Chapter 11

In the room, Yi Siling first took off her suit, casually draping it over the back of the sofa. Then he removed the formal dress, leaving himself in a slimming bra and seamless underwear.

With a figure as exquisite as anyone else’s, flawlessly beautiful, standing in the spotlight, he resembled a figurine.

Stepping over the formal dress, she walked into the bedroom, feeling like a fish returning to water, plopping, sinking into the soft bed.

So tired.

Today, nothing reliable was accomplished. Like a pawn on a chessboard, running aimlessly back and forth, all wasted effort, and the final move was unexpected, facing defeat by the enemy.

— Marry me.

She couldn’t fathom why he had made such a complete U-turn in attitude. Just a moment ago, he was promising to help her, and the next he wanted her to consider marriage. He didn’t seem particularly interested in her, having met only once and feeling no affection. They were completely mismatched, coming together as if forced, and any marriage would just be a cohabitation.

She understood, and he must have understood too.

Moreover, he was a young master from the capital, with plenty of people eager to become his in-laws. Whatever kind of wife he wanted; he could find. Whether gentle, cultured, refined, or intelligent, none of these traditional virtues seemed to have any connection with her.

No, wait, why wouldn’t they? She was gentle, cultured, refined, and intelligent too. She was also beautiful, lively, clever, cute, and adorable when she wanted to be! Quite likable!

Maybe she was just too likable…

Yi Siling let out an impatient whimper, incessantly, then suddenly punched the pillow, scrambled out of bed, swiftly removed her makeup, took a shower, and lay back down with a damp face mask. She needed to cleanse and moisturize quickly; the bedroom was too dry, and even the humidifier wasn’t helping.

When she woke up, the face mask had dried on her face, painfully waking her up.

She peeled off the mask and applied a thick layer of cream mixed with essential oils. She never used such heavy cream in Hong Kong.

She stared at the ceiling in frustration, dreading the difficult autumns and winters ahead, with a heap of annoyances to take into her dreams.

The bedroom was quiet, the curtains hung silently, and only the phone on the bedside table occasionally lit up.

In the group chat, three poor souls forgotten by Yi Siling were still waiting eagerly.

 (Yi Leling): 【Any updates yet?】

(Qiong Ling): 【Can you at least give us a sign? What’s going on?!】

(Yi Xinling): 【Here I am, here I am!】

(Yi Xinling): 【What’s going on, you ask? I fell asleep in the car, and I almost fainted! They should be at the hotel by now, it’s this late!】

(Qiong Ling): 【Whose car was it?】

 (Yi Xinling): 【Hahaha, don’t make me laugh in the dorm! got taste, he’s handsome. It’s cold here, he even lent his suit to princess, and she didn’t refuse. Think about it.】

(Qiong Ling) muttered while holding her phone: 【Oh no, my princess is wearing someone clothes.】

 Xie Xunzhi had just turned thirty, and to the fifteen-year-old Yi Qiong Ling, he was from the previous generation.

Calling him an “old man” was quite fitting.

(Yi Leling): 【Yi Siling sharp-tongued. Xie, you better watch your mouth. Calling someone an old man right when you meet them makes everyone awkward.】

 (Qiong Ling) protested: 【You’re so funny!】

The next day, despite having slept restlessly for much of the night, Xie Xunzhi still rose earlier than the roosters crowed.

Before dawn, after a night of autumn rain, the sky at daybreak resembled a clear lake unexpectedly found deep in a mountain forest—profoundly blue and serene. Breathing in the crisp air pierced his lungs. Few people wandered the hutongs at this hour: elderly men out for morning exercise, sanitation workers in vests sweeping fallen leaves with a swish.

Located within the Xicheng District, inside the Second Ring Road, adjacent to Shichahai, this area boast numerous scenic spots scattered around. As the saying goes, “the east of the city is wealthy, the west is noble,” and here was indeed uniquely advantaged, discreetly hidden amidst the hustle and bustle.

Following the alleyway outwards, several paths were ideal for a morning run. With the recent rain, the air was clear. In another month or two, when the sand and haze returned, morning jogs would be out of the question.

Xie Xunzhi changed into his workout gear and jogged three laps along his usual route, finally circling back to a lane in the east where he bought a basket of steamed mushroom dumplings, sugared hawthorn berries, and a bowl of mung bean juice.

“Back again to buy for your little brother? Young man, you’re becoming even more handsome. Here, take two freshly fried sesame rings, they’re crispy. Come again next time!”

The landlady beamed with delight, finding him increasingly attractive. Her shop had been here for decades, and she knew Xie Xunzhi was the young master of the largest household in Bainiao Hutong.

But such a handsome young man couldn’t be easily matched off by them; otherwise, the neighbors would be at each other’s throats.

At six-thirty, chefs at Xie Garden began preparing breakfast.

Returning from his morning run, Xie Xunzhi handed the items to Uncle Mei and then went to shower. When he arrived at the dining room, he was dressed in a meticulously pressed three-piece suit.

Impeccably neat.

In his professional settings, he typically dressed in suits and leather shoes, favoring darker colors to maintain the dignified image as the heir to the conglomerate. Yet upon closer inspection, one could discern differences in fabric, color, and pattern—even within shades of black.

The world of suits revolves around fabrics, with English and Italian fabrics regarded as the most luxurious, followed by French offerings. Leading luxury fabric suppliers like Scabal and Loropiana sent Xie Xunzhi seasonal fabric books exclusively for client selection

Many fabrics used in suits are so rare that even veteran tailors may never encounter them in their lifetime. Fabrics like Escorial wool, dubbed “soft gold”, precious Ilama wool once treasured by royalty, dyed in lapis lazuli blue, and ultra-fine 150’s cashmere blended with diamond dust and mulberry silk are examples.

Once the chosen fabric codes are selected, they are sent to Cifonelli’s Haute Couture workshop in Paris. As a centennial legacy of London style, Savile Row is also a pilgrimage site for gentlemen. Several designated haute couture workshops have tailors, designers, and fitters exclusively serving the Xie family. They are well-versed in the preferences, styles, and body types, down to the curvature of wrists and ankles of every member of the Xie household…

Sunlight seeped through the cracks of stained-glass windows, casting hues of green on the lush banana tree outside.

Xie Xunzhi sat at the right side of the dining table, with the morning glow enveloping him from behind, his impeccably pressed cold grey suit perfectly framing his clean-cut appearance.

There was no hint of the scent of commerce; rather, he seemed more like a university professor or a scholar returning from lecturing abroad.

His manner of eating was refined. Perhaps too refined.

Xie Zhiqi was dragged out of bed early in the morning, his recently styled hair in disarray, moving with reluctant and sluggish steps.

“Soy bean juice!” His eyes lit up.

“Big bro, you’re buying for me?”

Xie Xunzhi glanced at him. “Have you brushed your teeth?”

“Of course! Do I look like a slob?” Xie Zhiqi admitted that he could be sloppy when not in competitions, but only at home where no one saw him—just like how no one knew he loved drinking the pungent mung bean juice.

Nevertheless, in public, he still shone like a rising star in the racing world.

Xie Mingsui and Xie Wenning arrived shortly after. Among the array of dishes, Xie Mingsui spotted the steaming hot mushroom dumplings and exclaimed with delight, “I just mentioned yesterday how I was craving these mushroom dumplings from this place, and there’s also the sweet hawthorn berries that Ning Ning loves.”

(They also call Xie Wenning “Ning Ning”)

“Big bro bought them for us,” Xie Zhiqi said as he slurped some mung bean juice. Xie Wenning gave him a disdainful glance.

“I know, who else besides big bro would get up at five-thirty on such a cold morning,” Xie Mingsui chuckled.

“Thank you, big brother,” Xie Wenning chimed in, showing her gratitude politely.

The autumn and winter dryness prompted the chef to stew lung-moistening snow pear with edible bird’s nest, serving each of the three ladies a small bowl. Xie Zhiqi, seeing this, expressed envy and said he wanted to eat some too. Yang Shushuaslapped his hand away, saying, “What does a grown man like you want with a bird’s nest? That’s wasteful. Go drink your bean juice.”

Yang Shushua then handed Xie Mingsui and Xie Zhiqi each a chopstick of freshly blanched broccoli. “Eat more greens.”

“Come on—don’t give me that! I don’t like vegetables!”

“Mom, I take supplements.”

These two have never liked vegetables since they were little.

“Girl, if you won’t eat natural vegetables and prefer synthetic ones, stop drinking those. They’re not good for your health. Everything in moderation.”

“Mom, it’s not medicine.”

“Damn, that stuff tastes worse than medicine—sis! Don’t give me vegetables—my bad!”

“Is your soy bean juice that bad?”

“…”

The dining table was always the liveliest place in Xie Garden, but Xie Xunzhi remained aloof, calmly sipping a bowl of vegetable congee. He adhered to the rule of speaking little during meals and sleeping in silence.

Yang Shushua listened to the children’s chatter with gentle eyes, her tenderness quickly turning to concern when she looked at her eldest son.

Her eldest son was perfect in every way, but a bit too conventional. However, overly rule-bound men didn’t charm women—women ultimately preferred those who were interesting and romantic.

It’s like having a black Maybach and a red Ferrari in front of you—bet no girl would pick the former.

Clearing her throat, Yang Shushua spoke up, “Did you see Miss Yi last night?”

The table instantly fell silent, all eyes turning to Xie Xunzhi.

Xie Xunzhi swallowed his food, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and then replied, “I met her.”

“How did it go? Did you have a good time? Did Miss Yi have a good impression of you?”

“It went fine.”

“You, this child. I ask you three questions, and you give me two-word answers.”

“It went fine.” Xie Xunzhi’s face bore a subtle smile that revealed little.

Yang Shushua knew she wouldn’t get much out of him, so she decided to lay it all out, “Then make sure you take every opportunity to spend time with Yi Siling these next few days. We’re going to Hong Kong Island next week to have dinner with her parents and discuss the wedding arrangements. You’ll also need to find time for your wedding photos. Girls like going abroad, don’t they? France, England, Scandinavia… Don’t use work as an excuse to avoid it and upset her.”

Apart from these, there were plenty of other preparations to make. After all, getting married was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and the process was naturally complex and extraordinary.

Xie Zhiqi muttered sarcastically under his breath, “And the wedding photos too.”

He poked at the greens in his bowl, thinking about the patch of green sprouting from his big brother’s head, like he had grown three inches of grass. It was a sign of the times—everyone was going downhill if even his big brother had to deal with a bit of green on his head.

“Men are doomed,” he muttered to himself.

Xie Xunzhi glanced at him. “Eat your food.” Then he turned to Yang Shushua and said, “I’ll talk to her about it.”

Yang Shushua nodded in satisfaction.

Xie Zhiqi pursed his lips, stirring his greenish bean juice in the bowl. Xie Wenning covered her nose and moved away slightly, while Xie Mingsui chuckled.

After finishing breakfast, Xie Wenning went to school, Xie Mingsui and Xie Xunzhi went to work at the group, and Xie Zhiqi went back to his room to catch up on sleep.

Yang Shushua called Xie Xunzhi over and handed him a leather bag containing packaged snow pear and bird’s nest.

“Drink this in autumn to nourish your lungs. I’ve packed one for you to take to Yi Siling now.”

Xie Xunzhi flatly refused, “I have to go to work.”

Yang Shushua disregarded his protest, “Then you can drop it off before work. It’s best to drink it in the morning. Otherwise, it’ll get cold.”

Xie Xunzhi wanted to argue that delivering it and still being on time for work was impossible, but he reluctantly agreed. Just as he was about to leave, Yang Shushua called him back to wait for a moment.

Xie Xunzhi could only stand there and wait.

It was already 7:40. Whether he delivered the bird’s nest or not, he would be late.

Yang Shushua went to the adjacent small living room for something and returned with a card in her hand. She slipped the card into the paper bag and tied a bow around it.

“What did you write?” Xie Xunzhi asked, noticing a line of text on the card.

“I wrote down the ingredients inside, in case she has any allergies,” Yang Shushua said, nudging him forward. “Alright, hurry up. Don’t let it get cold.”

As if seeing through him, she added after a moment, “Don’t hand it over to Uncle Mei. I’ll have him supervise you.”

Xie Xunzhi sighed inwardly. In the backseat of the Maybach, he listened to his secretary’s report, idly tapping his index finger on the armrest. His gaze fell on the bag beside him, quietly sitting there.

Honestly, he wasn’t eager to deliver it to Yi Siling.

Last night he made an inappropriate move, grabbing her wrist and pressing her twice about the marriage matter. Seeing her again today, he seemed eager—as if he couldn’t wait to marry her.

However, he didn’t mean it.

Marriage with her was more about fulfilling his parents’ wishes. Since she didn’t have a boyfriend, he didn’t have a reason to refuse this marriage. Especially since both sets of parents were urging them on; if he didn’t take the initiative, he would be seen as irresponsible.

“Uncle Mei, take these things over to Miss Yi.”

“I won’t go. Madam will criticize me.” Uncle Mei refused decisively, his tone earnest: “Young Master, one must handle their affairs.”

Xie Xunzhi expression darkened subtly.

Uncle Mei changed tack, his tone ingratiating: “But I can accompany you.”

Xie Xunzhi chuckled in exasperation. Who were these people around him, all so bold?

Anyway, it was already late. Xie Xunzhi thought to himself, might as well go, it’s just delivering something, a matter of minutes. Hesitating only made him appear even more indecisive.

Without needing further words, the Maybach was already heading towards the Yunlan Hotel.

Arriving at the hotel lobby, Uncle Mei went to the front desk to inquire about Yi Siling’s room number. The receptionist initially hesitated, citing hotel policies against disclosing guest privacy. Helpless, Uncle Mei had to summon the manager.

Upon seeing it was Xie Xunzhi, the manager was so scared he nearly kneeled.

For the big boss himself to visit this small hotel was akin to an emperor traveling incognito to the south of the Yangtze River.

This hotel was managed by Xie Mingsui, and Miss Second didn’t visit often, so reliable subordinates were chosen to oversee operations. The manager had the privilege of meeting Xie Xunzhi in person during a staff representative meeting.

“Mr. Xie, Miss Yi is in room 3807, which is our only Queen Suite.” The manager guided Xie Xunzhi towards the elevator and pressed the button himself.

“She likes flowers, so we send fresh ones to her room every day. It’s something we always remember and take care not to neglect.”

The manager could easily imagine Miss Yi’s distinguished status. Perhaps she was Mr. Xie’s lover… No wonder she insisted on the best suite, costing 120,000 yuan per night for a seven-day stay—quite extravagant. He mentally digested this bombshell.

“What kind of flowers does she like?” Xie Xunzhi casually asked.

Manager: “It’s Freyja. The name is quite trendy, I couldn’t recall for a moment… Oh, Freyja! Large, colorful blooms. She specifically requested this type. These flowers with a philosophical air suit Miss Yi the best!”

Xie Xunzhi furrowed his brow slightly, unable to see Yi Siling philosophical side, and unsure how the staff below could flatter and praise to such an extent.

The elevator arrived, and the manager escorted Xie Xunzhi inside. After selecting the floor, he stepped out. Uncle Mei hadn’t bothered to follow them up; he stood by the elevator doors, waving with a smile, “Young Master, I’ll be waiting for you in the lobby, just the same.”

Xie Xunzhi didn’t lift his eyes, his handsome face subtly darkening. Standing in the elevator, his presence seemed more imposing than usual, with an aura that was both warm and intense.

Yi Siling was deeply asleep, one porcelain-white leg exposed outside the covers, lace edging curled up to just cover her rosy buttocks.

She never woke before 8 a.m., not unless there was an earthquake, or tsunami, or the Yi family went bankrupt. No major event was allowed to disturb her morning sleep.

“Ding ling ling ling.”

The doorbell rang three times in succession, finally prompting Yi Siling to open one eye slightly. Her brows furrowed, indicating her annoyance, compounded by a throat so dry it felt like it could smoke.

“Ding ling ling ling.”

Outside the door, Xie Xunzhi decided to press the doorbell one last time. If no one answered, he would assume Yi Siling wasn’t there.

“Who is it, who is it, who is it! So early in the morning!” Yi Siling was beyond irritated, and forced to crawl out of bed. Barefoot, she stepped onto the heated floor and headed towards the door.

It must be Yi Xinling!

Half-awake, Yi Siling walked to the foyer without checking the peephole. Yawning and muttering about how annoying it was, she unlocked the door.

Her temper was at its peak, so when she opened the door, she shouted at the person outside, “Yi Xinling, I’m warning you, if you disturb my sleep again, I’ll fight you!”

Xie Xunzhi: *Silent.*

Yi Siling rubbed her head, belatedly realizing it wasn’t her sister but a man.

He was dressed impeccably in a deep navy suit, tall and imposing. With just one glance, she noticed the champagne-colored tie on his chest.

Before Yi Siling could fully react, Xie Xunzhi swiftly averted his gaze, turning his back to face the hallway, his eyes intense and unreadable.

He subtly cleared his throat and appeared solemn, clutching the bag in his hand to conceal any embarrassment or hint of inner conflict.

He couldn’t fathom why she chose to dress like this in private.

Xie Xunzhi took a deep breath, slowly exhaling, and in a low, measured tone, he suggested, “Miss Yi, perhaps you should put on some clothes first?”

Yi Siling: “?”

Xie Xunzhi?

She blinked groggily and glanced down, instantly wide awake.

Damn! She was wearing the new sexy lace nightgown she had bought—transparent chiffon, thin straps, deep V-neck, and showing off her thighs. In the places where she wasn’t wearing underwear, two hints of a slight bulge were visible, covered delicately by pale pink lace.