Chapter 24: Laying Her Cards on the Table^[1]摊牌 (Tān Pái) = Lay one’s cards on the table. This phrase is often used to describe a situation where someone reveals their true intentions, plans, or feelings, especially in a … Continue reading

After the call ended, Chi Xiao glanced down at his phone one more time to confirm the contact name before slipping it into his pocket.

It was definitely Ming Can.

The voice was hers too.

But the things she said—why did they feel so hard to understand?

The hallway of the club was wide, with plush wool carpets, gilded pillars, and marble lights, exuding an air of opulence. The place was bustling with the wealthy and privileged, their decadent aura filling the space. Chi Xiao didn’t particularly enjoy such settings, but this was how his birthdays had always been—friends booked the venue, he paid the bill, and everyone drank and partied while he quietly played the role of a background figure.

Returning to the private room, Chi Xiao took in the scene.

The room was divided into four areas: karaoke, pool table, card games, and a dining area. There were about a dozen guys present, most of them classmates Chi Xiao knew well, along with two younger brothers—his cousin Chi Yao and his cousin Jiang Xiaoan.

At the moment, four people were gathered around the card table playing a game of Guandan (Chinese card game), while two others were at the pool table with cue sticks in hand. The rest were lounging on the karaoke sofa, listening to music, drinking, and chatting.

Chi Xiao returned to his original spot. On the low table in front of him, the glass he had emptied before leaving had been refilled by someone. Judging by the color, it was Ace of Spades champagne, undiluted.

Without a word, Chi Xiao pushed the glass further away.

On the karaoke screen, a Spanish rock song was playing. Chi Yao sat beside Chi Xiao, hugging a pillow, his head close to Jiang Xiaoan’s as the two of them stared at a phone together.

Chi Yao’s finger swiped across the screen, seemingly showing Jiang Xiaoan some photos. “Pretty, right?”

“Gorgeous,” Jiang Xiaoan nodded enthusiastically. “No wonder she’s my sister-in-law.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jiang Xiaoan caught sight of Chi Xiao returning from his call and excitedly called out, “Cousin, come look at Brother Yao’s wife! She’s so beautiful, and she even plays the violin!”

Chi Yao: “…”

By the time he realized what had happened, it was too late to cover Jiang Xiaoan’s mouth.

Damn it, I really want to strangle this idiot!

Chi Xiao, who had initially been uninterested, froze when he heard the girl played the violin. His gaze dropped to Chi Yao’s phone screen, and almost instinctively, his brow furrowed slightly.

On Chi Yao’s phone was a promotional poster for B University’s winter break concert.

The designer of the poster clearly knew what people loved to see. The most prominent spots were occupied by solo performance photos of the most attractive members of the orchestra. Ming Can’s photo was right in the center. She wore a black strapless gown, her skin as pale as snow, her waist slender and delicate. Her left hand held the violin, her right hand the bow. Her stunning face tilted toward the instrument, her eyes half-closed, completely immersed in the performance. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

Chi Yao had drunk quite a bit tonight, and the alcohol was getting to his head. Seeing that Chi Xiao had already noticed, he suddenly felt too lazy to hide it. He casually placed his phone on the table.

Jiang Xiaoan, completely oblivious to the tension in the air, happily pointed at the screen for Chi Xiao. “Cousin, that’s her, the one in the middle, the most beautiful one. She’s Brother Yao’s wife.”

Chi Xiao: “Don’t make such pointless jokes.”

Jiang Xiaoan: “I’m not joking…”

“Brother,” Chi Yao leaned forward, a glass of wine in his hand, swirling the remaining liquid inside. “You haven’t been home much lately, so you probably don’t know yet. My parents arranged a marriage alliance for me. It’s the girl in the photo…”

“She’s also my classmate, Ming Can.”

Hearing this, Chi Xiao’s eyes darkened.

The chaotic light from the karaoke screen reflected on his face, accentuating his sharp, striking features.

This was indeed the first time he had heard this news.

Chi Xiao’s reaction was indifferent, as if it were nothing unusual. “You’re still so young, and you’re already talking about marriage alliances? It’s not even a done deal yet.”

Chi Yao took a sip from his glass and smiled. “Brotherst because you and Zhiyu aren’t a done deal doesn’t mean the same applies to me.”

Chi Xiao: “What’s the difference?”

“Of course there’s a difference,” Chi Yao turned to look at him, his expression casual but his tone carrying a hint of seriousness. “You don’t like Zhiyu, but I really like Ming Can.”

As he said this, Chi Yao leaned back on the sofa, slightly lifting his eyelids to stare at his brother.

Since childhood, no matter what he wanted, his brother would always give it to him.

Chi Xiao was like a person without desires, uninterested in anything and never asking for anything. Faced with his willful younger brother, he had grown accustomed to yielding—endlessly yielding.

This time, hearing Chi Yao’s sudden confession, the indifference on Chi Xiao’s face gradually faded, replaced by a trace of irritation. “Why are you telling me this?”

Chi Yao pressed the power button on his phone, and the image of the beautiful girl disappeared. He replied leisurely, “Isn’t it because I saw you staring at the person I like? I was afraid you’d try to take her from me.”

Chi Xiao’s lips twitched. “Is she some kind of object? Something to be fought over?”

It seemed like Chi Yao had never seen Chi Xiao speak to him with such emotion before. In his memory, his brother was always calm and indifferent. Chi Yao was momentarily stunned, his drunkenness making him blurt out, “So, does that mean you won’t give her to me?”

“What are you guys even talking about?” Jiang Xiaoan, completely lost, turned to Chi Xiao. “Cousin, what’s your relationship with this girl?”

“None,” Chi Xiao replied coldly.

On the table, the liquid in the glass shimmered with a hazy glow. Chi Xiao instinctively reached for the glass but suddenly remembered the words someone had said to him on the phone earlier. He withdrew his hand just as quickly.

Someone changed the song, switching to a slow, deep melody, and the lights in the karaoke room dimmed accordingly.

Seven or eight guys were sprawled on the sofa, looking disheveled, but Chi Xiao seemed the most sober. His face was cold under the dim light, his eyes slightly lifted, staring emotionlessly into the void.

Someone came over to toast him, slinging an arm around his shoulders and wishing him a happy birthday.

Chi Yao also leaned in, clinking glasses with Chi Xiao as if nothing had happened.

Chi Xiao switched to a glass of juice. “I’ve got a headache. Not drinking anymore.”

The group cursed him for being a buzzkill, but after some pushing and shoving, they noticed his unusually sour expression and gradually left him alone.

Chi Yao, holding his glass, stood up and wandered through the crowd, laughing and chatting, acting more like the birthday boy than Chi Xiao himself.

Chi Xiao couldn’t help but think back to his childhood. After his parents divorced, his mother moved overseas to settle in the United States. Chi Xiao would visit her a few times a year, but she soon had a new boyfriend. During his stays in the U.S., it wasn’t convenient for Chi Xiao to live with his mother, so he mostly stayed at his uncle’s house, keeping Chi Yao company.

Chi Yao had always been like a little sun—lively, mischievous, and full of laughter. Spoiled rotten, he was willful and capricious. Over time, Chi Xiao had unconsciously started to indulge him, just like everyone else around him, believing that his younger brother was born to be loved by everyone and should have everything he wanted.

Even if Chi Yao always loved to snatch his older brother’s toys, the Chi family’s wealth ensured that there would never be a shortage of toys. There was no need for the brothers to fight over the same one.

So, Chi Xiao never thought it was a big deal to let his brother have what he wanted.

There were plenty of those things, and he didn’t particularly care for them anyway.

And his brother had been his most important playmate during his childhood.

…

Time passed minute by minute amidst the chaotic mix of alcohol and music.

The ride-hailing car stopped in front of Yunxiao Mansion. Ming Can got out and looked up at the luxurious building hidden in the desolate night.

An hour or so earlier, she had gone home to grab some documents and reminded Miaomiao that today was his dad’s birthday. She planned to use this special day to give him a little shock.

Miaomiao had wanted to come with her, but it was too late, and the location was a club. Naturally, Ming Can couldn’t bring him along.

However, she had brought something from Miaomiao to give to Chi Xiao.

She wasn’t sure if he’d like it, so she decided to save it for last.

Tightening the strap of her shoulder bag, Ming Can walked through the entrance of the mansion and told the welcoming attendant that she had a reservation at the third-floor lounge.

The lounge here was quite upscale, similar to the executive lounges in five-star hotels.

Ming Can arrived a little later than the agreed time.

She chose a quiet spot to sit down and pulled out her phone to call Chi Xiao.

A few minutes later.

The automatic glass doors of the lounge slid open, and a young man in a black work jacket walked in. The warm, dim light fell on his tall, striking figure, drawing the attention of the girls near the bar.

Ming Can looked up as he approached, feeling a sudden wave of nervousness.

Chi Xiao’s face was as cold and unchanging as ever, but when his eyes met Ming Can’s, his expression softened slightly. Still, he looked icy, his lips pressed into a straight line, the sharpness of his eyes cutting through the air. As he walked, it felt like he brought a chill with him.

“Good evening, Senior,” Ming Can said, blinking at him. She couldn’t help but feel that something was off with him tonight—his aloofness seemed to have skyrocketed.

“Good evening.”

Chi Xiao sat down across from Ming Can. He reeked of alcohol, but his complexion looked as if he hadn’t touched a drop. His skin was pale as frost, his amber eyes clear and cold, his features sharp like a sculpture. He looked exceptionally stern, as if…

He wasn’t in a good mood.

A small candle flickered on the table, its warm yellow flame swaying gently. After Chi Xiao sat down, it seemed on the verge of going out.

Ming Can handed the drink menu to Chi Xiao. “What would you like to drink?”

Chi Xiao: “Just soda water.”

Ming Can called the waiter and ordered a Piña Colada and a soda water.

After the waiter left, Ming Can looked directly into Chi Xiao’s eyes and asked, “Senior, it’s your birthday today. Are you in a bad mood?”

Chi Xiao: “No.”

Ming Can: “Are you sure?”

Chi Xiao: “Yes.”

He thought perhaps it was because he had washed his face in the restroom before coming to see her, which made his complexion look pale and not very appealing.

By the time he walked from the private room to here, he already felt much more alive.

“Alright,” Ming Can took a deep breath and decided not to beat around the bush. She got straight to the point. “I came to tell you something very important—and very unbelievable. No matter what I say next, you have to believe that I’m not lying. Everything I say is true.”

Chi Xiao blinked, the tips of his eyelashes catching a faint glimmer of the candlelight.

He said, “Okay. Go ahead.”

Ming Can clenched her fists under the table, gritted her teeth, and spoke with great difficulty. “You and I have a child together.”

Chi Xiao: “…”

It felt as if an invisible current had stirred the air, causing the candle flame to flicker wildly.

Chi Xiao couldn’t help but reach up and touch his ear.

Just to make sure it was still functioning properly.

Ming Can continued, “You’ve probably found it strange that I’ve been raising Miaomiao alone, right? I really had no choice. His identity is extremely special, and I couldn’t let anyone else know about his existence. Actually, Miaomiao is our child. He traveled back in time from thirteen years in the future. You’ve seen him many times already. If you think about it carefully, doesn’t he look a lot like me… and you?”

Chi Xiao: “…”

The candle flame on the table stabilized again, burning slowly, almost like a still image.

Chi Xiao moved his hand from his ear to the back of his neck, his long fingers lightly resting there.

He looked like he was deep in thought.

Ming Can gave him some time to recall Miaomiao’s appearance and slowly compare it to his own childhood memories.

Ming Can: “Doesn’t he look similar? His eyes, nose, and mouth—especially the middle part of his face.”

Chi Xiao lifted his gaze to look at her, his voice calm. “Yeah.”

Ming Can noticed that Chi Xiao’s emotions were eerily calm—so calm that it felt almost unbelievable. She was almost in awe of his incredible self-control. How could he hear such an outrageous story and not freak out, not question his entire existence, and still remain so composed? He was truly something else. Ming Can felt he was the chosen one, the perfect father for her child. Her hands unconsciously rose to the table, her porcelain face flushed under the candlelight as she leaned forward slightly, pouring out everything she had been holding in:

“I’m telling you this very seriously and very earnestly. After I found Miaomiao, I originally planned to raise him alone without bothering you. But I underestimated how difficult it is to take care of a child. It’s really not something I can handle on my own. So, I brought Miaomiao to meet you, and I think you’re… well, you’re a good person. No, actually, you’re a great person—an amazing person. That’s why I hope you can take on this responsibility. And honestly, this is your responsibility too, isn’t it? You’re the child’s father. You have an obligation to take care of him.”

At this point, Ming Can worried that she might have sounded too intense and scared Chi Xiao off. She quickly added, “I’ve already been raising Miaomiao for over two months. I can handle his food and living expenses—you don’t need to worry too much about that. But raising a child isn’t like raising a pet. Kids need to learn, they need to develop skills, they need to cultivate interests. I’m planning to enroll him in a few extracurricular classes during the winter break, and I need your help with that. It’s not too hard, really. Your main job would just be driving. We really need a family driver!”

In truth, Ming Can wanted to share more responsibilities with Chi Xiao. Why should he not be involved in Miaomiao’s daily care? And what about Miaomiao’s math grades? Why was she the only one stressing over that?

But these things had to be introduced gradually. She couldn’t overwhelm her new “co-parent” all at once.

…

After listening to Ming Can’s long, rapid-fire speech, Chi Xiao finally lowered his hand from the back of his neck. His thin lips pressed together in an ambiguous expression, the corners of his mouth hinting at a smile—or maybe not.

It was only then that Ming Can noticed something strange in his overly calm demeanor.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” she asked. “Don’t you have any thoughts?”

Chi Xiao let out a soft sigh and looked at Ming Can, speaking slowly and deliberately. “Ming Can, you could have just told me directly.”

Ming Can: “Told you what?”

“That you need a driver,” Chi Xiao said, his gaze steady on her eyes, his tone sincere. “If you had just told me, I would have agreed. There was no need to make up such a…”

He trailed off, unsure how to describe the fantastical story Ming Can had just spun.

…

The air fell into dead silence.

A moment later.

On the table, the small candle flame seemed to have been doused with a pot of hot oil. It suddenly flared up in all directions, shaking violently, like a volcanic eruption.

Ming Can stared at Chi Xiao, her entire body on the verge of exploding!

The reason he had been so calm earlier…

Was because he didn’t believe a single word she had said!

He had been covering his neck, trying to hold back, watching her perform like a clown?!

If it weren’t for the open flame on the table and the fact that there were people sitting not far away, Ming Can would have flipped the table in anger.

How could there be someone so stubborn in the world? Was his brain made of stone? Was he the embodiment of science and reason? Would it kill him to believe her for once?!

Ming Can took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

She couldn’t lose her temper. The more critical the moment, the more she needed to stay composed. She had to leave a good impression on her soon-to-be co-parent—that she was stable and easy to get along with.

“Okay, okay…” Ming Can forced a smile at Chi Xiao.

She had been too impatient earlier, thinking he was convinced before she had even presented the evidence.

Fortunately, she had come prepared. She wasn’t afraid of him.

Ming Can lowered her head and pulled out two documents from her bag, placing them neatly in front of Chi Xiao.

Paternity test reports.

Seeing these two documents with official seals, Chi Xiao’s expression finally showed a flicker of surprise.

Ming Can: “That day at the hospital emergency room, I plucked a few strands of your hair and had them tested against Miaomiao’s DNA sample.”

“The one on the left is the paternity test report between me and Miaomiao. The one on the right is between you and him.” Ming Can looked straight into Chi Xiao’s eyes, her words firm and resolute. “You believe in science, right? Science has confirmed that you and I are Miaomiao’s biological parents.”

“I, Ming Can, swear to the heavens—if these reports are fake, I’ll come in last place in every exam this semester—no, every exam for the rest of my life! I’ll fail at everything I do, get sick from everything I eat, and never rise again!”