Apart from liking coffee, Xing Chen would also enjoy tasting tea during his leisure time.
Thus, his secretary had also perfected the art of tea ceremony.
The clear, high-quality tea was poured into two purple clay cups.
Lou Xining held the teacup but did not taste it right away. Instead, he appeared preoccupied with his thoughts.
Xing Chen seemed to notice something, so he raised his hand slightly. Seeing this, the secretary quietly left the room.
For a moment, only Xing Chen and Lou Xining were left in the room.
Nodding slightly, he sipped the tea, immediately feeling a natural fragrance spreading in his mouth.
Compared to coffee, tea was clearer and more mind-clearing.
Xing Chen didn’t lift his eyes to look at Lou Xining. His articulate hand held the teacup, rubbing the edge with his fingertip, feeling the abruptness of the friction bit by bit.
"What brings you here?"
The gentle voice brought Lou Xining back to his senses.
He finally raised his head to look at Xing Chen.
He originally wanted to ask directly about his relationship with his sister, but his grandfather forbade it, and he also had no standing.
So... he had to ask from another angle.
"At that masquerade ball, I said you really liked my sister-in-law, and you didn’t deny it. Now, I just want to verify, do you really like her? Is your marriage out of true love or family obligation?"
Lou Xining could only ask this way.
He couldn’t directly ask Xing Chen if he and his sister were in love, could he?
He couldn’t, so he had to go around and ask if Xing Chen’s feelings for Ran Xiangsi were genuine.
Xing Chen was a bit surprised by Lou Xining’s questions.
He remained silent for a moment, then leisurely lifted his eyes, looking into Lou Xining’s, "Why do you ask?"
"Just... a little curious. Ah Chen, we’ve known each other since we were kids, isn’t that something you can tell me?" Lou Xining had decided that he would persist in asking even if it killed him today!
If Xing Chen truly loved Ran Xiangsi, then their Xinyu should not, under any circumstances, continue to entangle with Xing Chen.
Lou Xining had laid it out plainly, so there was no way Xing Chen could avoid it any longer.
He put down the teacup and calmly began, "It doesn’t hurt to tell you."
Hearing this, Lou Xining finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, he wasn’t directly rejected...
Then he heard Xing Chen’s calm voice again.
"We got married for love. To me, she is different from other women."
Xing Chen was never one to speak much and knew almost nothing about expressing feelings.
For a moment, he couldn’t find a better word to describe Ran Xiangsi’s importance to him.
One word, different, was enough to instantly eliminate all other women except Ran Xiangsi.
It was also the most direct answer he could give Lou Xining.
He let out a long sigh, smiling weakly.
"Indeed. Actually, I already noticed it. Someone with my sister-in-law’s personality, optimistic and cheerful, firm and righteous, daring to do what others wouldn’t dare to do, is the most suitable for you.
You, since childhood, due to the concern of the family, have developed the mindset of an emperor. Practically always serious, you can’t stay this stern all your life, can you?
But my sister-in-law is different. Her personality is very lively and she’s quite the coquette, right? Google seaʀᴄh novᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet
The life she lives is bound to be completely different from yours, yet just like fate, her tenacious personality and childhood experiences must have been extraordinary.
So, the mutual attraction between you two, maybe you really are destined to be together by the heavens..."