Tan Mo couldn’t believe it, but Xie Qichen’s expression looked somewhat serious: “Really?”
The man chuckled lightly, “Do you actually think that’s possible?”
Tan Mo: “…”
“I was playing football and he asked me to bring you along when I went to visit him.”
He explained.
Xie Qichen’s gaze fell upon her dazed, soft figure. Before turning to get into the car, he murmured lowly:
“Let’s go, little bunny.”
Little bunny?
Tan Mo was momentarily stunned. Two seconds later, she realized she still had the bunny ear headband on—she had forgotten to take it off after the live stream?!
Ugh, she must’ve looked so childish just now…
She awkwardly yanked it off and stuffed the bunny ears into her bag.
She followed him into the Rolls-Royce and sat in the back seat. Xie Qichen turned his gaze toward her:
“Why’d you take it off? It looked cute.”
“…”
You’re cute. Your whole family is cute.
Tan Mo secretly rolled her eyes. Right now, she didn’t feel like bantering with him. She was more worried about Tan Yuanzhou: “Is my uncle seriously injured?”
Xie Qichen opened his laptop and rested it on his lap, “He said it’s a fracture, nothing serious.”
Back when Tan Yuanzhou was in school, he loved playing football and often got bruises and scrapes. Tan Mo often heard about his injuries through Xie Qichen.
Thinking she’d see him soon, Tan Mo decided not to call Tan Yuanzhou just yet.
The car started and smoothly drove forward.
The back seat was exceptionally quiet, only the sound of Xie Qichen typing on his keyboard.
Tan Mo couldn’t help but glance at him.
The man wore a white shirt and black trousers, broad-shouldered and long-legged. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing delicate wrists. His black eyes gazed indifferently at the screen through the gold-rimmed glasses. His hands were operating something on the laptop.
The perfect image of a cold, shrewd capitalist.
She didn’t dare disturb him and quietly played with her phone. After a while, she heard the man ask, “Not busy these days?”
Tan Mo puffed her cheeks, muttering, “Fine enough, not like certain people who are swamped with work, even handling things on the go.”
Xie Qichen turned to look at her, “Hmm?”
A few seconds later, he closed the laptop and placed it aside, speaking gently:
“No, I was just dealing with an urgent email.”
Tan Mo was slightly taken aback, sensing the implication in his words.
Was he assuming she was upset and explaining himself…?
She quickly said, “It’s fine, you can continue working.”
“I’m done already.”
“…Oh.”
She remembered something and said, “By the way, thank you for helping connect us regarding the drone collaboration. We’ve already signed the contract with Aochuang.”
“I know.”
Although it was just a simple favor for him, she still felt grateful, “Thanks, sorry to trouble you.”
“Tan Mo.”
“Hmm?”
The man’s fingertip rubbed his palm and turned to meet her gaze, his voice slightly cool:
“Why haven’t I noticed you being so polite before?”
In the past, Tan Mo could be unrestrained and playful around him because he always spoiled and protected her. But now, she always felt distant from him, unable to understand him.
She mumbled, “Things were different back then…”
“How were they different?”
He seemed to press for an answer.
“Mainly, mainly…” She hesitated for a moment before blurting out, “You should be shown respect as an elder.”
The man’s eyebrows twitched slightly, and he lightly tapped his thigh with his fingers.
“Elder?”
She suppressed the corner of her lips and nodded solemnly, “Strictly speaking, you are an elder, the kind who’s respected and esteemed.”
“…”
What an esteemed elder, seriously.
Before they could talk more, the car quickly arrived at the destination.
They got out and took the elevator to the top-floor penthouse of the building.
Tan Yuanzhou was worth hundreds of millions, running a wine business with assets worldwide.
After entering the passcode known in advance, they entered the foyer. Tan Mo saw Tan Yuanzhou slouched on the living room sofa, “Uncle—”
He wore a loose black T-shirt, with thick eyebrows and dark eyes. Upon hearing them, he turned his head and smiled, “You’re here.”
“Uncle, how’s your leg? Is the fracture serious?”
Tan Mo ran to his side, full of concern.
“No problem, just a minor fracture. Believe me, I’ll be up and about in a couple of days.”
Tan Yuanzhou’s gaze flicked toward Xie Qichen, who had just walked over, and he smiled, “You just landed in the evening, didn’t you say you had to go to the group? I thought you wouldn’t have time to pick Mo Mo up.”
Tan Mo was momentarily stunned.
Just landed? Was he in such a rush?
Xie Qichen sat on the side of the sofa, calmly, “The group can wait. I came to check on you first.”
Tan Yuanzhou snorted inwardly.
Hmph, come to check on him, really! Was this guy seriously pretending?
Tan Mo examined his leg in a cast, frowning, “Uncle, I mean, you’re already old, how could you be so careless playing football?”
Tan Yuanzhou laughed and tapped her head, “What are you talking about? Am I that old at thirty? Xie Qichen is even half a year older than me, what would that make him?”
Xie Qichen met Tan Mo’s gaze, “It’s fine. In her eyes, I’m practically halfway in the grave already.”
“Hahahaha?”
Tan Mo blushed with embarrassment, “I didn’t say that…”
After some banter, Tan Mo asked Tan Yuanzhou how he’d manage his daily life going forward. Tan Yuanzhou said someone from the family estate would send a nurse and a housemaid to take care of him.
“If you need help, I can come cook for you. It’s convenient,” Tan Mo offered.
“Wow—”
“What? Don’t you trust my cooking skills?”
“I do trust you. I’ll look forward to your meals,” Tan Yuanzhou smiled and glanced at Xie Qichen, “A Chen, do you want to come over for meals sometimes? But you’re so busy with work, I guess you won’t have time. What a shame.”
Xie Qichen looked at him but didn’t speak.
Tan Yuanzhou suppressed a smile, “Alright, I want to lie down in my room.”
He stood up, and Tan Mo moved to support him, only to see Xie Qichen approach.
“I’ll help.”
As Tan Yuanzhou was about to lean on Xie Qichen’s shoulder, the latter suddenly stepped aside. Tan Yuanzhou nearly fell but was finally caught by Xie Qichen.
“Xie Qichen, you bastard…”
The man’s tone was light and indifferent, “Didn’t you say you could jump around? Can’t even stand steady?”
“…”
Tan Yuanzhou was furious but had to be supported forward. He smiled at Tan Mo:
“By the way, Mo Mo, pick a bottle of red wine from here to take back to your apartment.”
Tan Mo: “Why?”
“You love drinking wine, right? One day, you can invite some male and female classmates over for dinner, wine, and movies. It’s so romantic and atmospheric. You should make friends while you’re young, right?”
The girl was stunned: “Ah…”
Xie Qichen’s icy gaze swept toward Tan Yuanzhou, who coughed lightly and laughed, finally not daring to provoke further, “Just kidding. It’s dangerous to stay with a man after drinking at night. You might fall into the tiger’s mouth.”
The speaker meant no harm, but the listener took it to heart.
Tan Mo looked up upon hearing this and met Xie Qichen’s dark eyes, deep as a bottomless abyss. She recalled that night and quickly looked away, her ears suddenly reddening. She hurriedly interrupted, “Uncle, stop talking and go rest already.”
After the chatty Tan Yuanzhou, who almost got beaten up by both of them, lay down, Tan Mo asked if he was hungry and offered to order takeout since there was nothing at home.
“Alright, order two portions then. You two can have takeout tonight. I’ll treat you another day.”
Tan Mo said it was fine. Tan Yuanzhou stretched lazily, “I’m going to rest. Mo Mo, you haven’t seen your beloved Qichen brother for a while, right? You two can go out and chat properly now.”
Huh?!
Tan Mo quickly denied, “What beloved… nothing of the sort.”
“What? Weren’t you the most attached to him before? Following him around calling ‘big brother’ all the time.”
Tan Mo recalled the day she first met Xie Qichen was her birthday. Back then, he picked her up from school to go to a restaurant. When they arrived, Xie Qichen handed Tan Mo an elaborately wrapped gift box, saying it was her birthday present. Tan Mo, surprised, accepted it and politely said:
“Thank you, big brother.”
The boy smiled warmly, “You’re welcome.”
At that moment, Tan Yuanzhou, who was drinking water nearby, almost choked, “Xie Qichen, do you have any shame? We’re the same age. Mo Mo calls me ‘uncle,’ so she should technically call you ‘uncle’ too, right?”
Xie Qichen raised his eyebrows, “I’m younger in terms of generation. Let me take this advantage.”
“…”
Tan Yuanzhou was furious, “Tan Mo, tell me who looks younger between us?”
Tan Mo looked at Xie Qichen’s exceptionally handsome face, her heart pounding, and honestly mumbled, “I think he looks younger than you.”
“…”
A soft chuckle came from Xie Qichen’s throat as he patted Tan Mo’s head, “Calling him big brother is correct. Don’t listen to your uncle. He’s just feeling unbalanced.”
Tan Yuanzhou was furious.
Since then, Tan Mo had continued to call Xie Qichen “big brother.”
At this moment, being teased by Tan Yuanzhou, Tan Mo’s face turned as red as a cooked shrimp. Embarrassed and annoyed, she turned and walked away, “I’m ordering takeout.”
Beside her, Xie Qichen, leaning against the wall, looked at the laughing Tan Yuanzhou. He picked up the nearby crutch and hit Tan Yuanzhou’s uninjured leg hard, his tone cold:
“Is breaking one leg not enough?”
“Ouch, it hurts…”
Does this guy have to be so protective!
Tan Mo walked into the living room, calming down her flushed face, and opened the takeout app. After a while, she caught a glimpse of Xie Qichen walking out of the room from the corner of her eye.
She was about to ask him what he wanted to eat when the man’s phone rang, and he walked to the floor-to-ceiling window to answer the call.
His voice returned to its usual calm and cold tone.
It seemed he was handling business.
After ordering the food, Tan Mo waited for Xie Qichen to finish the call. She hesitated for a moment and walked in front of him, “Are you sure you want takeout?”
He locked his phone screen and looked up, “Hmm?”
“It’s just that I don’t know if someone so accustomed to luxury and who just came back from overseas can tolerate takeout.”
Looking at her haughty little expression, Xie Qichen’s eyes softened slightly, and he spoke gently:
“It’s fine. I can eat anything.”
Hmph, even the CEO isn’t particular.
“Then I ordered something random for you. Don’t complain.”
After a while, Tan Mo finished ordering the takeout, locked her phone screen, and looked up, unexpectedly meeting Xie Qichen’s gaze that had been fixed on her for who knows how long.
The tall man’s figure cast a shadow over her. His deep black eyes were unfathomable, giving a strong sense of distance with the whites of his eyes showing beneath. Yet, the lingering meaning in his gaze pulled one’s soul back, filled with intense aggression, making her heart pound like a drum.
The memory of the dream where he pinned her against the floor-to-ceiling window and kissed her suddenly surfaced.
The atmosphere was as seductive as a rising tide.
She quickly averted her gaze, straightened her face, and said, “Why are you staring at me like that…”
Doesn’t this person know that he can’t just randomly stare at a girl with that face…
As Tan Mo turned to go sit on the sofa, she suddenly remembered something and reached out to him, “Oh, right, lipstick. You haven’t returned it to me yet.”
Xie Qichen didn’t speak.
She thought he had forgotten and blinked her eyes to explain, “I forgot to ask you for it last week at the villa. It’s the lipstick you said was left in your bedroom…”
She felt a bit embarrassed and changed her words, “In your room.”
The man’s thin double eyelids slightly lifted as he looked at her, his demeanor exuding charm.
“Aren’t you avoiding me? So you’re planning to come back for it now?”
Her voice caught slightly, “Who’s avoiding you? I just happened to be busy these past days. Xie Qichen, quickly give me back my lipstick.”
“How are you calling me?”
His tone was deep and calm, “Didn’t you say I’m an elder? Can’t you show some respect to your elders?”
“…”
This person was so annoying!
Uncle Xie, Big Brother Xie…
Seeing his extremely mischievous and composed face, her face flushed red. Finally, she obediently muttered two words: “Big brother…”
The girl’s almond eyes were moist, and her voice, in the soft and sweet southern dialect, was like a glutinous rice cake, soft and sweet.
One hand in his pocket, he leaned lazily against the floor-to-ceiling window, his gaze fixed directly on her. His naturally cold and aloof brow and eye expression now carried a faint trace of a smile:
“Hmm.”
“Big brother, how come I never noticed you blushing so easily before?”
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