VBNWDW - Chapter 42
Chapter 42
"Why am I like this?!"
"Isn't it all because of you! Old Master Xi, hah! Everyone else respects and reveres you, but I, your own son, resent you the most!"
"Rank, rank, all you care about is rank! You ignored my childhood because of it, forced me into a marriage, and killed my wife!"
"Do you know why I dote on Xiao Kang so much? He's not useless—he's another me! The me you ignored since I was a child."
"Xi Yunting, you!"
The chaotic, furious voices echoed in the hospital room. The enraged Old Master rose to his feet and raised a hand as if to strike, but Xi Yunting was faster, shoving him away…
"Dad."
A concerned voice pulled Xi Yunting back to the present. He was sitting on a leather sofa, his hands clasped together and pressed against his forehead, his face pale.
He rasped, "What is it?"
"You should rest. You've been sitting here ever since you got back from the hospital," Xi Zhoukang said with a frown.
Xi Yunting took a deep breath, his expression softening slightly as he forced himself to say, "No, I'm fine."
Xi Zhoukang tried to comfort him. "Dad, don't worry about it. The hospital is full of our people now. As long as we stick to the story that Grandfather fainted on his own, no one will dare to say a word."
Hearing this, Xi Yunting just nodded mechanically, repeating, "Yes, yes, no one will dare to say a word."
He remembered something else and quickly asked, "What about the company?"
"No problem. The company is filled with our people from top to bottom. As long as the old man can't speak, that position will be ours," Xi Zhoukang said, unable to suppress a smile as he gave his assurance.
"Good…" Xi Yunting nodded. He forcibly pushed the memory away, steadied himself, and asked, "What about Lin Rong?"
"She's been locked up in the room next to Grandfather's. We've confiscated her phone, and there are guards outside. I guarantee not a single piece of information will get out."
Xi Yunting nodded slightly. "Let's go see her."
"Alright."
As he spoke, the lights in the luxurious hospital lounge dimmed. The wind rustled the curtains, and in a blink, the sky outside was pitch black.
Housekeeper Lin Rong sat on a soft leather sofa. Compared to the people usually surrounding the Old Master, her appearance was quite ordinary; she was even just a Beta. Such a person was extremely rare in the Old Master's circle, as he had always emphasized that only high-ranking individuals were elites. It was a mystery how much effort she must have put in to climb to her current position and hold it for decades.
Her hand rested on the armrest, her fingertips tapping rhythmically, as if she were counting time or deep in thought.
At the time, Xi Yunting and the Old Master had been in the room while she stood guard outside. Before she could even go in to check on them, she had been "invited" here by Xi Yunting's men.
She had only managed to make a quick call to Xi Zhoulu before immediately hanging up and deleting the record. Right after, someone had entered the room and taken all her communication devices, and she had been held here ever since.
Despite being confined, her expression was calm, as if she had expected this all along. It remained so until the sound of the door opening.
Click.
Lin Rong's grip on the armrest tightened slightly.
The visitors were none other than Xi Yunting and his son. They entered and sat directly across from her. Xi Yunting crossed his arms and leaned back, while Xi Zhoukang crossed his legs.
"Housekeeper Lin," Xi Yunting began.
His posture was dismissive, his expression casual, just as it always was when he couldn't be bothered with this housekeeper.
Lin Rong, however, nodded and greeted them respectfully, "Young Master, Little Young Master."
She acted as if she knew nothing of what had happened, showing no sign of anxiety.
Xi Yunting's brow twitched. He had expected this loyal housekeeper to cause a scene, demanding to see the Old Master or even cursing them out, but instead…
A sliver of hope grew in his heart. He spoke again. "My father was overly agitated just now and fainted unexpectedly. He may need to rest here for some time."
Lin Rong replied, "The Old Master has been worried sick looking for Miss Xi, unable to sleep. It's good for him to get some rest now."
Hearing this, Xi Yunting first gave a cold sneer. The Old Master never showed his concern outwardly, but he cared most about his high-ranking heir. He had told them to temporarily take over for Xi Zhoulu, but in reality, he had deployed countless people to search for her.
If he and his son had gone missing, would the Old Master have been so anxious?
Xi Yunting thought it unlikely. With that, half of his guilt over what had happened vanished. At the same time, he felt that Lin Rong's words meant she was intentionally siding with him.
He smiled and asked in return, "Then the company…"
"Since the Old Master arranged for you to join the company, he must have had his reasons. We should simply follow his wishes."
This statement was even more obvious than the last.
Xi Yunting and Xi Zhoukang exchanged a look, both seeing the delight in the other's eyes.
Xi Yunting immediately said, "Housekeeper Lin is truly a clever person. I happen to have a few important positions that I haven't been able to fill. I think Housekeeper Lin would be a suitable candidate."
He wasn't a complete fool. Having been born into a wealthy family, though his judgment in investments and people was poor, he still knew how to sweeten a deal. Since Lin Rong was being so sensible, he was willing to be generous.
His tone shifted, and his expression grew serious. "It's just… I heard that my father once drafted a will."
He trailed off, looking at her expectantly.
Lin Rong feigned surprise and shock, blurting out, "There's no…"
Before she could finish the sentence, she paused, as if catching herself, and said stiffly, "How did you find out about this, Young Master?"
She looked like someone who had been trying to hide a secret, only to be caught red-handed, attempting to cover it up but unable to hide her embarrassment.
Xi Yunting felt a surge of smugness, which he quickly suppressed. He snorted coldly. "How could I not know?"
His tone changed again as he looked at her. "My father was confused at the time and made a hasty decision. Just now, he told me he regretted it and asked me to destroy it."
Whether the Old Master had said it or not, now, he had to have said it.
Lin Rong's expression changed, a look of struggle and contemplation on her face…
"Housekeeper Lin, you watched my father grow up. You know very well how he treats those around him," Xi Zhoukang chimed in softly, seeing her hesitation.
"As long as you're willing to take my father there, he certainly won't treat you unfairly."
Lin Rong gritted her teeth, as if afraid she would change her mind, and declared, "I'll take you there!"
The two men across from her were overjoyed. Just as they were about to stand, Xi Yunting suddenly remembered something. His expression turned wary as he asked, "Housekeeper Lin was always the Old Master's most trusted person. How could you…"
Lin Rong's heart skipped a beat, but she reacted instantly, giving a bitter smile. "But I'm just a Beta. You, of all people, know best how the Old Master treats those of lower ranks, Young Master."
"He scoffs at low-ranking Alphas and Omegas, let alone a humble Beta like me."
At these words, Xi Yunting's worries vanished. He looked at Lin Rong as if seeing another version of himself, and his gaze softened. "Housekeeper Lin, you've truly had it hard."
Lin Rong looked touched as well, sighing, "It's all in the past."
A short while later, they returned to the Old Residence together and effortlessly retrieved the will from the study.
A room that once required the Old Master's permission to enter now held all three of them.
Xi Yunting even sat in the master's chair, holding the will in his hand, somewhat silent. The light stretched his shadow, hiding half his face in darkness.
Standing beside him, Lin Rong felt a momentary daze. For the first time, she thought this man resembled the Old Master. However…
He was far too stupid.
She lowered her eyes, hiding the contempt in them.
Xi Zhoukang, on the other hand, didn't notice. Seeing his father hesitate, he couldn't help but step forward and urge him on. "Dad, what are you spacing out for?!"
Xi Yunting subconsciously looked up at him. Directly behind his son was the grandfather clock Xi Zhoulu had gifted the Old Master. Its jewel-encrusted hands were still turning.
He swallowed hard, his grip tightening on the lighter in his hand.
"Dad?" Xi Zhoukang didn't understand his hesitation and pressed on. "What are you keeping it for? Are you waiting for Xi Zhoulu to come back and kick us out?!"
Lin Rong also stepped forward to add fuel to the fire. "If the Young Master can't make a decision right now, we can just put it back for now."
"No!"
Before she could finish, Xi Yunting cried out sharply, then said in a trembling voice, "Right now. Right now, I'll burn it."
With that, he lit the lighter, not even having the courage to open the document and look at it.
The scorching flame quickly ignited the document, climbing up from the corner of the paper and leaving behind blackish-gray ash. The classical clock beside them remained silent, its glass face reflecting the growing firelight.
Xi Zhoukang let out a sigh of relief and couldn't help but smile.
Xi Zhoulu, so what if you came back alive? You're still half a step behind us. Now you have no shares and no position. The old man who always favored you is in a coma, and we've even destroyed his final will.
An S-Class Omega?
At this moment, she was nothing but a joke.
As he was smiling, an image he hadn't thought of in a long time suddenly surfaced in his mind. His heart inexplicably skipped a beat, and a dark glint flashed in his eyes.
When the paper had burned down to the very end, Xi Yunting tossed it onto the floor. After it was completely consumed, he forcefully stomped on the ashes, grinding them until they were unrecognizable. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. When he turned his head again, all his hesitation and cowardice had vanished, replaced by an indelible coldness in his eyes.
"Housekeeper Lin," he said, tilting his chin up slightly. Though he was sitting in the wooden chair, he gave off the impression of looking down from above.
"For the time being, you'll stay at the hospital and take care of the Old Master. Inform us immediately if anything happens. When the Old Master…" He paused before continuing, "We will naturally compensate you."
The words "take care" were deliberately emphasized. Everyone present understood this was an order for Lin Rong to monitor the Old Master.
And Lin Rong simply said, "I will do as the Young Master says."
This response clearly pleased Xi Yunting. He stood up, patted her on the shoulder, and then walked out of the study with Xi Zhoukang.
Only when their footsteps had completely faded did Lin Rong finally let out a laugh. She looked at the ashes on the floor, shook her head, and took out the phone that the Xi father and son had returned to her, dialing the unfamiliar number.
"Miss, they've burned the will with their own hands."
A voice, as cool and clear as ever, came through. "I know."
"Thank you for your hard work, Aunt Lin."
Lin Rong's previous indifference was gone, replaced by a warm and affectionate smile. "It was nothing, what's there to be tired about? Xi Yunting and the others want me to watch the Old Master."
Xi Zhoulu replied, "Please go ahead. I'll have them arrange a more comfortable room for you. The Old Master will be taken care of."
Xi Zhoukang and his father thought they had the hospital under their control, but in reality, Xi Zhoulu was pulling all the strings. Otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen to reveal herself and stay here.
Hearing this, Lin Rong's smile grew even kinder. "It's fine. It's just sleeping at the hospital for a few days."
"It's no trouble. I'll have Lao Chen prepare it for you in a moment."
Lao Chen was Xi Zhoulu's butler and also the distant nephew of Lin Rong, who had never married. The two were extremely close, like mother and son.
As soon as she heard she would see Lao Chen, Lin Rong immediately relented, smiling. "The Miss is always so thoughtful."
When Xi Zhoulu was young, the Old Master had brought her back to the Old Residence. Although he intended to teach her personally, he was busy with business at the time and had little time to spend with her. He only gave orders about what Xi Zhoulu should learn, while Lin Rong, the housekeeper, was the one who actually raised her.
The young Xi Zhoulu was frail and quiet, but she was well-behaved and obedient. Compared to the arrogant Xi Yunting and the spoiled, mischievous Xi Zhoukang, Lin Rong naturally preferred the young miss. However, due to the Old Master's suspicious nature, the two rarely spoke openly.
The last time the three members of the Xi family had caused a scene in the living room, trying to threaten Xi Zhoulu into lending them money, it was Lin Rong who had brought the Old Master over in advance, putting a stop to their nonsense.
She would also frequently pass on news from the Old Residence to Xi Zhoulu, which was why Xi Zhoulu was always so well-informed.
The two chatted casually for a few more moments before hanging up.
Just as Xi Zhoulu put down her phone, she turned her head and saw Luo Yueqing's phone light up. The caller ID read: Xi Zhoukang…
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