Chapter 15: He Called Her Xiaxia

Yun Manxia hadn't mentioned Xia Lian's birthday to Bai Hedu and hadn't planned on letting him go. Her husband's time was

far too valuable. Who did Xia Lian think she was, to have that kind of pull?

She'd figured she'd just mention it casually when it was time to head out. But to her surprise, Bai Hedu found out ahead

of schedule-because Yun Yiyi had personally delivered a dress.

When a maid announced that her older sister had arrived and was currently downstairs speaking with the Ninth Master, Yun

Manxia's eyes narrowed sharply. She set down what she was doing and headed downstairs immediately.

She hadn't forgotten what kind of designs her stepsister harbored toward her husband!

Downstairs, Yun Yiyi stood there with a shy, demure expression, presenting an invitation to Bai Hedu with both hands.

"...The birthday banquet is in five days. My mother hopes the Ninth Master can attend. I hope so too."

Bai Hedu cast a flat, indifferent glance at the invitation and showed no intention of accepting it.

Yun Yiyi took another step forward, closing the distance between herself and the man, her voice soft and timid. "Ninth

Master..."

Before she could finish, her foot suddenly caught on something and she stumbled sideways. As if she couldn't keep her

balance, she let out a delicate gasp and pitched straight toward the man's chest!

Seeing that Bai Hedu made no move to dodge, a glint of delight flashed through Yun Yiyi's eyes as she waited to "fall"

into his arms.

However-

"Ah!"

The back of her collar was suddenly seized from behind! In that instant, Yun Yiyi was yanked so hard she nearly choked!

"Second Sister, you're standing on perfectly flat ground-how did you manage to trip?" Yun Manxia's voice floated out,

unhurried and breezy. "Anyone who didn't know better would think you were trying to seduce my husband!"

With a sharp tug, she hauled the stumbling Yun Yiyi back upright. A smile hung on Yun Manxia's lips, but her eyes were

pure ice.

Yun Yiyi's expression stiffened. She tried to mask her guilt. "Manxia, what are you talking about? I just lost my

footing..."

Yun Manxia twitched her lips in a perfunctory smile. "Oh."

"Your sister says she came to bring you a dress," Bai Hedu spoke up, his tone neutral.

"I know. The maids told me." Yun Manxia's expression instantly softened. She walked over to his side and, seeing that he

was seated on the sofa rather than his wheelchair, settled naturally beside him. She looked every bit the lady of the

house.

She glanced up at Yun Yiyi. "It's just a dress, Second Sister. Why come all this way in person? You could have had

someone deliver it."

Yun Yiyi was staring, dumbfounded, at how close their bodies were. It had only been a few days-how had Yun Manxia gotten

this intimate with the Ninth Master?! Wasn't he supposed to despise physical proximity? Why hadn't he pushed her away?

These thoughts raced through her mind, but on the surface she smiled gently. "I came to deliver the invitation to the

Ninth Master. How could I send a maid to do something like that? That would be disrespectful to him."

Deliver an invitation? Yun Manxia scoffed inwardly. The invitation was an excuse. Seducing her husband was the real

agenda!

"An invitation?" she said aloud. "I already told Auntie Lian-the Ninth Master isn't going."

As she spoke, she wrapped her arms around Bai Hedu's arm and said in a soft, sweet voice, "Hubby, isn't that right?"

This intimate gesture sent another flash of astonishment and jealousy through Yun Yiyi's eyes.

But she suspected Yun Manxia had never actually raised the matter with the Ninth Master. She hurriedly looked to him for

confirmation.

Bai Hedu felt a delicate fragrance press warmly against his side, and his arm was being secretly shaken. He turned his

head to find her blinking at him-big, bright eyes surreptitiously signaling him, her expression lively and adorable.

Helpless and amused in equal measure, he thought-when had she ever asked him? But seeing how nervous she was, how

terrified he might say yes, he said, "That's right. I'm not going."

Yun Manxia cheered inwardly. The tacit understanding between them made her want to kiss him-or throw her arms around

him. But with Yun Yiyi still standing there, she held back.

She turned her head. "Did you hear that, Second Sister? The Ninth Master isn't going!"

Yun Yiyi bit her lip. "Ninth Master, the Yun family and the Bai family are practically in-laws now..."

Yun Manxia's grip on his arm tightened slightly.

Bai Hedu noticed. He'd never specifically looked into her life at the Yun family home, but he'd vaguely heard that the

current mistress of the Yun household was not the original wife of the family head. Based on her reaction to this

birthday banquet, her relationship with her stepmother was clearly not a good one.

So he didn't bother being polite about it either.

"I recall that Xiaxia's mother has already passed away."

The implication was clear-Xia Lian wasn't Yun Manxia's mother. What right did she have to expect him to attend?

Yun Yiyi's expression froze.

Bai Hedu felt his arm being squeezed even tighter. He looked down to find Yun Manxia gazing up at him, eyes bright and

shining.

He paused. "What is it?"

Yun Manxia said, "Nothing!" But inside, her heart was overflowing with joy-he'd called her Xiaxia!

And he was completely on the same page as her. A warm current flowed through her chest.

She wanted to talk to Bai Hedu alone. Having Yun Yiyi still lingering there was getting on her nerves. She wanted to

send her packing.

"Second Sister, leave the dress and head back."

But Yun Yiyi had gone to great lengths to find an excuse to visit Imperial Garden Villa. She wasn't about to leave so

soon.

She smiled. "I picked the dress out for you personally. Took me ages to find the right one. Come on, see if you like

it!"

She had someone bring it out.

The moment the dress was displayed, the air in the room went dead still.

Lin Shen, who had just walked over, felt his pupils quake.

Yun Manxia's lips pressed flat. She belatedly remembered something.

She looked at the dress-the color scheme was a clash of garish reds and greens. The cut was wildly bizarre. Worn on a

person, it was hard to tell whether it would look more like a quilt or a bedsheet... though there probably wasn't much

difference.

It was indeed her "favorite" style-the style that had been deliberately cultivated by Xia Lian and Yun Yiyi.

"Manxia, do you like it?" Yun Yiyi asked with a smile, playing the caring older sister to perfection.

A glint of coldness flashed through Yun Manxia's eyes. "I love it. Must've been hard to find something like this. You

really went to trouble, Second Sister."

Yun Yiyi didn't pick up on the undertone. "As long as you like it, it was worth the time!"

"Since you love it, you have to wear it to the banquet! You'll knock everyone's socks off!"

Listening to this tone-the kind used to coax a fool-Yun Manxia lifted the corner of her mouth in a half-smile. "Sure

thing."

Seeing her appear just as easily manipulated as before, Yun Yiyi's earlier frustration evaporated completely.

Ha. So what if she'd snagged Bai Hedu? Still a clueless idiot, through and through! This year's birthday banquet was

going to be entertaining!

Yun Yiyi left, brimming with anticipation.

Bai Hedu looked at the dress, his brow furrowing slightly. He was silent for a long time before asking, carefully, "You

like this style?"

Yun Manxia: "..."

She glanced at the eyesore of a garment and blurted out, "No, I don't!"

At that answer, Bai Hedu's furrowed brow relaxed somewhat.

Lin Shen couldn't help interjecting. "Then why would the Yun family send something like this to the Madam?" Her sister

had insisted, with a straight face, that Yun Manxia loved it.

Yun Manxia pressed her lips together. "...Because all the clothes I used to wear were in this style."

Lin Shen: "...?"

Bai Hedu's handsome brow furrowed again. "If you don't like it, why did you wear it?"

Yun Manxia looked at him, thoroughly wronged. "These clothes aren't pretty at all. People laugh at me when I wear them,

and I hate it. But every time I went out to a banquet, my stepmother and sister always picked things like this for me."

The first time, she'd been talked into it by Yun Yiyi. Plenty of people had laughed. The second time, she hadn't wanted

to wear it at all.

But Xia Lian and Yun Yiyi had always told her it looked wonderful, that everyone else was just jealous of her.

Her mother had passed away early. Xia Lian had moved in not long after, so she'd essentially been raised by her

stepmother and had grown up alongside Yun Yiyi. She'd trusted them both completely and had always done what they said.

Thinking back on it now-she'd been pitifully stupid.

Credit where credit was due to that mother-daughter pair: even after she'd married into Imperial Garden Villa, they

still hadn't forgotten to "kindly" send her a dress!

Hearing her words, Bai Hedu's gaze darkened.

"If you don't like it, then don't wear it anymore," he said evenly, glancing at the dress. "Get rid of it."

Lin Shen acknowledged the order.

But Yun Manxia said, "Wait-!"

She blinked, her tone innocent. "They went to such trouble to personally deliver this dress. How could I just throw it

away?"

Three days later.

Xia Lian's birthday banquet had arrived.