Chapter 107: Why Leave Without a Word?

Zhang Xiluo didn’t bother to think about who had arrived; she focused entirely on comforting Jiang Xueting, wiping away her tears and runny nose. From downstairs came Zhao Chengyi’s voice.

“Brother Li, how come you have time to come over today?” Zhao Chengyi sounded very surprised, his usual nervous tone shifting. He clearly remembered Jiang Xueting’s warning—if Li Mingye found out Zhang Xiluo was back, there would be no mercy.

“Can’t come?” Li Mingye frowned, eyeing Zhao Chengyi’s odd reaction, then glanced upstairs.

Zhao Chengyi quickly shook his head and earnestly offered an excuse, “Of course not. I thought you’d call me first.”

Li Mingye’s expression darkened as he placed a file on the coffee table and said coldly, “Sign it. I’m taking it.”

They had been collaborating on a tourism project. Zhao Chengyi was responsible for a section that required Li Mingye’s confirmation and signature; otherwise, the progress would be delayed.

“Right away.”

Now a full-time stay-at-home dad, Zhao Chengyi left Li Mingye to handle work matters. Without even looking closely, he signed the documents.

“Read the terms carefully before signing next time.”

“With you, Brother Li, it’s unnecessary. I trust you one hundred percent.”

Li Mingye said nothing further, grabbed the file, and left. Before stepping out, he cast a meaningful glance upstairs.

“Luo Luo, I didn’t know he would come,” Jiang Xueting emerged from Zhang Xiluo’s embrace, her face full of apology. “The first time that scoundrel visits my home, you just happen to run into him.”

Zhang Xiluo wiped her cheek and pretended to be annoyed, “No more crying, it’s bad for your eyes. If you’re feeling down, just come find me to chat, got it?”

Jiang Xueting nodded and pulled Zhang Xiluo into conversation, eager to hear about her life abroad over the past few years.

They talked for over an hour before Jiang Xueting grew drowsy. “Luo Luo, I’m going to nap first. We’ll eat together when I wake up.”

“I’m not eating. I have to go out for a bit. We’ll eat together another day—I’m not keen on your confinement meals,” Zhang Xiluo teased with a smile. “You should sleep now. I’ll leave once you’re asleep.”

Watching Jiang Xueting drift off, Zhang Xiluo got up to leave. Zhao Chengyi and the nanny were learning how to bathe the child together.

It was hard to imagine that such a notorious womanizer could be a devoted stay-at-home dad for Jiang Xueting.

Others’ love stories were always so happy, so sweet.

She truly felt happy for Jiang Xueting.

As Zhang Xiluo left Jiang Xueting’s home and reached the parking area, she spotted Li Mingye. He had parked his car beside hers, holding a cigarette, taking a sharp drag, his gaze teasing as he looked at her.

Seeing him smoking surprised Zhang Xiluo—after all these years, he had apparently broken that habit.

How did he know she was here?

She glanced at her car and immediately understood—it was the license plate she had insisted he help choose...

Such mischief!

She needed to find time to change everything connected to Li Mingye.

Zhang Xiluo ignored him and opened her car door, about to get in when Li Mingye reached out to block her.

“Zhang Xiluo, can we talk?” Li Mingye stubbed out his cigarette and looked down at her.

“No time.” Zhang Xiluo shook off his hand and slid into the car. Li Mingye stood at the door, preventing her from closing it.

“Please move aside,” she said.

Li Mingye didn’t move, as if he hadn’t heard her, standing firm.

“What do you want?” Zhang Xiluo snapped, stepping out of the car to shove him away. “If you have something to say, say it quickly and leave.”

Li Mingye narrowed his eyes, frowning. “Get in the car. Let’s go somewhere else.”

“No.”

“Are you sure you want others to overhear our conversation?”

He looked behind her, and following his gaze, Zhang Xiluo saw Mu Peipei.

Mu Peipei leaned on the balcony of her own home, smiling at Li Mingye. Seeing Zhang Xiluo glance back, her expression instantly darkened, filled with resentment as she stared daggers at her.

What a coincidence—Mu Peipei actually lived next door to Jiang Xueting.

Mu Peipei was planning to marry into Li Mingye’s family and probably knew about Zhang Xiluo’s relationship with him, which explained her hostility the moment they first met.

Unknowingly, that scoundrel had just made another enemy for her.

“Name the place. I’ll drive myself,” Zhang Xiluo relented. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep my word.”

“Follow me,” Li Mingye said, getting into the car first.

Zhang Xiluo waited as he reversed, then followed suit. She instinctively glanced up and, as expected, caught Mu Peipei’s murderous glare.

Sigh.

She couldn’t help but let out a quiet breath. Without doing anything, she had already earned hatred.

Li Mingye drove ahead at a moderate speed, occasionally slowing down to make sure Zhang Xiluo was keeping up. To her, this gesture clearly meant he was worried she might run.

In truth, she did consider running away but hadn’t found the right moment. In every way, she was unwilling to say much to Li Mingye.

The scenery outside grew increasingly familiar—they were on the road back to the villa. Zhang Xiluo’s resistance grew, and the truck slowed further.

“Zhang Xiluo, even a turtle drives faster than you,” Li Mingye teased from the roadside, rolling down his window. “Why don’t you just get out of the car?”

“That’s precisely my intention.” Zhang Xiluo slammed on the brakes and stopped by the side of the road. “Mr. Li, say what you need to say here. I’m not going any further.”

Li Mingye frowned, his gaze turning colder. “You left something at the villa. Go get it. It’s an eyesore.”

“What thing? Just throw it away.” Zhang Xiluo didn’t remember leaving anything there, and even if she had, it wouldn’t be important.

“You’ll see once you check,” Li Mingye said with a look that begged for a slap, clearly not wanting to argue.

Zhang Xiluo hesitated, then declined, “No.”

She was about to turn around and head home when her phone buzzed. Li Mingye had sent her a photo.

After looking at it, she thought for a moment and said, “Let’s go.”

The item he was complaining about was the grand piano she had purchased—worth tens of millions. He found it an eyesore.

Something coveted by others, yet he deemed it ugly! She seriously wondered if his brain had been squashed by a door. It hadn’t bothered him before; only after three years did he suddenly find it unsightly.

Returning to the villa stirred odd feelings in Zhang Xiluo’s heart. Everything inside was exactly as before, yet she knew everything had changed.

“I’ve arranged for someone to come and take it away tomorrow,” she said, entering the music room and touching the piano, feeling foolish again for trying to win Li Mingye over with such a gift.

She also packed up the miscellaneous items in the music room to take with her.

“Why didn’t you leave without a word?” Li Mingye suddenly asked.

Zhang Xiluo turned to look at him. “I did notify my family. It wasn’t leaving without notice. It’s time for me to go.”

Li Mingye’s eyes darkened, his tone icy, but he did not stop her. “Hmm.”

Zhang Xiluo drove away from the villa. Not far down the road, a car appeared in her rearview mirror...