Chapter 46 – You Have Me
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The main house of the Xi family was not in Yunlang City. After Xi Baichen left years ago, Grandpa Xi started buying up real estate in all the cities he visited. Afterwards, housing prices rose sharply. Although the relationship between the two did not ease, the family business expanded significantly. Speaking of real estate alone, the Xi family could rank amongst the top five in the country.
Xi Baichen finally chose to settle in Yunlang City, thus Grandpa Xi also moved to this city.
As the car drove into Jingshan Villa, the already informed old butler immediately greeted him.
“Young Master, welcome home.” The old housekeeper wrinkled his face with a smile.
Xi Baichen nodded indifferently, walked straight into the living room, and asked, “Where is the old man?”
“Master is resting in his room, I will show you the way.” The old butler led the two upstairs.
“Master, Young Masters Baichen and Zinuo are here.” The old butler knocked on the door.
“Come in.” An old voice came from behind the door.
The old butler opened the door and bowed aside.
Xi Baichen stepped in and looked up at the old man who was reading in bed. His temples were white and his face was wrinkled. The eyes behind the reading glasses were piercing, his face ruddy, totally unlike someone who was sick.
“Sit down.” Grandpa Xi’s expression was calm, but his fingers trembled slightly as he held the book.
Xi Baichen did not move, but Xi Zinuo sat down obediently and said with a smile, “Grandpa is in good spirits today.”
“Passable.” Grandpa Xi’s gaze fell on Xi Baichen, as if he had something to say but didn’t know where to start.
The two looked at each other in the awkward atmosphere.
[ Old Bai, isn’t it tiring to stand? ] Mi Li’s voice interrupted Xi Baichen during the deadlock.
Xi Baichen strode over and sat down on a sofa chair not far away.
Upon seeing this, excitement flashed in Grandpa Xi’s eyes. His lips moved a few times, and he said, “Punk, do you still remember this old man?”
Xi Baichen sharpened his gaze and was about to retort, but he heard Mi Li say: [ I finally know where your poisonous tongue comes from. Both you and your grandfather don’t know how to chat. ]
Xi Baichen lost his momentum and shut his mouth.
“*Cough*, Grandpa.” Xi Zinuo interrupted, “Don’t say that, Brother Baichen still cares about you.”
“Hmph, he cares about me?” Grandpa Xi looked disdainful, and the corners of his mouth almost rose up.
Mi Li: [ Another arrogant person with a rude mouth and honest body. ]
Xi Baichen: What does “another” mean?
“Grandpa, is your body okay? What did the doctor say?” Xi Zinuo was worried that the two would quarrel with each other, and quickly changed the subject.
“What can he say? When people get older, minor aches and pains are inevitable,” Grandpa Xi replied calmly and dismissively.
Mi Li guessed from the medical report that Grandpa Xia had Parkinson’s disease. Although this world didn’t call it by that name, the pathology was the same.
This was a slow progressive neurological degeneration disease, which occurred mostly in elderly people over 60. It was not fatal, but it would affect normal activities. There was no complete cure, and one could only rely on drugs to alleviate the symptoms.
Grandpa Xi usually paid attention to his health and always had people around to take care of him. No wonder Xi Baichen was not nervous at all after reading the medical report.
“Since there is nothing serious, then I’ll leave first.” Xi Baichen got up and prepared to leave.
Grandpa Xi flared up. “Rascal, you’re already here! You won’t even share a meal with this old man?”
“Can’t stomach it.” Xi Baichen didn’t give him any face.
Grandpa Xi was so angry that his liver ached, and he asked, “It’s been so many years, when will you stop being angry with me?”
Xi Baichen raised his eyes to look at him, and said calmly, “I’m not angry with you, I just want to live peacefully on my own.”
“But you are after all our Xi family’s blood, and this kinship cannot be severed.” Grandpa Xi softened his tone.
“Wasn’t the tragedy years ago caused by your words of ‘Xi family’s blood’?” Xi Baichen’s eyes were bottomless, and no emotions could be seen.
Grandpa Xi’s face was ugly. After a moment, he forcefully threw the book in his hand at Xi Baichen and shouted, “Leave, get lost!”
Xi Baichen turned sideways, letting the book fall on his shoulder, and then stepped out of the room without hesitation. From behind him came the sound of Xi Zinuo consoling the old man.
“Grandpa, don’t be angry. It’s not as though you don’t know how stubborn Brother is. Since he came back to see you today, it means he has eased up…”
Xi Baichen went straight downstairs and walked towards the front door in silence.
Mi Li was curious, but the desire to survive made her as quiet as a chicken.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Xi Baichen leaned against the door, lit a cigarette, and waited for the butler to arrange for a car while smoking.
[ You haven’t smoked for a long time. ]
Xi Baichen paused, extinguished the cigarette with his fingers, and casually put it back in his mouth.
[ Can I ask? ]
“There is nothing you can’t ask,” Xi Baichen spoke with the cigarette in his mouth. Hand in his pocket, he looked up at the sky and said flatly, “My mother and father were childhood sweethearts and had a very good relationship. They agreed to get married after graduating from college. However, when my mother received the admission notice from university, she found out that she was pregnant. She was only 18 years old and wanted to attend. My father also supported her, but Grandpa strongly opposed it.”
Mi Li thought she had guessed the following plot, but she didn’t expect the facts to be more complicated than she thought.
Xi Baichen took a deep breath and continued, “For the sake of my mother, my father insisted on taking her to get an abortion despite Grandpa’s opposition. However, on the way to the hospital, there was a car accident. My father protected my mother with his body and died on the scene. My mother was seriously injured and admitted to the hospital. When she woke up, she didn’t remember anything, but the fetus in her womb was still safe and sound.”
Mi Li: [ … ]
Xi Baichen sneered, “So, Grandpa told a big lie in order to preserve the blood of the Xi family. He told my mother that the child is Xi Chengyan’s. Xi Chengyan is Grandpa’s eldest son, my biological father’s older brother. In other words, my uncle.”
“My uncle already had a girlfriend whom he was about to marry. However, Grandpa forced him and my mother to tie the knot for the sake of this lie. My mother was so confused and embarrassed that she lost the opportunity to go to university. She thought she married a man whom she deeply loved.”
“But a lie is a lie. My uncle had no feelings for my mother. He just took care of his younger brother’s wife and child out of duty. My mother noticed his alienation and felt restless every day. When she was about to give birth, she regained her memory, and the truth drove her completely crazy. Her beloved was dead, her dream was gone, and her marriage was based on a lie. Her life began and ended the moment she regained her memory.”
Mi Li couldn’t imagine how painful it was for Mother Xi back then.
“She gave birth to me in despair. She suffered a severe mental blow that resulted in postpartum depression.” Xi Baichen paused here. The memories of the past came over him like a tide, making him feel a throbbing pain.
His mother who suffered from postpartum depression, sometimes alert and sometimes muddled, almost killed him several times. The suffocation of being submerged in water, the pain of being choked on the neck, the fear of being dropped down the stairs… His childhood was like a movie, brutal and bloody.
It wasn’t until his mother committed suicide that his life gradually returned to normal. However, his biological parents were gone, his uncle remarried, and the Xi family had a new child.
Xi Baichen was like a shadow in the family, completely different from the happy and cheerful Xi Zinuo living in the sun.
He was full of resentment towards the grandfather who caused all this, and he also couldn’t forgive himself. Because of his existence, he hurt his father, mother, uncle, and his uncle’s beloved.
Therefore, he left the Xi family and lived alone. After so many years, the pain and resentment in his heart gradually faded, leaving only emptiness.
[ Don’t be sad, you have me now. ] Mi Li’s voice pulled Xi Baichen back from his memories, [ Little Bai as well, we both love you~~ ]
Xi Baichen’s eyes drooped slightly, and asked faintly, “How much love?”
[ So much love it’s abnormal! ]
Xi Baichen: Very good, very powerful.
“Young Master…” The old butler walked over and said in embarrassment, “The cars at home have all broken down. Why don’t you stay for a light meal and leave with Young Master Zinuo later?”
Mi Li: [ Uncle Butler really doesn’t know how to lie. ]
Xi Baichen didn’t reply, turning and walking into the living room. The old butler thought he had decided to stay, showing a look of surprise on his face. However, he then saw him catching Xi Zinuo who had come out of the room and fishing out the car key from his pocket.
“I’ll borrow your car, you can come over and retrieve it later.” Xi Baichen shook the key and walked out of the villa without looking back.
“Hey, you really aren’t staying for a meal?” Xi Zinuo hurried to catch up.
Xi Baichen got into the car holding Little Bai, waved at him, started the engine and left.
“Wait, Grandpa’s medical report…”
Xi Baichen could no longer hear Xi Zinuo’s following words. His face sank as though in water, quietly looking at the road ahead. Although he agreed to come and meet the old man, he still couldn’t get along with him normally.
What he told the old man earlier was not an excuse. He just wanted to live a peaceful life, and didn’t want to turn himself into a pitiful creature filled with hate. He knew that the old man didn’t give up because of guilt, but the tragedy had already happened. No matter what he did, he couldn’t make up for it, and Xi Baichen didn’t care if they made up.
[ Old Bai… ] A gentle call rang in his ears.
Xi Baichen turned his head and saw a figure gradually taking shape in front of his eyes. Turning from virtual to real, it finally condensed into his beloved girl.
This was the first time Xi Baichen had seen Little Mi’s transformation — spots of starlight, dazzling to the eye, making people unable to look away.
“How did you…”
Mi Li turned her head to look at him, “Because you called me.”
Xi Baichen retracted his gaze and looked forward, “When did I call you?”
“Old Bai, the loneliness on your face is almost overflowing.” Mi Li leaned over, poked his face, and teased, “Look, it says ‘I am suffering so much I want to cry. I need hugs, kisses, and cheering up.'”
Xi Baichen was silent for three seconds, then suddenly smacked the steering wheel and stopped the car on the side of the road.
Stretching out a long arm, he pulled Mi Li into his embrace and kissed her lips, lingering and twisting, hot and passionate.
“Meow~~” A soft meow came from between the two, and Little Bai protested: As a cat, why am I being fed dog food?!
Xi Baichen moved slightly away, leaned against her forehead, and lovingly stared into her eyes.
“You are mine.” My lover alone, my family.
“You are mine too.” Mi Li hugged his neck, her cheeks flushed, and eyes gleaming like gems.
The haze in Xi Baichen’s eyes slowly dissipated, turning into a soft wave of light. Like a lake after the rain, his eyes clearly reflected the figure of Mi Li.
“Let’s go home.” Xi Baichen kissed her again, then let go and restarted the engine.
“Okay.” Mi Li fastened her seat belt, picked up Little Bai, and shouted vigorously, “Let’s go home!”
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shitty and self entitled person, no wonder he cant forgive
F you man, no matter who that type of thing leaves a massive scar that never completely goes away. Honestly, apart from being slightly too forceful in the relationship he has turned out as a pretty cool guy considering his backstory, and even that flaw seems to be within acceptable limits. Obviously it’s just a character, but so what?