VBNWDW - Chapter 49
Chapter 49
It was high summer then. Luo Yueqing's file lay on the desk, its corners curled from being flipped through countless times, weighed and considered by Xi Zhoulu again and again.
A few days prior, the Old Master had thrown another fit. This time, there wasn't even a chance to refuse; he brought the person directly to the company's entrance. Xi Zhoulu tried to avoid it, but the Old Master canceled all her work and forcefully demanded she meet with the other party.
When Qin Yuan, Xu Qingxi, and that group of friends heard about it, they even called specifically to tease her, which only made the already vexed Xi Zhoulu even more displeased.
Her fingertips tapped on the desk. She finally made a decision: under the pretext of treatment, she would meet this Alpha who had an extremely high compatibility with her.
On that day, she had imagined many possibilities. She guessed Luo Yueqing might be cautious, since she was the biggest client Luo had ever had. She even considered more distant possibilities, like Luo Yueqing giving up all pretense and directly asking for help to solve her gambling debts.
After all, according to her background check, Luo Yueqing had already been forced to move into the poorest, most chaotic slum, yet still couldn't escape the debt collectors. They were even planning to sell Luo Yueqing to one of those clubs that specialized in serving Omegas.
This was a point Xi Zhoulu felt she could exploit, so she had deliberately sent people to give things a push, forcing Luo Yueqing into an even more difficult situation.
But to Xi Zhoulu's surprise, Luo Yueqing didn't follow the script she had written for her, not even for a single step. It was a mess from the very beginning.
From their very first meeting, she never concealed her desire, like a fox that had locked its eyes on its prey.
But Xi Zhoulu paid it no mind. Her looks, her family background, her status as a high-level Omega—it was enough to make most people forget the weakness in her legs. They would flock to her in droves, trying to prove they were the lucky one.
At most, Xi Zhoulu was briefly annoyed, thinking that if Luo Yueqing was interested in her, the subsequent contract marriage would be much more troublesome. But it would also make her easier to use, wouldn't it?
However, Xi Zhoulu hadn't expected the other woman to be so bold. The teasing with the high heel, the mingling of their Mental Powers… it was like a cunning fox openly tossing bait into a trap, telling you outright that you didn't have to fall for it.
But Xi Zhoulu jumped in anyway. She used a small threat to warn the other woman, but her own ankle was snared by the fox's rope. She was the one who initiated a second treatment session, and even got teased about the extremely private scent of her pheromones.
Luo Yueqing was the type who would never suffer the slightest loss.
This was Xi Zhoulu's first impression of Luo Yueqing: a bold, brazen, and cunning red fox.
However, to test whether this fox was harmless, Xi Zhoulu conducted a small test. She used her own mental power disorder to lure the other woman to the hospital, then deliberately tampered with one of Xi Zhoukang's investments, wanting to see what would happen when these two old acquaintances met.
The result was, naturally, to her satisfaction. Although this fox was bold and audacious, all she sought was money and Xi Zhoulu herself. Xi Zhoulu felt it was a worthwhile transaction. People with no desires are the most troublesome. She had what the other wanted, and this made the deal very pleasant.
And in the process, Luo Yueqing even earned some extra points. She wouldn't give up on any patient…
Xi Zhoulu liked those words very much, so she gave Luo Yueqing a small reward. She let her make a request, allowing her to get a little closer. But she never expected Luo Yueqing to be the one to propose marriage.
This was Xi Zhoulu's goal, but that didn't mean the other party could be the one to bring it up, as if she needed a marriage even more desperately than Xi Zhoulu did.
She thought, I can observe her a little longer.
And so, the little fox Luo moved into her house openly, bossed around her chefs and servants with righteous confidence, and even cornered her in the kitchen demanding milk, completely refusing to treat her like a disabled person.
Arrogant, but very clever.
This was the first time Xi Zhoulu was willing to see the other woman as an equal, and she was surprised to find that Luo Yueqing could easily sway her emotions, making her angry one moment and coaxing her back into a good mood the next, treading the line of safety with the light steps of a cat.
Then there was the condition of not getting a divorce. This struck Xi Zhoulu as strange. Could it be that the other woman genuinely liked her?
After all, in her scenario, Luo Yueqing was supposed to divorce her after everything was settled and walk away with a hefty fortune. That was the choice a normal person would make.
After some thought, Xi Zhoulu concluded that Luo Yueqing was influenced by their compatibility. After all, when two people with extremely high compatibility underwent Mental Guidance, the mingling of their Mental Powers produced a particularly pleasant reaction, one that could even become addictive.
That was why there was a rule that after a patient was fully cured, the Mental Guide had to separate from the patient for a period of time to prevent any feelings from developing outside of the treatment.
But Xi Zhoulu, having reached this conclusion, did not distance herself from the other woman. She even did something as absurd as stepping into the room of an Alpha in her Susceptibility Period.
Because she wanted to confirm whether she could accept this Alpha's proximity without any resistance, and whether Luo Yueqing could control her own actions during her Susceptibility Period.
The result was also obvious.
Although Luo Yueqing's initial questions were a bit ridiculous, she was still willing to answer. She didn't hate the other's proximity; she even allowed her to kiss.
A kiss completely led by her, tinged with the scent of roses and red wine.
Light pecks, slow bites, deepening little by little, with occasional moments of recklessness turning into thrilling sensations.
Dangerous and intoxicating.
It was Xi Zhoulu's first kiss, and Luo Yueqing gave her a perfect experience. It made her like it a little, and she instinctively learned how to handle an Alpha.
After that, they kissed many more times—in the car, in the office, on the bed.
Luo Yueqing satisfied her more and more. She was clear about her position and understood what she needed to do, making Xi Zhoukang's family both hate her and have to go to great lengths to curry favor with her, which delighted Xi Zhoulu.
It was like having a well-behaved little cat of her own. Normally, it would let you pet it, hold it, and kiss it, but the moment it encountered someone you disliked, it would bare its teeth and get ready to bite.
Perhaps this would seem normal to others. After all, in everyday life, everyone has people they dislike, and it's common for friends to dislike them too and curse them together.
But for Xi Zhoulu, it was an extremely rare thing.
The first half of her life had been spent in forbearance, carving herself into the shape Old Master Xi wanted, becoming a proper, standard heir to the Xi family. No matter how much she detested those three from the Xi family, she had to endure the frustration of giving them money.
No one was like Luo Yueqing, who, like a little fox that refused to be wronged, would stand fiercely in front of her and use sarcastic remarks to shut down the three Xis until they were speechless.
Although it was very much against her character and upbringing, at that moment, Xi Zhoulu truly felt it was satisfying, happy, and cathartic.
It wasn't that she didn't have confidants or friends, but they were all too smart. Smart people wouldn't so obviously take a side. Even if they felt disgust, they would still greet you with a smile, unless you had completely lost all value. It was hypocritical, but it was the unspoken rule of survival in the business world.
Luo Yueqing wasn't a fool; she was also very smart. She knew that acting this way would bring her more benefits, yet she never pretended.
She was genuine. It wasn't the simple transparency of a fool who wears their heart on their sleeve, but a kind of clear-headed authenticity. She never hid her desires, her desperation for money, or her disgust for the Xi family. She would even straightforwardly ask for rewards every time, wagging her tail, looking incredibly proud.
This was something Xi Zhoulu could not do, and something she envied.
She had never been her true self, or perhaps, she had long since lost any so-called self to begin with.
What she thought were small rewards she was giving were, in reality, steps that led her deeper and deeper into the fox's soft yet real trap, a trap she fell into willingly.
It was like how there were many ways to anger the Old Master, yet she chose the worst and most unhelpful one. She took Luo Yueqing to the seaside, to a private yacht unknown to others—the only place she could truly relax.
Although Luo Yueqing didn't understand, she was willing to accompany her, clapping every time she caught a fish. Even though Luo Yueqing didn't grasp the joy of fishing, she would help her hold the rod tightly and tell her not to give up.
Don't give up?
To be honest, Xi Zhoulu had given up on far too many things: power she temporarily couldn't grasp, investments with extremely high risks, or the countless gifts stolen by Xi Zhoukang in her childhood. Even with fishing, what angler doesn't dream of catching a big one? But reason made her give up, because it meant risking being dragged under.
But Luo Yueqing told her not to give up, holding onto the fishing rod and refusing to let go.
So Xi Zhoulu really didn't give up. She caught a big fish, and using herself as bait, she also caught a fox.
She started to get jealous and angry, hating the way others' eyes lingered on Luo Yueqing. But her anger was also easily soothed. All it took was an explanation and a kiss from Luo Yueqing, giving her that suffocating, intoxicating feeling again and again. She wanted Luo Yueqing to mark her, wanted the rose to bloom forever in her garden.
Was it too much?
She was, after all, a ruthless capitalist.
As long as Luo Yueqing would stay, she was willing to give her everything she needed.
The heavy snow outside continued to fall, and the light from the fireplace was still warm. Xi Zhoulu, wrapped in a blanket and leaning against the headboard, came back to her senses and looked down at Luo Yueqing, who was murmuring softly, buried in her arms.
Perhaps her usual grumpiness from waking up had struck again. She refused to lift her head for the longest time, her fluffy head just rubbing against Xi Zhoulu's chest.
Xi Zhoulu could only stroke her back gently, soothing her.
It took a while before the other woman was satisfied. Her hands climbed up to Xi Zhoulu's neck, and she slowly crawled over to rest on her shoulder, complaining, "Why were you ignoring me just now?"
So that was why.
Xi Zhoulu sighed helplessly, raising her arms to hug her back. "I was thinking about some things," she said softly. "I didn't notice for a moment."
"It's bad enough you weren't sleeping with me, but you were lying next to me thinking about someone else!" Luo Yueqing suddenly bristled, biting fiercely at Xi Zhoulu's neck.
Xi Zhoulu froze, instinctively explaining, "I wasn't thinking about someone else…"
"You were! You just said you were! I'm going to punish you!"
The one who was deliberately twisting the truth pounced on her, coming at her fiercely, skillfully undoing her buttons and slipping a hand under the hem of her clothes.
The punishment was fake; being hungry after waking up was the real reason.
There was nothing Xi Zhoulu could do but press the other's head down, indulging her antics even though she'd been wrongly accused.
The seemingly angry movements of the person on top of her transformed into dense, gentle kisses, falling again and again, from her long neck down to her straight collarbones, not missing a single spot.
Her fair, slender fingers gripped the pillow. Xi Zhoulu couldn't help but tilt her chin up, her breathing ragged.
The snow outside continued to fall, burying the past, leaving only the howling wind and the sound of irrepressible gasps.
Xi Zhoulu held Luo Yueqing tightly. The fox had caught her moon, and the rose would now stay in the garden forever.
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