"What? You don't want to go?" Xiang Xueyuan looked at Xia Qingyu. "I thought you'd like it there."
"You're thinking too much. I don't want to go anywhere tonight." Xia Qingyu noticed Xifu and Tarik looking at her, then coughed lightly and said, "I don't want to go out."
"Going out more would be good for you," Xiang Xueyuan chuckled.
"I know what's good for me." Xia Qingyu clenched the cutlery in her hand, looked up at Xiang Xueyuan, and said, "Don't try to control my life."
"You might have misunderstood," Xiang Xueyuan put down his cutlery, his gaze toward Xia Qingyu deepened slightly, his smile unchanged. "This isn't an opinion or a request."
Xia Qingyu understood the subtext of Xiang Xueyuan's words: this was an order.
"You might have misunderstood too," Xia Qingyu also put down her cutlery. "I've never been a well-behaved puppet to be manipulated."
"If you were, we'd save ourselves a lot of trouble," Xiang Xueyuan said, resting his chin on one hand, speaking with amusement. "The Xia family has booked their flight out of Finland for the day after tomorrow. What if... what if that flight..."
"You!" Xia Qingyu was stunned and glared at him, her eyes wide. "You're threatening me."
"It's just a father and daughter chatting after dinner," Xiang Xueyuan smiled. "Don't like it? We can change the topic."
"I don't want to go out tonight." Xia Qingyu bit her lip gently. She didn't want to leave this place tonight.
"Then let's talk about why you don't want to go out tonight," Xiang Xueyuan looked into Xia Qingyu's eyes. "Is it pure rebellion, or are you waiting for something..."
"Stop guessing, I hate it when you do that." Seeing that Xiang Xueyuan was about to guess correctly, Xia Qingyu slammed the table and stood up. "If you really want me to go, I'll go with you. But after that, don't bother me anymore, don't make me hate you even more!"
With that, Xia Qingyu turned and walked away, her footsteps clattering as she went upstairs.
The three at the dining table downstairs had varied expressions.
"Father, Qingyu didn't mean it, she just..." Tarik put down his cutlery and looked at Xiang Xueyuan, but he really couldn't find any more excuses for Xia Qingyu's offense. In the end, he could only say, "I'll talk to her."
"It's alright. If she were too well-behaved, I'd be worried instead," Xiang Xueyuan chuckled. A rebellious and talented daughter was much safer than one who suddenly became obedient.
Xifu watched Xia Qingyu's retreating back, lost in thought.
Back in her room, Xia Qingyu closed the door tightly and slid down to the slightly cool floor, leaning against it.
What should she do?
If her sister received her flowers and gave up coming to find her, that would be fine. But what if Xia Qingtian still came?
What would happen if her sister came and couldn't find her?
Her absence might cause unforeseen problems.
But if she stubbornly refused to go, her unusual behavior might lead Xiang Xueyuan to discover something amiss, putting everyone in danger.
"Sister... what should I do..." Xia Qingyu's voice was tinged with a hint of tears.
She wanted to see her sister, but she feared her sister coming into danger. This dilemma intertwined and tore at her, Xia Qingyu frowned tightly.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door behind her.
"Who is it?" Xia Qingyu shivered and immediately asked nervously.
"Miss Qingtian," the maid's voice came from outside the door. "Young Master asked me to bring you some fruit."
Xia Qingyu took a deep breath, knowing that her previous behavior had worried Tarik.
Standing up, Xia Qingyu opened the door and saw the maid holding a tray, offering a faint smile.
"Come in," Xia Qingyu moved aside. The maid placed the tray on the round table by the floor-to-ceiling window and asked Xia Qingyu, looking at the fruits, "Do you need them cut?"
"No, thank you," Xia Qingyu paused before saying, "Leave the fruit knife here, I'll cut them myself."
"Alright," the maid then left a delicately crafted fruit knife, adding, "The knife is sharp, please use it carefully."
After the maid left, Xia Qingyu ate some fruit, gradually calming down.
Instead of wasting time here, it was better to quickly come up with a plan. If it were her sister...
What would she do?
Xia Qingyu took a deep breath, placed the vase with chrysanthemums in her room on the most visible spot on the balcony, and turned off all the lights in the room.
She hoped Xia Qingtian would see these flowers. Seeing the lights off would indicate her absence, and hopefully, her sister would leave her alone.
Having done all this, Xia Qingyu took one last look at the flowers on the balcony, took a deep breath, closed the balcony door, and turned to walk out.
As Xia Qingyu opened the door, Tarik was just about to knock to call her out.
"Are you alright?" Seeing the door open, Tarik lowered his hand, which was about to knock, and asked.
"I'm fine," Xia Qingyu replied. "Did he send you? Were you waiting long?"
"Qingyu, Father means no harm, especially towards you." Tarik looked at Xia Qingyu with a slightly serious expression.
Ever since he learned that Xia Qingtian's kindness towards Xia Qingyu was only for revenge, he had felt even more sorry for Xia Qingyu.
He couldn't bear for Xia Qingyu to know the truth, nor did he want her to.
He would rather Xia Qingyu hate him her entire life than let her know she was never loved.
He had experienced that feeling when his parents died.
Living was worse than death.
"Nie Qingkong, stop trying to persuade me," Xia Qingyu looked at Tarik. "Let's stop here."
Her hatred for Xiang Xueyuan would not diminish with Tarik's few words. It only made her feel annoyed and sharp. In that case, it was better for Tarik not to speak, and for her not to listen.
Seeing that Xia Qingyu was unwilling to listen further, Tarik said no more. He gestured for her to proceed, then followed Xia Qingyu downstairs.
"Let's go." Xiang Xueyuan saw Xia Qingyu coming downstairs and, as if nothing had happened, happily stood up, tidied his suit, and walked towards the door.
"Aren't you coming, Xifu?" Xia Qingyu asked Xifu, who was still sitting on the sofa.
If she couldn't change the current situation, she hoped to clear the people from here. If her sister came, it would be safer if she wasn't discovered.
"I'm not as lucky as you. I still have work. I have to leave soon." Xifu waved her hand and said with a smile, "You two come back early too~"
Hearing that Xifu would also be leaving, Xia Qingyu felt a little relieved and said no more, following Tarik and Xiang Xueyuan out.
Watching their retreating backs, Xifu dropped her enthusiastically waving arm, a devilish smile appearing on her lips.
She stretched languidly, walking back while humming a tune and murmuring, "Next, let's see when Lei Xirui will take the bait~"