Chapter 174: Shifting the Blame Backwards

Having finished speaking, Xia Xiyun looked at her younger brother's dejected expression and lacked the heart to say the rest. Ultimately, she resigned herself and said, "Just watch me and learn, alright?"

Xia Xiyun scoffed dismissively, "If you're so good at this, why are you still single?"

Xia Xiyun replied speechlessly, "That's because I haven't met a man worthy of me yet, okay? Let's go, stop spouting nonsense, and go buy a few bottles of soda."

The siblings walked over to the opposite convenience store, bought five bottles of soda, and carried them upstairs.

Han Lanzhi was currently taking out the several newly purchased outfits one by one and presenting them to Shen Qingyi. Shen Qingyi looked at them attentively. "The styles all suit you quite well. Wear them if you like them."

Countless times, she had imagined a scene in her own life: going shopping with her mother, bringing back clothes and shoes, trying them on together as mother and daughter, and then happily cooking a table full of delicious food at home, waiting for her father to bring Lu Yan back for dinner, listening to the two of them chat about topics she couldn't understand at all.

Yet, of such a scene, she seemed to have lost half.

At this moment, watching Han Lanzhi talk and laugh with her, she felt a momentary sense of trance.

Xia Xiyun observed Shen Qingyi's expression, bumped Xia Xiyuy's shoulder, covered her mouth, and whispered, "Do you know what catering to someone's preferences means?"

Seeing that Xia Xiyuy didn't understand, Xia Xiyun continued, "See that? Winning over Aunt Han is our strong suit; we just need to deploy our financial power. Since Aunt Han has the ability to make Qingyi get a divorce, she has the ability to make her remarry. Next up is to first lower her guard."

With that, she stepped forward and called out, "Qingyi, what do you think of these five outfits I picked out for Aunt Han?"

Shen Qingyi nodded with satisfaction. "They're quite nice. These clothes weren't cheap, right?"

Xia Xiyun curled her lips. "Look at you, always so calculated. It didn't cost much. You've worked for our Xia Corporation for so long, and the profits you've brought us far exceed this. What are a few outfits compared to that?"

Han Lanzhi also felt that her daughter's question seemed rather petty, so she folded the clothes and placed them on the sofa. "If you're unhappy, Mom can pay Miss Xia back later."

Shen Qingyi had no desire to dampen Han Lanzhi's spirits. "I'm not unhappy. Just keep them."

Xia Xiyun smiled, "Only you and Aunt Han appreciate my taste so much. Whenever I pick out clothes for my mom and A-yue, they always despise them."

As she spoke, she handed the sodas to the two of them in front of Shen Qingyi.

Xia Xiyuy thought to himself: He had no idea when his sister had ever picked out clothes for him.

Shen Qingyi walked over and accepted the soda handed to her. "I'll go pick out a few outfits for Auntie later. I promised her last time."

***

While feeling pleased, Xia Xiyun looked at Xia Xiyuy with a sympathetic gaze. "Look at that, what have you done? Qingyi has excluded you from the list. I told you to take good care of her; did you slack off somewhere?"

Shen Qingyi hurriedly waved her hand. "No... A-yue has been exceptionally good, really!"

Seeing that Xia Xiyun still didn't believe her and continued to glare at Xia Xiyuy with a threatening look, she reiterated with absolute sincerity, "Really!"

"Then why are you only thinking about picking clothes for my mom instead of A-yue, especially when he's standing right here?"

Shen Qingyi smiled awkwardly. "It just feels like doing something like that would lead to misunderstandings."

Xia Xiyun feigned utter astonishment. "Misunderstandings... what kind of misunderstandings?"

After asking, she put on an expression of sudden realization. "You couldn't possibly think that A-yue has feelings for you—"

Halting midway, she shifted the topic. "You wish! Do you know how many women in Shenzhen Want to marry our Fourth Young Master?"

Shen Qingyi: !!!

"Oh dear, it was all my carelessness. I never even thought in that direction." With a look of vexation, she turned to Xia Xiyuy and said, "Don't come over for the next two days. I'll have Sun Ning handle anything that comes up."

Han Lanzhi was also stunned. So this young master Xia didn't mean it that way; he only treated Qingyi like this because of his sister's instructions. Her mood instantly soured.

Shen Qingyi felt so awkward she could practically scrape her hands raw. It turned out she was the only one who had interpreted it that way.

She immediately offered a dry laugh to save face. "I didn't think like that."

Xia Xiyun made a decision on the spot. "I'll have A-yue go back and send Sun Ning over to take care of you."

"No need, no need!" Shen Qingyi had met Sun Ning before—a bulky man with a rather abrasive temper. Whenever he came to urge her for manuscripts, his voice was coarse and harsh, just like a debt collector. Thinking of this, Shen Qingyi decided that Xia Xiyuy was much better after all. "Work matters can stay as they are, and I don't need anyone to take care of my daily life."

Xia Xiyun raised her chin slightly. "Staying the same is fine, but I'm a bit worried. With the face of our Fourth Young Master here, it's just too easy for women to form misunderstandings. Now that you're divorced as well, I mean..."

"Sister!" Xia Xiyuy felt Xia Xiyun was going too far; this was turning things upside down and shifting the blame.

Xia Xiyun glared at Xia Xiyuy, then heard Shen Qingyi say, "Don't worry, I still have that much professional ethics."

Xia Xiyuy cast an apologetic glance at Shen Qingyi, only to find her smiling warmly at him. The previous vigilance and guard in her gaze were completely gone, and her tone had also grown natural. "A-yue, you have enough clothes already. You really don't need to buy any more."

"Okay!" Xia Xiyuy replied.

Having settled this, Shen Qingyi asked again, "Is there a telephone installed in this apartment?"

***

Xia Xiyun pointed toward the small room at the very end. "In that study."

Shen Qingyi expressed her thanks. "Let's all go grab a bite together later. My treat."

Xia Xiyun tossed her cascading waves of hair. "Oh, so you've come into some money, haven't you? Daring to play host on our turf."

"Are you going or not?"

"I am! Well then, I won't stand on ceremony!"

Shen Qingyi glanced down at her watch and asked Xia Xiyun, "You must be exhausted from shopping with my mom all morning, right?"

Xia Xiyun curved her red lips slightly. "It's alright. If you're tired, you can pick out my mom's clothes tomorrow. Since you love returning courtesy for courtesy, I'll come over tomorrow."

That afternoon, the meal was eaten amidst laughter and conversation, with only Han Lanzhi sitting off to the side, looking sullen.

On the drive back home, Xia Xiyuy, recalling what Xia Xiyun had said to Shen Qingyi at noon, expressed his displeasure, "Why did you say those things to Qingyi?"

"Say what things?" Xia Xiyun feigned ignorance while driving.

"Things like 'she wishes,' and how countless women want to marry me. And what about that Sun Ning? He's more like a debt collector; you actually told him to go urge Qingyi for manuscripts?"

Xia Xiyun remained nonchalant. "Oh, that. Do you know what playing hard to get means? If I didn't dispel her suspicions, she wouldn't have spoken a few sentences to you during lunch and would have continued overthinking and keeping her distance. If I hadn't mentioned Sun Ning and used Wan Fang instead, she would have agreed in a split second. How on earth can a brain like yours compare to Lu Yan's? You're really going to worry me to death!"

Meanwhile, having finished work early, Lu Yan had returned home, seated himself at his study desk, and stared blankly at the telephone on the table.

The phone rang just once, and Lu Yan immediately picked it up. "Hello!"

"Why so nervous? It's old Wang. We've dug up the information on He Xiangcao." Hearing the eager urgency in Lu Yan's voice as he answered the call, Wang Zhifang felt truly puzzled; he had always been amiable toward Lu Yan.