Chapter 251: Xia Xingchen’s Family
"Dad." Xia Xingchen looked at Xia Donghe, her emotions complex. She had imagined many times the scene of meeting again, and how she would feel, but when it actually happened, Xia Xingchen found herself unexpectedly calm.
"Xingchen, how is your health?" Xia Donghe looked at Xia Xingchen, who seemed a bit fatter than before she went to the countryside. Her complexion was rosy and healthy, wearing a floral long dress covered by a trench coat, with leather shoes on her feet, looking very elegant.
Xia Qingwen noticed that Xia Xingchen looked even better than before, more refined, and even her skin seemed whiter and more tender. She twisted her face with jealousy but managed to suppress her feelings without losing composure.
Zhang Hengbin glanced at the somewhat unfamiliar yet beautiful face before him, a flash of surprise in his eyes. He knew about his wife’s stepsister assisting her in the countryside, expecting someone foolish and ugly, but Xia Xingchen turned out attractive and seemingly clever, without a trace of rural hardship on her.
"Xingchen, have you returned to the city? How did you get a spot? You didn’t get married, did you?" Xia Qingwen’s smile grew stiff on her face. As she turned to look at Ding Anguo, a flash of envy crossed her face. Why did Xia Xingchen find a better-looking partner than hers?
Ding Anguo was half a head taller than Zhang Hengbin.
Ding Anguo didn’t initially realize this involved him until Xia Qingwen turned to him and asked, "Xingchen, aren’t you going to introduce him? What’s his name, and what does he do?"
Ding Anguo wanted to refute immediately but considered Xia Xingchen’s situation at home and her outside relationship with Gu Shizhao, so he looked at Gu Shizhao, eyes seeking explanation: What’s going on?
Gu Shizhao’s emotions fluctuated. He wanted to loudly declare he’s Xia Xingchen’s partner, but the current situation didn’t allow it. He hadn’t handled the matter yet, and disclosing it now would make his future with Xia Xingchen more challenging.
Additionally, the Gu Family’s affairs were a mess. If they found out about Xia Xingchen’s relationship with him, their hostility would target her.
Ding Anguo understood it wasn’t the time to disclose the relationship between him and Xia Xingchen, so he followed up on Xia Qingwen’s words, "Hello, I’m Ding Anguo, a friend of Xingchen."
"You must be Xingchen’s family, right? When Xingchen was a youth volunteer with our Dingping Production Team, she got along well with my sister-in-law and younger sister. Our whole family considers her one of us, and I can say I’m like an older brother to Xingchen," Ding Anguo said with a smile.
Gu Shizhao glanced at Ding Anguo, grateful, while Ding Anguo returned the smile. He had a girlfriend, so even if he were to help, it couldn’t be in that way.
"Production team? So you’re from the village, eh?" Xia Qingwen surprisingly found her unease settling, her lips curling with a sneer, "What are you doing in Jing City? Xingchen, you’re not just hosting them for fun, right?"
"Second brother, Xingchen—" Ding Anmin and Huang Xiaobao had already bought the clothes, realized it was just the two of them, and upon looking outside, noticed more people gathered, confronting Ding Anguo, Xia Xingchen, and Gu Shizhao. They quickly stepped forward.
Xia Qingwen hadn’t expected such fine appearances from villagers. Xia Xingchen was attractive, yet this new arrival was just as striking in their own way, and the men were handsome, tall—what kind of production team has people of such high quality?
Upon moving closer and observing Xia Xingchen’s expression, Ding Anmin somewhat grasped the situation of those across—they were likely Xia Xingchen’s family, given the slight resemblance between Xia Xingchen and Xia Donghe.
"Older brother, sister-in-law, we’re over here." Ding Anmin, initially unsettled, became completely calm upon seeing Ding Ancheng and Yi Roujing approaching from not far away, happily waving.
As they turned to look, Ding Ancheng and Yi Roujing, with strikingly high looks, attracted surrounding eyes, with many commenting on their appearances.
Xia Qingwen felt overwhelmed, wondering if this was a family of beauties.
"Xingchen, are these all your friends?" Xia Donghe asked, "It’s almost lunchtime; let dad treat you all at a restaurant to thank them for taking care of you."
Gu Yiyi snapped back to reality after a good while, then turned to Gu Shizhao with complicated eyes. Xia Xingchen showing up well indicated Gu Shizhao hadn’t harmed her, yet considering the Gu Family’s current state and Gu Shizhao’s potential future, she chose silence.
"Cousin, why are you with Xingchen?" Xia Qingwen couldn’t resist asking when Gu Yiyi didn’t speak.
"Should I explain to you?" Gu Shizhao raised an eyebrow, asking.
Xia Qingwen was furious, unable to understand why, as Gu Shizhao’s cousin, she wasn’t favored, while Xia Xingchen, a mere tagalong, always received better treatment—from Gu Shizhao.
"Brother Ancheng, sister-in-law, would you like to join us for lunch?" Xia Xingchen asked, looking at the two.
Ding Ancheng nodded.
The group went to a state-run restaurant, took a private room, and sat around a table perfectly accommodating ten people.
"Xingchen, when did you arrive in Jing City?" Gu Yiyi, now entirely composed, returned to her motherly persona of caring for Xia Xingchen.
"I arrived on the night of the second," Xia Xingchen replied.
"Then why not come home? You haven’t contacted the family lately. Your dad and I have been so worried about you. Seeing you well now gives us peace of mind," Gu Yiyi gently chided, glancing at Xia Xingchen.
"Worried?" Xia Xingchen laughed, the smile calm, neither joyful nor sarcastic, "Then why didn’t dad or Mrs. Gu contact me?"
Gu Yiyi’s expression froze instantly, looking at Xia Xingchen in disbelief. The shock far surpassed the initial surprise, partly due to Xia Xingchen’s address and mostly because she, who never talked back, had retorted her.
Xia Donghe also noticed Xia Xingchen’s address, slightly furrowing his brow, "Xingchen, what’s going on, hurting your stepmother’s feelings right after returning?"
"Hurting Mrs. Gu’s feelings? When did I?" Xia Xingchen laughed, looking at Xia Donghe amused, "What did I do?"
"You..." Xia Donghe wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words, and with strangers around, he didn’t want them to see the family in conflict.
"How should I address you all?" Xia Donghe shifted conversation, smiling at Ding Ancheng and others.
Ding Ancheng and his companions introduced themselves.
"Squeak—" Suddenly, the door to the private room opened, revealing a middle-aged man who clearly wasn’t a restaurant worker.
"I’m sorry, I went into the wrong room," the middle-aged man apologized but didn’t fully close the door as it got forcefully opened again, and he re-entered, "Mr. Ding?"