Chapter 199 Operation! (1/2)

Beijing’s Standing Committee Villas.

Villa No. 1.

Xie Hao does not have the keys to the villa and needs to use the doorbell. He was chatting with Dong Xuebing when Xie Huilan opens the door for them. She was dressed in a black lady’s suit, high heels and her hair was tied up in a bun. It’s been a while since Dong Xuebing saw her and he noticed Xie Huilan had become more beautiful. Dong Xuebing’s heart rate increases and looked at her from top to toe unknowingly.

Xie Huilan smiles. “You are here.”

“Huilan.” Dong Xuebing changed the way he addresses her. After all, he is supposed to be Xie Huilan’s ‘boyfriend,’ and it will be weird if he calls her Sister Xie.

“Come in. My mother is upstairs and will be coming down soon.” Xie Huilan leads Dong Xuebing into the house.

Dong Xuebing stepped into the house warily and looked around. “Err… Secretary Xie is not around?”

Xie Huilan nodded. “The City Party Committee is having a meeting now. He might not be returning tonight. Xiao Hao, go and get a cup of tea for your Brother Dong.”

“Ok!” Xie Hao ran off to get the electric kettle.

Dong Xuebing sat down on the sofa, and Xie Huilan laughed at him. “Can you don’t be so stiff?”

Dong Xuebing nodded and tried to relax his body. He asked softly. “Sister Xie, what should I say later?”

Xie Huilan looked at him and laughed. “Just say what you want. Don’t overthink… Hahaha. Did you miss me?”

“Huh?” Dong Xuebing did not expect her to ask this so suddenly and immediately blushed. “Yes.”

Xie Huilan held Dong Xuebing’s hand. “Haha… how much do you miss me? How come I can’t tell you missed me?”

“Errr… I missed you a lot.”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

Xie Huilan seems to be satisfied with Dong Xuebing’s answer and smiles.

Dong Xuebing can’t tell what Xie Huilan was thinking and don’t know if she really treats him as her real boyfriend, or just using him to stop her family from forcing her to get married. But if she really treats Dong Xuebing as her shield, why is she saying all these when her mother is not around? If she really thinks of Dong Xuebing as her boyfriend, why are her tone and attitude so demanding and overbearing? Dong Xuebing also can’t feel her intentions of wanting to be in a relationship with him. Sister Xie… What are you thinking? Can you just tell me?

After a while, Xie Huilan’s mother still has not come downstairs.

Xie Huilan frowned as she slowly sipped on her tea.

Dong Xuebing knew Xie Huilan’s mother might not agree to him dating Xie Huilan and purposely made him wait.

After about 5 minutes, Xie Huilan’s mother, Han Jing, came down from upstairs slowly. She is a middle-aged woman who resembles Xie Huilan. She wore a long dress, and her disposition is similar to Xie Huilan, but she looks more gentle. Xie Huilan’s temperament is more overbearing and sharper.

Xie Hao, who was watching a football game, put down the remote control and greeted Xie Huilan’s mother. “Aunty.”

Dong Xuebing quickly put down his teacup and stand up. “Aunty.”

Xie Huilan laughed. “He is Dong Xuebing.”

Han Jing smiles and nodded. “Have a seat. I want to thank you for saving my daughter’s life.”

Dong Xuebing smiled awkwardly. “Don’t mention it.”

“Are you accustomed to the working environment at the grassroots level?” Han Jing looked at him and asked.

“Thank you for asking. Everything is fine.”

Everything seems fine as they chatted for a while, but Dong Xuebing knows this is only the surface. Han Jing acted like she was welcoming, but Dong Xuebing could tell from her eyes that she was judging him, and she dislikes him.

Dong Xuebing’s guess was right. Han Jing was not satisfied with him. Wei Nan is a better choice for Xie Huilan. In terms of looks and family background, Dong Xuebing cannot be compared to him. Han Jing felt Xiao Dong is not worthy of her daughter and they were worlds apart. But no matter what, Dong Xuebing had saved Xie Huilan and Han Jing was grateful to him. That’s why she did not show her displeasure on her face.

Xie Hao could not tell what Han Jing was thinking and said. “Aunt, you don’t know how capable my brother-in-law is. It was almost like a tale from the storybook when he saved Sis from drowning….” He kept addressing Dong Xuebing as Brother-in-law.

Han Jing stops smiling. “Don’t call him Brother-in-law.”

Xie Hao doesn’t care and replied. “It’s only a matter of time.”

Han Jing could not do anything to her nephew and did not reprimand him, as she knows Xiao Hao only listen to Xie Huilan.

Dong Xuebing felt embarrassed and change the topic. “Oh, Aunty, I brought a gift for you.” He picked up a paper bag by his side and passed it to Han Jing. “I wish you good health and longevity.”

Han Jing looked at Xie Huilan. Is this the ‘future son-in-law’s gift”? Xie Huilan really wants to be with Dong Xuebing? “Xiao Dong, thank you for your gift. But I will not accept it. Bring it back later.” Han Jing still has not agreed to their relationship and will not accept any gifts from Dong Xuebing.

Dong Xuebing said. “Aunty, this is only a small gift…”

Han Jing waved her hand and refuse to accept it.

Xie Hao said excitedly. “Aunt, Brother Dong is also not an outsider, why can’t you accept it? Let me see what this gift is.” Xie Hao knew what Sis called him over today. Xie Huilan needs him to liven up the situation. Xie Hao quickly took out the box from the paper bag and was stunned. “Wild Ginseng?”

Xie Huilan was surprised and laughed. “You really know how to pick gifts.”

Dong Xuebing looked at them puzzledly.

Xie Huilan explained. “My mother’s health is not well, and the doctors suggest her to eat wild ginseng to condition her body. It would be better if the wild ginseng is above 30 years old. But wild ginseng is rare, and most ginseng is cultivated. Even if there are wild ginseng for sale, they are around 10 years old. No one will sell older wild ginseng. Haha… I had been searching for wild ginseng these few days.”

Xie Hao asked. “Brother Dong, how old is this wild ginseng?”

Dong Xuebing replied. “50 years old.”

Han Jing’s eyes twitched. 50 years old? This box should cost at least 100,000 RMB.

Xie Huilan knows Dong Xuebing is wealthy and is not surprised.

Han Jing was tempted, but she still refuses to accept it. “It is too expensive.”

Xie Hao replied with a cheeky smile. “Aunt, Brother Dong is your future son-in-law, you don’t need to care whether if it is expensive.”

Xie Huilan laughed. “That’s right. This amount is nothing to Xiao Dong. Previously, we went to the temple fair at Liulichang, and Xiao Dong bought a small antique bowl, which I thought was a counterfeit. But when we went to Rong Bao Qi to sell it, they offered a few hundred thousand for that bowl. He has more money than me now.”

Dong Xuebing pushes the box of wild ginseng forward. “Aunty, please accept it.”

Han Jing hesitated for a while. 50 years old wild ginseng is rare and can’t be bought with money. As she really needs wild ginseng to improve her health, she accepted it in the end. “Thank you for your gift, Xiao Dong.” Her impression of Dong Xuebing improved. Not anyone can give out gifts, worth more than 100,000 RMB.

Ring, ring, ring… The phone in the living room rang.

Han Jing walked over and answered it gracefully. She spoke on the phone for a while and then turned to Xie Huilan after she hangs up. “Your father has a meeting at night and might not be back for dinner. Let’s not wait for him.” After that, she turns to Dong Xuebing. “Xiao Dong, stay for dinner tonight.”

Dong Xuebing politely replied. “No, thanks. I shall not bother you.”

Han Jing laughed. “Haha, is my cooking really so bad?”

“No… I am afraid to trouble you.”

“It’s fine.” Han Jing looked at her watch and said. “I will prepare dinner now. You, youngsters, can stay here.”

Xie Huilan smiled and stood up. “Let me help you.”

Han Jing looked at her daughter. “Oh, did the sunrise from the west today?” She said before walking into the kitchen.

Xie Huilan followed her mother into the kitchen and asked. “What’s your impression of Xiao Dong?”

“What do you think?” Han Jing glanced at Xie Huilan and took out the vegetables from the fridge. She grumbled as she was washing the vegetables. “I don’t know what you are thinking. Are you repaying Xiao Dong for saving your life? To be honest, both of you don’t match each other. Your looks, status, age, characters, etc. are so different from him. Huilan, tell me honestly. You really want to be with Xiao Dong?”

Xie Huilan narrowed her eyes and asked her mother back. “What do you think?”

Han Jing sighed. “I need to discuss with your father first.”

Xie Huilan acknowledge and did not say anything.

“Oh, are you the one who bought that wild ginseng?”

Xie Huilan laughed. “No. I also don’t know where Xiao Dong gets it from.”

“Ok.” Han Jing replied. “This kid is very thoughtful.”

“He is not only thoughtful. He is also capable.”

During dinner, Xie Huilan said. “Mum, you are going to the hospital for checks tomorrow? The Newsagency has a meeting in the morning, and I can’t accompany you.” She turns to Dong Xuebing and smiles. “Xiao Dong, accompany my mother to the hospital tomorrow morning.” The wife of City’s Party Committee Secretary is going to the hospital and it should not be Dong Xuebing to accompany him. But Dong Xuebing knew Sister Xie is creating opportunities for him to be closer to her mother.

Dong Xuebing immediately agrees. “Ok. I will fetch Aunty tomorrow morning.”