at the remaining soup like it was a death sentence, and chuckled, “Is it that bad?”

Qi Xu pushed the bowl toward him, “You can try.”

Xie Huai politely declined, “I don’t have the good fortune to share blessings with you. Besides…”

He looked at Qi Xu and said, “I’m not weak.”

Qi Xu couldn’t stand him saying that with such conviction and sneered, “Whether you’re weak or not isn’t up to you to decide.”

In the last life, he knew plenty of pretty girls had circled around Xie Huai. He’d seen it many times. Yet every time Xie Huai attended a party, he came alone—no male or female companion.

Rumors spread that Xie Huai and Shen Zeyu were already an item abroad. Not long after, Shen Zeyu publicly stated they were just close friends.

That word “close friends” was vague—everyone interpreted it differently.

The other party involved never said a word, which felt like tacit approval.

Until Qi Xu died, no good news ever came from the Shen or Xie families.

Xie Huai casually responded, “Not your business anyway.”

And with that, the topic of “weak or not” was closed, no one able to draw any conclusions.

Shortly after, Nan Feng brought a plate of sweet and sour ribs to Qi Xu. “Young Master Qi, please enjoy.”

Xie Huai glanced over. “Kid’s taste.”

Qi Xu liked sweet and sour—always his first choice.

He picked up a rib and put it in his bowl expressionlessly. “Awesome, you’re a grown-up.”

One rib opened up Qi Xu’s appetite a little, and he ate here and there in small bites.

The two at the table said nothing else, unusually calm and peacefully eating their food.

But Qi Xu was destined to stir things up. After the meal, Nan Feng handed him some cherry tomatoes and pineapple—two of his favorite fruits.

“No reason not to eat,” Qi Xu picked up his fork and continued eating the fruit, his eyes carefully studying the centuries-old mansion, though his mind drifted into deep thought.

This was the second time he’d sat at the same table with Xie Huai. In the past, when this guy sat in the head seat, he was miles away, barely even visible.

Not everyone could get close to Xie Huai. Qi Xu wasn’t the type to bow and scrape or force a fake smile—many others could, but he couldn’t.

At the same time, he’d heard plenty of stories about people climbing the career ladder thanks to a single shared drink with Xie Huai.

Qi Xu was one of the unlucky ones who had been rejected when trying to toast him. Since then, he never tried again.

Once, at a joint celebration banquet between their families, Qi Xu sent Li Kaixing to toast on his behalf. Li happily went and came back with an empty glass, saying “President Xie is easy to get along with.”

Qi Xu sneered to himself—what nonsense.

After finishing the fruit, Qi Xu stood up to leave. There was nothing to talk about with this so-called “easygoing” Xie Huai.

Xie Huai watched him turn cold and indifferent again, and casually picked up the expensive cane, blocking Qi Xu’s path.

For the first time, Qi Xu saw a barricade more valuable than the man himself.

He looked down at Xie Huai. “Young Master Xie, what’s your meaning?”

Xie Huai put the cane away. The handle casually brushed against Qi Xu’s calf. He said flatly, “Take off your mask act.”

Qi Xu found it amusing. “And what act am I playing now?”

“The last two times you pretended not to know me.” Xie Huai’s eyes sharpened. “At the birthday party, you were prickly all over, like you inherited some face-changing skill?”

“How do you know I know you?”

“If you didn’t know who I was, why would you wear a hat to the birthday party? Unless you wear it every day.”

Qi Xu wasn’t serious: “Yeah, I wear it every day, hoping to run into you—no luck.”

Xie Huai didn’t think the comment was ridiculous. He just said, “Stop reading the school forums so much.”

Qi Xu thought, if he didn’t read them, how else would he know you and Shen Zeyu have been tight since high school?

He was blunt: “Scared I’d tell Grandpa Xie about your teenage romance?”

Xie Huai smiled coldly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Who told you I was dating anyone?”

Xie Huai was straightforward and responsible. If he had been dating someone, he wouldn’t leave it nameless.

If they hadn’t dated in high school, maybe, as the rumors said, they got serious after college abroad.

“No one said that,” Qi Xu played dumb. “That’s what your high school forum says—school beauties and studs, Young Master Xie’s love life is quite colorful.”

Xie Huai stared at him for a few seconds, then said, “If you want to know, ask Xu Yichen. More reliable than forums.”

That made it sound like they were close friends, but they’d never even exchanged contact info after one meeting.

Not to mention, in the past, Qi Xu only ever talked seriously with Fang Qian. Their circle was one he wasn’t part of.

Of course, Qi Xu never wanted to be. Everyone had their own circle; they didn’t interfere with each other’s lives—two completely parallel lines.

“Nothing I want to know. You can just—”

His words cut off when Xie Huai’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID but didn’t answer.

After the call automatically hung up, the caller kept calling repeatedly.

Xie Huai finally answered, impatient: “You better have a reason.”

“I suspect Qi Xu has been hidden away by the Shen family. I heard they were furious about Qi Xu hitting Song Ruoming. I asked Shen Zeyu, but he said nothing. Since they’re family, they might be punishing him with house arrest. What if they’re not feeding him? Should we call the police and report child abuse?”

Seeing Xie Huai on the phone was the perfect moment for Qi Xu to leave. Without hesitation, he turned and walked away.

“Qi Xu.”

He looked back, confused. Xie Huai held out his phone. “Make a sound, or someone else will call the cops for you and post a missing person notice online.”

The screen showed the name Xu Yichen. Qi Xu, eager to leave and not wanting to talk, leaned in and said, “Beep.”

He didn’t put the call on speaker, and through the earpiece came Xu Yichen’s aggressive voice: “Damn, Qi Xu, how come you’re with Ah Huai? Has he locked you up? Don’t worry, I’m coming to save you.”

Right after, Fang Qian and Jiang Zimu’s voices chimed in.

“What nonsense, ‘locked up’ literature?”

“If Huai lets me draw Qi Xu, it’ll be quick, won’t take up his time.”

Qi Xu pushed the phone away with disdain. “I’m leaving. Tell them not to come.”

Xie Huai switched on speaker. From the other end came the roar of a car engine. Less than a minute later, the three were already on their way to the Xie family’s old mansion.