Tan Mo sat across from Xie Qichen at the dinner table, feeling so hot she was about to combust.
Amused by the awkwardness, she couldn’t help but laugh when recalling Yang Xialan bringing a whole bowl of soup for Xie Qichen to drink, and the man’s face darkening more than coal.
She had just said it offhandedly, never expecting Yang Xialan to misunderstand that Xie Qichen had kidney deficiency…
Probably because Xie Qichen didn’t look like a muscular, rugged guy, making it easy for people to get the wrong idea…
After dinner, Yang Xialan left first, leaving only the two of them in the dining hall.
The atmosphere was subtly quiet.
Tan Mo poked at her bowl, sneaking a glance at the man across from her. After a few seconds, she broke the silence and asked him:
“Umm… how did you think the dishes I made today tasted?”
Xie Qichen lifted his eyelids and looked straight at her:
“The taste was very good.”
“Especially that pigeon soup, particularly nourishing.”
Tan Mo: “…”
The girl’s cheeks turned rosy red as she lowered her head to eat:
“Y-yeah, it’s quite nourishing.”
If you really have kidney deficiency, it’s exactly the right remedy…
Xie Qichen pushed the soup toward her, his tone lazy and calm:
“Do you want some too?”
“I just checked, this soup can also enhance brain function and improve mental clarity.”
“Okay.”
She was about to go get some, but then realized with indignation: “Are you calling me dumb?!”
Who needs improved brain power anyway?!
The man placed the napkin, stood up, glanced at her, and a faint teasing glimmer appeared in his eyes: “Just stating facts.”
After Xie Qichen left, Tan Mo was fuming like a pufferfish.
Damn old man!
Tan Mo went to find the chef, assigning them a task: to prepare pigeon soup for Xie Qichen every day from then on.
She’d nourish him to death!
After dinner, Tan Mo went upstairs. Yang Xialan was alone on the balcony drinking tea, so she walked over, “Mom, you’ll catch a chill sitting here.”
“No problem, I’m just having some tea. The room’s heating is too strong, it feels stuffy.”
“Then let me go get you a blanket.”
Tan Mo went back to her room to fetch a blanket, draped it over Yang Xialan, and sat beside her, “Mom, I’ll keep you company.”
“Great,” Yang Xialan smiled at her, “You worked hard cooking today, the food was especially good. Teach me a few recipes next time.”
“Oh no, I’m just a beginner.”
Yang Xialan poured her some tea, “I suddenly realized daughters are better. Sons just aren’t as considerate. But now I feel like I have both a son and a daughter.”
Tan Mo smiled shyly. Yang Xialan started chatting with her: “Achen’s health was indeed not very good before, mainly due to work.”
“Was he really tired during those years abroad?”
Yang Xialan sighed, “Tired doesn’t even begin to describe it. Back then, he went overseas without taking any resources from the Xie family, essentially starting from scratch. He endured alone, often working days and nights without sleep to land deals, living frugally in low-rent housing. At the beginning, without connections or status, he was looked down upon and endured many humiliations.”
Tan Mo was stunned.
She had never heard him mention these things.
Now, in the eyes of everyone, Xie Qichen was a man of prestige and countless admirers. Who would have thought that behind his brilliance lay so much hardship.
“Back then, that child almost ruined his health for his career. He still has some stomach issues now. It’s only been the past two years, with his career taking off, that he started focusing on taking care of his health.”
“I didn’t know he had stomach problems. I’ll ask the chef to prepare more stomach-friendly dishes for him in the future.”
Yang Xialan looked toward the distant river, reminiscing:
“When Achen was four, I divorced his father because my financial situation wasn’t good, so he was raised by his father. But we both lived in Licheng, so he would come to me on weekends.”
“At first, he was quite happy staying with his father, until his father remarried and had another son. Without even thinking, that woman definitely didn’t want another son in the house competing for her child’s affection.”
Yang Xialan sighed again, “Back then, Achen often came to my place and didn’t want to go back to his father’s house. I saw that little kid crouching at my doorstep, eyes red, saying ‘Mom, I don’t want to go back,’ and my heart ached.”
“I wanted to take him in, but back then I simply couldn’t provide him with a good life. On one hand, he could live as the prestigious eldest son of the Xie family, and on the other, he’d have to follow me and live frugally. If you were a mother, how would you choose?”
Tan Mo lowered her eyes, unable to answer.
So Xie Qichen must have endured a lot at the Xie family before, which was why he worked so hard later. But when she met him in high school, he gave off a particularly gentle and sunny vibe, perhaps hiding all that pain beneath his exterior.
“Mom, our lives are better now, everything is getting better.”
Yang Xialan nodded, holding her hand: “Yes, it’s fortunate that now Achen has you. I can feel he’s been really happy since marrying you.”
Tan Mo was slightly dazed.
Would he be happy…
Before Yang Xialan could say more, she suddenly noticed the man himself standing at the balcony doorway with one hand in his pocket, holding a cup of coffee, his expression calm and distant under the moonlight. She had no idea how long he had been standing there.
“Oh, were you eavesdropping on our conversation?”
Xie Qichen straightened up and walked toward them, “No, I just saw you two chatting happily.”
Yang Xialan laughed, “I was just saying that Achen’s condition has improved a lot since he married you, Momo. In the past few years abroad, I rarely saw him smile.”
Tan Mo raised her eyes to meet Xie Qichen’s gaze. His lips curved slightly: “Perhaps it’s because the feng shui here in China is better for people.”
“Got it, now you’re even talking about feng shui…”
After a few more casual words, Yang Xialan finally decided to go back to her room to rest.
After sending Yang Xialan back to her room, Tan Mo walked out of the bedroom and saw Xie Qichen standing in the hallway.
She ignored him as she walked past, but her wrist was caught.
The man looked at her with lowered eyelids: “Still angry?”
She pulled her hand away, scoffing lightly: “I should keep away from not-smart people, otherwise the feng shui might be bad.”
He smiled, “You actually say that about yourself?”
She looked at him proudly: “What are you thinking? This is a warning I gave myself.”
She walked toward the living room, and Xie Qichen watched the proud and haughty back view of the young girl, a smile spreading in his eyes.
In the evening, Tan Mo didn’t need to edit videos, so she leisurely curled up on the lounge chair in the living room reading a book. After a while, she caught a glimpse of Xie Qichen coming out of his study and sitting on the nearby sofa, handling work matters.
Why is this guy staying in the same space as her…
Tan Mo, still holding a grudge, turned over, facing away from him.
After reading for a while, Tan Mo got bored and started scrolling on her phone. A set of food pictures featuring milk tea, grilled meat, and hot pot annoyingly popped up, making her drool.
She casually forwarded them to her account: [I can’t be the only one drooling, I need to drag someone else down with me.]
Soon, comments appeared from her followers:
[Teacher Jasmine, you’re so mean, making people not sleep at night!]
[I’m on a diet recently, and I’m drooling like crazy!!!]
[Unfollow [dog face] unless you do a late-night eating live stream to forgive you]
This post made me so hungry, I’m going to watch Momo’s cooking videos to curb my appetite (?
[Same as above, watching Momo’s cooking videos made me laugh so hard, no appetite left because she often messes up [dog emoji]]
[LOL you guys are so mean…]
Tan Mo laughed and interacted with the fans for a while, then logged off and continued reading.
Around ten o’clock, she heard the doorbell downstairs. She was puzzled and saw the man on the sofa stand up and go downstairs.
Who would come knocking at this hour?
She was curious, and soon saw Xie Qichen returning to the second floor, holding a bag. She peeked out at him:
“Who was it?”
“The food delivery.”
“Eh?”
Xie Qichen casually glanced at her: “Late-night snack, milk tea and grilled meat.”
Tan Mo’s eyes lit up instantly: “Why did you order these?!”
“Are you going to look at it instead of eating it?”
Tan Mo’s inner cravings were instantly awakened. She slowly walked up to him, secretly glancing at the bag to see how many portions he had ordered.
She didn’t realize her expression was completely visible to the man, who couldn’t help but smile, asking softly: “Want to eat?”
Tan Mo swung her arms, casually pursing her lips: “If you ordered extra and can’t finish it… I can help you eat a bit.”
Xie Qichen handed her the bag, and Tan Mo’s eyes lit up. Just as she was about to reach for it, he pulled it back, smirking:
“But didn’t you say you should keep away from not-smart people? Are you going to eat his late-night snack?”
“…”
Tan Mo knew he was teasing her, but she was stubborn: “Forget it, I’m not eating.”
She turned to leave, but he laughed and pulled her back: “I’m teasing you. It’s ordered for you.”
She stared at him, then heard him say:
“Go back to the room to eat.”
“Okay…”
Tan Mo didn’t expect this guy to be so nice. Hiding a smile, she hummed a tune while heading to her bedroom with the takeout.
However, just as she reached her bedroom door, she was stopped: “Which room are you going to?”
The tall man blocked her doorway.
She heard him and turned red at the ears, “To my own room. We’re sleeping separately tonight…”
Trying to slip past him when he wasn’t looking, she was caught around the waist and pulled toward him. The next moment, the man’s strong arm, faintly visible, lifted her up and carried her toward his bedroom.
Startled, she grabbed his shoulders, “Xie Qichen!”
She saw him walk into the bedroom and lock the door behind him. Tan Mo’s mind went blank:
“Xie Qichen, put me down… What are you doing… Mmm…”
Her voice was soft and sweet like a marshmallow, so tender it could melt in your mouth, easily sparking all sorts of thoughts.
Finally, she was placed on the chaise lounge. The man half-leaning over her, his dark eyes burning:
“Tan Mo, if you’re any louder and my mom hears, she might think—”
“Think what?”
“Think that tonight’s pigeon soup was particularly effective.”
Tan Mo was stunned for a moment before realization dawned.
Her face suddenly flared with heat like a mushroom cloud.
Her face flushed red, her eyes misty with moisture. She turned her head away from him. A few seconds later, she felt the intense presence withdraw, and his voice softly said:
“Just like last night, you sleep in the bed, I’ll sleep on the sofa. Go ahead and eat your late-night snack.”
Tan Mo obediently responded, “Okay…”
Fine, she’d just sleep here obediently tonight.
If Yang Xialan found out they were lying to her, it would be hard to explain…
Tan Mo sat on the chair and started eating her late-night snack. Xie Qichen took clean clothes and went to the bathroom. Soon after, the sound of water could be heard from inside.
When Tan Mo was eating the last skewer of grilled noodles, the bathroom door opened.
The man came out to dry his hair. Tan Mo asked him, “How did you know I wanted takeout tonight? Did you… check my social media post?”
“Mm.”
Tan Mo didn’t expect him to admit it so readily. She was embarrassed, “Didn’t I tell you not to follow my account? Why are you still looking…”
The man leaned against the table drying his hair, looking at her, “What? So nervous that I saw it?”
“I’m not nervous, it’s just…” she stubbornly replied, “I feel like you’re secretly watching me.”
“Just seeing you mess up at home every day is already enough entertainment.”
“…”
Tan Mo was so angry she wanted to throw the skewer in her hand like a dart at Xie Qichen, “Xie Qichen, do you know sometimes you really deserve a beating!”
Tan Mo continued drinking her milk tea without acknowledging him. Xie Qichen watched the girl’s flustered expression, silently smiling. After drying his hair, he walked over, took a tissue from the table, and leaned forward to wipe the barbecue sauce from the corner of her mouth.
Meeting his suddenly approaching gaze, Tan Mo’s breath caught. She heard him chuckle softly, “They say that ‘eating someone’s food makes you soft, taking something from someone makes you short.’ Eating my late-night snack and still getting so angry?”
Tan Mo stiffened her face, “Fine, I’m a magnanimous adult, I won’t bother arguing with you.”
After finishing her milk tea, Tan Mo went back to her room to freshen up because all her skincare products were there. Once she was done, she returned to his room’s door and knocked lightly.
A few seconds later, the door opened, and Xie Qichen looked at her:
“Why are you acting like a thief? Can’t you just push the door open yourself?”
“…”
“I was afraid you were inconvenient…”
Like, what if he was taking off his clothes.
Holding her cinnamon dog plushie, she followed him into the bedroom, climbed onto the bed, and flopped down on her back. Beside her, Xie Qichen watched and said, “You’re being unusually obedient today.”
Tan Mo realized she was openly occupying the bed and thought he might not be happy, so she quickly sat up: “Well then, let’s switch. You sleep in the bed tonight, and I’ll take the sofa?”
“First, you lie down quietly by yourself.”
“Second, I come to bed, and lie with you.”
Xie Qichen: “Those are the only two options. Which one do you choose?”
The next moment, Tan Mo hugged her plushie, quickly lying down and pulling the covers over herself. She buried her head in the blanket: “Thanks for taking the sofa. Please turn off the light for me. Good night.”
The man silently laughed.
She was such a coward.
A while later, Tan Mo felt the light dim. She pulled the blanket down, and in the dim light, she saw Xie Qichen already sitting on the sofa.
Suddenly, Tan Mo recalled the conversation Yang Xialan had with her that night and softly called out to him:
“Xie Qichen.”
“Mm.”
“Are you a domineering CEO?”
“…What the hell is that?”
Tan Mo chuckled to herself: “Your mom mentioned you have stomach issues. Isn’t that just like the typical domineering CEO in novels?”
The man on the sofa sighed helplessly: “Read fewer useless novels.”
“Pfft, mind your own business.”
Tan Mo steered the topic back, “How is your stomach now? I didn’t know you had a stomach problem. You seem fine usually.”
“As long as you eat on time, there’s nothing to worry about. Just take some medicine when it hurts.”
“You need to take better care of yourself. Stomach pain isn’t a small issue.”
Xie Qichen responded briefly.
Tan Mo rested her chin on her hand, looking at him, “Xie Qichen… I heard from your mom that these years abroad have been really tough for you.”
He replied indifferently, “It’s okay.”
“The hardest time must have been when you first went overseas, right? I can imagine how difficult it must have been for you, being alone in a foreign land, struggling at the beginning.”
“It wasn’t then.”
Tan Mo was surprised, “Huh?”
The man’s gaze shifted sideways, his eyes shadowed:
“It was when I couldn’t come back home.”
Not when he was repeatedly rejected, not when he was eating sour fast food, not even when he was thrown out onto the street for failing to pay the rent.
The most painful time was when he couldn’t return home, couldn’t see her.
That was more unbearable than anything else.
Tan Mo misunderstood, thinking he missed his homeland, and smiled at him, “It’s okay now. You’re back home, and the hard times are over.”
Xie Qichen looked at her, his eyes deep, “Yes, it’s over.”
–
A cup of milk tea kept Tan Mo awake the entire night, and she didn’t fall asleep until after three o’clock in the morning.
The next day was Saturday. Xie Qichen didn’t go to the group company, and Tan Mo, together with him and Yang Xialan, went downtown for a walk and to buy some New Year’s goods.
With the New Year approaching, the streets were decorated with red lanterns, creating a festive and lively atmosphere.
Although Licheng was also Yang Xialan’s hometown, many places had been renovated after several years away, making them unrecognizable.
Entering a mall, Tan Mo and Yang Xialan browsed through a clothing store, picking out new clothes. The man responsible for paying the bills followed behind, handling business on his phone, while Wen Cheng trailed alongside, carrying the shopping bags.
Yang Xialan complained to Tan Mo, “Achen hates shopping the most. Dragging him along feels like taking his life away, but when it comes to paying, he’s the cleanest and quickest because he hopes I’ll finish buying as soon as possible and end the ordeal.”
Tan Mo laughed, “But he’s being quite unusual today.”
“It’s because you’re here. Maybe he finds it more enjoyable.”
Seeing Xie Qichen approaching, Yang Xialan pretended to be upset, “You’re really busy. So many things to do even at year-end. Good thing that Momo is here to accompany me.”
Xie Qichen locked his phone and looked at her, a helpless smile tugging his lips:
“Mom, you and Momo can buy whatever you like. I’ll pay. But other things are a bit difficult for me.”
Yang Xialan laughed, “Forget it, I can’t rely on you anyway…”
Xie Qichen was like a walking ATM machine throughout, but when the three of them passed by a candied hawthorn shop, Tan Mo, who had loved candied hawthorn since childhood, couldn’t help but glance at it a few times.
She continued walking forward when suddenly a skewer of candied hawthorn appeared in front of her, and a male voice said:
“Here, take it.”
Tan Mo looked at Xie Qichen, slightly stunned, and accepted it, “How did you know I wanted candied hawthorn?”
His tone was indifferent, “I’ve always known.”
Back in high school, once when he accompanied her for New Year shopping, he had heard her mention it casually.
Yang Xialan beside them laughed, “Indeed, even while handling business, his heart is still on Momo.”
Tan Mo’s cheeks flushed slightly. She took a bite of the candied hawthorn. The taste was sweeter than honey.
Xie Qichen accompanied the mother and daughter-in-law for half a day, and then received a call saying he needed to handle some matters at the group company in the afternoon.
Yang Xialan told him to go ahead, and Xie Qichen left a card with Tan Mo for them to use, saying, “Call me if anything comes up.”
Tan Mo nodded, “Okay, go ahead and be busy.”
The man left first, while Tan Mo and Yang Xialan continued shopping.
In the afternoon, in a clothing store, Yang Xialan went to try on clothes while Tan Mo sat on the sofa waiting. Suddenly, she received a call from her mother: “Momo, tonight is Grandma’s birthday. We’re having a banquet at Zhuanglan Hotel. We need to be there by 6:30.”
Tan Mo’s nominal grandmother, also the matriarch of the Tan family, was Su Fangyun.
Tan Mo had been so busy accompanying Yang Xialan lately that she had forgotten the old lady’s birthday, “Okay, I know.”
“Oh, and invite Qichen. You two should come together.”
“He has a meeting in the afternoon. I don’t know if he’s available…”
“Then ask him.”
“Okay.”
After hanging up, Tan Mo took out her phone and asked Xie Qichen first:
[How long will you be busy at the group company?]
Yang Xialan, who had finished buying clothes, walked over. She had seen Tan Mo on a call just now, “Was that Achen’s call?”
“No, it was my mom reminding me to attend my grandmother’s birthday banquet tonight. I’m sorry, I had promised to go for hotpot with you tonight, but maybe we need to reschedule.”
Yang Xialan smiled and patted her arm, “That’s nothing. We can have hotpot another day. No rush.”
The two walked out of the store, and Tan Mo glanced around the shops, “I haven’t bought a gift for my grandmother yet. I need to get one now.”
“No problem, mom can help you choose.”
“Okay.”
…
So, with Yang Xialan’s company, Tan Mo picked out a limited edition scarf from a luxury brand. Later, Yang Xialan also added a few more gifts.
Tan Mo was reluctant to accept them at first, but Yang Xialan said the other gifts were from her and Xie Qichen, since they were now married, and Tan Mo accepted them.
In the evening, Tan Yuanzhou called her: “Momo, you know you’re supposed to attend your grandmother’s birthday banquet tonight, right?”
“Yep.”
“Then is Xie Qichen accompanying you there?”
“He might not be available. He should still be at the group company.”
“Then where are you now?”
Tan Mo told her the address, and Tan Yuanzhou said he happened to be nearby and could come to pick her up and take her to the hotel together.
Then Tan Mo escorted Yang Xialan to the parking lot: “Mom, you go home first. I’ll wait here for my uncle. He’s coming to take me to the birthday banquet.”
“Okay, I’ll go home first then.”
After Yang Xialan left, Tan Mo walked to the roadside in front of the mall entrance.
Looking up, the sky that had been clear in the morning now turned gray and heavy, hanging overhead like an impending storm.
Not long after, Tan Yuanzhou’s Bugatti Veyron arrived and picked up Tan Mo.
On the way, Tan Mo received a message from Xie Qichen: [I have another meeting tonight and will be back a bit late.]
Beside her, Tan Yuanzhou was driving and just happened to mention Xie Qichen, “Is he available tonight? Should we ask?”
“He’s busy. Forget it.”
Actually, did it really matter whether Xie Qichen came or not? Since he was busy, she decided not to ask anymore.
It was rush hour now, and the car was stuck in traffic in the city center for half an hour before finally reaching the destination. Fortunately, they arrived early, well before the banquet started.
Tan Mo followed Tan Yuanzhou into the hotel and took the elevator to the floor where the banquet was being held.
Inside the banquet hall, it was golden and splendid, luxuriously decorated with festive red tones, clearly the kind of setting the elderly would enjoy.
Tan Yuanzhou looked around but didn’t see the old lady and asked a waiter, who said she was chatting with relatives in the reception room.
Tan Mo and Tan Yuanzhou walked over, and could hear laughter coming from inside.
Looking in, the elderly matriarch Su Fangyun was sitting in the middle of the sofa, her hair gray, wearing an elegant and refined purple coat. Tan Zhiwan was holding her arm, chatting and laughing. Beside her stood Tan Mo’s father and mother, along with several familiar relatives.
The door was pushed open, and those inside turned to look at them.
It wasn’t surprising to see Tan Yuanzhou, but when several relatives saw Tan Mo behind him, their eyes flickered with something subtle.
The girl was wearing a wine-red wool coat today, her fair and delicate skin stood out, her smooth black hair cascading over her shoulders, her bright eyes shining like a porcelain doll in a glass jar.
Truly the air of a young lady, perhaps even more so than the real Tan family daughter.
For a moment, the laughter and chatter quieted slightly.
Tan Zhiwan looked at Tan Mo, her expression slightly cold, tightening her grip on the old lady’s arm.
Seeing the two, Tan Mo’s mother smiled and hurriedly greeted them, “Yuanzhou and Mo Mo are here! Come in quickly. Did you two happen to meet?”
Tan Yuanzhou walked in, “Yes, I just went to pick up Mo Mo.”
Tan Yuanzhou approached the old lady, placing the gift on the coffee table, his smile a bit mischievous:
“Mom, happy birthday. I’m not too late, am I?”
Su Fangyun loved her youngest son the most. She smiled and teased him:
“You’re not late unless I see you first?”
“Mom, that’s a misunderstanding. I went to pick up your granddaughter, didn’t I?”
One of the relatives laughed, “It’s been a while since we last saw Mo Mo.”
Tan Mo smiled and greeted them, finally turning her gaze to Su Fangyun, who was looking at the coffee table, and politely said:
“Grandma——”
A few seconds later, Su Fangyun adjusted her shawl, looked up at her, her eyes filled with meaning, and spoke indifferently:
“You came?”
Hearing the subtle tone in Su Fangyun’s voice and feeling the surrounding gazes upon her, Tan Mo hesitated slightly, her heart tightening. She smiled warmly at Su Fangyun:
“Yes, Grandma. Happy birthday.”
Tan Mo placed the gift box in her hand on the table and gently said, “This is a birthday gift for Grandma. I wish you good health and happiness as boundless as the sea.”
Several relatives nearby leaned in, seeing the brand on the gift box, exclaimed at its cost, “This gift isn’t cheap…”
Tan Mo’s father noticed and was surprised, “Mo Mo, you’re still in school. Why buy such expensive things?”
“It’s okay, it’s for Grandma…”
Su Fangyun glanced at the gift box and spoke:
“Now our family’s Mo Mo is really different.”
She looked at Tan Mo, her smile cold and thin—
“Coming back after marrying into the Xie family, how splendid it is?”
Su Fangyun’s words fell like ice onto the ground, instantly cooling the atmosphere.
Hearing this, Tan Mo’s expression froze.
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