Chapter 35

My uncle, if he doesn’t speak, fine, but once he opens his mouth, it’s like the world is ending.
Gu An’an realized for the first time that her uncle also had this snarky, cutting side. But thinking back, during their first meeting, Xie Jinxing had already shown a tiny hint of it.
Gu An’an quietly swallowed the large mouthful of plain rice in her mouth, smacking her lips, a sudden sense of realization dawning on her.
Back then, she had been peeking at the door, and her uncle suddenly opened it, startling her. In a panic, she had stepped onto his leather shoe with a forward step.
What had Xie Jinxing said at the time?
Oh, yes, he said, “Sorry, Miss Gu, I delayed your foot landing,”
“Landing your…foot”
Gu An’an: “…” Damn, careless.
Fearing he might say something else that would draw everyone’s attention again, Gu An’an obediently put down her chopsticks and quietly finished her rice.
Shen Shan and the Xie sisters also subtly withdrew their gaze. They had thrown a quick glance at Xie Jinxing, who had dropped that line and turned back to continue chatting with the Shen family, and then glanced at Gu An’an with a still-strange expression.
They had never imagined that Gu An’an was actually quite familiar with Xie Jinxing.
But didn’t her uncle only return to the country six months ago? Could it be that they had known each other somewhere else long ago?
Next, when Shen Shan and the others spoke, even the patriarch looked over; everyone at the table was closely watching.
Xie Jinxing, however, remained calm, as if he hadn’t spoken at all. Gu An’an’s sickly little face was pale, her lips white, looking pitiful. Grandpa Xie also expressed a bit of concern for her. Once he spoke, the situation smoothed out, and everyone’s attention shifted away from the “loving family” scene.
Lu Xingyu stared at Gu An’an suspiciously for a long time. He felt that his uncle’s tone had been unusually intimate earlier. Was he really that kind-hearted?
Gu An’an finished half a bowl of rice and, feeling nearly full, withdrew from the table along with the dishes.
When she reached the small lounge, Lu Xingyu, who had been waiting for the opportunity, suddenly pulled her out.
He had been holding in frustration for a long time, his heart unsettled. Dragging Gu An’an like a trapped, red-eyed bull, he buried his head and headed toward the back garden.
Gu An’an, already dizzy and weak from the cold, assumed he couldn’t do anything outrageous in the old mansion and went along with him.
Lu Xingyu dragged her into the greenhouse, pushing her against the glass wall just like a brooding male lead in a school romance. One arm pressed beside her face as he asked, restrained: “Do you have anything to say about today’s lunch?”
He seemed taller, as if he had grown a bit.
His eyes were indeed red.
Yesterday, Lu Xingyu had said he had something to tell Gu An’an today. But in truth, no words were necessary; with the Shen family present, anyone with eyes could see. Lu Xingyu was very upset, Gu An’an hadn’t said a single word.
Seeing her looking unwell, he choked and asked: “Were you cold yesterday?”
“Obviously!” Gu An’an spat out harshly.
To be honest, Lu Xingyu, with tears welling in his eyes, barely held back, was quite a sight. Any woman facing him like this, with his clean, clear aura enveloping her face, would easily feel like the sole heroine in his world.
Gu An’an guessed that the original owner had relentlessly pursued Lu Xingyu because she was captivated by this aura of pure love. Unfortunately, Gu An’an had seen through his childish foolishness and had no intention of growing up with a teenager.
“Gu An’an, I’m really about to get engaged. Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
She had no interest in the pains of love. She genuinely wanted to leave it to Su Ruan and Shen Shan.
“Nothing much to say,” Gu An’an felt the need to reiterate. “If Yang Yue doesn’t mind, you two actually make a good match.”
Lu Xingyu: “…”
Though he didn’t understand what Yang Yue had to do with it, her casual attitude still irritated him.
He had told her countless times before to stop clinging to him, to keep her distance. It annoyed him that no matter where he went, she would secretly follow, suddenly appearing with water or food. He had once suspected Gu An’an had some obsessive tendencies or had planted tracking devices on him.
Now, he actually wished she really had. “Gu An’an, you said you would always like me.”
“Huh? Did I say that?” Gu An’an looked indifferent. Thinking about it, the original owner had indeed said that many times, braving a downpour to deliver an umbrella to Lu Xingyu, drenched like a fool.
Her hair plastered to her scalp, eyes barely open from the rain. Spitting out water, crying like Yuan Xiangqin, she had said: “Even if you don’t like me, I won’t give up. I’ll wait for the day you like me…”
“Ugh” The dead memories suddenly struck, and Gu An’an winced, closing her eyes.
“Alright, then I said I would give up on you. Why didn’t you listen?”
Lu Xingyu’s beautiful peach blossom eyes were filled with sorrow at her stubbornness.
He couldn’t help but ask, hurt and indignant: “Gu An’an, your sincerity is too casual. You’re acting no different from those fickle girls. All the vows and promises you made to me before, what were they?”
“Probably idioms,” she said.
No sooner had she spoken than a mocking laugh suddenly came from behind them.
Lu Xingyu turned to snap, furious, who had the audacity to laugh when he was baring his true feelings?
It was his uncle, lounging lazily in the hanging chair, basking in the sun.
Sunlight filtered through the flowering trees, casting bright patches across his face, giving a refreshing clarity.
He looked lazy, his almond-shaped eyes curling at the edges, half-smiling at the two of them. From the moment they entered, performing their drama, to Lu Xingyu’s impotent fury at not receiving a satisfactory response, he had observed it all.
This not-so-kind uncle showed no sympathy, and cruelly mocked them without empathy: “Alright, youth, pain, and love can end. Lu Xingyu, come here. Let’s talk about your sneaking off to the race track while grounded.”
Lu Xingyu: “…”
If Lu Xingyu had a natural enemy in his life, it had to be Xie Jinxing, seven years his senior but whose authority pressed down like a mountain.
Uncle surpassed him in looks, height, intelligence, and wealth. His bad temper and strength were a childhood shadow Lu Xingyu couldn’t escape.
All the blows of fate Lu Xingyu had ever suffered came from his beloved uncle.
Now, uncle spoke, and Lu Xingyu’s pride wouldn’t allow him to falter in front of Gu An’an. Yet his childhood shadow tugged at him, leaving him awkwardly frozen in place.
Oh, he had lowered his hand from the wall.
Xie Jinxing: “Not calling someone?”
Lu Xingyu: “Uncle.”
“Mm.”
Gu An’an, seeing someone else being scolded, felt a surge of schadenfreude.
Wasn’t Lu Xingyu always arrogant?
Wasn’t he worshiped by fangirls like a god?
Now he was being disciplined, deservedly!
Her eyes sparkled with mischief, thoroughly enjoying the scene.
Xie Jinxing’s gaze swept over her.
Instantly, she obediently said, “Uncle, I still feel a bit dizzy from the medicine. I’ll go sleep now.”
Xie Jinxing still had things to discuss with Lu Xingyu and didn’t unleash more sharp words. A simple “hm” was all, letting her leave.
Gu An’an quickly exited the greenhouse.
Lu Xingyu stared at her retreating figure, unwilling to let go.
“Stop looking. She’s not yours.”
Xie Jinxing had no interest in disciplining his sister’s child, especially one not much younger than himself. “I heard you ignored the girl’s wishes last night, forcibly taking her to the third track to feel the cold, and…”
Lu Xingyu’s instincts screamed danger. Sure enough, Xie Jinxing continued: “…Spreading rumors that I’m gay?”
Lu Xingyu: “…”
He struggled to force a smile: “Uncle, who told you that…”
“I’m twenty-eight, never held a woman’s hand, and surrounded by young, handsome men.”
“I didn’t spread such detailed rumors.”
“Oh, so you did,” Xie Jinxing shot a sideways glance, a rare sinister look Gu An’an had never seen.
Lu Xingyu didn’t speak, cold sweat breaking out, intimidated by his calm yet sarcastic expression.
Normally taciturn, he could pretend silence was golden in front of Xie Jinxing. Now, saying nothing was admitting to scheming behind the scenes, awaiting his uncle’s revenge.
“Forget about your bike.”
Xie Jinxing made a decisive statement, showing the confidence of a family heir: “Also, I’ll have your parents suspend your card. Since you foolishly sought thrills and endangered yourself, and then were foolishly reprimanded by family, you must take responsibility. Fine. I’ll be generous and give you a chance to set an example. You handle it.”
“Before the engagement, don’t think of going out. I’ll tell your parents to watch you.”
With that, Xie Jinxing slowly stood and left.
Lu Xingyu stared, shocked and speechless, inexplicably feeling that his uncle’s scolding was actually taking revenge on his behalf.
But he quickly dismissed the thought. How could his uncle defend Gu An’an? He was taking it out on his own nephew. And since he hadn’t done anything to Gu An’an, why punish him? Impossible.
He must have been struck too hard, hallucinating.
…
Gu An’an returned to her room, intending to lie down and play on her phone until everyone left. But barely ten minutes later, she dozed off.
When she woke, it was already dark outside.
She checked the clock, 5:30 PM.
In Beijing winters, it gets dark early. By 5:30, the sky was completely black.
She fumbled for the bedside lamp.
Aunt Xiu, seeing the light, knocked and told her to come down for dinner.
Gu An’an stretched in bed, feeling her numb limbs regain sensation, then dragged her shoes and went downstairs.
The Shen and Lu families had already left. But Xie Ying and Xie Wan remained.
Xie Wan was politely chatting with the patriarch, her slow, refined tone exuding Xie family manners. Xie Ying, in her second-year middle school phase, carried an air of “everyone else is an idiot.” Though maintaining a semblance of Xie family elegance, her disdain seeped from every pore.
Gu An’an sniffed, unsure if it was her imagination. After the medicine and a good nap, she felt much better.
“An’an, you’re awake?” the old man noticed immediately. “Hungry? Dinner’s about to start.”
Gu An’an wasn’t truly hungry, sickness dulled her appetite.
She obediently sat down.
The two Xie sisters smiled politely. Xie Wan exchanged a few words with her, conversation ending quickly. Xie Ying buried herself in her phone, uninterested.
Gu An’an wasn’t awkward. Over five years, she was used to the sisters’ personalities.
Aunt Xiu timed it perfectly, bringing the dishes to the table with a smile.
Grandpa Xie was in a good mood. Having young members about to be engaged was a joyous occasion. Though he had recently cultivated a calmer temperament, mentioning Xie Jinxing still caused a subconscious frown: “Where’s Xie Jinxing?”
Looking around the room and not seeing him, he called loudly with full force: “It’s mealtime and he’s still not coming down? Making people call him three or four times? Aunt Xiu, go get him.”
“Alright.”
Aunt Xiu set down the dishes and turned to head upstairs.
Gu An’an was a little surprised. What day was it today? The CEO-type uncle who usually took over the company the moment he got home hadn’t even gone to work yet.
Before long, Xie Jinxing came downstairs in a gray tracksuit.
The old mansion had a gym, not just that, the villa complex even had a dedicated jogging track and park around the perimeter. Xie Jinxing had probably just finished exercising and showered. Steam and vitality still clung to him, his temple hair damp and especially dark. His long legs were confined in the gray sweatpants…
Gu An’an had never quite understood why so many girls online liked men in gray sweatpants.
Now, seeing Xie Jinxing, she instantly got it.
Aesthetics, huh…the people’s collective taste is indeed unbeatable.
Seeing him sit down, Grandpa Xie turned to Gu An’an: “Do you have evening classes? If not, just stay home and rest.”
“I have evening self-study.”
Although Grandpa Xie wanted her to stay, Gu An’an’s final project video wasn’t finished yet, and time was tight. She still needed to meet the two main actors at school. She estimated the twenty-minute short film could be shot in one week.
Grandpa Xie seemed to guess, but he wasn’t disappointed. He nodded: “Later, you can take your uncle’s car to school. Let him drive you.”
Gu An’an glanced at Xie Jinxing.
He didn’t say anything, but didn’t refuse either. Gu An’an acknowledged with an “Oh-oh” and turned to him: “Thank you, Uncle Xie.”
After November, winter in Beijing was genuinely cold. Afternoons weren’t so bad, but at night, a light down jacket wasn’t enough.
After finishing her meal, Gu An’an chatted a bit with Grandpa Xie. When he heard about her final project troubles, he suggested she could ask professionals from the Xie family’s film company for guidance but she refused.
“Grandpa Xie, I already have a preliminary idea. I want to explore it myself first. I can’t just rely on others to carry me across the river without doing any work myself. That way, I won’t learn anything.”
Grandpa Xie smiled, patting her head: “Having ideas is good.”
By seven o’clock, Xie Jinxing was ready to leave, and Gu An’an quickly changed and followed.
His car was in the underground garage. Gu An’an didn’t go down with him. She only got in after he drove it to the entrance.
Xie Jinxing really liked this Maybach; he drove it everywhere.
Today he was off work, letting the driver take a break, so he drove himself.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Gu An’an felt a bit uneasy. Although Uncle Xie probably had no idea about the odd significance society attaches to the passenger seat for single men, she still felt the spot was hot.
It wasn’t that she was trying to take advantage of him. But sitting in the back would have felt weird, like a subordinate with a boss. She was the lucky charm at the boss’s door; the driver’s seat belonged to the big spender.
Having the big spender as her driver, she wasn’t complaining.
Xie Jinxing drove extremely steadily.
One hand on the steering wheel, wrist wearing the sports watch, posture casual. He seemed born to drive; the ride never once jolted.
Turning corners and U-turns didn’t cause any jerky stops.
Gu An’an quietly played on her phone, thinking: if the Xie company ever collapsed, Xie Jinxing could still make a living driving.
But imagining him driving for someone else gave her a strange thrill, like seeing a genius villain getting slapped down.
Xie Jinxing’s setup was like one of those prodigal villains in stories, born at the finish line others spent lifetimes striving for, ripe for being humbled. That kind of “life changes, don’t underestimate the young,” “today you ignore me, tomorrow you can’t reach me” feeling.
Gu An’an thought: if she ever became Xie Jinxing’s boss, she might even make him do other part-time work, like being her pretty-faced assistant…
“What are you laughing at?” abruptly interrupted her daydream.
“Nothing,” she quickly wiped her smile and looked ahead. “I’m thinking about my final project.”
“What theme did you choose?”
Probably because the drive was quiet, Xie Jinxing had rare interest in chatting.
Gu An’an, distracted by his gray sweatpants, had the illusion of being very close to him today: “Youth campus romance.”
“Oh.”
Gu An’an: “….”
She regretted speaking.
…
At night, the roads were smooth, especially from the suburbs to the city, with almost no interruptions.
The car quickly reached the city, but Xie Jinxing didn’t immediately drop her off at her rented apartment. Instead, he drove to his own residence, not the flat where Gu An’an was staying temporarily, but his solo residence after returning to the country: a waterside villa.
This villa wasn’t just a simple three-story house. It covered thousands of acres, complete with lawns and a swimming pool.
In other words, once inside the gated area, it was all his. Even the jogging track outside belonged to him. Xie Jinxing parked at the entrance and went toward the main door.
Gu An’an was a bit confused. Should she get out? Should she stay?
Wait, why did Uncle bring her here?
What did he want!
He walked a few steps toward the door, then turned back to find her still sitting in the passenger seat, eyes wide and alert.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. He pulled out his phone and lazily sent her a call.
Gu An’an, shocked, answered.
Although she didn’t understand why they were calling through a car door, Xie Jinxing only said two words through the phone: “Get out.”
Then he didn’t wait for her, just went inside.
Gu An’an: “…Okay.”
Gu An’an: =-=
Xie Jinxing probably wouldn’t have inappropriate intentions, but as a twenty-year-old super beautiful college student, she felt she had a right to be cautious. Many boys at school liked her, calling her the campus goddess! Even if Xie Jinxing had evolved into an asexual being, he was still a healthy, energetic man in his twenties.
A normal girl would be wary if such a man suddenly drove her home. She wasn’t overthinking, right?
After about three minutes of hesitation, afraid he’d tease her for being “full of herself,” she quickly got out.
Damn, the temperature outside was probably below zero, freezing!
Gu An’an rubbed her hands and dashed inside.
Xie Jinxing stood on the balcony, watching her hesitate as she got out. He lingered ten more seconds at the door, slightly amused.
A little cautious, but not much.
He chuckled, then went to the study to get something.
Xie Jinxing’s residence had no other dogs, no other living creatures.
Although the villa was furnished, it was very minimal in life signs. The owner likely used it as a temporary sleeping place; apart from the bed showing use, the rest was spotless.
Gu An’an found a pair of men’s slippers in the shoe cabinet and changed at the entrance.
When she came in, Xie Jinxing had just come downstairs from above.
He held a black ring-shaped object. With her 5.0 vision, she could tell it was a sports watch, similar to the one on his wrist but with a slightly larger dial.
“Uncle Xie, what’s that you’re holding?”
Gu An’an, wearing oversized slippers, made a soft “pat-pat” on the floor approaching him.
The house was quiet, so every sound echoed. Her slow approach in his slippers made him, for some reason, feel as if the girl was seeking a hug.
His eyelashes lowered; he glanced briefly, then withdrew, feeling a bit strange, like his palm had been tickled.
“In a few days, I’ll be going out.”
Late at night, he spoke plainly: “I’ll be away on a business trip for about a week. For safety reasons, I want you to install a real-time monitoring app on your phone.”
“…Huh? What?”
Gu An’an was shocked, confused: “Install an app, what app?”
Xie Jinxing opened his phone and sent her the installation package.
She noticed it wasn’t on any app store. It looked like one of those elite-only apps, almost like a scam app in design.
She couldn’t help but ask: “Uncle Xie, you’re not operating in Northern Myanmar, are you?”
Xie Jinxing: “….”
Few could render him speechless. Gu An’an did.
“Yeah, there’s business there, specifically to harvest your kidneys,” he said sarcastically.
Gu An’an: “….”
He gave her a calm, affectionate-but-slightly-absurd look and ignored the question: “This is a new sports watch made by my AI project team.”
“It can monitor heart rate, hormones, and respiration, has voice call function, auto-answer with highest permissions, and real-time location tracking.”
He demonstrated as he spoke. For Gu An’an, whose phone she only used for photos, she had to set a password. After thirty seconds of inactivity, the screen locks.
Xie Jinxing tried a few times; it didn’t unlock.
“Password.”
“Oh.” She unlocked it. The first part made sense, the rest was confusing: “So…?”
Xie Jinxing quickly installed the watch, linking his private info to it: “I’ll wear this watch at all times.”
His low, elegant voice in the dead of night sounded like a dream: “This real-time monitoring app on your phone is linked to me.”
His words fell like crushed jade, light but deafening.
Gu An’an’s scalp tingled.
Her eyes widened, horrified, burning as she looked at him.
The tall, handsome man’s eyes were deep and detached, like casually talking about wildflowers. Now this wildflower was on his wrist. The roots were planted in Gu An’an’s phone.
“Remember why I hired you?”
“Bodyguard.”
“Mm.” Xie Jinxing continued calmly: “Monitor my heartbeat. If it spikes unusually, come find me immediately.”
Xie Jinxing was always cautious. He sent Su Ruan away because he couldn’t be 100% sure.
That girl gave him a creepy vibe. This trip could bring her close to the border; accidents weren’t impossible. He always prepared thoroughly, leaving no room for mistakes.
Gu An’an blinked, finally realizing: “Su Ruan?”
“Mm.” Xie Jinxing smiled. “You must protect me.”
Even ordinary words spoken like this made her ears feel hot.
Rubbing her ears and thinking of the 100,000 yuan monthly salary, she answered dutifully: “Alright, Uncle Xie, don’t worry.”
Sent back to her place, Gu An’an lay in bed, unusually restless.
She opened the newly installed app.
The numbers changed constantly. One showed heartbeat rate. Gu An’an stared for a while, dazed.
The male lead’s heartbeat…was in her hands.