The quarrel between the two startled Han LiTian and Zhou WenLi.They hurried over, only to see Han ShuYi and Han YunXi locked in a staring contest, gazes devoid of warmth.
This baffled them.
They were all family, after all. Was there anything that couldnât be discussed calmly? Why resort to glaring at each other?
"Whether or not you can compare, I canât say. Iâm not watching what you say; Iâm watching what you do. And as for this particular matter, aside from trying to smooth things over, what else have you done? Have you resolved Wu Qingâs incident? Did you handle the two students from the broadcasting station? Not a single thing! Instead, you turn around and blame HuMing for meddling?"
Han YunXiâs words were sharp, each one cutting deep. Unfortunately, Han ShuYi couldnât even muster a rebuttal.
Because when it came to this issue, even Xia XiaoXi sided with HuMingâs actions.
Han ShuYi couldnât understand it. How could someone as arrogant and overbearing as HuMing be likable?
"This matter could have been resolved privately. HuMing is deliberately making it public!"
"If he didnât bring it to light, how would Wu Qingâs issue be resolved? Would those two broadcasters just get away with a casual apology? If thatâs all it took, then the cost of wrongdoing would be far too low!"
"Unreasonable! Your heart is completely set on HuMing! Is it because he looks like Han HuMing?"
Han ShuYi, blinded by rage, seemed oblivious to Zhou WenLiâs presence.
Han LiTianâs face darkened abruptly at Han ShuYiâs words, and he instinctively glanced at his wife. Zhou WenLi stood frozen, her expression filled with disbelief.
The atmosphere became unbearably tense. When Han ShuYi finally realized what heâd said, he was already aware of his grave mistake.
Han YunXiâs cold gaze bore into him, brimming with disgust.
It was supposed to be a secret, yet here he was, uttering Han HuMingâs name in front of their mother!
Was this really the Han ShuYi she once knew?
Shaking her head, she decided not to further engage in the argument.
She had already made peace with the matter. Regardless of whether HuMing was Han HuMing, his stance was clearâhe had no desire to reconnect with the Han family.
â¦
The street was lined with food stalls, the aroma of various delicacies wafting through the air.
Xia XiaoXi dragged HuMing from one stall to another, sampling all sorts of snacks.
At first, HuMing thought she simply had a big appetite, but after hours of non-stop eating, he started to worry.
To him, Xia XiaoXiâs behavior bordered on binge eating!
After finishing a skewer of fried snacks, Xia XiaoXi let out a satisfied burp, completely shedding her idol-like demeanor.
"HuMing, thereâs an ice cream shop over there. Letâs get some dessert!"
She was about to step forward, but this time, HuMing stopped in his tracks and didnât follow her.
Noticing his gaze, Xia XiaoXi looked puzzled.
"Hmm? Whatâs wrong? Are you tired?"
"Itâs not me. Xia XiaoXi, do you even realize how much youâve eaten today?"
His words made her heart skip a beat, though she maintained a cheerful smile.
"Of course! I have a big appetite. At home, I need two bowls of rice to feel full. But Iâm almost done eating now. Letâs just have that ice cream, and then Iâm done!"
She reached out to tug at his arm, but HuMing dodged her touch unexpectedly.
Narrowing his eyes, he looked at her and said,
"Xia XiaoXi, have I ever told you? Itâs almost impossible to lie to me. When you spoke just now, your eyes kept darting aroundâclearly, youâre hiding something. Of course, if you donât want to say, I wonât press you. But donât count on me to look after you anymore."
With that, HuMing turned to leave.
Xia XiaoXi froze on the spot, momentarily unsure of how to react.
She watched as he disappeared from view, her face twisting into a bitter smile.
Walking into the ice cream shop, she bought a small cone instead of the larger size she initially wanted.
Sitting down alone at a corner, her silhouette appeared particularly lonely.
Deep down, she knew HuMing was rightâshe was hiding something.
Before every performance, her anxiety would flare up, and her mind would spiral out of control.
Only by constantly eating could she find a semblance of calm.
She had consulted a psychologist, who told her that her anxiety stemmed from her own expectationsâher fear of underperforming, of making mistakes on stage, of disappointing the audience.
The accumulation of pressure left her paralyzed with a blank mind.
Although the doctor had prescribed medication, it didnât help much.
By chance, she discovered that continuous eating could temporarily quell her nerves.
Thus, before every performance, she indulged in near-binge eating.
This self-destructive habit was her way of coping, but she couldnât stop herself.
As her pink tongue licked at the cold ice cream, Xia XiaoXiâs figure seemed even more forlorn.
âHow could I explain this to HuMing? He probably thinks Iâm just someone who doesnât take care of herself.â
Aside from her parents, no one else knew about this.
And she didnât feel close enough to HuMing to share such a personal matter.
The ice cream didnât provide the comfort she hoped for. Instead, her stomach burned like fire.
Realizing the pain, she clutched her abdomen, struggling even to stand.
Sweat beaded on her forehead as she tried to recall everything sheâd eaten, but she had consumed so much that she couldnât pinpoint the culprit.
Clenching her lips, even pulling out her phone felt like a herculean task.
Nearby passersby noticed her condition and approached to check on her. However, upon seeing her masked face, they felt that she looked somewhat familiar.
"Hey, isnât she Xia XiaoXi?"
Hearing this, Xia XiaoXi braced herself, intending to leave despite the pain. Seará´h the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from behind the crowd.
"Excuse me, my girlfriend isnât feeling well. Could you please step aside?"
The tone was firm, and moments later, she felt a hand gently pressing against her soft stomach, soothing her discomfort.
Raising her head, she met a familiar face.
HuMingâs brows were furrowed, his expression serious, and his concern evident.