Chapter 15: I Do Have Feelings for You

As soon as she finished speaking, the elevator arrived at their floor. The doors opened slowly.

An enticing aroma of food drifted out from the open doorway across the hall, filling the corridor.

Fu Jingcheng’s eyes lit up. Before Ruan Liuzheng could stop him, he dashed into Xie Qingcen’s apartment with a loud, excited voice:
“Uncle Xie!”

Xie Qingcen came out and gently ruffled the boy’s hair with a smile.
“Hey kid, done with school?”

He still had an apron tied around his waist, wearing just a crisp white shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up. He looked completely relaxed and at home.

The whole image gave him a more approachable, down-to-earth aura—nothing like the elite businessman from the day.

In fact, he was starting to look a little like… a husband.

That was the first thought that flashed through Ruan Liuzheng’s mind when she saw him.

She pressed her lips together and walked over silently.

Meanwhile, Fu Jingcheng’s conversation with Xie Qingcen continued:

He nodded hard and peeked curiously behind Xie Qingcen.
“Uncle Xie, what did you make? It smells amazing!”

Even though food outside could be tasty, he still preferred eating at home—especially dinner.

Dinner meant warmth, family, togetherness. It was the most important meal of the day.

It was when he could finally spend time alone with Mommy.

Even if… Mommy’s cooking wasn’t exactly great.

After all, he was still just a child.

Because of Fu Yanci, he had developed an unshakable attachment to the idea of “home.”

Xie Qingcen’s gaze softened slightly. He bent down and invited gently,
“Then how about you have dinner at my place tonight? Would you like that?”

“I’d love to!”

Fu Jingcheng beamed and shouted enthusiastically,
“Thank you, Uncle Xie!”

Sure, he was looking forward to eating with Mommy alone—but he didn’t mind if someone joined them.

Especially if that someone was Uncle Xie!

Standing beside them, Ruan Liuzheng frowned and quickly interjected,
“Chengcheng!”

She turned to Xie Qingcen and politely declined,
“Thank you, Mr. Xie, but it’s really not necessary. Chengcheng and I already agreed to eat out, we don’t want to trouble you.”

Xie Qingcen frowned, clearly disapproving.
“Eating out again? Miss Ruan, is this really how you care for yourself and your child?”

He patted Fu Jingcheng on the shoulder, motioning him to go inside first.

The boy bit his lip, his big dark eyes darting between the two adults. Then he turned and trotted into the apartment without hesitation.

He wanted to give Uncle Xie and Mommy more alone time—to help them grow closer.

Only then would Uncle Xie have a chance to become his dad.

Watching her son vanish like a flash, Ruan Liuzheng’s brows furrowed even deeper.

But what annoyed her most was the man in front of her.

Her face darkened, and her tone turned cold.
“How I take care of my child is none of your concern, Mr. Xie.”

Ruan Liuzheng admitted that Xie Qingcen had helped her greatly and she was grateful.

But that didn’t give him the right to judge her life.

She wasn’t a short-tempered person. In fact, she prided herself on her composure.

Even when her mother had been driven out of the Bai family penniless, she never stopped raising her daughter with grace and dignity.

Her mother had once been hailed as Yun City’s number one socialite. Manners and etiquette were ingrained in her bones. If not for falling for the scumbag Bai Xunan, she would never have ended up in such misery.

As her daughter, Ruan Liuzheng naturally carried that same pride and upbringing.

Yet somehow, this man always managed to break through her composure—again and again.

Even when she knew Xie Qingcen meant no harm.

He raised a brow, leaned lazily against the doorframe, and locked his dark eyes on her.
“Not my concern? Or are you hoping I’ll carry you to the hospital again?”

His lips curved into a smile, voice light but sharp.

“Chengcheng is still young, and your stomach isn’t great. No matter how good restaurant food tastes, can you be sure the ingredients are completely fresh?”

His words deflated her.

She pressed her lips together, avoiding his gaze in embarrassment.

After a long pause, she said softly,
“Then let Chengcheng eat here. I still have some food at home—I’ll just have a simple bite.”

She was stubborn. She didn’t want to give in so easily.

Seeing the determination in her eyes, Xie Qingcen chuckled lowly. Then, without giving her a choice, he took her hand and gently led her inside.

“I just moved in. Think of it as a housewarming dinner. I did save you yesterday—are you really going to turn me down again?”

At those words, Ruan Liuzheng stopped struggling. Her palm tightened slightly, and she finally gave in.

She took a deep breath.
“I can walk on my own. Please let go.”

Xie Qingcen paused, then looked down at her delicate wrist, slender enough to be encircled by just one of his hands. His eyes darkened briefly.

After a moment, he silently released her hand.

—

Xie Qingcen’s Apartment – Dining Room

As soon as she stepped inside, Ruan Liuzheng saw the table full of dishes—simple home-cooked meals, nothing fancy—but they smelled and looked amazing.

She hadn’t been that hungry before. She’d even planned to stay composed.

But now her stomach growled in protest.

Her cheeks flushed, and she cleared her throat awkwardly.

So embarrassing.

Xie Qingcen smiled.
“Well, since you’re hungry, let’s eat. Come on—try my cooking.”

He picked up the serving chopsticks and placed some stir-fried vegetables into her bowl.

He had guessed that her cooking skills might be lacking, so he wrapped up work early just to come home and make this meal—for her.

Because if you want to win a woman’s heart, you start with her stomach.

It might be an old saying, but it wasn’t wrong.

Ruan Liuzheng gave a small nod and replied softly,
“Okay.”

Xie Qingcen’s cooking really was impressive—comparable to the top-tier chefs at the Beishan Villa.

She was genuinely surprised.

Seeing her reaction, he calmly spooned a bowl of pork rib and yam soup and handed it to her.
“When I lived abroad, I didn’t like Western food much. So I had no choice but to learn to cook myself.”

Of course, with the Xie family’s wealth, he could’ve hired chefs. But his grandfather had been ruthless—his allowance was strictly limited to force him to grow on his own.

Ruan Liuzheng paused, then nodded lightly.
“It tastes really good.”

After dinner, Fu Jingcheng went home to do his homework.

He attended one of Yun City’s most prestigious private kindergartens, where most of the kids came from elite families.

Naturally, those families placed great importance on education, so the school gave out homework almost daily.

Once he left, Ruan Liuzheng helped tidy up the dining room and prepared to leave as well.

But Xie Qingcen didn’t seem ready to let her go.

He wasn’t the type to beat around the bush.

Some things needed to be said clearly.

He stepped in front of her, lowering his gaze with a gentle smile in his dark eyes, his expression sincere.
“Miss Ruan, from yesterday until today—you’ve probably already noticed.”

“Fu Jingcheng wants me to be his father. And as for you… I do have other feelings.”