-->
Zhou Boning looked down on Zhou Qishen a million times, but he didn't have that much hostility towards Zhao Xiyin.
Zhou Qishen had already drunk too much, and after getting angry with Zhou Boning, his migraine started to flare up. He didn't even go back to the company, but went straight back to his residence, took a few painkillers, and went to bed to sleep.
I woke up from a nightmare in the middle of the night, drank two large glasses of water, and took a sleeping pill. I slept soundly until the next morning. While I was brushing my teeth, the property management called my home, saying a woman was looking for him and wanted to confirm if he knew her.
The camera was turned to face the camera; it was Zhao Xiyin.
Zhou Qishen almost swallowed a mouthful of foam. After replying, he hurriedly shaved and washed his face. There was too little time, and he didn't even have time to change his clothes before the knocking on the door started.
Zhou Qishen had a habit of sleeping naked, and since becoming single, he had even fewer concerns. He lived alone and didn't care much about such things. He casually threw on some underwear and loungewear and opened the door. Zhao Xiyin didn't even glance at him; she was carrying several large bags of groceries, having just been to Walmart, and her arms were practically about to break from the weight.
"Hey, you're so slow." Zhao Xiyin was getting a little impatient, so Zhou Qishen grabbed all the supermarket bags and took them from her.
“Uncle Zhou will arrive at noon. It’s his first day here, and he’s here to see me about his leg, so don’t bother him to eat out. Just cook for yourself. I’ve bought some ingredients; use whatever you need.” Zhao Xiyin was meticulous, thorough, and organized.
Zhou Qishen paused for a moment, clearly reluctant, and said in a low voice, "I won't do it."
Zhao Xiyin didn't waste any more words with him. "If you don't do it, you'll be out of a job, but you'll reimburse me for the money I spent on things today."
Zhou Qishen curled his lip and suddenly asked, "What about me?"
“Then there’s no need for reimbursement,” Zhao Xiyin said. “If you stay in the kitchen, you’ll talk to your dad less. If you don’t mind the awkwardness of staring at each other when eating out, that’s fine with you.”
Zhou Qishen realized what was going on, stood by the door, and felt a warmth spread through his body, as if the ice had melted in the spring breeze. He walked over and said in a low voice, "I'm sorry for making you act in this play with me."
Zhao Xiyin lowered her head to organize the things she had bought, her expression unwavering. "This is a one-time thing."
Zhou Qishen gazed at her profile; her skin was as white as jade, and two strands of hair fell beside her ears, the ends curling naturally. The girl had a pleasant, light fragrance, not perfume, probably from the lotion she had applied that morning. For a moment, Zhou Qishen was captivated, and feigning nonchalance, he tilted his head slightly, drawing even closer to her.
He said, "Actually, I haven't forgotten anything."
Zhao Xiyin cautiously moved a step to the side.
“I don’t want to tell our relatives we’re divorced.” Zhou Qishen’s eyes were alluring, a mixture of lust and genuine sincerity. He lowered his voice and said, “…It’s embarrassing.”
Zhao Xiyin's hand trembled slightly. She snapped out of her daze, her expression becoming even more unapproachable. She made a rustling sound with the plastic bag, as if trying to drown out Zhou Qishen's voice. Zhou Qishen, however, was thick-skinned and didn't leave, standing there like a pillar, observing her changing expression.
Zhao Xiyin threw the bag at him, "Is your house even a place for humans to live?! You have nothing, and this and this! Put them in the fridge, and this pile in the kitchen! This is your dad, not my dad, can't you be a little more considerate?"
Zhou Qishen raised his hands above his head in surrender.
"Can you please fold your blanket? You can't seem to break this bad habit of not making your bed after getting up, can you? How long has it been since you washed the blanket on the sofa? Is it so hard to put it away after using it? And the money." Zhao Xiyin stood by the TV cabinet, picked up a stack of banknotes and waved them. "Why do you always like to leave your money out? Can't you put it in the drawer? Or do you have too much money?"
Zhou Qishen actually thought about it seriously for a moment and nodded, "There are quite a lot."
Zhao Xiyin glared angrily, unable to refute him for a moment.
In that brief moment of silence, one could feel the dust motes slowly falling, the air currents gradually weakening, and the sunlight filtering in peacefully. Zhou Qishen and Zhao Xiyin looked at each other, their gazes seemingly holding a time machine.
This scene perfectly mirrors every moment of their beautiful past.
Zhou Qishen stood up straight, took a step, and walked towards her. Zhao Xiyin stared blankly at him, as if in a daze. It wasn't until that familiar, faint masculine fragrance wafted into her lungs that she snapped out of her reverie and walked away.
Zhou Qishen watched her retreating figure, and he knew that she still resisted him.
With Zhao Xiyin's arrival, the house felt more lively. At noon, Zhou Qishen stayed home, only arranging for a driver to pick up Zhou Boning from Beijing West. Zhao Xiyin understood that no one could force him to do something he didn't want to do.
The driver dutifully reported to him that he had picked up the person and would deliver them half an hour later.
Zhou Qishen was in the kitchen, cooking with a blank expression. Zhao Xiyin watched for a long time before going in to remind him, "You forgot to cook."
When Zhou Boning arrived, Zhao Xiyin came downstairs to greet him. After she led him up, or rather, after the father and son met, the atmosphere became tense. Zhou Boning had been a heavy drinker for many years, his eyes were bloodshot, and with age, the wrinkles around his eyes were particularly pronounced. But Zhou Boning was tall and imposing, and at first glance, he was still quite intimidating.
Actually, he and Zhao Wenchun are about the same age, but differences in lifestyle can truly change a person's temperament. Zhao Wenchun is gentle, kind, frugal, and refined. Zhou Boning, on the other hand, appears more melancholic.
Zhou Boning didn't change his shoes, leaving mud stains on the mahogany floor. Zhou Qishen, in the kitchen, watched him coldly, his gaze falling to Zhou Boning's feet, his displeasure growing. Zhao Xiyin calmly stepped between the two, smiling sweetly, "Have some fruit. These pears are so fresh today; Brother Zhou bought them especially early this morning."
Zhou Boning remained silent, and Zhao Xiyin was just thinking that the matter would be over when he suddenly strode over, glaring at Zhou Qishen and yelling, "What kind of look did you give me just now! Am I your father? Did I dirty your place or something!"
Zhao Xiyin instinctively reached out to stop him, but she was no match for his strength. Zhou Boning was no saint either, and he shoved Zhao Xiyin. Zhao Xiyin staggered a few steps before regaining her balance.
Zhou Qishen's eyes turned cold as he tried his best to control himself. "Do whatever you want. You can even tear this house down, but don't go crazy here. Can't you see people clearly? Can't you stop pushing her?"
"I'm fine, really fine." Zhao Xiyin pushed Zhou Qishen into the kitchen and whispered urgently, "Go in and don't say anything."
Zhou Qishen listened to her words, his face darkening, and tried to smooth things over.
Zhou Boning, however, was unusually sensitive. "What kind of look are you giving me? Huh? I called you but you didn't answer. I wanted to come to Beijing for medical treatment but you wouldn't let me. I'd rather raise a dog than you. Don't even think about getting rid of me. You think I'm a disgrace? You're the one who's a disgrace, Zhou Qishen's father!"
Zhou Qishen ignored him, his head down, his shoulder blades and neck lines rising and falling slightly as he sliced the ginger in his hand.
"I heard you've been looking for your mother everywhere, haven't you? Ha, what's the point of looking for that slut? She's a snob, she can't stand being poor. I think it's best if she's dead. If she really cared about you, her son, why didn't she take you with her in the first place?" Zhou Boning said viciously, "She's just a lowly scumbag, a filthy bitch."
Zhao Xiyin felt a chill run down her spine. She knew that Zhou Qishen had never given up on finding his birth mother; it was a long-held wish of his. Nothing is more heartbreaking than erasing someone's efforts.
Zhao Xiyin couldn't bear to listen any longer and subconsciously spoke up for Zhou Qishen: "No matter how bad his mother is, she's still his mother. Just like you, you always feel that Brother Zhou doesn't care about you, but to be fair, has he ever mistreated you all these years?"
Zhou Boning was so angry that he swung his hand at him, "What business is it of yours to talk to a man like me!"
He was incredibly strong; Zhao Xiyin lost her balance and stumbled backward against the doorframe. Zhou Qishen reacted quickly, stepping forward and using his chest to catch her. Once she regained her footing, he didn't say a word, but gently pushed her aside.
All of Zhou Qishen's emotions were diluted. He turned around, looked back, and picked up the knife on the cutting board again.
By the time Zhao Xiyin realized it, it was too late.
Zhou Qishen gripped the hilt of his knife, his eyes fierce, and slashed at Zhou Boning!