Chapter 21: The Gaze When Choosing a Partner [Diamond Bonus Chapter]

Siyao was stunned for a moment before offering a gentle, obedient smile. “I’m not worthy of him.”

“What do you mean, not worthy? You and Ajue have been engaged for seven years, you’re both turning twenty-nine this year. If you leave Ajue at a time like this, when will you ever find someone else to marry? Siyao, I don’t want you to suffer. Tell me honestly, what are you really thinking?”

“Grandmother.” Siyao interrupted, her eyes reddening. “Do you really want to hear the truth?”

“Go on.”

“My greatest hope now is that Xing Jue can marry the person he truly wants to marry.” Siyao spoke with deep sincerity, and seeing her grandmother sigh, she added, “Between Xing Jue and me, we’re actually more comfortable as siblings than as husband and wife. What’s the point of a loveless marriage, even if it happens? Living alone would be freer.”

Her grandmother sighed deeply, patted Siyao’s hand, and said she would try persuading the old master to agree to Wen Sui marrying Xing Jue.

A weight lifted from Siyao’s heart; it seemed all but settled. After all, though this pair of childhood sweethearts had lived apart for so long, their families’ interests kept them bound. If her grandmother chose to speak, the old master would almost certainly agree.

Siyao watched her grandmother leave the hall, then turned—and immediately met Xing Jue’s eyes as he stood at the upstairs railing. He wasn’t smoking; a gentle smile played at his lips as he looked at her.

Siyao felt goosebumps prickle suddenly along her arms, and for a moment, she didn’t know which way to go. After all, “I just hope Xing Jue can marry the woman he truly wants” was a blatant lie that could fool almost anyone—but to Xing Jue, it was a joke.

She hesitated, then turned to leave.

Just then, Aunt Xiang came rushing over, flustered and anxious. “Siyao!”

Siyao steadied her. “What’s wrong?”

“Bai… Bai Yu, Bai Yu is here. Good heavens, the heavens do have eyes—he’s finally come.”

Aunt Xiang was beside herself with excitement, but to Siyao it was as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her head.

She whipped around to look behind her.

Xing Jue, who had just been standing upstairs, was nowhere to be seen.

Siyao forced herself to speak after a deep breath. “Did Grandmother see him?”

“No, the old lady’s car left before Mr. Bai’s arrived. He’s waiting at the front gate now.”

“Send him away!” Siyao said without hesitation.

Aunt Xiang was taken aback. “Are you sure?”

Since their engagement, many of the older staff in the household had come and gone, but because of her age and health, Aunt Xiang had always stayed. Consequently, she knew quite a bit about Siyao and Bai Yu’s story. For instance, it wasn’t that Siyao had schemed her way into Xing Ke’s bed for status, but rather that, after Bai Yu—her boyfriend of four years—left her for studies abroad, she’d gotten drunk and, in a moment of despair, ended up with Xing Ke.

Now, because of the wager and the uproar over Xing Jue’s impending marriage in Qingcheng, Bai Yu’s arrival at this critical moment was obvious in its intent.

Seeing how resolute Siyao was, Aunt Xiang tried to persuade her. “Siyao, Young Master Xing is about to get married, you’re already twenty-nine, you can’t at a time like this…”

“Send him away!” Siyao interrupted, her tone no longer gentle but decisive and cold.

Aunt Xiang paused, then said no more.

Watching her head out to the gate, Siyao turned and carefully surveyed her surroundings. Xing Jue was gone; he likely hadn’t heard what Aunt Xiang had said.

She let out a long breath, and almost without thinking, followed Aunt Xiang outside, finding a secluded corner by the gate to watch Bai Yu leaning against his car.

It had been six years since they last met.

Now, looking at him again, the young man had become a man—at the threshold of thirty—his indifferent arrogance unchanged, but now tinged with a vague and inexplicable air of desolation.

Siyao wanted to turn and leave, but suddenly a cold hand wrapped around her waist. “Is it a good view?”

The voice was gentle, with a hint of laughter.

Siyao’s whole body went cold.

She’d been engaged to Xing Jue for seven years, and knew all too well that, in private, he was like a wolf—especially territorial.

When Xing A’ni was with him, she once glanced at another man, and the next day that man had his leg broken and was sent to the hospital.

During the first four years of their engagement, Siyao was a regular at the police station, always cleaning up the messes caused by Xing A’ni’s reckless flirting.

But that was not what truly made Siyao shiver.

With her, Xing Jue only sought physical comfort, but his possessiveness was entirely different from how he treated Xing A’ni.

With Xing A’ni, he dealt with the men.

With her…

The hand at her waist slid upward.

He dealt with her.

Xing Jue leaned close, whispering in her ear, “Why so quiet? Is the view that captivating?”

Both his hands… were far too unruly. Siyao’s face flushed; she was barely able to stand, bracing herself against the wall and murmuring, “It’s not that.”

“What isn’t?”

He pinched her, making her gasp and nearly fall.

Xing Jue’s hand emerged from under her clothes and wrapped firmly around her waist, then he let out a low laugh. “Grandmother’s back.”

Siyao froze.

Xing Jue drew her into the shadows by the wall, pinching her chin and directing her gaze toward the gate. “Happy?”

Her grandmother’s car had returned, pulling up beside Bai Yu’s.

The two had already started talking.

Siyao couldn’t hear what was being said, but it was clear her grandmother was sizing Bai Yu up.

That was the look of someone picking out a suitor for her.