Xia Xia was astonished. She looks at the man wearing a worn checkered shirt and gored pants. He has sharp features. He is almost as tall as Xia Qi Feng. He aged-well despite the dark eye bag below his eyes.
His appearance is above average, but his composure and clothes make him look unfitted with this lavish manor.
Xia Xiang could not believe her eyes and Xia Sha's words.
This man, this is her father?
The man awkwardly smiles at her as Xia Sha rush to invite him to the house. Xia Qi Feng is raising one of his eyebrows to Pang Ze Tian, while Pang Ze Tian looks rigid.
Xia Xiang stares at Xia Sha sullenly. That beautiful face she almost ruined is smiling slyly at her. Engulfed with her hatred, she looked away from Xia Sha.
However, from Mr. He's point of view, Xia Xiang refused to look at him. He is stunned quietly. He starts pondering either his decision to come today is the right move?
"Mr. Xia, nice to meet you. I hope I didn't disturb anything by coming today," Mr.He said politely, extending his hand and offer a handshake to Xia Qi Feng.
"No, as Xia Sha said, we will only have a family lunch. Nothing formal. You are Xia Xiang's father. You are welcome to join. Rather, I felt like my daughter has disturbed your time. Please forgive her," Xia Qi Feng accepts his hand.
"Oh! Definitely no. Instead, I'm grateful to Xia Sha for this opportunity. I-," He glances at Xia Xiang with longing eyes and swallows back his words. Xia Xiang is looking back at Mr.He with curious eyes.
Xia Sha smirked when she saw the little family changes of expression. But her favorite must be Pang Ze Tian's face that has turned as dark as the bottom of the pot.
"Aunty, why don't you say anything?" Xia Sha smiles sweetly at her stepmother. She raised one of her eyebrows, looking smug as if her words are mockery for Pang Ze Tian.
Pang Ze Tian had stood still on her spot from before. She did not even glance back to Xia Qi Feng, who keep observing their interaction. Initially, she wanted to pretend that she doesn't remember this man, her ex-husband.
With He Jin Nan's gentle nature, he will felt uncomfortable and find a way out himself. But Xia Sha has narrated such a wholesome description. She couldn't play the forget card anymore.
Gritting her teeth, she has no option to force a smile and interact with He Jin Nan, this man.
"Mr.He, long time no see."
He Jin Nan looks surprised and uncomfortable at the same time. They have a daughter together, and yet she is calling him with mister?
"Hahaha, Uncle, I've told you before. Auntie's sense of humor got worsen each day," Xia Sha said to He Jin Nan before she turns to Pang Ze Tian.
"Aunty? He is your ex-husband. You once promised to spend your lives with him, till death do you apart. This joke-ah, too cold," Xia Sha's eyes twinkled as she looks satisfied.
Xia Qi Feng sees Pang Ze Tian's face turned darker and darker. He glances slightly at Xia Sha.
'What are you planning again?' Xia Sha translated Xia Qi Feng's wondering gaze into words.
Although he is too lazy to bother with Xia Sha's game, he still needs to protect Pang Ze Tian's dignity. Did not care about Pang Ze Tian's past or whatsoever, but since the other party is his wife in law, and the other is her ex-husband, he still needs to pay attention.
'Trouble,' she replied with a sheepish smile.
'Please leave some face for your father,' Xia Qi Feng shook his head helplessly before returning his gaze to Mr.He. It's only a split of a second, but Xia Qi Feng knew that Mr.He is stealing glances at Pang Ze Tian and Xia Xiang.
Xia Qi Feng chooses to be indifferent. He asked the maid to prepare the table for lunch and invite Mr.He to the dining room. Xia Sha is the most excited as she walks to the long dining table. She chooses her usual chair, on Xia Qi Feng's diagonally left side.
Xia Xiang, who used to sit on Xia Qi Feng's left side while Xia Sha is away, was taken back when Xia Sha reclaims her seat. She stoically walked to the chair beside her mother.
Thus, Mr.He ends up sitting beside Xia Sha.
"Xia Sha, what happen to your hand?" He Jin Nan was shocked when he sees red bruised on Xia Sha's hand. Xia Sha looks at her hand slightly glances at Xia Xiang across He Jin Nian.
"I've accident before. Don't worry about me, Uncle," Xia Sha grin and give him a reassuring look. Xia Xiang fidgeting her nails while lowering her head.
"Are you sure?" He Jin Nan hesitate. He did not know why he looks at Xia Qi Feng while asking about Xia Sha's condition. As if he were suspecting Xia Qi Feng.
This man could not even protect his daughter. Or somehow abused her, How could he believe Xia Xiang is safe here?
Xia Qi Feng's face grew colder. Does he doubt his abilities to take care of his daughter? His daughter that acts the same as him? Except for her looks, she is the carbon copy of him!
Would he ever hurt the little version of him?
But looking at Xia Sha's pitiful states right now, he boils in anger. Damn it, how can he let this happen under his roof. If only he got home from the office faster after Xia Sha sends him a message!
"Mr. He, Don't worry. There is something unexpected happen today. This matter is private. I couldn't share it with you," Xia Qi Feng said with his frosty face.
The room temperature drops and things got awkward on the table. But it's heating up below. Xia Xiang could not control the jealousy inside her heart when everyone is so focused on Xia Sha.
She can't understand what is so special about her?
Xia Qi Feng has given her an earful today. He almost threw her out of the house after Xia Sha passed out. If Pang Ze Tian did not mention how Xia Sha has beaten her too before, she should be on the road right now.
She would lose the glorious surname that she always proudly brag.
She understands Xia Qi Feng will never love her as much as she loves Xia Sha. It's her biological daughter, but He Jin Nan?
Isn't he supposed to be her father? Why didn't he initiate a conversation with her and care about Xia Sha instead?
Xia Sha!
She has Guan Xian, the man she likes. She has Xia Qi Feng's love. She has everything that she wouldn't even dare to dream of, but why did she still need to steal her father away from her?!
The hatred of Xia Xiang's little heart grows. She was so busy with her jealousy that she did not realize the food are served. Only when Pang Ze Tian gives a yellowtail fish on her plate, she looked up.
"Xia Xiang, it's your favorite yellowtail fish, eat more," Pang Ze Tian said calmly. Xia Xiang looks at her mother and slightly nods her head. It's a little signal she made with Pang Ze Tian since the first time they arrived at this manor.
Every time her mother said to eat more, she should pick Xia Qi Feng's favorite dish and offer him some. Her expression turns softer as she weakly picked up a crispy roasted duck Xia Qi Feng like.
A fair hand holding the chopstick appears very beautiful. She appears like a virtuous daughter as she put it on Xia Qi Feng's plate.
"Dad, it's your favorite. Do eat more," she said with a hopeful face.
In Xia Qi Feng's mind, Xia Xiang is acting like this because she still felt guilty for beating Xia Sha. Although he is touched, with Xia Sha observing his every move, he dare not to upset Xia Sha.
He nodded without replying anything, but then he moves the duck to Xia Sha's plate and told her to eat more.
"You are so thin. Eat more, didn't you mother or Guan Xian feed you?"
"Thin? Dad, I gained like a pig already!"
Xia Xiang's eyelashe trembles as she returns to her seat with a concealed sad face. Pang Ze Tian sees this and slightly frowns at Xia Qi Feng.
Xia Sha raised her eyebrow at their one-way interaction. She is slightly pleased and happy as his father shows that he still has his mind. Looking at this piece of duck Xia Xiang gave, she smiles then picked it up with a clean chopstick and move it to He Jin Nan's plate instead.
"Uncle, I don't eat duck. Did you want some?" Xia Sha titled her head to He Jing Nan. He Jin Nan did not know how to responded, he awkwardly nodded.
Xia Sha smiles and then directed her eyes at Xia Xiang.
"Xia Xiang, give your father some roasted duck too. Don't be shy. It's your father. We are family," she grins widely.
Pang Ze Tian would lose all of her teeth because she has gritted her teeth all day. But with Xia Qi Feng seating on the head of the table, watching their every move after Xia Xiang make such a big mistake, she couldn't say anything.
So Xia Xiang picked some duck for He Jin Nan. Xia Sha was very satisfied with this. She deliberately picked up the same duck and put it on Xia Qi Feng's plate. Then clap her hand like a happy child.
"Wow, who knows we can move in sync? You with YOUR father and me with MY father. Amazing," Xia Sha gives her brightest smile to Xia Xiang.. It might be the first-ever time she smiles genuinely at her and the probably last time.