9 | Nine Roses
He really was a conversational genius.
Tang You stared at this sentence for a full five minutes, not knowing how to continue the conversation.
Fortunately, “Xiao Weijing” didn’t send any more messages.
The next morning, Tang You woke up early; clad in her pyjamas, she yawned as she made her way to the kitchen to look for food.
As soon as she got downstairs, she heard Jiang Tao’s low voice, “…she has been dead for so many years, what are you afraid of? Doesn’t everyone in Qixing listen to you now? What’s the problem with letting Nannan gain some experience in Qixing for a few years?”
Tang You stopped walking and stood outside.
This person had come back rather early.
Tang Xiao enjoyed collecting porcelain from all dynasties. She was standing right behind a tall antique curio display shelf; the wooden shelf hid Tang You well. She held her breath and listened carefully to the conversation between the pair.
Qixing was originally a company under Tang You’s mother Su Yuan. Before dying from illness, Su Yuan said with difficulty that she would leave the company to Tang You, but she did not make an actual will. When Tang You came of age, Tang Xiao used the reason that she was “too young to take up such a big responsibility” and to date, he still held onto control over Qixing as if it were only natural.
Tang You was interested in how Tang Xiao would respond.
“Of course it’s fine if it’s purely to gain experience. But that’s not your main purpose,” said Tang Xiao, his voice sounding rather tired. He asked in a low tone, “You want Nannan to have a stake in Qixing?”
"Nannan has suffered much because of me,” choked Jiang Tao. “Before, your parents did not approve of our relationship. I’ve been your lover for nine years without a single complaint; Nannan was called a bastard child every day, her every move picked on, but what could I do?”
Tang You quietly turned on her phone’s recording function.
This was a live White Lotus tutorial.
As expected, men were really suckers for such soft tactics. Tang You heard Tang Xiao calling out with some emotion, “Taotao, it’s been hard on you all these years. But Qixing was left to Youyou by Su Yuan——"
“You are Youyou's father and Su Yuan's husband, aren't her belongings yours?”
Through the thin gaps, Tang You saw Jiang Tao crying, and Tang Xiao cupped her face and wiped away her tears.
Tears streamed down Jiang Tao’s face, “Youyou is doted on by Elder Xiao, and is already engaged. After she marries Xiao Weijing, Qixing is just icing on the cake for her, but for Nannan it’s a precious gift! What does Nannan have? How will she marry into a good family in the future? She’s also your daughter, can’t you care more about Nannan?”
Tang Xiao, who’d never been very steadfast, hesitated, “Let’s talk about this later… Nannan can go to Qixing first to try it out. When Youyou is married, we can discuss it again, okay?”
Jiang Tao threw herself into his arms, “Ah Xiao, you’re so nice.”
Tang You's face was expressionless; as the couple embraced passionately, she turned off her phone.
Qixing was something her mother had left for her.
Now, he was going to give Qixing to Tang Nan just to make Jiang Tao happy.
She turned and came face-to-face with Jiang Chenting.
Jiang Chenting stood just two steps behind her; the top two buttons of his white shirt left unbuttoned.
He did not smile; his lips were pressed in a thin line.
Tang You smiled nonchalantly and walked out. Jiang Chenting followed her silently until they reached the dining room. He finally broke the silence, “Tangtang, don't worry, I will persuade Uncle. Qixing will always be yours, this will not change.”
Tang You smiled brightly, “Thank you, Brother.”
She didn't place too much hope on Jiang Chenting.
After all, Jiang Chenting had not the slightest blood relationship with her, but Tang Nan and Jiang Tao were actually related to him by blood.
Besides, how would Tang Xiao let Jiang Chenting interfere with this matter?
Jiang Tao had always hoped to give Tang Xiao another son, but she hurt her body when she gave birth to Tang Nan and never managed to get pregnant after that. Tang Xiao was now utterly under Jiang Tao’s spell, and even treated Jiang Chenting like his own son; he let him handle the company and groomed him to be his right-hand man.
However, Jiang Chenting was not his biological son after all.
Tang You kept to her room for a long time, thinking hard about how she could stop Jiang Tao.
This kind of situation… she could only go to her grandmother for now.
Tang You's grandmother, Ms. Meng Yunqiu, was still currently living in Xijing.
Tang You hadn't seen her in a long time.
When she discovered Grandpa Tang’s affair, Ms. Meng Yunqiu immediately filed for divorce, took half of the Tang family's assets, and set up her own business. Now, her company owned half of the household appliance market.
Everyone said that Meng Yunqiu was too heartless, divorcing without even batting an eyelid, and never even went home to see her children.
As if they’d never been born.
The last time Tang You saw Meng Yunqiu, it was at her own coming-of-age ceremony, which Elder Xiao had organized with great fanfare. Meng Yunqiu, with a serious expression, handed her a gift, said “Happy birthday”, and left—not even stopping to see Tang Xiao.
Tang You absently opened a book, thinking that her grandmother probably still liked her, otherwise she wouldn’t have attended her coming-of-age ceremony.
Tang You was never one to be wishy-washy; she informed Jiang Chenting and asked the family chauffeur to send her there.
When the chauffeur heard the address she stated, he looked awkward. “Miss, Sir has said long ago that no one is allowed to visit the Madam Meng——”
Tang You retorted, “I’m just going to visit my grandmother, is there a problem?”
“Of course not, it’s just——”
“Then let’s go,” said Tang You flatly as she opened the car door. “If you don’t tell, and I don’t tell, my father will not find out. Even if he does and pursues the matter, you can just say that I’d insisted on going.”
When the chauffeur saw her firm resolve, he could only swallow his words.
The place where her grandmother lived was quite far from here, they’d to drive through half of Xijing. Tang Xiao and her grandmother had a bad relationship, but when Su Yuan was still alive, she often took Tang You to visit.
Because of this, Tang Xiao quarrelled with Su Yuan often.
It was overcast and raining today. The chauffeur could not drive into the private villa area and had to park outside. Tang You carried an umbrella, got off the car and walked slowly up the path for pedestrians.
The driver pulled the car over on the side of the road, feeling at a loss for what to do.
In his hesitation, a black Maybach pulled up beside him; the window slowly wound down and the person inside asked, “Did Miss Tang You just go up?”
The person just stated Tang You’s name directly; the driver was a little wary and did not dare to answer immediately.
He peeked through the car window, but was unable to see the face of the person in the back seat; he only caught a glimpse of a part of his suit.
A pair of well-defined hands, slender and pale.
The person who spoke to him saw through his thoughts and smiled, “Our Sir’s surname is Xiao.”
Ah, Xiao.
The chauffeur came to a sudden realisation.
Wasn’t Tang You's fiancé’s surname Xiao?
He was no longer evasive, “Miss Tang went to visit Ms. Meng Yunqiu.”
The man thanked him and turned around to repeat the information. The chauffeur could not hear what the two said, but saw the speaker open the door, opened an umbrella, went respectfully around to the other side of the car, and opened the car door.
The tall man got out of the car and the driver finally got a good look at his face.
A solemn, pure black suit; a face that concealed its actual age; handsome and aloof.
He cupped his left hand to block the wind and lit a cigarette; cigarette smoke wafted around his expressionless face as he gazed out through the rain and fog.
The chauffeur didn't recognize him immediately; he stared blankly, and it was only after the man walked off on the same path that Tang You just took, that it suddenly dawned on him.
Tang You sat on the dark red sofa and waited for a long time, only to receive an apology from the solemn maid.
“Ms. Meng is about to take a nap, and says that she doesn't want to see you.” She bowed deeply, “I'm sorry, Miss Tang, please go back.”
Tang You stood up and said softly, “Then I'll come over to visit again when grandma is free.”
The maid did not say anything; she was old, her grey hair was pulled up in a neat bun, and her serious face bore no smile.
Tang You left; she couldn't resist turning back for a look as she stood in the garden, but she only saw a hazy silhouette through the glass window.
Then, it disappeared.
She bit her lip and walked slowly down the path she came from.
After a while, the light feathery drizzle grew heavier, wetting her hair and clothes; only then did Tang You remember that she’d left her umbrella in the reception hall.
A sigh.
When she was young, a teacher had written “Strong sense of pride” in Tang You's report book. Although she had gradually softened the edges of her character, the pride and stubbornness that was at her core could not be erased.
It was reasonable to have been turned away. If she went back now to get her umbrella, somehow it feels rather inappropriate.
Tang You struggled with herself, and finally decided to give up.
Forget it, it's not too far away from her car anyway; walking that short distance is fine.
Unexpectedly, the rain suddenly came down in torrents. Tang You’s clothes were quite bare today; she hugged herself and sneezed hard.
A big black umbrella appeared above her head.
Tang You lifted her face and saw Xiao Zexing.
He was holding a big black umbrella, the sort with twenty-four bones; it completely covered her head, shielding her from the large, rapid raindrops.
Xiao Zexing called out her name, “Tang You.”
His tone had not much intonation; his eyes fell on her, and he examined her steadily.
The drenched clothes clung tightly to her body, exposing her soft and delicate curves. On her pale arms, the faint blue-purple veins under the skin could even be seen, so beautiful that it didn’t seem human.
She came with the intention to ask for help, so her makeup was light and minimal. Pale, fair skin; loose hair hung neatly on her shoulders; eyelashes and lips were all wet, and further covered with a light layer of mist.
It looked like she’d been crying.
Utterly chilled by the wind, Tang You didn’t have time to adjust her emotions. She called softly, “Mr. Xiao.”
The man was too tall, so she could only look up at him.
Xiao Zexing handed the umbrella to Tang You, motioned her to hold on to it, took off his suit jacket and put it on her shoulders.
The warm scent of cedar and vetiver enveloped her.
The cold air was completely blocked off.
Tang You squeezed the soft suit jacket and thought, This is a good opportunity for the Green Tea B*tch to strike.
Tang You tilted her face and looked at him pitifully, “Can you take me home? I took the metro here without having breakfast, and it will take more than two hours to get back. I’m so cold and hungry now, I feel so bad.”
——Quick!
——Reject me!
——Quickly show a look of disgust and take the umbrella away! Then when you get home, insist that Master Xiao annuls the engagement
In Tang You's extremely expectant gaze, Xiao Zexing smiled slightly, flashing the dimples on his cheeks, “Of course.”
Tang You, “…”
Don’t you hate White Lotus the most? Can't you even see through such obvious lies?
Xiao Zexing changed the subject, “Did you come here to visit your grandmother?”
Tang You, who was in the throes of despair, was stunned, “How did Mr. Xiao know?”
She suddenly recalled something, “Ah, does Second Uncle live here?”
“Second Uncle?”
“Yes, Uncle Xiao Zexing,” Tang You smiled. “Auntie mentioned to me once that Second Uncle disliked that the original house was too noisy, and so he moved here… Speaking of which, I don't think I've met Second Uncle yet.”
There was no change in Xiao Zexing’s expression as he replied, “You’ve met him.”
“Hmm?” Tang You stopped and looked at him rather surprised, “When? How come I don't remember?”
The black umbrella spun around, and Xiao Zexing told her calmly, “On your fifth birthday, Grandpa Tang brought you to the Xiao’s house to play. Xiao Zexing was also there.”
Tang You was a little dazed, “You remember it so clearly.”
At that time, Xiao Weijing should’ve been… ten years old? Were all ten-year-olds able to remember such things in detail?
Tang You couldn't remember what she did when she was ten.
Xiao Zexing lowered his eyes to look at her and slowly spoke.
“Because the first time you met, you peed all over him.”