A beautiful summer night

"What the hell?" Yun Li's usually gentle voice almost split open as she shouted.

"Playing role-playing games when you have nothing better to do?" Bamboo was stunned.

Xia Wanzhi nodded haltingly: "Ah, it's about giving and receiving, helping each other..."

She herself couldn't keep up the story.

Why did I agree on a whim?

Xia Wanzhi never imagined that she would one day develop such an unconventional cooperative relationship with Xie Qiyan.

"Why are you two acting as boyfriend and girlfriend? You might as well act as husband and wife." Yunli recovered from her shock, crossed her legs, and slowly took a sip of tea.

It's only been a few days, and the person has already been scammed.

Xia Wanzhi pouted: "Did I sell myself?"

"You're only finding out now!" Yunli and Zhuzi exclaimed in unison.

Yun Li snorted: "Xie Qiyan, that old fox, is quite cunning."

"Didn't you hate him?" Bamboo's memory was still stuck a long time ago.

Xia Wanzhi forced herself to explain: "Turning hostility into friendship?"

Bamboo: "...Hehe."

Xia Wanzhi was in a daze all day.

Fortunately, Xie Qiyan is away on a business trip today, so she won't see him all day.

When Xia Wanzhi got home that evening, she subconsciously glanced at the apartment across the hall before opening her own door.

At the same time, Xie Qiyan, who was on a business trip in Nancheng, was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of his hotel suite, looking at the city's night view with its neon lights, when suddenly a burst of colorful fireworks bloomed in the sky above the lake.

It must have been a rich second-generation heir proposing; even the fireworks were designed in the shape of a heart.

conventional.

Xie Qiyan pinched the bridge of his nose, finished his day's work, and went into the bathroom to wash away his fatigue.

He received a new message notification on WeChat and casually opened it as he walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel after taking a shower.

Xia Wanzhi: [Butler Qi, the showerhead in the bathroom is broken. Could you please come and fix it tomorrow?]

Xie Qiyan: "..."

The two apartments were decorated almost identically, so why were the furnishings in Xia Wanzhi's apartment so fragile?

It's either a problem with the water pipes or a problem with the shower head.

Xie Qiyan sat down on the sofa, lowered his head and pondered something for a long time before replying: "I'm away on a business trip."

Xia Wanzhi: [Is the housekeeper also away on a business trip?]

Xie Qiyan: [Okay, Miss Xia, please find a neighbor.]

Xia Wanzhi paused, then subconsciously thought of her neighbor, Xie Qiyan: [My neighbor is also away on a business trip.]

Xie Qiyan's brows relaxed.

I do remember that he went on a business trip today.

The next day at noon, Xie Qiyan called Xia Wanzhi as soon as he returned from Nancheng: "Grandpa asked me to take you home for lunch."

Xia Wanzhi: "This is truly unfortunate news."

Xie Qiyan smiled and said, "Then I have some good news for you."

"what?"

"I brought you a gift."

Xia Wanzhi unconsciously softened her breathing, somewhat stunned.

Is this how you start to behave?

"Xie Tan likes the pastries from Nancheng, so I brought an extra portion for you," Xie Qiyan explained.

Xia Wanzhi breathed a sigh of relief: "That's really all thanks to Xie Tan."

"Okay, I'll pick you up at six this afternoon." Xie Qiyan had just arrived at the company and specifically reminded Yu Fei to put the gift in his own car.

Xia Wanzhi stammered, "I... well, what preparations do I need to make?"

"No need," Xie Qiyan said, his voice seemingly tinged with amusement. "It's enough that the person is there."

Xia Wanzhi held her breath, her mind already distracted ever since she received Xie Qiyan's call.

Zhu Zi comforted her, pressing down on her trembling hand holding the paintbrush: "It's okay, relax. Everyone feels like this the first time they meet the parents. Calm down, calm down."

Xia Wanzhi gritted her teeth: "Anyway, it's not like it's the first time we've gone out to eat, right?"

Bamboo chuckled: "You're asking me? How would I know?"

Xia Wanzhi: "..."

At six o'clock in the evening, Xie Qiyan appeared outside Xia Wanzhi's studio on time.

Xia Wanzhi was organizing the order information when she looked up and saw him. She casually asked, "When is Mr. Xie free? I need to finish your order first."

Xie Qiyan brushed it off with a simple, "No rush."

"I'm in a hurry." Xia Wanzhi stood up, propped herself up on the table, and glared at him. "You just want me to draw you, what's there to be shy about? You don't need to fast for three days. I can draw you as soon as I pick up the brush, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Xie Qiyan stared at her for a moment, amused: "So, Little Maruko, you want to draw me."

Xia Wanzhi's legs went weak.

Small……

What's small?

What's that little thing?

How dare you call someone "Little Maruko"?

When it comes to arguing, Xia Wanzhi really can't beat him.

Xia Wanzhi took a deep breath and was about to say something when Xie Qiyan spoke first.

"It is true that the painting depicts a person, but it is not of me. We will discuss this in detail after dinner tonight."

Judging from this, it seems like it's going to be said at home.

Xia Wanzhi closed her eyes: "Work is work, and leaving get off work is leaving get off work. Work hard during work hours, and relax happily after get off work hours. Doesn't even President Xie understand this principle?"

"You don't need to work, just listen to me." Xie Qiyan glanced at his watch, then grabbed her and headed for the door.

"Bag--"

Xie Qiyan casually snatched her bag.

Xia Wanzhi smoothed her disheveled hair, thinking that this person's attitude towards her was getting worse and worse.

They used to use their mouths, but now they're using their hands too.

When Xia Wanzhi returned to the Xie family's old house, she walked towards the restaurant with familiarity, her steps slowing down as she got closer to her destination.

"Scared?" Xie Qiyan stopped with her.

"Who's afraid?" Xia Wanzhi said in one breath, steeling herself and grabbing Xie Qiyan's arm to walk inside.

Xie Qiyan's eyes flashed, and he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"What are you doing?" Xia Wanzhi was taken aback, her forehead almost touching his chest.

Xie Qiyan seemed to be smiling as he placed her hand on his slightly raised arm under her gaze.

Xia Wanzhi looked around haphazardly, but deliberately avoided looking at Xie Qiyan.

The moment they stepped across the threshold, the whispering crowd inside the restaurant all turned to look at them.

"Congratulations, Father, on achieving your wish." Uncle Xie congratulated the old man. "Qi Yan and the little princess of the Xia family are just like a perfect couple."

The third uncle and his wife also chimed in with flattery: "Yes, I knew this girl was destined for our Xie family. Father, look, hasn't this fulfilled our dream?"

The old man was so pleased that he stood up, leaning on the table, to greet Wanzi: "Wanzi, come here quickly, let Grandpa take a look!"

"Grandpa Xie." Xia Wanzhi released Xie Qiyan's hand and quickly walked over to help the old man back to his seat. "Please sit down."

Xie Qiyan glanced sideways at his suddenly empty arms without making a sound.

At the dinner table, Xie Lin calmly sent the photos he had just taken to someone, watching with amusement as the two families tried to curry favor with the old man.

The old man was genuinely pleased, and today he arranged for Xie Qiyan and Xia Wanzhi to sit together.

Xia Wanzhi only noticed two new faces at the dinner table after she sat down.

They were standing next to Xie Lin and Xie Nan respectively, presumably the fiancées of the two Xie brothers.

Xia Wanzhi was slightly taken aback.

Xie Qiyan was not lying.

If she hadn't agreed to his proposal, the woman sitting next to him today might have been a daughter from another family who was his equal in social standing.

During the meal, the old man kept urging Xie Qiyan to serve food to Xia Wanzhi, and all he said was how much he cared about her.

Xia Wanzhi originally thought she would be questioned about some personal matters, but to her surprise, the old man didn't ask her anything after the meal. He just invited her to have a meal with the Xie family.

"Grandpa is too biased towards Xia Wanzhi. Although the Xia family has paid off its debts, her parents have immigrated. Xia Wanzhi is just an ordinary woman now. Does she deserve to be treated like this by our family?" Xie's second sister-in-law was full of dissatisfaction.

"Don't say that. Your future daughter-in-law is the only daughter of the Luo family. She wasn't valued in our Xie family either. If the old man does this, I'm afraid it will break her heart." Aunt Xie, who was heavily pregnant, stopped. "Let's think about how to comfort our future daughter-in-law."