Chapter 21 Investigating

Xie Xuchuan was utterly exhausted, and Hua Nanzhi felt a pang of heartache seeing him like this.

She turned to the side and whispered in Xie Xuchuan's ear, "Ever since you came back from Huizhou, I've noticed you've looked worried. Has something happened?"

After a moment of silence, Xie Xuchuan nodded.

"Eat something first."

"The child can't eat."

Hua Nanzhi looked helpless: "You've always been too lazy to clean fish since you were little, and I didn't expect you to still be like this now that you're grown up."

As she spoke, she lowered her head and carefully removed the fish bones from the fish meat, unaware of the fleeting interest that flashed in Xie Qi's eyes after hearing the words "something happened."

The snow-white fish meat was turned into fish floss, and Hua Nanzhi used a silver fork to turn it over several times before carefully placing the fish floss, which was soaked in soup and full of salty and fresh flavor, into Xie Xuchuan's bowl.

"Eat more and nourish yourself properly."

After greeting Xie Jingyuan, Granny Li walked back behind Xie San Niang.

Xie Jingyuan picked up his chopsticks and turned around to see that Xie Qi's chopsticks were empty.

He frowned slightly and casually placed his untouched tableware in front of Xie Qi.

No sooner had they made a move than Xie San Niang said to Granny Li, "What are you doing? Go get a set of plates and bowls for Third Master."

"They're here, they're here."

Just as Xie San Niang started to get angry, the little maid who had been setting the dishes came in.

When Granny Li saw this, she immediately launched into a tirade.

The maid said aggrievedly, "The second young master doesn't eat fish, so I didn't take his plate or bowl."

Xie Boyu was displeased upon hearing this.

Xie Qi doesn't eat fish, how come he didn't know that?

Since when did the second young master of the Xie family become someone that even a maid could talk nonsense about?

Just as he was about to scold her, he heard his mother say, "Is he some precious thing? If he doesn't want to eat, he doesn't want to eat. Do you have the right to argue about such a small thing during the meal?"

"I've lost my appetite for fish for no reason."

With a snap, Xie San Niang put down the spoon in her hand.

The dishes and bowls were placed in front of him. Xie Qi lowered his eyes and stared at them, a mocking smile appearing on his lips.

Xie Jingyuan wanted to say something to smooth things over, but he saw that Xie Qi had already stood up, bowed to everyone, and turned to leave.

"Thank you, Qi."

"Let him go."

Xie Sanniang said, "Look at him, he's lost his appetite. Let's eat."

Xie Xuchuan watched Xie Qi's retreating figure and whispered, "Mother...my brother..."

"Eat your food and don't worry about anything else."

Hua Nanzhi paused as she picked up food for Xie Xuchuan, her brow furrowing before gradually relaxing.

The curses behind him drifted to his ears on the wind. Xie Qi walked toward Jiu Cai Ju with a gloomy face.

When he was just a little boy, he was assigned to Jiucaiju by the Xie family.

Jiucai Residence is located at the westernmost part of the Xie family estate, near the end of the pond.

The place is cold and damp in winter and scorching hot in summer, making it very uncomfortable, a world apart from Xie Xuchuan's Tiqi Courtyard.

It's already April, but the entire Jiucaiju is still so cold and damp that it sends chills down your spine.

Xie Qi went into his room and casually picked up a white jade buckle and played with it on his fingertips.

He was now half-reclining in the nanmu armchair, his unrestrained and unconventional demeanor showing no trace of his earlier restraint.

When Mianhe entered the house, she saw this scene.

A surge of warmth filled her heart, and two blushes rose to her cheeks.

"Second Young Master..."

"It's damp and cold inside. Go and ask Granny Li for some charcoal."

Just as the hand holding the beaded curtain was about to lift it, Mianhe was suddenly ushered away.

A hint of displeasure flashed across her face, but she quickly suppressed it.

“If you don’t take care of this girl, you’ll only encourage her to become arrogant.”

After Mianhe left, a young man entered Xie Qi's room.

The boy was born with a chubby face, thick eyebrows, and big eyes, and looked very clever.

Xie Qi scoffed disdainfully, thinking that a mere maid was not worth his attention.

Recalling the scene of Hua Nanzhi cleaning fish for Xie Xuchuan, Xie Qi suddenly put away the jade clasp on his fingertip.

A hint of gloom crept into his eyes, but his tone was flippant: "My good brother has gotten into trouble in Huizhou. Go and find out what happened at the eldest branch of the family."