Sleepless Spring Tide - 7
Freud
The man standing before her was Xie Xunzhi.
Yi Siling felt her vision go dark, frozen where she stood. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined being this unlucky. Walking straight into the lion's den like a fool—not only had she startled the snake, but she'd exposed herself completely!
Beijing truly wasn't her turf. Even her good fortune seemed to have been sealed away.
She tightened her grip on her glass, the flush draining from her five delicate, rose-pink fingernails as she forced her spine straight. The twin snowflakes dangling from her ears swayed gently. She stood frozen there for an unnerving stretch before she managed to thaw her expression. "You're Xie Xunzhi?"
"I am."
Two quiet, measured words sent her blood pressure spiking. She forced herself to stay calm, not to lose her composure, but at the same time she was compelled to observe, to evaluate.
So this was the man her parents had praised to the high heavens. The very Xie Xunzhi who had plagued her for an entire week. She even had to tilt her chin slightly just to catch his eyes.
He was tall, far broader and more imposing than she'd envisioned.
And far from being unsightly, he was strikingly handsome. Yi Siling had to admit that the realization hit her like a slap to the face.
His features were deeply sculpted, marked by an exceptionally straight, refined nose—not the coarse, heavy sharpness of a Westerner, but something imbued with an understated elegance. He was like an exquisite folding fan, holding its edge concealed with quiet dignity, never unfolded without good cause. Even from that fleeting glance back in Hong Kong, he had made a lasting impression. Men like him were rare indeed, refined to the very marrow... Mommy hadn't lied after all... Wait, no!
Her mind snagged on the real question. What was Xie Xunzhi doing in Hong Kong in the first place?
After a beat of silence, her mortified gaze finally met his, cutting straight to the point. "You know who I am, don't you?"
How could he not? Their impending marriage was a tacit understanding between both families. If she could come to Beijing to test the waters, he could easily head to Hong Kong to investigate her.
She could figure it out with her toes: of course he knew she was Yi Siling. Photographs of her were everywhere, effortless to find with a simple search. Not to mention her Instagram, where she routinely posted glimpses of her daily life.
Being seen through, Xie Xunzhi showed not a flicker of panic. "Miss Yi," he murmured, his deep, mellow voice carrying a magnetic resonance she could not name.
She knew it!
Yi Siling gripped her glass tightly, her embarrassment turning into instant, burning annoyance. "So that trip to Hong Kong was just your way of feeling me out? Mr. Xie certainly knows how to put on an airs.”
He displayed not a trace of guilt. His voice stayed calm, as if soothing a furious kitten. "That trip to Hong Kong was strictly business. Running into you at the restaurant was pure coincidence."
It was Xie Mingsui who had gone behind his back to track down Yi Siling's itinerary and insisted on eating at that specific Thai restaurant.
He hadn't investigated her on purpose, so it hardly counted as testing.
Yi Siling wasn't buying it for a second, her cheeks still burning with a flush of pure embarrassment. "And just now? What was that, if not testing me?"
Knowing full well who she was, he had played dumb, deliberately leading her walk right into it.
A deep-scheming old fox, a massive deduction of points in her book.
Xie Xunzhi yielded gracefully. "My apologies. It wasn't intentional."
He raised his glass in a gesture of self-punishment and took a sip. As the liquid slipped down his throat, his prominent Adam's apple rolled once, twice.
Yi Siling caught the movement out of the corner of her eye. There was something unreasonably alluring about it. She stared, dazed, and only snapped back to her senses just as he turned his gaze back to her.
She knit her delicate brows, furious with herself for getting distracted at a time like this.
Xie Xunzhi feigned ignorance of her small shift in demeanor. He let out a soft smile. "After all, we haven't officially been introduced. Claiming to know you outright would have been presumptuous."
What a flawlessly diplomatic line, neatly absolving himself while leaving her no room to find fault.
He was either exceptionally well-mannered or dangerously calculating.
Yi Siling bit her lip. This Mr. Xie was a far cry from the man she had imagined. His looks, his character, his demeanor... every bit of him defied her expectations.
She had underestimated her opponent. She had never anticipated a man like him, and now her entire strategy lay in ruins.
The gentleman possessed impeccable upbringing. He looked her straight in the eye as he spoke, his tone pitched perfectly—neither imposing nor dismissive. Striking that balance was no easy task, yet he managed it effortlessly, leaving her feeling neither pressured nor disrespected. Coupled with a voice as deep and rich as a cello, he could win admiration without trying.
For a man born into such immense privilege, barely past thirty, to cultivate a composure as polished as jade was a rare thing in their circle.
Yi Siling's thoughts spun into further disarray. She wondered if she should change her approach and start fresh, but before she could decide, he spoke again. "Miss Yi, what brings you to Beijing?"
What brought her here?
To test you, obviously. To observe you from the shadows, to pick at your flaws, to find fault with you, and to tear off that hypocritical mask of yours...
Yi Siling's heart gave a panicked flutter. "...I'm here on vacation."
Realizing that popping up in Beijing without a reason looked terribly suspicious, she smoothed her expression and added naturally, "Just escaping the heat with some friends. Hong Kong has been unbearable lately."
Xie Xunzhi naturally assumed the duties of a gracious host, offering with flawless etiquette, "Do you need any arrangements made for your stay? I can have my staff arrange some local specialties for you."
"No need!" The refusal came out fast. Too fast. She caught herself and immediately softened her tone into something sweet and pleasant. "Um... I've already booked a hotel."
She feigned composure, smiling with her lips firmly pressed together.
Letting him make arrangements would be a disaster, she'd end up completely at his mercy.
Xie Xunzhi caught the sudden sharp shift in her voice, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. If he guessed correctly, she had likely come accompanied by that boyfriend she was so passionately in relationship with.
His smile remained intact, though a faint chill settled in the depths of his eyes. He took a graceful half-step backward, signaling his departure.
"In that case, I will leave you to enjoy yourself, Miss Yi. I wish you and your friends a wonderful time in Beijing. If you'll excuse me, I have matters to attend to."
"?"
Yi Siling had never encountered anything like this. A man had actually taken the initiative to excuse himself from her presence!
Excusing himself—a polite euphemism for wanting nothing more to do with her.
She stood with her long, shapely legs pressed together, watching Xie Xunzhi walk away in sheer, stunned disbelief.
.
Over on the other side, Chi Huanli watched Xie Xunzhi chatting and laughing with that gorgeous woman from afar, once again struck completely speechless.
"Suisui, what's going on with your brother today?" Chi Huanli thought he was seeing things. He squinted. "Who is that woman? Your brother even toasted her. Isn't he getting married soon? Getting involved with female celebrities is playing with fire. You should at least talk some sense into him."
Xie Mingsui offered a faint smile, her tone straddling the line between casual and cutting. "Not every man goes around playing with celebrities, male or female. She is the Eldest Miss of the Yi family. I'll ask Mr. Chi to refrain from slapping labels on people so carelessly."
It was rare for her to employ sarcasm; she was usually gentle and polite to everyone, possessing the impeccable manners inherent to the Xie bloodline.
Chi Huanli took no offense, only asking in surprise, "That's the Eldest Miss of the Yi family?" Soon enough, realization dawned on him. He took a step forward, blocking Xie Mingsui's path, and offered an earnest explanation. "I really wasn't fooling around with anyone like that. It was entirely made up by the paparazzi... That woman knocked on my door in the middle of the night, and I thought it was room service..."
Last month, a short-lived rumor about a popular young starlet meeting the second young master of the Chi family late at night had flared up before being quietly buried. Now, any trace of it had been wiped from the internet, and the starlet's resources had plummeted overnight.
The usually smooth-talking Young Master Chi looked somewhat awkward at this moment.
Xie Mingsui offered a half-smile, her gentle gaze shifting fluidly before she turned and glided away without another word.
Frustrated and at a loss for how to vent, Chi Huanli turned on Xie Xunzhi the moment he returned, he couldn't resist a jab. "Some friends you are. Running off to chat up your wife and leaving me stranded here. I was wondering why you were dressing so sharp tonight. Turns out the wife was coming."
Xie Xunzhi drained his glass in silence, swallowed, and only then spoke. "We aren't even friends."
Let alone a wife, complete nonsense.
She had a boyfriend she was head over heels for, and she was clearly dissatisfied with this arranged marriage, even resorting to underhanded tactics to catch him in a fault. It would be better to lay everything out in the open.
He was not an unreasonable man. Cutting his losses early would save dignity for both sides.
Chi Huanli challenged, "Weren't you two chatting just fine a moment ago? She was even smiling at you."
Xie Xunzhi said nothing, his gaze drifting past Chi Huanli's shoulder. In the distance, a man was attempting to strike up a conversation with Yi Siling, his expression enraptured, his smile borderline subservient.
It wasn't that Xie Xunzhi was actively trying to keep his eyes on Yi Siling. The woman simply refused to be ignored. Her looks, her presence, everything about her demanded attention.
In just three brief encounters, she had been nothing short of glamorous, high-profile, and dazzlingly bright. She reminded him of a piece of fine jewelry locked behind a display window—passersby gazing through the glass, intoxicated, indulging in daydreams of one day claiming it for themselves.
A fleeting, empty mirage.
It was almost laughable how these elite men, usually so dignified in the professional world, turned into eager dogs in her presence, humbling themselves just for a chance to get close to her beauty. Foolish.
And she moved through those burning gazes with practiced ease, her waist slender, drawn tight by the tailored dress. Her toes peeked out from beneath the hem, her nails painted a vivid, shimmering gold. It was a shade that risked looking tacky, yet on her, that very bold vulgarity translated into something captivating.
Yi Siling was simply too beautiful. In a place driven by fame and fortune, a woman like her could hardly avoid becoming prey for men to chase. Especially here in Beijing, where so few recognized her. They took her for some obscure yet eye-catching starlet.
Xie Xunzhi raised his hand, gesturing for the waiter to refill his glass. Whisky, neat—no sweet cocktails.
Chi Huanli didn't bother telling him to slow down, sensing the cold, somber shift settling over his friend.
As the evening wore on, the party reached its stride. The main lights dimmed, replaced by an intimate, relaxed warm glow.
Guests began taking to the dance floor as the performing artists concluded their set on stage. After several pop songs, the live orchestra took over to accompany the crowd. The gentle strains of The Blue Danube flowed through the air, filling the venue with a rich, fragrant atmosphere.
Night descended, neon lights gleaming cold and glamorous outside the hotel as a steady stream of traffic passed by. Delivery drivers and couriers arrived at the front desk every so often, glancing toward the luxury cars parked by the fountain before departing, catching a fleeting glimpse of the opulent world within.
"Miss, may I have the honor of this dance?" A polished gentleman stepped in front of Yi Siling, extending an upturned palm in invitation.
Yi Siling declined gracefully. "Sorry, I'm not much of a dancer."
In truth, she was an exceptional dancer. At seventeen, she had opened the dance with the youngest son of an English duke at the Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris, photos from that night were still featured in media roundups to this day.
"That's no problem, I can teach you. If you will grant me the honor.” the man persisted, undeterred.
Xie Xunzhi withdrew his gaze. Whether Yi Siling accepted the man's invitation or not was no longer any of his concern.
He had decided to make things clear and call off the engagement.
.
Yi Siling had never been so bored at a banquet. Nibbling on small desserts, she idly scrolled through her group chat, the strains of The Blue Danube brushing against her ears like soft blue velvet. She had naturally turned down the gentleman's invitation, not just any man was worthy of dancing with Yi Siling.
The group chat named [Mia Defense Force] was buzzing with activity, everyone pressing her for updates.
The third sister, Yi Xinling, was the most active, waiting patiently in the neighboring shopping mall: [Did you see Xie Xunzhi or not? Why'd you go quiet? Do you need me to come pick you up?]
The third sister: [Don't tell me it was love at first sight...]
The second sister, Yi Leling, suddenly chimed in: [Possible.]
The third sister: [Meaning?]
The second sister: [Yi Siling is a sucker for good looks. As far as I know, the guy from the Xie family isn't bad-looking at all. Too bad she didn't believe it.]
Yi Qiongling, who was supposed to be doing her homework, caught wind of the excitement and rushed in: [What what what! What did I miss! Who's handsome??]
[Recently heartbroken. In urgent need of a hot guy to revive my spirits.]
[Got pics? Let me see!]
The third sister: [@Yi Siling's Mouthpiece, didn't you just get a new boyfriend last month?]
The second sister: [@Yi Siling's Mouthpiece, you go through three breakups a month?]
Yi Qiongling pouted to the high heavens. Was now really the time to discuss her three breakups in one month? Weren't they supposed to be discussing Mia and this what's-his-name Xie?
The fourth sister: [Wait! Who is this Xie Xunzhi???]
The third sister: [You don't know your future brother-in-law?]
The second sister: [You don't know your future brother-in-law?]
The fourth sister: [??]
Within three seconds, Yi Qiongling blew up as expected: [Yi Siling!!! Explain yourself right now! Why do they both know and I don't! @Mia @Mia @Mia]
The much-summoned heroine finally made her appearance, typing out her response listlessly: [Little Piglet, go focus on your studies. Will gossiping about this get you an offer from Oxford or Cambridge?]
She added: [@Yi Siling's Brain @Yi Siling's Iron Fist, what do you mean 'future brother-in-law'? Watch your mouth!]
Every time she tagged them in the group, Yi Siling couldn't help but sigh at their absurd group names.
One brain, one iron fist, one mouthpiece. They claimed one gave her advice, one fought for her, one argued for her.
Insane. All of them.
Even when she asked them to change the names, they stubbornly refused.
Yi Qiongling rolled her eyes: [Don't change the subject! Who is Xie Xunzhi!]
Yi Siling huffed through her nose: [A blind old relic.]
No sense of romance. All pretense.
The other three sisters responded simultaneously with a string of question marks: [?]
Yi Siling gave a succinct summary of what had just transpired, feeling more infuriated the more she thought about it: [He told me to 'enjoy myself’? He actually told the most gorgeous woman in the room to 'enjoy myself’?]
Xinling had no idea how to comfort her, silently taking a sip of her warm milk tea. Leling knitted her brows, her expression solemn. Only Qiongling, back at the Yi Mansion, was laughing so hard her stomach hurt.
Yi Siling: [I strongly suspect he's just putting on a show. The more public the occasion, the more he pretends to be above it all.]
[I refuse to believe he doesn't harbor improper thoughts about me in private. If he caught improper thoughts about a woman he's only met twice, wouldn't that prove he isn't as much of a gentleman as Mommy and Daddy claim? That would count as a win, wouldn't it?]
The more she pondered it, the more logical it sounded. Her fingers flew across the screen, her long nails clacking sharply against the glass: [As long as I get him alone and make a move, he'll show his true colors.]
Yi Xinling nearly spat out her milk tea. What kind of twisted logic was this? The woman had completely lost her mind!
[Can you please be reasonable for once!]
[He's a man! If a beauty like you seduces him, he's the one benefiting! You're basically handing him a free reward!]
[@Yi Siling's Brain, where is the brain? Quick, talk some sense into her!]
When Yi Siling went off the rails, even Yi Leling couldn't handle her.
And Yi Siling was hardly one to listen to reason. Xie Xunzhi ignoring her twice had thoroughly stoked her competitive drive; she refused to accept defeat out of pure spite.
She locked her phone, tossed it into her bag, and lifted her head once more to search for her target of the night.
Xie Xunzhi was nowhere to be seen. Five minutes ago he had been standing there, talking to someone.
The dim, romantic lighting made it difficult to spot anyone. Her high heels clicked soundlessly on the carpet, the diamond chains wrapped around her insteps scattering shifting flecks of light across her pale skin.
Yi Siling finally spotted his tall, elegant frame by the side exit. A waiter pulled open the heavy, soundproof wooden door, allowing the crisp light from the corridor to spill through. Xie Xunzhi stepped outside, loosening his tie with one hand, leaving behind a silhouette that hinted at subtle impatience.
Watching him walk away, Yi Siling didn't hesitate for a second and slipped out after him.
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