VBNWDW - Chapter 19
Chapter 19
The night passed without incident. By the time Luo Yueqing awoke, the sky was bright, the red sun already high.
The curtains were still drawn tight, dutifully blocking the light and maintaining the room's dimness, but the woman lying flat on the bed was still dissatisfied. She raised a hand to shield her eyes.
Luo Yueqing usually had a bit of morning grumpiness. When she woke up, she liked to keep her eyes closed and rest quietly for a while before slowly getting out of bed.
This time, however, Luo Yueqing was destined not to get her wish. The clamor that sleep had blocked out immediately drilled into her ears, loud and disruptive.
She couldn't help but frown. Reaching a hand to the side, she found the sheets were already cold.
The diligent CEO Xi was nothing like a loafer such as herself; she had woken up before it was even time for work.
The contrast made Luo Yueqing too embarrassed to even entertain her tiny bit of morning grumpiness. After all, the one going to work wasn't complaining, so what right did she, who had slept in, have to grumble?
Let them be noisy. It must be hard for her subordinates to report on their work.
Feeling slightly guilty, Luo Yueqing quickly rolled over and pressed her hands to her ears. Though it didn't do much, it was a gesture of support for CEO Xi's work.
But in the next second, a loud reprimand erupted from outside, even calling out Xi Zhoulu's full name.
Luo Yueqing shot up.
What kind of subordinate would dare speak to Xi Zhoulu like that?
"System?"
The System's reply was swift: "Xi Zhoulu's parents are here. They've been here for half an hour."
The sleepiness vanished from her eyes. Luo Yueqing's expression darkened. She hadn't expected them to be so impatient. Xi Zhoukang had just lost face at last night's banquet, and today they were already rushing to the company.
On the other side of the wall, Xi Zhoulu sat in her office chair, far calmer and more composed than Luo Yueqing might have imagined.
After all, she knew this couple better than Luo Yueqing did. She had long guessed that their impatient natures meant that after failing to get Xi Zhoukang close to Luo Yueqing, they would certainly try to approach her directly.
Her only surprise was that they couldn't even wait a few hours for her to come home, instead coming directly to the company—a place they usually detested—to find her.
Xi Zhoulu's gaze lowered. She casually picked up a handmade 18k gold fountain pen beside her and gave it an unskilled twirl.
The pen spun around her slender fingers. It looked fast, but it fell before completing a full circle. The fragile nib hit the desktop, instantly bending and cracking.
Yet Xi Zhoulu was completely unconcerned. She pushed it aside and picked up another one.
Limited edition, custom-made, luxurious fountain pens with agate caps and ruby embellishments were all lined up in the pen holder on her desk, only to be taken out and destroyed, one by one.
The people sitting across from her had started by playing the family card, reminiscing about how sensible and cute she was as a child, then moving on to how excellent her grades were. But it was clear they didn't know much about these things, as they would get stuck after a few sentences and repeat the same point over and over.
Xi Zhoulu suddenly looked up at them. To be honest, it had been a long time since she had taken a good look at her biological father.
In the Xi family, where good looks were the norm, Xi Yunting was actually rather plain. Even the now-aged Old Master Xi still showed clear signs of his handsome youth.
And there was no need to even mention Xi Zhoulu and Xi Zhoukang; they had countless pursuers even before they differentiated, let alone now.
And Xi Yunting? With that square face and his status as a C-Class Alpha who had already marked someone, it was a wonder anyone had taken a liking to him and was willing to be his second wife.
After all, even Old Master Xi, who had lost his wife in his prime, had chosen not to remarry, yet Xi Yunting had managed it.
Sometimes Xi Zhoulu wondered if it was because a second marriage was hard to come by that he so shamelessly indulged that mother and son.
The two people across from her were still talking, having already repeated the story of Xi Zhoulu's elementary school achievements three times.
Xi Zhoulu pinched the bridge of her nose, finally unable to resist correcting them. "I never got a B in elementary school. Grandfather was very strict with me and wouldn't allow any grade other than an A."
"The grades you remember are probably Xi Zhoukang's. That was one of the few times he scored above the passing line. You were so happy you took him to an amusement park for the whole day."
As her words fell, the smiles on the other two faces became strained and awkward.
But Xi Zhoulu continued, patiently explaining, "The day I differentiated, you two were waiting anxiously at the door because you had forgotten the time the doctor told you and hadn't prepared inhibitors for me in advance. You even sent me out to get something."
"As a result, I started showing signs of differentiation while I was out. When I was brought back, there were still no inhibitors to use. Grandfather was afraid it would affect my differentiation grade, so he gave you a harsh scolding."
She emphasized her words with a heavier tone. "Grandfather said that if my grade was affected, you two would have to divorce, and he would have Xi Yunting marry another high-grade Omega to produce a qualified heir."
"You were already on your second marriage, so a third wouldn't be out of the question," Xi Zhoulu suddenly laughed, the corners of her mouth pulling into a mocking curve that didn't reach her eyes.
"Xi Zhoulu!"
The man across from her, having been struck a sore spot, slammed the table and shot to his feet, cursing, "Who taught you to address your elders by their full name?!"
"So what if you got all A's? You still have no manners, no respect for your elders!"
He was red in the face with anger. When he slammed the table, a button on his suit jacket popped off, leaving it hanging open in a somewhat disheveled state.
The angrier he got, the calmer Xi Zhoulu became. She leaned back in her chair, her pale gray-blue eyes looking at him as she said faintly, "Actually, there was something I always wanted to ask you when I was a child."
"Did you really love my mother? On one hand, you acted so devoted you couldn't even bear to see your own child, yet on the other, you were busy getting remarried."
"Did you really like the marriage Grandfather forced on you?"
Xi Zhoulu tilted her head slightly. Behind her, the city was framed by the floor-to-ceiling window. The dark clouds had scattered, revealing a clear blue sky and white clouds—exceptionally rare good weather.
Xi Yunting opened his mouth but didn't give an answer. Instead, his face stiffened as he said woodenly, "Don't try to change the subject. Old Master already agreed to let Xiao Kang join the company. You were in the living room at the time, you heard it too."
"Now, right now, you arrange a suitable position for Xiao Kang and let him join the company."
Having failed to persuade the Old Master, the two were now trying to use his name as leverage. Any discerning person could see that the Old Master's intention had been to force Xi Zhoulu to marry.
Now that Xi Zhoulu was married, Xi Zhoukang had lost his value, so of course, the matter was no longer mentioned.
But Xi Yunting and his wife refused to accept it, and so they began to torment Xi Zhoulu in their roundabout way.
Seeing that the family card was useless and that he was instead being questioned by Xi Zhoulu and about to be branded a hypocrite, Xi Yunting quickly cut her off and stated his purpose directly.
"Since Grandfather promised it, then let Grandfather arrange it. I'm not short on staff, nor do I have any vacant positions. I can't arrange anything for the time being," Xi Zhoulu replied quickly, her refusal obvious.
Xi Yunting's face instantly darkened. His hands were clenched into fists, the veins faintly bulging.
Seeing things were going poorly, the stepmother suddenly sighed mournfully. "You child. You can resent me, but how can you resent your father and your own brother?"
"Your father is just not good at expressing himself; he still cares about you in his heart. When you were little, you were often scolded by your grandfather. He was heartbroken and often complained about how useless he was, unable to shoulder the family's responsibilities for you."
Hearing this, Xi Yunting's expression softened slightly, and he even nodded in agreement.
They still needed something from Luo Yueqing, so they couldn't threaten her too much. What if she threw Xi Zhoukang into some quiet, dead-end department for retirement…
"If there's no other official business, please leave," Xi Zhoulu said, a trace of weariness on her face. She placed a hand on her desk, preparing to deal with other matters.
This was why she could never stand the three of them and just gave them money instead.
They clearly knew right from wrong and how to read people's expressions, yet they always relied on that thin thread of blood relation to pester her unreasonably. If she said east, they'd say west. When emotional appeals failed, they'd resort to threats.
"Are you going to arrange it or not!"
"Please close the door on your way out."
"Do you think I won't discipline you!" Xi Yunting roared, striding forward and raising a fist to strike her.
Just then, the closed door finally opened. Before anyone could see who it was, a lazy voice drifted in. "Well now, father-in-law is putting on quite a show."
Everyone in the office froze, instinctively looking toward the sound.
A long-haired woman was leaning against the doorframe, looking over with a half-smile, her charming eyes filled with mockery.
"You…" Xi Yunting was stunned. He hadn't expected her to be here and was momentarily at a loss for how to react.
First, he was familiar with Xi Zhoulu. She was the successor personally groomed by Old Master Xi. Any slight deviation that displeased the old man would result in extremely severe punishment. Therefore, Xi Zhoulu was exceedingly rule-abiding.
Moreover, the adult Xi Zhoulu was a notorious workaholic. Even outsiders knew she was cold and rigid in the business world.
To bring her Alpha wife into the office…
Xi Yunting sized up her attire. It was still the same white shirt from last night. The fabric was wrinkled from a night of sleep, hanging loosely on her frame. The top two buttons were undone, and the oversized shirt couldn't hide her long legs. In her haste to come out, she hadn't even put on shoes.
She spent the night here?
He immediately frowned. This matter wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either.
If it were one of his dissolute friends, they would at most be teased for hiding a beauty away, and the matter would be dropped. But for the ever-disciplined Xi Zhoulu, it seemed particularly out of place.
Besides, he was still harboring the idea of having Xi Zhoukang get close to Luo Yueqing.
If he succeeded, Xi Zhoukang might be able to fight for the inheritance. Therefore, he didn't dare to be too aggressive in front of Luo Yueqing, lest he ruin Xi Zhoukang's image in her eyes.
He stared blankly at Luo Yueqing, unsure of what to do.
Amid the stalemate, Xi Zhoulu suddenly coughed. Everyone's attention turned to her, but her expression was normal. She simply beckoned to Luo Yueqing.
"Come here."
Luo Yueqing walked over to her. As soon as she reached the office chair, Xi Zhoulu caught her by the wrist and effortlessly pulled her onto her lap to sit sideways. Then, she swiveled the chair slightly, completely concealing the view beneath the hem of Luo Yueqing's shirt under the wooden desk.
"Get dressed properly before you come out next time," Xi Zhoulu instructed in a low voice. It was still her cool, detached tone, but when directed at Luo Yueqing, it held an extra touch of warmth.
"I was in a hurry to see you," came the lazy reply, tinged with sleepiness, like the gentle scratch of a kitten's paw.
Luo Yueqing curled up lazily in her arms. Though it had only been one night, she settled in as if she had sat there countless times. She rested her head on the soft part of Xi Zhoulu's shoulder and hooked an arm around her slender neck, naturally adjusting herself into the most comfortable position.
Xi Zhoulu knew this person was starting her nonsense again but didn't mind. She just patted her leg as a reminder, "You forgot your shoes."
"I'll put them on when I go back in," Luo Yueqing replied. They were pressed extremely close, her parting red lips almost brushing against the other's skin.
The people across from them were completely ignored. Xi Yunting held his breath until his face turned purple, finally stomping his foot in frustration.
Luo Yueqing heard the sound but didn't turn her head, asking knowingly, "Are your parents here?"
Hearing that title, Xi Zhoulu instinctively frowned.
Then, Luo Yueqing asked again, "Are they here to give me a red envelope for our first meeting?"
Xi Zhoulu paused, and the two people opposite her also looked confused.
Luo Yueqing explained, "You don't have one? Even ordinary families like ours have this custom, to give a red envelope the first time you meet your child's partner."
She clicked her tongue, her tone dripping with sarcastic laughter. "No way. The great Xi family can't even afford a red envelope."
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