Xiaosi paused his movements and glanced at her. He narrowed his eyes but then he suddenly froze. Without warning, he rushed towards his own room.
"We will talk later," he coldly said.
Caihong widened her eyes in bewilderment.
One moment he was looking at her and then he went away?
Caihong silently stood there alone.
Heh... what was I thinking? She grimaced at herself.
For a moment, she thought she should thank him for proving her innocent. He had brought the maid, after all, and made her confess. Maybe, without him, An Meiying's horrible truth wouldn't have been exposed and she could have continued living in the An residence as if nothing happened.
'I believe you.'
The sincerity in his voice at that time strangely affected her. Then he exposed An Meiying, proving that he wasn't lying.
Caihong always tried not to be unreasonable. Though she failed today by misjudging Xinyi and inadvertently putting Siying at risk, she learned from her mistake.
So even if Xiaosi was the man she was supposed to hate with all her guts, she couldn't deny that he did help her today. It didn't wash away the hatred from her heart, but it was important to her to recognize if he really did something good and helped her, especially if it concerned Siying.
Caihong sadly chuckled.
She wondered why he was so kind today? After making her life hell for seven years, why did he suddenly become so gracious and help her today?
---
Inside his bathroom, Xiaosi shut the door hard and loudly took a sharp breath. He stumbled towards the washbasin and leaned his hands on it.
"Haahh...Hahh…" He panted heavily as his chest rose up and down in uneasiness.
Sweat trickled down his forehead and he blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to adjust his focus. But the pain in his head refused to die down.
"Ughh…"
Xiaosi quickly opened the cabinet and took out some medicine bottles. His hands trembled as he opened the lids and popped in two pills from it.
He took deep breaths and tried to calm down. He raised his head and looked at himself in the mirror. He clenched his fists as hatred and rage bubbled up inside him like a volcano.
'Hey, beggar.' He recalled a certain mocking voice.
His jaw clenched as he spoke through gritted teeth.
"This time, it would be you begging me. This time it would be you!"
---
Back at Han villa, Han Huizhong was glaring at Zhiyuan.
Zhiyuan faced him and coldly said, "Grandpa, don't you think you are interfering too much in Xinyi and my matters?"
He sneered. "I will interfere and you cannot do anything about it. It was me who got you married to her, so it's my right to interfere whenever I feel like it. And right now, it is my graciousness that I am letting you stay married to her. Don't take a mile out of an inch I am giving to you."
Zhiyuan gritted his teeth.
"Or if you wish to challenge me, then go ahead. I have a number of ways to separate you two even without getting you two divorced."
Just as he was about to say something, Xinyi came back with his tea.
"Grandpa, I brought your tea."
Han Huizhong snorted. He took a sip. "Is it so mild because this is your revenge for me, granddaughter-in-law?"
"Huh?"
"Did I…" he tilted his head and narrowed his eyes dangerously at her, "perhaps disturb something between you two?"
She stiffened and instantly, their intimate moment flashed in her mind.
"Is that why this tea is so bland?"
Her mouth twitched. "I-It's the same, Grandpa…"
"Heh...I highly doubt."
"Should I make another cup?"
"I am not so harsh to make my granddaughter-in-law make me tea so late at night."
Xinyi stared at him unblinkingly.
"...Twice."
Han Huizhong gruntled and went away, but not before shooting a warning glare at Zhiyuan to stay within his limits.
Silence reigned again.
Xinyi became extremely conscious as they were left alone. Nervousness set in and she didn't know what to do.
Zhiyuan's condition was similar. He didn't know what got to him tonight that he tried to…
Shit! She will definitely be angry at me! I just suddenly…
What's wrong with me?
He harshly berated himself in his mind. Now he made the whole situation awkward between them.
Their gazes met and they froze. Before Zhiyuan could say anything, Xinyi quickly made an excuse. "I-I will check on Siying."
And she quickly hid her face and dashed away.
---
The next morning at the breakfast table, Siying was eagerly waiting for Xinyi and Zhiyuan to arrive. He wanted to know if his plan to make his parents grow closer succeeded or not
Han Huizhong, who was sipping tea, looked at him in disdain. "What are you fidgeting around for?"
Siying said, "Mama and Dada! I am waiting for them!"
"And why does Zizi look as if she is a ghost? She must have yawned almost a hundred times."
Zizi had terrible dark circles under her eyes. She seemed sleepy and yawned from time to time.
She looked at Siying and grimaced. "It's because of this small firecracker. He didn't let me sleep at all, moving around the whole night. I feel sad for bro…How does he get his sleep every day?"
Even though Siying had recovered from his allergy attack yesterday, there might have still been some minor effects left, making him do that and in the process ruining Zizi's sleep.
Han Huizhong raised his brow. "It must be a novel experience for our princess, isn't it?"
'You creased my perfectly ironed shirt, Princess Han Zizi.'
The similarity in her grandpa's mocking voice automatically shifted her mind to think about Yunru. All of a sudden, she recalled all those times when Yunru teased her as a spoiled princess.
For a moment, she jolted. She thought as if Yunru was really present. She felt conscious. Her entire sleepiness washed away and she felt wide awake by imagining his mocking face.
She frowned.
Why did I feel nervous for a second there..
Then she flared.
Why did I even think of him!? That arrogant and shameless man! Now my morning is ruined!
She grumbled and muttered to herself.
Han Huizhong saw her making weird expressions and talking to herself. "I see you have lost it."
He gave up on her and went back to Siying. "And what changed your mind to sleep with your Aunt last night?"
Siying proudly said, "Because I am a big boy now! I will not sleep with Mama and Dada."
Han Huizhong chuckled. "If you are so big, then why don't you sleep alone? Sleeping with someone else is the same as sleeping with your Mama and Dada."
Siying's black orbs widened and he cowered back.
Alone...so like nobody?
He wasn't mentally ready to sleep all alone yet. He was still afraid of the dark. So he couldn't say anything back and sadly lowered his head.
"And if you are so big, then why don't you join the company? Start earning money already."
Siying's brows furrowed. "Can I play with my friends there?" His eyes brightened. "Will there be a seesaw?"
"Hah! It is not a playing ground. It is war! Profit war! Always standing at the top! Earning billions so no playing around. You will have loads of responsibility. You won't get any time to meet your friends or play."
Siying paled once again while Han Huizhong was having fun, panicking the little boy.
From upstairs, Xinyi finally came down for breakfast. But she was alone. Usually, she and Zhiyuan always came together, but last night had made them so conscious that she was too nervous to stay in his company.
Whereas in their room, Zhiyuan was cursing himself for making things too awkward between them. Obviously, he noticed how Xinyi woke up ahead of him and quickly went away without him to avoid talking to him.
He shut his eyes in despair.
What did I do...What should I do now?
He combed through his hair in frustration.
At the table, Siying ran to her side and clutched her leg with his chubby hands. "Mama…I-I don't want to sleep alone...I don't want to work too. I want to play…"
His big, black eyes shone pitifully as if he was about to burst into tears.
He had no idea that being a big boy meant doing so many things.
"Ah?"
Xinyi was confused. But when she looked at Han Huizhong, she immediately understood that he was pulling his leg.
"Grandpa…"
He snorted.
She sighed and ruffled his hair. "Don't worry, Siying. Ignore your Grandpa. He is just teasing you."
Relief washed over him. "Really?"
"En! You don't have to work. You just play a lot and have fun!"
"Good morning," Zhiyuan cleared his throat as he came down.
Xinyi slightly stiffened and once again, she felt panicked. No matter how hard she tried to resist, last night's moment would always invade her mind, making her nervous.