149 Rejection

◎He leaned over and kissed her hard with his cold lips.◎

It rained heavily yesterday, but today the sky is clear.

Although the sun was shining brightly, the weather was still a bit chilly at the end of January. When Xie Qi went out, he wrapped himself in a cloak at He Yu's instruction.

"The general's health is not as good as before, so he needs to take good care of himself."

Xie Qi glanced at the pitch-black cloak and shook his head: "This color is not good, change it."

While He Yu went to change his cloak, he stood in front of the mirror and adjusted his clothes.

Looking at the equally lifeless dark round-necked brocade robe in the mirror, Xie Qi frowned.

He Yu quickly brought a new cloak and asked when he would go out.

Xie Qi was still staring at himself in the mirror, and He Yu followed suit. He then heard He Yu say, "The general is already very majestic like this. There's no need to look any further."

Yes, that's where the mistake lies.

Xie Qi stepped out of the door.

He Yu was stunned and hurriedly chased after him: "General, where are you going?"

Xie Qi's voice was scattered in the wind: "Clothing shop."

He walked around the clothing store, feeling a little hesitant.

When Xie Qi was young, he had clearly committed countless murders with a spear in his hand, but he still liked to wear colors that could make him look like the breeze and the bright moon, such as moon white.

Later he became Wei Che, and in order to match his flamboyant identity, he often wore red.

Now that he wanted to see the girl again, he really didn't know what color to choose from this row of colorful clothes.

After a lot of picking and choosing, I finally chose a sapphire blue robe.

The girl usually liked to wear blue clothes, and he matched her well.

After choosing the clothes, he went to pick out a hair crown to match them.

He Yu followed behind him, and he was surprised every time the general picked something.

In the past, the army was full of grown men who didn't care much about food and clothing. Even when there were social events, in order to appear less young and intimidating, the generals liked to wear dark clothes, but they didn't care much about the patterns of the fabric.

This was the first time the general paid so much attention to his appearance.

But he seemed to take it a little too seriously, and by the time he finished dressing again, it was almost noon.

After finding out Xu Qinghe's current residence from Governor Qin on a very legitimate grounds, Xie Qi took He Yu and rushed all the way to Xu's house.

When he was about to enter the room, Xie Qi straightened his clothes and asked He Yu again and again if there was anything wrong with him.

After getting a definite answer, he finally walked to the door.

"Excuse me, I want to see your boss Xu."

Seeing that the visitor was a gentleman of extraordinary bearing, the doorman subconsciously took him seriously, but he said apologetically and embarrassedly: "Unfortunately, our wife is out and not at home now."

"When did she leave? Where did she go?"

Xie Qi asked immediately.

The doorman replied respectfully, "She just left, about a quarter of an hour or two ago. Madam is inspecting the shops as usual, but I don't know which one she's inspecting."

Xie Qi lowered his eyes.

If he had moved faster, he would have caught up.

Seeing the general's disappointment, He Yu suggested, "Why don't we go to the governor Qin and ask what businesses Boss Xu has in the city, and then look for them one by one?"

Xie Qi shook his head: "It's easy to miss it this way."

What's more, meeting in a shop is not the most appropriate place after all.

He decided to visit again.

After suffering a loss, Xie Qi arrived at Xu's house early the next day and knocked on the door.

The door was opened by the same doorman from yesterday. Seeing that it was him again, he apologized, "I'm so sorry, my dear. Our wife didn't come home yesterday and wasn't in the house this morning either."

Not back?

"Where does she sleep at night?"

After asking, she suddenly realized that she had so many properties in the city and could stay anywhere, unlike him, who now had to stay at the governor's house.

Xie Qi smiled and said, "It's okay. I'll just wait for her to come back."

The doorman said, "Sir, please forgive me. I dare not let you in without the master's permission. Please wait outside for a moment."

Xie Qi nodded and said "OK".

There was still a chilly breeze at this time, and He Yu was afraid that the general would catch a cold, so he rode back quickly to get a cloak.

However, from early morning till sunset, no carriage or horse returned.

The doorman had already taken a break. Seeing the two men still waiting at the door, he said, "Madam has been busy these past few days and probably won't be back today. Why don't you two gentlemen go back first and come back tomorrow?"

Xie Qi had no choice but to leave.

On the way back to the governor's mansion, he saw from afar a lovely little girl skipping on the street in the warm light of sunset, holding a string of candied haws in her hand.

He couldn't help but stop.

The little girl was walking with her back to the light, and her face was a little blurred.

In a trance, Xie Qi thought he was having an illusion, and actually saw the little Xu Qinghe slowly approaching him.

It was as if everything that happened later had never happened. He was still the high-spirited third son of the Xie family, and she was still the carefree little princess.

As people got closer, the little girl's face gradually became clear.

It turned out to be the little girl he rescued that day, who looked very similar to Xu Qinghe.

"Hey, why are you here?"

The little girl stopped in front of him and woke him up with her babyish voice.

Perhaps because she looked too much like Xu Qinghe, Xie Qi always felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity towards this little girl.

He squatted down and wanted to talk to the little girl.

But the two neatly dressed warriors behind the little girl immediately blocked her way.

"Don't be afraid, I know him, he's a good man."

The little girl tugged at the hems of the two warriors' clothes and spoke softly.

For the first time in his life, Xie Qi heard someone use the word "good person" to describe himself. He couldn't help but laugh: "Little girl, how do you know I'm a good person?"

The little girl thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Because you saved me."

He Yu snorted coldly, "Our general's old injury relapsed in order to save you, and your parents haven't even said anything. Good people really don't get rewarded."

The little girl's face turned cold: "I told you I don't have a father!"

When he gets angry, he becomes more like that girl.

Xie Qi turned around and scolded He Yu. Not wanting to poke fun at the little girl's sorrow, he turned around and smiled at her, "Do you want me to take you home?"

The little girl shook her head.

"Why don't you ask me why I don't have a father?"

Xie Qi was stunned for a moment, then he came back to his senses and patted the little girl's round head: "Not everyone in this world has both parents. Many people don't even have a father or a mother. This is not surprising."

The little girl seemed to be thinking and didn't speak for a long time. Then she asked, "What about you? Do you have parents?"

Xie Qi's expression was gentle: "There was in the past, but it's gone now."

Little girl: "Why did it disappear later?"

Xie Qi: "My parents were murdered by traitors and are now gone. I am the only one left."

He stood up and stroked the little girl's furry head again: "Okay, I'll take you home."

The little girl thought for a moment and stretched out her arms towards him: "I'm tired from walking, I want to be carried."

Xie Qi looked at the little girl who was secretly standing on tiptoe, afraid that he would not be able to hold her, and smiled.

He said "OK" and bent down to pick up the little girl.

How magical it is that there is a girl in this world who is so similar to Xu Qinghe. It is as if he has crossed the torrent of time and embraced the little princess from many years ago.

As I was thinking this, I suddenly realized that the road ahead was becoming more and more familiar, as if I was going back to Xu's house by the same route.

He stopped, lowered his head and asked, "Where is your home?"

The little girl rolled her eyes and pointed to an alley several blocks away from Xu's house.

Xie Qi then sent the little girl to the door of his house without knocking or going in.

On the way out, seeing him rubbing his shoulders again, He Yu complained, "We've already reached the doorstep, General, why don't you go in and let the child's mother know that it was you who saved her daughter that day."

Today, she hurt the wound again while trying to bring her daughter home.

Xie Qi said: "Why worry so much? I have a connection with that child, and I don't have to ask for compensation."

He Yu muttered, "Then at least ask for some medical expenses..."

**

Xu Qinghe returned home at midnight.

Before she could shake off her tiredness, she went to take a look at her daughter's bedroom.

Sleeping soundly and peacefully.

Seeing her return, the nurse came forward to report: "The young lady instructed before she went to bed that she must be woken up when the mistress returns. The young lady said she had something important to tell the mistress."

The child sleeps a lot and is now sleeping soundly.

"Don't bother her. Let's talk tomorrow morning. I'll be at the mansion tomorrow."

When he returned to his room, he heard the doorman come in to report: "Yesterday, two young men came to see the lady. Unfortunately, the lady had just left, and today the two men came again. They waited outside the door for a whole day and left at dusk."

"Did you leave your name?"

Xu Qinghe asked the maid to rub his forehead and closed his eyes to rest.

The doorman said, "That handsome man said his last name was Xie."

His surname is Xie and he is handsome.

Xu Qinghe's heart skipped a beat, and he naturally knew who it was.

You rejected me so firmly at first, why are you coming to me again as soon as we meet?

She was angry and said coldly, "If he comes again tomorrow, just say I'm not here."

The concierge responded and then asked, "What if you come back the day after tomorrow?"

Xu Qinghe said, "Keep saying I'm not here. From now on, whenever he comes, just say I'm not here."

The doorman hesitated for a moment and asked tentatively, "Do you want me to order someone to kick them out?"

Because the lady raised the young lady alone, many people came to visit her over the years and wanted to be her son-in-law. The man named Xie was also good-looking, and he was probably trying to offer himself to her.

Xu Qinghe pursed her lips and said, "If he's willing to wait, let him wait. I'll be going in and out through the back door these days, so don't worry about him."

After being tired for several days in a row, Xu Qinghe slept very soundly at night and did not open his eyes until dawn the next day.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Ping'an standing by her bed, looking at her with his big black eyes.

She touched her daughter's face and asked, "Why are you up so early?"

Ping'an took off his shoes, got on the bed, lifted the quilt and crawled into his mother's arms.

"Ping An has something important to tell Mom."

"What's up?"

Xu Qinghe tucked in the leaking quilt behind his daughter.

Ping An said, "I saw my father yesterday and asked him to take me home."

Xu Qinghe was stunned for a moment: "He knows that you are my mother's child?"

The daughter in her arms giggled and said, "No, Ping'an lied to Daddy and asked him to send me somewhere else. Later, Ping'an came back on her own."

Xu Qinghe found it funny.

Xie Qi had always deceived her in the past, and now he was also deceived by his daughter.

"When Mom is done with her busy schedule, I'll find you a better father."

She said to her daughter.

For a long while, the person in his arms didn't speak.

Xu Qinghe thought the child was asleep, but when he looked down, he saw that she was deep in thought.

Ping An: "Mom doesn't like Dad anymore?"

Xu Qinghe: "I don't like it anymore."

Ping An then asked, "Why doesn't Mom like Daddy anymore?"

Xu Qinghe said, "Your father first lied to me and then pushed me away. He doesn't want mother anymore. Since he doesn't want mother, mother naturally doesn't want to like him anymore."

Ping'an whimpered, threw himself into his mother's arms, and scolded, "Daddy is so bad!"

"No, it's Xie Qi who's bad!"

She doesn't want to recognize him as her father!

Xu Qinghe pinched her daughter's nose and taught her, "You can't call daddy by his first name."

Ping An was puzzled: "But he doesn't want Mom anymore. Mom is so pitiful. Ping An wants to help Mom vent her anger."

Xu Qinghe didn't like being pitied, but children speak without restraint, and since she was her daughter, she didn't bother to argue with her. She just reasoned with her daughter, "This is a matter between mother and father. It's enough for me to hate your father. I don't need Ping An to vent my anger. If Ping An sees your father again in the future, don't let him show his true colors."

The daughter in her arms kicked her legs and stretched out her little feet from under the quilt. She said confidently, "Ping An will definitely not reveal her true identity, because Ping An is a human being and has human feet."

Xu Qinghe was amused by his daughter.

Although the birth was difficult and she felt regretful at one point, now that she sees her daughter being so well-behaved and caring, she still thinks it was all worth it.

While the mother and daughter were lying in bed chatting, Xie Qi was outside enjoying the cold wind a few walls away.

It was almost time for lunch, so He Yu suggested, "General, why don't we go back and have a meal first?"

In fact, eating is not the most important thing. The important thing is that the general has to take medicine after eating.

In order to meet Boss Xu, my medicines for the past few days have been messed up.

Xie Qi shook his head: "Wait a little longer."

This wait lasted until dusk.

After the doorman had rested for a while and even had his meal, he saw two people standing at the door, like door gods, still not leaving.

He didn't say much, thinking that he hadn't seen anyone for three days, and the two of them probably wouldn't come back tomorrow.

Unexpectedly, the next morning, those two familiar faces came to visit again.

The doorman had no choice but to repeat what he had been saying for several days.

At first, Xie Qi didn't think anything of it. After all, she did say that there was a problem with her shop at the banquet that day, and maybe she was still busy now.

But after being rejected several times, he should have realized that something was wrong even if he was still hoping for luck.

It was obvious that the girl didn't want to see him.

With his skills, he could naturally climb into the courtyard in the dead of night and find her bedroom according to her previous habits.

But that would be rude after all.

So after several days, Xu Qinghe asked the doorman again and found out that Xie Qi had not been there for two days.

After hearing this, she didn't know whether she felt lost or something else, but she didn't feel happy at all.

After saying this, the doorman continued to report: "Today, the governor's residence sent a letter, saying that they want to invite Madam to Guixiang Tower for a chat."

She must have an idea about asking the governor for help.

Xu Qinghe responded and arrived at the private room of Guixiang Building on time the next day.

When she entered, she saw a man standing in front of the private room window.

The man was tall and straight like a pine tree, and his sapphire blue robe made him look even more noble.

It’s Xie Qi.

Xu Qinghe frowned and subconsciously wanted to leave.

But if she left now, it would be a bit embarrassing and it would seem like she was backing down.

Anyway, I pretended not to know him that day, so I'll just play the game to the end today.

She deliberately made some noise at the door to attract the person at the window to look back.

Xu Qinghe didn't show any expression on his face, but just asked, "Where is Governor Qin?"

"Today, I invited Mr. Xu here in the name of the governor Qin. The governor is naturally not here."

Xie Qi smiled.

Xu Qinghe cursed the man in his heart for being mean and mean, and said, "Then please tell me what you want, my Lord. I'm busy and can't stay here for long."

Xie Qi raised his hand and made a "please" gesture to her: "Boss Xu, why don't you sit down and we can talk while we eat."

Xu Qinghe's face turned cold: "If you don't have anything important to say, I'll take my leave first."

She turned around and was about to leave, but the person behind her was tall and long-legged. He stretched out his long arms and closed the door before her, and also held her in his arms.

The smell on him was not familiar.

Because that was a strange smell mixed with the smell of blood and medicine.

She raised her head and looked at him.

Xie Qi's face was pale, and the dark circles under his eyes were even more obvious. It was obvious that the injuries on his body had not healed yet, and he couldn't sleep well.

But what does this have to do with her?

She pushed the man's shoulders and heard him groan as he finally released his grip on her.

Xu Qinghe escaped from his arms and walked to the window.

After taking a deep breath of the fresh air outside the window, she finally made herself more awake.

"Why did you invite me here?"

No one spoke in the silence, so she broke the silence.

The person behind him was silent for a moment, then said with difficulty: "...I want to see you."

Xu Qinghe took another deep breath: "Okay, now that I've met you, can I leave?"

At this time, someone knocked on the door of the private room. Xie Qi opened the door, and the waiter in line brought a variety of exquisite dishes to the table one by one.

He pointed to a table of freshly cooked dishes that looked and smelled delicious. "Let's have a meal together, just like we used to."

He admitted that he had never let the girl go.

No matter he was walking on thin ice or on the line between life and death, the only person he thought of was her.

Half a month ago, he thought that it would be enough to just see her once, just to know that she was doing well.

But after being frequently turned away from the door for the past few days, he suddenly realized that he was becoming more and more greedy and wanted more.

Xu Qinghe curled his lips and said, "My Lord, you're joking. You and I have never met before. There is no such thing as a past."

"Qinghe, I know it's you. Stop pretending not to know me, okay?"

Xie Qi almost pleaded, "When we met again that day, you acted like you were a complete stranger to me. It was more painful than killing me."

Xu Qinghe did not answer for a moment, but suddenly remembered that on the day they separated, he was standing in front of the window, and she was asking for a reason behind him.

Now the situation has been reversed.

Now she is the one who holds the initiative and decision-making power.

She closed her eyes, calmed her mind, and after a long while she said, "Xie Qi, we agreed that day that we would never see each other again..."

"——But I came here to ask for something important."

"Okay, then tell me your important business."

Xu Qinghe turned around, raised his chin slightly, and looked straight at him.

Suddenly meeting the girl's clear eyes, Xie Qi's voice softened a bit: "Everything was made clear at the banquet that day."

Xu Qinghe said, "If that's the case, then we have nothing else to discuss. Please move aside."

Xie Qi didn't give way, but instead took a few steps forward.

His tall figure approached step by step and soon surrounded Xu Qinghe.

Xu Qinghe subconsciously stepped back until he was leaning against the windowsill.

"Qinghe..."

"Don't call me that."

She interrupted him, "That day we agreed not to see each other again. You said you had something important to ask of me, so we met. But have you forgotten that we also said that even if we meet again, we should pretend we don't know each other, just be strangers like we were that day. Regardless of whether it hurts or not, this was something you promised yourself!"

She raised her eyes and looked at him: "So, Lord Xie, please don't call me that, otherwise it will only make me think that you are a despicable villain who goes back on your words and does not keep your promises!"

Xie Qi stared at him with his dark eyes, and there seemed to be all kinds of emotions tumbling in them.

After a moment, he said, "Okay, then treat me as a villain."

A scorching breath suddenly came over.

He suddenly leaned over and kissed her hard with his cold lips.