VBNWDW - Chapter 34
Chapter 34
"…It's so tight, I can't move it at all."
The hushed voice sounded quite troubled.
Xi Zhoulu's expression stiffened, and she unconsciously clenched her fists.
"I can't get any leverage at all," the person couldn't help but complain in a low voice.
Xi Zhoulu's brow furrowed. After a moment's hesitation, she pushed the door open and, sitting in her wheelchair, asked, "What is it?"
The girl squatting on the floor jumped in fright, immediately spinning around. "CEO-CEO Xi!" she stammered.
She held a pair of pliers in her hand, unsure whether to put them down or hold them. "I… I wanted to adjust this stool, but the screw is too tight. I can't turn it," she mumbled.
Those last few words made Xi Zhoulu's brow twitch. She forced herself to compose her expression and only asked, "Are the arrangements made?"
Ever since that day, Xi Zhoulu couldn't bear to hear words like "tight" or "can't get in." They always made her heart tremble for no reason.
The newly hired secretary didn't know how to read the room, or perhaps after being startled, her mind had gone completely blank. Acting purely on instinct, she said, "It's… it's all ready. The driver has already picked up Mrs. Xi and is parked downstairs."
Xi Zhoulu's expression softened slightly. She added, "In the future, for things like this, just come in and tell me directly. You don't need to wait for me to finish a call."
She had just been dealing with business matters, and this secretary had opened the door, seen her, and then closed it to retreat.
The other woman immediately agreed, "Yes, I understand."
Xi Zhoulu couldn't help but size her up. The person opposite her looked as if she were facing a savage beast, her face pale with nervousness, faint beads of sweat visible.
Am I that scary?
Xi Zhoulu said no more. Pushing her wheelchair, she turned to leave, but a thought nagged at her: The person Li Qingli found this time seems a bit lacking.
The secretary finally reacted, dropping her things and half-walking, half-running to catch up to Xi Zhoulu. "I'll push you downstairs," she said hurriedly.
Xi Zhoulu nodded slightly in agreement.
The wheels rolled across the floor, then onto the intricately patterned carpet. A numbered button lit up.
The secretary stood behind Xi Zhoulu and let out a sigh of relief, as if she had just accomplished something major.
Xi Zhoulu paid her no mind. Today was different from usual, and it plunged her into a kind of suffocating depression.
She silently faced the elevator doors, her reflection clearly mirrored on the polished surface.
Her excessively pale skin complemented her light gray-blue eyes. Her figure was thin and appeared fragile. Even just sitting there, without any priceless jewelry or special gestures, she still exuded the refined air and cold indifference of a noble family's scion, like a block of perennial ice from a snowy mountain.
Xi Zhoulu watched with a heavy gaze until just before the elevator arrived, when she reached up to straighten her shirt collar. The rest of her clothes were perfectly ironed, and she was afraid of accidentally creasing them.
The elevator doors soon opened. A seemingly low-key black sedan was parked horizontally at the main entrance, forcing people to walk a wide circle around it, yet the car showed no sign of moving.
The secretary pushed Xi Zhoulu forward. Before they even reached the car, someone opened the door from the inside and helped Xi Zhoulu get into the vehicle.
Her ever-present cane was placed by her left hand. Xi Zhoulu glanced to her right.
In a rare departure from her usual style, the typically flamboyant Luo Yueqing was dressed very plainly today. She wore no jewelry from head to toe, looking uncharacteristically simple.
Xi Zhoulu gave a subtle, indiscernible nod. She hadn't forced Luo Yueqing to wear anything specific, but the fact that she was willing to prepare for the occasion was a very thoughtful gesture.
"Rest for a bit," Luo Yueqing said softly, taking her hand.
Today was the anniversary of Xi Zhoulu's mother's death. Xi Zhoulu had cleared her schedule days in advance and had woken up early this morning to handle her work, finally freeing up the entire day.
Luo Yueqing glanced at the dark circles under her eyes and sighed softly.
Xi Zhoulu had been working late into the night these past few days and waking up early, even sleeping at the office. After a few failed attempts to persuade her otherwise, Luo Yueqing had resorted to bringing her lunch every day and napping with her for a while.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have even had a chance to see each other.
Sensing her mood, Xi Zhoulu squeezed the hand that held hers, her thumb rubbing soothingly over the smooth back of Luo Yueqing's hand.
Luo Yueqing then said, "Why don't you lean on my shoulder and sleep for a while?"
The destination was in the suburbs, a drive of roughly two hours, so Xi Zhoulu could still get some rest.
Xi Zhoulu first shook her head, then fell silent for a moment before leaning her head against Luo Yueqing's shoulder, uncharacteristically indecisive.
Luo Yueqing didn't tease her as she usually would. Instead, she held the other woman's hand with both of hers.
Though she said she would rest, sleep was actually very difficult to find.
Xi Zhoulu leaned for a while before turning her head to look at the scenery outside.
As they drew closer to the suburbs, the buildings became shorter and older. The occasional high-rise that appeared seemed particularly conspicuous.
Perhaps because it was a workday, there were few vehicles on the road. Besides the car they were in, three or four other cars surrounded them—Pang Tai and his men.
After driving for some time, a few extremely expensive cars appeared ahead. Pang Tai called to report that it was the car carrying the three members of the Xi family, with Old Master Xi following behind.
The Xi family took these matters seriously. Since Xi Zhoulu's mother had died from blood loss after giving birth to the heir, even the aging Old Master Xi would come to pay his respects every year. Therefore, no matter how unwilling the other three Xi family members were, they had to put on a show and come along.
At the mention of them, Xi Zhoulu frowned and instructed in a low voice, "Just ignore them later. Stay behind me."
Although the three of them feared Old Master Xi and rarely caused trouble in his presence, Xi Zhoulu was still uneasy. She felt they had been too arrogant lately, especially since Xi Zhoukang had joined the company. He had caused quite a stir there.
Luo Yueqing smiled and asked in return, "What can they do to me?"
Xi Zhoulu thought about it and had to agree. With Luo Yueqing's personality of never letting herself be taken advantage of, if they tried anything, they would be the ones to lose out.
She pursed her lips but said, "It's not just Xi Zhoukang's family. There's also…"
She paused, struggling to get the words out. "My mother's younger brother. My maternal uncle."
"Because my mother died from hemorrhaging, he has never liked me or the Xi family. It's fine when we don't see each other, but whenever we do, he always tries to cause some trouble."
Xi Zhoulu wanted to say more, but she only opened her mouth before swallowing her words. "Just ignore him."
He didn't sound like an easy person to deal with. Luo Yueqing searched her memory of the original plot but found no information about him, as if the man had never existed at all.
Strange.
It was clear that he despised Xi Zhoulu. So why, when Old Master Xi died and Xi Zhoulu was at her lowest, did he not appear to mock her? Even when Xi Zhoulu eventually turned into the villainess, he never showed up once.
It couldn't be that he was afraid of the Xi family. After all, Xi Zhoulu's maternal family was not weak, and her mother's marriage to Xi Yunting could be considered a good match between families of equal standing.
But since she was about to meet him, Luo Yueqing wasn't in a hurry. She shifted her shoulder down slightly to let the other woman rest more comfortably.
The surrounding woods gradually grew denser. Leaves, dyed yellow by autumn, fell to the ground, forming a soft carpet. As the car's wheels passed over them, they fluttered up like butterflies.
After passing through two security checkpoints, the car finally came to a stop. It was already afternoon. The weather had been overcast for the past few days, so it wasn't hot, just a bit oppressive.
The wheelchair was brought out. Luo Yueqing turned her head and saw Old Master Xi being helped out of his car, his face still stern, solemn, and imposing.
The other three Xi family members were dressed simply. The three of them shared a car, followed by two bodyguards, all uniformly dressed in black. Only Xi Yunting looked somewhat sad and haggard. Xi Zhoukang and his stepmother exchanged a few words from time to time, trying hard to conceal their impatience.
This was the first time in a long while that Luo Yueqing had been in the same space as the entire Xi family.
The group didn't rush into the cemetery. Instead, they kept looking back until a black car quietly drove up.
Luo Yueqing could clearly feel Xi Zhoulu tense up beside her.
The car door opened, and a man in a dark suit got out.
He had black hair and black eyes. He wasn't exceptionally handsome, but one could call his features proper and steady. Only upon closer inspection did one notice a slight resemblance to Xi Zhoulu. However, he had broad shoulders and long legs, with visible muscle, making him a perfect clothes horse.
After getting out of the car, he didn't look to either side but walked straight to Old Master Xi and greeted him in a deep voice. Then, the group, which had been waiting for some time, finally began to walk into the cemetery.
Luo Yueqing frowned slightly. Even an outsider like her could see his exclusion and resistance, so what about the others?
She turned her head and saw that the three Xi family members indeed had ashen faces, but they didn't dare to approach, only following behind.
The person in the wheelchair sensed her gaze and reached out to hook Luo Yueqing's hand, giving it a light squeeze as if in reminder.
Luo Yueqing withdrew her gaze, squeezed the other's hand in return, and looked down at her with a smile.
Xi Zhoulu's expression softened slightly, but once Luo Yueqing looked away, she couldn't help but press her lips together tightly.
Their movements were extremely discreet, and with everyone else's minds elsewhere, they were naturally hard to notice.
When they reached the tombstone, the Xi family's old butler had already made all the arrangements. There wasn't a single weed in sight, and fresh flowers were placed before the grave. Further down were soft cushions, prepared for Xi Zhoulu and Xi Zhoukang, as elders and peers were not required to kneel.
Everyone approached according to their seniority. Old Master Xi only stayed for a moment. It seemed his feelings for this daughter-in-law were not deep; he only said it was a pity.
If she hadn't died from hemorrhaging, she could have given the Xi family two more outstanding children. Then he wouldn't have to choose between an S-Class Omega with a leg disability and a low-grade Omega. Besides, she was far more outstanding than the wife Xi Yunting later married.
Xi Yunting, however, murmured for quite a while. He had once resented the marriage arranged by his father, but as they spent more time together, he had developed deep feelings for his first wife. It had taken him several years to recover from her death.
The incense was placed in a crack in the stone. After Xi Yunting stepped down, he glanced at Xi Zhoulu, who stood there without a word, and his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Because of Old Master Xi's extreme coldness towards him, he had once sworn to treat his future children well.
But this child, whom his father had forced him to have and who had caused his wife's death—he simply couldn't get close to her. He didn't know if it was because he couldn't face his own youthful powerlessness or because he detested his father's tyrannical methods of classifying everything by grade.
A flicker of struggle crossed his eyes, but before he could think further, his current wife took his arm.
"Yunting, are you tired?"
Before he could speak, she urged, "Xiao Kang, quickly get your father a bottle of water."
Xi Zhoukang didn't complain despite being scolded. He hurriedly unscrewed the cap and brought the bottle to Xi Yunting's lips. "Dad, hurry and sit in the shade for a bit."
Xi Yunting looked at his considerate wife and filial son, then glanced at the four impassive people nearby. That bit of emotion quickly dissipated.
In the end, his own little family was better. They were all cold-blooded, ruthless people who only cared about power and money…
His gaze became resolute. He took his wife's and son's hands and walked away.
Next was Xi Zhoulu's uncle. It was hard to tell how much affection he had for his sister. He lit the incense, bowed, and muttered a few words in a low voice before leaving, all in a business-like manner.
Luo Yueqing grew more puzzled but couldn't dwell on it, because it was now Xi Zhoulu's turn.
As time passed, the dark gray clouds pressed lower, obscuring the distant mountains. The smoke from the burning incense dispersed, mingling with the muggy air, creating a stifling atmosphere.
Luo Yueqing helped Xi Zhoulu kneel. As she looked up, she glanced at the photograph. It was of a rather stern and assertive female Omega, who didn't much resemble Xi Zhoulu but looked similar to her uncle.
Xi Zhoulu knelt unsteadily, having to support herself with a trembling hand. She managed three kowtows, and then Luo Yueqing helped her place the incense.
Her light gray-blue eyes were somewhat dazed. She knelt there without a word, lingering for a moment before getting up.
Next were Xi Zhoukang and his mother…
Luo Yueqing didn't watch any longer. Just as she helped Xi Zhoulu to her feet, Old Master Xi called out to them.
Due to their last unpleasant encounter, Old Master Xi did not show a smiling face. His murky eyes looked her up and down before he spoke to Xi Zhoulu, "How has your health been recently?"
Xi Zhoulu answered quickly, "Same as always, no change."
Old Master Xi seemed to frown, but he relaxed it just as quickly. He then said, "I've had Xiao Kang join the company."
"Whatever Grandfather arranges is fine," Xi Zhoulu said with a placid expression, as if she wasn't angry that he had gone back on his word and acted without consulting her.
These few short sentences were even colder and more distant than how one would speak to a stranger. They didn't sound like a grandfather and granddaughter with blood ties, but more like a boss and a subordinate handling business.
Old Master Xi didn't care about her attitude. He continued, "You should start preparing during this time. Hand over some of your work to Xiao Kang, and don't stay at the company working overtime at night."
He turned to look at Luo Yueqing, not as if he were looking at a person, but at a suitable item. He spoke with the air of a superior, "I've had them prepare some supplements. They'll be sent to your place tonight. Take care of your body, and don't let anything go wrong."
Not long after she and Xi Zhoulu had registered their marriage, Old Master Xi was already urging them to prepare for pregnancy, as if he were afraid others wouldn't see the true nature of this marriage.
Standing not far away, the three members of the Xi family had varied expressions, but none dared to go up and speak.
Xi Zhoukang's expression was particularly complex. He seemed sad, but the conversation from that night echoed in his ears.
"Are you lacking a nightlife? Must you call and disturb me?"
Xi Zhoukang clenched his fists, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes.
Luo Yueqing, you chose this yourself. I already gave you a chance.
"I understand," Xi Zhoulu said without refuting him, leaving her true intentions unclear.
Old Master Xi had made his point and didn't press further. He waved his hand, dismissing them.
After some time, the lit incense burned out. With the exception of Xi Zhoulu's uncle, the cars that had rushed here all drove away together, and silence once again descended.
This time, for some reason, the three members of the Xi family seemed to be in a hurry, rushing to the front and disappearing in the blink of an eye.
When Xi Zhoulu's group reached halfway down the mountain, they suddenly stopped. Xi Zhoulu and Luo Yueqing switched to another, almost identical car, and had the previous car drive ahead of them.
Luo Yueqing remained silent, only noting that Xi Zhoulu was being unusually cautious today, constantly looking out the window.
"Don't be afraid," Xi Zhoulu patted her hand and comforted her in a low voice. "It's like this every year."
Luo Yueqing sensed something was amiss. When she looked at Xi Zhoulu again, she saw that she had turned her head to look out the window. Her light gray-blue eyes were deep and somber. On the surface, she was comforting Luo Yueqing, but she herself hadn't relaxed in the slightest.
Once they were down the mountain, the road widened. Although there were many trees, a few houses could occasionally be seen, and the number of cars slowly began to increase.
Infected by the atmosphere, Luo Yueqing's palms began to sweat. She glanced at the silent driver in front and had no choice but to call out the System, which hadn't appeared for a long time, to chat.
An icy voice sounded: "Tan Xunwen, Xi Zhoulu's maternal uncle, a low-grade Alpha. He inherited the Tan family company after his parents' death. He is currently unmarried and has no romantic partners."
"Is that all? He didn't appear in the original plot?"
"As per the Host's request, the plot has been searched three times. There is no trace of Tan Xunwen interfering in the Xi family's affairs."
This didn't reassure Luo Yueqing. Instead, her expression grew more solemn. She recalled the two times Tan Xunwen had looked over at them, the repressed emotions hidden in his dark eyes. He appeared polite and courteous, but who knew how much madness was concealed beneath the surface.
But she couldn't predict what would happen. Ever since she had altered the plot ahead of time, everything had changed.
According to the original timeline, this was supposed to be the crucial moment when Xi Zhoulu, due to her chaotic mental power, would unexpectedly faint during a meeting, forcing her to miss the memorial. Then, while Luo Yueqing was taking care of her, she would reveal a sliver of vulnerability, and their relationship would take a step forward.
"Watch the small road on the left! Two cars are charging out!"
"Ahead! There's a large truck up ahead!"
"Dodge to the side! Dodge!"
Pang Tai's urgent voice came through the walkie-talkie, echoing in the cramped car.
Luo Yueqing whipped her head around and saw a van burst out from a concrete path in the woods, flooring the accelerator and ramming into the car in front of them. With a loud boom, the front half of the van was crushed. The car that was hit on its side fared even worse; it was sent flying, snapping trees before exploding almost instantly, flames erupting!
Giving Luo Yueqing and the others no time to breathe, another van charged towards them. However, having seen the first incident, the driver frantically turned the steering wheel.
An extremely sharp screech of brakes filled the air, like the dying cry of a bird.
The van slammed into the front of their car. The sedan was knocked back seven or eight meters, pushed to the right side of the road where it was stopped by the trees. Black smoke billowed out.
At the same time, the large truck charged forward, crushing everything on the asphalt road. Whoever had orchestrated this was ruthless, leaving no car untouched, allowing for no mistakes.
A series of crashes followed. The clouds pressed lower, merging with the black smoke and flames. The muggy air was filled with the smell of burning, and the surroundings were littered with broken trees, scattered car parts, and blood flowing on the ground.
The seatbelt dug tightly into her chest. Luo Yueqing was thrown forward, feeling as if she had passed out. Her mind was a blank, her ears filled with a roaring sound.
"Luo Yueqing!"
"Wake up, Luo Yueqing!"
Someone was pinching her sharply under the nose, shouting louder than she ever had before.
Luo Yueqing jolted awake, gasping for air violently, filled with panic and fear. A cold sweat instantly drenched her entire body.
This was the first time she had faced death so clearly.
No matter how Xi Zhoulu had threatened her before, she had never cared, feeling at most a little nervous. But this was real. Someone had planned this murder with near-insane fervor!
The person beside her gave her no time to recover, immediately barking, "Get out of the car! Hurry up and get out!"
Luo Yueqing turned her head. Because the van had crashed into the driver's side, Xi Zhoulu, sitting in the back, was clearly more seriously injured. Blood was flowing from her forehead, staining the front of her shirt red.
"Get out, quickly! Head for the woods, not the village," Xi Zhoulu's voice, which she had forced to be strong, became hoarse and weak now that she saw Luo Yueqing had come to.
Luo Yueqing dared not delay any longer. She slammed her body against the relatively intact car door next to her. After getting out, she leaned back in and unbuckled Xi Zhoulu's seatbelt.
The movement seemed to aggravate her wound. Xi Zhoulu took a deep breath, then reached back and yanked at the hidden refrigerator between the seats. Fortunately, this part didn't require any buttons and, being at the very back, hadn't been damaged in the crash. A strong pull opened it, and the mineral water inside was still intact.
Xi Zhoulu took only one bottle before closing it, then took the hand Luo Yueqing extended and was pulled out.
"Go, quickly. I'm their target."
Even after escaping the car, Xi Zhoulu didn't relax in the slightest. Luo Yueqing didn't even have time to say a word before she hoisted the other woman onto her back and ran hurriedly into the woods.
Having witnessed such vicious methods, it was hard not to suspect that the attackers had a backup plan. She didn't know how the others were, but if they were caught, Xi Zhoulu would surely die.
Blood dripped down, congealing into ugly clots in her hair. Xi Zhoulu was dazed from being jostled, her thin lips deathly pale. She clutched the water bottle tightly, as if holding on to her last hope.
Luo Yueqing tightened her grip on the other woman's thigh. She hadn't stopped since she regained consciousness. After walking a good distance, she felt her left arm starting to lose strength, a sharp pain radiating from the bone.
At first, she was afraid of losing her way and would occasionally look up to get her bearings, but she couldn't remember anything. It was all fallen leaves and withered trees, everything looking the same.
When Xi Zhoulu noticed her looking, she said in a low voice, "Don't worry about it. Someone will find us."
Luo Yueqing's worries eased, assuming Xi Zhoulu had another contingency plan.
Further on, the woods became denser. Fortunately, it was late autumn, and the withered weeds were pressed to the ground by fallen leaves, making it not too difficult to walk. Otherwise, the two of them wouldn't have gotten very far. But they couldn't go much deeper; those areas were rarely trodden by people, and even the light was blocked out by the branches.
So Luo Yueqing carried Xi Zhoulu and ran sideways.
Her heavy panting couldn't relieve the lack of oxygen, and the taste of rust welled up in her dry throat. Luo Yueqing's pace grew slower and slower.
Xi Zhoulu tried her best to lighten her own weight, but the movement pulled at her wounds, causing her to frown tightly.
A hoarse voice sounded by her ear, "Let's stop for now. We're far enough."
Luo Yueqing looked back. She could no longer see the black smoke in the distance, nor could she tell which direction they had come from.
She found a spot that was relatively flat and set Xi Zhoulu down against a tree trunk. Then, without any regard for her image, she sat down with a plop, gasping for breath.
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