Chapter 1049: Chapter 1040 New Year (4)
Xia Siyu ran to the door with a spatula in hand and opened the video doorbell: “Who is it?”
When the doorbell opened, she saw that it was Xia Youbiao inside. She paused for a moment. The gloomy mood she’d been in moments ago still hadn’t dissipated, and her voice turned abruptly cold: “What’s the matter?”
Guilt weighed on Xia Youbiao’s heart, and his voice became hesitant: “Nothing, I just came by to check on you.”
“I’m doing fine. No need to come up.”
Xia Siyu refused decisively. Her heart was easily hurt by the people closest to her, and once hurt, she would retreat into herself, letting the wound grow a hard shell of defense. But during this process, her stance was firm and straightforward.
Xia Youbiao was visibly taken aback. He stared at the screen. With this type of video call, Xia Siyu could see him, but he couldn’t see her situation. All he could see was the dark, unyielding gaze of the camera. He wanted to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words. Finally, he nodded slightly: “Oh, oh, as long as you’re fine, that’s all that matters. It’s good that you’re fine.”
His head dipped slightly, as if he didn’t dare to look anymore: “Being fine is good. Then, I’ll head back now. Happy New Year.”
Xia Siyu responded with a simple “Mm,” making no effort to invite him in. Xia Youbiao took a couple of steps away, and Xia Siyu continued watching the screen coldly. Just as the image was about to vanish, she seemed to hear a “whoosh,” followed by a *thud*, like someone slipping and falling as they walked.
Her first reaction was to cry out, “Dad!” The snow-covered roads were slippery—what if Xia Youbiao had fallen?
Although he appeared youthful, he was already sixty years old. At that age, falling could have unpredictable consequences that no one could easily assess.
Despite her earlier feelings of intense resentment toward him, at this moment, upon realizing her father might have fallen, Xia Siyu instinctively reached to press the elevator button to go downstairs and check on him.
But as her hand touched the elevator button, before she could press it decisively, she faltered.
What good would it do for her to go see him? She wasn’t a doctor—wouldn’t it be pointless?
Just like she knew her father loved her, but what did that change? Every time he had to make a choice, didn’t he always side with Xia Sicai?
A moment ago, she’d hated him so fiercely she could hardly bear it. And yet now, at the mere thought of him falling, she couldn’t help but want to go downstairs to check on him.
Hesitation lasted only for a split second. Despite cursing herself inwardly, she still pressed the elevator button.
Unexpectedly, Bo Yan seemed to have heard the noise as well and stepped into the elevator with her. Xia Siyu was so exasperated that she stomped her foot repeatedly in the elevator: “I can’t stand him, and yet when I think he might’ve fallen, I still go to check on him? Am I an idiot? I might as well be the dumbest person alive!”
Bo Yan looked at her and simply smiled: “You’re not.”
Xia Siyu lifted her head to look at him.
Bo Yan said, “I find it comforting—you have a soft and kind heart. Loving you is truly one of the happiest things in my life.”
Xia Siyu froze again. While she was still dazed, the elevator arrived downstairs, and without a second thought, Xia Siyu bolted out, scanning her surroundings immediately—
Xia Youbiao was standing perfectly fine off to the side, with no signs of having fallen. Instead, it was his driver, who appeared to be dusting himself off, with faint traces of a dirtied crease visible.
It wasn’t her father who had fallen. Xia Siyu let out a sigh of relief. But when Xia Youbiao’s gaze landed on her, her demeanor instantly turned cold again: “You’re fine, right? If you’re fine, then I’m leaving.”