Lin Xi lay on the bed, video calling with Tang Mingchuan, gradually feeling sleepy.
After spending the whole day in the library, now that she finally had some rest, her eyelids were fighting to stay open. She decided to close her eyes and rest for a while, but unexpectedly fell asleep.
Tang Mingchuan looked at Lin Xi with a soft expression, knowing that she had fallen asleep but couldn't bear to hang up the call. He quietly watched her sleeping face. After not seeing her for a week, the girl seemed a bit thinner. She used to have a little baby fat on her face, but now her chin was slightly sharper.
Tang Mingchuan felt distressed. The flesh he had nurtured seemed to have disappeared in just a week. She really didn't know how to take care of herself!
Lin Xi slept soundly, her shallow breathing audible through the phone screen.
Lin Xi's sleeping appearance was very cute, and Tang Mingchuan quietly took a screenshot, planning to use it as wallpaper. "Goodnight, my little girl," Tang Mingchuan said softly before ending the call.
...
Tang Mingchuan could go to the school to see her, but he couldn't control himself once he saw her. Lin Xi applied for a scholarship, and he knew he would only disturb her if he went.
So, Lin Xi spent her days studying in the library and video calling Tang Mingchuan for a while every day, and a week quickly passed.
After the tense final exams, Lin Xi's grades were pretty good, just enough to reach the scholarship threshold and earn a $5000 scholarship.
Lin Xi was thrilled with the scholarship she earned through her hard work and immediately shared the good news with Tang Mingchuan.
Tang Mingchuan said that his little girl from the family was amazing, not only happy for her scholarship but also because he would finally see his beloved little girl.
It had been two weeks since they last met in person. Tang Mingchuan missed Lin Xi so much that on the afternoon of the day after the exam, he went to the school gate to pick her up, relieving the pain of separation.
Lin Xi also wanted to see Tang Mingchuan. She had never been in a relationship before and didn't know what it felt like to miss someone.
Until she saw Tang Mingchuan's handsome face on the screen, she remembered every detail, even the warmth of his hand when he held hers.
The longing was overwhelming. Seeing each other, her heart still pounded as if it were the first time.
Lin Xi ran to the school gate and threw herself into Tang Mingchuan's arms. Tang Mingchuan reached out and tightly hugged his little girl, the unique fragrance of a young girl sweet.
Seeing each other felt like a honeymoon after a short separation.
"You've lost weight," Tang Mingchuan pinched Lin Xi's waist, which was slim with almost no extra flesh.
"I got a scholarship, so I'm taking you out for a meat feast," Lin Xi said with a hint of pride.
The two went to a Hunan restaurant, and Lin Xi boldly ordered a table full of dishes. She wanted to treat Tang Mingchuan to a meal with the money she earned independently.
"My girl, are you trying to keep me forever by treating me to dinner?" Tang Mingchuan joked.
He didn't expect Lin Xi to take his joke seriously and nod seriously, "Okay, Tang Mingchuan, I'll keep you forever."
"Tang Mingchuan, I'll keep you forever." Tang Mingchuan smiled, never expecting to hear such warm words. Waves of warmth surged into his heart. Lin Xi was truly an incredibly gentle presence.
"Silly girl, if you keep me, how can I protect you?" Tang Mingchuan said as he put a peeled shrimp into Lin Xi's mouth.
Lin Xi ate it, and their interaction became more and more comfortable. From being shy and coquettish to now teasing Tang Mingchuan, everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.
As the two discussed how to spend their holiday week, Tang Mingchuan's phone suddenly rang.
Looking at the caller ID, Tang Mingchuan's face suddenly turned ugly. The caller was Tang Sheng.
Tang Mingchuan's biological father, Tang Sheng.
Since returning to the country, Tang Mingchuan had cut off contact with Tang Sheng, and they hadn't spoken since. Tang Sheng's sudden call couldn't mean anything good.
Seeing Tang Mingchuan staring at the phone with a cold expression and not answering, Lin Xi placed some food into Tang Mingchuan's bowl. "Ah Chuan, who's calling? Why aren't you answering?"
Tang Mingchuan hung up the call and said, "It's just a harassing call, nothing to worry about." Tang Mingchuan said as he picked up the food Lin Xi had given him and put it into his mouth.
Hunan cuisine was very spicy, and Tang Mingchuan's tongue was numb for a moment. He picked up his water glass and took a sip.
"I didn't know you can't handle spicy food," Lin Xi said apologetically.
Tang Mingchuan smiled at her. Whatever his little girl gave him, even if it were poison, he would eat it.
Since the call, Lin Xi felt that Tang Mingchuan's mood seemed off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
After dinner, the two held hands and took a stroll. Tang Mingchuan then drove Lin Xi back to school.
"Go back quickly. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning," Tang Mingchuan petted Lin Xi's head lovingly.
Watching Lin Xi's figure disappear, Tang Mingchuan put away the smile on his face and silently took out his phone. Tang Sheng had called many times, and Tang Mingchuan had ignored them all. Knowing Tang Sheng's temper, if Tang Mingchuan didn't answer the phone, he would keep calling until Tang Mingchuan answered.
Tang Mingchuan reluctantly dialed Tang Sheng's number.
"You finally decided to answer the phone?" Tang Sheng's voice sounded impatient. Outside, he was a famous entrepreneur, but at home, he dropped the facade and showed his true irritable nature.
"What do you want?" Tang Mingchuan's tone was calm, getting straight to the point.
"Achuan, I want you to come back to S city. I want to introduce you to someone," Tang Sheng suddenly changed his tone, trying to persuade Tang Mingchuan nicely.
"If I remember correctly, I cut off all ties with you after returning to the country. We have no relationship anymore," Tang Mingchuan didn't buy into Tang Sheng's words at all. In his eyes, Tang Sheng was only his biological father in name, who had never fulfilled any parental obligations.
Tang Mingchuan's indifferent attitude completely angered Tang Sheng. "Let me tell you, you are Tang Sheng's son. Whatever I ask you to do, you have to do it. Don't think that you're all grown up just because you went abroad."
Even through the phone, Tang Sheng's anger was palpable. Tang Mingchuan hung up the phone without saying a word and drove home.
After returning home, Tang Mingchuan went to the drawer to take his emotional control medication. Without even drinking water, he swallowed it directly. This was the second time he took this medication since meeting Lin Xi.
The first time was during a cold war with Lin Xi when he felt uncomfortable in his heart and needed to control his emotions.
This time, a sense of powerlessness from his childhood engulfed Tang Mingchuan's entire body, and he could only control his emotions by taking medication.
The moonlight cast a bleak glow in the living room.
Tang Mingchuan sat alone on the sofa, eyes tightly shut, thinking that he would see his little girl tomorrow. His mood gradually calmed down.
Tang Sheng would definitely not let this matter rest, and Tang Mingchuan would not compromise either. With Lin Xi in his heart, everything he did would revolve around her.