He really was a genius at conversation.
Tang You stared at that message for a full five minutes, completely at a loss for how to respond.
Fortunately, “Xiao Weijing” sent nothing more.
The next morning, Tang You woke early. Yawning in her pajamas, she shuffled to the kitchen in search of food.
As soon as she came downstairs, she heard Jiang Tao’s low voice: “…She’s been dead for so many years—what are you afraid of? Nowadays everyone at Qixing listens to you. What’s wrong with letting Nan Nan go there to gain some experience for a few years?”
Tang You stopped in her tracks and didn’t go any farther. She stood just outside.
They were back surprisingly early.
Tang Xiao loved collecting porcelain from various dynasties. Tang You happened to be standing behind a tall multi-tiered display shelf. The wooden rack perfectly concealed her figure. She held her breath and listened carefully to their conversation.
Qixing had originally been the company under Tang You’s mother, Su Yuan. Before Su Yuan passed away from illness, she had weakly said she wanted to leave the company to Tang You—but there was no written will. When Tang You came of age, Tang Xiao used the excuse that she was “too young to take on such responsibility” and had openly kept control of Qixing ever since.
Tang You was very curious to hear how Tang Xiao would respond.
“If it were just for experience, of course there’d be no issue. But that’s not your real purpose,” Tang Xiao said, his voice quite weary. He asked gravely: “You want Nan Nan to enter Qixing?”
“Nan Nan has suffered so much hardship with me,” Jiang Tao said, her voice choking with sobs. “Back then your parents didn’t approve of us, and I stayed as your secret lover for nine years without a single complaint. Nan Nan was called a bastard every day, pointed at and gossiped about—what could I do?”
Tang You quietly turned on her phone’s voice recorder.
Live white-lotus masterclass right here.
Men really did fall for the soft approach. Tang You heard Tang Xiao call her in a moved tone: “Tao Tao, you’ve suffered so much all these years. But Qixing was left to Youyou by Su Yuan—”
“You’re Youyou’s father—and Su Yuan’s husband. Doesn’t that make her things yours too?”
Through the tiny gaps in the shelf, Tang You saw Jiang Tao crying. Tang Xiao cupped her face and gently wiped away her tears.
Jiang Tao’s tears flowed freely: “Youyou has Old Master Xiao doting on her, and she’s engaged. Once she marries Xiao Weijing, Qixing will just be icing on the cake for her. But for Nan Nan, it would be help in her hour of need! What does Nan Nan have? How is she supposed to marry well in the future? They’re both your daughters—can’t you feel a little sorry for Nan Nan?”
Tang Xiao’s resolve had already wavered. He hesitated: “We’ll talk about this later… Let Nan Nan go to Qixing and try it out first. Once Youyou is married, we’ll revisit the matter. Alright?”
Jiang Tao threw herself into his arms: “A Xiao, you’re so good to me.”
Tang You’s face remained expressionless. As the passionate couple embraced, she calmly turned off the recording.
Qixing was something her mother had left for her.
And now, just to make Jiang Tao happy, he was going to hand Qixing over to Tang Nan.
Just as she turned to leave, Tang You’s eyes met Jiang Chenting’s.
He had been standing less than two steps behind her, the top two buttons of his white shirt undone.
He wasn’t smiling. His thin lips were pressed tightly together.
Tang You gave a casual smile as if nothing had happened and walked out. Jiang Chenting followed silently behind her. Only when they reached the dining room did he finally break the quiet: “Tangtang, don’t worry. I’ll talk to Uncle. Qixing will always be yours—that won’t change.”
Tang You curved her brows and eyes sweetly: “Thank you, Brother.”
She didn’t place too much hope in Jiang Chenting.
No matter what, Jiang Chenting shared no blood with her at all, while Tang Nan and Jiang Tao were his real flesh-and-blood relatives.
Besides, how could Tang Xiao possibly let Jiang Chenting interfere in this matter?
Jiang Tao had always hoped to give Tang Xiao another son, but her body had been damaged when she gave birth to Tang Nan and she had never gotten pregnant again. Tang Xiao was now deeply devoted to Jiang Tao and even treated Jiang Chenting like his own son—letting him take charge of the company and grooming him as his right-hand man.
But Jiang Chenting still wasn’t his biological child.
Tang You brooded alone in her room for a long time, trying to figure out how to stop Jiang Tao.
In a situation like this… the only option left was probably to go to Grandma.
Tang You’s grandmother, Meng Yunqiu, still lived in Xijing.
It had been a very long time since Tang You had seen her.
Back when she caught Grandfather Tang cheating, Meng Yunqiu had divorced him without hesitation, taking half the Tang family fortune and starting her own business. Today, the company under her name dominated nearly half the home-appliance market.
Everyone said Meng Yunqiu was ruthless—she divorced when she said she would and never once came back to see her own children.
It was as if she had never given birth to them.
The last time Tang You saw Meng Yunqiu was at her own coming-of-age ceremony, which Old Master Xiao had grandly hosted. Meng Yunqiu had arrived with a stern expression, handed over her gift, said “Happy birthday,” and left—without even seeing Tang Xiao.
Tang You absentmindedly flipped open a book page, thinking. Grandma probably still liked her; otherwise she wouldn’t have attended only her coming-of-age ceremony.
Tang You wasn’t someone who hesitated endlessly. After telling Jiang Chenting, she asked the family driver to take her there.
When the driver heard the address, he looked troubled: “Miss, Sir has said long ago that no one is allowed to visit Old Madam Meng—”
Tang You countered: “I’m just going to see my own grandmother. What’s wrong with that?”
“Of course there’s nothing wrong, it’s just—”
“Then let’s go,” Tang You opened the car door and said calmly. “You don’t say anything, I won’t say anything—Father won’t know. And if he blames anyone, just say I insisted.”
Seeing her determination, the driver swallowed his words.
Grandma’s place was quite far—halfway across Xijing. Although Tang Xiao and Grandma were on bad terms, when Su Yuan was still alive, she often brought Tang You to visit her.
That was also why Tang Xiao had fought with Su Yuan so many times.
Today it was drizzling steadily. This area was a private villa district; the driver’s car couldn’t enter, so he had to park outside. Tang You opened an umbrella and got out, walking slowly up the pedestrian path.
The driver parked by the roadside, looking very conflicted.
While he hesitated, a black Maybach pulled up beside him. The window slowly rolled down, and the person inside asked: “Did Miss Tang You just go up?”
Hearing her name called directly, the driver hesitated and didn’t answer straight away.
Through the window, he tried to peek inside but couldn’t see the face of the person in the back seat—only a neat corner of a suit.
A pair of well-defined, long, pale hands rested there.
The man who spoke seemed to read his mind and smiled: “Our sir’s surname is Xiao.”
Xiao.
The driver suddenly understood.
Tang You’s fiancé was surnamed Xiao, wasn’t he?
The driver no longer hesitated: “Miss Tang went to visit Old Madam Meng Yunqiu.”
The man thanked him, turned back, and relayed the information to someone inside. The driver couldn’t hear their conversation, only saw him open the door, open an umbrella, walk respectfully around to the other side, and pull the door open.
A tall man stepped out. The driver finally got a clear look at his face.
Pure black suit, full of restrained allure. A face whose age was impossible to guess—handsome and cold.
His left hand loosely shielded from the wind as he lit a cigarette. Expressionless, smoke curling around him, he glanced in this direction through the heavy rain and mist.
The driver didn’t immediately recognize him and stared blankly until the man opened his umbrella and followed the same path Tang You had taken. Only then did he snap out of it.
Tang You sat on the dark-red sofa and waited a long time, only to receive a polite refusal from the stern-faced maid.
“Madam Meng is preparing for her afternoon nap and says she doesn’t wish to see you,” the maid said with a deep bow. “I’m very sorry, Miss Tang. Please go back.”
Tang You stood up and spoke softly: “Then when Grandma has time, I’ll come visit again.”
The maid said nothing. She was elderly, her white hair pinned in a neat bun at the back of her head—unsmiling and strict.
Tang You stepped outside and couldn’t help turning back to look at the house. Through the glass window, she saw only a hazy silhouette.
Then it disappeared.
She bit her lip and slowly walked back down the path she had come.
After walking a while, the fine drizzle grew heavier, dampening her hair and clothes. Only then did Tang You remember that she had left her umbrella in the sitting room.
She sighed.
Since childhood, teachers had written in her evaluations that she had “strong self-esteem.” Though life had gradually worn down her edges, the pride and stubbornness deep in her bones could never be erased.
Being turned away at the door was expected. Going back now to retrieve the umbrella felt wrong no matter how she thought about it.
After long hesitation, Tang You finally decided to give up.
Never mind. It wasn’t that far to her car anyway. Walking the rest of the way wouldn’t be a big deal.
Who would have thought the sudden downpour would intensify so quickly? The raindrops grew larger and heavier. Tang You was lightly dressed today. She hugged her arms tightly and couldn’t help letting out a loud sneeze.
A large black umbrella shifted over her head.
Tang You looked up and saw Xiao Zexing.
He held a twenty-four-rib black umbrella, fully covering her head and blocking the pouring rain.
Xiao Zexing called her name: “Tang You.”
His tone was flat, his gaze settling on her before subtly moving upward.
The soaked clothes clung tightly to her body, outlining her soft, clean curves with unmistakable clarity. On her pale arms, even the faint bluish-purple veins beneath the skin were visible—beautiful almost to the point of being otherworldly.
She had come here to beg for help, so her makeup was light and natural. Her skin looked pale; her loose hair hung obediently over her shoulders. Her lashes and the corners of her lips were wet, now veiled in a thin layer of mist.
She looked as though she had been crying.
Chilled by the wind, Tang You hadn’t yet adjusted her expression. She called softly: “Mr. Xiao.”
The man was too tall—she could only look up at him.
Xiao Zexing handed her the umbrella, motioning for her to hold it first, then took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
The warm scent of cedar and vetiver enveloped her completely.
It blocked out the cold entirely.
Tang You clutched the soft jacket, thinking: This is a perfect chance to disgust him.
She lifted her face and looked at him pitifully: “Could you drive me home? I came by subway without breakfast, and going back will take more than two hours. I’m so cold and hungry right now… it’s really miserable.”
—Come on!
—Reject her!
—Hurry up and show that disgusted look, then yank the umbrella away! Go back and firmly demand Old Master Xiao break off the engagement!
Under Tang You’s intensely hopeful gaze, Xiao Zexing gave a faint smile. His dimples appeared shallowly: “Of course.”
Tang You: “…”
Didn’t you hate white lotuses the most? Can’t you even spot such an obvious lie?
Xiao Zexing changed the subject: “You came here to visit your grandmother?”
Tang You, who had been hanging her head in dejection, froze: “How did Mr. Xiao know?”
She quickly remembered something: “Ah, does Second Uncle live around here?”
“Second Uncle?”
“Yes—Xiao Zexing, Uncle Xiao,” Tang You smiled. “Auntie mentioned it once. She said Second Uncle found his old house too noisy and moved here… Speaking of which, I think I’ve never actually met Second Uncle.”
Xiao Zexing remained expressionless: “You have.”
“Hm?” Tang You stopped walking and looked at him in genuine surprise. “When? How come I don’t remember?”
The black umbrella twirled once. Xiao Zexing told her calmly and without ripple: “On your fifth birthday. Grandfather Tang brought you to the Xiao house to play. Xiao Zexing was there too.”
Tang You was a little stunned: “You remember that so clearly.”
By her calculation, back then Xiao Weijing would have been… ten? Would a ten-year-old remember such details so vividly?
Tang You couldn’t even recall what mischief she had gotten into at ten.
Xiao Zexing lowered his gaze to her and spoke slowly:
“Because the first time we met, you peed all over him.”