The woman seemed to have already devised her strategy. "Miss Xu, I don't want to cause a scene, but if you're going to be unreasonable, then I'll go to the newspapers. I'll tell everyone that you, Miss Xu, forced your stepmother and your father's posthumous child to their deaths. Scandals among powerful families—many people enjoy hearing about those."
"Hmph. Ridiculous." Her voice was low, carrying deterrent force. "Stepmother, my father died of testicular cancer. You'd be better off finding the real father of that posthumous child. The newspapers don't have that kind of time."
The claim was too shocking.
The other party was struck speechless, immediately losing all her bravado.
A long silence followed.
Xu Si shook her head slightly and hung up the phone.
Her father had died of stomach cancer, not testicular cancer, but the outside world didn't know this; all sorts of rumors circulated.
She wasn't worried that the woman would expose her.
That woman might have been with her father, but she couldn't have been pregnant.
If she really were pregnant, she would have shown up with a pregnancy test report, not made a fuss over the phone, trying to announce a pregnancy before even having one.
The quiet lasted only a short while.
Then another call came through.
The tone and voice were different, but the reason given was much the same: "It's me, your stepmother. Send money."
This situation continued until evening.
Butler Ge knocked and entered the study, bowing slightly. "Miss, please come to dine."
Xu Si nodded slightly, flicked her fingertips, tossing the email into the trash, then descended the stairs at a measured pace. Only then did she realize that during her busy period, Pei Zhen had already returned safely.
The warm Xu Family hall.
Flames danced in the custom-made all-bronze fireplace. The wind howled outside, filling the night and lending an ethereal quality to the mansion.
The young man sat upright on the sofa, an all-English book by his side. He was still dressed in the worn white shirt from when they met earlier, yet he didn't appear destitute.
Hearing footsteps, Pei Zhen instinctively looked up, gazing at her with clear, bright eyes, and naturally called out, "Auntie."
Pretty good.
It seemed he didn't have too much aversion to this title.
Xu Si descended the stairs, leaning on the handrail, and asked in a gentle voice, "You're back. How's the school environment? Do you like it?"
Pei Zhen nodded with a smile. "The school is very good. Thank you for the trouble, Auntie."
"As long as you like it," Xu Si patted his shoulder. "You have to be obedient and study hard. I'll do everything I promised you."
Xu Si wasn't short, at one meter seventy. Pei Zhen, though only fifteen, was already taller than her. Consequently, she had to reach up to pat his shoulder.
Hearing her words, Pei Zhen just smiled without responding.
Xu Si paused. From their brief interaction, she knew that Pei Zhen at this age was actually quite polite and would normally respond.
So, was he resisting something?
Could he not accept their relationship, or was he too guarded against her?
Xu Si softened her tone, probing gently, "Xiaopei, do you think what I said is wrong?"
But Pei Zhen replied without hesitation, "Auntie is absolutely right."
Xu Si looked directly into his striking features and asked, "Then what were you thinking just now? Don't keep things to yourself. After all, we're family now."
He raised his head, his smile gentle and lingering, his eyes also brightened by the flames in the fireplace. "Nothing special. I just remembered Auntie said she would pick me up and asked me to wait. I didn't wait for you; I went with others to handle the school enrollment. So, I was wondering if Auntie didn't come because I was disobedient—"
"..."
Xu Si felt a twitch in her brow. Only then did she remember that she had indeed broken her promise today, forgetting the casual commitment she had made.
But the boy's last sentence was completely unexpected.
She had clearly been the one to break the promise first.
He didn't blame her, wasn't dejected; instead, he was fretting over whether he had been disobedient?
What was this? Was he trying to convince himself it was his fault?
The subtle crackling of wood in the fireplace lent a warmth to the air.
There wasn't a hint of sarcasm or hidden meaning in the boy's earnest gaze.
"Ah," Xu Si arched an eyebrow, then couldn't help but chuckle. "Of course not," she said nonchalantly. "It's my fault. I'll definitely pick you up next time."
"Auntie has done nothing wrong."
Pei Zhen shook his head with a faint smile, showing no complaint or dissatisfaction. His response was incredibly affirming for Xu Si.
Xu Si's cool, bright eyes shifted. "Let's go. Put down your book; it's time to eat."
At the Xu Family residence, meals were prepared by servants and served in the dining room. The aroma of Chinese dishes filled the air. The high-ceilinged dining room featured an enormous chandelier, bathing the scene in brilliant light and illuminating every detail. A dark carpet lay on the polished hardwood floor. In a corner, a vase half a person's height held a few stems of exotic, flamboyantly blooming roses.
Xu Si ate quickly and sparingly, a habit from her past life where time hadn't allowed for leisurely meals.
After about fifteen minutes, she put down her chopsticks and looked at Pei Zhen, her voice clear. "Eat more. If you ever crave anything in particular, just tell Butler Ge."
The boy's table manners were impeccable, a testament to his excellent upbringing. Hearing her, he calmly set down his chopsticks and ladled another bowl of hot soup, the porcelain spoon making no sound against the bowl.
"This is very good already."
It was an inexplicably pleasing sight.
On this beautiful, breezy winter night, Xu Si propped her chin on her hand and watched him for a few minutes, her expression unreadable. Though she was full, she felt a sudden urge to eat a little more.
Butler Ge passed by, carrying two clean sets of dark blue school uniforms, the ties uniformly black—the unmistakable attire of the Imperial Private Academy on Hong Kong Island.
A year ago, Xu Si had worn such clothes herself.
Her gaze lingered for a moment before she said, "Tomorrow you officially start school. I'll have the driver take you. Make sure you attend your classes properly."
Pei Zhen put down the porcelain bowl in his hand, a smile in his smoke-gray eyes. "Alright, Auntie. Do you want me to get good grades?"
"Not exactly," Xu Si took a sip of the mint water in her cup, the brisk flavor filling her mouth as she spoke in a leisurely tone. "What's most important in life is happiness. Just do your best; grades aren't the most crucial part. Don't stress yourself out. I'd rather you make progress with your classmates. Most importantly, don't pick up bad habits or get into fights or conflicts. There are many precocious rich kids at that school—don't get too close to bad company."
Pei Zhen pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, I'll do my best."
Xu Si curved her lips into a smile. This Pei Zhen—smart, polite, and incredibly obedient—made her recall their first encounter in her past life with less revulsion.
「The next day.」
Dawn was breaking, but the sky was not yet light; the winter morning was cold and still.
Xu Si was still deep in sleep.
Pei Zhen had already donned his brand-new school uniform and left for school.
The old-fashioned, double-doored sedan navigated the driveway, its exhaust kicking up dust. Butler Ge was personally chauffeuring him, occasionally observing him through the rearview mirror.
The diffuse morning light shone into the car. The boy sat upright, his smoke-gray eyes calm and striking, the tiny red mole on the bridge of his nose catching the early morning light.
Butler Ge couldn't help but smile again. "Young Master Pei, if there's ever anything you need or anything you don't understand about the Xu Family, please tell me. Miss Xu has instructed that you are family, so please don't feel the need to be overly formal."
"Thank you," Pei Zhen raised his eyes slightly, his words gentle. "May I ask a question?"
"Please do."
"Is Auntie acquainted with someone..." He paused, then smiled openly. "Someone who looks a lot like me?"