My Alleged Husband

Chapter 76: Chapter 74 Who is the Handsomest_1

After her date with Xiao Wei, Li Jiayuan hurried back home, while Xiao Wei went to find Xia Jing!

”Dad! Dad! Dad!” As soon as Li Jiayuan got home, she started calling for Li Haixiao, and upon hearing her, he immediately came downstairs.

”What’s wrong, Jiayuan, is something the matter? I heard you calling me from upstairs,” Li Haixiao said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

”Dad, can’t I call for you if there’s nothing wrong?” Li Jiayuan pouted as she spoke to Li Haixiao.

”You, you’re just like when you were a child, pouting whenever you’re unhappy. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were about to cry, haha!” Li Haixiao wasn’t shy about mentioning Li Jiayuan’s embarrassing moments, much to her displeasure!

”Dad, how can you say that? At least give me a heads up before bringing up someone’s shortcomings. Saying it so bluntly like that, I wasn’t prepared at all, and it’s made me so embarrassed!” Li Jiayuan stamped her foot as she spoke.

”Alright, alright, I won’t talk about it anymore. Can you now tell Dad what urgent matter you have?”

”Dad, I wanted to ask you if you’ve met Xiao Wei?” Li Jiayuan spared no courtesy when speaking with her father, saying whatever she felt like.

”How did you know that? Did you see him?”

”Yes, Dad, since you’ve already met Xiao Wei, I have a question to ask you,” Li Jiayuan said as she prepared to tease her dad again.

”Well, I never thought the incredibly smart Miss Jiayuan would have something she doesn’t understand. So, Miss Jiayuan, please ask your question,” Li Haixiao was curious to know what could possibly perplex his darling daughter.

”Dad, don’t make fun of me. I wanted to ask you, did you think Xiao Wei was handsome when you met him?”

Li Jiayuan looked at Li Haixiao with anticipation, but Li Haixiao was a bit displeased upon hearing his daughter’s question. Puffing up with a bit of anger, he said to Li Jiayuan, ”Could he be more handsome than your old man?”

Li Jiayuan was speechless, her words stuck in her throat, unable to speak or swallow, she just stared blankly at Li Haixiao.

”What’s the matter, did I say something wrong? Back in my day, I was a handsome young man, dashing and elegant. Don’t you think your dad is much more handsome than Xiao Wei?” Seeing that his daughter wasn’t speaking, Li Haixiao couldn’t hold back and asked Li Jiayuan, ”Jiayuan, what kind of taste do you have? If you’re to find someone, shouldn’t you look for someone as handsome as your dad?”

Li Jiayuan was just about to drink water from her cup when she heard what her dad said; she was just glad she hadn’t started drinking yet. Otherwise, she was sure she would have choked on it.

”Dad, what are you talking about?”

”Am I wrong? Look how handsome your dad is...”

Li Haixiao was ready to continue, but Li Jiayuan quickly made a stopping gesture with her hand, cutting him off mercilessly before he could finish his sentence. ”Dad, I know I shouldn’t be discouraging, but I can’t help saying this,” she said.

”Say it!”

”Dad, I believe you when you say you were very handsome when you were young, but now you’re over fifty. By the time I marry Xiao Wei, you’ll be a grandfather soon. Why do you even say such things?” Li Jiayuan spoke candidly, and Li Haixiao’s face turned darker and darker with each word. Realizing she had probably gone too far as her dad’s expression grew grim, she quickly added, ”Dad, I admit that you’re still as suave and debonair as you were when you were young, but I still think Xiao Wei is more handsome. Don’t take it to heart!”

Li Haixiao was quite pleased when Li Jiayuan remarked that he was still elegant, but as soon as she said ”Xiao Wei is more handsome,” his brightened expression darkened again.

Li Haixiao felt helpless; he suddenly got the feeling that all his efforts raising his daughter had gone to waste. Why did her loyalty seem to lie elsewhere?

”Jiayuan, I really can’t understand. I’m your dad, can’t you say a few things to make me happy? What kind of daughter does this?”

Li Jiayuan didn’t know what to say for a moment; it was clear that her own dad was competing with Xiao Wei to see who was more handsome. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn’t have asked. Now she had even upset her father...

Li Haixiao looked at Li Jiayuan’s conflicted expression and said, ”Why do I feel like my daughter’s upbringing has been wasted? Sigh! Forget about it.”

Li Haixiao sighed and shook his head; Li Jiayuan didn’t know how to console him, feeling she hadn’t said anything wrong.

Without another word, Li Haixiao went upstairs.

Xiao Wei told Xia Jing how happy Li Jiayuan was after his confession, and Xia Jing thought that even if she didn’t care about such things, she still wished Zhang Zhentian would make a confession to her just like Xiao Wei did to Li Jiayuan.

Seeing that Xia Jing’s complexion didn’t look very good, Xiao Wei quickly made his excuses to leave; he knew that although Xia Jing seemed indifferent about Zhang Zhentian’s confession, every girl hoped to hear a formal confession from the one she loved!

Just after Xiao Wei left, Li Jiayuan came.

”Why are you here again?” Upon opening the door and seeing Li Jiayuan, Xia Jing didn’t hold back and blurted out this question.

Embarrassed, Li Jiayuan scratched her head and said, ”Heh, I’m here again. I wanted to chat with you. You don’t mind, do you?”

”You’re not here to brag about Xiao Wei’s confession to you, are you?” Xia Jing asked.

Li Jiayuan looked at Xia Jing with confusion and said, ”Xiao Wei was here?”

”Yes, he was, but he had already left when you arrived!” Xia Jing saw Li Jiayuan looking extremely happy, peering into the house, and she couldn’t help but remind her.

”Well, actually, I came because there’s something I want to tell you!”

”Come in.”

Xia Jing poured a glass of water for Li Jiayuan, and the two chattered away in the house about who knows what. Every now and then, shrieks of surprise from Li Jiayuan and Xia Jing would emanate, making the neighbors think they had gotten into a fight.

It was not until Li Jiayuan talked about the conversation with her dad that Xia Jing began to feel a little unhappy.

”Jiayuan, how could you speak about your father like that?”

Li Jiayuan hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from Xia Jing after hearing about the incident.

”How is what you’re doing any different from what Zhang Zhentian did before? Parents should be respected, not criticized or judged by you. Do you think it was easy for him to raise you all by himself? Your dad is already at such an age; can’t you just indulge him a little? He has agreed to let you be with Xiao Wei. That’s his love for you. For your sake, he could give up everything. How can you behave like this? Jiayuan...”

Li Jiayuan hung her head, feeling guilty after being chastised by Xia Jing.

”Xia Jing, why are you so angry?” Li Jiayuan asked, puzzled.

”I’ve been an orphan since I was young; how much I wished I could have my parents’ love. If they were still alive, they certainly wouldn’t let me be bullied; then, I wouldn’t have had to toil to establish the Mercenary. Li Jiayuan, I’m telling you, no matter who’s more handsome, your dad or Xiao Wei, you shouldn’t have spoken to your father that way!”

After finishing, Xia Jing went into the bedroom and shut the door. Li Jiayuan sat alone on the sofa, reflecting on Xia Jing’s words.

Thinking it over, she felt she really had gone too far. That was her father, after all, and she shouldn’t treat him like that. Realizing her mistake, she rushed home to apologize to Li Haixiao!