Chapter 10 Female College Student
In late June, Xia Huiqing set off for her younger sister's home in the south.
Before leaving, she asked Grandma Xi and Xia Qingwan to take care of each other, and if there was anything important, to call Grandma Liang.
Grandma Xi said, "Don't worry, Qingwan and I know what we're doing."
Xia Huiqing opened the car door, then turned back as if to give some instructions. Grandma Xi smiled and pushed her into the car, saying, "Grandma, don't worry. Even if you need to contact Grandma Liang, we'll be careful not to let the rest of the family know."
"Of course I'm confident in you two," Xia Huiqing said, "Qingwan, be sure to eat on time and don't sleep too late. When you go to work on a project in July, let me know."
"good."
After seeing Xia Huiqing off and returning to the house, Grandma Xi breathed a sigh of relief.
Xia Qingwan couldn't help laughing.
Grandma Xi laughed too, "Little girl, I'm not afraid to tell you this, but I'm really relieved now that the old lady is gone. I can relax for a few days."
Xia Huiqing was very self-disciplined, and even Grandma Xi was always on high alert, never daring to relax for a moment.
“I told you long ago to have the old lady hire a younger girl. I’m too old to do many of the housework. Sigh, time waits for no one.”
“You’ve been with Grandma for so many years, you know her likes and dislikes, and you’re so considerate, of course Grandma doesn’t want to change her,” Xia Qingwan said with a smile. “After I graduate in a few years, I’ll talk to Grandma about hiring someone, and then you can stay home with Grandma and enjoy your retirement, okay?”
These words made Grandma Xi feel comfortable and warm inside. She couldn't help but look at her with a smile, her eyes full of love.
-
While Grandma Xi relaxed, Xia Qingwan began to get busy, packing her luggage and collecting materials in preparation for the field survey next month.
That day, while I was reading in my bedroom, I received a strange phone call.
She thought it was a harassing call and pressed the reject button, but the other party called again.
She then answered, "Hello? Who is this?"
There was a middle-aged male voice on the other end, "Qing Wan."
Xia Qingwan recognized that it was her uncle Xia Changping.
"Uncle, is there something you need from me?"
"How many days has the old lady been gone?" Before she could answer, Xia Changping asked, "Are you used to living at home by yourself?"
"I'm fine, thank you for your concern, Uncle."
"Well, come over here tonight. I have something to ask you."
The tone was non-negotiable, just a notice.
Xia Qingwan realized that her uncle, Xia Changping, was taking advantage of her grandmother's absence from Beijing to call her over and ask her some questions. Something similar had happened once before when her grandmother went on vacation; Xia Changping had called her over to inquire about her daily life and social interactions.
This time it's exactly the same.
"……good."
"Come to Beiguanfang Hutong at 8 o'clock."
"I see."
Before he could finish his words, the other party hung up the phone.
Xia Qingwan lowered her head, blinked, pursed her lips, and tried her best not to let her emotions fluctuate.
Both her uncle Xia Changping and her aunt Xia Changliu hate her.
She could certainly sense that undisguised disgust.
When she first arrived in Beijing, she was unaware of what was going on and even cried about it once.
Grandma Xi came upstairs to coax her to sleep, explained the whole story to her in detail, comforted her, and told her not to take it to heart.
Old Master Xia and Xia Huiqing favored their youngest son, pouring all their resources, love, and attention into him, which naturally made their eldest son and daughter secretly resentful.
When Xia Xili broke up with his family, Xia Changping and Xia Changliu had a good laugh at it for a while, celebrating with champagne every day that their beloved youngest son had become a good-for-nothing.
Later, Xia Xili tragically died in an accident. Xia Changping and Xia Changliu were initially heartbroken, as he was their biological brother and it was impossible for them to have no feelings for him at all.
But before their sympathy and sorrow could take shape, both Old Man Xia and Xia Huiqing fell seriously ill, and Old Man Xia passed away soon after.
After the funeral, Xia Changping and Xia Changliu gathered together, their eyes red with anger, and shouted, "Just because Xia Xili died, does that mean he can't live either? Aren't we his children? What are we? What the hell are we?"
Because of the previous sympathy and sorrow, this renewed hatred is all the more piercing.
This overwhelming hatred naturally shifted onto Xia Qingwan.
In the entire Xia family, apart from the instigator, only Grandma Xi knew that Xia Qingwan was fostered in the south at a young age and could not be brought back to Beijing because Xia Changping and Xia Changliu obstructed it.
Even though the situation was unstable and precarious at that time, Xia Qingwan was still so young. How could Xia Huiqing have the heart to abandon her?
It was Xia Changping who argued with Xia Huiqing at the old house, overturning the table and smashing bowls, using both soft and hard tactics to force Xia Huiqing to put the matter aside. At that time, Xia Huiqing had just recovered from a serious illness, and after this argument, she fell ill again for several years.
During those difficult days, Grandma Xi was by my side, decocting medicine and making soup, and taking care of me every bit.
After so many years, times have changed. When Xia Qingwan was in her senior year of high school, she had to return to her hometown to take the college entrance examination, so it was natural for her to be brought back.
However, Xia Changping and Xia Changliu still didn't want to return to their old house.
Xia Qingwan later read some books, trying to use theory to comfort herself.
Apart from the carefree Xia Mingzhou, almost everyone in the Xia family has experienced family trauma.
Xia Xili is dead, Old Master Xia is dead, and Xia Huiqing, whom he favored, has also suffered all kinds of punishment. The family affection has been almost completely destroyed.
The past cannot be retrieved.
She could only look forward, walk her own path, and do her best to ensure her grandmother could enjoy her later years in peace.
-
8 PM.
Xia Qingwan took a taxi to Beiguanfang Hutong.
Having been here several times, I was quite familiar with the place. I met Xia Changping in the side hall of the innermost courtyard.
The room was filled with smoke, and several middle-aged men were smoking cigars and playing cards, accompanied by three or five women.
A man looked up and saw her, his eyes turning amused. He exclaimed, "Oh, I didn't know there was such a style? Who found this for you?"
A person next to her glanced at Xia Qingwan at the sound of the voice and said with a smile, "You'd better calm down, this is Changping's niece."
"Changping has a niece like this? How come I didn't know about it?"
As they were talking, Xia Changping came out of the inner lounge, slightly raising his chin, and said, "Come with me."
Xia Qingwan followed him to the terrace.
Xia Changping lit a cigarette and exchanged a few perfunctory pleasantries.
Without waiting for Xia Qingwan's answer, Xia Changping asked, "How has your grandmother been lately? Who has she seen?"
"Grandma hardly ever goes out, so she doesn't see many people."
Asking about grandma's daily life is fake, asking about her property, treasures and interpersonal relationships is real.
Xia Changping had been eyeing the property for a long time. He knew Xia Qingwan wouldn't dare tell the old lady too much, so he didn't hide his words at all. The last time he called her over, Xia Qingwan had noticed something.
I'm afraid that asking Xia Mingzhou to come and ask for the authentic antique a while ago was just an excuse to find various ways to get property from the old lady - although Xia Mingzhou later said that it was of no use, the calligraphy and painting was never returned.
Grandma probably already knew what was going on, so she didn't ask any further questions.
"Really?" Xia Changping sneered. "I've heard that an Audi has been there two or three times in the past few months?"
"I don't know. Even if there were guests, grandma wouldn't let me see them. I'd always be studying upstairs."
Xia Changping believed this to some extent.
The old lady protected her granddaughter to an almost harsh degree.
“I heard that Audi is quite important,” Xia Changping said. “Your grandma only knows a little old lady, right? What, does she know some big shot?”
"I've never seen it."
She maintained a calm tone.
Xia Changping looked her up and down with a sharp gaze and sneered, "You know, you have exactly the same temper as your father."
He looks indifferent and easy-going, but he is actually very stubborn.
Xia Qingwan looked up at him and asked, "Why did you bring up my dad?"
Her eyes were clear and cold, and Xia Changping was getting annoyed. "Alright, alright, go back now. You little brat, you know nothing."
Xia Qingwan turned around and walked into the house.
As she walked past the card table and around the corner of the entrance, she was about to open the door when she heard a man say, "Changping, haven't you heard? That guy named Ye is dating a female college student recently. If you send your niece over, what problems can't be solved?"
Several men burst into laughter.
"Look at her, she's a fresh-faced college girl right away."
Xia Changping cursed, "You're all shameless! You all call him that kid surnamed Ye all the time in my house, but when you're in front of the real Buddha, you're all scurrying around like peas in the pan with smiles on your faces."
"That's a very..."
Xia Qingwan stopped listening, opened the door and walked out.
She continued walking until she reached the hanging flower gate of the second courtyard, where she suddenly stopped.
There was no sound of human voice around, and the low chirping of katydids came from the grass nearby. She found that her whole body was shaking, and her hands were clenched into fists.
Her heart was in turmoil, yet she didn't even notice it was raining.
After an unknown amount of time, an umbrella was placed over her head, and she caught a glimpse of a man's shirt and trousers out of the corner of her eye, followed by a faint scent of sandalwood.
Xia Qingwan raised her head.
Ye Peixiu held the umbrella in one hand and put the other in his pocket, looking down at her.
The little girl's eyes were initially blank, but once her gaze focused, a sense of alienation and wariness appeared in them.
Xia Qingwan turned away his eyes, left from under the umbrella without saying a word, and quickly turned around the corridor and disappeared.
Ye Peixiu stood there for a moment, then took out his phone and dialed a number, saying, "Stop her."
These words were so concise and to the point. Wang Jingzi was still confused when he saw Miss Xia walking out of the big red gate. He quickly hung up the phone, opened the car door and got out to greet her.
"Miss Xia, it's raining, why didn't you even bring an umbrella?"
"Sorry, I'm in a hurry."
Xia Qingwan didn't even raise her head.
Wang Jingzi could only stop him and said with a smile, "I'll get you an umbrella. It won't take up much time."
"No need, thank you."
She maintained her polite demeanor.
Wang Jingzi could only bite the bullet and try to reason with them, "What's wrong? Is it urgent? Where are you going? I'll take you?"
Xia Qingwan still refused and tried to leave by walking around him. Wang Jingzi was getting extremely anxious and had no idea what to do. Finally, he saw Ye Peixiu coming out and hurriedly said, "Mr. Ye, Miss Xia said she has something urgent to do."
Xia Qingwan stopped and looked back.
Even a fool could figure it out: Ye Peixiu had Wang Jingzi stop her.
Ye Peixiu approached, still holding the umbrella over her head, as if her escape and his interception had never happened, and said gently, "Where are you going? I'll take you there."
"No need," Xia Qingwan turned her head away, trying to maintain a calm tone, "I want to be alone for a while."
"Get in the car."
Why does everyone speak to her in an imperative tone?
Do all these people think they are superior to others?
Xia Qingwan turned back and raised her face, "I said, I want to be alone for a while."
Her eyes were red, as if she would cry at any moment. Perhaps she herself didn't realize that her voice was trembling slightly, as if she had suffered great injustice.
Ye Peixiu remained unmoved and repeated, "I'll take you there."
Xia Qingwan suddenly felt like laughing. "Mr. Ye, you are so high and mighty, giving orders and behaving as you please. Has no one ever dared to disobey you?"
So much so that he has become so accustomed to disregarding the wishes of others.
"Since you think so," Ye Peixiu remained calm, "if you know what's good for you, just get in the car."
Xia Qingwan lowered her head, wiped her face, and walked towards the car without looking back. Wang Jingzi hurried over to open the passenger door, then turned back to take Ye Peixiu's umbrella, opened the driver's door, and helped him get in.
"You take Miss Xia away, I'll take a taxi and go home directly."
What a joke! Even if he had a million lives, Wang Jingzi wouldn't dare to be the driver of this car at this time.
A note from the author:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
