Chapter 49 Hedgehog
Xia Yu put down the documents in his hand and looked at his smiling daughter. He didn't seem to have any particular emotion about her being so happy to see him. He simply said, "Get in the car."
Xia Zhen quickly got into the car.
Xia Yu frowned slightly when he saw her rather unladylike actions.
Xia Zhen placed her hands on her knees and sat up straight on her own.
Xia Yu's brows relaxed slightly, and he told the driver to start the car.
Xia Zhen asked, "Isn't Dad supposed to be back in a few more days?"
"I worked a little overtime to get the rest of the work done."
"Dad doesn't have to work so hard. Work can be done slowly."
If he were any slower, wouldn't she be missing him, her father, and crying all the time?
Xia Yu said with a stern face, "The company can't function without me."
Xia Zhen admired this workaholic from the bottom of her heart. If it weren't for the arranged marriage, he might not have been able to marry her mother back then.
Of course, it's no surprise that they eventually divorced.
Xia Zhen tried her best to be a considerate daughter, saying, "Dad just got back, so he can rest more. Uncle Zhao can pick me up."
Xia Yu glanced over and said, "It's just on my way. I wouldn't have come to school specifically to pick you up."
His cool gaze seemed to imply that Xia Zhen was deluding herself.
Although...but...
The route from the airport back to the Xia family home is definitely quite far from No. 1 Middle School.
Xia Zhen resisted the urge to expose the old man.
Her only thought now was that her father had returned early, making it much harder for her to sneak out to see Lu Jin over the weekend.
Xia Yu received a phone call, "Uncle He."
Xia Zhen looked up and saw that this Uncle He was the housekeeper of the Xia family's old house, and his job was to take care of Old Master Xia's daily life.
"Okay, I understand." Not long after, Xia Yu hung up the phone and said, "Your grandfather has hosted a family dinner. We're going there to eat today."
Xia Zhen curled her lip in disinterest.
Grandpa Xia hosts a family banquet every month. In the past, only Xia Yu and Xia Zhen would attend, but this time Tang Susu was also there.
Even after Tang Susu was found, Grandpa Xia fully respected Tang Susu's wish not to change her surname. Grandpa Xia had no objection to Tang Susu taking her mother's surname.
This once powerful and ruthless businessman, driven by guilt, indulged his only child, the only flesh and blood left by his youngest son who had died young, to an unlimited extent.
Xia Yu suddenly spoke up, "If you're upset, don't hold it in. I'll clean up your mess."
Xia Zhen was truly moved. She hugged Xia Yu's arm and said, "Dad, I love you!"
Xia Yu frowned slightly, her tone displeased, "As a girl, you should..."
"reserved!"
Xia Yu was speechless after his words were cut off. Although he complained that his daughter was not reserved enough, he still did not pull his arm away from her embrace.
The Xia family's old house is even more impressive than the villa where Xia Yu, a divorced young man, lives with his daughter. Although Old Master Xia doesn't like a lot of people running around, there are still more than ten servants in the old house.
Upon entering the old house, a gentle-looking man, around sixty years old, greeted us.
Xia Zhen was the first to greet him, "Grandpa He!"
Butler He smiled and said, "Young Miss has become even more beautiful."
As the only granddaughter of Old Master Xia, Xia Zhen often came back to visit. Although Butler He was a butler, he could also be said to have taken care of her as she grew up, so Xia Zhen was very close to him.
Butler He said to Xia Yu, "Master is receiving guests in the study. He instructed that once the eldest young master arrives, we should go to the study to meet the guests."
After handing over his business to Xia Yu, Old Master Xia hasn't seen any guests for many years.
As Xia Yu walked, he asked, "Who are you?"
"It's one of the master's close friends, though they're much older than him. He just came back from abroad."
The mention of the phrase "friendship across generations" made Xia Yu's eyes twitch. "Lu Qi?"
Butler He nodded with a smile.
Xia Yu took a deep breath, suppressing her emotions.
Seeing that Xia Yu's guarded figure had disappeared, Xia Zhen asked curiously, "Grandpa He, who is Lu Qi?"
"A man who is only seven or eight years older than the young master, yet is addressed as 'uncle' by the young master."
"I guess he's someone who gives my dad a lot of headaches."
Butler He smiled without saying a word.
It seems like this is no ordinary headache.
Butler He had to go and supervise the banquet arrangements, so Xia Zhen naturally didn't need his care. There was still some time before dinner, so she walked leisurely towards the banquet hall by herself.
A girl suddenly jumped out from the flower bushes. Xia Zhen, who happened to be there, hadn't even reacted before she bumped into her.
A boy reached out his hand.
Fortunately, he grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her into his arms.
Unfortunately, Xia Zhen fell to the ground, hitting her elbow on the floor, and gasped in pain.
"Are you alright?" The girl hurriedly tried to help Xia Zhen up, who had fallen to the ground, but her hand was grabbed and she couldn't move forward.
Tang Susu was both angry and anxious. "Song Heng, let me go!"
Song Heng did not let go. He looked coldly at the person on the ground, showing no gentlemanly manners and no intention of helping him up.
Xia Zhen didn't need anyone's help. She stood up, holding her right hand, her face expressionless, yet she gave the impression of being a hedgehog.
She was bristling with thorns, figuring out where to strike and leave the person utterly bruised and battered.
Song Heng's eyes flickered slightly, perhaps out of doubt.
What was he wondering about?
No one knew except him.
The atmosphere in the hospital ward was heavy and sorrowful.
Hao Hui stayed by the hospital bedside, her sobs coming in fits and starts. Even though she had little strength left, she couldn't stop crying.
Lu Huiming's eyes were bloodshot, he had a few gray hairs, and his body was hunched over. He no longer had the high spirits he had when he was promoted not long ago.
The only one was the boy in the wheelchair. He stayed quietly by the window for a long time. Because he was trying to avoid the direction of the setting sun, the view he could see through the window was very limited, but he wasn't actually looking at the sunset.
He was clutching a few chocolates in his hand.
He had been holding those chocolates in silence for a long time. He was usually the most patient person with a lot of loneliness, but now he couldn't do it.
Because he hadn't seen the girl for a whole day.
Lu Jin lowered his eyes and sighed softly, "We've already wasted a lot of time. It's time for you to make a choice."
Hao Hui's eyes were filled with tears, and her voice was hoarse. "What did you say?"
Lu Huiming also looked up, staring at the figure by the window with a puzzled expression.
Lu Jin turned around.
The boy was clearly sensitive to light, yet now he was completely exposed to the afterglow of the setting sun.
He was backlit, his expression blurred, but he seemed to be laughing. "You've invested everything in that good-for-nothing, and you think you'll get a return?"
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