Chapter 35 – They Look Quite a Match

“Miss Xie, I’m Su Xue’er, nice to meet you.” Su Xue’er extended her hand warmly.

Xie Lijia only gave her a perfunctory shake before finding a seat. Having spent most of the past few years abroad, she wasn’t familiar with Su Xue’er. But she did know a bit about the Su family. She nodded slightly toward Su Rong as a greeting.

Su Rong returned a polite smile. For some reason, she suddenly thought Xie Lijia’s brows and eyes looked a bit like someone’s—maybe it was just her imagination.

Two days ago, their paintings had been graded. Once again, Su Rong’s work was deemed stiff and lacking spirit, scoring only 85.

Though she’d experienced this before, it still felt like a bucket of cold water dumped over her head. Painting had been her passion since childhood, yet the professor she admired most kept giving her low marks.

She didn’t ask why this time. She already knew Ye Shuyi was prejudiced against her and didn’t want to invite more criticism.

“Everyone’s last paintings were pretty good. Keep up the hard work. Now, let’s begin today’s lesson.”

Ye Shuyi’s tone was much gentler than usual because her daughter Xie Lijia was in the class. Clearly, she doted on her.

Lijia sat at her easel, gazing at her mother with adoration.

Today’s topic was oil painting. A tray of fruit was placed at the front as the subject. After half a lecture, the students began painting.

Ye Shuyi strolled around the room, stopping by her daughter’s side. Lijia had studied painting under her since childhood. Though not especially talented, under her mother’s patient teaching she had made decent progress. Among these young ladies—none of whom were training to be professional artists, just cultivating themselves—she was considered outstanding.

“Good. This line should be a little thicker.” Ye Shuyi gently guided her daughter.

Su Rong turned her head for a glance. Before Su Xue’er entered the Su family, Bai Fei had treated her the same way—teaching her piano hand-in-hand since childhood. But later… she became unnecessary.

After class, Xie Lijia looped her arm through her mother’s as they left the studio.

“I’ve got a lunch date with Brother Qiye, so I won’t be eating with you today.”

Ye Shuyi patted her hand affectionately. “Good, you two should spend more time together.”

Su Rong still had to visit Doctor Hua, so she and Liu Xu went to eat at the Imperial Palace restaurant.

Just as they entered the dining hall, Sheng Qiye arrived.

Su Rong greeted politely, “President Sheng, you’re dining here too?”

He nodded lightly. “I have an appointment.”

At a nearby table, Xie Lijia stood and waved. “Brother Qiye, over here!”

He walked over and sat opposite her on the sofa.

Su Rong and Liu Xu sat by the window, a bit farther away.

After ordering, Liu Xu leaned in and whispered, “That’s Sheng Qiye’s fiancée.”

Su Rong moved closer. “They look quite a match.”

Liu Xu glanced at them sideways. “Not necessarily. Miss Xie is very forward, but Sheng Qiye looks cold. Doesn’t seem like a couple reunited after a long time apart.”

Su Rong pondered how she could heal her hand within ten days.

“Don’t stare at them. That’s how business marriages are. Like it or not, they’re stuck together.” Liu Xu’s gossiping spirit was fired up. “But come on—it’s Sheng Qiye. Don’t tell me he can’t even decide his own marriage?”

Su Rong couldn’t help glancing again. Sheng Qiye’s face was expressionless—he really didn’t look like someone on a date, more like someone at a negotiation.

“There are plenty of marriages where love comes later. Sometimes feelings grow over time. Or maybe… they don’t even need love.”

“Who doesn’t need love?” Liu Xu muttered.

By then, the dishes had started arriving. Lijia picked up the communal chopsticks and placed food in Sheng Qiye’s bowl.

“After so many years of Western food abroad, I really miss Chinese dishes. Brother Qiye, these are all your favorites—eat more.”

“You eat. Don’t serve me.”

Sheng Qiye looked her in the face and decided it was time to make things clear. “Lijia, I’ve always thought of you as a younger sister. We’re better off as friends, don’t you think?”

She froze, her eyes instantly reddening. “What do you mean? Brother Qiye, we’re engaged—how can we be brother and sister?”

“I believe marriage should be built on mutual love. Between us, there’s only a paper contract, no spark, let alone love. Even if we married, we wouldn’t be happy. Don’t you agree?”

Her expression stiffened. “No… I’ve always liked you, always wanted to be close to you. You’re just too cold. You rarely answered my calls. But now I’m back—we’ll have more time together. Feelings can grow.”

Sheng Qiye ate calmly as he spoke. “Our engagement was arranged fifteen years ago when we were children. The elders never asked for our opinion. I’ve never taken it seriously. Now that you’re back, I think it’s best to make this clear.”

Tears spilled as she wiped her eyes. “I thought you’d propose when I came back. I never imagined you’d want to break the engagement. We’ve never even truly spent time together. Let’s try first. Give us a chance. If it doesn’t work, I won’t force you. Isn’t that fair?”

“Is it necessary?” He really didn’t want to spend time with her. He was too sensitive around women—even sharing this meal felt uncomfortable.

“Yes!” Lijia was determined, hoping her sincerity could win him over. “I won’t just let you break it off. Happiness has to be fought for, and I want to fight for mine.”

He had to be blunt. “Even sitting here with you now feels wrong to me. Don’t you understand? I don’t like you!”

He had told her this before, but she refused to accept it.

“I know you’re allergic to women. It’s not just me—you don’t like any woman. But the Sheng family is huge. Continuing the family line is your responsibility.” She looked at him almost pleadingly. “Brother Qiye, give me a chance to get close to you. I’ll cure your condition. Otherwise, how can we explain things to the elders?”

Sheng Qiye sighed. “Suit yourself. But you should be prepared—you won’t be able to change anything. And I hate being clung to, especially by women.”

“I don’t mind. As long as you don’t break the engagement, I still have a chance.”

She lifted her glass to toast him. “To you.”

Deep down, she knew he didn’t love her. The only reason he hadn’t broken it off was because Old Master Sheng forbade it. Sheng Qiye feared no one—except his grandfather. As long as the old man opposed it, he couldn’t dissolve the engagement.

Xie Lijia had returned to China with one goal: to marry Sheng Qiye. In her eyes, only he was worthy of her.

“By the way, Brother Qiye,” she asked casually, “you seem close with Miss Su Rong. She greeted you just now—quite warmly, too…”