Chapter 97

Chi Wanzhao didn't call until after six, saying she had just left and might still take a while. Kong Xiyan told her not to rush and to be careful on the road. Chi Wanzhao hummed in acknowledgment and hung up. Before getting into the car, she looked up at the sky; it had started snowing heavily again, the flakes drifting down and melting instantly on her face.

It was a bit cold.

Chi Wanzhao stood still for a moment, and Zhou Sheng chuckled behind her. "Do you like snowy days, CEO Chi?"

He looked up too; the snowflakes were like willow catkins, dancing gracefully under the streetlights.

Chi Wanzhao frowned and shook her head. "Too cold. I don't like it."

Then she withdrew her gaze and got into the car.

Zhou Sheng lowered his eyes and smiled, then followed her in.

Zhou Sheng was driving. It was New Year's Eve, and everyone from the company had been given leave. Like Chi Wanzhao, his family was in Country A, and in previous years, he had always gone back with her.

This year was an exception.

After getting into the car, Chi Wanzhao glanced outside, watching the snowflakes landing on the window, and said, "If you're going to be alone later, you might as well stay and eat with us."

Zhou Sheng hesitated at her words, then looked at his phone. At noon, Jiang Yuan had asked if he wasn't going back, saying they could keep each other company if he didn't mind, since his family was in another city and he couldn't return.

He wasn't one to pair up with others, so he hadn't agreed right away. Now, hearing Chi Wanzhao's offer, he smiled. "No need, CEO Chi. Assistant Jiang asked me to have dinner with him tonight."

Chi Wanzhao had been looking down at her laptop, but now she raised her eyes to glance at him, a hint of understanding in them. "I see."

Zhou Sheng smiled and continued driving, feeling Chi Wanzhao's gaze on his back from behind.

He unconsciously straightened up and scratched his head.

Had he said something wrong?

Fortunately, Chi Wanzhao only looked at him for a moment before returning her gaze to her laptop. The black car drove through the falling snow toward the outskirts of the city.

Back at home, Kong Xiyan was holding Yanyan, teasing her. Chi Xuan and Wang Haining had finished making dumplings, and Chi Xuan had wanted to help more, but after burning her hand on oil, confusing salt for sugar, and breaking two plates, she gave up and sat obediently on the other side of the sofa.

Kong Xiyan noticed her pouting in frustration and asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"

Chi Xuan looked toward the kitchen and said in a melancholic tone, "I'm going to sign up for a cooking class when I get back."

Kong Xiyan: "..."

She placed Yanyan in Chi Xuan's hands, sat down beside her, and sighed. "Why would you want to do that?"

Chi Xuan: "..."

She let out a soft, cat-like hum. "Second sister-in-law is bullying me too."

Kong Xiyan patted her head. "No, I'm not. Let me go see if your second sister has arrived."

With that, she stood up and walked toward the balcony. The snow outside seemed even heavier now; the tall trees looked like they had blossomed with white flowers, the wind shaking loose the flakes and sending them swirling.

Kong Xiyan didn't see any signs of a car approaching downstairs, and when she turned around, she found Chi Xuan standing right behind her. She smiled. "She's not here yet. Let's go sit inside and wait for her."

Chi Xuan agreed. "Okay."

But she didn't move. After walking a couple of steps toward the living room, Kong Xiyan noticed Chi Xuan was still standing there, staring at the house across the way.

She called out softly, "Xiao Xuan? What are you looking at?"

Chi Xuan snapped back at the sound, then said, "Nothing, I was just thinking about my grandmother."

"Thinking about your grandmother?"

Chi Xuan smiled. "Yeah, second sister-in-law, can you tell me about my grandmother?"

Kong Xiyan frowned, puzzled. "Tell you about your grandmother? But I don't know..."

Chi Xuan looked at her in confusion. "How could you not know her? My grandmother lives right across the way, see."

She pointed to the house across the street.

The iron gate was still closed, covered with white promotional papers. The wind lifted the loose edges, rustling audibly even from a distance.

Kong Xiyan was stunned for a long moment. Then, in disbelief, she turned to Chi Xuan and asked, "You said your grandmother lives across the street?"

Chi Xuan looked at her, puzzled. "Yeah, don't you remember, second sister-in-law?"

Remember?

Of course she remembered.

Last time she came here to clean, she had told Chi Wanzhao about the old lady across the street.

But Chi Wanzhao hadn't told her it was her grandmother.

She had only asked her one question.

Do you like her very much?

At the time, it had seemed random.

Only now did she understand.

It had been Chi Wanzhao asking if she liked her grandmother.

Kong Xiyan couldn't quite articulate the wave of emotion that surged through her in that instant. It was complicated. Her expression shifted, and she fell silent. Chi Xuan, sensing the change, stood timidly beside her and called out, "Second sister-in-law?"

"Second sister-in-law, what's wrong?"

Kong Xiyan let out a breath, her voice a bit cold. "It's nothing."

Chi Xuan could see she was upset and bit her lip. "Did I say something wrong? You can tell me directly."

Kong Xiyan waved her hand. "It's nothing. My mind's just a bit jumbled. I'll be fine after sitting for a while."

Chi Xuan watched her back disappear into the living room, at a loss.

Kong Xiyan sat on the sofa, her brows still knit in thought. Yanyan tried to jump into her lap, but she set her aside. Chi Xuan, filled with regret, walked to the kitchen and called out, "Hey."

Wang Haining ignored her, continuing to work.

Chi Xuan bit her lip again. "Hey!"

"Wang, Wang Haining."

She awkwardly called out the name, her face flushing red. Wang Haining paused, turned to look at her, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Chi Xuan looked away. "Could you... ask second sister-in-law what's the matter?"

Wang Haining's gaze passed her to Kong Xiyan sitting on the sofa, puzzled. "What's wrong with Xiyan?"

Chi Xuan spoke in a frustrated tone. "I don't know. She was fine just a moment ago, all happy, and then suddenly she was like this."

Wang Haining washed her hands, dried them with a nearby towel, then walked over to Chi Xuan. "What were you two talking about?"

Chi Xuan frowned. "About my grandmother."

Wang Haining raised her eyes to look at her. "Your grandmother?"

Chi Xuan pointed to the house across the street. "Yeah, she lives there. I thought second sister-in-law knew. Second sister told me, so I thought she knew..."

Chi Xuan's words were rambling, disjointed. Wang Haining took a breath and cut her off.

Moments later, Wang Haining sat down beside Kong Xiyan.

She handed her a glass of lukewarm water. "What's wrong?"

Kong Xiyan opened her mouth, but seeing Chi Xuan following behind, she frowned and said, "It's nothing."

Wang Haining glanced at Chi Xuan from the corner of her eye, understanding. "Chi Xuan, could you help me keep an eye on the stove in the kitchen?"

Chi Xuan nodded. "Okay."

Once Chi Xuan was gone, Wang Haining turned to Kong Xiyan. "Now, tell me. Is it about CEO Chi?"

Kong Xiyan looked at her, confused. "Haining, what do you think she means?"

"Last time we came, we clearly talked about the old lady across the street, but she didn't tell me?"

She was clearly angry, her pretty face tense, her bright eyes blazing. Wang Haining studied her for a moment, then said, "Xiyan, have you ever considered another reason?"

"For example, yourself."

"Have you completely opened up to her?"

Kong Xiyan paused.

She thought of Guan Xiaoying.

Every time Chi Wanzhao asked, she would say it was an old friend, even deliberately avoiding the topic.

"But I..."

Wang Haining patted her shoulder. "You have your 'buts.'"

"So why can't others have theirs too?"

Wang Haining said in a calm voice, "How do you think CEO Chi treats you?"

Kong Xiyan lowered her head.

How did she treat her? She always kept her in mind and treated her well.

She had never doubted Chi Wanzhao's sincerity, but her concealment still hurt.

Seeing Kong Xiyan silent, Wang Haining simply sat with her on the sofa. Yanyan quietly squeezed between them, lifting her head to beg for pets. Wang Haining picked up the cat, placed her in Kong Xiyan's arms, and said with a gentle smile, "I'll go get back to work."

Just as she stood up, the doorbell rang. Chi Xuan poked her head out of the kitchen. "Is that second sister?"

Wang Haining walked to the door and opened it, seeing Chi Wanzhao standing outside.

The snow was heavy, settling on her shoulders and hair. Chi Wanzhao brushed off the snowflakes and saw Wang Haining at the door.

She gave a slight nod as a greeting.

Seeing that she was about to enter, Wang Haining called out, "CEO Chi."

Chi Wanzhao turned. "Hmm?"

Wang Haining: "Nothing. Go on in."

Chi Wanzhao gave her a puzzled look, then frowned and walked inside. She saw Kong Xiyan sitting on the sofa, holding Yanyan. As she took off her coat, Chi Xuan ran over, head bowed, biting her lip. "Second sister, I think I made a mistake."

Chi Wanzhao stared at the crown of her head, her voice flat. "What did you do?"

Chi Xuan kept her head lowered. "I told second sister-in-law that grandmother lives across the street."

"I thought she knew."

"You told me before..."

Chi Wanzhao cut her off. "I understand."

Her expression was calm, but on closer look, her face paled for a moment. Her frame swayed slightly, and her fingers tightened on the fabric of her coat.

After a moment, Chi Wanzhao walked over to Kong Xiyan. Kong Xiyan looked up, meeting her bright eyes, and said flatly, "You're back."

Her expression was natural, but upon closer inspection, something about her was different from usual.

Chi Wanzhao pressed her lips together. "Mm."