VBNWDW - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“Why have you gone quiet?” the deep, heavy, aged voice sounded once more.

The expressions on the three people opposite him stiffened. After exchanging a glance, none of them dared to be the first to speak.

It wasn't that the three of them were timid. After all, Old Master Xi had been in charge of the Xi family for decades, single-handedly bringing the family, which had been in gradual decline, back to its peak. His methods could hardly have been gentle. It wasn't just the Xi family; even outsiders would shiver at the mention of his name.

Moreover, this old master was a thoroughly feudal and stubborn traditionalist who placed extreme importance on bloodline and rank. In his eyes, if you weren't an Alpha or an Omega, you were practically a cripple, utterly useless. The same logic applied to lower ranks.

Even Xi Yunting, his own biological son, had been abandoned and stripped of his inheritance rights simply because early tests predicted he would differentiate into a low-ranking Alpha. After coming of age, a marriage was arranged for him directly to complete his reproductive duty.

Speaking of which, Xi Yunting's family of three actually had Xi Zhoulu to thank. If she hadn't been tested early on with satisfactory differentiation results, Xi Yunting would have been forced into another arranged marriage, rather than being free to choose his subsequent partner as he was now.

A long time passed after his words fell, and still, no one spoke. Old Master Xi was helped to the head seat. His posture seemed relaxed, yet he was like a fierce tiger coiled upon the sandalwood.

He didn't speak immediately. Instead, he half-closed his eyes and swept his gaze around the room before finally looking at Xi Yunting's family and slowly asking, “What are you standing for? Is there nowhere for you to sit?”

Hearing this, the three of them immediately sat down in a panic, not in the innermost seats but perched on the very edge of their chairs, looking tense and uneasy.

It couldn't be helped. To the Old Master, Xi Yunting, a C-Class Alpha, along with a C-Class Omega and an A-Class Omega son, were nothing but a pile of wastes. They were given some dividends as pocket money and that was it; they held no real power and had a very low status.

Perhaps it was also because of this that they harbored such resentment toward Xi Zhoulu.

“Zhoulu, you tell me,” he said, turning to Xi Zhoulu when he saw that no one else was willing to speak.

The three people opposite them grew even more nervous. The stepmother couldn't help but blurt out, “It’s just a small matter…”

Before she could finish, the Old Master cut her off with a sharp glare. She trembled, lowered her head, and dared not speak again.

Xi Zhoulu, on the other hand, remained placid, just as she had been before. She simply said, “Xi Zhoukang wanted to borrow money from me.”

As soon as she said it, the three people opposite her stared with wide, panicked eyes. They wanted to refute her but didn't dare, so they could only glare at her as a warning.

Xi Zhoulu was completely unaffected. Her calm voice could even be described as cold as she stated matter-of-factly, “The company has many projects these days. I don't have any liquid capital right now. I told him to come back later.”

She didn't embellish or add a single detail, nor did she show any intention of blaming the other party. Xi Zhoulu was like a work of art meticulously carved by the Old Master, with all her emotions hidden beneath a layer of reason.

“What projects?” Old Master Xi asked, as if he hadn't noticed anything else and was instead drawn in by business matters.

Xi Zhoulu explained in a low voice.

Having many projects was indeed not an excuse, but it didn't mean Xi Zhoulu was left without a single cent to her name.

Sunlight cast sharp silhouettes through the latticed window, and a breeze rustled the bouquet of flowers in the porcelain vase.

After she finished her explanation, Old Master Xi thought for a moment and nodded. “Acceptable.”

It was a sign of his approval.

Then, he changed the subject. “Although you have many investment projects, you still need to have reserve funds.”

“I understand,” Xi Zhoulu nodded in agreement.

Then she heard Old Master Xi say, “Lend him a little.”

He paused, then added with unclear meaning, “He needs some training, after all.”

The wind stirred a slender branch, disturbing a fallen leaf. Everyone's thoughts immediately began to churn, especially Xi Yunting's family of three, who could no longer control their expressions.

Did the Old Master mean…

That Xi Zhoukang could also be cultivated?

The stepmother's face instantly brightened with joy. Among everyone in the room, she had the most confidence in Xi Zhoukang. So what if Xi Zhoulu was outstanding? She was still a cripple. It wasn't even certain if she could produce a qualified heir, and the Old Master valued the continuation of the family's superior bloodline above all else.

An idea sparked in her mind, and she began to smooth things over with a smile. First, she said that if Xi Zhoulu was truly short on funds, they could forget it; Xi Zhoukang should learn to be independent and not rely on the family.

She completely ignored the astonished looks and subtle restraining gestures from her husband and son.

Then, with a few more words, she eased the tension in the room before pretending to casually bring up, “How did that blind date you arranged for Zhoulu go last time?”

“Zhoulu is a cold child. She doesn't like to talk to us about these things, so we have no idea what's going on.”

With a flick of her eyes, she had put in a bad word for Xi Zhoulu. Then, feigning a benevolent smile, she asked with mock concern, “Does Zhoulu have a suitable marriage partner now?”

“You're not young anymore, you should take this seriously. Don't just bury your head in work all day. The people grandpa arranges for you are all excellent. You could try getting to know them,” she advised with a smile.

In just a few sentences, she had implied that Xi Zhoulu disrespected the Old Master's arrangements and didn't care about marriage, that she wasn't close to the family, and finally, she managed to bring up the recent conflict between Old Master Xi and Xi Zhoulu. It was truly killing three birds with one stone.

It was well known that Xi Zhoulu had argued with the Old Master frequently over the matter of marriage. In the beginning, Old Master Xi wasn't anxious, only mentioning a suitable candidate whenever he saw one.

Xi Zhoulu would coolly change the subject, deftly brushing it aside. If that didn't work, she would bring up company matters, always managing to deflect.

But now Xi Zhoulu was twenty-seven, and the Old Master was inevitably growing impatient. He had recently arranged numerous blind dates for her, even chasing her to her office to force her to go.

Xi Zhoulu refused and ended up having a huge fight with the Old Master at the company.

This was the first time the two had met since that argument.

At the mention of this topic, Old Master Xi's expression darkened further. He gripped the wooden armrest beside him and said to Xi Zhoulu, “You are too young, too reckless in your actions, and not steady enough. The projects are good, but you must also consider your retreat.”

“Throwing all your liquid capital out there—what if something else comes up?”

“How many times have I told you? You must think of the long term and consider the consequences. You can't covet small profits and cut off your own escape route.”

The deep, aged voice carried a sternness that sounded less like guidance and more like a reprimand.

Xi Zhoulu did not argue; she simply listened.

It was the three people beside her who showed a hint of nervous delight. The Old Master cared about rank and usually valued Xi Zhoulu the most. Such a public rebuke was almost unheard of. Did that mean…

The next second, they heard the Old Master say, “Xiao Kang has been graduated for so long. It's time he went to the company to take a look and help you out.”

Joy instantly filled the faces of Xi Yunting's family. They had brought this up before, but the Old Master had never relented. Now he had actually agreed!

Xi Zhoulu frowned slightly, knowing full well this was the Old Master's threat, telling her that if she didn't obey, there was someone else who could replace her…

Old Master Xi pretended not to see everyone's reactions. He changed the subject again, saying, “Last time I went to Old Xu's place, I saw his granddaughter. Her looks and character are both good, and most importantly, her rank is compatible with yours.”

“You're taking a couple of days off. Go ask her out for a meal and get to know her.”

The stepmother was about to speak, but Xi Zhoulu interrupted her.

“I'm not going.”

The atmosphere in the room froze. The wind vanished, and the branches in the vase drooped downward.

“I already have a suitable candidate,” Xi Zhoulu said again.

Old Master Xi narrowed his eyes, suppressing his anger. “Who is it?”

Her pale knuckles brushed against the silver-inlaid handle of her cane. Xi Zhoulu remained unhurried, her voice steady as she replied, “An S-Class Alpha with extremely high compatibility with me.”

Old Master Xi's expression softened. He leaned back in his chair, his posture becoming more relaxed. “When did this happen? Why haven't I heard you mention it?”

“I met her these past two days. She's the Mental Guide I hired. Her name is Luo Yueqing.”

Xi Zhoukang's body suddenly jolted, and he looked up at her in disbelief.

But Xi Zhoulu merely tilted her head slightly, strands of hair like raven feathers sliding onto her shoulder. She paid him no mind and continued her explanation, “During a treatment session, we discovered that our compatibility is very high.”

“There doesn't seem to be a Luo family in the Capital, does there?” Old Master Xi's thoughts drifted elsewhere.

“She has no background, and her family is in desperate need of money,” Xi Zhoulu suddenly smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. Her words were tinged with mockery. “I've already had someone place her file in your study.”

Sometimes, having no background was an advantage. It meant she was extremely easy to control.

Old Master Xi tapped on the armrest beside him. His attitude was much better than before, and his tone became more negotiable. “When do you two plan to get married?”

The Imperial Star was extremely strict in this regard, with high demands for marital fidelity. This, in turn, affected the status of children born out of wedlock. A child not born of a legal marriage would not even receive legal recognition.

As for whether the other party agreed or not, Old Master Xi didn't ask a single question, appearing to care only about the matter of an heir.

But all of this was within Xi Zhoulu's expectations.

She answered just as calmly, “In seven days.”

“She isn't available these next two days.”

Old Master Xi raised an eyebrow, his tone suddenly becoming concerned. “Then you should spend more time with her these next two days.”

As if remembering something, he added casually, “I'll look at her file later.”

“Remember to schedule a time with Lawyer Yang. The necessary contracts still need to be signed. Don't let it cause any trouble later.”

The Xi family was very familiar with this matter. Even Xi Yunting's current wife had signed one. There were some things the Xi family could give, but other things, like company shares, would never be given to an outsider.

“Oh… as for the wedding, we can talk about it after the child is born,” he decided nonchalantly.

Since she had no background, she wasn't worthy of a grand ceremony from the Xi family, which would only be an embarrassment. However, if the heir was satisfactory, they could hold a one-month celebration, which would serve as a formal acknowledgment of her status.

Xi Zhoulu did not object, as if these were her thoughts and decisions as well. After the Old Master finished speaking, she simply said, “I know.”

“It's getting late. I won't be staying for dinner with you today, Grandfather. I'm going back early to be with her.”

Old Master Xi waved his hand in dismissal.

After all, it was common knowledge that an Alpha in their Susceptibility Period made it extremely easy for an Omega to conceive…

The wheelchair glided across the floor. The topic of Xi Zhoukang was never brought up again. The Xi family's stepmother wanted to press the issue, but she was silenced when the Old Master said he was going to his study.

The red sun sank in the west, and shadows pooled in the room. The faces of the three people sitting on the wooden chairs were twisted, their thoughts unknown. And so, an absurd farce came to an end.

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