Chapter 208: Bai Ruoxi

Xie Rong and Wang Gege remained stunned, looking at each other in silence. Neither of them had expected Mini to disappear like that.

The questions it had left behind were far more unsettling than the answers it could have given.

Before either of them could say anything, Qing’er’s voice came from the outer chamber.

"Young Master..."

Xie Rong slowly turned toward the door. "Come in."

The door opened, and Qing’er stepped inside before bowing.

"Young Master, Master Xie has come—"

She suddenly paused, her eyes widening with happiness when she noticed Wang Gege sitting up. "Young Madam has awakened!"

Qing’er quickly stepped closer to the bed, her face filled with relief.

"Young Madam, you finally woke up!"

Wang Gege gave her a small smile. "Mm... I just woke up."

Qing’er looked like she wanted to ask a dozen questions, but she quickly remembered why she had come.

"Young Master, Master Xie is waiting outside."

Xie Rong glanced toward the door. "Waiting outside?"

"Yes." Qing’er nodded. "Master Xie said he needs to inform you of something urgent and couldn’t wait... so he came here instead of calling you to the main hall."

"Urgent?"

Xie Rong’s eyes dimmed slightly. There was hardly anything that could be considered urgent to his father anymore, except matters concerning Xie An’an.

After what happened yesterday, he couldn’t help but wonder if his father had found something else regarding her.

Xie Rong slowly stood from his seat and adjusted his robes. "This husband will go see what Father wants."

The moment he turned toward the door, Wang Gege pushed herself up from the bed and reached for her shoes. "I’ll go with you."

Xie Rong immediately looked back at her. His brows furrowed when he saw her getting ready to leave. "No. Furen should rest."

"I’ve rested enough." Wang Gege slipped her shoes on and stood up, though her movements were still slightly sluggish.

Xie Rong walked back toward her, clearly unconvinced. "You only just woke up. Whatever Father wants to discuss, this husband can handle it."

Wang Gege shook her head and stubbornly followed him toward the door. "If it’s really something urgent, I should hear it too."

"It may be related to matters you don’t need to worry about."

"Then I’ll worry about it with you."

Xie Rong stopped walking. He turned to look at her for a moment, but Wang Gege simply stood there with a determined expression. Seeing that she had no intention of backing down, he could only sigh helplessly.

"Very well. But if Furen feels unwell, tell this husband immediately."

Wang Gege nodded happily and followed beside him.

When they stepped into the outer chamber, they immediately saw Master Xie sitting at the table.

He appeared surprisingly calm.

A cup of tea rested between his fingers, and he took another leisurely sip as though he hadn’t just claimed there was something urgent that required him to come here himself.

Xie Rong slowed his steps, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Father."

Master Xie lowered the teacup and looked toward them. His gaze lingered briefly on Wang Gege before returning to his son. "You’re both here."

Wang Gege nodded before bowing slightly.

"How do you feel?" Master Xie asked, his expression carrying a hint of concern. "I heard that you fainted yesterday..."

Wang Gege straightened herself and gave him a small smile.

"I’m feeling much better now, Father. I only fainted because I was too emotional yesterday. The physician said there was nothing serious."

Master Xie nodded slowly, though the concern in his eyes did not disappear.

"That is good to hear." He placed the teacup back on the table before looking at Xie Rong. "I was worried that something might have happened to her after everything yesterday."

Xie Rong remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on his father. "Father said there was something urgent you needed to tell this son?"

Master Xie paused, his expression suddenly becoming a little complicated.

"There is..." He swallowed before continuing, "Regarding An’an—"

"Father... if this is about An’an, this son has nothing left to say." Xie Rong cut him off immediately, his expression turning cold. "Killing one person was not enough. She even drove someone else to take their own life."

Master Xie lowered his head, his fingers tightening slightly around the teacup. He swallowed again before shaking his head.

"This—this is not about An’an." His voice was quieter this time. "This father knows she has crossed the line too many times. But, Rong’er..." He paused, as though struggling to find the right words. "Do you remember her mother?"

Xie Rong frowned. A strange feeling settled in his chest at the question. His father’s expression was far too complicated for this to be a simple matter concerning Xie An’an.

"What about the woman who left her own daughter with you for eighteen years and vanished without a trace..." Xie Rong’s voice carried a hint of disbelief as he stared at his father. "And don’t tell me... now she suddenly appears again?"

Master Xie fell silent.

Wang Gege, who had been standing beside Xie Rong, also froze slightly.

For some reason, the moment she heard him mention Xie An’an’s mother, an inexplicable uneasiness crept into her heart.

Master Xie slowly raised his eyes. "Yes... She has returned."

Xie Rong’s brows knitted together even more tightly. "And?"

Master Xie hesitated before looking toward the doorway once again. "She is here."

"What?" Xie Rong’s voice was filled with disbelief. He stared at his father, his expression slowly turning wary. "What are you planning to do right at this moment, Father?"

Master Xie sighed heavily and lowered his gaze. "This father merely wanted the two of you to meet her."

"Meet her?" Xie Rong repeated, his brows drawing together. "After eighteen years, she suddenly returns, and Father brings her straight here?"

"There is more to it than that." Master Xie rubbed his temple, clearly struggling with the situation himself. "She did not come here only to see An’an."

Xie Rong’s expression remained cold. "Then why did she come?"

Master Xie did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned his head toward the doorway again.

"Ruoxi... come."

Xie Rong’s forehead creased deeper.

The sunlight was blocked the moment a figure appeared at the doorway.

A woman slowly stepped into the outer chamber.

She was dressed in a simple yet elegant robe, her long hair neatly arranged with only a few delicate ornaments adorning it. Her movements were graceful, and there was a quiet gentleness in her features that made her look far younger than the eighteen years that had passed.

But the moment Wang Gege saw her face, she stopped breathing. Her eyes widened, and the colour slowly drained from her face.

That face... It was impossible.

She instinctively took a step backward. Her heel caught against the edge of the chair behind her, but she barely noticed.

Xie Rong also froze, his gaze moving between Wang Gege and Bai Ruoxi with a slight frown.

Before either of them could say anything, Master Xie calmly spoke.

"I know you remember her... This is Bai Ruoxi." He paused for a moment before looking at his son. "I plan to get married to her as soon as possible..."