In the car, Chen Xing'er sat in the back with Nannan, asking excitedly, "Chen Fan, what do you think? Do I have the demeanor of a young lady?"
Chen Fan shook his head speechlessly. "Young ladies slap people's faces?"
Chen Xing'er stuck out her tongue. "I just lost my temper for a moment. Besides, didn't you slap someone too?"
Chen Fan: "..."
"However, this feeling of relying on status to bully people is really exhilarating!" Chen Xing'er said with a giggle.
Chen Fan's expression turned serious. "Don't corrupt the child."
"What's wrong with that?"
Chen Xing'er dismissed it with disdain and playfully tapped Nannan's nose. "Nannan, don't take what happened today to heart. If anyone dares to bully you again, tell your aunt, and your aunt will stand up for you!"
Nannan scratched her head and said, "Auntie, you're so good at fighting!"
"Of course!"
Chen Xing'er looked smug.
"Can you teach her something better?"
Chen Fan was exasperated.
"Alright, no more joking," Chen Xing'er said. "Here, Nannan, Auntie has a gift for you!"
With that, she took out a peace buckle and fastened it around Nannan's neck.
Chen Fan glanced at it, a little surprised.
This peace buckle was made of ordinary jade, not very valuable. However, it was a birthday gift he had given to Chen Xing'er when he was young.
"This was given to Auntie by Auntie's brother. Now, I'm giving it to little Nannan to keep her safe," Chen Xing'er said, casting a subtle glance at Chen Fan.
"Auntie, isn't this very important to you?" Nannan said hesitantly.
"Yes!" Chen Xing'er nodded solemnly. "In the past, Auntie held it every night, thinking of Brother coming home sooner."
"But I waited and waited, and he never came. When I was studying at school, I heard he had returned, but he left again without waiting for me to come home!"
"I know he has his own things to do. He has to guard the border and protect our country."
"But I was still very sad, and I hated him. I even made a voodoo doll and kept stabbing it with needles every day!"
"He didn't even see me when I asked him to come home, and I wished he would forget me, his sister."
Chen Fan felt a chill down his spine.
"Auntie, did you see your brother later?" little Nannan asked curiously.
"I suppose I did."
Chen Xing'er stared at Chen Fan and said, "Actually, as long as he is safe and happy, that's all that matters. This peace buckle is for little Nannan. You be safe and happy too."
"Okay!"
Little Nannan nodded firmly and said, "Just like my mother told me."
Kissing Nannan's face, Chen Xing'er said, "When Nannan has a vacation, Auntie will take you to the capital to play, okay?"
Nannan asked, "Will Uncle come too?"
Chen Xing'er glared at the back of Chen Fan's head. "If he dares not to, see how Auntie beats him up!"
As they spoke, Chen Xing'er downplayed the kindergarten incident, amusing little Nannan.
Upon returning to Xiangshan Tanfu, Chen Fan suddenly said, "Miss Chen, you have something in your possession that I need."
Chen Xing'er blinked her eyes and asked, "That compass fragment made of unknown material?"
Chen Fan was not surprised. This girl was very clever. With people repeatedly coveting something from her, how could she not have noticed?
"Yes, give it to me!"
"You just want it, and I'll give it to you?" Chen Xing'er said indignantly. "On what grounds?"
Because I'm your brother!
The thought suddenly popped into Chen Fan's mind, but he didn't say it. Instead, he said, "News about this item being in your possession has spread. Keeping it with you will bring trouble."
"Am I the kind of person who is afraid of trouble?" Chen Xing'er said with a giggle. "Unless you're my brother, I'll give it to you. But are you my brother?"
Chen Fan couldn't help but feel a little helpless.
However, based on his understanding of Chen Xing'er, she wouldn't give him the item if he didn't acknowledge his identity.
But for certain reasons, he really couldn't admit it.
He stopped the car, opened the door to let little Nannan out, and said, "You walk back by yourself!"
"Not going back!"
Chen Xing'er jumped out of the car and said with a giggle, "I want to freeload Aunt Li's dinner."
"I didn't prepare any for you."
"Then you eat less!" Chen Xing'er said without hesitation.
Chen Xing'er shamelessly freeloaded dinner, constantly praising Li Xiuying's cooking and making the elderly woman very happy.
Since no portion was prepared for Chen Xing'er, she indeed ate half of Chen Fan's share.
After dinner, she still lingered and refused to leave, lying on the sofa to rest.
This wasn't enough for her, so she had Shi Wenyan bring a new set of bedding and occupied a room in Villa No. 1.
"It's still more comfortable to live in the best villa in Xiangshan Tanfu!" Chen Xing'er said to herself with enjoyment. "If I had known, I wouldn't have bought Villa No. 2. I could have just lived with you."
Chen Fan rubbed his forehead, speechless.
This girl had already made up her mind, and it was useless for him to deny his identity.
Around three in the afternoon, Shi Wenyan called. "Boss, we have a visitor. He says he's the fifth young master of the Xu family from Xiling, named Xu Donglai!"
Chen Xing'er, who was shamelessly trying to play chess with Chen Fan, immediately replied, "What Xiling Xu family? I'm not seeing anyone!"
Two minutes later, Shi Wenyan called again. "Boss, they said if they can't see you, they won't leave the villa..."
Before she could finish speaking, a gentle and composed male voice came from the other end:
"Miss Chen, both of us have extraordinary identities. Refusing people from afar will not benefit the Chen family. What do you say?"
Chen Xing'er frowned and asked, "What business do you have with me?"
"First, I admire Miss Chen's grace. Second, I have a minor matter, and I hope Miss Chen can spare some time to see me. I will wait here until you return!" Xu Donglai said.
"You wait..."
Chen Xing'er got up, feeling displeased.
"Let him come here!"
Chen Fan suddenly interrupted her and said.
Chen Xing'er was stunned, then said, "I'm in Villa No. 1 next door. You can come over!"
After hanging up the phone, Chen Xing'er looked at Chen Fan with surprise.
Chen Fan did not explain.
Naturally, he was afraid that Chen Xing'er would suffer a loss.
The Xu family of Xiling was a centuries-old aristocratic family with a foundation and heritage that many ordinary powerful families lacked.
Such aristocratic families were usually low-key. Chen Xing'er, being in the capital and not deliberately investigating, might not know about them.
He was also familiar with this Xu family, as they were related to the Shao family by marriage.
A moment later, there was a knock on the door.
Li Xiuying went to open it, and Shi Wenyan walked in.
Behind her were four people in total.
Two young men were in front, and a middle-aged man and an old man were behind.
"Miss Chen, hello!"
Xu Donglai, the leader, smiled and extended his hand to Chen Xing'er. "I am Xu Donglai of the Xu family of Xiling. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Chen!"
Chen Xing'er did not extend her hand and said, "What do you want with me?"
Xu Donglai was not bothered and smiled slightly. "The Chen family is a top-tier powerful family, with supreme influence. However, it seems things haven't been as good in the past few years, have they?"
"What are you trying to say?"
Hearing this, Chen Xing'er's expression immediately sank.
"The Xu family can offer support to the Chen family!"
Xu Donglai smiled, his tone revealing arrogance. "The Xu family is a centuries-old aristocratic family with a heritage passed down for a hundred years, possessing a foundation and connections unknown to ordinary people. Together, we can bring considerable assistance to the Chen family!"
Chen Xing'er raised her eyebrows slightly and casually asked, "Then, what does the Chen family have to pay?"
Xu Donglai sat casually on the sofa and said, "You don't need to pay anything. Just let our two families interact more, exchange what we need, and cooperate where we can."
"Sometimes, just a favorable trend can change many things!"
"Is it that simple?" Chen Xing'er raised her delicate eyebrows.
"How could it be more complicated?" Xu Donglai laughed. "Cooperation and alliances are not formed overnight. Miss Chen will gradually understand the sincerity of the Xu family. Let's interact more first. We can discuss other matters later!"
For a moment, Chen Xing'er couldn't find a reason to refuse.
However, driven by intuition, she disliked this Xu Donglai and the Xu family of Xiling. She said, "Let's talk about it later. Is this why you came, Mr. Xu?"
"There's one more small matter!"
Xu Donglai smiled and gestured to the middle-aged man behind him.
The middle-aged man handed him a piece of paper.
Xu Donglai stood up and handed the paper to Chen Xing'er. "This item, is it in Miss Chen's possession? I wonder if Miss Chen would be willing to part with it for me?"
Upon receiving it and looking at it, Chen Xing'er's expression was one of surprise.