Chapter 264 Cutting
"Mianmian, wake up."
Summer covered her ears and rolled over to the other side.
Having no other choice, Zhou Pingchuan walked to the inside of the bed and continued to call out, "It's time to get up."
Xia Mian flipped back over: "Don't bother me."
"Then you can continue sleeping. I'll have Mr. and Mrs. Xia come over this afternoon." Seeing that he really couldn't wake her up, Zhou Pingchuan said helplessly.
“…Wait a minute,” Xia Mian called out to Zhou Pingchuan, struggling to open her eyes, her gaze blank as she looked at the clock, “They’re here at only 8:30? They’re not even this diligent when they’re at work!”
Commuting in Beijing is difficult, and most companies set their attendance time at 9:00 or 9:30, so 8:30 is indeed a bit early.
This truly shows how anxious the Xia couple were.
"Tell them to wait, I'm coming downstairs now," Xia Mian reluctantly got up. "...Damn it, are you a dog? If you're itching for a toothache, have the kitchen make some pork bone soup, why are you using me to grind your teeth?"
Xia Mian lowered her head and saw that Zhou Pingchuan had rubbed a string of red teeth marks on her chest, abs, groin, and so on—everywhere that couldn't be exposed but could be gnawed on.
If it weren't for the reluctance, Zhou Pingchuan would actually want to devour Xia Mian piece by piece, so that she could be forever integrated into his bones and blood, never to be separated.
"What are you looking at? Are you so smug?" Xia Mian was even angrier.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't control myself. You can bite me back." Zhou Pingchuan offered his arm.
Having finally gotten a chance for revenge, how could Xia Mian let it go? She opened her blood-red maw and gently placed it on the scar on Zhou Pingchuan's wrist.
Xia Mian couldn't bear to bite this scarred hand, this hand that carried all of Zhou Pingchuan's painful memories.
"You've got a knack for picking locations. This is an artery, connected to the heart. If you bite through my skin, your blood will spurt out and spray all over my face. I don't want to take another shower, so I'll let you off the hook for now." Xia Mian waved her hand.
His lover was always like this; beneath her arrogant attitude, every word she uttered spoke of how much she loved him.
Zhou Pingchuan ruffled the boy's messy hair.
The housekeeper had already prepared the clothes for Xia Mian to wear in a little while. Xia Mian felt that the clothes looked familiar. After looking through them carefully, she realized that they were the rabbit-print loungewear that he had worn when he seduced Zhou Pingchuan.
That day, he accidentally spilled orange juice on it. He thought it wouldn't wash off, but the maid cleaned it very well. Only when you look closely under the light can you see the faint stain.
Xia Mian carried her clothes, not wanting to wear them at all, afraid of arousing someone's strange desires.
But he didn't dare say it outright, so he made up an excuse: "Wouldn't it be inappropriate to wear casual clothes when meeting elders?"
Zhou Pingchuan said succinctly, "This is our home."
Yes, this is their home. Xia Mian can wear whatever she wants, whatever is comfortable. Even if Old Master Zhou came, he couldn't tell her what to do, let alone the Xia couple.
Xia Mian gave an "OK" sign: "Okay, I'll wash up."
Xia Mian went into the bathroom to brush his teeth, and Zhou Pingchuan squeezed toothpaste for him. Xia Mian washed his face, and Zhou Pingchuan handed him a towel. Xia Mian was too young and once thought that marriage was far away from him, but this kind of ordinary, mutually supportive life had actually come to pass.
After washing up, he took Zhou Pingchuan's arm and went downstairs, where the Xia family couple were waiting in the reception area.
Seeing Xia Mian's clothes, Xia Dongbo's face darkened. Tang Wenhua nudged him with his elbow, then ran to Xia Mian and grabbed her right hand: "Mianmian, it really is my Mianmian! Seeing you healthy and safe, I can finally relax! Sigh, why didn't you tell Mom and Dad about such a big thing?"
As Xia Mian got closer, she noticed that the Xia couple looked tired, whether because of Xia Mingzhao's marital troubles or the 5% share.
To be honest, the Xia couple were quite good-looking; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to have a child as beautiful as the original owner.
Wealthy families have ample resources, and they've maintained their appearance very well over the years. Xia Dongbo is robust and imposing, while Tang Wenhua is elegant and poised. But now, however, a small patch of white has appeared at Xia Dongbo's temples. Tang Wenhua's makeup remains exquisite, but upon closer inspection, one can see fine lines around her eyes and mouth that even concealer can't hide.
Xia Mian suddenly realized that they were getting old.
Yesterday, including just before going downstairs, Xia Mian thought of many things to say to them, determined to make them lose face, in order to vent her anger at having to consult a lawyer about shares while her son's body was still warm.
But at this moment, he didn't want to say anything.
No need.
It will only cause more trouble.
“Sir, Madam, I know why you’ve come today,” Xia Mian said, getting straight to the point. “The five percent of the shares, including the dowry you gave me when we got engaged, are still in the warehouse next door, so don’t worry about them.”
“You gave birth to me, but for more than 20 years you have not fulfilled even the slightest obligation to raise me. In my opinion, those things are what you owe me and should have been given to me.”
"As your children, I should be by your side for the next twenty years, taking care of you in your old age and seeing you off in your final days. Unfortunately, I can't do that. I have people I want to be filial to, so today, I'll return those things to you."
There was one more thing Xia Mian didn't say.
He grew up surrounded by his parents' love and couldn't imagine how hurtful a bad family relationship could be. So when facing other parents, he could never say anything harsh and couldn't bear to see them embarrassed or sad.
But he believed that the Xia couple already understood.
From then on, they went their separate ways, becoming strangers again. More than twenty years of missed opportunities cannot be erased by a little money or a few polite words.
Perhaps we should just go with the flow.
Upon hearing this, Xia Dongbo and Tang Wenhua both froze on the spot, but their faces didn't show much surprise. Strangely, in Tang Wenhua's eyes, Xia Mian actually saw a trace of genuine sadness.
Ultimately, a mother and child are of one heart.
But in the end, it was she who said goodbye with dignity: "Look at you, child, talking nonsense. We know that the kindness of raising is greater than the kindness of giving birth. Live your own life well from now on, and come back to play whenever you want. The gates of Xia Garden will always be open to you."
After saying that, she pulled Xia Dongbo away. It seemed, perhaps, that the couple's backs had become a little more hunched.
Watching them walk out the door, Zhou Pingchuan put his arm around Xia Mian and gently patted his back.
Xia Mian shook her head: "It's alright. I believe that if the original owner were alive, she would agree with my choice."
For such a strained family relationship, a swift and decisive solution is the best course of action, something Xia Mian has always known.
But they were, after all, the only two people in this world with whom he shared blood ties.
When he first transmigrated, he had imagined that they could warm each other like a real family, but in the end, he still chose to say goodbye, wearing pajamas stained with orange juice, in a hasty and impromptu manner.
Fortunately, fortunately, his closest family members were standing beside him.
Xia Mian hugged Zhou Pingchuan and buried her face in his chest.
I love you so much.
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