Song Yaoyao sat in front of the desk watching a tablet, occasionally amused by it. The cheerful video sounds and his crisp laughter drifted through President Xie’s office.
Assistant Lei sat by the filing cabinet sorting documents. He was drawn by the noises and laughed out loud as well.
“Am I disturbing you, Assistant Lei?” Song Yaoyao paused the video with his finger and turned his head, asking a bit embarrassed.
“No, Little Young Master, please continue.” Assistant Lei smiled warmly.
He just thought that with Young Master Song accompanying President Xie every day at work, his mood would surely be much brighter.
Song Yaoyao felt relieved and resumed the video, happily continuing to watch.
Assistant Lei smiled, lowered his eyes to organize the files, but noticed the phone beside him light up with a screen flash. A new message popped up in the internal work group.
He picked it up for a glance, frowned slightly for once, set down the files, and prepared to step out.
He turned toward Song Yaoyao, but before he could explain, the door to President Xie’s office was forcefully pushed open from outside.
Besides Song Yaoyao and Xie Ningwan himself, no one in the company could be so unrestrained. Song Yaoyao heard the sound and turned to look.
Old Master Xie stood at the door, leaning on a cane, his figure hunched, his expression stern and dignified. His gaze swept to Song Yaoyao sitting at the desk and grew even more imposing.
“Old Master Xie, why did you come so suddenly?” Assistant Lei composed himself, walked to the door, made a gesture to support him, and asked.
“Hmph.” Old Master Xie thumped his cane but did not answer. He walked inside, gave Song Yaoyao a sidelong glance, and sat on the sofa with Assistant Lei’s support.
Song Yaoyao was glared at, paused the tablet, and furrowed his brow.
The last time he saw Old Master Xie, he had been in his little ghost form. He had bullied Xie Ninghong and Xie Ming without deliberately targeting the old man—he had only floated a few circles above his head and had not provoked him since.
“This is Young Master Song.” Assistant Lei politely introduced Song Yaoyao to the old man and gave Song Yaoyao a reassuring look in passing.
“It’s him?” Old Master Xie sat down, snorted again, thumped his cane twice, and issued his intimidation tactic. “Come over here and pour me a cup of tea.”
Song Yaoyao sat in his chair looking at him: “…?”
Assistant Lei adjusted his glasses: “…”
“Old Master, I’ll pour it for you.” Assistant Lei said immediately, then walked to the door and instructed the assistant outside to bring tea.
The secretary had swiftly prepared tea upon seeing Old Master Xie arrive and delivered it to the door, where Assistant Lei took it.
Assistant Lei could not leave the office and let Song Yaoyao out of his sight, so he only signaled with his eyes for someone to notify President Xie, then carried the tray back inside.
“Did you not inform President Xie in advance of your visit today?” Assistant Lei stood by the coffee table, poured tea for Old Master Xie, then went to the desk to add a glass of juice for Song Yaoyao.
“As his grandfather, can’t I suddenly decide to come to the company and see Ningwan?” Old Master Xie’s tone was indignant. Seeing Assistant Lei’s attentive care toward Song Yaoyao only made him more displeased.
“Yes,” Assistant Lei said, “but President Xie is busy right now and may not be able to see you immediately.”
Old Master Xie could not hold back his impatience. He raised his cane and pointed at Song Yaoyao, who sat motionless in his chair, and lectured, “How can you have no manners? You’re the little boyfriend they told me Ningwan has?”
Assistant Lei shifted two steps sideways, blocking the cane aimed at Song Yaoyao, his expression subtly changing.
Song Yaoyao furrowed his brow but did not deny Old Master Xie’s words about his relationship with Xie Ningwan. He pursed his lips to control his temper, unwilling to engage with him.
If he were still the little ghost, he would have flown over right now and knocked over the teacup in front of Old Master Xie.
“Old Master,” Assistant Lei stood in front of him, his tone cooling as he interjected, “If you have something to discuss, please wait until President Xie arrives.”
Just as he finished speaking, steady but swift footsteps approached from outside the office. Assistant Lei stepped aside: “President Xie.”
Old Master Xie set down his cane, his lips pressing into a displeased curve, the wrinkles on his face bunching together.
“Yaoyao.” Xie Ningwan entered the office and went straight to Song Yaoyao’s side, checking on him.
Song Yaoyao shook his head to indicate he was fine, then puffed his cheeks and looked up at him with a pout. Xie Ningwan reached out to rub his face and pinched the back of his neck.
“Ningwan,” Seeing Xie Ningwan’s concerned and intimate gesture toward Song Yaoyao, Old Master Xie felt indignant. He thumped his cane and called out in a deep voice, “Do you still have your grandfather in your eyes?”
“Go eat something with your brother first. I’ll handle things here.” Xie Ningwan stroked Song Yaoyao’s head and said as he leaned down.
“Yaoyao.” Song Huaichuan stood at the office door and extended his hand to Song Yaoyao.
“Okay.” Song Yaoyao glanced worriedly at Xie Ningwan, hesitated a moment, then obeyed and left with Song Huaichuan.
·
Song Huaichuan took Song Yaoyao to the cafe downstairs in the Xie Building, the same one where they had their first conversation, and they sat in the same seats as last time.
Last time they came, they had not yet recognized each other as brothers, but this time, the situation was entirely different.
“What would you like to drink?” Song Huaichuan smiled faintly as he took the menu from the server, flipped to the desserts and drinks section, and placed it in front of Song Yaoyao.
Song Yaoyao rested both hands on the table and tilted his head to look at the menu, carefully selecting.
“Would you like the strawberry mochi milk tea from last time?” Song Huaichuan’s gaze softened on the round whirl of hair on top of his head and suggested with a smile.
“I’ll have this today.” Song Yaoyao’s finger moved and pointed to a picture on one page: strawberry apple milkshake.
Bright red strawberries paired with snow-white yogurt, plus apple juice, made for a vibrant and pretty color.
“Good, this one it is.” Song Huaichuan curved his lips in agreement.
“Very well,” the server asked politely, “would you like two cups of the same for the two gentlemen?”
Song Huaichuan smiled amiably: “Yes, thank you.”
After ordering drinks, they also ordered some meals and pastries together—all ones Song Yaoyao picked that he liked to eat. Whatever Song Yaoyao said, Song Huaichuan agreed.
“Thank you, Brother.” After ordering, Song Yaoyao said to Song Huaichuan.
The moment Song Huaichuan heard Song Yaoyao call him Brother, his eyes reddened uncontrollably, and his heart softened with soreness: “No need.”
It was not long before the server brought the drinks first.
The apple strawberry milkshake Song Yaoyao ordered was indeed as pretty as the picture. He eagerly took a sip, then asked Song Huaichuan, “Do you think it’s good?”
Song Huaichuan took a sip following him and answered earnestly: “I think it’s very good.”
Song Yaoyao smiled at him intimately, his eyes curving.
Song Huaichuan’s gaze softened.
……
Upstairs in the president’s office of the Xie Building, Xie Ningwan sat across from Old Master Xie, facing off evenly.
Assistant Lei poured him a cup of tea, then stood quietly behind the sofa, waiting for the conversation to continue.
Xie Ningwan picked up the teacup, lowered his eyes, and took a slow sip. Old Master Xie rested both hands on the top of his cane, his face displeased, but since Xie Ningwan did not speak, the elder refused to lose face by opening first.
They sat facing each other like this for a moment before Xie Ningwan finally raised his eyes: “You came without warning today, so you must have something to discuss with me.”
Old Master Xie drew a breath and thumped his cane: “You’re asking me? If it hadn’t blown up so big, I wouldn’t have known you actually had your third uncle arrested for some little boy!”
“Heh…” Xie Ningwan chuckled, set down his teacup. “Where did you hear this incomplete version of events? Or are you deliberately glossing over the key points?”
The teacup clinked lightly against the desk.
Old Master Xie paused for a moment before continuing sternly: “No matter what, he’s still your third uncle. Your second uncle and Ninghong… went in, fine, but now you only have your third uncle left as family, and you won’t let him go either?”
“Let him go?” Xie Ningwan looked at Old Master Xie’s wrinkled face and slowly laid it bare. “Grandfather surely knows they were actually coming for me from the start and never intended to let me go either.”
“…” Old Master Xie was choked speechless.
After a long silence, his tone softened, hoarse and aged: “After all, he’s your blood third uncle. Your parents are gone, your second uncle and cousins are no longer a threat, so only he remains. He can still help you manage the company…”
Xie Ningwan had grown utterly disgusted by this tactic of twisting the facts and invoking the Xie Family, along with the feigned sympathy when mentioning his parents. He cut him off coldly: “No need to say more. That has nothing to do with me. The current Xie Corporation was founded by my parents and me—it has nothing to do with anyone else, or with you.”
He emphasized the last few words one by one.
“!” Old Master Xie heard this, agitatedly trying to stand from the sofa, but his unsteady form fell back.
“What do you mean by that!?” His voice was urgent.
“What I mean, I believe I made very clear last time at the Charity Gala.” Xie Ningwan stated calmly. He had already mentioned dividing the family.
Old Master Xie thumped his cane, his chest heaving, and once again glossed over the point to shift the topic: “Just for this little boy, you’re going to break ties with me, your grandfather, and with the Xie Family?
“Do you think your parents would agree if they knew!?”
“Speaking of my parents,” Xie Ningwan paused, stared straight into his eyes, and dropped the bombshell, “I’ve uncovered some truths about my parents’ car accident.”
Old Master Xie’s movements suddenly froze.
·
Downstairs in the cafe, the atmosphere was mild and pleasant, with gentle piano music flowing through the room amid the sweet aroma of food.
Song Yaoyao poked at an apple carved into a rabbit shape with his fork and ate it, chewing with his mouth closed. The apple’s tart sweetness reminded him of Xie Ningwan.
He wondered how things were going between Xie Ningwan and Old Master Xie. He felt a bit worried.
In the original plot, though the old man had never acted against Xie Ningwan himself, he had always stood by idly or tacitly approved—whether it was others framing Xie Ningwan or the car accident that killed Xie Ningwan’s parents before.
He was also a very annoying villain. Song Yaoyao furrowed his brows.
“Yaoyao,” Noticing Song Yaoyao zoning out, Song Huaichuan cut him a piece of small cake and asked softly, “What are you thinking about?”
Song Yaoyao pursed his lips and did not hide it from him: “Xie Ningwan.”
Song Huaichuan’s hand paused, recalling the question he had asked Xie Ningwan that day with no answer.
“Yaoyao.”
Song Huaichuan sat up straight, hesitated for a moment, clasped his hands in front of him, looked at Song Yaoyao warmly and calmly, and asked:
“Are you and President Xie dating?”
Song Yaoyao was stunned for a moment and lifted his eyes.
Song Huaichuan quickly said warmly: “Don’t worry, Brother isn’t trying to interfere or stop you. Brother just wants to know more about your matters.”
“…”
Song Yaoyao hesitated a moment, then nodded lightly: “Mm.”
He finally admitted it.