Chapter 21: Head-on Confrontation

  Xia Meng was taken aback by Li Han's sudden appearance: "Aren't you in the US?"

  "My heart is here with you, and my body has followed!" Li Han said with a smile.

  "There you go again!" Xia Meng punched Li Han. With Li Han by her side, many things would become simpler, at least cooking, Xia Meng wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.

  "You owe me one this time, you'd better thank me with actions! Like a kiss or something!" Li Han threw a flirtatious glance at Xia Meng.

  "Disgusting!" Xia Meng kicked him in the butt with one foot.

  "Sweetheart!" Li Han followed her up the stairs.

  "Hey, I'm warning you, my dad strictly forbids me from getting too close to boys and he's deeply opposed to me interacting with them! In middle school, because of the weird prank cards you stuffed into my backpack, I was forced to kneel for a whole night! So, help me finish cooking and then immediately retreat and disappear from our house!"

  "Don't worry, I've already checked into a nearby hotel, and I'm absolutely your most trustworthy military advisor!"

  Li Han pointed at Xia Meng cooking. "You can't cut the meat like that? Cutting meat requires attention to texture. Forget it, I'll do it, you go wash the vegetables!" Li Han couldn't help but feel exasperated watching Xia Meng clumsily cutting and stir-frying.

  Li Han was busy in the kitchen and had finished making 4 dishes and a soup without even using any special skills.

  "Wow, Li Han, you can totally go to a five-star hotel to apply for the head chef! These dishes look really tempting!" Xia Meng drooled with praise.

  "Not only is my dish tempting, but I myself am also a very tempting dish! You just haven't discovered it yet!" Li Han flexed his abs and approached Xia Meng like a summer dream.

  "Alright, alright, you're like a dried-up gecko, nothing worth looking at!"

  "What's with your eyesight? Take a look at my abs!" Li Han said, and then he was about to take off his T-shirt, which scared Xia Meng into slapping his hand away.

  "Even if you're stripped naked, you're still a poor wall lizard, there's nothing to look at!" Xia Meng sneered, tossing him the money and keys. "Go downstairs to the supermarket and buy some fruit, squeeze some fresh juice and put it in the fridge, my dad and mom will be able to drink cold drinks when they get back!"

  Li Han walked out the door with money and keys in hand. As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw a tall, handsome middle-aged man and a stately middle-aged woman entering the elevator one after another. Why did they seem familiar? It shouldn't be Xia Meng's parents, should it? Didn't Xia Meng say that his parents wouldn't arrive home until after 7 o'clock? Now it was only a little past 6 o'clock. Li Han thought to himself as he walked.

  Li Han picked some mangoes, grapes and watermelons in the supermarket, humming a tune as he went upstairs. Being able to see Xia Meng in the midst of summer made his mood exceptionally cool and refreshing.

  Xia Meng opened the door with her key and found the middle-aged man and woman she had met in front of the elevator sitting at the dinner table. The man, who should be Xia Meng's father, was staring at him with wide eyes. Xia Meng sat on a chair, fiddling with her phone, her face pale and uneasy.

  Hiding and running were no longer options, Li Han's mind was racing to come up with a counter-strategy, or else the consequences would be severe! In junior high school, his own reckless actions had led to Xia Meng being forced to kneel overnight by this man in front of him. This time, he couldn't let Xia Meng be punished again, otherwise Xia Meng would never forgive him.

  "Hello uncle and auntie, I am Li Han, the culinary instructor of Xia Meng!" Li Han put down the fruit in his hand and bowed respectfully.

  Xia Xiuke looked up and down at Li Han, his face gloomy and silent. This was truly a cold and violent killing without seeing blood, silence was still silence, and Li Han's back was sweating layer by layer!

  How could I forget to bring my phone when going out? Li Han blamed himself. It seems that being soft doesn't work, and he can only use another set by taking a risk.

  Li Han's way of doing things is like this, if the road on the left doesn't work, he will quickly turn around and go right. It was precisely because of Li Han's principle of handling affairs that Xia Meng's fate trajectory was completely changed, but that's a story for later.

  "I'm so sorry to tell you both, but Xia Meng is extremely hurt because of your situation. The other day, she told me that you two are planning to get a divorce, and I've never seen her so heartbroken. I couldn't bear it, nor did I want to see her unhappy, so I flew back from the US immediately to help her deal with this matter between you two!"

  Li Han saw the muscles on Xia Xiuke's face becoming more and more rigid, he was about to explode, Xia Meng couldn't be punished again because of himself.

  Li Han pulled Xia Meng's hand, "The problems between you two have not been resolved, it's your own business, but it has seriously affected Xia Meng's study and life. She tried to please you, so that you can go home on time, every day at home studying, cooking, cleaning the house, doing chores; she alone in A city school, excellent grades, never let you worry about her. Compared with her, you are failed and irresponsible parents, what dissatisfaction come to me, don't punish her!" After finishing speaking, Li Han pulled Xia Meng out of the door.

  Summer dreams have already become tears streaming down her face. Li Han gently pulled her into his arms, "Cry, I've never seen you cry before!"

  After hearing this, Xia Meng jumped up and wiped away her tears, "Who cried? It's just that sand accidentally got into my eyes!"

  "Your dad looks really fierce, actually my legs are still shaking now!" Xia Meng saw Li Han's slightly trembling feet and couldn't help but burst out laughing.

  "As long as you're alone with him, something's bound to happen, no kidding!" Xia Meng said with a smile, "Why didn't you bring your phone when you went out? As soon as my parents came in, I quickly called you, and found that your phone was ringing in the living room..."

  "Who made you not remind me to bring my phone!" The two stood under the streetlight, with the light and darkness contrasting each other, highlighting Xia Meng's soft and beautiful figure.

  "Did you bring money?" Xia Meng asked.

  "I didn't bring anything! My phone and bag are still in the living room! I only have more than 4 yuan left in my pocket after buying fruit." Li Han cried with a sad face, beating his chest and stamping his feet, and before Xia Xiuke blew up, he pulled Xia Meng out to run, without bringing anything.

  "It seems that tonight we will not only be wandering the streets, but also have to endure hunger." Xia Meng glanced at Li Han, "The moment I saw you standing downstairs today, I had already made the worst plan in my heart!" Xia Meng shook her head helplessly.

  "Looks like I can only go to my grandma's house for accommodation. Let me tell you in advance, my grandpa is really weird!" Xia Meng said as she walked ahead, turning her head back to Li Han: "The two old people like boys, so they don't get along with me. However, my grandma is okay, very kind-hearted, sharp tongue but soft heart!"

  "What's wrong with your grandfather?"

  "You'll know when you see it, sigh!" Xia Meng softly sighed.

  Xiǎ Mèng's home and her grandmother's home were separated by a wide road, and they could get there by crossing the overpass. Xiǎ Mèng led Lǐ Hǎn to the entrance of the residential area, only to find that her grandmother was standing at the gate with a cane in hand, looking around in all directions.

  "You little wild girl, your dad just called me and said you're coming over here. It's so late, it's got me all anxious!" Grandma looked at Li Han behind Xia Meng, and Li Han quickly stepped forward: "Grandma, hello, I'm Xia Meng's classmate Li Han!" Grandma looked suspiciously at Xia Meng, then at Li Han, seeming to understand something, and said to Xia Meng: "You've been kicked out by your dad, haven't you?"

  "Grandma, we came out by ourselves! Because..." Li Han wanted to continue speaking, but Xia Meng hastily stepped on his foot, stopping him from talking nonsense.

  "Your father wants you to go back," said Xia Meng's grandmother slowly, "Be good and talk to your father, don't make him angry, he's already had enough troubles lately!"

  Xia Meng lowered her head and didn't say a word. "Grandma, Xia Meng didn't do anything wrong, actually it's..." Xia Meng pulled Li Han to walk back and forth, "Well, Grandma, see you later, let's talk next time!"

  "How can you talk so much?! Remember, when we go inside later, you'd better not speak much. If my dad asks you something, just answer him, but if he doesn't ask, don't dare to open your mouth, or else... you'll be in trouble!" Xia Meng threatened Li Han with a clenched fist. "Don't let my dad misunderstand that I'm having an early romance with you! You'll die miserably and won't even have a whole corpse left! My dad hates nothing more than early romance!"

  So exaggerated, Li Han thought to himself.

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