“Call me that from now on.” Tang Yushen gently stroked her hair.
Xia Qiaoxi obediently nodded.
Entering the grand hall, two rows of servants dressed in uniform clothing bowed respectfully. “Welcome, Miss Xia.”
Xia Qiaoxi showed a standard smile. “Thank you.”
With so many servants and such a large estate, it probably wouldn’t be easy for her to sneak away unnoticed.
However, after her confession in the car earlier, Tang Yushen should know she didn’t want her freedom restricted.
Xia Qiaoxi stared longingly at Tang Yushen’s suit pants pocket – her ID card was in there!
“Ah Yu…” Xia Qiaoxi held onto his arm and spoke softly, “My ID card… you said you’d give it to me after we got home…”
In her eyes, he, a living person, wasn’t as important to her as something like an ID card.
For someone who had lost their freedom since childhood, an ID card might hold extraordinary meaning.
Just last night, he had been thinking about keeping her by his side, never to be separated again.
But she yearned so much for freedom. If he did that, Xia Qiaoxi would definitely hate him, distance herself from him, and might even prefer death.
He didn’t dare take that risk.
He wanted Xier to live well.
To live happily and joyfully.
Not to die young like in their previous life, not to worry about him like in their previous life.
“In my pants pocket.” Tang Yushen lowered his head and said mischievously, “Get it yourself.”
Though Xia Qiaoxi knew he was doing it on purpose, she still slowly reached out her hand.
Just a man’s mischievous habit.
He probably wouldn’t develop special feelings just from a woman touching him.
Xia Qiaoxi carefully reached into his pants pocket. The ID card seemed flimsy but was actually quite sturdy.
She carefully pinched one corner and pulled it out.
Tang Yushen stood perfectly still, neither helping her nor making any unnecessary movements, a faint smile in his eyes.
Looking completely like he was enjoying the show.
Xia Qiaoxi took out the ID card and happily kissed it.
“Mwah!”
She was finally going to be free!
Her ID card!
No more having Deng LiChen search her every day, restrain her constantly, watching her more closely than she watched her own son.
On the surface, it was about protecting her, sending bodyguards to watch over her.
But in reality, it was surveillance.
Worried she might misbehave or cause trouble, making the He family unhappy.
Even more afraid she might start dating early.
The Xia family was finally in the past!
So happy!
Tang Yushen saw the smile in her red-tinged eyes. “So happy?”
“Happy.” Xia Qiaoxi carefully held it in her hand. “This is the first time I’ve truly owned my own ID card. Before, whenever I used it, she would take it away.”
When she was younger, she had resisted and been severely beaten.
As she grew up, whatever she did, Deng LiChen would find out.
Secretly opened bank cards, scholarships from school, competition prize money…
No matter how she obtained money or bank cards, Deng LiChen would take them all away.
That woman…
Had many informants around her.
Xia Qiaoxi saw the pity in his eyes – he was getting too deep into his role.
Was she, just a stand-in for his white moonlight, really worth pitying?
The thoughts of rich people were truly hard to understand.
Just like the He family.
At such a young age, they were already looking for a future wife for He Lu Yi – someone who could take care of him, accompany him, be obedient and gentle by his side, and endure hardships without complaint.
“Then you should take good care of it and don’t lose it.” Tang Yushen chuckled. “If you really lose it, just come find me.”
“What good would finding you do…” Xia Qiaoxi gazed delightedly at her ID card.
She lifted the ID card to cover half her face, peeking at him with her left eye.
Was Tang Yushen’s white moonlight perhaps one of those white lotus supporting female characters from those old romance novels?
Abandoning such an outstanding man like Tang Yushen to go abroad, only to return years later crying and weeping.
Given Tang Yushen’s age, his white moonlight should be returning soon!
“Apply for a replacement,” Tang Yushen moved closer to her. “With one eye, can you see clearly?”
“Applying for replacement requires a household register, and my household register isn’t with you…” Xia Qiaoxi had tried to get a replacement before.
Without the household register, it couldn’t be done.
She tried to steal the household register but failed.
When she claimed the household register was lost and needed replacement, they required Xia Qingfeng’s ID card.
Her father’s ID card was even more impossible for her to obtain.
“Little Xi’er, the household register matter is easily solved.” Tang Yushen lowered his head. “Marry me, and your household registration will be with the Tang family. You’ll be in charge of our family’s household register, free to do whatever you want.”
“Little Xi’er, just let me know when you’ve made up your mind.”
“What? Made up my mind to propose to you?” Xia Qiaoxi tilted her head with a smile. “Then I need to earn more money, otherwise I won’t even be able to afford an engagement ring.”
“To propose to me, just your word is enough.” Tang Yushen cupped her half-visible face, his thumb gently stroking. “Little Xi’er…”
A century ago, he had proposed to her.
A century later, of course it would still be him proposing.
But teasing her was quite amusing.
Little Xi’er appeared weary and fragile, her heart burdened with worries, her eyes concealing unhappiness.
He loved touching her face so much.
His palm was warm, yet it seemed to burn her cheek.
The morning’s slap still stung.
In the past, being hit didn’t hurt this intensely.
How strange.
Was it because someone cared now, amplifying both physical discomfort and emotional feelings?
“Then you’ll have to wait…” Xia Qiaoxi whispered. “I don’t have a single cent to my name. Tomorrow I’ll go collect bottles on the street.”
“Collect bottles?” Tang Yushen laughed. “Little Xi’er, just sell things from the house, they’re all yours.”
Sell everything!
Sell it all so when his white moonlight returns, she can live in a new home.
Xia Qiaoxi only entertained the thought, lacking the courage to actually do it.
“I don’t dare.”
“You will dare eventually.” Tang Yushen withdrew his hand. “Let’s eat first, rest after eating.”
She hadn’t slept well at all last night, tossing and turning restlessly with uneven breathing.
Tang Yushen hadn’t slept all night either and wanted to rest.
In the white dining room, a beautiful bouquet of lily-of-the-valley stood in the center of the table.
In such a short time, had Tang Yushen investigated her?
How did he know she liked lily-of-the-valley?
Xia Qiaoxi glanced at Tang Yushen, probably she was overthinking it.
His white moonlight liked them.
Suddenly she wanted to meet that white moonlight. If they looked alike, could that girl be her sister?
“What are you thinking about? Not eating?” Tang Yushen stared at her. “Do you need me to feed you?”
In the past when he returned from war, she would sit on his lap feeding him, then have him feed her back, being all clingy.
“Back at the Xia family, my daily diet was strictly controlled – couldn’t eat much, had to be low oil and salt, eat light meals, learning to match the tastes of that young master from the He family…” Xia Qiaoxi looked at the various delicacies on the table. “These dishes look too flavorful, so numbing and spicy, I’m afraid my stomach can’t handle it…”
“Little Xixi, your stomach isn’t that fragile.” Tang Yushen said as he peeled a spicy crayfish and placed the meat in her small bowl. “Try it.”
The Xia couple had been treating Little Xixi inhumanely just to secure her marriage arrangement with the He family.
Now his precious girl’s words, actions, and moods were all tied to the He family.
He didn’t like it.
It irritated him.
Tang Yushen had no appetite himself, so he focused on preparing food for her, peeling shrimp for her.
“It’s spicy…”
Xia Qiaoxi had been raised to have a delicate stomach accustomed to mild flavors, but she found eating spicy and numbing foods, these strong-flavored dishes, truly exhilarating and satisfying.
The spicier it was, the more she wanted to eat.
The heat made her nose run and brought tears to her eyes.
Tang Yushen wiped her tears with a handkerchief. “Little Xixi, is that He guy occupying any space in your heart?”