Xiao Weijing hadn’t seen Tang You in a very long time.
The last time, she was still in high school—thin and small, wearing the No. 1 Middle School uniform, ponytail swinging, eyes red and swollen as if she might burst into tears any second.
In his memory, she was just a little yellow-haired brat.
Someone slapped Xiao Weijing on the shoulder, gesturing toward that side and teasing: “Look over there—isn’t that your little fiancée?”
From Xiao Weijing’s current angle, he could only see the girl’s flawless, snowy-white skin and half of her face. Her hair fell softly over her shoulders—beautiful and clean beyond belief.
“Forget your future father-in-law’s character for a second,” Hao Yun said, arm slung over Xiao Weijing’s shoulder as he squinted and looked closer, chuckling. “But damn, both his daughters are seriously gorgeous. You’re one lucky bastard.”
Xiao Weijing’s face showed not a trace of a smile. He pushed Hao Yun’s hand away and said, “She’s just a pretty vase—nothing but a face and zero substance.”
He knew exactly what Tang You had done to Wen Ling. Unlike her innocent, harmless appearance, this girl had been spoiled rotten by her father since childhood. If she were merely willful and arrogant, that would be one thing—but what Xiao Weijing truly despised was her two-faced way of acting: one thing to your face, another behind your back.
Hypocritical.
He downed his drink in one gulp, flipped the empty glass upside down on the table, and watched Tang You talking to Xiao Zexing with a mocking laugh: “Look at her—she only knows how to act sweet and clever to please the elders. Boring.”
Hao Yun pinched his chin, intrigued: “So you think Wen Ling isn’t boring?”
“Wen Ling is different,” Xiao Weijing frowned slightly. “She’s not my girlfriend. Don’t compare her to Tang You.”
Hao Yun shook his head: “Fine, fine.”
He couldn’t talk him out of it.
As someone who had grown up with Xiao Weijing, Hao Yun actually knew the real reason behind Xiao Weijing’s special treatment of Wen Ling.
Back in high school, Xiao Weijing had gone swimming in the sea. His leg cramped and he nearly drowned. A young girl risked her life to drag him from the water to shore. At the time, sand had gotten in Xiao Weijing’s eyes; they stung painfully from the seawater and he couldn’t see clearly. With his eyes closed, he handed the girl his bracelet and rasped out that he would repay her someday.
There were too many people coming and going. By the time the ambulance arrived, the girl had quietly slipped away. Xiao Weijing never found her. Years later—after the engagement was already set—he ran into Wen Ling one day. She was wearing his bracelet on her wrist.
Rumors said Xiao Weijing had opposed the engagement to Tang You because of Wen Ling. In Hao Yun’s eyes, though, that wasn’t the case at all.
Xiao Weijing and Wen Ling had never even held hands.
From beginning to end, Xiao Weijing had been earnestly repaying a debt of gratitude.
That included—but was not limited to—helping Wen Ling get into the swim team, and later funding her gym after she retired due to injury.
Seeing Xiao Weijing about to walk away, Hao Yun quickly called after him: “Where are you going? Are you insane? It’s the old man’s birthday and you’re bailing?”
“I already sent the gift. I’m just going to lie low for a bit,” Xiao Weijing said calmly and quietly. “I’m not ready to get married young.”
Tang You was about to graduate from university, and he had just returned to the country. The old master had always kept his birthdays low-key in the past, but this year he’d gone all out and invited a huge crowd. Xiao Weijing had to be cautious.
Just in case the old man decided to force a wedding.
Watching Tang You stand in front of Xiao Zexing, Xiao Weijing frowned.
Of all people to provoke, she had to go after Second Uncle.
Everyone knew Xiao Zexing’s heart was as cold and hard as stone—a millennium of black iron that no amount of warmth could soften. For this girl to approach him now? She really didn’t know what was good for her.
Tang You, of course, had no idea.
The moment she spotted Xiao Zexing in the crowd, it was like a cat seeing a feather wand—her eyes lit up instantly.
Perfect—this was a golden opportunity to rack up some hate points!
Suppressing her excitement, Tang You walked over, lifted her face, and smiled sweetly, calling out with admiration: “Mr. Xiao.”
Xiao Zexing turned slightly, his gaze settling on her.
Once he saw her face clearly, he smiled: “You’re here too? Did Zeyan bring you? Where is he?”
Tang You blinked, quickly explaining: “No, Grandpa Xiao invited me.”
Xiao Zexing twirled his glass casually and gave a soft acknowledgment.
In the brief pause after his reply, Tang You took another small step forward.
Their distance closed again. She tilted her clean, pretty face upward: “Mr. Xiao, I saw some bad things about you online…”
She paused there for a tiny moment, lightly biting her lower lip. She glanced at him timidly—almost fearfully—her eyes already reddening at the corners, yet she still forced a smile: “But I know those paparazzi must have made it all up! I believe in you.”
Xiao Zexing neither confirmed nor denied: “Kids your age shouldn’t be looking at that kind of stuff.”
Hm?
All that dedicated green-tea-bitch performance, and this was all she got? A breezy, light-hearted sentence like that?
Tang You’s smile faltered for a second.
With Xiao Weijing’s personality, shouldn’t he have sneered at her and walked away? What was with this coaxing-a-child tone?
Before Tang You could process it, she felt someone ruffle her hair.
Eh? Eh? Eh? Eh? Ehhhh!!!!
Tang You was naturally small-boned—small hands and feet, tiny waist, small head and face. Xiao Zexing, on the other hand, was big-framed: tall, straight-backed, the complete opposite extreme.
The man’s palm was broad and warm. He casually placed it on top of her head, rubbed twice—nice texture—started to pull away, then rubbed once more and smiled: “Instead of worrying about me, you should focus on your studies first, little one. Aim for a good university.”
Tang You: “…”
In her stunned moment, the man turned and left. Tang You touched her now-fluffy hair, dazed.
Wait—what did Xiao Weijing mean by that? What do you mean “aim for a good university”? The A University she was currently attending might not be the absolute top in the country, but it was still a 211! Study more… Did this man want her to take the postgraduate entrance exam?!
And thinking back to those study guides he’d given her earlier—
Tang You came to a conclusion.
This guy was still indirectly mocking her for having poor grades and low IQ, right?
Four years apart, and his sarcasm had only become more subtle.
Tang You hadn’t stood there long before Old Master Xiao called her over.
Though she always called him “Grandpa Xiao,” today was actually his sixty-third birthday. Both he and Xiao Weijing’s father had followed the tradition of early marriage and early childbearing—unfortunately, that tradition had started breaking with Xiao Zexing and Xiao Weijing.
When Tang You first learned that Xiao Zexing was only three years older than Xiao Weijing, she had imagined the bizarre scene of two people who looked like brothers calling each other uncle and nephew. She genuinely felt that the Xiao family waters ran deep.
Old Master Xiao had just received word that Xiao Weijing had slipped away. Worried that Tang You would be upset, he didn’t mention it. Instead, he smiled warmly and asked: “Youyou, aren’t you about to graduate? What are your plans after graduation? Are you interested in going to Weijing’s company to get some experience?”
Tang You quickly waved her hands: “No thanks, Grandpa. My major-subject grades aren’t very good. If I went, I’d only hold him back.”
Old Master Xiao deliberately put on a stern face: “Nonsense. If our Youyou’s grades aren’t good, then whose are? Hmm? If you don’t understand something, just learn it slowly. Even if you really can’t learn it, no problem—let Weijing support you!”
Seeing that Old Master Xiao was in a good mood, Tang You tentatively spoke up: “I still don’t want to trouble Brother Weijing… Um, Grandpa, you know Brother Weijing doesn’t like me anyway. How about we just—”
“He dares not to like you!” Old Master Xiao cut her off, his face turning stern and his words ringing with force. “I’ll break his other leg!”
He slammed his hand heavily on the table. The pens in the brush holder rattled wildly, and a few drops of ink even splashed out of the inkstone.
Tang You swallowed the words that had been on the tip of her tongue.
A knock sounded at the door—three calm, unhurried taps.
Tang You turned and saw Xiao Zexing pushing the door open and stepping in.
Why was this guy here?
With the old master present—and given his extremely obvious attitude—Tang You had no choice but to fully commit to her “pitiful little white flower secretly in love” persona.
Tang You stole a quick glance at him, then shyly lowered her head.
The moment Old Master Xiao saw Xiao Zexing, the smile vanished from his face without a trace.
His lips pressed into a thin line, his gaze darkened.
He gave a cold snort: “So you still know how to come back. That massive national reserve forest base project in Xicheng—you just went ahead and did it. Do you even have me in your eyes at all?”
He was about to continue scolding when his peripheral vision caught Tang You beside him. He paused.
Old Master Xiao thought it over—after all, Zexing was Youyou’s elder. It really wasn’t appropriate to say these things in front of a junior.
He shot Xiao Zexing a fierce glare before softening his tone toward Tang You: “Youyou, I still have some matters here. You go back first.”
Tang You couldn’t have asked for better. She immediately stood up and said obediently: “Okay, Grandpa. Goodbye.”
From start to finish, Xiao Zexing had only glanced at her once—when he first entered.
As soon as Tang You left, Old Master Xiao was about to resume lecturing his son when Xiao Zexing spoke: “If your sources were a little better informed, you’d know I didn’t just take on the reserve forest base. I also secured two ecological complexes.”
Old Master Xiao’s expression turned icy: “What exactly are you trying to do?”
“Nothing in particular,” Xiao Zexing smiled. “I anticipated the new-city market would heat up, so I simply moved ahead with land-reserve layout strategy earlier than planned.”
Old Master Xiao was stunned by the implication hidden in his words: “You bought land too? How much?”
Xiao Zexing didn’t answer. Instead he asked: “Do you have anything else?”
Old Master Xiao was infuriated by this indifferent attitude—and even more so that he’d handled such a major matter without informing him.
Old Master Xiao had a strong need for control and a fiery temper; he couldn’t tolerate anyone defying him. He grabbed a book from the table and hurled it. Xiao Zexing didn’t dodge. The book’s spine struck his forehead, breaking the skin and leaving a small cut.
“Looks like you don’t have anything else,” Xiao Zexing said with a casual smile. “Then I’ll go first. Big Brother is waiting for me to drink.”
That one sentence touched Old Master Xiao’s reverse scale. He exploded in fury, cursing loudly.
“Take care of your health,” Xiao Zexing said calmly. “I have my own judgment. I won’t let the Xiao family lose face.”
This time Old Master Xiao was truly enraged. He started throwing everything within reach—crashing and clattering until nothing was left.
Xiao Zexing opened the door. The moment he stepped out, he saw Tang You standing right beside it, waiting.
A book flew out heavily from behind him, grazing the edge of his coat and smashing at his feet.
Tang You jumped at the sudden noise, instinctively straightening like a soldier at attention. Xiao Zexing casually closed the door behind him. The books that came flying after that all slammed against the door panel with loud thuds.
The room’s soundproofing was excellent; Tang You couldn’t hear a word of what was being said inside. All she saw was the small bloody mark on Xiao Zexing’s forehead—and the book that had just flown out.
Tang You felt a surge of excitement, a spark of joy.
Oh my god—was this him getting beaten again for bringing up breaking off the engagement with Grandpa? Was she finally about to be free?
This was the perfect chance to strike while the iron was hot, pour oil on the fire, and kick him when he was down!
Suppressing the wild delight in her heart, Tang You shakily pulled a clean tissue from her small bag, stood on tiptoe, and reached up to wipe it for him: “Did Grandpa hit you? Does it hurt?”
Xiao Zexing noticed how badly her hands were trembling.
The clean, soft tissue pressed against the man’s forehead.
The wound wasn’t actually big—just a small nick, barely bleeding.
Tang You strained to lift her arms higher, balancing on her tiptoes, her heart surging with emotion.
Fuck.
Why did he have to grow so damn tall? Her arms were getting sore, her legs were tired—please, hadn’t she acted pitiful-white-flower enough to make you hate her by now?
The aching in her limbs made Tang You completely miss the way Xiao Zexing’s eyes darkened further.
She didn’t even notice him leaning slightly forward, or realize that she didn’t actually need to tiptoe so high to reach the wound.
The petite, delicate girl strained on her toes, face tilted up. The heartache and careful concern in her eyes were impossible to hide. Her lips were soft and clean; her lashes thick and curled.
Like a little strawberry just starting to redden—green and tart, yet carrying a hint of sweetness.
Xiao Zexing reached out and pressed down on the tissue.
Along with the hand beneath it.
Her slender, tender fingers were gripped firmly through the soft paper.
A sudden wave of pressure hit her. The faint scent of alcohol on the man became much more noticeable as their distance shrank, enveloping her.
As if scalded by fire, Tang You yanked her hand back.
She kept her head lowered, vaguely sensing that the atmosphere felt off. All she heard was the man’s calm voice from above: “Thank you.”
Tang You: “…You’re welcome.”
She kept her head down, catching a glimpse in her peripheral vision of his impeccably pressed suit trousers and spotless leather shoes.
Xiao Zexing didn’t say another word to her. He turned and left.
That’s not right. Why was she being so deliberately obnoxious, yet “Xiao Weijing” still acted so calm and collected?
Had Xiao Weijing changed his tastes??? Or had his resistance to little-white-flower antics maxed out?
Or maybe… she just needed to act even more bitchy?
Tang You racked her brain but couldn’t figure it out.
Zhao Manlan searched for a long time but still couldn’t find Xiao Weijing. She knew in her heart he had probably slipped away again.
Light, flattering words from the people beside her drifted into her ears. Zhao Manlan smiled and socialized gracefully, her peripheral vision catching Tang You in the crowd. She immediately gestured for someone to go: “Go invite Miss Tang over.”
One of the madams laughed: “The old master really has good taste. I heard that back when Old Master Tang was still around, the two of them often went fishing together.”
Another madam chimed in with flattery: “Speaking of which, it’s also because the old master is so kind-hearted. He’s always supported them; otherwise, the Tang family would have gone bankrupt ages ago.”
Zhao Manlan listened without commenting, her elegant and proper smile never wavering.
When Tang You approached, the group tacitly dropped the topic.
Zhao Manlan reached out, inviting Tang You to sit beside her, and smiled warmly: “Have you seen the old master yet?”
“I have,” Tang You answered obediently. “We talked for a bit, and he told me to go out and have fun.”
Everyone knew how much Old Master Xiao adored this little girl. The people below him read his intentions: he kept pushing Tang You and Xiao Weijing together, so they guessed he was planning to support Xiao Weijing as successor. But once Xiao Zexing returned to the country, the old master entrusted him with heavy responsibilities and handed Mingjian over to him—making people think twice.
Zhao Manlan asked again: “Did you see Weijing just now?”
Tang You nodded and smiled: “He told me to focus more on my studies.”
How could Zhao Manlan not know her own son’s situation? Only Tang You was still covering for him here.
Last time, when she had carefully arranged a meeting, Xiao Weijing stood her up. Tang You even made up an excuse to cover for him, saying he had gone… Sigh. Such a good child—beautiful, kind-hearted, and most importantly, so fond of Weijing…
Zhao Manlan stroked Tang You’s soft, delicate hand, wishing she could force Xiao Weijing to break up with that Wen Ling right this instant.
After a few rounds of conversation, someone tactfully brought up Xiao Zexing again: “Now that Weijing is preparing to get married, what about the one in the West Garden? Has his marriage been settled?”
“The one in the West Garden” referred to Xiao Zexing.
Zhao Manlan’s smile remained unchanged: “Zexing’s mind is entirely on his career. Even the old master can’t sway him.”
Lately, Xiao Zexing’s name kept coming up. Sitting beside Zhao Manlan, Tang You heard her ask kindly: “Youyou, do you still remember what your second uncle looks like? When you were little, your grandfather brought you to our house to play, and he even held you.”
In Zhao Manlan’s eyes, Tang You was already family.
Tang You looked a little shy: “I forgot.”
She had zero interest in this Xiao Zexing. The Xiao family’s roots ran deep, tangled and complicated, with countless intertwined interests. In Tang You’s mind, the farther she stayed from the Xiao family’s private matters, the better—especially in case she ever fell out with Tang Xiao later and ended up dragging trouble onto herself.
Zhao Manlan’s smile deepened: “Perfect—he’s here today. Let’s call him over. Family should meet—”
She beckoned to a server: “Go invite Zexing over.”
The server left. The group’s conversation shifted to other topics.
Some of the madams, while sipping tea, subtly observed Zhao Manlan’s expression, trying to figure out what this madam was really thinking.
Tang You listened quietly. As the junior, she didn’t need to say much—just play the role of a pretty vase.
But Madam Chen beside her took the initiative: “Youyou’s outfit looks so nice. Did you hire a professional stylist?”
Tang You answered brightly: “No, I picked it myself. Thank you.”
Her stylist was herself—no one understood her body’s features better than Tang You. It was a casual remark, but it drew the other madams’ attention to her clothing.
Madam Zheng noticed that Tang You’s wrists and neck were bare and teased: “Your clothes are lovely, but why no jewelry? Is your auntie too stingy to give you any?”
Tang You smiled: “Auntie gave me lots. I’m just afraid of damaging them and hurting her feelings, so I keep them put away and don’t wear them.”
This was a lie.
Although she wore piles of accessories for photoshoots, Tang You rarely wore any in daily life. Even as a child, she would just toss aside the heaps of bracelets and necklaces people gave her without ever putting them on.
She just found them cumbersome.
The server returned, looking embarrassed: “The gentleman went to drink. He’s not here.”
Zhao Manlan raised an eyebrow slightly and said with regret: “Looks like you’ll have to meet next time.”
Tang You replied softly and sweetly: “It’s okay, Auntie. There’ll be plenty of chances later.”
As night fell and the crowd gradually thinned, Tang You was about to say goodbye when Zhao Manlan warmly insisted: “Your home is so far away, and it’s already so late. Why don’t you stay over?”
Before Tang You could refuse, Zhao Manlan smiled: “I already spoke with your father on the phone. He agreed.”
With the matter phrased this way—clearly leaving no room for refusal—Tang You could only nod: “Thank you, Auntie.”
The place they were in now was the Xiao family’s old residence. Old Master Xiao had lived here for decades and refused to move—an indication of how excellent the conditions were. Houses here were priceless; no amount of money could buy one without sufficient power and influence.
Tang You’s room was arranged in a guest suite on the second floor, decorated with exquisite care. Everyone knew she was set to marry Xiao Weijing and that she was Old Master Xiao’s most cherished junior—no one dared neglect her.
That night, Tang You tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She had a small stomach, ate little, and got hungry quickly.
She rummaged through the fruit and snacks in the bedroom but didn’t find anything she liked.
With a sigh, Tang You slipped out of bed quietly, planning to go hunt for something to eat.
Before coming in, she had scouted the place and knew there was a small kitchen at the end of the second-floor hallway.
Back at the Tang house, someone was always on night duty in the kitchen. She wondered if it was the same here.
Tang You cautiously poked her head out and saw that the door at the far end of the corridor was open, spilling warm light into the hall. Only then did she relax a little.
As long as someone was there, it was fine.
Tang You couldn’t be bothered to change clothes. The pajamas she was wearing had been prepared by Zhao Manlan’s people—extremely conservative, like the one the princess wore when she escaped in Roman Holiday.
She walked slowly to the kitchen door. The moment she stepped inside, she suddenly spotted Xiao Zexing leaning against the doorframe.
At this moment, the smell of alcohol on the man was even stronger. He narrowed his eyes slightly, slanting against the wall. His neat dress shirt had two buttons undone, his tie long gone, faintly revealing his collarbone.
The usual cold aura around him had softened considerably in this relaxed posture, replaced by a trace of laziness.
He still held half a cigarette between the fingers of his left hand. Amid the curling smoke, his deep, distant features looked even more pronounced.
He looked down at Tang You from his height and asked in a hoarse voice: “What are you doing here?”
“N-nothing… I sleepwalk.”
Dazzled by his looks, Tang You finally sensed something was wrong. She pulled her foot back, turned to leave—but she didn’t notice the water stain on the floor. Her foot slipped—
Her body swayed. She tried to regain balance.
But Xiao Zexing reacted lightning-fast. He flicked away the cigarette and caught her firmly in his arms.
Her waist was locked in a tight grip. Tang You was forced against him, pressed close to his long, solid legs. Through the thin sleepwear, something cold and hard on his belt dug painfully into her.
The man’s strength was overwhelming. The sudden pull squeezed most of the air out of her lungs. Her face pressed against his chest; Tang You was still in shock.
That slip earlier actually wouldn’t have made her fall—her balance had always been excellent. What truly terrified her was the man right in front of her aaaahhhh!
Why did he have to catch her!
Heat transferred through their clothes; the alcohol scent enveloped her. Panic surged. Tang You couldn’t stop shaking. Her palms pressed against his chest as tension and dread made her voice come out naturally soft and weak: “Can you… let go of me…”
Xiao Zexing lowered his gaze to the trembling little girl in his arms.
His arm tightened slightly, encircling the slender, quivering figure.
So fragile it seemed she might snap with just a bit more force.
Beneath the loose nightdress, her waist was impossibly slim—barely a handful.
His grip tightened further. Veins stood out clearly on his long hands.
His Adam’s apple bobbed.
No one else in the world knew Xiao Zexing’s secret preference—
A slender waist.