Married to the Devil, Mistook Him for His Father

He Family Mansion.

From a distance, even against the night sky, one could see a blaze of fiery lights, magnificent in the extreme.
By the time Ning Shixue arrived, the He family’s butler had personally come out to greet them and opened the car door for him.

Thank you,
Ning Shixue said quietly.

Based solely on the original host’s family background, he didn’t deserve for Elder He’s personal butler to come out and receive him.

This could only be out of consideration for Xie Zhaozhou.

Yan City’s upper-class circles had many rules.
Since Ning Shixue had agreed to cooperate with Xie Zhaozhou, he changed into the suit Song Li had brought in the car and obediently followed wherever he was led.

The old butler’s attitude was respectful, his smile perfectly appropriate.
Young Master Ning, please follow me.

The vast banquet hall was filled with elegantly dressed figures.
It felt less like a birthday celebration and more like a film gala.
Everyone present was either a well-established name in the entertainment industry or a currently popular actor.

Underfoot was a scarlet carpet.
Porcelain vases lining both sides of the long corridor were filled with peonies of every color.

Ning Shixue pressed his lips together, took Xie Yaoyao’s hand, and followed the old butler to the hall at the end of the corridor.

–

President Xie,
Song Li, having delivered them, went to the top floor of the mansion to find Xie Zhaozhou.
He walked quickly to Xie Zhaozhou’s side and lowered his voice.
Young Master Ning has arrived.
He’s in the banquet hall.

Mm,
Xie Zhaozhou responded, his dark eyes revealing nothing.

Song Li gave a slight bow and withdrew.

Aside from Xie Hanzhou, almost all the Xie family members were present, along with several of the Xie Group’s shareholders.

But the floor was a mess.

Everywhere were shards of broken porcelain.
There were even faint, dark reddish stains on the cashmere carpet.

Xiao Sui… Xiao Sui!
Xie’s mother wore a deep blue evening gown, but her hair was disheveled, her eyes red-rimmed.

She had been staring blankly, clutching her shawl, when she looked up and saw Xie Zhaozhou’s face.
Suddenly, she rushed at him, desperately clutching his suit jacket, tears streaming down her face.
When did you get here?
Why didn’t you tell Mama…

Her arms were covered in wounds, still bleeding.
A doctor hurried over to steady her, but she struggled violently against him.

Xie Zhaozhou didn’t move away.
He let her push and shove him.

Only when she met Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes, deep as an icy abyss, did she seem doused with cold water.
Her whole body swayed; she almost couldn’t stay standing.
She was assisted to the sofa.

Madam,
the doctor wiped cold sweat from his forehead.
Let me bandage you first.

Xie’s mother, born Liao Yanwan, was Liao Qingchi’s eldest daughter.

Three years ago, after Xie Zhaozhou’s elder brother, Xie Sui, died in a car accident, Liao Yanwan had grieved excessively.

Her mental state had been unstable ever since.

Even though Xie Zhaozhou and Xie Sui didn’t look alike, Liao Yanwan often mistook him for her deceased son.

Elder He and Liao Qingchi were close friends; he had watched Liao Yanwan grow up.
Wanting to see her, he had asked Xie’s father to bring her.

No one expected her to have another episode.

Before Xie Zhaozhou arrived, she had already smashed many things.

If it’s no better,
the doctor said, looking troubled.
We may have to give Madam another sedative injection later.

Xie Zhaozhou didn’t object.
He signaled with his eyes for someone to help Liao Yanwan to a guest room to rest.

Then he turned to leave.

Wait!
Xie’s father’s face was ashen, his brow deeply furrowed.
He suppressed his anger and spoke in a low, scolding tone.
Why did you bring Ning Shixue to Elder He’s birthday banquet?
Isn’t it chaotic enough already?

Ning Shixue’s madness was well known.
Moreover, Xie Hanzhou was here tonight.
If a scene erupted, it would disgrace the entire Xie family.

‘Newlyweds, of course I should bring him,’
Xie Zhaozhou stopped, his voice cold.
‘Besides, wasn’t the engagement to the Ning family arranged by you yourself?’

Xie’s father’s expression stiffened, a flicker of embarrassment in his eyes.

After Old Master Xie fell ill, the entire Xie Group had quickly fallen into Xie Zhaozhou’s hands.
He now held no real power.
If he had custody of Xie Yaoyao, leveraging the shares of Xie Sui and his wife, plus his own, perhaps he could still make a play.

But Xie Zhaozhou had been ruthless, denying him any opportunity to contact Xie Yaoyao alone.

The marriage alliance with the Ning family was merely a precaution.
Xie Zhaozhou was ambitious, and He Lin had known him for years.
If Xie Zhaozhou were to marry He Lin’s sister, with the He family’s support, returning to the Xie Group would be nearly impossible for him.

Thus, he wanted Xie Zhaozhou to marry quickly.

Preferably someone from a weaker family.

Recalling this, Xie’s father’s expression darkened further.

Initially, Xie Zhaozhou hadn’t been willing.
Xie’s father, grasping at straws, had invoked Old Master Xie to pressure him, urging,
Just think of it as bringing joy to your grandfather through marriage, can’t you?

He regretted it the moment the words left his mouth.
Ning Shixue was also a chronic invalid.
What joy could that possibly bring?

But Xie Zhaozhou had suddenly lifted his eyes and unexpectedly agreed.
He threw back a phrase: ‘Double the joy.’

It still left Xie’s father feeling as though there was a clot of blood stuck in his chest.

He Lin had been waiting outside the door.
Seeing Xie Zhaozhou exit, he went downstairs with him.

Auntie still the same?
He Lin asked.

Xie Zhaozhou pressed his lips together.
The overhead light in the corridor cast a deep shadow from his brow ridge down his nose.
Mm.

Sensing he didn’t want to discuss it, He Lin didn’t press further.
He nudged Xie Zhaozhou with his elbow.
Your wife is here.
You told me to keep an eye on him on the variety show, and I did.
He really seems to have changed.
He hasn’t gone near Xie Hanzhou, and he hasn’t provoked Ji Qing.

Of course, Xie Zhaozhou hadn’t truly felt at ease letting Ning Shixue take Xie Yaoyao onto the show.

It was only because He Lin was also going that he agreed.

In his twenties, He Lin had been a notorious playboy.
He’d met his current wife, the eldest daughter of the Shen family, in a nightclub.

It ended up being a shotgun wedding.

With He Miaomiao not around, He Lin reverted to his true form.
He stuck a cigarette in his mouth, his smile vague.
I think he’s pretty well-behaved now.

Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes were dark, his thoughts unreadable.

–

Ning Shixue looked around the banquet hall.
He didn’t know a single person.
He took Xie Yaoyao to a corner to eat little cakes.

Xie Yaoyao fussed, took a few bites of cake, then ran off on his short legs to chase after other children.

Ning Shixue felt he’d done absolutely nothing, yet he was utterly exhausted, his whole body weak.

This kid wasn’t fit for human consumption.

Afraid Xie Yaoyao might get bumped into, he kept his eyes on him.
Then he saw Xie Yaoyao suddenly perk up like a puppy, lift his head, and patter away.

He hugged a man’s leg, his eyes sparkling.
Big Daddy!

Ning Shixue froze, then looked up.

The man Xie Yaoyao had called Big Daddy wore a silver-grey suit.
His back was straight and tall.
He slowly turned around.
His temples were grey, with kind wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.

Conservative estimate: fifty years old.

He must have been very handsome in his youth.
Even now, he was a distinguished-looking older gentleman with plenty of charm left.

Ning Shixue: “…”

Ning Shixue: ???

Ning Shixue had mentally prepared himself before coming.
The original host often cursed Xie Zhaozhou for being old and ugly.
He had convinced himself Xie Zhaozhou really was an old man, and he could handle it calmly.

But facing this face, his entire body began to stiffen.

Xie Zhaozhou wanted him to cooperate.
Cooperate how?

He absolutely couldn’t bring himself to do it, okay?!

Xie Yaoyao was still enthusiastically snuggling up to the man.
The man also bent down and patted Xie Yaoyao’s head.
All eyes in the banquet hall began to converge on them.

The murmur of voices.
Ning Shixue’s mind was buzzing.

He felt something was off.

Wasn’t He Lin Xie Zhaozhou’s senior martial brother?

High school?

Or university?

Xie Zhaozhou should at most be around He Lin’s age.

But… Xie Yaoyao called this man ‘Big Daddy.’
Could a child really mistake his own father?

In the few seconds Ning Shixue hesitated, the man also looked over at him and even waved.

Seemed very affectionate.

There was no time left to hesitate.
Ning Shixue closed his eyes, steeled his heart, and walked over stiffly.

He cautiously didn’t speak, just reached out to take the man’s arm.
The man didn’t move away either.

Ning Shixue’s palms were slightly sweaty, his face pale.

Just as he was about to fully link arms with him, there was a sudden sound of footsteps stopping right in front of him.

The man was tall, with long legs, wearing a pure black custom suit.
The suit jacket, for some reason, was slightly wrinkled.
Several buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing the sharp line of his Adam’s apple.
Even his tie was loosely wound around his hand.

Yet his entire presence was sharply imposing.
His face was pale, features deep-set and straight.
Only his thin lips were a vivid red.
Those dark, narrow phoenix eyes were deeper than the night itself, looking straight into Ning Shixue’s eyes.

Then he lifted Xie Yaoyao and placed him in Ning Shixue’s arms.

Ning Shixue’s arms sank heavily under the weight.
The great antagonist Xie Yaoyao lay in his arms like a little quail, not daring to move.

His throat moved involuntarily.
He lifted his eyelashes, recognizing the man before him through instinct honed by facing danger.

‘What,’
Xie Zhaozhou lowered his voice, his tone lazy and frivolous, but his narrow dark eyes held no trace of amusement.
‘Not even six months of marriage, and you’ve already transferred your affections?’