At Fahua Temple.
Lu Tingxiao waited in the car with Little Treasure while Ning Xi rushed to her grandfather.
She avoided the morning crowd and walked directly to the backyard of the temple, then she saw a familiar silhouette standing together with a middle-aged couple. They should be Xi Shiqing’s parents, she thought to herself.
"Grandfather…"
"Xiao Xi, come over here!" Ning Zhiyuan quickly called out to her granddaughter.
"Grandfather Xi, Uncle, Aunty…" Ning Xi greeted them, feeling apprehensive.
The three Xi family members welcomed her warmly. Mother Xi even held Ning Xi’s hands as if she was their savior. She gushed, "Are you Xiao Xi? You look like a really obedient and filial child. Xi Shiqing has been telling us all about you after you got back!"
Ning Xi was surprised by the praises coming from his mother as she had expected a good scolding instead.
"Please don’t be afraid, my dear. Your grandfather was overreacting over the phone just now. We all know that this matter is not related to you. Shiqing told us last night that he felt the both of you are better suited as friends…"
With a huge internal whoosh, Ning Xi felt relieved and guilty at the same time.
She was suspecting that Xi Shiqing had spilt the beans about their deal but he had not said anything and even praised her instead.
Damn it! She had hoped that he was just another rich playboy since she could handle them better but…
Mother Xi continued to hold her hands as she said with tearful red eyes, "We didn’t really mean to trouble you here. It’s just that we’ve thought of everything we could but we still don’t understand why he decided to become a monk, so we asked you to come here as our last hope! From his tone last night, I can see that he really bears a torch for you, so I think he might just listen to you. Would you please persuade Shiqing for me?"
Elder Xi spoke up, "Bears a torch? Pfft! I bet that boy has fallen in love with Xiao Xi instead of just admiring her! He rejected me when I first told him that I have arranged a blind date for him but his attitude took a 180 degree turn when he knew it was Xiao Xi I was setting him up with."
"Then, why did he say Xiao Xi wasn’t his type and that they were better suited as friends?" Mother Xi asked in confusion.
Father Xi vocalized his thoughts, "Our son is a passive chap. He’d never compete with anyone. Moreover, he’s been learning about Buddhism since he was young, making him even less competitive...I bet he realized that Xiao Xi had no special feelings for him whatsoever, so he chose to hide his real feelings inside!"
The elders started making their own assumptions without waiting for Ning Xi’s explanation.
Mother Xi agreed with Father Xi’s analysis, "Qingqing might really resort to this solution after all that...it does sound plausible."