A beautiful summer night

Xia Yongqing and Ross did not tell Xia Wanzhi about respecting her wishes and letting her stay in Beicheng.

So Xia Wanzhi is still trying to figure out how to stay here.

Upon learning that Xia Yongqing had already bought his ticket back to England in three days, Xia Wanzhi was so anxious she wanted to jump over the wall.

"Wanzi, dinner's ready." Xia Yongqing knocked on Xia Wanzhi's door.

Xia Wanzhi opened the door a moment later: "Xie Tan invited me to eat next door."

Xia Yongqing's face instantly darkened: "Is Xie's cooking better than mine?"

Xia Wanzhi retorted sullenly, "Yes!"

When they crossed the street, Xie Qiyan and Xie Tan had already eaten half of their meal.

"Coming here for a free meal?" Xie Qiyan said with a teasing smile. "So it turns out my relationship with your sister Wanzi has become so good."

The last sentence was a joke he made to Xie Tan while talking to her.

Xia Wanzhi snorted, and without eating, she grabbed Changsheng and sat him on the sofa to masturbate.

From the living room, you can see the dining area, and Xia Wanzhi's gaze fell directly on Xie Qiyan.

Perhaps because he had lived abroad for a long time, he always gave people a gentlemanly feeling when he ate, slow and deliberate, which matched her pace of eating.

If this person weren't so sharp-tongued, they wouldn't be so unlikeable.

After spending this time together, Xia Wanzhi had already silently changed her opinion of him.

Old Xia is now the one who is hostile to Xie Qiyan.

Xia Wanzhi wondered if she had backfired. She had originally hoped to find a glimmer of hope to stay in Beicheng through Old Xia because of his soft heart, but he just couldn't stand Xie Qiyan and insisted that she and Xie Qiyan have something going on, so he insisted that she go with him.

So these past two days she's been sulking, and since she promised to come and spend more time with Xie Tan, she keeps running over to Xie Qiyan's place to deliberately annoy Lao Xia.

Thinking this, Xia Wanzhi put down Changsheng and sheepishly went back to Old Xia to whine and beg for mercy.

At the dinner table, Xie Tan sniffed: "Brother, is Sister Wanzi really leaving?"

Xie Qiyan put down his chopsticks: "Not necessarily."

Xia Wanzhi could not possibly give up the studio she had worked so hard to keep and leave Beicheng.

In addition, there are contracts to bind us.

Xia Wanzhi will paint her portraits for the rest of her life.

To date, she has not painted a single one.

She can't escape.

Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Xie Tan couldn't help but ask curiously, "Aren't you worried about Sister Wanzi?"

"She's not my sister, why should I worry?" Xie Qiyan retorted with amusement.

Moreover, he didn't think Xia Wanzhi couldn't handle those doting parents.

Xie Tan: "But she is you..."

Xie Qiyan looked over.

Xie Tan hesitated, then added in a low voice, "The neighbor..."

The next morning, Xia Wanzhi went to her studio to paint as usual. She stayed in the studio for most of the day. Around lunchtime, Xie Qiyan suddenly visited.

Xia Wanzhi's mind went blank: "What are you doing here?"

Xie Qiyan said matter-of-factly, "I can't come? Don't forget I'm also your client."

Xia Wanzhi: "..."

It's almost time for Lao Xia to deliver the food.

Why did they have to come at this exact moment?

"My schedule is already full this month," Xia Wanzhi refused without hesitation.

"Tomorrow is next month, so I'll book your slot for next month in advance." Xie Qiyan pulled out a chair and sat down.

Xia Wanzhi gritted her teeth, just as she was figuring out how to get rid of him, when she caught a glimpse of Old Comrade Xia walking towards her to bring her food.

"Quick, quick! Hide!" Xia Wanzhi's internal alarm bells rang, and she grabbed Xie Qiyan's arm and shoved him into the exhibition room.

Xie Qiyan said reluctantly, "Is this how you treat your clients?"

"Please forgive me, Mr. Xie, I will definitely make it up to you later." Xia Wanzhi sincerely clasped her hands together.

The next second, with a "snap," the door was slammed shut from the outside.

Xie Qiyan: "..."

Xie Qiyan only realized what was going on when he heard Xia Yongqing's voice outside.

They didn't come to catch him cheating, so why hide him?

It's like they're keeping a secret like a hidden man.

"Dad!" Perhaps feeling guilty, Xia Wanzhi was unusually enthusiastic.

Xia Yongqing didn't notice anything amiss. They had been giving each other the cold shoulder for the past few days, but seeing her warm attitude towards him, his mood improved as well: "Alright, no more acting cute. Are you hungry? I brought you braised pork and steamed fish. Try them."

After we are separated by two countries, I won't be able to do it for her anytime, anywhere.

Xia Yongqing's old eyes stung with tears.

"Delicious." Xia Wanzhi ate with great relish.

"Where's the bamboo?" Xia Yongqing stood up and looked around the studio.

Xia Wanzhi's gaze followed him: "I delivered the painting to the client."

Xia Yongqing nodded and walked straight to the studio.

Xia Wanzhi stood up with her rice bowl in hand, her heart pounding with panic: "Dad, what are you looking at?"

Xia Yongqing walked out of the studio with his hands behind his back and said, "You sit and eat, don't worry about me, I'm just looking around."

After saying that, he was about to walk towards the exhibition hall when Xia Wanzhi's pupils widened in shock. She put down her chopsticks and rushed over to block his way, forcibly pulling him around a corner: "What's so interesting about this? Come here and watch me eat, and chat with me."

Xia Yongqing glanced at her suspiciously, and as he followed her back to the dining table, he looked back at the showroom.

They've hidden themselves.

Someone must be hiding there.

Xia Yongqing saw through it, but didn't expose it.

Ross suggested he observe for another couple of days, which he did.

Observing that Xia Wanzhi had changed her strategy, she stopped being angry with him and instead went along with his wishes to keep her distance from Xie Qiyan, not even visiting his door anymore.

Xia Yongqing stared at Xia Wanzhi with a complicated expression, knowing that she was hiding someone, and at this moment he was even more convinced that there was definitely something between her and Xie Qiyan.

The house in Lanting Villa is said to belong to Xie Tan, but anyone with a discerning eye can tell that it was clearly Xie Qiyan's doing.

He lived in Xie Qiyan's house and was Xie Qiyan's neighbor. Even the dog would bow to him when it came.

Young people these days don't understand the saying "old ginger is spicier," and think they can fool him.

The way you act so naturally when you go to someone's house for a meal and pet their cat must mean you've done it a lot.

Maybe they really are secretly together, hiding it from everyone.

Thinking about what Ross had told him, Xia Yongqing realized that Xie Qiyan was indeed no worse than Zhou Yu.

After a long pause, he relented and said, "I've discussed it with your mother. You're all grown up now, so we won't stop you from pursuing love."

Xia Wanzhi looked up in confusion: "Huh?"

“We’ll handle your grandfather. Just say you’ve met your true love, and with a little coaxing and pleading, he won’t object. You can stay in Beicheng with peace of mind.”

Xia Wanzhi's eyes widened.

"But don't forget, September 9th is your grandmother's birthday. Take your boyfriend to England to celebrate then."

Xia Wanzhi blinked: "What boyfriend?"

Xia Yongqing scoffed, "Stop pretending. Isn't Xie Qiyan your boyfriend?"

Xia Wanzhi blurted out, "Nonsense, he's not my boyfriend!"

Xia Yongqing frowned: "Who is that? And there are other men?"

Xia Wanzhi was still unaware of the situation, but belatedly realized that Lao Xia had agreed to let her stay in China, so she nodded in agreement without thinking.

Seeing her so excited, Xia Yongqing felt a pang of sadness, as if his own precious daughter had been taken away and placed on someone else's shoulders. He left with a heavy heart.

After everyone left, Xia Wanzhi was somewhat devastated.

How did Xie Qiyan become her boyfriend?

"When did I become your boyfriend?"

A magnetic voice came from the entrance of the showroom. Xie Qiyan, who had overheard the entire conversation between the father and daughter, leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed, watching Xia Wanzhi with a leisurely air.