“Sister, come away with me…”
Xia Zhao bent down, crouching beside her. “I’ll beg Mom and Dad—from now on you can do whatever you want. Okay?”
His sister shouldn’t be trapped in these wealthy family mansions.
She could clearly shine, radiate brilliance, and have her own beautiful life.
“In front of Mom and Dad, you’ve always been the well-behaved, gentle good child. If I really followed you back, they’d definitely say I corrupted you, that I begged you to bring me home.” Xia Qiaoxi’s voice was calm, her expression particularly icy. “I’ve had enough of that cold home.”
Perhaps because they were half-siblings, they didn’t look very similar.
She resembled her mother, while Xia Zhao looked like their father, with subtle traces of Deng LiChen visible in his brow.
The more obedient he appeared at home, the less status she had.
Those two extremely controlling members of the Xia family had taken charge of everything about her, cutting her off. She had finally managed to escape them.
Go back?
“Even if we take the most extreme scenario where I do return, they’d probably send me right back here anyway. After all, Tang Yushen is also a golden bachelor.” Xia Qiaoxi looked at his red-rimmed eyes. “Go back. Don’t come looking for me unless necessary.”
Who knows—next time she might not even be here anymore.
Xia Zhao hated that he was still just a child, incapable of helping his sister.
He really liked this sister. She was so gentle, so beautiful, such a good person. No matter how strict or frustrating the family’s control got, she never took it out on him just because he was young.
“Sister…” Xia Zhao shook his head miserably. “You’re not happy at all right now! I’ll convince Mom and Dad, I will definitely convince them.”
Xia Zhao cried as he grabbed her wrist. “Sister, let’s go home, please? Let’s go home?”
Xia Qiaoxi shook off his hand. “Stop with this hypocritical act. Your existence only reminds me how awkward my position is in that family. Dad doesn’t like me, and your mother despises me to the core. Do you know why I’ve always been so cold to you? I hate you! I hate every single person in the Xia family! If I could, I wouldn’t set foot in that house ever again!”
“Get out of here! If you don’t leave right now, I’ll have someone throw you out!”
Who did he think he was? If he could actually persuade them, she wouldn’t have been forced to marry He Luyi in the first place.
Her parents had even deliberately scheduled the wedding date during his school hours.
He couldn’t leave campus, so he couldn’t attend the wedding.
Him speaking up for her would only make their parents angry.
He was still just a child. There was no need to drag Xia Zhao into her conflicts with the Xia family.
He should focus on his studies right now.
“Sister hates me?” Xia Zhao’s eyes reddened as he shook his head in disbelief.
His pupils trembled with shock, staring at her without blinking.
As if trying to see right through her.
Xia Qiaoxi stood up with a cold expression. “Because of your existence, because they want to give you a better life, everything the Xia family owns will be yours someday—none of it has anything to do with me. Yet I’m the one who has to make sacrifices for it. Why shouldn’t I hate you!”
Xia Zhao stood up too. His tall, slender frame trembled with grievance as his eyes reddened like a lost deer, his large eyes glistening with moisture.
He had never imagined his sister could hate him.
“Yes, I’m sorry…” Xia Zhao forced out a few words, “I, I didn’t know that because of me, sister has been suffering so much grievance in her heart, I, I…”
“Get out!” Xia Qiaoxi shouted sharply.
Xia Zhao picked up his backpack, “I just wanted to make sister happier, I, I thought sister would be happy at home, at…”
Would be happy.
Turns out she wasn’t happy at home at all.
He had thought sister was just dissatisfied with the arranged marriage.
Xia Zhao walked out with reddened eyes.
As soon as he closed the door, a hand landed on his shoulder.
Xia Zhao stared into Tang Yushen’s mischievous smiling eyes, quickly wiping the corner of his eye, “Young Master Tang, please take care of my sister for now. I’ll come back for her later.”
But it might take some time.
Tang Yushen gripped his shoulder, “Didn’t you hear? She said she hates you.”
“You, you…”
Xia Zhao looked back, “That, are there surveillance cameras in the room?”
Then everything they said must have been heard by Tang Yushen?
“Little brother, as for your sister, I’ll spoil her, cherish her, and love her because she’s my woman!” Tang Yushen put on a big brother act, “When you see me in the future, no need to be so formal. Just call me brother-in-law directly.”
“Bro…ther-in-law?”
“Good boy!” Tang Yushen grinned mischievously.
Xia Zhao: “…”
Tang Yushen didn’t ask him to stay, even giving the impression of hooking his arm to escort him out the door, “Little Xi’er saw a doctor. The doctor said she’s been in a high-stress environment for a long time, suffering from neurasthenia and mild depression. So I hope you won’t linger around her in the future, and definitely don’t mention anything about returning to the Xia family in front of her. Can you do that?”
“De…depression?” Xia Zhao couldn’t believe it.
When sister was at home, she always appeared gentle and kind, seemingly very sunny.
How could she be depressed?
How is that possible!!!
“I thought you were quite normal, but didn’t expect someone so young to stutter a bit. Better go see a doctor early.” Tang Yushen heavily patted his shoulder, “Chen Bai, escort Young Master Xia back.”
Xia Zhao: “…”
What the hell!
He doesn’t stutter!
“Young master, this way please!” Chen Bai raised an eyebrow.
Xia Zhao tightened his grip on the backpack, took two steps, then stopped and shouted at Tang Yushen, “You, you better treat my sister well! If you bully her, I won’t let you off!”
Tang Yushen paused briefly in his steps, then continued walking.
No response.
He was going to bully Little Xi’er, and find creative ways to bully her too.
This is called romance – what would a little brat know about that.
Making trouble!
Tang Yushen walked into the side hall where Xia Qiaoxi sat on the sofa staring blankly.
He had originally entered full of anger, but seeing her vacant eyes and tearful appearance, his heart felt like being pricked by thousands of ants, aching terribly.
He walked over, placed his hands on either side of her, leaned down to meet her gaze, “I’ve already sent him away.”
“Thank you…” Xia Qiaoxi whispered.
“You don’t need to say those words to me.” Tang Yushen moved closer, “Did he make you angry? Your eyes are all red.”
“I think I was too harsh with him…” She had never shouted at Xia Zhao so loudly before in his presence.
Xia Zhao was too well-behaved. Although he was Deng LiChen’s son, his personality was completely different.
She couldn’t let Xia Zhao get scolded because of her.
“What’s wrong with boys being a bit fierce!” Tang Yushen brushed his tall nose bridge against hers. “Xiao Xi’er, if we have a son in the future, you mustn’t spoil him.”
“Ah?”
Xia Qiaoxi leaned back, the faint itch on her nose bridge from his touch still lingering, as the space around her seemed completely invaded by Tang Yushen’s presence.
In this position he had her in, she had nowhere to retreat.
“Why are you jumping so far ahead?” Xia Qiaoxi whispered softly.
How did they end up discussing their son’s education already?
They hadn’t even slept together yet.