Chapter 16: The Unveiling of a Secret

Xia Zhiquiu let out a light scoff, her smile hinting at amusement and something more, upon hearing the young man’s words.

“Do you take me for a fool? Your mind is undoubtedly brimming with mischief; I want no part of it.”

Bai Hao rubbed his nose at her words. Though his intentions had been exposed, he felt no embarrassment, and continued to lead her to his bedroom.

Xia Zhiquiu paused, her gaze sweeping over the young man’s surprisingly spartan bedroom, before finally speaking.

“I thought your room would be a complete mess. I never expected you to be so tidy.”

Hearing this, Bai Hao’s chest puffed out with a touch of pride.

“Of course! I’m quite the domestic whiz, you know.”

Xia Zhiquiu playfully glared at the young man, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.

“Give you an inch, and you’ll take a mile, won’t you?”

Her attention, however, was quickly drawn to a photo frame on the bedside table, which held a picture of a family of three.

The boy in the photograph appeared quite youthful and innocent, his hair not yet dyed blonde, but it was unmistakably Bai Hao.

Standing beside him were a middle-aged couple: the man, handsome and composed; the woman, elegant and intellectual.

“Are these your parents?”

Xia Zhiquiu asked, her curiosity piqued.

Bai Hao nodded at her question, a rare ripple of emotion stirring within him.

Hearing his affirmation, Xia Zhiquiu continued.

“So, where do they work now? Abroad, perhaps? It’s surprising they’d feel comfortable leaving you here all by yourself.”

Upon hearing her words, Bai Hao shook his head.

“Something like that. I’ll tell you more later.”

Xia Zhiquiu rolled her eyes at him, letting out a dismissive huff.

“Don’t tell me then. I don’t even want to know.”

With that, she moved towards the bedroom balcony. Outside, the sunlight was perfect; in the heart of autumn, it bathed a person in a warmth that was never scorching, only exquisitely comforting.

Bai Hao watched the exquisite woman bathed in sunlight, her graceful figure outlined by the golden rays, her long hair like a waterfall, scattering and dancing in the gentle breeze…

In that moment, the young man’s dormant heart couldn’t help but stir with a nascent throb. Bai Hao felt this woman was truly a potent poison, possessing a distinct and captivating allure.

Especially when she turned her head at that very moment, her beautiful eyes fixed directly on his, and her red lips parted to speak.

“Bai Hao, let’s break up.”

Bai Hao subconsciously started to agree, but the realization of her words’ true meaning struck him a moment later, leaving him utterly stunned.

“Sister, what did you say?”

Xia Zhiquiu met the young man’s incredulous gaze, took a deep breath, and reiterated with gravity.

“I said, let’s break up. Bai Hao, we’re simply not compatible, and there’s no point in continuing like this.”

Hearing the woman’s words, Bai Hao finally snapped back to reality. He had always known that her agreement to be his girlfriend was solely for the sake of her daughter.

Yet, over the past two months, he seemed to have subconsciously overlooked this crucial detail. So, when she uttered the words “break up,” he found himself momentarily unable to accept it.

A flicker of resolve entered his eyes as he thought of this, and he spoke without hesitation.

“I don’t agree. Sister, you might think we’re incompatible, but haven’t we been enjoying our time together these past few months? And what exactly do you mean by ‘no meaning’?”

Xia Zhiquiu had long anticipated the young man’s refusal, but she knew she had to make a decisive break today. If she dragged it out any longer, she feared she herself might…

Her expression turning cool, Xia Zhiquiu spoke.

“Pleasant? That’s merely your perception. Indeed, when I first agreed to give us a try, I did feel something.

But after spending these past weeks together, you’ve struck me as incredibly childish, and being with you has become quite exhausting.

Moreover, there’s such a significant age gap between us, and I no longer wish to endure the peculiar stares of others.”

As Bai Hao listened to the woman’s every word, he understood that these were merely pretexts for her desire to end their relationship.

She had never truly cared for him; it had all been nothing more than a convenient charade.

Bai Hao let out a sigh. It seemed their ‘love game’ was truly over; he had genuinely believed it might continue for a while longer.

“Sister, so this is how I appeared in your eyes all this time. Honestly, I’m quite disappointed. However, since these are your thoughts, I will respect your decision.”

Xia Zhiquiu was taken aback by the young man’s immediate assent. ‘He agreed just like that? Something isn’t right.’

“You actually agreed?”

Bai Hao nodded, a faint smile gracing his lips.

“Of course. After all, a forced melon isn’t sweet.”

Gazing into the young man’s sincere eyes, a faint ripple of guilt for deceiving a youthful boy unexpectedly surfaced in Xia Zhiquiu’s heart.

‘No, no, no, this must be an illusion! A breakup is for the best, for everyone involved.’

“It’s truly for the best that you see it this way. Then, let’s part on good terms. If you ever have any questions about your studies in the future, you can still message me. It’s getting late now, so I should head back.”

Pausing after her words, Xia Zhiquiu then lifted her leg, preparing to depart.

However, just as she brushed past the young man, he suddenly reached out and seized the departing woman.

“Ah!”

Xia Zhiquiu, caught completely off guard by the sudden pull, instinctively let out a surprised gasp, unaware of how utterly captivating her voice sounded.

“What—what are you doing?”

Hearing her, Bai Hao’s gaze flickered to the large bed nearby, and a corner of his mouth quirked upwards. In one swift motion, he suddenly pinned her down onto the soft expanse of the bed!

“Mph…”

Xia Zhiquiu had never anticipated such a sudden move from the young man; she was utterly bewildered, her wide, watery eyes fixed on him.

After a long moment, she finally snapped out of her daze and immediately began to struggle.

“You—get off me!”

Ignoring her, Bai Hao gripped the mature woman’s delicate wrist tightly, holding her firmly in place, before speaking in a low, resonant tone.

“Auntie Xia, since you’re unwilling to be my girlfriend, then just be my wife.”

Xia Zhiquiu’s beautiful eyes widened at his words.

“You—what did you say? Wait! What did you just call me?”

In response, Bai Hao suddenly lowered his head, burying his face in the collarbone of the voluptuous, mature beauty and taking several deep breaths, before speaking in a hushed, lingering voice.

“Auntie Xia, oh, no, that’s not right. I should be calling you Uncle Xia, shouldn’t I?

Speaking of which, I’ve always been quite curious: since Uncle Xia is actually a woman, why do you insist on masquerading as a man during the day?”

Xia Zhiquiu froze completely at the young man’s words. She stared at him with utter disbelief, momentarily forgetting to struggle.

‘So this guy already knew her secret?!’

‘How could this be? She had been so careful; she shouldn’t have revealed any flaws, right?’

Xia Zhiquiu was utterly perplexed, yet at this moment, her inner apprehension far outweighed her confusion.

Bai Hao looked at the woman beneath him, her eyes wide with unease, resembling a startled creature, poised to strike with her sensual red lips even amidst her panic.

“Auntie Xia, are you perhaps wondering how I came to know this secret?”

Xia Zhiquiu remained silent, merely glaring at him with indignation.

Bai Hao continued, undeterred.

“Actually, it’s quite simple. Your face, Auntie Xia, is simply too captivating. Even if your disguised male appearance is slightly different, the series of events that followed were far too coincidental. It’s truly hard not to notice.”