Chapter 22: A War of Words

  Xia Meng reminded Li Han again and again at the bottom of the residential building, asking what to answer and doing it briefly without saying unnecessary words. Li Han nodded frequently in agreement.

  As they approached the house, Xia Meng reminded him again, and Li Han nodded like a garlic press, only then did Xia Meng feel slightly at ease. Although her relationship with Li Han was as clean as white paper, facing her parents made Xia Meng feel very calm, and she wasn't worried about their interrogation either. What she feared most was Li Han's unreliable mouth, saying some unbridled words that would infuriate her father.

  Two people pushed open the slightly ajar door, and Xia Meng's parents were sitting at the dinner table eating their dinner slowly. Li Han had flown from the United States to City A, then taken a train to City B without stopping, busy and tense all day, not even having a drop of water, only now realizing he was starving.

  "Come, sit down and eat first!" Xia Meng's mother invited the two to sit down. Xia Meng's father still had a stinky face and didn't say a word, Li Han directly ignored him and didn't look at him. The most primitive survival instinct was to fill his stomach, which made Li Han forget his fear. So Li Han wasn't polite either, he picked up the bowl and chopsticks and started gobbling down food.

  "Did you make all the dishes?" Xia Meng's mother pointed to the beefsteak, braised pork belly, tomato and egg, mushroom and cabbage, and lotus root and rib soup on the table. Xia Meng's mother spoke in a soft voice, as sweet as her appearance, and time had left no marks on her face. It is said that to see what one's wife will look like in the future, one should look at his mother-in-law, so Li Han was very satisfied with Xia Meng's future appearance.

  Xia Meng's mother, Lin Lian, couldn't cook, and Xia Meng's father never went into the kitchen, so the couple had been eating at restaurants outside for years. They had tried all kinds of cuisines from all over the world, but it was the first time they had ever tasted such a unique flavor in a home-cooked dish. And the person who made this delicious dish wasn't some famous chef from a five-star hotel, but just a high school boy.

  Li Han glanced at Xia Meng, didn't say a word, just nodded and smiled at Xia Meng's mother.

  "Will you still make steak?" Xia Meng's mom looked at Li Han, her eyes full of surprise.

  Li Han still nodded and smiled.

  Xia Meng felt a bit embarrassed and put down her chopsticks, "Mom, his parents are abroad, so he usually spends winter and summer vacations abroad too, that's why he can make some Western dishes!"

  "Oh, so that's how it is. You and our Xia Meng are classmates? How come Xia Meng has never mentioned you before." Xia Meng's mom continued to ask.

  Before Li Han could speak, Xia Meng hastily interjected: "Li Han and I are classmates, but we're just ordinary classmates!"

  Li Han heard Xia Meng's response and felt a bit displeased, just as he was about to add a few more sentences, Xia Meng's father abruptly threw out a sentence: "Li Han? Alright, finish eating first, then follow me into the study!"

  Li Han was taken aback for a moment, but only for a moment. He soon relaxed: when the enemy comes, we'll fight; when the flood comes, we'll build a dam. First, let's fill our bellies and then talk.

  Li Han walked into the kitchen with a big stride, serving rice. The rice was steamed by him, and he knew where the pot was placed. Xia Meng hurriedly followed in, "Mind your mouth, do you know? Don't spout nonsense! Otherwise, I won't forgive you!"

  Li Han blinked his big eyes, with a pure and innocent gaze, "Do I need to say it, do you currently have someone you like, the school's academic director's son, the top student in our grade?"

  Xia Meng's eyes narrowed as she glanced at the dining hall, "If you dare say that..."

  "I dare!" Li Han said with a chopstick in his mouth, looking at Xia Meng with a slanted gaze.

  "You———you———" Xia Meng was furious, isn't this inviting wolves into one's home?!

  "Unless you agree to one condition of mine, I'll help you keep it a secret!"

  "You——you——" Xia Meng's face turned bright red with anger.

  "Whatever!" Li Han pulled his leg and walked towards the dining hall.

  "Just don't mention this matter, I'll agree to anything you say!" Xia Meng pleaded in a low voice from behind.

  Li Han gave her a victorious gesture, "Yes!" The first step, success!

  After dinner, Li Han and Xia Xiuke walked into the study. Li Han sat down in the chair opposite Xia Xiuke. He could only take it one step at a time, remain calm and composed, and absolutely must not lose his composure. With such a difficult daughter, her father was probably no pushover either!

  "Li Han, what is your relationship with my daughter?" Xia Xiuke asked straightforwardly.

  Li Han's mind was racing, if he said there was no relationship, Xia Xiuke wouldn't be stupid, what relationship did they have? Running thousands of miles to his house to cook and getting scolded like that? If he said there was a relationship, wasn't that equivalent to suicide? It was possible that Xia Meng would also be wrongly killed!

  "Xia Meng is an exceptionally outstanding girl, attracting the admiration of many boys, and I'm just one of them. However, Xia Meng only focuses on her studies, she doesn't even know about my appreciation and admiration for her!" Li Han said very sincerely to Xia Xiuke, what he said was indeed true.

  "I absolutely do not allow her to have a puppy love!" Xia Xiuke said resolutely, "You're still young, you should put your energy and time into studying!" Xia Xiuke's words were somewhat pale and powerless, and could only be strengthened in tone.

  "I like her, not just because she's beautiful. But also because she has a kind and simple heart, always thinking of others. Being with her optimistic nature makes life feel especially wonderful. Moreover, she has clear goals for living and studying! Walking with her, I will never lose my way." Li Han replied fearlessly.

  "You're only 16 or 17 years old, the world is complicated and the future is uncertain, it will force you to change your original intention. So, don't be so sure now!" Xia Xiuke said with a hint of sarcasm.

  "I've liked Xia Meng since kindergarten. She also has many shortcomings, such as not knowing how to cook! For someone who is particularly picky about food, this is simply a fatal blow. However, because of her imperfections, I will like her more, be more tolerant of her, help her, and support her, and progress together with her. If in the future road of life, she walks too fast, I will strive to speed up my pace to catch up with her; if I walk too fast in front, I am willing to stop for her, wait for her, and move forward side by side."

  Xia Xiuke looked at the boy in front of him, whose eyes were firm and determined. His handsome face had already begun to show a clear outline, with a dense beard starting to sprout around his mouth. His current world was simple and beautiful, and he thought that the future world would also be kind to him without any malice. But he, at this moment, was very sincere, so sincere that it was hard for people to refuse him, and couldn't bear to tell him about the cruelty of real life.

  "But, Uncle, rest assured that Xia Meng now has absolutely no private thoughts or motives towards me!" Li Han said with a smile, "We are now indeed spending our energy and time on studying!"

  Xia Xiuke sighed, Li Han was similar to himself in the past, but now he has been transformed by society and is unrecognizable. The simplicity and goodness that once characterized him are now so far away. On his journey forward, he not only lost Lin Lian, but also lost himself.

  "Who hasn't been young before? We also came from being young, but you haven't grown old yet. So, I have more qualifications to advise you, don't make promises lightly now, and don't talk about emotions too early. When your emotions mature in the future, if fate permits, you will definitely be together. Now, your task is to study, can't let today's rash decision ruin your better future." Xia Xiuke stood up, walking irritably around the room, saying to Li Han.

  The Li Han in front of him made Xia Xiuke feel uneasy. This boy was so different from others, yet he persisted in his own way, neither arrogant nor humble. Wherever he went, there was an inexplicable aura about him that made Xia Xiuke, who had been through the ups and downs of officialdom and business for many years, feel vaguely uneasy.

  Xia Xiuke understands his daughter, having a firm stance and clear goals, not easily influenced by her surroundings. She is intelligent and strong-willed, with a calm demeanor in times of crisis, sometimes even making her father feel ashamed. However, facing the formidable and aggressive Li Han, his daughter is no match for him. Currently, Xia Meng has the upper hand only because Li Han is hiding his true abilities and hasn't made a move yet.