C28 Chapter 28

"Hey, why did you bring your kid here? Don’t you know unauthorized people aren’t allowed backstage during the competition? Come on, come on, the event’s about to start. Get your friend to come pick him up, and don’t hold things up."

After delivering the reprimand with a frown, the staffer hurried off to take care of something else.

Xia Bing had been about to explain that this wasn’t her child, but by the time she looked up, the staffer was already gone. She parted her lips, then decided not to say anything.

With a soft sigh, Xia Bing bent down and rested a hand on Saang Yuxin’s shoulder. "The competition’s about to start, so you should go find your dad too."

Saang Yuxin felt deeply reluctant to leave, but he’d heard what the staffer had said and knew he couldn’t cause trouble for Xia Bing.

His eyes dimmed for a moment, but then he quickly smiled again. "Okay, I’ll go for now. Good luck, ma’am!"

Xia Bing smiled. "Thanks for the encouragement!"

Saang Yuxin gave her a sweet smile. Even though he didn’t want to leave her, he still turned and walked away.

No rush. There would be other chances.

Xia Yanyou had already promised to take him over to their house sometime.

He hadn’t gone more than a few steps before he spotted Huo Zhou.

The sweetness vanished from his delicate face, replaced instantly by a cool, expressionless look. His dark eyes turned distant and cold.

The change came so fast that Huo Zhou froze for a second, unable to help wondering whether the sweet, well-behaved young master Saang he had just seen had only been his imagination.

"Uncle Huo, do you know where my dad is?" he asked in a chilly voice, no different from his usual tone.

Huo Zhou immediately nodded. "Yes. Mr. Saang is most likely in the VIP seating area with the audience."

"Take me there."

"Of course."

Led into the venue by Huo Zhou, Saang Yuxin spotted the front-row VIP section behind the judges at a glance. His father was there, leaning lazily against the back of his chair, his features as sharp and stern as ever, his whole bearing refined and imposing.

At his side, Zhong Xinyi clung to his father’s arm, leaning in close from time to time to whisper something with a smile.

Saang Yuxin immediately felt his anger flare.

What was so great about this woman, anyway?

His dad had actually ditched him just to come here and enjoy some alone time with her!

And on top of that, she was holding onto his dad’s arm, and his dad hadn’t even pulled away. He was just letting her cling to him like that!

Seriously. So annoying.

With a dark look on his face, he walked over to the two of them.

When Saang Shijuan saw Saang Yuxin, he lifted a brow slightly. “Why’d you come back in? Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”

Zhong Xinyi noticed Saang Yuxin too, and a flicker of irritation flashed through her bright eyes.

She and Saang Shijuan had been having such a nice conversation, and now this little third wheel had shown up.

Still, the irritation disappeared almost at once, so quickly that no one noticed.

Annoyed or not, she hadn’t forgotten that she still needed to win over this little prince.

Zhong Xinyi put on a warm, delighted smile. “Oh, Yuxin, you came to watch the game too?” She patted the seat beside her. “Come sit with me.”

Saang Yuxin didn’t even glance at Zhong Xinyi. He walked straight up to his dad and pretended to look a little tired. “Dad, carry me.”

Saang Shijuan paused for a moment, then immediately caught on to the boy’s little scheme.

With a quiet chuckle, he cooperatively pulled his arm free from Zhong Xinyi’s hand and opened his arms to Saang Yuxin. “Come here.”

Without hesitation, Saang Yuxin climbed onto Saang Shijuan’s lap, wrapped his arms around his neck, and turned the back of his head toward Zhong Xinyi in a posture that made it clear he wanted nothing to do with her. At the same time, he planted himself right between the two of them, blocking any chance of them getting close again.