VBNWDW - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Brilliant sunlight could not penetrate the Old Residence. The shadows of trees fell across the courtyard house, creating a strange sense of desolation that seemed to muffle the sound of voices.

"…Forget it, Dad. I'm not at retirement age yet. You and Mom should go have fun on your own. I'm busy."

"Oh, listen to that. Our Xiao Kang is quite ambitious."

The low, laughing voices came from across the room. Seated in a sandalwood chair, Xi Zhoulu, dressed in a linen shirt with knotted buttons, leaned back slightly. Her spine was perfectly straight against the chair back, her hands folded over her ebony cane. Her expression was cold and distant.

The trio on the other side paid her no mind, happily engrossed in their own conversation.

The oldest of them, a man, sat in the center. He had black hair and blue eyes, with features that bore a thirty-percent resemblance to Xi Zhoulu, though his face was a strong, square shape. His expression softened only when he looked at his family.

The woman beside him appeared younger and hadn't stopped smiling since the conversation began, her gaze fixed on the father and son.

She chided with a laugh, "And you, as a father, instead of encouraging Xiao Kang, you're teaching him all the wrong things. Who retires in their twenties?"

Leaning against his father, Xi Zhoukang chimed in, "Mom's right. I'm still young. How can I just lie flat?"

Xi Yunting simply laughed at the remark, patting his son's shoulder. "Alright, alright, you're both right. But don't work yourself too hard. Our family doesn't lack for money, you know?"

Xi Zhoulu did not participate. Though she occupied the same space, she seemed to be in another world entirely.

The butler behind her also remained silent, dressed in an old-fashioned tunic suit, like a silent wooden carving.

A breeze rustled the green potted plants. An old servant entered from the courtyard, respectfully announced that the Old Master would be arriving shortly, then bowed and retreated.

A subtle shift in expression passed over the three people across from her. Then, Xi Yunting's current wife suddenly spoke up. "Didn't Xiao Kang mention a project he was interested in a couple of days ago?"

"We were out at sea then, and the signal was bad. I couldn't hear clearly."

As if struck by a sudden realization, Xi Yunting said, "Right, there was that."

He turned to his son, his voice gentle. "I took a brief look at it. It's quite good. If you want to invest, go ahead. It's no problem."

Xi Zhoukang's face lit up with a smile. "I think it's great, too," he said quickly. "It's just…"

He gave a thick-skinned, sheepish laugh. "Dad, you know I just graduated. I don't have much spare cash on hand."

The man had the gall to say he "just graduated" when it had already been two years.

Xi Zhoulu lowered her gaze, her long lashes casting a faint gray shadow on her eyelids. Her knuckles unconsciously traced the carvings on her cane, a faint, sharp sensation pricking her skin.

The old-fashioned grandfather clock nearby ticked steadily, its sound mingling with the back-and-forth of their conversation.

Old Master Xi loved collecting clocks and watches. His collection was so vast he had bought a separate courtyard house just to store them, with dedicated staff to manage it.

Xi Zhoulu recalled the auction a few days ago, where she had spent twenty million to buy an antique clock for the Old Master. She wondered if it had been placed among his collection yet.

Across from her, the charade of polite refusal had begun. It seemed Xi Yunting had spent a good deal of money recently and was a bit short on cash. But for the sake of his son's career, he decided he would sell some real estate to fund the investment. Xi Zhoukang, naturally, disagreed, and the two went back and forth.

The cane shifted slightly before being pulled back into place.

Although Xi Yunting was Old Master Xi's only son, his prospects were limited by his rank and intellect, and he had never been valued by his father. He received only a fixed monthly dividend, and once it was spent, there was no more.

Xi Zhoulu thought back to the financial statements she had reviewed. A quick mental calculation told her how much Xi Yunting had left. While he wasn't yet at the point of selling houses and cars, she had specifically arranged for someone to introduce a few business deals to him a while back…

Although this drama had played out more than once, the circumstances were different this time. It was better to be thorough and avoid having to invent another excuse later.

Xi Zhoulu lifted her eyelids and looked at the trio opposite her, the emotions in her pale, grayish-blue eyes inscrutable.

Right on cue, Xi Zhoukang, feigning that he had no choice but to find another solution, turned to Xi Zhoulu. "How could I possibly take your money!" he said, looking troubled.

"If it really comes to it, I'll just borrow some from my sister. I'll pay her back once my funds are freed up in a while."

As his words fell, all three of them turned to look at Xi Zhoulu.

Xi Zhoukang forced a smile. "Sister, are you tight on cash right now? I'd like to borrow a little."

This courtyard house was strange. Outside, the sun was so intense it could almost melt a person, yet inside, a chilling cold lingered.

Xi Zhoulu looked at the family and said flatly, "I am. I can't lend you any."

The room fell silent. The three of them hadn't expected her to say that. After all, this charade had been repeated so many times. Regardless of Xi Zhoulu's motives, they could always trick a considerable sum out of her with a little acting. This was the first time she had ever refused.

"You bastard thing!"

Xi Yunting shot up from his seat, pointing a finger at her as he roared, "Feeling bold now that your wings have grown, is that it?! What's wrong with your brother borrowing a little money from you?"

"Don't be so shameless!"

"Sister, it's not like I won't pay you back. I can even write you an IOU," Xi Zhoukang said, also standing, a troubled look on his face.

"Oh, my. Who's ever heard of siblings writing IOUs? People would laugh if they heard," said the Xi family's stepmother.

The scene instantly descended into chaos. Yet Xi Zhoulu, the target of their accusations and schemes, remained perfectly calm. She even picked up her tea and took a light sip before speaking. "The company has invested in several projects recently. I don't have any liquid capital on hand at the moment."

Her tone was unhurried, as if she were watching a play. Her delicate features were cool and indifferent. "It will likely be two or three months before things turn around."

"The company! The company! You dare use the company to brush me off now?" Xi Yunting refused to listen, his face a mask of fury.

His anger was understandable. It was like that story about the good man who carried water for the village every day. The one day he fell ill and couldn't, the entire village cursed him for being a fraud. Meanwhile, a man who did evil every day could change his image with a single good deed and be praised by all.

Xi Zhoulu's situation was just like that. In the past, to avoid trouble, she had always given them the money they asked for. Now that she had refused, not only did she receive no understanding, but she was met with a torrent of abuse.

"Sister, just lend me a little. You can't let Dad sell his house and car to lend me money, can you?" Xi Zhoukang's face was now genuinely filled with distress.

He had already inquired. His father truly had no money this time. A few days ago, a friend of Xi Yunting's had pitched him several projects, and he had moved all his available funds into them.

But Xi Zhoukang couldn't bear to part with his own project. He had studied it carefully several times and was certain it had potential. For the past two years, every investment he'd made had failed, earning him no small amount of ridicule in his social circle. He had been bottling up his frustration, and now that he finally had a chance to turn things around, he couldn't possibly give it up.

"Don't beg her! I don't want her damn money!" Xi Yunting grew even more incensed.

The woman beside him seemed to be patting his back to soothe him, but she was actually fanning the flames. She sighed, "Why are you making things difficult for the child? I still have some jewelry. We could sell it for now and…"

Before she could finish, the sound of a cane tapping on the floor echoed, followed by a voice that commanded authority without being loud.

"What's all this shouting for in broad daylight?!"

A dead silence fell over the room. Xi Yunting, who had been so imposing just a moment ago, turned pale, unsure whether to sit or stand.

He had dared to bring this up now because, typically, the Old Master would arrive a full half-hour after being announced. Today, not even ten minutes had passed!

The other two were in a similar state. They turned to look. Standing in the bright doorway was an old man dressed in jet-black training clothes. Though he had been retired for several years, he still carried the powerful aura of a superior. With a single sweep of his eyes, everyone lowered their gaze.

"Dad."

"Grandfather."

Respectful greetings filled the air. Old Master Xi gave a slight nod and walked in slowly. "What were you arguing about? Tell me."

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