Chapter 52

As she looked at the lollipop in her hand, Ruan Xinyi’s first reaction was: Is Wen Xihan trying to coax me?

Would Wen Xihan even do that?

Clearly not.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have said something that only worked on kids.

But this candy—was Wen Xihan really coaxing her?

A small, uncontrollable delight bubbled up inside her. Clutching the candy tightly, Ruan Xinyi tried to keep a straight face as she asked, “Have you ever coaxed anyone before?”

Wen Xihan lowered her gaze, thought for a moment, and nodded. “I’ve coaxed my little niece before.”

Ruan Xinyi, who had just started feeling secretly happy: ???

So… was she being treated like a three-year-old right now?!

Her lips twitched slightly as she sulked. “Do you think I’m a child?”

No wonder Wen Xihan used candy to coax her…

Wen Xihan shook her head. She gazed at Ruan Xinyi, her peach blossom eyes calm and sincere. The corners of her thin lips curled up slightly as she stated matter-of-factly, “No, you’re not a child.”

Indeed, she wasn’t. Whether in terms of age or physical maturity, there was no way she could still see Ruan Xinyi as the little soft bundle of energy she used to be.

Ruan Xinyi let out a haughty hmph, lifting her chin proudly. “I’m already twenty-three! I haven’t been a kid for a long time.”

“Mm.” Wen Xihan nodded in agreement. “Not a kid.”

The next second, she stretched out her hand toward Ruan Xinyi. “Since you’re not a kid anymore, you don’t need candy, right? Give it back.”

Ruan Xinyi: ???

The candy was already in her hands—giving it back now would be ridiculous!

Ruan Xinyi wasn’t that foolish. She unwrapped the lollipop right in front of Wen Xihan, popped it into her mouth, and raised an eyebrow smugly. “Nope.”

“Heh~” Wen Xihan chuckled softly. Her peach blossom eyes curved slightly, amusement flickering in her beautiful features. Her voice was gentle as she asked, “Still mad?”

Ruan Xinyi was caught off guard. The tip of her tongue rolled, shifting the lollipop to the other side of her mouth. Her cheek puffed slightly as she stared blankly at Wen Xihan.

“So? Still mad?” Wen Xihan’s wrist subtly tensed as if resisting the urge to ruffle Ruan Xinyi’s hair. She smiled faintly and repeated her question.

Feeling flustered under Wen Xihan’s gaze, Ruan Xinyi instinctively wanted to look away—but she didn’t want to miss the rare sight of Wen Xihan’s breathtaking smile. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to meet those shimmering peach blossom eyes and muttered stubbornly, “I wasn’t mad.”

How could she bear to be mad at her?

Wen Xihan simply responded with a soft “Mm.”

A sudden warmth crept up Ruan Xinyi’s ears, and she quickly turned to look out the window to hide her embarrassment.

The lollipop was sweet—its sugary taste slowly melting into her heart.

Outside, buildings flashed past as the car moved. Ruan Xinyi bit down on the plastic stick of the lollipop, her fingers lightly tapping her knee. Trying to sound casual, but with a hint of jealousy, she asked, “Who were you talking to just now?”

She was smiling so warmly.

Wen Xihan watched Ruan Xinyi’s expression closely. “My sister.”

Hearing those words, Ruan Xinyi’s mood instantly brightened, soaring several levels. She couldn’t hide the joy in her expression. “Your niece’s mom?”

Wen Xihan nodded. A subtle flicker passed through her eyes, her tone unreadable. “She’s my only sister.”

Ruan Xinyi sighed in admiration. “You and your sister must be really close.”

For someone as cool and reserved as Wen Xihan to smile so softly just from texting… their bond must be special.

“That reminds me—I should call my mom and tell her I won’t be back until Saturday.”

Saying that, Ruan Xinyi dialed Ruan Su’s number.

Wen Xihan silently leaned back, giving her some space.

“Hello, Mom~”

“Mm.” Ruan Su, who had already heard from Wen Xihan, pretended not to know. “Aren’t you working today?”

“Not today. Mom, I went to S City for a conference with my boss. I might not be back until Saturday.” Ruan Xinyi obediently reported her schedule while subtly probing, “Is your company attending this year?”

“Not yet.” A second later, Ruan Su casually added, “I’ll be arriving in S City tomorrow morning.”

Ruan Xinyi let out a surprised “Huh?” Her tone was full of disbelief. “You’re coming?”

“Mm.” Ruan Su spoke in a logical, almost dignified tone, one that left no room for argument. “Since you’re there, it makes sense for me to go.”

Ruan Xinyi: “…”

Ruan Su chuckled softly, no longer teasing her. “Alright, I have something to handle right now. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Okay, take care, Mom.”

Hanging up, Ruan Xinyi exhaled, leaning back in her seat. Half-jokingly, she said, “Sister, if you’re free tomorrow, I could introduce you to my mom.”

Wen Xihan opened her mouth as if about to say something, then hesitated. After a long pause, she finally spoke. “I already know your mom.”

“Ah?” Ruan Xinyi immediately sat up straight in shock.

Wen Xihan gave her a half-smile, her voice carrying an unmistakable hint of amusement. “Ruan Su—Chairman Ruan. I’ve heard of her for a long time.”

After a brief pause, she added, “I actually met her not too long ago.”

Ruan Xinyi scratched the back of her head, unsure what to make of Wen Xihan’s words. “Really?”

Suppressing the emotions in her eyes, Wen Xihan replied in a neutral tone, “So, there’s no need for an introduction.”

Otherwise, that meeting would be unbearably awkward for this little fool.

“…Alright.” Ruan Xinyi replied, clearly reluctant.

With a crisp crunch, she bit down on the lollipop, already planning how to find the perfect opportunity to let them meet—officially.

Wen Xihan had no idea what little scheme was running through Ruan Xinyi’s mind. As soon as the driver parked the car, she took the lead in opening the door and stepping out.

“Sir, could you please open the trunk?” Ruan Xinyi settled the bill and checked the seat before unhurriedly opening the door and getting out.

Just as she steadied herself, she saw Wen Xihan reaching for the suitcase. Ruan Xinyi quickly stepped forward and stopped her. “Sister, let me do it.”

Wen Xihan hesitated for a second before releasing her grip, preparing to take the other suitcase instead.

“I’ll do it. You two young ladies have such slender arms and legs,” the driver said cheerfully as he got out of the car with Ruan Xinyi.

Before they could react, he easily lifted both suitcases—one in each hand—with no effort at all.

Ruan Xinyi smiled and thanked him. “Thank you, sir!”

The driver returned her smile, closed the trunk, and drove off.

Wen Xihan’s expression was slightly gloomy. Her gaze was sharp and cool as she spoke in a calm tone, “Let’s go, little girl.”

Ruan Xinyi chuckled and quickly pulled her suitcase along to catch up.

After checking in, Ruan Xinyi held onto the room key card and gently asked the receptionist, “By the way, I previously ordered two meal sets. Can they be delivered directly to our room now?”

The receptionist quickly checked the order and confirmed with a smile. “Yes, of course. It should take about five minutes for someone to bring them up.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Listening to their conversation, Wen Xihan leaned her cheek on her hand, slowly unwrapping a milk candy and placing it in her mouth.

The plastic wrapper was a bit stiff and crinkly. She lowered her eyes, walked over to the trash bin, and threw it away.

By then, Ruan Xinyi had finished speaking with the receptionist and was standing beside her suitcase, waiting.

She had delicate features and a refined fashion sense, completely inheriting Ruan Su’s elegance. The subtle pride in her bones was well concealed, and her eyes were pure and warm, carrying a gentle, approachable aura.

To be honest, Ruan Xinyi did have some qualities of a traditional, graceful wife—so long as she didn’t speak. Otherwise, her demeanor could be quite unbearable for Wen Xihan.

Looking at her, Wen Xihan suddenly felt much of her inexplicable frustration fade away.

Perhaps some people just had that ability—to be both irritating and strangely soothing at the same time.

She let out a slow breath, maintaining her usual composed expression as she crushed the milk candy in her mouth and walked toward the troublesome little imp.

“Beep—beep—”

Ruan Xinyi swiped the key card to open the suite door, pushed her suitcase to the side, and flopped onto the sofa. “Sister, which room do you want?”

The presidential suite had two bedrooms. The layouts were nearly identical, with the only difference being that one was closer to the entrance while the other was next to the window.

Wen Xihan chose the one by the window.

While she was in the room putting away her suitcase, Ruan Xinyi took a quick tour of the suite’s small kitchen. She also boiled some water, rinsed the cups, and placed two glasses of warm water on the coffee table.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

It was the hotel’s room service.

Ruan Xinyi set the meal sets on the dining table. She waited in the living room for two minutes, but when Wen Xihan still hadn’t come out, she walked to her room and lightly knocked on the door. “Sister, it’s time to eat.”

The room was well soundproofed, so Wen Xihan’s voice came through a bit muffled. “Got it.”

A few minutes later, just as Ruan Xinyi was finishing her glass of water, Wen Xihan finally emerged from the room.

She had changed into comfortable loungewear—a loose, solid-colored long-sleeved top paired with linen-colored casual pants that highlighted her long, slender legs. Her slightly wavy dark hair was tied in a low ponytail, and her face was makeup-free. With her delicate peach blossom eyes, she had an effortless charm, exuding both a mature allure and a youthful innocence. She could easily pass as a fresh university graduate who had just started working.

Ruan Xinyi hurriedly swallowed the water in her mouth, wiped her lips with the back of her hand, and, feeling a little awkward, handed her a pair of chopsticks as soon as Wen Xihan sat down.

Wen Xihan instinctively touched her face, then glanced at Ruan Xinyi with a curious expression. “Is there something on my face?” she asked flatly.

“No.” Ruan Xinyi lowered her head, focusing on her meal. Her voice was soft. “You just look… really nice like this.”

Wen Xihan let out a quiet chuckle.

Unfortunately, Ruan Xinyi had her head down and completely missed the faint blush that appeared on Wen Xihan’s pale earlobes.

Though Ruan Xinyi had chosen a light meal, Wen Xihan didn’t have much of an appetite. She only ate a little before putting down her chopsticks.

Ruan Xinyi tried to persuade her. “Sister, are you sure you don’t want to eat a bit more?”

Wen Xihan shook her head, took a sip of warm water, and got up. “I’m going to take a nap. Call me if you need anything.”

“Okay.”

The sound of the door closing was soft. Ruan Xinyi stared at it in a daze for a while before shifting her gaze away.

With Wen Xihan gone, Ruan Xinyi also lost her appetite. After tidying up the table, she returned to her room.

She quickly organized her suitcase and even changed the bedsheets. Then, she grabbed her key card and headed to the supermarket across the street.

The small kitchen in the suite was well-equipped. Making breakfast shouldn’t be a problem.

She pushed the shopping cart through the aisles, picking up a bag of buckwheat noodles and some vegetables. The rest of her cart was filled with fruit and yogurt.

Near the supermarket entrance was a small flower stand. On her way back to the hotel, Ruan Xinyi stopped and bought a bouquet of sunflowers.

Feeling something, she pulled out her phone and took a picture of the flowers, sending it to Wen Xihan.

Just as she stepped out of the elevator and was about to swipe her key card, she received a message from Wen Xihan: “?”

Ruan Xinyi, balancing the shopping bags in one hand, typed with the other: [They suit you.]

Wen Xihan replied instead with: [Are you coming back now?]

Ruan Xinyi’s lips curled slightly. [I’m at the door.]

The next second, the door opened.

Wen Xihan stood there, holding a half-full glass of water. Her peach blossom eyes, calm yet enticing, lingered on Ruan Xinyi’s hands for a moment before she slowly reached out her right hand.

Ruan Xinyi understood immediately and, with a bright smile, handed her the sunflowers.  

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