Chapter 250: Settled

"Mm!"

With a soft, melodious moan, Xia Yu, who was sitting by the bed in a daze, snapped out of it and looked toward Li Xi, who was lying on the bed.

Li Xi slowly opened her hazy eyes, propping herself up with her hands, trying to sit up. However, she felt sore all over and inhaled sharply, her brows furrowing tightly.

When she saw Xia Yu sitting by the bed, looking at her with concern, the still-groggy Li Xi rubbed her eyes and asked in confusion, "Boss, how did you get in?"

"You're awake? Put on your clothes first, or you'll catch a cold!"

Xia Yu didn't answer Li Xi's question. Instead, he smiled gently, showing his concern.

"Clothes?"

Li Xi tilted her head in confusion, mumbling to herself.

At this moment, Li Xi realized that her chest felt a bit chilly. She lowered her head groggily, and when she saw herself, she mechanically looked up again at Xia Yu, who was smiling at her.

She was stunned for a few seconds before she finally reacted.

"Ah..."

With a startled cry, Li Xi quickly pulled up the blanket to cover her alluring figure. Her delicate face turned bright red, as if it could drip blood.

"Boss... you... I..."

Li Xi wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, looking at Xia Yu, stammering and at a loss for words.

However, seeing the apologetic look on Xia Yu's face, Li Xi calmed down a bit. A flood of disjointed memories filled her mind, and she remembered everything that happened last night.

Li Xi's eyes instantly turned red, her beautiful eyes clouded with mist, and soon, crystal-clear tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Sss... sob..."

Li Xi held the blanket tightly, softly sobbing.

Seeing Li Xi's tear-streaked, heart-wrenching appearance, Xia Yu's heart ached involuntarily, and the guilt on his face deepened.

"Li Xi, I'm sorry. Please don't cry, okay?"

Xia Yu softly consoled her, moving closer to her, trying to get a bit nearer.

But when Li Xi saw him approaching, she remembered his roughness last night. A shadow lingered in her heart, and she instinctively shrank back, wanting to stay further away from Xia Yu.

"Don't come any closer, sob..."

Seeing Li Xi's reaction, Xia Yu stopped moving forward, not wanting to frighten her further.

"Put on your clothes first. I'll step out for a bit and come back later."

After some thought, Xia Yu decided to let Li Xi calm down first. He stood up and spoke to her, then walked out of the room under her watchful gaze and closed the door behind him.

Once Xia Yu left, Li Xi relaxed a little. As she recalled the events of last night, she cried while feeling utterly lost.

After a while, she composed herself, lifted the blanket, and quickly dressed in the clothes that Xia Yu had thoughtfully prepared and neatly folded by the bedside.

Once she was dressed, she felt a bit calmer, but she was still at a loss regarding what had happened between her and Xia Yu. She had no idea how to handle it.

Although her impression of Xia Yu had always been good—in fact, she had developed a slight affection for him without realizing it—she hadn't yet considered being in a relationship with him.

For one, she felt that their age gap was too significant—she was five years older than Xia Yu.

Secondly, even though Xia Yu was young, he was her boss, which made their social standings vastly different.

Most importantly, she couldn't forget He Zhaoqiong, whom they had met at the airport. She was probably Xia Yu's girlfriend. Now that she had been intimate with Xia Yu, she didn't know how to face He Zhaoqiong. Her naturally kind heart even made her feel guilty toward He Zhaoqiong.

Although one could say Xia Yu had forced himself on her last night, now that she thought back, Li Xi realized she was partly at fault too. She shouldn't have been so confused and treated this place like her own home, walking around inappropriately dressed in front of Xia Yu, who was full of youthful energy.

In a way, what happened last night was largely due to her own inadvertent temptation.

Thinking back to last night, Li Xi's mind was a tangled mess, and she wanted to avoid everything.

But thinking about how she had come abroad with Xia Yu, alone with nowhere to go, she knew she had no way to escape.

"What should I do?"

Li Xi sat on the bed helplessly, mumbling to herself.

"Li Xi, are you dressed? I'm coming in!"

At that moment, after two knocks on the door, Xia Yu's voice came from outside, bringing Li Xi back to reality. She looked at the closed door.

Her expression was complex as she softly said, "Come in."

"Click!"

With the sound of the lock turning, Xia Yu pushed open the door and immediately saw the complicated look in Li Xi's eyes. He secretly sighed in relief, glad that she wasn't too distressed and was reacting somewhat reasonably.

After closing the door, Xia Yu walked to the bed and sat down, careful not to sit too close to avoid making her anxious, which could affect their conversation.

After exchanging looks for a while, Xia Yu was the first to break the silence with an apologetic smile. He softly said, "Qianqian, I'm sorry. You're just too beautiful, and I ate too much of the wild pigeon Hou Sheng caught last night, which made my body overheat, leading to what happened. Otherwise, even though I like you, I wouldn't have forced you! I swear!"

Xia Yu's expression was very serious as he spoke, even making a swearing gesture to the heavens.

"Pfft!"

Seeing Xia Yu's serious expression as he gave such a strange excuse and used an intimate nickname on purpose, Li Xi blushed slightly and then couldn't help but laugh. However, when she saw Xia Yu also smiling, she quickly covered her mouth and forced herself to stop.

"It worked! Thank goodness!"

Seeing that his words were having an effect and easing the atmosphere, Xia Yu was secretly pleased.

"Qianqian, could you give me a chance to make it up to you?"

Xia Yu seized the opportunity, looking at Li Xi with sincere eyes and earnestly making his request.

Hearing Xia Yu's almost-confession, Li Xi was caught off guard. She blinked, looking at him, unsure of how to respond.

However, Xia Yu's words did have an effect. At least they brought some comfort to her previously confused heart, making her feel more at ease.

Xia Yu's sincere and direct gaze made Li Xi's face flush with red. She looked away, not daring to meet his eyes, yet the bitterness in her heart was soothed by his words, turning into a slight joy.

Just then, He Zhaoqiong's figure popped into her mind again, and the hint of happiness that had just appeared vanished, replaced by an even deeper sense of loss.

"Boss, you..."

Li Xi started to speak but was interrupted by Xia Yu.

"Qianqian, don't call me boss. Just call me Xia Yu or Ah Yu, okay?"

Xia Yu suggested, trying to ease her into the situation step by step.

Li Xi's gentle nature made her reluctant to refuse people, especially when Xia Yu, though making a request, spoke in a tone that naturally carried an air of authority, leaving her unable to say no.

"Okay, Xia... Xia Yu."

"Good girl, Qianqian. Keep calling me that from now on, not 'boss'."

Xia Yu said with a smile, his tone a bit like coaxing a child, which made Li Xi's face turn red again.

"Xia Yu, you already have a girlfriend. What we're doing isn't right; it would be unfair to her."

Li Xi bit her lip, speaking with some hesitation.

But as soon as she said it, she looked intently at Xia Yu.

She had been lost and unsure of what to do, but since Xia Yu had expressed his feelings, the idea wasn't entirely unacceptable. Things had already happened, so starting a relationship now wasn't impossible.

But there was one big issue—He Zhaoqiong!

Li Xi was naturally kind and gentle, not wanting to be seen as someone who interferes in another relationship.

"I have a girlfriend?"

Xia Yu blinked in surprise, looking at Li Xi with some confusion.

Li Xi, puzzled by Xia Yu's reaction, asked, "Wasn't the person who came to the airport to see you off your girlfriend?"

Xia Yu couldn't help but laugh and quickly explained, "No, she's just a very good friend!"

"She's He Chaociong, the daughter of the gambling king Ho Hung Sun, and the one who came with her was her brother, Ho Yau Kwong."

Hearing the first part, Li Xi felt relieved, but Xia Yu's next words made her feel like she was sitting on ice.

So, she was the daughter of a wealthy family!

Even though Li Xi had just graduated from college, she had heard of Ho Hung Sun and the powerful Ho family.

Since He Zhaoqiong had come to the airport specifically to see Xia Yu off, even if she wasn't his girlfriend, their relationship must be special. She likely had feelings for Xia Yu and had known him for some time, whereas Li Xi was a newcomer.

Competing with a wealthy family's daughter? Li Xi bit her lip, her feelings becoming increasingly complicated.

Thinking about He Zhaoqiong's status, she suddenly realized a serious issue—Xia Yu's status. He was a significant figure, while she was just a common girl raised

 in an ordinary family. How could she be with someone like him?

"No, I can't do this! It's impossible!"

Once she thought about Xia Yu's and her own identities, Li Xi's heart grew even more uneasy.

Xia Yu noticed Li Xi's sudden downturn in mood and sighed inwardly.

Seeing the more distant look in Li Xi's eyes, Xia Yu knew it was time to play his trump card.

He silently stood up, walked over to the bed, reached out to the bedside table, and picked up a letter, then handed it to Li Xi, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"This is your letter of appointment. I had the board of directors review and approve it last night. You were promoted to a key management position at Tongzhu Capital's Asia Pacific branch, and I sent it to your email this morning."

Xia Yu quietly said, looking deeply into Li Xi's eyes.

Hearing that she had been promoted to a management position, Li Xi was startled, looking at Xia Yu with wide eyes, unable to say anything for a moment.

Seeing Li Xi's dazed expression, Xia Yu continued, "This is also your household registration file and new property certificate. I've already bought you a house in Hong Kong, registered in your name. If you don't want to go back to China, you can stay there, and the apartment comes with a maid and car service."

Finally, seeing Li Xi's hands trembling as she held the documents, Xia Yu added, "I hope you can stay with me, Li Xi."

Li Xi looked at the documents in her hands, biting her lip as tears welled up in her eyes.

She knew she was no match for Xia Yu in any way, and now that he had said this, there was no way she could refuse.

Li Xi felt Xia Yu's gentle embrace surround her, and she couldn't help but shed tears silently, accepting her fate as she clung to Xia Yu. She realized that no matter how strong and independent she tried to be, there were moments when she needed someone to lean on, someone to hold her when the world felt too heavy. In this moment, Xia Yu was that someone for her.

Xia Yu didn't say anything, simply holding Li Xi quietly, allowing her the space to cry. He understood that words weren't necessary right now; his presence and support were enough. He gently stroked her back, offering silent comfort as she slowly calmed down in his arms.

After a while, Li Xi's tears subsided, and she pulled back slightly, looking up at Xia Yu with red, puffy eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.

Xia Yu smiled softly at her and shook his head. "You don't have to thank me. I'm here for you, always," he replied, his voice warm and reassuring.

Li Xi felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words, and she couldn't help but smile back at him, feeling a little bit of the weight on her shoulders lift. She knew she wasn't alone in this; Xia Yu was there for her, and that made all the difference.

"Let's get some rest," Xia Yu suggested, seeing the exhaustion on Li Xi's face. "You've had a long day."

Li Xi nodded in agreement, feeling suddenly very tired. Xia Yu helped her to her feet, and they made their way to the bedroom. Once there, Xia Yu tucked Li Xi into bed, making sure she was comfortable before he turned off the lights.

As he was about to leave the room, Li Xi reached out and grabbed his hand. "Stay with me," she said softly, her voice filled with vulnerability.

Xia Yu hesitated for a moment, but then he nodded and climbed into bed next to her. He lay down beside her, wrapping his arms around her once more. Li Xi snuggled close to him, feeling safe and secure in his embrace. With Xia Yu by her side, she finally felt like she could relax and let go of all the stress and worry that had been weighing her down.

Before long, Li Xi drifted off to sleep, her breathing even and peaceful. Xia Yu watched her for a while, making sure she was truly asleep before he allowed himself to close his eyes. He knew there were challenges ahead, but for now, all that mattered was that Li Xi was safe and sound in his arms.