Inside the Maybach.
Xie Zongxu lowered his eyes and looked at his phone screen.
The chat window was completely empty. There was only a system notification:
You have added the other party. You can now start chatting.
The other person’s profile picture was a crescent moon hanging in a deep blue night sky.
Li Yang.
Moon.
The two suited each other rather well.
His fingertips lightly tapped the screen twice. He did not send a message. Instead, he opened her profile picture and enlarged it.
The avatar was a simple hand-drawn illustration. Its minimalist style revealed nothing useful.
He then opened her Moments page.
A single horizontal line appeared.
Visible for three days only.
Xie Zongxu stared at that line for several seconds before suddenly letting out a soft chuckle.
Zhao Yan secretly glanced at him through the rearview mirror before quickly looking away.
He had worked under Chairman Xie for three years, and this was the first time he had ever seen him smile at his phone.
Although the smile was faint, it was undeniably a smile.
“Chairman Xie, back to the company or back to your residence?”
Without looking up, Xie Zongxu replied: “The old residence.”
Zhao Yan acknowledged the order and turned the car around at the next intersection.
Twenty minutes later, the Maybach stopped in front of a detached villa.
As Xie Zongxu got out of the car, Zhao Yan hesitated before speaking.
“Chairman Xie, tomorrow’s schedule—”
“Send it to my email.”
After saying that, he had already stepped through the front gate.
The living room was brightly lit. The television was on, playing a family drama.
Yang Lingyun was curled up on the sofa, holding half a watermelon in her arms. A spoon hung from her mouth while her eyes remained fixed on the screen.
Hearing movement, she did not even turn around.
“You’re back? There’s soup in the kitchen. Serve yourself.”
Xie Zongxu responded with an “Mm.” but instead of heading toward the kitchen, he sat down across from her.
Only then did Yang Lingyun take her eyes off the television and glance at him.
After that glance, she looked back at the television.
Three seconds later, she abruptly turned back.
“What are you doing sitting here?”
Whenever her son came home, he either went straight upstairs or headed directly to his study. Since when had he ever voluntarily sat in the living room?
When something unusual happened, there was usually a reason.
Yang Lingyun set the watermelon on the coffee table, tossed aside the spoon, and stared at him with shining eyes.
“Alright, tell me. What’s the matter?”
Leaning against the sofa, Xie Zongxu lightly tapped his fingers against his knee.
When he spoke, his tone remained calm.
“Where’s Dad?”
“Upstairs in the study. He’s on a call.”
Yang Lingyun looked him up and down.
“What do you need him for?”
Xie Zongxu did not answer. He simply stood up and headed upstairs.
Yang Lingyun stared at his back for two seconds before suddenly remembering something.
“Hey! He’s on the phone! What are you going up there for?”
Before she could finish speaking, Xie Zongxu had already gone upstairs.
The study door was slightly ajar.
Xie Chengsi’s voice drifted from inside, sounding quite cheerful.
“Right, right, right. It’s the old master’s birthday banquet next week. We’ll have a good chat then. Alright, alright, let’s settle it like that…”
Xie Zongxu stopped at the doorway.
Only after the call ended did he raise a hand and knock.
“Come in.”
He pushed open the door and entered.
Xie Chengsi was sitting behind his desk. His phone rested beside him.
When he saw who it was, he paused in surprise.
“Well, well. What a rare guest. What’s the matter?”
Xie Zongxu walked over and sat down opposite him.
“Dad.”
“Mm?”
“Do you still have Li Yang’s photo?”
The hand Xie Chengsi had raised to pick up his teacup froze midair.
Slowly, he set the cup back down.
“What did you say?”
“Li Yang’s photo.”
Xie Zongxu repeated calmly.
“The granddaughter of Grandpa’s old comrade-in-arms. The one attending Jinghua University.”
Xie Chengsi stared at him for a full five seconds.
Then he leaned back in his chair, folded his arms, and slowly curled his lips into a meaningful smile.
“Zongxu, if I remember correctly, just a few days ago you said you already had someone you liked. What happened? It’s only been a few days and you’ve changed your mind?”
Xie Zongxu remained silent.
Xie Chengsi was in no hurry. He simply watched him with a smile.
No one understood a son better than his father.
His son had always been decisive and meticulous. Never once had he proactively asked for something.
Especially not a young woman’s photograph.
Something was going on.
There was definitely something going on.
Taking a leisurely sip of tea, Xie Chengsi said,
“As for the photo, yes, I have one. But didn’t you say you weren’t interested in a marriage alliance? I even specifically asked your mother to explain it to them, saying that our family’s eldest young master already had someone in his heart, so the marriage discussion would be dropped.”
He paused, setting down his teacup.
The smile on his face deepened.
“And now you’re asking for her photo. What are you planning to do? Compare the two and see whether the girl you like is prettier or whether the Li family’s young miss is prettier?”
A muscle twitched at Xie Zongxu’s brow.
“Dad.”
“Mm?”
“The photo.”
Looking at his son’s expressionless face, Xie Chengsi was practically delighted inside.
From childhood until now, no matter what happened, his son had always appeared as steady as a mountain.
It was rare to see him anxious.
Although he still looked perfectly composed on the surface, Xie Chengsi could tell.
He was anxious.
And that made things interesting.
Slowly picking up his phone, Xie Chengsi said,
“The photo is on my phone, but first I need to ask you something. Didn’t you already have someone you liked? Why are you asking for Miss Li’s photo?”
Xie Zongxu was silent for two seconds.
“I just want to take a look.”
“Just take a look?” Xie Chengsi raised an eyebrow. “Only that?”
“Mm.”
“And after you’ve looked at it?”
At last, Xie Zongxu lifted his gaze and looked at his father.
The look was neither cold nor warm, yet for some reason it sent a chill down Xie Chengsi’s spine.
When he spoke, his tone remained steady.
“Dad, let me see it first. I’ll tell you afterward.”
Xie Chengsi met his gaze for three seconds.
Three seconds later, he gave in and lowered his head, unlocking his phone.
Forget it.
His son was grown now. He had secrets.
As a father, he could not push too hard.
Besides, if he was genuinely interested in the Li family’s young miss, wasn’t that a good thing?
Thinking happily to himself, Xie Chengsi swiped through his phone, opened a photo, and handed it over.
“Here. Her grandfather sent it a while ago.”
Xie Zongxu took the phone.
The girl in the photo wore a light blue dress and stood beneath an osmanthus tree.
Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, falling gently across her face.
She tilted her head slightly and smiled at the camera.
Her eyes curved into crescents, revealing a glimpse of white teeth.
Fresh.
Clean.
Bright.
She was completely different from the nervous girl he had seen tonight, shrinking beside the car door and struggling to speak properly.
Xie Zongxu stared at the photo for a long time.
So long that Xie Chengsi could not help leaning forward.
“What? Mesmerized already?”
Xie Zongxu ignored him and handed back the phone.
“Finished looking?”
“Mm.”
“And? What do you think?”
Xie Zongxu stood up and adjusted his clothes.
Lowering his eyes toward his father, he said,
“Does the marriage alliance you mentioned still count?”
Xie Chengsi froze.
“What do you mean?”
Xie Zongxu did not answer.
He turned and walked toward the door.
When he reached it, he suddenly stopped.
With his back facing Xie Chengsi, his indifferent voice drifted over.
“The photo doesn’t look very much like her.”
“…”
“The real person looks better than the photo.”
“…………”
Xie Zongxu pulled open the door and left.
Leaving Xie Chengsi sitting behind his desk, still clutching his phone with a bewildered expression.
What did he mean the photo didn’t look much like her?
What did he mean the real person looked better?
When had he ever met her in person?
Xie Chengsi suddenly jumped to his feet.
Crossing the room in three quick strides, he yanked open the door and shouted into the hallway.
“Xie Zongxu! Stop right there!”
From the staircase came the unhurried sound of footsteps, followed by a calm voice.
“Good night, Dad. I’m going upstairs to rest.”
Xie Chengsi: “…”
He stood at the study doorway, staring at the figure disappearing around the corner of the second floor.
For a long time, he could not say a word.
Downstairs, Yang Lingyun heard the commotion and poked her head out from the living room.
“What happened? Why are you shouting?”
Xie Chengsi leaned against the railing and looked down.
His expression was extremely complicated.
“I think our son knows that girl from the Li family.”
Yang Lingyun froze.
“Knows her? How does he know her?”
Xie Chengsi slowly descended the stairs, sat down on the sofa, and drained an entire cup of tea in one gulp.
Setting the teacup down, he stared into the distance.
“I don’t know. But he asked me for her photo just now.”
Yang Lingyun immediately leaned closer.
“Asked for her photo? What for?”
Xie Chengsi turned to look at her, his tone grave.
“He said the photo didn’t look much like her. He said the real person looked better than the photo.”
Yang Lingyun blinked.
Then blinked again.
Suddenly, she slapped her thigh.
“Good heavens! When did he meet her? Why didn’t he ever tell us?”
Xie Chengsi shot her a glance.
“If you’re asking me, then who am I supposed to ask?”