chapter 58 – public status

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Because she owed Zhuang Yan several large favors, Song QingQing volunteered to interact with Xia Wan to find out information.

 

In actuality, Song QingQing’s impression towards Xia Wan was very positive at first.

 

Xia Wan has a good background, didn’t go through many hardships as a child since she was perched on the palm of her parents’ hands before she married, and after marrying, she was her husband’s favorite person.

 

But her personality wasn’t fragile and she wasn’t like some other wealthy wives that Song QingQing had met before, domineering or with a penetrating temperament.

 

She had an elegant bearing, and her attitude was gentle when she chatted with Song QingQing, with a soft voice.

 

Song QingQing studied art, and Xie Ning had studied art from childhood as well.
On this point, Xia Wan had never stopped his progress, and had helped him contact many well-known mentors as well.

 

Therefore, Xia Wan was quite knowledgeable about art and could talk about it for hours with Song QingQing.

 

Xia Wan often mentioned Xie Ning, and her tone was always meant to praise him.

 

Song QingQing didn’t think that was weird.

 

Any mother would be proud of her son when mentioning him to others.

 

Even though Song QingQing found out afterwards that Xia Wan was trying to get her and Xie Ning together, she didn’t feel very disgusted by it,

 

After all, Xia Wan’s methods were very kind, and didn’t make her hate it.
In fact, she instead became a little curious about Xie Ning.

 

Only after she found out about Xie Ning and Zhuang Yan’s relationship did she feel like something was wrong.

 

Recently, she and Xia Wan had become closer, and she adopted an attitude that made her seem like she was interested in Xie Ning.

 

Xia Wan thus mentioned the idea of having Song QingQing and Xie Ning meet.

 

But Xie Ning’s attitude towards Xia Wan was very cold recently, so before even thinking about scheduling a meeting, she would most likely only be able to see Xie Ning at the large compound.

 

Since Elder Xie was guarding the large compound, it wasn’t easy for her to bring outsiders to a family dinner.
Thus, this time, Xie Ning’s birthday party became a very good opportunity for her.

 

Song QingQing and Zhuang Yan communicated with each other and thought that it was better to do it like this.

 

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For some reason, Song QingQing felt like Xia Wan was really stubborn on the topic of Xie Ning’s sexuality.
After testing the waters a couple times, she could feel Xia Wan’s fixation on this topic.

 

Zhuang Yan asked her to accept the invitation to the birthday party, since she knew the situation, and with Xia Wan’s obsession, if another girl came instead, he didn’t know what sort of tricks she’d be up to.

 

Of course, Xia Wan noticed Xie Ning’s icy cold look.

 

She was already used to this.
She let out a smile and introduced, “This is the young lady at the exhibition I mentioned to you last time.
Her name is Song QingQing.”

 

Song QingQing smiled at Xie Ning.
“Hello.”

 

Xie Ning was irritated in his heart, but in front of Song QingQing, he suppressed his annoyance and greeted her.
“Hello.”

 

As for their previous meeting, the two of them understood enough to not mention it.

 

Xia Wan was already prepared to see Xie Ning turn his head and leave, but seeing how he nicely and softly greeted Song QingQing, her eyes lit up.

 

She let out a sigh of relief in her heart and said, “The two of you are both artists, so you guys should be able to chat.
I’ll…”

 

As she was speaking, she realized that Zhuang Yan was standing next to Xie ning, and couldn’t help but ask, “Is this your friend? How come I’ve never seen him before?”

 

Zhuang Yan politely greeted her.
“Uncle, Aunt, hello.
My name is Zhuang Yan, and I just came back to China not long ago.”

 

Xie Jing remembered his name.
“Oh…the Zhuang family’s kid, right? I’ve seen you when you were a kid, I didn’t think you’d grown up so much already.”

 

“I thought we would be the first ones to arrive.
Who knew that someone else would be a step ahead of us?” Xia Wan, after hearing him say this, started to think of something as well.

 

Her gaze landed on Zhuang Yan and Xie Ning’s intertwined hands, and she paused.

 

Zhuang Yan said, in an intimate tone, “NingNing and I came together this morning.”

 

Xia Wan looked at him and then looked at Xie Ning, as if she’d realized something, and her expression slowly fell.

 

“You two…” She frowned.
Perhaps because Song QingQing was still there, she couldn’t ask for the truth.

 

Xie Ning said coldly, “Come in first.”

 

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There weren’t that many people yet.

 

Xia Wan’s gaze fell on Zhuang Yan, and examined him for a long time.

 

The two of them had let go of their hands, and their expressions were natural when talking.

 

There weren’t many very intimate movements, nor were there any hugs like couples normally did—or maybe because it wasn’t convenient for them to do so in front of elders.

 

If he was seen as a good friend, it was acceptable.

 

But there was a unique magnetism around the two of them.

 

Xia Wan didn’t know how to describe it.

 

There were definitely no intimate movements or actions, but there was something very obviously different about them.

 

For example, when they sat down on the sofa, their knees accidentally bumped into each other.

 

Xia Wan knew about Xie Ning’s cold personality and how he didn’t like to make contact with others, almost avoiding them.

 

But the two of them didn’t move their knees apart, as if they were used to sitting so close to each other.

 

And as another example, Zhuang Yan very naturally picked up the sofa pillow behind him and handed it to Xie Ning.

 

Xie Ning didn’t even turn his head and smoothly took it, hugging it in his arms.

 

Xia Wan almost couldn’t recognize that this quiet person, with love dripping from his eyes, was her cold son that didn’t like to speak.

 

The fruits on the table were already cut, and Zhuang Yan took an apple slice using a toothpick and said, “This is pretty good.”

 

Song QingQing, aftering hearing that, ate a slice as well and said, “It really is quite good.”

 

Xie Ning was a little curious.
He usually didn’t like to eat fruits, especially apples since he thought they were too sweet.
He likes more sour fruits, like pineapples or cherries.

 

But right now, seeing how Zhuang Yan and Song QingQing said the same thing, his gaze fell onto the plate with those apple slices and stayed there.

 

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Zhuang Yan stabbed another piece, put it right next to Xie Ning’s mouth, and asked, “Take a bite?”

 

Xie Ning frowned.

 

As Xia Wan watched, he lightly took a bite.

 

Zhuang Yan asked, “How is it? Is it delicious?”

 

Xie Ning chewed twice and swallowed.
The apple, full of juice, slid down his throat, and he very honestly said, “It’s very sweet.”

 

Their eyes met for a second.

 

It was very sweet.

 

Zhuang Yan smiled for a moment.

 

But this interaction was a bit too intimate.

 

Xia Wan suddenly realized why the aura surrounding Xie Ning and Zhuang Yan were so familiar to her.

 

She and Xie Jing, married for decades, had slowly developed this sort of feeling as well.

 

Mutual understanding and naturalness.

 

As soon as a hand is raised, the other would know what you’re going to do, and with one look, the two hearts understood.

 

Xia Wan wasn’t quite able to accept this discovery, and couldn’t bear this unspeakable embarrassment and estrangement.

 

She took a deep breath, and seeing how there weren’t many people around yet, put her hand on the table and asked, difficultly, “What’s the relationship…between you two?”

 

Xie Ning paused.

 

He raised his gaze and looked at Xia Wan.
At that moment, his expression once again turned cold.

 

“What do you think our relationship is?” he asked.
“Or, what do you hope for our relationship to be?”

 

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Zhuang Yan quietly pressed down on the back of his hand behind him, and patted it twice.

 

It was a rare thing for him to see Xie Ning speaking so mercilessly, and he couldn’t help but want to comfort him.

 

He didn’t expect Xie Ning to turn his head and look at him, mouthing two words.

 

Zhaung Yan saw that he said, “It’s fine”.

 

So, he stopped worrying as much.

 

Xia Wan seemed to be hurt, and tried to fool herself by saying, “Are you…good friends?”

 

Xie Ning seemed to chuckle.

 

“If that’s what you were hoping for…” He slowly stood up and said, “then I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.”

 

Xie Jing frowned and said, “NingNing…”

 

“Mom, Dad.” Xie Ning interrupted him and stared Xia Wan right in the eyes, calmly saying, “Since you guys are meeting him today, then I’ll formally introduce him to you.”

 

“This is my boyfriend, Zhuang Yan.”

 

The living room suddenly fell silent.

 

Xia Wan quietly stared back at Xie Ning, like they were confronting each other.

 

After about ten seconds, or even longer.

 

Xia Wan opened her mouth a couple of times, and her chest rose and fell.
“NingNing, are you joking around with us?”

 

Xie Ning seemed to give up on conversing with her.
“You can think whatever you want.”

 

Xia Wa didn’t even take another breath before she said, “That’s not possible, I don’t agree!”

 

“Whether or not you agree will not affect me.” Xie Ning curled the corner of his lip and smiled.
“I’m not here today to ask for your opinions.
I’m here to inform you.”

 

He lowered his head and slowly said, “He’s my boyfriend.
He is now, and he will be in the future.”