Chapter 27

Absolutely impossible.

Even in her dreams, Yi Siling would never say such a thing. But then again, she dreamt of kissing Xie Xunzhi, so there’s really nothing too silly for her to say.

Yi Siling stood petrified in place, awkwardly opening her mouth but unable to speak. Having just woken up, her mind wasn’t quite clear.

Xie Xunzhi felt the woman in front of him was unusually embarrassed, which surprised him. He was just teasing her on a whim and never expected such a big reaction from her, as if she had done something guilty and he had exposed it, hitting a nerve.

“Absolutely impossible,” Yi Siling snapped back, coming to her senses.

Xie Xunzhi stayed silent, gazing deeply at her, the corners of his mouth subtly curving downwards.

“How could I ever say such a thing? You must have misheard me. Otherwise, you’re deliberately trying to pin this on me,” Yi Siling said, pursing her lips after finishing, pretending to look calm as she gazed at him, though her mind was already in turmoil.

She really shouldn’t have said she liked him. How embarrassing.

Her rebuttal was firm and absolute, as if she knew that whether in dreams or reality, she would never like him.

The words she heard last night flashed through his mind, “Yi Siling would never like you, you’re just not her type.”

Xie Xunzhi felt a brief stagnation in his chest, an unpleasant feeling, but quickly suppressed these unfamiliar emotions.

None of this mattered. The most important thing in a marriage is mutual respect, mutual understanding, mutual tolerance, and mutual support. It doesn’t need to be overly dramatic, nor does it require love to the point of life and death. Just seeking peace and stability, a steady and enduring relationship.

Who can say that this kind of pattern isn’t good for a marriage?

People, you know, always end up wanting everything but ultimately get nothing. Moreover, he is also confused about what he wants from this absurd and comical marriage.

The only thing he can do is to be as accommodating as possible towards her, to go along with her.

Xie Xunzhi, after all, you are six years older than her. She is still just a kid. Why deliberately make her unhappy? Aren’t you mature enough?

Xie Xunzhi and her locked eyes for a few seconds, but in the end, he said nothing, maintaining a calm demeanor. He even gently ruffled her messy hair, as if petting a little kitten.

“Put the flowers and gifts on the sofa, I’ll go chat with my uncle and aunt first.”

“Get up, you little lazybones.”

After the person left, Yi Siling touched her flushed face, feeling extremely frustrated. She couldn’t understand what Xie Xunzhi meant; he always started to say something and then stopped, more enigmatic than the Buddha statue on the altar in the Yi Kunshan household.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of roses, faint wisps of it. Waking up to flowers and gifts should have been a pleasant surprise, but she was feeling down now. Dismally getting out of bed, she didn’t even bother putting on shoes, luckily the carpet felt warm under her bare feet.

Approaching the sofa, she bent down, her fingers reaching to touch the flower petals. Her mind was still pondering whether she had actually said those embarrassing dream words.

Leaving aside the embarrassment, it was Xie Xunzhi’s attitude that made her angry. Whether he liked her or not, he shouldn’t have been so indifferent.

Yi Siling let out a soft hum, her fingers reaching to pick up the small paper bag placed next to Freud. It was Xie Xunzhi’s first visit today, and traditionally, he should bring a gift for her and her family as a form of introduction.

This should be the introductory gift.

She had received too many superficial and insincere gifts of this nature before, with no sense of novelty left. She opened it as a mere formality, but then, her eyes widened in surprise, and her heart fluttered at the sight of the deep green lying on the black velvet.

It’s not a diamond or a gemstone, but a pair of cool, dark green jade bangles. With such quality and workmanship, one alone would already be worth a fortune, making a pair even more rare. It’s not just about money; it’s about fate, timing, and opportunity.

Gifting a pair likely symbolizes being together in pairs. Yi Siling thought of this for no reason, her already flushed face suddenly feeling even hotter for no apparent reason, the bangles heavy in her palm.

She put on the bangles, one on each wrist. The awkward and disheartened feelings vanished instantly. Raising her wrists, she allowed the golden afternoon sunlight to shine through them, the green resembling frozen deep pond water.

She admired them for quite some time, until a hurried call from Liang Yongwen urged her on. The voice on the phone was on the verge of exploding, prompting her to rush off to the bathroom for a shower, makeup, and change of clothes, the bangles still on her fair wrists, forgotten.

Forty minutes later, Yi Siling hurriedly went downstairs, meeting Aunt Li halfway. She asked about the situation, to which Aunt Li responded with a mix of laughter and helplessness, saying that the master had been chatting with the guests for over an hour.

Yi Siling suddenly felt aggrieved, saying, “Why didn’t any of you call me earlier?”

She then asked, “Are they getting along well?”

“Very well. The guests are delighted and really like the master,” Aunt Li replied.

Yi Siling clicked her tongue in disdain, raising her hand to adjust the hair behind her ear. The jade bangle on her wrist slipped down a few inches naturally.

“Young men like him always win the favor of middle-aged men.”

As she walked, she asked again, “Did he bring anyone else along?”

“There’s also the second young master and the fourth young miss from the Xie family,” Aunt Li mentioned, noticing the new bangle on Miss’s hand, her smile deepening.

It seemed that Miss really liked the gift sent by the new son-in-law since they were all wearing them now.

“The one who shares a dormitory with the third son.”

Yi Siling had heard that Xie Xunzhi had two sisters and a brother, belonging to a large and prosperous family with several branches and relatives.

Aunt Li nodded. Yi Siling didn’t ask any further questions. She went from the elevator to the first floor, passing through the hall and the small garden before finally seeing the tea room that Yi Kunshan used specifically to entertain guests.

The tea room was adjacent to the garden, with panoramic glass on both east and west sides. With the high terrain, the view outside was of a shimmering sea, offering a splendid scenery.

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Yi Siling saw Xie Xunzhi sitting relaxed in a rattan chair, legs crossed, holding a teacup. His expression was calm, with a hint of warmth in his smile, like a gentle flowing stream or a vast sea that encompassed everything. Occasionally speaking a few words, he could make the opposite Liang Yongwen very happy, but most of the time, he remained silent, just listening to Yi Kunshan chatting away.

Zheng Qijun had also visited the Yi Kunshan Manor before in a rather formal manner, creating a good atmosphere naturally, but it was different from the one Xie Xunzhi was building now.

Xie Xunzhi was a very steady person. Wherever he was present, the situation was always orderly, gentle, and inclusive. Being with him made people feel comfortable, as if there were no flaws. Of course, if he didn’t want you to feel comfortable, it would be as uncomfortable as sitting on pins and needles.

Yi Siling couldn’t help but stop in her tracks, watching from afar this peaceful and warm scene, so warm that it gave her the illusion of what married life might be like.

The husband coming to visit his in-laws, the family happily gathering, sipping tea, chatting about the world, and waiting for a delicious dinner. In the summer, there would be chilled watermelon, pineapple, cherries on the table, while in the winter, the tea room would have a fireplace lit, brewing a pot of English tea with milk, along with roasted chestnuts and rice cakes. The younger sisters playing around, and if there were a cute and smart little baby…

“Little sister-in-law.”

A gentle voice came from behind, bringing Yi Siling’s drifting thoughts back to reality from outer space.

She was just thinking about marrying Xie Xunzhi and having children with him.

What a surprise.

Yi Siling quickly cooled her flushed cheeks with the back of her hand, the jade bangle sliding delicately on her wrist, captivating Xie Wenning with its beauty.

“Little sister-in-law, even your arms are so beautiful. These bangles seem to be made for you.” Xie Wenning felt proud of his own judgment.

Yi Siling turned around and met the proud, shy, and infatuated gaze of the girl. She was taken aback, “Who are you?”

This was the little maid she had mistaken for Xie Xunzhi’s secret girlfriend when they first met in front of the Xie family’s old mansion.

Xie Wenning seemed a bit shy, “I’m the youngest in the Xie family, and I share a dorm with Yi Xinling.”

So, she was Xie Xunzhi’s younger sister. Yi Siling felt a bit awkward, nodding politely, “Hello.”

Xie Wenning smiled, “Little sister-in-law, you are much more beautiful in person than in photos and videos.” After saying that, she realized her words might not have been the most tactful and added, “Not that you aren’t beautiful in photos and videos.”

Yi Siling wasn’t used to the new title of “little sister-in-law,” but she appreciated the straightforward compliment. She wasn’t shy either and confidently replied, “I think I look even better in person.”

Xie Wenning was taken aback by the sparkle in her eyes. It was a radiance that no artificial tool could capture, something that could only exist in the eyes and memory.

Xie Wenning had been brought up with traditional values, taught to modestly deny compliments by saying she wasn’t good enough and needed to continue improving, as if this was the epitome of humility and maturity.

However, Yi Siling would simply say that she was indeed very beautiful.

Deep in thought, Xie Wenning sincerely expressed, “Little sister-in-law, I really like your personality. You match well with my big brother.”

In Yi Siling’s opinion, she and Xie Xunzhi were just not compatible at all; their relationship was like a mismatched pair of mandarin ducks.

Although the elder sister never explicitly mentioned it, she too had private concerns of a similar nature.

But Xie Wenning felt differently. She believed that Yi Siling and her big brother were a perfect match, complementing each other perfectly, like two halves coming together to form a complete and harmonious whole.

Yi Siling tilted her head, blinking, “I match well with your big brother?”

Xie Wenning nodded emphatically, “Perfect match.”

Yi Siling sighed helplessly, considering Xie Wenning’s words as simply the innocent chatter of a younger sibling. Xie Wenning, on the other hand, paid no heed to these thoughts and was determined to build a good relationship with her sister-in-law, to gain insight into her world and thus better advocate for her big brother.

The second sister was sharp and decisive in business matters, but somewhat lacking in emotional intelligence. As for the younger brother, well, as long as he didn’t cause trouble, that was enough. Xie Wenning believed that she was the best one to win over Yi Siling’s heart for her big brother, especially with the insider help of Yixinling.

In the whole Xie family, no one was more suitable for this task than her.

She had managed to gain some initial favor with Yi Siling and was ready to walk in with her when Xie Zhiqi suddenly appeared out of nowhere and pulled her back.

“Xie Wenning, what are you doing?”

“Brother, let go of sister-in-law, don’t embarrass yourself or else big brother will punish you,” Xie Wenning chided Xie Zhiqi, who reluctantly released her. She then smiled and introduced him to Yi Siling, “This is my younger brother, Xie Zhiqi, three years older than me.”

So, he was around twenty-two, quite a young man. Yi Siling greeted him with a smile, “Just call me Yi Siling or, you can call me Siling too.”

No need to keep saying “little sister-in-law” repeatedly, it felt awkward.

“Let’s stick with ‘little sister-in-law’,” Xie Wenning insisted, tugging at Xie Zhiqi’s sleeve to prompt him to address her.

Xie Zhiqi glanced at Yi Siling and finally called out, “Big sister-in-law.”

Afterwards, he let out a slight grunt under his breath.

He didn’t call her Ia. Last night at the bar, he witnessed many men walking up with their drinks, calling her Ia, which truly broadened his horizons.

Therefore, his use of “big sister-in-law” was to let this woman know that his big brother was the one she should be serious with.

Yi Siling sensed a hint of displeasure, warning, and guardedness in his tone. She didn’t understand where these emotions were coming from; after all, it was their first meeting.

It was quite strange.

Could he be unwell?

Yi Siling was not one to be treated unfairly. She couldn’t pretend to be friendly if she knew there was hostility. So, she looked at him and proudly said, “Hello, little brother.”

Xie Zhiqi remained silent.

Yesterday, Yi Siling’s sisters treated him like a duck, and today, Yi Siling treated him like a little brother. A brother was a brother; being two years younger, he had to accept it. But why did he have to be called “little”?

Xie Wenning thought Xie Zhiqi deserved it. His stiff expression sparked both sympathy and amusement in her, like a pitiful goose honking after hitting an iron plate, eventually causing her to burst into laughter.

Xie Zhiqi dared not glare at Yi Siling and could only direct his glare at Xie Wenning, who was easy to tease.

And she laughed.

Xie Wenning just laughed, ignoring him, and took Yi Siling’s hand. “Little sister-in-law, don’t mind him. He has intermittent fits of madness. Except when he’s riding a motorcycle, his brain functions well. I’ll complain to big brother later and confiscate his motorcycle. Let’s go inside first; Uncle and Aunt are waiting for us.”

Xie Zhiqi, feeling agitated, rubbed the back of his head, thinking his big brother was in trouble. This woman not only liked to have fun but was also assertive and had a way of influencing people.

Xie Wenning had only met her once and she had already made him feel lost. Now, she dared to confiscate his motorcycle. Remember to bookmark, the website for the latest and fastest ad-free reading.