Part 09

Xi Qingnuo returned a somewhat unnatural smile to him, which could be considered an expression of her relatively stable emotions

Although she knows she is daydreaming

Sister, please bring your husband home with you this year. I assure you that Dad will not be angry. This is what Dad asked me to convey to you, hehe, Dad has accepted Wei Chenming, are you happy?

"Isn't it possible to go home by yourself?" Liang Yue raised an eyebrow

You once told me that heaven has eyes and will only grant us good endings. If there is a bad ending, it means it is not over yet. As the daughter of the esteemed commander of the A Military District, I have no love, no familial affection, and a home I cannot return to, living a life more pitiful than a dog. If it weren't for you, I would have surely ended my life with a knife. Sob. It truly touched a sore spot, and a tear fell. If it weren't for you, I would have surely ended my life with a knife. Sob. It truly touched a sore spot, and a tear fell.

Xi Qingnuo vacantly stared at him for three seconds, her eyelids drooping, appearing utterly listless. Then, like a marionette with a suddenly severed string, she slumped onto the table in an instant, falling into a deep sleep. Liang Yue, witnessing her "unconscious" state, smiled faintly, reaching out to stroke her fine, soft hair. He said nothing, yet his gaze lingered on her, as if warm, gentle spring water was slowly enveloping her, tender and lingering.

Frustrated by his own incompetence, Xi Qingnuo could only desperately cut and chew on the steak to feign calmness. Regretful of his past, he lamented that had he known during his four years in university, he should not have stayed cooped up in the dormitory, aimlessly wasting time, which led to his current ineptitude, lacking any experience, to the point where he even despised himself.

"Little sister, do you think I can go back? Hehe." Xi Qingnuo smiled faintly, her eyelids lowered, making it impossible to discern the emotions in her eyes.

Just when she was in a state of deep entanglement, her phone, which could wait a millennium buried in the dust, rang once.

Liang Yue and Xi Qingnuo should belong to the "mutual respect and courtesy" type. They have been together for a long time, yet they have never had a major argument or experienced a cold war. This is mainly due to Xi Qingnuo's forgetfulness and carefree nature, and additionally, Liang Yue understands Xi Qingnuo very well, accurately grasping her temperament.

She ultimately pressed the answer button, placed the phone to her ear, suppressed all her expressions, and asked formulaically: "Hello, how are you?"

He is also the only person who can touch her wounds without being scratched by her

Liang Yue remained motionless, gazing at her with eyes that were profoundly deep, revealing no hint of the emotions that lay beneath the surface

A woman who has been hurt before will grow claws, not easily yielding, unwilling to let anyone get close, nor wanting to approach others. She can only disguise herself as invulnerable with her own strength; this is self-protection

Liang Yue said: "So, is what I arranged not very appropriate?"

Xi Qingnuo saw that his cup was full again, and he picked it up, drinking it down in one go with great satisfaction

Xi Qingnuo shot him a fierce glare and said, "Stop pretending, didn't you know all along?"

Xi Qingnuo could only remain silent. A normal person would generally not admit to their own incompetence, would they? She is a normal person

Hua Shi Street, a high-end Western restaurant

The one known as Xi Qingnuo is Liang Yue. Xi Qingnuo herself does not know what she is capable of. She pondered deeply for a while, and ultimately resignedly said: "I can just fetch some water and sweep the floor. Alright, I cannot do anything at all"

It is the voice of her younger sister, Xi Lingzhi

Seeing her like this, Liang Yue had a general understanding of the situation. He remained silent and refilled her cup.

Xi Qingnuo was unable to hold her liquor, and before long, she felt slightly tipsy. She stared blankly with her eyes, gazing longingly at the expressionless Liang Yue before her. In truth, she had always known that Liang Yue was very handsome, although she had never been willing to admit it. Wei Chenming once said that he was afraid she would be tempted by Liang Yue's beauty, which made him feel insecure.

Xi Qingnuo showed no appreciation for his feelings at all, raised his eyebrows, and disdainfully said, "I don't want it; I feel like a useless person."

Listening to the busy tone on her phone, Xi Qingnuo finally put down the device, picked up her knife and fork, and continued eating her steak. Not fond of drinking, she quickly grabbed Liang Yue's wine glass, took a swift sip, and then silently buried her head in her plate, taking large bites of the steak.

Liang Yue picked up the goblet of wine, took a slow sip, and said lightly: "Don't you love playing games? You should just stay in and play games."

"Nonsense, you know very well how I was kicked out of the house with a smug face back then. Now you want me to return home looking foolish? I can't afford to lose face like that." The Xi family is not smaller than the Liang family, and as the eldest child, she is the least accomplished among them. Not to mention external conditions, even in terms of internal cultivation, she graduated with a solid foundation, but compared to her younger siblings, she truly cannot hold her own. Yet, she foolishly dreams of turning her fortunes around and becoming the most outstanding, making a scene that the entire family is aware of. Unfortunately, she has taken the wrong path and is still going in circles without making any progress. She graduated with a solid foundation, but compared to her younger siblings, she truly cannot hold her own. Yet, she foolishly dreams of turning her fortunes around and becoming the most outstanding, making a scene that the entire family is aware of. Unfortunately, she has taken the wrong path and is still going in circles without making any progress.

Xi Qingnuo is diligently cutting her steak with a knife. She has always insisted on having her steak well-done, and no one could persuade her to try a different level of doneness. Only with a single enticing remark from Liang Yue did she begin to eat her steak medium-well. This medium-well preference has persisted for two years now, remaining unchanged.

It is easy to say, but where can I find a way to return home as Wei Chenming?

Xi Qingnuo was overwhelmed with sadness and suddenly expressed, "Handsome man, promise me, you must not get married before I do"

She could not help but raise her hand, her not particularly long fingers gently touching Liang Yue's face. Liang Yue felt a slight shiver, yet did not shy away, allowing her to caress him.

"Hmm, shall we get married together?" Liang Yuefeng asked lightly and casually.

Thinking of her once inflated dreams like a balloon and the sadness of now having that balloon popped, she felt both angry and a bit sorrowful. She did not blame others; the entire situation stemmed from herself, and she could only blame her own ignorance at the time. She picked up her glass and drank heavily, completely disregarding that what she was drinking was "gold".

Sister, Dad misses you very much. You know Dad's temperament; he has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Since we were young, the three of us siblings have always listened to Dad. He has also become accustomed to absolute obedience from others during his time in the army. If you suddenly go against him, he will definitely lose his temper. Sister, please come home this year. Since you and your husband have already made your decision, Dad will surely let it go. Don't be angry with Dad.

Liang Yue then spoke, "What is bothering you? Share it with me so I can cheer you up."

Liang Yue slowed down his movements while eating the steak, his gaze directed towards her

"Hello, handsome, what position do you plan to arrange for me? My entire future depends on you." After finally cutting a piece of tender beef, Xi Qingnuo eagerly stuffed it into her mouth and began to chew, all the while not forgetting to chat as she ate.

Liang Yue certainly knew the reason for her drinking. He did not dissuade her, as he was well aware of Xi Qingnuo's stubborn temperament

Until Li Xintong asked her, "If Liang Yue is so unpleasant, why do you still maintain such a good relationship with him?"

"Then it's settled, see you the day after tomorrow. Goodbye." Xi Lingzhi hung up the phone.

Liang Yue calmly took down the hand that Xi Qingnuo was using to touch his face, holding it tightly between his palms, and smiled as he said: "Nuo Nuo, I like you when you're drunk"

He has always understood. It was as if he were speaking to himself, yet also as if he were inquiring of the unconscious Xi Qingnuo, "Why not stay at my place tonight"

She could not answer at first, but later gradually understood that it was simply because he treated her exceptionally well. She was reluctant to part with that meticulous kindness and feared that others would admire him and take away his affection. Now, Xi Qingnuo not only cannot bear to lose this kindness but also foolishly imagines that this kindness belongs solely to her

Although she has always known that she is a worthless person, can a worthless person not have dignity?

I..." Xi Qingnuo pressed her lips together, hesitating to speak. It was not that she was angry with her father; she was merely angry with herself. She was upset for having been so stubborn in the past, for not listening to her father's advice, and for having done those foolish things.

Liang Yue exudes an aura of elegance and grace throughout his being. It is not a deliberate affectation, but rather a natural disposition. From childhood to adulthood, the most frequent remarks that Xi Qingnuo heard were the constant praises from others about Liang Yue's merits. From his appearance to his academic achievements, and even to his lofty family background, he was lauded. In the past, she did not understand this and, like a rebellious youth, scoffed at it, disparaging him with unfounded accusations. She spoke with a sharp tongue, was cold and unkind, and questioned his sexual orientation.

Xi Qingnuo admitted that she was taken aback. She had been living her life in a daze, and surprisingly did not realize that the day after tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day celebrated for family reunions and a national public holiday.

She has no face to return home. Her return home, once filled with hysterical promises to her father, has all turned to nonsense. All her previous confidence has instantly turned to ashes. She feels ashamed, unable to face her father.

Xi Qingnuo was completely unable to respond. She even found the name Wei Chenming to be unfamiliar.

"Good." That was all she could say.

Upon hearing the voice of my younger sister, the tension in my heart instantly relaxed. The phone number is her home landline, which anyone can call; it was my own overthinking. Moreover, two years ago, her father had already severed their father-daughter relationship. How could a man like Xi Tie Rong abandon his ironclad principles of decisiveness?

Liang Yue smiled and said, "Let's go home; there is no place like home, no matter where you are."

This should be considered a display of her loss of composure. She has never cried in public, no matter how painful the situation may be, she would endure it. It is evident that she is indeed a bit intoxicated, having lost her temper under the influence of alcohol

Xi Qingnuo would always laugh at him for being overly concerned, as they were too familiar with each other, like air, weightless and taken for granted. She did not know when it began, but whenever she saw Liang Yue's deeply dark eyes, her cheeks would flush. Every one of his movements made her start to pay attention and calculate. It was like a young girl experiencing her first love, falling for the small boy in her heart, filled with tender feelings

"Then what do you want to do?" Liang Yue pondered deeply, unsure of what she could do, and could only helplessly inquire about her personal abilities

Sister, are you coming home for the Mid-Autumn Festival this year

"It is acceptable, as long as you are not allowed to marry before me." She feared that she could not bear it, and she did not want to try once more the heart-wrenching pain.

She casually took out her phone and was just about to press the answer button when she was startled by the caller ID, her body stiffening in confusion. Liang Yue, seeing Xi Qingnuo's reaction, glanced at the phone screen and said clearly, "Answer it, the Mid-Autumn Festival is the day after tomorrow"