"Xie Xie... you're back."
After the Xie Family Villa fell silent for quite a while, Xie An finally spoke. His voice was a little deeper than usual, as though he had pressed something down beneath his vocal cords.
His tone was flat, but that very flatness felt unnatural, as if he were trying hard to make his voice sound "the same as usual."
"Yeah... I won't be coming back after this. I'm doing fine living at school."
Xie Xie did not even spare his father a glance. He simply packed up his belongings with a Spatial Soul Tool, his eyes lowered as he thought about something.
His movements were quick. He folded his clothes one by one and put them into the storage space of the Soul Tool, then arranged his books neatly before stuffing them inside. Every movement was crisp and efficient, without a single unnecessary pause.
He did not want to stay here any longer.
The air in the living room made him feel stifled. It had nothing to do with the temperature; it was some indescribable thing blocking his chest and making it hard to breathe.
After that, the two of them fell silent again for a long time.
Xie An sat on the sofa, unconsciously rubbing the rim of his teacup with his fingers, circling it again and again as though repeatedly weighing something.
He let out a faint sigh and finally spoke again.
"How about I drive you back?"
There was a cautious probing tone in his voice, as though he were asking a question whose answer he already knew, but still wanted to try one more time.
"No need. I can go by myself."
Xie Xie's refusal was decisive rather than tactful, like turning down a stranger.
There was no trace of petulance in