Chapter 49 Going Home
Later, whenever Pu Xia thought of that day, all she could picture was Xie Sheng's affectionate gaze under the beam of light, and the throbbing excitement that coursed through her body.
It felt like a dream.
This was probably the most perfect day of her life—full of happiness, hope, and free of pain.
If it weren't for that phone call later.
...
After Xie Sheng finished singing, many people started to jeer, asking for his contact information or if he was looking for a partner. His reply, "My wife is here, and I don't want to kneel on a washboard tonight," dashed most people's hopes.
He stepped off the stage and found A-Jie and Da-Peng, but didn't see Pu-Xia.
"Where is Pu Xia?"
"It seems she went out to answer a phone call."
Xie Sheng frowned slightly and walked quickly outside.
He stood on the street and looked around before finally spotting Pu Xia standing by the roadside. She stared motionless at the road with passing vehicles, the traffic becoming her backdrop, all alone.
Too thin.
He thought.
Xie Sheng walked over and saw Pu Xia's eyes, which were dull and empty. It immediately reminded him of the night they first became intimate.
His heart tightened suddenly.
"Xiaxia, look at me." Xie Sheng walked up to her, bent down to turn her body towards him, reached out to stroke her face, and stared into her eyes. "Tell me, what happened?"
Pu Xia snapped out of her daze, and the frozen pool water rippled. She said to him helplessly, "My mom...she wants me to go home for the New Year."
Xie Sheng was stunned after hearing this.
He had never met Pu Xia's biological mother, but he could sense from her stories that Pu Xia both respected and feared her.
Xie Sheng tried hard to remain calm; he knew he couldn't show any panic.
He forced a relaxed smile and said, "Isn't this good? Maybe she misses you."
Xie Sheng's reaction alleviated Pu Xia's anxiety to some extent, and her previously tense body relaxed slightly.
"Maybe..."
Pu Xia said hesitantly.
Yang Ning had invited her to spend the New Year at her place before, but she didn't expect that even after she had been "thrown" here, she would still make this request.
But what recourse do I have?
Under Yang Ning's consistently tough style, there was no choice but to comply.
"I don't care what excuse you give, I want to see you this Chinese New Year." Yang Ning's voice on the phone held an unquestionable tone, tinged with barely perceptible anger.
Pu Xia felt uneasy at the thought.
She thought that Xiao Chengming must have said something when he went back, such as that she didn't plan to return to S City.
That should be all.
What else could it be?
She shook her head in an evasive manner, not daring to put Xie Sheng and Yang Ning's names together, as if sulfur and fire could ignite a sea of flames with the slightest friction.
Pu Xia tried her best to calm herself down, and the chaotic emotions surging in her dark eyes gradually subsided.
"They're probably asking me about not going back to S City in the future."
Xie Sheng hummed in agreement, then paused for a moment before finally asking, "What if she doesn't let you stay here?"
Pu Xia pursed his lips; this was very likely.
Although she was determined, she knew that she had been deliberately trying not to think about Yang Ning's reaction.
Her silence was like a raindrop falling into a pond, creating ripples that disturbed the initial tranquility.
...
On the day Pu Xia arrived in S City, it started to drizzle.
The rain pattered against the glass walls of the airport, making no sound but blurring the view outwards. The entire airport was both quiet and noisy.
As soon as she stepped out of the arrival gate, she saw Xiao Chengming's assistant, Xiao Meng, who smiled and waved to her.
A damp, cold air rushed towards him, and Pu Xia tightened his coat and looked up into the distance.
The sky was a clear, unobstructed expanse of bluish-gray, with buildings appearing and disappearing like mirages in the rain and mist.
She had already begun to miss the provincial capital and Xie Sheng's warm embrace.
"Miss Xiaxia, how long do you plan to stay this time?" Xiao Meng asked as she walked with an umbrella towards the parking space.
"Just one week then."
"So rushed?" Xiao Meng was a little surprised.
Pu Xia glanced at him, and he immediately suppressed his surprise and said nothing more.
Upon reaching the car, Xiao Meng quickly took two steps and opened the back door. Pu Xia immediately saw Xiao Chengming sitting inside.
He wore thin-rimmed gold glasses and looked rather serious while handling matters, not even bothering to pay attention to her.
Pu Xia, however, was used to this.
After getting into the car, she took off her coat. Her body was enveloped by the car's heater, and her previously stiff fingers regained their flexibility. She sent Xie Sheng a message saying that she had arrived safely.
The other person immediately replied with "OK", and then sent a "Miss you" emoji.
Looking at the cute dog head, Pu Xia's lips curled into a slight smile.
"They really can't even let people have a moment's peace during the New Year," Xiao Chengming, sitting next to me, seemed to have finally finished his work, took off his glasses, and let out a long sigh of relief. "What are you looking at, laughing so happily?"
Pu Xia turned off the screen and her smile vanished. "Did Mom's sudden request for me to come back have anything to do with you?"
"Seriously? You want to talk to me about this as soon as you get back?" Xiao Chengming put on a hurt expression, but Pu Xia couldn't tell if he was serious or not.
Pu Xia curved her lips into a half-smile as she looked at him, then remained silent.
Xiao Chengming was the first to give in, saying with a headache, "When you came back last time, your mother asked me about your situation, and I told her the truth. Your decision to stay in the provincial capital is no small matter, and she might want to talk to you about it in person."
Even though he had anticipated it, Pu Xia was still a little apprehensive when it came to actually facing it.
The car drove into a private villa area and eventually stopped in the underground parking lot.
The maid led the way inside, and Pu Xia looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar room, feeling as if she had been transported to another world.
There was no one else in the living room, and the simulated fireplace was "burning" with a roaring flame, which softened the coldness outside the window.
A boy and a girl sat on the rug in front of the fireplace. Behind them was a woman dressed in a beige turtleneck bodysuit, elegant and dignified without a single flaw. She was holding the two children and pointing to the books in front of them with a gentle smile.
Pu Xia couldn't hear what she was saying, but she knew it was in a gentle tone that she rarely encountered.
At this moment, a maid walked into the frame, went to the woman's side, and whispered something in her ear.
The woman then looked up and saw Pu Xia. Her gentle expression softened slightly, and the two children also looked up at her.
Three pairs of eyes fell on her.
Pu Xia smiled softly, feeling like an intruder who had disrupted a harmonious scene.
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Sorry for the long wait, everyone. I'm finally back from my business trip and came up with an update as soon as possible.
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