Free Web NovelChapter 217: WHY DIDN’T YOU WAIT FOR ME
Guiying slipped one arm around Liuxian’s back and gently rubbed slow circles between his shoulder blades.
He didn’t say anything.
He simply stood there, letting Liuxian hold him until the man’s breathing gradually steadied.
When Liuxian finally relaxed, Guiying gently tapped his back.
"Alright."
A smile returned to his face.
"Go and change your clothes so we can finally show me this famous estate of yours."
Liuxian nodded almost immediately.
"I’ll only be a minute."
Then, almost as an afterthought, he added quietly,
"Wait here for me."
Guiying smiled and nodded.
"I’ll be right here."
Satisfied, Liuxian disappeared through the connecting door leading to his room.
The smile on Guiying’s face slowly faded.
He glanced toward the balcony entrance for a brief moment before quietly leaving the balcony. Instead of remaining where Liuxian expected him to be, he slipped out of the room and walked downstairs, stopping beside the grand staircase where he remained hidden from the second floor.
Barely two minutes passed.
Hurried footsteps suddenly echoed through the corridor upstairs.
"Guiying?"
Liuxian’s voice drifted through the hallway.
There was no answer.
A second later, the balcony door slid open.
"Guiying?"
This time the question came faster.
The silence that answered him lasted only a heartbeat before more hurried footsteps crossed the room. Doors opened one after another, each one followed almost immediately by another call of Guiying’s name.
The pace kept quickening.
"Guiying!!"
The calmness in Liuxian’s voice disappeared completely.
He moved from room to room without slowing down, opening doors so quickly that several rebounded against the walls. By the time he reached the staircase, his breathing had become uneven, and when he spotted Guiying standing quietly below, relief crashed across his face so suddenly that his knees almost seemed to weaken.
He covered the distance in only a few strides.
Both hands landed on Guiying’s shoulders before his eyes hurriedly searched him from head to toe.
"Why did you leave?" he asked, the words tumbling over one another. "Didn’t I ask you to wait for me? Did something happen? Did someone say something to you? Were you looking for me? Why didn’t you answer when I called you?"
Guiying didn’t answer immediately.
He simply looked at Liuxian.
The hand resting on his shoulder wasn’t steady.
The man’s chest still rose and fell a little too quickly.
Even now, Liuxian’s eyes continued searching him as though expecting to find an injury that wasn’t there.
Guiying gently reached up and took Liuxian’s trembling hand into his own.
"You don’t have to look so worried."
He intertwined their fingers before giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.
"I’m right here."
Liuxian lowered his eyes to their joined hands.
His grip instinctively tightened around Guiying’s fingers, almost as though he was afraid letting go would make the man disappear again.
Guiying didn’t try to pull away.
Instead, he smiled softly and tugged him toward the staircase.
"Come on."
He gave Liuxian’s hand another reassuring squeeze.
"Let’s go downstairs together."
Hand in hand, the two of them made their way downstairs.
The moment they stepped into the grand foyer, the staff who happened to be passing immediately stopped what they were doing.
"Good afternoon, Young Master."
"Good afternoon, Sir."
Their greetings rang out one after another as they bowed respectfully before returning to their duties.
Guiying smiled politely at everyone who greeted him, earning several pleasantly surprised expressions from the younger maids. Although he hadn’t been there long, word had already spread throughout the estate that their master’s spouse was approachable and kind.
Liuxian turned toward Butler Wang, who had appeared almost as soon as they reached the first floor.
"Uncle Wang."
"Young Master."
"Tell the driver to prepare one of the golf carts. We’re going to tour the estate, so we’ll be visiting the fields first."
Butler Wang smiled knowingly.
"Understood. I’ll have everything prepared immediately."
Less than five minutes later, a white golf cart was already waiting outside the mansion.
Before they stepped out, Liuxian picked up a neatly folded brochure resting on the entrance table and handed it to Guiying.
"This is for you."
Guiying unfolded it curiously.
It wasn’t a brochure at all.
It was a beautifully illustrated map of the estate.
His eyes widened slightly as he traced the different sections marked across the paper.
There were orchards, flower gardens, vineyards, tea fields, vegetable farms, greenhouses, horse stables, fishing ponds, a small lake, walking trails, an artificial forest, several guest houses and even a petting zoo.
The entire estate looked more like a small town than a private residence.
Guiying looked up in disbelief.
"How big is this place exactly?"
Liuxian smiled.
"I told you before."
He pointed toward the map.
"Everything inside these borders belongs to us."
Guiying looked back down at the map before slowly shaking his head.
"You really weren’t exaggerating."
Liuxian chuckled.
"So."
He moved a little closer, looking down at the map together with him.
"Where would you like to go first?"
Guiying studied it seriously, his finger wandering from one section to another before eventually stopping near the western side of the estate.
"This."
Liuxian followed his finger.
"The petting zoo?"
Guiying nodded enthusiastically.
"I want to see the animals first."
A grin spread across his face.
"It’s also part of the farm righ? I want to feed them."
Liuxian laughed.
"I had a feeling you’d choose that first."
The golf cart carried them through the estate at a leisurely pace while Liuxian pointed out different landmarks along the way. Workers tending the flower beds and fields stopped to greet them as they passed, and each greeting was returned with a smile from Guiying.
The petting zoo was every bit as lively as Liuxian had promised.
Goats wandered lazily through the grassy fields while sheep clustered together beneath the shade of several large trees. Rabbits hopped freely inside spacious enclosures, ducks paddled across a small pond and a pair of alpacas curiously wandered over the moment they noticed visitors.
Guiying’s eyes lit up.
"They’re so cute."
One particularly bold goat nudged his hand, clearly hoping for food.
Guiying laughed as he accepted a small basket of feed from one of the caretakers before crouching beside the fence.
"So you’re the greedy one. That’s so cute."
The goat answered by trying to steal the entire basket.
Liuxian watched the scene with an amused smile.
Somehow, he found himself paying more attention to Guiying’s bright laughter than to the animals surrounding them.
After spending nearly an hour there, they continued toward the greenhouse.
The warm, humid air greeted them the moment they stepped inside.
Rows upon rows of vegetables, herbs and fruits stretched into the distance, while orchids and other rare flowers occupied a separate section carefully maintained by the gardeners.
Guiying wandered between the rows with obvious curiosity, stopping every few steps to ask questions that Liuxian answered patiently.
"Did this place belong to someone? It’s hard to believe you got all this in a month.."
Liuxian nodded, it wasn’t hard, most things was bought and transferred.
By the time they finally left, the afternoon sun had begun its slow descent.
"Tea?"
Liuxian asked.
Guiying smiled. "Tea sounds nice."
The golf cart eventually stopped beside a quiet pavilion surrounded by blooming orchids.
The fragrance drifted gently through the air while a table had already been prepared beneath the shade, complete with freshly brewed tea and delicate pastries.
Guiying took a sip before leaning back comfortably in his chair.
"This place is beautiful."
Liuxian watched him over the rim of his teacup.
"I’m glad you like it."
Before either of them could continue, Butler Wang approached with measured steps.
He stopped a respectful distance away before inclining his head.
"Young Master."
Liuxian set down his teacup.
"What is it, Uncle Wang?"
Butler Wang hesitated briefly before speaking.
"Master Xue has arrived."
Guiying’s fingers paused around his teacup.
Butler Wang looked toward him respectfully.
"He says he would like to see Young Master Xue."
Silence settled over the orchid pavilion.
Guiying slowly lowered the teacup onto its saucer.
"My father..."
The words barely left his lips.
Liuxian quietly reached across the table and covered Guiying’s hand with his own.
"I’ll be with you."
Guiying looked at him before taking a slow breath.
Then he nodded.
Guiying gently set his teacup back onto the saucer before looking toward Butler Wang.
"Uncle Wang."
"Young Master."
"Could you have lunch prepared as well? I’d like plenty of meat, burgers if we have them, and anything else that’s filling."
His eyes drifted toward Liuxian before a smile tugged at his lips.
"As for him, something soft and delicious. His stomach has been through enough already."
