Qin Tian appeared calm and composed.
In reality, after walking into the residential compound with Xia Nuannuan, his heart began to feel a bit flustered.
“Nuannuan, which building is yours?”
“Over there, we’re almost there.”
“Oh.”
After a period of silence, Xia Nuannuan turned her head to look at him and tentatively asked, “Qin Tian, are you… alright?”
“No, I’m fine? What could possibly be wrong with me?”
Qin Tian feigned composure, shaking his head in denial.
Xia Nuannuan raised a finger and pointed to her forehead, then took out a packet of tissues from her pocket and handed it to him.
“Wipe off your sweat!”
“Ah, oh oh!”
Qin Tian hurriedly took them, forcing an explanation, “The weather today is a bit hot, isn’t it!”
He offered an embarrassed smile on his handsome face and pulled out a tissue to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
Xia Nuannuan almost burst out laughing.
Spring hadn't even fully passed yet, and it wasn't sunny today; the wind felt cold when it blew against you if you were lightly dressed.
This was clearly a blatant lie!
“Ahem, I’m just wearing a bit too much.”
Qin Tian realized he had misspoke and made a fool of himself, quickly trying to save face.
Xia Nuannuan’s gaze swept over him, her pretty face displaying a subtle expression.
A thin jacket with a T-shirt underneath could be considered wearing too much?
“You don’t need to be so nervous, it’s just a meal, my mom and I will help you.”
Xia Nuannuan comforted him with a smile.
Qin Tian was taken aback for a moment, then nodded with a dry laugh, saying nothing more.
As they passed a fruit store in the compound, he ignored Xia Nuannuan’s dissuasion and went in, buying two large bags brimming with various fruits.
His mother had considered whether he should buy something when she had reminded him that morning.
Ultimately, she abandoned the idea, letting him simply treat it as a meal at a classmate’s house, thinking that being too formal might have the opposite effect.
However, Qin Tian, now possessing a mature soul, felt unaccustomed to visiting someone’s home for the first time without bringing anything.
“I told you not to buy anything, and you still bought so much. We already have plenty of fruit at home, and my mom will scold me again later.”
Xia Nuannuan looked at the shopping bags in his hands, complaining with a helpless expression.
Qin Tian smiled and said, “It’s okay. I’ve been eating Auntie’s lunch for several days now, and to come for dinner again without bringing anything feels impolite.”
“What’s impolite about it, honestly.”
Xia Nuannuan pouted her small lips with a hint of annoyance and reached out, saying, “Let me help you carry one!”
“No need, they’re quite heavy!”
“Looking down on me? I’m actually quite strong!”
As she spoke, Xia Nuannuan flexed her arm, displaying her invisible biceps, her expression and actions both playful and cute.
“Haha…”
Qin Tian couldn’t help but be amused, and the sense of nervousness in his heart faded by more than half.
Xia Nuannuan gave a sweet smile and extended her left hand.
“Then I’ll carry this one with you.”
“Mm!”
The moment their fingers touched, a slight ripple of emotion stirred within both of them.
…
…
In a short while, the two emerged from the elevator and arrived at Xia Nuannuan’s doorstep on the sixth floor.
“Wait a moment!”
Seeing Xia Nuannuan take out her keys to unlock the door, Qin Tian suddenly lowered his voice and stopped her.
Xia Nuannuan looked at him with a puzzled gaze.
“Just wait a few seconds.”
Qin Tian smiled, then took two long, deep breaths, nodding seriously, “Okay, I’m ready now.”
Xia Nuannuan couldn’t help but suppress a giggle and confirmed, “Are you really ready?”
“Yes, no problem now.”
Qin Tian nodded again, his expression steady.
Xia Nuannuan, who was already a little nervous, now found Qin Tian’s behavior incredibly amusing, even making her anticipate what would happen next.
Of course, this also evoked her protective instincts.
No matter what, she couldn’t let Qin Tian be bullied by her father.
While thinking this, she found the house key, inserted it, and opened the door.
In the living room, Xia Zhengping, who was sitting on the sofa, and Su Xia, busy in the open-plan kitchen wearing an apron, both heard the movement.
“Dad, Mom, I’m back, and Qin Tian is here too.”
Xia Nuannuan’s voice came from the entrance.
“Alright!”
Su Xia quickly responded, looking at Xia Zhengping in the living room and urging him, “Old Xia, why are you still sitting there? Go and greet them, I’ll be right there.”
“Got it.”
Xia Zhengping reluctantly stood up and, with a stern face, walked to the entrance.
Then, he saw his daughter taking a pair of his slippers from the shoe cabinet and placing them at the feet of that pig-headed youth as if she were a virtuous wife.
This scene caused his eye to twitch violently, almost making him lose his composure.
This was a treatment he hadn’t enjoyed in a long time.
His sharp gaze fixed on the pig-headed youth, and upon seeing the youth’s face, even more handsome and dashing than his own was in his youth, Xia Zhengping’s animosity deepened.
Why did men need to be so handsome?
There were indeed many pretty boys who made a living off their looks nowadays. He had encountered many of them when dealing with female bosses in business.
However, he wouldn't even deign to look at such pretty boys.
“Dad!”
Xia Nuannuan immediately called out upon seeing her father and then introduced Qin Tian to him, “Qin Tian, this is my dad.”
“Hello Uncle, sorry to bother you.”
Qin Tian quickly greeted Xia Zhengping with a smile, his demeanor calm and neither subservient nor overbearing.
Xia Zhengping was slightly taken aback, finding the youth somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.
“Uncle, we met the night before last when you came to pick up Xia Nuannuan from school.”
Sensing his confusion, Qin Tian explained with a light smile.
“I remember now.”
Xia Zhengping nodded in realization. This was indeed the youth who had nodded and greeted him at the time.
Because the light at the school gate was dim then, and the youth had only offered a casual greeting before turning away, he hadn’t had a chance to get a clear look at the youth’s face.
Now that Qin Tian mentioned it, he immediately recalled.
At the same time, his gaze towards Qin Tian became somewhat complex.
This youth had known his identity back then, and a luxury car worth millions was parked nearby. Under such circumstances, he had calmly and confidently taken the initiative to greet him.
Was it mere youthful ignorance, or was it a formidable young talent with great ambition?
Based on his discerning eye, honed by years of navigating the business world, it didn't seem to be the former.
However, he was very reluctant to admit it was the latter.
If he were just an ignorant pig-headed youth, he would be somewhat easier to deal with.
“Dad!”
Seeing her father continuously appraising Qin Tian, Xia Nuannuan reminded him with a slight frown, finding it a bit impolite.
Xia Zhengping snapped back to attention and nodded subtly, “You’re Xiao Qin, right? Hello, come in, please sit in the living room.”
With that, he turned and headed towards the living room.
“Dad is really something. Qin Tian, please don’t mind him!”
Xia Nuannuan looked at Qin Tian apologetically and said.
“I won’t.”
Qin Tian smiled and shook his head.
“Xiao Qin, you’re here! Why did you buy so much fruit? Nuannuan, what did I tell you?”
Su Xia also came from the kitchen with a gentle smile to welcome him. Upon seeing the two bags of fruit in his hands, she frowned and chided her daughter.
“Mom, I really told him not to buy anything, but he didn’t listen!”
Xia Nuannuan put on an innocent expression and glanced at Qin Tian with a resentful look, “See? I knew it.”