Chapter 50 If Looks Could Kill

Pei Baoyuan had been kept busy by Ms. Song Xuanling these past few days and had no time to pay attention to these matters, never expecting that her eldest brother would directly forbid Ke Xianbai from seeing her.

This was so typical of Pei Zongnian—decisive and swift in his actions.

"May I have the honor of inviting Miss Pei to a glass of juice?"

Pei Baoyuan's thoughts were drifting, and she hadn't even noticed someone approaching from behind, let alone that the newcomer was the exact person on her mind.

She immediately refused, "Excuse me."

Having finally found a quiet spot, only to be disturbed by someone, Pei Baoyuan turned around to look for another place, but raised her eyes to see a smiling face.

Pei Baoyuan paused in her tracks, wanting to speak but hesitating, "You..."

He tilted his head, arms crossed, looking at her with a smile just like that.

"Hmm?" Ke Xianbai raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.

Pei Baoyuan looked into his eyes. Although she had plenty of things she wanted to say to him earlier, now that she was actually seeing him, she didn't know where to begin. She could only look at him and smile along with him.

"It's cold out. Even if you want some peace and quiet, you should find a wind-sheltered spot." With that, Ke Xianbai draped a cloak over her shoulders.

Pei Baoyuan had no idea where he had suddenly conjured the cloak from. Perhaps he had been holding it in his hand all along, but right now, all she could see was him.

She pulled the cloak closer around herself. To look her best, she had worn a green, frog-buttoned cheongsam made of very thin fabric. The spot where she stood was not only unshielded from the wind, but occasionally even caught passing drafts. Only after putting on the cloak did she feel a slight return of warmth.

"Now you know it's cold, you little fool."

"..."

Facing Ke Xianbai, Pei Baoyuan stubbornly retorted, "You're the fool! Even if you hadn't come, I was about to head back anyway!"

Don't think she would easily forgive him just because he gave her a cloak!

Since her eldest brother wouldn't let him near the Pei residence, couldn't he use other methods?

In this information age, was his phone just for decoration? He couldn't get in, but couldn't she go out?

The more Pei Baoyuan thought about it, the angrier she became. She shook off Ke Xianbai's hand and walked toward the house, deliberately bumping her shoulder against his like a childish kid as she passed.

Ke Xianbai chuckled, resigning himself to following closely behind her.

Pei Baoyuan was like a popular delicacy; men coming over to greet her emerged in an endless stream. Knowing that Ke Xianbai was following just two steps behind her, she flashed a flawless, beaming smile at everyone who came up to greet her.

[Yuanbao, turn around and take a look, Ke Xianbai is about to shatter.]

[Ke Xianbai: Yuanbao, turn around and look. I refuse to believe your eyes are empty.]

[I'm dying of laughter. If looks could kill, these men would have already been hacked to pieces a thousand times by Ke Xianbai.]

Pei Baoyuan: "..."

No wonder these men, who had been coming over to greet her just fine, immediately found excuses to leave.

She turned back to glare at Ke Xianbai and walked toward Ms. Song's direction.

Ms. Song Xuanling wasn't someone to be easily fooled either. While chatting with the other ladies, she was also quietly observing Pei Baoyuan's situation—for instance, how her attention had gravitated entirely toward Ke Xianbai the moment she walked in.

She smiled and pulled Pei Baoyuan back to sit beside her, asking, "Did Yuanbao meet any friends she clicked with?"

Pei Baoyuan glanced at Ke Xianbai behind her and said nonchalantly, "There were a few decent ones."

[Ke Xianbai's world has collapsed.]

[More like Ke Xianbai's wife is about to run away.]

[The consequence of lacking a mouth: shouting your love for your wife in the previous second, only for your wife to mention a few decent blind-date options in the next.]

Ms. Song Xuanling was delighted. "Which ones? Did you exchange contact info? Chat more when you have time."

"Aunt Song." Ke Xianbai noticed that Mrs. Wang was sitting just two seats away from Song Xuanling. Perhaps Song Xuanling already knew he wanted to pursue Pei Baoyuan, or perhaps she didn't.

He just didn't dare to gamble.

He reined in his sharp edges and arrogance, greeting this impeccably groomed lady.

She was a close friend of his late mother, and now, the mother of the person he loved.

Song Xuanling remained warm toward him, even shifting her position slightly to allow Ke Xianbai to sit down, yet deliberately placing a distance between Pei Baoyuan and him.

She smiled cordially while delivering a subtle warning, "I heard you took a trip back to Hong Kong. How has your father's health been these past few years?"

"Quite good. Everything at home is fine."

"That's good. As long as the pillar of the family is there, things won't fall into chaos."

Song Xuanling looked into Ke Xianbai's eyes, as if trying to look past him to see someone else—

Huo Zhongxi, Ke Xianbai's biological mother and also her long-time friend.

Back then, Huo Zhongxi had been radiant and passionate, always possessing an unyielding drive—or rather, a rebellious streak.

At that time, their circle of second-generation elites had reached the age of arranged marriages, and the Huo family naturally began scouting prospects for Huo Zhongxi. Young and hot-headed, Huo Zhongxi secretly took the graduate school entrance exam for Hong Kong behind her family's back and ran off to Hong Kong clutching a small suitcase.

That was how Huo Zhongxi met Ke Bingjun, who was twelve years her senior, and the two fell head over heels in love.

From falling in love, getting married, having a child, to her tragic passing, a mere twelve years had elapsed for Huo Zhongxi.

In truth, Ke Xianbai didn't look like Huo Zhongxi at all. He had inherited every single one of Ke Bingjun's facial advantages: a high, straight nose bridge, deep-set eye sockets, and even the playboy's thin lips were a one-to-one replica of Ke Bingjun's. The only feature he shared with Huo Zhongxi was his eyes.

Song Xuanling snapped back to reality, suddenly feeling a wave of sorrow. She pulled Pei Baoyuan's hand and bid farewell to the guests.

Pei Baoyuan noticed Ms. Song Xuanling's abrupt shift to a low mood. She didn't know the reason, but it seemed to have happened right after seeing Ke Xianbai...

Pei Baoyuan felt somewhat conflicted.

Did Ms. Song dislike Ke Xianbai just like her eldest brother did?

The sorrowful mood came and went quickly. Once they arrived home, Ms. Song Xuanling looked much better.

Pei Baoyuan, who had suffered through the whole journey in suspense, finally dared to ask.

Song Xuanling took a sip of flower tea and sighed with emotion, "Seeing Xianbai just now made me think of his mother. Zhongxi was a close friend of mine back then, it's just such a pity..."

Song Xuanling repeated the word "pity" several times.

Pei Baoyuan breathed a sigh of relief.

The name Huo Zhongxi was not unfamiliar to her. When flipping through photo albums, she could still find quite a few pictures of Ms. Song Xuanling and Huo Zhongxi together. She was indeed a great beauty, belonging to the striking, somewhat aggressive type of beauty.

With such a stunning mother, no wonder Ke Xianbai was so good-looking.

Song Xuanling teased playfully, "Our Yuanbao must be fond of Xianbai."

Pei Baoyuan: "..."

Suddenly exposed by an elder, a suspicious blush crept across Pei Baoyuan's face. "I am not! Mummy, stop talking nonsense!"

"Then whose face was looking so sour all the way back just now? Were you afraid I wouldn't approve of you two being together?"

Pei Baoyuan's face was completely red now. "Nothing of the sort! We are as pure as driven snow, there's nothing going on between us at all, Mummy, please don't let your imagination run wild."

"Is that so? But Ke Xianbai just told Mrs. Wang at the banquet hall that he likes you and wants to pursue you."

"..."

[Hahaha, help, the whole world knows Ke Xianbai likes Pei Baoyuan except Pei Baoyuan herself.]

[Yuanbao, Ke Xianbai said he liked you right in front of Xu Chunlan and Mrs. Wang. Xu Chunlan's face turned green.]

[Even so, does anyone still remember that Pei Baoyuan used to be our male lead Huo Yanzhi's girlfriend?!]

[You should ask if anyone still remembers that Huo Yanzhi is the male lead.]

[Huo Yanzhi has been so unlucky lately that even drinking cold water gets stuck in his teeth... I almost feel a bit sorry for him.]