<h4>Chapter 497: Chapter 497: Bustling Morning</h4><h4></h4>


    The morning at Lanwan Mountain had be unusually bustling, with Xia Guoxiong and his son Xia Cheng leading the way, followed by a slew of gossip journalists lugging their cameras.


    There was a reason Lanwan Mountain had be the vi area A City’s elite longed to live in. Despite the journalists’ exhaustive efforts, the security guards wouldn’t let them pass through the gate.


    After about fifteen minutes of struggle, only Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng were allowed to ascend. This was after the security guard had called the He Family, and the middle-aged woman who answered the phone said that the old Mr. He had agreed to let theme up.


    The Xia Family’s car slowly made its way to the mountaintop. Xia Cheng gave Xia Guoxiong a thumbs up. "Dad, you’re amazing. We got up here so easily."


    "What’s so amazing about me? Haven’t you heard that ’money talks’?" Xia Guoxiong snorted coldly, his square face flushed red. "Do you have any idea how much we spent to bribe that maid? You’re aware, aren’t you?"


    Xia Cheng’s attempt at ttery had awkwardly missed the mark, or rather, ever since Xia Guoxiong found out about his rtionship with Qin Nuan, rtions between father and son had plummeted.


    He regretted having said anything, but what’s been said, like spilled water, couldn’t be taken back. After thinking it over, he had no choice but to continue buttering up his father. "Even if you did buy off that maid, that’s still a skill of yours. Without you, how could Xia Ning have smoothly gone up the mountainst night? If not for your message to the maid to stay by the phone, we wouldn’t be taken up the mountain by the security right now."


    Xia Guoxiong’s expression eased slightly. Looking at the He Family’s vi close at hand, he whispered, "Handle the maid’s matter cleanly. We don’t want to make a big scene out of this; it would be embarrassing for everyone."


    Xia Cheng, of course, agreed without dy. Looking at the He Family’s vi nestled among the trees, envy was evident in his eyes. "This must be what they call a castle in the sky. The air here feels better than other ces; Xiaoning is going to live here soon, how nice."


    "Get out," Xia Guoxiong said, toozy to pay Xia Cheng any mind, his disdain for his son evident to the bone.


    The gate of the He Family was ajar, naturally the work of the maid. They pushed it open without much effort and entered the He Family’s courtyard easily.


    Though daylight had arrived, on such a cold winter day, no one would be up this early. The vast He Family vi was very quiet, without even the sound of birds chirping.


    Xia Guoxiong and Xia Cheng moved toward the He Family vi as cautiously as thieves. As they approached the front door, it suddenly swung open, revealing the maid’s yellowed face with its fawning smile. "Mr. Xia, the young master and Lady Xia Ning are in his study. You know where the young master’s study is, right?"


    "I know, thanks." Xia Guoxiong replied, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a thick red envelope to hand to the maid. "Thanks for your help. This is an extra reward, separate from the price we’d agreed upon earlier."


    The maid’s eyes lit up instantly, grabbing the red envelope so fast she might as well have snatched it.


    Xia Guoxiong smiled and walked past the maid without another nce, taking the lead inside.


    Xia Cheng followed closely behind, making sure to record everything with his phone’s camera, fearful of missing anything important.


    The vast living room was empty as the pair moved directly toward the foyer while surreptitiously ncing around, afraid of being discovered by someone from the He Family.


    Though not as familiar with the He Family home as Xia Ning, the two families had interacted for many years, so both men had thoroughly explored the ce.


    Without taking a single wrong step, they reached the outside of He Xing’s study.


    The study door was shut tight. From the outside, one couldn’t tell if anyone was inside; but since the maid had told them He Xing and Xia Ning were there, they chose to believe it.


    Xia Guoxiong took a deep breath, reached out slowly, and opened the door to the study. Xia Cheng followed close behind him as they both entered.


    He Xing’s study was enormous,rger than most people’s living rooms,plete with a desk, sofas, bookcases, and so on. It looked less like a study and more like a reception room.


    Their first response was to look toward the sofa. From their angle, they could only see a quilt on the sofa and not the person underneath it.


    The two looked at each other, each seeing a flicker of hesitation in the other’s eyes. They quickly looked away as if the word ’guilty’ was written on their faces.


    Xia Guoxiong took the lead again, walking up to the sofa and barked, "He Xing, Xia Ning, what are you doing?"


    As he spoke, he grabbed the quilt and flipped it over. Xia Cheng quickly leaned in to aim the camera at the sofa, not wanting to miss a potentially sensational moment.


    However, both were stunned by what they saw. Under the quilt indeedy a person, but it was only Xia Ning. He Xing was nowhere to be seen.


    Xia Ning was awoken by Xia Guoxiong’s roar. She struggled to open her eyes and, upon seeing her father and brother, asked in confusion, "Dad, brother, what are you doing here?"


    "What are we doing?" Xia Cheng trembled with anger but still managed to lower his voice and whisper, "Haven’t we agreed toe over first thing this morning?"


    Xia Ning’s mind, which had been aplete muddle, finally snapped back to reality. "Where’s He Xing?" she asked as she looked around. The study was spacious and neat, and at a nce, there was no sign of He Xing.


    "That’s what I’d like to know." Xia Guoxiong’s face was an unmentionable shade, like that of a cooked liver. He stepped forward and looked down at Xia Ning. "Didn’t we receive a message that He Xing had taken the bait? Don’t tell me, with everything we’ve done, you still haven’t managed to secure He Xing?"


    Xia Ning’s face flushed red. She felt a painful stiffness in her neck, as if she’d slept wrong, and she rubbed her temples, trying hard to remember exactly what had happenedst night.


    Time rewound to the previous evening. After Xia Ning’s persistent pestering, she finally ended up sitting on He Xing’sp, his hands uncontrobly resting on her waist.


    Xia Ning became flustered almost instantly. She wrapped her arms around He Xing’s neck and brought her lips to his, as her mind began to imagine the passionate scenes about to unfold.


    He Xing, unlike ever before, was remarkably cooperative. He leaned in with a dazed look in his eyes, his lips drawing ever closer to Xia Ning’s.


    The suggestive atmosphere spread through the study, making the already warm room heated. Xia Ning could even feel sweat on her back and felt grateful she had bathed beforeing; otherwise, it would have been rather embarrassing at that moment.