Chapter 275: Chapter 275

Hua Xiaomo gazed at the departing black Ferrari, her expression turning somber. What’s wrong with him? Where did her words strike a nerve again? Since when did Qi Longbing become so quick to anger? That doesn’t seem like him at all, does it?

"Stop looking, the food’s getting cold, and the old man is still waiting! Let’s go inside and eat," Qi Lingfeng said with a smile, deliberately stepping in front of her to block her view.

Hua Xiaomo looked at him; though she was used to him as Xia Shuangming, this unmasked version of him was still hard for her to accept. "Sorry, I... I think I should go," she said, then quickly walked past him towards the gate. What a joke! Eating with these heavyweights from the Qi Family would make me feel utterly uncomfortable.

"I’ll take you!" Qi Lingfeng didn’t insist, simply smiling as he followed her. He quickly stepped in front of her. "What’s the matter? Want to run away after seeing the real me?"

"What?" Hua Xiaomo was taken aback and subconsciously stopped in her tracks. She looked at him, puzzled for a long moment.

He’s no longer Xia Shuangming, but the Second Young Master of the Qi Family. There are many things Xia Shuangming could do that the Second Young Master of the Qi Family cannot. Yet, what the Second Young Master of the Qi Family possesses is far beyond what Xia Shuangming could ever imagine. How can such two utterly contradictory identities be merged into one person? This truly baffled her. Why would the perfectly respectable Second Young Master Qi Lingfeng abandon his title to become a thief and a Feng Shui Master? Money... that definitely couldn’t be the reason. So then... what is? These thoughts flashed through Hua Xiaomo’s mind, but she hadn’t voiced them yet.

"Want to get to know me? Xiao Mo, come, I’ll take you somewhere!" Qi Lingfeng said with a gentle smile. He quickly took Hua Xiaomo’s hand and helped her into his white Maserati sports car.

The car started up and quickly carried the two of them to a scenic and mysterious mountain peak. Facing the strong winds on the cliff edge and gazing out at the vast, fertile, and bustling land below, their spirits lifted considerably.

When Qi Lingfeng had finished telling her many things about himself and the Qi Family, he noticed the surprise and astonishment in Hua Xiaomo’s eyes. He just smiled faintly, as if ten years had made him indifferent to these matters. He no longer possessed the extreme anger or the profound sense of unworthiness from his youth.

"So, you’ve been carrying such psychological pressure all this time," Hua Xiaomo said, looking at him with a wave of sympathy.

Qi Lingfeng looked at her and smiled. "Xiao Mo, do you know why I told you so many secrets of the Qi Family?"

"Why?" Hua Xiaomo looked into his eyes, unable to fully decipher the meaning in them.

Suddenly, Qi Lingfeng placed his hands on her shoulders. He leaned in so abruptly that Hua Xiaomo instinctively tried to step back.

"Hey, be careful! There’s a cliff behind you!" Qi Lingfeng decisively pulled her into his embrace and, in the next second, held her tightly.

"You..." Hua Xiaomo was momentarily stunned by his embrace, and she soon tried to break free.

"I’ve already missed ten years; I won’t miss out on you again!" Qi Lingfeng declared, still holding her, his voice soft yet clear. "Xiao Mo, marry me!"

Uh... Hua Xiaomo’s heart lurched. What? He’s proposing to me? Is he serious? This situation... this is all wrong! He’s Xia Shuangming, yes, he’s definitely Xia Shuangming. But...

As these thoughts raced through her mind, Hua Xiaomo immediately broke free from his embrace. She looked into his eyes. "Qi... forget it. I’ll still call you Xia Shuangming!"

"I remember... I’ve already repaid the money I owed you, and that contract is invalid. I don’t need to marry you," Hua Xiaomo said, looking at him, a gleam in her eyes.

Qi Lingfeng stared at her face, then suddenly chuckled. "The five million penalty... that was just a way I devised to keep you by my side, to tie you to me firmly. Whether that formality exists or not, I won’t let you leave me, Xiao Mo."

"Marry me. I’ll treat you well, and the old man has already agreed to our marriage," Qi Lingfeng said unhurriedly, his expression serene, perhaps with a hint of weariness. Even if she doesn’t agree right now, I have ways to make her nod.

"What?" Hua Xiaomo looked at him in utter astonishment. This is ridiculous! I never agreed to anything, and yet the Qi Family...

Seeing her somewhat disbelieving look, Qi Lingfeng slowly continued, "Also, your mother Aunt Su, and even your father already know about our situation, and they all agreed."

Uh... Hua Xiaomo felt completely dazed. What in the world is going on? What era is this anyway? Even if my parents agree, they can’t force me to marry, can they?

After a moment, Hua Xiaomo managed an awkward smile. "I’m sorry, I don’t want to get married yet..."

"Xiao Mo, you don’t have to answer me so quickly. I’ll wait for you to consider it thoroughly before you decide," Qi Lingfeng said with a smile, looking towards the road leading down the mountain. "Come on, I’ll take you back."

Soon, Qi Lingfeng drove Hua Xiaomo home. However, the car took a different route on the way.

"This is the wrong way. This isn’t the road to Chaohu Alley," Hua Xiaomo exclaimed.

"Don’t worry. While you were out, your dad already moved your family to a new place. The new address is near my Pandora Private Residence," Qi Lingfeng said with a gentle smile.

It turned out he had guessed she wouldn’t agree to marry him so quickly, but he still wanted to take the best care of her. Given Hua Xiaomo’s personality, she wouldn’t easily accept such a significant favor directly from him. Therefore, he had Hua Renda handle it. As for why he chose to move them here, it was naturally to gain an advantage by being close—proximity breeds opportunity, after all.

My dad moved us? Hua Xiaomo was surprised again. Isn’t this all happening too fast? She and her mother had lived in that dilapidated building in Chaohu Alley for many years, and never once had her father proactively taken care of them, let alone moved houses for them.

"Are you sure?" Hua Xiaomo looked at him, a suppressed anger simmering within her. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✶𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✶𝓷𝓮𝓽

"He’s your father. No matter how much you may resent him, he’s still your father, just like my relationship with the old man. Xiao Mo, you’re not a child anymore; you need to approach things more rationally," Qi Lingfeng said. He glanced at her; the distress etched on her face was also deeply imprinted on his heart.

When Hua Xiaomo arrived at the new house, she finally saw her father, Hua Renda—a man who hadn’t visited them in what felt like a lifetime. Standing in front of this beautiful little villa, she felt somewhat out of place, unsure how to react to it all.

Qi Lingfeng did not get out of the car. He just smiled softly and said, "I’ll be leaving now. Call me if you need anything."

Soon, Qi Lingfeng’s white Maserati sports car disappeared from her sight.