Spring River Chasing the Moon

Xu Zhiye's sudden appearance made Nan Qiuyue's eyes light up. Fortunately, she remembered that she was a guest in someone else's home at the moment and should not show her emotions too much.

I just secretly glanced at Xu Zhiye several times.

Xu Zhiye stood straight, nodded slightly, and waited for Xu Wen and He Jingjing's response.

Nan Qiuyue inexplicably felt that this wait was extremely long. Xu Wen didn't know why, he just glanced at Xu Zhiye and said nothing.

He Jingjing could only look at her husband and her pitiful grandson, feeling torn between the two.

Seeing Xu Zhiye like this for the first time, Nan Qiuyue felt very uncomfortable.

In her heart, Xu Zhi should always be that noble and elegant person. Why would his grandfather treat him like this?

"Okay, let's sit down and eat together."

After a while, Xu Wen looked at Xu Zhiye and felt sorry for him, but Xu Zhiye was carrying the hope for the future of their Xu family, so he always had extremely high expectations for him. Today, he heard that Xu Zhiye only got second place in the competition, which made Xu Wen a little disappointed, so he just gave him some time to reflect, hoping that he could do better next time.

Before sitting down, Xu Zhi also greeted Nanzhou Yue and Zhu Yuying, and gave Nan Qiuyue a look that said "don't worry".

Then he sat down next to He Jingjing, picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

For a moment, the atmosphere seemed to become much quieter. Zhu Yuying looked at Xu Zhiye's sensible appearance and sighed.

They watched Zhiye grow up. He had always been better than other children, but Xu Wen was still not satisfied.

Nan Qiuyue suddenly lost her appetite. She couldn't eat without any emotion when she saw Xu Zhiye like this.

So he put down his chopsticks and said to the elders present, "I'm done eating."

Hearing Nan Qiuyue say this, He Jingjing smiled and asked her if she wanted to take a walk in the garden of the old house. She could ask the housekeeper to accompany her.

Just when Nan Qiuyue was hesitating whether to agree, Xu Zhi put down his chopsticks and said to He Jingjing.

"Grandma, let me take my sister for a walk."

Xu Zhiye suddenly took the initiative to speak, which surprised He Jingjing. This was the first time Xu Zhiye took the initiative to ask to accompany a little girl.

"are you full?"

He Jingjing was worried that Xu Zhiye hadn't eaten enough for dinner. This place was not like the Xu family's house in the city. If they missed meal times, there would be no midnight snack. Moreover, the house was on the mountain, so it was not very convenient to go out.

"Well, I've eaten."

Xu Zhi also nodded in response.

"Then you should stay with me and take good care of your sister."

He Jingjing agreed, thinking that the two children should have a good relationship. Just now, the little girl thought that no one was paying attention. When her husband came in, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she secretly glanced at him from time to time. All of this was seen by He Jingjing.

"Let's go."

Xu Zhi also took Nan Qiuyue's hand, told the four elders that the two of them would leave first, and then walked out of the restaurant.

Nan Qiuyue followed Xu Zhiye along the corridor outside the restaurant, and neither of them took the initiative to speak.

Nan Qiuyue was worried about Xu Zhiye's mood, but she didn't know what to say. To him, Xu Wen was his relative, and she was just a sister from a wealthy family. What qualifications did she have to interfere in other people's family affairs?

But she also felt sorry for him. Xu Zhi was already such a powerful person, so why did his grandfather still make such inhumane demands on him?

Nan Qiuyue didn't say anything, but just held Xu Zhiye's fingers and gently scratched his palm.

Xu Zhi also paused and stopped.

"what happened?"

Thinking that Nan Qiuyue was tired, Xu Zhi stopped and asked gently.

"Are you tired from walking? There's a stone bench in the garden over there. How about we sit there for a while?"

Nan Qiuyue nodded. They should indeed sit down and have a good talk.

Just like that, the two of them sat side by side on the long stone bench. Xu Zhiye supported himself with his hands behind his back and looked up at the sky tonight.

"There are no stars or moon tonight."

Suddenly, in the silent garden, Xu Zhiye's voice seemed particularly clear.

Nan Qiuyue followed his words and looked up at the sky.

"Brother Zhiye, do you feel very tired?"

Nan Qiuyue couldn't remember how many times she had asked Xu Zhiye similar questions.

How does Xu Zhiye answer himself every time?

Nan Qiuyue tried hard to recall, only to find that Xu Zhi had never given her an accurate answer.

Does he not want to say it, or does he not know?

Nan Qiuyue turned her head and looked up, trying to see Xu Zhiye's emotions at the moment through the night.

"I am not tired."

Feeling Nan Qiuyue's gaze, Xu Zhi also kept looking up at the sky and answered her question.

"My grandfather was very strict with me and had high standards for me. These were things I could actually do, so I wasn't tired."

Xu Zhi also answered honestly. For him, whether it was being at the top of the class in academic performance or in other aspects, he was indeed talented and could do it without even exerting any special effort on his part.

What he couldn't force was actually the future path his grandfather had arranged for him.

Xu Zhi sometimes wondered if it was his own rebellious mentality that caused him to be unwilling to follow the path their grandfather had arranged because of his grandfather's strong demands.

If they had never eagerly anticipated it, would Xu Zhi have considered following in the footsteps of generations of the Xu family and embarking on the same life trajectory?

"Then what is it that you are not willing to accept?"

Xu Zhiye didn't finish his words, but Nan Qiuyue could hear it.

What makes him feel tired is not striving to be the best, but other aspects.

Xu Zhi didn't expect Nan Qiuyue to ask this question.

He turned his head to look at her little face, with countless impulses in his heart, wanting to say out all his resentment, but when it came to his lips, it turned into only one sentence.

"I just want to be myself, Xu Zhiye."

He is not anyone's grandson or son, nor is he the heir of the Xu family. He does not need others' flattery and only wants to realize Xu Zhiye's self-worth.

Xu Zhi didn't know whether Nan Qiuyue would understand what he meant, so he didn't plan to continue.

If it was the six-year-old Nan Qiuyue, she might not understand what Xu Zhiye said at this moment, but for the reborn Nan Qiuyue, how could she not understand what Xu Zhiye meant?

In fact, everyone’s journey of growth is a process of finding themselves.

We will be influenced by our family, parents, school and the outside world. Some factors can indeed help us recognize our true selves more quickly; but at other times, the voices of the outside world will only affect our self-judgment. At this time, the only thing we can do is to choose to listen to the right voices.

"Brother Zhiye, you just need to listen to your inner voice. I believe in you. You are so capable. You can get the life you want without anyone else, right?"

"Your grandfather and his people may be very powerful, but there are always places they cannot reach and things they cannot control. As long as you want, you can do it."

In his previous life, Xu Zhi did not go into politics, which proved that he had successfully broken free from the constraints of the Xu family. Although Nan Qiuyue did not know what method he used, she could only tell him the result, and he would definitely be able to do it.

"Brother Zhiye, do you want to make a bet with me? I bet that you will do something you like in the future."

Xu Zhi would be a little shocked every time he heard Nan Qiuyue's frequent remarks. She was only six years old, yet she could actually express his thoughts directly.

Looking at her sincere eyes, Xu Zhiye suddenly felt the strength to support himself.

"Okay, I'll bet you."

"If what I say is right, you must promise me one thing, no matter what it is."

Nan Qiuyue looked at Xu Zhiye and spoke seriously.

Xu Zhi also nodded and agreed to her bet.