A beautiful summer night

The atmosphere became tense. Xia Wanzhi blinked and naturally continued the conversation: "Didn't they say that the Xie family genealogy is only requested on the first day of the Lunar New Year every year?"

"We request the family genealogy on the first day of the Lunar New Year to commemorate our ancestors and help the younger generation of the Xie family understand who our relatives are. All the collateral branches of the Xie family will come, so it's a grand occasion. There aren't any other special customs; any day can be chosen." After explaining, the old man remained silent for a while, not intending to stay any longer.

Xie Qiyan resented him, and no matter how long he sat, he couldn't get rid of the resentment in his heart.

Besides, Xia Wanzhi is here, and the old man is happy to see them being so affectionate.

"After the New Year, Xie Lin will also be getting married. The date is set for the sixteenth of the year." The old man mentioned this news before leaving. "Wanzi likes banquets, so bring her over when you have time."

Apart from Xie Tan, Xie Qiyan never cared about the rest of the Xie family. Since moving out, he had no interest in what was happening in the homes of his second and third uncles.

As long as they behave themselves, Xie Qiyan can get along with them peacefully.

However, they only interacted as superiors and subordinates.

The old man brought Xia Wanzhi up because he hoped Xie Qiyan would attend Xie Lin's wedding.

He's old. Xie Qiyan is his grandson, and Xie Lin and Xie Nan are still his grandsons no matter how disappointing they are.

Now he has handed over the position of family head to Xie Qiyan. In a few years, he will also relinquish all power in the Xie family and step down from the board of directors.

He felt guilty towards Xie Qiyan, but Xie Qiyan's ability to continue the Xie family's glory was the main reason he entrusted the Xie family to him.

But he couldn't just favor Xie Qiyan.

He simply hoped that Xie Qiyan could put aside past grievances and integrate into the Xie family.

But he also knew that Xie Qiyan couldn't do it.

That's why he's worried.

As soon as the old man left, Xie Qiyan got up and pressed the automatic button to close the office door tightly.

Xia Wanzhi had no idea what he was thinking, so she tilted her head and glanced at him a few times.

"You like banquets?" Xie Qiyan finally spoke after a long while, and his first words were nonsensical, which made Xia Wanzhi pause in surprise.

"That's all Grandpa's excuse." Xia Wanzhi said reproachfully. She didn't believe he hadn't realized that the old man was deliberately using her as an excuse to persuade him to attend Xie Lin's wedding. After thinking for a moment, she decided to cut to the chase and asked directly, "After all, he's my cousin. Aren't you going?"

Xie Qiyan glanced at her, looking at her angelic face, and recalling the scene of her feeding him cherries earlier, the gloom between his brows suddenly dissipated: "If you like banquets, we can arrange it ourselves."

The old man specifically mentioned Xie Lin's marriage, perhaps indirectly urging him to marry Xia Wanzhi.

He suddenly changed the subject, and Xia Wanzhi was taken aback.

After realizing what he meant, she gave him a fierce glare and said, "Oh, you're still in the mood to joke. It seems Mr. Xie isn't that heartbroken."

He was depressed for the past two days, and Xia Wanzhi was very worried about him, so she took care of him like a child for two days.

But judging from his current state, he has clearly recovered long ago; he was just pretending to be pitiful to make her feel sorry for him.

Xie Qiyan smiled, walked over, picked her up and placed her on his lap, encircling her in his arms, his chin pressed tightly against the back of her neck, and with his eyes closed, he suddenly said, "Back then, my mother left me in the Xie family because he forced her to."

Xia Wanzhi stiffened, realizing that "he" referred to the old man.

“He wouldn’t allow the eldest grandson of the Xie family to wander outside with an uncertain future. He felt that I would be useless if I stayed with my mother. My mother was weak and couldn’t argue with him. The conditions he offered were enough to persuade my mother to keep me in the Xie family.”

“They made the decision for me without asking my opinion.”

“I not only resent him, but I also resent my mother, but I can’t remember what she looks like, so all the resentment has turned into longing.”

Xia Wanzhi had been loved by the old man since she was a child. He knew that Xia Wanzhi respected the old man, so he would not let Xia Wanzhi be put in a difficult position between him and the old man.

Xie Tan will attend Xie Lin's wedding, and he will definitely bring Xia Wanzhi along, plus the old man will definitely invite Xia Wanzhi as well.

Xia Wanzhi went, so he went.

He wouldn't have come to Xia Wanzhi's door if it weren't for her.

After he finished speaking, Xia Wanzhi unconsciously tightened her embrace. She knew some of the things Xie Lin and Xie Nan had done to her when they were little, and she knew he felt wronged and how much he disliked the Xie family. So she coaxed him, "Then let's not go. Grandpa must have guessed that you don't want to go."

Xie Qiyan played with her hair, then suddenly hissed softly at the nape of her neck as if grinding his teeth. He chuckled, "If Teacher Wanzi wants to attend the banquet, then we'll go. The Jiang family will be there too. Let Jiang Baichuan bring Yunli along, but..."

Xia Wanzhi felt uncomfortable being left hanging by his pause, and her neck was a little itchy from his biting. She sat up straight, huffing and puffing, and pinched his cheeks: "What are you keeping me in suspense for? Hurry up and tell me."

He looked so fierce that Xie Qiyan wanted to kiss him.

He chuckled, "But once you go there, everyone will know you're my girlfriend."

Xia Wanzhi scoffed lightly: "She's your girlfriend, I'm not some big star who needs to hide our relationship, just let them know."

At this point, her eyes lit up again: "If Jiang Baichuan takes Yunli with him, won't that mean he'll be meeting the parents? Will Yunli agree? No, I need to talk to Yunli and tell her to prepare herself mentally..."

Before he could even utter the word "prepare," Xie Qiyan excitedly silenced him with a kiss.

Xia Wanzhi blinked, her mouth forced open as she racked her brain trying to figure out what she had done to seduce Xie Qiyan.

How did he suddenly become so wolfish...?

Xie Qiyan's heart was pounding violently.

Xia Wanzhi casually uttered those words announcing their relationship, which to him was no different from being favored.

They are not public figures, but their status alone means that any news of their relationship will inevitably become a topic of discussion.

Although there was no intention to hide it, dating is a matter between two people, and apart from the people around them, no one else knew that Xia Wanzhi was Xie Qiyan's girlfriend.

However, they knew that Xia Wanzhi had once been Zhou Yu's fiancée.

Men have their own possessiveness.

Xia Wanzhi wanted others to know that he was her boyfriend.

Xie Qiyan also wanted to assert his sovereignty and tell the world that Xia Wanzhi was his woman.

She is Xie Qiyan's girlfriend.

The stormy kisses gradually transformed into a gentle drizzle after the start of spring, carrying endless tenderness and charm. Xie Qiyan's kissing skills were superb, and Xia Wanzhi never failed to fall for his lips.

The lipstick smudged and stained Xie Qiyan's lips. After the kiss, she had to wipe it off herself. Xia Wanzhi glared at him angrily, but he grabbed her and kissed her a few more times.

Endless.

But Xia Wanzhi was happy.

Xie Qiyan's mood had been low for the past two days, and she had also been feeling down for several days. Now that she knew he had come out of it, she hugged his neck and affectionately pressed her forehead against his.

"Xie Qiyan, let's work together to find Mom."

From this day forward, he is no longer alone.

Xie Qiyan looked up and saw Xia Wanzhi's gentleness over the past few days, feeling quite pleased with himself.

"What are you doing—" Xia Wanzhi exclaimed in surprise as Xie Qiyan suddenly pressed her down on the sofa.

Xie Qiyan kissed him: "It's been almost three days since we last kissed, let's make up for it."