“Don’t be so tense. I’m not even ready to use Xixi yet. I came over today purely to meet you and see whether you’re worthy of Xixi’s lifelong trust.”

Ming Kai took the tea, smiled gently, then thanked Xiao Hu before turning to the unnamed male operative standing behind him: “Gang Zi, keep an eye on the door. Even though we didn’t bring any tail, we still need to be extra careful.”

“Got it.”

The man named Gang Zi, still holding the hot tea Xiao Hu had just handed over, headed straight for the door without a word.

He didn’t actually go outside—just stood by the doorway.

Ming Kai took a sip of the hot tea and signaled to Xiao Hu with his eyes: “Have a seat. Let’s have a quick chat, okay? Don’t worry, it won’t take long.”

Xiao Hu set down his teacup and was about to sit when Ming Kai spoke up again: “First put on a pair of shoes and some warmer clothes. Don’t catch a cold—you’ll make Xixi worry if you do.”

Xiao Hu didn’t reply but did as he was told.

For some reason, hearing that man call Xixi “Xixi” over and over made him inexplicably upset, to the point where he wanted to punch him twice.

But in the end, he held back.

After putting on his shoes and layering up, Xiao Hu sat on the sofa opposite Ming Kai and blurted out, “So what exactly do you want from me?”

“Just a little chat,” Ming Kai replied, picking up his water and taking a few sips.

Xiao Hu poured himself a cup of hot water too and, determined not to lose face, said to Ming Kai, “What’s there to talk about? What could we possibly have in common?”

“True, there’s not much to talk about—but there are still a few things we can discuss.”

“Like what?”

“Like Xixi.”

“Xixi?”

“Yes, Xixi.”

“What about her?” Xiao Hu’s hostility flared up immediately.

Ming Kai seemed to sense it; far from getting angry, he just laughed. After laughing, he asked Xiao Hu, “Are you together with Xixi now?”

“What are you trying to do?” Xiao Hu shot to his feet, fists clenched, as if the man in front of him were here to steal Xixi away from him.

Ming Kai smiled even more contentedly. “Hey, kid, don’t be so nervous. I’m not going to compete with you for Xixi. You can rest assured—I’ve always treated Xixi like my little sister, with no ulterior motives. Sit down, and don’t wake Xixi up.”

Only then did Xiao Hu relax and sit back down, his hostility noticeably fading. He said lightly, “Then what do you want to talk about?”

“Let’s talk about your future with Xixi.”

Ming Kai took another sip.

He turned to Xiao Hu and said, “You know what Xixi does for a living, right?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“And you probably have some idea of Xixi’s personality and interests too, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So what kind of feelings do you think Xixi has for you—right now, I mean? More than anything else?”

“I…”

Xiao Hu was caught off guard.

To be honest, he was confused too.

He couldn’t understand why Xixi had suddenly started flirting with him or why she’d suddenly wanted him—he’d been acting purely on instinct.

Ming Kai remained calm and composed, sipping his water as he spoke slowly: “When two young people with young hearts come together, there are many reasons. Take your time to think it over. But if you really want to stay with Xixi and keep being this happy and joyful, you’ve got to be on the same wavelength.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Xiao Hu asked, puzzled—partly because he thought he understood something, yet partly because he didn’t. He looked up at this mysterious man, his eyes filled with confusion.

End of Chapter 152: Counterattack 78