Chapter 553: I’m Sorry, I Cannot Get Engaged to Zhixuan

Chapter 553: Chapter 553: I’m Sorry, I Cannot Get Engaged to Zhixuan

Cheng Yuan could sense that He Zhixuan was in immense pain as she spoke.

’After all, this was the family she’d grown up in!’

In fact, Cheng Yuan had faced a similar situation himself. If not for his maternal grandfather’s sake, he couldn’t have been bothered to help his own relatives get ahead.

His heart ached for He Zhixuan.

He Zhixuan’s words struck the He Family like a bolt from the blue, leaving them all in despair.

The matriarch had personally made her plea, but He Zhixuan still refused. ’Does heaven itself want to destroy our He Family?’

The members of the He Family were so filled with regret they wanted to cry.

’If only we had been a little kinder to Zhixuan, we wouldn’t be in this mess today.’

’Why did we have to be so cruel to her?’

Xi Minglan understood He Zhixuan’s choice, but she still felt a pang of disappointment. "Zhixuan, are you abandoning your grandmother?"

He Zhixuan quickly shook her head.

"Grandma, how could I ever abandon you? If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have survived to this day! Whether I return to the He Family or not, you will always be my grandmother! If you’re willing, I’ll have you come live with me so I can take care of you! If you don’t want to, I’ll visit you at the He Family home regularly!"

A look of relief washed over Xi Minglan’s face. ’It seems she still cares about me.’

’In that case, my chances of making her stay are much higher.’

A flicker of reluctance flashed in Xi Minglan’s eyes.

’Zhirou, don’t blame your grandmother for setting you up!’

’My heart aches for you, but it also aches for the He Family!’

After all, everyone in the He Family was of her blood, Xi Minglan’s blood.

She couldn’t bear to watch her descendants live lives of hardship and wandering.

Suddenly, Xi Minglan clutched her chest, her face contorting in agony. "Zhixuan, you... you can’t leave your grandmother. Without you, I can’t go on! Ugh..."

The He Family’s villa instantly descended into chaos.

"Mother! What’s wrong?"

"Grandma! Are you okay?"

The He Family members rushed to support the matriarch, their faces tight with anxiety.

He Zhixuan’s heart leaped into her throat. She rushed forward, shouting, "Grandma’s angina is acting up again! Quick, find her heart pills!"

As she shouted, He Zhixuan skillfully retrieved the bottle of heart pills from Xi Minglan’s pocket, swiftly uncapped it, tipped one out, and placed it in her grandmother’s mouth.

After she took the pill, the color returned slightly to Xi Minglan’s face. She looked at He Zhixuan weakly. "Zhixuan, I can’t live without you. Promise me, please promise you won’t leave the He Family, alright?"

He Zhixuan’s brow furrowed in a conflicted frown. She truly wanted nothing more to do with her relatives in the He Family.

"Grandma, please don’t put me in this position. I really..."

Before she could finish, Xi Minglan’s eyes rolled back in her head. She began gasping for air, looking as if she was about to breathe her last.

In the midst of this, Xi Minglan subtly shot her son a look.

He Guosheng understood his mother’s meaning in an instant. With a panicked expression, he said, "Zhixuan, just promise her! Do you want to be the death of her?"

He Zhixuan was beside herself with worry and didn’t notice a thing. "Grandma, don’t scare me! I promise! I’ll promise you anything!" she cried out. "Cheng Yuan, hurry, come treat my grandmother! You have to save her!"

Cheng Yuan stepped forward and took Xi Minglan’s wrist to check her pulse. A strange expression crossed his face.

’This old woman is quite the actress.’

’If I weren’t a doctor, I’d probably have fallen for it too.’

Just as Cheng Yuan was about to expose her, he saw Xi Minglan discreetly give him a look. Her eyes were filled with a silent plea, begging him not to give her away.

If Xi Minglan had been an unreasonable old woman, Cheng Yuan would have ignored her plea and mercilessly exposed her.

But Xi Minglan had always treated He Zhixuan well.

This gave Cheng Yuan pause.

Thinking of his own grandfather, Cheng Yuan understood the pains she was taking.

Cheng Yuan let out a long, slow sigh.

’Such is a parent’s heart.’

’Fine.’

’For the matriarch’s sake, I’ll let it slide.’

’Besides, Zhixuan will be the one calling the shots in the He Family from now on. No one will dare disrespect her; they’ll all have to treat her like a queen.’

He Zhixuan looked at Cheng Yuan, her face etched with worry. "Cheng Yuan, how is she?"

Cheng Yuan started to bluff. "Zhixuan, she’s suffering from a condition brought on by extreme anger and distress. It’s very dangerous. It’s best not to let her get agitated or angry."

Xi Minglan shot Cheng Yuan a grateful glance, then said in a feeble voice, "Zhixuan, promise me you won’t leave, alright? I really can’t live without you!"

He Zhixuan nodded emphatically. "Okay! I promise, Grandma! I won’t leave!!"

A look of relief appeared on Xi Minglan’s face. She pulled He Zhixuan into a tight embrace, and the two, grandmother and granddaughter, wept in each other’s arms.

Finally, looks of relief appeared on the faces of the other He Family members.

’The old lady’s still got it!’

’She played the sympathy card perfectly and got Zhixuan right where she wanted her!’

Cheng Yuan looked coldly at the He Family relatives, his face devoid of expression. "For He Zhixuan’s sake, I can grant the He Group first-tier agency rights. However," he warned, "if I ever find out that she has suffered even the slightest grievance, I will make the He Group vanish from the face of the earth!"

The expressions of the He Family members changed instantly, and alarm bells went off in their minds.

’From now on, we must never, ever provoke He Zhixuan!’

’We have to worship her like a queen!’

"Rest assured, Chairman Cheng! From this day forward, I, He Guosheng, will follow Zhixuan’s every command!"

"Rest assured, Chairman Cheng! From now on, wherever Zhixuan points, I, He Zhirou, will follow!"

"Rest assured, Chairman Cheng! From now on, her words will be like an imperial decree to me!"

...

The members of the He Family all rushed to declare their loyalty, each statement more outrageous than the last, until even He Zhixuan started to feel embarrassed.

He Zhixuan’s resentment toward her relatives softened slightly.

"There’s no need for all that," she said. "We can just talk normally."

’They all laughed sheepishly. ’Our dear lady, please don’t make things difficult for us!’’

’With a man that powerful backing you, who would dare to just ’talk normally’ with you?!’

He Guosheng’s eyes darted around as a brilliant idea came to him.

"We just so happened to have prepared for an engagement banquet today, so let’s not let it go to waste! There’s no time like the present. Why don’t we hold the engagement for Chairman Cheng and Zhixuan today!"

The eyes of the He Family members lit up.

’Brilliant!’

’Big Brother is a genius!’

’This will really lock things down!’

’If Chairman Cheng really becomes the He Family’s prized son-in-law...’

’Who would dare to disrespect the He Family in Expensive City, or even the entire Qian Province?’

"Big Brother is right! I wholeheartedly support the engagement between Chairman Cheng and Zhixuan!"

"Our uncle is right! I support the engagement between Chairman Cheng and Sister Zhixuan with everything I’ve got!"

"Why are you all being so formal? Don’t call him Chairman Cheng! It should be Brother-in-law!"

"Exactly! It’s Brother-in-law!"

...

In an instant, the He Family members were all cheering and teasing.

He Zhixuan, however, grew nervous. ’Cheng Yuan is already married,’ she thought. ’He can’t possibly get engaged to me!’

’If Cheng Yuan suddenly turned hostile in front of everyone, it would be incredibly awkward!’

It was just as she feared.

Cheng Yuan raised his hands slightly to quiet the crowd. "I appreciate everyone’s kind intentions! But I cannot get engaged to Zhixuan!"