Chapter 16 Gu Jin Yi
Rong Xiu glanced obliquely at the unusual look between Xie Cen and Wen Lan Sheng, but paid no attention to it.
Now all his attention was on Fan Xia. Watching her sink softly into the sofa, her long hair falling from the sofa like spilled ink, his fingertips moved slightly, pretending to casually hook her soft black hair with his fingertips, twining it between his fingers.
“Go make a cup of honey water,” he said to Wen Lan Sheng, his back turned, his voice as cold as ice cubes.
Wen Lan Sheng clenched his fists. Was he treating him like one of the Rong family’s servants? Fan Xia couldn’t pamper him enough at home, and Rong Xiu, an outsider, had no right to order him around.
Wen Lan Sheng didn’t move.
Rong Xiu turned his head, half of his face with deep features handsome and gloomy: “Are you deaf?”
Wen Lan Sheng’s eyes flashed with anger: “I—”
“Lan Sheng, I remember there’s still honey in the kitchen, go make a cup,” Wen Ming Yue said to Wen Lan Sheng.
Wen Lan Sheng looked at Wen Ming Yue, his eyes confused and angry.
Wen Ming Yue’s tone deepened slightly, taking on a mother’s authority: “Go quickly!”
Wen Lan Sheng reluctantly went into the kitchen and dissolved a spoonful of honey in warm water.
There was a pharmacy just outside the community gate downstairs, so it didn’t take Xie Cen long to buy medicine. When he returned with the medicine, Wen Lan Sheng was just bringing out the prepared honey water from the kitchen.
“Thank you,” Rong Xiu said coldly and distantly, but how much sincerity was in that thanks was unknown.
Seeing that Rong Xiu was not preparing to drink the honey water himself, but wanted to feed it to Fan Xia, Wen Lan Sheng immediately snatched the cup, inserting himself between the two: “Senior, I’ll feed Xia Xia. It’s getting late, and you have to work tomorrow. I can take care of Xia Xia here, I’ll help her to bed in a moment.”
The way he said it, he might as well have directly asked people to leave.
“No rush, I’ll leave after I see her take the medicine,” Rong Xiu unhurriedly adjusted his deep black double-breasted suit of high-end tailoring, stretching out his long legs slightly, his cold and unapproachable ascetic temperament seeming out of place in Fan’s fresh and simple cozy little apartment.
Wen Lan Sheng kept telling himself over and over in his heart that he was Xia Xia’s top boss, he couldn’t tear up faces, he couldn’t ruin her future. Only in this way could he persuade himself to endure: “…Alright.”
Wen Lan Sheng picked up the stomach medicine and opened the tin foil packaging according to the doctor’s instructions, revealing two blue and white capsules.
He gently patted Fan Xia’s face and called softly in her ear: “Xia Xia, wake up, take the medicine before going back to sleep, okay?”
Fan Xia opened her eyes dizzily, but her hazy gaze didn’t focus on Wen Lan Sheng’s face. She lowered her eyes quietly, her long hair falling over her chest, her fair skin delicate and translucent under the warm light. Unlike ordinary people who might change personality or act out when drunk, she was quiet and docile when drunk, like a child.
No, when a child is woken from sound sleep, they might still cry and fuss and act spoiled. She was even easier to coax than a child.
But now she, childlike, was in Wen Lan Sheng’s control, her head resting quietly on Wen Lan Sheng’s shoulder, obediently swallowing the two stomach pills with the honey water, without even furrowing her brow.
Rong Xiu turned his head to look at her slightly drunk appearance. Under her thick lashes, her eyes were half-closed, her pale thin lips touched with some remaining honey water, glistening like rain-soaked cherry flesh, soft and moist, silently tempting one’s heart.
Rong Xiu’s eyes darkened slightly, and he pursed his lips imperceptibly.
“Senior, Xia Xia has taken the stomach medicine, you should go back early too,” Wen Lan Sheng said to Rong Xiu, his arm protectively around Fan Xia in a defensive posture.
Rong Xiu put down his crossed legs, preparing to stand up…
“What’s the rush, Mr. Rong has come all this way to bring Fan Xia back, let him sit for a while longer,” Wen Ming Yue said.
Wen Lan Sheng looked at Wen Ming Yue with utter astonishment, feeling worse than being stabbed in the back.
“Mom, I’m also concerned about Senior’s safety. It’s late, and it’s not safe for a man to go home,” Wen Lan Sheng said politely, suppressing his anger.
Rong Xiu leisurely leaned back on the sofa, adjusting the frameless glasses on his high, straight nose bridge, his lips curling: “It’s alright, Yun Shui Bay has very good security.”
Hearing the words “Yun Shui Bay”, Wen Ming Yue’s eyes immediately lit up. That was a top-tier wealthy area that money might not even be able to buy into. Ordinary people like them couldn’t come into contact with big shots of this class in a lifetime, they must seize the opportunity.
“Lan Sheng, hurry and pour some tea for Mr. Rong,” Wen Ming Yue said.
Wen Lan Sheng was about to lose his temper, no longer holding back. Supporting the swaying Fan Xia, he said: “I’ll help Xia Xia go rest, you pour it yourself.”
“You child!” Wen Ming Yue was slightly angry.
“I’ll pour it, Mr. Rong, please wait a moment.” Xie Cen took the teapot and walked to the kitchen to boil water.
“Mm, no hurry.” Rong Xiu glanced lightly at Wen Lan Sheng, who was suppressing his anger, leisurely placing his hand on his knee, his cold eyes smiling: “Lan Sheng, do you need my help?”
Wen Lan Sheng’s back stiffened, shaking with anger: “No need, please rest well.”
“Our Lan Sheng, ah, has been spoiled by me and his mother since childhood, his temper is proud. Mr. Rong, please don’t take offense with this child,” Xie Cen said, bringing tea to Rong Xiu.
Rong Xiu picked up the teacup, his thin lips smiling ambiguously: “Lan Sheng has changed quite a bit these past few years.”
Back in university, Wen Lan Sheng had been quite attentive to Fan Xia. But now, not long after announcing their engagement, thinking that becoming Mr. Fan was a sure thing, he not only neglected to take care of Fan Xia, but even brought his own parents to live in his fiancée’s home. What a joke!
Rong Xiu took a light sip of tea, his gaze carelessly sweeping over the faces of Wen’s parents. As expected of a family, just like Wen Lan Sheng, equally greedy and presumptuous.
“It’s getting late, I won’t disturb you two any longer.” Rong Xiu stood up, his tall and straight figure looking down at Wen’s parents sitting on the sofa.
“Leaving so soon? Mr. Rong, please sit a while longer,” Xie Cen politely tried to keep him.
Rong Xiu glanced in the direction of the bedroom, watching Fan Xia’s clothes disappear from view. He had come here for Fan Xia, not to waste time with these two people.
As for staying just now, it was also because he wanted to annoy Wen Lan Sheng a bit. As long as he saw Wen Lan Sheng unhappy, he was happy, he was pleased, he wanted to see Wen Lan Sheng trampled under his feet, the look of having his most cherished person taken away.
In the bedroom, Wen Lan Sheng changed Fan Xia into her pajamas and tucked in the corners of the blanket.
He sat quietly by the bed, watching Fan Xia sleep soundly, completely unaware of what had happened. He felt angry, resentful, and helpless. Leaning on her chest, he murmured pitifully: “You’re fine, sleeping through everything, you don’t even know how Rong Xiu bullied me just now… Xia Xia, if you weren’t drunk, you would have defended me, right?”
The answer he got was Fan Xia’s quiet breathing, and the sound of his parents seeing Rong Xiu off and closing the door in the living room.
Wen Lan Sheng hugged her neck, closing his eyes and self-deluding: “You definitely would have.”
Xie Cen walked into the bedroom, saw Wen Lan Sheng hugging Fan Xia, and complained: “You really are something, giving your mom such a loss of face in front of others.”
At the mention of this, the fire that Wen Lan Sheng had just managed to digest flared up again.
He sat up abruptly, shouting in a loss of composure: “You know Rong Xiu is an outsider too! Dad, if Mom can’t see it clearly, can’t you? That Rong Xiu clearly came to humiliate me today! He entered our home carrying my wife in front of our whole family! He touched and fondled my wife in front of the three of us! He even ordered me around like a servant! Not only did you not help me, but you were so cowardly in front of him. You’re my parents, not his employees, what are you afraid of him for!”
Xie Cen glared at him: “You think I don’t know that man surnamed Rong has ambiguous attitudes towards our Fan Xia? His eyes were practically glued to Fan Xia. But what can we do? If you offend him and cause Fan Xia to lose her job, do you think Fan Xia won’t hate you?”
“I’ve been considering this point, that’s why I’ve been holding back all this time…”
“It’s right to hold back.” Xie Cen grasped Wen Lan Sheng’s hand: “Think about it, with Rong Xiu’s family background, wealth, and decent looks, if Fan Xia really had feelings for him, Rong Xiu wouldn’t need to come personally to provoke you. So why did he come today?”
Wen Lan Sheng looked at Xie Cen and shook his head.
“It’s because Fan Xia isn’t taking the bait. She has you in her heart, she remembers your kindness to her when she was in trouble. So Rong Xiu can only start with you. He’s deliberately provoking you, making you hysterical, making you go crazy, wearing away Fan Xia’s love for you, making Fan Xia think you’ve changed. This way he can take advantage of the situation.”
Wen Lan Sheng listened with trepidation.
Indeed, old ginger is spicier. If Xie Cen hadn’t explained this layer to him, tomorrow when Fan Xia sobered up, he would definitely have harped on about this to Fan Xia relentlessly. By then, Fan Xia would surely find him annoying, think he was making a big deal out of nothing, and the wall of estrangement would be built up through one small incident after another.
“Dad, what should I do?” Wen Lan Sheng gripped Xie Cen’s hand tightly.
“In my opinion, if Rong Xiu wants to debase himself, let him be despicable. The most important thing for you now is not to fight with him. You really can’t beat him in a fight. But don’t forget, you are Fan Xia’s original match. The most important thing now is to be extra good to Fan Xia, win over her heart, don’t let the wedding have any changes. Most importantly…” Xie Cen pointed at Wen Lan Sheng’s belly: “Quickly get pregnant with a child. Fan Xia is an orphan, such people value family ties above all else. As long as you’re pregnant with her child, even if she really has something going on with Rong Xiu, her heart will still be with you.”
Wen Lan Sheng covered his belly, his eyes roiling with a crazy possessiveness: “I understand.”
He would definitely get pregnant with Fan Xia’s child, keeping Fan Xia by his side forever, never letting anyone take her away.
Xie Cen patted his shoulder: “It’s good that you can understand. Fan Xia has such a good job, it would be a shame to lose it. Do you know, just because of Fan Xia’s job, she knows a lot of insider information. That stock she recommended to your mom a while back has skyrocketed. In just a few days, your mom made fifty thousand yuan.”
“Fifty thousand?”
“Yes, you don’t know, when your mom saw the stock price rise so much, she was heartbroken, regretting not investing more. Otherwise, it could have been possible to earn 200,000. But your mom and I only had that little bit of money left.” Xie Cen sighed: “If we had known, we should have borrowed money to invest. Fan Xia’s insider information is so accurate.”
But Wen Lan Sheng didn’t care how much money they had made from stocks. He only cared about one thing: “Mom made fifty thousand from stocks, so why did you cry poor to Xia Xia today and ask her to send money to Jing Jing?”
“Uh—” Xie Cen coughed awkwardly: “That’s a separate matter.”
“What separate matter? You clearly have money, so why do you still need Xia Xia to pay?” Wen Lan Sheng’s tone was agitated: “You clearly know that Xia Xia and I have been saving money to buy a new house recently. Not only are you not helping, but you’re taking money from us to subsidize Wen Jing?”
“We’re all family, what’s wrong with helping out? Besides, your sister is alone abroad, it’s always good to have some extra money,” Xie Cen said.
“You only know how to indulge her, just sending money without properly educating her. This will only harm her, letting her learn improper things,” Wen Lan Sheng snorted.
“Alright, I won’t argue with you. Go to sleep early.” Xie Cen knew he had slipped up and was in the wrong. Plus, Wen Lan Sheng had just been provoked by Rong Xiu today and his emotions were unstable. He didn’t want to continue the conversation, planning to explain properly to Wen Lan Sheng tomorrow.
Who knew that at four o’clock in the morning, Xie Cen would cry out and knock on the door of the master bedroom.
“Lan Sheng! Fan Xia! Wake up quickly, something’s happened!” Xie Cen knocked on the master bedroom door with great agitation.
Fan Xia was also woken up in a daze, sat up holding her slightly aching temples, and Wen Lan Sheng hurried to open the door.
“Dad, what’s wrong? What happened?”
Xie Cen held up his phone, frantically pulling Wen Lan Sheng’s hand: “Lan Sheng, your sister, she’s been expelled from school.”
“What?” Wen Lan Sheng’s sleepiness instantly cleared: “What exactly happened? Wasn’t everything fine just a few days ago? How did she suddenly get expelled?”
“They say it’s for cheating on an exam.” Xie Cen said tearfully: “What are we going to do? Our family emptied all our money bags to send your sister to study abroad, even selling your grandmother’s old house and rural homestead. We were just thinking she was about to graduate and could ease the pressure on the family, when suddenly this kind of thing happens…”
“Dad, dad, don’t cry first. I remember usually cheating on an exam doesn’t lead to direct expulsion.”
Xie Cen beat his chest and stamped his feet: “This isn’t the first time. She was caught by the school once before, but it wasn’t made into a big deal that time. This time in her programming course, she believed some foreign friend’s nonsense and had them write the code for her. As a result, the code was caught by the plagiarism check… All our years of hard work, we sank a million yuan into this, it’s all gone down the drain.”
Xie Cen hugged Wen Lan Sheng and cried, both pained and resentful, resenting his daughter for being useless, pained that all his years of hard work had come to nothing.
Fan Xia sat quietly on the edge of the bed, her long hair falling from her shoulders, hiding her expression. Listening to Xie Cen’s helpless crying, she imperceptibly hooked the corner of her mouth.
Because of the sudden accident, the whole family was immersed in a low pressure atmosphere.
Wen Ming Yue’s face looked even more unpleasant. She was a person who cared about face. When she first sent Wen Jing abroad, she didn’t know how much face she had gained. Now with her slinking back home, if those old colleagues at the factory found out, who knows how they would laugh at her.
Wen Lan Sheng’s movements were cautious even when making breakfast, placing milk and toast with fried eggs on the dining table.
Wen Ming Yue slammed the table and said angrily: “What’s the point of eating! It’s truly embarrassing!”
Wen Lan Sheng quietly pushed the milk in front of Fan Xia and said in a low voice: “Don’t mind Mom, you eat well.”
Fan Xia nodded, biting into a piece of fried egg. The ordinary fried egg that tasted the same as usual today tasted especially sweet.
“Fan Xia,” Xie Cen twisted his fingers, tentatively asking: “About Jing Jing’s matter, do you think there’s any hope of salvaging the situation?”
Fan Xia took a sip of milk and said: “Didn’t Jing Jing say the school’s punishment has already been decided? I don’t think there’s much hope.”
“Don’t you work in a big company? Do you have any connections that could talk to her school?”
Fan Xia showed a helpless smile: “Uncle, although I work at the Shanhai Group, my social circle is all domestic. I really am at a loss when it comes to abroad.”
“Ah—” Xie Cen sighed powerlessly.
“By the way, did Jing Jing say when she’s coming back to the country?” Fan Xia asked.
“She said she booked a flight back next week, but coming back from abroad, the airfare is about ten to twenty thousand. Jing Jing has no money on her side,” Xie Cen said.
Wen Lan Sheng said: “Didn’t Xia Xia just send her thirty thousand yesterday? How could she have no money?”
“……” Xie Cen didn’t speak.
“I get it, she spent it all on wild living, right? That’s why she even thought of cheating on the exam and got expelled from school.” Wen Lan Sheng said irritably.
“Lan Sheng, don’t talk about your sister like that. She didn’t want to be expelled from school either, but now that it’s happened, we need to get her back,” Xie Cen said.
Xie Cen had already extended his conversation opener, looking expectantly at Fan Xia. Fan Xia pretended not to hear, wiped the corner of her mouth, kissed Wen Lan Sheng on the cheek and said: “I’m full, I’m leaving first.”
Wen Lan Sheng got up to see her off: “I’m sorry, I didn’t prepare lunch for you today because of Jing Jing’s situation.”
“It’s alright.” Fan Xia fondly ruffled his short hair and whispered in his ear: “I’ve got my eye on a large flat. Shall we go take a look this weekend?”
“Okay.” Wen Lan Sheng’s heart leaped with joy. It seemed his father was right, Fan Xia still cared about him in her heart.
“What did Fan Xia just say to you?” Xie Cen asked.
Wen Lan Sheng pursed his lips: “Nothing, just that we’re going to look at a house together this weekend.”
Xie Cen’s tone was displeased: “I just mentioned that Jing Jing doesn’t have money for a return ticket and she immediately found an excuse to leave. She’s not even willing to spend ten or twenty thousand. She’s really stingy.”
“If Xia Xia was really stingy, she wouldn’t have sent Jing Jing thirty thousand without a second thought yesterday. Besides, we’re planning to buy a new house, we don’t have extra money,” Wen Lan Sheng frowned, very averse to how Xie Cen was always trying to scheme money from Fan Xia.
“She can buy a house worth several million, but can’t spare ten or twenty thousand for an airplane ticket?”
Wen Lan Sheng’s fine brows knotted: “Dad, didn’t you just tell me last night that Mom made fifty thousand from stocks? Buying Jing Jing an airplane ticket is expensive, but come to think of it, that money was earned because of Xia Xia.”
“You……” Xie Cen was choked by Wen Lan Sheng’s retort.
At Shanhai Group, Zhuang Nian had been staring at Fan Xia all morning and sneakily ran over: “Assistant Fan, did you win the lottery today? You look so happy!”
Fan Xia looked up in surprise: “No, no.”
Zhuang Nian squinted his eyes: “Don’t try to fool me, I’ve been observing you all morning. From the moment you stepped into the office, your mouth hasn’t closed. Although you usually always seem to be smiling, it’s more like a habitual smile. Only today, you’re truly happy from the bottom of your heart. Tell me, did the CEO secretly give you a raise behind my back!”
Fan Xia shook her head with a smile: “How is that possible.”
“Then did your husband give birth?”
Fan Xia coughed: “Secretary Zhuang, stop joking.”
“Zhuang Nian, stop teasing her.” From inside the office came Rong Xiu’s cold and distant voice. Zhuang Nian shuddered and obediently returned to his position.
Rong Xiu closed the file and looked at Fan Xia who was buried in her work, his gaze deep.
Indeed, as Zhuang Nian said, today’s Fan Xia was different from usual. That joy from the bottom of her heart diluted the faint sense of detachment about her.
Rong Xiu adjusted his glasses, the lenses reflecting a cold, thin light. His narrow eyes were full of inquiry, crazily desiring to know exactly what had made her so happy.
Was it Wen Lan Sheng? A layer of cold light surged in Rong Xiu’s eyes.
Originally, he had planned to find an excuse to have lunch together at noon, and take the opportunity to explore the real reason for her happiness. But as soon as it turned twelve o’clock, Fan Xia left the company hurriedly without a moment’s delay.
Rong Xiu watched her departing figure, his gloomy eyes narrowing slightly.
“Assistant Fan is so unusual today. She didn’t win the lottery, didn’t get a raise, and her husband didn’t give birth. What else could make a woman so happy?” Zhuang Nian, who was keen on office gossip, muttered while eating grass. Suddenly his eyes lit up as he realized the truth: “Could it be that she has a lover outside?”
Rong Xiu looked up, coldly sweeping his gaze towards Zhuang Nian.
Zhuang Nian swallowed a mouthful of grass and quietly walked out hugging his salad.
Fan Xia first drove to an ATM machine to withdraw 5000 yuan, then parked her car in a hidden corner shaded by trees at the north gate of the Capital Sports University.
Not long after she stopped, a tall boy wearing a basketball uniform opened the passenger door and sat down.
“I’m sorry, Sister Fan, I was delayed by training. I didn’t mean to be late.” Gu Jin Yi was breathing heavily, the hair on his forehead dampened with sweat, his chest heaving violently, the muscles in his arms solid, his fair skin showing a faint pink due to the intense exercise and humid weather.
“It’s alright.” Fan Xia took out a pack of wet wipes for him.
“Thank you, sister.” Gu Jin Yi smiled happily, opened the packaging, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. His strong and powerful arm muscles swayed before her eyes, his handsome and sunny features showing vibrant vitality under the scorching sun.
Fan Xia looked away and took out an envelope: “This is for you.”
Gu Jin Yi opened the envelope and said in surprise: “So much? I don’t want it, this is too much.”
“Don’t worry about me, I’ve found a job with a very generous salary. Take it.” Fan Xia pushed the envelope into his arms.
