VBNWDW - Chapter 15
Chapter 15
For the next seven days, the two were isolated in different rooms and barely saw each other.
By the time Luo Yueqing recovered, Xi Zhoulu was already over her heat and had rushed to the company to deal with the mountain of work.
Even things like signing the contract and getting their marriage license were squeezed in between work. For the contract, they had a lawyer run back and forth, and they got the license right as the Civil Affairs Bureau opened, finishing in ten minutes before Xi Zhoulu hurried back to the company.
There was absolutely no sense of a newlywed experience.
But there were some perks. After registering, Xi Zhoulu gave Luo Yueqing a supplementary card to use as she pleased—something not mentioned in the contract.
And Luo Yueqing was happy to accept it. For the past few days, she hadn't taken any Mental Guidance jobs, joyfully playing the part of a kept Alpha.
She was even having so much fun that the System had to remind her several times that her mission was to reform the villain and stop her from destroying the world, not to just get married and be done with it.
But that Omega was so busy with work she even slept in her office at night. Luo Yueqing wanted to make an effort, but she had no opportunity.
A few more days passed before Xi Zhoulu finally seemed to remember she was married. She called Luo Yueqing and asked her to attend a banquet with her that evening. It was also an excuse to have Luo Yueqing make an appearance and confirm that Xi Zhoulu was, in fact, married.
As night fell, the city was enveloped in a clamor of red lights and green wine. Uninhibited revelry and decadent luxury were all concealed beneath the cloak of darkness.
A band, hired at great expense, was playing. Crystal chandeliers hung from the third-floor ceiling, illuminating the lavish stage of fame and fortune where people in sharp suits and flowing gowns engaged in insincere socializing.
Luo Yueqing hid in a corner, utterly bored.
Before, she had followed behind Xi Zhoulu, playing the part of a smiling mannequin for what felt like half the day. After meeting a round of people, she could finally hide here and rest for a bit.
She just didn't expect someone had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Luo Yueqing alone, he hurried over.
"Sister Yueqing."
Luo Yueqing turned her head to see Xi Zhoukang, dressed in a black formal suit, standing before her. His eyes held a cautious, probing look.
"Do you still remember me? I'm Xiao Kang," he said, looking a little nervous, perhaps because the impression from their last reunion was too strong.
Luo Yueqing gave a polite tug at the corner of her lips and replied, "Xi Zhoulu's younger brother. Hello."
Her words instantly created distance between them, sounding detached and formal.
Xi Zhoukang's expression soured. He pleaded in a low voice, "Sister Yueqing, what's wrong? Don't you remember the past?"
"When we were kids, I was bullied by that group of people, and you were the one who protected me. You always took me out to play. Don't you remember?"
"I remember…" Luo Yueqing nodded, then asked, "And?"
Xi Zhoukang was taken aback by the question. He answered a beat too late, "Then why aren't you talking to me?"
Luo Yueqing's expression was calm. "I did. Aren't we talking right now?"
"That's not what I mean! I mean," he paused, a look of sudden realization dawning on his face. His voice dropped lower. "Did Xi Zhoulu threaten you?"
He looked as if he'd uncovered the truth and cursed resentfully, "Xi Zhoulu has been like that since we were kids, always threatening and forcing people at the drop of a hat."
"Sister Yueqing, don't be afraid. I'll go tell my parents right now and make Xi Zhoulu give you back your freedom."
If Luo Yueqing hadn't known the whole story in advance, she might have actually been moved by him.
It was true that Xi Zhoukang was grateful to Luo Yueqing, but not to the point where he would keep trying every trick to get close to her after she'd given him the cold shoulder, let alone break ties with Xi Zhoulu for her sake.
Luo Yueqing's gaze shifted, landing on a group of people not far away.
Xi Zhoulu's father and stepmother appeared to be chatting and laughing with friends, but in reality, they kept glancing in this direction.
To have hope, only to see it shatter in an instant, is the hardest thing to let go of.
Last time, Old Master Xi had finally relented and agreed to let Xi Zhoukang join the Group, but that was immediately interrupted by the news of Xi Zhoulu's marriage, and the matter was never brought up again.
The three of them were naturally furious. Later, when they heard from their son that he knew Luo Yueqing and that they were on good terms, the idea of sabotaging Xi Zhoulu's marriage was born.
And Xi Zhoukang was quite willing. First, because of his childhood friendship with Luo Yueqing, he wasn't against the idea. Besides, Luo Yueqing was now exceptionally beautiful and an S-Class Alpha—more than a good enough match for him.
Second, he also wanted to join the Group. Before, the Old Master had refused. His parents had thrown a few tantrums, but the old man never budged, so he could only regretfully give up the idea. This time, there was finally hope, so of course, he wanted to take a shot. After all, who would enjoy asking their parents for money every day to invest in some trash projects?
"Sister Yueqing, believe me. You always helped me when we were kids, and now it's my turn to repay you," Xi Zhoukang couldn't help but take a step forward, his eyes shining.
"You probably haven't had much contact with her, so you don't know what kind of person Xi Zhoulu is. She's completely unscrupulous, cold-blooded, and ruthless."
"Look, last time I went to her hospital room to visit her out of kindness, she treated me with such cold words. She's like that even to me, her own brother by blood, to say nothing of others."
Luo Yueqing subconsciously stepped back, creating more distance. Her gaze swept elsewhere; a few new people were now standing in front of Xi Zhoulu.
"Sister Yueqing…"
"Stop, stop, stop," Luo Yueqing interrupted him mid-sentence. She couldn't help but rub her brow, saying helplessly, "Can you please stop with your fanfiction?"
Although the situation had now changed, based on what happened in the original world, she could roughly guess what Xi Zhoukang and his family were plotting.
This bunch from the Xi family—while none of them were good people, you could still rank them if you had to.
Our Miss Xi at least knew to offer money. This guy in front of her, both in the original story and now, only ever planned to get something for nothing.
She recalled the original host's experience. Just as Xi Zhoulu and the original Luo Yueqing were growing closer, Xi Zhoukang had popped up, using their childhood friendship to easily win her trust.
Xi Zhoulu, with her paranoid and extremely guarded personality, saw those three as her biggest sore spot. Anyone who befriended or worked with them would be blacklisted by her, let alone Luo Yueqing, who had hidden her secret meetings with Xi Zhoukang on several occasions.
So, every time Xi Zhoulu found out, she would get angry, and the original host would feel misunderstood and wronged, all while Xi Zhoukang was busy sowing discord…
And then came Luo Yueqing and Xi Zhoulu's marriage and divorce. She abandoned the property and jewelry Xi Zhoulu had given her and ran to Xi Zhoukang—a man who was all sweet talk, with his car and house still in his parents' names.
Even Luo Yueqing's original debts and her mother's medical expenses were still being paid by Xi Zhoulu!!!
Luo Yueqing shook her head sharply and said immediately, "Stay away from me."
"Sister Yueqing, believe me, Xi Zhoulu is no good. You helped me so much when we were kids, how could I possibly lie to you?" Xi Zhoukang grew flustered seeing her so resistant.
"Since I helped you so much when we were kids, don't you want to repay me?" Luo Yueqing suddenly blurted out.
"Ah…" The topic changed too quickly. Xi Zhoukang was stunned for a moment, then stammered, "O-Of course."
"Then how much do you plan to give me?" Luo Yueqing raised an eyebrow and asked quickly.
"F-Five hundred thousand?" Xi Zhoukang thought about the money he had left and painfully offered up half of it.
Luo Yueqing smiled faintly. A shimmering light fell upon her peach-blossom eyes, making them look even more enchanting and bright. She said, "The supplementary card your sister gave me has a single-transaction limit of twenty million. If that's not enough, I can call her."
Xi Zhoukang's expression froze.
But Luo Yueqing acted as if she hadn't noticed and continued, "Oh, right. She also gave me a house—a garden villa in the city center. I remember you and your parents live in that area too, right?"
That was a famous wealthy district in the Imperial Capital, where property prices were astonishingly high.
Xi Zhoukang's face flushed red as he stammered, "She's just using you…"
"The fee for being used by a bad person is worth more than the gratitude of a good one," Luo Yueqing tutted, giving Xi Zhoukang a meaningful look.
Before he could speak, Luo Yueqing changed her tone and said, "If you're truly grateful to me, then stay far away. Don't affect the speed at which President Xi gives me money."
With that, she bypassed Xi Zhoukang and walked straight toward the center of the crowd.
A few curious gazes from the surrounding crowd fell upon the woman in the red dress. Her long, curled hair was draped over one shoulder, revealing the porcelain-white skin of her other shoulder and neck. Below that, the dress traced her graceful curves, its hem trailing on the floor. Even the onlookers, each with their own thoughts, had to admit that Luo Yueqing was stunningly beautiful.
Hearing footsteps, Xi Zhoulu, dressed in a pure white gown, turned her head. It was impossible to tell if she had seen Luo Yueqing talking to someone else; her expression was as proud and cool as ever.
"Why did you come over?"
The previous conversation had been forced to a halt, and the person she was talking to was tactful enough not to interject.
Luo Yueqing walked to Xi Zhoulu's side and immediately began to complain, "I was planning to hide in a corner and rest for a bit, but then your brother came over and wouldn't stop nagging."
Xi Zhoulu raised an eyebrow, her fingers tapping on the armrest of her wheelchair. "What did he say?" she asked.
Luo Yueqing tilted her head, seemingly unaware of how serious the question was. Instead, she flashed a casual, flirtatious smile and asked, "You want to hear?"
She continued, "He said you're cold-blooded and ruthless, harsh to others. He also said he wanted to repay me for protecting him when we were kids, offering to give me money and lead me out of this sea of misery."
The polite curve of Xi Zhoulu's lips vanished. Her gaze darkened as she said, "And then?"
"And then I asked him how much he could give me. He said five hundred thousand."
"So I told him that a certain cold-blooded, ruthless, and harsh President Xi gave me a supplementary card with a twenty-million limit and a house, and told me to spend it however I wanted."
Luo Yueqing's eyes shifted, and she looked at her with a beaming smile, teasing, "His way of repaying a kindness is a bit shabby, isn't it?"
The person opposite them couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter.
Xi Zhoulu's expression softened, and a rare hint of a smile touched her lips. "It is a bit," she affirmed.
Then, Xi Zhoulu glanced over at the distant Xi Zhoukang and said, "Since it's noisy elsewhere, you can just stay with me."
She then patted her lap, gesturing for the other woman to sit down. "Didn't you say your feet were tired from wearing high heels and you needed to rest?" she explained.
Everyone nearby who heard this was stunned, their faces showing expressions of astonishment and shock.
To say Xi Zhoulu was cool and cold-blooded was no exaggeration at all. She was merciless not only in business but also in her daily interactions. No one had ever seen her treat someone so well, to be so indulgent with Luo Yueqing in a setting like this.
And Luo Yueqing didn't refuse in the slightest. She sat sideways on Xi Zhoulu's lap, hooking an arm around her neck. Her peach-blossom eyes were tinged with a smile, utterly captivating.
Xi Zhoulu gave her a steady look, then said, "In a couple of days, I'll have the butler accompany you to pick out a car. It'll be more convenient for you to get around."
Before Luo Yueqing could speak, she added with emphasis, "Pick one that's over five hundred thousand. Cars that are too cheap break down easily."
The people nearby couldn't hold it in anymore and burst into a round of laughter.
Behind them, Xi Zhoukang's face was ashen.
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