After leaving Granny Zhou's house, Xie Jingchu still frowned tightly.
Although Granny Zhou said he was a member of the Xie family and those things back then were just rumors.
But Xie Jingchu still felt uneasy in his heart.
Just then, Ruan Jiu suddenly jumped in front of him.
He paused in his steps, his eyebrows knitted in confusion.
He saw Ruan Jiu stretch out her slender finger and gently brush it across his brow.
She said softly, "Don't frown."
Xie Jingchu was taken aback for a moment, then he held Ruan Jiu's finger and smiled.
"Okay."
But Ruan Jiu could tell that this smile didn't reach his eyes.
Ruan Jiu let out a long breath and muttered, "Is it really that important to be a member of the Xie family?"
Xie Jingchu's gaze sharpened, and his expression was complex.
Yes, was it really that important?
After that, they saw a clean stone slab nearby and sat side by side on it.
"I was raised in the old mansion since I was a child. Sometimes I couldn't see my parents for months. At that time, I thought, maybe I wasn't their son, so they left me there.
Later, I returned to the Xie Mansion and became their most proud son. I fought my way up step by step, struggling and competing. Everyone said I was ruthless and would do anything to become the head of the Xie family.
But I didn't really care about being the head of the family. I just thought that if I really became the head of the Xie family, then I must be a member of the Xie family."
Xie Jingchu's eyes were deep, and complex emotions were constantly surging in his eyes.
It was the first time Ruan Jiu had heard Xie Jingchu talk about these things.
In her eyes, Xie Jingchu had always been the high - and - mighty Fourth Master Xie, who seemed to have no emotions.
"Actually, is it really that important to be a member of the Xie family? Although you were raised in the old mansion since childhood, at least you didn't have to worry about food and clothing. Unlike me..."
Ruan Jiu lowered her eyelids and continued, "Since I can remember, I've been wandering on the streets. Sometimes I could only get a bun after several days. Fighting with stray dogs for food was a common occurrence.
I never thought about who my parents were or where my family was. All I thought about when I opened my eyes every day was just to survive."
Hearing what Ruan Jiu said, Xie Jingchu understood that she was baring her heart to comfort him.
For a moment, his eyes were full of apology.
However, Ruan Jiu forced a smile and said, "But it's all good now. You took me back to the Xie Mansion, so I don't have to live a life of homelessness and hunger anymore."
Xie Jingchu held Ruan Jiu's hand, pursed his lips, and asked, "Have you ever thought about looking for your own family?"
Ruan Jiu shrugged, "I haven't really thought about it. But they weren't there when I needed them the most, so they don't need to appear in my life now."
She was very satisfied with her current life.
She had family, friends.
And a lover.
"What if they had their own difficulties when they left you?" Xie Jingchu continued to ask.
This seemed to be a question in his own heart as well.
Ruan Jiu frowned and thought carefully, then said, "I've never blamed them for leaving me. I just don't need them anymore. Maybe blood relation is important, but aren't the people who have accompanied you for many years important?
I just need to care about those who care about me."
These words seemed to wake Xie Jingchu up.
Yes, over the years, he had been trapped in a cage.
He wanted to prove himself by constantly climbing up.
The scene at the Mid - Autumn family banquet had weighed him down even more.
In fact, when he thought about it carefully, what he had always cared about was exactly what those who cared about him didn't care about the most.
He had been narrow - minded!
He reached out his hand and gently ruffled Ruan Jiu's hair.
"My A Jiu has grown up."
She could comfort others now.
Ruan Jiu's beautiful peach - blossom eyes curved into two crescent moons.
As if she remembered something, the tips of her ears turned slightly red.
She lowered her head, and her long eyelashes covered her eyes. Her hands kept tugging at the hem of her clothes.
"Just now... Why did you say it was lucky to meet me..." Ruan Jiu bit her lip.
"Well..."
Xie Jingchu paused, dragging out the end of the word.
His thoughts were pulled back to ten years ago.
He was only ten years old then, and it was the darkest time in his life.
When he was eight, he returned to the Xie Mansion, thinking that he could finally be with his parents.
But such a peaceful life didn't last long.
Not long after he returned to the mansion, all the familiar maids and grannies around him disappeared. He felt abandoned again.
Later, the death of Old Lady Xie made things even worse.
His proud and aloof personality became even more cold. He kept a straight face all day without any expression.
However, what finally broke him was his three elder brothers.
"He's a bad omen. As soon as he returned to the mansion, he caused Mother's death!"
"We'd better stay away from him! Look at his face. He looks like a cruel and evil person!"
"I heard he's killed several people! Tsk, such a young age but so vicious and cruel."
"Exactly. Several servants in the old mansion were beaten to death by him for no reason."
...
These baseless charges were just put on his head.
They were like a thorn, stabbing deeply into his heart.
He didn't say a single word in his defense. He just sneered.
Then he left the Xie Mansion without any hesitation.
He walked aimlessly on the street, thinking of countless ways to die in his mind.
Jumping off a cliff, drowning, hanging himself, taking poison...
Just as he was thinking about how he could die gracefully, he suddenly saw Ruan Jiu.
She was ragged and covered in blood.
But he still remembered those eyes clearly.
"You little bastard, how dare you fight with us for food!" a beggar leader said fiercely.
Ruan Jiu tightly held the bun in her hand and said firmly, "This is mine!"
"Hand it over quickly! Or I'll beat you to death!" The beggar leader stepped heavily on Ruan Jiu's leg.
Ruan Jiu let out a muffled groan and held the bun even tighter. A sneer curled up on her lips. "I don't know if I'll be beaten to death by you! But I know that without this bun, I'll definitely die!"
"Beat her!"
At the beggar leader's order, more fists rained down on Ruan Jiu.
He clenched his fists and just quietly watched from the side.
He was waiting.
Waiting for Ruan Jiu to give in, waiting for her to let go.
But even so, the determination in Ruan Jiu's eyes didn't diminish at all.
He didn't understand why, although they were both abandoned, Ruan Jiu's eyes could be so determined.
He was shocked until Ruan Jiu was beaten until she spat out blood but still refused to beg for mercy!
A little beggar could do so much just to survive.
What about him?
Giving up his life because of a few idle words.
It was really ridiculous!
So, his gaze sharpened. He picked up a stick beside him and walked straight forward.
It was the first time he had fought with someone.
Fortunately, he won.
He wiped the blood on his face (he didn't know whose it was), smiled at Ruan Jiu, and reached out his hand. He said softly, "Will you go home with me?"