77 Qiao Xi X Shang Dan
◎My Banker's Daughter [Part 7]◎
It wasn't until Shang Dan held her and gently called her "girlfriend" that Qiao Xi felt a burning sensation in her ears and truly felt the reality of it all.
Her unrequited love finally came to light.
As if struck by luck, her first love came in the height of summer.
"Have you had breakfast?" Shang Dan asked.
Qiao Xi longed for his embrace, "Not yet, but I'm not hungry."
Shang Dan smiled and patted her back, explaining, "Then eat with me?"
"good."
"After breakfast, I'm going to London for a week on a business trip. I'll take you on a date when I get back."
Qiao Xi paused for a moment, "A business trip?"
She never expected that the two of them would immediately enter the stage of a long-distance relationship after just confirming their relationship.
This inevitably reminded her of October, when she would be going to Florence to study.
"Yes, there's a project in London that I'm going to inspect. If all goes well, I'll try to be back by the weekend." Shang Dan turned the steering wheel with one hand, while the other hand held her hand, his gentle, delicate fingertips caressing her arm.
"It's okay, work is more important," Qiao Xi replied. "But I'm going to Florence to study in October, and it'll be a long-distance relationship..."
She didn't continue, after all, the two had just confirmed their relationship, and now she was worried about the long separation that would follow.
“It’s just a distance. You just focus on your studies and leave the rest to me.” Shang Dan kneaded her hand. “As long as you don’t mind, I can make time to go over every week.”
Qiao Xi's eyes lit up. Although her parents provided her with a more comfortable life than most people since she was a child, she longed for a proper dinner with her family more than countless bank balances.
She knew that her parents also had adult pressures, so she could only passively obey.
Therefore, throughout her growth, her emotions were mostly suppressed.
Even the reason why she liked Shang Dan remained a mystery to Qiao Xi for countless days and nights.
But the same loneliness made her gaze, like a moth drawn to light, always irresistibly fall on Shang Dan.
"I don't mind the noise, I like the hustle and bustle," Qiao Xi said softly with a smile.
The two had breakfast near the Qiao family's house, and Shang Dan then drove her home the same way before speeding to the airport.
Throughout the journey, the assistant wanted to urge them on, but dared not.
I was afraid of making him anxious and unsafe on the road.
So when Shang Dan appeared at the security checkpoint, his assistant almost shouted out in excitement.
"Is Shanghai this congested today?" the assistant asked cautiously.
Shang Dan dislikes nothing more than his subordinates gossiping about him; it's an unspoken rule within the Shang Group's general management office.
Shang Dan was acting so strangely today that his assistant blurted out the question.
The assistant originally thought Shang Dan would remain silent as usual, but to her surprise, he replied with tenderness in his eyes, "I didn't block the road, I'm just going to see someone very important."
"Oh, I see..." the assistant suddenly realized, but guessed it must be an important client.
However, during his subsequent business trip, this suspicion became increasingly strange to him, as he discovered that his boss would inexplicably smile at his phone.
Someone who never likes to waste time shopping even suggested going to the mall, but ended up not buying anything for themselves, instead buying several limited-edition high-end women's handbags and jewelry.
At first, he thought it was for Shang Xinuan or Chu Ling, but then he thought about it again, and it seemed that Shang Dan always made lists.
This is the first time I've ever set aside half a day to personally select items like this.
The assistant followed behind him and felt more and more that this person had a strong romantic aura.
But it must be said that people in love seem to be much more cheerful than before.
After spending the whole afternoon with him, I even gave him a pen with my signature.
Although the assistant was curious, she didn't have the guts to gossip.
However, the young master's love life has both good and bad aspects.
For example, Shang Dan was in a great hurry to catch up on the schedule during this business trip. The whole team worked overtime for two whole days, and after finishing the overseas affairs on Friday afternoon, they returned to China overnight.
When Qiao Xi received Shang Dan's call about returning to China, she was at Shang's house.
Seeing his name on the caller ID, Qiao Xi pretended to be calm and ran to the bathroom to answer the call.
"Where are you located? Is it convenient for a date tonight?"
Qiao Xi covered the receiver, her heart filled with sweetness, "At your house."
"Playing with Nuannuan again?"
"Yeah, who else can I hang out with?"
Their circle of rich kids isn't particularly large, but it's not small either.
I may seem to have many friends, but in reality, very few can truly be called my closest friends.
Qiao Xi and Shang Xinuan are the closest in the five-person group, having practically been together throughout each other's teenage years.
"Now that I'm back, I'll spend some time with my boyfriend," Shang Dan said with a smile.
Qiao Xi suddenly realized that she hadn't told Shang Xinuan about her relationship with Shang Dan after they confirmed it. "By the way, can we hold off on announcing our relationship for now?"
Shang Dan was taken aback, somewhat confused. "My dear banker, is there something I did wrong that makes you feel I'm not presentable enough?"
The Shang and Qiao families were considered a good match in Shanghai, and even the age difference between Qiao Xi and Shang Dan wasn't a major obstacle.
If the news is actually made public, both families will tell Shang Dan to wait a few years for Qiao Xi and not to hurt her, and then quietly prepare for the two children's wedding.
The two of them have perfectly seized all the advantages of timing, location, and people, which is rare in the circle of wealthy and powerful families.
However, Qiao Xi considered that Shang Xinuan was currently in love with Li Xiran, and the situation was quite serious, with almost the entire city of Shanghai knowing about her unrequited love.
Qiao Xi could disregard many things, but she still wanted to find the most suitable time to tell the young lady.
"We should at least consider Nuannuan's thoughts..." Qiao Xi said truthfully.
Although Shang Dan felt that Shang Xinuan wouldn't be unhappy because of their relationship, he still respected her wishes and said, "Okay. But I still hope my girlfriend can give me a formal status as soon as possible."
After hanging up the phone, the news of Shang Dan's return home quickly reached Shang Xinuan's courtyard.
The young lady stood up in surprise, "My brother is back, there must be gifts for us."
Shang Dan has always been someone who remembers to prepare gifts for his family when he goes on business trips, and Qiao Xi has received them more than once.
However, this was the first time she had received a gift since becoming his girlfriend.
When the two ran to the front yard, the driver was already unloading items from the truck.
Besides Shang Dan's luggage, there were various gift boxes.
The elders were given skincare products, while the two women were given luxury handbags.
"Brother, how did you know I like this!" The young lady picked up the gift box and couldn't wait to open it. "Xi Xi, look at yours."
Shang Dan openly bought the exact same bags for the two girls.
Shang Xinuan was very happy, and Qiao Xi didn't feel anything was wrong either.
Two people with bags on their backs stood in front of him. "Do you think it looks good?"
Shang Dan glanced at Shang Xinuan first before turning his gaze to her, his voice gentle and warm, "Beautiful, exceptionally beautiful."
As Qiao Xi lowered her head shyly, Shang Xinuan couldn't wait to start looking in the mirror.
The elders had already left, leaving only the three younger members of the family in the living room.
Suddenly, Shang Dan seemed to remember something and said to Shang Xinuan, "Oh right, there's an ice cream cake I brought back in the fridge. If you want some, go ask Auntie to cut it for you."
It was Shang Xinuan's favorite cake shop that didn't accept reservations. The young lady never wasted time queuing, but as soon as Shang Dan said he had bought it, she couldn't wait to run to the kitchen.
Now only the two of them were left in the living room. "Why did you send Nuannuan away?"
Qiao Xi glared at him with a smile, and then saw Shang Dan walk towards her, opening his arms to embrace her.
The man's shoulders were broad and his embrace was warm.
The living room air conditioner was on full blast, and when her skin touched him, it felt as if her heart was melting with tears.
"I miss my girlfriend so much," he said, nodding and kissing her forehead. "I've been holding back for so long."
She had been holding back her longing for a long time, but even when she tried to kiss him, she only chose his forehead.
It was as if he was afraid she would resist his intimate gestures.
Qiao Xi grabbed Shang Dan's clothes, stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips, "Me too, I've been holding back for a long time."
The two only lingered for a short while before Shang Dan immediately went to sit down on the sofa after hearing footsteps in the yard.
So when Shang Xinuan came back, she felt that the atmosphere in the living room was very subtle, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong.
"Brother, why are your ears red?" Shang Xinuan asked, puzzled, as she handed him the cake.
Shang Dan coughed lightly twice, pretending to be calm, "Really? Maybe I'm just tired. I have to go back to the company in a bit."
Seeing the look he gave her, Qiao Xi replied, "Brother Shang Dan, could you give me a ride home with you when you leave? The driver can't come today."
Shang Dan stood up quite naturally. "I'm leaving now, what about you?"
Qiao Xi didn't give Shang Xinuan time to react, "Then I'll go together, so as not to cause trouble for my brother."
Shang Xinuan frowned, looking at the cake in her hand. "What's wrong with you guys? Can't you finish your cake before you leave?"
Qiao Xi and Shang Dan walked out of the Shang family home together, and Qiao Xi only smiled after getting into the car.
"I thought Nuan Nuan had figured out we were dating, I was so scared." After all, even Shang Dan's assistant had guessed it.
Shang Dan started the car and pointed to the back seat, "It's my fault for acting so badly just now, I scared Xi Xi. This is a gift for you."
Qiao Xi turned around and was stunned by the variety of gift bags. "Why did you buy so many?"
From food and drinks to perfumes, jewelry, and bags...
"I didn't know what you needed or what brands you liked, so I bought everything. Once I get to know my girlfriend better, I'll definitely be able to choose what you like more accurately."
In fact, girls only like a few types of things, and Miss Qiao has never lacked food or clothing since she was a child.
Shang Dan had her own bag in the back seat, but what was most touching was Shang Dan's thoughtfulness.
-
As summer vacation countdown began, Qiao Xi would often find various excuses to go to the Shang family's house to play.
However, this was their usual routine, so Shang Xinuan never suspected anything.
However, Shang Xinuan would sometimes feel dazed, as if Shang Dan would always stay at home whenever Qiao Xi was around.
The reason why Shang Xinuan never suspected that the two were in a relationship was that she did not believe that Qiao Xi would like the taciturn Shang Dan.
After all, in the young lady's eyes, Shang Dan was a stern and fearsome figure.
The two sisters were not completely separated until Qiao Xi started school.
On the day Qiao Xi went abroad to study, both of her parents were stopped by temporary work, leaving Qiao Xi to travel abroad alone.
This was the first time she had left home alone to go to another faraway country.
Watching the ground crew busily conducting final checks outside the window, Qiao Xi felt a sense of emptiness in her heart.
Without her parents by her side, and with her boyfriend and friends all in this land, just thinking about this simple thing made Qiao Xi's eyes start to burn.
But before she could even shed a tear, someone patted her on the shoulder.
A familiar figure came into her view. Shang Dan appeared, looking refreshed. "What a coincidence, my girlfriend."
At that moment, Qiao Xi stood up with tears in her eyes and hugged Shang Dan tightly, "Why are you here?"
“My girlfriend is going to study in Florence. I heard she’s going alone, and I’m worried about her,” Shang Dan comforted her, “so I decided to come and see her off in person.”
Qiao Xi's tears finally burst forth. "Thank goodness I have you."
Shang Dan sighed and rubbed her head. "I know how lonely it is to study abroad, so don't worry, I won't really let you face it alone."
Shang Dan escorted her to Florence and stayed with her for half a month, arranging all the big and small matters abroad before returning to China.
During Qiao Xi's subsequent studies abroad, Shang Dan would visit her for two or three days almost every two weeks.
When I'm not around, it's a constant video call.
This kind of physical and emotional support greatly reduced Qiao Xi's feelings of helplessness.
Their cross-cultural romance was exceptionally interesting.
Four years of studying abroad passed in the blink of an eye.
After attending the graduation ceremony, Qiao Xi wanted to give Shang Dan a surprise, so she deliberately delayed telling him when she would return to China.
Before she could even prepare a surprise, Shang Xinuan got completely drunk at the welcome banquet, and the two of them were caught red-handed by Li Xiran and Shang Dan.
Thanks to the young lady's spoiled nature, Li Xiran, who was originally there to pick her up, took Shang Xinuan away, so she naturally got into Shang Dan's car.
"Young Miss, I almost boarded a flight to Florence today." Shang Dan smiled helplessly. "You, you!"
Helpless yet indulgent.
Qiao Xi pouted and placed her hand on the back of his knee, "I just wanted to give you a surprise."
Shang Dan sighed, took her hand and kissed it lightly. "Thank you for the surprise, girlfriend. I really like it."
This was Qiao Xi's first time visiting Shang Dan's house. She had expected it to be a cold, black, white, and gray color scheme, but it turned out to be a warm and cozy light luxury style.
The sofa was piled with her favorite cartoon dolls, and there was even a display of her photos.
"Aren't you afraid Nuannuan will see this when she comes?" Qiao Xi laughed, her eyelashes fluttering. "There are so many photos of us together in Europe."
From the entryway cabinet to the TV cabinet, and even Shang Dan's study and bedside table, everything is covered with photos from their courtship over the years.
"My girlfriend isn't here, so I can't even put up some photos to remember her?" Shang Dan hugged her from behind and gently kissed her earlobe. "Don't worry, my family won't come over without telling us. It's very safe."
He promised her he wouldn't announce their relationship, but he couldn't bring himself to not flaunt it.
Anyway, everyone felt that he was in a romantic relationship, but no one ever saw a strange or suspicious woman around him, let alone a man.
"Did you miss me?" Shang Dan asked.
As the two of them moved, Qiao Xi accidentally turned off the bedroom light, and the neon lights of the city outside the window inexplicably began to surge.
The room became very quiet, with the distant traffic and the whispers of men and women that could be heard.
But in reality, they both knew that it was just a voice in each other's heads.
The world is bustling to them, but when they kiss and hug, there is a quiet ambiguity.
Shang Dan bent down and lifted her up, carrying her on his body.
Qiao Xi wrapped her arms around his neck, closed her eyes, and kissed him intently.
It had been more than half a month since they last met, two days prior.
Desire surged intensely at this moment.
Shang Dan did not put her on the bed, but instead carried her to sit on the shelf at the corner of the bed.
He held her chin with one hand, his lips pressed tightly against hers, and Qiao Xi didn't even have the strength to struggle.
As if pleased, Qiao Xi pressed her entire back against the wall, feeling his rising body temperature and his fierce kiss.
Shang Dan is usually very gentle in this matter. But today he was a bit more reckless, and even his words had a touch of frivolity.
She lay back on the cabinet, the narrow countertop leaving her with no room to move.
She didn't dare to struggle; the feeling of being suspended in mid-air perfectly enhanced the enchanting moment.
That night, Qiao Xi didn't know how long Shang Dan had tormented her; she only felt that he had said all the embarrassing things she knew in one night.
Shang Dan even carried her around to try out all the rooms, saying he wanted to leave behind her warmth and scent.
He carried her to wash up and then lay down on the bed until they were both exhausted.
The sky outside the window was already turning a pale white, and Qiao Xi vaguely heard Shang Dan's soft murmur.
"Baby, have you decided when you want to give me a proper status?"
"Let's wait a little longer..." Qiao Xi mumbled, "Nuan Nuan has been very unhappy lately because of my uncle."
Shang Dan sighed, "I would be very unhappy to follow the young lady without any official status."
“...”
"If the young lady suddenly decides to kick me out one day, I won't even have a place to seek justice."
Qiao Xi sensed his coquettish tone and replied with a smile, "But you are Young Master Shang..."
Countless girls in Shanghai wanted to marry him.
“You’re a banker’s daughter, you know. I feel very insecure,” he said.
Qiao Xi patted his head, "Wait a little longer, I promise I'll be quick."
Shang Dan opened his eyes, frowned, and pushed her down again. "Fine, as long as I don't get a title, I'll torment you every day."
-
This clandestine relationship continued shortly after Qiao Xi and her five-person squad returned from the desert.
That day, she suddenly received a call from Shang Xinuan.
Judging from Shang Xinuan's tone, the young lady already knew about their relationship.
This caused quite a stir, because Shang Dan was a few years older than her, and the two had been secretly dating for four years.
Preconceived notions led Shang Xinuan to believe that she had been deceived by Shang Dan.
Soon, even Qiao's parents found out.
Her parents wouldn't blame her for dating Shang Dan, but they couldn't understand why she kept it a secret from both families.
They were a perfect match, and the two families were also good friends.
Almost the instant the relationship was exposed, both sets of parents put it on the agenda.
Qiao Xi and Shang Dan were not opposed to this, after all, she also longed for marriage and to have a warm little family of her own.
Shang Dan seemed to lack confidence, and every time the topic came up, he was reluctant to continue the conversation.
She pressed him relentlessly, demanding an answer.
"I'm afraid you won't want to marry me. What if I push you too hard and you break up with me?"
According to Shang Dan's logic, the two have been dating for so many years, and Qiao Xi has always refused to go public with their relationship. Besides Shang Xinuan, there must be other reasons for her own reasons.
Shang Dan cherishes her and loves her, so he doesn't dare to put any pressure on her.
He even secretly consulted a psychologist about how to counsel his girlfriend who had a fear of marriage.
"Who said I'm afraid of marriage?" Qiao Xi was both amused and exasperated upon learning the truth.
"Baidu." The usually composed man gave an answer that made everyone burst into laughter.
"Brother Shang Dan, I only ever knew to use Baidu to find medical advice, starting with cancer. Do I really need to ask Baidu about relationship problems? Does it say that fear of marriage is also a kind of cancer?"
Shang Dan clicked his tongue, "Do you know how scared I was back then?"
He dated her with marriage in mind from the very beginning, and everything he has done over the years has been to give her a warm and reliable home.
He would lose sleep over the mere thought of his future life without Qiao Xi.
"I really didn't think too much about it," Qiao Xi replied. "I cherish you, I cherish Nuan Nuan, and I cherish all my family. And you know, Nuan Nuan was so badly injured because of the rumors about my uncle's engagement, how could I go public with our relationship at this critical moment?"
Because of Li Xiran, Shang Xinuan fell from her horse and was injured, and the whole of Shanghai was laughing at the Shang family.
She also worried that her sudden public announcement would cast a shadow of frost over their relationship.
“I’m afraid that because of my uncle, our relationship will be affected, and I’m afraid that we will break up and that I will not have you for the rest of my life.”
Shang Dan finally understood, “How silly. My grandfather and my parents aren’t those kinds of people. They knew we’d been secretly dating for four years, and they were afraid I’d bully you or play with your feelings.”
After all, they were a perfect match in terms of family background, appearance, and social circles.
The two families have been friends for many years and know each other very well.
"I know, you wouldn't," Qiao Xi said with a smile, poking Shang Dan's cheek. "You'd make my boyfriend suffer."
"Now that our parents know, and we're almost at the age where we should get married," Shang Dan said, his palms sweating nervously as he gripped the steering wheel. "Do you want to get engaged first and get married next year? Or do you want to get engaged first, enjoy life for a few more years, and then get married?"
They dated for four years, which isn't a long time, but it's not short either.
Even though their secret relationship existed only between the two of them, Qiao Xi wasn't entirely at ease with it.
After all, every girl wants the whole world to know that someone is passionately in love with her.
"Does it have to be that fast?"
"Actually, there's no need. It's just that we've been talking for quite a while now, and if I don't bring up the idea of engagement and marriage soon, I'm afraid you'll start overthinking things. But I will definitely respect your decision about when to get married. I just want you to know that I am determined to marry you."
Qiao Xi smiled and nodded, "Then, Young Master Shang, let me give you a hint: marriage should start with a romantic proposal."
Shang Dan chuckled, "Received, my lovely girlfriend."
-
The two got married the year after their engagement.
The ceremony was grand, but looking down at the audience, they knew that in this world, only each other was the one they would support for life.
"My banker daughter," Shang Dan's eyes reddened with tears, "I promise to be your lifelong warm harbor."
A note from the author:
The side story featuring Qiao Xi and Shang Dan has ended.
There's one last bonus chapter, and then the whole story will be finished!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
