Chapter 13

Yi Xinling arrived at the hotel right after class and joined Yi Siling to brew a pot of tea. They watched a movie while waiting for dinner.

Yi Siling boasted about finding an amazing restaurant, but Yi Xinling, having been in the capital for two years and eaten at many places, hadn’t heard of the “Zhi Zhi” restaurant she mentioned.

“That name sounds so rustic, almost tongue-twisting,” Yi Xinling remarked.

Yi Siling said, “Well, I guarantee it’s delicious.”

Half an hour later, the room doorbell rang.

Yi Xinling paused the movie while Yi Siling went to answer the door. Despite her tendency to play devil’s advocate, she was open to accepting reasonable opinions, so this time she checked the peephole before opening the door.

It was Mei, the butler by Xie Xunzhi’s side.

Yi Siling opened the door, slightly surprised. “Mei Butler, is there something you need from me?”

Her attitude towards Uncle Mei was much warmer than towards Xie Xunzhi, perhaps because Mei had a round, kind face that seemed to promise wealth and benevolence.

Uncle Mei smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I’ve come to deliver your dinner.”

Yi Siling now noticed that Uncle Mei was carrying two large food containers, which seemed quite bulky.

“For me? But I ordered dinner.”

“It’s exactly what you ordered. No difference at all.”  Uncle Mei exchanged his shoes, entered, and placed the boxes on the dining table. He opened the lids and began to present each dish.

“We received an air shipment of seafood yesterday, and there’s a fresh star grouper that hasn’t been used yet. It comes in handy today. Please taste it and let me know how it is. If anything isn’t right, I’ll give feedback to the chefs to make corrections.”

Each dish was presented in porcelain bowls rather than takeout containers, all of them delicate blue-and-white porcelain, exuding an exquisite aura.

The fragrance filled the air.

“It’s just the Basque dessert,” Uncle Mei apologized, “It was too rushed to make it fresh, and our household chef isn’t experienced with it. I was afraid it wouldn’t taste good, so I bought it from a dessert shop outside. But rest assured, it’s all top-notch.”

Yi Siling: “…”

Wait a moment, she was starting to feel confused.

“The Zhi Zhi restaurant… could it be owned by the Xie family?”

“You mean Xie Xunzhi is involved in the restaurant industry?”

“We don’t do catering.”

“Then these?”

“These were made by our household chef.”

“So, when I called…”

“I called the young master. He wrote down the dishes you ordered and sent them to me to take care of.’

Yi Siling: “…”

Yi Siling was utterly embarrassed.

She had called Xie Xunzhi to ask him to deliver dinner!

Then why didn’t he mention it on the phone? Why didn’t he refuse?

She handed the order card to Uncle Mei, who recognized the handwriting as that of the madam. He wanted to laugh but restrained himself; it wouldn’t be appropriate.

“The handwriting is from the madam. The young master probably doesn’t know.”

“So, the number I called was Xie Xunzhi’s.”

Uncle Mei nodded.

Yi Siling felt incredibly awkward. Xie Xunzhi’s mother had really put a lot of effort into orchestrating this marriage.

Uncle Mei then whispered a little secret, his voice barely audibles as if exchanging intelligence: “Zhi Zhi is our young master’s nickname. Shh. Only the madam and the chairman know.”

No one else in the household knew. If they found out, it would cause a major uproar, and the young master would move out.

Yi Siling bluntly remarked, “Quite rustic.”

Uncle Mei nodded. “Yes. Nicknames shouldn’t be too pretentious; they should be down-to-earth. The master says that’s easier to live with.”

After dinner was delivered, Uncle Mei didn’t stay long. He greeted Miss Yi Xinling again and took his leave.

The sisters moved to the dining table.

Yi Xinling joked, “No wonder I haven’t heard of the Zhi Zhi restaurant. Turns out only certain people can dine there.”

She eagerly took a bite of the pork chop, cleanly picking the meat off the bone, and praised Yi Siling enthusiastically, “Your brother-in-law is reliable. Sister, you should marry him. Then you can eat like this every day.”

Yi Siling replied with a hint of sarcasm, “All you think about is eating. A piece of fish and a rib, and you’d sell me out.”

“You’re heartless.”

Yi Xinling fell silent and focused on her food.

Having received a limited-edition figurine from Ning Ning, Yi Siling felt the pressure to reciprocate. Ning Ning didn’t ask for much, just a few sweet nothings whispered in her ear.

She guiltily picked out the best and tenderest piece of meat and placed it into Yi Siling’s bowl.

After finishing it, Yi Siling remarked, “I’ll forgive you in half an hour.” She was still annoyed.

Yi Xinling replied casually, “Okay, I’ll wait.”

After dinner, Yi Xinling finished watching the movie and ordered a dessert of strawberries and cherries, along with a bottle of fine Bordeaux from a good vintage.

Yi Siling was preoccupied with something on her mind and had no interest in the movie. Sipping her wine slowly, after about ten minutes, she pretended to go to the bathroom but sneaked away to the bedroom balcony to call Xie Xunzhi.

She couldn’t just have a free meal without knowing why.

Yi Siling gripped her phone, the distant lights reflecting in her eyes, her mind somewhat fuzzy from the effects of the wine. Uncertain of what to say, the phone rang three times before he answered.

It was quiet on the other end, as if he was waiting for her to speak first.

Yi Siling took in a breath of cold air. “I didn’t know this phone number was yours.”

“In the paper bag you brought this morning, there was an order card. I didn’t realize your number was on it; I thought it was from the restaurant.”

“Butler Mei said it was written by your mother.”

“Mm,” Xie Xunzhi responded lightly.

After the meeting, he thought about the situation. The issue seemed to stem from that card.

“Why didn’t you tell me at that time?” Yi Siling softly leaned against the railing, watching as a road was congested with cars, their taillights forming a string of red lanterns.

Xie Xunzhi greeted his companion and quickly found a quieter spot. “Didn’t you say you were hungry?” His voice was pleasing over the phone, its deep magnetic quality close to her ear.

Yi Siling blinked slowly, slightly tipsy. “Well, you could have just ignored me. We’re not that close.”

Xie Xunzhi sensed she liked speaking in a coquettish manner, which he didn’t mind, though he hadn’t quite adapted to it yet, causing a slight discomfort.

Leaning against the club’s corridor, he replied, “Next time I won’t bother you. This time I was being nosy.”

Or maybe there wouldn’t be a next time. Suddenly, this thought crossed his mind, furrowing his brow.

“I wonder what she’s thinking.”

“Xie Xunzhi, you’re so boring.”

Xie Xunzhi paused in his thoughts. “It’s because you’re too interesting.”

Yi Siling chuckled playfully and sweetly remarked, “You were just a bit interesting.”

Xie Xunzhi felt the slight discomfort that had finally subsided returning, a strange sensation scratching at him.

For some reason, there was a subtle ambiguity in the atmosphere.

“Have you been drinking?” he suddenly asked.

Yi Siling widened her eyes. “How did you know?”

Xie Xunzhi chuckled silently. “You’re not drinking, otherwise you wouldn’t be this nice to me.”

“Was dinner good?”

“It was delicious. Your chef is good; the taro was so tender, better than anything I’ve had on Hong Kong Island.”

“Yeah, it’s grown at home.”

Xie Xunzhi is very particular about food. He specifically planned a plot of land on his estate in the countryside to grow various local fruits and vegetables. Most of the vegetables they eat daily are grown on their estate.”

“You even farm!” Yi Siling exclaimed in surprise.

“Not me,” he clarified, “I have professionals handle the planting. I’m not knowledgeable in that area. If you’re interested, I can take you there next time to see it. We can also pick strawberries there.”

Yi Siling remained leaning on the railing, squinting slightly. “I like strawberries. But let’s not talk about it next time; feeling dizzy.” She yawned, her voice trailing off weakly, fatigue gradually enveloping her.

Xie Xunzhi asked the last question, “When are you returning to Hong Kong Island?”

“Tomorrow night. My dad’s sending his plane to pick me up.”

He smirked slightly, hearing her subtle boast about her dad having a private plane. Childish.

“Get some rest early. We’ll have bird’s nest at eleven tomorrow.”

He added, “Don’t drink anymore.”

Yi Siling softly thanked him and was about to hang up when she remembered something. “Xie Xunzhi.”

“Yeah?”

“You have such a corny nickname. Zhi Zhi?”

“Zhi Zhi!”

With that sporadic flirtation and ambiguity, all went up in smoke.

Xie Xunzhi’s blood pressure rose, gripping his phone tightly, he was furious. “Yi Siling!”

She was becoming more and more outrageous, and perhaps would become even more so; this was far from her limit.

Click. She hung up.

The club’s corridor was dimly lit, and quiet all around. Xie Xunzhi listened to the busy signal and, for some reason, burst into laughter out of anger.

Chi Huansheng came out to smoke and happened to witness this scene.

“Third brother is angry, which is even rarer than his brother climbing a tree,” he said with a smile as he approached Xie Xunzhi. “You just had a phone call with your little sister-in-law, right?”

Chi Huansheng is Chi Huanli’s younger brother, about the same age as Xie Zhiqi. He usually liked to hang out with his brother’s group of friends. Chi Huanli teased him as a tag-along.

Xie Xunzhi put away his phone, not wanting to engage.

Chi Huansheng had heard gossip from his brother, saying that Third Brother had been busy lately pampering his fiancée, being overly attentive.

“You shouldn’t just call her by her full name like that, it’s not affectionate enough. No wonder she hung up on you,” Chi Huansheng patted his chest. “Bro, trust me, I have experience in love.”

Xie Xunzhi finally looked at him. “Then what should I call her?”

You should call her “baby,” “darling,” or even the trendy “bb” that’s popular on Hong Kong Island, like “bb pig,” “silly piggy,” or “little wife.”

“Or you could call her ‘princess’! Hey—bro, where are you going? Don’t doubt what I’m saying, these things work…”

Xie Xunzhi quickened his pace, feeling like his mind had been muddled all day.

Since that bowl of bird’s nest soup.

On the next day, at 10:45 in the morning Yi Siling yawned as she opened the door. It was a time she could tolerate waking up without too much morning grumpiness.

Before opening the door, she called out, “Is it the housekeeper Uncle Mei?”

“It’s me.”

Outside the door came two simple yet firm words.

Yi Siling paused, then opened the door to see Xie Xunzhi standing there.

He was dressed in a suit today, topped with a black overcoat, exuding an air of elegance and refinement.

A suit is the litmus test for a man’s physique. Muscles shouldn’t be too bulky, making one look like a bear, nor too slim like a bamboo pole. It should be just right, portraying a handsome figure.

Xie Xunzhi was just right tall and slender, with broad shoulders and long legs. Of course, having a good physique alone isn’t enough without charisma and presence; wearing a suit would be mismatched otherwise.

Coincidentally, he had both.

Yi Siling hesitated for a moment, then opened the door to find Xie Xunzhi standing there.

He was still dressed in a suit today, with a black overcoat draped over it, exuding an air of elegance and refinement.

A suit is a litmus test for a man’s physique. Muscles shouldn’t be too bulky, making one look like a bear, nor too slim like a bamboo pole; it should be just right to appear handsome and elegant.

“Didn’t expect that.”

Where does a busy person find time to deliver takeout for two consecutive days? Little Miss Busy doesn’t even have time to eat breakfast, and Lan Yi brings it to her in the car every day.

Xie Xunzhi didn’t want to get high blood pressure at such a young age, so he decided not to mention this to her and moved on to the main point: “Miss Yi, do you still want the bird’s nest?”

“Of course!” Yi Siling took it and smiled at him. “Thanks, bye-bye. Go on with your busy schedule, Mr. Xie.”

She began to close the door, but Xie Xunzhi reached out and grasped the door frame, his pale hand showing a few veins due to the force.

His voice was low, devoid of any discernible emotion: “I didn’t say I was leaving.” For him, this statement indicated some emotion, but others might not perceive it that way.

Yi Siling watched him warily, “You’re not going to insist on joining me for breakfast, are you? Are you that free?”

Xie Xunzhi replied, “Yes, I am free. Miss Yi, may I join you for breakfast?”

Yi Siling bit her lip, unable to dismiss him, so she reluctantly let him in. She pouted, “No need to change shoes, this isn’t home.”

Xie Xunzhi entered and took off his overcoat, hanging it on the coat rack in the foyer before stepping inside.

His Oxford shoes were immaculate, as clean as disposable slippers, and left no trace of dust on the carpet when he walked.

Yi Siling pulled out a chair and sat down, taking out the bird’s nest soup and a portion of small, steamed buns.

Today’s bird’s nest soup wasn’t the usual pear flavor but taro milk. The taro used in making the paste was the fragrant taro from last night’s taro cutlets, grown by themselves, unmistakable in taste.

Yi Siling didn’t know if it was because she had mentioned liking it that they had it today, but she had only thought about it; she hadn’t presumed so.

Xie Xunzhi sat across from her, his posture neither entirely casual nor strict, somewhat relaxed but not completely so. He watched her eat like this.

Yi Siling blew on the hot bird’s nest soup. “Do you have something to say to me?”

Xie Xunzhi replied, “Yes.”

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to deliver this bird’s nest soup. There’s a mountain of things waiting for him at the corporation.

Yi Siling gave him a sidelong glance. “Then go ahead and say it.”

She took a bite of the taro paste and spooned some milk.

Her manner of eating was delicate and refined. To be more precise, it was somewhat affected, by small, slow mouthfuls.

Today’s nightgown wasn’t the same as yesterday’s, of course. It was a dark green velvet slip dress, layered with a matching long shirt of the same color. It wasn’t low-cut, but the neckline wasn’t high either, revealing her distinct and delicate collarbones, smooth and rounded shoulders, and slender, fair neck.

Xie Xunzhi’s gaze darkened slightly. He shifted his eyes away, looking at the vase of flowers on the coffee table. “I wanted to ask how your consideration is going.”

It was completely unexpected.

Yi Siling paused in her eating, then looked at him directly, emphasizing each word deliberately, “It’s only been two days, Mr. Xie!”

“You’re returning to Hong Kong Island tonight.”

Xie Xunzhilooked back at her intensely, his eyes deep and unfathomable, unable to discern whether they held warmth or danger.

Danger seemed to prevail.

Like a leisurely wandering white lion in a peaceful garden, no matter how elegant, noble, or gentlemanly, it couldn’t hide the fact that at its core, it was a fierce beast.

Caught in such a gaze, Yi Siling felt a flutter of unease in her chest.

No one had ever dared to look at her with such invasive eyes. Those people were always flattering, adoring, afraid of provoking her, and treading carefully around her.

Xie Xunzhi sensed her discomfort and subtly softened his sharp gaze. He said calmly, “Miss Yi, there needs to be a resolution to this matter eventually. Delaying it will only be detrimental to everyone. Since you’re here, why leave empty-handed?”

Yi Siling suppressed her unease and mockingly replied in a subdued voice, “Xie Xunzhi, are you so eager to marry me then?”

She was mocking his impatience.

After all, he was the esteemed heir of the Xie family, a prominent figure in the capital city, not afraid of any reputation damage.

Xie Xunzhi swallowed his pride, unfazed by her sarcasm. He adjusted to a more relaxed posture and casually said, “Miss Yi, wanting to marry you is nothing to be ashamed of.”

Failing to marry her would be shameful.

He had already pledged before his parents that this marriage must happen.

Yi Siling, this little imp, even if she climbs on top of him, bossing him around and calling him by his nickname a hundred times, still wants to marry her!