Chapter 33: A Gift?

Chapter 33: A Gift?

The city was blanketed in snow once again. The fluttering snowflakes filled the two little girls, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, with great excitement. They didn't even care to eat breakfast before rushing downstairs to start building a snowman. Xue An stood by, watching with a gentle smile.

"Daddy, look! Does my snowman look good?"

"It looks great! Xiang'er has made the most beautiful snowman!" Xue An nodded while trying to discern what exactly the oddly shaped snowball was meant to be.

"This is Daddy's eye!" Xue Nian said, giggling as she pressed two pebbles onto the snowball.

"And this is Daddy's mouth!" Xue Xiang added, tracing an arc with a discarded lipstick.

Xue An chuckled as he watched, then pointed to the blank snowman next to it. "And what about this one?"

"That one is Mommy, of course!" Xue Xiang replied.

"Then why doesn't Mommy have eyes or a mouth?"

Xue Xiang and Xue Nian lowered their heads. "We... we've never seen what Mommy looks like. Auntie Xuan said the one in the photo is our Mommy, but why hasn't she come to see us yet?"

Xue An felt a slight tremor in his heart. He crouched down and said with great sincerity, "Xiang'er, Nian'er, Mommy loves you both very much. She is just busy with some things, so she hasn't been able to come by for now. In a little while, Daddy will take you to see her! All right?"

"Okay!" the two little girls nodded in unison.

Just then, Han Yao arrived in a white Land Rover. She was still somewhat afraid of Xue An, so she stood at a distance, not daring to approach. It wasn't until Fan Mengxue came downstairs that Han Yao walked over, staring at her with astonishment.

"You... what happened to your face?"

"What's wrong with my face?"

Han Yao was filled with shock. In the past, although Fan Mengxue was extremely beautiful, part of that charm came from modern makeup techniques. But today, Fan Mengxue was bare-faced, without a trace of powder, yet she was breathtakingly beautiful. Her skin, in particular, looked as if it would break at a touch. If the old Fan Mengxue was a nine-out-of-ten beauty, she was now a solid ten-out-of-ten goddess.

Han Yao suppressed her confusion and said, "Stephen is currently at the nursery outside the city. I’ve already set a time, so let’s go see him now."

Fan Mengxue nodded. "All right, but Xue An is coming with us."

"He's coming too?" Han Yao frowned, but she dared not express any objection.

Xue An then said to the two little girls, "Daddy is taking you outside the city to see the sights. How does that sound?"

"Okay!"

"But... Daddy, I'm so hungry!" Xue Nian said, clutching her stomach with a pitiful expression.

"Then Nian'er, what would you like to eat?"

"Chive boxes!" the two little girls said simultaneously.

And so, in the million-dollar Land Rover, the two little girls sat happily, each holding a chive box and eating with delight. Han Yao dared not show the slightest bit of dissatisfaction, only quietly rolling down the window.

"Why is Stephen coming to Beijiang? And why go to a nursery outside the city?" Fan Mengxue asked.

"Because Stephen is obsessed with plants. Coincidentally, a master gardener has come to the Beijiang nursery this year and cultivated many rare species, which is why Stephen has traveled so far to see them."

"Oh!"

The car soon arrived at the nursery. Upon exiting, Xue An noticed that the place was filled with various luxury cars, and security guards were stationed at the entrance. Han Yao led the group inside.

Once they entered, they realized that the place was a hidden gem. The temperature was much higher than outside, warm as spring. Everywhere they looked, there were all kinds of plants in full bloom. This vibrant, competitive beauty left Fan Mengxue and the two little girls stunned.

Han Yao sighed. "I was shocked the first time I saw it too! A nursery like this might not even exist in the capital! No wonder Stephen traveled thousands of miles to come here!"

Xue An remained indifferent. These plants were indeed nice, but to him, they were nothing special. Once upon a time, he stood above the Heavenly River, looking down upon billions of stars; that was true, unparalleled brilliance. After witnessing such magnificent sights, his heart did not stir at the sight of these mundane plants.

"Well, well, if it isn't Fan Mengxue!" A mocking voice came from behind.

Fan Mengxue turned to see a man and a woman approaching. The woman was a glamorous beauty, while the man was a short, stout fellow. It was a jarring pairing, yet the woman was clinging to him almost entirely.

Fan Mengxue recognized them. "He Ying? What are you doing here?"

This woman was a somewhat famous actress in the industry named He Ying. Fan Mengxue had worked with her once, but later, she couldn't stand He Ying’s behavior and they parted ways. Over the past two years, the gap between them had only grown; Fan Mengxue had become an award-winning actress, while He Ying was still stuck in the small town of Beijiang.

At this moment, He Ying was staring at Fan Mengxue with jealousy. Hearing the question, she sneered.

"What? Is this place only for you? You’re not the only one who knows that Stephen is here!"

He Ying then shifted her attention to Xue An. "Oh, so this is your little lover, starlet Fan? He looks decent enough, but what a pity..."

He Ying noticed that Xue An wore no expensive accessories, not even a watch, and couldn't help but show disdain.

"See this? This is my husband, Chairman Dong Tiancheng of the Tiancheng Group. He’s worth hundreds of millions. A single ring of his is worth everything your little lover owns. Woman, sometimes you just shouldn't sell yourself short!" He Ying said proudly.

Fan Mengxue frowned slightly. She noticed the way Dong Tiancheng was looking at her—it was a gaze filled with greed and possessiveness. She had seen that look too many times.

Dong Tiancheng was indeed filled with greed at that moment. He had only seen Fan Mengxue on television, and he hadn't expected her to be even more beautiful in person! Especially that flawless skin—it was enough to make one drool. However, Dong Tiancheng was a cautious man; fearing that Xue An might be the son of some wealthy family, he chuckled first.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Fan. But I wonder, who is this gentleman...?"

Before Fan Mengxue could speak, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian said in unison, "This is our Daddy!"

"Oh..." Dong Tiancheng and He Ying shared an knowing look.

So, he's a man with children. Fan Mengxue certainly had unique tastes. Thinking back, Dong Tiancheng couldn't recall any wealthy heirs with children, so he relaxed and smiled. "Miss Fan, are you here to see Director Stephen as well?"

"Yes."

"Then, did you bring a gift?"

"A gift?"