The signal at Xishan Sanatorium is not very good to begin with, and Xie Li is used to keeping his phone on silent, which is why he didn't receive the first few calls.

But before she could explain, Ding Huizhu's icy voice rang out, "Xie Li, I don't care where you are right now, you get back here right now!"

After Ding Huizhu finished speaking, she hung up the phone immediately.

Grandpa Xie seemed to sense something and asked, "What's wrong? Did your mother call?"

As the old man spoke, a hint of dissatisfaction appeared in his eyes.

He was seriously ill at the time and was unable to take care of Xie Li personally.

Originally, I thought that Ding Huizhu was Xie Li's biological mother, and she would definitely be able to take good care of Xie Li and eliminate her anxiety upon her return.

So what has Ding Huizhu been doing all this time? Her own daughter was wronged, and instead of protecting her, she engaged in all sorts of questionable actions…

Xie Li nodded, but didn't say anything more.

Ding Huizhu's phone call seemed to imply that she should go back and settle accounts with her, but since she wasn't at fault, she didn't feel there was anything to worry about.

On the contrary, Ding Huizhu's act of sending her to a socialite training school today precisely shows that Ding Huizhu is really anxious to marry her off...

"Grandpa, I heard you've arranged a marriage for me?" Xie Li thought for a moment and asked Grandpa Xie.

Ding Huizhu said that the engagement was approved by Master Xie, and if she wanted to break it off, she could only go to Master Xie.

Grandpa Xie: "Yes, you were betrothed when you were little, but we can refuse to acknowledge it. The Pei family has been very dedicated to helping you find your family, and Madam Pei is very sensible... Their family has a simple relationship, and the family business will all belong to Pei Si in the future. There are no petty troubles, so it can be considered a decent marriage."

Xie Li: "Then... can I refuse? I don't want an arranged marriage."

Grandpa Xie thought for a moment, "Isn't Pei Si also studying at Linjiang No. 1 Middle School? Have you met him?"

Given Madam Pei's thoughtfulness and meticulousness, it's impossible that she wouldn't have instructed her son to take good care of Xie Li at school.

Xie Li nodded. "I've seen it, but I don't like it. I'm still young, and I just want to focus on my studies."

Grandpa Xie didn't ask any further questions, only saying, "Alright, then let's annul the engagement and not form a marriage alliance."

After Grandpa Xie finished speaking, he actually rang the bell to summon Ye Lanzhi and asked her to arrange negotiations with the Pei family regarding the annulment of the engagement.

The matter was so simple that Xie Li was stunned for a long time.

"Wait a minute, Mr. Sheffield... My mother said this is a business marriage involving a cooperation project worth over a billion yuan. If we break off the engagement first, will we suffer any losses?"

Grandpa Xie pondered for a moment, "The Pei family did spend manpower and resources to help you find you back then, so it's fine to give them this small amount of money."

Xie Li: "???"

Ye Lanzhi closed the document in her hand, her expression calm: "The Pei family did their best to help find the eldest daughter. They proposed a marriage immediately after finding her, which shows their sincerity."

After all, Xie Li's condition was indeed worrying at the time. A girl who had wasted the best years of her education in the countryside, even if she was found, would be illiterate, and her life would basically be ruined.

Which wealthy and powerful family would dare to take him?

The fact that the Pei family proposed a marriage alliance under those circumstances already showed them their utmost sincerity.

Given Xie Li's circumstances at the time, the Pei family was already her best option.

Grandpa Xie only wanted to find a good home for this unfortunate child. Even if the other family was of low social standing, it didn't matter. As long as the family was respectable, the Xie family could guarantee Xie Li a life free from financial worries.

Therefore, they readily agreed to the Pei family's marriage proposal.