Chapter 284: Chapter 284

As soon as the words were out, both of them couldn’t help but be stunned, especially Wen Yajun, whose cheeks flushed an embarrassed red.

"Haha, just kidding, Wen Yajun, my good friend," Hua Xiaomo said. Then she looked at Dong Xiaoyou and smiled. "Xiao You, Ya Jun is very good at taking care of people."

"..." Dong Xiaoyou also replied somewhat awkwardly, swallowing the words she had intended to say. Instead, she said, "Xiao Mo, let’s go downstairs for breakfast together!"

"Yes, your mother is already waiting downstairs," Wen Yajun quickly added.

Hua Xiaomo looked at the two of them and suddenly had a strange thought. They were both so gentle and kind; their paces matched so well! It would be rather nice if they could end up together.

The group was dining together when, during the meal, an unexpected guest arrived at their home once again.

"Oh, everyone’s eating!" Hua Renda said with a smile as he walked in.

However, the moment Su Ronghua saw him enter, her gaze flickered quickly between Wen Yajun and Hua Xiaomo, but her meaningful look was directed at Hua Xiaomo.

Catching her mother’s meaning, Hua Xiaomo returned the glance and quickly grabbed Wen Yajun, who was eating. "Ya Jun, thank you for coming to see us! You’ve probably eaten enough by now, right? Don’t you have to get to work? Come on, I’ll see you out!"

Wen Yajun was hustled out of Hua’s Home by Hua Xiaomo before he even had a chance to greet Hua Renda.

"What’s wrong, Xiao Mo? Why the rush?" Wen Yajun asked, looking at her curiously. "Didn’t a guest just arrive at your house?"

"That’s no guest; that’s my dad, Hua Renda," Hua Xiaomo said, a shadow in her eyes. Her mother had never married, yet she had two children born out of wedlock: herself and Wen Yajun. Her mother hadn’t formally acknowledged Wen Yajun yet, and Wen Yajun wasn’t Hua Renda’s child either. If Hua Renda were to be dragged into this, the relationships would become even more convoluted. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚✦𝕟𝕖𝕥

"Ah? It’s Uncle Hua! Why didn’t you tell me earlier?" Wen Yajun exclaimed. "Wasn’t that incredibly rude of me?"

"Polite, impolite, who cares? Just ignore him," Hua Xiaomo said irritably.

Thinking about Hua Renda’s uncharacteristic visit, she knew exactly what he was after. He just wanted her to agree to this marriage quickly; he probably couldn’t wait to marry her off to the Qi Family by the very next day. Then, he could legitimately associate himself with such a wealthy and influential family through marriage.

Seeing Wen Yajun about to say more, Hua Xiaomo pushed him toward his motorcycle. "Alright, alright, say no more. Things are a mess at home right now; it’s too complicated to explain. Ya Jun, thank you for coming to see my mom. Please come by another day, okay?"

"Well, alright, Xiao Mo," Wen Yajun said as he was leaving. "I still hope you’ll come back to work at the company."

"We’ll talk about it later!" Hua Xiaomo said with a smile, offering no further comment.

After watching him leave, she returned home. Hua Renda hadn’t left yet. Seeing her return, however, he seemed too awkward to say anything more, merely offering Su Ronghua a smile before standing up.

"Xiao Mo, you saw your friend off, I see," Hua Renda asked with a smile, though his face still held a hint of awkward dejection.

Hua Xiaomo glanced at everyone in the room: her father, her mother, and her good friend Dong Xiaoyou. Dong Xiaoyou, however, tactfully excused herself, taking the child upstairs.

"If you have something to say, say it directly. There’s no need to beat around the bush," Hua Xiaomo said quickly. "If you’re still here to persuade me to marry into the Qi Family, you can save your breath. My marriage will not be a tool for others to use."

Her words made Hua Renda visibly uncomfortable.

"Child, how can you speak like that?" Su Ronghua quickly chided, then furrowed her brow. "Your father is only thinking of your own good. The Qi Family is prominent and influential these days; marrying into such a family is something countless girls dream of."

"Mom, have you been brainwashed?" Hua Xiaomo frowned. "Didn’t you always tell me how incredibly complicated marriages into wealthy families are? Why the sudden change of heart?"

It seemed they had all agreed to her marrying Qi Lingfeng.

"Your father and I are just looking out for your best interests," Su Ronghua said with a sigh.

Then, as if remembering something, Su Ronghua continued, "Before, you said you liked someone named Long Shangxuan, and I didn’t try to stop you. But what happened after that? The whole thing just fizzled out, and you never mentioned his name again."

"Regardless of whether you’ve broken up with him or not, I don’t want you to have any more contact with him. And according to your father, Qi Lingfeng has known you for ten years. He was also the Feng Shui Master who gave you your name when you were young. You two know each other thoroughly."

"I believe this young man can definitely take good care of you. That’s why we agreed to this marriage, do you understand?" Su Ronghua said earnestly.

"Yes, what your mother said is what I wanted to say too. Child, you mustn’t miss out on him," Hua Renda also urged.

"..." Hua Xiaomo looked at them speaking in unison, as if they were absolutely determined to marry her off.

A heavy feeling settled in Hua Xiaomo’s chest. She wasn’t sure why, but she just felt deeply uneasy...

"Alright, stop talking. Just let me think about it..." Hua Xiaomo had barely finished speaking when a young man with short, purple-glowing hair, Zi Yunsui, walked in. Seeing the family, he couldn’t help but smile. "Uncle, Aunt, you’re both here. Perfect timing! My master asked me to deliver this invitation."

With that, Zi Yunsui solemnly handed the invitation to Hua Renda. "My master respectfully awaits the punctual presence of Uncle, Aunt, and Miss Hua at the event."

Zi Yunsui glanced at Hua Xiaomo, a mysterious smile in his eyes, then turned and left Hua’s Home.

Hua Xiaomo glanced at Hua Renda and said expressionlessly, "I’m going out for a walk." Then, as she brushed past him...

"Xiao Mo, Qi Lingfeng is hosting a charity gala at Guanghua Hotel next week, and he’s invited our whole family..." Hua Renda called out to her retreating back.

Hua Xiaomo shot him a sidelong glance and smiled faintly. "Dad, isn’t this exactly what you wanted?"

"Xiao Mo, what are you saying? How can you speak to your father like that?" Su Ronghua frowned.

"Forget it. You two talk. I’m heading out," Hua Xiaomo said, glancing at them. With that, she quickly left through the door.

「In the CEO’s office at Qi Imperial Court.」

Qi Longbing held a coffee cup in one hand, tapping his fingers on the desk with the other. His handsome, angel-like face seemed to glow faintly. The corners of his lips curved into a subtle, roguish smile, an enchanting yet dangerous allure slowly emanating from him.

He seemed to be deep in thought, pondering some issue.