Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
At the same time, in another luxurious VIP room within Emperor Entertainment City, a room was filled with joy.
Dishes were served on the table. Aside from Han Yifeng and Xi Xinyi being present, there were also two pairs of middle-aged couples.
"Is Yifeng going to settle down after coming back this time? Hopefully, he isn't traveling for another year or two again after this." A middle-aged lady in a maroon dress sitting beside Xi Xinyi smiled.
This lady was Yue Lingsi, Xi Xinyi's biological mother. She was about 50 years old, but her outward appearance was so well-maintained that she looked as if she was just about 30 years old.
Sitting beside Yue Lingsi was a cold-looking man in a gray suit. The serious-looking man was Xi Mushan, the respectable mayor of City Z.
Opposite them were Han Yu and Huang Ziyao, Han Yifeng's parents. While they were past their fifties, it was obvious that they had their heydays. If not, they would not have such a handsome and exceptional son.
"Mmm, I've decided to settle down this time," Han Yifeng replied.
"Our elder wanted Yifeng back this time to take over the business. After all, we're getting old and we need the youngsters to take the responsibilities off our shoulders. Yifeng's been doing pretty well abroad the past few years, so I discussed with his father to let Yifeng completely take over the company. Then, both of us can step down and relax."
Huang Ziyao smiled. As she was explaining, she put some food onto Xi Xinyi's plate. "Xinyi, it must've been tough for you to take care of Yifeng abroad these past few years. Eat more. You're too skinny. Has this boy been bullying you?"
Xi Xinyi blushed as she lowered her head and peeked at Han Yifeng. With a smile, she said, "Thank you. Actually, Yifeng's the one taking care of me. Of course, he wouldn't bully me! Right, Yifeng?"
Xi Xinyi turned to Han Yifeng who gave her a gentle look. He pursed his lips and did not say anything.
Han Yu smiled warmly as he saw how loving Han Yifeng and Xi Xinyi were towards each other. He turned to the silent Xi Mushan and said, "It seems like you guys are doing pretty well abroad. After Yifeng takes over the Han Corporation and familiarizes himself with the work there, let's have them get engaged. What do you think, Mayor Xi?"
Xi Mushan put down the wine glass and threw a sharp glance at Han Yifeng and Xi Xinyi, his tensed up face relaxed, he nodded, "If you both have no objections I wouldn't disagree as well. Next week is the elder's birthday, please come over and we can talk about the engagement, is that alright?"
Xi Xinyi's face blushed even deeper when she heard her father's words. She gently bit her scarlet lips and looked at Han Yifeng.
Han Yu and Huang Ziyao nodded and agreed with the plan.
"How about Yifeng?"
Xi Mushan looked at him with his sharp eyes.
"I'm fine with it as long as Xinyi is willing to become my bride."
Han Yifeng smiled and focused his eyes on Xi Xinyi. With her blushing face, she nodded and said, "I'll follow Father's plan."
"It's set then. Let's eat."
During the meal, Huang Ziyao kept serving Xi Xinyi food, and she flashed smiles and thanked her constantly. Huang Ziyao was really satisfied with her attitude.
"Father, is Grandfather healthy? The first thing I want to do after I come back this time is to spend more time with him. I've always worried about his health the whole time I was overseas," Xi Xinyi asked when she saw that Xi Mushan did not mention it. She looked like she really missed her grandfather.
Xi Mushan looked at Xi Xinyi and then said in a regretful tone, "He's still the same. He still misses your sister dearly. Next week is his birthday. Since you're back, tell your sister to go back just this once."
"Sister? Father, just now, Yifeng and I met Sister at the airport, but she..." Xi Xinyi bit her lip and lowered her head sadly. "She's still..."
"That's alright, Xinyi. Don't be sad about your sister acting this way. Mother believes that she still cares a lot about you," Yue Lingsi comforted her daughter.
"Xiaye... in recent years... she really stepped over her boundaries, but just let her be. Don't worry about it, Xinyi. Yifeng, spend some time walking around with Xinyi later. There've been quite some big changes in City Z in the past few years." Huang Ziyao did not know what else to say, so she gave Han Yifeng some suggestions.
Han Yifeng's eyes widened slightly when Xi Xiaye was mentioned, yet he did not say anything and just nodded lightly.
Afterward, while Xi Mushan and Han Yu started talking about business, Han Yifeng would sometimes voice out his opinions. Xi Xinyi went to the toilet after a while.
Xiaye washed her face in the toilet. She had both her arms on the sink as she looked at her pale self in the mirror. She closed her eyes and calmed down. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly saw through the mirror that Xi Xinyi had just entered through the door.
Her body trembled while her arms on the sink suddenly froze.
Xi Xinyi saw Xiaye as well. She stopped in her tracks and stood behind Xiaye as she attempted to smile.
"Sister, I didn't expect you'd be here too."
Her voice sounded gentle and a little surprised, yet it sounded like screeching in Xiaye's ears. "That's great. Father just mentioned you. It's been a really long time since you've gone back. Father, Mother, and Grandfather really miss you. If it's because of Yifeng, I'm willing to apologize, Sister... Yifeng and I... I'd rather have you scold me and beat me up if you're feeling unhappy. Could you please forgive us?"
Xi Xinyi's expression turned sorrowful and her eyes were filled with mixed emotions and struggle. "It's already been some years. I thought time could wash those unpleasant moments in the past away, but I'm really sad to see the current you, Sister. You told me before that a relationship's worth is based on whether two people really love each other. Forcing a relationship can never bring happiness, isn't that right?"
Xi Xiaye felt pain bloom in her chest as she heard Xi Xinyi's words. A suffocating pain intruded her entire being, yet she put on a smile and glanced at the pitiful-looking Xi Xinyi in the mirror. Her tone sounded calm. "Xi Xinyi, didn't you know that Han Yifeng was engaged to me?"
"Sister, I... I know it's my fault. In the beginning, I was just curious about what kind of person your fiancè was, so I got closer to him... I never expected to be attracted to him... and to fall so quickly for him..."
Xi Xinyi started to sob as she stared at Xiaye's stiff figure. She sniffed and then said, "I've constantly blamed myself, but Sister, I really love Yifeng, so please, please forgive us, okay? We can only be truly happy with your blessings."
"Sister, you're really important to me. I really need your forgiveness and blessings, please?" Xi Xinyi's sobs and fragile voice were like cold, sharp needles stabbing into Xi Xiaye's heart. It was so painful that she almost passed out.
How cruel...
The girl before her was her best friend. Then, suddenly, one day her father divorced her mother and the mother of this girl became her stepmother. Yue Xinyi became Xi Xinyi. She was her father's illegitimate child, so she became Xi Xiaye's younger sister and Xi Xinyi's mother took over her mother, Shen Wenna's place.
Xi Xinyi was really lovely. She was always so beautiful and kind as well as being smart and excellent at her studies. The moment she entered the Xi family, everyone loved her, including the grandmother who had always doted on Xi Xiaye.
As for Xi Xiaye herself, she was quiet and low-profile. She did not like to talk and her studies were mediocre. Aside from talking to her grandfather from time to time, she was usually a loner. People started to forget about her existence in the Xi family, and Xi Xinyi became the precious jewel of the family.
The engagement with Han Yifeng was a promise between Elder Xi and Elder Han; they were really good friends and hoped to build a deeper relationship between their families and become better partners. Xi Xiaye had always been thought of as the default daughter-in-law of the Han family, yet all of these evaporated with Xi Xinyi's arrival.
What sounded the funniest to her was that this crying woman and her mother had destroyed her happy family. They took her father away, took her place in the family away, and even took the love of her life away, yet now she was asking for her forgiveness...
There was probably nothing more ironic than this in the whole world.
She was reminded that a long time ago, Han Yifeng and her were a couple envied by many others. They shared some warm memories between them, and now it was all nothing but a joke.
She thought she could still be happy even after losing the warmth of her family as long as she held onto her relationship with Han Yifeng, but who would have expected that things would end this way?
It was all just temporary fireworks. No matter how beautiful it was, they would just end up in the pitch black sky.
She looked up with a smile but her voice sounded extremely cold. "Both of you stabbed me in the chest. My wound isn't even healed yet, and you want me to forgive you both. Xi Xinyi, you've really widened my perspective."
"Sister, I know I'm wrong, I... I just don't want you to look so miserable. I feel really tortured inside, especially when I heard from Mother that you haven't been home in the past few years. Please... please don't act this way... You'll make everyone feel bad. Our grandparents and Father really miss you. They wish you'd go home..."
As tears started falling from Xi Xinyi's eyes, she held onto Xi Xiaye's shoulders firmly, yet her sister rejected her gesture.
"Get lost! Don't touch me!"
Bang!
Xi Xinyi fell backward and dragged the beads curtain down. Xi Xinyi accidentally stepped on some beads and tripped with a scream, falling down hard on the floor!
A cold, angry voice rang out. "Xi Xiaye, you're really too much!"
In shock, Xi Xiaye slowly turned around and saw Han Yifeng's face. He looked so mad and disappointed.
Those eyes were supposed to be like poisoned steel needles that caused excruciating pain to Xi Xiaye. However, the only thing she felt was just numbness.
Han Yifeng went over and helped Xi Xinyi up. In anguish, he asked gently, "Xinyi, are you alright?"
Xi Xinyi's face looked pale and hurt. She bit her lip as she sobbed. "I... I'm alright. I just slipped... It's not Sister's fault..."
"I saw everything, Xinyi! You did nothing wrong. you don't have to feel guilty."
Han Yifeng felt agony as he looked at Xi Xinyi's pale little face. Just as he was about to help Xi Xinyi up, Xi Xinyi screamed painfully when she tried to move. Her facial expression showed she was in great distress.
"It's really painful..."
Sweat started to roll off Xi Xinyi's forehead as she held onto Han Yifeng tightly. She was still trying to explain, "No, Yifeng, if it weren't for me... things wouldn't have turned out this way. I've always hoped for her to forgive me all along these years. If not, I'd still feel uneasy even if we get married. I..."
"Xinyi, you..."
Han Yifeng saw tears running down her cheeks. He squatted down and slowly held her up, but Xi Xinyi shoved him away and got up her own as she leaned against the wall. She walked over to Xi Xiaye in pain. Every step seemed to be causing her grave distress.
"Sister, I..."
"Be careful, Xinyi!"
Xi Xiaye did not say a thing. She just looked at what happened before her as she felt an iciness inside her. She could not help but look away.
She did not feel the need to explain herself, so she turned around and walked right between the two of them. She wanted to leave and act as if she had not seen anything.
As she passed by them, Xi Xinyi held onto her shoulder desperately. Tears were streaked all over her face while she begged, "I know you hate me. I'm really sorry... but next week is Grandfather's birthday. He's really concerned about you. Father, Mother, and Grandmother too... They are really worried since you've never gone back..."
"Let go!"
Before Xi Xinyi could finish her sentence, Xi Xiaye's icy cold aura spread throughout the area.
"Sister!"
"What did you do to me that could make me hate you so? Xi Xinyi, my mother Shen Wenna only gave birth to me, Xi Xiaye, so —"
Xi Xiaye shook her off and her eyes stared at Xi Xinyi was as if she was just looking at a stranger. Her voice sounded cold and strange. "I don't have any siblings. Please stop putting up an act in front of me. You might not be tired, but I am, so that's enough."
Xi Xiaye's sudden gesture almost made Xi Xinyi fall again, but Han Yifeng went up swiftly to hold her.