Early the next morning, Ji Xia walked out of her room rubbing her eyes and caught sight of Jiang Yanqin standing in the entryway, seemingly about to head out.
Hearing her footsteps, he turned his head, his gaze resting briefly on her sleepy, slightly messy-haired face. “Awake?”
“Good morning, Uncle Jiang.” Ji Xia felt a little sheepish, knowing she’d slept in.
“Morning.” He looked away, speaking in his usual steady tone. “Finish your breakfast and have the driver take you to school.”
“Okay, I will. Thank you, Uncle Jiang.”
He gave an almost imperceptible nod, then truly turned and stepped out through the front door. It closed softly behind him, leaving only the impression of his tall, straight figure.
Ji Xia shuffled to the kitchen in her slippers, where Aunt Liu was busy preparing things. At her entrance, the older woman smiled.
“Mr. Jiang left ten minutes later than usual today, looks like he waited just to see you awake and say hello.”
Ji Xia blinked, feeling a twinge of guilt. “Did I hold him up? Does he usually leave that early?”
“He certainly does!” Aunt Liu handed her a cup of warmed milk and warmed to the topic. “He works far too hard! From what Assistant Li says, when things get busy at the company, he acts as if he needs twenty five hours in a day. Working late into the night is nothing out of the ordinary for him.”
“Most nights he just stays at the office. This house is so big, yet he’s hardly ever home all year round. So young, and working harder than anyone.”
Ji Xia listened, immediately forming a mental picture of a relentless workaholic. “Uncle Jiang really does push himself so hard,” she said sincerely, completely unaware of any deeper meaning behind his coming home late the night before or waiting for her that morning.
“Exactly,” Aunt Liu sighed. “He’s perfect in every way, only he never looks after himself! This big house feels so empty; he only comes back to sleep. He really needs someone by his side, someone who cares for him, looks out for him, and doesn’t let him keep burning himself out like this.”
Someone by his side? The thought No, absolutely not flashed instantly across Ji Xia’s mind. Her feelings became tangled, sympathy, regret, and the thrill of learning a great secret all swirling together.
“It’s probably just, he hasn’t met the right person yet,” she murmured, half reassuring Aunt Liu, half trying to convince herself.
Aunt Liu didn’t pick up on her change in mood, smiling cheerfully. “That’s true enough! But he’s so handsome, and so capable. He may seem a little reserved, but he treats his own people wonderfully. Whoever becomes the lady of this house one day will be so lucky.”
Lucky? Ji Xia looked down and bit hard into her bread. Lucky enough to be married to a man who’s never home, the thought rose unbidden.
Immediately she chided herself, what a terrible, disrespectful thing to think! Uncle Jiang was such a kind man; how could she think that way? She shook her head, trying to banish the traitorous thought completely.
Finishing the last of her milk, she stood up quickly. “I’m done, Aunt Liu! I’m off to school now!”
She hurried away, leaving behind all those uncomfortable conversations about “ladies of the house” and “good fortune”.
Inside his car, Jiang Yanqin watched the surveillance feed as Ji Xia darted out of view like a little butterfly. A faint, almost undetectable smile touched the corner of his lips.
Lady of the house? Hasn’t met the right person yet?
Scattering so easily.
Truly, unbearably adorable.
On the way to school, Ji Xia’s phone buzzed several times. She picked it up and opened WeChat, messages from her high school friend Zheng Wen.
“Xiaxia! Free tonight? Zhou Kai and the guys are in town, so we’re putting together a dinner, welcome back! Oh, and Senior Fu is coming too.”
Ji Xia’s heart skipped a beat. Fu Yichen is going?
A jumble of emotions washed over her. She wanted to see him, yes, but he hadn’t come to pick her up at the airport, had sent those confusing messages, and then vanished without a word. Days of silence, and now he just happens to show up at a gathering arranged by someone else?
What is he playing at? She had her pride, she wasn’t nothing without him, so why should she always be the one reaching out?
After a moment’s hesitation, her pride and her refusal to seem afraid to go won out. She tapped firmly at the screen: Sure thing! Send me the time and place~
Then she thought it best to let Jiang Yanqin know. Opening their chat, she phrased her message carefully.
Ji Xia: Uncle Jiang, I’m going to a high school reunion dinner tonight so I won’t be home for supper. Don’t worry, I’ll be back before 10 PM!
She sent a cute sticker of a kitten nodding obediently.
Almost instantly, her phone lit up and buzzed, Uncle Jiang was calling.
Startled, she answered quickly. “Hello? Uncle Jiang?”
There was a brief pause on the other end, then his voice came, slightly deeper than usual, impossible to read. “A reunion dinner?”
“Mm-hmm, just some classmates from high school who’re studying in Shenzhen. We haven’t seen each other in ages,” she answered meekly, her tone taking on the air of someone reporting dutifully to a superior.
“Where is it?”
“At, a shopping centre downtown, International Trade Plaza.”
“Who’ll be there?” He asked naturally, sounding exactly like a concerned guardian checking for her safety.
Her heart beat a little faster. She left out the one name that mattered most. “Just, Zheng Wen, Zhou Kai, and a few others. People you don’t know.”
Another short silence, heavy enough to make it hard to breathe.
Then he spoke again, his tone gentler now, yet carrying an unmistakable note of authority. “Very well. Message me when it’s nearly over and I’ll send the driver to collect you. Ten o’clock, don’t be late.”
“Okay, I will! Thank you so much, Uncle Jiang!” Relieved, she agreed at once.
“Mm.” He ended the call crisply.
Ji Xia set down her phone, letting out a long breath. Her palms were damp.
He’d sounded just as kind as always, so why had she felt so nervous, like a student being questioned by their teacher? Shaking her head, she told herself she was just overtired and imagining things.
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