Chapter 15: Video Chat
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The television drama was still playing, and Xia Wanyuan watched it with a serious face. Although the plot was awkward, she wanted to learn how modern people acted.
By the time the episode was over, Xia Yu had finally finished his meal. He looked at the clean bowls and dishes.
Jun Yin blinked. “Uncle, you can really eat.”
“Ahem,” Xia Yu touched the tip of his nose in embarrassment. It was the first meal he had after fighting someone. How could he not be hungry?
After Xia Yu was done eating, Xia Wanyuan waved at Xiao Bao. “Let’s go back, Xiao Bao.”
“Rest well. Just send me a message on WeChat if you have any cravings.”
“Okay.” There was no free lunch in the world. Xia Yu was rarely obedient.
“Uncle, rest well. We’ll visit you another day.”
Xiao Bao felt very close to this young uncle who resembled Xia Wanyuan. His chubby little hands wanted to imitate Xia Wanyuan’s gesture of patting his head to comfort Xia Yu.
However, he wasn’t tall enough and couldn’t reach Xia Yu’s head no matter how hard he tried. Having never interacted with such a young child before, Xia Yu had no idea what he was up to.
Knowing what the little dumpling wanted to do, Xia Wanyuan walked up and picked up Xiao Bao. Xiao Bao then reached out and patted Xia Yu’s pink hair.
“Good luck, Uncle.”
Xia Yu had been brought back to the Xia family since he was young and his status had been in an awkward state. Madam Xia and Xia Wanyuan did not like him. It was already good enough that his father remembered that he had a son. No one had ever approached him like this.
Sensing Xia Wanyuan’s smiling gaze, Xia Yu shrunk his head in embarrassment. His pink hair could not hide the redness that was gradually staining his ears.
Xia Yu watched Xia Wanyuan and Xiao Bao leave. Although he couldn’t bear to part with them, he tried to put on a front. “Hmph, I wonder what this woman is up to again.”
…
After Xia Wanyuan went home, she took a comfortable bath and blow-dried her hair. Just after she had finished her skincare routine and sat on the sofa, Xiao Bao held his phone and ran towards her with his short legs.
“Mommy, this is for you.” Xiao Bao handed the phone to Xia Wanyuan, then obediently hugged her arm and sat beside her.
The next day was the weekend. It was time to bring Jun Yin back to the old residence to visit Old Master Jun. Worried that Jun Yin would not cooperate because of Xia Wanyuan, Jun Shiling had called Jun Yin after work.
Who would have thought that Jun Yin would want Xia Wanyuan to go with him?
Xia Wanyuan was afraid of Old Master Jun. It would be strange if she would agree to go. Jun Shiling found an excuse, but Xiao Bao insisted that Xia Wanyuan go with him.
Before Jun Shiling’s expression darkened, the person on the phone screen switched.
Jun Shiling looked at the screen and let out an unconscious gasp.
Xia Wanyuan, who had just finished showering and taking care of her skin, had exquisite skin that was flawless and supple. Her entire body was a light shade of pink and without makeup, her rosy lips looked even more alluring.
The house was warm, so Xia Wanyuan wore a silk dress. Her long black hair made her collarbone seem like jade, so fair that it was blinding.
Xia Wanyuan saw that many modern women wore sleeveless dresses like this outside, so she slowly accepted it. Hence, at this moment, she did not feel anything unusual as an ancient person from a thousand years ago.
On the other hand, Jun Shiling, who had always been calm and composed, suddenly felt agitated.
“What’s the matter?” Her rosy lips parted slightly.
The person in the video call looked tired.
“I’ll bring Jun Yin back to the old residence tomorrow. He wants you to accompany him.”
Suppressing the strange feeling in his heart, Jun Shiling’s deep voice sounded with a hint of hoarseness.
“To visit Grandfather?” Xia Wanyuan recalled that Old Master Jun was a spirited and interesting old man.
Her grandfather was still around when she was little. In her memory, her grandfather would always hold her in his arms and gently poke her face with his beard, and that old man would laugh loudly whenever she cried out.
Later on, when the Imperial City collapsed, that old man, who was nearing the end of his lifespan, ignored everyone’s objections and mounted his horse. Together with his children, he died in battle for the Xia Dynasty.
Xia Wanyuan suddenly fell silent. Although she did not speak, Jun Shiling could feel the sadness surrounding her.
When Jun Shiling wanted to say something, Xiao Bao shook Xia Wanyuan’s arm.
“Mommy, come with me?”
“Okay.” Xia Wanyuan freed herself from her sorrow and patted Jun Yin’s head. She turned to look at the phone. “I can accompany him. What time do we leave tomorrow?”
“Nine o’clock.”
“Alright.”
After Xia Wanyuan finished speaking, she handed the phone to Xiao Bao and went to get some cherries in the fridge. She had recently fallen in love with those sweet fruits.
Moments later, a slim waist flashed across the screen, and then a smaller version of himself appeared on that same screen.
“Daddy, do you have anything else to say?” Jun Yin was clearly talking to him, but his eyes kept darting in other directions. Jun Shiling knew that he was looking at Xia Wanyuan.
There was a magical impulse in his heart. He also wanted to look at Xia Wanyuan. But Jun Shiling would never say that out loud. “What did you learn in school today?”
“I learned a poem.”
“Recite it for me.”
“The bright moon before bed…”
“What did you eat?”
Other than work-related matters, Jun Shiling usually would settle calls within a minute. It was a little unusual that day.
“Daddy, did you miss us?” Xiao Bao asked when he heard his Daddy asking so many questions.
Jun Yin remembered that Xia Wanyuan had told him that Jun Shiling actually cared about him, but he just didn’t know how to express it.
“…” Jun Shiling’s expression darkened. Miss them? It was the first time he had heard such a cheesy word.
“Daddy, you’ll see us tomorrow. Mommy and I miss you too.”
Xiao Bao finally placed his gaze on Jun Shiling, blinking his large eyes.
“Sleep early. I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning.”
After hanging up the call, Jun Shiling’s mind was still filled with a shocking emptiness.
‘Did she miss me?’
Poor Xiao Bao had been neglected by his father.
Hmph. As expected, she was still the same. She wanted to make use of the child to win his favor.
Jun Shiling pursed his lips as if he was disgusted. However, there was no disgust in his eyes. Instead, there was a hint of anticipation that he did not realize.
…
In the ward, Xia Yu, whose arm was in so much pain that he couldn’t fall asleep, groaned on the bed for a long time. In the end, he still couldn’t fall asleep.
Hence, he got up and grabbed his phone, opened Weibo, and subconsciously searched for the name Xia Wanyuan.
The news feed was all about the topic of ‘Xia Wanyuan had been reduced to eating braised chicken after going bankrupt’.
Xia Yu’s eyes widened. ‘Has this woman become that poor?’
When he opened the comments, they were all mocking and abusing Xia Wanyuan.
[This woman is so ugly.]
[Serves her right. What did the braised chicken do to deserve being eaten by her? The braised chicken is so pitiful.]
“Pfft, this woman is doing so badly. Her acting is terrible and she’s so ugly.”
Xia Yu mumbled to himself, but his uninjured left hand was awkwardly typing on his phone.
[Go treat your eyes if you are blind. You’re the ugly one! Your whole family is ugly!]
[Does eating braised chicken bother you? Do you even have the money to eat braised chicken? Why are you talking sh*t here, you piece of trash?]