“Throw this away”
At a little past six o’clock on Monday evening, He Xihuan was waiting in the basement parking lot of the teaching building.
A few minutes later, Xu Yiwen located the car, climbed into the front passenger seat, and neither of them spoke a word.
The scenery outside the window flew past rapidly. Having spent the entire day at school without a lunch break, Xu Yiwen’s upper and lower eyelashes fluttered a few times before slowly closing.
Stopping at a red light, He Xihuan turned his head to look at Xu Yiwen in the passenger seat.
With the term drawing to a close, there were no lectures to give over the next few weeks, but Xu Yiwen had still brought his thermos as usual.
Despite having replenished his fluids, his lips looked somewhat pale.
At home, apart from stomach medicine, the medications Xu Yiwen kept on hand most frequently were throat lozenges.
Things like Golden Throat Lozenges, Xiguashuang, Fat Sea lozenges, coral grass tablets, and Anli candies filled an entire medicine box.
Among them, Xiguashuang and Anli candies were the ones Xu Yiwen consumed the most.
Probably because they were neutralized by fruit flavors and didn’t taste bitter when held in the mouth.
Speaking of fruit, why couldn’t yellow apricots be stockpiled by him?
He Xihuan’s mind echoed with Xu Yiwen’s words from last night. His heart gave an inexplicable twinge, his grip tightened on the steering wheel, and he turned his head back.
Today’s sunset was about to fade away, yet the lingering glow of the sunset from that year remained deeply engraved in his heart.
Perhaps the crimson sunset on that evening years ago was simply too perfect. The moment Xu Yiwen stood under the sunset, blinking as he played basketball, he looked like a peerless painting, inadvertently tracing his way into He Xihuan’s eyes along with the breeze.
And then, piercing straight through his heart from top to bottom, it carved out an aperture where a droplet of red seed was planted in his chest, growing into the likeness of Xu Yiwen day and night.
Yet, why should someone he had never even exchanged a word with be kept so deeply in his heart?
The teenage He Xihuan had tried to weed this droplet-red goji berry seed out of his heart.
Yet it seemed as though it had never been thoroughly cleaned out.
When he was dissatisfied with the sudden arranged marriage and put up resistance, the news that his arranged partner was “Xu Yiwen” reached his ears, instantly silencing the well-reasoned arguments on his lips.
That seed, which had been buried for no reason, actually broke through his chest with the force of a bamboo split.
For a day and a night, He Xihuan sat quietly in his room. Amidst his foolish, demented chuckles and rational analyses, that seed grew rapidly and sprouted a tender shoot.
In the end, he pushed open the door and uttered the words, “I do.”
Prior to the day of trying on formalwear, prior to hearing the conversation between Xu Yiwen and the Xu family, he had been naive enough to think this was a stroke of fate given by the heavens to two strangers, a chance for him to make up for what he missed in his youth.
The green light turned on, and He Xihuan’s churning emotions grew as steady as the vehicle’s speed.
Arriving at the Xu residence, He Xihuan went straight to the point. Entering the living room, he snatched the right to push the wheelchair away from the servant Wang Rong and began pushing Qiu Yao outside.
The entire Xu family turned out in full force, yet they didn’t dare block He Xihuan’s path. Instead, they followed alongside them while smilingly trying to persuade and obstruct them under the pretext of Qiu Yao’s physical condition.
He Xihuan stopped in his tracks with a completely expressionless face. “Does Father-in-law not trust the He family’s medical team?”
“This trip is meant to make up for our honeymoon.” He Xihuan extended his left hand to clasp Xu Yiwen’s right hand resting beside him. “Xiaowen is worried about Grandmother, so Mom and Dad specially sent me over to invite Grandmother to come along.”
“Xiaowen was too anxious. I had to go out to handle some temporary business last night,” He Xihuan said, gazing with a smile at the cool-faced Xu Yiwen, “so he came over by himself to pick up Grandmother.”
“He might not have told you, but my parents have dispatched a professional medical team and caregivers to accompany us and specifically take care of Grandmother.” He Xihuan’s words carried a smile, but his lifted gaze was icy. “Grandmother’s health is only going to get better and better.”
Since He Xihuan had put things to this extent, pressing the matter further would be a direct slap to the He family’s face.
Xu Xiangchuan signaled with his eyes for Xu Yichuan, who was pouting and eager to speak, to keep quiet. He then stepped forward himself and said cordially:
“I heard you are heading to Chuncheng. What a coincidence. Actually, we also had thoughts of going to Chuncheng for the New Year, but lately there’s been too much work at the company, and your mother, your second uncle, and I simply can’t get away.”
“We were also worried the elderly could not handle a long journey, so we gave up on the idea.”
“Since there’s a way to ensure the old lady’s health remains sound, we can rest easy.”
“Xiao An, Baoning, go along with your Brother Yiwen to have some fun, and you can also help take care of Grandmother.”
Looking at Xu Baoan and Xu Baoning, whom Xu Xiangchuan had pushed right in front of He Xihuan, Xu Yiwen’s palms tightened.
Xu Xiangchuan simply refused to let up. Even if they chased all the way to Chuncheng, they intended to find someone to replace his position.
He Xihuan gripped Xu Yiwen’s slightly trembling hand, his tone of reply flat. “What a coincidence, we temporarily changed our honeymoon to a different city. I wish you all a wonderful time in Chuncheng.”
Without needing to observe their expressions too closely, he could guess that the Xu family sending these two along was meant to replay the unfinished business from the night before last when they stayed over.
Thinking of this, the smile vanished from He Xihuan’s face, and he released Xu Yiwen’s hand.
To think he had anticipated early on that the Xu family wouldn’t easily give up on the idea of swapping people and would follow them to Chuncheng to cause trouble, so while waiting for Xu Yiwen in the master bedroom the night before last, he had called He Jing and Wang Congmeng to stir up some trouble for the Xu family’s company just to buy some peace and quiet.
As it turned out, after waiting all night, Xu Yiwen went to sleep in the guest room, and the next morning brazenly brought out a divorce agreement, announcing a divorce.
He Xihuan glanced at Xu Yiwen and continued pushing Qiu Yao forward.
Having already stepped out of the courtyard gates, seeing that Xu Xiangchuan and Xu Yichuan were still trying to persuade them and attempting to stuff Xu Baoan and Xu Baoning into the car, Qiu Yao gathered her breath and spoke up. “What are Xiao An and Baoning going to do on these two kids’ honeymoon?”
“An old woman like me has already given the in-laws enough to worry about. Don’t you go adding any more trouble for them.”
“And don’t bother asking which city they’re going to. They aren’t telling you where they’re going, and even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you either.”
Qiu Yao’s resolute words brought the group’s actions to a halt. Jiao Qin, who was already reluctant to part with Xu Baoan, pulled her child behind her in silence without saying a word, while Xu Baoning, intimidated by He Xihuan, retreated a few steps on her own.
Xu Yiwen gazed at Qiu Yao, an upward smile appearing in his cool eyes.
He was genuinely happy for Qiu Yao.
Not long after Xu Fengying passed away, Xu Xiangchuan and Xu Yichuan had taken it upon themselves to remove the grief-stricken Qiu Yao from the company roster.
He remembered they had argued fiercely that day, and Qiu Yao had packed her luggage, determined to take him away.
The moment Xu Xiangchuan and Xu Yichuan realized that Qiu Yao was willing to go so far as to find a lawyer and go to court to reclaim what she and Xu Yiwen rightfully deserved, they understood things had blown up into a serious problem, so they used family ties and tears to make Qiu Yao stay.
For a very long time, Qiu Yao served as little more than a living billboard for Xu Xiangchuan and Xu Yichuan to flaunt their filial piety and righteousness.
In reality, whoever pushed the wheelchair held the right to speak.
Usually at the Xu residence, Qiu Yao was allowed to throw minor tantrums, but the moment anything important was involved, they never permitted her to voice an opinion.
Right now, Qiu Yao’s firm tone reinforced Xu Yiwen’s confidence.
He would take away the Qiu Yao who failed to leave back then and reclaim the assets that failed to be retrieved back then.
He had Qiu Yao wrap her arms around his neck and steadily settled her into the back seat of the car.
From now on, he would become Qiu Yao’s wheelchair, and the right to speak for the two generations of their grandfather and grandson would remain firmly in their own hands.
“The family has prepared a new wheelchair for Grandmother.” Xu Yiwen kicked away the wheelchair by the car and climbed into the back seat as well. “Throw this away.”
Xu Xiangchuan was hit in the foot by the toppled wheelchair, but with He Xihuan present, he could only endure it and forced a smile toward the half-open rear car window.
“Xiaowen, take good care of your grandmother. I hope that once the honeymoon is over, we’ll hear good news from you both.”
“Hahaha, us and the in-laws are all waiting to hold a grandchild.”
The laughter outside the car window was far too fake, far too sickening.
Xu Xiangchuan mentioning children was nothing more than a sarcastic jab hinting that his and He Xihuan’s relationship wouldn’t last long.
Xu Xiangchuan had already made such warnings to him without any concealment last night at the courtyard gate.
Right now, because He Xihuan was present, those words were wrapped in a layer of paternal benevolence before being spoken.
Xu Yiwen now fully understood that when they first met Xu Baoan the other day, all those things Xu Xiangchuan said about letting him and He Xihuan cultivate their relationship properly and putting children on the agenda were entirely meant to keep him from growing suspicious and to lower his guard.
In truth, the Xu family was dying for him and He Xihuan’s relationship to break down, dying for them to develop a spirit of rebellion and refuse to have children.
Suppressing the anger burning in his heart and unwilling to entangle himself here any longer, Xu Yiwen anxiously looked toward He Xihuan, who was still standing outside the car.
Why on earth wasn’t this guy starting the car and driving away?
He Xihuan instead fell right into the trap, expressing a youthful perspective: “We’re still young, neither of my parents is in a rush, what are you panicking about?”
He let out a cold sneer, glancing over at Xu Baoan standing behind Jiao Qin. “If you’re so eager to hold a grandchild, your son is named… ah yes, Xu Baoan. He’s the same age as Xiaowen, right? It’s about time he started looking for an Alpha.”
“Speaking of which, I do know some eligible Alphas around me, except,” He Xihuan shook his head with disdain, “they all prefer Omegas who are utterly devoted to them, not fickle ones who go around flirting everywhere.”
“You,” He Xihuan pointed at Xu Baoan, whose face was flushed red with anger, “should take a page out of your Brother Yiwen’s book on how to be loyal.”
“The elders should teach him properly too. Even though he was just recently recognized and brought back into the family, you can’t spoil him; you need to teach him how to behave as a human being.”
“Releasing pheromones recklessly in someone else’s home without permission is enough to land you in a jail cell.”
“This time Xu Yiwen was around, so things didn’t blow up, but if I ever catch you doing it again, you can go see him down at the police station.”
Having delivered his piece, He Xihuan leisurely climbed into the driver’s seat and drove away.
The Xu family outside the car froze in the cold wind, while Xu Yiwen inside the car was equally stunned.
How on earth did He Xihuan end up helping to spit out so many words?
Could it be that yesterday’s conversation had stimulated him? Did he calculate that since they were getting divorced soon anyway, he might as well teach the Xu family a lesson?
Usually, He Xihuan would deliver sarcastic, snide remarks to the Xu family while also throwing a jab or two at Xu Yiwen.
Today, He Xihuan’s sarcastic remarks were so obvious, like a dog’s claws scratching directly across someone’s face.
Xu Yiwen lowered his eyes and let out a muffled, dry laugh.
He hadn’t completely detached himself from the Xu family yet and still needed to endure, so listening to an unburdened He Xihuan blatantly tear into the Xu family was actually quite satisfying.
If He Xihuan could smoothly reach a consensus with him regarding the divorce, they might genuinely become comrades in the same trench.