Xia Liuyue finally turned her gaze leisurely towards Yan Hechuan, asking in surprise,
"Hechuan, why are you wearing sunglasses today?"
Yan Hechuan seemed to be in a good mood. He pointed at the sunglasses, the corners of his lips curling up slightly.
"These are yours."
Oh, so they were the pair she had left at the bar yesterday.
No wonder she couldn't find them no matter how hard she looked.
Xia Liuyue reached out to snatch them, but Yan Hechuan, as if anticipating this, leaned back slightly, pressing his lips into a thin line.
He emphasized seriously,
"Now, they're mine."
"...It's just a pair of sunglasses. Wear them if you want."
Suddenly, as if remembering something, she said, "But, won't you have an allergic reaction?"
Yan Hechuan shook his head and said softly, "Your training has been effective. The allergic symptoms are getting milder and milder."
Mhm.
Xia Liuyue gave a light hum.
Yet, from that simple sound, Yan Hechuan could hear her pleasure and slight smugness, and he couldn't help but let his own lips curve upwards.
His Yueyue was just too adorable.
Fifteen minutes later, the car arrived at the tea restaurant.
Meng Xiang went to park the car first.
Xia Liuyue, holding Yan Hechuan's hand, entered through the back door, much more adeptly this time.
The moment their fingers interlaced, the other's ears couldn't help but flush slightly red.
The reason for this secrecy was that this restaurant was quite famous; it wouldn't be good if they ran into someone from their social circle in Haishi.
Unexpectedly, they hadn't gone far before they came face-to-face with a lavishly dressed noblewoman.
She wore an opulent gray mink coat, with translucent, watery emerald green jade adorning her ears and neck, and carried a rare-colored suede Hermès bag in her hand.
Her gaze first fell on Yan Hechuan, then shifted with scrutiny and appraisal to Xia Liuyue beside him.
"So you are Tang Yinyao?"
She spoke as soon as she opened her mouth, her tone full of the contempt of a social superior.
The moment her voice sounded, Xia Liuyue noticed Yan Hechuan beside her beginning to tremble slightly.
It was a subconscious physiological reaction.
That voice seemed to trigger some defense mechanism. His arm tensed, and the fingers holding her hand tightened their grip.
Xia Liuyue gently shook their clasped hands.
Signaling him to relax, she retorted,
"And what stray cat or dog are you, not even daring to give your name."
The noblewoman smiled contemptuously and said,
"Just as they say in our circles, you have quite the temper."
"Your Tang family has been in decline for years. If it weren't for that Du family's son always helping you, people only give you face out of respect for the Du family."
"As for who I am, ask your fiancé."
The woman before them appeared to be in her thirties or forties. Despite meticulous upkeep, the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes were still somewhat visible.
Yan Hechuan knew her?
In an instant.
Xia Liuyue remembered a name she had once seen in the investigation files.
At the same time, Yan Hechuan beside her took a deep breath.
"She is my former stepmother—Tina Li."
No one knew what Tina Li's original name was. At eighteen, she latched onto a white-haired tycoon. A few years after the tycoon passed away, she inherited most of his wealth.
Through introductions in social circles, she met Yan Hechuan's widowed father and became his stepmother.
She was in her twenties then, and Yan Hechuan was only six or seven.
Xia Liuyue could sense the trembling and despair emanating from Yan Hechuan beside her. Most importantly, looking up from their intertwined hands, she saw
his arm once again covered in fine, dense red hives.
His breathing became rapid.
An allergic reaction, a severe one.
Xia Liuyue immediately picked up her phone to message Meng Xiang, telling him to hurry and bring the allergy medication to find them.
Tina Li, angered by the other party's dismissive attitude, couldn't help but exclaim,
"Xiaochuan, is this how your mother taught you before?"
"Not greeting people when you see them, truly no upbringing!"
"Even though your father is dead, I was still your stepmother after all."
Yan Hechuan's body trembled even more violently. Although he was wearing sunglasses now, obscuring the expression on his face,
Xia Liuyue could feel it.
It was fear.
And despair.
So Tina Li must have done something truly terrible to the young Yan Hechuan!
Causing him to experience significant psychological trauma.
That's why he developed gynophobia (allergic reaction to female contact), why those dense red hives appeared on his body.
Tina Li was the trigger.
"Don't be afraid." Xia Liuyue gently squeezed the palm of his hand and said softly, "Hechuan, I'm with you."
Yan Hechuan's breathing grew increasingly rapid, his voice tinged with unease, "Yueyue, take me away."
"Okay, we'll leave right away."
"But before we go, I want to collect a little interest for you. Do you agree?"
Yan Hechuan's mind was in chaos. He repeated unconsciously, "...Interest?"
"Mhm."
The next second.
A loud slap landed.
Tina Li, originally with impeccable makeup, looking every bit the noblewoman, wearing high heels, was completely stunned.
She stared in utter shock at the 'Tang Yinyao' before her.
She had heard before that this Tang Yinyao was a tomboy growing up, playing with a bunch of boys, wild and unruly.
But she never expected her to strike so fiercely.
She had merely lectured Yan Hechuan verbally a few times, yet Tang Yinyao, without any warning, had cleanly and decisively slapped her across the face.
Tina Li covered her right cheek, both shocked and bewildered.
"Tang Yinyao, have you gone mad!?! Do you know who my current husband is?"
"How dare you hit me?"
Xia Liuyue let out a light laugh.
"What? Do I need to ask your permission before I hit you?"
"Who your current husband is, is none of my damn business."
As the words fell, another slap decisively landed on her left cheek.
"Mhm, now it's symmetrical."
Xia Liuyue revealed a satisfied smile.
Tina Li, furious, shouted,
"My current husband is an overseas Chinese from Canada! He's here for investment and business recruitment back in Haishi. If you offend me, I'll make sure your Tang family regrets it!"
As she spoke, she took a few steps forward, raising her hand to retaliate.
Unfortunately, she was already unsteady in her high heels.
Xia Liuyue had practiced some martial arts since childhood. She didn't even need to strike; with just a light dodge,
Tina Li fell flat on her face.
Lying on the ground, looking at her broken high heel and her twisted ankle, she let out cries of "Ouch, ouch."
Yan Hechuan tightened his grip on her hand and whispered,
"What happened?"
Xia Liuyue said in a brisk tone, "I gave her two slaps, collected the interest. Come on, big sister will take you to take your medicine."
Yan Hechuan's trembling body paused slightly.
Amidst Tina Li's furious cries: "Tang Yinyao! You just wait!"
Xia Liuyue, holding Yan Hechuan's hand, headed straight for the private room. Without looking back, she raised her hand and waved it casually behind her, her bearing relaxed and carefree, saying,
"Tina Li, if you can't bring down our Tang family, it's because you're useless."
"Fine, fine, fine!" Tina Li's enraged voice came from behind.
