Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Qiao Lian couldn’t help but shake her head and laugh.
Shen Zihao dashed out of the house and drove away in a hurry.
–
Xia Nuannuan, together with her dad and mom, was window shopping around Beijing when her cell phone rang. She glanced at the screen and saw it was an unfamiliar number.
Xia Nuannuan paused. Puzzled, she picked up the call and realized afterwards that it was Shen Zihao’s stepmother, Mei Feng.
For unknown reasons, she suddenly got nervous and said immediately, “Aunty Mei, how can I help you?”
There was a short pause and then the woman laughed. She went on to say, “It’s like this. Zihao’s father knows that the in-laws are in Beijing and has specially asked me to call you and arrange dinner together. Do you have time tonight?”
Shen Zihao’s father…
Xia Nuannuan looked at her parents immediately.
Dad Xia could hear the conversation on the phone, so he hurriedly nodded.
Xia Nuannuan bit her lip and hesitated. “But—”
Dad Xia took over the phone in a flash and said, “Sure, In-law, we’ll see you tonight!”
Nodding and smiling, Mei Feng replied, “Sure, come to our place for a visit.”
After hanging up, Dad Xia advised his daughter, “One look at Shen Zihao and you can see has a good background. Such a decent family… We ought to visit them. I’d like to meet his father too.”
It was too late for Xia Nuannuan to say anything.
Her father had agreed, so she couldn’t possibly back out now.
Hence, they hailed a cab and headed for the Shen family home.
On the way, Xia Nuannuan was going to call Shen Zihao to inform him but she received his call at that moment. She updated him of the situation.
She wasn’t quite sure if it was because Shen Zihao had immediately offered to come over, or if there were other reasons, but she felt a little unsettled, as though something bad was going to happen.
Taking in a deep breath, she tried to suppress the discomfort she was feeling.
Because Shen Liangchuan had not wanted to have anything more to do with the Shen family, after they left, he had bought a villa that was a great distance away.
Hence, because Xia Nuannuan had been at the city, she was very much closer to the Shen family home than Shen Zihao.
By the time the cab arrived at the Shen family home, Shen Zihao was only then leaving and the drive would take an hour.
Standing at the main entrance, Xia Nuannuan looked at the metal gate, which was like the doorway to the palatial villa, and felt lost.
The last time she had come with Shen Zihao, he had been driving and the gate had opened automatically when it recognized his car.
However, this time…
Dad Xia and Mom Xia stared at the grand entrance, now feeling an immeasurable pressure on themselves.
Mom Xia even stammered, “Nuannuan, Zihao- Zihao lives in this place? How many people live here?”
All they could see was the outer courtyard, and it was like a park.
Mom Xia even thought that this was a whole villa neighbourhood, in a similar style to Shen Liangchuan’s home.
Xia Nuannuan glanced at her mother and hung her head. She said softly, “This is his home,”
Dad Xia was stumped.
As was Mom Xia. She ventured, “This- this is a tad big, isn’t it?! Zihao’s family is this wealthy?”
Xia Nuannuan nodded.
Dad Xia glanced at her and cleared his throat. Then he said, “Okay, let’s not fuss over this. Otherwise, we’ll embarrass our daughter.”
Mom Xia immediately nodded and agreed, “Yes, yes.”
Dad Xia then looked at Xia Nuannuan and told her, “Go knock on the door then.”
She stepped forward and knocked on the door.
After a while, they finally heard an impatient voice coming from within, “Who’s that?”