《After Being Reborn, Her Only Mission Is to Love Him》


 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Song Sinian, will you marry me?

    Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Song Sinian, will you marry me?


    Late at night, a sound echoed through the empty villa.


    ¡°Is the person taken care of?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s already eaten the stuff, the drug should take effect soon. Remember to be neat about it, she won¡¯t have the chance to regret it when the time comes!¡±


    Lying on the bedroom sofa, Lu Zhaozhao furrowed her brows, sitting up in a groggy state.


    She was still clutching Song Sinian¡¯s photo frame in her arms.


    The man¡¯s features were extremely handsome; even a scholarly pair of gold-rimmed glasses couldn¡¯t hide a hint of his cold, noble demeanor.


    To this day, she couldn¡¯t believe that the man was already dead, and the ridiculous thing was, he died the day after their divorce.


    The burning sensation on her body made her chest feel as though it was scorched by fire, desperately seeking relief.


    She staggered to her feet, the choking sensation of being unable to breathe causing her to clutch at her collar tightly.


    Suddenly, the bedroom door was pushed open from the outside.


    Xiao Mo, standing at the door, was taken aback to see Lu Zhaozhao still awake.


    ¡°You¡­ why are you in my house?¡± Lu Zhaozhao twisted her brows, desperately pinching her palm, trying to keep herself conscious.


    This man was one of Song Sinian¡¯s acquaintances but not really a friend; he was gentle and warm, but Song Sinian didn¡¯t seem to like him much.


    Since returning from Song Sinian¡¯s funeral, she had stayed at home alone and hadn¡¯t opened the door for anyone.


    The only people besides her with a key to this villa were herself and Song Sinian.


    ¡°Ha! Goddammit!¡± Xiao Mo rubbed his hair irritably. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to force things, but who would have thought you¡¯d still be awake?¡±


    His sleazy eyes roamed over Lu Zhaozhao, who was breathing heavily, landing on her disheveled shirt.


    His vile appearance bore no trace of the previously polite demeanor.


    Lu Zhaozhao took a step back, gripping the photo frame in her hand even tighter, ¡°Get out of my house before I call the police!¡±


    Xiao Mo let out a cold laugh, his narrow eyes carrying a venomous look as he slowly closed in on her, ¡°Do you really think you have a choice? I¡¯d advise you to give in quietly¡­ Ah!¡±


    His words were cut off as Lu Zhaozhao slammed the photo frame onto his forehead with great force.


    Seizing the moment Xiao Mo was disoriented, she immediately ran toward the corner of the staircase.


    But at the end of the hallway, she saw a familiar figure¡ªXiao Jinglan, Song Sinian¡¯s stepmother.


    The person who had been kindest to her in the Song Family.


    Was she here because she was worried about Lu Zhaozhao?


    ¡°Aunt Xiao, run¡­ run quickly! Xiao Mo, he¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words cut off as a cold dagger pressed against her neck.


    Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Xiao Jinglan, realizing then that she and Xiao Mo were in cahoots.


    Xiao Jinglan scolded the approaching Xiao Mo from the darkness, ¡°Can¡¯t you even do this simple task right? You let her escape? If I hadn¡¯t been still here, the whole plan would¡¯ve been exposed!¡±


    Xiao Mo, clutching his bloody head, frowned in irritation, ¡°You have the nerve to say that? Wasn¡¯t it you who said the drug would work quickly? Why is she still awake?!¡±


    ¡°Why¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s voice was tinged with desperation, echoing starkly in the empty and quiet corridor.


    Xiao Jinglan laughed scornfully as she looked at Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Why? Because Song Sinian left all his wealth to you, his ex-wife!¡±


    ¡°How is that possible¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes trembled slightly.


    The man she¡¯d married for three years hadn¡¯t so much as touched her and even sent her an inexplicable divorce agreement at the end.


    Why would he leave all his wealth to her?


    Seeing her reaction, Xiao Jinglan¡¯s lips curled up with satisfaction, ¡°You didn¡¯t know how much he loved you, did you? It¡¯s also true, how could that freak, who can¡¯t even control his basic expressions, ever be loved by anyone? Hahaha¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao seemed to have suddenly understood something, ¡°It was you¡­ it¡¯s always been you¡­¡±


    Her kindness at the Lu Family, her nagging, it was all aimed against Song Sinian!


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re quite smart,¡± Xiao Jinglan¡¯s expression suddenly turned sinister, ¡°Thanks to you, that kid got to feel what it¡¯s like to be despised by the person he loved the most¡­¡±


    She leaned in close to Lu Zhaozhao and spoke word by word, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know, but that child had severe depression before.¡±


    ¡°Boom!¡± The last strand of rationale in Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s mind completely crumbled in an instant.


    Was it her, was she the one¡­ who killed Song Sinian?!


    Unforgivable! How much suffering had that man endured over these three years!


    A suffocating feeling overwhelmed her, and the excruciating pain spreading throughout her limbs dragged her into a deep abyss of utter despair.


    She lunged at Xiao Jinglan and, clutching her tightly, hurled them both down the stairs with force.


    Song Sinian, I¡¯m sorry.


    I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll never have the chance to repay you in this lifetime.


    ¡°If there¡¯s a next life¡­ I¡¯ll definitely love you well¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Miss Lu?¡±


    ¡°Miss Lu, wake up?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao faintly heard someone calling her.


    Was she still alive?


    She slowly opened her eyes, the warm sunlight was a bit blinding, and she subconsciously raised her hand to shield her forehead, but she was startled when she saw the man opposite her.


    It was, Song Sinian.


    His cold, handsome features were just as distant and indifferent as she remembered, and his pale complexion was accentuated by the dark-colored suit he wore.


    Perhaps it was the effect of the sunlight, but his inherently cold and aloof demeanor seemed to carry a bit more warmth.


    It looked like she really was dead.


    Otherwise, why would she see Song Sinian?


    As Lu Zhaozhao thought this, tears of grievance, like beads off a broken string, started pouring from her eyes.


    Song Sinian and Zhao Xi, who stood behind him, didn¡¯t seem to expect this reaction from Lu Zhaozhao.


    ¡°If you dislike it, there¡¯s no need to force yourself,¡± Song Sinian¡¯s voice was low, as if shrouded in a layer of fog.


    The gold-rimmed glasses on his nose caught a few strands of cold, dark light from the sunset outside the window.


    He spoke and nodded at Lu Zhaozhao, then stood up to leave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± Lu Zhaozhao suddenly got up and bumped into the table.


    A dining knife that had been lying on the table slid off and the sharp serrated edge grazed the back of her hand.


    ¡°Hisss¡­¡±


    She could actually¡­ feel pain?


    Lu Zhaozhao stared at the tiny beads of blood forming on the back of her hand, utterly stunned.


    She wasn¡¯t dreaming?


    This was the real world!


    She glanced subconsciously at the mobile phone on the table; the date on the calendar was clearly three years in the past!


    It was the day she first met Song Sinian!


    In her previous life, Song Sinian had a reputation for being a bloodthirsty psychopath, and no woman dared to come close, let alone marry him.


    And she was forced to meet for a marriage interview because the Lu Family needed funds.


    So their first meeting wasn¡¯t pleasant, and just like that, Song Sinian had hurriedly left.


    Their next meeting would not be until two months later!


    No, absolutely not!


    She couldn¡¯t let him just leave like that! As Lu Zhaozhao thought this, she grabbed onto the cuff of Song Sinian¡¯s sleeve even more tightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re injured.¡± A cool voice brought her thoughts back to reality.


    Lu Zhaozhao blinked, looking at Song Sinian standing in place, unsure of what to say.


    He might be seeing her for the first time, but she had been married to him for three years¡­


    And had been divorced by him.


    Suddenly, a long hand rested on her cheek, a thumb gently wiping away a tear from beneath her eye.


    The warm touch left Lu Zhaozhao slightly dazed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, I¡¯ll take you to get bandaged.¡±


    His voice was as distant as ever, but he bent down to meet her gaze eye-to-eye.


    Was it her imagination?


    She felt that Song Sinian was a little different from the previous life.


    Seemingly¡­ very gentle toward her.


    With her head reeling, she was directly escorted by Song Sinian to the back seat of the car.


    There was an emergency medical kit in the car, and her hand wound was promptly treated.


    Looking at the gauze taped to her hand, and then at Song Sinian, who was putting the medical kit away, Lu Zhaozhao decisively said, ¡°Song Sinian, let¡¯s get married.¡±

 Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Shes Going to Be an Arrogant and Domineering Villainess!

    Chapter 2: Chapter 2 She¡¯s Going to Be an Arrogant and Domineering Villainess!


    Song Sinian¡¯s body suddenly stiffened, and his eyes gradually turned dark and cold. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    His expressionless face showed no emotion, but the light in his eyes was clear and piercing.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s scalp tingled instantly.


    How could Song Sinian possibly agree to such a preposterous thing as a flash marriage?


    In their previous life, they had known each other for a full two years before they got married under Xiao Jinglan¡¯s urging.


    This time she couldn¡¯t make the same mistake. To save Song Sinian, she had to take the initiative.


    Thinking of this, Lu Zhaozhao took a deep breath and grabbed Song Sinian¡¯s hand directly. ¡°I, I fell for you at first sight! I want to marry you¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao saw that he didn¡¯t respond and could only proceed to tug at his sleeve gently, ¡°Please~ Please~ marry me¡­¡±


    Her voice grew softer with the words that followed, but her ears and cheeks became redder and redder¡­


    This was so embarrassing.


    It was the first time she had acted coquettishly in front of Song Sinian.


    If he didn¡¯t agree¡­


    ¡°Then¡­ let¡¯s get married.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± He agreed just like that?


    Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t believe her ears, her eyes wide with astonishment. She hadn¡¯t misheard him, had she?


    Seeing Lu Zhaozhao in a daze, Song Sinian turned to look at Zhao Xi, who was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, and said indifferently, ¡°Go to the civil affairs bureau.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao became flustered for a moment, ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±


    Song Sinian held her small hand, his brow slightly furrowed, ¡°Don¡¯t move your hand.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Lu Zhaozhao immediately complied obediently.


    She had always known that Song Sinian was efficient, but this was too efficient, wasn¡¯t it?


    The first blind date and they were getting a marriage certificate on the spot?


    Song Sinian raised his eyes, his glance carrying a hint of scrutiny as he spoke slowly, ¡°You¡­ are not satisfied?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao felt his gaze like a sweat-inducing spotlight and immediately shook her head, ¡°No, I¡¯m very satisfied! It¡¯s just that I seem to have forgotten some documents¡­¡±


    At that moment, Zhao Xi, who was driving, suddenly spoke up, ¡°Miss Lu, don¡¯t worry. These documents can be completed later. As long as you have your ID card, you and sir can go ahead and get the certificate.¡±


    He said this, offering a polite nod through the rearview mirror.


    Now Lu Zhaozhao was completely bewildered; even though it was her initiative, why did it feel like Song Sinian was more afraid of her escaping?


    Uh, it must be an illusion!


    Even after receiving the marriage certificate, Lu Zhaozhao hadn¡¯t snapped out of that illusion.


    Looking at the photo on the marriage certificate in her hand, Lu Zhaozhao still heard Song Sinian¡¯s recent words echoing, ¡°Go back and pack up; tomorrow I¡¯ll have the driver take you home.¡±


    Today had been the day Song Sinian talked to her the most in years.


    She walked towards the community entrance in a daze, clutching the marriage certificate.


    In the distance, inside the parked sedan, the man was propping up his chin, quietly watching that graceful silhouette disappear from his field of vision through the window.


    The inside of the car was especially quiet, with only the blinking indicator light making a soft ¡°tick-tock¡± sound.


    ¡°Sir, why did you agree to get a certificate with Miss Lu?¡± Zhao Xi lifted his gaze towards where Lu Zhaozhao had vanished, a flicker of puzzlement in his eyes.


    What was so special about this Miss Lu that made their master agree to get a certificate the moment he saw her?


    There had been no intention to get married before.


    And after personally bandaging Lu Zhaozhao earlier, he had held onto her hand and never let go¡­


    It seemed he was very satisfied with her.


    Song Sinian didn¡¯t even lift an eyelid as he replied indifferently, ¡°She said she fell for me at first sight and wanted to marry me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhao Xi¡¯s mouth twitched. He wasn¡¯t deaf; the two had just been under his watch.


    How could he possibly not have heard?


    ¡°Sir¡­¡± Zhao Xi hesitated for a moment, ¡°You don¡¯t really believe it, do you?¡±


    Finally, Song Sinian regained his gaze and lazily gave him a straight look, blurting out, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡±


    Zhao Xi¡¯s brow furrowed even tighter, ¡°Then why are you still marrying Miss Lu?¡±


    ¡°Why¡­¡± Song Sinian muttered the word to himself. His eyelids drooped slightly as he gently twiddled his fingertips that seemed to still retain the previous touch.


    Soft, warm, and a nice feel to it.


    And she wasn¡¯t scared of him at all.


    Nor did she dislike his touch.


    His fist suddenly clenched. This feeling wasn¡¯t bad.


    Seeing that Song Sinian didn¡¯t speak, Zhao Xi asked again, ¡°Is this the first time you¡¯ve met Miss Lu?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark pupils lowered as he subconsciously stroked the colorful woven bracelet on his wrist; it seemed a little worn on the outside from wearing it for too long.


    After all these years, she was still as adorable as she was when she was a child, irresistibly making people want to cling to her tightly.


    Faced with Song Sinian¡¯s silence, Zhao Xi immediately understood.


    Definitely not the first time!


    Their master has always been straightforward, not fond of lying. The meaning behind his silence was self-explanatory.


    What charm does this Miss Lu Zhaozhao possess to shake the deep-sea iceberg of their master?


    It seemed they¡¯d have to be more careful around her from now on¡­


    Since Mr. and Mrs. Lu had gone on a trip out of town and had not returned, there was little resistance on Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s part.


    The next morning, Lu Zhaozhao packed up briefly and was picked up by the driver sent by Song Sinian.


    When she arrived at the destination, she was stunned.


    Was this¡­ Song Sinian¡¯s villa?


    In her past life, even after she registered her marriage with Song Sinian, she lived in the Song Mansion for over a year before she had the chance to stay here.


    Now she could actually live here directly?


    Was it because she had made different choices in this life, so the future had changed?


    Lu Zhaozhao entered the door in a daze, only to see a familiar figure at the entrance.


    ¡°Young Master has already instructed us to prepare a comfortable guest room for Miss Lu.¡±


    The familiar voice, with not a single change in lines.


    She was Song Sinian¡¯s female housekeeper, Liao Yan. It was said that she had already been with the Song Family since Song Sinian was very young.


    Even in her past life, after marrying Song Sinian for over a year, this woman still referred to her as Miss Lu.


    Taking advantage of her seniority in the Song Family, she had not spared any effort to torment her.


    With Song Sinian seldom returning home, they even purposefully gave her spoiled food, locked her in the storage room, and once, during a heavy rain, locked her on an uncovered balcony all night long.


    Thinking back now, after each psychological and physical torment in her previous life, Xiao Jinglan had suspiciously appeared at the right time to aid her.


    The outdoor sunlight was brilliant, and the bright rays shone on the floor, making Liao Yan¡¯s wrinkled face appear even more sinister.


    Lu Zhaozhao tossed her luggage to the side and slightly lifted her chin, her eyes sharply fixed on Liao Yan, ¡°Song Si and I are newlyweds, what do you mean by arranging this?¡±


    Liao Yan¡¯s contemptuous gaze swept over Lu Zhaozhao as she feigned ignorance, ¡°All our arrangements are made according to the Young Master¡¯s requests. If Miss Lu has any dissatisfaction, she can speak directly to the Young Master.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao glanced up at the camera in the corner of the living room; it showed no reaction.


    Although the time of her stay at Song Sinian¡¯s place had changed, Liao Yan¡¯s actions remained the same.


    In her previous life, she knew she was coming, so she deliberately turned off the surveillance camera at home, threw all her luggage out as trash in front of the other servants, and even had people tear her clothes.


    At that time, she had suffered immensely from her fake identity as Lu Family¡¯s illegitimate daughter and from unbearable gossip.


    Originally, she was quite pleased when Song Sinian asked her to move to his place, but she hadn¡¯t expected to encounter such an incident on the first day, leaving her physically and emotionally drained, and she fell ill.


    From that day on, the servants of the Song Family figured she was an easy target, too scared to bring matters to Song Sinian¡¯s attention, and they grew increasingly cruel towards her.


    In her past life, she was brainwashed by Xiao Jinglan, believing that Song Sinian liked graceful, virtuous ladies, women who wouldn¡¯t trouble him in any way, so she suffered in silence¡­


    But now¡­ no more restraint! She would become the arrogant vixen she was destined to be!

 Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3 You Can Leave Once Youve Heard This Clearly!

    Chapter 3: Chapter 3 You Can Leave Once You¡¯ve Heard This Clearly!


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I might as well call my dear husband directly¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao said as she took out her phone to dial Song Sinian¡¯s number.


    Liao Yan indeed panicked instantly, rushing forward to stop her, ¡°The young master must be at work right now; he hates being disturbed the most. It¡¯s better for Miss Lu not to touch this taboo.¡±


    Her words clearly carried a warning tone.


    Lu Zhaozhao snorted lightly and gestured with her hand, beckoning Liao Yan to come closer.


    Liao Yan, not understanding why, approached subconsciously.


    With a ¡°slap,¡± the sharp sound of a palm striking flesh echoed through the living room.


    The other servants present were all stunned; they hadn¡¯t expected Lu Zhaozhao to actually hit someone.


    And it was the housekeeper she had hit.


    Liao Yan fell to the ground, glaring at Lu Zhaozhao with uncontrollable anger, ¡°Have you lost your mind?!¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao looked coldly at Liao Yan, mockingly curling the corner of her mouth, ¡°I¡¯m just doing what my husband requested. If you have any complaints about my actions, you can take it up with him directly.¡±


    Liao Yan had been with Song Sinian for so long, she knew all too well that he never cared about such trivial matters. Even if she spoke up, it would be ignored.


    She had heard from Xiao Jinglan that Lu Zhaozhao was just a marriage partner, and they had gotten the certificate after meeting just once. Song Sinian probably didn¡¯t have much affection for her.


    She had wanted to intimidate this young girl so that she would be submissive in the future, but she didn¡¯t expect her to be so ungrateful.


    Liao Yan clenched her fists, her already wrinkled face filled with resentment, ¡°I¡¯m sent by Mrs. Lu to take care of the young master. What you are doing¡ªAh!¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, her face was struck hard again by Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s slap.


    It was bad enough not to mention Xiao Jinglan, but the moment she did, Lu Zhaozhao could no longer contain her anger.


    She had just been suspecting whether Liao Yan was colluding with Xiao Jinglan, and now it was confirmed!


    She had definitely been influenced by Xiao Jinglan.


    That woman allowed everyone to bully her, insult her, and yet she alone put on a facade of kindness and saintliness in front of her.


    All for the purpose of controlling her, hurting Song Sinian¡­


    With that in mind, Lu Zhaozhao stopped holding back, grabbed Liao Yan, and delivered a flurry of slaps to her face.


    ¡°You! Ah!¡± ¡°Slap!¡±


    ¡°Slut! Ah!¡± ¡°Slap!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Slap!¡±


    The other servants were shocked by Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s ferocity, and those who had wanted to intervene were left frozen in place.


    They watched as Liao Yan¡¯s face turned into a pig¡¯s head.


    After a moment, Lu Zhaozhao stopped and sat back on the couch, her gaze sweeping over the servants present, ¡°I am now the lady of the Song Family. Even if you don¡¯t like it, you¡¯ll have to hold it in, and you¡¯d better not let me find out, otherwise, she will be your fate!¡±


    The other servants who had been in cahoots with Liao Yan exchanged glances furtively.


    ¡°Miss Lu, it¡¯s your first day in the Song Family and you¡¯re already so overbearing; I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t last long in the Song Family!¡±


    ¡°We cannot accept someone like Miss Lu, I¡¯m afraid. We will not serve a woman who is both violent and malicious!¡±


    ¡°If what Miss Lu has done today gets back to the young master, I¡¯m afraid Mrs. Lu¡¯s position won¡¯t be very secure!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Clap, clap, clap!¡±


    Listening to the servants in front of her, Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t help but applaud, ¡°Well said. Since you are all so principled, I¡¯ll grant your wish. As of today, you are all fired.¡±


    Her tone was light and airy, yet it stunned all the servants present.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the right!¡± Liao Yan was the first to growl, but the pain from her swollen, reddened face made her instantly bare her teeth in a grimace.


    Lu Zhaozhao sneered coldly, her icy gaze swept over her, ¡°Whether you acknowledge it or not, I am Song Sinian¡¯s legal wife, and I certainly have the power to dismiss a few servants.¡±


    Having said that, Lu Zhaozhao waved her hand as if shooing away an annoying fly, ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve heard me clear enough, now scram!¡±


    The other servants panicked immediately, working for the Song Family was easy with high pay, and more importantly, the masters never interfered with their affairs.


    Liao Yan bit her teeth in dissatisfaction, ¡°You will regret it! Arriving at the Song Family and driving out all the servants on the first day, what do you think people outside will say about you, the new bride?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s lips suddenly curled into a smile, yet there was no trace of warmth in her eyes, ¡°Do you think I care? With the wealth of the Song Family, do you think we lack servants?¡±


    She slowly stood up, looking down at Liao Yan with an air of superiority, ¡°On the other hand, you servants being cast out with your loose tongues, who would want to hire you?¡±


    The servants present were absolutely struck by lightning.


    They had sided with Liao Yan due to her seniority and the fact that Xiao Jinglan valued her, and collectively bullied the new mistress of the household.


    But they had all forgotten, no matter how senior Liao Yan was, or how valued, she was nothing more than a servant.


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at them trembling like quails, their necks shrunk, not daring to meet her gaze, and snorted lightly before returning to her room.


    She had originally thought it was because of her background that the servants of the Song Family looked down on her¡­


    She had never expected Xiao Jinglan¡¯s involvement.


    It was only after two years of knowing Song Sinian in her previous life did she find out that she was not actually born into the Lu Family, and that the Lu Family already knew, that¡¯s why they didn¡¯t care about Song Sinian¡¯s bad reputation and allowed her to be engaged to him.


    Even after the real Lu Family daughter returned two years later, because of her poor relationship with Song Sinian, they insisted she, the counterfeit heiress, fulfill the marriage contract.


    The Lu Family revealed her adopted status the day after her marriage registration with Song Sinian, paving the way for their real daughter.


    Because of her false identity, she was mocked mercilessly in the Song Family.


    Yet the Lu Family did not care about her wellbeing at all, they simply traded her to Song Sinian for a contract.


    Now that she had been reborn, she would no longer be manipulated like in her previous life!


    To take control, she first needed to have bargaining chips.


    After closing her room door, Lu Zhaozhao immediately went to the sofa in her room and picked up her laptop.


    If she remembered correctly, there was an auction coming up that would rock the entire country.


    Because at this auction, priceless masterpieces were sold.


    Yet her focus was not on these paintings, but on a work named ¡°Remembrance,¡± which at that time only sold for one hundred thousand yuan.


    But shortly after, the artist passed away.


    And ¡°Remembrance,¡± as the artist¡¯s last masterwork, saw its price skyrocket tenfold.


    She learned about all of this from the casual conversations of other wealthy ladies while she was at the Song Family.


    If she could secure that painting at the auction, she would have her startup capital.


    Now the issue was how to get a ticket to the auction¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao nestled with her laptop on the sofa, her hand still slightly swollen from slapping Liao Yan, she looked at her somewhat swollen palm and then at the silent, empty room.


    She couldn¡¯t help but let out a light sigh; it felt good to hit her, but staying in his room without Song Sinian¡¯s approval, she wondered what he would say when he came back in the evening.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly; it looked like she would have to resort to that method¡­

 Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 4 How should she take the initiative?

    Chapter 4: Chapter 4 How should she take the initiative?


    When Sinian returned to the villa, the sky had already turned completely dark.


    Unlike most days, there wasn¡¯t a single servant in sight.


    He changed his shoes and walked upstairs, only slowing his pace when he saw a faint light at the bedroom door.


    Pushing open the door, the scene in front of him was somewhat beyond his expectations.


    Under the dim light, Zhaozhao was curled up asleep on the sofa.


    Her hair, spread out beside her, was still damp with moisture, and if he moved closer, he could smell the sweet scent of oranges on her.


    And¡­ the smell of alcohol.


    Sinian¡¯s gaze swept around and landed on three empty beer cans near the leg of the table.


    He slightly raised his eyebrows. From the information Zhao Xi gave, he hadn¡¯t noticed that she was fond of drinking.


    ¡°Zhaozhao, wake up,¡± Sinian gently called.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The person nestled on the sofa showed no reaction.


    Sinian¡¯s eyes drooped under the dim light, reflecting a cold light from his gold-rimmed glasses.


    It was the late autumn. Although the temperature during the day was still pleasant, the chill in the room grew noticeable after nightfall.


    If she continued sleeping like this, she would surely catch a cold.


    Sinian gently tapped her shoulder and raised his voice slightly, ¡°Zhaozhao¡­¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡±


    Finally, the tiny figure on the sofa showed some response.


    Zhaozhao slowly opened her eyes, her gaze dazed for a moment when she saw him, and her eyes instantly reddened.


    Her small hand reached out to Sinian, hooking his neck, the coolness of her fingertips on the back of his neck made Sinian shiver slightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die, please¡± her sobbing voice wasn¡¯t loud, but each word pierced his heart like a slender needle.


    Sharp, yet heavily suffocating.


    This was the second time he had seen her cry.


    ¡°It seems every time I see you, I see your tears. What can I do to stop you from crying?¡±


    His tone was gentle, his demeanor indifferent, only when the light hit his eyes could the clarity and restraint be seen.


    Zhaozhao¡¯s reddening eyes blinked slightly, her eyelashes wet, tinting the corners of her eyes red, ¡°You¡­¡±


    She sniffled timidly, ¡°Kiss me.¡±


    If it was an illusion, she could ask for even the most fanciful of wishes, right?


    The shadow in front of her fell, blocking her view, but the warm touch sharpened all her senses.


    A closeness she never had in her previous life entangled her already hazy thoughts into a knot.


    Her arms tightly embraced his neck, responding to him with all her might.


    Their breaths mingled in the narrow space, the faint sweet citrus scent numbing his heart¡¯s tip slightly.


    How could he describe what he felt now?


    His heart seemed to be completely filled with an indescribable emotion, a satisfaction he had never felt before.


    ¡°Thump, thump¡­¡±


    The strong heartbeat seemed inconsequential amidst the deepening breaths.


    He wanted more¡­


    Whether it was the soft waistline in his palm or the fair skin that marked easily under slight pressure.


    Each aspect ignited a destructive desire within him.


    Originally, he didn¡¯t want her to cry, but now he wanted to make her cry himself¡­


    ¡°Umm¡­ it hurts¡­¡±


    Suddenly, a sound emerged in the quiet room.


    The figure sprawled on the sofa stiffened suddenly, and he glanced at the small hand interlocked with his.


    Only then did he notice that the bandage on the back of her hand had been wet all along.


    Had she not noticed while bathing?


    Sinian sat up and took her small hand, unwrapping the gauze.


    Indeed, the edges of the original wound had turned white from soaking, but the center had become even redder.


    It must have become inflamed.


    ¡°Stay here and don¡¯t run around.¡± After he said this, he stood up and went to the next room.


    Zhaozhao blankly got up from the sofa, her thoughts foggy from the alcohol, even duller than usual.


    She touched her lips, which had been forcefully kissed by Sinian, feeling like she had forgotten something very important.


    Suddenly, her hand stopped on her lips.


    The stinging sensation on the back of her hand brought her some semblance of reality.


    She ¡­ she had just!!!


    Zhaozhao belatedly covered her mouth; she had actually initiated a kiss with Sinian?!


    And succeeded?


    Thinking of this, Zhaozhao instantly blushed from head to toe.


    The alcohol she had just consumed was now mostly sobering.


    She had intended to drink some beer, pretend to be drunk, and discuss the dismissal of the maids with Sinian, perhaps even shamelessly play the sympathy card.


    But¡­ she kissed him before she could even mention the maids.


    How was she supposed to face Sinian later?


    Should she pretend to be asleep now?


    But it would definitely hurt when the medicine was applied later; she absolutely couldn¡¯t keep that up!


    As Zhaozhao was thinking this, Sinian came over with a medical kit.


    He grabbed Zhaozhao¡¯s small hand and started disinfecting and applying medicine without explanation.


    Maybe because the wound on her hand was so painful, Zhaozhao bravely spoke up, ¡°Mr. Song, about ¡­ I dismissed all the housemaids¡­¡±


    ¡°Um.¡±


    Sinian didn¡¯t even lift his eyelids, meticulously applying medicine to her hand.


    He didn¡¯t even ask why.


    Zhaozhao raised her eyebrows in perplexity, wondering if she hadn¡¯t expressed herself clearly.


    Other people were one thing, but Liao Yan had been sent by Xiao Jinglan, surely Sinian would show some consideration for her?


    Her gaze was fixed on him for a long while, and he still seemed not about to speak.


    Just as Zhaozhao was about to give up,


    Sinian had just finished applying the ointment.


    He shifted his gaze to Zhaozhao, ¡°Are you worried about the house being a mess without any maids?¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ ¡± That was part of it.


    But what she really cared about was how Sinian viewed this matter.


    Sinian¡¯s eyes gently swept over her small face, and his soft voice echoed in the room again, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this; Zhao Xi will arrange new maids tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Uh ¡­ ¡±


    That¡¯s it? Is that all?


    He isn¡¯t angry?


    Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze toward Sinian carried a mix of complexities.


    ¡°Are you not satisfied?¡± Sinian slightly tilted his head, pulling at his loosened tie.


    The cold-colored shirt, opened by two buttons, gained a touch of allure under the warm light.


    Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t understand how someone could look so abstinent, yet¡­ so desirous.


    She pursed her little mouth, her head bowed slightly, ¡°I ¡­ I am not unsatisfied. I know that discharging maids needs to be approved by the owner, that¡¯s a rule I¡­¡±


    ¡°You are my wife now, and your actions at home are the rules of this house.¡±


    Sinian¡¯s casual words made Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes light up.


    She suddenly raised her face to look at him, utterly unprepared for the discussion about firing the maids to go so smoothly.


    She suddenly felt excited, thinking of discussing with Sinian the prospect of sharing a room¡­ what approach should she take to initiate that conversation?

 Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The death you mentioned, should it be in a physical sense?

    Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The death you mentioned, should it be in a physical sense?


    Lu Zhaozhao took a deep breath, ¡°Um¡­ can I sleep on this sofa tonight?¡±


    She remembered in her last life, until her death, she and Song Sinian had never slept in the same room, let alone had any physical closeness.


    When she first arrived, Liao Yan told her that Song Sinian had asked her to stay in the guest room¡ªit seemed if she wasn¡¯t proactive, she would be living a lonely life again this lifetime!


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyebrows raised imperceptibly, his gaze briefly sweeping across Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small face, ¡°The sofa¡­ is uncomfortable.¡±


    His tone was even, showing no particular emotion, yet Lu Zhaozhao faintly felt a hint of displeasure when he spoke.


    Did he still not want to stay in the same room with her?


    He had just kissed her! Why couldn¡¯t they sleep in the same room?!


    How could she get any closer to him this way?


    Although Lu Zhaozhao had heard Xiao Jinglan say before her death that Song Sinian had fallen in love with her, she had no clue when exactly that had happened.


    In her last life, the time spent together with Song Sinian was minimal.


    Thus, this lifetime, she had to make the most of her time and get him to fall in love with her sooner!


    Lu Zhaozhao clenched her fists, wrapped herself in the blanket she had prepared earlier, and stubbornly lay down on the sofa, ¡°No worries! I find this sofa big and soft, and I¡¯m not very big, so it¡¯s quite fitting for me!¡±


    The blanket that initially covered her wasn¡¯t long, and with her aggressive wrapping, it became even shorter.


    Her fair, small legs were fully exposed, dangling off the edge of the sofa.


    Under the dim yellow light, her rounded toes curled slightly.


    Song Sinian sat next to Lu Zhaozhao, his gaze silently dropping down.


    Suddenly, he gently grasped her danging ankle with his fingers.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s heart tightened, the touched ankle tingling, her instep stiffened, and her heart was raised to her throat, thumping wildly.


    Thankfully, Song Sinian only held it briefly before quickly letting go.


    He slowly stood up, ¡°This blanket is too thin, let¡¯s get a quilt.¡±


    His light tone fell to Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s ear, almost making her leap up like a carp.


    He had agreed!


    Her eyes instantly curved into a beautiful arc, looking at Song Sinian with a beaming smile, nodding repeatedly, ¡°Mm-hmm! Thank you, Mr. Song!¡±


    ¡­


    Song Sinian paused slightly, gave Lu Zhaozhao a deep look, and turned to walk to the bathroom.


    It wasn¡¯t until he closed the bathroom door that he leaned against it, annoyed.


    What was he thinking just now? Was he actually hoping she would agree to sleep in the same bed with him?


    He had intended to approach her slowly for fear of scaring her away, wanting to encircle her with marriage.


    But she had taken the initiative to marry him first.


    His plans, disrupted by this young woman repeatedly, had originally been just to keep her firmly by his side ¡ª that would have been enough.


    But now, he had changed his mind.


    He wanted to be a bit greedier, to want just a little bit more.


    He wanted her¡­


    Song Sinian thought about her dazed kiss just now, his expression sorrowful, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.


    The real reason she married him, could it be because the man she liked had died?


    He pondered for a moment, then picked up his phone and sent Zhao Xi a message, ¡°Investigate the people my wife has dated before, especially those who have died.¡±


    After editing the message, he looked at the screen and added, ¡°Those about to die count too.¡±


    He watched as the message bubble on his phone showed Zhao Xi typing then disappearing, then typing again.


    After a long while, a message came through, ¡°Sir, by dead, you mean physically dead right?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised, and he casually replied, ¡°What else?¡±


    Zhao Xi responded quickly this time, ¡°Okay, sir, I will handle it as soon as possible.¡±


    Song Sinian lightly tapped his phone screen and added, ¡°Arrange for new servants at the villa, pick a sensible butler, and tell them to give my wife whatever she wants, no limits.¡±


    The typing indicator on his phone started blinking again, Song Sinian glanced at it, then tossed the phone aside.


    He now needed to take a good shower to calm down. Ever since he saw Lu Zhaozhao in the bedroom, his heart had been inexplicably agitated.


    Was it a side effect of the new medication? It had never happened before.


    It looked like he needed a thorough medical check-up again.


    Song Sinian turned on the faucet, the cool water fell into his palm, he suddenly paused, thinking about the ankle he had just held in his hand¡­


    ¡°Indeed, everything about her is petite¡­¡±


    Outside, the night deepened.


    The Song Mansion was brightly lit.


    ¡°Madam, everything I¡¯ve said is true, that wretched girl is relying on her marriage to the young master to throw her weight around in the house!¡± Liao Yan, with her swollen cheek, sat on the sofa, exaggerating Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s conduct.


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s eyes narrowed, still digesting the news she had just received.


    That woman named Lu Zhaozhao was quite capable, making Song Sinian willingly go register their marriage the very first day they met.


    The next day, she moved into his place. It seemed Song Sinian was quite pleased with her.


    If the two of them had a child, wouldn¡¯t all her previous plans be in vain?


    She had planned for so long¡­


    She had hoped that once the outside world knew Song Sinian was a monster, no woman would be willing to marry him, yet there was still someone unafraid of death.


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s eyelids slightly lifted as she looked at Old Master Song sitting beside her, saying nonchalantly, ¡°Dad, please don¡¯t blame Sinian for this. He rarely interacts with women, and might have married impulsively after meeting someone he liked, without thinking too much¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Old Master Song didn¡¯t say anything, just quietly picked up a cup of tea and sipped it delicately.


    His unyielding demeanor made Xiao Jinglan somewhat anxious.


    ¡°However, if this woman really has ill intentions, I, as a mother, am truly worried¡­¡± she paused deliberately while saying this, giving Liao Yan a meaningful look.


    Seeing this, Liao Yan nodded repeatedly, continuing with Xiao Jinglan¡¯s narrative, ¡°Madam is right, that Lu Zhaozhao surely has nefarious plans, dismissing all the servants on her first day in the house, who knows what awful things she might do to the young master!¡±


    Truth be told, she didn¡¯t care whether Lu Zhaozhao had harmful intentions towards Song Sinian or not, as long as Xiao Jinglan supported her, she could use this pretense as much and as often as needed!


    Old Master Song placed his tea cup on the table, looked up to Xiao Jinglan, ¡°Sinian has been under your watch since he was a child, you know his personality best. Go to his place tomorrow morning to check, and if she really has sinister motives, help him deal with her¡­¡±

 Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Her Image is Completely Gone!

    Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Her Image is Completely Gone!


    ¡°Okay, Dad, rest assured, I will definitely help Sinian be careful about everything,¡± Xiao Jinglan said as she refilled Mr. Song¡¯s tea.


    Although the Lu Family couldn¡¯t compare to the Song Family, the couple still held a respectable status in their circle.


    However, their daughter Lu Zhaozhao barely made any appearance in the social circles.


    Some said it was because they loved her too much to expose her to the public, but if they truly loved her, why would they marry her off to Sinian, whose reputation was so unbearable, just to secure a contract with the Song Family?


    Perhaps Lu Zhaozhao was just a puppet after all.


    If she could just obey, she would be taken into their fold.


    And if not¡­


    Xiao Jinglan laughed at the thought.


    She¡¯s just a freshman in college; Xiao Jinglan had plenty of ways to make her comply!


    She couldn¡¯t believe she would escape from her grasp, could she?


    The next morning,


    When Lu Zhaozhao woke up, Sinian wasn¡¯t in the room.


    She slowly got up from the sofa, grabbed her phone, and realized it was already 9 AM.


    Lu Zhaozhao looked up at the large bed across from her, frowned slightly, and leapt from the sofa, rushing towards the bed in a few strides.


    She tightly clung to the blanket and rolled around the bed a few times.


    The sheets and pillows all carried Sinian¡¯s scent, the traces of his existence.


    He was still alive, how wonderful.


    ¡°Is the bed comfortable?¡± Suddenly, a faint voice echoed in the room.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s rolling figure suddenly froze, stuck in place.


    Sinian hadn¡¯t left?!


    It was all over; her image was completely destroyed!


    Thinking that Sinian had seen her act like a hooligan just now, she felt so embarrassed she could have dug a three-bedroom apartment out of the floor with her toes.


    Lu Zhaozhao took a deep breath and mustered her courage, peeking half of her small face out from under the blanket, ¡°Mr. Song, why didn¡¯t you go to work?¡±


    Sinian, lightly drying his wet hair with a towel, gazed at her face and enunciated, ¡°Zhao Xi said that husbands should go to work late on the second day of marriage.¡±


    He added that it was generally what newlywed husbands did.


    As he spoke, Sinian sat on the edge of the bed.


    He didn¡¯t understand why it was necessary, but if that¡¯s what a husband should do, then Lu Zhaozhao should have it too.


    ¡°He¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao got stuck mid-sentence.


    What Zhao Xi said was correct, but in her and Sinian¡¯s situation, it was utterly impossible!


    She understood, but did he?!


    The more Lu Zhaozhao thought about it, the more her head ached.


    Last night, she had researched a lot of information about depression.


    Among them, the symptoms that resembled Sinian¡¯s the most were emotional bluntness, simply put, he couldn¡¯t perceive and articulate his own or others¡¯ emotions.


    Because of the lack of emotions, those with emotional bluntness focus primarily on factual information about the external world, which makes them seem cold-hearted.


    In her past life, she always thought Sinian was cold to her because he didn¡¯t like her; she never thought he was ill.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes dampened, filled with sympathy.


    Sinian¡¯s eyebrows slightly lifted as he scanned her from head to toe.


    Just now, she was happily rolling on the bed, but ever since he appeared, she seemed hardly able to move.


    Did she not like him being here?


    Sinian pondered for a moment and then slowly stood up, ¡°I¡¯m going to work now, you can sleep some more.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lu Zhaozhao hugged the quilt and mumbled a response, then all was quiet.


    Song Sinian naturally went to the adjacent dressing room to change his clothes.


    Just after he closed the door, he heard rustling sounds coming from the bed.


    He gently turned the doorknob and, through the slightly opened door, saw Lu Zhaozhao tumbling on the bed with the quilt again.


    Song Sinian¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, then he closed the door again.


    It seemed she really didn¡¯t like him being here.


    Song Sinian sat on the sofa in the dressing room, pondered for a moment, then picked up his phone and drafted a message to send.


    ¡°Advance all the work-related trips that are scheduled soon.¡±


    Since she wasn¡¯t used to seeing him, he decided to leave for a few days.


    Lu Zhaozhao had originally planned to wait in bed for Song Sinian to leave before getting up.


    But she had gone to bed very late last night and, moreover, sleeping on the sofa was uncomfortable.


    So, by the time Song Sinian dressed and came out of the dressing room, she was already asleep in bed.


    Song Sinian approached, his gaze falling on the docilely sleeping Lu Zhaozhao, and a flicker of starlight passed through his dark pupils.


    He leaned over, his silhouette backlit, casting a shadow that enveloped her.


    He raised his hand to gently caress her cheek. The person in her sleep suddenly moved, causing Song Sinian¡¯s breath to catch and he froze on the spot.


    But the next second, the sleeping person rubbed her little face against his warm palm¡­


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Her character hadn¡¯t changed much; whenever he reached out to her, she never pushed him away.


    Even in her sleep¡­


    When Lu Zhaozhao woke up again, it was nearly noon.


    She changed into light clothing and went downstairs.


    ¡°Madam, would you like to eat now?¡±


    Just as she reached the first-floor staircase, she heard a gentle voice.


    Seeing Lu Zhaozhao look over, the person bowed respectfully, ¡°I am the new butler, Qian Hong. Madam, please feel free to instruct me at any time.¡±


    Qian Hong? The new butler was her?


    She and Liao Yan were both veterans of the Song family, but she was from the side of Song Sinian¡¯s mother, so she had always disliked Xiao Jinglan.


    She was also one of the few who took extra care of her.


    Lu Zhaozhao chuckled lightly at Qian Hong, ¡°I¡¯ll be relying on Butler Qian from now on.¡±


    Qian Hong was momentarily startled; she had heard before coming that Lu Zhaozhao had dismissed all the servants upon entering the home.


    She had thought this new madam was difficult to get along with, but her temper didn¡¯t seem as bad as she had imagined.


    Was it all an act?


    Qian Hong was wary, which Lu Zhaozhao naturally noticed.


    Her concern for Song Sinian was sincere, so it was natural for her to be cautious.


    It seemed that winning her over and having her on the same side would take some time.


    Lu Zhaozhao hooked her lips into a smile, looking at Qian Hong, ¡°I¡¯m a bit hungry, let¡¯s have a meal first.¡±


    ¡°Of course, madam.¡±


    Just as Qian Hong was about to leave, she saw a servant running over in a panic, ¡°Butler Qian, Lady Xiao is here; she¡¯s already in the parking lot.¡±


    Hearing the servant¡¯s words, Qian Hong¡¯s expression slightly changed, ¡°Take her to the reception room first, say madam accidentally dirtied her clothes while eating and is washing up.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Watching the servant hurry off, Qian Hong then looked seriously at Lu Zhaozhao and said, ¡°I apologize, madam, for making a decision without consulting you first; I hope you can understand. Lady Xiao, she¡­¡±

 Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Defeat Magic with Magic

    Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Defeat Magic with Magic


    Qian Hong was wary of Lu Zhaozhao, but when she heard that Xiao Jinglan was coming over, she instinctively chose to protect her.


    Because Song Sinian cared a lot about this wife.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, just do as you said. What do I need to do?¡± Despite Qian Hong¡¯s troubled look, Lu Zhaozhao still smiled warmly at her.


    Qian Hong opened her mouth, but the explanation she was about to give got stuck in her throat.


    She looked into Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes, full of unspeakable confusion.


    Lu Zhaozhao raised her hand and gently patted her shoulder, ¡°You were handpicked by Mr. Song to be the housekeeper, I trust you just as I trust Mr. Song.¡±


    Qian Hong breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Madam, please come with me to change clothes. Lady Xiao cares a lot about¡­ etiquette. You need to dress more formally to meet her.¡±


    Otherwise, it was too easy for Xiao Jinglan to find fault.


    Even though Qian Hong spoke in a veiled manner, Lu Zhaozhao immediately grasped what she meant.


    In her past life, she had been played for a fool by Xiao Jinglan; how could she not understand?


    After fifteen minutes, Lu Zhaozhao arrived at the reception room.


    The moment she saw Xiao Jinglan, Lu Zhaozhao wished she could immediately pounce on her and tear this malicious woman¡¯s face to shreds.


    But she couldn¡¯t do that yet.


    Xiao Jinglan had schemed for many years after marrying into the Song Family, and Sinian was not someone Lu Zhaozhao could bring down with just a sentence or two. She had to play the long game, to destroy her step by step.


    The moment she stepped through the door, Xiao Jinglan¡¯s scrutinizing gaze fell on her, completely missing the flash of hostility that passed through Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes.


    A glacier blue long-sleeve shirt paired with a high-waisted black skirt, vintage yet elegant.


    She certainly knew how to dress.


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s gaze swept around before finally settling on Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s face.


    A beautiful face with delicate features, especially those bright and clear eyes, untainted by the mundane.


    No wonder Sinian had married her at first sight.


    The Beijing Circle was full of women with great taste in clothing and numerous others with exceptional demeanor, but beauties like her, with peak beauty, excellent temperament, and fashion sense, were indeed rare.


    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯ve had a long journey, it must have been hard,¡± Lu Zhaozhao said with an apologetic face as soon as she entered the room, ¡°As the younger generation, I should have visited you first.¡±


    She and Song Si had registered their marriage without discussing it with the family, surely Xiao Jinglan would seize this chance to scold her for her lack of respect.


    By speaking first, Lu Zhaozhao effectively prevented Xiao Jinglan from opening her mouth.


    Her established persona at the Song Family was akin to a pure white lotus. If Xiao Jinglan pressed the issue, she would just seem overly harsh.


    Xiao Jinglan arched an eyebrow, the words she had been ready to pick faults with, caught in her throat.


    She waved her hand, ¡°You just met Sinian yesterday and registered your marriage. It¡¯s normal not to have much time. I¡¯m here today because of the maid dismissal situation yesterday.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao put on a shocked expression and immediately covered her mouth, ¡°My goodness! Is that what they said?¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    The reaction from Lu Zhaozhao was somewhat unexpected for Xiao Jinglan. She thought Lu Zhaozhao would argue, shift blame, or even lose her temper, but she hadn¡¯t expected such a reaction.


    This personality was entirely different from what she had heard from Liao Yan the day before.


    Perhaps there was something she didn¡¯t know about.


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she gently patted Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s hand, asking reassuringly, ¡°About yesterday¡¯s situation, I am not very clear, could you explain it to me again?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao suppressed the disgust in her heart and looked up at Xiao Jinglan, her small hands seemed to be fearfully gripping the sleeves on her arms.


    She hung her head low and didn¡¯t look up at Xiao Jinglan again, her eyelids even reddening slightly, ¡°They, they made me sleep in the guest room, saying I wasn¡¯t qualified to be the lady of the house here, and they threw away my luggage and tore up my clothes¡­¡±


    A flicker of astonishment crossed Xiao Jinglan¡¯s face, ¡°How, how could they dare?¡±


    She really hadn¡¯t expected Liao Yan to be so bold.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s head drooped even lower, her whole body trembling slightly, ¡°That, that housekeeper said she was sent by the lady of the house, telling me to behave in front of them and not to cause any trouble.¡±


    ¡°?!?!!!¡±


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s mind exploded in the moment, she was about to explain when suddenly, Lu Zhaozhao took hold of her hands.


    ¡°But, as soon as I saw Aunt, I knew they were all lying! Aunt looks so kind, how could she instruct them to bully me?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes shone with a faint light as she looked at her, causing Xiao Jinglan to feel a thump in her heart.


    She broke into a sweat, but still nodded repeatedly, ¡°These servants are really too audacious, using me as a shield!¡±


    However, she quickly came to her senses, ¡°But¡­ why did Housekeeper Liao say it was you who dismissed them all?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips, also looking bewildered, ¡°When I said I would tell Mr. Song, she threatened that I would regret it, and then I didn¡¯t know anything after that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s expression darkened. If Lu Zhaozhao had explained in detail, she might have suspected her of having ulterior motives, of deliberately setting a trap for Liao Yan.


    But now, seeing her utterly clueless demeanor, she seemed like someone who had been sold without knowing where they had been taken.


    In this light, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s story seemed more credible.


    First, Liao Yan provoked Lu Zhaozhao, afraid Mr. Song would find out, then threatened Lu Zhaozhao afterward, otherwise, Mr. Song wouldn¡¯t have given her a new housekeeper.


    What a fool Liao Yan was, did she think by dragging her into this she could turn the tables?


    Xiao Jinglan had known Liao Yan was foolish, but didn¡¯t expect her to be this foolish!


    Xiao Jinglan gritted her teeth slightly, but on the surface, she still forced a smile, gently patting Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hand, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this matter, I will definitely investigate thoroughly and clear your name.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then thank you, Aunt!¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao also reciprocated with a forced smile.


    Even if she went back to investigate it didn¡¯t matter.


    Liao Yan would certainly insist she was lying and would find other servants to corroborate her story. The more these people agreed with each other, the less Xiao Jinglan would believe them.


    She¡¯d just think Liao Yan was wielding power she didn¡¯t have.


    Moreover, with the half-truths Lu Zhaozhao had just shared with Xiao Jinglan, it would only make her more suspicious of Liao Yan.


    After all, who wouldn¡¯t choose to believe a ¡°victim¡± who came across as innocent and harmless over someone hysterical?


    Xiao Jinglan exhaled softly, ¡°You¡¯ve just arrived at the Song Family and encountered such a situation; you¡¯ve been wronged.¡±


    She waved over the assistant who was with her and then saw the assistant carrying several bags over.


    She laid out the gift boxes from the bags onto the tea table in the living room, filling two rows.


    Among them were some precious gemstones and jade jewelry, but the most eye-catching item was a pair of diamond rings placed in the first row.


    It was evident that Xiao Jinglan had put a lot of thought into it.


    Her finger deliberately tapped on the edge of the ring box, ¡°These pieces of jewelry, I picked them out for Sinian to give to you; you know how cold he can be, he might not think of these¡­¡±

 Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 These Guys Really Kicked the Iron Plate

    Chapter 8: Chapter 8 These Guys Really Kicked the Iron Plate


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Heh! She all but outright said that Sinian wouldn¡¯t even buy a ring to marry her.


    Whether in her past life or now, Xiao Jinglan¡¯s methods were the same: pretending to casually demean others to elevate herself.


    She used to care about Sinian¡¯s attitude, but now she knew, Sinian¡¯s cold demeanor wasn¡¯t because of her actions.


    So now, even if Xiao Jinglan spoke flowers, she no longer believed her.


    Lu Zhaozhao feigned innocence and nodded repeatedly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Auntie. I won¡¯t take it to heart. I know that Sinian and I are in an arranged marriage and I¡¯m just a nominal wife. It¡¯s already a blessing that Mr. Song is willing to marry me. I will definitely listen to Mr. Song and not provoke him to anger.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao using the strategy to PUA herself left Xiao Jinglan completely unable to deal with her.


    She thought that by marrying Sinian, Zhaozhao wanted either money or status.


    What is this tactic?


    Not desiring anything? A salted-fish-style marriage?


    Xiao Jinglan felt slightly agitated and pinched her brow, trying to flip this ¡°salted fish¡± over, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re at the age where you should be yearning for love, and Sinian has a decent appearance. Haven¡¯t you thought about making him fall in love with you?¡±


    ¡°I also think Mr. Song looks good,¡± Lu Zhaozhao shrugged and turned the blame to Mr. and Mrs. Lu, ¡°but my mom said that there¡¯s no love in business marriages and told me not to harbor any delusions.¡±


    Xiao Jinglan felt somewhat suffocated and forced a smile, asking again, ¡°Have you ever thought about having Sinian help develop the Lu Family¡¯s business?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaozhao innocently smiled at Xiao Jinglan, ¡°My dad said girls don¡¯t have the right to inquire about family business, and told me that it¡¯s enough to marry over and obediently listen to my husband.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Even with Xiao Jinglan¡¯s good pretense, at this moment, she wanted to curse.


    She guessed that Mr. and Mrs. Lu didn¡¯t value Zhaozhao much, but from these words, it wasn¡¯t as simple as not valuing her.


    They were outright ignoring Zhaozhao¡¯s existence, raising her to be a pretty wastrel!


    All her calculated methods now faced her with absolutely no room to maneuver!


    Xiao Jinglan sighed powerlessly, it looked like she could only make long-term plans.


    She slowly stood up, ¡°I have some matters to attend to and must leave now. In a couple of days, you and Sinian come to the house for a visit, to meet the old master.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Auntie, if Mr. Song takes me, I will definitely be obedient.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Hearing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words, Xiao Jinglan stumbled and almost twisted her ankle.


    Her mood worsened!


    Watching Xiao Jinglan leaving like a defeated rooster, Zhaozhao was already inwardly jubilant.


    Her act of playing the lady had firmly stood its ground against Xiao Jinglan, and she doubted she would be bothered by her anytime soon.


    She needed to hurry and take advantage while Xiao Jinglan wasn¡¯t focusing on her, and pull her trump cards out one by one!


    She must protect Sinian this time!


    What Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t know was that not only did her act convince Xiao Jinglan, but even the butler Qian Hong believed it.


    She even went so far as to exaggerate the situation to Zhao Xi out of sympathy for Zhaozhao.


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±¡±Ding¡ª¡±


    ¡­


    A series of notification sounds started going off in a quiet office.


    Zhao Xi initially didn¡¯t want to bother, but the frequency of the messages was too high.


    He couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit anxious.


    Not many knew this number, and those linked to it were all connected to Lu Zhaozhao.


    Zhao Xi glanced at the sender of the message, his eyes nearly popping out¡ªwas it actually Qian Hong?


    Could something have happened to Lu Zhaozhao?


    Qian Hong was an old servant from the side of the deceased lady, composed and steady, he could hardly imagine what would make her send messages frantically.


    Song Sinian noticed Zhao Xi¡¯s unusual behavior as well.


    His deep voice slowly rose in the quiet office, ¡°What has happened?¡±


    Zhao Xi shifted his gaze away from his phone, summarizing briefly, ¡°Uh¡­ Lady Xiao went to see the lady and asked why she dismissed the servants. She said the servants bullied her and even gave her quite a lot of jewelry to comfort her.¡±


    Song Sinian caught the main point immediately, ¡°She was bullied by the servants?¡±


    He had only heard her mention driving the servants away yesterday and assumed she simply disliked those people, so he hadn¡¯t asked further.


    He thought if she didn¡¯t like them, then they should all be replaced.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that the servants would actually bully her.


    The atmosphere in the office abruptly dropped, becoming coldly sinister, condensing in the air.


    Zhao Xi coughed lightly, steeling himself before continuing, ¡°It¡¯s said they made her sleep in the guest room, threw away her luggage, and tore up her clothes¡­¡±


    It had to be said that these people really dared to do anything.


    Zhao Xi sighed softly, figuring these servants must have taken advantage of their master¡¯s usual disregard for household matters to become so audacious.


    ¡°Sir, I think¡­¡±


    Just as he began to speak, he heard Song Sinian¡¯s voice rise again in the office, ¡°Since they as servants have not fulfilled their duties, there¡¯s no need to keep those hands and feet of theirs, right?¡±


    His tone was chilling, carrying a stifling ruthlessness.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyelids dropped as he added another comment, ¡°Don¡¯t let any of them appear before my wife again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Zhao Xi had expected his master to be furious, but hadn¡¯t anticipated it would be this severe.


    These fellows really had kicked an iron plate this time.


    He sighed lightly, remembering another message he had just seen, hesitated for a moment, but then spoke up again.


    ¡°Sir, the message you asked me to investigate yesterday, I now have some leads.¡± As Zhao Xi spoke, he placed the document in Song Sinian¡¯s hand.


    ¡°From childhood, the lady never associated romantically with anyone, though many have pursued her. Among the men who have been associated with her, here are the names of those who are deceased or nearing death.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeing the list of names before him, Song Sinian fell into deep thought.


    She had never been involved with anyone?


    Then why did she cry so fiercely?


    Could that person have been someone she secretly loved?


    Seeing that Song Sinian had not responded, Zhao Xi handed him another document, ¡°Sir, this is a personal investigation of the lady¡ªemmm, it seems she is not as favored as the outside world believes.¡±


    Song Sinian glanced at the hesitant Zhao Xi and opened the file.


    ¡°There are also messages from Qian Hong that I think it¡¯s necessary for you to know.¡± Zhao Xi placed the mobile phone in front of him.


    The messages on the phone contained the latter half of a conversation between Xiao Jinglan and Lu Zhaozhao.


    He had always thought that Lu Zhaozhao was a spoiled young miss; now, it seemed she was just a pitiful soul PUAed by her parents since childhood.


    No wonder even the servants dared to bully her.


    Zhao Xi quietly looked at Song Sinian, thinking that with Lu Zhaozhao being subjected to chronic emotional abuse by Mr. and Mrs. Lu, she needed a more considerate husband, yet their master¡­

 Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9: No Need to Search Hard, It Comes without Effort

    Chapter 9: Chapter 9: No Need to Search Hard, It Comes without Effort


    It didn¡¯t seem quite right.


    Song Sinian tapped his fingertips gently on the document, ¡°Please arrange a meeting with Doctor Tian for me today.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Zhao Xi was shocked. Had their master actually taken the initiative to see a doctor?


    Usually, they would drag their feet until it was absolutely necessary before seeing a doctor.


    Perhaps¡­ Lu Zhaozhao really could help their master!


    For several days, Lu Zhaozhao hadn¡¯t seen Song Sinian again.


    She had wanted to improve their relationship before school started, but now she couldn¡¯t even see him. How could she increase her favorability?


    Lu Zhaozhao sighed and leaned against the arm of the single sofa in the living room with a pillow in her arms.


    ¡°Madam, this is a new dessert developed by the head chef, perfect for afternoon tea,¡± Qian Hong said, placing the dessert brought by the servant on the table and pouring a cup of black tea for Lu Zhaozhao.


    Since Xiao Jinglan came to the Song Family, Lu Zhaozhao had noticed Qian Hong being much kinder to her.


    To be precise, the look in her eyes often carried a motherly affection.


    Was it because of what she had said to Xiao Jinglan?


    Lu Zhaozhao picked up a spoon and poked at the cake, feeling somewhat guilty.


    Although what she had said was true, none of it could hurt her anymore since she had learned the truth.


    She was not the biological daughter of the Lu Family; it was understandable they didn¡¯t love her, and she could let it go.


    But, them scheming against her, that was a debt she definitely had to settle!


    Lu Zhaozhao took another bite of the dessert before looking up at Qian Hong and said, ¡°Aunt Qian, this dessert is really delicious¡ªthank the head chef for me.¡±


    ¡°Good, the head chef will be very happy to hear that. It¡¯s rare for the master of the house to praise his cooking skills.¡± Qian Hong smiled with satisfaction.


    The previous heads of the Song Family weren¡¯t particular about food; it was rare to have a madam who liked sweets and had a pleasant temperament, so the chefs were all very motivated.


    ¡°Aunt Qian, did Mr. Song say when he will be back?¡± Lu Zhaozhao put down her fork, picked up the teacup on the table, and casually asked.


    Qian Hong thought for a moment, then carefully replied, ¡°The master had to go on a sudden business trip, and the exact date of his return is not yet decided.¡±


    With them being newly married and Song Sinian having to travel for work, it was indeed a significant blow for Lu Zhaozhao, who had grown up in an unloving family.


    Seeing the clearly disappointed Lu Zhaozhao, Qian Hong suddenly seemed to remember something and hurriedly brought over a stack of invitations.


    ¡°Madam, these invitations are for both the master and madam. Since the master is away on business and does not have time, madam can choose the events she wishes to attend.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao blankly accepted the dozen or so invitations.


    This was something she had never encountered in her past life.


    In her previous life at the Song Mansion, Xiao Jinglan monopolized everything, and even though she lived with Song Sinian, she was also tormented by Liao Yan.


    Reflecting on it, although she was Mrs. Song in her previous life, she had never truly possessed the rights of Mrs. Song.


    Lu Zhaozhao briefly flipped through the invitations, then her gaze suddenly paused.


    This was an invitation to a nationally sensational auction!


    The difficult search was over without any effort.


    Naturally, Qian Hong noticed Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze and asked softly, ¡°Madam, would you like to attend this art auction?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao snapped out of it and nodded. She handed the invitation in her hand to Qian Hong, ¡°Aunt Qian, could you help me arrange this?¡±


    Qian Hong smiled broadly, ¡°Of course, madam. If there are any items you like, you can bid in the name of the Song Family, and someone will settle the payment afterwards.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao waved her hands repeatedly, ¡°No need, no need, I actually just want to go and take a look¡­¡±


    Qian Hong immediately understood that Lu Zhaozhao probably did not want to attract too much attention.


    After all, she had not previously attended many social gatherings in the Beijing Circle.


    Qian Hong nodded, ¡°Then everything will be according to madam¡¯s wish.¡±


    ¡°Um, thank you, Aunt Qian.¡±


    ¡­


    As evening fell and the lights began to glow.


    Song Mansion.


    Old Master Song was sitting on the living room sofa, his white-flecked eyebrows tightly knitted as he stared at Xiao Jinglan, ¡°Last time I asked you to go check on Sinian, why did he go on a business trip right after your visit? And stayed away for so long?¡±


    ¡­


    Xiao Jinglan was at a loss for words.


    Her last visit to Sinian¡¯s house had been a complete disaster.


    This old coot never bothered to visit himself and, after sending her, he still wanted her to take the blame.


    Was he not clear about what kind of person Sinian was?


    Xiao Jinglan wanted to curse Old Master Song hundreds of times in her heart, but she maintained a warm and gentle smile on her face.


    ¡°Father, Sinian might just have been busy¡­¡±


    ¡°Busy with what? Don¡¯t I know the situation at the company?¡± Old Master Song¡¯s cane thudded heavily on the ground as he spoke.


    ¡°A mere butler previously dared to complain to the master at the Song Mansion, how are you running this household? Can¡¯t you even manage a few servants?¡±


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s delicate nails clenched tightly in her palm as she lowered her head and said, ¡°Sorry, father, I didn¡¯t know the butler was so audacious. She hid her intentions too well¡­¡±


    Old Master Song clearly was not buying that excuse, he snorted, ¡°Humph! Hid it well? Do you realize my daughter-in-law almost slipped through our fingers?!¡±


    If it wasn¡¯t for Qian Hong reporting Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s situation, he would have never known that a mere butler dared to have the owner sleep in the guest bedroom!


    Given Sinian¡¯s condition, he definitely would not inquire; rounded up, he¡¯s almost missed the chance to hold a great-grandchild!


    ¡­


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s mouth twitched, her head bowed even lower.


    Who was it that immediately wanted to get rid of Lu Zhaozhao upon hearing she had ill intentions?


    Now that he knew the butler was meddling, he suddenly referred to her as ¡°daughter-in-law.¡±


    Xiao Jinglan felt her anger rising the more she thought about it.


    She knew Old Master Song cared most about Sinian; even though she had served him faithfully for so many years, his favor had never shifted from Sinian to her.


    Xiao Jinglan took a deep breath, ¡°Father, don¡¯t be mad. Sinian¡¯s wife is so clever, maybe in a few days he will bring her back to the old mansion.¡±


    Although she said this, she knew the likelihood was almost zero.


    Sinian never visited the mansion on his own initiative. Even when he did, it was just awkward, and Old Master Song had no idea how to communicate with him.


    On this thought, if it weren¡¯t for Sinian¡¯s illness, she, the second wife, would have been driven out soon after her son¡¯s death.


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s eyes narrowed, remembering the completely different attitudes Old Master Song had towards her and Lu Zhaozhao, a fierce gleam flashed in her eyes.


    ¡°Father, I heard Sinian will attend a banquet in Nanjing tomorrow. How about I arrange for Zhaozhao to go there, so the young couple can meet? It would also be a good opportunity for her to establish her presence in the circle as Mrs. Song, what do you think?¡±

 Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10 She Really Has to Wait and See...

    Chapter 10: Chapter 10 She Really Has to Wait and See¡­


    Xiao Jinglan was unclear why Song Sinian had left on a business trip just after their wedding.


    But she knew all too well how terrifying it could be to interrupt him while he was working.


    This kind of banquet was no different from work to him, and one could imagine what would happen if she sent someone over without any greeting.


    However, Old Master Song was obviously aware of this, so Xiao Jinglan continued, ¡°I will have someone notify Sinian in advance. Perhaps after a short time apart, there might even be some good news.¡±


    Upon hearing Xiao Jinglan¡¯s words, Old Master Song¡¯s face looked a bit better, ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s the way to go.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go make the arrangements,¡± Xiao Jinglan said as she stood up and left the living room.


    She had just told Old Master Song to his face that she would notify Song Sinian in advance, but if someone ¡°accidentally¡± forgot in the process of passing along the message¡­


    Well, then she could hardly be blamed.


    A wife, neglected by her husband just after their wedding, dressed up for a banquet only to be ignored by him¡­ tsk tsk¡­


    Just thinking about it made one feel sorry for Lu Zhaozhao.


    Would she still be able to stay so indifferent then?


    She was really looking forward to seeing what would happen¡­


    The next day at noon, Lu Zhaozhao, still groggy with sleep, was picked up by Xiao Jinglan¡¯s people.


    As if they didn¡¯t want her to have any contact with the outside world, they even took her phone when she arrived at the beauty salon.


    Lu Zhaozhao had thought that playing dumb in front of Xiao Jinglan last time would grant her some peace for a while.


    Now, with the whole salon likely filled with Xiao Jinglan¡¯s people, she figured it was best to be cautious.


    ¡°Mrs. Song, you look so beautiful, Mr. Song will be beside himself when he sees you,¡± the makeup artist praised lavishly while applying her makeup.


    Feigning shyness, Lu Zhaozhao tugged at the corner of her mouth and tentatively asked, ¡°What mainly happens at the banquet later? The people from my aunt-in-law didn¡¯t explain much when they sent me over¡­¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Song, you jest. It must be because Mr. Song misses you that he sent someone to bring you over, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Song, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just a charity dinner. Beyond dressing up beautifully and taking Mr. Song¡¯s arm, there¡¯s nothing else you need to do.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Song won¡¯t know how happy he will be when he sees Mrs. Song later¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Inside the dressing room, several women chattered non-stop, but the two points they repeatedly emphasized were these:


    One, that it was Song Sinian himself who had wanted her to come.


    The other, that Song Sinian would surely be overjoyed at her arrival.


    If it weren¡¯t for needing to play along with these people, Lu Zhaozhao would have burst into laughter.


    In her past life, Xiao Jinglan always liked doing this sort of thing, suppressing first to elevate later.


    Letting her fill with anticipation for seeing Song Sinian only to have her expectations cruelly dashed.


    Time and again, her passion and hope were worn down, turning her into a puppet manipulated by Xiao Jinglan¡¯s whim.


    But now, looking back, it all seemed so ludicrous.


    They had taken her phone so she couldn¡¯t confirm the truth of the information in her idle time.


    It seemed that even now, Song Sinian had no idea she had arrived.


    Should she inform him first?


    Lu Zhaozhao pondered for a moment, but then she suddenly remembered that in the past life, no matter what situation she faced before him, he never seemed to take his anger out on her.


    At the time, she was so preoccupied with her own heartache, she didn¡¯t notice this detail.


    ¡°Mrs. Song, what do you think of this dress? This is a Ralph custom dress that top actresses and supermodel celebrities all love. It looks absolutely stunning on you!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Song¡¯s figure is simply too perfect. Mr. Song is so lucky!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Song will surely dazzle the entire charity gala later, and many people are bound to be envious of Mr. Song~¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao snapped back to reality, glanced at her reflection in the mirror, and her eyes slightly flickered with light.


    The backless bright yarn evening gown, with its splendid floral hem and raindrop-like crystal drops at the edge, was indeed indescribably beautiful.


    She had to admit, Xiao Jinglan had really spared no expense in dressing her up.


    This Ralph custom dress alone was worth at least eight figures, and the person who had done her makeup was a top-notch makeup artist known throughout the entertainment industry.


    Aside from being a bit noisy around the ears, everything else was quite good.


    Since she was all dressed up, she naturally had to cooperate with them.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes curved into a smile, and there was indescribable anticipation in her gaze, ¡°When can I meet Mr. Song? I wonder if he will be too busy¡­¡±


    Upon hearing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words, several people looked at each other as if they had received a signal.


    Eventually, the makeup artist from earlier spoke up, ¡°How could that be? Mr. Song is surely eager to see you, Mrs. Song. Rest assured, we will arrange for you to go to the banquet hall right now.¡±


    ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll have to trouble you all.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded at her, yet her gaze seriously swept across the faces of the group.


    Her abrupt action made the makeup artist inexplicably nervous.


    With an awkward twist of her mouth, she asked tentatively, ¡°Mrs. Song, is there something you¡¯re dissatisfied with?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao shook her head, lightly laughed, and said, ¡°Not at all, I just want to remember everyone¡¯s faces clearly, so I can tell Mr. Song later. After all, everyone has been so fantastic, haven¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Although Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s remarks sounded like compliments, for some reason, they left everyone feeling a chill down their backs.


    Maybe they were just overthinking it¡­


    The makeup salon wasn¡¯t far from the venue of the banquet, so in less than fifteen minutes, Lu Zhaozhao arrived at the banquet hall.


    Sure enough, as she expected, Song Sinian hadn¡¯t arrived yet.


    Although the charity gala had already drawn quite a number of attendees, for someone like Song Sinian who typically disliked social events, he certainly wouldn¡¯t arrive a minute early.


    Lu Zhaozhao sighed, and made her way straight to a bench beside the food service area.


    If it were her previous life, she would have already been anxiously searching for Song Sinian.


    Without a cellphone, and without an invitation, she would surely be taken away for identity verification. But with Xiao Jinglan, this bug, they would detain her until Song Sinian showed up.


    She was Song Sinian¡¯s newlywed wife, unrecognized by anyone; they could easily use this as an excuse.


    This wretched bunch, that¡¯s how they played with a naive young girl like her¡ªit was truly despicable!


    But she would never do such a stupid thing again.


    Lu Zhaozhao picked up a plate of petit fours, jabbed a fork into one, and was about to pop it into her mouth.


    The sweet and glutinous taste instantly improved her mood.


    Thinking about meeting Song Sinian, who had been away on a business trip for several days, her appetite improved considerably as well.


    ¡°Excuse me for interrupting, beautiful lady, are you also here alone for the charity gala?¡±


    Suddenly, a familiar voice reached her ears.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes trembled slightly, and she instinctively turned toward the source of the sound.


    Was it him?


    How could he be here?

 Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Song Sinian, Are You Avoiding Me?

    Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Song Sinian, Are You Avoiding Me?


    The man who had killed her together with Xiao Jinglan! Xiao Mo!


    She had anticipated encountering him in this life, just not in the present circumstances.


    Xiao Mo was Xiao Jinglan¡¯s nephew, and it was said that he often visited the Song Mansion to play when he was a child, and thus, the two of them could be considered childhood acquaintances.


    That was what she had believed too, until she was killed by Xiao Jinglan and Xiao Mo.


    Xiao Mo noticed Lu Zhaozhao staring at him and didn¡¯t speak. He felt somewhat embarrassed and tugged at the corner of his mouth, ¡°Do we¡­ know each other?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao snapped back to reality and gently shook her head, ¡°No, I just thought you looked somewhat familiar.¡±


    She suppressed the urge to stab the fork in her hand into his face and did her best to even out her tone.


    Hearing this, Xiao Mo chuckled softly, ¡°I never imagined I¡¯d be recognized by such a beautiful lady. I¡¯m truly fortunate across three lifetimes.¡±


    Ever since he entered the charity banquet, he had noticed Lu Zhaozhao sitting on the lounge bench from afar.


    Not only was she beautiful, but her aura was also ethereal; even sitting there enjoying some pastries, the curve of her eyes and brows was enchanting.


    He hadn¡¯t expected to find such a stunning beauty in a place like Nanjing.


    Lu Zhaozhao had no desire to engage with Xiao Mo, so she merely nodded at him and continued to eat her cake on her own.


    After surveying Lu Zhaozhao up and down, Xiao Mo finally spoke slowly, ¡°I¡¯ve just arrived in Nanjing and am not very familiar with this place. Could this beautiful lady perhaps guide me?¡±


    He was in Nanjing all because of Sinian¡¯s sudden business trip¡ªwhich Xiao Jinglan insisted he investigate.


    But investigation after investigation turned out to be simple tasks, many of which didn¡¯t require Song Sinian¡¯s personal involvement at all.


    Lu Zhaozhao tugged at the corner of her mouth, revealing a just right curve, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not a local either. If you need a tour guide, you should ask the organizers.¡±


    The impenetrable way she presented herself only heightened Xiao Mo¡¯s interest.


    He propped his chin and looked at Lu Zhaozhao, saying with an air of regret, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, how about we get to know each other? My name is Xiao Mo, a department manager of the Qin Group.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeing Xiao Mo¡¯s self-satisfied demeanor, Lu Zhaozhao really wanted to tell him directly that she was his boss¡¯s wife.


    ¡°Miss¡­¡±


    Just as Xiao Mo was about to speak again, sudden clamor came from the entrance of the charity banquet.


    Almost everyone turned to look in that direction.


    Naturally, Lu Zhaozhao was no exception.


    The person entering was Song Sinian, and almost instantly upon his arrival, he was surrounded by people.


    Even if Lu Zhaozhao wanted to go over, she guessed she would be squeezed back.


    As she was thinking of how to attract Song Sinian¡¯s attention, the entire banquet hall eerily quieted down again.


    She looked questioningly towards the previously noisy direction, but her gaze inadvertently met Song Sinian¡¯s.


    She slowly stood up, intending to walk over, when Song Sinian turned away his gaze and left outright.


    ¡°???¡±


    Had she just been ignored by Song Sinian?


    Was it that he hadn¡¯t recognized her, or was it deliberate?


    Xiao Mo seemed to notice Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s confusion and chuckled lightly, ¡°If you¡¯re interested in that man, I¡¯d advise you to give up¡ªhe isn¡¯t interested in any woman.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao glanced at Xiao Mo and gave him a smile that was more a grimace than genuine, ¡°I¡¯m only interested in him right now, excuse me.¡±


    With that said, she took a glass of red wine from the table and walked away.


    Xiao Mo watched Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s retreating figure with no hint of anger.


    It was normal for Song Sinian, a good-looking man, to be popular with women.


    Moreover, he was the president of the Qin Group¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t be tempted by him?


    He liked these ambitious women; they hit a wall with Song Sinian, which actually made them easier prey for him.


    He raised the stem glass in his hand, with Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s silhouette reflected in the amber-colored liquid, as if he had her in his grasp.


    Xiao Mo¡¯s lips curled up smugly, tonight didn¡¯t seem like it would be boring after all.


    Meanwhile, the people beside Song Sinian had also been mostly sent away by Zhao Xi.


    Only one or two were left, and they, too, were hovering around Zhao Xi.


    From a distance, Lu Zhaozhao watched Song Sinian head toward the balcony and, lifting her head, downed the red wine in her hand in one go.


    She headed straight for the balcony.


    Zhao Xi was about to step forward to stop her, but as soon as he recognized who it was, he froze.


    Why was Lu Zhaozhao here?


    No wonder their master had seemed off the moment he walked in; it turned out he had seen his wife.


    However, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s arrival was quite strange. It would be better to inquire about it with the butler.


    As for now¡­


    He¡¯d better keep watch for their master.


    At this moment, Lu Zhaozhao, having entered the balcony, closed the door behind her and stood before Song Sinian.


    She had braced herself mentally upon arrival; if she angered Song Sinian later, she would just claim she had drunk too much and couldn¡¯t remember a thing.


    Thinking this, Lu Zhaozhao took a deep breath and walked straight forward a few steps.


    Under the moonlight, Song Sinian stood by the balcony edge, his deep eyes hadn¡¯t moved away from her since she entered.


    He hadn¡¯t known she would be attending the charity dinner, and even less had he expected her to dress so beautifully.


    Song Sinian, thinking about the man who just now had been sitting close to Lu Zhaozhao and getting along with her quite intimately, felt his gaze darken considerably.


    There was a dull feeling in his chest, making his breathing uncomfortable.


    He lifted a hand to loosen the tie around his neck; his slender fingers on the dark tie made his skin seem like jade.


    ¡°Song Sinian, have you been avoiding me?¡± Lu Zhaozhao asked, just as a night breeze began to blow.


    The tendrils of hair by her cheeks brushed across them, looking stunning in the moonlight.


    Song Sinian, looking at Lu Zhaozhao, who was so close, slightly lowered his gaze and reached out to brush her stray hair behind her ear, giving her a despairing answer in a calm voice, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been avoiding you.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t understand: why were his actions towards her so tender, yet his spoken words so painful?


    Feeling agitated, her nose couldn¡¯t help but turn red.


    She wanted to cry.


    Thinking about the grievances she¡¯d suffered in her previous life, she couldn¡¯t help but want to cry.


    But she couldn¡¯t cry; she needed to confront Song Sinian and ask why he was avoiding her.


    Just as she was about to speak, Song Sinian suddenly reached out to grasp the back of her neck, and his warm lips landed on hers.


    Lu Zhaozhao shivered, but the large hand at the small of her back held her even tighter.


    He didn¡¯t give her any space to retreat; his breath, somewhat disordered, rushed onto her face.


    His barely concealed urgency successfully soothed Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s flustered heart.


    She softly wrapped her arms around the man she had been longing for these past few days, responding to him as tenderly as she could.


    ¡°Thump, thump¡­¡±


    In the quiet balcony, their hearts beat slowly and heavily.


    A strange feeling spread from the tip of the heart, gradually seeping into his bloodstream.


    Suddenly, Song Sinian¡¯s brow furrowed slightly¡­

 Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Now shes completely stuck

    Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Now she¡¯s completely stuck


    He slowly released Lu Zhaozhao, his eyes showing confusion, ¡°You¡­ drank?¡±


    It seemed she would always cry after drinking.


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded dumbly, the corners of her eyes red and still wet, ¡°Mhm, I did.¡±


    Her voice carried a nasal tone, sounding pitiful.


    Song Sinian pinched her chin, looking down at her, observing the smeared lipstick on her lips, his fingertips gently grazed across it.


    Mmm, even more smudged.


    The bright red mark on her pale little face was especially striking, yet inexplicably it made him feel at ease.


    The irritability that had colored Song Sinian¡¯s brows instantly faded away.


    His eyelids drooped, meeting her gaze with an unruffled black stare and muttered, ¡°The taste of red wine is pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s head was foggy, and just as she tried to say something, Song Sinian pulled her in again.


    He casually wrapped one arm around her waist, slightly bending over, kissing her more forcefully than before.


    After a long while, the two parted again.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s legs went weak and she nearly fell backward, but Song Sinian was quick to catch her.


    He scanned the area and, seeing a sofa placed on the balcony, finally carried her over to it.


    Her outfit had been prepared by a makeup salon, and while her shoes were attractive, they were not comfortable.


    It was fine when she was sitting on the bench earlier, but now that she had been standing for a while, her heels felt raw as if they were blistered.


    ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll have Zhao Xi take you back in a bit,¡± said Song Sinian before turning to leave.


    Lu Zhaozhao instantly panicked, reaching out to grab Song Sinian¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare go!¡±


    The atmosphere between the two of them had been so good just a moment ago; how could this bastard think of leaving just like that?


    Moreover, she had a belly full of questions to ask him, and even if he turned his face away now, she absolutely couldn¡¯t let him walk away!


    Song Sinian stood there, glancing at Lu Zhaozhao, who tightly clutched his sleeve, then turned around and came back.


    ¡°???¡±


    Is he really that obedient?


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at Song Sinian with a puzzled face, and seeing that he had no intention of speaking, she became even more baffled.


    Doesn¡¯t he wonder why she wants him to stay?


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s mind was a mess, her heart increasingly troubled.


    But then she thought, compared to her previous life, these things hardly seemed to matter.


    Lu Zhaozhao took a deep breath and stared at him intensely, word by word she demanded, ¡°Why are you avoiding me?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s calm gaze flickered slightly, ¡°Because you are very uncomfortable when you¡¯re with me.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was dumbfounded on the spot; out of a hundred possible reasons Song Sinian might have given, she hadn¡¯t considered this one.


    Her mouth opened in disbelief, ¡°When did I ever say that?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he methodically replied, ¡°When I¡¯m around you, you don¡¯t do the things you usually do, and even when I¡¯m in the room, you won¡¯t even come near the bed.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s mouth twitched, finding herself at a loss for words.


    She had previously thought Song Sinian was emotionally blocked, so he wouldn¡¯t get emotional over small issues.


    In fact, he really didn¡¯t get emotional, he would just pile these little things up and rationalize them logically.


    Lu Zhaozhao pressed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache, and waved at Song Sinian, ¡°Come here, sit next to me.¡±


    She had been devastated earlier upon hearing Song Sinian say that he had been deliberately avoiding her.


    Now it seemed that it was all just due to differing logics, which led to different approaches to problems.


    Song Sinian didn¡¯t say much, continuing to do as she said, just like earlier.


    Lu Zhaozhao clenched her little hands tightly, took a deep breath, and looked at him with utmost seriousness as she said, ¡°I¡¯ve never felt uncomfortable around you; I¡¯m just a little shy.¡±


    Although it was a simple explanation, admitting her shyness somehow felt incredibly difficult to say.


    As she said this, she involuntarily averted her gaze, unable to maintain eye contact with Song Sinian.


    ¡°Are you feeling shy now too?¡± Song Sinian¡¯s deep voice slowly resonated on the quiet balcony.


    The dim light filtered through the glass doors of the balcony, casting a glow at their feet.


    This gave the already tranquil atmosphere an inexplicably intimate touch.


    Lu Zhaozhao knew that, having spoken to this extent, denial was pointless.


    She nodded and murmured softly in agreement, ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes shimmered with a faint light in the night, his interest piqued more by her reaction than by what she was saying.


    He reached out, gently tucked the stray hair behind her shoulder, and whispered into her ear with his deep voice, ¡°So when you¡¯re shy, the tips of your ears turn red.¡±


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was clearly startled by his words.


    She raised her eyes to look at Song Sinian again, only to meet his undisturbed dark gaze.


    Now, she was thoroughly at a loss for words.


    Because Song Sinian was simply stating a fact, his words, spoken in a deep voice, inexplicably took on a flirtatious tone.


    She cleared her throat and pursed her small lips, ¡°In the future, don¡¯t avoid me anymore, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Song Sinian nodded, still sparing with his words.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The balcony fell silent all of a sudden.


    Lu Zhaozhao and Song Sinian just stared at each other, neither intending to speak first.


    ¡°Err¡­ shall we, go back to the banquet hall?¡± Lu Zhaozhao said, standing up, only to feel a sharp pain in her heel.


    Instinctively, she sat back down.


    Song Sinian noticed the strange expression on her face and raised his eyebrows slightly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao lifted the hem of her dress, revealing the small feet she had in her shoes.


    Now, her heels were a bloody, mangled mess, no wonder they hurt so much.


    Song Sinian reached out and unbuckled the strap of her shoe, his large hand holding her foot, ¡°You can¡¯t continue wearing shoes on this foot.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao wanted to deny it, but her current situation indeed didn¡¯t look too good.


    She bit her lip, hesitating, ¡°Maybe you could¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Song Sinian scooped her up in his arms and held her close.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you back.¡±


    His calm voice lingered above her head, still without any emotional fluctuation, but to Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s ears, it steadied her previously anxious heart.


    She hadn¡¯t wanted to trouble him, but now, she might as well stay silent and listen to everything Song Sinian said.


    With this thought, Lu Zhaozhao naturally wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled obediently into his embrace.


    Song Sinian glanced down at Lu Zhaozhao, carrying her towards the balcony door.


    Just then, the balcony door was opened from the inside¡ª

 Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13 For a salted fish, no amount of salt matters!

    Chapter 13: Chapter 13 For a salted fish, no amount of salt matters!


    The person standing inside the balcony was clearly startled.


    Especially when their gaze fell on Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s pretty little face, their complexion involuntarily changed.


    ¡°President Song, seems like you¡¯re in quite high spirits today?¡± Xiao Mo forced a smile, looking at Song Sinian in front of him.


    He had just been in the banquet hall, intending to wait for the little beauty who had just been snubbed to go pick up the pieces.


    But to his surprise, he had waited to no avail.


    Annoyed, he had no choice but to come out and check on the situation, only to find the little beauty he thought would be snubbed nestled in Song Sinian¡¯s arms.


    What irritated him even more was that this little beauty¡¯s lipstick was completely smudged, clearly having just been ravaged.


    Her eyes were shimmering, and there were still traces of moisture on the tips of her eyelashes, making anyone who saw her unable to resist the urge to pinch her fair little face.


    Song Sinian glanced coldly at Xiao Mo, his tone indifferent, ¡°Move aside.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s foot injury was not too serious, but leaving it unattended could become a problem.


    When she was cut by a dinner knife before, it took several days to heal; she was extremely delicate.


    Her feet still needed to be treated as soon as possible.


    Xiao Mo¡¯s face suddenly darkened, he coldly stepped aside to clear the path from the balcony, but as Song Sinian walked out, he followed.


    ¡°President Song, leave this young lady to me, I think the other executives have matters to discuss with you¡­¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s steps halted, and he stood in place.


    Now, nearly everyone¡¯s eyes in the banquet hall turned towards him.


    ¡°She is my wife, no need for your help,¡± Song Sinian said, his thin lips parting indifferently to release a few words.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Not to mention Xiao Mo, even the others present were stunned.


    Song Sinian was married?


    And to such a great beauty?!


    Lu Zhaozhao nestled in Song Sinian¡¯s embrace, her small feet peeking out and gently shaking; it was as if she suddenly remembered something, and stealthily tugged at Song Sinian¡¯s clothes.


    Seeing this, he instinctively looked down, only to hear Lu Zhaozhao whisper, ¡°My shoes are still on the balcony. They are from the makeup salon; I need to return them.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze flickered slightly, paused for a moment, but still ordered Zhao Xi, who was beside him, ¡°Pick up the shoes on the balcony.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Hearing Zhao Xi¡¯s response, Song Sinian left the banquet hall without looking back.


    Lu Zhaozhao had just thought about the sensation it would cause for Song Sinian to be seen carrying her from the balcony.


    But she was not worried at all; in fact, she was somewhat looking forward to it.


    After all, the news about her and Song Sinian would soon reach Xiao Jinglan; she wondered how it would feel to have the stage she painstakingly set being used for another¡¯s performance.


    No sooner had Song Sinian left the banquet hall than Xiao Mo¡¯s call went through to Xiao Jinglan.


    ¡°When did Song Sinian get married?¡±


    Xiao Jinglan just answered the call when she heard Xiao Mo¡¯s voice, furious and uncontrollable, coming from the other end of the line.


    She furrowed her brows slightly and replied offhandedly, ¡°Just a few days ago, what¡¯s wrong? Did you see her?¡±


    Xiao Jinglan then remembered she had asked Xiao Mo to follow Song Sinian¡¯s schedule.


    It seemed he had also gone to the charity gala.


    Xiao Mo¡¯s brows almost knotted in frustration, ¡°Who exactly is this woman? Where did she spring from?¡±


    The more Xiao Jinglan heard, the stranger she found it, but she still followed up on Xiao Mo¡¯s words, ¡°Recently, the Lu Family was struggling with cash flow and wanted to marry into the Song Family to secure a contract, so they arranged for their daughter, Lu Zhaozhao, to have a blind date with Song Sinian. Who would have thought, on the day they met, Song Sinian married her on the spot.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiao Mo gritted his teeth; even thinking about her pitiful little face made him want to marry her right then and there.


    Xiao Jinglan, noticing the silence on the other end of the phone, couldn¡¯t help but raise her eyebrows in curiosity, ¡°What exactly happened? Did Lu Zhaozhao cause some trouble?¡±


    She had laid the groundwork for so long, just to have Lu Zhaozhao embarrass herself in the Nanjing social circle, so she could ¡°save¡± the poor girl in the guise of a kind elder.


    Unexpectedly, the person on the other end of the phone chuckled lightly, ¡°Trouble? It¡¯s a pretty big mess indeed; now the entire Nanjing social circle knows that Song Sinian got married and even to a great beauty! His public image has improved significantly!¡±


    Even through the phone, Xiao Jinglan could hear Xiao Mo¡¯s grinding teeth.


    Xiao Jinglan, who was in the middle of her skincare routine, suddenly sat bolt upright from the beauty chair, ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    She ripped off the facial mask from her face and waved for the people around her to leave.


    After everyone had gone, Xiao Jinglan asked with a deep frown, ¡°What exactly happened in Nanjing? I had prepared for everything¡­¡±


    ¡°Prepared for everything?¡± Xiao Mo scoffed, ¡°What have you done?¡±


    Xiao Jinglan paused for a moment, ¡°I deliberately had someone take her phone and told her that Song Sinian was waiting for her in the banquet hall, of course, without Song Sinian knowing.¡±


    A girl who had never been to Nanjing would definitely be lost without her phone, searching for Song Sinian.


    Next, she would soon be led to a lounge for not having an invitation, and Xiao Jinglan had even arranged people to be there in advance!


    After hearing Xiao Jinglan¡¯s full explanation, Xiao Mo scratched his head in frustration, ¡°You¡¯ve arranged so much, but did you ever consider that she¡¯d just sit quietly on a chair from the moment she entered, waiting for Song Sinian?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiao Jinglan was at a loss for words.


    Indeed, she had not considered that.


    When she had seen Lu Zhaozhao at Song Sinian¡¯s house, she thought she was too apathetic, so she deliberately had makeup artists overpraise Lu Zhaozhao.


    She never expected that no amount of flattery would make a difference to a salted fish!


    Xiao Jinglan rubbed her temples in frustration, ¡°Ah, I overestimated Lu Zhaozhao too much; she¡¯s unnaturally obedient.¡±


    Xiao Mo narrowed his eyes and suddenly chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s good she is obedient. Once she sees Song Sinian¡¯s true face, she¡¯ll know who¡¯s better for her!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinglan¡¯s face changed abruptly, ¡°You¡¯re not planning on making a move on Lu Zhaozhao, are you?¡±


    Xiao Mo replied nonchalantly, ¡°Making a move? She was supposed to be mine in the first place.¡±


    Everything belonging to the Song Family would eventually be his, including Lu Zhaozhao.


    Xiao Jinglan knew Xiao Mo¡¯s character well; he would always find a way to get what he wanted.


    Even if it was a woman who once fancied Song Sinian, he would snatch her away.


    Let alone Lu Zhaozhao, who was now Song Sinian¡¯s wife.


    She sighed lightly, ¡°Lu Zhaozhao has been spoiled by her family, she¡¯s timid and lacks ambition; seducing her doesn¡¯t seem realistic¡­¡±


    If Lu Zhaozhao had even a hint of ambition, her plan wouldn¡¯t have ended in such a dismal failure!


    Xiao Mo clearly didn¡¯t believe Xiao Jinglan¡¯s words; his mind was entirely filled with the image of Lu Zhaozhao being held softly in Song Sinian¡¯s arms, hardly in a mood to listen to anything else.

 Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Tell me, what exactly happened?

    Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Tell me, what exactly happened?


    ¡°He¡¯s never been loved, so naturally, he doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good. I¡¯ll make her understand who¡¯s better!¡± Xiao Mo¡¯s voice came through on the other end of the phone.


    This gave Xiao Jinglan a headache.


    It seemed that he wasn¡¯t planning to give up anytime soon.


    She sighed softly, ¡°Fine, how you wish to contact Lu Zhaozhao is your business, but you must never let Mr. Song find out!¡±


    She certainly didn¡¯t hope that Xiao Mo would ruin his bright future for the sake of a woman.


    Xiao Mo, of course, understood this as well, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a plan.¡±


    Having said that, Xiao Mo finally hung up the phone.


    He gazed through the second-story window at the street below adorned with glimmering lights, his lips slowly curling into a smile.


    Lu Zhaozhao, is it? I¡¯m looking forward to our next meeting¡­


    Meanwhile, Lu Zhaozhao, who had left with Song Sinian, was now placed in the backseat of the car.


    As soon as she got into the car, Lu Zhaozhao moved all the fabric of her dress away from the direction of Song Sinian.


    The evening gown wasn¡¯t cumbersome when she was wearing it, but once in the car, she found it took up far too much space.


    The temperature dropped dramatically on this autumn night. She felt fine being held by Song Sinian moments ago, but now sitting alone abruptly, she felt her entire back chilling.


    She instinctively leaned toward Song Sinian, while mumbling, ¡°This skirt is such a hassle, I can¡¯t even lay it out properly.¡±


    No sooner had her voice faded than she found herself suddenly lifted into the air.


    Song Sinian held her in his arms again and even helped to adjust her skirt for her.


    ¡°Now you can lay it out.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao looked up at Song Sinian, at his serious yet entirely unemotional handsome face, and silently sighed.


    She nodded in agreement with what he had said and wrapped her small hands around Song Sinian¡¯s waist, ¡°I¡¯ve got nowhere to hold, just a temporary hug, you wouldn¡¯t mind, right?¡±


    She tried to keep her expression free from any personal feelings.


    Sure enough, Song Sinian nodded, casually circling her waist with his arm, and said indifferently, ¡°Hold tight.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Not just Lu Zhaozhao, but even Zhao Xi was helpless at this point.


    Even though both parties started with different intentions, they somehow managed to reach a consensus at the end.


    Zhao Xi started the car and, while turning the steering wheel, casually mentioned, ¡°Next time the lady attends such a banquet, if you come early you can call me in advance, so I can arrange a VIP lounge for you.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was originally thinking about how to complain to Song Sinian, but Zhao Xi¡¯d just given her an opening.


    She laughed lightly, ¡°I wanted to call, but my phone was taken by someone at the makeup salon and hasn¡¯t been returned to me yet.¡±


    ¡°It was taken?¡± Zhao Xi¡¯s eyebrows furrowed instantly.


    His gaze swept over Lu Zhaozhao via the rear-view mirror, full of confusion.


    Lu Zhaozhao naturally noticed Zhao Xi¡¯s gaze and shrugged slightly, ¡°Maybe they forgot¡­¡±


    Forgot?


    The outfit Lu Zhaozhao wore looked worth a sum in the eight figures; the salon capable of lending such a gown was certainly no small workshop.


    They couldn¡¯t possibly claim a customer¡¯s belongings as their own, let alone forget to return items to a customer.


    The only possibility was that someone did it on purpose to keep Lu Zhaozhao from contacting Song Sinian.


    He had already contacted the butler earlier, but had not received a reply yet, guessing that he would only learn the truth of the matter later.


    Lu Zhaozhao watched Zhao Xi¡¯s reaction with satisfaction, and with a push of her small hands, she stretched in a yawn.


    She snuggled into Song Sinian¡¯s arms again and couldn¡¯t help but rub her neck against his, ¡°I was brought here before I even woke up from my nap today. Those makeup artists were just too enthusiastic, I was too embarrassed to say I hadn¡¯t eaten.¡±


    ¡°Are you hungry now?¡± Song Sinian immediately caught the key point in Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words.


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded obediently, ¡°A little bit, but I just had some pastries in the banquet hall, and I feel much better. I really want to go home and have the head chef¡¯s sweet soup~¡±


    Her eyes narrowed into a smile, radiant and beautiful.


    With these words, everyone should now know that she didn¡¯t come to Nanjing on her own; she was brought here against her will.


    Song Sinian looked deeply at Lu Zhaozhao, his tone gentle, ¡°Alright, you¡¯ll have it when we get home.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao hadn¡¯t expected the matter to be resolved so smoothly. In high spirits, she lay in Song Sinian¡¯s arms, even fiddling with the cufflinks on his suit occasionally.


    The car was quiet again, except for the occasional sound of the engine.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to see a doctor tomorrow,¡± suddenly, Song Sinian¡¯s deep voice broke the silence in the car.


    Lu Zhaozhao paused, looking down at her little feet propped on the seat, ¡°Uh¡­ that¡¯s not necessary, right?¡±


    Her foot had merely scraped the skin.


    It could be resolved just with some iodophor.


    There was no need for such a fuss.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze lifted slightly, just about to say more, but then she saw Song Sinian staring intently at her.


    Although he said nothing in rebuttal, Lu Zhaozhao unexpectedly felt his dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± She hesitated for two seconds, then changed her tune, ¡°Sure, we could go for a check-up.¡±


    As soon as her words fell, Song Sinian immediately responded, ¡°I¡¯ll take you tomorrow morning; no need to wake up early.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ okay.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhao Xi was driving in front, listening to the conversation between Lu Zhaozhao and Song Sinian, and couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips.


    Their master clearly wanted to take Lu Zhaozhao to see a psychiatrist, but she mistook it for a check-up for her foot.


    He wondered what expression Doctor Tian would have when he sees the lady tomorrow¡­


    It was 8 in the evening by the time Song Sinian and the others returned home.


    By that time, Lu Zhaozhao had already fallen asleep in the car.


    After Song Sinian brought her back to the bedroom, he went to the study with the butler and Zhao Xi.


    ¡°Tell me, what exactly happened?¡± As soon as Song Sinian sat down, his gaze was fiercely fixed on Qian Hong.


    Lu Zhaozhao had gone to the charity banquet without informing him, and that was one thing, but they had actually left her alone at the event, and they hadn¡¯t even given her a cell phone.


    Qian Hong¡¯s head dipped slightly, ¡°It was people from Lady Xiao¡¯s side who came to pick up the lady; they said they had already communicated with the master, which is why the lady went over.¡±


    She should have been more careful.


    If Lu Zhaozhao had been contacted immediately after she left, perhaps the lady might not have found herself alone.


    Zhao Xi sighed softly, ¡°We didn¡¯t receive any messages before the lady left. If it was an accident, that would be fine, but I¡¯m afraid some people did this on purpose.¡±


    Both he and Qian Hong knew exactly who it was.


    Xiao Jinglan always seemed kind and motherly, but she had done numerous underhand deals behind the scenes.


    However, she was smart; she never acted overtly.


    Just take Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s incident this time; she genuinely spared no expense in dressing her up. Even if something else happened, she could completely disassociate herself from it¡­

 Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Am I a bit late?

    Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Am I a bit late?


    Mr. Song¡¯s words struck her like a thunderbolt, exploding in her head.


    She could hardly believe her ears, had all her years of hard work at the Song Family been completely ruined by a little girl who had just entered the door a few days ago?


    Xiao Jinglan struggled to keep her expression from looking too ugly, ¡°Dad, I think¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Mr. Song interrupted her before she could finish, ¡°I won¡¯t hold this against you for now. Remember to stay away from Sinian¡¯s wife in the future, and also stop meddling in those affairs.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiao Jinglan was now utterly speechless, knowing that once Mr. Song had made up his mind, there was no room for discussion.


    Mr. Song forbade her from interacting with Lu Zhaozhao, so she could only start from the Lu Family¡¯s side.


    She was determined to find out exactly where the problem lay!


    She glanced at Mr. Song, and seeing that he had no intention of speaking again, she said, ¡°Dad, then you go ahead with your work; I¡¯ll head back now.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Mr. Song nodded, his gaze returning to the chessboard on the table.


    The old butler, seeing Xiao Jinglan leave, finally spoke slowly, ¡°The young master seems to treat his wife a bit differently.¡±


    Mr. Song¡¯s grizzled eyebrows rose slightly, ¡°You¡¯ve noticed too?¡±


    The butler nodded, ¡°The young master never cares about anything beyond work and would never trouble Mr. Song over trivial matters. His willingness to step in shows that he really values this wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right,¡± Mr. Song narrowed his eyes, ¡°no wonder the boy went and registered the marriage after just meeting the girl.¡±


    The butler pondered for a moment, ¡°Mr. Song, do you think if you had a good relationship with the young madam, it might bring you closer to the young master?¡±


    Mr. Song narrowed his eyes, ¡°That might be a good idea, but I don¡¯t know if this young lady is easy to get along with¡­¡±


    ¡°If the young master likes her¡­ she probably won¡¯t be hard to get along with.¡±


    They were well aware of what Sinian was like.


    When it came to being difficult, who could be more so than Song Si?


    Mr. Song and the old butler exchanged glances, both sighing silently at the same time.


    It seemed Mr. Song would have to visit his granddaughter-in-law himself¡­


    The next day, when Lu Zhaozhao woke up, the sky was already bright.


    Just yesterday, she had declared she would come back to drink sweet soup, but she fell asleep on the way back home.


    And she even slept until dawn.


    Lu Zhaozhao rubbed her head and sat up, only then did she realize she had slept on the bed last night!


    Had Song Si also slept here yesterday?


    The thought of Song Si suddenly made her scramble out of bed.


    It was over, over, over!


    She remembered Song Si saying he would take her to see the physician this morning.


    Had she gotten up late?


    Lu Zhaozhao scrambled out of bed in a panic, quickly washed up, and rushed downstairs.


    To her surprise, Song Si was not there; instead, he was leisurely sitting in the living room, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper.


    Seeing Lu Zhaozhao enter, Song Si¡¯s calm eyes lifted slightly and he said indifferently, ¡°Are you up? Do you want something to eat?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded blankly and then sat down next to Song Si.


    Her unconscious behavior made Song Sinian¡¯s eyes flash slightly.


    ¡°Am I a little late?¡± Lu Zhaozhao looked at Song Sinian with a bit of trepidation, a worry in her eyes that she couldn¡¯t quite express.


    Song Sinian gently shook his head as his gaze fell on her somewhat disheveled hair. He subconsciously reached out, but stopped as he met her puzzled gaze.


    Lu Zhaozhao blinked her watery eyes uncertainly and nudged her little face toward his hand, asking, ¡°Is there something on my face?¡±


    Song Sinian looked down, his eyes deeply fixed on Lu Zhaozhao, his fingertips lightly caressing her unsuspecting little face.


    He neither denied her words nor confirmed them, only gently brushing her cheek with the pad of his finger.


    After a moment, Song Sinian withdrew his hand and started talking at a leisurely pace, ¡°Take your time eating breakfast. There¡¯s plenty of time. I told you yesterday to wait until you had slept enough before leaving.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao swallowed, having taken his words yesterday as mere politeness, never expecting Song Sinian to actually mean it.


    She stole a glance at him. Song Sinian¡¯s expressionless face was still inscrutable.


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips. Thinking back to when she woke up in the morning and noticed that the wound on her heel was already scabbing, she tentatively asked, ¡°Do I¡­ have to see the doctor today?¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± was Song Sinian¡¯s succinct reply.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Alright then, since he had already made arrangements, she would just go.


    Qian Hong set breakfast in front of Lu Zhaozhao, which, to her delight, included the sweet soup she had wanted the day before.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s heart surged with joy, and she nodded her thanks to Qian Hong before happily starting to eat.


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze swept over her radiant little face, and his eyebrows lifted slightly.


    It seemed she really enjoyed eating.


    Whenever she ate something she liked, she always squinted her eyes habitually¡­


    ¡°Thump, thump, thump!¡±


    Suddenly, someone knocked on the dining room door, and Zhao Xi entered, carrying a stack of things.


    He nodded at Song Sinian and Lu Zhaozhao before setting the items on the dining table.


    ¡°Here is Madame¡¯s phone that was taken away yesterday, and these are the profiles of the bodyguards arranged for Madame.¡±


    Song Sinian casually placed the mobile phone beside Lu Zhaozhao and then slowly began, ¡°Later, pick a bodyguard that you find suitable. Have him follow you when you go out, and if you encounter anything strange, leave it to him to handle.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ alright,¡± Lu Zhaozhao obediently nodded.


    She didn¡¯t need to think too hard to know what those ¡°strange things¡± referred to.


    As Zhao Xi stood by, seeing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s well-behaved demeanor, he couldn¡¯t help but add, looking at Song Sinian¡¯s businesslike manner, ¡°Sir is worried about Madame. The person who bullied Madame yesterday has already been dealt with. Please rest assured, Madame.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded lightly, still a bit slow to react.


    They came back yesterday, and Song Sinian had already dealt with the person?


    She had spoken up yesterday partly to let Song Sinian and the others know she was forced to go and partly to make Song Sinian wary of Xiao Jinglan.


    Lu Zhaozhao had thought that Song Sinian and Xiao Jinglan were on good terms, and he would give her some face. She had never imagined he would deal with the person directly.


    In her past life, Xiao Jinglan seemed to understand Song Sinian well, which led her to believe there was a good relationship between them.


    Now it seemed, for Song Sinian, there wasn¡¯t really a question of relationships being good or bad, was there?


    So what could she do to make Song Sinian take her side?


    As Lu Zhaozhao was deep in thought, she was suddenly pinched on the cheek and forced to turn to the side¡ª

 Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Am I a bit late?

    Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Am I a bit late?


    Mr. Song¡¯s words struck her like a thunderbolt, exploding in her head.


    She could hardly believe her ears, had all her years of hard work at the Song Family been completely ruined by a little girl who had just entered the door a few days ago?


    Xiao Jinglan struggled to keep her expression from looking too ugly, ¡°Dad, I think¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Mr. Song interrupted her before she could finish, ¡°I won¡¯t hold this against you for now. Remember to stay away from Sinian¡¯s wife in the future, and also stop meddling in those affairs.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiao Jinglan was now utterly speechless, knowing that once Mr. Song had made up his mind, there was no room for discussion.


    Mr. Song forbade her from interacting with Lu Zhaozhao, so she could only start from the Lu Family¡¯s side.


    She was determined to find out exactly where the problem lay!


    She glanced at Mr. Song, and seeing that he had no intention of speaking again, she said, ¡°Dad, then you go ahead with your work; I¡¯ll head back now.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Mr. Song nodded, his gaze returning to the chessboard on the table.


    The old butler, seeing Xiao Jinglan leave, finally spoke slowly, ¡°The young master seems to treat his wife a bit differently.¡±


    Mr. Song¡¯s grizzled eyebrows rose slightly, ¡°You¡¯ve noticed too?¡±


    The butler nodded, ¡°The young master never cares about anything beyond work and would never trouble Mr. Song over trivial matters. His willingness to step in shows that he really values this wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right,¡± Mr. Song narrowed his eyes, ¡°no wonder the boy went and registered the marriage after just meeting the girl.¡±


    The butler pondered for a moment, ¡°Mr. Song, do you think if you had a good relationship with the young madam, it might bring you closer to the young master?¡±


    Mr. Song narrowed his eyes, ¡°That might be a good idea, but I don¡¯t know if this young lady is easy to get along with¡­¡±


    ¡°If the young master likes her¡­ she probably won¡¯t be hard to get along with.¡±


    They were well aware of what Sinian was like.


    When it came to being difficult, who could be more so than Song Si?


    Mr. Song and the old butler exchanged glances, both sighing silently at the same time.


    It seemed Mr. Song would have to visit his granddaughter-in-law himself¡­


    The next day, when Lu Zhaozhao woke up, the sky was already bright.


    Just yesterday, she had declared she would come back to drink sweet soup, but she fell asleep on the way back home.


    And she even slept until dawn.


    Lu Zhaozhao rubbed her head and sat up, only then did she realize she had slept on the bed last night!


    Had Song Si also slept here yesterday?


    The thought of Song Si suddenly made her scramble out of bed.


    It was over, over, over!


    She remembered Song Si saying he would take her to see the physician this morning.


    Had she gotten up late?


    Lu Zhaozhao scrambled out of bed in a panic, quickly washed up, and rushed downstairs.


    To her surprise, Song Si was not there; instead, he was leisurely sitting in the living room, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper.


    Seeing Lu Zhaozhao enter, Song Si¡¯s calm eyes lifted slightly and he said indifferently, ¡°Are you up? Do you want something to eat?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded blankly and then sat down next to Song Si.


    Her unconscious behavior made Song Sinian¡¯s eyes flash slightly.


    ¡°Am I a little late?¡± Lu Zhaozhao looked at Song Sinian with a bit of trepidation, a worry in her eyes that she couldn¡¯t quite express.


    Song Sinian gently shook his head as his gaze fell on her somewhat disheveled hair. He subconsciously reached out, but stopped as he met her puzzled gaze.


    Lu Zhaozhao blinked her watery eyes uncertainly and nudged her little face toward his hand, asking, ¡°Is there something on my face?¡±


    Song Sinian looked down, his eyes deeply fixed on Lu Zhaozhao, his fingertips lightly caressing her unsuspecting little face.


    He neither denied her words nor confirmed them, only gently brushing her cheek with the pad of his finger.


    After a moment, Song Sinian withdrew his hand and started talking at a leisurely pace, ¡°Take your time eating breakfast. There¡¯s plenty of time. I told you yesterday to wait until you had slept enough before leaving.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao swallowed, having taken his words yesterday as mere politeness, never expecting Song Sinian to actually mean it.


    She stole a glance at him. Song Sinian¡¯s expressionless face was still inscrutable.


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips. Thinking back to when she woke up in the morning and noticed that the wound on her heel was already scabbing, she tentatively asked, ¡°Do I¡­ have to see the doctor today?¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± was Song Sinian¡¯s succinct reply.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Alright then, since he had already made arrangements, she would just go.


    Qian Hong set breakfast in front of Lu Zhaozhao, which, to her delight, included the sweet soup she had wanted the day before.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s heart surged with joy, and she nodded her thanks to Qian Hong before happily starting to eat.


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze swept over her radiant little face, and his eyebrows lifted slightly.


    It seemed she really enjoyed eating.


    Whenever she ate something she liked, she always squinted her eyes habitually¡­


    ¡°Thump, thump, thump!¡±


    Suddenly, someone knocked on the dining room door, and Zhao Xi entered, carrying a stack of things.


    He nodded at Song Sinian and Lu Zhaozhao before setting the items on the dining table.


    ¡°Here is Madame¡¯s phone that was taken away yesterday, and these are the profiles of the bodyguards arranged for Madame.¡±


    Song Sinian casually placed the mobile phone beside Lu Zhaozhao and then slowly began, ¡°Later, pick a bodyguard that you find suitable. Have him follow you when you go out, and if you encounter anything strange, leave it to him to handle.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ alright,¡± Lu Zhaozhao obediently nodded.


    She didn¡¯t need to think too hard to know what those ¡°strange things¡± referred to.


    As Zhao Xi stood by, seeing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s well-behaved demeanor, he couldn¡¯t help but add, looking at Song Sinian¡¯s businesslike manner, ¡°Sir is worried about Madame. The person who bullied Madame yesterday has already been dealt with. Please rest assured, Madame.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded lightly, still a bit slow to react.


    They came back yesterday, and Song Sinian had already dealt with the person?


    She had spoken up yesterday partly to let Song Sinian and the others know she was forced to go and partly to make Song Sinian wary of Xiao Jinglan.


    Lu Zhaozhao had thought that Song Sinian and Xiao Jinglan were on good terms, and he would give her some face. She had never imagined he would deal with the person directly.


    In her past life, Xiao Jinglan seemed to understand Song Sinian well, which led her to believe there was a good relationship between them.


    Now it seemed, for Song Sinian, there wasn¡¯t really a question of relationships being good or bad, was there?


    So what could she do to make Song Sinian take her side?


    As Lu Zhaozhao was deep in thought, she was suddenly pinched on the cheek and forced to turn to the side¡ª

 Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Isnt This What You Told Me?

    Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Isn¡¯t This What You Told Me?


    ¡°You¡¯re not happy?¡± Song Sinian¡¯s indifferent voice echoed in the dining room.


    His gaze meticulously scrutinized her small face, seemingly trying to draw some conclusion through observation.


    Lu Zhaozhao, with her little mouth pinched, resolutely shook her head, ¡°I was just thinking about what you all were discussing, I¡¯m not unhappy.¡±


    After speaking, she did not forget to flash Sinian a sweet smile.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Sinian then slowly released his hand.


    Qian Hong and Zhao Xi, who were standing by, nearly ran into a wall when they saw how Sinian had handled the situation.


    They had indeed suggested yesterday that Sinian pay more attention to Lu Zhaozhao, to occasionally ask her if she was feeling displeased.


    But¡­ Was that really asking just now?


    Reaching out and pinching the cheek of a pretty young girl, asking her if she is unhappy?


    With his indifferent expression and his flat tone, if someone said it was an interrogation, probably no one would deny it, right?


    Well, at least their Mr. Song was willing to listen, and that was a good thing!


    The rest of the work could be left up to them, the assisters!


    They would guard the couple that Mr. Song and Mrs. Song made!


    Qian Hong and Zhao Xi quickly exchanged a glance.


    ¡°Cough cough¡­ Mr. Song, you seem to have forgotten to mention something to Mrs. Song.¡± Qian Hong winked at Sinian, but upon seeing him looking utterly clueless, she felt instantly disheartened.


    Fortunately, Zhao Xi gave a timely reminder, ¡°Mr. Song, the banquet.¡±


    Sinian¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly, and he turned to Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°If you wish to attend any banquets in the future, you can let Zhao Xi know in advance, and I can accompany you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Lu Zhaozhao could hardly believe her ears, she subconsciously covered her mouth, her eyes looking bright and extremely attractive.


    She didn¡¯t expect that Xiao Jinglan¡¯s trick on her yesterday would actually result in an unexpected gain.


    Sinian nodded, but his gaze fell on her slightly reddened ear tips.


    Embarrassed? Could she be embarrassed by such a thing?


    Although he couldn¡¯t quite understand the complex expressions on Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s little face, he found the redness of her ears rather pleasing.


    Sinian pushed a dessert closer to Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid when you see the doctor later, just clearly explain your situation to her, ok?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded with the spoon in her mouth, but internally she couldn¡¯t help feeling anxious.


    Was the doctor she was about to see very scary?


    Lu Zhaozhao sighed at the thought of the fully-healed cut on the back of her heel.


    Even if the doctor wasn¡¯t scary, going for a medical visit with such an ¡°injury¡± would surely lead to a scolding.


    She decided not to think too much about it, ¡°come what may¡± as the saying goes.


    What took Lu Zhaozhao by surprise, however, was that the doctor who took her in seemed quite gentle.


    She had originally thought that Sinian would accompany her to see the doctor.


    In fact, Zhao Xi and Sinian left after bringing her to the consultation room.


    Lu Zhaozhao sat on the couch in the consultation room, looking at the doctor with gentle eyes and brows, feeling somewhat embarrassed.


    ¡°Mrs. Song, don¡¯t be nervous. My name is Tian Xiangjun, you can also call me Doctor Tian,¡± Tian Xiangjun said with a soothing tone.


    Her voice was as pleasant as her name, which relaxed Lu Zhaozhao, who was a bit tense.


    ¡°Okay, Doctor Tian.¡±


    Tian Xiangjun extended her hand and placed a cup of brewed red tea in front of her, then seemingly casually said, ¡°Mr. Song has already told me about your situation. If Mrs. Song doesn¡¯t mind, I hope you can come for regular consultations.¡±


    Sinian had rarely shown such concern for a person, and she naturally hoped that through psychological intervention, she could help heal the psychological wounds of this young girl.


    Moreover, given her obedient and clever appearance, she might be very suitable for Song Sinian.


    ¡°Uh¡­ do I need to have regular check-ups?¡± Lu Zhaozhao unconsciously glanced at her own heel.


    It¡¯s already scabbed over, and she still needs to come regularly?


    For what? Post-traumatic cosmetic treatment?


    Can doctors these days be so ¡°responsible¡± just for money?


    Lu Zhaozhao felt a bit awkward as she tugged at the corners of her mouth, ¡°I feel like my situation doesn¡¯t really call for regular follow-up appointments, right?¡±


    Doctor Tian sighed lightly, ¡°Some injuries look minor, even as if they¡¯re nothing at all, but over time they can turn into big hidden problems.¡±


    When she said this, her gaze toward Lu Zhaozhao even carried a hint of pity.


    Previously, Song Sinian¡¯s assistant had mentioned to her that Lu Zhaozhao had been emotionally abused by the Lu Family from a young age and had grown accustomed to the unfairness of life.


    She might not even notice that she¡¯s been injured.


    Now, Lu Zhaozhao was even more confused; she blinked her watery eyes and suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that this person was recommended by Song Sinian, she would have thought she was a scammer!


    Lu Zhaozhao took a deep breath, and just as she was about to speak, she choked on her own saliva.


    A violent cough immediately filled the room. Doctor Tian was startled and quickly went over to pat her back.


    At this moment, Song Sinian, who had heard the commotion, pushed the door open and came in.


    He caught sight of Lu Zhaozhao with reddened eyes still gasping for breath.


    His brows furrowed, and he walked straight toward her.


    ¡°Mr. Song, I was just¡­¡±


    Before Lu Zhaozhao could finish explaining, Song Sinian leaned in, cradled her small face, and pressed his lips directly onto hers.


    This sudden action left Lu Zhaozhao completely frozen in place.


    She didn¡¯t dislike Song Sinian¡¯s closeness, but¡­ there was someone else with them now!


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s entire face instantly turned as red as a ripe tomato, and she was so stiff she didn¡¯t know whether to push Song Sinian away or just let him have his way.


    Fortunately, Song Sinian wasn¡¯t too overbearing; he just kissed her briefly before quickly releasing her.


    But for Doctor Tian, who witnessed this scene, it was as if she had been struck by lightning.


    Now, Lu Zhaozhao felt even more embarrassed.


    With her head lowered, she whispered in an embarrassed tone, ¡°Mr. Song, why did you¡­ why did you¡­¡±


    The last few words, she just couldn¡¯t bring herself to say out loud.


    Song Sinian furrowed his brows slightly, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you told me?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lu Zhaozhao looked at Song Sinian in bewilderment.


    She had told him?


    That was slander! She didn¡¯t! She hadn¡¯t!


    Seeing that she seemed not to understand, Song Sinian added, ¡°Every time just doing that, you stop crying.¡±


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Now, Lu Zhaozhao finally understood why Song Sinian had kissed her on the balcony the day before.


    She had thought it was simply because the moment felt right, never did she imagine it was because she had cried¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao truly wanted to find a hole to crawl into; it was a social death of its kind.


    As she was thinking about how to explain to Doctor Tian, she met her eyes which shone as if she had discovered some kind of ultimate treasure.


    Lu Zhaozhao suddenly felt a chill, as if she had been marked by some strange person¡­

 Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Are You Not Happy?

    Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Are You Not Happy?


    ¡°Ahem¡­ Mr. Song, just now Mrs. Song merely choked on water accidentally; you don¡¯t need to be so anxious,¡± Doctor Tian¡¯s gentle words made Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s little face turn red again.


    She couldn¡¯t help but curl the corners of her mouth upward and continued to speak to Song Sinian, ¡°I know you and your wife are very close, but I think she might need some personal time to have a chat with me as a psychologist.¡±


    When Lu Zhaozhao heard the words ¡°psychologist,¡± she suddenly lifted her head, ¡°You¡¯re a psychologist?¡±


    Doctor Tian was taken aback, ¡°Uh¡­ didn¡¯t he tell you?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao shook her head, then shifted her gaze toward Song Sinian.


    He only said he was taking her to see a doctor; he never mentioned a psychologist!


    No wonder Doctor Tian kept saying that she needed regular check-ups.


    Perhaps Qian Hong told Song Sinian about her and Xiao Jinglan¡¯s conversation?


    In her previous life, unaware of the truth, she had indeed suffered greatly and certainly needed psychological guidance, but now that she understood the experiences at the Lu Family were not her fault, the pain from the past would only fuel her revenge!


    Song Sinian pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose and slowly began to explain, ¡°Doctor Tian is a friend of my mother and also my psychologist; she¡¯s very experienced, and you can trust her.¡±


    Upon hearing the word ¡°mother,¡± Lu Zhaozhao seemed to have a sudden reaction and instinctively became alert.


    Doctor Tian noticed this and quickly added, ¡°I am a friend of his birth mother, sort of like a half-elder to him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Lu Zhaozhao visibly relaxed.


    She had thought Doctor Tian was also Xiao Jinglan¡¯s person; thankfully, she was not.


    Watching the expressions changing on her little face, Song Sinian slightly furrowed his brows and pinched her small face to turn it toward him, seriously asking, ¡°Are you unhappy?¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao, recalling Song Sinian¡¯s similar action at the dinner table previously, couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of laughter and tears.


    She awkwardly tugged at the corner of her mouth, ¡°No, I¡¯m not unhappy.¡±


    Hearing this, Song Sinian finally let go of her face and slowly stood up, turning to Doctor Tian to say, ¡°Then I entrust my wife to you.¡±


    With those words, he left the room again.


    For a moment, the whole consultation room was eerily quiet.


    Doctor Tian stared at her without speaking a word.


    She coughed gently, trying to break the silence in the room, ¡°Ahem¡­ Doctor Tian, what did you want to talk about just now?¡±


    Doctor Tian suddenly snapped back to reality, chuckling lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your childhood¡­ treat it like casually telling a story, just say whatever you want to say.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was somewhat surprised at how quickly Doctor Tian slipped into her role, but she wasn¡¯t ready to start what was dubbed ¡®psychological treatment.¡¯


    ¡°Doctor Tian, may I ask you some questions?¡± Lu Zhaozhao pondered for a moment before slowly speaking up.


    Doctor Tian nodded, ¡°As long as it¡¯s within my ability, I can tell you.¡±


    Her tone was still very gentle, sounding inexplicably soothing.


    Lu Zhaozhao took a deep breath, looking seriously at Doctor Tian, ¡°I want to know, how to communicate with someone who has emotional expression disorder.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Her question clearly took Doctor Tian aback, a complex expression passing briefly through her eyes.


    But that emotion quickly dissipated.


    She still smiled gently, speaking softly, ¡°People with alexithymia may not be able to express their emotions, but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re unwilling to communicate.¡±


    The profound statement from Tian Xiangjun made Lu Zhaozhao involuntarily frown, ¡°But¡­ because emotions are not shared, there could be many misunderstandings.¡±


    Every time she thought about her recent interactions with Song Sinian, it seemed he always misunderstood her actions, even just a moment ago¡­


    Thankfully, Song Sinian had mentioned that if it had been another public setting, he would have acted the same way¡­


    At that thought, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment again.


    Her hands uncontrollably clasped her own cheeks, feeling utterly ashamed!


    Tian Xiangjun, observing her reaction, couldn¡¯t help but curve his lips upward, ¡°Actually, communicating with someone who has alexithymia is simple: just say what you need to say, ask for what you need, and they should do the same. This can avoid a lot of misunderstandings.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao pondered and found it made sense.


    Song Sinian was just bad at expressing emotions, but it seemed he rarely rejected her requests.


    Thinking about it, it appeared that in their past life¡­ he had never turned her down.


    Seeing that Lu Zhaozhao seemed to understand, Tian Xiangjun added another line, ¡°Actually, physical contact is also very helpful for people with alexithymia; those with the condition often feel profound loneliness, and physical contact can help alleviate their anxiety.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded repeatedly and immediately started furiously typing notes into her phone¡¯s memo app.


    ¡°I still have a few questions¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s ¡°psychological treatment¡± lasted for an hour and a half before concluding.


    As soon as she stepped out of the clinic, Tian Xiangjun kept Song Sinian behind.


    Seeing him seated on the couch, Tian Xiangjun chuckled lightly and asked as usual, ¡°Nothing you want to talk about today either?¡±


    Song Sinian took a medicine bottle out of his pocket and placed it on the table, ¡°The medicine prescribed this time seems problematic; after taking it, my heart rate accelerates, and I keep experiencing some strange sensations.¡±


    Although some sensations felt good, others were simply unbearable.


    Tian Xiangjun¡¯s eyes scanned the medicine bottle briefly before returning to Song Sinian, ¡°You¡¯ve been taking this medicine for a while now; when did these strange symptoms start?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Was it before or after you married Lu Zhaozhao?¡± Tian Xiangjun, observing Song Sinian¡¯s silent demeanor, added another question.


    Song Sinian¡¯s brow furrowed instantly, ¡°Are you suggesting that my symptoms have nothing to do with the medicine, and are because of Lu Zhaozhao?¡±


    Tian Xiangjun nodded slowly, then suddenly smiled radiantly, ¡°Such a good wife, don¡¯t you want to know how to make her inseparable from you?¡±


    Song Sinian remained silent for a few seconds, then looked up at Tian Xiangjun and slowly asked, ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Tian Xiangjun hadn¡¯t expected Song Sinian to agree so readily.


    She had initially thought Song Sinian felt somewhat special about Lu Zhaozhao, but it seemed she mattered far more than Tian Xiangjun had imagined.


    She had always wanted to help him with his treatment, but he only accepted simple hypnosis when he couldn¡¯t sleep after taking his medicine; at other times, aside from picking up his medication, he hardly communicated with her.


    Even as a Divine Doctor, she was powerless.


    She had feared that Song Sinian would completely lose his desires and motivations, continuing in this way¡­ everything around him would become meaningless¡­


    But now, with Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s appearance, this young lady might just be the key to turning things around!


    At least, she had made Song Sinian want to become a normal person again, and that was enough!

 Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19 What is this situation?

    Chapter 19: Chapter 19 What is this situation?


    Tian Xiangjun¡¯s gentle eyes suddenly narrowed, ¡°Let¡¯s work together to keep your lovely wife then!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao had originally planned to try out Tian Xiangjun¡¯s method when she returned home that evening, but Song Sinian had urgent work to handle last minute and went straight to the study upon arriving home.


    She was left to ¡°guard the empty room¡± once again.


    What Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t know was that Song Sinian went to the study to practice the ¡°homework¡± assigned by Tian Xiangjun.


    ¡°Buzz buzz buzz¡­¡±


    Her phone suddenly vibrated, displaying an unknown number.


    [Zhaozhao, this is Xiao Jinglan. This is my number, you can contact me through this number if you need anything.]


    Lu Zhaozhao raised her eyebrows slightly, a bit surprised that Xiao Jinglan would contact her in this manner.


    Was it because she seemed too worthless to be utilized, so she was changing her approach now?


    Just as Lu Zhaozhao was thinking about how to reply to Xiao Jinglan, another message came through.


    [I asked someone to send you some things, they should be arriving soon. If you like them, you can keep them, these are just a little token of appreciation from Auntie.]


    ¡°???¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows instantly knotted; after hesitating for a moment, she typed out, ¡°Thank you, Aunt.¡±


    ¡°Thud thud thud!¡±


    Just as she put away her phone, the bedroom door was knocked on.


    Soon after, Qian Hong came in holding a parcel-like object, ¡°Madam, someone from the Song Mansion sent this over, insisting it be delivered directly into your hands.¡±


    Remembering what Xiao Jinglan had just mentioned, Lu Zhaozhao reached out to take the parcel and began to unwrap it on the table.


    What met her eyes was a box of DELI¡¯s cubilose, a high-end nourishment she had also received from Xiao Jinglan in her previous life.


    Back then, when she was in a poor emotional state, Xiao Jinglan would often send her this brand of cubilose.


    Her brow furrowed, wondering if it was psychological, but she found herself disliking anything associated with Xiao Jinglan.


    Just as she was about to wave Qian Hong to take it away, she suddenly remembered something.


    In her previous life, even when she was constantly in a bad mood, her physically well-trained body was always in good shape.


    But from some point on, her body grew weaker, and even climbing stairs left her sweating.


    She once thought it was psychological wear and tear affecting her body, but now looking at the item in front of her¡­ could it be related?


    With that thought, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes suddenly bent, and she plucked a can from the inside before saying to Qian Hong, ¡°Aunt Qian, please put the rest in the kitchen. We must take good care of this, it¡¯s from Lady Xiao.¡±


    Upon hearing ¡°Lady Xiao,¡± Qian Hong¡¯s brow furrowed.


    She hesitated for a moment, ¡°Madam, you don¡¯t have to pay much attention to Lady Xiao. The master has already spoken with the Song Mansion, and from now on, they won¡¯t need to intervene in the affairs here.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ okay.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded lightly, sensing Qian Hong¡¯s reluctance to speak further, which intrigued her more.


    She always felt that since returning from Nanjing, Song Sinian had been acting a bit oddly.


    It seemed she would need to have a good talk with him when time allowed.


    The early autumn weather was already cool, and by morning, a light rain began to drizzle.


    To protect the items, the auction house even turned on the air conditioning.


    Lu Zhaozhao pulled the shawl on her shoulders closer into her embrace, admiring Qian Hong¡¯s foresight.


    She had never attended this auction before, but from the catalog, it seemed it was almost her turn.


    Quickly, a new item was wheeled in behind the host.


    ¡°Next, we are going to auction off a piece by the emerging artist abyss.¡±


    The host briefly introduced the artist¡¯s background before announcing the starting price, ¡°The bidding for this painting starts at 60,000. Each increment must be at least 10,000. Let us start the bidding now.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t even think before raising her paddle, ¡°80,000.¡±


    She knew that the painting would be sold for 100,000 eventually, so her bidding that amount should be fine, right?


    At most, she would compete with the person buying the painting.


    But what Lu Zhaozhao hadn¡¯t expected was that no one else bid!


    What was going on?


    Soon, the host¡¯s voice rang out again, ¡°Any more bids? Last call¡­¡±


    ¡°90,000.¡± Suddenly, a clear and forceful voice came from the crowd.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze shifted, and she realized that the person was not far from her, close enough to see his features clearly.


    His eyes were slender, the typical phoenix eyes, which looked exceptionally attractive on his well-defined face.


    Noticing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze, the man nodded at her, and she nodded back politely.


    She had just worried that no one would bid against her, but now seeing her competition, she suddenly worried whether she could still take it home.


    Thinking thus, Lu Zhaozhao raised her paddle again, ¡°100,000.¡±


    To her surprise, this time even the man who had bid against her didn¡¯t follow up.


    Thus, she successfully secured the painting for 100,000.


    Things went smoother than she had expected.


    ¡°The next item is also by a newcomer, an ear cuff, designed by Mis.¡±


    Feeling good, Lu Zhaozhao immediately noticed the image of the ear cuff displayed on the large screen.


    It was a delicate, leaf-shaped metal piece, which caught her eye instantly.


    She irrationally felt that this ear cuff would perfectly match Song Sinian¡¯s ethereal and chill demeanor.


    Without thinking much, she raised her paddle.


    This ear cuff, too, was easily auctioned to her without any suspense.


    The host chuckled and brought down the hammer, ¡°It seems this lady really likes the works of these two new designers. Thank you for your support!¡±


    He nodded at Lu Zhaozhao, then quickly moved on to auction other items.


    Having secured what she wanted, Lu Zhaozhao relaxed significantly.


    She flipped through the auction catalog casually, when suddenly, as if realizing something, she went through the entire list again.


    It was only then she noticed something odd.


    Most of the items at the auction were works by renowned artists, with the starting bid generally around 500,000.


    Yet, amidst these famous names, there were two unknown new designers and artists, which explained the lack of interest during their auction.


    People who came to this auction were all after famous names; who would care about two newcomers?


    Lu Zhaozhao frowned, growing even more puzzled. Since both individuals were newcomers with no reputation to speak of, why were they included in this auction?


    And that new artist¡­apparently, he was only 23. So young to have died early, it uncomfortably reminded her of herself in a past life, always an unsettling thought¡­

 Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Why Buy That Painting?

    Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Why Buy That Painting?


    She gently patted her chest and quietly stood up from the chair, walking out through the corridor to her side.


    Moving along the long corridor, raindrops from the eaves, blown by the wind, fell onto her exposed arms.


    The cold sensation made her shiver uncontrollably.


    Suddenly, warmth fell upon her shoulder, and a coat was draped over her.


    Lu Zhaozhao, caught off guard by the foreign scent, subconsciously shrugged it off.


    It wasn¡¯t until she turned her head that she saw the man who had been bidding against her.


    ¡°Sorry, I just noticed you looked a little cold and wanted to offer you my coat. If I was presumptuous, I am willing to apologize, miss,¡± the man said as he crouched down to pick up his black suit jacket, dusting it off and nodding apologetically at her.


    Seeing the obvious water stain on the man¡¯s jacket made Lu Zhaozhao involuntarily frown.


    Feeling somewhat awkward, she tugged at the corner of her mouth, ¡°I was just startled, it wasn¡¯t intentional to dirty your suit jacket.¡±


    The man didn¡¯t seem to mind much but rather narrowed his handsome phoenix eyes, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I was too abrupt earlier.¡±


    He was about to say something more when a man standing behind him tugged gently at his arm.


    The man glanced behind him and then spoke, ¡°My name is Xia Wenjue, and this is my younger brother, Xia Wenmo; he¡­¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to buy that painting?¡± Xia Wenmo cut in before Xia Wenjue could finish.


    Only then did Lu Zhaozhao finally get a clear look at him. He was alarmingly thin, dressed in a white shirt which seemed to frame his body awkwardly.


    With large black-framed glasses and clearly defined features, he appeared soulless.


    Lu Zhaozhao raised her eyebrows, thinking that Xia Wenjue hadn¡¯t bid against her. Could it be that he intended to buy the painting from her privately?


    She pursed her lips, meeting both their gazes and said lightly, ¡°Of course I bought it because I like it. You¡¯re not planning to compete with me for it, are you?¡±


    Her uncertain gaze measured up the two men. Although her martial arts skills were rusty, she was confident she could take down the man in front of her using her skills.


    As for the seemingly frail young man beside him, he probably posed no threat.


    Sensing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s wary gaze, Xia Wenmo quickly waved his hands, ¡°We mean no harm; I just want to know if you truly like that painting?¡±


    As he spoke, his gaze remained intently fixed on Lu Zhaozhao, as though trying to discern something from her small face.


    Though Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t understand his intent, she nodded earnestly and said with certainty, ¡°I do like it. Although the artist is a newcomer, I believe he will improve greatly in the future. If you want to buy his paintings, you could wait for the next piece, though, of course¡­ it might be much more expensive¡­¡±


    The next time they saw a painting by this artist, it would cost ten times as much.


    She felt pity for the young artist, but life is unpredictable, and perhaps his fate was not hers to change.


    Xia Wenmo¡¯s unfocused black eyes suddenly trembled, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    His voice was nearly inaudible, and Lu Zhaozhao almost didn¡¯t catch it.


    She arched her brows and, with a polite smile, nodded and left.


    It was better to keep her distance from such strange people.


    ¡°Big brother, I agree to the surgery, I want to get better,¡± Xia Wenmo said, watching Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s retreating figure.


    Xia Wenjue was visibly stunned, as if he couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    Xia Wenmo had a tumor in his brain, but its location was problematic, and there was a fifty percent chance of losing his sight after the removal surgery.


    He was exceptionally addicted to designing and painting, and because of this, he consistently refused treatment.


    This time, after a prolonged standoff with his family, he finally compromised.


    If someone truly admired his art and bought it, he would undergo surgery; for the sake of those who liked his work, he would struggle on. If not, he would completely give up on treatment.


    Xiao Wenjue initially thought that Xia Wenmo had come to terms with something, until he saw this auction filled with renowned artists¡¯ works; he realized then that Xia Wenmo came with a resolve to die.


    For this reason, he even hired someone to bid on Xia Wenmo¡¯s painting, only to have it bought by a young girl unexpectedly.


    He sighed softly and patted Xia Wenmo, ¡°What, taken a fancy to this young girl?¡±


    Xia Wenmo smiled relaxedly for once, ¡°Perhaps, she resembles what mother looked like when she was young.¡±


    ¡­


    His words left Xiao Wenjue frozen on the spot.


    Like mother?


    No wonder he had felt that the girl seemed so familiar.


    He wasn¡¯t usually one to act so impulsively, and now, thinking of how he had taken off his coat for her, even he was surprised by his own actions.


    Moreover, there was something the Xia family didn¡¯t know¡ªtheir current younger sister, Xia Wenjin, was not their biological sister.


    He had only found out recently when blood tests were done for her school enrollment.


    Their parents were both type O, but Xia Wenjin was AB.


    His gaze turned toward the direction in which Lu Zhaozhao had disappeared; it seemed he needed to conduct a thorough investigation into this young girl.


    Because there wasn¡¯t much left of interest after the auction, Lu Zhaozhao left early.


    In addition to the auction, she had something even more important to do.


    She had previously sent a jar of cubilose given to her by Xiao Jinglan to be tested, and the results were truly an eye-opener.


    Not only did it contain contraceptives, but it also contained substances that were harmless in the short term but could be fatal if consumed over a long period.


    Lu Zhaozhao thought back on how foolishly she had eaten that for so long in her previous life, unaware that she was being harmed.


    She had wished to tell Song Sinian directly, but Xiao Jinglan had deep roots in the Song family, and she figured that trying to use this as an excuse to pull her down wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    So, she decided to take a different approach¡­


    As soon as Lu Zhaozhao entered, Qian Hong wrapped her with a blanket, ¡°Madam, please sit in the living room for a while. The kitchen has prepared sweet soup and cubilose. Have something to warm up your body, and later I¡¯ll have someone prepare a hot foot bath for you.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lu Zhaozhao nodded obediently and sat in the living room, wrapping the blanket around her.


    Waited until Qian Hong brought both the sweet soup and cubilose then Lu Zhaozhao proceeded to eat almost half a bowl of the sweet soup.


    Then she turned to the cubilose.


    As she watched Lu Zhaozhao eat adorably, Qian Hong couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°The chef really put in a lot of effort for this cubilose, it¡¯s perfect for madam to nourish herself. If madam likes it, we can ask the chef to prepare a portion every day¡­¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Lu Zhaozhao hummed as she ate the cubilose and nodded.


    She actually felt a bit reluctant to look at Qian Hong because while she was wholeheartedly dedicated to her madam, Zhaozhao had something to hide from her.


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips and sighed silently in her heart. Suddenly, her hand froze, and half a bowl of cubilose was knocked onto the table.


    ¡°Ow¡­ my stomach hurts so much¡­¡±

 Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Communication, Communication, Direct Communication!

    Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Communication, Communication, Direct Communication!


    Lu Zhaozhao spoke while simultaneously curling up on the sofa, clutching her stomach. To make her symptoms appear more convincing, she had even harshly pinched her own thigh.


    Qian Hong was also startled by her sudden ailments and quickly summoned the family doctor.


    As for the food on the table, it was immediately sealed and sent directly to the laboratory for testing.


    Seeing things move in the direction she had envisioned, Lu Zhaozhao finally allowed herself to relax.


    After the doctor drew her blood and conducted a quick physical examination, he gave her an injection.


    Lu Zhaozhao was already feeling slightly fatigued from running around all day, and after the injection, she became a bit drowsy.


    ¡°Aunt Qian,¡± she whispered, gripping Qian Hong¡¯s hand with her small one, her voice soft, ¡°don¡¯t tell Mr. Song about this¡­¡± Her small hand grabbed Qian Hong, a soft voice asserting, ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    Qian Hong¡¯s eyebrows almost knotted together in worry, because while Lu Zhaozhao was receiving treatment, news had already arrived from the lab.


    The cubilose that Lu Zhaozhao ate was problematic, containing more than one type of harmful substance.


    Qian Hong herself felt guilty for not having carefully inspected the food that was brought in, and now with Lu Zhaozhao saying such things, her guilt deepened.


    Her hand gently patted Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hand, ¡°Madam, you don¡¯t need to worry about this matter, I will handle it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao, observing the sudden determination in Qian Hong¡¯s eyes, knew she had achieved her goal.


    If her previous meeting with Xiao Jinglan had been successful in stopping her from interfering with her relationship with Song Sinian, then this incident would be enough to make Song Sinian cautious about anything related to Xiao Jinglan.


    That was enough.


    Lu Zhaozhao thought to herself and gradually fell into deep sleep.


    When she woke up, Song Sinian was sitting by the bed, which took Lu Zhaozhao by surprise.


    ¡°You¡¯re back, Mr. Song?¡± Lu Zhaozhao murmured, rubbing her bleary eyes, and stared at him in a daze.


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze swept her petite face several times before he took out a delicate box from his pocket and placed it in front of her, ¡°This is what you bought at the auction today; the other painting is in the study. Once you¡¯re feeling better, you can choose where to hang it.¡±


    The fact that the items were with Song Sinian surprised Lu Zhaozhao. She pursed her lips and took the brocaded box from his hand, but then felt too embarrassed to open it.


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes lingered on her small face. Seeing her not making any move, he then asked indifferently, ¡°Do you need me to open it for you?¡±


    He remembered Tian Xiangjun mentioning that girls like considerate men, so he was advised to be more attentive to what he could do for the other person and to inquire about their preference before proceeding.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s clear eyes blinked and, after glancing at Song Sinian, then at the brocaded box in her hand, she hesitated, ¡°Uh¡­ no, no need, I can open it myself.¡±


    As she spoke, she opened the brocaded box. On the black satin fabric inside, an exquisite ear cuff stood out strikingly.


    ¡°Do you need me to¡­ uh, help you with anything?¡± Song Sinian spoke slowly, changing his words at a pivotal moment.


    He originally intended to offer to help Lu Zhaozhao put on the ear cuff.


    But as a piece of jewelry, he didn¡¯t even know where it was supposed to be worn, so he had to alter his offer.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze turned towards Song Sinian, her eyebrows knitting slightly. The man before her was too different from the Song Sinian she remembered.


    Was it because she had changed that Song Sinian was behaving this way, or was it always like this in her previous life and she just missed it?


    With that question in her mind, Lu Zhaozhao seemed to gather great courage, reaching out her small hand to grasp Song Sinian¡¯s larger one firmly, ¡°Mr. Song, I want to talk to you.¡±


    Her resolute eyes caused Song Sinian¡¯s heart to sink inexplicably.


    Had she discerned his intentions?


    Had he been too obvious?


    If she wanted to set clear boundaries between them¡­


    Song Sinian¡¯s hand, held by Lu Zhaozhao, tightened involuntarily, but he still nodded, his expression as unfathomable as ever.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Seeing that Song Sinian agreed, Lu Zhaozhao became even more nervous, ¡°I want to know why you don¡¯t want to share a bed with me. Is it because you¡¯re used to sleeping alone?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    As soon as she asked the question, Song Sinian was taken aback.


    His dark eyes slightly downcast, he suddenly recalled hearing from Qian Hong about Liao Yan arranging a guest room for Lu Zhaozhao.


    It seemed there were many things that had not been made clear between them.


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze fell on her pale little hands, and he gently grasped her wrist, articulating each word: ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to sleep in the same bed with me, so I insisted on sleeping on the sofa.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao remembered that on her first night at the Song family¡¯s, she indeed had firmly said she was going to sleep on the sofa.


    It seemed Song Sinian had never actually said he wanted to kick her out.


    Feeling a bit embarrassed, she pouted, ¡°So¡­ does that mean I can always share a bed with you from now on?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Song Sinian didn¡¯t quite know what to say at that moment.


    He subconsciously twirled Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s fingertips, somehow feeling very pleased by her recent words.


    His brows lifted slightly, gazing into her beautiful watery eyes, ¡°Is there anything else you want to ask?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s brows furrowed again.


    She actually had quite a few questions she wanted to ask, but she felt they were a bit strange.


    Communication, communication, straightforward communication!


    Lu Zhaozhao took a deep breath, psyching herself up for a long time before speaking again: ¡°Why do you always pinch my face, asking if I¡¯m unhappy?¡±


    As soon as she said it, she quietly looked at Song Sinian.


    Even she felt this question was kind of absurd.


    But she was really too curious.


    Song Sinian¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much, but he patiently explained: ¡°Zhao Xi and Qian Hong told me to pay more attention to you, to check from time to time whether you¡¯re unhappy.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded gravely, ¡°So that¡¯s why.¡±


    No wonder Song Sinian had these odd behaviors.


    But what Zhao Xi and Qian Hong meant to convey and what Song Sinian did seemed to be two completely different interpretations, right?


    As Lu Zhaozhao thought about this, she couldn¡¯t help but start to laugh.


    She lightly dabbed away the teardrop from the corner of her eye. Just as she was about to say something, someone grasped her wrist.


    The next second, Song Sinian¡¯s lips pressed against hers.


    His soft lips were unlike his consistent expression, always carrying a tenderness and fondness when they met hers that was hard to describe.


    Lu Zhaozhao would often get inadvertently immersed, completely following his lead.


    One of her small hands was held, while the other, not knowing where to rest, ended up clutching his shirt.


    Perhaps knowing that Song Sinian¡¯s attitude towards her was different from what she had imagined, Lu Zhaozhao was bolder than usual.


    She tentatively bit his lower lip, gently at first, then with more pressure, clumsily but doing her utmost to respond to the man before her.


    The warming breaths enveloped a sweet fragrance, spreading throughout the entire bedroom¡­

 Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Does she not fear being discovered?

    Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Does she not fear being discovered?


    In the quiet bedroom, there was only the sound of each other¡¯s breathing and the increasingly loud beating of hearts¡­


    A strange sensation took root deep within her, as if she had been struck by electricity, coursing through her blood to reach every limb and bone.


    After a while, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hand trembled slightly as it failed to grasp Song Sinian¡¯s lapel and fell.


    He caught it in his embrace at just the right moment.


    Looking at her flushed little face, Song Sinian gently kissed the corner of her eye before slowly letting her go.


    He picked up a pillow from the bed and gently placed it behind her lower back before sitting down beside her again.


    Though he very much wanted to continue what they had started, seeing her look so tender and delicate, Song Sinian could only restrain himself.


    Moreover, she had just been through something distressing.


    He reached out and pinched the palm of her hand, ¡°If you feel tired, you can rest a little longer. If there¡¯s anything else you want to ask later, you can ask me anytime.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s head was spinning, but hearing Song Sinian¡¯s voice, she barely managed to regain her senses.


    Ah! She had almost forgotten about that.


    Song Sinian always used that method to comfort her when she cried.


    She was about to bring it up but reconsidered when she thought that their closeness was due to this misunderstanding, and so she swallowed her words.


    Lu Zhaozhao had never thought that she would have such a shameless moment when, in order to get close to Song Sinian, she would actually take advantage of his illness.


    Did that make her no different from everyone else?


    She hesitated for a moment then slowly began, ¡°Mr. Song, actually when I cry, there are other ways to comfort me. You don¡¯t have to always do that¡­¡±


    As Lu Zhaozhao said this, her little head drooped, and then she continued, ¡°For example, you could hug me or pat my shoulder.¡±


    Hugs? Pats on the shoulder?


    Song Sinian quickly took note of these two points.


    He pondered briefly, ¡°Will a hug or a pat on the shoulder be as effective for you as what we did just now?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ they¡¯re, kind of the same,¡± Lu Zhaozhao said, forcing a smile and steeling herself as she replied to Song Sinian.


    For him, this question was as mundane as discussing the weather, but for her, it was utterly embarrassing.


    She was so socially awkward at this moment that she wished she could dig a three-bedroom apartment out of the ground with her toes.


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, ¡°If they¡¯re about the same, then next time, can I choose one of these three methods to comfort you?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded.


    There shouldn¡¯t be any problem with that, right?


    ¡°Okay, I got it,¡± Song Sinian agreed very straightforwardly this time.


    Since it was a choice of three, continuing with the previous method shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?


    Song Sinian returned to his study half an hour later.


    Qian Hong, who had been waiting in the study, was full of trepidation when she saw him enter.


    She had been with the Song Family for so long but had never seen Song Sinian lose his temper like that.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Zhao Xi¡¯s intervention, none of the household¡¯s cooks would have been spared.


    ¡°Sir, the doctor has already said that madam didn¡¯t eat much, and it won¡¯t cause any harm to her body, so please rest assured,¡± Zhao Xi cautiously opened his mouth.


    He and Song Sinian were originally still at the company when they heard the news of Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s food poisoning.


    By the time they arrived, Lu Zhaozhao had already fallen asleep.


    Song Sinian had been accompanying her in the bedroom ever since.


    Fortunately, Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t seem to have any issues, otherwise Song Sinian would have definitely been devastated.


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze swept over Zhao Xi, then glanced at Qian Hong before sitting down on the sofa in the study, ¡°What exactly happened? How could she get food poisoning at home?¡±


    His voice was faint, but his tone was surprisingly icy.


    Qian Hong, with a face full of apology, looked at Song Sinian, ¡°Madam was poisoned because she ate the cubilose sent by Xiao Jinglan.¡±


    Zhao Xi furrowed his brows, full of doubts about Qian Hong¡¯s choice of words.


    Poisoned?


    Not food poisoning?


    Song Sinian, of course, noticed the particular choice of words just like Zhao Xi, ¡°Zhaozhao was poisoned?¡±


    Qian Hong nodded very affirmatively, ¡°Right after madam had the problem, I had the food sealed and sent to the laboratory. Just before you returned, sir, the lab had already delivered the results.¡±


    Speaking, she took out a document and placed it in front of Song Sinian.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I sent all of the cubilose Xiao Jinglan gave to madam to the laboratory, and the result¡­¡± Qian Hong said, taking a deep breath, ¡°the harmful substances found were all the same.¡±


    Hearing this conclusion, Zhao Xi¡¯s jaw almost dropped in shock, especially after he saw the ¡°contraceptive¡± ingredients marked on the drugs inside. He couldn¡¯t take it in.


    He hadn¡¯t expected Xiao Jinglan to dare to take such blatant action against Lu Zhaozhao.


    Didn¡¯t she fear being discovered?


    Qian Hong clearly saw Zhao Xi¡¯s thoughts and explained, ¡°The doctor said the substances were added very cautiously, and it would be difficult for most people to notice. Madam probably had a special physical condition and was intolerant to the substances, so she felt ill after only a little bit¡­¡±


    Although she didn¡¯t finish her sentence, everyone present understood.


    If it weren¡¯t for Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s particular condition, she might have continued to consume these tainted supplements.


    The consequences were unthinkable.


    Zhao Xi¡¯s lips twitched, ¡°No wonder Xiao Jinglan dared to send such things so blatantly. She must have believed that no one would check what she sent.¡±


    Indeed, that was the case.


    They knew Xiao Jinglan wasn¡¯t on the same page as Song Sinian, but they never thought this woman would dare to be so blatant.


    Qian Hong also nodded in agreement, ¡°It was my oversight. When the person who sent the items said that Xiao Jinglan was also consuming them and wanted to share some with madam, I thought she was trying to butter up madam because she had taken a hit last time.¡±


    She was too naive to have let Lu Zhaozhao suffer.


    Song Sinian¡¯s face turned exceedingly grim, ¡°If she dares to use such underhanded tactics, she must pay the price. The Song Family has no need to keep her around.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Zhao Xi couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Sir, just based on this incident, I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t just expel her from the Song Family.¡±


    Although Old Master Song might send Xiao Jinglan away with just a word from Song Sinian, the people behind her wouldn¡¯t be so easy to deal with.


    Xiao Jinglan had been in the Song Family for so many years, and had ingratiated herself with many in the Song Group. They definitely wouldn¡¯t convict her just on account of a few cans of cubilose.


    They might even portray Xiao Jinglan as a victim. If by any chance they alarmed her and caused a scare, the one who might get hurt could still be Lu Zhaozhao.


    ¡°Sir, before madam fainted¡­ she told me not to tell you about her being poisoned by the cubilose¡­¡± Qian Hong, enduring the chilling pressure from Song Sinian, shivered as she relayed Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s original words.


    Seeing this, Zhao Xi quickly chimed in to help, ¡°Madam must also be worried about troubling sir, that¡¯s why she said that. Sir¡­ even for madam¡¯s sake, we mustn¡¯t act rashly on this matter!¡±

 Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Was it for Gentlemen?

    Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Was it for Gentlemen?


    Song Sinian¡¯s expression had turned even uglier than before.


    He remained silent for a moment, and the atmosphere in the study suddenly became oppressively tense.


    After a while, his eyes lifted slightly as he looked at Qian Hong, ¡°Does Xiao Jinglan plan to keep sending cubilose to Zhaozhao?¡±


    Qian Hong nodded honestly, ¡°The person who delivered the cubilose said that once the madam has finished it, they will continue to send more.¡±


    Sure enough, as soon as Qian Hong had finished speaking, she felt a chill running down her spine.


    ¡°Good, very good,¡± Song Sinian¡¯s gaze grew darker, ¡°Since Xiao Jinglan said she eats the same as Zhaozhao, she needs to keep her word. You all should know what to do, right?¡±


    Zhao Xi and Qian Hong immediately nodded.


    They understood the principle of returning like for like.


    Since Xiao Jinglan dared to poison their madam, she should be prepared for the consequences.


    The Song Mansion still had plenty of their informants, and swapping Xiao Jinglan¡¯s cubilose for a poisoned version would be effortless.


    Song Sinian¡¯s fingertips tapped lightly on the arm of the sofa, then as if remembering something, he turned to Zhao Xi and said, ¡°Compile a list of people within the Song Group who support Xiao Jinglan for me.¡±


    If there were people behind her preventing her removal from the Song Family directly, then their focus would shift to pulling these supporters out one by one!


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Zhao Xi nodded, ¡°I will compile a list as soon as possible.¡±


    It seemed their master was truly angry this time.


    Zhao Xi sighed softly, as if suddenly remembering something, ¡°Sir, the madam¡¯s school term is about to start. Should we prepare a back-to-school gift for her? Hadn¡¯t the madam also given you a gift before?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Song Sinian raised his eyes to Zhao Xi, ¡°What did she give me?¡±


    Could it have been that painting?


    Zhao Xi¡¯s mouth opened, suddenly regretting his impulsiveness, but seeing Song Sinian¡¯s stare fixed on him, he had to press on, ¡°That¡­ isn¡¯t the ear cuff for men? I thought the madam bought it as a gift for you.¡±


    If not, it would be quite awkward.


    ¡°Ear cuff?¡± The image of the delicate accessory flashed through Song Sinian¡¯s mind.


    Was it meant for men?


    He had thought the item was a girl¡¯s accessory, so he had sent it to Lu Zhaozhao without a second thought.


    Song Sinian pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over Qian Hong and Zhao Xi, ¡°Can I get it back now, or is it too late?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    For several consecutive days, Xiao Jinglan had been idling at the Song Family home without any particular duties.


    It wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t willing to do anything, but ever since Song Sinian had told her to stay out of his and Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s affairs, Old Master Song had her copying scriptures at the Song Mansion, claiming it would help her settle her mind.


    Fortunately, Old Master Song went out to play chess with a friend today, giving her a moment to breathe.


    Previously, Lu Zhaozhao had received her marriage certificate with Song Sinian on the very day they had their blind date, so Mr. and Mrs. Lu, who had originally planned to stay longer, had also returned.


    Xiao Jinglan was naturally the first person to receive the news.


    She knew that the pretext of Mr. and Mrs. Lu¡¯s ¡°trip¡± was merely for show; in reality, they just wanted to create more opportunities for Song Sinian and Lu Zhaozhao to be alone together.


    They certainly never dreamed that Lu Zhaozhao would be so capable, bringing Song Sinian to his knees just like that.


    So, they must be rushing back nonstop now, right?


    After Xiao Jinglan revealed her identity, she was quickly led by a servant to the drawing room.


    Mr. and Mrs. Lu seemed to have not anticipated Xiao Jinglan¡¯s visit and hurriedly welcomed her.


    After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xiao Jinglan cut straight to the point, ¡°The two of you must already know about Sinian and Zhaozhao getting their marriage certificate, right?¡±


    Lu Dagui nodded, not saying much.


    On the other hand, Cao Mei wore a sighing expression and said, ¡°Our Zhaozhao has been spoiled by me, I never thought she would be so wilful. Her dad and I were also taken aback, so we hurried back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Zhaozhao doesn¡¯t usually associate much with boys. It¡¯s understandable that she would fall for President Song all of a sudden, given how outstanding he is.¡± Lu Dagui chimed in with Cao Mei¡¯s words, taking the opportunity to compliment Song Sinian as well.


    Although they said so, they couldn¡¯t suppress the corners of their lips from quivering upward; anyone could see that they were about to burst with happiness.


    Over the years, countless people had tried to send women Song Sinian¡¯s way, but only the Lu Family had succeeded.


    They¡¯d be strange not to be thrilled!


    Xiao Jinglan tugged at the corners of her mouth stiffly, ¡°Zhaozhao is indeed a good girl, but I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have the chance to chat with her properly in my capacity as an elder. From now on, I¡¯ll have to rely on both of you to handle Sinian¡¯s side of things.¡±


    Upon hearing Xiao Jinglan¡¯s words, both Lu Dagui and Cao Mei appeared puzzled.


    ¡°What does Lady Xiao mean? Did Zhaozhao do something wrong at the Song Family?¡± Cao Mei, a shrewd person, caught the hint in Xiao Jinglan¡¯s words at once.


    Xiao Jinglan didn¡¯t beat around the bush, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m not clear myself, I only know that the housekeeper was changed as soon as she moved to Sinian¡¯s. I was just going to check on her when Mr. Song warned me not to meddle in their affairs anymore, I really don¡¯t know what happened¡­¡±


    Though she appeared not to speak ill of Lu Zhaozhao, her every word and phrase carried a hidden meaning.


    Cao Mei glanced at Xiao Jinglan and tugged at the corner of her mouth, ¡°We¡¯ve just come back and are not clear about the specifics. Tomorrow morning, when Zhaozhao returns, I¡¯ll ask her in detail. If she offended Lady Xiao, I will definitely make her apologize to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how could I accept that? Sinian cherishes her now, and she might even become the head of the Song Family in the future. I wouldn¡¯t dare to demand an apology from her.¡± Xiao Jinglan wore a smile, but in reality, she was knitting a thorn into the sides of Lu Dagui and Cao Mei.


    Her implication was clear; now Lu Zhaozhao was so favored in the Song Family that even she, a member of the Song Family, dared not speak out, let alone them.


    Lu Zhaozhao had grown up under their control; how could they allow a mere girl to slip from their grasp?


    As expected, after she spoke these words, the expressions on the faces of Lu Dagui and Cao Mei changed significantly.


    Xiao Jinglan was quite satisfied with their reactions and then sighed lightly, ¡°I just came today to pass on a simple message. From now on, we¡¯ll be counting on both of you to take care of Sinian¡­¡±


    With that, she slowly stood up and continued, ¡°You both just got back not long ago. You should rest up, so I¡¯ll not disturb you any further.¡±


    ¡°Okay, take care, Lady Xiao.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After seeing off Xiao Jinglan, Cao Mei raised her hand and swept all the items from the tabletop onto the floor in a rage, ¡°What does she mean? She can¡¯t control Lu Zhaozhao herself, so she comes to us to show off? She¡¯s just a minor wife! She¡¯s really getting above herself!¡±


    Zhao Da Gui glanced at Cao Mei, his face not looking any better, ¡°Setting aside whether what Xiao Jinglan said is true or false, if it¡¯s really as she said, and Song Sinian dotes on Lu Zhaozhao that much, then we must hold onto this card no matter what!¡±

 Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24 What do I need to do?

    Chapter 24: Chapter 24 What do I need to do?


    Cao Mei nodded, ¡°That makes sense, I¡¯ll call Lu Zhaozhao right now and ask her to come back tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡­


    Upon receiving the call from Cao Mei, Lu Zhaozhao was somewhat surprised.


    After all, in her last life, they had stayed abroad for an entire month before returning to the country.


    She didn¡¯t expect to return so much earlier this time, probably because they knew she had married Song Sinian, so they rushed back without stopping.


    From Cao Mei¡¯s tone, she didn¡¯t detect anything unusual, but their insistence on her returning tomorrow indeed made her uncomfortable.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Suddenly, a figure emerged from the bathroom, his tall silhouette blocking the light in front of her.


    His wet hair continued to drip water droplets, and as he shook the ends of his hair with his large hand, a droplet landed precisely on Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Lu¡­¡± She almost blurted out ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Lu.¡±


    But remembering that they hadn¡¯t cut ties with her yet, Lu Zhaozhao changed her words, ¡°My parents want me to come home tomorrow for a talk.¡±


    ¡°Going back to the Lu Family?¡± Song Sinian¡¯s gaze darkened, looking at Lu Zhaozhao sitting on the bed, hugging her knees, he sat down beside her.


    The mattress dipped toward Song Sinian, and as Lu Zhaozhao hugged her knees, she leaned off-balance directly onto his arm.


    Song Sinian turned his head to look at her and instinctively stretched his arm to scoop her onto his lap, supporting her lower back with his arm, ¡°This is more comfortable than just now.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah, it is quite comfortable.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao offered an awkward but polite smile, completely at a loss on how to explain that she had merely lost her balance accidentally.


    But since she was already sitting¡­ she decided not to explain.


    Besides, Doctor Tian had told her before that people with emotional barriers needed appropriate physical contact.


    Right, appropriate.


    She looked up at Song Sinian¡¯s wet hair and reached out to gently fuss with his locks, flinging droplets again onto her cheek.


    Song Sinian caught her mischievous wrist, not forgetting the main issue, ¡°You just said you were going back to the Lu Family, do you need me to accompany you?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s hand paused, her gaze meeting Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes, his deep expression revealing no emotions, yet it made her feel extraordinarily at ease.


    She chuckled lightly, ¡°I can go by myself.¡±


    Song Sinian didn¡¯t respond, but his slightly lowered eyelids seemed somewhat unhappy.


    Lu Zhaozhao hesitated for a moment then tentatively added, ¡°However, I do need your help with something¡­¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    Though it was only a subtle change in expression, Lu Zhaozhao caught it successfully.


    It seemed he really cared about her.


    They had only met not long ago, yet he was so gentle with her¡ªapparently, beneath Song Sinian¡¯s aloof handsome face hid a warm and kind heart¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao tilted her head slightly and deliberately leaned against his chest, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t help the Lu Family, don¡¯t give them orders, don¡¯t give them opportunities, and certainly don¡¯t invest in them.¡±


    In her last life, Mr. and Mrs. Lu had sold her to Song Sinian, reaping many benefits, but then they turned around to pave the way for their biological daughter.


    Even going as far as doing that¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao shuddered uncontrollably at the thought of what had happened in her previous life.


    Song Sinian gently patted Lu Zhaozhao and pulled a blanket from the bed to wrap her up before slowly speaking, ¡°Are you worried about other people gossiping?¡±


    The Lu Family had arranged for Lu Zhaozhao to meet him for a reason, and he was well aware of their intentions.


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips and simply buried her head in Song Sinian¡¯s embrace, her voice muffled, ¡°If I say I hate the Lu Family and don¡¯t want you to help them, would you believe me?¡±


    ¡°I believe you.¡±


    Song Sinian didn¡¯t hesitate for even a fraction of a second.


    Previously, Zhao Xi had investigated Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s past with the Lu Family, and he had thought that she, being under the control of Mr. and Mrs. Lu for many years, would be more biased towards the Lu Family.


    But she trusted him more.


    Song Sinian¡¯s large hand was placed on her little feet that were exposed outside the blanket, the cold sensation in his palm made his brows involuntarily furrow.


    He wrapped her up in his embrace again.


    ¡°Take the bodyguard with you when you go back to the Lu Family tomorrow. If the Lu Family has any objections, just blame it on me.¡±


    His eyes and brows didn¡¯t seem to change much, yet somehow made Lu Zhaozhao feel much warmer.


    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Lu Zhaozhao nodded, then once again snuggled contentedly in his embrace.


    With Song Sinian¡¯s support, she felt that even if she were asked to battle mutant monsters now, she would arrogantly demand to fight ten of them!


    The next morning, Lu Zhaozhao went straight back to the Lu Family.


    Not just the bodyguard, but also a car full of high-end gifts accompanied her as she returned.


    However, the mood of Lu Dagui and Cao Mei was far from pleasant.


    They had originally wanted Lu Zhaozhao to make contact with Song Sinian first and then find an opportune moment to discuss the contract with the Song Family.


    After all, Song Sinian had a notorious reputation, and amongst those willing to curry favor with the Song Family, their daughter was definitely the best option.


    But they hadn¡¯t expected Lu Zhaozhao to move so quickly, winning over Song Sinian after just one meeting.


    They hadn¡¯t even had a chance to talk about the contract!


    Lu Dagui¡¯s brows furrowed as his gaze shifted towards Lu Zhaozhao, who was sitting on the sofa directly opposite them, and then he glanced at the upright bodyguard standing behind her.


    ¡°Zhaozhao, do you need to bring a bodyguard back home with you? What could possibly happen at home?¡± Lu Dagui forced a smile, attempting to look like a caring father.


    He had heard that Song Sinian was cunning and ruthless in his endeavors. Lu Zhaozhao bringing a bodyguard home must also be his doing, right?


    Lu Zhaozhao let out a light laugh, feigning innocence as she said, ¡°Mr. Song thinks that since we haven¡¯t been married long, he wants to protect me well, so he insists I bring a bodyguard with me wherever I go. You think Mr. Song is a considerate person too, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Considerate my ass!


    This was nothing but surveillance!


    Lu Dagui almost cursed out loud on the spot, only a fool like Lu Zhaozhao would fail to see Song Sinian¡¯s real intentions!


    Thinking of this, he suddenly felt an intense headache coming on.


    With Lu Zhaozhao being so foolish, if Song Sinian lost interest, his plan would collapse, and he had to seize the current opportunity!


    But with the bodyguard present, all he could do was continue to feign the role of a loving father, ¡°Zhaozhao, how about you let this bodyguard gentleman wait in the car first, and have him follow you when you go back later?¡±


    If the bodyguard wasn¡¯t sent away now, how could he talk to Lu Zhaozhao about the contract?


    If she really had Song Sinian as smitten as Xiao Jinglan said, then perhaps all she needed to do was to whisper in his ear, and signing the contract with the Song Family would be a piece of cake!


    With these thoughts in mind, Lu Dagui¡¯s smile became even more radiant¡­

 Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Are you not listening to me anymore?

    Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Are you not listening to me anymore?


    Lu Zhaozhao immediately saw through Lu Dagui¡¯s intentions and pretended to hesitate slightly, pursing her small lips, ¡°But Mr. Song said¡­¡±


    ¡°Big Gui, it¡¯s very normal for Mr. Song to be so concerned about Zhaozhao since she¡¯s just married into the family,¡± said Cao Mei as she patted Lu Dagui on the back. Then she turned to look at Lu Zhaozhao and continued, ¡°Zhaozhao, when Mom came back, she bought you some dresses. Do you want to come upstairs with me and try them on?¡±


    Her words immediately eased Lu Dagui¡¯s tensions.


    He really admired his wife. With just a few simple words, she not only managed to dismiss the bodyguard but also got to talk to Lu Zhaozhao alone.


    After exchanging a glance with Cao Mei, Lu Dagui chimed in, ¡°Right, when your mom was outside these days, she constantly thought of you and bought you quite a lot. Hurry and go upstairs to take a look.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded gently, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Saying this, she stood up, ready to follow Cao Mei upstairs.


    Unexpectedly, the bodyguard who had been following Lu Zhaozhao also started to move.


    ¡°Mr. Bodyguard, my daughter is going to try on clothes with Mrs. Lu. You should stay on the first floor,¡± Lu Dagui was the first to speak up, but the bodyguard completely ignored him, as if he hadn¡¯t heard a word.


    Noticing the situation, Cao Mei frowned unhappily at the bodyguard. ¡°The second floor is all bedrooms. Do you, a bodyguard, really plan to go up there?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The bodyguard still ignored Cao Mei and firmly stayed by Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s side.


    Now, Cao Mei was becoming somewhat anxious. She looked at Lu Zhaozhao and said, ¡°Uh¡­ Zhaozhao, you¡¯re not planning to keep this bodyguard with you while you change clothes, are you?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao shook her head and turned to the bodyguard, ¡°I¡¯m going upstairs to change clothes. You wait here for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Lu.¡±


    Hearing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words, the bodyguard promptly and obediently returned to the living room.


    Lu Dagui¡¯s expression turned even darker.


    Song Sinian was indeed more difficult to deal with than he had imagined.


    If that was the case, they had to resort to some special measures.


    Lu Dagui tugged at the corner of his mouth, his gaze toward the second floor becoming increasingly sinister.


    At the same time, Lu Zhaozhao had reached the bedroom on the second floor with Cao Mei.


    Different from the loving mother figure downstairs, there wasn¡¯t a hint of a smile in Cao Mei¡¯s eyes as she looked at her.


    ¡°Here are the clothes I bought for you, go in and change.¡± Saying this, she stuffed several bags into Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s arms and pushed her into the bedroom.


    Lu Zhaozhao was already accustomed to her attitude.


    In her past life, before she knew that Cao Mei was her adoptive mother, she always tried to please her, seeking to receive maternal love.


    So no matter what, she was always obedient. But even until her death, she never felt anything resembling ¡®maternal love¡¯ from Cao Mei.


    She dumped the contents of the bags onto the bed in the bedroom, glanced at them only once, and then scoffed inside her heart.


    These were the clothes that Cao Mei had ¡°carefully selected¡± for her?


    If it weren¡¯t for Lu Dagui mentioning downstairs that Cao Mei had personally bought them, she would have really thought they were ¡°work clothes¡± left behind from some inappropriate film set.


    Thinking this way, Lu Zhaozhao suddenly seemed to realize something.


    She pretended to look up nonchalantly and swept her gaze toward the dressing table that was directly across from her bed.


    She walked straight over, pretended to look in the mirror, then took out her cellphone and started pretending to take selfies.


    Sure enough, she immediately spotted the glaring micro camera in the photos she took from her phone.


    In her previous life, not long after the real daughter of the Lu Family returned, scandalous photos of her went viral on the internet.


    She had seen those photos; they were all taken in her bedroom, which meant that her foster parents were the ones who had orchestrated this.


    Up until just now, she had thought they targeted her because the real daughter of the Lu Family had come back.


    Now it seemed that even if the real daughter of the Lu Family hadn¡¯t appeared, they would still have treated her ruthlessly.


    Lu Zhaozhao took out her lipstick from her purse, touched up her makeup in front of the vanity mirror, and then headed straight for the door to leave.


    Cao Mei looked at Lu Zhaozhao with some surprise, raising her eyebrows, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you change your clothes?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao pouted, her face the picture of innocence as she said, ¡°I looked at the clothes, and I don¡¯t like the style.¡±


    As she spoke, she was about to leave the bedroom.


    Cao Mei reached out and grabbed her wrist firmly, ¡°No, you need to go back in there and change into the clothes right now! These are the ones I personally picked out for you!¡±


    She emphasized the fact that she had personally chosen them, her gaze intense as she stared at Lu Zhaozhao, word by word she said, ¡°You¡¯re not listening to me now? Do you want to make me angry, Lu Zhaozhao?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes drooped down, glancing at her wrist being tightly gripped by Cao Mei.


    Cao Mei¡¯s grip was so strong that it seemed she wanted to dig her fingernails into her flesh.


    Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile; how blind was she in her previous life not to realize how much Cao Mei hated her?


    Cao Mei must have known for a very long time that she was not her daughter, which is why, over all these years, Cao Mei had done nothing but neglect her and emotionally abuse her.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze suddenly turned cold as she quietly pulled her wrist out of Cao Mei¡¯s grasp, ¡°I already said before, I don¡¯t like the clothes. Mrs. Lu, if you like that kind of clothes, you can keep them for yourself.¡±


    Cao Mei stared at Lu Zhaozhao in astonishment, speechless for quite a while.


    Usually, as long as she showed anger, Lu Zhaozhao would agree to anything, but now she dared to talk back to her?!


    What had she just called her? Mrs. Lu?


    Cao Mei suddenly felt nervous; could it be that Lu Zhaozhao had discovered that she was not their biological daughter?


    Cao Mei looked a bit guiltily at Lu Zhaozhao and quickly changed her tone, ¡°Zhaozhao, I didn¡¯t mean to get angry at you just now. You¡¯re young, and you got married early; there¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t understand, so that¡¯s why I bought you those clothes¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao remained silent, as if seriously considering her words.


    She knew Cao Mei well; the more someone showed weakness, the more domineering her attitude, but when someone else stood firm, she would not dare to overstep.


    Put simply, she bullied the weak and feared the strong.


    She had deliberately called Cao Mei ¡°Mrs. Lu¡± just now to simply and effectively jab at her nerves.


    Cao Mei and Lu Dagui had always thought they had concealed everything well over the years, believing she could never know the truth, so hearing the title ¡°Mrs. Lu¡± would make them panic even more.


    Only by creating such disarray could she fish in troubled waters.


    Seeing that Lu Zhaozhao remained silent, Cao Mei extended her hand and gently held her small hand, saying, ¡°Zhaozhao, you should know that your marriage to Song Sinian is a business arrangement, right? You could marry him because you are a member of the Lu Family. If you want to establish a strong position in the Song Family, you will need to rely on your natal family. The more powerful your natal family is, the less likely you¡¯ll be looked down upon by your husband¡¯s family, do you understand?¡±


    As she spoke these words, her eyes remained fixed on Lu Zhaozhao, seemingly observing her reaction stealthily.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes slightly drooped, and only after Cao Mei had finished speaking, her gaze slowly lifted again¡ª

 Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Mr. Song, why arent you asking me anymore?

    Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Mr. Song, why aren¡¯t you asking me anymore?


    Her lips pursed, clearly hesitating, ¡°But¡­ Mr. Song has been very nice to me¡­¡±


    She wavered.


    Cao Mei secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then continued, ¡°You silly girl, Sinian¡¯s interest in you is just a whim, who knows when he will get tired of it? In the end, all you can rely on is your own family, understand?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao pretended to be obedient and nodded, ¡°Then¡­ what should I do?¡±


    A triumphant smile crossed Cao Mei¡¯s eyes, and she lifted her hand to pat Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s hand, ¡°I have already thought it through for you, you just need to convince Sinian to cooperate with our Lu Family.¡±


    Cooperation?


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, if she remembered correctly, in her previous life at this time, both the Lu Family and the Song Family were bidding for several jade mines in Country M.


    But the Lu Family, having tied up most of their funds in overseas orders, couldn¡¯t afford to bid for the jade mines with their working capital.


    Thus they had proposed to collaborate with the Song Family on that batch of overseas orders, which was essentially getting the Song Family to invest in the Lu Family to share the risks.


    At that time, since Sinian had agreed to the collaboration, Lu Dagui had specifically taken her to the jade mine auction.


    There were eight jade mines being auctioned, among which Mine No.1 and Mine No.3 were the most hotly contested, reaching sky-high prices.


    That year, Lu Dagui, failing to acquire those two mines, had thrown a huge fit upon returning to the Lu Family.


    However, no one expected that the two jade mines that the Song Group bought would both turn out to be disastrous investments, while the overlooked Mine No.8 yielded Emperor Purple Jade, causing a sensation.


    Thinking about this, Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    Cao Mei, thinking Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t know how to persuade Sinian, continued to incite, ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re newlyweds. Just put on the dress I¡¯ve prepared for you, act a bit coquettish, and he might just agree.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao tugged at the corner of her mouth, Cao Mei truly saw Sinian as a lust-driven ghost.


    In her previous life, she indeed convinced Sinian to invest in the Lu Family, but that batch of overseas orders encountered a typhoon, resulting in heavy losses.


    Because of the Song Family¡¯s investment, the Lu Family only bore half the loss, thus still had some breathing space.


    However, because the continuous losses related to the Lu Family, rumors spread outside, claiming she was a jinx reincarnated.


    As a result, she was also deeply alienated by the Song Family.


    This life, she would not let such things happen to her again!


    Her eyes narrowed slightly, and when she looked at Cao Mei again, her expression had turned into a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll ask him tonight and will definitely do my best to get Mr. Song to help.¡±


    At those words, Cao Mei¡¯s face brightened with a smile, repeatedly praising, ¡°You are truly my good daughter, then I¡¯ll wait for your good news!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    When Lu Zhaozhao returned to the Song Family¡¯s residence, it was already afternoon.


    To her surprise, Sinian was actually at home.


    Seeing her enter, Sinian waved at the others, and Qian Hong and the rest astutely left.


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at him in slight astonishment, ¡°Why did you come back so early today?¡±


    She sat down next to Sinian on the sofa, her eyes filled with curiosity.


    Sinian¡¯s dark eyes blinked, ¡°I was waiting for you.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows rose, her gaze sweeping across Sinian¡¯s perpetually handsome face.


    Was he worried about her?


    Sinian watched Lu Zhaozhao without speaking, then slowly said, ¡°Do you need a hug, a pat, or a kiss?¡±


    He looked at her with all seriousness, his expression as simple as if he were waiting for her to place an order.


    Lu Zhaozhao suddenly found this side of Song Sinian a bit cute.


    He indeed couldn¡¯t accurately express his emotions, but he was always trying in his own way.


    She suddenly smiled, her eyes curving, and her small hands reached out directly towards Song Sinian, saying, ¡°I think I need a hug right now.¡±


    Song Sinian didn¡¯t ask why, he just did as she said and hugged her.


    The fragrant, soft person in his arms gave him a sense of steadiness.


    He couldn¡¯t understand the emotions on her face and couldn¡¯t empathize, so all he could do now was give her what she wanted.


    Whatever she asked for, he was willing to satisfy her.


    Lu Zhaozhao wriggled in Song Sinian¡¯s embrace and, tilting her little head, suddenly asked him, ¡°Mr. Song, why don¡¯t you ask me why?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Song Sinian¡¯s brows slightly raised, seemingly unclear about what Lu Zhaozhao meant.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s sparkling eyes blinked, and her small hand lifted to pinch Song Sinian¡¯s cheek, asking with a look of deep grievance, ¡°Are you upset?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    With Lu Zhaozhao pinching his cheek, his usually expressionless handsome face took on a cuter appearance.


    She now suddenly understood why Song Sinian loved pinching her face so much.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hands freely pinched his face for a while before Song Sinian slowly opened his mouth, ¡°Are you upset?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded, ¡°I am indeed a bit upset.¡±


    ¡°What can I do to help you?¡± Song Sinian looked at her with calm eyes, his tone the same as usual, showing no emotion.


    If it had been her previous life, Lu Zhaozhao might not have dared to say a word.


    But now things were different.


    She knew his placid emotion was filled with indulgence towards her.


    Her small hand slowly released Song Sinian¡¯s cheek, ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind, I hope you can provide some money to help the Lu Family.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As soon as Lu Zhaozhao spoke, Song Sinian agreed.


    He didn¡¯t even hesitate.


    Lu Zhaozhao was stunned for a moment, tilting her little head as she looked at Song Sinian, and said word by word, ¡°Won¡¯t you ask me why I want to help the Lu Family?¡±


    Song Sinian reached out to gently smooth her hair, ¡°If you want to tell me, I¡¯d love to listen.¡±


    His voice was gentle, yet the tone made one feel warm.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Indeed, no matter if it was her previous life or this one, Song Sinian had always helped her unconditionally.


    Her small hands slowly circled Song Sinian¡¯s waist, ¡°I went back to the Lu Family today, and they hope I can convince you to invest in the Lu Family. That way, they can use the liquid funds to bid for this jade mine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Song Sinian¡¯s hand gently caressed her little head, quietly listening to her account of what happened at the Lu Family.


    The room was very quiet, with only the occasional sound of wind and their breathing.


    Rarely did Lu Zhaozhao willingly bring up the Lu Family¡¯s matters, and he was happy to listen quietly by her side.


    Lu Zhaozhao took a deep breath, speaking very solemnly, ¡°So I hope you can agree to two things¡­¡±

 Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Is It Her Illusion?

    Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Is It Her Illusion?


    ¡°Okay, I promise you.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s promise was so straightforward that it left Lu Zhaozhao at a loss for words.


    If anyone else had replied so casually, she would have thought they were playing with her, but he wouldn¡¯t.


    Seeing Lu Zhaozhao not speaking again, Song Sinian gently rubbed the back of his index finger against her cheek and asked, ¡°So what is it that you want me to do?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao stared at Song Sinian, dazed, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t invest in the Lu Family, but lend them money instead.¡±


    If the overseas orders were going to be a loss, then she didn¡¯t want Song Sinian to be involved.


    Song Sinian nodded, ¡°Hmm, I will have Zhao Xi take care of this matter in a bit.¡±


    ¡°And about the currently popular jade mine, don¡¯t bid for it¡­¡±


    Actually, by saying this, Lu Zhaozhao was somewhat worried that Song Sinian would ask her why he shouldn¡¯t bid.


    Yet to her surprise, not only did Song Sinian not ask her for a reason, but he also asked another question, ¡°So which jade mine are you interested in?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s mouth hung open, but she couldn¡¯t utter a single word.


    After a long pause, she finally started to speak slowly, ¡°You couldn¡¯t possibly have a ¡®Mind Reading Technique,¡¯ could you?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s fingertip gently grazed her small face, ¡°It¡¯s a basic logic problem. If you don¡¯t want me to bid for the popular mines, you obviously want me to bid for another. As for those two popular jade mines, you probably want to leave them for the Lu Family, right?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s heart suddenly sank.


    From Song Sinian¡¯s perspective, whether it was lending money to the Lu Family or refraining from bidding for the popular jade mines, it was all for the Lu Family¡¯s sake.


    Even lending money to the Lu Family might be intended to prevent the Song Family from taking extra money from the Lu Family.


    Lu Zhaozhao thought of the misunderstanding between her and Song Sinian in her past life, and suddenly felt a surge of nervousness, ¡°Mr. Song, I don¡¯t want to help the Lu Family, I¡­¡±


    She tried to explain, but as soon as she began to speak, she realized that her explanation would be in vain.


    She couldn¡¯t tell Song Sinian that she had been reborn, nor could she explain how she knew that purchasing those two popular jade mines would result in a complete loss.


    ¡°I¡­ I would never harm you, really.¡± In the end, she could only say those soft words before falling silent.


    Song Sinian gently lifted her small face and said indifferently, ¡°I have no suspicion towards you. Just tell me whatever you want or what you wish to do. As for the reason, if you are willing to tell me, do so; if not, I can wait.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Yes, it was because their Mr. Song was always so good, that made it so hard for her to let go.


    Lu Zhaozhao gripped around Song Sinian¡¯s waist even tighter.


    She rubbed her small face against his chest, her eyes silently reddening.


    Damp vapour fell onto Song Sinian¡¯s shirt. Feeling something, he looked down at the person buried in his arms and gently patted her back.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s body shuddered, and half of her small face subtly peeked out.


    Tears clung to her eyelashes, and with a slight twitch of her eyes and eyebrows, they followed the lashes to the reddened corners of her eyes.


    Song Sinian raised his hand, his fingertip gently stroking her eyelid. Watching her obediently close one eye, allowing him to fiddle, his Adam¡¯s apple unconsciously bobbed up and down.


    Indeed, whether it was taking a photo or a hug, he always felt something was missing. It wasn¡¯t enough.


    His gaze slowly drifted downward, finally resting on her rosy little mouth.


    Song Sinian¡¯s fingertip traced her cheek, gently playing with the wispy hair by her ear. He leaned down close to her ear and whispered faintly, ¡°Do you feel better now?¡±


    His voice was deep, his tone husky, as if he were holding back.


    He had just followed her past instructions, with a hug, a pat¡­


    Would she be upset if he wanted to do something more?


    As Song Sinian spoke, the tip of his nose gently brushed against her cheek.


    Lu Zhaozhao made no attempt to dodge; instead, the tickling sensation instinctively made her wrap her arms around his neck and pull him down.


    ¡°It¡¯s so ticklish, Mr. Song¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Song Sinian¡¯s muffled voice resonated on her shoulder, and the next second, his strong and firm hand clasped her lower back and pressed her hard against him.


    The space between them was instantly compressed, and taken by surprise, Lu Zhaozhao let out a soft gasp and found herself firmly against his chest.


    The warm touch ironed into Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s fair skin through the thin layer of fabric.


    ¡°Is this okay?¡± His deep voice carried an inexplicable urgency, mingling with warm breath near her ear.


    Held tightly in his embrace, Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t see his expression, but she could clearly feel the furious beating of his heart against the chest she was pressed up to.


    ¡°Thump, thump,¡± each beat louder than the last, matching hers.


    Was Song Sinian being coquettish?


    She didn¡¯t answer Song Sinian, yet her somewhat disordered breathing slowly started to move in the direction he desired.


    She was so soft and fragrant; each time he held her, the sweet scent made it hard for him to let go.


    He wanted more¡­


    He wanted to possess her, to lock her in a cage where he alone could touch her.


    But if he really did that, would she still treat him with the same unguarded manner as now?


    Song Sinian couldn¡¯t imagine her looking at him with eyes filled with caution.


    Just thinking about it made him feel suffocated.


    His warm breath gradually moved downward, and his gaze couldn¡¯t help but sweep over her fair neck.


    Suddenly, as if possessed, he lowered his head and nipped at it.


    Almost instantly, a distinct red mark appeared before his eyes.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s skin was already pale, making the red mark stand out even more prominently.


    Song Sinian slowly raised his head, seemingly very satisfied with his recent handiwork.


    His fingertips gently caressed the red mark. Would this let others know she belonged to him?


    Clearly still dazed from the recent events, Lu Zhaozhao lay motionless in Song Sinian¡¯s arms, her mind preoccupied with the memory of his initiating the kiss.


    Was it her imagination?


    She always felt like she could faintly sense his subtle emotional fluctuations.


    ¡°Zhaozhao¡­¡±


    Suddenly, someone called her name softly in her ear. Lu Zhaozhao came back to her senses and saw Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes intently staring at her.


    She looked up to meet his gaze but remained silent.


    Uncertain, he watched her, ¡°Are you¡­ upset?¡±


    As he asked, his eyes briefly flicked to the red mark on her neck before shifting away.


    Having done this without her consent, she must be angry, right?


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s lips parted to speak, but before she could finish, she saw Song Sinian unfastening the top two buttons of his shirt.


    His half-open collar revealed much of his neck.


    He looked at Lu Zhaozhao with particular seriousness and said, word by word, ¡°If you¡¯re upset, you can bite me back¡­¡±

 Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Refreshed Their Understanding of Mrs. Song!

    Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Refreshed Their Understanding of Mrs. Song!


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at Song Sinian, her eyes instantly curving into a joyous smile.


    Why hadn¡¯t she noticed this adorable side of him before?


    Her small hand lifted, and the tip of her index finger slowly traced down along his jawline, making her acutely aware of the delicate pulse quivering beneath his neck.


    Feigning contemplation, she murmured, ¡°Then I should choose a conspicuous spot to bite.¡±


    The afternoon breeze was gentle, and a warm wave enveloped the entire living room.


    Three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Song Group¡¯s conference room.


    The shareholders, all with unsightly expressions, looked at the plan in their hands but none dared to utter a word.


    For a moment, the meeting room was eerily silent.


    Zhao Xi stood beside Song Sinian, casting a glance at their master¡¯s neck. That touch of bright red was quite difficult to overlook.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel that Song Sinian seemed much calmer than usual, perhaps because of this.


    It seemed as if since marrying Lu Zhaozhao, their master had softened a bit, even appearing somewhat humane.


    ¡°Ahem¡­ Directors, this is the company¡¯s main investment direction in the recent period. If you have any comments, please speak now,¡± Zhao Xi¡¯s voice slowly rose in the meeting room.


    If he didn¡¯t speak up, these directors probably wouldn¡¯t dare say a word.


    After all, who would dare be presumptuous in front of their master?


    Song Sinian always followed his own logic in handling matters, never with personal emotions.


    Even Old Master Song would not receive any special favors, hence the seasoned directors felt apprehensive around Song Sinian.


    Chairman Guo, sitting in the middle, furrowed his brows and slowly spoke, ¡°I have no objections to the other items, but¡­ regarding the auction of the Jade Mine, why aren¡¯t we bidding for the two hottest jade mines currently?¡±


    The jade rough stones found near these two mines weren¡¯t bad; acquiring these mines would likely yield substantial profits.


    Given the capabilities of the Song Group, they were most likely to win the bid for these two popular jade mines.


    If Song Group opted out, it would be akin to handing over these lucrative mines to others.


    Why would they ever let their money go unchecked?


    Zhao Xi glanced at the director and simply explained, ¡°Everyone knows mining veins inherently involves gambling. Bidding for popular veins requires a cost several times higher than other mines, but the return on investment isn¡¯t necessarily higher than purchasing other mines.¡±


    Chairman Guo, upon hearing this, looked at Zhao Xi disapprovingly and said, ¡°We all know you¡¯ve married the Lu Family¡¯s heiress, but now¡­ outright sending money to the Lu Family seems inappropriate, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Chairman Guo! You¡­¡±


    Just as Zhao Xi was about to respond, he was interrupted by Song Sinian.


    His gaze swept around the meeting room, then he spoke deliberately, ¡°If you have anything to say, speak frankly today. I won¡¯t hold it against anyone because of today¡¯s discussion.¡±


    The directors exchanged glances, communicating silently with their eyes¡ªas such openness was rare, now was their chance to speak, or they might never have another.


    So, after a moment, the directors began to speak one by one.


    ¡°Lending money to the Lu Group instead of investing directly feels quite childish. Everyone knows the Lu Group has been doing well with overseas orders, and investing now could yield substantial dividends.¡±


    ¡°The number 8 mine is too mediocre; even if mined, it won¡¯t make much money. It would be a pity not to bid for mines 1 and 3.¡±


    ¡°Not bidding for 1 and 3 and still lending money to the Lu Group¡ªis it possible we are lending them the money to bid on these two popular mines?¡±


    Zhao Xi stood to one side, listening to the board members speak, and he couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    Actually, he also found Song Sinian¡¯s decision very peculiar.


    From the perspective of the board members, Song Sinian indeed seemed inclined toward using his public position for private gain.


    With the evidence of being ¡°bribed¡± hanging around his neck, today¡¯s meeting was probably not going to be easy.


    Song Sinian¡¯s fingers intertwined, and he slowly rested his chin on them, ¡°I understand your concerns. My decisions regarding bidding on Mine No. 8 and loaning to the Lu Family Group won¡¯t change. Since you disagree with the Song Group financing it, both will be funded through my personal assets. You should have no objections to that, right?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Song Sinian was wealthy and influential, what objections could they have?


    Chairman Guo hurriedly asked, ¡°What about Mine No. 1 and Mine No. 3?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Song Sinian¡¯s expression unchanged, ¡°Those of you who agree with bidding on these two mines can collaborate to bid for them.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, the boardroom once again erupted into chaos.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t the Song Group finance the bidding?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! We are directors, and we all agreed on this matter. Can¡¯t the company make the bid?¡±


    Song Sinian shrugged, ¡°The reason is simple, I disagree. If you still want to bid, there are two ways you could proceed.¡±


    His voice was indifferent, and the fierceness in his eyes and brows made those present shudder.


    Still, someone plucked up their courage and asked, ¡°Wha¡­ what are the methods?¡±


    Song Sinian gave that person a cold look, his tone even colder than before, ¡°One is, you can purchase Mines No. 1 and No. 3 under the company¡¯s name, but you must sign a risk-sharing agreement.¡±


    This meant, profits would be shared, but if there were losses, these directors would have to compensate the company.


    The previously noisy directors instantly fell silent. They indeed wanted to make money, but mining involved betting on luck, so no one dared to make a rash move.


    Song Sinian sneered softly, ¡°It seems you are all unsatisfied with this method, so let me mention the second one, impeach me as the president, and let the new president buy Mines No. 1 and No. 3 for you.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The conference room fell even quieter.


    They were aware of why the Song Group was currently developing so rapidly.


    To drive away their ¡®God of Wealth¡¯ for the sake of two small jade mines was not something they were foolish enough to do.


    Seeing that they were no longer speaking, Song Sinian surveyed the room once more before slowly standing up, ¡°Since you all seem to have no further objections, let¡¯s end the meeting here.¡±


    With these words, Song Sinian promptly left.


    Song Sinian¡¯s series of decisions truly created an uproar within the Song Group.


    Especially, it refreshed their perception of Mrs. Song!


    Everyone became extremely curious about this previously unknown Lu Zhaozhao.


    What kind of woman could make the cold-hearted president obey her so readily?


    If they could get on good terms with Lu Zhaozhao, could they also receive numerous benefits from Song Sinian like the Lu Family did?

 Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29 He seemed a little too friendly to her

    Chapter 29: Chapter 29 He seemed a little too friendly to her


    Because Song Sinian still had a lot of work to handle, the cheque was personally delivered to Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s hands by Zhao Xi.


    Originally, Song Sinian had planned to give it to her himself, but he worried that he might not be able to express himself clearly at the time and might make Lu Zhaozhao uncomfortable, so he had to entrust the task to Zhao Xi.


    ¡°Madam, this cheque is from Sir for me to pass on to you. He said whatever amount is required, just fill it in,¡± Zhao Xi sat on the sofa in the living room and set the other documents aside.


    ¡°Here is the draft contract. Do you see any parts that need to be amended?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at the cheque in her hand and the contract on the table with a bit of astonishment.


    She had to admit that Song Sinian¡¯s efficiency was indeed high.


    The things she told him at noon, he had already taken care of them by evening.


    Lu Zhaozhao carefully reviewed the contract in her hands and finally paused at the borrower section.


    Her eyebrows slightly furrowed, ¡°Is this money personally coming from Mr. Song?¡±


    Zhao Xi nodded, ¡°Because of this matter, Sir almost resigned as the president of the Song Family.¡±


    Although his statement was somewhat exaggerated, parts of it were indeed true.


    Song Sinian had indeed offered to resign as the president of the Song Group, but those old foxes were not fools; how could they possibly let him resign?


    Without Song Sinian, the Song Group would be like cutting off its head and bleeding out, a path to certain doom.


    Lu Zhaozhao suddenly grew tense, ¡°How is Mr. Song now? He¡­¡±


    ¡°Madam, Madam, don¡¯t get agitated. I said he almost did, which means he didn¡¯t resign,¡± Zhao Xi saw Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s urgency and hurriedly added a few words.


    But it was clear that his words did not comfort Lu Zhaozhao.


    Zhao XI had no choice but to tell her about the situation in the boardroom so she finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    She glanced at the cheque in her hand and hesitated for a long time, completely afraid to start writing.


    ¡°Madam, you don¡¯t need to worry. The capital requested by the Lu Family is but a drop in the bucket for Sir, please write confidently,¡± Zhao Xi saw Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s hesitation and couldn¡¯t help but try to console her.


    When he had come, Song Sinian had already instructed that even if Lu Zhaozhao had any additional conditions, he was to agree to them all.


    Besides Lu Zhaozhao, he had never seen their family¡¯s Sir care so much about anyone.


    It seemed that their family¡¯s Sir truly had a fondness for this Madam.


    Zhao Xi¡¯s gaze swept over Lu Zhaozhao and suddenly, as if he had an idea, he said, ¡°Madam, if you really feel uncomfortable, you could actually give Sir a small gift or something.¡±


    ¡°A small gift?¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s clear eyes blinked, the hand holding the pen paused slightly, ¡°What kind of small gift?¡±


    Zhao Xi¡¯s eyes curved with a smile as he said, ¡°Well¡­ something like the item Madam previously got at the auction would be nice.¡±


    Like the ear cuff for men.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, ¡°You mean that painting?¡±


    Zhao Xi decisively shook his head, ¡°No, not that.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao, somewhat uncertain, raised an eyebrow, ¡°You mean the ear cuff?¡±


    Zhao Xi nodded vigorously. Last time, their family¡¯s Sir had been quite downhearted because he hadn¡¯t gotten the ear cuff.


    Now would be a perfect opportunity, and he could also help their family¡¯s Sir get a chance to win back the ear cuff!


    A complex emotion rippled through Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s clearly defined eyes, ¡°That item, he wouldn¡¯t like it, would he?¡±


    Although she thought the ear cuff would suit Song Sinian well, he had never worn any accessories, let alone something as niche as this.


    Seeing that Lu Zhaozhao wasn¡¯t taking the bait, Zhao Xi had no choice but to resort to blatant lies.


    He sighed, feigning a wistful tone, ¡°Actually, no one has ever gifted Mr. Song these little trinkets. He heard that his wife had won the ear cuff at the auction and was really looking forward to it¡­¡±


    This caused Lu Zhaozhao to waver somewhat.


    ¡°Are you sure? If Mr. Song doesn¡¯t like it when he receives it, I¡¯ll be throwing the blame onto Assistant Zhao¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Zhao Xi immediately became animated, patting his chest, ¡°Mrs. You can rest assured, if Mr. Song doesn¡¯t like it, feel free to throw all the blame on me!¡±


    After all, there was nothing bought by Lu Zhaozhao that their Mr. Song didn¡¯t like.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After handling the tasks entrusted to him by Song Sinian, Zhao Xi left posthaste.


    Lu Zhaozhao had wanted to wait for Song Sinian to return before giving him the ear cuff, but after thinking it over for a long time, she still felt that giving only this item seemed somewhat inappropriate.


    After much deliberation, she went back to her room to gather herself and headed out.


    The thought that Song Sinian had never received such small gestures weighed on her chest like a needle prick, causing a dull ache.


    Therefore, she simply couldn¡¯t bring herself to give him just this one thoughtless trinket; she wanted to pick another small piece of jewelry for him in person!


    Inside the Herm store, Lu Zhaozhao was carefully selecting from the men¡¯s jewelry section.


    Suddenly, a deep voice slowly resonated, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to encounter Miss here, it looks like we really are fated.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was startled and looked at the man with a guarded expression, only to realize it was the same man she had encountered at the auction.


    The bodyguard who had been following Lu Zhaozhao promptly picked up on her discomposure and immediately stood in front of Xia Wenjue, creating a barrier between him and Lu Zhaozhao.


    ¡°Sir, you startled our Mrs., please step back,¡± he said.


    Xia Wenjue nodded apologetically to Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to scare you, I just wanted to say hi.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao could tell that Xia Wenjue hadn¡¯t meant it, yet there was something consistently odd about him.


    But she couldn¡¯t put her finger on what exactly it was.


    He seemed a bit too friendly toward her.


    In her previous life, she had never met this person, so she was unclear if he was good or bad, which made Lu Zhaozhao instinctively more guarded against Xia Wenjue.


    She waved her hand at him, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I wasn¡¯t paying attention just now either, it¡¯s not all your fault.¡±


    Xia Wenjue pulled a gentle smile, ¡°Then, may I please¡­ uh¡­¡±


    He hesitated when mentioning Lu Zhaozhao.


    Even though he already knew her name was Lu Zhaozhao, she had not left her name when they last met, and he feared that addressing her directly might startle her.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, and she chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m Lu Zhaozhao. Does Mr. Xia need my help?¡±


    She observed Xia Wenjue subtly, wanting to see what his intentions were.


    This man¡¯s attire and mannerisms were anything but ordinary, yet he didn¡¯t seem like someone from the business circles because she had practically recognized all the top business figures in the country in her previous life.


    Thus, Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t quite grasp what he was up to.


    When Xia Wenjue heard Lu Zhaozhao introduce herself, his eyes gleamed with pleasure, ¡°Miss Lu, I want to pick out a gift for my younger brother, the teenager who attended the auction with me. Could you perhaps help me consider a few options?¡±

 Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Just Like Her?

    Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Just Like Her?


    Lu Zhaozhao blinked her water-like eyes in confusion, ¡°Is it a birthday present?¡±


    Xia Wenjue gently shook his head, ¡°No¡­ his health isn¡¯t good, I want to buy him a gift to cheer him up.¡±


    Hearing his words, Lu Zhaozhao suddenly remembered seeing Xia Wenmo before, his frame slender and lacking energy.


    He indeed looked sickly, and seeing Xia Wenjue a bit downcast, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s wariness slightly eased.


    ¡°Such an important gift, would it be inappropriate for me to help choose?¡± Lu Zhaozhao hesitantly spoke up.


    After all, she and they were at most strangers who had met once, right?


    Xia Wenjue, hearing this, shook his head vigorously, ¡°Not at all, absolutely not!¡±


    Perhaps feeling that his attitude just now was a bit odd, Xia Wenjue hurriedly explained, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s because he never likes what I buy, and just as I was in a dilemma earlier, I saw Miss Lu, so I hoped you could help¡­¡±


    His words were very sincere, and Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t really delay further.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll do my best,¡± she said, her gaze landing on the men¡¯s accessories she had been about to select.


    That young man called Xia Wenmo seemed especially frail, his entire being felt as if it had lost its sparkle.


    She vaguely remembered him wearing earrings before.


    He probably wouldn¡¯t dislike something like a necklace.


    Lu Zhaozhao reached out and pointed to an enamel necklace in the cabinet, ¡°What do you think about this piece?¡±


    The fine blue and green hues played across the pendant, sprinkled with specks of yellow, resembling a planet surrounded by a halo of light.


    Xia Wenjue glanced at the tag on the jewelry that read Stella, his eyebrows slightly raising as he looked towards Lu Zhaozhao.


    ¡°Stella comes from Latin, meaning ¡®stars in the night sky¡¯; stars represent the hope of life, just like the stars in the night sky that guide the way,¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes smiled tenderly, ¡°I hope this gift can convey this meaning to him.¡±


    Xia Wenjue¡¯s mouth hung open for a while, eventually leaving only the words ¡°thank you.¡±


    She truly was their sister; even though it was a person she had met only once, she could still treat them with such tenderness and kindness.


    ¡°Miss Lu, I don¡¯t know how else to thank you,¡± Xia Wenjue said as he took out an invitation from his pocket and handed it to her, ¡°This is a ticket for next month¡¯s Luna art exhibition, I hope you can accept it.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao initially wanted to refuse, but hearing the name ¡°Luna,¡± she couldn¡¯t resist accepting it.


    This artist was her idol, one of the few female painters in the art world, yet standing strong due to her unique style.


    Her paintings always brought a warm feeling, they were one of the few comforts during her difficult days in a past life.


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at the art exhibition ticket in her hand, feeling a bit awkward as she tugged at the corner of her mouth, ¡°Did I accept it too quickly?¡±


    Her dumbfounded appearance made Xia Wenjue unable to hold back a laugh, ¡°No, I was just worried that Miss Lu wouldn¡¯t like this token of appreciation.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao quickly waved her hands, her face clearly anxious, ¡°How could that be? How could anyone not like Luna?¡±


    Xia Wenjue seemed to notice this as well, watching her tenderly and smiled, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you liked Luna so much, it really is a special connection.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, not understanding the deep meaning in his words, and could only laugh awkwardly in response.


    Fortunately, Lu Zhaozhao quickly picked out the items for Song Sinian and left soon after.


    It wasn¡¯t until Lu Zhaozhao had walked a considerable distance that Xia Wenjue tapped the button directly above his suit, ¡°Did you hear everything just now?¡±


    Only then did Xia Wenmo¡¯s voice slowly transmit through the hidden earpiece, ¡°Bring the things Zhaozhao picked for me later.¡±


    In the video just now, he heard her words loud and clear.


    Stars guiding the way in the night sky?


    Just like her?


    Xia Wenjue sighed lightly, ¡°You ungrateful little brother, couldn¡¯t you see who traveled all this way specifically to ¡®accidentally¡¯ meet Zhaozhao for you!¡±


    However, Xia Wenmo on the other end of the video was absolutely unappreciative, ¡°It¡¯s obvious you want to see Zhaozhao too; you¡¯re just using me as a cover.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    His words struck right at Xia Wenjue¡¯s heart, leaving him speechless for a long while.


    But soon, Xia Wenmo spoke again, ¡°Big brother, when do you plan to tell everyone else that Zhaozhao is our sister?¡±


    Sitting on the hospital bed, Xia Wenmo glanced at the stack of documents on the bedside table.


    All about Lu Zhaozhao.


    Since returning from the auction, Xia Wenjue had been secretly investigating Lu Zhaozhao and, had it not been for his accidental discovery, his big brother might have even kept it from him.


    Xia Wenjue¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, ¡°I want to wait a bit longer; I haven¡¯t figured out how to deal with Wen Jin yet.¡±


    Although she wasn¡¯t their biological sister, after so many years together, he couldn¡¯t just kick her out because she wasn¡¯t related by blood.


    Upon hearing this, Xia Wenmo¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Given Wen Jin¡¯s personality, if Zhaozhao comes to our house, she will definitely be bullied by her. We really need to think about how to handle Wen Jin.¡±


    Xia Wenjue¡¯s lips twitched involuntarily, reminding him that out of his three brothers, apart from Lao Si; Xia Wenyan, who got along somewhat better with Wen Jin, the other two were almost always at odds with her.


    Xia Wenmo being the most severe.


    Xia Wenjue massaged his temples with slight headache, ¡°Alright, you just focus on getting ready for the surgery; leave the rest to me. As for what happens with Wen Jin, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Xia Wenmo snorted coldly, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Zhaozhao, I wouldn¡¯t bother with Wen Jin¡¯s affairs at all. It¡¯s just like how Heavenly Eye couldn¡¯t see clearly, sending such a disaster to our Xia family; it turns out it was a mistake.¡±


    Xia Wenjue couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply, remarking sarcastically, ¡°For twenty-plus years, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve realized you can be as articulate as your second brother, you know?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Just stay quietly in the hospital for me; I¡¯m bringing the items over now.¡± Xia Wenjue glanced at the time, and upon hearing Xia Wenmo¡¯s response from the earpiece, he then hung up the call.


    Meanwhile, Xia Wenmo slowly got up from the hospital bed.


    He was about to store the documents from the bedside table away when he heard the nurse¡¯s voice at the door of the ward, ¡°Third Young Master, it¡¯s time for your MRI now.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Xia Wenmo looked at the documents on the table, casually placed them into the drawer.


    After finishing this, he headed straight out of the ward.


    But what he didn¡¯t know was that just after he left the ward, a figure appeared at his ward door¡­

 Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31: He Who Strikes First Gains the Advantage

    Chapter 31: Chapter 31: He Who Strikes First Gains the Advantage


    Seeing Xia Wenmo walk away, the figure finally entered the hospital room.


    She took out her phone, tapped on the message box, and walked straight to the bedside table, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve arrived at the hospital. Call Xia Wenmo later and tell him I¡¯ve left the stuff in the drawer.¡±


    Xia Wenjin said this with a bellyful of impatience.


    Her relationship with Xia Wenmo had never been good. She had thought he was stubborn and would rather die than have surgery.


    But unexpectedly, he had a change of heart and actually wanted to come to a major hospital for surgery.


    The Xia Family didn¡¯t have much money to begin with, and now they had to prepare the money for his surgery.


    The more Xia Wenjin thought about it, the angrier she became.


    A sickly person still needing to read books in the hospital, what a pretense!


    Fuming, she pulled open the bedside table drawer and was about to throw the book in when she saw the documents inside.


    ¡°Lu Zhaozhao?¡± Her eyebrows raised as she immediately recognized the photo on the documents.


    She looked so much like her mother!


    No, more precisely like Mother Xia.


    She had suspected something when she had her blood tested at school registration.


    It was just a pity she didn¡¯t have the ability to investigate her own biological parents, yet Xia Wenmo seemed capable enough!


    She picked up the documents and scrutinized them closely, her gaze landing on the section detailing information about her.


    Lu Zhaozhao, aged 20, heiress to the Lu Group. Enrolled at Yuqing University, Sculpture Department¡­


    As Xia Wenjin read about Lu Zhaozhao, her hands shook uncontrollably.


    Heiress to the Lu Group?!


    So her parents were wealthy!


    She had heard about this Lu Group before, but she never imagined she was actually the true heiress of the Lu Family!


    And this damned Lu Zhaozhao had been taking her place, enjoying the good fortune for so many years, while she had to live in poverty with the Xia Family!


    Thinking this, Xia Wenjin searched through the documents and finally found the contact details for Mr. and Mrs. Lu, as well as¡­ their home address.


    She was going back to her own biological parents!


    Let Lu Zhaozhao keep the Xia Family¡¯s mess!


    After photographing the address from the documents, Xia Wenjin quickly left the hospital.


    As the evening approached, the sky gradually darkened.


    A light rain drizzled throughout the night until it stopped the next morning.


    Therefore, Lu Zhaozhao, who was originally planning to go to the Lu Family early the next day, had to postpone her visit.


    When she arrived at the Lu Family¡¯s, it was almost 10 in the morning.


    She was shocked as soon as she entered.


    Because at that moment, Cao Mei was hugging Xia Wenjin and crying her heart out, while Lu Dagui sat opposite them with an iron-green face.


    She frowned slightly, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over the three of them.


    Why was Xia Wenjin at the Lu Family now?


    In her previous life, hadn¡¯t she come back after two years?


    Or was it that she had come back this early in her last life too, and she simply hadn¡¯t noticed?


    As Lu Zhaozhao was pondering, she saw Cao Mei wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes and gently pat Xia Wenjue. Only then did she look at her and say, ¡°Zhaozhao, this is your distant cousin. She¡¯ll be staying with our family for a while¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Distant cousin?


    Huh! Lu Zhaozhao let out a snort in her heart, thinking Cao Mei really was quite the actress.


    She must feel she hadn¡¯t yet achieved her goal, which is why she wasn¡¯t planning to burn bridges with her just yet, right?


    However, this incident instead made Lu Zhaozhao realize something¡ªXia Wenjue had indeed shown up early.


    Given Cao Mei¡¯s personality, once she found her biological daughter, she would not let her suffer hardships.


    She would certainly arrange to keep her close at hand, just like now.


    Lu Zhaozhao pretended to casually glance at Xia Wenjin and gently nodded at her, curling her lips slightly, ¡°My cousin here looks unfamiliar, but observing her, she indeed resembles a Lu Family member¡ªthey have very similar eyes and brows.¡±


    Lu Dagui and Cao Mei both tensed up at once.


    If Lu Zhaozhao knew she wasn¡¯t their biological child, she certainly wouldn¡¯t help them wholeheartedly.


    Cao Mei forced a smile and hurriedly said, ¡°Many cousins look alike, just like you resemble your uncle more¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao, watching Cao Mei blather obvious lies, really wasn¡¯t in the mood to keep beating around the bush.


    Now that Xia Wenjin had come to the Lu Family, they would probably be even more ruthless.


    Instead of that, she might as well take initiative.


    Lu Zhaozhao forced a smile and said, ¡°Then my cousin is truly a blessing for the Lu Family. Just as she joined the family, I received some good news here.¡±


    As she spoke, she placed the contract and the check on the table.


    Lu Dagui, upon seeing this, grabbed the contract to read it.


    He could hardly believe his eyes, ¡°President Song actually agreed to only lend money? Without investing?¡±


    Everyone out there knew that the Lu Family¡¯s overseas orders were doing well, and it was for this reason that he had the confidence to propose an investment deal with the Song Group.


    But since an investment would definitely involve sharing some profits, he didn¡¯t expect that Song Sinian would be willing to forego this piece of the pie and simply lend money to the Lu Group.


    It was truly shocking.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze shifted slightly, stealthily glancing at Lu Dagui. She feigned ignorance and asked, ¡°That¡¯s what Mr. Song said yesterday, isn¡¯t it good for the Lu Family? Should I go and ask Mr. Song again?¡±


    ¡°No need! No need!¡± Lu Dagui immediately stopped Lu Zhaozhao.


    Such favorable terms¡ªif he refused them, he¡¯d be an idiot!


    Thinking this, he immediately pulled out a pen from his pocket and signed his name on the contract.


    After Lu Zhaozhao saw him keep the check, she continued with a smile, ¡°Mr. Song also asked me a question earlier, but I wasn¡¯t clear on the matter, so I didn¡¯t respond.¡±


    Lu Dagui¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as he glanced at Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°What did President Song ask?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao pondered for a moment, pretending to be thoughtful as she said, ¡°He asked me whether the Lu Family was interested in bidding for something like no. 1 or no. 3, I didn¡¯t quite catch the details¡­¡±


    Lu Dagui¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat.


    Could Song Sinian have figured out his intentions?


    Was lending Lu Zhaozhao this money a way to warn him?


    His complexion turned serious instantly. With the funds he had on hand, he indeed couldn¡¯t compete with the vast Song Group.


    If the Song Group was set on acquiring the no. 1 and no. 3 Jade Mines, the money he had would be completely insufficient.


    Seeing the perfect timing, Lu Zhaozhao then laid out the bait, ¡°Mr. Song also said that if the Lu Family is interested, he wouldn¡¯t bid on those two lots. He told me to let you know when I got home¡ªhe said you would understand¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lu Dagui¡¯s brows knotted and he didn¡¯t respond for a long time.


    Lu Zhaozhao glanced at Lu Dagui and pretended to look uneasy, ¡°That¡¯s what Mr. Song said. I really don¡¯t know what no. 1 or no. 3 are¡­ Should I go and refuse him?¡±

 Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Its just a drop in the ocean!

    Chapter 32: Chapter 32 It¡¯s just a drop in the ocean!


    Lu Dagui became anxious immediately, ¡°Reject what rejection?¡±


    He glared at Lu Zhaozhao with displeasure, ¡°Since when is it your turn to butt in on company matters? President Song has already said so, why do you have to add your two cents?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao rolled her eyes in her heart.


    Ha! Now she¡¯s being accused of talking too much?


    She didn¡¯t know who had asked her to seek investment from Song Sinian for Lu Group before. How shameless!


    But she still couldn¡¯t skimp on the pretense she had to maintain on the surface.


    Lu Zhaozhao pouted, pretended to feel wronged, lowered her eyes, and then stopped speaking.


    Seeing this, Cao Mei hurriedly spoke to soothe, ¡°Zhaozhao, your dad is just anxious, he didn¡¯t mean to scold you on purpose.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t worried about Lu Zhaozhao, but rather about Song Sinian backing her.


    The last time Lu Zhaozhao came home, he¡¯d even assigned a bodyguard to stick close to her at all times.


    Now that she had effortlessly secured such favorable terms for the Lu Family, Cao Mei had to reassess Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s standing with Song Sinian.


    It seemed Xiao Jinglan was right; she¡¯d have to hold on to Lu Zhaozhao more firmly and make good use of her from now on!


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips, nodded obediently, and said, ¡°Mm, I know.¡±


    She picked up the signed contract from the table, put it in her bag, and then slowly stood up, ¡°Mr. Song wants me back for lunch, so I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    Lu Dagui, having just taken such a great advantage, was feeling very smug and said with a smiling face as he saw Lu Zhaozhao going, ¡°Alright, go back early, you must listen to what President Song says, and not upset him.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Watching Lu Zhaozhao leave the house, Xia Wenjin gently dabbed the corners of her eyes with a tissue, and carefully said, ¡°It¡¯s obvious you treat Zhaozhao so well, Mom. When I was with the Xia Family¡­¡±


    She trailed off, tears rimming her eyes, garnering Cao Mei¡¯s sympathy.


    Though she didn¡¯t finish her sentence, in Cao Mei¡¯s ears, Xia Wenjin had definitely been mistreated by the Xia Family!


    She gently patted Xia Wenjin, saying, ¡°Jin, don¡¯t be scared. From now on, your mom and dad will be your strongest support. I will make it up to you for everything, and there¡¯s no need for you to go back to that pathetic Xia Family.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xia Wenjin immediately flung herself into Cao Mei¡¯s arms, ¡°Mom, wuu¡­¡±


    In fact, over the years, her life in the Xia Family wasn¡¯t as unbearable as Cao Mei imagined.


    She had lived abroad as a young girl and had only recently moved back to China with the Xia Family.


    The Xia couple hardly worked; they lived on their painting, with the eldest, Xia Wenjue, being a regular employee, the second, Xia Wenqing, a junior lawyer, the third, Xia Wenmo, always unwell, and only the youngest, Xia Wenyan, relying on his good looks to become an entertainer-in-training.


    Being the youngest in the Xia Family, although she wore no-brand clothes and led a simple life, she still received a monthly allowance of ten thousand yuan.


    But compared to the Lu Family¡¯s daughter, all this was but a drop in the bucket!


    Right when Lu Zhaozhao had walked in, she saw that her clothes and shoes were worth at least 200k, not to mention the bag she was carrying¡ªit was an AMD limited edition, easily worth 300k.


    And all of this should have belonged to her!


    Thinking this, Xia Wenjin couldn¡¯t help but clench her teeth angrily and whispered while hugging Cao Mei, ¡°Mom, I overheard you say that Zhaozhao also goes to Yuqing University, we even seem to be in the same department. If I hadn¡¯t found out by chance that you were my parents, I wouldn¡¯t believe that such a rich heiress could be my sister¡­¡±


    Cao Mei¡¯s face immediately turned ugly when she heard this.


    She grabbed Xia Wenjin¡¯s little hand and said, ¡°Jin, remember, you are the true daughter of the Lu Family. If it weren¡¯t for that wretched girl who captivated Song Sinian, we would have driven her out of the house long ago!¡±


    Beside her, Lu Dagui nodded, ¡°Jin, rest assured, your mom and dad have only ever loved you. Ever since your mom and I found out we took the wrong child, there hasn¡¯t been a day when we haven¡¯t been searching for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jin, once we get a hold of that wretched girl¡¯s weakness, we will disclose your identity publicly. All you need to do now is to stay peacefully by mom¡¯s side,¡± Cao Mei said, looking at Xia Wenjin with a face full of sorrow.


    Suddenly, as if she thought of something, she took out a supplementary card from her wallet nearby, ¡°This card is mom¡¯s supplementary card, buy whatever you like with it, school is starting soon, and I want you to go to school happily.¡±


    Xia Wenjin looked at the card in her hand and was overjoyed.


    She immediately threw herself again into Cao Mei¡¯s arms and sweetly called out, ¡°Thank you, Mom!¡±


    After she got Cao Mei¡¯s phone number yesterday, she had contacted them.


    She originally thought that it would take quite an effort to persuade them, but Cao Mei had almost no hesitation upon seeing her and took her for a DNA test.


    Now that the results were out, Cao Mei and Lu Dagui were even more affectionate toward her.


    In fact, Xia Wenjin had long learned from Cao Mei that they were not close to Lu Zhaozhao at all because they realized that Lu Zhaozhao was not their biological child when she was very young.


    So, they never really treated her as their own daughter.


    If Lu Zhaozhao wasn¡¯t pretty, they would not have bothered to raise her.


    To Xia Wenjin, Lu Zhaozhao posed no competition at all.


    But just thinking about how Lu Zhaozhao had lived so many years under her identity filled Xia Wenjin with indescribable hostility¡­


    After leaving the Lu Family, Lu Zhaozhao returned to the Song Family.


    She and Song Sinian indeed had made a lunch appointment, but it was she who took the initiative to invite him.


    Last night, Lu Zhaozhao originally planned to give Song Sinian the bracelet and ear cuff she bought, but he arrived home and went straight to his study for a video conference.


    As a result, she waited and waited until she fell asleep¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao was somewhat annoyed, so she asked Song Sinian out for lunch.


    Fortunately, he agreed.


    She opened her bag and glanced at the contract signed by Lu Dagui, her eyes involuntarily drooping.


    After the Jade Vein auction is over, the Lu Family would have successfully traded her, and by then, they would probably announce to the public the truth about the real Lu Family¡¯s daughter.


    Lu Zhaozhao narrowed her eyes, it seemed the news of her being an impostor would soon spread in the circle.


    ¡°Madam, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Suddenly, a voice sounded inside the car.


    Lu Zhaozhao came back to her senses and realized that they had already returned to the Song Family.


    She slowly got out of the car and then took the contract towards the villa¡¯s front door.


    Just as she entered, she saw Song Sinian standing in the hallway, one foot in a slipper, while the other was shod in a leather shoe.


    It looked as if he was about to leave.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze briefly rested on his shoes, then looked up at Song Sinian and asked, ¡°Mr. Song, are you going out?¡±


    She was already a bit weary from coming back from the Lu Family, and now, with the stress of Xia Wenjin returning to the Lu Family ahead of time, her mood sank even lower seeing Song Sinian was heading out¡­

 Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 She... is a Fake

    Chapter 33: Chapter 33 She¡­ is a Fake


    Song Sinian stood in the same spot, watching Lu Zhaozhao and silently withdrew his foot from his shoe, stepping back onto his slippers.


    He reached out to pinch her small face, intently inspecting it twice before slowly asking, ¡°Are you unhappy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a little.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao made no attempt to hide it, blinking her watery eyes, her brows and eyes slightly weary as she looked at Song Sinian.


    Though she was unhappy, she didn¡¯t want to be a hindrance to Song Sinian.


    She forced a smile, ¡°If you have things to do, you should go ahead.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze remained fixed on her small face, then suddenly pulled her close, bending his upper body near her and spoke word by word, ¡°What should I do when you¡¯re unhappy? If I kiss you like before, would that make you feel better?¡±


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s face instantly flushed red, her ears and neck also turning a deep shade of red.


    Song Sinian, baffled, raised his eyebrows, looking at her blushing earlobes. His finger gently traced down her cheek to her earlobe, ¡°Are you shy again now?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was now entirely red like a shrimp ball.


    Why does this man, clearly just stating the facts, make someone¡¯s heart race like this!


    The pads of Song Sinian¡¯s fingers gently caressed her increasingly red earlobes, his gaze lingering on her petite face as his Adam¡¯s apple slightly bobbed.


    He slightly tilted his head and pressed his lips against hers.


    Gently, like a dragonfly skimming the water, and quickly breaking away.


    He watched her stunned expression, suddenly widening her cute eyes as if she had discovered a new continent.


    His large hand cradled her cheek, leaning down to kiss her eye.


    Lu Zhaozhao did not dodge, obediently closing the eye he kissed.


    She was just too well-behaved, too darling, always stirring up a desire to hold her tight and tease her endlessly.


    Song Sinian fought the urge to continue, gently kissing her forehead, then looked into her eyes and asked, ¡°Did I do well?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­¡±


    His simple question caught Lu Zhaozhao off guard.


    Her mouth opened slightly, and thinking of Song Sinian¡¯s rare initiative, she really couldn¡¯t bear to dampen his enthusiasm.


    She pondered briefly, then weakly nodded her head.


    Song Sinian slowly retracted his hand, his gaze still lingering on Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small face, ¡°So, will I get a reward?¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze was particularly serious, showing he wasn¡¯t joking.


    Lu Zhaozhao hesitated briefly, then stepped forward, tiptoeing to plant a kiss on his cheek.


    Her eyes sparkling slightly, ¡°Does this count?¡±


    Song Sinian instinctively raised his hand to touch the spot Lu Zhaozhao had kissed.


    Was this the first time she had kissed him while fully conscious?


    His chest felt like it had been fiercely struck, the tumultuous waves surging.


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark pupils flickered slightly, his gaze slowly settling on her small face, ¡°I will also keep doing well in the future. Will you reward me then?¡±


    His deep eyes, through the lenses, watched her as the lingering twilight sparkled in their depths.


    Lu Zhaozhao gazed at his handsome face as if enchanted, nodding.


    Suddenly, she seemed to realize what significant matter she had agreed to, snapping back to reality abruptly.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±


    Song Sinian watched the stammering Lu Zhaozhao and stretched out his hand to lead her in, ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch first, or the food will get cold.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao followed behind him, still wanting to say something, but seeing the ease in Song Sinian¡¯s strides, she eventually swallowed the words that reached her lips.


    Because of what had transpired at the Lu Family, Lu Zhaozhao had little appetite at lunchtime.


    Therefore, she didn¡¯t eat much and soon put down her chopsticks.


    Although Song Sinian couldn¡¯t understand most of the expressions on her face, due to their recent time together, he could sense a significant change in Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s usual demeanor.


    He slowly put down his chopsticks and signaled the servants to clear the meal, leaving only two servings of dessert soup on the table.


    Song Sinian pushed one of the dessert soup bowls towards her and slowly said, ¡°This is the dessert soup you like to drink. Would you like to have some?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised as she dully responded and picked up the spoon from the bowl.


    Her small hand paused, hesitated for a moment, then she slowly began, ¡°Mr. Song, I¡­ might not be the biological daughter of the Lu family.¡±


    She said this without looking up at Song Sinian.


    Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t know how to face Song Sinian.


    He had signed a contract with the Lu Family to marry their daughter, but she¡­ was an imposter.


    Song Sinian seemed to suddenly understand the reason behind Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s unhappiness.


    His gaze remained calm, showing little fluctuation, ¡°Do you need my help to find your biological parents?¡±


    Mr. and Mrs. Lu were not very kind to Lu Zhaozhao, to put it precisely, they had been mentally tormenting her.


    If finding her biological parents would make her happy, then it wasn¡¯t an unreasonable consideration.


    Lu Zhaozhao suddenly looked up at Song Sinian, a notion she had never even contemplated before.


    Because in her previous life, her parents had never appeared.


    If her adoptive parents were Xia Wenjin¡¯s biological parents, could it be that Xia Wenjin¡¯s adoptive parents were her real parents?


    As Lu Zhaozhao thought this, her eyes drooped again.


    In her previous life, when Xia Wenjin returned to the Lu Family, the Xia Family must have known she was their daughter.


    Lu Zhaozhao, thinking of her own dishonored self from her past life, seemed to understand why the Xia Family had not acknowledged her.


    Although she was Song Sinian¡¯s wife, she bore a notorious reputation, and they probably did not want to be affected by her infamy.


    This thought led Lu Zhaozhao to feel less intense about meeting her biological parents¡­


    She sighed softly, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this matter later.¡±


    After saying this, as if she suddenly remembered something, she took out two brocade boxes from her bag.


    ¡°By the way, Mr. Song, these are gifts I wanted to give you.¡±


    Saying that, she placed the two brocade boxes in front of Song Sinian and opened each one.


    One contained a men¡¯s ear cuff, and the other, a small calfskin braided bracelet with a beautiful OT buckle at the junction.


    Truthfully, Lu Zhaozhao wasn¡¯t sure if Song Sinian would like these things.


    So from the moment she opened the two brocade boxes, she anxiously stared at Song Sinian.


    But to her surprise, seeing the two items, Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes briefly trembled and he instinctively asked, ¡°Would you help me put them on?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Are you sure?¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth on the ear cuff, slightly hesitant.


    The bracelet was one thing, but the ear cuff¡­ was he really willing to wear it?


    Song Sinian nodded, showing no hint of hesitation.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised, and she finally helped him put it on.


    However, as she put the bracelet on Song Sinian¡¯s wrist, her gaze fell on a colorful braid hair tie on his wrist¡­

 Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Is it related to this matter?

    Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Is it related to this matter?


    Xia Wenmo didn¡¯t know why Xia Wenjue was touched by something and wanted to make Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s matter public.


    However, that wasn¡¯t important. What mattered was that his precious little sister was coming back to the Xia Family.


    ¡°Okay, I got it. I¡¯ll take care of things at home.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡­


    At noon, inside the hospital room.


    Xia Wenjue arrived belatedly, his gaze swept over the people in the room before he entered.


    ¡°Lao Si is at the training base for trainees, and I guess his phone must have been confiscated, so he hasn¡¯t come yet,¡± Xia Wenmo said slowly as he glanced at Xia Wenjue who had just walked in.


    Normally, Mr. and Mrs. Xia, Wen Qingyu and Xia Nie, would often go out to paint and were hardly ever at home. The eldest, Xia Wenjue, and the second, Xia Wenqing, were both typical workaholics, the third was obsessed with creation and rarely made public appearances, and the youngest, Xia Wenyan, was busy being a trainee, with little time to come home.


    Each of them had their own lives, but since Xia Wenmo was diagnosed with a brain tumor, apart from Xia Wenjin, other Xia Family members started focusing a portion of their attention on Xia Wenmo.


    So, apart from him, no one else had the capability to gather the Xia Family members together.


    ¡°Elder brother, the third brother mentioned you asked him to call us all to the hospital. Is there something important you need to discuss?¡± Wen Qingyu looked nervously at Xia Wenjue, her hand tightly gripping Xia Nie¡¯s sitting beside her.


    Xia Wenmo, who had always been reluctant to seek medical treatment, was a source of great worry for his mother.


    After much difficulty, they had finally heard that he was willing to have surgery, and it had not been many days since then when they were summoned to the hospital. Could it be that this brat wanted to go back on his word?


    Xia Wenmo seemed to have realized what his mother was thinking and gently patted Wen Qingyu¡¯s shoulder, saying, ¡°Mom, rest assured, it has nothing to do with my illness.¡±


    Relieved by these words, Wen Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief, but then Xia Wenjue¡¯s next words made her heart clench once again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve called everyone here today to talk about Xia Wenjin.¡±


    As he spoke, he handed the documents in his hand to the people in front of him, then continued, ¡°Xia Wenjin is not our child from the Xia Family; she is the child of the Lu Family. And the child now with the Lu Family is our real younger sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xia Nie, Wen Qingyu, and Xia Wenqing were all completely stunned, while Xia Wenmo, who already knew the truth, looked indifferent.


    It took a while for Wen Qingyu to come to her senses. Her mouth opened, and after a long pause, she finally spoke, ¡°Then¡­ can those two children accept this fact? The idea of biological parents becoming foster parents is too much of a shock for children¡­¡±


    Compared to acknowledging the truth, she was more worried about the two children being hurt.


    One of them she had raised, the other was her own flesh and blood.


    No matter which child, she hoped neither of them would be hurt.


    As she said these words, her eyes and brows were filled with concern.


    Xia Nie gently patted Wen Qingyu¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Let¡¯s take it slowly, see how the two children are coping first. Wenjin and that child both need time to adjust.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xia Wenmo let one hand rest under his head, ¡°Some people don¡¯t need any time to adjust at all¡­¡±


    His remark immediately drew Xia Wenqing¡¯s attention.


    Xia Wenqing narrowed his eyes, ¡°Xia Wenjin¡¯s disappearance these past few days, is it related to this?¡±


    Xia Wenqing remembered that recently Xia Wenjue had dispatched all his people to find Xia Wenjin.


    Xia Wenmo nodded, a rare smile appearing on his face, ¡°You¡¯re quick-witted as always, second brother.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The entire ward fell silent.


    Xia Wenjue took a deep breath and pulled out his cell phone from his pocket, opening a video he had recorded at school earlier.


    ¡°This is the attitude of Xia Wenjin and Lu Zhaozhao.¡±


    He lifted his hand to play the video, and instantly, Xia Wenjin¡¯s shrill voice echoed throughout the ward.


    ¡°Lu Zhaozhao, what have you got to be proud of? Everything you eat, wear, and use is provided by our Lu Family. You¡¯re nothing but a nominal fake, while I am the true heiress of the Lu Family!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m joking with you, do you?¡±


    ¡°No, of course I believe what you¡¯re saying, it¡¯s just that to me, whether Mr. and Mrs. Lu are my biological parents is not important.¡±


    ¡­


    The video ended after a while.


    The sound stopped abruptly, and the atmosphere in the ward plunged into an eerie silence.


    Suddenly, Xia Wenmo, who was sitting on the hospital bed, was the first to speak, ¡°I thought Lao Si had a good relationship with her, that it¡¯d be different. Turns out, I¡¯m still better off; after all, ¡®sickly¡¯ sounds much better than ¡®crazy¡¯.¡±


    A faint, particularly indifferent smile appeared on his lips.


    Xia Wenjin always clashed with him, selfish and self-serving by nature. The family had kept the true situation from her, fearing that she, being young and naive, would be deceived by others.


    They wanted her to live as an ordinary girl abroad.


    But the Xia Family had never neglected her food, clothing, housing, and transportation.


    Even the things she wanted were provided as much as possible.


    Who would have thought that, as soon as she returned to the country and heard that her biological parents were wealthier, she¡¯d play disappearing acts and go to the Lu Family to become the pampered lady?


    Xia Wenmo was especially curious now ¨C what would Xia Wenjin¡¯s expression be if she knew that the Lu Family¡¯s wealth was insignificant compared to that of the Xia Family?


    What he could think of, everyone else could too.


    But what everyone was more concerned about at the moment was another matter.


    Lu Zhaozhao had gotten the family address from Xia Wenjin; when would she come to the Xia Family?


    Wen Qingyu frowned slightly, looking uneasily at the others, murmuring, ¡°Do you think Lu Zhaozhao would also disdain us for being poor and not acknowledge us as family?¡±


    Their daughter, raised for so many years, abandoning them without a backward glance because she disdained their poverty ¨C Wen Qingyu could not help but feel chilled.


    Xia Wenjue let out a soft sigh and slowly said, ¡°Mom, Zhaozhao wouldn¡¯t do that, she¡¯s a good girl.¡±


    Although they hadn¡¯t met many times, with the number of people he had encountered in the business world, he was confident in his judgement.


    Xia Wenmo also nodded repeatedly, ¡°Big brother is right. Once you meet Zhaozhao, you¡¯ll know. She is both beautiful and adorable.¡±


    As he spoke of Lu Zhaozhao, a hint of light that had been absent for a long time appeared in his eyes.


    This surprised the other members of the Xia Family.


    Seeing their reaction, Xia Wenjue cleared his throat and explained, ¡°Ahem¡­ The person who bought Lao San¡¯s painting at the auction was Zhaozhao.¡±


    ¡°Zhaozhao even picked out a necklace for me~¡± Xia Wenmo eagerly took out the necklace around his neck and showed it off. ¡°She said that stars represent the hope of life, like the stars in the night sky that guide the way.¡±


    As he spoke, a gentle smile played at the corners of his eyes, nothing of the ¡®sickly¡¯ gloominess to be seen.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Can We Really Meet This Time?

    Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Can We Really Meet This Time?


    ¡°Just a few days and you already miss me this much,¡± Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t help but mock, her tone dripping with contempt.


    Zhaozhao was naturally beautiful, and the clothes, tailor-made for her, only served to accentuate her figure magnificently.


    As Wen Jin¡¯s gaze raked over her, the flames of jealousy nearly spilled from the depths of her eyes.


    The corners of her mouth curled up as she raised a scornful laugh, ¡°Zhaozhao, what¡¯s there for you to be proud of? Everything you eat, wear, and use belongs to the Lu Family. You¡¯re nothing but a named imposter, while I am the true Lu Family heiress!¡±


    As she spoke, Wen Jin¡¯s smug eyes remained fixed on Zhaozhao, hoping to see a look of panic on her face.


    To her disappointment, Zhaozhao seemed utterly unmoved.


    Her eyebrows knitted together slightly in irritation, ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m joking with you, do you?¡±


    Zhaozhao shook her head gently, ¡°No, I certainly believe what you say, but it really doesn¡¯t matter to me whether the Lu Family is my birth family or not.¡±


    ¡°Sure, who are you fooling?¡± Wen Jin sneered disdainfully at Zhaozhao, seemingly struck by a sudden thought.


    She had heard from Cao Mei that Zhaozhao had now married the president of the Song Group, and, somehow exceedingly favored, she seemed not to care.


    Is that why she¡¯s so indifferent? Wen Jin thought, her mocking smile returning, ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t think that by using the identity of the Lu Family heiress to marry into the Song Family, you can relax and be a wealthy lady. If they find out you¡¯re not the true Lu heiress, and your maternal family is powerless, do you think you could stay in the Song Family?¡±


    Her tone grew more triumphant, her voice rising several decibels.


    Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows ticked up slightly. If this were her past life, she might have been fooled by Wen Jin, but now, she didn¡¯t care at all.


    Because, with her current understanding of Sinian, he would not throw her out of the Song Family over such a trivial matter.


    What she was more concerned about was the ¡°powerless maternal family¡± Wen Jin mentioned.


    Was it because they were too poor in their past life that they paid her no attention?


    Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes shifted subtly as she glanced at Wen Jin, ¡°Whether I can stay in the Song Family is none of your concern. You might want to figure out how to reclaim your position as the Lu heiress, dear ¡®cousin¡¯!¡±


    Lu Dagui still had use for her, so for now, he wouldn¡¯t remove her from the Lu Family.


    Meaning Wen Jin had some time to wait before she could reassume the title of Lu Family heiress.


    How could Wen Jin not know this?


    She glared angrily at Zhaozhao, as if venting her frustration, and bellowed, ¡°Zhaozhao, you don¡¯t know yet, do you? Your parents are a pair of paupers, and apart from two workaholics at home, there¡¯s also a dying sickling and a madman who dreams of stardom every day!¡±


    Wen Jin couldn¡¯t stand Zhaozhao¡¯s appearance of a pampered heiress. Although Zhaozhao was an imposter, she seemed to carry more grace than Wen Jin, the real deal.


    It was thoroughly irritating.


    People like her should be thrown into the ¡°mud¡± to see if they could maintain their unworldly demeanor!


    Listening to Wen Jin¡¯s description of the Xia Family, Zhaozhao frowned slightly, ¡°Have they ever hurt you?¡±


    Her words took Wen Jin aback. The Xia Family, Mr. and Mrs. Xia, had always been very affectionate towards her, fulfilling her demands whenever possible.


    Aside from those annoying brothers, the family was tolerable.


    But what use was that when their poverty was the original sin?


    They couldn¡¯t provide her the life she desired.


    Wen Jin rolled her eyes, ¡°So what if they¡¯ve been good to me? In the end, they¡¯re not my birth parents. I should have been living in luxury within the Lu Family, but instead, I endured hardship with the Xia Family. Isn¡¯t that harm enough?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao simply couldn¡¯t understand the reasoning of this ingrate.


    But thinking about Xia Wenjin¡¯s personality, she was indeed very much like the Lu Family couple.


    She sighed softly, ¡°Since you dislike them so much, just give me the Xia Family¡¯s address, I will take care of my own parents myself.¡±


    Hearing this, Xia Wenjin couldn¡¯t help but let out a cold laugh, ¡°What if I don¡¯t give it to you? If you want it, beg me!¡±


    The more Lu Zhaozhao wanted to do something, the less Xia Wenjin wanted to accommodate her.


    She had heard from Cao Mei that Lu Zhaozhao had a submissive personality, easy to manipulate as one pleased.


    So, she wanted to force Lu Zhaozhao to bow down, to let her understand who was the cloud and who was the mud!


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrow raised slightly, and she couldn¡¯t help but snort lightly, ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t give it to me?¡±


    Her unexpected attitude immediately put Xia Wenjin on guard, ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao shrugged, ¡°Nothing, I just wanted to remind you that the later I know the Xia Family¡¯s address, the later I will leave the Lu Family, I don¡¯t mind¡­ but I wonder if you, my dear cousin, care?¡±


    She deliberately emphasized the words ¡°dear cousin.¡±


    As expected, Xia Wenjin¡¯s face darkened immediately.


    She angrily took out paper and pen, wrote down the Xia Family¡¯s address and threw it at Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°You¡¯d better keep your word and leave the Lu Family as soon as possible!¡±


    After saying this, Xia Wenjin glared at Lu Zhaozhao with indignation before leaving.


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at the address in her hand, folded it, and then carefully tucked it into her pocket.


    Can she really see them this time?


    Her biological parents who appeared after two lifetimes apart¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao thought to herself as she walked toward the school.


    What she didn¡¯t know was that Xia Wenjue had appeared nearby while she was meeting with Xia Wenjin.


    He heard every word of their conversation, crystal clear.


    Xia Wenjue had been worried about Xia Wenjin because she hadn¡¯t answered her phone for several days and had disappeared; he even thought she might have been kidnapped.


    He had sent all his people to look for her, only to find that she had appeared at the Lu Family¡¯s residence.


    Xia Wenjue originally came to the school to confront her about what had happened, but he ended up witnessing the scene that had just unfolded.


    Xia Wenjue used to think Xia Wenjin¡¯s unpleasant personality was due to her youth, but now he realized he had been mistaken.


    She was much more ruthless than he had imagined.


    He had been concerned that the Xia Family¡¯s acknowledging Lu Zhaozhao might hurt Xia Wenjin, but now it seemed she had already made her choice.


    Xia Wenjue watched from afar as Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s figure disappeared into the campus, then took out his phone and made a call, ¡°Third Brother, gather everyone at noon, I have something to say.¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Xia Wenmo¡¯s tone was cool, ¡°What, gathering everyone all of a sudden, have you decided to clean house?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xia Wenjue on this end of the phone didn¡¯t respond, which stunned Xia Wenmo, ¡°You¡­ you are my elder brother Xia Wenjue, right?¡±


    He almost couldn¡¯t believe it as he checked the phone number again and again.


    There was a noticeable silence on the line before the voice slowly began, ¡°This noon, I plan to clarify Zhaozhao¡¯s situation to the family¡­¡±

 Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Is it related to this matter?

    Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Is it related to this matter?


    Xia Wenmo didn¡¯t know why Xia Wenjue was touched by something and wanted to make Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s matter public.


    However, that wasn¡¯t important. What mattered was that his precious little sister was coming back to the Xia Family.


    ¡°Okay, I got it. I¡¯ll take care of things at home.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡­


    At noon, inside the hospital room.


    Xia Wenjue arrived belatedly, his gaze swept over the people in the room before he entered.


    ¡°Lao Si is at the training base for trainees, and I guess his phone must have been confiscated, so he hasn¡¯t come yet,¡± Xia Wenmo said slowly as he glanced at Xia Wenjue who had just walked in.


    Normally, Mr. and Mrs. Xia, Wen Qingyu and Xia Nie, would often go out to paint and were hardly ever at home. The eldest, Xia Wenjue, and the second, Xia Wenqing, were both typical workaholics, the third was obsessed with creation and rarely made public appearances, and the youngest, Xia Wenyan, was busy being a trainee, with little time to come home.


    Each of them had their own lives, but since Xia Wenmo was diagnosed with a brain tumor, apart from Xia Wenjin, other Xia Family members started focusing a portion of their attention on Xia Wenmo.


    So, apart from him, no one else had the capability to gather the Xia Family members together.


    ¡°Elder brother, the third brother mentioned you asked him to call us all to the hospital. Is there something important you need to discuss?¡± Wen Qingyu looked nervously at Xia Wenjue, her hand tightly gripping Xia Nie¡¯s sitting beside her.


    Xia Wenmo, who had always been reluctant to seek medical treatment, was a source of great worry for his mother.


    After much difficulty, they had finally heard that he was willing to have surgery, and it had not been many days since then when they were summoned to the hospital. Could it be that this brat wanted to go back on his word?


    Xia Wenmo seemed to have realized what his mother was thinking and gently patted Wen Qingyu¡¯s shoulder, saying, ¡°Mom, rest assured, it has nothing to do with my illness.¡±


    Relieved by these words, Wen Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief, but then Xia Wenjue¡¯s next words made her heart clench once again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve called everyone here today to talk about Xia Wenjin.¡±


    As he spoke, he handed the documents in his hand to the people in front of him, then continued, ¡°Xia Wenjin is not our child from the Xia Family; she is the child of the Lu Family. And the child now with the Lu Family is our real younger sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xia Nie, Wen Qingyu, and Xia Wenqing were all completely stunned, while Xia Wenmo, who already knew the truth, looked indifferent.


    It took a while for Wen Qingyu to come to her senses. Her mouth opened, and after a long pause, she finally spoke, ¡°Then¡­ can those two children accept this fact? The idea of biological parents becoming foster parents is too much of a shock for children¡­¡±


    Compared to acknowledging the truth, she was more worried about the two children being hurt.


    One of them she had raised, the other was her own flesh and blood.


    No matter which child, she hoped neither of them would be hurt.


    As she said these words, her eyes and brows were filled with concern.


    Xia Nie gently patted Wen Qingyu¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Let¡¯s take it slowly, see how the two children are coping first. Wenjin and that child both need time to adjust.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xia Wenmo let one hand rest under his head, ¡°Some people don¡¯t need any time to adjust at all¡­¡±


    His remark immediately drew Xia Wenqing¡¯s attention.


    Xia Wenqing narrowed his eyes, ¡°Xia Wenjin¡¯s disappearance these past few days, is it related to this?¡±


    Xia Wenqing remembered that recently Xia Wenjue had dispatched all his people to find Xia Wenjin.


    Xia Wenmo nodded, a rare smile appearing on his face, ¡°You¡¯re quick-witted as always, second brother.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The entire ward fell silent.


    Xia Wenjue took a deep breath and pulled out his cell phone from his pocket, opening a video he had recorded at school earlier.


    ¡°This is the attitude of Xia Wenjin and Lu Zhaozhao.¡±


    He lifted his hand to play the video, and instantly, Xia Wenjin¡¯s shrill voice echoed throughout the ward.


    ¡°Lu Zhaozhao, what have you got to be proud of? Everything you eat, wear, and use is provided by our Lu Family. You¡¯re nothing but a nominal fake, while I am the true heiress of the Lu Family!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m joking with you, do you?¡±


    ¡°No, of course I believe what you¡¯re saying, it¡¯s just that to me, whether Mr. and Mrs. Lu are my biological parents is not important.¡±


    ¡­


    The video ended after a while.


    The sound stopped abruptly, and the atmosphere in the ward plunged into an eerie silence.


    Suddenly, Xia Wenmo, who was sitting on the hospital bed, was the first to speak, ¡°I thought Lao Si had a good relationship with her, that it¡¯d be different. Turns out, I¡¯m still better off; after all, ¡®sickly¡¯ sounds much better than ¡®crazy¡¯.¡±


    A faint, particularly indifferent smile appeared on his lips.


    Xia Wenjin always clashed with him, selfish and self-serving by nature. The family had kept the true situation from her, fearing that she, being young and naive, would be deceived by others.


    They wanted her to live as an ordinary girl abroad.


    But the Xia Family had never neglected her food, clothing, housing, and transportation.


    Even the things she wanted were provided as much as possible.


    Who would have thought that, as soon as she returned to the country and heard that her biological parents were wealthier, she¡¯d play disappearing acts and go to the Lu Family to become the pampered lady?


    Xia Wenmo was especially curious now ¨C what would Xia Wenjin¡¯s expression be if she knew that the Lu Family¡¯s wealth was insignificant compared to that of the Xia Family?


    What he could think of, everyone else could too.


    But what everyone was more concerned about at the moment was another matter.


    Lu Zhaozhao had gotten the family address from Xia Wenjin; when would she come to the Xia Family?


    Wen Qingyu frowned slightly, looking uneasily at the others, murmuring, ¡°Do you think Lu Zhaozhao would also disdain us for being poor and not acknowledge us as family?¡±


    Their daughter, raised for so many years, abandoning them without a backward glance because she disdained their poverty ¨C Wen Qingyu could not help but feel chilled.


    Xia Wenjue let out a soft sigh and slowly said, ¡°Mom, Zhaozhao wouldn¡¯t do that, she¡¯s a good girl.¡±


    Although they hadn¡¯t met many times, with the number of people he had encountered in the business world, he was confident in his judgement.


    Xia Wenmo also nodded repeatedly, ¡°Big brother is right. Once you meet Zhaozhao, you¡¯ll know. She is both beautiful and adorable.¡±


    As he spoke of Lu Zhaozhao, a hint of light that had been absent for a long time appeared in his eyes.


    This surprised the other members of the Xia Family.


    Seeing their reaction, Xia Wenjue cleared his throat and explained, ¡°Ahem¡­ The person who bought Lao San¡¯s painting at the auction was Zhaozhao.¡±


    ¡°Zhaozhao even picked out a necklace for me~¡± Xia Wenmo eagerly took out the necklace around his neck and showed it off. ¡°She said that stars represent the hope of life, like the stars in the night sky that guide the way.¡±


    As he spoke, a gentle smile played at the corners of his eyes, nothing of the ¡®sickly¡¯ gloominess to be seen.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Can I Hug You?

    Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Can I Hug You?


    Clearly, Xia Wenmo¡¯s series of actions had maximally piqued the curiosity of the other Xia Family members about Lu Zhaozhao.


    Xia Nie had even returned to the Xia Family home early with Wen Qingyu, preparing a rich table of food and waiting for Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s visit.


    But they waited until 8 PM, and still, Lu Zhaozhao did not appear.


    A sense of disappointment hung in the air of the Xia Family¡¯s dining room.


    The second son, Xia Wenqing, coughed lightly, ¡°Dad, Mom, although Zhaozhao now knows the truth, she still needs some time to adjust, right?¡±


    Although his eldest brother, Xia Wenjue, and the youngest, Xia Wenmo, both insisted that Lu Zhaozhao was a good kid, but¡­


    Xia Wenqing furrowed his brow, considering that for a 20-year-old girl to just find out that her biological parents were someone else, and that they came from far wealthier circumstances than her foster parents, she indeed needed some time.


    Would Lu Zhaozhao react the same as Xia Wenjin if she knew their family¡¯s condition was even better than that of the Lu Family?


    Xia Wenqing felt somewhat complicated.


    He, much like Xia Wenmo, didn¡¯t particularly like the profit-minded Xia Wenjin, so he didn¡¯t have much expectation for this sister who was about to become part of the family.


    After all, how could they expect to become close with a sister they had not met in 20 years¡­


    Xia Wenjue chimed in to smooth things over, ¡°Right, Dad and Mom, let¡¯s eat first. It¡¯s already very late; maybe Zhaozhao will come in a few days.¡±


    Xia Nie and Wen Qingyu exchanged looks before silently picking up their chopsticks to eat.


    But nobody really had an appetite.


    So the family hastily ate a few bites before clearing away the untouched dishes.


    Just as Xia Wenjue picked up the trash and was about to head out, the doorbell echoed in the empty house.


    ¡°Ding dong¡ª¡±


    Xia Wenjue approached the peephole, peered through, and immediately ran back with the trash.


    Xia Wenqing, Xia Nie, and Wen Qingyu looked bewilderedly at him, confused and disgusted by his panic with the garbage.


    ¡°What is this¡­¡±


    ¡°Zhao! Zhaozhao is here!¡± Before the other three could speak, Xia Wenjue stammered out his announcement.


    Now the other three were thrown into a panic too.


    Xia Wenjue quickly grabbed Xia Wenqing¡¯s hand and hid in the bedroom closest to the living room.


    ¡°Ding dong¡ªding dong¡ª¡±


    Seeing the doorbell still ringing, Xia Wenjue peeked out and saw that Xia Nie and Wen Qingyu were still standing there, stunned.


    He immediately lowered his voice and shouted at them, ¡°Dad! Mom! Snap out of it! Go and answer the door!¡±


    Only then did Wen Qingyu and Xia Nie come to their senses and hurried to the door together.


    As soon as they opened it, Wen Qingyu and Xia Nie were also taken aback.


    Because Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s appearance was almost 70% like Wen Qingyu, and the remaining 30% resembled Xia Nie.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Mr. Xia, Mrs. Xia, hello, my name is Lu Zhaozhao. I¡¯ve come today because there¡¯s something I need to discuss with you both. Do you have a moment?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao tried to muster a not-too-awkward smile as she looked at the two people before her.


    She knew that what she was saying right now might sound strange as she had never interacted with Wen Qingyu and Xia Nie before, so she didn¡¯t know how to start the conversation.


    Wen Qingyu could tell at a glance that she was feeling awkward and quickly made way, saying, ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go in and talk.¡±


    Her tone was gentle, and her smile was soft, which relaxed Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s tense heart quite a bit.


    She nodded at Xia Nie and then followed Wen Qingyu into the living room.


    The decor inside was simple, yet evidently crafted with care, rustic yet elegant.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze swept over the living room corridor where several oil paintings hung. Though they were unsigned, they exuded a particularly warm feeling.


    Just like Luna.


    Perhaps the person who painted these paintings had a warm heart as well?


    She sat obediently in the living room, looking at Xia Nie and Wen Qingyu sitting opposite her and took a deep breath before starting the conversation.


    ¡°Mr. Xia, Mrs. Xia, what I¡¯m about to say may sound a bit far-fetched, but please allow me some time to explain,¡± Lu Zhaozhao, one small hand holding the other, looked very constrained.


    Wen Qingyu chuckled softly, her eyes curving into a smile as she reassured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have the patience; you take your time.¡±


    Beside her, Xia Nie nodded as well, ¡°Mhm, no rush, we happen to have some free time on our hands.¡±


    Their gentle and soft tones gave Lu Zhaozhao much-needed courage.


    She took out some documents from her bag and placed them in front of the couple, ¡°This is my personal information. I might be your biological daughter, so¡­ if it¡¯s convenient for you, I was hoping we could do a paternity test.¡±


    Wen Qingyu blinked in surprise, not expecting Lu Zhaozhao to be so direct, and for a moment, she was slightly dazed.


    Xia Nie, on the other hand, had picked up the documentation that Lu Zhaozhao had placed on the table and began to examine it carefully.


    Both of them were silent, which made Lu Zhaozhao somewhat nervous.


    Her small hands clenched into fists as she continued, ¡°I know this is quite astonishing and may be too sudden for you both, so if you don¡¯t agree, I won¡¯t insist¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to try,¡± Wen Qingyu reached out and grasped Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s tightly clenched hands, her eyes gently bending with warmth, ¡°Actually, when I first saw you just now, I was a bit shocked, you look very much like I did when I was young.¡±


    Xia Nie slowly set down the documents in his hands, his gaze fixed on Lu Zhaozhao, he sighed softly, ¡°If you truly are our daughter, we are the ones who are sorry for not realizing this sooner and making you come to us yourself.¡±


    A flicker of light danced in Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes. She had prepared herself to be turned away, but she hadn¡¯t expected Mr. and Mrs. Xia to be so gentle.


    Especially the way the two of them looked at her, with genuine regret and affection from the bottom of their hearts¡ªemotions she had never experienced in the Lu Family.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes drooped slightly, just in time to meet Wen Qingyu¡¯s now red-rimmed eyes.


    ¡°Child, can I hug you?¡±


    Her voice was soft, with a pleading tone. It was truly difficult for Lu Zhaozhao to refuse.


    ¡°Uh¡­ okay.¡± She slowly stood up, and as she approached Wen Qingyu, she crouched down a bit.


    Her height was just right for Wen Qingyu to wrap her entire arms around, the scent fragrant, like lavender.


    Wen Qingyu held her, patting her back gently a few times, ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot, child. Thank you for growing up well.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Her gentle tone and soft voice made Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s heart sink bit by bit.


    In her previous life, the missing piece of familial affection in her heart seemed to be filled at this moment.


    Could real relatives be this warm?


    Her eyes fell slightly, and she returned the embrace gently, but suddenly, as if she remembered something, she quickly let go.


    Just as Wen Qingyu was wondering why, she saw Lu Zhaozhao rummaging through her bag and pulling something out¡ª

 Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Unforgivable to Bully a Sister!

    Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Unforgivable to Bully a Sister!


    ¡°This is my card, it doesn¡¯t have a lot of money, but it can be used for medical expenses.¡±


    After saying this, Lu Zhaozhao took out a business card from her pocket and stuffed it into Wen Qingyu¡¯s hand, ¡°This is the business card of the director of Shangjing Central Hospital. I have already asked him in advance. As long as you bring the patient to the hospital and look for him, he will arrange everything else.¡±


    Wen Qingyu looked at the two cards in her hands with a dazed expression, her heart suddenly filled with mixed feelings.


    They had been worried that Lu Zhaozhao would shy away from visiting because their family was poor, but not only did she come, she also¡­


    Seeing that the two of them didn¡¯t speak, Lu Zhaozhao began to explain, ¡°Actually, I wanted to come earlier today, but the director is so busy, it¡¯s not easy to make an appointment with him, so I came a little late. But don¡¯t worry, he will definitely find the most authoritative doctors to help you.¡±


    For this matter, she had specifically sought out Song Sinian¡¯s help, or else she would not have been able to make an appointment with the director at all.


    Wen Qingyu didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. Her eyes suddenly reddened, and she simply hugged Lu Zhaozhao again.


    She was truly grateful to the heavens for letting their daughter grow up healthy and become a kind-hearted girl, even without her parents by her side.


    Since it was already very late, Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t stay at the Xia Family¡¯s home for too long before leaving.


    As soon as Lu Zhaozhao left, Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenqing came out of the room.


    Looking at the card in Wen Qingyu¡¯s hand, Xia Wenqing also felt a wave of emotions.


    Both are sisters, so how come Lu Zhaozhao, this little sister, is so lovable?


    One left for her biological parents¡¯ home, not looking back because of her family¡¯s poverty and her own illnesses.


    The other not only offered money but also helped find a doctor.


    The disparity was not just a little bit.


    Wen Qingyu sat in the living room with a tissue, her tears falling nonstop, ¡°I, I didn¡¯t expect Zhaozhao to be so sensible¡­¡±


    Beside her, Xia Nie looked at Wen Qingyu, both laughing and crying, while handing her tissues, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good thing for a child to be sensible? Just cherish her well from now on.¡±


    Wen Qingyu nodded her head repeatedly. She wiped her nose with the tissue, then looked up at Xia Wenjue and asked, ¡°Zhaozhao has been raised so well, should we thank the Lu Family?¡±


    Although the children had been swapped at birth, they indeed raised Zhaozhao quite well¡­


    But as soon as her words were out, Xia Wenjue¡¯s face turned extremely unsightly.


    The shift in his expression was noticed by everyone present.


    ¡°Big brother, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Xia Wenqing¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, ¡°You¡¯re not hiding something from us again, are you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Now Xia Wenjue was even more silent.


    At that moment, all eyes were on him.


    Feeling the intense gaze on him, Xia Wenjue could only grit his teeth and slowly began to speak, ¡°Actually, Zhaozhao didn¡¯t have such a good time in the Lu Family¡­¡±


    He then went on to detail everything he had investigated.


    Especially about how the Lu Family mentally abused Lu Zhaozhao and even used her as a bargaining chip to marry her off to the Song Family.


    As soon as he finished speaking, the others could no longer contain their anger and began to shake.


    A murderous light flashed in Xia Wenqing¡¯s eyes, ¡°The people in the Lu Family probably realized very early on that Zhaozhao was not their own, so they mistreated her, right?¡±


    That pair of despicable spouses in the Lu Family! He would definitely make them pay for everything they had done!


    ¡°Zhaozhao suffered so much grievance in the Lu Family, yet she could still be so kind; it really breaks one¡¯s heart¡­¡± Wen Qingyu covered her lips that trembled with sobs, leaning into Xia Nie¡¯s embrace.


    Just thinking about her child being abused for nearly 20 years made her feel as if her heart was being pricked with needles.


    Xia Nie¡¯s complexion didn¡¯t look any better either, his brows slightly furrowed, ¡°When someone from the Xia Family is bullied, naturally it must be the Xia Family who seeks retribution.¡±


    His gaze lifted slightly and looked towards Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenqing, the warmth in his eyes was no longer there, ¡°As her brothers, you should know what to do, right?¡±


    Xia Wenjue¡¯s brows tightened slightly, ¡°Of course.¡±


    If their sister was bullied, it was an affront to the Xia Family.


    This sort of scum who bullied their sister would definitely not be forgiven!


    At this moment, Lu Zhaozhao, who had no idea she was being treated like a prized protected animal, cheerfully returned to the Song Family.


    When she got home it was already past 9 p.m., yet Song Sinian was still working in his study.


    So she took the hot milk prepared by Qian Hong on tiptoes to the study.


    ¡°Mr. Song?¡± Her small head peeked in from the doorway, gently calling out to him.


    Song Sinian looked up towards the door, just in time to meet her sparkling eyes.


    He waved at her, signaling her to come in.


    Lu Zhaozhao placed the hot milk beside his desk and then sat down obediently next to him.


    Song Sinian flipped through the documents in his hand, glanced at Lu Zhaozhao, and seeing that she didn¡¯t speak, pretended to ask casually, ¡°Is everything taken care of?¡±


    In the afternoon, Lu Zhaozhao had called him, asking him to recommend a doctor for her, so he had sent Zhao Xi to handle it.


    He naturally also learned about her visit to her biological parents in the afternoon.


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded, her small hands twining together, ¡°I¡­ met my biological parents; they¡­ are a very loving couple, with kind personalities.¡±


    Thinking of the time she spent with Mr. and Mrs. Xia made Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s heart feel warm.


    Her eyes curved into a smile, and she casually took the mug of milk from the table and handed it to Song Sinian.Update by n0vgo. co


    The latter looked down at the milk in his hand then at Lu Zhaozhao and still took a sip of the milk.


    He set the mug down slowly, his tone flat, ¡°Do you like them?¡±


    His voice was as indifferent as always, without much fluctuation.


    So Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t pay too much attention.


    Her eyes still smiling, she nodded, ¡°Yes, I like them. After all, no one would refuse the company of someone with a kind heart.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyes darkened, a complex expression crossing his face.


    When Lu Zhaozhao left the Lu Family before, aside from him, there was no one else, so she depended on him.


    But now that she had real family members, would she still stay with him?


    He knew clearly that compared to warm family members, he, a cold person, stood no chance at all.


    He even found it hard to guess what her facial expressions meant.


    The thought of someone else being by her side when she was upset made his heart feel as if it had been suddenly crushed, aching so much that he found it hard to breathe.


    ¡°Mr. Song, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lu Zhaozhao, noticing his unusual demeanor, immediately grew anxious.


    She nervously cradled Song Sinian¡¯s cheek, looking from left to right, ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Or did you get hurt somewhere?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s touch calmed Song Sinian¡¯s emotions significantly, his larger hand covered her smaller ones, while his other arm wrapped around her lower back, pulling her closer to him¡­

 Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Is She Overthinking It?

    Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Is She Overthinking It?


    Song Sinian buried his head in her bosom and thought about what Lu Zhaozhao had done for him before. He subconsciously nuzzled into her embrace and muttered in a muffled voice, ¡°I feel a little uncomfortable.¡±


    His voice was low, and since Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t see his face, her heart couldn¡¯t help but grow more worried.


    In his previous life, Song Sinian had suffered from severe depression, which she had completely overlooked.


    Now that she was aware of it in this life, she couldn¡¯t let Song Sinian continue to struggle alone.


    She hugged Song Sinian with her arms and gently stroked his head, ¡°Does this make you feel a bit better?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s voice was soft yet filled with tenderness.


    She knew that for Song Sinian, the emotional logic of normal people simply didn¡¯t make sense, but by reversing his behavior, it was quite understandable.


    His recognition of actions like kisses, hugs, and pats was limited to when she felt bad emotionally.


    So when he sought a hug voluntarily, it indicated that his discomfort was emotional.


    Song Sinian slowly looked up at Lu Zhaozhao, hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently.


    The suffocating pain in his chest did indeed alleviate greatly after hugging Lu Zhaozhao.


    But the subsequent irksome heaviness persisted, lingering in his chest, inescapable.


    Suddenly, Lu Zhaozhao leaned down and her rosy lips tenderly kissed his forehead.


    Song Sinian was stunned, his deep gaze met her eyes, which held a light smile, ¡°Is this a reward?¡±


    Except for the last reward, Lu Zhaozhao had never kissed him when she was sober.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao paused, ¡°This isn¡¯t a reward, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s¡­ consolation!¡±


    That explanation should be okay, right?


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Sinian didn¡¯t speak, just stared at Lu Zhaozhao with great seriousness, as if pondering her words.


    Lu Zhaozhao felt a bit uneasy under his gaze, almost as if she had just conned him.


    She pursed her lips and eventually couldn¡¯t help but explain further, ¡°Actually, kisses can express many things, like consolation, rewards, happiness, or even sadness. It¡¯s quite normal between husband and wife.¡±


    ¡°Quite normal between husband and wife¡­¡± Song Sinian repeated this phrase to himself, his eyes flickering slightly, ¡°Then, can I do the same to you?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded, ¡°Yes, of course you can, whenever you want.¡±


    After saying this, as if suddenly remembering something, she quickly added, ¡°But, matters between husband and wife are private, so, it should only be done when we¡¯re alone.¡±


    Thinking back to when Song Sinian had kissed her in front of Doctor Tian made Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s toes curl in embarrassment.


    Song Sinian seemed to understand and nodded, then buried his head back in her embrace.


    He took a deep breath, the orange-scented fragrance belonging to Lu Zhaozhao entering his lungs through his nose, causing him to tighten his arms inadvertently.


    Being enveloped in her scent always gave him an indescribable feeling, as if¡­ completely secure.


    He really wanted to keep holding her like this.


    She wouldn¡¯t refuse, would she?


    As Song Sinian thought this, his black eyes narrowed slightly, she¡­ seemed to have always complied.


    No matter whether he kissed or hugged her, she had never rejected him. So could he¡­ be a bit more presumptuous?


    Song Sinian lifted his chin slightly and looked at Lu Zhaozhao patting his back, his voice low and a bit hoarse, ¡°Zhaozhao, kiss me again.¡±


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Whether out of shyness or not, after saying this, Song Sinian involuntarily looked away, not continuing the eye contact.


    Good heavens, was he unconsciously acting spoiled towards her?


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s heart leapt wildly.


    However, on the surface, she pretended to be completely at ease, cradling Song Sinian¡¯s handsome face in her small hands, looking at him with a smile, ¡°If I kiss you, would you feel better?¡±


    This was a question that Song Sinian had previously asked her, although at that time he genuinely just wanted to know how she felt, it still made her blush with embarrassment.


    So now, when she used the same question on him, it was a kind of small ¡°retaliatory attack.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes lowered slightly, giving Lu Zhaozhao a glance, ¡°I¡­ am not too clear.¡±


    He just desired it.


    Every time she kissed him, he could feel his heart rate quicken noticeably and a fulfilling sensation at the bottom of his heart.


    He had initially thought it was a side effect of the new medicine, and after visiting Doctor Tian, she explained it was due to heightened emotions.


    Later, once she knew it involved Lu Zhaozhao, she told him to just let his heart race more often.


    Although he didn¡¯t understand why he should do it more often, he wanted to¡­ even if Doctor Tian hadn¡¯t mentioned it.


    But why?


    Is this emotion what liking someone feels like?


    Hearing his response, a trace of guilt flashed across Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes.


    She lowered her head, caressed his face, and kissed him on the forehead, followed by the eyes, the bridge of the nose, the lips, the chin¡­


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re not sure how you feel,¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes curved, her smile extra radiant, ¡°We can take it slow, and you can give me feedback from your other senses, for instance¡­¡±


    At this, she lifted a small hand and intertwined her fingers with Song Sinian¡¯s.


    ¡°Look, compared to me, the palm of your hand is warmer, and your hands are so much bigger.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze fell upon her small hand, and his large hand gently grasped hers back, ¡°Your skin is very white, very soft, it feels as though a gentle grip would leave a clear mark¡­¡±


    As he spoke these words and raised his eyes to look at Lu Zhaozhao, he asked, ¡°Does this¡­ count as feedback?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­ of course, of course it does.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao glanced at her hand, instinctively replying.


    The words he spoke seemed fine, but why did she feel something odd about them?


    Was she overthinking it?


    Song Sinian¡¯s long arm embraced Lu Zhaozhao tightly in his arms, ¡°You are also soft, fragrant, very pleasant to the touch.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Eh?!


    As Lu Zhaozhao saw Song Sinian¡¯s words charging towards an 18+ direction, she hurriedly cradled his face, looking to halt him in his tracks.


    ¡°That¡­ uh, that, this should mean you like things that are soft and fragrant, Mr. Song likes soft and fragrant things¡­¡±


    Song Sinian paused to reflect for a moment. Soft things? Fragrant things?


    Did he like them?


    He almost immediately denied it; he didn¡¯t particularly like soft or fragrant things.


    It was just that these qualities were characteristics exhibited by Lu Zhaozhao, and so he found them pleasing.


    And she had just made overly forward suggestions, yet she had not refused him.


    She had also mentioned that kissing is a common behavior between husband and wife.


    So getting married could not only keep her tied to his side but also allow for such intimacy¡­


    Song Sinian¡¯s nose nuzzled gently in her embrace, his voice carrying a pleasurable lilt, ¡°Zhaozhao, I want more¡­¡±

 Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40 It Seems She Worried Too Much

    Chapter 40: Chapter 40 It Seems She Worried Too Much


    ¡°`


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao obediently lowered her head to move closer again, but his lips met hers instead.


    She was startled and froze on the spot.


    Song Sinian, however, only brushed his lips against hers before moving away.


    Lu Zhaozhao blinked dumbfoundedly, completely unaware that she had opened the door to a whole new world.


    Because Xia Wenjin had rushed to the Lu Family in a hurry before, many things she needed were left at the Xia Family home.


    Some things could be solved with money, but others could not.


    After confirming that Lu Zhaozhao had indeed gone to the Xia Family, she took the opportunity on the weekend to inform the Lu Family and went to the Xia Family with bags big and small.


    Xia Wenjin was not bringing these things to curry favor with the people of the Xia Family but rather to flaunt how favored she was in the Lu Family.


    As soon as she got out of the driver¡¯s car, she saw from a distance someone standing at the Xia Family¡¯s gate, nodding and bowing to Xia Wenjue, looking extremely respectful.


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s brows furrowed, and she dove back into the car.


    She tapped the driver¡¯s shoulder and asked, ¡°Hey, look at the person at the gate. Is that President Zhang who came to my house the other day?¡±


    The business of the Lu Family was mostly overseas, and this President Zhang was the overseas executive whom Lu Dagui was willing to spend a lot of money to deliberately curry favor with.


    The Lu Family had many orders negotiated with his company.


    The driver stared at the person Xia Wenjin pointed out for a long while before nodding repeatedly, ¡°Miss, that person is indeed President Zhang, but he¡¯s usually very arrogant, not even nice to the master¡­¡±


    Now he was bowing and scraping like a grandson.


    ¡°It seems that the young man opposite him is someone with quite a background.¡±


    At these words, Xia Wenjin¡¯s face turned significantly uglier.


    Because the young man opposite President Zhang was none other than her once-elder brother, Xia Wenjue.


    She seldom paid attention to what the Xia Family members were doing, only knowing that Xia Wenjue was very busy with work and often not at home.


    Although he came home more often since moving back to the country, their shabby little neighborhood didn¡¯t look at all like it belonged to a wealthy family.


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s eyebrows were nearly twisted into a knot, could it be that Xia Wenjue had been promoted at his company overseas?


    His workaholic nature made a promotion not an impossibility¡­


    If he could make President Zhang bow and scrape, then Lu Dagui wouldn¡¯t seem like much in his eyes, would he?


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s eyes swiveled shrewdly, it seemed she couldn¡¯t leave the Xia Family for the time being.


    What if Xia Wenjue truly made it big, wouldn¡¯t that benefit Lu Zhaozhao?


    Hmph! It seemed Heaven was on her side after all! Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have just happened to witness this scene.


    So what if Lu Zhaozhao went to the Xia Family?


    The Lu Family had raised Lu Zhaozhao for 20 years, but when she appeared, didn¡¯t Lu Zhaozhao still have to give way to her?


    As for the Xia Family, she knew them too well, the couple was soft-hearted to a fault, and with just a few tears from her, she could win everything.


    After raising her for 20 years, how could they bear to see her sad?


    Lu Zhaozhao oh, Lu Zhaozhao, whether it¡¯s the Lu Family or the Xia Family, you can¡¯t have either in the end!


    Xia Wenjin waited on the roadside until President Zhang¡¯s car had left for about half an hour before heading to the Xia Family.


    When she, carrying bags big and small, stood at the door and saw Mr. and Mrs. Xia, she immediately dropped her things and ran over.


    ¡°Dad! Mom! Wuuu¡­¡±


    She threw herself straight into Wen Qingyu¡¯s arms, crying with tears streaming like rain.


    ¡°`


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Wen Qingyu and Xia Nie witnessing the video of her arguing with Lu Zhaozhao, they would¡¯ve hardly imagined that the daughter they¡¯d raised for over 20 years could be such an ingrate.¡±


    Wen Qingyu sighed lightly and patted her hand, ¡°What¡¯s the matter now?¡±


    She didn¡¯t confront her about going to the Lu Family right away but wanted to hear what she had to say.


    Seated in the living room, Xia Wenjue glanced at Xia Wenjin and silently started brewing the flower tea on the table.


    Ever since he learned the Lu Family was treating Lu Zhaozhao poorly, he¡¯d utilized his resources to give the Lu Family some trouble.


    Unlike before, there was no need to hide things, so the traffic of people from the Xia Family might have given the Lu Family a hint of something.


    So, it wasn¡¯t unlikely that they asked Xia Wenjin to probe the Xia Family.


    Xia Wenjin sat next to the sofa and immediately started stammering, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve wanted to come home these last few days, but¡­ but¡­¡±


    Her words were followed by sobs.


    Wen Qingyu took a tissue from the table and handed it to her, speaking indifferently, ¡°Didn¡¯t your brother say you were staying on campus these days? Are you not comfortable at school?¡±


    Xia Wenjin was taken aback. Could it be they hadn¡¯t discovered she returned to the Lu Family?


    She thought that after Lu Zhaozhao came to the Xia Family, she would have tattled on her!


    Tsk, tsk¡­


    Seems she worried needlessly.


    No wonder Cao Mei said Lu Zhaozhao was submissive by nature. It seems she just came to the Xia Family to recognize her relatives and didn¡¯t mention her issues.


    Moreover, even if she did, the people of the Xia Family probably wouldn¡¯t believe her, right?


    Xia Wenjin pretended to wipe her eyes with the tissue before continuing, ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I¡¯ve actually been staying at Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s house these past couple of days. They wouldn¡¯t let me leave. Lu Zhaozhao said I¡¯m a child of the Lu Family and told me not to come back until she and you had recognized each other.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Her few words succeeded in rendering the three people of the Xia Family speechless.


    Even when Lu Zhaozhao had come to the Xia Family, she hadn¡¯t said a bad word about Xia Wenjin.


    Yet here she was playing the victim, clearing herself of any blame and throwing Lu Zhaozhao under the bus.


    Xia Wenjue picked up a cup of flower tea, suppressing the anger in his heart, and looked at Xia Wenjin with a forced smile, ¡°Our family is so poor it rings hollow, we can¡¯t compare with the Lu Family at all. Why would Lu Zhaozhao do such a thing?¡±


    Xia Wenjin sniffled, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe because she has been with the Lu Family for a long time, she knows more people. She knows your job is extraordinary, brother. Maybe she wanted to curry favor with you¡­¡±


    As she spoke, her gaze turned toward Xia Wenjue and asked directly, ¡°Brother, did you get a promotion?¡±


    At the corners of his mouth twitched, Xia Wenjue took a sip of the flower tea before casually responding, ¡°It¡¯s not that I got a promotion. My boss got one. I suppose it¡¯s a promotion by association.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xia Wenjin¡¯s expression subtly changed.


    She thought Xia Wenjue was on his way to soaring heights; it turned out to be just his boss¡¯s promotion, and he was just along for the ride?


    Even though they couldn¡¯t compare with the Lu Family, the Xia Family¡¯s situation must be quite improved from before.


    And given that President Zhang was very polite to Xia Wenjue, he might be able to help Lu Dagui make some connections.


    Looks like her older brother is of some use after all.


    As she thought this, she hugged Wen Qingyu and said, ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t really want that Lu Zhaozhao to come to our home, do you?¡±


    Wen Qingyu gave Xia Wenjin a sidelong glance. Her patience with her had already worn thin.


    She withdrew her hand nonchalantly and spoke softly¡ª

 Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Before You Start, Check If You Have the Capability

    Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Before You Start, Check If You Have the Capability


    ¡°These are our adult concerns, you¡¯re still young, so don¡¯t worry about it unnecessarily.¡±


    Her tone sounded level, seemingly without much emotional fluctuation.


    Xia Wenjin couldn¡¯t quite grasp Wen Qingyu¡¯s thoughts, so she didn¡¯t continue the conversation.


    Her eyes darted around, and then she spoke with a face full of grievance, ¡°Then¡­ if Lu Zhaozhao comes to stay at our house, do I need to stay at school for a few days? I¡¯m afraid she would feel uncomfortable seeing me¡­¡±


    Xia Wenjue¡¯s eyes nearly rolled to the heavens.


    Stay at school for a few days? She simply wanted to continue living with the Lu Family, still playing the victim here.


    Xia Wenjue looked at Xia Wenjin with a smirk that was not quite a smile and said, ¡°Zhaozhao is already married, she won¡¯t stay at the house, so rest assured and stay home.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to see Xia Wenjin either, but seeing her belittle Lu Zhaozhao while whitewashing herself made him feel annoyed, and he wanted to aggravate her.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xia Wenjin did not expect Xia Wenjue to say that, clearly taken aback.


    Her hands clenched tightly, and a distinct flash of irritation crossed her brows.


    Although she had only stayed with the Lu Family for a few days, she had already grown fond of the feeling of being a spendthrift rich girl.


    If she continued to live with the Xia Family, they would certainly ask her where the money she spent came from; worse, she might have to contribute money to the family.


    Xia Wenjue might earn quite a bit, but with Xia Wenmo being a bottomless pit, she couldn¡¯t take the risk¡­


    Should she simply leave the Xia Family?


    While Xia Wenjin was still hesitating, Xia Wenjue suddenly spoke up, ¡°If you¡¯re still worried about the Lu Family troubling you, I can personally go to the Lu Family and ask Mr. and Mrs. Lu not to bother you anymore.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Xia Wenjin stood up from the sofa in a flash. ¡°Why can Lu Zhaozhao come to the Xia Family to find you, but I can¡¯t go to the Lu Family?¡±


    Xia Wenjue looked at Xia Wenjin coldly and said indifferently, ¡°It was you who just said the Lu Family won¡¯t let you go home, and you have been saying you want to come back. Did I misunderstand something?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s brows instantly knotted, she wouldn¡¯t have given them face just now if it weren¡¯t for her concern that Xia Wenjue might be somewhat capable and affect the Lu Family¡¯s affairs.


    ¡°I, I just wanted to see my biological parents, wuwuwu¡­¡± Xia Wenjin suddenly started crying pitifully again, trying to gain sympathy from Mr. and Mrs. Xia.


    But to her surprise, Wen Qingyu and Xia Nie just watched her cry quietly, with no intention of comforting her.


    After a few dry sobs, she stopped when she saw the indifferent Wen Qingyu and Xia Nie, and then sniffled before asking, ¡°Dad, Mom, actually, when I went to the Lu Family, it was because I wanted you to have a better life¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she picked up the gifts she had brought, ¡°These are all from Mr. Lu and Mrs. Lu, they are really kind. They knew our family isn¡¯t wealthy, so they sent quite a few gifts with me.¡±


    Xia Nie glanced at the gifts on the table, most of which he had seen in TV ads, indeed costing a fair amount of money.


    He withdrew his gaze towards Xia Wenjin and slowly said, ¡°Wenjin, you¡¯re not young anymore, you can be responsible for your own decisions. From now on, it¡¯s up to you to decide what to do with your life.¡±


    Since she had already chosen the Lu Family, she no longer had much to do with their Xia Family.


    In fact, when Xia Wenjin suddenly came back, he harbored some hope, thinking that although she verbally deprecated their poverty, she might have some feelings for them.


    But from her behavior just now, it was clear that she had no feelings for them at all.


    Why should they force themselves?


    ¡°Really? Thank you, Dad!¡± Xia Wenjin completely failed to pick up on Xia Nie¡¯s insinuations and was overjoyed at the thought of being able to return to the Lu Family.


    Before noon, Xia Wenjin had left the Xia Family.


    She was in such high spirits that she went to the mall, and just after swiping her card for a new handbag, she caught sight of Lu Zhaozhao from afar.


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Xia Wenjin charged out to block her path, ¡°Long time no see, Lu Zhaozhao!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao rolled her eyes at Xia Wenjin, feeling somewhat speechless.


    Different from their first school encounter, she was dressed in a limited edition outfit, and the handbag she carried looked like it was worth upwards of 300,000.


    It wasn¡¯t that Lu Zhaozhao had meant to notice, but Xia Wenjin had deliberately raised her arm, almost as if she wanted to smash the bag into her face.


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips, feeling annoyed, ¡°Xia Wenjin, if you don¡¯t have anything important, don¡¯t block the way; I¡¯m in a hurry.¡±


    She had a lunch appointment with the Xia Family members for the weekend, so she had been busy picking out gifts for her four brothers that she hadn¡¯t met.


    Since she didn¡¯t know her brothers well, she had no idea what kind of gifts would be appropriate, which inadvertently led to a lot of time being wasted.


    Now that it was almost noon, she started to feel the urgency.


    With a snort, Xia Wenjin raised her hand to poke Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s shoulder, but her quick reflexes allowed her to catch and hold Xia Wenjin¡¯s hand firmly.


    She applied force swiftly, causing Xia Wenjin to shriek in pain, ¡°Ouch! It hurts!¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao retorted coldly, ¡°I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t mess with me if you¡¯ve got no business! Just because the Lu Family is polite to you, doesn¡¯t mean I have to be.¡±


    Xia Wenjin, with her fingers twisted by Lu Zhaozhao, bit her teeth in anger, ¡°Lu Zhaozhao, don¡¯t be so arrogant. Just wait until I tell my mom; do you think you can still play the pampered daughter of the Lu Family?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao flung her hand away, ¡°If you think you can, go ahead and try, see if they listen to you.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Xia Wenjin, having suffered a setback, glared at Lu Zhaozhao, wanting to retaliate.


    But she was halted by Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s stern gaze, standing still.


    Lu Zhaozhao glanced at her, scoffing lightly, ¡°Xia Wenjin, before you think about getting physical, make sure you¡¯re actually capable.¡±


    As she said this, she deliberately moved closer to Xia Wenjin and enunciated each word, ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re asking for a slap, I can deliver one for free.¡±


    Xia Wenjin visibly flinched, took a step back subconsciously, and then stiffly retorted, ¡°What are you being so arrogant about? Let me tell you¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Before Xia Wenjin could finish, Lu Zhaozhao grabbed her face.


    Her piercing gaze bore into Xia Wenjin as she stated icily, ¡°Let me tell you, I don¡¯t give a damn about being the Lu daughter. If you want it, it¡¯s yours, but don¡¯t bother me!¡±


    In the last life, although one was the true daughter of the Lu Family and the other an impostor, the ridiculous thing was that there was little overlap between the two.


    And Xia Wenjin, using the name of the true Lu daughter, always walked a flowery path.


    The last news Lu Zhaozhao had heard about Xia Wenjin was that she had married as a leading star, becoming the wife of the new president of the international conglomerate XJ Group.


    Looking Xia Wenjin up and down, Lu Zhaozhao genuinely could not see any such incredible potential in her¡­

 Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Never Expected to Start Off on the Wrong Foot

    Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Never Expected to Start Off on the Wrong Foot


    However, if the XJ Group was eyeing the Lu Family¡¯s domestic influence, that would make sense.


    However¡­ this time, the Lu Family wasn¡¯t so lucky.


    She slowly released Xia Wenjin¡¯s face, which she had been gripping tightly, and glanced at her face that had long since turned pale with fright, and said coolly, ¡°Take this opportunity to practice being a rich heiress. Perhaps, you don¡¯t have many days left¡­¡±


    After saying this, Lu Zhaozhao left without looking back.


    Xia Wenjin stood there in a daze for a long while before she snapped back to reality. Just as she was about to curse, someone suddenly patted her shoulder¡­


    Xia Wenjin turned around and saw Xia Wenyan wearing a mask and hat.


    ¡°Who was that woman just now? Your classmate?¡±


    Xia Wenyan had just come out of the trainee base. He had missed a call from Xia Wenmo and was intending to buy him a book at the bookstore to apologize.


    He hadn¡¯t expected to see someone who looked almost like his sister as soon as he got to the mall.


    He had not had the chance to come over when he saw Xia Wenjin arguing with someone.


    By the time he took the elevator up from the ground floor, the two had already parted ways.


    Thinking of what Lu Zhaozhao had just said, Xia Wenjin was burning with anger, but seeing the concerned look on Xia Wenyan¡¯s face, she suddenly had an idea.


    ¡°Fourth brother, that person just now¡­ she bullied me¡­¡± Xia Wenjin started speaking and raised her hand to press the corner of her eye.


    Xia Wenyan gave Xia Wenjin a look and suddenly laughed, ¡°Someone actually dared to bully you? I thought it was already good enough if you didn¡¯t bully others~¡±


    Listening to Xia Wenyan¡¯s words. Xia Wenjin¡¯s anger flared even more, but thinking of her plan, she could only grit her teeth and suppress the rage in her heart.


    ¡°Fourth brother¡­ you¡¯ve been at the trainee base, so you don¡¯t know, but that person just now will be your sister from now on, I¡­ I, wu wu wu¡­¡±


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s brows lifted, and he fixed his gaze snugly on Xia Wenjin, ¡°What does that mean? What do you mean that person will be my sister?¡±


    Prior, he only knew that Xia Wenmo had asked them to go to the hospital, thinking it was because of the surgery that he wanted them there, especially since he had just agreed to undergo surgery a few days ago.


    Now it seemed, the events of the past few days were probably not so simple.


    Seeing that Xia Wenyan had taken the bait, Xia Wenjin spoke pitifully, ¡°That person just now is named Lu Zhaozhao, she¡¯s the heiress of the Lu Family¡­¡±


    She then exaggeratedly relayed Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s story about being switched at birth and retold her cover story from the Xia Family to Xia Wenyan.


    Unlike the other members of the Xia Family, Xia Wenyan was not aware of Xia Wenjin¡¯s actions, so upon hearing about how Xia Wenjin was bullied by Lu Zhaozhao, he almost immediately believed it.


    Xia Wenjin pressed the corner of her eye again and continued to sob pathetically, ¡°Fourth brother, I don¡¯t know what Lu Zhaozhao said to our parents this time, but they¡¯ve been very cold to me, and it seems like all my brothers are starting to hate me¡­¡±


    Xia Wenyan slightly raised one eyebrow and pondered for a moment before patting her shoulder and comforting her, ¡°Even before Lu Zhaozhao arrived, second brother and third brother didn¡¯t like you either, so don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s not much difference.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Listening to Xia Wenyan¡¯s blunt remark, Xia Wenjin wished she could kick him twice.


    If it weren¡¯t for his popularity in the trainee group, which might lead to success in the entertainment industry in the future, she wouldn¡¯t be bothering with such an emotionally unintelligent straight male.


    She took a deep breath and tried to craft a smile that looked reasonably genuine, ¡°Fourth brother, are you going to distance yourself from me because of this new sister?¡±


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s charming peach-like eyes instantly curved into a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I definitely won¡¯t.¡±


    Upon hearing Xia Wenyan¡¯s words, Xia Wenjin¡¯s eyelids drooped, ¡°You say that now, but once we¡¯re home, you might change your mind, even mom and dad were deceived by her¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe mom and dad were just a bit shocked and haven¡¯t had time to come to terms with it. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go home today and test the waters for you.¡± Saying this, he winked at Xia Wenjin, ¡°Trust your fourth brother.¡±


    Xia Wenjin nodded, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll wait for your good news~¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    When Xia Wenyan returned to the Xia Family¡¯s home, it just happened to be noon.


    As soon as he entered, he dove straight into the dining room.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯m back!¡± He had just taken off his mask and was standing at the entrance of the dining room when he saw that it was packed full inside.


    Not only were his oldest brother Xia Wenjue, who seldom stayed at home, and his second brother Xia Wenqing there, but even Xia Wenmo, who lived at the hospital, was unexpectedly present.


    He was stunned for a moment, his gaze finally resting on the girl closest to Wen Qingyu.


    Her features were about seventy percent similar to his mother¡¯s, though her appearance was more exquisite.


    This must be Lu Zhaozhao, the new sister Xia Wenjin had mentioned at the mall earlier.Upd@te by novg0 .co


    Had he not heard from Xia Wenjin about her, he might also have taken a liking to her.


    But remembering Xia Wenjin¡¯s words, his brows furrowed as he took a seat directly opposite Lu Zhaozhao.


    Feigning ignorance, he stared at her and asked loudly, ¡°Who is she? Why is she in our house?¡±


    ¡°Smack!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Xia Wenyan looked at Xia Wenjue in shock after receiving a swift hit to the head, ¡°Big brother, why did you hit me?¡±


    Xia Wenjue glanced at him coldly, ¡°I hit you because you were disrespectful to your sister. Even if she were a guest, you shouldn¡¯t have spoken with that tone. Apologize now!¡±


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s mouth twitched. He never expected to falter like this.


    He pursed his lips sullenly, hoping to play it down, but swiftly he found himself on the receiving end of sharp glares from all directions.


    It was almost like if he didn¡¯t apologize right then, they were about to lay into him.


    With a muffled pout, he muttered, ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Smack!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Xia Wenyan looked at his second brother Xia Wenqing, his expression now even more aggrieved, ¡°Second brother, why did you hit me?¡±


    Xia Wenqing gave him a sidelong glance, ¡°Apologize sincerely. Have all your manners gone to the dogs?¡±


    Xia Wenyan silently gave Xia Wenqing a look, then his gaze met with Xia Wenmo, who sat beside Lu Zhaozhao, attempting to send a plea for help.


    Aside from Xia Wenjin, Xia Wenmo was the one he got along with best. He should help him, right?


    Unexpectedly, Xia Wenmo looked back at Xia Wenyan with a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes, saying lightly, ¡°You should be grateful I¡¯m not sitting next to you, or else I¡¯d definitely knock that blockhead of yours right off.¡±


    Even though Xia Wenmo¡¯s face bore a smile, Xia Wenyan could feel that with each word, Xia Wenmo seemed like he wanted to bite off his back teeth.


    He really wanted to knock off Xia Wenyan¡¯s head.


    All this catastrophe was because of Lu Zhaozhao!


    He had thought Xia Wenjin was being alarmist, but now it seemed the situation at home was even more severe than he imagined.


    He couldn¡¯t fathom what spell Lu Zhaozhao had cast over everyone, to have them all take her side like this, humph!


    All he could do was seethe silently, not even noticing that Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze towards him was filled with astonishment¡ª

 Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Is that...really okay?

    Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Is that¡­really okay?


    Because in her previous life, Lu Zhaozhao had indeed seen Xia Wenyan.


    But not in real life, but¡­ in the news.


    The incident of a popular top-tier celebrity suddenly dying from a drug overdose had dominated the entertainment news that year.


    There were many conspiracy theories about Xia Wenyan, but in the end, all came to nothing.


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at the bright-eyed youth in front of her, finding it impossible to associate him with the words ¡°drugs.¡±


    Wen Qingyu saw that Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze kept falling on Xia Wenyan and explained to her with a light laugh, ¡°Zhaozhao, this is your fourth brother, Xia Wenyan. He is currently¡­¡±


    She paused slightly, ¡°Um, unemployed.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± Xia Wenyan exploded as soon as he heard Wen Qingyu¡¯s explanation, ¡°I¡¯m a trainee, about to debut soon, and I¡¯m already quite popular now, okay?¡±


    Xia Nie glanced at Xia Wenyan and said dismissively, ¡°We¡¯ll talk when you actually debut. If your mom says you¡¯re unemployed now, then you are.¡±


    Xia Wenyan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Pleased with Xia Wenyan falling silent, Xia Nie then put a chicken wing in Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s bowl, ¡°Zhaozhao, eat up, don¡¯t mind him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Lu Zhaozhao nodded her head obediently, sitting quietly and eating her meal.


    She had been a bit nervous about meeting the Xia Family¡¯s four brothers, but after meeting them, her mind was even more in chaos.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenmo to be the two people she¡¯d seen at the auction that day.


    And she¡¯d never imagined that her fourth brother would be someone who could make headlines in both social and entertainment news in the future.


    Her gaze inadvertently swept over Xia Nie and Wen Qingyu. If something were really to happen to Xia Wenyan, they would surely be heartbroken, wouldn¡¯t they?


    Lu Zhaozhao thought so, frowning inadvertently, surprised that Xia Wenyan, so young, had chosen the wrong path upon entering the industry.


    Seeing his defiant attitude from earlier, it was no wonder he made such a stir in the entertainment world.


    ¡°How long have I been away from home? You¡¯ve added a sister without a second thought for Wen Jin¡¯s feelings. She¡­ uh¡­¡±


    Xia Wenyan hadn¡¯t finished speaking when his mouth was suddenly covered by Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenqing, both at once.


    Xia Wenjue narrowed his eyes and forced a smile as he looked at Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Lao Si just got back from the training base; his head isn¡¯t very clear. I¡¯ll take him back to his room to rest properly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, how could our future star trainee eat so many carbs? He needs to train properly!¡± Xia Wenqing couldn¡¯t help but add with a noticeably ¡°kind¡± look in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡ª!¡± Xia Wenyan wanted to struggle, but was quickly subdued by the two again.


    Then, Lu Zhaozhao watched as Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenqing stood up together and dragged Xia Wenyan away.


    Lu Zhaozhao was somewhat bewildered watching the actions of the eldest and second Xia brothers.


    She had never had siblings in her previous life and didn¡¯t know how to interact with them.


    So she felt somewhat panicked in these circumstances.


    Xia Wenmo seated beside her gently patted Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s hand and smiled reassuringly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lao Si is tough; he¡¯s always been a handful since he was little, and he never knows when to shut up. Getting scolded is nothing new for him.¡±


    ¡°!!!¡±


    She felt Xia Wenmo¡¯s attempt at consolation did nothing to soothe her!


    Lu Zhaozhao silently turned to Wen Qingyu beside her and asked tentatively, ¡°Is that¡­ really okay?¡±


    Wen Qingyu nodded slightly, forcing a smile that was less skin-deep than heartfelt, ¡°Yeah, nothing¡¯s wrong, just beating up Lao Si on a rainy day, since there¡¯s nothing better to do.¡±


    It seemed Wen Qingyu was also quite angry.


    At the same time.


    Xia Wenyan, who had been dragged into the room by Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenqing, looked visibly displeased.


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into all of you? Even if you dislike Wen Jin, the change in attitude shouldn¡¯t be this abrupt, should it?¡±


    As he spoke, he looked up at Xia Wenjue, ¡°It¡¯s one thing for the second and third brothers, but why aren¡¯t you, big brother, standing up for Wen Jin?¡±


    Xia Wenjue let out a soft sigh, patiently attempting to explain, ¡°You weren¡¯t here earlier, there are some things you¡¯re not aware of, Xia Wenjin¡­¡±


    ¡°I know! Wen Jin already told me, she and Lu Zhaozhao were switched at birth, so our family has recognized Lu Zhaozhao.¡± Xia Wenyan blurted out before Xia Wenjue could finish.


    Xia Wenjue shot Xia Wenyan a look, a foreboding feeling creeping in.


    No wonder Xia Wenyan had come in with such hostility towards Lu Zhaozhao, whom he had never met ¡ª it was because of Xia Wenjin.


    Xia Wenjue suddenly remembered the incident over the weekend, when Xia Wenjin came home and tried to smear Lu Zhaozhao. Likely, she hadn¡¯t spared any details with Xia Wenyan either.


    Xia Wenqing glanced at Xia Wenyan and spoke coldly, ¡°Since you know that Zhaozhao is our sister, you should treat her well and drop the young master act in front of her.¡±


    Xia Wenyan raised an eyebrow, his disbelief apparent as he looked at Xia Wenqing, ¡°Second brother, am I hearing you right? You¡¯re telling me to treat Lu Zhaozhao nicely?¡±


    Back in the States, his second brother was a law mogul who dealt with both black and white, seeming well-mannered and mild on the surface but actually indifferent to others¡¯ woes.


    Utterly aloof.


    He would normally ignore Xia Wenjin just because he found her bothersome.


    Let alone looking out for someone else.


    Now that he thought about it, his typically sharp-tongued third brother had, earlier, seemed almost too gentle toward Lu Zhaozhao.


    This Lu Zhaozhao must be toxic, right?


    Xia Wenqing¡¯s gaze swept indifferently over Xia Wenyan¡¯s face, already guessing what was going through his vacant head.


    He sighed out of helplessness, ¡°You¡¯d better not believe Xia Wenjin¡¯s words, or you¡¯ll surely regret it later.¡±


    Of all their siblings, Xia Wenyan was the most na?ve.


    It was bad enough that he was always taking the rap for Xia Wenjin, being strung along and deceived by her.


    Previously, since he had thought Xia Wenjin was his sister, he had let them have their way, smoothing things over behind the scenes as long as the problems weren¡¯t too severe.


    But now¡­ since she¡¯s not his sister, he no longer had the obligation to clean up after her.


    Xia Wenjue, meanwhile, patted Xia Wenyan on the shoulder and said, ¡°When Xia Wenjin found out that the Lu Family was her birth parents, she didn¡¯t even look back before heading to the Lu Family. If you don¡¯t believe me, I have a video here you can watch.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Xia Wenyan refused outright, ¡°Wen Jin has already told me about this, she didn¡¯t go to the Lu Family by choice, plus Lu Zhaozhao has been bullying her!¡±


    Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenqing exchanged a look, both almost immediately giving Xia Wenyan a look that said they thought he was a fool.


    They really shouldn¡¯t have protected this brat too well; now he was sold out and even helped the seller count the money!


    ¡°You¡­¡± Xia Wenjue wanted to say something more but was stopped by Xia Wenqing raising his hand to silence him¡­

 Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44 It Doesnt Matter If Youre One Short

    Chapter 44: Chapter 44 It Doesn¡¯t Matter If You¡¯re One Short


    He shook his head at Xia Wenjue, ¡°Forget it, big brother, it¡¯s no use saying anything now; he won¡¯t listen. Let him figure it out for himself.¡±


    Xia Wenjue hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded. He patted Xia Wenyan¡¯s shoulder and slowly said, ¡°Since you don¡¯t believe what we¡¯re telling you, go investigate it yourself, and don¡¯t live to regret it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s brows remained furrowed; he couldn¡¯t understand how his high-ranking brother could be duped by someone.


    Just what was Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s deal?


    It seemed he would have to meet her himself!


    Not long after lunch was finished, Lu Zhaozhao gave her prepared gifts to the people of the Xia family.


    Since Xia Wenyan had stayed in his room the whole time, Lu Zhaozhao had no choice but to visit his room.


    She stood in front of Xia Wenyan¡¯s room door, holding the gift bag in her hand, hesitating for a moment, contemplating whether to give it or not.


    She could clearly sense Xia Wenyan didn¡¯t like her and probably wouldn¡¯t even want her gift, and she equally didn¡¯t have a good impression of a drug abuser.


    As Lu Zhaozhao was hesitating, Xia Wenyan¡¯s door suddenly opened.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    The two stared at each other in a stalemate until Xia Wenyan broke the silence, ¡°You¡­ is this for me?¡±


    His gaze landed on the small gift bag Lu Zhaozhao was holding.


    He had been Xia Wenjin¡¯s brother for many years and realized¡­ he had never received a gift.


    So was this the method Lu Zhaozhao used to capture the hearts of his brothers?


    Thinking this, Xia Wenyan eyed the item she was holding warily, as if facing a great enemy.


    ¡°Um¡­ this gift is indeed for you,¡± Lu Zhaozhao said, though she didn¡¯t hand over the small bag.


    His extremely resistant demeanor was hard to ignore.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re giving it to me with sincerity, I might as well accept it.¡±


    ¡°If you feel too reluctant to accept it, then forget it.¡±


    Both spoke at the same time, their completely opposite words instantly making the atmosphere awkward.


    The air grew so silent it was suffocating.


    Lu Zhaozhao really couldn¡¯t stand the tension and awkwardly nodded at Xia Wenyan before turning to leave.


    But she had barely taken two steps when she felt her hand sink.


    Looking down, she saw Xia Wenyan gripping the gift bag tightly.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve given it, there¡¯s no taking it back.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s brows slightly arched as she noticed his neck flushing.


    Feeling Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze, Xia Wenyan awkwardly touched his neck, ¡°I just thought it wouldn¡¯t be right if the other three accepted and I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Even as he said this, his hand showed no sign of letting go of the gift bag.


    Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t help but smirk; so her fourth brother was actually a tsundere.


    And he didn¡¯t seem as bad as she had imagined.


    She chuckled softly and handed him the item, ¡°I thought you hated me and wouldn¡¯t want anything I bought.¡±


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s brow instantly furrowed, ¡°I don¡¯t hate you. I¡¯m just annoyed that others have been treating Wen Jin badly ever since you came to the Xia family.¡±


    He glanced at Lu Zhaozhao and took a very elegant black headscarf hairband from the gift bag.


    ¡°`


    His chestnut hair color matched him well.


    His eyebrows rose slightly as he added another sentence, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the issue between you and Wen Jin before. As long as you don¡¯t bully Wen Jin anymore, I don¡¯t mind being your brother.¡±


    ¡°I do mind.¡± Lu Zhaozhao stretched out her hand and yanked back the handkerchief headband and the gift bag from Xia Wenyan¡¯s hands.


    She raised her hand and tossed the handkerchief headband back into the gift bag, ¡°I won¡¯t be giving the gift anymore.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao said, turned around, and was about to leave but was directly blocked by Xia Wenyan.


    He looked at her with a puzzled face, completely unaware of which sentence had just offended her, ¡°Why suddenly not give it?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao glanced at Xia Wenyan and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m not in the habit of snatching brothers from others, nor do I need to force someone to be my brother, so let¡¯s just forget it.¡±


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s character was still under her evaluation, and now that he was wholeheartedly believing in Xia Wenjin, there was no need for her to actively seek discomfort.


    She actually didn¡¯t expect much from the Xia brothers¡¯ treatment of her, after all, Wen Jin was their sister who had lived with them for 20 years.


    At best, she was just an outsider.


    Yet Xia Wenjue, Xia Wenqing, and Xia Wenmo treated her the same as the Xia Family¡¯s parents, giving her a warmth of family affection she had never felt before.


    This was already enough.


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s doubtful gaze stared at Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to explain the issue between you and Wen Jin?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao suddenly let out a light laugh, her bright eyes meeting Xia Wenyan¡¯s, and she retorted with a question instead of an answer, ¡°Even if I explained and told you I didn¡¯t bully her, would you believe me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xia Wenyan was instantly at a loss for words.


    Because Lu Zhaozhao was right, even if she explained, he would choose to believe Xia Wenjin.


    Lu Zhaozhao shrugged knowingly, ¡°So there¡¯s no need to explain or not to explain. Plus, I already have three brothers, missing one of you won¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Xia Wenyan suddenly felt a heaviness sink into his chest, an indefinable emotion swirling in his heart, making him exceedingly oppressed.


    His gaze followed the gradually distancing Lu Zhaozhao, feeling as if he had lost something important.


    Xia Wenyan stood still, recalling the pair of eyes Lu Zhaozhao had used to quietly watch him, his heart trembled slightly, had he done something wrong?


    As evening approached, the sky gradually darkened.


    Lu Zhaozhao lay on the bedroom sofa with her laptop, occasionally tapping into the search engine for information related to illegal drugs.


    Although she hadn¡¯t spent much time with Xia Wenyan, she always felt that his appearance was far removed from the term ¡°drugged up.¡±


    If Xia Wenyan truly was innocent, then his death was probably not as simple as an accident, right?


    Lu Zhaozhao was deep in thought and completely unaware of Song Sinian entering the room.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± His low voice resonated in the room, making Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes light up suddenly.


    She looked up at the entering Song Sinian, her eyes instantly smiling with warmth, ¡°You¡¯re back, Mr. Song!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Song Sinian walked straight over and kissed her on the lips.


    This had become a habit of Song Sinian¡¯s in the past few days, each time he came home he would take the initiative to kiss her, to hug her.


    It was probably because she mentioned that this behavior was quite common between spouses, so Song Sinian had directly quantified it following ¡°regular etiquette¡±?


    Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t think much of it and quickly adapted.


    She put aside her laptop and stretched out her arms, waiting for Song Sinian¡¯s hug.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s overly cooperative demeanor made a flicker of emotion cross Song Sinian¡¯s eyes, which was then immediately submerged in his gaze¡­


    ¡°`

 Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Is He... Afraid?

    Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Is He¡­ Afraid?


    Song Sinian stretched out his hand to lift Lu Zhaozhao up and sat her directly on the sofa.


    He raised his eyes to glance at the computer beside him, a slight arch forming on his brows, as his gaze landed on what she had been searching.


    [How to tell if someone around you is on drugs?]


    [How to identify drug users around you?]


    [Physical symptoms after taking drugs.]


    Song Sinian pinched Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s little face, looking it over from left to right, then carefully examined her little hands up and down.


    After ensuring there were no injuries on her body, he slowly spoke, ¡°Someone around you is taking drugs?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao wouldn¡¯t search for this kind of thing for no reason, it seemed he needed to add a few more bodyguards to her protection.


    Lu Zhaozhao clung to Song Sinian¡¯s neck, her clear black and white eyes blinking slightly, ¡°I only suspect it, I¡¯m not sure yet¡­¡±


    She pursed her lips, thinking about all the symptoms she had just come across, none of which matched Xia Wenyan.


    Could it be because it hadn¡¯t been long since he started?


    Song Sinian watched as her little face scrunched up again, he extended his hand to pinch her cheek, speaking faintly, ¡°Do you want me to do something about it?¡±


    He remembered that at noon she had gone to the Xia Family¡¯s, did she encounter it at the Xia Family¡¯s home?


    He didn¡¯t have any particular fondness for the Xia Family, because their presence meant he couldn¡¯t monopolize Lu Zhaozhao all to himself.


    Now that he was finally alone with her, their matters were still taking up his time.


    Should he just deal with them all quietly?


    A shadow of darkness flashed across Song Sinian¡¯s eyes.


    Lu Zhaozhao, resting her head on his shoulder, completely missed the subtle emotion in his eyes.


    She sighed lightly, ¡°Is there any way to find out whether someone is on drugs?¡±


    This kind of thing was usually quite secretive, and couldn¡¯t be asked directly.


    Plus, the methods of detecting drug use that were relatively accurate were only through urine and blood, and it was almost impossible for her to get that from Xia Wenyan.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s entire little face couldn¡¯t help but fall. Song Sinian, no matter how capable, probably had no way to handle this kind of issue, right?


    Song Sinian raised his hand to gently straighten her stray hairs, his gaze slowly meeting her beautiful watery eyes as he asked, ¡°What does the person you want to investigate do for work?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao pouted, resigning herself, ¡°He¡¯s a trainee, doesn¡¯t come home much, mostly spends his time participating in activities or shows and the like.¡±


    Moreover, Xia Wenyan was probably about to join that future star-making idol group survival show ¡°A+ Top Grade Trainee¡± soon.


    They would all be living together, and she had no chance to act. Even if she asked Song Sinian for help, it was unlikely they could single out Xia Wenyan, right?


    ¡°A trainee, eh? That¡¯s very simple.¡± Song Sinian lightly twirled a strand of her hair, offhandedly saying, ¡°Just report it to the police station, and if trainees live together, they¡¯d all be sent for urine tests, no one would escape.¡±


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao looked as if she had an epiphany, and she couldn¡¯t help but excitedly hug Song Sinian, planting kiss after kiss on his cheek.


    In the end, she also ¡°smacked¡± a kiss on his lips.


    ¡°My goodness! Mr. Song, you¡¯re really so smart!¡±


    Song Sinian was bewildered by Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s sudden move, his hand reached subconsciously to touch his lips.


    So helping to solve problems also came with a reward.


    This feeling wasn¡¯t too bad.


    His dark eyes shifted slightly, ¡°Is there anything else you need resolved?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was still caught up in the excitement of having just found a solution. Hearing Song Sinian¡¯s question, she blurted out, ¡°emmm¡­ I¡¯ve encountered someone who dislikes me, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°Then make him disappear.¡±


    Song Sinian didn¡¯t even think before blurting out.


    Lu Zhaozhao was stunned for a moment, staring at his pair of incredibly indifferent eyes; her eyebrows instantly knotted together, ¡°Mr. Song, you¡­ you were joking just now, right?¡±


    How could their little angel possibly say something so terrifying?!


    Song Sinian didn¡¯t realize there was anything wrong with what he had said.


    He opened his mouth, about to say something, but, noticing that Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t compliment him like before, instinctively felt this might not be a good answer.


    So he followed Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words and gave a light ¡°hmm.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao finally breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped her small hands tightly around his neck.


    Song Sinian¡¯s black eyes suddenly widened, and he intended to raise his arm to embrace her but ended up freezing in place.


    It was early autumn, and although the outdoor temperature wasn¡¯t high, it was still quite warm inside.


    Lu Zhaozhao was even more casual in the bedroom, wearing a thin base shirt + a shawl.


    She suddenly hugged his neck, with her tiny frame almost entirely nestled in his arms. Their mere layers of clothing clinging together tightly, the softness of her touch was warm against him.


    Song Sinian slightly bent his body but was pulled in even tighter by her.


    His hand trembled slightly, not knowing where to place it, and finally just hung by her side, silently letting her hold him like this.


    She truly was a little thing that didn¡¯t understand defenses.


    Whether in the past or now.


    She¡­ wouldn¡¯t do this with anyone else, would she?


    The tips of Song Sinian¡¯s eyebrows moved involuntarily, a hint of discomfort sweeping through his heart.


    He lowered his head, nuzzling her cheek lightly with his nose in a low, husky voice, like it was shrouded in fog, ¡°Zhaozhao, kiss me, will you?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ you¡­ mmm¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s worried words hadn¡¯t yet been spoken when, in the next second, Song Sinian¡¯s lips pressed against hers.


    Unlike before, he seemed a bit eager, with a sense of urgency as if desperately trying to prove something.


    Without giving her a chance to speak.


    Song Sinian knew what he was doing was despicable, but now he didn¡¯t want to hear any words of rejection from her little mouth.


    She had always been good, so obedient, never rejecting his advances.


    So he grew greedier with each encounter.


    He used to think having her by his side was enough, but now he wanted her love, even just the slightest bit.


    Song Sinian¡¯s hand that hung by his side slowly clenched into a fist, bracing himself, restraining the desire for more.


    To give her room to back away¡­


    But the cries from the depths of his heart were frenzied.


    Zhaozhao, don¡¯t hide.


    Don¡¯t reject me.


    Her breath grazed his nose, and breathing the air that intermingled with her breath, Song Sinian felt he was truly going mad.


    Lu Zhaozhao was caught off guard by his sudden kiss, nearly breathless, instinctively wanting to pull back, her hands that hung on his neck fell to his arms.


    His slight trembling transmitted through his taut arms, instead making Lu Zhaozhao stop.


    Was he¡­ afraid?


    Why?


    Her eyes blinked, staring unblinkingly at Song Sinian, the atmosphere between them instantly turning silent; the air grew so quiet it was suffocating¡­

 Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46: How to be more clingy?

    Chapter 46: Chapter 46: How to be more clingy?


    Song Sinian slowly raised his hand and touched her delicate face.


    But he didn¡¯t dare to ask the question, ¡°Are you in a bad mood?¡±


    Song Sinian knew that if Lu Zhaozhao nodded in response to this question, it would definitely be his fault.


    It was him acting recklessly, not considering her feelings.


    She would hate him.


    ¡°Mr. Song.¡± Lu Zhaozhao reached out and grabbed the hand he had raised, pulling it down.


    Song Sinian¡¯s heart sank immediately; she must be angry, right?


    His eyelids drooped slightly, still meeting her clear eyes.


    What was she going to say next?


    To ask him not to touch her ever again?


    To say she hated him, or¡­ that she didn¡¯t want to see him anymore?


    His heart felt as if it had been suddenly pricked by a needle, pain stabbing him repeatedly.


    He didn¡¯t like this feeling of being out of control; did he really need to chain her up to keep her from running away?


    Suddenly, the palm of his hand warmed. Song Sinian looked up instinctively, just in time to see Lu Zhaozhao pressing his hand against her lower back.


    ¡°When you want to be close, you have to hold me tight,¡± she said, pulling his other hand to rest it there as well.


    Having done this, Lu Zhaozhao smiled at him and blinked, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s continue~¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Sinian stared at Lu Zhaozhao for a few seconds, then rested his forehead on her shoulder, his voice muffled as it came from the nape of her neck, ¡°Ha¡­ you¡­¡±


    The breath from his nose gently brushed against her neck, the foul mood that had upset him completely vanishing.


    Song Sinian¡¯s hands crossed over Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s lower back, his large hands gently pinching her waist. Her petite figure seemed so fragile as if it would break with just a bit more force.


    Yet it was this petite person who could stir the stagnant waters of his life.


    What should he do?


    What should he do with her¡­


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±


    The tranquility of the room was suddenly pierced by the ring of a cell phone.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes blinked as she glanced at Song Sinian, who was leaning on her shoulder, then at the cellphone by her hand.


    She stealthily reached for it, glanced at the screen, and saw the message.


    It was from the Lu Family.


    Her eyebrows lifted slightly in puzzlement before she unlocked her phone.


    The Lu Family had already obtained tremendous benefits from Song Sinian and were too busy being happy lately; why would they bother with her?


    But when she opened the message, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s expression instantly darkened.


    [Zhaozhao, you haven¡¯t stayed home since marrying President Song, and Mom really misses you. Why not come stay with us for a few days?]


    A few days?


    Lu Zhaozhao silently curled her lips in a mocking sneer. They saw her as too valuable to be used just once, so they probably wanted to take advantage of her return to gain some leverage over her.


    The Lu Family was shameless; she knew that but didn¡¯t expect them to stoop to this level.


    Lu Zhaozhao tapped her phone a few times and sent a decisive message back.


    ¡°[Husband too clingy, no time.]¡±


    She didn¡¯t know that, just when she sent this message, Song Sinian¡¯s gaze had happened to catch it.


    His eyebrows slightly lifted, and it was the first time he thought ¡°clingy¡± was a good word.


    But how could he be even more clingy?


    Meanwhile, at the Lu Family.


    Seeing the message Lu Zhaozhao had replied with on her phone, Cao Mei almost threw her phone out.


    But since there were other people at home, she could only sit on the sofa, forcing her expression to remain calm.


    ¡°How is it? Is Zhaozhao coming back?¡± Xiao Jinglan picked up the cup of tea on the table and took a light sip before setting down the teacup.


    Her slim eyebrows slightly fell, bringing a hint of a smile as she looked at Cao Mei.


    From her expression, it was evident that Lu Zhaozhao had nothing good to say, and it seemed she wouldn¡¯t be returning to the Lu Family.


    The last time she had been at the Lu Family, she had subtly suggested that they keep some leverage in their hands.


    First, it was to please Mr. and Mrs. Lu, and second, it was to control Lu Zhaozhao in the future.


    It wasn¡¯t easy to control someone who could speak frankly with Song Sinian.


    She had never succeeded in all these years, so she held some expectations for Lu Zhaozhao.


    But looking at Mr. and Mrs. Lu, she knew their plans had not succeeded either.


    Cao Mei tugged at the corner of her mouth, ¡°Zhaozhao said President Song is clinging to her too much, not letting her come back, saying they¡¯ll talk after their honeymoon period is over¡­¡±


    Although she was reluctant, instead of forcibly making Lu Zhaozhao come back and raising Song Sinian¡¯s suspicions, it was better to wait.


    Xiao Jinglan chuckled lightly, seemingly unconcerned as she put down her teacup, ¡°Mrs. Lu, I won¡¯t beat around the bush, I¡¯m here to discuss a cooperation with you today.¡±


    Cao Mei¡¯s eyebrows slightly lifted as she outright refused, ¡°The business matters are all decided by Old Lu, discussing them with me is pointless.¡±


    Xiao Jinglan, hearing this, was not angry.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mrs. Lu, just listen for fun, I¡¯m just casually chatting.¡±


    Her eyes always carried a smile, making it hard for Cao Mei to keep refusing.


    So, all she could do was nod faintly, complying, ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll just chat casually.¡±


    Whatever Xiao Jinglan would say later, she would let it in one ear and out the other.


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, seeming to have anticipated Cao Mei¡¯s actions.


    But she wasn¡¯t panicked, instead, she slowly started speaking, ¡°My visit this time is mainly for the auction of the Jade Vein, I heard that Lu Family is keen on acquiring Veins no. 1 and no. 3.¡±


    Cao Mei¡¯s polite smile instantly tightened, as she watched Xiao Jinglan with caution, but said nothing.


    Previously, Song Sinian had clearly let Lu Zhaozhao tell them that Song Group would not participate in the auction for Veins no. 1 and no. 3. Could it be that Xiao Jinglan was here to renege on their agreement?


    Cao Mei¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, sizing her up with her gaze before slowly speaking, ¡°President Song personally promised this, why? Has Lady Xiao come to break the agreement?¡±


    Xiao Jinglan waved her hands repeatedly, ¡°No, no, no, as I said, it¡¯s a cooperation.¡±


    Now Cao Mei¡¯s confusion deepened, ¡°A cooperation? With Song Group?¡±


    She did not understand what Xiao Jinglan was up to, remaining vigilant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so defensive, Mrs. Lu, I¡¯m not here on behalf of Song Group, but personally¡­ more precisely, a few internal shareholders of Song Family who want to collaborate with Mrs. Lu.¡±


    Veins no. 1 and no. 3 were hot properties, and Song Sinian, for a smile from his lady, had readily let them go.


    He even threatened all the board members with resigning as the CEO, so the board members eager for those veins had to seek her help.


    She had been worrying about ways to win them over, but Song Sinian had personally delivered them into her hands.


    Once she had nailed the deal with the Lu Family regarding Veins no. 1 and no. 3, wouldn¡¯t those board members readily stand by her side?

 Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Its Just Childs Play

    Chapter 47: Chapter 47: It¡¯s Just Child¡¯s Play


    Cao Mei snorted lightly and leaned back on the sofa behind her, ¡°President Song has already promised not to compete with the Lu Family for the No. 1 and No. 3 veins, and no one else has the ability to compete, so why should we cooperate with you?¡±


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s expression remained unchanged as she said indifferently, ¡°The reason is¡­ Lu Zhaozhao is not the Lu family¡¯s child. What if her current parents knew how valuable their daughter is, do you think they would come and claim her?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Cao Mei¡¯s face instantly turned pale, but she still tried to maintain her composure, clenching her fists without saying a word.


    Xiao Jinglan was satisfied with her small reaction and added another sentence, ¡°Oh, right, Zhaozhao is such a well-behaved child, always listening to her parents, isn¡¯t she? Do you think her biological parents are curious about how their daughter lived before?¡±


    ¡°Xiao Jinglan, don¡¯t go too far!¡± Cao Mei stood up abruptly, glaring at her angrily.


    She dared to use Lu Zhaozhao to threaten her?!


    Ever since this girl was little, she knew she was not her own. It was all because of her that her precious daughter wasn¡¯t by her side!


    Why should she be kind to her?


    Cao Mei ground her molars fiercely, never imagining these matters would become a handle for others to grasp against the Lu Family. How could she be willing to let that happen?


    It was all this damn Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s fault!


    Seeing Cao Mei lose her temper, Xiao Jinglan hurriedly spoke in a soothing tone, ¡°Mrs. Lu, don¡¯t be angry, didn¡¯t I just say? I¡¯m here to talk about cooperation; I won¡¯t let the Lu Family suffer.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Cao Mei stared at Xiao Jinglan, showing no sign of belief in her words.


    Seeing this, Xiao Jinglan had no choice but to take out a contract from her bag and placed it on the table.


    ¡°This is the will of several directors behind me; you can take a look first, there¡¯s no harm in considering it.¡±


    Saying this, she pushed the contract on the table forward.


    Although Cao Mei was displeased with Xiao Jinglan, she still picked up the contract from the table.


    ¡°We only want a 20% ownership of the No. 1 and No. 3 veins. If the Lu Family wants other kinds of cooperation with the Song Family, we can discuss that.¡±


    As long as the deal for the No. 1 and No. 3 veins was set, the directors would stand by her side. Wouldn¡¯t everything else be as easy as flipping a hand in the future?


    Cao Mei listened to Xiao Jinglan¡¯s words while looking at the contract.


    Actually, if they only wanted 20% ownership, it might not be unacceptable ¡ª after all, the Song Group was a juicy target, and future cooperation could bring profits well beyond 20%.


    She understood the principle of casting a long line to catch a big fish.


    However, Cao Mei wasn¡¯t in a hurry to sign the contract. Instead, she slowly put down the contract in her hand and said, ¡°I have to discuss this with Mr. Lu in our household, please give Lady Xiao a few days¡¯ wait.¡±


    Naturally, Xiao Jinglan took this as her cue to leave things be for now and chuckled, nodding her head, ¡°No rush, there¡¯s still some time before the vein auction, you can consider it slowly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After finishing her words, she suddenly shifted the conversation, ¡°Recently, you must have noticed how special Zhaozhao is to Song Sinian, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Being able to persuade him to lend money to the Lu Family in his name, and to give up two hotly contested veins so easily, anyone with a bit of ambition could cover the sky with one hand.


    She didn¡¯t believe Cao Mei wasn¡¯t tempted.


    ¡°President Song¡¯s fondness for Zhaozhao is naturally something we, as elders, are happy about,¡± Cao Mei replied, without giving Xiao Jinglan any room to interject.


    To concession 20% of the vein resources was already a big step for her. If Xiao Jinglan wanted to play any other games, it was a pipe dream!


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeing that she was not being swayed, Xiao Jinglan didn¡¯t continue.


    However, unbeknownst to them, as they negotiated, Xia Wenjin had been eavesdropping at the top of the stairs on the second floor the whole time.


    Actually, ever since the last time Lu Zhaozhao visited the Lu Family, Xiao Jinglan had been extremely curious about what kind of man she had married.


    Although she hadn¡¯t had much contact with people in the domestic business circles while at the Xia Family, she had heard rumors about Song Sinian.


    It was said that he was the president of the Song Group, but he had never accepted any interviews.


    The word around town described him as perverse, ruthless, and heartless; such a man probably wasn¡¯t much to look at.


    He might even be an old codger.


    Thinking this, Xia Wenjin couldn¡¯t help feeling a little smug.


    She recalled how Lu Zhaozhao mocked her in the shopping mall before, and this time, she was determined to make her pay!


    She slowly left the top of the staircase on the second floor and silently returned to her own room.


    The next morning, as soon as Lu Zhaozhao went to the dining room for breakfast, she saw Qian Hong looking at her with a face full of concern.


    She rubbed her sleepy eyes and sat at the dining table, ¡°Aunt Qian, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    After hesitating for a long time, Qian Hong finally spoke up slowly, ¡°Madam, perhaps you should take a few days off and rest at home?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s hand, holding a cup of milk, paused, growing even more puzzled.


    Her brows furrowed, ¡°Is there something wrong with Mr. Song?¡±


    Her classes this morning were scheduled later, so she had slept in a bit.


    He must¡¯ve gotten up earlier than her; he should be at the company by now, right?


    Qian Hong shook her head, hesitated for a moment, and then handed her phone to Lu Zhaozhao.


    First thing in the morning, she had received a message from Zhao Xi: someone had anonymously posted defamatory information about Lu Zhaozhao at Yuqing University yesterday.


    Claiming she was an impostor heiress of the Lu Family, and for the sake of money, she had married an old and ugly man.


    The informer made it sound credible, and a bunch of people joined in the speculation, almost swarming the forums.


    Zhao Xi had already discussed the matter with the school, and although the original post had been deleted, the more it was hidden, the more people believed it to be true.


    The already tumultuous comments grew even more vicious.


    Lu Zhaozhao skimmed through the phone that Qian Hong handed her, getting the gist of the situation.


    She shrugged her shoulders and handed the phone back to Qian Hong, ¡°Aunt Qian, don¡¯t worry about this. These are just rumors, and no one will talk about them after a while.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Qian Hong¡¯s brows remained tightly furrowed, her eyes full of worry as she looked at Lu Zhaozhao.


    She was just a child, yet she had to endure such vicious attacks; Qian Hong found it unbearable.


    Lu Zhaozhao blinked unbothered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If anyone dares to talk nonsense in front of me, I¡¯ll knock all their teeth out!¡±


    Compared to what she experienced in her previous life, such rumors were child¡¯s play.


    Plus, from the informant¡¯s revealed contents, she could guess who the person was almost without thinking.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeing how Lu Zhaozhao was handling the situation, Qian Hong silently sighed and decisively sent a message to Zhao Xi.


    Madam refuses to stay at home and insists on going to school; ask Mr. Song if he can come to the university at noon to have lunch with Madam?¡±


    After all, the best way to counter rumors is to confront them with the truth.


    As long as Song Sinian showed up at the school, clearing his wife¡¯s name would be a piece of cake.


    Now, it¡¯s up to their Mr. Song to decide whether he¡¯s willing¡­

 Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48: A Very Authoritative VIP

    Chapter 48: Chapter 48: A Very Authoritative VIP


    Zhao Xi received this message, and his whole person wasn¡¯t quite well.


    He had followed Song Sinian for so many years but had never seen him take the initiative to publicly reveal his identity.


    Even when attending events, he just briskly went through the motions.


    It could be said that many people in the business world were familiar with Song Sinian¡¯s face, but almost none had really conversed with him.


    The Song Family¡¯s financial strength and resources were sufficient for him to ignore all partners.


    The outside world had always been full of gossip and scandal about Song Sinian; he had never bothered about it. As for the little trouble Lu Zhaozhao was experiencing at school, he probably wouldn¡¯t go in person, would he?


    Zhao Xi glanced at the message and then at Song Sinian. After hesitating for a long time, he still didn¡¯t dare to speak up.


    While he was pondering how to reply to Qian Hong, Song Sinian spoke up first, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Since Zhao Xi¡¯s phone had sounded off, Song Sinian seemed as if he were sitting on a chair full of thorns, restless for quite some time.


    Zhao Xi had been working under him for a long time; there weren¡¯t many things that could make him this uneasy.


    Either it was an extremely thorny issue or it had to do with Lu Zhaozhao.


    After hesitating for a moment, Zhao Xi slowly opened his mouth, ¡°There¡¯s a rumor at school targeting your wife. Someone slandered that your wife married an old and ugly man for money, branding her a false heiress and a true gold-digger.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyes blinked faintly, his gaze calm and unperturbed, ¡°Leave this matter to the PR department.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ this is a school matter; the PR department might not be¡­ quite suitable to handle this,¡± Zhao Xi briefly explained the situation to Song Sinian, then looked at him nervously again.


    Song Sinian gave a faint ¡°Hmm,¡± and then there was no more movement.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    At this point, Zhao Xi was completely helpless; indeed, their Mr. Song didn¡¯t take rumors and gossip to heart at all.


    It seemed even less likely that he would go to the school.


    Sighing with resignation, Zhao Xi picked up his phone and typed out a line, ¡°I¡¯ve done my best, but it seems Mr. Song isn¡¯t really on board¡­¡±


    Just as he was about to press the send button, a faint voice rang out in the office.


    ¡°Would she be upset about this?¡±


    Zhao Xi firmly pressed and held the delete key, then raised his head to assure Song Sinian word by word, ¡°Yes! Your wife might be bullied and isolated at school. She¡¯s naturally quite well-behaved, what to do in the future¡­¡±


    He deliberately exaggerated a tiny bit to make Song Sinian realize that rumors could turn into tangible harm to Lu Zhaozhao.


    In fact, even if Lu Zhaozhao wasn¡¯t a true heiress of the Lu Family, it wouldn¡¯t matter.


    After all, she was the Song Family¡¯s wife, and if anyone dared to bully her at school, the Song Family¡¯s bodyguards would knock their heads off in no time.


    As for being ostracized, anyone who was aware of the Song Family¡¯s status would not dare to.


    Song Sinian¡¯s expression obviously changed as he raised his eyes to look at Zhao Xi, ¡°What classes does Zhaozhao have this morning?¡±


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Zhao Xi was so excited he almost dropped his phone. He quickly took out Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s schedule and placed it on the table, ¡°Here is your wife¡¯s entire schedule for today. She happens to have an art seminar at school this morning, and there is a long break at noon.¡±


    He actively hinted on the side, almost suggesting that Song Sinian show up at the school at noon to flaunt and whiten his wife¡¯s reputation.


    Song Sinian¡¯s fingertips gently tapped on the schedule, his dark eyes slowly narrowing.


    An art lecture?


    Indeed, it¡¯s a good idea.


    Because of the school¡¯s rumors and gossip, Lu Zhaozhao caused quite a stir whenever she arrived at school.


    However, due to her current identity, others did not dare to do anything to her.


    She carried her bag and went straight to the back row of the lecture hall.


    There weren¡¯t many people here, which spared her from listening to idle chitchat, and besides, it was an art lecture that wasn¡¯t of much use.


    Moreover, she had already attended it in her previous life, so there were no surprises.


    ¡°Oh my god, Zhaozhao, you actually came to class? I thought you were so heartbroken by the rumors that you¡¯d stayed at home and wouldn¡¯t come out¡­¡±


    An irritating voice rose not far away. Without guessing, Lu Zhaozhao knew who was speaking.


    She spread rumors just to mock her, and now that the entire art department was attending the lecture, how could Xia Wenjin miss this opportunity to taunt her?


    Lu Zhaozhao chuckled lightly, her eyebrows and eyes slightly moving, she said indifferently, ¡°You just said they¡¯re rumors, why should I care?¡±


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s face ¡°swooshed¡± and turned sour, but since so many people were around, she immediately pretended to be pitiful and looked at Lu Zhaozhao.


    ¡°Zhaozhao, I know it made you unhappy that mom and dad acknowledged me, but after all, I am the true daughter of the Lu Family. I hope you won¡¯t be mad at them, okay?¡±


    Sure enough, after Xia Wenjin finished her sentence, the people around started to discuss in a buzz.


    ¡°Xia Wenjin is the Lu Family¡¯s heiress, so is Lu Zhaozhao really a fake heiress? Then is what¡¯s posted on the forum actually true?¡±


    ¡°What a shame, a fine head of cabbage has been dug up by a hog, tsk tsk¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe the new goddess is actually a gold-digger, and she¡¯s even married to an old man.¡±


    ¡­


    The rising and falling discussions pleased Xia Wenjin immensely, for she had always disliked Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s haughty demeanor.


    Now that the school knew she was a fake heiress, and that she¡¯d married an ugly and perverse old man, Xia Wenjin was eager to see how Lu Zhaozhao could still be so arrogant.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, and with a cool glance, she said, ¡°My husband is the president of the Song Group, even if I¡¯m not the daughter of the Lu Family, that won¡¯t change. What¡¯s there to be unhappy about?¡±


    If the Lu Family were to cut ties with her now, she would be more than happy.


    But the Lu Family saw her as too useful to let go, and it was probably because Xia Wenjin didn¡¯t know this that she was so impatient, right?


    She propped her chin, looking leisurely at Xia Wenjin, and said coolly, ¡°On the other hand, you haven¡¯t even been formally recognized by the Lu Family, yet you start proclaiming everywhere that you¡¯re the Lu Family heiress. Isn¡¯t that a bit too hasty? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not interested in your things.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Xia Wenjin hadn¡¯t expected Lu Zhaozhao to be unashamed and even to mock her in return.


    Her face could not maintain its composure, and just as she was about to confront Lu Zhaozhao, the bell outside the classroom suddenly rang.


    The host stood at the podium of the lecture hall and reminded, ¡°Everyone, please quiet down. Today¡¯s art lecture features a highly authoritative figure. Everyone should cherish this opportunity!¡±


    Suddenly, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the words ¡°highly authoritative figure.¡±


    Yuqing University was already the top university in the Beijing Circle, filled with talent, and the teachers were leading figures in their fields.


    To be described by the host as ¡°a highly authoritative figure¡± must be something extraordinary!


    So one by one, they all looked with anticipation towards the entrance of the lecture hall¡ª

 Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49 She Wants to Take Back Everything That Belongs to Her!

    Chapter 49: Chapter 49 She Wants to Take Back Everything That Belongs to Her!


    ¡°`


    Besides the lecturer of this lecture, there was also an extremely eye-catching young man by his side.


    He wore a sharp suit, had a tall and slender figure, and bore a cold yet handsome appearance, with an innate elegance and nobility.


    Just one glance was enough to make him unforgettable.


    ¡°Oh my god, that¡¯s the big shot! He¡¯s way too handsome! Even celebrities in the entertainment industry can¡¯t compare!¡±


    ¡°Ah!!! I can handle it! This kind of big shot is truly mesmerizing!¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m in love! I wonder if this big shot¡¯s sexuality could be a little more flexible.¡±


    ¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao listened speechlessly to the messy comments around her, feeling a throbbing in her temples.


    If only she had thought more about Aunt Qian¡¯s sunny glance when she sent her away, she wouldn¡¯t have been so greatly shocked.


    Song Sinian must have come because of the rumors on the school forum, right?


    His appearance at the school could indeed clear her reputation, but¡­ she remembered that in her previous life, he never attended such lectures.


    Wasn¡¯t it a bit too forced?


    As she was worrying, her gaze accidentally met his.


    Dead, she was dead; they made eye contact!


    However, luckily for her, after Song Sinian looked at her, he turned towards the host and began to speak.


    ¡°Hey, hey, did that big shot just look at me?¡±


    ¡°Look at you? He was probably looking at the window.¡±


    ¡°You think? Don¡¯t flatter yourself! With the many admirers around such a big shot, why would he take a fancy to the likes of us?¡±


    ¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao quietly breathed a sigh of relief, just about to bury her head and pretend to be an anonymous person when the people beside her got excited again.


    ¡°Ah!!! The big shot is coming this way!¡±


    ¡°My goodness! What does the big shot want to do?¡±


    ¡°Should we prepare to get an autograph?!¡±


    ¡­


    As Lu Zhaozhao listened to the commotion, she blankly raised her head to look towards the podium of the lecture hall, only to have her view blocked by a silhouette.


    Her heart suddenly skipped a beat, and she silently lifted her face.


    ¡°Do you feel uncomfortable lying on the desk?¡± Song Sinian¡¯s hand touched Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s head as he spoke in a gentle tone.


    Lu Zhaozhao could almost hear everyone around her gasp.


    She silently sighed and shook her head lightly, ¡°I¡¯m not uncomfortable; I just felt like lying down.¡±


    Song Sinian casually pinched her cheek, ¡°Then listen to the lecture properly, okay?¡±


    Hearing the inflection in his voice, Lu Zhaozhao clearly felt she was being flirted with.


    She instinctively turned her eyes away, not daring to look at him, but her burning ears betrayed her thoughts to some extent.


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly, ¡°You are¡­ Um.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when Lu Zhaozhao quickly covered his mouth.


    She stared at Song Sinian nervously, her eyes shimmering with a bright light, and said in a fierce whisper, ¡°You can¡¯t say it!¡±


    Song Sinian found her behavior amusing; not only were her ear tips red, but now her earlobes were too.


    His gaze fell on her small hand covering his mouth, he hummed softly, and then Lu Zhaozhao let go of her hand.


    After this series of actions, the surrounding gazes felt like they were drilling a hole through her.


    ¡°`


    Lu Zhaozhao gently tugged at Song Sinian¡¯s sleeve, whispering, ¡°The lecture is about to start¡­¡±


    Song Sinian glanced at the podium in the amphitheater-style classroom and then back at Lu Zhaozhao.


    He ruffled her small head with his large hand, ¡°Mmm, pay attention in class. I¡¯ll pick you up after school and take you home.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Throughout the lecture, Lu Zhaozhao had no mind to listen, not only because Song Sinian¡¯s words had just stirred her up.


    It was more the fervent gazes from others that bothered her.


    Before, due to the forum posts, everyone was merely curious about her, but now that Song Sinian¡¯s identity had been revealed, their looks had grown significantly more complex.


    And in the amphitheater-style classroom, Xia Wenjin found her emotions hardest to calm.


    She could never have dreamed that Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s husband would be so handsome, nor could she have imagined his tenderness toward her¡­


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s jealousy grew even more pronounced.


    All of these were supposed to be hers!


    It was Lu Zhaozhao who had taken her place as the Lu Family¡¯s precious daughter, thus acquiring everything she now had!


    She couldn¡¯t stand to wait another moment! She wanted her identity back!


    She wanted to reclaim everything that belonged to her!


    That included Song Sinian!


    As soon as school was out, Xia Wenjin rushed out of the school nonstop.


    She needed to go straight to the Lu Family and talk to Cao Mei about the marriage arrangement with the Song Family.


    Just as she reached the school gates, suddenly someone stepped in her path.


    Xia Wenjin was about to explode in anger when the figure suddenly spoke, ¡°Wen Jin, it¡¯s me, your fourth brother.¡±


    Xia Wenjin was taken aback for a moment, her eyebrows lifting instantly, her eyes filled with confusion.


    Wasn¡¯t Xia Wenyan supposed to be attending a variety show? Why was he available now?


    Surely he hadn¡¯t been eliminated from the contest before it even started?


    Nowadays, to advance, the trainees had to have backing. Although Xia Wenyan was a bit popular now, most of it was due to his looks.


    If his backing company didn¡¯t promote him, there was no chance of him debuting.


    Thinking this, Xia Wenjin¡¯s gaze towards Xia Wenyan couldn¡¯t help but take on shades of impatience.


    Xia Wenyan saw Xia Wenjin staring at him without uttering a word, so he asked, ¡°I saw you hurrying out of school just now¡ªdid something happen?¡±


    Xia Wenjin shrugged her shoulders, ¡°Nothing much.¡±


    Even if she told him, Xia Wenyan couldn¡¯t help her anyway.


    She sighed quietly to herself and asked offhand, ¡°What brings you to school? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be on a variety show?¡±


    Xia Wenyan crossed his arms and let out a resigned sigh, ¡°That was the plan, but last night, where we were staying got raided all of a sudden. Out of a hundred trainees, seven or eight got caught using drugs. Now the show¡¯s been postponed, and the company is launching a full-scale internal investigation.¡±


    The company was conducting an internal check, so he happened to have time to come out.


    The time when Lu Zhaozhao had come to the Xia Family, each brother had given her a gift, only his had been returned and ended up being worn by their family¡¯s pet dog.


    It wasn¡¯t true if he said he wasn¡¯t upset.


    Thinking this, Xia Wenyan¡¯s eyelids drooped as he looked at Xia Wenjin with a smile and said, ¡°Wen Jin, your fourth brother is about to compete on a variety show. Aren¡¯t you going to cheer me on and show some support?¡±


    Xia Wenjin immediately became wary. Although she usually got along with Xia Wenyan alright, he hadn¡¯t sought her out this frequently before.


    Could it be because he knew she had been to the Lu Family and now had some money, so he wanted to get some from her?


    Hesitating for a moment, she pretended to be distressed and said, ¡°Fourth brother, you know, a girl¡¯s expenses are quite high, and I really don¡¯t have extra money to give you. Maybe I should ask Mom?¡±


    Her words immediately shattered Xia Wenyan¡¯s hopes for a gift, and he lost his enthusiasm in an instant.


    Suddenly, he looked up and just happened to see Lu Zhaozhao walking by in the distance¡­

 Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Do you think you are worthy?!

    Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Do you think you are worthy?!


    She seemed to have an exceedingly close male companion by her side.


    Was that man her boyfriend?


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly as he realized he didn¡¯t really understand Lu Zhaozhao.


    He only knew that she and Xia Wenjin had been swapped at birth, that she was the daughter of the Lu family, but as for anything else, he had learned it through Xia Wenjin.


    The Xia family¡¯s company had always been overseas; it was only recently that they had expanded into the domestic market.


    Business was mainly handled by his eldest brother, so the rest of them were free to pursue their interests.


    When they were abroad, they had never paid attention to the business affairs, and even less so after coming to the domestic market.


    Thus, he was very ignorant about the domestic business circles, let alone the Lu Family¡­


    Xia Wenjin caught Xia Wenyan¡¯s gaze and also happened to see Lu Zhaozhao.


    Especially when she saw Song Si¡¯s gaze persistently fixed on her, Xia Wenjin¡¯s jealousy almost drove her insane.


    Her venomous stare fixed on Lu Zhaozhao, and suddenly, as if remembering something, she reached out and tugged at Xia Wenyan, ¡°Fourth brother¡­ Did you see the man beside Lu Zhaozhao? He is actually my fianc¨¦.¡±


    She said this with her head downturned, looking extremely aggrieved as if she had been bullied.


    Xia Wenyan stood there, stunned, for a long time before he could snap out of it.


    Fianc¨¦?


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s fianc¨¦ was Xia Wenjin¡¯s?


    Why did he feel like his brain couldn¡¯t keep up?


    Xia Wenjin, seeing Xia Wenyan¡¯s dazed expression, felt a wave of disgust and reluctantly explained, ¡°I heard from Mrs. Lu that the marriage arrangement was between the Song Family and the Lu Family. Lu Zhaozhao found out at some point that she wasn¡¯t the daughter of the Lu Family, and fearing being thrown out by Mrs. Lu, she clung to Song Si and they went and got their marriage certificate¡­¡±


    ¡°Marriage certificate? Lu Zhaozhao got married?¡± Xia Wenyan was utterly shocked.


    The daughter of the Xia family had gotten married without a fuss?


    Xia Wenjin, hearing Xia Wenyan seize on the wrong point, raised her hand to shake him, ¡°Fourth brother, the person she married is my fianc¨¦, do you understand that? They only have a marriage certificate, there¡¯s no love involved. Plus, Lu Zhaozhao married him just to disgrace me¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The more Xia Wenyan heard, the worse he felt. It was outrageous enough that Lu Zhaozhao had married quietly, but now she was doing it out of spite towards Xia Wenjin?


    Seeing that Xia Wenyan¡¯s expression grew increasingly ugly, Xia Wenjin seized the opportunity to stoke the fire, ¡°Fourth brother, Lu Zhaozhao is very hostile towards me now, she won¡¯t listen to me. Maybe¡­ you could try persuading her, please?¡±


    Xia Wenyan hesitated for a moment but then nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go find her now.¡±


    Getting married on a whim, just to spite someone? Really?


    That guy looked respectable enough, but whether his family background was solid, that hadn¡¯t been investigated¡ªa definite no-go!


    She might not consider acknowledging him as her brother, but biologically speaking, they were indeed siblings.


    Besides, his parents and the other three brothers all placed great importance on Lu Zhaozhao, so it would be best if he stopped her before she made any serious mistakes.


    Thinking this way, Xia Wenyan strode off towards Lu Zhaozhao.


    As for Xia Wenjin, she naturally slipped away quietly.


    She still needed to find Cao Mei and Lu Dagui as soon as possible to discuss the engagement¡ªshe didn¡¯t have time to waste here with Xia Wenyan.


    ¡°Lu Zhaozhao!¡±


    Suddenly, a voice called her name from behind.


    Lu Zhaozhao instinctively turned around, just in time to see Xia Wenyan approaching from not far away.


    Her eyebrows involuntarily raised, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of panic.


    Had he found out about her anonymous report regarding the place they were staying for the variety show competition just yesterday?


    Lu Zhaozhao, feeling somewhat guilty, took a step back but instinctively positioned herself in front of Song Sinian.


    She had heard that these drug addicts had no humanity.


    If he suddenly went mad, she had to prevent Song Sinian from getting hurt.


    Song Sinian saw her subtle movements, but he didn¡¯t understand why she was doing it.


    Was she protecting him?


    Because of the man in front of them?


    Song Sinian thought for a moment and then his gaze landed on Xia Wenyan.


    He seemed older than Lu Zhaozhao and looked to be in good health. Was he the man she knew before who was close to death?


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at Xia Wenyan with a hint of wariness but still put on a composed face and asked, ¡°Do you need something from me?¡±


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, then he glanced at Song Sinian and back at Lu Zhaozhao, lowering his voice to ask, ¡°Can I talk to you alone?¡±


    His expression and behavior seemed very normal, and there was no hint of anger in his speech.


    Could she have been mistaken?


    Lu Zhaozhao hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. She turned to Song Sinian and said, ¡°Mr. Song, please go wait for me in the car, I¡¯ll come find you after I¡¯ve finished talking to him.¡±


    Song Sinian gave Lu Zhaozhao a deep look, nodded slightly, and then left.


    For a while, it was just Lu Zhaozhao and Xia Wenyan.


    She slightly lifted her eyes and said indifferently, ¡°Can we talk now?¡±


    Xia Wenyan coughed softly, ¡°I heard¡­ that your engagement to the man just now was arranged by the Lu Family?¡±


    Hearing Xia Wenyan mention the ¡°engagement,¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows suddenly furrowed.


    This was probably Xia Wenjin¡¯s doing, wasn¡¯t it?


    Although her engagement to Song Sinian was a union between the Song and Lu Families, it was entirely the Lu Family treating her as a commodity to be sold to the Song Family.


    Xia Wenjin was probably jealous after seeing how handsome and gentle Song Sinian was, right?


    She sighed lightly, saw Xia Wenyan hesitating to speak, and coldly said, ¡°You mean to say that I¡¯ve stolen Xia Wenjin¡¯s engagement?¡±


    Xia Wenyan shook his head, ¡°No, no, no, I just think you should consider more carefully before getting married? After all, you¡¯re still young, and that man obviously looks older than you. You don¡¯t need to agree so readily just because you¡¯re upset with Wen Jin.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Listening to Xia Wenyan¡¯s explanation, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gaze towards him turned colder.


    She scoffed, ¡°So that¡¯s what you think of me? Should I thank you for not deeming me as someone who¡¯s marrying him just for the Song Family¡¯s wealth and status?¡±


    Although Xia Wenyan wasn¡¯t usually adept at reading people¡¯s expressions, he could still tell from Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s obvious retort.


    ¡°Lu Zhaozhao, I¡¯m doing this for your own good. If you weren¡¯t my sister, I wouldn¡¯t even bother! You¡¯d better listen and divorce that man immediately!¡± Xia Wenyan said irritably, frowning.


    According to domestic standards, daughters of the Xia Family were from esteemed and wealthy backgrounds; how could she marry someone so casually?


    A cold light flashed in Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes, ¡°For my own good, you think you can disregard my wishes and tell me to divorce as you please? How can you even call yourself someone¡¯s brother? Who gave you the courage? Do you think you¡¯re worthy?!¡±

 Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Did I appease you like this?

    Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Did I appease you like this?


    Xia Wenyan was stunned by Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s rebuttal, mouth agape and unable to react for a long while.


    To be exact, he had never imagined that the soft and tender-looking Lu Zhaozhao could be so fierce.


    ¡°I, I, you¡­¡± Xia Wenyan stammered for quite some time before he could utter a complete sentence, ¡°Why are you being so fierce? I was just kindly reminding you that after all, you are now a child of the Xia family, our family situation, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± Before Xia Wenyan could finish his sentence, Lu Zhaozhao made a halting gesture at him.


    She took a deep breath, staring at Xia Wenyan and said word by word, ¡°I understand the Xia family¡¯s situation very well, I will take good care of mom and dad, I¡¯ll cover the medical expenses for third brother, and as for you! You better focus on being a big star, and if you dare to break the law, I will break your legs!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xia Wenyan had a bunch of excuses ready to go, but Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s sudden burst of assertiveness left him speechless.


    What confused him even more was the content of Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s just-stated remarks.


    He could understand the responsibility of taking care of parents, but why should she be the one to pay for third brother¡¯s medical expenses?


    And did he really look like the sort of person to break laws?


    When Lu Zhaozhao saw he wasn¡¯t responding, she raised her eyebrows, intentionally bellowed at him with fierceness, ¡°Xia Wenyan, did you get that?!¡±


    ¡°I, I got it.¡± Xia Wenyan looked at Lu Zhaozhao slightly meekly, as if someone had suddenly grabbed him by the back of the neck.


    Could this be what they call bloodline suppression?


    But isn¡¯t she his little sister?


    Seeing his reaction, Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue any further, she sighed and waved at him, ¡°Since there¡¯s nothing else, let¡¯s call it a day.¡±


    Saying this, she turned and left.


    Xia Wenyan stood in place, watching Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s retreating figure, still out of sorts for a long time.


    Meanwhile, seated in the car, Song Sinian was propping his chin with one hand, watching the distant silhouettes with a faint gaze.


    ¡°Sir, should we investigate the man who tried to approach the madam?¡± Zhao Xi glanced through the rearview mirror at the silent Song Sinian, and tentatively asked a question.


    Just after marrying Lu Zhaozhao, Mr. Song had been nearly eager to investigate every male around her.


    He wouldn¡¯t even spare the dead ones.


    Now that the man had actually approached them, he surely wouldn¡¯t let it slide, right?


    Song Sinian nodded, ¡°Hmm, investigate him.¡±


    He laid his arm, which had been supporting his chin, flat and gently tapped on the car window before raising his eyes toward Zhao Xi, seated in the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°Do you know¡­ how to be clingy?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Zhao Xi thought he must be hallucinating for a moment.


    He twisted around, staring dead at Song Sinian, ¡°Sir, I didn¡¯t quite catch that just now, did you just ask me about being clingy with the madam?¡±


    Song Sinian swept his eyes over him with an indifferent look and simply repeated, ¡°I¡¯m asking you how to be clingy.¡±


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Oh my God!


    Is their Mr. Song learning how to be clingy?


    Lord in heaven, what kind of fantastical plot is this.


    He gripped the back of the seat tightly and cautiously said, ¡°Being clingy isn¡¯t something I can explain in a word or two, and from a professional standpoint, I think maybe we should consult Doctor Tian?¡±


    After all, he¡¯s been single since birth, and even if Mr. Song dared to believe him, he didn¡¯t dare teach!


    It wasn¡¯t easy for Mr. Song to finally have a wife; if it were spoiled by his reckless blather, his grave would probably be overgrown with weeds by next year.


    Song Sinian thought for a moment, nodded, and seemed to think his suggestion wasn¡¯t too bad.


    Just as Zhao Xi was about to say something more, the car door was suddenly opened from the outside.


    Lu Zhaozhao stormed in, her expression seeming¡­ somewhat angry.


    Zhao Xi silently gave her a glance, gestured towards his own face to mimic a puffed-up angry look, then pointed at Lu Zhaozhao.


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyebrow slightly raised, utterly failing to ¡°get¡± Zhao Xi¡¯s hint.


    Zhao Xi let out a helpless sigh.


    Forget it, he could only wish their Mr. Song the best of luck.


    He quietly started the car, and the sedan began to speed smoothly down the highway.


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze swept over Lu Zhaozhao for quite some time but still couldn¡¯t discern anything.


    However, the hint Zhao Xi had given was definitely related to Lu Zhaozhao.


    After a moment, he raised his hand, pinched Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s little face, and asked, ¡°Was that person just now the reason for your unhappiness?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s originally puffed-up little face relaxed under Song Sinian¡¯s pinch, and upon hearing his concerned tone, her irritation quickly dissipated by more than half.


    Her little mouth moved, and she nodded at Song Sinian, ¡°Yeah, I really am very angry.¡±


    ¡°Angry¡­¡± Song Sinian mulled over the word carefully.


    This emotion didn¡¯t seem to be within the range Lu Zhaozhao had taught him.


    He looked towards Lu Zhaozhao, his dark eyes stirring slightly, ¡°Then¡­¡±


    He looked at his own hand, then at Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s little face, and his gaze finally landed on her rosy little lips.


    His mind ran back and forth between kisses, hugs, and pats.


    Obviously, this problem was beyond his understanding.


    Lu Zhaozhao glanced at Song Sinian and easily saw through his thoughts.


    Her anger had not been his doing, but here he was, trying hard to soothe her mood. Where would her anger be?


    Watching Song Sinian¡¯s demeanor, Lu Zhaozhao suddenly couldn¡¯t resist wanting to tease him.


    She purposefully puffed up again, looking at Song Sinian, ¡°Mr. Song, at a time like this, you¡¯re supposed to comfort me¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s sparkling eyes shone, but laughter tinged her brows and eyes.


    Comfort?


    That was another knowledge gap.


    Song Sinian¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, ¡°How should I comfort you?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s shiny eyes quickly shifted, and she reached out her little hand, ¡°Mr. Song, lean your face in, then place it on my hand.¡±


    Song Sinian didn¡¯t understand what Lu Zhaozhao was up to but followed her instructions anyway.


    And so, right after Lu Zhaozhao had spoken, Zhao Xi caught sight in the rearview mirror of their normally standoffish Mr. Song obediently resting his chin in Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s little hand.


    His eyes widened in shock, roughly akin to witnessing his family¡¯s ancestral tomb being blown up on the spot.


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes blinked slightly, gazing at Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s now beaming face, and he couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Does this comfort you?¡±


    At this moment, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s heart nearly melted because of Song Sinian. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, excitedly nuzzling him, ¡°Yes! Yes! Yes! I feel like I¡¯ve been healed in an instant!¡±


    Their Mr. Song really must be an embodiment of an angel, huh!


    How can he be so adorable!


    Song Sinian was suddenly embraced by Lu Zhaozhao, her soft, glutinous little face rubbing against his, causing him to stiffen slightly, but soon his hand gently wrapped around her lower back.


    She had said before, when wanting to be close, to hold her tight.


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes blinked slowly, the scent of her like fizzy orange soda lingering at the tip of his nose, making his Adam¡¯s apple bob slightly¡­

 Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Whats Going On Now?

    Chapter 52: Chapter 52 What¡¯s Going On Now?


    He wanted¡­ to get closer once more.


    Song Sinian¡¯s nose gently brushed her small face, and his lips slowly moved downward¡­


    ¡°Mr. Song.¡±


    A delicate and soft voice suddenly sounded inside the car, instantly making Song Sinian¡¯s movements halt.


    His dark eyes sank slightly as he remembered that Lu Zhaozhao had mentioned they could only be intimate when the two of them were alone.


    So had he just crossed a line?


    Was she¡­ unhappy?


    Song Sinian looked at Lu Zhaozhao and hesitated only for two seconds before he decisively reached for her small hand and rested his chin on it.


    Lu Zhaozhao: ¡°¡­¡±


    She watched his actions, dumbfounded, and then heard Song Sinian ask very seriously, ¡°Is it the hand that¡¯s wrong?¡±


    After that, he took her other hand and did the same.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s heart was already on the verge of dropping to her knees and furiously beating the wall. Oh dear God¡­ who could withstand this?


    She pinched Song Sinian¡¯s handsome face with her small hands, then cheerily said, ¡°I¡¯m not angry anymore, I have something to tell you¡­ about my identity.¡±


    When she said ¡°identity,¡± she clearly forced a bitter smile.


    But she quickly bounced back.


    When Song Sinian heard that Lu Zhaozhao was not angry anymore, his mood steadied quite a bit, ¡°Does it have to do with the man just now?¡±


    Recently, there had been quite a few men around Lu Zhaozhao, all connected to the Xia Family. He had also sent Zhao Xi to investigate the Xia Family¡¯s circumstances; the information hadn¡¯t been received yet, so he knew very little about the Xia Family.


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded, her little hands nervously twining together, ¡°That person just now was Lao Si from the Xia Family, Xia Wenyan. He just came to see me, wanting me to give up on our marriage contract.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s expression visibly darkened.


    He had already lost a lot of time with Lu Zhaozhao because of her so-called biological parents, and now someone was asking Lu Zhaozhao to leave him?


    Would there still be time to flatten their entire family and throw them out of the country?


    While Song Sinian was contemplating how to deal with this ¡°major crisis,¡± Lu Zhaozhao spoke again.


    ¡°This marriage contract was originally between the Song Family and the Lu Family, and I am no longer a daughter of the Lu Family¡­¡±


    Song Sinian grasped Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hand with urgency, staring at her intently, and said word by word, ¡°The one I¡¯ve always wanted to marry has only been you.¡±


    It had nothing to do with the marriage contract.


    He had spent so much time finding her again, he would not simply hand her over to someone else!


    It was the first time Lu Zhaozhao had heard Song Sinian say such words to her, diminishing almost all the anxiety in her heart.


    Her eyes curved, her brows and eyes filled with warmth, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect our Mr. Song to have such a sweet mouth~¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao deliberately drew out her tone, tilting her head cutely to look at him.


    Just as she was feeling smug, she was suddenly pulled over by Song Sinian, who grasped the back of her neck.


    And then his lips pressed against hers.


    Zhao Xi¡¯s hand trembled and hit the volume control, filling the car with the melodious English song in an instant.


    Startled, Zhao Xi shivered and quickly tried to press back.


    The boss and the lady boss getting cozy and here he was, unwittingly adding background music?


    But clearly, Song Sinian¡¯s attention was not on the music inside the car at all, his heart and eyes were filled with Lu Zhaozhao.


    Song Sinian slowly released Lu Zhaozhao and, seeing her dazed look as a result of his actions, his mood instantly improved a great deal.


    Lu Zhaozhao touched her lips in disbelief, ¡°Mr. Song, did you just¡­¡±


    Song Sinian raised his hand and gently rubbed the smeared lipstick at the corner of her mouth, explaining in a methodical manner, ¡°I was just tasting the flavor.¡±


    ¡­


    His expression was so serious that if she hadn¡¯t been the one he kissed, she¡¯d doubt whether the initiator was Song Sinian at all.


    It was over, she might have led their family¡¯s Mr. Song astray!


    If he kept flirting like this, her heart was bound to need bypass surgery sooner or later¡­


    The afternoon autumn sun was still scorching hot.


    Xia Wenyan, after having an unpleasant interaction with Lu Zhaozhao, was feeling utterly deflated.


    He returned to the Xia Family home irritated, yanking off his mask and hat and tossing them aside.


    Xia Wenqing, who was sitting in the living room dealing with documents, glanced at him and asked casually, ¡°Causing trouble outside again?¡±


    Before, Xia Wenyan had said he¡¯d be busy these few days, attending training and competitions; Wenqing didn¡¯t expect him to be back home so soon.


    Xia Wenyan frowned in annoyance, ¡°Me, causing trouble? The entertainment companies are undergoing self-inspections these days, so they gave us a break.¡±


    Xia Wenqing, holding the document in his hands, seemed to suddenly remember something, ¡°The place they¡¯re inspecting this time isn¡¯t where your competition is being held, is it?¡±


    He had heard that someone anonymously reported drug use at a gathering, which led many entertainment companies to scramble into action.


    Besides frantically denying the allegations, the companies started internal inspections of their own artists, fearing getting entangled in this scandal.


    Xia Wenyan shrugged noncommittally.


    Xia Wenqing looked at him suspiciously, eyes measuring him up and down.


    If it had been any other time, Xia Wenyan would¡¯ve been hopping mad about having to return home, seeing as singing and dancing were his life.


    What about now? Suddenly lost his drive for life?


    Wenqing¡¯s eyes drooped slightly, and upon seeing Xia Wenyan¡¯s conflicted expression, his lips curved into a slight smirk, and he decided to stay quiet.


    Lao Si was the most restless by nature. The more Wenqing would press him for answers, the less likely he was to tell the truth.


    So by maintaining silence, he¡¯d make himself open up first.


    And as expected, the living room remained quiet for no more than five seconds before Xia Wenyan sighed deeply.


    ¡°Big Bro, do you think Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s brain isn¡¯t quite right?¡± Xia Wenyan mentioned Lu Zhaozhao and couldn¡¯t help but start fuming, ¡°I was obviously trying to look out for her, and she ended up getting angry at me!¡±


    Hearing the name ¡°Lu Zhaozhao¡±, Xia Wenqing¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, and his eyes sharply fixed on Xia Wenyan.


    ¡°Did you go to see Zhaozhao today?¡±


    Xia Wenyan nodded, ¡°Yes, I just wanted to tell her not to marry someone out of spite, and she snapped at me!¡±


    Wenyan then recounted the entire incident with Lu Zhaozhao at school to Xia Wenqing.


    ¡°Big Bro, don¡¯t you think she went too far?!¡± After finishing his story, Xia Wenyan didn¡¯t forget to seek solidarity from Xia Wenqing.


    By this point, Xia Wenqing¡¯s face had already darkened significantly because of what Wenyan had just said.


    He turned and called out towards the corridor, ¡°Kaka! Come here!¡±


    Soon after, a mynah dog bounded over from the end of the corridor, the black bandana tied around its neck standing out sharply.


    Xia Wenyan immediately recognized it as the one Lu Zhaozhao had intended to give to him.


    He frowned in dissatisfaction and muttered, ¡°Big Bro, I¡¯m talking to you about Zhaozhao and me; why did you call Kaka over?¡±


    Xia Wenqing glanced at Xia Wenyan with disdain, picking up Kaka, ¡°Isn¡¯t my attitude obvious enough?¡±

 Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53: He Doesnt Study Medicine, But His Artistic Anatomy is Perfect

    Chapter 53: Chapter 53: He Doesn¡¯t Study Medicine, But His Artistic Anatomy is Perfect


    He pointed to the bandana tied around Kaka¡¯s neck, ¡°From now on, it¡¯s our Lao Si, you can go wherever you please.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Xia Wenyan couldn¡¯t believe his own ears.


    Was he being kicked out of the house?!


    ¡°Lao Er, aren¡¯t you being a bit too ridiculous with what you¡¯re saying?¡± Xia Wenyan crossed his arms and his face was filled with dissatisfaction. ¡°If Mom and Dad knew about this, they definitely wouldn¡¯t agree.¡±


    Xia Wenqing, holding Kaka in his arms and rubbing its head, spoke in a leisurely tone, ¡°Haven¡¯t you wondered why Zhaozhao said she would take care of the medical expenses for Lao San?¡±


    His words instantly grabbed Xia Wenyan¡¯s attention.


    He raised his eyebrow slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Lu Zhaozhao has no clue about our family¡¯s real situation.¡±


    Their family had always worried that Xia Wen Jin, being young and naive, might be swindled by someone with ulterior motives, so they tried their best to hide the family¡¯s true circumstances.


    Their daily life was managed by professionals, making it appear as though they were just an ordinary middle-class family.


    But their parents were worried that Wen Jin would be mistreated, so they gave her ten thousand yuan as pocket money every month.


    If you just looked at the surface, indeed, the depth of their family¡¯s situation was not evident.


    Wenqing nodded, ¡°The first time Zhaozhao came over, she handed over her bank card to Mom and Dad, saying it was for Lao San¡¯s medical treatment, and she even helped us get in touch with the dean of Shangjing Central Hospital.¡±


    He looked at Wenyan with a somewhat mischievous gaze and continued, ¡°Before Da Ge found out about Zhaozhao¡¯s identity, she didn¡¯t know she was a child of the Xia Family. Can you guess from whom Zhaozhao learned about our family situation?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeing Wenqing¡¯s slightly malicious expression, Wenyan didn¡¯t dare to guess.


    He had this faint feeling that he might have caused some trouble.


    If Lu Zhaozhao really was unaware of the true financial status of the Xia Family, then her actions were truly different from Wen Jin¡¯s.


    But soon, Wenyan came up with a reasonable excuse, ¡°Lu Zhaozhao grew up in the Lu Family and saw plenty of business dealings from a young age; it¡¯s normal for her to be shrewd.¡±


    Wenqing¡¯s face instantly clouded over when he heard Wenyan mention the Lu Family.


    He lifted his eyes to look at Wenyan and said word by word, ¡°Lao Si, sometimes, certain things shouldn¡¯t be taken for granted. Since you don¡¯t trust others¡¯ words, you should investigate it yourself and avoid doing anything you might regret.¡±


    Wenqing¡¯s words were so earnest that it left Wenyan at a loss for how to respond.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Suddenly, Wenqing seemed to remember something and cautioned, ¡°Those bad things you said about Zhaozhao earlier, don¡¯t mention them to Lao San.¡±


    Wenyan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are you worried that San Ge will think poorly of Lu Zhaozhao for being so fierce?¡±


    Wenqing gave Wenyan a glance as if looking at an idiot and uttered slowly, ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid that your San Ge might use a crafting knife to slice your tendons because, although he doesn¡¯t study medicine, he got full marks in art anatomy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    At noon, Lu Zhaozhao and Song Sinian finished their lunch, tidied up a bit, and headed back to school.


    Song Sinian went to the company to deal with the work he had postponed that morning.


    His fingertips were flying rapidly over the keyboard, but then they paused and he looked up at Zhao Xi to ask, ¡°The investigation you did on the Xia Family, have you found anything?¡±


    Zhao Xi quickly stood up and handed the prepared documents to Song Sinian, ¡°The information isn¡¯t completely comprehensive, but the overall situation should be mostly accurate.¡±


    This so-called corporate employee, Xia Wenjue, was none other than the renowned CEO of the famous international XJ Group.


    Xia Wenqing was a legal magnate in the M Country.


    Xia Wenmo was a genius painter in the M Country¡¯s art circle.


    Xia Wenyan, or Lao Si, was a top student at a world-class music academy in the M Country.


    As for the two members of the Xia Family, they were also well-known painters abroad.


    Only Xia Wenjin was quite ordinary, having just graduated from high school and come to the domestic scene; she was arranged to attend Yuqing University.


    It was unclear whether it was intentional or not, but the Xia Family always kept a low profile. If not for their complex network of relationships within the country, their true information would have been impossible to uncover.


    Song Sinian looked at the results of Zhao Xi¡¯s investigation, his dark eyes narrowing slightly, ¡°I remember Zhaozhao went to see the director of Shangjing Central Hospital¡­¡±


    Zhao Xi nodded repeatedly, ¡°Right, Xia Wenmo has a tumor in his brain, and he had already been admitted to Shangjing Central Hospital before Mrs. Song helped out, except Mrs. Song didn¡¯t know it.¡±


    He hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Sir, should we inform Mrs. Song about the true wealth of the Xia Family?¡±


    They really didn¡¯t need the help of Mrs. Song, let alone any financial assistance.


    Song Siyi gently shook his head, ¡°This is a matter between the Xia Family and Zhaozhao; there¡¯s no need for me to get involved.¡±


    They had behaved this way back when they were in the M Country, so it probably wasn¡¯t an intentional concealment from Lu Zhaozhao.


    As for when they would be frank with her, that was the Xia Family¡¯s business.


    Although he detested the people from the Xia Family, Lu Zhaozhao liked them now, so he couldn¡¯t touch them.


    Zhao Xi nodded, ¡°Also, Mrs. Song¡­ seems to have reported the variety show that Xia Wenyan is on. I don¡¯t know if his visit to Mrs. Song today has anything to do with this incident.¡±


    Song Sinian thoughtfully narrowed his eyes, ¡°So it¡¯s him.¡±


    He picked out Xia Wenyan¡¯s information from the documents and instructed separately, ¡°Find someone clever to follow him. If he dares to get involved with something he shouldn¡¯t, break his legs.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    After thinking for a moment about the results of his previous investigations, Zhao Xi added, ¡°If there are people around Xia Wenyan involved with such things, should they be dealt with, too?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyes darkened slightly, ¡°That kind of person¡­ shouldn¡¯t even exist.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhao Xi felt a chill in his heart, remembering that the people protected by Mrs. Song, their master could still treat them with a bit of gentleness.


    Lu Zhaozhao getting married into the Song Family was definitely a blessing from the heavens!


    In the future, he must cling to Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s coattails!


    Meanwhile, at the Lu Family¡¯s home, Xia Wenjin just received a message from Xia Wenyan.


    [Wen Jin, I think my second brother might have gone crazy, he actually wants to kick me out of the house!]


    Reading the message from Xia Wenyan, Xia Wenjin¡¯s brow knitted tightly together.


    She put away her phone, tossed it aside, and then looked pitifully at Cao Mei, ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t know how Lu Zhaozhao bullied me today, using Mrs. Song¡¯s status! She doesn¡¯t take me seriously at all, waaaah¡­¡±


    Cao Mei gently patted Xia Wenjin¡¯s shoulder, comforting her, ¡°Jin, don¡¯t cry. Rest assured, Mom will definitely avenge you! That little wench was just using your identity before, but as soon as she¡¯s useless, your dad and I will kick her out immediately!¡±


    How could Xia Wenjin be content with just a few words from Cao Mei?


    She immediately asked, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m already back, so why not reveal her identity yet?¡±

 Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54: How Much Longer Can You Be Proud!

    Chapter 54: Chapter 54: How Much Longer Can You Be Proud!


    As long as Lu Zhaozhao remains a daughter of the Lu Family, her status, her man will never belong to her. How could Xia Wenjin be content with this?


    Cao Mei sighed lightly and patted Xia Wenjin¡¯s back, ¡°Your father is going to bid for a mining vein soon, and he needs the support of the Song Family, so we can¡¯t touch her right now.¡±


    Although she didn¡¯t know how that shameless wretch had sweet-talked Song Sinian, she did admit the girl still had her uses.


    ¡°But I can do it too!¡± Xia Wenjin blurted out without thinking, ¡°And wasn¡¯t that marriage arrangement originally mine?¡±


    Cao Mei¡¯s eyes widened in shock, disbelief painted on her face, ¡°Silly child, what nonsense are you talking about? Someone like Song Sinian, I would never want my precious daughter to marry him!¡±


    Hearing Cao Mei¡¯s words, Xia Wenjin looked incredulous. Song Sinian was clearly so handsome, kind, and rich!


    Cao Mei, seeing that Xia Wenjin was unhappy, hurriedly explained, ¡°Your father has been in the business world for so many years, he has heard plenty about the Song Family. It¡¯s said that he¡¯s ruthless in his actions, leaving no room for others, with a perverse nature and devoid of humanity.¡±


    What was even more important was that they had heard Song Sinian had problems with his brain, a genuine monster.


    How could she wish for her precious daughter to marry such a person?


    Xia Wenjin immediately refuted Cao Mei¡¯s words, ¡°I saw him at a lecture today, and he is nothing like what you¡¯ve described! You must have been deceived!¡±


    She then recounted her encounter with Song Sinian at the lecture to Cao Mei in full detail.


    Cao Mei then fell silent.


    Could it really be that they had been deceived?


    What benefit could there be for someone spreading such news?


    Suddenly, as if a thought had struck her, Cao Mei¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    If this matter had anything to do with Xiao Jinglan, then everything would make sense.


    She might have not expected, with all these rumors, that someone would still marry Song Sinian.


    This also made Cao Mei understand why Lu Zhaozhao, such an unremarkable woman, was so favored by Sinian¡¯s side.


    Because no woman ever got close to him, that must be why he treated Lu Zhaozhao so well.


    ¡°Mom~~~¡± Xia Wenjin, seeing that Cao Mei remained silent, shook her arm to get her attention.


    Cao Mei came back to her senses and looked at Xia Wenjin with a smile in her eyes, ¡°Jin, do you really like Song Sinian that much?¡±


    Xia Wenjin, no longer playing coy, nodded immediately, ¡°Yes! I like him!¡±


    Such a handsome, considerate, and wealthy man, how many women wouldn¡¯t like him?


    Seeing Xia Wenjin¡¯s ecstatic expression when mentioning Song Sinian, Cao Mei couldn¡¯t help but sigh lightly, ¡°Since you like him so much, then there¡¯s no helping it. Mom will definitely help you snatch Song Sinian back.¡±


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s eyelids drooped slightly in response, ¡°Mom, can¡¯t we just make Lu Zhaozhao initiate a divorce with Song Sinian? Wasn¡¯t this marriage supposed to be between the Lu Family and the Song Family in the first place?¡±


    If Lu Zhaozhao isn¡¯t from the Lu Family anymore, then the marriage is even less hers.


    Cao Mei also felt somewhat frustrated; if she had known earlier that everything she¡¯d heard about Sinian was just a rumor, she would have postponed things no matter what.


    Now that Lu Zhaozhao had married Song Sinian and was so favored, she definitely wouldn¡¯t give up the status of Mrs. Song easily.


    She had originally planned to install a camera in her bedroom after she had made contact with Sinian, to capture some leverage to control her.


    But to her complete surprise, the brazen girl went ahead and got married, leaving her unprepared.


    ¡°Lu Zhaozhao would never initiate a divorce unless she had something incriminating hanging over her head,¡± Cao Mei said through gritted teeth.


    Xia Wenjin suddenly remembered the conversation she had overheard between Xiao Jinglan and the Lu Family.


    She vaguely felt that Cao Mei must have some way to get a grip on Lu Zhaozhao.


    Lifting her eyes, she cautiously asked, ¡°Mom, can¡¯t we think of something?¡±


    Cao Mei hesitated for a moment but still spoke her mind, ¡°There¡¯s a way, but the premise is we have to get Lu Zhaozhao to stay with us for a few days.¡±


    Cao Mei did not tell Xia Wenjin what to do next.


    How could she let her precious daughter know about such dirty matters?


    All her precious daughter needed was to have the best things!


    When Xia Wenjin heard this, her eyes suddenly brightened, ¡°So, as long as we get Lu Zhaozhao to come back and stay a few days, that will be enough?¡±


    Cao Mei nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it!¡± Xia Wenjin took Cao Mei¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I also want to help share the burden with mom.¡±


    Cao Mei¡¯s face beamed with satisfaction, ¡°Good, good, good, truly my obedient daughter, always caring for your mother.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re my mom~¡±


    Xia Wenjin leaned into Cao Mei¡¯s embrace with a smile plastered across her face, yet she couldn¡¯t help feeling anticipation rising within her.


    Lu Zhaozhao, let¡¯s see how long you can stay smug!


    The next day at Yuqing University.


    Because Song Sinian had participated in a lecture at the school the previous day, the rumors about Lu Zhaozhao marrying for money fell apart on their own.


    The school¡¯s forum instead filled with many of Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s beauty fans.


    Everything related to her was filled with adoration and praise for her beauty.


    Her popularity at school reached unprecedented heights.


    She would even receive gifts from fans who would approach her directly on the street.


    Lu Zhaozhao felt somewhat unaccustomed, sighing helplessly as she looked at the fresh flowers and dolls she received.


    In her previous life, she followed the words of Xiao Jinglan and Cao Mei, always acting obedient and hiding her sharp edges¡ªit was incredibly stifling.


    Song Sinian¡¯s appearance yesterday was one of the few highlights for her.


    This life, thanks to the blessings of Mr. Song from their family, she no longer had to constrain herself.


    Once the Lu Family collapsed, her target would be Xiao Jinglan. She planned to thoroughly pull her down from the Song Family!


    As she thought about this, her way was blocked by someone.


    Lu Zhaozhao looked up and saw Xia Wenjin standing in front of her.


    Just seeing her, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s good mood decreased by half.


    She decided to ignore Xia Wenjin and tried to sidestep her to leave.


    Unexpectedly, Xia Wenjin grabbed at her sleeve, ¡°Zhaozhao, let¡¯s make up!¡±


    Her abrupt statement immediately made Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows shoot up in alert.


    She instinctively shook off the gripping hand and looked coldly at Xia Wenjin, ¡°What tricks are you trying to play now?¡±


    She did not understand Xia Wenjin¡¯s character very well, but she definitely was not the type to recognize her faults and change, let alone to admit them proactively.


    Xia Wenjin, holding the hand that Lu Zhaozhao had shaken off, looked at her with a face full of grievance, ¡°Zhaozhao, I didn¡¯t mean to play any tricks. I was just upset before because I felt you took my place, so that¡¯s why I got angry with you. But mom already explained everything to me, so I want to get along with you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ha! Xia Wenjin really knows how to come up with a variety of schemes!


    Even searching for excuses, shouldn¡¯t she at least find something that sounds reasonable?


    Did the Lu Family not have the slightest clue about Cao Mei¡¯s attitude toward her?


    Did she actually expect Xia Wenjin to speak fondly of her?

 Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55 What Do You Count For?

    Chapter 55: Chapter 55 What Do You Count For?


    The likelihood of that is even lower than getting struck by lightning on a rainy day.


    Zhaozhao looked Xia Wenjin up and down, observing her straining every nerve to act, and she suddenly became curious about what kind of plan she was so eagerly pursuing.


    She feigned contemplation for a few seconds before slowly beginning to speak, ¡°So, how do you plan to ¡®get along well¡¯ with me?¡±


    Xia Wenjin hadn¡¯t expected Zhaozhao to be so amenable; a trace of smugness gleamed in her eyes.


    She hurried over, pretending to be affectionate as she tried to hug Zhaozhao¡¯s arm but was subtly avoided.


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s arm awkwardly hung in midair, yet the smile never left her face.


    ¡°Zhaozhao, you know I¡¯ve only just returned to the country, there¡¯s a lot I don¡¯t really understand, so¡­ could you stay at the Lu Family for a few days? We could really get to know each other, what do you think?¡±


    Zhaozhao then realized Xia Wenjin¡¯s elaborate efforts were all about getting her to stay at the Lu Family for a few days.


    As to what would happen once she was there, she couldn¡¯t be clearer.


    Zhaozhao scoffed coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    Xia Wenjin was taken aback, her brows furrowed in confusion as she looked at Zhaozhao. Why was this different from what she had expected?


    She stared at Zhaozhao with a bizarre expression, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to reassure Mom and Dad? If we get along, Mom will be happy too¡­¡±


    Zhaozhao¡¯s lips curled into a scornful smirk, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to get along with you. Right now, I am known as both the Lu Family¡¯s heiress and Mrs. Song, so what are you?¡±


    She knew exactly where Xia Wenjin¡¯s vulnerabilities were, so Zhaozhao deliberately pressed on them.


    Sure enough, Xia Wenjin¡¯s complexion instantly darkened as much as the bottom of a pot.


    She glared at Zhaozhao viciously, ¡°What are you worth! Your current status is all mine! And you still have the nerve to show off?!¡±


    Zhaozhao shrugged indifferently, ¡°So what? Even if I¡¯m a fake, no one dares to touch my room in the Lu Family home, and the clothes in my closet are still too extravagant for you to wear!¡±


    She deliberately stepped forward and poked Xia Wenjin¡¯s shoulder hard with her finger, ¡°Even if you can¡¯t stand me, what can you do about it? The Lu Family is begging me to stay, let alone you, a cousin with no status at all¡­¡±


    She emphasized the words ¡°no status¡± to thoroughly infuriate Xia Wenjin.


    ¡°You shameless woman, I¡­ Ah!¡±


    ¡°Slap!¡±


    Xia Wenjin raised her hand to hit Zhaozhao but had her hand caught and received a slap in return.


    Zhaozhao watched Xia Wenjin coldly, ¡°I told you before, don¡¯t mess with someone you can¡¯t afford to provoke. If you don¡¯t learn, I¡¯ll beat you until you do.¡±


    As she spoke, she raised her hand again, frightening Xia Wenjin into immediately covering her face.


    But Zhaozhao simply clapped her hands instead.


    Seeing Xia Wenjin¡¯s craven demeanor, Zhaozhao narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, ¡°Now that you understand, get out of my sight quickly!¡±


    Xia Wenjin kept a resentful gaze on Zhaozhao but ultimately could only leave angrily.


    Watching her slowly disappearing figure, Zhaozhao began to devise other plans.


    With those words she just said, the aggrieved Xia Wenjin would surely return to the Lu Family and trash her room. If Zhaozhao could get her hands on that video footage, it might become a valuable bargaining chip in the future.


    But how could she get it?


    If she were to go straight back to the Lu Family, she would assuredly be discovered.


    I guess I¡¯ll have to seek hacker¡¯s help¡­


    She remembered that in her previous life, when her reputation was in ruins, a hacker had once helped her, and she had always wanted to repay him, but later on, that person suddenly lost contact.


    Now that they had no connection, would it be inappropriate to contact him out of the blue?


    Lu Zhaozhao hesitated for a moment, but still took out her phone and logged onto a professional hacker platform.


    As expected, when she saw hacker J listed there, she decisively sent a private message.


    [I have a personal task, would you be interested?]


    After sending the message, Lu Zhaozhao put away her phone.


    In fact, she was also not sure whether the other party would take the job¡­


    Meanwhile, Xia Wenjin, who had stormed off in a huff, left the school and went straight home.


    She even skipped her classes.


    All she could think about was Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s mocking words, and in a frenzy, she returned to the Lu Family, charging straight into Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s second-floor room.


    As soon as she entered, she started smashing things in the room.


    ¡°Shameless thing! Stealing my identity and now my man!¡±


    ¡°Dirty slut! What do you have to be so proud of?! Just a stinking girl from a poor family, and you dare to act wild over me!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just for that face you use to seduce men? I¡¯ll scratch your damn face one day!¡±


    ¡­


    The clattering noise startled Cao Mei, who was resting on the first floor.


    When she entered the room and saw the mess, her eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°Jin, what has gotten into you?¡± Cao Mei saw her holding a pair of scissors, frantically cutting clothes from Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s wardrobe, her eyes filled with madness.


    She couldn¡¯t help frowning and hurriedly stepped forward to pull Xia Wenjin away, fearing she might do herself harm in her impulsive state.


    Xia Wenjin almost gnashed her teeth as she said, ¡°That bitch Lu Zhaozhao, she¡¯s taken my identity, alright, but still looks down on me. She¡¯s just relying on that face to marry into the Song Family, what¡¯s there to be proud of?!¡±


    Cao Mei thought about how Xia Wenjin had left for school, saying she would help, and now she probably got snubbed by Lu Zhaozhao.


    Seeing how infuriated Xia Wenjin was, Cao Mei knew that Lu Zhaozhao must have said some nasty things.


    She really hadn¡¯t expected this little bitch to act so well at home, and now, having married into the Song Family, showed her true colors.


    Xia Wenjin, seeing that Cao Mei didn¡¯t speak, immediately threw down the scissors and started crying to her, ¡°Mom, that bitch also said that the Lu Family is now begging her, she clearly doesn¡¯t regard you and dad at all, maybe in the future, she¡¯ll cause trouble at the Song Family, then what will our family do, wuwu¡­¡±


    Cao Mei¡¯s brows furrowed, ¡°That bitch really thinks she¡¯s turned from a sparrow to a phoenix, it seems that if we don¡¯t teach her a lesson, she really won¡¯t know her place!¡±


    Xia Wenjin, seeing Cao Mei swayed by her words, quickly said, ¡°Mom, since we¡¯re going to teach her a lesson, we have to make sure it lands, otherwise, it¡¯s likely that she¡¯ll bite us back at the Song Family.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t important to Cao Mei if they failed, what she was mainly worried about was her image being tarnished in Song Sinian¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, we really need to be more thorough¡­¡± Cao Mei¡¯s eyes narrowed, clearly she had some plans in her mind.


    Xia Wenjin grabbed Cao Mei and reminded her again, ¡°To make a bitch like Lu Zhaozhao obedient, we need to crush what she¡¯s most proud of!¡±


    Cao Mei, hearing this, thoughtfully nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right, if she carelessly gets into trouble with some ruffians and is tarnished¡­ then the only shelter she could find will be our Lu Family¡­¡±

 Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Mr. Song from their family really is a little angel, isnt he?

    Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Mr. Song from their family really is a little angel, isn¡¯t he?


    ¡°Yes, when the time comes, it won¡¯t be anything other than what you, mom, want her to do that she will have to do!¡±


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s mouth maliciously curved, and all the rage she had felt towards Lu Zhaozhao was released in this moment.


    As long as Cao Mei destroyed Lu Zhaozhao, she would lose everything she currently had.


    Then everything would return to its rightful track!


    In the evening, when Lu Zhaozhao got home, she immediately sensed a depressing atmosphere in the living room.


    Upon seeing her, Zhao Xi and Qian Hong acted as if they had seen a savior, rushing over immediately.


    Qian Hong took the bag from her hands with a smile brimming in her eyes, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re back. Are you hungry now? I¡¯ll make sure dinner is served in the dining room right away.¡±


    ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve worked hard, let me take the bags!¡± Zhao Xi, overly eager to please, took the bag from Qian Hong and followed right behind Lu Zhaozhao.


    The overly enthusiastic expressions of the two sharply contrasted with the oppressive mood of the home.


    Lu Zhaozhao, wearing slippers, walked into the living room and glanced at the empty sofa. She couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Mr. Song¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Song is currently in the study, but he¡¯s in a bad mood.¡± No sooner had Lu Zhaozhao spoken than Zhao Xi couldn¡¯t hold back.


    He began to spill everything like beans out of a bamboo tube, chattering away.


    ¡°If you have a moment, Madam, could you please make a trip to the study? After all, it¡¯s almost time for dinner¡­¡±


    He looked at Lu Zhaozhao with a face full of anticipation, as if he were afraid she might refuse.


    Since the afternoon when their household¡¯s Mr. Song received a call from the Song Mansion, Song Sinian¡¯s mood had been off.


    It wasn¡¯t that his facial expression showed much, but rather the low pressure around him was suffocating.


    Since Song Sinian had married Lu Zhaozhao, he had been like a sunflower that sees the sun every day ¨C bright and sunny.


    Zhao Xi had almost forgotten this choking sensation, as if being throttled at any moment.


    Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t rush to get up but instead looked at Zhao Xi and inquired in detail, ¡°What¡¯s upsetting Mr. Song? Is it something to do with work?¡±


    In her last life, Song Sinian¡¯s emotions had barely fluctuated, so she had no idea what could upset him so visibly.


    Zhao Xi hesitated, glancing at Lu Zhaozhao, unsure how to explain.


    In the end, he could only resort to a pleading look towards Qian Hong.


    ¡°Cough, cough¡­ Madam, actually¡­ next Monday is Old Master Song¡¯s 80th birthday. Mr. Song needs to make a trip back to the Song Mansion,¡± Qian Hong kindly helped explain.


    Old Master Song¡¯s 80th birthday.


    Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s pupils nearly quivered on the spot.


    She had almost forgotten this important event!


    She remembered that in her last life, Old Master Song didn¡¯t celebrate his 80th birthday because the day before, he had fallen while climbing a mountain for exercise and had not received timely assistance, resulting in a month-long coma.


    Although he eventually woke up, his legs were left immobile.


    In her past life, she didn¡¯t interact much with Old Master Song, but he had been rather decent to her, one of the few who truly treated her as a member of the Song Family.


    Unfortunately, at the time, Old Master Song¡¯s health was in decline, so a lot of the Song Family¡¯s affairs were left in Xiao Jinglan¡¯s hands.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes narrowed; that was one of the opportunities Xiao Jinglan took to act against Song Sinian.


    Zhao Xi and Qian Hong saw that Lu Zhaozhao had been silent, so they exchanged glances with each other, and in the end it was Qian Hong who began to speak.


    ¡°Madam?¡±


    She softly called out, successfully snapping Lu Zhaozhao back to reality.


    Lu Zhaozhao lifted her eyes to glance at Qian Hong, then at Zhao Xi, before slowly getting up from the sofa, ¡°I¡¯ll go see Mr. Song, and as for dinner¡­ uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam, I will arrange it for later!¡± Before Lu Zhaozhao could finish her words, Zhao Xi excitedly grabbed Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s purse and looked at her with anticipation.


    ¡°Uh¡­ okay.¡±


    Although Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t understand why Zhao Xi was so excited, she had too much on her mind at the moment to pay it much mind.


    This weekend, she was going to visit the mountain where Old Master Song often went to exercise.


    Fortunately, the place was not too remote nor was the altitude high, but now the most pressing issue was finding an appropriate excuse.


    Lu Zhaozhao was pondering this when she unconsciously arrived at Song Sinian¡¯s study door.


    She raised her hand to knock, but there was no response from the study.


    She gently pushed the door open, poking half her head inside, and cautiously asked into the room, ¡°Mr. Song? Are you busy?¡±


    The study was dark, the glowing computer screen casting half of his handsome face into shadow.


    ¡°Not busy.¡± As soon as her words fell, a faint voice came from inside the study.


    When Lu Zhaozhao entered, she flipped on the office¡¯s overhead light, and the dim room suddenly brightened, causing Song Sinian to squint reflexively.


    He casually took off the glasses perched on his nose and pinched the bridge of his nose with a semblance of fatigue.


    ¡°Ah, sorry, I forgot to remind you to close your eyes first.¡± She hurried over, reaching around from behind him to shade his profound eyes with her small hand.


    Lu Zhaozhao gently massaged for a moment before lifting one hand to ask, ¡°Is that better?¡±


    Song Sinian reached up to grasp her slender wrist, then let it go, not forgetting to respond to Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Yes, much better.¡±


    Looking at his endearing appearance, Lu Zhaozhao simply stood behind him, letting him hold her wrist.


    She remembered what Qian Hong and Zhao Xi had said downstairs and ventured a question, ¡°Mr. Song, are you feeling unwell today?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s hand on Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s wrist suddenly stiffened, then he gently moved her hand aside just enough to gap and blinked at her.


    Lu Zhaozhao quickly realized that he might not be able to answer her question.


    She quickly rephrased, teasingly blinking at Song Sinian, ¡°I was asking if you need a kiss, a hug, or to be lifted up high?¡±


    This time, Song Sinian visibly reacted. He pinched her wrist gently, and after hesitating, spoke very seriously, ¡°I am too heavy for you, you can¡¯t lift me up high; you would get hurt.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was almost at a loss for words, trying to lighten the mood, but it had turned awkward.


    Just as she was about to explain, she heard Song Sinian continue in his calm manner, ¡°But if you want, I am always available.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Okay, their Mr. Song must really be a little angel!


    Lu Zhaozhao felt her heart flutter instantly and couldn¡¯t help but cup Song Sinian¡¯s cheeks with her hands, leaning down to plant a kiss on his head.


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes blinked slightly and he pulled her into his embrace, his voice tightening, ¡°Zhaozhao, kiss me¡­¡±

 Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Can You Really Trick Me?

    Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Can You Really Trick Me?


    Lu Zhaozhao bowed her head and slowly leaned in towards him, the breath from her nose drawing ever closer, lightly brushing against her lips.


    Watching Song Sinian become more and more willing to express himself to her, her chest became exceptionally tender, as if it would shatter with a mere touch.


    She moved closer to him slowly, like a dragonfly skimming the water¡¯s surface, she kissed him once and was about to pull away when her neck was suddenly caught by a large hand.


    Song Sinian didn¡¯t give her a chance to escape, he pressed her down with one hand, while the other effortlessly wrapped around her waist.


    Their warm breaths intermingled, and Lu Zhaozhao could clearly feel Song Sinian¡¯s breath growing heavier and deeper.


    Mixed with his refreshing, subtle scent, it enveloped her completely.


    Song Sinian¡¯s large hand gently caressed the delicate vulnerability of her neck, beneath his fine touch was a pulsing, throbbing pulse.


    One by one, it beat, ¡°thump-thump¡± against the pads of his fingers.


    This feeling of having everything under control made something swell slightly within him, and Song Sinian¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but press down a bit harder.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Her soft whimper fell into his ear, like a milk cat drenched by the fine rain on a rainy night.


    It struck straight to the heart, inciting a tender fondness.


    Lu Zhaozhao, clearly holding the advantageous position, was almost overwhelmed by Song Sinian¡¯s aggressive approach.


    Her head spun, her legs went weak, and she fell into his embrace.


    In the midst of her panic, she instinctively clasped his neck tighter, and although she successfully separated from him, she gasped for air in Song Sinian¡¯s arms, looking utterly petrified.


    Song Sinian¡¯s fingertips gently brushed her somewhat moist eye corners, the hint of redness at the edges of her eyes quickened his heartbeat even more.


    His dark eyes slightly lowered, he glanced at his fingertip, ¡°I always feel that it would be lovely to listen to you cry.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Huh? What kind of ruthless words were those?


    Before Lu Zhaozhao had time to ponder whether Song Sinian¡¯s recent words carried any ambiguity, his lips gently landed on the corner of her eye.


    ¡°Sometimes, when your eyes are red they look very lovely,¡± Song Sinian said, and kissed her other eye.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao blinked in confusion, why did it seem like Mr. Song¡¯s remarks were becoming increasingly dangerous?


    Was there something wrong with the way she taught him to express himself?


    While Lu Zhaozhao was still self-examining, Song Sinian took hold of her small hand.


    He gently kissed her wrist, looked at her seriously, and asked word by word, ¡°Did I do a good job?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ah!!! She was going to die! This was definitely a critical hit!


    And utterly merciless!


    Although his words sounded strange, from Song Sinian¡¯s perspective, they probably weren¡¯t a problem!


    Well, probably¡­


    She decisively nodded her head, against her better judgment, ¡°You did a great job!¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s cheek rubbed against her palm, ¡°Then, can I ask for a reward again?¡±


    His gaze was so earnest, it made it difficult for Lu Zhaozhao to refuse.


    So she had no choice but to nod stiffly, without daring to meet Song Sinian¡¯s eyes.


    Suddenly, her chin was lifted, Song Sinian¡¯s burning gaze fixed on her, ¡°This time, can I choose my own reward, is that okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Oh, God, she was about to be flirted into cardiac bypass surgery!!!


    Looking at Song Sinian, who was still awaiting her response, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s fingertips trembled ever so slightly.


    She nodded gently, and immediately, Song Sinian¡¯s lips were upon hers again.


    This time, he seemed to have shed some of his restraint, purposely pushing her to the brink as if to watch her looking pitiful, with watery eyes nestled in his embrace.


    Lu Zhaozhao leaned into Song Sinian¡¯s embrace, the rise and fall of his chest brought her a significant amount of calm.


    The more she thought about it, the more she felt something was off. She furrowed her brows slightly and fixed her gaze on Song Sinian, ¡°Hmph! I have reason to suspect you¡¯re trying to steal kisses on purpose¡­¡±


    The light in Song Sinian¡¯s dark pupils flickered, and he countered with his own question instead of answering, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying kisses can be stolen?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± Lu Zhaozhao immediately rejected the notion without a second thought.


    It seemed like teaching Song Sinian how to express his emotions had opened the door to a strange new world.


    If he learned how to steal kisses, wouldn¡¯t that be the end of it?


    With Song Sinian¡¯s intelligence, he could crush her in minutes, leaving no trace behind!


    After all, he was not expressive, not foolish.


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at Song Sinian nervously, wanting to divert his thoughts from this matter, so she decisively changed the subject.


    ¡°I¡­ I heard you¡¯re going to the Song Mansion recently?¡±


    Upon hearing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words, Song Sinian suddenly became still.


    The Song Mansion was not a pleasant place for him, so he avoided going back unless it was necessary.


    He was even more reluctant to take Lu Zhaozhao back with him.


    Besides, that place also housed Xiao Jinglan.


    Just the thought of her darkened Song Sinian¡¯s expression.


    Lu Zhaozhao noticed the change in Song Sinian¡¯s face and tilted her head to look at him, ¡°You don¡¯t want to go back?¡±


    If it had been in her past life, she definitely would have thought that Song Sinian¡¯s silence meant he did not want to take her to the Song Mansion, thinking perhaps that her status was not presentable enough.


    But in this life, she would never think along those lines.


    Although she didn¡¯t fully understand Song Sinian yet, she wouldn¡¯t misunderstand him as she had before.


    Song Sinian rested his forehead on Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s shoulder, murmuring in a low voice, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be apart from you for so long.¡±


    Going to the Song Mansion for Old Master Song¡¯s birthday meant that he would have to stay there overnight.


    The thought of not being able to hold Lu Zhaozhao in his sleep made him feel quite unsettled.


    Very, very irritable.


    ¡°???¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao had considered many reasons but never thought Mr. Song¡¯s reason would be this.


    She couldn¡¯t help but laugh softly, about to say she could accompany Song Sinian to the Song Mansion.


    But then it occurred to her, could it be that he hadn¡¯t thought to take her? Certainly not. She guessed Song Sinian was still bothered by the last incident involving Xiao Jinglan¡¯s poisoning.


    She gently embraced Song Sinian and patted his back, ¡°Then¡­ how about I make it up to you when you get back?¡±


    Clearly, Song Sinian was intrigued by the suggestion.


    His eyes moved slightly, staring intently at Lu Zhaozhao, and he asked very seriously, ¡°How would you make it up?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao tilted her head thoughtfully, ¡°Mmm¡­ like, maybe I could stick to you all day long? Wherever you go, I¡¯ll follow? How about following you to work and back?¡±


    Although the likelihood was low, considering Old Master Song might have an accident and end up hospitalized before his 80th birthday.


    Even if she intervened, she might not be able to prevent it.


    But she couldn¡¯t tell Song Sinian that, especially since she wasn¡¯t sure whether Old Master Song would make the same choices in this life as he did in the previous one.


    After all, many things had changed significantly in this life because of her choices.


    So, she could only suggest conditions that he would accept.


    Song Sinian¡¯s palm rested on the cool small of Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s back, the soft touch clinging to his hand, and listening to Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words made his heart tremble slightly¡­

 Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Yes! This is a good idea!

    Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Yes! This is a good idea!


    She said she wanted to stick with him all day, wherever he went, she would follow, accompanying him to and from work.


    Was it possible that enduring a little was rewarded with such a hefty reward?


    This was something he hadn¡¯t thought of before.


    As long as he agreed, this would be the most profitable deal he had ever made.


    He was about to agree when he heard Lu Zhaozhao add another sentence, ¡°If you think that¡¯s still not enough, how about I give you a gift later?¡±


    Song Sinian was slightly stunned, then nodded gently.


    For a second, he felt somewhat glad that he had been slow to respond; that way, he could get an extra gift from Zhaozhao.


    But just a moment ago, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit scared, truly worried that if he took too long to consider, she might change her mind.


    Thank goodness¡­


    Things were moving in a good direction.


    Lu Zhaozhao clearly noticed that Song Sinian¡¯s mood had lightened considerably since earlier, so she took the opportunity to make her own request.


    ¡°Mr. Song, I would like to go to Beishan this weekend to draw inspiration. I¡¯ve heard that the maple leaves on the mountains are beautiful, and I would like to paint a few pictures there,¡± she said, striving to maintain a calm voice, her tone light.


    However, this didn¡¯t change the frown that abruptly creased Song Sinian¡¯s brow when he heard her words.


    It was even more severe than before she had walked in.


    Lu Zhaozhao felt a chill in her heart, seeing Song Sinian¡¯s expression, it seemed unlikely he would agree.


    However, to her surprise, after Song Sinian pondered for a moment, as if making a major decision, he looked at her, ¡°Beishan¡¯s environment is very complex, if you want to go, you must bring a bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    He actually agreed?


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes blinked, and once she came back to her senses, she immediately nodded with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Song, I will definitely take good care of the bodyguard!¡±


    ¡°Take two,¡± Song Sinian added.


    Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t hesitate, and nodded again, ¡°Mm-hmm! Two bodyguards.¡±


    If it meant she could go, she wouldn¡¯t mind even if it meant bringing seven or eight bodyguards.


    She intended to ¡°accidentally¡± run into Old Master Song on the mountain, and perhaps these bodyguards could come in handy.


    Song Sinian held Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hand tightly, seemingly still worried about her going out to hike.


    In his memory, she had always been so delicate that even the knife used for eating and the shoes she wore could hurt her.


    He truly couldn¡¯t imagine what Lu Zhaozhao would be like in that kind of complex wilderness.


    His gaze lingered on her slender wrist, his thumb involuntarily stroking it, ¡°When they go up the mountain, have them bring a medical kit as well.¡±


    Listening to Song Sinian, Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t help but laugh, tilting her body, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just say to send a medical team to the top of the mountain for me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Right! That¡¯s a great idea!


    Seeing that Song Sinian didn¡¯t speak, Lu Zhaozhao thought he had given up on the idea of bringing a medical kit for her, completely unaware that Song Sinian was already planning the medical team for her¡­


    That evening, after dinner, Lu Zhaozhao returned to the bedroom first.


    She had just reached the bedroom door when she received a message from hacker J.


    [hacker J: What do you need to do? Just to clarify, I don¡¯t take jobs that are illegal or disorderly.]


    Lu Zhaozhao saw the message and couldn¡¯t help but smile, quickly typing a line in response.


    ¡°`


    [Newbie ZZ: It¡¯s not illegal; I just want to see what the camera in my room has captured, simply to protect my privacy.]


    This time, the response from the other side came much quicker than before.


    [hacker J: If it¡¯s the camera in your room, why do you need someone else¡¯s help?]


    [Newbie ZZ: Because I didn¡¯t install it; someone secretly placed it in my room.]


    Lu Zhaozhao had no idea that right after she sent that message, the person on the other side of the computer became quite agitated.


    His brows were nearly twisted into a knot as he sat by the hospital bed, his complexion terrifyingly somber.


    Xia Wenmo put the book he was holding next to him and, with a suspicious lift of his eyebrows, looked at the person sitting by the bed, clutching the laptop, and asked, ¡°Big brother, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Xia Wenjue was usually unexpressive about his emotions, especially towards his family, generally maintaining a good temper. Seeing him with such an ugly expression was a first for Xia Wenmo.


    So, Xia Wenmo was somewhat curious.


    Xia Wenjue turned his laptop toward Xia Wenmo, showing him the conversation between the two.


    His eyebrows lifted, ¡°Someone¡¯s been secretly filmed, and you¡¯ve started doing charity work now? You¡¯re meddling in such trivial matters?¡±


    Before taking over the Xia Family business, his big brother was a computer whiz, but afterwards, it became just a hobby.


    Usually, even the tasks he took on seemed to be quite challenging.


    Therefore, Xia Wenmo couldn¡¯t see anything worthwhile about the task at hand.


    Xia Wenjue turned his head somberly, nearly gritting his teeth as he articulated every word, ¡°This ID, I checked it this morning, it¡¯s Zhaozhao.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Xia Wenmo nearly jumped off the hospital bed, roaring uncontrollably, ¡°Check it! Now! Don¡¯t let the little bastard who installed the camera get away with anything!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    This was a perfect example of a double standard, as Xia Wenmo was now fully exhibiting.


    Xia Wenjue sighed quietly and immediately sent over a series of characters.


    [Send me the IP address.]


    Although they now knew that Lu Zhaozhao was living at the Song Family¡¯s place, they still had to pretend ignorance.


    What Xia Wenjue definitely didn¡¯t expect was that the IP address Lu Zhaozhao sent over was actually from the Lu Family!


    Whatever was involved behind the scenes of this matter, it was not theirs to guess, but whatever it was, it was chilling enough.


    The parents who raised Lu Zhaozhao had actually installed a camera in her bedroom.


    This was far worse than could be described with just the word ¡°appalling.¡±


    [They probably haven¡¯t installed it for long, so I¡¯m also not sure what exactly it captured, but I hope J can help.]


    While Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenmo were staring blankly at the IP address, another message from Lu Zhaozhao came in.


    ¡°The Lu Family wouldn¡¯t be thinking of controlling Zhaozhao after seeing her married into the Song Family and harder to manipulate, right?¡± Xia Wenmo said with an indifferent look on his face.


    He had already been furious upon hearing that Lu Zhaozhao was mentally abused by Mr. and Mrs. Lu.


    Now, hearing such ¡°explosive¡± news was enough to make him want to explode on the spot.


    Xia Wenjue did not speak, but his hands began to frantically operate on the computer.


    If it was as Xia Wenmo had said, then he couldn¡¯t afford to waste another second.


    If the Lu Family truly had something on Lu Zhaozhao, in the end, it would be their dear sister who would be hurt.


    For him, hacking into an IP address and stealing indoor surveillance footage was child¡¯s play.


    Soon, several folders marked with dates appeared on his computer.


    Xia Wenjue casually opened a video with the most recent date, and the figures of Xia Wenjin and Cao Mei abruptly appeared before them¡­


    ¡°`

 Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59: The Fragile Lady of Their Family

    Chapter 59: Chapter 59: The Fragile Lady of Their Family


    ¡°To get a bitch like Lu Zhaozhao to obey, you have to crush what she prides herself on most!¡±


    ¡°That makes sense, if she accidentally offends some riffraff outside and gets defiled¡­ then the only shelter she¡¯d be able to find would be our Lu Family¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly, then isn¡¯t it just whatever Mom wants her to do that she¡¯ll have to do?¡±


    ¡­


    The voices transmitted in the video echoed in the spacious hospital room.


    The two men present, already silent, now exhibited a clear rise of malice in their eyes.


    ¡°Before, I only thought Xia Wenjin was scheming, but now, isn¡¯t her malevolence a whole lot more?¡± Xia Wenmo¡¯s lips curled coldly as he hummed.


    She had just returned to the Lu Family and was already scheming against Lu Zhaozhao with her biological mother?


    Xia Wenjue¡¯s sharp gaze was fixed on the two people on the screen, and after a long moment, he spoke coldly, ¡°For the people of the Lu Family to be so uniformly wicked, that¡¯s really rare.¡±


    He almost ground his back teeth as he spoke.


    They hadn¡¯t even settled scores with the Lu Family yet, and they were already harboring other intentions towards Lu Zhaozhao?


    Especially this Xia Wenjin, he truly viewed her in a new light!


    Xia Wenmo glanced at Xia Wenjue, ¡°Big Brother, I remember you recently investigated the Lu Family¡¯s situation domestically, right?¡±


    Xia Wenjue nodded, his eyes and brows still tinged with an indescribable coldness, ¡°The Lu Family¡¯s main orders are for overseas projects, and they seem to be planning to bid on the Jade Vein recently.¡±


    The coldness in Xia Wenmo¡¯s eyes flitted, ¡°Overseas projects, eh? Our Xia Family just happens to match.¡±


    His implication could not have been more obvious: with the Xia Family¡¯s capability, stealing the Lu Family¡¯s orders wouldn¡¯t be hard.


    ¡°The specifics, I¡¯ve already sent a specialist to handle,¡± Xia Wenjue¡¯s dark eyes deepened, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be so ruthless originally, but since the Lu Family doesn¡¯t appreciate favors, it¡¯s time they felt what it¡¯s like to have someone tighten the noose around their necks.¡±


    Xia Wenmo raised his eyebrows, not forgetting to emphasize, ¡°And that Jade Vein auction, don¡¯t leave even a single root of hair for the Lu Family!¡±


    ¡°Alright, leave it to me,¡± Xia Wenjue said, while he started packing up the documents in front of him.


    Xia Wenmo¡¯s gaze swept over Xia Wenjue, unable to resist asking, ¡°You aren¡¯t planning to send her all these videos, are you?¡±


    He was a bit worried about whether Lu Zhaozhao could withstand this blow.


    Xia Wenjue understood Xia Wenmo¡¯s meaning too, and he sighed lightly, ¡°If we don¡¯t let Zhaozhao know, her situation could be even more dangerous.¡±


    ¡­


    Xia Wenmo couldn¡¯t deny this fact; after all, the woman was the foster mother who had raised her for so many years. If she didn¡¯t see the truth herself, she probably wouldn¡¯t believe it.


    Thinking this, his heart began to ache for Lu Zhaozhao again.


    Once he recovered from the surgery, he would definitely protect his precious little sister properly!


    The next day, bright and early, Lu Zhaozhao arrived at Beishan with her easel, accompanied by two bodyguards and¡­ a whole medical team.


    Stepping out of the car, Lu Zhaozhao glimpsed at the medical team behind her and couldn¡¯t help but sigh heavily.


    She had said that Song Sinian agreed too easily not to let her bring a medical kit; it turned out he was waiting here for her¡­


    If they could save Old Master Song on the mountain later, this medical team would truly be a godsend.


    What if Mr. Song changed his plans because of the butterfly effect, then would her climb to the mountaintop for a sketching trip be considered social suicide?


    ¡°Madam, the medical team will head up the mountain first, we can take our time going up, the master said safety first.¡± Qian Shiyi, holding the equipment Lu Zhaozhao used for sketching, briefly explained while standing nearby.


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded, pressed down the visor on her forehead, and then joined Qian Shiyi and the others in their ascent.


    For the sake of convenience, she had specially changed into casual wear.


    However, she had hardly worn this style of clothing before, so the casual shirt she was wearing was secretly taken from Song Sinian¡¯s wardrobe.


    His clothes were mostly in cool tones, which made them extra easy to match.


    Since Beishan wasn¡¯t very high, they quickly made it to mid-mountain.


    Qian Shiyi looked at Lu Zhaozhao with a bit of concern and asked quietly, ¡°Madam, there¡¯s a resting platform up ahead with a nice environment, do you want to rest for a bit?¡±


    When he arrived, Qian Hong and Zhao Xi almost grabbed his ears and repeatedly instructed him to take good care of Lu Zhaozhao.


    They insisted that he must not let her get tired or injured.


    So, all along the way, Qian Shiyi was highly vigilant and kept a close watch on Lu Zhaozhao.


    To his surprise, Lu Zhaozhao was cheerful the whole way, and even followed closely behind the medical team.


    You must know, the medical personnel sent by their master were experts trained in outdoor survival.


    It was hard for ordinary people to keep up, let alone their delicate madam¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao chuckled lightly, ¡°Uh¡­ I think I¡¯m okay, I don¡¯t need to rest for now.¡±


    In truth, whether in her past life or this one, she had kept a secret from everyone; she had fought in underground boxing rings after reaching adulthood.


    The Lu Family did not want her to enjoy the privileges of being their daughter; apart from emotionally abusing her, they virtually ignored her, so she had plenty of time to box.


    If not for the fact that in her previous life, she had eaten the poisoned cubilose given by Xiao Jinglan and harbored frustrations in her heart, her physical condition would not have deteriorated so badly.


    Lu Zhaozhao looked around and asked nonchalantly, ¡°Is this the only path up and down Beishan? Are there any particularly dangerous spots?¡±


    Having hiked halfway up, she hadn¡¯t even seen Mr. Song or anyone else; could it be that everything was fine?


    Qian Shiyi looked up at the path continuing up the mountain, pointed towards a distant spot, and said, ¡°Past the resting platform ahead, there is a section where the steps are a bit steep, but it¡¯s not much of a challenge for most people.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded and then continued climbing up.


    Just when she thought today¡¯s journey was almost perfectly complete, she saw a familiar figure.


    Mr. Song was standing on the steps not far away, drinking water; he appeared to have just finished climbing and was about to head down.


    Looking at his condition, he didn¡¯t seem to be someone who had any health issues.


    Lu Zhaozhao secretly breathed a sigh of relief, preparing to pretend she didn¡¯t recognize him and just walk past, when she suddenly saw Mr. Song stagger a few steps.


    With a quick reaction, she rushed forward and grabbed hold of Mr. Song, but his body had already lost balance, causing him to crash into Lu Zhaozhao, and they both fell down the steps together.


    ¡°Madam!¡± Qian Shiyi panicked instantly.


    He had only looked away for a moment, and their madam was already in danger!


    Supporting herself up, Lu Zhaozhao looked at Mr. Song who had fallen on top of her, endured the discomfort in her back, and yelled at Qian Shiyi, ¡°Call, call the medical team over!¡±


    Mr. Song had just collapsed; there might still be time to treat him!

 Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Mr. Song, Im in pain...

    Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Mr. Song, I¡¯m in pain¡­


    Qian Shiyi was sending signals to the medical team while helping Lu Zhaozhao up.


    As for Old Master Song, no one dared to move him recklessly; they just placed him on a spacious platform to wait for the rescue.


    Fortunately, the rescue team was not far away and soon arrived to treat Old Master Song promptly.


    ¡°How is he? Does he have any life-threatening conditions?¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows were deeply furrowed, and she looked worriedly at Old Master Song lying on the ground.


    In the last life, it was because he had been found too late that the accident happened. Even though the speed of the treatment had been the fastest this time, Lu Zhaozhao still feared that the outcome might not change.


    After performing simple first aid on Old Master Song, the rescue team¡¯s doctor explained to Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry. The old gentleman only fainted due to low blood sugar. Fortunately, he did not injure his head when he fell, so there is no life-threatening condition.¡±


    Hearing this, Lu Zhaozhao breathed a sigh of relief, but then she immediately had other doubts.


    Old Master Song¡¯s blood sugar did indeed have problems, but he often exercised like this and was well aware of his physical condition; how could he suddenly faint due to low blood sugar?


    Suddenly, as if remembering something, she recalled that Old Master Song had drunk a bottle of water just before.


    She scanned the underbrush and quickly spotted the unfinished bottle of water.


    She bent down, picked up the bottle, and directly stuffed it into her backpack. It seemed an investigation into whether this incident involving Old Master Song was an accident was indeed necessary.


    What Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t know was that, from afar behind the trees, a figure had watched everything, captured it on their phone, and then silently hid behind the trees again.


    Meanwhile, Xiao Jinglan, who was having her nails done at a salon, soon received the photo.


    Her brows furrowed, seeing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s face in the photo made her want to throw her phone.


    Again, it was this Lu Zhaozhao!


    Every time she appeared, she disrupted Xiao Jinglan¡¯s plans!


    Xiao Jinglan narrowed her eyes and sent the photo directly to Xiao Mo, then dialed his number.


    The phone was quickly answered.


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s voice transmitted anxiously, ¡°Did you see the photo on the phone?¡±


    They had been planning this scheme for a long time, taking advantage of Old Master Song¡¯s habits and medical condition.


    Normally, there aren¡¯t many people coming to Beishan, and with some tricks they had used, if someone found Old Master Song, ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be able to carry him down the mountain.


    They would have to wait for the rescue team, and the time it took would be enough for Old Master Song to be beyond help.


    Even if he was lucky to be saved, his brain might be damaged, allowing some of the Song Family¡¯s powers to fall into her hands.


    But she never expected¡­ that Lu Zhaozhao would bring a medical team up the mountain!


    Was she insane?


    Xiao Mo, on the other end of the phone, seemed surprised that the plan had failed, and after taking the call, he was silent for a few seconds.


    This made Xiao Jinglan even more anxious, ¡°What do we do now? If the Old Master really starts an investigation, it might lead back to me¡­¡±


    It would be a lie to say she wasn¡¯t scared.


    Xiao Mo frowned slightly, ¡°Why panic? As long as the Old Master isn¡¯t seriously injured, this matter won¡¯t be delved into deeply.¡±


    His tone carried a hint of displeasure, but he still patiently reassured, ¡°Start preparing to take care of the Old Master now. You might even get back your previous authority.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Clearly, Xiao Jinglan was still not entirely reassured.


    Could this really not be traced back to her?


    Xiao Mo could hear Xiao Jinglan¡¯s hesitation; he comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle the follow-up, and it absolutely won¡¯t lead back to you.¡±


    Xiao Jinglan sighed with relief upon hearing this.


    The two hung up the phone, and Xiao Mo enlarged the photo in his hand, his eyebrows lifting uncontrollably at the sight of Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s beautiful profile.


    Since returning from the charity event in Nanjing, he hadn¡¯t had a chance to get close to Lu Zhaozhao.


    Now, taking this opportunity, he could legitimately make contact with her¡­


    By noon, Lu Zhaozhao had returned home.


    As soon as she entered, she quietly explained to Qian Hong and then went upstairs to take a shower.


    It was only when she undressed in the bathroom that she saw the distinct bruises on her back.


    She had fallen and hit the steps when Mr. Song had bumped into her, and at that moment, she was only concerned about Mr. Song and completely forgot about her own injuries.


    Now that everything else was handled, her back hurt so much she could barely straighten up.


    Fortunately, after visiting the hospital and getting an X-ray, they confirmed the bones weren¡¯t damaged, and she returned home with the ointment the doctor had prescribed.


    When she had gone upstairs earlier, she had informed Qian Hong beforehand, asking her to help apply the ointment after she finished showering.


    She thought it would be quick, but because her back really hurt, she spent a long time struggling in the bathroom before finally emerging weakly and collapsing directly onto the bed.


    Suddenly, she heard the sound of the bedroom door opening.


    With her head buried, she mumbled, ¡°Aunt Qian, could you help me apply the ointment? It¡¯s on the nightstand, and I¡¯m in too much pain to move.¡±


    ¡­


    Though the person who entered didn¡¯t speak, Lu Zhaozhao could hear them moving toward the nightstand.


    Shortly after, she felt the mattress sink slightly, and her sleep shirt was lifted.


    ¡°Hisss¡­¡±


    The cool ointment touched her back, and Lu Zhaozhao sharply inhaled, her entire back tensing, which only caused more pain.


    Burying her head, her small hands clutched the blanket tightly, as she didn¡¯t forget to instruct, ¡°Aunt Qian, just go ahead, I can bear it.¡±


    Unexpectedly, however, the hands on her back were warm and soft, not as painful as she had anticipated.


    Whether it was the medicine warming in her palm or not, her back suddenly felt less painful.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s head tilted slightly, about to express her thanks, when she inadvertently met Song Sinian¡¯s cold gaze.


    It was over¡­


    Mr. Song from her household knew.


    To prevent him from finding out about her injury, she had gone to the hospital by herself and even enlisted Aunt Qian.


    But she had never anticipated that he would come home early.


    Lu Zhaozhao awkwardly tugged the corner of her mouth, ¡°Mr. Song, why are you back?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyelids flickered, giving her a decidedly frosty look, ¡°I just got off work.¡±


    His tone was even colder than his expression.


    Lu Zhaozhao knew Song Sinian must be angry, although his emotions were hard to read, but she could feel the sudden drop in the surrounding atmosphere.


    She reached out her small hand to tug at his sleeve, cooing, ¡°Mr. Song, I¡¯m in pain¡­¡±


    ¡°You just said you could handle it directly, that you could bear it,¡± Song Sinian¡¯s eyes shifted slightly, his tone remaining calm but with an undertone of indifference.


    But only Lu Zhaozhao knew, the hand he rested on her back had become lighter, softer¡­

 Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61 This Stubborn Man!

    Chapter 61: Chapter 61 This Stubborn Man!


    Lu Zhaozhao knew he was holding back his anger, probably because he was distressed that she got hurt without telling him.


    He had clearly sent a medical team, but she still got hurt. It was understandable that Song Sinian was unhappy.


    But there really was no need for the two of them to get upset over this.


    So, without a second thought, Lu Zhaozhao pitifully admitted her mistake, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you about the injury because I was afraid you¡¯d get mad, Mr. Song. Please don¡¯t be mad at me now that I¡¯ve already been punished, okay~¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s hand paused slightly, his eyes landing on the bruise on her back, his gaze filled with complexity.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t punishment, it¡¯s my failure to protect you.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Even without seeing his face, Lu Zhaozhao could hear the low spirits in his voice.


    She was instantly at a loss.


    She truly knew she was in the wrong.


    Now, how should she coax their Mr. Song to make him feel better?


    Help¡­


    He might as well have just gotten angry with her.


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips, ¡°Mr. Song, I won¡¯t run around anymore.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of myself when I go out.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°I really, really know I was wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Listening to Song Sinian¡¯s nonchalant responses, Lu Zhaozhao felt numb.


    Her back was already in severe pain, and now with Song Sinian angry at her, her lips quivered as she buried her head in the pillow.


    After Song Sinian finished applying the ointment, he realized that she hadn¡¯t spoken for quite some time.


    Moreover, her shoulders seemed to tremble slightly as she lay there.


    His brows furrowed slightly, and he reached out to touch her little face, the dampness shocking his fingertips.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Song Sinian sighed softly and lay down beside her, gently encircling her with his arm, patting her shoulder with care.


    Lu Zhaozhao, feeling his tender movements, looked up at Song Sinian, her eyes red and watery like a pitiful little rabbit, tugging at one¡¯s heartstrings.


    ¡°Mr. Song, you¡¯ve changed, you don¡¯t even kiss me now¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao complained with a pout, looking accusingly at Song Sinian.


    Whenever she cried before, he would kiss her without a second thought.


    Now that he was angry, the way he consoled her seemed downgraded.


    Song Sinian raised his hand, his thumb gently rubbing her cheek, wiping away the tears streaking down her face, patiently explaining, ¡°Just now you were in so much pain, you grimaced with every move.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in pain!¡± she said, reaching out to grab Song Sinian¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Hiss¡­¡±


    Before she could touch his wrist, Lu Zhaozhao winced in pain.


    Song Sinian reached out to hold her little hand, keeping her from moving, and even his gaze softened.


    ¡°Zhaozhao, be good, don¡¯t cry.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he bent down and gently kissed the corner of her mouth.


    Her pitiful appearance was irresistibly itch-inducing, and he had already been trying his utmost to resist the urge to crush her in his embrace and do as he pleased.


    Yet this little one always managed to shake his resolve time after time.


    Lu Zhaozhao sniffled weakly, blinked her eyes brimming with moisture as she looked at him, ¡°You said before that my crying sounded nice, liar¡­¡±


    For the first time, Song Sinian truly understood the meaning of ¡°being at a loss whether to laugh or cry.¡±


    His large hand landed on her pale neck, gently kneading it before he finally leaned down. His lips descended repeatedly, exceptionally tender.


    Just as Lu Zhaozhao was about to respond to him, she suddenly realized that Song Sinian had taken a firm hold on the back of her neck, making her unable to move in the slightest.


    Hah¡­ this stubborn man!


    She was kissed carefully and cautiously by Song Sinian, who then gradually loosened his grip.


    ¡°Lie still and don¡¯t move,¡± his voice was slightly hoarse, gentle and steady, tickling one¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Zhaozhao pouted but obediently heeded his words, honestly lying still on the bed.


    Song Sinian sighed lightly at the sight of her and pinched her little face, ¡°The person you saved today was my grandfather, and he¡¯s alright now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Lu Zhaozhao felt much relieved.


    Although the medical team had mentioned it was just a case of low blood sugar that caused the unconsciousness, she had still been a bit worried.


    Now that Song Sinian had said so, naturally, Lu Zhaozhao breathed a sigh of relief too.


    It was good that she hadn¡¯t suffered in vain.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good,¡± Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes were fixed intently on Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Do you know what could have happened if the two of you had fallen at the same time? It¡¯s too terrible to imagine.¡±


    He was chilled to the bone when Qian Shiyi reported that Lu Zhaozhao had been injured.


    Normally, even the slightest scratch on her body took a long time to heal, and now, she had nearly rolled down the mountain steps!


    His hands were shaking as he drove back.


    It wasn¡¯t until he saw her, the instant he touched her, that he felt the real sense of her still being with him all along.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s watery eyes blinked as she muttered softly, ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t think that much at that time¡­¡±


    A trace of darkness swept across the depths of Song Sinian¡¯s eyes. He reached out to pinch Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s little face, his lips once again pressing against hers.


    Unlike before, his breath was tinged with a hint of fierceness, his teeth deliberately nibbling with a bit more force on her lips.


    Lu Zhaozhao moaned softly, her little hands making a symbolic struggle before Song Sinian immediately relaxed his pressure, slowly releasing her lips.


    His slightly heavy breathing descended downwards and suddenly, he firmly sucked on her neck, leaving a reddish mark with ease on her fair skin.


    The soft touch made Lu Zhaozhao shiver, a strange tingling sensation drifting through her heart like an electric current, surging through her blood into her heart.


    It sent tingles through her chest.


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze lowered, fixated on the red mark, and after a moment, he raised his hand to stroke it, ¡°From now on, no other marks are allowed on your body except the ones I leave.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao opened her mouth, but all of her words stalled at her lips.


    It was rare for Song Sinian to express his feelings so openly, especially in such a domineering manner.


    It took a good while for her brain to reboot on the spot, and by the time she regained her senses and thought to speak, Song Sinian had already gently kissed the corner of her eye, ¡°Zhaozhao, can you be good for me?¡±


    All the words she had accumulated ultimately turned into a feeble ¡°Okay¡± under his gaze.


    Okay, okay, okay! She just couldn¡¯t withstand being coaxed by Song Sinian.


    When he turned on his charm, she would¡¯ve plucked the stars from the sky if he asked, let alone agreeing to such a small request.


    Song Sinian seemed very satisfied with her answer, kissing her other eye as well, ¡°Stay at home obediently tomorrow, I¡­I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao agreed without a second thought, completely unaware that Song Sinian had breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing her response¡­

 Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Isnt Calling Anyone the Same?

    Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Isn¡¯t Calling Anyone the Same?


    Thankfully, she needed him too.


    He gently touched Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s little head, and the soft sensation made his mood lighten up slightly, ¡°I¡¯ll go deal with some things on my end, wait for me to come back.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Zhaozhao lay on the bed, immediately giving Song Sinian feedback.


    Only then did he stand up and leave the bedroom.


    Lu Zhaozhao reached out for the mobile phone on the bedside table, lying on the pillow and struggling to send out a message.


    [Mom Xia, I¡¯ve got something urgent this Sunday and can¡¯t make it over, I¡¯m sorry.]


    Soon, she received a reply from the other side of the computer.


    [Take care of whatever you need to, Mom¡¯s always here waiting for you to come back home.]


    Looking at the warm words on the screen, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes instantly narrowed into crescents, and then she sent another message.


    [Thank you, Mom Xia.]


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±


    The short message tone rang out in the room, and Wen Qingyu immediately picked up her mobile phone; upon seeing the message, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a long sigh.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mom?¡± Xia Wenjue, who was picking dishes, saw that Wen Qingyu¡¯s face didn¡¯t look too good and couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    The only thing that could possibly concern his mom this much was probably Lu Zhaozhao. Could it be that something had happened to her?


    Xia Wenjue¡¯s dark eyes narrowed slightly. Had Cao Mei and the others moved so quickly?


    If that were the case, the bodyguard he had assigned to protect Lu Zhaozhao would have reported to him by now.


    While he was thinking, his phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated, and Xia Wenjue¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°Zhaozhao says she won¡¯t be coming over for dinner on Sunday; I don¡¯t know if something happened.¡± Wen Qingyu sighed lightly, suddenly losing her appetite for lunch.


    Xia Wenqing sneakily glanced at Xia Wenjue and, seeing that the latter¡¯s face wasn¡¯t looking right, gently nudged him with his arm and whispered, ¡°Big brother, is everything okay on your end?¡±


    Wei Wenjue had informed him of the incident involving Lu Zhaozhao being secretly photographed yesterday, so upon hearing Wen Qingyu say Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t make it, he too was a bit worried.


    Xia Wenjue didn¡¯t say anything but took out his phone from his pocket and saw the message about Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s injury from climbing.


    He frowned and sent a message back, then leaned slightly toward Xia Wenqing, saying, ¡°She had an accident while climbing and got injured.¡±


    As for whether it was really an accident, that would have to wait for the results of a further investigation.


    Upon hearing this, Xia Wenqing¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look any better.


    Seeing the atmosphere at the dining table turn somber in an instant because of Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s message, Xia Wenyan¡¯s brows immediately knotted.


    ¡°If you guys are free this weekend, I can call Wen Jin over; she¡¯s a sister too, does it matter who we invite?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Now the entire dining room fell silent.


    Xia Wenyan looked straight at the three of them, blinking cluelessly, ¡°Did I, did I say something wrong?¡±


    Wen Qingyu glanced at Xia Wenyan, took his bowl, and called out to Kaka who was lying on one side, ¡°Lao Si, come, let Mom add a chicken leg for you.¡±


    With that, she picked up a chicken leg and placed it in the bowl in front of Kaka.


    Xia Wenyan: ¡°???¡±


    ¡°Wen Qingyu continued, ¡°Lao Si, when your sister arrives, don¡¯t be like some ungrateful wretch, okay? Get along with your sister, you hear?¡± As he spoke, he even patted Kaka¡¯s head.


    The corners of Xia Wenyan¡¯s mouth twitched, and his gaze shifted toward his oldest and second brothers sitting opposite him.


    Yet he saw them each hand a chicken wing with their chopsticks, stuffing two more into Kaka¡¯s bowl.


    ¡°Come on, Lao Si, eat up.¡±


    ¡°Lao Si, have another chicken wing.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Xia Wenyan watched the childish trio in front of him, so infuriated he almost had to pinch himself to calm down.


    Suddenly, his phone on the dining table vibrated.


    Xia Wenyan glanced at it and discovered it was a text message from the principal of Yuqing University.


    ¡°Xia Wenjin skipped school on Friday without taking leave. I hope nothing¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s frown deepened, and he immediately dialed Xia Wenjin.


    At the time Xia Wenjin was admitted to the university, he had specially asked the principal to look out for her and even left an emergency contact for convenience.


    His mom wasn¡¯t adept at handling these matters, his dad was often traveling with his mom, his oldest brother was too busy, his second and third brothers didn¡¯t like Xia Wenjin, so all the responsibilities fell on his shoulders.


    ¡°Doo doo doo¡­¡±


    The phone rang for ages before Xia Wenjin finally picked up.


    ¡°Hello? Wen Jin, where did you go last Friday? Why didn¡¯t you go to class? Did something happen?¡±


    There was a brief pause on the other end of the phone, then came a voice full of grievance, ¡°Did Lu Zhaozhao tell you? Didn¡¯t she tell you how she bullied me that day?¡±


    An eerie silence fell over the dining table, Xia Wenjin¡¯s voice ringing clear in everyone¡¯s ears.


    The atmosphere in the dining room visibly dropped.


    Xia Wenyan hurriedly explained, ¡°It wasn¡¯t her. The principal saw you skipped class and sent me a message. Did something happen to you?¡±


    By now, everyone in their family was cherishing Lu Zhaozhao, and Xia Wenjin¡¯s words didn¡¯t help her case. At this rate, he couldn¡¯t hold them back much longer.


    But Xia Wenjin completely missed Xia Wenyan¡¯s hint and continued to sling mud at Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°What else could happen to me except being bullied by Lu Zhaozhao? Mrs. Lu was kind enough to suggest we get along, to let her stay at the Lu residence for a few days, but she not only declined but also insulted me!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ That does seem a bit much,¡± said Xia Wenyan, and as soon as the words came out, two sharp gazes fixed on him.


    Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenqing both knew that Lu Zhaozhao refrained from returning to the Lu Family for fear of her privacy being invaded. Xia Wenjin, fully aware of the truth, had deliberately tried to lure Lu Zhaozhao back, which was downright malicious!


    When Xia Wenjin heard Xia Wenyan seem to take her side, she quickly added, ¡°Fourth brother, can¡¯t you persuade Lu Zhaozhao to stay at the Lu residence for a few days? I really do want to get along with her¡­¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Xia Wenyan clearly hesitated.


    As far as his relationship with Lu Zhaozhao went, far from persuading her, he wouldn¡¯t have exchanged a word with her if she hadn¡¯t come over for dinner on weekends.


    Seeing that he was slow to agree, Xia Wenjin complained, ¡°I heard Lu Zhaozhao goes to our house every week. She must have bad-mouthed me a lot, even mom and big brother have been colder to me. If even you, fourth brother, believe her, then there¡¯s no one to help me¡­¡±


    Xia Wenyan, remembering the times Lu Zhaozhao had visited their home, pursed his lips and couldn¡¯t help defending her, ¡°Lu Zhaozhao does come every weekend, but she has never bad-mouthed you.¡±


    ¡°I knew it, fourth brother, you¡¯ve changed too! You¡¯re siding with Lu Zhaozhao! I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore!¡± Having said that, Xia Wenjin hung up the phone.


    Leaving Xia Wenyan completely baffled.


    The phone call to Xia Wenjin was not meant to be about Lu Zhaozhao, was it?


    As he was still bemused, Xia Wenjue came over, patted his shoulder with a significant gesture, and solemnly began¡ª

 Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Hes Just Lucky Thats All

    Chapter 63: Chapter 63 He¡¯s Just Lucky That¡¯s All


    ¡°Xia Wenyan, in some time we¡¯re going to make Zhaozhao¡¯s identity public, and if you maintain this attitude by then, just go ahead and change your surname to Lu along with Xia Wenjin!¡±


    Xia Wenyan looked at his eldest brother in utter disbelief, ¡°No way, are you serious?¡±


    Although he wasn¡¯t exactly the family favorite back home, at least his older brothers were always protective of him. Sure, the third brother had a bit of a sharp tongue sometimes, but they still cared for him deeply.


    Such harsh words were almost unheard of for him.


    But now, seeing Xia Wenjue¡¯s stern expression, there seemed to be not a trace of jesting.


    He pursed his lips, and the protest that had come to his mouth was forcefully swallowed back down.


    He turned to Xia Wenqing somewhat timidly, just in time to hear him sigh helplessly and say, ¡°Lao Si, we told you to investigate before and you were reluctant. Now I can only say¡­ Zhaozhao has never been treated well by the Lu Family, think about the rest on your own.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Upon hearing this, Xia Wenyan¡¯s eyes incredulously widened.


    Wasn¡¯t Lu Zhaozhao the precious daughter of the Lu Family?


    What did they mean by never being treated well?


    He wanted to ask more, but Xia Wenqing had already left.


    Xia Wenjue and Wen Qingyu naturally couldn¡¯t be bothered to pay him any more attention, and even the dishes on the table were collected away.


    Not a single leaf of greens was left for him.


    Xia Wenyan looked at Kaka, who was still eating at the dining table, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Seriously, less than a dog¡­¡±


    Tuesday at noon, the sky was overcast, but it never rained.


    The air was cooler than usual.


    After hurting her back from a fall while hiking, Lu Zhaozhao had laid in the villa for a full three days. After her incessant assurances and multiple examinations by the doctor, she finally had the chance to return to school.


    Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t particularly like school, nor was she averse to spending time with Song Sinian.


    It was just¡­ spending the whole day lying down was really¡­ too exhausting!


    There weren¡¯t many classes in the morning, and she intended to use the lunch break to buy a bubble tea outside school. However, she ended up running into an unwelcome figure right at the school gates.


    ¡°Hey! Beautiful Miss!¡± From a distance, Xiao Mo greeted Lu Zhaozhao.


    He was dressed smartly, resembling his past self.


    She suddenly wondered, why hadn¡¯t she noticed he was such a scumbag in her previous life?


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded towards him and turned to leave when Xiao Mo reached out and stopped her, ¡°Miss Lu, I trust you¡¯ve been well, I¡¯ve come to see you on purpose this time.¡±


    The corners of Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows lifted ever so slightly, and she looked at Xiao Mo, feigning confusion, word by word, ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re very familiar with each other.¡±


    Xiao Mo¡¯s face stiffened, but he quickly recovered, ¡°I¡¯ve come on behalf of our old master, the elderly gentleman that Miss Lu saved on Beishan, I¡¯m specifically here to thank you.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Their old master?


    Since when did Mr. Song become Xiao Mo¡¯s family member?


    Quite the relationship to claim.


    However, Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t expose him. Instead, she tugged at the corner of her mouth, giving a polite smile, ¡°It was just a little help at that time, the medical team was arranged by my husband, you should thank him if you¡¯re grateful.¡±


    Hearing this, a clear flicker of panic crossed Xiao Mo¡¯s eyes, ¡°I never expected President Song to be such a considerate person¡­¡±


    The medical team was arranged by Song Sinian?


    Could it be that he¡¯d discovered their plan?


    He had been puzzled as to why Lu Zhaozhao brought a medical team to Beishan and had wanted to take the opportunity to talk to her to probe for information.


    Looking at the situation now, it seemed worse than he had imagined.


    Miss Lu didn¡¯t miss the complex emotion in his eyes, which suggested that Mr. Song¡¯s recent ¡°accident¡± might not be as straightforward as it appeared.


    She needed to have someone investigate thoroughly, but before that¡­ she had to get Xiao Mo to let his guard down.


    She laughed lightly, casually explaining, ¡°The last time I went to a charity dinner in Nanjing, I blistered my feet. Since then, every time I go out for an event, he either has someone bring a medical kit or accompanies me with a medical team. It really is too much.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiao Mo was momentarily at a loss for words.


    He had always thought that Song Sinian was indifferent to women and didn¡¯t know how to please them.


    But it now seemed that he was quite adept at this sort of thing.


    Xiao Mo¡¯s gaze swept over Miss Lu, and he happened to spot the red mark on her neck.


    In an instant, a flame of jealousy was ignited in his heart.


    He clenched his fist, almost grinding his molars as he said, ¡°President Song is experienced and knowledgeable. He must be able to take care of everything.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Miss Lu couldn¡¯t help but sneer inwardly; Xiao Mo and Xiao Jinglan truly were birds of a feather, using the same tactics to discredit others.


    She feigned ignorance and smiled at Xiao Mo, ¡°Right, I also think my husband is amazing.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiao Mo had originally wanted to sow discord and make Miss Lu realize that Song Sinian¡¯s attentiveness was because he played around with many women.


    But she hadn¡¯t considered anything else at all and had simply followed along with what he had said.


    Xiao Mo awkwardly tugged at the corner of his mouth, ¡°Miss Lu, perhaps we should talk about when we can have dinner together instead?¡±


    ¡°Oh~~~ Dinner, right? I might need to go home and consult with Mr. Song. If he agrees, I can get back to you immediately.¡± Miss Lu forced a smile, trying her best not to look so antagonistic.


    Otherwise, she really couldn¡¯t restrain herself from wanting to twist off this scumbag¡¯s head!


    Xiao Mo¡¯s smile nearly froze on his face; he managed to move his mouth corner reluctantly, ¡°Surely you don¡¯t need to discuss such a trivial matter with President Song, do you? After all, this is your own affair.¡±


    Miss Lu waved her hands repeatedly, ¡°No, no, my mother said that after getting married, I must listen to my husband honestly. That¡¯s what makes a good wife.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiao Mo raised his hand to lightly press his temple, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel suffocated living with Mr. Song like this? Having everything controlled by someone else.¡±


    Miss Lu shook her head with an innocent look, ¡°Not at all. Whatever Mr. Song tells me to do, I do; whatever he tells me not to do, I don¡¯t do. I don¡¯t need to worry about anything!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± This time, Xiao Mo was completely speechless.


    He finally understood what Xiao Jinglan meant when she said, ¡°Lu Zhaozhao has been spoiled by the Lu Family; she¡¯s timid and lacks ambition.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t just a lack of ambition; this was outright having no desires at all.


    Yet the more Miss Lu was like this, the more Xiao Mo found his heart itching.


    The way she could be so easily influenced by her husband only intensified his impulse to completely snatch her away.


    How could such a beautiful, cute, and obedient little woman belong to Song Sinian?


    He was just lucky.


    He just happened to be the heir to the Song Family and happened to marry a woman from the Lu Family.


    Miss Lu was only so well-behaved because the man was Song Sinian.


    If her husband were changed to him, she would look at him just as wholeheartedly with those starry eyes¡­

 Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Does He Not Plan to Let Her Come Back?

    Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Does He Not Plan to Let Her Come Back?


    Xiao Mo thought to himself, suddenly feeling an even stronger desire to possess the petite woman before him.


    Lu Zhaozhao, seeing Xiao Mo fall silent, nodded at him, ¡°Then wait for news from my husband.¡±


    After saying that, Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t look back and walked straight away.


    Xiao Mo watched Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s delicate and tiny figure getting further and further away, and a smile involuntarily curled up at the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°Do you have a thing for Lu Zhaozhao?¡± Suddenly, a voice came through.


    Xiao Mo turned around, and just in time saw a beautiful woman standing in front of him.


    His eyebrows rose slightly, not particularly surprised.


    With his status and looks, he had been hit on more than a few times.


    Xiao Mo smiled gently as a gentleman, ¡°Is this classmate a friend of Zhaozhao?¡±


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s face forced a smile, ¡°She and I are just classmates, not really friends, but if you¡¯re after her status as the Lu Family¡¯s heiress, I¡¯d advise you to save it, she¡¯s a fake.¡±


    She had just passed by and seen Lu Zhaozhao chatting with a man, who, judging by his clothes and the car he drove, seemed to be of considerable wealth.


    Seeing these high-quality men all circling around Lu Zhaozhao, Xia Wenjin felt annoyed.


    After all, wasn¡¯t it all due to the Lu Family¡¯s resources?


    Xiao Mo¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, and a clear look of surprise flashed in his eyes, ¡°Fake?¡±


    Xia Wenjin nodded, ¡°Lu Zhaozhao is a child mistakenly taken by the Lu Family, and her identity will be announced publicly in a while. Befriending her now won¡¯t get you any benefits.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao isn¡¯t the Lu Family¡¯s heiress?


    Did that mean that as soon as the Lu Family went public with her identity, he could use that reason to get her out of the Song Family!


    Once she lost the protection of the Song and Lu families, getting Lu Zhaozhao would be a piece of cake.


    Xia Wenjin saw Xiao Mo¡¯s expression change and continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, you can investigate it yourself. I won¡¯t say anymore, you¡¯re on your own.¡±


    After saying that, she did not dare stay any longer.


    Xiao Mo stood there thinking for a moment, then decisively sent a message to Xiao Jinglan.


    [Meet me tonight, I have something important to discuss with you.]


    Xiao Jinglan at the other end of the phone glanced at it, her eyebrows involuntarily furrowed, she replied with a simple message, and immediately put away the phone.


    ¡°Cough cough¡­¡±


    In the quiet hospital ward, the light coughing of Old Master Song was particularly distinct.


    Xiao Jinglan immediately stood up, poured a glass of water for Old Master Song, and handed it to him, ¡°Dad, drink some water.¡±


    Old Master Song leaned on the hospital bed, took the water glass, drank a sip, and then his gaze fell on Xiao Jinglan.


    ¡°Have you found the person who saved me on the mountain?¡±


    Xiao Jinglan awkwardly tugged at the corner of her mouth, ¡°There were many people on the mountain, it¡¯s not so easy to find at once, it might take some more time¡­¡±


    Her eyes nervously looked at Old Master Song, feeling somewhat guilty.


    Old Master Song placed the water glass on the table, gave a faint ¡°hmm,¡± and his gaze turned toward the window, as if he suddenly remembered something and then turned back again.


    ¡°Go and buy me Da Ji¡¯s dumplings, I haven¡¯t had them in a long time.¡±


    Xiao Jinglan opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing the indifferent look on Old Master Song¡¯s face, she didn¡¯t dare say anything and just nodded and left the hospital room.


    Standing at the entrance of the hospital room, the assistant glanced outside before approaching Mr. Song, ¡°Sir, do you have any instructions?¡±


    ¡°Discharge from the hospital right now, I want to see my precious granddaughter-in-law!¡± Mr. Song lifted the blanket with a quick flick of his hand, surprisingly agile.


    The assistant was stunned for a moment, ¡°But the doctor said you needed to stay in the hospital for a few more days of observation.¡±


    Mr. Song waved his hand impatiently, ¡°Go see my precious granddaughter-in-law first, then it won¡¯t be too late to come back and stay in the hospital. Get the car ready now!¡±


    Although the assistant still wanted to persuade Mr. Song, seeing his resolute demeanor, he chose to keep quiet.


    Mr. Song was just putting on his coat from the hanger when he suddenly turned to the assistant and said, ¡°Find a way to trip up Xiao Jinglan, don¡¯t let her interfere with my plans!¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes, sir.¡±


    The roundtrip from the hospital to Da Ji¡¯s dumpling shop took an hour, and the dumplings there were mostly made to order, which also took more than half an hour.


    Now that Mr. Song still wanted to trip up Xiao Jinglan, uh¡­ does he not plan to let her come back at all?


    After leaving the hospital, Mr. Song headed straight for Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s school.


    He had always wanted to meet Lu Zhaozhao ever since he knew that Song Sinian saw her in a different light.


    Unfortunately, that rascal was hiding her so well that he never had the chance.


    Now, taking the opportunity that Lu Zhaozhao saved him, it was the perfect time to meet her.


    ¡°Sir, should we go to the school and call Madam out?¡± the assistant, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, asked as he watched Mr. Song¡¯s gaze fixed unwaveringly on the school gate.


    Unexpectedly, he received a glare from Mr. Song, ¡°Call her for what? Didn¡¯t the bodyguards say Zhaozhao left the school grounds? What harm is there in waiting?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ever since Mr. Song woke up in the hospital, he knew that the person who saved him was Lu Zhaozhao.


    So, during his two-day stay in the hospital, Mr. Song had already had him thoroughly investigate Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s background and specially assigned someone to monitor her movements.


    It seems that he¡¯s taken her to heart.


    The assistant couldn¡¯t help but sigh to himself. Just as he was ready to help keep an eye out through the car window, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure.


    ¡°Sir¡­ eh?¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, Mr. Song had already disappeared from view.


    When he looked towards Lu Zhaozhao again, he realized that Mr. Song was already next to her.


    ¡°Zhaozhao!¡±


    An elderly voice suddenly sounded behind her, and Lu Zhaozhao turned around to see Mr. Song approaching.


    In her past life, when Lu Zhaozhao had met Old Master Song, he was always lying in bed or sitting in a wheelchair, his spirit very weak.


    This was the first time she saw him lively and vigorous like now.


    However, compared to this, she was more puzzled as to why Old Master Song would come to the school to find her.


    Old Master Song, seeing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s puzzled expression, thought she didn¡¯t recognize him and quickly explained, ¡°Zhaozhao, I¡¯m Song Sinian¡¯s grandfather, which makes me your grandfather as well.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao came back to her senses and laughed lightly, ¡°Grandfather, why have you come to school? Is there something you need from me?¡±


    Old Master Song sighed deeply, and his face immediately fell, ¡°That rascal Sinian got married and didn¡¯t bother bringing you home to show me, even keeping you so hidden. It¡¯s not easy for an old man like me to come see you.¡±


    Old Master Song spoke pitifully, as though he was about to pour out all his grievances to Lu Zhaozhao.


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at Old Master Song with a bittersweet smile, about to speak, when a mocking voice chimed in¡ª

 Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65 This Difficult Task is Entrusted to You!

    Chapter 65: Chapter 65 This Difficult Task is Entrusted to You!


    ¡°Lu Zhaozhao, you¡¯re quite something,¡± she snorted sarcastically. ¡°No sooner had the young one left than you hooked up with an older one, seamlessly! Tsk, tsk¡­ Sinian is really unlucky, having a woman like you who¡¯s so fickle in love.¡±


    Hearing that voice, Lu Zhaozhao knew right away who it was.


    Apart from Xia Wenjin, there was no one else in this school who had so much idle time to keep picking on her.


    She was just about to turn around and battle with her when she saw Old Master Song take a quick step forward and stand in front of her, shouting loudly, ¡°Young lady, can you take responsibility for what you just said?¡±


    Xia Wenjin, disgusted, glanced at Old Master Song and sneered, ¡°What? You want to sue me?¡±


    The old man in front of her was dressed so casually, not a single thing he wore was valuable. She couldn¡¯t figure out where Lu Zhaozhao had met such a person.


    He could very well be one of the poor relatives from the Xia Family domestically.


    Old Master Song looked at Xia Wenjin with a smirk not reaching his eyes and shook his head, ¡°Why would I? Legal standards are too low to deal with trash like you.¡±


    ¡°You, you¡¯re calling me trash?¡± Xia Wenjin stared at Old Master Song in disbelief. If it weren¡¯t for the swearing in his words, she might have thought he was just making casual conversation, given his calm demeanor.


    Old Master Song snorted coldly, ¡°Calling you trash would actually be an insult to trash. The things you blurt out should put you more in the category of a trash can. You should have some self-awareness; don¡¯t be clueless every day.¡±


    Xia Wenjin was clearly infuriated by Old Master Song¡¯s words and raised her hand to point at his nose and curse.


    But as soon as she lifted her arm, Old Master Song immediately clutched his chest, ¡°Oh, oh, my newly operated-on heart¡­ If you touch me, it¡¯ll be a starting fee of at least 500,000¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was taken aback and reached out to support Old Master Song, only to see his wrinkled eyes blink at her.


    She immediately understood, Old Master Song was faking it.


    In her last life, she always saw an enfeebled Old Master Song; she never knew that he not only could curse people but also pretend to be injured¡­


    Xia Wenjin had never seen such a scene before and retreated several steps, ¡°You, don¡¯t you try to blame me! I think you poor devils are just crazy for money!¡±


    Watching Xia Wenjin¡¯s frantic behavior, Lu Zhaozhao almost burst into laughter, but thankfully Old Master Song was a masterful actor.


    With trembling hands, he acted as if he was about to faint any moment, facing Xia Wenjin.


    ¡°You¡­ be careful! I will certainly make you regret this!¡± Xia Wenjin threw down those harsh words and ran away in a panic.


    Seeing her reaction, Old Master Song made a face of disdain, ¡°Really, every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks they¡¯re something.¡±


    ¡°Pfft¡ªhahaha¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and burst out laughing.


    Old Master Song looked at her bright smiling face and felt much better in a moment, ¡°Ah, Zhaozhao, considering Grandpa just helped you out, how about you and Sinian come over for a meal in a few days?¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao choked a bit when she heard him, coughing lightly.


    She took a while to recover. ¡°Grandpa, I need to discuss this with Mr. Song.¡±


    He had seemed reluctant to return to the Song Mansion before. If she agreed impulsively and upset Sinian, it wouldn¡¯t be good.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Grandpa is old, even missed celebrating his own birthday because of a hospital stay,¡± Old Master Song¡¯s wrinkled face sagged again, turning pitiful.


    He almost started cleaning his face with tears in front of Lu Zhaozhao.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao hesitated for a moment.


    Then she heard Old Master Song saying, ¡°Sinian has always been a man who does as he pleases, but if you mention it to him, he will definitely be willing, so Grandpa can only count on you now!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°That settles it! You¡¯ll come home for dinner this weekend. If Sinian is unwilling, just act coquettishly towards him. Grandpa will be waiting for you at home!¡± Before Lu Zhaozhao could finish her sentence, Old Master Song made the decision amidst the confusion.


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡­¡±


    ¡°This challenging task is entrusted to you! If it¡¯s accomplished, Grandpa will have a generous reward for you!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, Xia Wenjin, having left, dashed back home the first chance she got to complain to Cao Mei.


    Seeing Xia Wenjin¡¯s tear-streaked face, Cao Mei¡¯s expression grew extremely dark.


    ¡°Lu Zhaozhao is simply outrageous! If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the jade vein hasn¡¯t been secured yet, I would have certainly taken care of that little vixen!¡±


    Xia Wenjin clearly understood Cao Mei¡¯s intentions. She sniffed her nose and embraced her arm, saying, ¡°Mom, you said before that you would find a way for me to marry into the Song Family. When can we proceed?¡±


    Cao Mei patted her arm soothingly and said, ¡°You can¡¯t rush this. If you want to marry into the Song Family, we might need to collaborate with Xiao Jinglan.¡±


    Thinking thus, she narrowed her eyes. They had just signed a contract recently, so bringing up some additional conditions now shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?


    Cao Mei glanced at Xia Wenjin, whose hopeful gaze was fixed steadily on her, causing her to sigh softly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call Xiao Jinglan right now; you just wait patiently.¡±


    Saying this, she dialed Xiao Jinglan¡¯s number.


    Soon, the call was answered.


    Xiao Jinglan seemed surprised to receive a call from Cao Mei. ¡°Hello? Mrs. Lu?¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, Cao Mei¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Lady Xiao, I have a plan I¡¯d like to discuss with you concerning a marriage between the Song Family and the Lu Family.¡±


    Xiao Jinglan frowned slightly, repeating subconsciously, ¡°A marriage between the Song Family and the Lu Family?¡±


    Hadn¡¯t Lu Zhaozhao already married Song Sinian? What was there left to discuss?


    Cao Mei, fully aware of Xiao Jinglan¡¯s thoughts, cut straight to the point, ¡°I want Wenjin to marry Song Sinian, since she is the true precious daughter of our family.¡±


    Xiao Jinglan was visibly shocked. She was about to refuse when Xiao Mo, sitting opposite her, suddenly covered the receiver.


    He hurriedly wrote a line on a napkin, ¡°Don¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Though slightly surprised, Xiao Jinglan continued along the lines Cao Mei had laid out, ¡°So what are your plans?¡±


    ¡°I think Lady Xiao, having been with President Song for so long and knowing him well, surely could help our Wenjin, right? After all, we¡¯re going to be close partners in the future¡­¡± Cao Mei purposely used the contract to press her point, attempting to manipulate Xiao Jinglan.


    Hearing this, Xiao Jinglan rolled her eyes internally.


    When asking for a favor, one should at least show the attitude of seeking help. Where does the Lu Family get their sense of superiority from, huh!


    Just as she was about to speak, she saw Xiao Mo writing again on the napkin¡ª

 Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Mr. Song, Please Forgive Me~

    Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Mr. Song, Please Forgive Me~


    ¡°Agree to her request.¡±


    Seeing the words on the tissue, Xiao Jinglan¡¯s eyebrows twisted together.


    She pursed her lips and finally conceded, ¡°Let me think about this matter, I¡¯ll notify you later.¡±


    Cao Mei obviously did not notice her unusual reaction, ¡°Lady Xiao, please don¡¯t make me wait too long.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Xiao Jinglan¡¯s brows were almost knotted with concern.


    She looked at Xiao Mo, bewildered, and demanded, ¡°What exactly do you want to do? Why would you agree to such an unreasonable request from Cao Mei?¡±


    Xiao Mo folded the tissue he had just written on and chuckled lightly at Xiao Jinglan, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that Xia Wenjin, compared to Lu Zhaozhao, would be easier to control?¡±


    After he left Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s school, he had conducted a simple investigation on the so-called real heiress, Xia Wenjin.


    Ambitious, yet with capabilities and scheming that completely mismatched her ambitions.


    Xiao Jinglan naturally knew of Xia Wenjin and understood that she indeed would be easier to control, but¡­


    Her eyes narrowed, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have ulterior motives for Lu Zhaozhao, making you want Xia Wenjin to marry into the Song Family instead of her?¡±


    Xiao Mo¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his lips curling slightly, ¡°Having Xia Wenjin marry into the Song Family gives us an extra pawn to control, and it will also corner Lu Zhaozhao into a desperate situation where she willingly throws herself at me.¡±


    He saw no problem with killing two birds with one stone.


    Xiao Jinglan sighed softly, ¡°Neither in looks nor in temperament does Xia Wenjin match up to Lu Zhaozhao. Even if we try, Song Sinian has to agree, right?¡±


    ¡°Ha! Song Sinian?¡± Xiao Mo scoffed, ¡°There¡¯s no need for his agreement. It will be enough if we make Lu Zhaozhao realize she has no place in the Song Family.¡±


    Xiao Jinglan raised her eyebrows, unsure of Xiao Mo¡¯s intentions, continuing to frown deeply at him.


    Xiao Mo looked slightly disdainful, ¡°You¡¯ve been with the Song Family for so long and yet you haven¡¯t figured out Song Sinian¡¯s character? Is he the type of man who likes trouble?¡±


    He had no interest in marriage, and the marriage deal was something they had pushed forward from behind the scenes, not expecting that Song Sinian would be the one to benefit.


    If either Old Master Song or the Song Group pressured Lu Zhaozhao, with her timid, fish-out-of-water nature, she would surely be unable to bear it and leave Sinian.


    A man like Song Sinian, emotionless and monstrous, wouldn¡¯t know how to woo a woman and would feel it troublesome, which meant things would likely go smoothly.


    Xiao Mo¡¯s explanation relaxed Xiao Jinglan, she picked up the coffee on the table and gently stirred it, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then the best plan now is to have Xia Wenjin curry favor with Old Master Song. When he finds out that Lu Zhaozhao is a fake heiress, Xia Wenjin¡¯s issue might just resolve itself.¡±


    Ever since Song Sinian was diagnosed with depression in his childhood, Old Master Song had been extremely protective of his precious grandson. Anyone who might affect Song Sinian negatively, he would help deal with.


    So as long as Old Master Song feels that Xia Wenjin is more suitable for Sinian than Lu Zhaozhao, that would be enough!


    Xiao Mo and Xiao Jinglan looked at each other and smiled, this was simpler than they had imagined¡­


    In the evening, as soon as Song Sinian arrived home, he saw Lu Zhaozhao sitting on the foyer steps.


    Her hands were supporting her chin, her little face tightly scrunched up.


    Song Sinian squatted down, cupped her little face in one hand and kissed her, asking lightly, ¡°What¡¯s made you upset?¡±


    Though complex emotions were still hard for him to discern, based on her current expression, with all her features squeezed together, he guessed from past experience that she was likely unhappy.


    ¡°Just¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao pursed her small mouth, at a loss for how to begin.


    Seeing that she didn¡¯t speak, Song Sinian stood up and changed his shoes, ¡°Let¡¯s talk in the living room.¡±


    His words had barely escaped his lips when Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hand directly came to hug him, firmly clinging to his thigh.


    ¡°Mr. Song, please forgive me first, I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose this time!!!¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s heart suddenly sank, and the moment he looked towards Lu Zhaozhao, his eyes and brows immediately tensed up.


    He stood still, his voice deep, ¡°You¡¯re injured?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Lu Zhaozhao was puzzled by his question, her little head tilted up, looking at Song Sinian with a face full of confusion.


    Only then did she suddenly realize, and she quickly shook her head, ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not injured, it¡¯s something else.¡±


    Her voice trailed off to a whisper towards the end.


    Song Sinian, on the other hand, was relieved and raised his hand to rub her little head, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re not injured, we can talk about other things later.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do, we have to talk about it now!¡± Lu Zhaozhao insisted, still tightly holding onto Song Sinian¡¯s thigh with no intention of letting go.


    Her little face was pressed against the seam of his trousers, her entire upper body squeezed against his leg¡ªany slight movement from him would brush against the softest part of her body.


    It was impossible to avoid.


    Song Sinian had no choice but to stand still.


    He raised his hand and gently rubbed his brow, his tone still light, ¡°Go on then, what happened?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ then you have to promise not to get angry with me¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao said this without daring to look at Song Sinian, her head hung low as she mumbled.


    Song Sinian¡¯s brow raised slightly, ¡°So, what are you proposing in exchange for me not getting angry?¡±


    Although he had yet to grasp the concept of being angry himself, if Lu Zhaozhao said he would be, then perhaps it was likely.


    He was, after all, a businessman, adept at bargaining under favorable conditions for higher value.


    However, he had never applied this tactic with Lu Zhaozhao before.


    But she had previously mentioned the concept of ¡°compensation,¡± so perhaps ¡°exchange¡± would be acceptable as well?


    Lu Zhaozhao hadn¡¯t expected Song Sinian to be so calm and even negotiate with her.


    Maybe¡­ this could work.


    Thinking so, she lifted her small head and weakly spoke, ¡°As long as you¡¯re not angry, you can set any condition.¡±


    Their family¡¯s Mr. Song, an angel like him, would surely not make things difficult for her, therefore, Lu Zhaozhao boldly gave a ¡°blank cheque.¡±


    The eyes behind Song Sinian¡¯s gold-rimmed glasses narrowed, a trace of darkness flickering within.


    Any condition, huh¡­ Well, that¡¯s nice.


    ¡°Do you still remember that last week you said you would go to the Song Mansion to celebrate grandfather¡¯s birthday?¡± Lu Zhaozhao murmured as she hugged Song Sinian¡¯s thigh.


    Song Sinian nodded, ¡°Mhm, I remember.¡±


    ¡°But then grandfather was hospitalized, and we couldn¡¯t celebrate,¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words paused slightly, ¡°So¡­ could we go together this weekend to have a meal with grandfather?¡±


    ¡­


    Song Sinian did not answer Lu Zhaozhao, which made her somewhat anxious.


    Although she said any condition could be mentioned, if it were something that touched Song Sinian¡¯s sore spot, not to mention setting conditions, it would be lucky if she wasn¡¯t kicked out.


    Lu Zhaozhao lifted her gaze and stole a glance at Song Sinian, and seeing that he still had not responded, she gently shook him¡ª

 Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Mr. Song, Who Takes an Inch and Wants a Mile

    Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Mr. Song, Who Takes an Inch and Wants a Mile


    ¡°Mr. Song?¡±


    Her soft voice gently called out to him.


    As a result, his clear voice slowly resonated in the room, ¡°Are there no other conditions attached?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s tone was the same as usual, so flat that it was hard to detect any fluctuations.


    Thus, she couldn¡¯t really tell whether Song Sinian was happy or not.


    She could only try to probe further by adding, ¡°Uh¡­ for example¡­ bringing a happy me to have dinner at the Song Mansion?¡±


    Song Sinian reached out and pinched her cheek, ¡°Quite good at adding prefixes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Was this¡­ a yes?


    She looked at Song Sinian somewhat nervously, still considering other possibilities.


    But after thinking it over, she straightforwardly spoke softly, ¡°So, Mr. Song, does this mean you agree?¡±


    Song Sinian nodded, ¡°Yes, I agree.¡±


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao had just breathed a sigh of relief and let go of Song Sinian¡¯s thigh which she had been tightly holding.


    But the next second, Song Sinian¡¯s hands reached out towards her.


    Lu Zhaozhao thought Song Sinian was going to pull her up, but instead, his hands went straight for her armpits and with a little effort, he lifted her up.


    Her feet dangled, and her sense of security instantly dropped a level.


    What was Mr. Song of their family trying to do?


    As Lu Zhaozhao was pondering, Song Sinian placed her on the white storage cabinet at the entrance.


    Since the cabinet was designed narrowly just for temporarily placing items like keys, it was quite narrow.


    Sitting on it, Lu Zhaozhao could barely avoid falling unless she pressed closely against the wall.


    Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around Song Sinian¡¯s neck, and her dangling feet coiled around his waist.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn to set conditions, right?¡± Song Sinian¡¯s hands braced on either side of the cabinet, his competent dark eyes looking down at the person in his arms from above.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s heart beat wildly, ¡°thump, thump,¡± as she listened to Song Sinian¡¯s words by her ear, her hands tightly holding his neck, subconsciously uttering a soft ¡°mm.¡±


    Setting conditions by picking her up, what was this about?


    Surely Song Sinian wasn¡¯t expecting her to perform a gecko walk on this narrow cabinet?


    As her little brain scrambled with thoughts, Song Sinian¡¯s cool voice landed by her ear, ¡°I want the right to kiss you anytime, the kind where¡­ I want and you must satisfy me anytime.¡±


    ¡°Ha?¡±


    Satisfy?


    Why did this word sound so predatory here?


    ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Song Sinian softly called her, his thin lips descending onto her earlobe.


    Lu Zhaozhao instinctively shivered, causing all the pores on her body to burst open in an instant.


    A tingling sensation swept directly from her back over her entire scalp.


    Kissing her ear!


    This¡­ this action, isn¡¯t it a foul!


    ¡°You just said you¡¯d agree to any condition, can¡¯t this one work?¡± He raised his hand to tuck the stray hair by her ear behind it, caressing her now flushed earlobe gently with his fingertip.


    Her earlobe felt ticklish from his touch, her whole being turning red because of his words just recently.


    He gently kissed her forehead, lowering his head to ask again, ¡°Can it?¡±


    By now, Lu Zhaozhao had been completely dazed by his full ¡°combination punch.¡±


    Where could she possibly resist?


    ¡°Should, should be able to¡­ I, um¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her words, her lips were suddenly sealed by someone else¡¯s.


    Song Sinian¡¯s fiery breath was like a sudden tsunami, sweeping across, leaving no room for her to breathe, engulfing her entirely.


    That sense of weightlessness submerged under the sea only made her cling tightly to Song Sinian, as if he were the only lifeline in the ocean depths.


    The more she did so, the harder Song Sinian kissed her, until all her strength seemed to be drained, and she fell limply into his arms before he finally stopped.


    Her nose was red, the corners of her eyes red too, and her curly eyelashes still bore traces of moisture, all presenting a look of being aggrieved after bullying.


    It was because she looked so tearful every time, he always couldn¡¯t help wanting to tease her like this.


    His Adam¡¯s apple moved slightly, his gaze lingering on her pitiful little face, still unsatisfied.


    Lu Zhaozhao shrunk her little head and spoke with a nasal tone drifting in the air, ¡°Mr. Song, could you carry me inside? I¡­ I feel like I can¡¯t walk.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Sinian felt as if a soft cat¡¯s paw had punched him in the chest, an odd sensation overflowing in his heart.


    Without thinking, he lifted Lu Zhaozhao horizontally.


    Having walked only a few steps toward the living room, Song Sinian seemed to remember something and said, ¡°You said earlier that after I went to the Song Mansion, you would accompany me. Does that still stand?¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Wasn¡¯t that a suggestion she made because he didn¡¯t want to go to the Song Mansion alone?


    Now that the two of them were going together, why was he still¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s puzzled gaze met Song Sinian¡¯s slightly hopeful dark eyes; she opened her mouth, the words ready on her lips took another turn.


    ¡°It stands, how could it not?¡±


    After saying this, Lu Zhaozhao was utterly speechless with herself.


    She had no more boundaries left with Song Sinian.


    Every time she saw even a slight emotion from him, she agreed to everything.


    No! She needed to keep her boundaries!


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go for dinner on Friday night,¡± Song Sinian pondered slightly, his dark eyes gleaming as he looked at Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°and on Saturday and Sunday, just like you said, stick with me all day. Wherever I go, you go, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao agreed without even thinking.


    Her little hand helplessly touched her face.


    It was over, she was beyond saving.


    She took a deep breath, her hand rubbing her brow, ¡°Um¡­ Mr. Song, I had previously arranged with Grandpa to meet this weekend. Wouldn¡¯t it be bad to change the schedule last minute?¡±


    ¡°Not really, compared to not going, he would probably prefer us to go earlier,¡± Song Sinian replied nonchalantly.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was momentarily at a loss for words.


    She sighed lightly, deciding to just let things go; she had tried her best with Song Sinian, and as for Grandpa¡­ it was up to him now.


    Song Sinian took Lu Zhaozhao back to the bedroom, then directly went to the study.


    As soon as he closed the door to the study, he rushed to the desk and turned on the computer.


    Logging into his communication account, he immediately dialed a familiar number.


    ¡°Beep beep beep¡­¡±


    As the sound of the video call echoed, Song Sinian¡¯s brows furrowed tighter, his fist slowly clenched, filled with inexplicable irritation.


    Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take long for someone on the other end of the computer to pick up¡ª

 Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: What happened to Zhaozhao?

    Chapter 68: Chapter 68: What happened to Zhaozhao?


    Tian Xiangjun touched the reading glasses by her side and placed them on her nose bridge before hurrying to the computer.


    Song Sinian had never taken the initiative to seek her out before, this was the first time.


    She was so panicked, ¡°Sinian, did something happen over there? Or is it Zhaozhao¡­¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s condition had been stable for many years, although there had been no improvements, it could be considered stable.


    His only emotional fluctuation was always centered around Lu Zhaozhao, so compared to Song Sinian, she was more worried about Lu Zhaozhao.


    Song Sinian shook his head, ¡°She¡¯s fine, she went to the bedroom to rest.¡±


    Tian Xiangjun then patted her chest and let out a sigh of relief, ¡°You scared me to death, I really can¡¯t take this at my age.¡±


    While saying this, she picked up the glass of milk from the table and began to drink.


    ¡°I want to ask you how to be clingy?¡±


    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡±


    Tian Xiangjun spat out the milk she hadn¡¯t finished drinking all over her computer.


    While coughing, she frantically wiped her computer screen with tissues.


    ¡°Cough cough cough¡­ What the heck? Be clingy?¡±


    She had been practicing medicine for so many years, and now she was finally going mad, starting to have auditory hallucinations.


    Song Sinian said he wanted to learn how to be clingy!


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes blinked slightly on the other end of the screen, his face still calm as he said, ¡°How does one act clingy? How can one be clingy without annoying others?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Tian Xiangjun glanced at the glass of milk on the table, then looked at Song Sinian, and decisively put it further away from herself.


    She thought for a few seconds and looked at Song Sinian on the screen, asking very seriously, ¡°When you say being clingy, do you mean you want to cling to Zhaozhao?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Song Sinian answered particularly straightforwardly.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    At times like this, Tian Xiangjun felt quite impressed with Song Sinian; he never hesitated with such questions that were embarrassing to speak of.


    ¡°Okay, being clingy,¡± she narrowed her eyes, not knowing how to explain this behavior to Song Sinian for a moment.


    He was different from most people; if she just talked about simple actions or behaviors, he might misunderstand, and no one knew what might happen then.


    Tian Xiangjun hesitated for a long time, then suddenly as if she had thought of something, she said, ¡°You should know that pets are generally very clingy, right?¡±


    Without any doubt, Song Sinian nodded and responded again with an ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°In that case, if you buy Zhaozhao a pet,¡± Tian Xiangjun glanced at the computer screen and slowly said, ¡°then it would be easier for you to observe how she likes pets to cling to her, and you could learn from that, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    This could also be considered a method of observation and learning, the safest for Song Sinian.


    She thought there was no way Song Sinian would refuse.


    But what she didn¡¯t expect was that Song Sinian only fell silent for a moment before he directly refused, ¡°Is there another way?¡±


    Tian Xiangjun was taken aback, ¡°Are you afraid that Zhaozhao doesn¡¯t like pets? Cats and dogs and the like are very cute; Zhaozhao would probably like them, right?¡±


    Hearing that, the corners of Song Sinian¡¯s brow traced an imperceptible trace of irritation.


    His dark eyes blinked slightly, and he said in a cold tone, ¡°Those pets are not safe; Zhaozhao can easily get hurt.¡±


    ¡°What about finding some non-aggressive pets? Or regularly taking them to the vet for nail trimming or something? And¡­¡± Tian Xiangjun¡¯s words trailed off as she clearly sensed that Song Sinian¡¯s mood was quite different from usual.


    Even though she was separated by a computer screen, she accurately grasped the subtle difference.


    It seemed that Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s influence on Song Sinian was indeed significant.


    Tian Xiangjun thought of this and seemed to suddenly realize something. She quickly added another sentence, ¡°Ah, I forgot, Zhaozhao has to attend school, so it wouldn¡¯t be suitable for her to keep a pet long term. For observation purposes, you could occasionally borrow one from a pet store or a cat caf¨¦ and then return it afterward.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ think about it.¡±


    Sure enough, the emotions coming from Song Sinian¡¯s side weren¡¯t as resistant as before.


    It looked like Song Sinian was worried that Lu Zhaozhao liking pets would threaten his position.


    For the first time, Tian Xiangjun felt Song Sinian actually had a cute side.


    For many years, the Song Sinian she knew could look at anything with the most objective and calm perspective, so cold he hardly seemed human.


    But now¡­ with Lu Zhaozhao, he has also started to pick up a bit of her warmth.


    That¡¯s good.


    It looked like she should find some time to have a proper chat with Lu Zhaozhao, the ¡°Beast Taming Master¡±¡­


    As night fell, the evening breeze grew cooler.


    Lu Zhaozhao sat on the sofa in her bedroom, pulling her shawl tighter over her shoulders, and hesitated for a moment before she sent a message to Xia Wenqing on her laptop.


    ¡°Second Brother, do you know anyone in the component verification department?¡±


    At that time, Xia Wenqing, who was in the Xia Family¡¯s living room dealing with legal documents, became anxious upon receiving the message from Lu Zhaozhao.


    He gave Xia Wenjue a look, then immediately replied, ¡°Yes, what do you need to have tested?¡±


    Thinking about how Lu Zhaozhao had asked Xia Wenjue to hack into surveillance before, he couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    Soon, a message came back from Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°I want to test a sample of water for its components, to see if there are any drugs in it.¡±


    Xia Wenqing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could someone have targeted Lu Zhaozhao?


    He looked up at Xia Wenjue and saw him shake his head.


    Other than the accident Lu Zhaozhao had on the mountain, there hadn¡¯t been any other incidents lately.


    ¡°Did someone drug you?¡± In a moment of impulse, Xia Wenqing sent a message. ¡°If someone bullies you, you have to tell Second Brother; I can protect you.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao blinked her eyes in front of the computer, the light from the floor lamp making the computer screen glow, reflecting in her slightly shining eyes.


    Seeing the message from Xia Wenqing, the corners of Zhaozhao¡¯s mouth curved up. The feeling of being cared for by a loved one was even better than she had imagined.


    She had been worried that Xia Wenqing would ask her where the item came from, but to her surprise, his first concern was her safety.


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips and chose to tell Xia Wenqing the truth.


    ¡°Last weekend, Song Sinian¡¯s grandfather fainted in the mountains, and I found the water he had been drinking. I want to help rule out the cause of his fainting.¡±


    In ordinary families, this sort of thing wouldn¡¯t be much of an issue, but for the Song Family, such a powerful clan, any small matter could be blown out of proportion.


    So it wasn¡¯t wrong for Lu Zhaozhao to choose to proceed discreetly.


    Compared to all this, what delighted Xia Wenqing more was Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s trust in him.


    The fact that she thought of him, her Second Brother, first made Xia Wenqing feel a little proud.


    On the other hand, Xia Wenjue was feeling quite jealous, ¡°This matter could have been handled by me too¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be done, I¡¯m a lawyer, and dealing with these types of tests is naturally most suited for me,¡± Xia Wenqing¡¯s eyes narrowed with happiness.


    Xia Wenyan, who had been sitting across from them, looked at the two with a confused face, ¡°Did something happen to Zhaozhao?¡±

 Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Go Home and Cry to Your Mom!

    Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Go Home and Cry to Your Mom!


    Usually, his older brother and second brother maintained a calm and indifferent demeanor, only showing this strange reaction when Lu Zhaozhao was mentioned.


    Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenqing glanced at Xia Wenyan, paused for a few seconds, and then, as if nothing had happened, they completely ignored his question.


    Xia Wenyan: ¡°¡­¡±


    It was always like this.


    Normally, everything was the same, but as soon as it involved Lu Zhaozhao, they kept their lips sealed around him.


    Xia Wenyan felt helpless. In fact, ever since he heard from his second brother that Lu Zhaozhao had never been treated kindly by the Lu Family, he had gone to investigate it for himself.


    The situation was more shocking than he had anticipated.


    To say he didn¡¯t feel distressed would be a lie.


    Therefore, he could understand why Lu Zhaozhao would feel hostile towards Xia Wenjin.


    Xia Wenyan sighed softly. Since they wouldn¡¯t tell him, it would be better for him to visit Wenjin at the school tomorrow and maybe see Zhaozhao as well¡­


    Since their production team was still conducting a self-investigation, he wouldn¡¯t be able to return anytime soon, so why not take this opportunity to help reconcile Lu Zhaozhao and Xia Wenjin?


    Yes, that was the plan!


    Early the next morning, Xia Wenyan hurried to Yuqing University.


    This time, he dressed up specially, not wearing a mask, a hat, or sunglasses. For this purpose, he even borrowed a subdued luxury car from Xia Wenjue.


    After all, he had to make a dazzling entrance when bumping into his two sisters, to let them feel the popularity he now enjoyed.


    His car stopped at the entrance of the school, during the morning rush of students. As soon as he opened the car door, he immediately became the focus of everyone¡¯s attention.


    Suddenly, a familiar figure flashed by his sight¡ªit was Lu Zhaozhao!


    Just as Xia Wenyan was about to open the door, he heard a piercing voice cry out, ¡°Lu Zhaozhao! Stop right there!¡±


    Now it wasn¡¯t just Xia Wenyan, but also the students entering the school who couldn¡¯t help but turn their heads toward the source of the voice.


    He had never expected that the person stopping Lu Zhaozhao would be Xia Wenjin.


    What surprised him even more was that Xia Wenjin rushed forward and threw something from her pocket at Lu Zhaozhao.


    Luckily, Lu Zhaozhao was quick to react. She turned her head slightly, and the object aimed at her scattered on the ground beside her.


    Looking closely, Xia Wenyan realized they were all ten-dollar bills.


    ¡°This is the living allowance Mrs. Lu gave you. You are no longer a part of the Lu Family, this is your last living allowance,¡± Xia Wenjin said haughtily, looking down on Lu Zhaozhao with disdain in her eyes and brows.


    She deliberately chose to embarrass Lu Zhaozhao during school hours. Now, with so many people around, she didn¡¯t dare to do anything to her.


    Lu Zhaozhao brushed off the bills that had fallen on her clothes and gave Xia Wenjin a cold look, sneering lightly, ¡°The Lu Family¡¯s allowance, you cherish it, I don¡¯t.¡±


    Her tone was indifferent, carrying an ethereal coolness.


    She was the one being insulted, yet completely unaffected.


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s face darkened. How could she possibly let her off so easily?


    She smirked coldly and said to Lu Zhaozhao triumphantly, ¡°Lu Zhaozhao, what¡¯s there for you to be proud of? Your foster parents despise you, and your own brother doesn¡¯t like you. Everything you have now is because of the Lu Family. Don¡¯t you think you are a complete joke?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows arched slightly, her expression almost unchanged, ¡°You come looking for trouble every time with the same old excuse, aren¡¯t you sick of it? Other than bragging that you¡¯re the Lu Family¡¯s biological child, what else do you have?¡±


    She had always thought that Xia Wenjin¡¯s previous life achievements of becoming a movie queen and marrying the new president of XJ Group must have stemmed from some real talent, but now it seemed¡­ her brain might as well have been undeveloped.


    Xia Wenjin was caught off guard by Lu Zhaozhao and stuttered on the spot, but she quickly regained her composure, ¡°What? Does my bragging make you jealous? You think by going back to your biological parents, you can win their affection? Let me tell you, you¡¯re dreaming!¡±


    Sneering, she looked at Lu Zhaozhao and slowly walked closer before continuing, ¡°When you have nothing left, the Xia Family will realize you¡¯re nothing, and in the end, they¡¯ll find out that the person they love is still me!¡±


    In the end, you won¡¯t receive anything!


    The subtext in Xia Wenjin¡¯s words was particularly obvious; she didn¡¯t believe Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t hear it.


    Lu Zhaozhao watched Xia Wenjin¡¯s smug face, the corners of her mouth curling up suddenly with an especially radiant smile, ¡°Would you like them to love you a little more?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, I¡ª Ah!¡±


    ¡°Smack!¡±


    Before Xia Wenjin could finish her sentence, Lu Zhaozhao slapped her face hard.


    The force was substantial, and Xia Wenjin¡¯s face swelled up immediately.


    The pain brought tears to her eyes.


    ¡°Take this slap back to them; I guarantee you¡¯ll be even more favored,¡± Lu Zhaozhao scoffed disdainfully, pressing in on the stunned Xia Wenjin, ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t dare to hit you because there are others around? Want to moral bind me? You¡¯re really naive~¡±


    In her previous life, she had been betrayed by the Lu Family, her reputation had plummeted, and she had become so immune to insults.


    A little incident like this, she simply didn¡¯t care!


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s tears fell to the ground, pitter-patter, yet she couldn¡¯t bring herself to retaliate.


    Now that she was the Lu Family¡¯s legitimate daughter and had to mingle in high society later, fighting with Lu Zhaozhao would be disadvantageous and might even become a stain on her reputation.


    How could Lu Zhaozhao not see through her?


    Her mouth curved sarcastically as she taunted, ¡°If you¡¯re not planning to continue, then I might just leave?¡±


    Xia Wenjin glared at Lu Zhaozhao with fury, wanting nothing more than to tear her apart, but she was very clear about her own standing.


    So, she simply pretended to be pitiable, ¡°Lu Zhaozhao, I was just telling the truth, and for that, you¡¯re this petty? Hitting me over such a triviality?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao tilted her head indifferently, ¡°Yeah, I am petty, so what?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s mouth hung open for ages, finding no chance to retort.


    ¡°Alright, enough with the charade. Pick up the trash on the floor and scram home to cry to your mom!¡± Lu Zhaozhao glanced at her disdainfully and turned to leave.


    Yet unexpectedly, Xia Wenjin, clutching her face, yelled out from behind, ¡°Why should I listen to you?! Just because you tell me to pick things up, I have to do it?!¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao turned her head back, giving Xia Wenjin a cool glance, ¡°Whether you pick it up or not is up to you.¡±


    Stuffing her hands into her pockets, she continued, ¡°There¡¯s quite the crowd around, and a good number of them are filming. You tossing coins in the street, if it gets shared around, it might not be illegal, but a detention for three to five days is certainly possible.¡±


    ¡°!!!¡±


    Xia Wenjin had only meant to slap Lu Zhaozhao; she had no idea it would be this serious, and her whole body froze¡­

 Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Thats It if Shes Happy

    Chapter 70: Chapter 70 That¡¯s It if She¡¯s Happy


    She faced a dilemma, whether to pick up the money or not.


    Lu Zhaozhao deliberately flashed two ok signs at her, teasing, ¡°Three to five days, oh~, Miss Lu~¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡­¡±


    Xia Wenjin bit her teeth in frustration, but in the end, she squatted down to gather the scattered cash.


    Seeing her look both angry and aggrieved, Lu Zhaozhao almost laughed out loud on the spot.


    The two thousand yuan, if it were just hundred-yuan bills, would have been only twenty notes, but Xia Wenjin had inconveniently changed them into ten-yuan notes.


    Tsk, tsk¡­ That¡¯ll keep her busy for a while.


    Actually, if Xia Wenjin had just a bit more wit, she could have just given the scattered money away and not be squatting there foolishly picking it up herself.


    But then again¡­ what did that have to do with her?


    She was satisfied, and that was all that mattered.


    Lu Zhaozhao entered the school feeling refreshed and entirely missed the sight of Xia Wenyan, who had turned completely to stone inside the car at the school gate.


    He had always believed in Xia Wenjin, thinking that Lu Zhaozhao was the one bullying her each time.


    But now, faced with the reality before his eyes, Xia Wenyan realized how ridiculously wrong he had been.


    He remembered how he had once promised vehemently to Lu Zhaozhao that she shouldn¡¯t bully Xia Wenjin, and how he had deliberately been hostile to her at home¡­


    What had he done?!


    Xia Wenyan suddenly remembered the same phrase Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenqing had told him, ¡°Investigate for yourself; don¡¯t do anything you¡¯ll regret later.¡±


    He was finally beginning to understand what they meant.


    Seeing the retreating figure at the school entrance getting smaller, Xia Wenyan felt green with regret.


    He gripped the steering wheel tightly, then suddenly remembered Xia Wenjue saying he had a video¡­


    Xia Wenyan couldn¡¯t care less about making a flashy entrance now, he started the car and floored it towards the Xia Family home.


    As soon as he arrived at the front door, he saw Xia Wenjue, dressed in a suit jacket, about to leave. Xia Wenyan caught him and said anxiously, ¡°Big brother, I need to see that video!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Xia Wenjue raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you now?¡±


    Xia Wenyan held onto his arm tightly, ¡°Big brother, I was wrong, I misunderstood Zhaozhao, and now I want to see that video you all talked about!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xia Wenjue took a long look at Xia Wenyan, saw the urgent look on his face, sighed, and finally turned back.


    He placed the laptop with the video on the table, opened the video file, and said, ¡°Here it is, this is what I stumbled upon at school that day.¡±


    Xia Wenyan clicked on the video, and Xia Wenjin¡¯s shrill voice immediately began to play.


    ¡°Lu Zhaozhao, what do you have to be proud of? What you eat and wear now¡­¡±


    The Xia Wenyan in the video was just like what he had seen today, haughty and aggressive.


    His fingertips unconsciously tightened on the mouse, his knuckles turning white from the strain.


    Xia Wenjue noticed something off in his expression and put a hand on his shoulder, asking, ¡°What happened today?¡±


    Xia Wenyan was never one to keep things hidden; something must have happened to spark such a drastic change in him.


    Listening to the barrage of comments mocking Lu Zhaozhao in the video, Xia Wenyan¡¯s mood plummeted, ¡°I went to Zhaozhao¡¯s school today, hoping to make her reconcile with Xia Wenjin, but just when I arrived, I saw Xia Wenjin provoking Zhaozhao¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t need to explain further for Xia Wenjue to understand what happened.


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s entire face fell, looking as if the sky had collapsed, ¡°What should I do? I¡¯ve misunderstood Zhaozhao and treated her so poorly, and she even said she didn¡¯t care about having me as a brother, what should I do, big brother¡­ I¡¯ve really created a huge mess this time.¡±


    A colossal disaster, indeed.


    ¡°What mess?¡± Xia Wenqing, holding a briefcase, was coming down from the second floor and heard Xia Wenyan¡¯s words, his eyebrows lifting slightly in response.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    His words had not yet finished when his phone suddenly vibrated into life.


    Xia Wenyan glanced at the caller ID and answered, ¡°Hello? Principal?¡±


    ¡°Yan, your sister was hit by a student named Lu Zhaozhao at school, but it seems it¡¯s not your parents who came to the school. How do you plan to handle this?¡±


    Hearing the three words ¡°Lu Zhaozhao,¡± the Three Xia Brothers almost said in unison, ¡°Of course, she must be dealt with severely!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    There was a noticeable silence on the other end of the phone.


    Seeing this, Xia Wenqing hurriedly added, ¡°Principal, don¡¯t worry, we will send a professional lawyer over. It won¡¯t cause you too much trouble.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ okay.¡±


    The call was quickly disconnected.


    Xia Wenqing narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze immediately fixed on Xia Wenyan, ¡°Now tell me what sort of trouble you¡¯ve really gotten into?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    It was ten in the morning.


    Lu Zhaozhao sat in the principal¡¯s office, quietly watching Xia Wenjin cry her eyes out.


    Beside her, Cao Mei looked as if she wanted to murder her on the spot with nothing but her glare.


    ¡°Principal, just look at our Jin¡¯s face, it¡¯s been battered like this! How can you allow someone who hits others like this to remain in the school and harm others?¡±


    Cao Mei spoke with righteous indignation, as though Lu Zhaozhao was her sworn enemy.


    Even though they had lived under the same roof for 20 years.


    Lu Zhaozhao felt a mix of emotions internally, but this fleeting sentiment did not cause any stir in her.


    Because all her feelings had already been ground to dust in her previous life.


    The Cao Mei before her was nothing more than an enemy.


    Lu Zhaozhao slightly lifted her head, her gaze toward Cao Mei turning sharper.


    Having never seen such an expression on Lu Zhaozhao, Cao Mei was suddenly at a loss for words in mid-accusation.


    But she quickly regained her composure and started berating Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Don¡¯t know whose child this is, so venomous. Aren¡¯t they afraid of retribution?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao let out a scoff, nearly laughing at Cao Mei¡¯s absurdity.


    Who was the venomous one, really?


    Some people truly lack self-awareness.


    ¡°Yeah, those who do evil and don¡¯t go to hell tend to offend both gods and people~¡± Lu Zhaozhao mocked, her disdainful gaze fastened on Cao Mei.


    Where was the usual docile and compliant attitude now?


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words instantly ignited Cao Mei¡¯s fury.


    Cao Mei forcefully stood up from her chair, charging at Lu Zhaozhao, hands raised to strike her. Had it not been for the school security holding her back, she would have already pounced and been tearing at Lu Zhaozhao.


    ¡°Enough! Ms. Cao, calm down, this is a school, not a vegetable market!¡± The principal¡¯s authoritative voice came through, promptly making Cao Mei behave.


    But after glancing at Lu Zhaozhao, she still persistently said, ¡°I hope the principal can ensure justice for our Jin.¡±


    The principal, rubbing his temples with a hint of a headache, asked Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°When will your parents get here, Lu Zhaozhao?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao curled her lip, ¡°They¡¯re busy, don¡¯t have time.¡±


    The Xia Family was kind, no need for them to face humiliation by the Lu Family on her account, and as for their Mr. Song, she didn¡¯t need him to step in just yet.


    Cao Mei immediately sneered, ¡°Ha! That sounds nice, but it¡¯s truly because your poor dad and mom simply can¡¯t show their faces, right?¡±

 Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71 I Advise You to Be Sensible

    Chapter 71: Chapter 71 I Advise You to Be Sensible


    Her triumphant expression was the spitting image of Xia Wenjin¡¯s.


    Lu Zhaozhao gave Cao Mei an indifferent glance and said icily, ¡°Being rich or poor can¡¯t be oversimplified, right? After all, some people who think they are very wealthy even sell off their foster daughters for money, don¡¯t they, Ms. Cao?¡±


    Cao Mei¡¯s face darkened instantly, ¡°What¡¯s the use of speaking up for that family? Do they care whether you live or die?¡±


    Listening to Cao Mei¡¯s aggressive words, the principal¡¯s eyebrows knotted in consternation, ¡°Ms. Cao, please watch your emotions.¡±


    Although Xia Wenjin was the injured party, the results of her investigation pointed to Xia Wenjin as the instigator against Lu Zhaozhao.


    The thought of the Xia Family sending a lawyer over made him feel a bit sympathetic towards Lu Zhaozhao.


    He hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, ¡°Both parties are at fault in this matter, why not have Lu Zhaozhao apologize and consider the issue resolved?¡±


    If the issue could be resolved before the Xia Family¡¯s lawyer arrived, perhaps it might save Lu Zhaozhao.


    The child had good grades and was very talented in the arts, a promising young prospect indeed.


    ¡°No way, our Jin suffered so much, and you think an apology can resolve it? Dream on!¡± Cao Mei was the first to become indignant.


    ¡°Unless she leaves school! Otherwise, there¡¯s no discussion! We don¡¯t mind escalating this issue, and at that time, I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t look good for the school either!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Cao Mei¡¯s threatening words made the principal¡¯s frown deepen; this mother and daughter were more difficult to deal with than each other!


    ¡°Principal, our side does not agree to settle the matter so lightly either.¡± Suddenly, a man dressed in a suit and leather shoes walked in.


    He nodded at the principal and handed over a business card, ¡°I am Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s attorney, Fang Zheng. My boss should have mentioned me to you before.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    The principal was somewhat stunned.


    A lawyer sent by the Xia Family?


    Wasn¡¯t the Xia Family¡¯s daughter Xia Wenjin? Why was it Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s lawyer?


    Could there have been a mistake?


    But he clearly said he was Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s lawyer.


    The principal, feeling a headache coming on, pressed his temples and said, ¡°Alright, discuss it amongst yourselves.¡±


    As long as the issue could be resolved, that was all that mattered.


    Fang Zheng nodded lightly, then turned his gaze to Xia Wenjin and Cao Mei, ¡°I heard Ms. Cao insulting, demeaning, and threatening my client when I was entering the door, I have recorded the whole thing and will be sending you a lawyer¡¯s letter later.¡±


    ¡°Are you sick?¡± Cao Mei blurted out almost involuntarily.


    But as soon as she spoke, she wished she could bite off her own tongue.


    The other party was a lawyer, definitely well-prepared; she had miscalculated.


    It seemed Fang Zheng read her mind, giving a light chuckle, ¡°Ms. Cao, rest assured, I will not take offense at your personal attacks. However, as for your daughter¡¯s assault on my client, we need to have a serious discussion.¡±


    ¡°What? My daughter assaulted her?¡± Cao Mei pulled Xia Wenjin over immediately, pointing to the swollen half of her face, ¡°If you¡¯re not blind, you should be able to see, right? My daughter is the one who¡¯s injured!¡±


    Fang Zheng, as if actually blind, turned to Lu Zhaozhao and said, ¡°Miss Zhaozhao, could you please raise your hand that was injured by her face?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lu Zhaozhao was entirely confused.


    She didn¡¯t notify anyone at all. Where did this lawyer appear from?


    Could it be the bodyguard sent by Song Sinian before who informed him?


    Before Lu Zhaozhao could react, Fang Zheng immediately added another comment, ¡°Good, Miss Zhaozhao, you did a great job. Since your hand is too injured to lift, you should rest for now.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Is that even allowed?


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at Fang Zheng in disbelief, having to admit that lawyers these days are really going wild, huh?


    Cao Mei, standing aside, was also infuriated by his remarks. If it weren¡¯t because he¡¯s a lawyer, she would have definitely scratched his face!


    ¡°Do you think you can turn right into wrong with just your mouth?¡± Cao Mei sneered, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know who I am, do you? Offend our Lu Family, and you¡¯ll have to watch your rice bowl!¡±


    Fang Zheng¡¯s face retained a light smile, ¡°Of course I¡¯m aware of the Lu Group. Recently they are quite prominent domestically, and I hear that they plan to go public soon.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Good that you know. I advise you to be sensible, otherwise¡­¡±


    Cao Mei¡¯s mocking words were unfinished when Fang Zheng interrupted her, ¡°Ms. Cao, if during the company¡¯s IPO it¡¯s leaked out that the Lu Family¡¯s daughter has been bullying classmates at school, and the victim is the wife of the president of the Song Group, that IPO might not go so well.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    For Cao Mei, the first wasn¡¯t a problem at all; after all, it was Lu Zhaozhao who started the physical altercation, but involving the Song Group made things quite tricky.


    ¡°By the way, on my way here, a kind soul provided me with a video from the scene, Ms. Cao could have a look¡­¡±


    As Fang Zheng spoke, he played the video, and soon Xia Wenjin¡¯s aggressive voice came through.


    ¡°Lu Zhaozhao! You stop right there!¡±


    Then followed the footage of her throwing money at Lu Zhaozhao, and Xia Wenjin provocatively confronting Lu Zhaozhao.


    Cao Mei¡¯s face grew darker and darker the more she watched because with just this video, Xia Wenjin could be shredded to pieces by the internet.


    If someone used it to steer public opinion, their Lu Family would indeed be affected.


    Fang Zheng aptly put away his phone, continuing to look at Cao Mei with that same smirk, ¡°Ms. Cao, we don¡¯t want to make a big fuss out of this either. As long as you and your daughter apologize to Miss Zhaozhao, we¡¯ll consider the matter closed. As for medical expenses, we¡¯ll send you the bill after Miss Zhaozhao has fully recovered.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Cao Mei, rendered speechless by anger and shaking all over, couldn¡¯t utter a single word.


    Compared to the issue being blown out of proportion and the Lu Family being maligned by the public opinion, affecting Lu Group¡¯s IPO, apologizing now was indeed the better solution.


    Fang Zheng, seeing Cao Mei¡¯s silence, knew the matter was more or less settled.


    He turned back to look at Lu Zhaozhao, who was sitting on the couch, his expression notably softer, ¡°Miss Zhaozhao, are you satisfied with how I¡¯ve handled this?¡±


    ¡°Uh, satisfied,¡± Lu Zhaozhao nodded, internally marveling at Fang Zheng¡¯s skills in handling Cao Mei. That was truly MAX.


    His focus wasn¡¯t even on their altercation, but on the Lu Group¡¯s IPO.


    He had calculated that Cao Mei wouldn¡¯t jeopardize the greater good over something minor and had caught them off guard.


    Xia Wenjin had also caught on to the situation by now. Displeased, she jostled Cao Mei, ¡°Mom, it was that bitch who hit me, why should we apologize?!¡±


    Fang Zheng still offered that polite smile, ¡°If you do not wish to apologize, we won¡¯t force you. The legal notice is already drafted.¡±


    He spoke and took out his phone, showing it briefly to Cao Mei and Xia Wenjin, ¡°You both can reject our settlement proposal at any time and we can meet directly in court. As for the video just now, I¡¯ll blur it out¡­¡±

 Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Is there a possibility that you helped the wrong person?

    Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Is there a possibility that you helped the wrong person?


    Cao Mei¡¯s face was twisted with anger.


    Fang Zheng said he wanted reconciliation, but in reality, he was threatening them.


    If they didn¡¯t apologize now, he would immediately send out a lawyer¡¯s letter, and they would be the ones to suffer.


    Cao Mei gritted her teeth, pulled Xia Wenjin aside, and whispered, ¡°Jin, be good and apologize first. Whatever she owes you, Mom will get it back for you!¡±


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s face was filled with disbelief.


    The Lu Family was so wealthy, yet they were afraid of little Lu Zhaozhao.


    Could it be because she was now Mrs. Song?


    Xia Wenjin clenched her fists tightly. If that was the case, she would definitely take back that position!


    She would make Lu Zhaozhao kneel and beg for her mercy!


    She took a deep breath and said reluctantly to Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows raised, ¡°Hmm, I forgive you. In the future, try not to provoke others with that face of yours. No matter how thick your face is, it¡¯s not meant for that, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xia Wenjin pursed her lips, unable to bear Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s aggressive manner any longer, and ran out crying with her face covered.


    Cao Mei glared fiercely at Lu Zhaozhao, but ultimately, she said nothing and chased after her daughter.


    The principal had never expected the issue to be resolved just like that. The turnaround seemed almost fantastical.


    Perhaps it was because he was getting older, but he couldn¡¯t understand the dynamics of these young people at all.


    He waved his hands, ¡°Alright, since the matter is resolved, go back to class.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao naturally nodded and left with Fang Zheng.


    Once they were out of the principal¡¯s office, she approached him and asked, ¡°Lawyer Fang, I wonder who your boss is¡­¡±


    Fang Zheng chuckled lightly, ¡°I was asked by Xia Wenqing; he said his sister was being bullied at school, and since he couldn¡¯t leave his place, he sent me to help.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was even more surprised to hear it was Xia Wenqing.


    How did he know about her conflict with Xia Wenjin?


    Noticing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s puzzled look, Fang Zheng paused before adding, ¡°When Xia Wenjin transferred schools, Xia Wenyan was the emergency contact, so after the conflict arose, the principal called him.¡±


    Hearing the name ¡®Xia Wenyan,¡¯ Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s steps faltered, ¡°Um¡­ Lawyer Fang, is there a possibility that you might have helped the wrong person?¡±


    Hearing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words, Fang Zheng was clearly amused by them, ¡°No, I¡¯m quite sure the sister I¡¯m supposed to help is you, as you are indeed the Xia Family¡¯s real daughter.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The real daughter?


    Lu Zhaozhao bit her lip slightly, somewhat caring about what Xia Wenjin had said earlier.


    Could an outsider really compare to a daughter raised for 20 years?


    Although there were people like Cao Mei out there, the Xia couple didn¡¯t seem like such people.


    Seeing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s worried look, Fang Zheng couldn¡¯t help but reassure her, ¡°Your brothers really like you; sometimes, you could stand to be more confident in yourself.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao shrugged noncommittally, ¡°Thank you, Lawyer Fang.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, the furious Cao Mei and Xia Wenjin had already reached the parking lot.


    Sitting in the car and watching Xia Wenjin crying ¡°whimperingly,¡± Cao Mei¡¯s eyebrows knotted deeply.


    She was becoming increasingly angry because of Zhaozhao¡¯s defiance just now.


    ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the ringtone sounded inside the car.


    Cao Mei glanced at the phone number and directly reached out to press the car¡¯s call button.


    The next second, Xiao Jinglan¡¯s voice came through the car¡¯s speaker, ¡°Mrs. Lu, is Wenjin available this Friday?¡±


    Cao Mei¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened, and she quickly agreed, ¡°Yes, yes, yes, Lady Xiao, what do you have in mind?¡±


    Previously, when she had suggested to Xiao Jinglan that Wenjin should replace Zhaozhao, Xiao Jinglan had agreed, but her attitude was not very enthusiastic.


    She didn¡¯t expect such a quick response.


    ¡°Our family¡¯s Old Master Song¡¯s birthday was last weekend, but he couldn¡¯t celebrate it because he was in the hospital, so this Friday we plan to have a make-up dinner at home. I¡¯d like Wenjin to come early and make a good impression in front of Old Master Song.¡±


    Xiao Jinglan briefly explained the situation.


    Although the dinner was just a meal among the Song Family, previous guests in the house probably wouldn¡¯t bother Old Master Song.


    Moreover, with Sinian returning home for dinner, Old Master Song was in high spirits, and maybe this was an opportunity to earn a lot of goodwill.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, Wenjin stopped crying when she heard this.


    She raised her hand to wipe her face, looking excitedly at Cao Mei, who was in the driver¡¯s seat, then listened as she continued to ask, ¡°Does Old Master Song have any dietary restrictions or preferences? It would be good for Jin to be aware.¡±


    Upon hearing Cao Mei¡¯s eager response, Xiao Jinglan didn¡¯t hold back, ¡°As for preferences, Old Master Song likes girls who dress simply and look dignified. Regarding taboos, it¡¯s best not to be picky with food and not to drink alcohol during the meal.¡±


    While speaking, Cao Mei took notes, ¡°Alright, I will let Jin know.¡±


    ¡°Good, then we¡¯ll see you on Friday.¡±


    After Xiao Jinglan hung up, a triumphant smile curled the corners of her mouth; having been with the Song Family for many years, she knew Old Master Song¡¯s preferences quite well.


    If she wanted Old Master Song to like someone, it was easy; to make him dislike someone, of course, was a matter of no difficulty.


    Humph! This time, she would see how to push Zhaozhao out of the Song Family!


    Around 10 am, it started to get windy.


    The temperature, which had been somewhat hot, suddenly became much cooler.


    But the temperature in the Song Mansion¡¯s living room was frighteningly cold at this moment.


    Because just then, both parties had simultaneously received the results of the handling of Zhaozhao¡¯s school fight.


    Old Master Song¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed as he stared at Sinian and said word by word, ¡°Zhaozhao is still being bullied at school, and you, as her husband, don¡¯t manage this?¡±


    Sinian shot Old Master Song a glance, his eyes and expression utterly still, ¡°So this is your reason for having her followed?¡±


    Previously, he had been worried about Zhaozhao¡¯s safety and had hired bodyguards to protect her from a distance.


    He hadn¡¯t minded when he heard that Old Master Song was investigating Zhaozhao.


    As long as Old Master Song did not provoke Zhaozhao, it was fine.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that just a few days later, not only had Old Master Song personally sought out Zhaozhao, but he had also had someone follow her.


    This crossed his bottom line.


    So Sinian had directly gone to the Song Mansion, wanting to have a proper talk with him about this.


    Old Master Song, showing clear displeasure, replied, ¡°Am I stalking? I am having someone protect her! I have only one beloved granddaughter-in-law; can¡¯t I, an old man, protect her?¡±


    Sinian¡¯s dark pupils flickered slightly as he retorted firmly, ¡°No, she is mine.¡±


    Old Master Song¡¯s lips twitched, unsure whether to be happy or to lose his temper¡­

 Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Does this brat have a bit too strong of a possessive desire?!

    Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Does this brat have a bit too strong of a possessive desire?!


    Song Sinian cared so much for Lu Zhaozhao, which naturally made him happy.


    But¡­ was this brat¡¯s possessiveness a bit too strong?!


    Didn¡¯t he, as a grandfather, even have the right to dote on his granddaughter-in-law?


    Old Master Song felt a headache coming on and pressed his temples. ¡°You are my grandson, she is my granddaughter-in-law, and it¡¯s only right for me to take care of her.¡±


    ¡°I might not be.¡± Song Sinian coolly retorted, almost making Old Master Song burst in anger.


    He gripped his cane tightly, suddenly wondering how Lu Zhaozhao hadn¡¯t been driven away by this brat?


    Thinking about Lu Zhaozhao, that good girl, his frown deepened even more.


    He absolutely could not let go of such a good granddaughter-in-law!


    Old Master Song took a deep breath, trying to negotiate with Song Sinian again, ¡°You know Zhaozhao¡¯s situation now, she needs comfort around her, so having more people is also good for her.¡±


    A faint irritation crossed Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes as he indifferently said, ¡°There are already enough people around her.¡±


    A whole Xia Family, and now his grandfather also wanted to interfere.


    Why were there always so many people trying to snatch Zhaozhao from him?


    Even thinking about it was annoying.


    Old Master Song watched his beloved grandson in silence, nearly choking with frustration.


    He took a deep breath, changing the subject. ¡°So, how are you planning to handle this situation with Zhaozhao?¡±


    He heard from someone that the matter had already been resolved at school.


    He didn¡¯t know whether his beloved granddaughter-in-law had been disadvantaged. That Xia Wenjin girl seemed to have met him before.


    He had been too soft on her last time.


    Song Sinian glanced at Old Master Song lightly, remaining tight-lipped. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this.¡±


    Those who wanted to mess with Lu Zhaozhao, he would naturally not let them off.


    But he needed to handle it secretly, without letting her know.


    Her heart was too soft.


    Old Master Song almost turned to stone on the spot. ¡°Alright, alright, you children handle your affairs, I won¡¯t interfere, but as for adult matters, I will handle them. The Lu Family indulges their own daughter to bully people from Song Family. Giving them a lesson won¡¯t be a problem, right?¡±


    Song Sinian pondered for a moment. ¡°No problem, but Lu Family¡¯s business must not be touched.¡±


    Though he didn¡¯t know what Lu Zhaozhao had planned, whether it was lending money to the Lu Family to buy ore veins or not funding overseas orders, it all showed that Lu Zhaozhao cared about the Lu Family¡¯s business.


    Since she cared, it must not be touched.


    ¡°What?¡± Old Master Song¡¯s already wrinkled face scrunched up further, his facial expressions remarkably vivid.


    He almost roared in frustration, ¡°If not their business, then what? Their people? Shall we disable them one by one?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    This sudden smoothness gave Old Master Song the feeling of wobbling in a horse stance, and then slipping into a sudden split.


    It was shocking, unexpected, and rather painful.


    He recovered, looking at Song Sinian and rephrased. ¡°You mean, it¡¯s okay for me to have people disable the Lu Family¡¯s people, but not touch the Lu Family¡¯s business?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Song Sinian nodded, answering concisely.


    Now, Old Master Song¡¯s confusion deepened. ¡°Why can¡¯t we touch the Lu Family¡¯s business?¡±


    Song Sinian calmly responded, ¡°Because Zhaozhao wouldn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying if we cripple their legs, she will like that?¡± Old Master Song was about to explode in rage.


    But he heard Song Sinian say leisurely, ¡°She never said she didn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fine, instead of asking his grandson, he might as well use his own brain.


    In the evening, as soon as Lu Zhaozhao entered the door, Qian Hong looked at her with an aunt-like smile.


    This gave her an ominous premonition.


    She pursed her lips and pretended to be calm as she asked, ¡°Aunt Qian, has Mr. Song returned?¡±


    Qian Hong nodded, ¡°Sir is in the living room, he said to come see him after you get back.¡±


    After saying this, she glanced around to make sure no one was around and then whispered a reminder, ¡°Sir has prepared a surprise for you, don¡¯t get scared later~¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Surprise?


    Lu Zhaozhao felt somewhat uncomfortable with that word.


    Based on her understanding of Song Sinian, he probably wouldn¡¯t prepare a surprise himself; it must have been someone¡¯s suggestion.


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded at Qian Hong, walking and thinking about who might give Song Sinian such advice.


    Qian Hong? Zhao Xi or Doctor Tian?


    Apart from them, she couldn¡¯t think of anyone else suitable for a moment.


    But the advice they offered was probably for Song Sinian, so¡­ it shouldn¡¯t be problematic, right?


    Emmm, perhaps.


    Thinking this, Lu Zhaozhao reached the door of the guest room, gently knocked, and then pushed the door open.


    ¡°Mr. Song¡­¡±


    As soon as she spoke, she saw Song Sinian sitting on the sofa and¡­ staring at two large dogs eye to eye.


    Is this the surprise Qian Hong mentioned?


    Lu Zhaozhao walked over with a puzzled look, just in time to hear Song Sinian¡¯s faint voice filling the room, ¡°These two dogs will be staying at home temporarily. If you don¡¯t like them, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Like, I like!¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao, hearing this, couldn¡¯t help but reach out and pat the head of the Samoyed sitting on the right.


    The little guy, upon seeing this, immediately snuggled up against Lu Zhaozhao. She simply squatted down and hugged it, gently rubbing its head.


    Song Sinian¡¯s brow slightly raised as he looked at Lu Zhaozhao and the dog in her arms, then glanced at the indifferent Doberman beside him.


    He had rented these two large dogs from a pet store, specifically choosing two with completely opposite personalities.


    One overly enthusiastic, the other extremely aloof.


    According to the pet store owner, these two dogs were a pair; he had no idea how they ended up liking each other.


    ¡°Mr. Song, do they have names?¡± Lu Zhaozhao held the Samoyed and rubbed it again, her smile becoming even more radiant.


    Song Sinian almost looked at the Doberman with a gaze reserved for trash, then withdrew his gaze to Lu Zhaozhao, replying, ¡°The white one is named Rou Si, and the black one is named Jack.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was busy rubbing Rou Si¡¯s head and didn¡¯t notice Song Sinian¡¯s actions.


    But, hearing Song Sinian mention the dogs¡¯ names, she couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing, ¡°Hahaha¡­ Did the person who named them set them up for an arranged marriage?¡±


    Saying so, she waved at Jack and asked with a beaming smile, ¡°Dear Jack, may I touch your handsome little head?¡±


    As if understanding Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words, the Doberman got up and walked straight towards her, then nuzzled his head against her knee.


    Song Sinian¡¯s brows slightly raised, watching the Doberman nuzzle into Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s arms and then roll its eyes at him¡ª

 Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Mr. Song, are you alright?

    Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Mr. Song, are you alright?


    Song Sinian was beginning to understand what the word ¡°dislike¡± might almost take physical form as.


    For example, this dog.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if he had been staring at ¡°Jack¡± for too long or if the look in his eyes was a bit too clear.


    Lu Zhaozhao quickly noticed his odd behavior.


    ¡°Mr. Song, would you like to pet Jack too?¡± she asked with a beaming smile, her eyes shimmering as if with starlight.


    He found it difficult to refuse her suggestion, so he just nodded in acquiescence.


    But when he raised his hand, he distinctly felt the Doberman¡¯s immediate intention to resist.


    A flash of murderous intent crossed his eyes as he stared intently at it, seemingly ready to punish the dog at the slightest attempt to dodge.


    The Doberman dog shivered decisively and lay flat, allowing Song Sinian to manhandle it.


    Seeing this, Lu Zhaozhao reached out to rub the Doberman¡¯s belly and said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Song, it seems like he likes you a lot!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fortunately, the kitchen finished preparing dinner soon after, and Song Sinian took the opportunity to hand off the dogs to the servants and went to have dinner with Lu Zhaozhao.


    Every time, the family chef cooked according to Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s taste, so she always enjoyed her meals quite a bit.


    But did Song Sinian like these dishes?


    Lu Zhaozhao, with half a bowl of sweet soup in hand, took a few sips and her gaze lingered on Song Sinian.


    Ever since they started living together, she had been observing Song Sinian more.


    She gradually realized that no matter what the chef¡¯s cooking leaned toward in flavor, Song Sinian¡¯s portions seemed to remain the same.


    Neither more nor less.


    Lu Zhaozhao, resting her chin in her hand, couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly; it seemed there was a long journey ahead to discover Mr. Song¡¯s own tastes.


    Song Sinian seemed to have noticed her gaze, and turned his head to look at Lu Zhaozhao, his tone indifferent, ¡°Is there something you want to say to me?¡±


    Snapping back to reality, Lu Zhaozhao laughed softly and made up an excuse, ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m considering what to buy as a gift for Grandpa¡¯s house for the meal on Friday. Do you have any suggestions, Mr. Song?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyes lowered slightly, a flicker of subtle emotion crossing his gaze, ¡°You don¡¯t need to go out of your way to buy him anything special; let Zhao Xi pick something suitable, and you can just bring that.¡±


    ¡°How can that be alright? It¡¯s my first time visiting the Song Mansion, and I should definitely prepare the gift properly,¡± Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips, not agreeing with Song Sinian¡¯s suggestion.


    In her previous life, Old Master Song hardly went out and didn¡¯t have any particular hobbies, so the intelligence from her past life wasn¡¯t useful now.


    Thinking this, Lu Zhaozhao tilted her head and looked at Song Sinian, then asked, ¡°Do you know Grandpa¡¯s preferences? Like, is there anything he likes to collect?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyelids drooped slightly, ¡°His tastes are broad; he likes almost all collectibles, anything will do.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao raised her eyebrows, feeling that Song Sinian seemed to have answered her, yet not quite fully.


    Her brow furrowed slightly, contemplating whether to ask Zhao Xi, when Song Sinian spoke slowly, ¡°How was your day at school today?¡±


    Hearing Song Sinian¡¯s lackluster voice, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed.


    Although she wasn¡¯t entirely sure, she had a vague sense that Song Sinian seemed to be in a mood with her.


    Lu Zhaozhao carefully reviewed everything that had happened since just now and couldn¡¯t see any issues.


    Could it be that Song Sinian knew about something from her school?


    With that thought, Lu Zhaozhao set down her bowl of sweet soup and covered her eyes, saying in a crying tone, ¡°Today, someone bullied me at school, wuu wuu¡­¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyebrows suddenly furrowed as he watched Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s unexpected behavior, and he too was a bit stunned.


    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t cry.¡±


    As soon as he began to speak, he saw Lu Zhaozhao remove the small hand that was covering her eyes, propping it under her chin, ¡°So, Mr. Song, won¡¯t you kiss me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes blinked as he looked at her, her eyebrows and eyes smiling at him, the corners of her mouth hooking up in a way that inexplicably itched his heart.


    His face felt a little hot.


    This feeling was strange, but it didn¡¯t seem to be uncomfortable anywhere else.


    Seeing the complexity in Song Sinian¡¯s eyes, Lu Zhaozhao thought that her teasing might have made him uncomfortable.


    She quickly reached out to tug on Song Sinian¡¯s sleeve and shook it, ¡°Mr. Song, are you alright?¡±


    Song Sinian turned to look at Lu Zhaozhao, hesitated for a moment, then slowly spoke, ¡°I feel like my face is a bit hot.¡±


    ¡°Hot?¡± Lu Zhaozhao quickly stood up from her chair, ¡°You¡¯re not running a fever, are you?¡±


    Lately, she had been living too comfortably and utterly forgot about Song Sinian still being a patient.


    She extended her small hand to his forehead and then frowned, pressing her little head against it.


    The temperature isn¡¯t high, is it?


    Lu Zhaozhao was a bit worried, ¡°Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere else?¡±


    Song Sinian blinked, ¡°It seems¡­ even hotter now.¡±


    His heart was also ¡°thumping¡± non-stop.


    ¡°Even hotter?¡± Lu Zhaozhao raised her eyebrows skeptically, but her gaze slowly fell on the back of his neck.


    The originally pale neck was now a patch of rosy red.


    Lu Zhaozhao seemed to instantly understand, ¡°I, I think I know.¡±


    Her small hand lifted slightly, her fingertips lightly tracing along his neck under the collar.


    The cool touch of her fingers made Song Sinian¡¯s back shiver, feeling all his body hair stand on end.


    His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed slightly, and his voice was audibly more hoarse, ¡°What exactly is going on?¡±


    He looked at Lu Zhaozhao, his eyes clearly showing a hint of longing flushed with red.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°I can make you even hotter.¡±


    With that, she leaned down and kissed his earlobe gently.


    As expected, his already flushed neck¡­ darkened a few more shades.


    Almost as soon as he felt her approaching breath, a layer of darkness surged in Song Sinian¡¯s eyes.


    He swept away the tableware in front of him with one hand, stood up, and scooped Lu Zhaozhao onto the table across from him.


    His powerful arms framed her on both sides, his whole body looming over her.


    His voice, tinged with a threat, slowly fell, ¡°Are you going to tell me or not?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ mmm¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Song Sinian¡¯s lips pressed against hers.


    His heavy breath, mixed with a unique, cold fragrance, fell chaotically on her cheeks, inexplicably making her breathing hurried.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hands were between them, and Song Sinian, as if on purpose, leaned his body and pressed down on her.


    His body was heavier than she had imagined.


    His stature was already tall, and the sudden increase in pressure clearly made her body lose balance¡­

 Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Mr. Song, You Lack Martial Integrity!

    Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Mr. Song, You Lack Martial Integrity!


    Lu Zhaozhao frantically grabbed his lapels, but suddenly ripped open the buttons at his collar.


    Her entire body tensed with nerves.


    At the right moment, Song Sinian¡¯s large hand passed through her cascading black hair and secured her small head, offering her enough support to finally free space to whisper by her ear, ¡°I¡¯m here, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    His voice was low and raspy, as if he was bewitching her.


    Surprisingly, her tensed body completely relaxed, but the next second, when his breath covered her again, her heart intensely hung in suspense.


    Song Sinian completely dominated her, leaving her unable to do anything but respond to him.


    He seemed to relish this feeling, turning and twisting at will, dominating yet tender.


    Overwhelmed by his pursuit, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hands hastily patted his shoulders, ¡°Mm, I, I was wrong, I say¡­ah¡­¡±


    Her soft pleas fell on his ear, causing Song Sinian to slowly let her go, but as his gaze fell on those tearful eyes post-bullying, the rational chord in him almost snapped on the spot.


    He forcefully suppressed the agitation in his heart, kissed her eyes again, and with a voice heavy with desire murmured in her ear, ¡°Then tell me¡­¡±


    He took a deep breath, wishing he could completely devour her sweet, orange-like scent.


    He must be crazy.


    Lu Zhaozhao, with a red nose and held in his arms, said with a bit of grievance, ¡°You, just now, that was actually shyness.¡±


    ¡°Shyness?¡± Song Sinian raised his brow slightly, familiar with the term.


    But shyness, applied to him, seemed puzzling.


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips, seriously nodding, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s you who were shy.¡±


    Thinking of her own moments of shyness and what Song Sinian had done to her then, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s heart began to stir.


    Her eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at Song Sinian, mimicking his tone, word by word, ¡°So it turns out that when you¡¯re shy, your neck goes red~¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Sinian, looking at her expression, felt an inexplicable itch in his heart.


    He wanted to continue kissing her, until she was so soft and limp that she could only lean on him, until she looked tearfully like someone bullied.


    It was still not enough; he wanted more¡­


    His heart heated, yearning to put everything into action.


    But he was worried that Lu Zhaozhao might be unhappy¡­


    Suddenly, like he thought of something, Song Sinian gently nuzzled his head into Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s neck crease, resembling the Doberman from before.


    Lu Zhaozhao was startled, somewhat caught off guard by Song Sinian¡¯s sudden displays of affection.


    But her body reacted quicker than her mind, instinctively reaching out to rub his head.


    Encouraged like Song Sinian, he raised his head and gently kissed her pale neck.


    Very good, no rejections.


    He slowly moved up, kissing her chin.


    She continued to look at him with smiling eyes, utterly unguarded, until¡­ he precisely found the spot he had previously indulged in and again swooped in¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao: ¡°???¡±


    Mr. Song, you play dirty!


    Friday came in the blink of an eye.


    To prevent Lu Zhaozhao from gaining Old Master Song¡¯s favor, Xia Wenjin had someone pick her up right after school in the afternoon.


    She wore a simple, elegant pink and white dress, her hair specially styled up, looking very graceful and generous.


    Old Master Song was advanced in age, old-fashioned, and stubborn, thus very particular about attire.


    ¡°Aunt Xiao, do I look alright?¡± Xia Wenjin asked, turning to face Xiao Jinglan with pink cheeks.


    It was her first visit to the Song Family, and she had to leave a good impression on Old Master Song.


    Then, it would be effortless to push Lu Zhaozhao out of the Song Family.


    Such a fake should definitely be thrown out!


    Xiao Jinglan nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your outfit is tailored to the old master¡¯s taste.¡±


    Her clothes were almost the same color scheme as hers; with her many years of experience in the Song Family, how could she fail?


    Thinking this, Xiao Jinglan pulled Xia Wenjin through the main entrance, ¡°Be smart and sweet-talk a little; the old master will definitely be pleased.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Aunt Xiao.¡±


    Xia Wenjin¡¯s face was filled with a radiant smile until she saw Old Master Song in person.


    The smile on her face instantly stiffened.


    ¡°Father, this is the young lady of the Lu Family, Xia Wenjin. We happened to meet while shopping, so I invited her over,¡± Xiao Jinglan reeled off smoothly, not noticing Xia Wenjin sweating beside her.


    She had never dreamt that the old man she saw at school was Old Master Song!


    Xia Wenjin glanced nervously at Old Master Song, her heart nearly leaping out of her throat.


    He¡­ he probably didn¡¯t recognize her, did he?


    Even if he did, he probably wouldn¡¯t hold it against her anymore, especially since he had both scolded and falsely accused her back then; they were even.


    Perhaps he found that day¡¯s incident embarrassing and pretended not to recognize her.


    After mentally preparing herself, Xia Wenjin forced a smile and addressed Old Master Song, ¡°Hello, grandfather. It¡¯s nice to meet you; please look after me.¡±


    Old Master Song snorted lightly, ¡°The young lady of the Lu Family, with such a large family and business, how dare I, an old man, ¡®look after¡¯ you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s brows furrowed immediately, not expecting Old Master Song to be so harsh right from the start.


    She quickly tried to smooth things over, ¡°The Lu Family is indeed on the rise, quite significant indeed¡­¡±


    She paused, then quickly added, ¡°Recently, our Song Family has had some business dealings with the Lu Family, though it seems the board isn¡¯t too happy about it.¡±


    Old Master Song glanced at Xiao Jinglan, his tone still filled with displeasure, ¡°What are those fellows unhappy about?¡±


    Xiao Jinglan took the opportunity to complain about Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Previously, Lu Family wished to have the Song Family invest under the conditions of an overseas order, but Sinian, after spending a night at home, rejected the plan, instead lending money directly to the Lu Family.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Old Master Song didn¡¯t say much, seemingly mulling over her words.


    Xiao Jinglan continued while she had the chance, ¡°Also, I heard after the Lu Group decided to bid for the highly sought-after Jade Vein number three and four, he gave up on those and chose the unremarkable number eight instead. It makes me wonder if Sinian was influenced by someone.¡±


    She sighed softly, looking extremely worried, almost outright saying that Sinian was bewitched by Lu Zhaozhao, thus going to all lengths to help the Lu Family.


    But Xiao Jinglan knew, Old Master Song would definitely think this way!

 Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Mr. Song, please switch seats with me

    Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Mr. Song, please switch seats with me


    Mr. Song¡¯s shrewd eyes squinted before he finally looked at Xiao Jinglan and asked, ¡°How did you know about the company and the directors¡¯ matters?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Xiao Jinglan hadn¡¯t expected that this would be the first thing Mr. Song noticed.


    However, she had long been fully prepared, so she quickly found an appropriate excuse and said, ¡°I¡¯m actually not very clear myself, I only found out by chatting with the other directors¡¯ wives¡­¡±


    ¡°Now the directors¡¯ wives are casually discussing the company¡¯s secrets, it seems the board members are all very idle!¡± Mr. Song¡¯s face immediately darkened.


    The suddenly icy atmosphere made Xiao Jinglan shudder involuntarily.


    Just as she was about to start explaining, she heard Mr. Song continue, ¡°Later, give me a list of the directors¡¯ wives who told you these things, it¡¯s time to properly deal with these pests!¡±


    ¡°Uh, Dad, it was just casual chat, they probably didn¡¯t know it was confidential or anything¡­¡± Xiao Jinglan panicked, frantically trying to find an excuse to blur over it.


    She thought about making up a few names of directors¡¯ wives to gloss over the matter, but if they were not very close to her, the excuse probably wouldn¡¯t hold.


    But those directors¡¯ wives she was on good terms with were relationships she had painstakingly built up over many years.


    Breaking up over just a couple of words would be too unwise.


    Mr. Song glanced at Xiao Jinglan, ¡°Alright, I know it¡¯s difficult for you, since you don¡¯t want to say, I will handle it by observing those ladies you are intimate with.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, let¡¯s leave it at that, don¡¯t talk about it anymore!¡± Before Xiao Jinglan could speak to stop him, Mr. Song had already interrupted her.


    These people dared to scheme against his precious daughter-in-law, they must pay the price!


    While Sinian was still unaware, he wanted to show his authority, also to save his precious daughter-in-law some face.


    Xiao Jinglan was completely speechless now; she couldn¡¯t understand why Mr. Song was so irritable today.


    Frowning, she immediately had an unpleasant hunch.


    ¡°Dad, isn¡¯t Sinian coming home for dinner today?¡± Xiao Jinglan asked subconsciously.


    Only Sinian could touch such a nerve in him, making him this agitated.


    At her words, Mr. Song¡¯s expression turned even uglier.


    He was really looking forward to this Friday¡¯s dinner, especially since, apart from Sinian, Lu Zhaozhao was supposed to come too.


    If Sinian didn¡¯t come, it meant Lu Zhaozhao wouldn¡¯t come either.


    Of course, his mood was foul.


    Mr. Song¡¯s brows were tightly knotted together, just about to tell Xiao Jinglan to shut her crow¡¯s mouth, when the butler hurriedly ran in.


    ¡°Master, the young master and young mistress have arrived.¡± The butler¡¯s face was visibly excited as he spoke.


    After all, this was the first time Lu Zhaozhao had come to the Song Mansion since marrying Sinian.


    Hearing Mr. Song say she was a rare good daughter-in-law, the butler was also quite thrilled.


    At this, Xiao Jinglan raised her eyebrows, wondering, wasn¡¯t it supposed to be just Sinian coming?


    Why did Lu Zhaozhao come too?


    Xiao Jinglan hadn¡¯t had the chance to boost Xia Wenjin¡¯s likability in front of Mr. Song before Lu Zhaozhao showed up, which meant she had to trip her up a bit.


    As long as Lu Zhaozhao was disliked by Mr. Song, even if Xia Wenjin hadn¡¯t gained much favor, she would still be much better off than Lu Zhaozhao.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Lu Zhaozhao walked in, arm in arm with Song Sinian.


    Xiao Jinglan spotted Lu Zhaozhao immediately. She was wearing a vintage, bright red long dress and her black hair was styled in large waves.


    Not to mention men, even she, a woman, found her stunningly attractive.


    However, it was a pity that their Old Master Song didn¡¯t like it.


    Particularly, dresses that were slightly revealing like this strap-bearing one were an absolute no for Old Master Song!


    Seeing this, Xiao Jinglan whispered to Old Master Song, ¡°Dad, look how nice Zhaozhao¡¯s dress is. It¡¯s a new model from AMS. Zhaozhao has such good taste. This brand always focuses on bright colors but¡­ it¡¯s a bit revealing.¡±


    She almost pointed out everything Old Master Song disliked, just waiting for him to explode in anger.


    Thinking this, Xiao Jinglan couldn¡¯t help but squint her eyes in anticipation.


    Unexpectedly, Old Master Song glanced at her and suddenly snapped, ¡°If you can¡¯t speak properly, shut your mouth. You won¡¯t be mistaken for a mute if you stay quiet.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s eyes almost popped out of their sockets.


    Wasn¡¯t he supposed to attack Lu Zhaozhao at this time? Why scold her instead?


    While Xiao Jinglan was puzzled, Lu Zhaozhao came over with a small gift box and handed it to Old Master Song, ¡°Grandfather, this is a gift I picked for you. I hope you like it.¡±


    ¡°Like it, like it. Whatever my granddaughter-in-law gives me, I like,¡± Old Master Song said after glancing at the box, which contained a very delicate purple clay teacup, indicating Lu Zhaozhao put in some effort in choosing the gift.


    Satisfied, he narrowed his shrewd eyes and didn¡¯t forget to take a jab at Xia Wenjin, ¡°Unlike some people, who come to someone¡¯s house empty-handed!¡±


    Old Master Song¡¯s pointed words instantly made Xia Wenjin blush, yet she sat next to Xiao Jinglan without daring to say a word.


    Lu Zhaozhao was slightly surprised to see Xia Wenjin here, but recalling the way she had looked at Song Sinian earlier, she probably had no good intentions.


    Xiao Jinglan, feeling a bit awkward, tugged at the corner of her mouth. Seeing that she hadn¡¯t successfully sabotaged Lu Zhaozhao, she quickly suggested, ¡°Dad, since Zhaozhao and Sinian are here, should we have the kitchen arrange dinner? They might be hungry.¡±


    Mr. Song nodded without saying anything more and slowly rose to his feet.


    The Song Mansion was designed in a Chinese style, and the dining area next to the main hall was reached by walking through a long corridor and passing through a hanging flower gate.


    Because Xia Wenjin had been brought by Xiao Jinglan, she followed the Song family to the restaurant.


    Everyone took their seats, and Xia Wenjin naturally sat next to Xiao Jinglan, just a decent distance from Song Sinian.


    Her eyes unconsciously rested on him, watching his slender fingers holding the chopsticks, and couldn¡¯t help but feel her heart race.


    Such a good-looking and wealthy man should belong to her.


    ¡°Mr. Song, please swap seats with me,¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s voice suddenly rang out over the dining table.


    Song Sinian looked at Lu Zhaozhao and, without even asking why, did as she requested.


    In contrast, Old Master Song, Xiao Jinglan, and Xia Wenjin all stared at Lu Zhaozhao in confusion.


    Then, they listened to her seriously spout nonsense, ¡°Our Mr. Song is shy. I¡¯m worried he won¡¯t be able to eat if he sits next to Xia Wenjin¡­¡±

 Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77: This Stupid Woman Actually Self-Destructed

    Chapter 77: Chapter 77: This Stupid Woman Actually Self-Destructed


    She deliberately gave Xia Wenjin a ¡°brilliant¡± but insincere smile as she spoke.


    Lu Zhaozhao was actually worried that Mr. Song of the Lu Family would lose his appetite from being fixated on by Xia Wenjin.


    Of course, another reason was that she was irked to see another woman eyeing her man right under her nose.


    Xia Wenjin clenched her fists in frustration and almost bit her back teeth as she looked at Lu Zhaozhao and said, ¡°Sister, you really have a sense of humor. President Song and I aren¡¯t exactly strangers, right? After all, President Song personally assisted our Lu Family. He has indeed been a benefactor to us.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was downright dismissive, ¡°You might be mistaken. Currently, Mr. Song and the Lu Family just have a simple borrower-lender relationship; it¡¯s better to minimize claiming other associations.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    With Old Master Song present, Xia Wenjin couldn¡¯t outright pick a fight with Lu Zhaozhao.


    She could only purse her lips in grievance, ¡°Sister, you really don¡¯t need to be so confrontational with me. I just want to get to know President Song better, especially since there is a marriage union between the Song and Lu families.¡±


    Watching her put on a facade of an innocent white lotus, Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s lips quirked, ¡°That¡¯s uncertain since I¡¯m not actually a daughter of the Lu Family.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The words Xia Wenjin intended to say suddenly got stuck in her throat. Her initial plan was to make Lu Zhaozhao realize her own pretense, continually emphasizing the relationship between the Song and Lu families.


    Unexpectedly, this foolish woman exposed herself.


    This would give Old Master Song the perfect chance to see her true nature.


    Xiao Jinglan never anticipated that the situation would suddenly shift in their favor.


    While she was feeling smug about it, she then heard Old Master Song say, ¡°Zhaozhao, this chicken wing is really tasty, you should try it.¡±


    Xiao Jinglan: ¡°???¡±


    Xia Wenjin: ¡°???¡±


    Did Old Master Song not hear?


    Lu Zhaozhao exposed herself, yet Old Master Song showed no reaction?


    Xia Wenjin and Xiao Jinglan exchanged glances, neither daring to provoke Old Master Song¡¯s displeasure, so they could only silently continue eating.


    It might have been because Old Master Song was overly enthusiastic during the meal, serving Lu Zhaozhao quite a bit of food.


    Lu Zhaozhao just smiled and ate quietly, but still pushed the food she disliked to the side.


    Xiao Jinglan and Xia Wenjin, closely observing Lu Zhaozhao, couldn¡¯t miss her subtle gestures.


    But how could they discreetly inform Old Master Song?


    As Xiao Jinglan was pondering this, Xia Wenjin was the first to speak up, ¡°Sister is still the same as before. I heard from Mrs. Lu that you¡¯ve always disliked spinach, and it seems you still don¡¯t like it now.¡±


    She had heard from Xiao Jinglan that Old Master Song really disliked people who were picky eaters, and she didn¡¯t believe Lu Zhaozhao could escape this so easily!


    Sure enough, upon hearing this, Old Master Song¡¯s eyebrows instantly furrowed.


    Xiao Jinglan shot Xia Wenjin a ¡°well done¡± look as they sat back and quietly watched.


    Song Sinian sat beside them, raising his eyebrows slightly before turning to look at Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°You don¡¯t like spinach?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips slightly and nodded softly.


    Although spinach was a leafy green, she had always felt it tasted strangely sweet and cloying, so she didn¡¯t like it much.


    Song Sinian lifted his chopsticks straight from her plate and ate it himself.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like something, leave it on my plate.¡±


    His indifferent voice echoed in the silent dining room, causing Old Master Song to frown even harder.


    Hmm, let this cheeky kid show off!


    Old Master Song cleared his throat before speaking, ¡°Grandpa wasn¡¯t aware of your dislikes. Next time you come, I won¡¯t have them prepare it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Even Xia Wenjin, let alone Xiao Jinglan, began to doubt life itself.


    Had Lu Zhaozhao bewitched Old Master Song?


    After dinner, Song Sinian gently held Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hand under the table.


    Her soft, boneless fingertips felt very comfortable in his palm.


    ¡°Sinian, why don¡¯t you show Zhaozhao around the Song Mansion? After all, it¡¯s her first visit,¡± Old Master Song nudged his chin up slightly, decisively giving them a chance to be alone.


    Song Sinian pondered for a moment and asked Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Do you want to see it?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao actually wasn¡¯t very interested.


    In her previous life, when she hadn¡¯t lived in the villa, she had always been at the Song Mansion.


    However, at that time, she had no interest in exploring the mansion, so there were indeed many places she didn¡¯t know.


    Thinking this, Lu Zhaozhao nodded and said with a curved smile, ¡°Then please, Mr. Song, show me around.¡±


    Just as she finished speaking, Xia Wenjin also stood up, ¡°Sister, since we¡¯re going for a tour, can you take me along too?¡±


    Although Xia Wenjin was speaking to Lu Zhaozhao, her gaze was fixed on Song Sinian.


    Her intention was too obvious, especially when Song Sinian looked at her, she immediately spoke again, ¡°President Song, you wouldn¡¯t mind, would you?¡±


    ¡°I do mind.¡± Right after Xia Wenjin finished speaking, Song Sinian¡¯s response came.


    He didn¡¯t give her any face at all.


    Xia Wenjin stood there feeling a bit embarrassed, clenching her fists tightly.


    Old Master Song glanced at her, displeased by her lack of tact, and ordered, ¡°Butler, arrange for someone to take this daughter of the Lu Family around later.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Old Master Song got up and left the dining room, followed naturally by Song Sinian and Lu Zhaozhao.


    Watching Lu Zhaozhao and Song Sinian leave the dining room, Xia Wenjin¡¯s eyes darkened.


    That damned Lu Zhaozhao must have said bad things about her in front of Song Sinian, which explained his harsh attitude toward her.


    Xiao Jinglan glanced at Xia Wenjin, noting her eyes filled with resentment toward Lu Zhaozhao. She snorted silently, but her expression remained extremely amiable.


    ¡°Jin, Sinian is just like that, even towards Old Master Song and me, so don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    Xia Wenjin narrowed her eyes. He was like that even towards Old Master Song and Xiao Jinglan?


    So, it was only special between him and Lu Zhaozhao?


    Hmph!


    Lu Zhaozhao must have seduced Song Sinian!


    That shameless woman!


    She would eventually drive her away from Song Sinian¡¯s side!


    ¡°Achoo!¡± Lu Zhaozhao, walking in the yard, suddenly sneezed.


    Seeing this, Song Sinian immediately took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around Zhaozhao.


    Her physique was already petite, so his jacket almost covered most of her.


    Song Sinian frowned slightly, ¡°Wearing so little outside can make you sick.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was always excessively delicate, even the slightest carelessness could hurt her.


    What if she caught a cold?


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at Song Sinian, as if suddenly remembering something, and immediately grabbed his hand, leading him towards the garden¡­

 Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Heaven Really Knows How to Push Her to the Limit

    Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Heaven Really Knows How to Push Her to the Limit


    Although Song Sinian was puzzled, he still followed Lu Zhaozhao over.


    ¡°Mr. Song, sit here.¡± Lu Zhaozhao walked to the bench in the garden, extended her hand, and pressed Song Sinian down onto it.


    Then, she sat down next to Song Sinian.


    ¡°Look, this place is the best for moon-watching at night,¡± Lu Zhaozhao said, reaching out and pointing to the sky.


    Because it was close to the Mid-Autumn Festival, the moon was much rounder than usual.


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark pupils lowered slightly, as if he found her remark a bit odd.


    Lu Zhaozhao had never been to the Song Mansion before, so how could she know that this was the best spot for moon-watching at night?


    Song Sinian raised his eyes, his gaze unconsciously scanning over Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small face.


    Her expression did not resemble that of a liar.


    It seemed his lovely wife still had many secrets she hadn¡¯t told him.


    Suddenly, Lu Zhaozhao leaned gently against his side, murmuring to herself, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d have a day where I could sit so leisurely in the garden and watch the moon.¡±


    Song Sinian gently wrapped his arm around Lu Zhaozhao, his large hand casually brushing the stray hairs behind her ear, ¡°With me here, no matter when, you can always sit leisurely in the garden and watch the moon.¡±


    His tone was low, yet filled with an indescribable affection.


    Lu Zhaozhao lifted her little head, her eyes meeting his.


    Yes, as long as Song Sinian was here, she could sit leisurely in the garden and watch the moon.


    Even in her last life, with so many misunderstandings about him, Song Sinian had been wholeheartedly devoted to her.


    Even in his death, he had left everything to her.


    How could she not love such a man?


    Lu Zhaozhao tilted her little head, her eyes flicking toward Song Sinian¡¯s suddenly blinked gently, ¡°Besides watching the moon, can we do something else?¡±


    Although she was asking him, the eager look on her face made it clear she already had plans in mind.


    Song Sinian¡¯s large hand gently pinched her little face, his eyes soft as he said, ¡°You can do anything you want to do.¡±


    His voice sounded unemotive, but every word he spoke was laced with full indulgence and pampering.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao turned around, her small hands suddenly grasping Song Sinian¡¯s wrists. Then, standing up, she pressed his whole body against the back of the chair.


    ¡°From now on, I¡¯m going to do whatever I want with you, hmph!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s lips twitched slightly, and for some reason, even though he knew her little hands were too weak to hold on to him, let alone push him down in the chair to have her way with him, he just felt¡­ at the bottom of his heart¡­ somehow, um, very comfortable.


    Lu Zhaozhao slowly leaned in toward Song Sinian, but when she was still some distance away, he, on the contrary, slightly raised his chin and offered his thin lips.


    Her eyes suddenly curved into a smile, staring at Song Sinian she touched his nose with hers and asked, ¡°Mr. Song, how do you feel right now?¡±


    Song Sinian hesitated momentarily, his eyes gazing into hers, which shimmered faintly, ¡°I¡­ can smell the sweet scent on your body. Every time my arms are full of this scent, it feels as if my heart is filled, and it feels very comfortable¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Lu Zhaozhao said, her small mouth gently kissing the tip of his nose, ¡°That feeling just now, that¡¯s called happiness, and it makes you feel comfortable and happy.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s response was better than she had hoped, which made Lu Zhaozhao very reassured.


    As she was thinking about how to continue to lead him on, her small hands were suddenly caught by Song Sinian¡¯s large ones.


    He suddenly pulled her towards him, and the distance between them tightened abruptly, with Lu Zhaozhao almost sitting entirely on Song Sinian¡¯s lap.


    ¡°Every time I smell your scent, I feel happy, do you feel the same?¡± Song Sinian looked at Lu Zhaozhao, his eyes seemingly extra serious.


    Lu Zhaozhao blinked her watery eyes, ¡°Uh¡­ happiness is just a state, not caused by any specific action. Can you think of anything else that might give you this feeling?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s large hand gently squeezed Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hand and really started to think, as she had said.


    After a moment, when his dark eyes turned back to her, he said word by word, ¡°Apart from just now, the thought of you taking on my scent also makes me happy.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Ah!!! What kind of outrageous statement is that!


    Good heavens truly excel in challenging my limits.


    Lu Zhaozhao opened her little mouth, wanting to try to explain, but thinking that it might just make things worse, she decided to just go for broke.


    With that thought, Lu Zhaozhao directly lowered her head and ¡°smack¡± kissed Song Sinian¡¯s face, ¡°Better yet, let you get more used to the scent on me.¡±


    She continued to say this and started pecking Song Sinian¡¯s face like a chick pecking at grains of rice.


    Lu Zhaozhao being proactive was already rare, let alone behaving so ¡°wildly¡±¡ªhe had never seen such behavior before.


    He froze on the spot, letting Lu Zhaozhao do as she pleased, just like she had said.


    ¡°Lu Zhaozhao! What are you doing!¡±


    Suddenly, a piercing voice carried over from afar.


    Under the dim light, Lu Zhaozhao slowly looked up towards the garden entrance and just happened to see Xia Wenjin charging over with a furious demeanor.


    And right behind her were the servants of the Song Mansion.


    Seeing his panicked expression, it seemed he had tried to stop Xia Wenjin but was ignored.


    Lu Zhaozhao raised her eyebrows slightly, glanced at Xia Wenjin, then turned her head and ¡°smack¡± kissed Song Sinian¡¯s face again.


    Only then did she slowly begin to speak, ¡°I¡¯m kissing my husband, can you see clearly now?¡±


    ¡°You, you have no shame!¡± Xia Wenjin pointed at Lu Zhaozhao and started shouting angrily, ¡°You don¡¯t see that President Song is unwilling, yet you¡¯re still forcing him here!¡±


    She had been looking for Song Si the whole time when she was ¡°touring¡± the Song Mansion, hoping to ¡°bump into¡± him by chance.


    But when she found them, she saw Lu Zhaozhao pressing Song Si¡¯s hand, forcing him on the chair.


    The corner of Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s mouth twitched as she looked at Xia Wenjin coldly, ¡°With which eye did you see me forcing him?¡±


    As she said this, her little hand directly grabbed Song Sinian¡¯s chin and asked, ¡°Did I force you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Song Sinian replied concisely, without any hesitation.


    But how could Xia Wenjin listen?


    She angrily shouted at Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°You, you are forcing him!¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao was already too lazy to care about Xia Wenjin¡¯s foolish behavior. She crossed her arms and looked down at her with feigned arrogance, ¡°Even if I were forcing him, what¡¯s it to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Throw her out, and from now on, she¡¯s banned from entering the Song Family¡¯s gates!¡± Before Xia Wenjin could finish speaking, Song Sinian spoke up first.


    To think she dared interrupt the closeness between him and his wife? Such a person is truly not worthy of sympathy!

 Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Why Did She Insist on Teaching Him the Word Shy?

    Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Why Did She Insist on Teaching Him the Word ¡®Shy¡¯?


    ¡°President Song, I¡­ mmm mmm mmm¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, the maid who had just arrived dragged her away.


    Once Sinian had spoken, Zhaozhao had no objections.


    She had always disliked Xia Wenjin. Now that her ears were finally clear, she could enjoy looking at the moon with Mr. Song from their family.


    Perhaps the noise caused by Xia Wenjin earlier had been too much, and Xiao Jinglan just happened to arrive.


    She looked at Xia Wenjin being dragged out by the maid, her eyebrows twisted in a frown, ¡°What is going on here? Is this how you treat the Song Family¡¯s guests?¡±


    The maid hurriedly explained, ¡°This young miss has angered the young master and the young madam, and the young master asked me to throw her out.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    In the Song Mansion, aside from Old Master Song, the person whose words held the most weight was Sinian.


    To be precise, his words were even more powerful than those of Old Master Song.


    Xiao Jinglan, naturally, did not dare to go against Sinian¡¯s decision.


    She sighed lightly and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to drag her. I¡¯ll take her out myself.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The maid nodded and tactfully left.


    As soon as Xia Wenjin was released, she immediately threw herself at Xiao Jinglan and started crying, ¡°Aunt Xiao, boo hoo hoo¡­¡±


    Xiao Jinglan already had a headache from today¡¯s events, and seeing Xia Wenjin crying made her even more irritated.


    However, on the surface, she couldn¡¯t lash out at Xia Wenjin.


    After all, she might still have much use for her in the future.


    She sighed and raised her hand to pat Xia Wenjin, saying, ¡°Alright, stop crying. Let¡¯s talk while we walk.¡±


    Xia Wenjin sniffed and nodded, following Xiao Jinglan.


    Just as they were about to reach the door, Xia Wenjin timidly said, ¡°Actually, I met Old Master Song at the school gate before, but I didn¡¯t recognize him at the time and said some things that offended him.¡±


    Xiao Jinglan stopped in her tracks, ¡°What did you say? You met him? At the school gate?¡±


    She suddenly became nervous, her hands tightly gripping Xia Wenjin¡¯s shoulders.


    Her nails almost dug into her flesh.


    Xia Wenjin, in pain, quickly said, ¡°Yes, Lu Zhaozhao was there too.¡±


    Hearing this, Xiao Jinglan¡¯s expression grew even more dismal.


    So, Old Master Song and Lu Zhaozhao knew each other already?


    Or did the old master already know that Lu Zhaozhao was the one who saved him?


    The more Xiao Jinglan thought about it, the worse her expression became. If that was the case, could the things she said about not finding anything when there were many people have been exposed?


    However, the old man¡¯s attitude towards her hadn¡¯t changed much these past few days. Could she be overthinking it?


    Xiao Jinglan¡¯s brow furrowed lightly, and she turned to Xia Wenjin, ¡°I got it. I¡¯ll have the driver take you back first. Let me inquire with the old master and then we¡¯ll see what to do next.¡±


    Although Xia Wenjin was very reluctant to be thrown out, recalling the cold look Sinian had given her sent a chill through her heart.


    It seemed that winning over Old Master Song would have to be a long-term plan.


    As for Lu Zhaozhao, she needed to get Cao Mei to deal with her as soon as possible!


    Early on the weekend morning.


    Lu Zhaozhao got up even earlier than she usually did for school.


    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to sleep in, but she had promised Sinian that after dinner at the Song Mansion on Friday, she would stick close to him all day on Saturday and Sunday.


    And she intended to keep her word!


    Lu Zhaozhao sat in the dining room eating breakfast when Zhao Xi entered.


    Seeing Lu Zhaozhao there as well, he was a little surprised, ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you going out?¡±


    As he spoke, he stole a glance at Song Sinian.


    To his surprise, before Lu Zhaozhao could respond, Song Sinian spoke first, ¡°She¡¯s going to the company with me today.¡±


    ¡°?!?!!¡±


    Zhao Xi¡¯s pupils shook on the spot.


    Lu Zhaozhao was going to the company with Song Sinian?!


    My God, what kind of divine privilege was this!


    Normally, when Song Sinian worked, he was incredibly efficient, decisive, and almost ruthlessly crazy.


    In short, only the best of the best could survive under Song Sinian.


    But even the best people needed a boss with a tiny bit of humanity.


    Thanks to Lu Zhaozhao, their Mr. had recently been noticeably less crazy at work.


    If Lu Zhaozhao were to go to the company with Song Sinian, would their good days be far behind?


    Just thinking about it made Zhao Xi excited!


    ¡°Sir, rest assured, I will do my utmost to take care of everything for the lady at the company!¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao felt a bit awkward and tugged at the corner of her mouth, ¡°That¡¯s a bit of an exaggeration; just make sure it doesn¡¯t affect your work.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t affect, absolutely won¡¯t affect,¡± Zhao Xi, suppressing the urge to burst into loud laughter, quickly reassured.


    With Lu Zhaozhao there, their Mr. might be much gentler at work.


    Thinking this, Zhao Xi immediately ran off to make arrangements.


    Lu Zhaozhao, puzzled, raised an eyebrow as she observed Zhao Xi¡¯s completely different demeanor and cautiously asked: ¡°Mr. Song¡­ It¡¯s really okay for me to go to the company with you?¡±


    Song Sinian picked up his coffee from the table and took a sip before counter-questioning, ¡°Do you think there is a problem?¡±


    If there was a problem, they would solve it now, so it wouldn¡¯t be a problem anymore.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao choked, ¡°Could it possibly affect your work?¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s brows lifted slightly as he looked at Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°How do you plan to affect my work?¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for his serious tone, Lu Zhaozhao would really think this man was flirting with her!


    But considering the man before her was Song Sinian, his question was just a question.


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips and turned her face away, ¡°I don¡¯t intend to affect your work.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Song Sinian suddenly reached out to pinch her cheek, his eyes on her cheek as he spoke lightly, ¡°So which sentence just now made you blush again?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Now Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s ear tips turned even redder.


    Why did she ever teach him the word ¡°blush¡±?


    Was it too late to regret it now?


    Song Sinian seemed to see through her thoughts, leaned in, and kissed her forehead, ¡°I really like it when you blush, and I like it when your ears turn red.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    My God, their Mr. Song was the epitome of the saying, ¡®When enlightened, he could charm the life out of someone,¡¯ right?


    Lu Zhaozhao really couldn¡¯t handle it and could only keep her head down and eat her breakfast honestly.


    After all, once at the company, Song Sinian¡¯s focus would be all on work, and there probably wouldn¡¯t be another chance for this kind of ¡°flirting.¡±


    All she had to do was quietly be a human accessory by Song Sinian¡¯s side.


    Of course, that was just what Lu Zhaozhao thought.


    She never imagined that after a day in Song Sinian¡¯s office, she would soon become a legend inside the Song Group¡ª

 Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80 He Understood, But Not Much

    Chapter 80: Chapter 80 He Understood, But Not Much


    Before 7:30 a.m., Lu Zhaozhao went to the company with Song Sinian.


    What she didn¡¯t expect was the things Zhao Xi had prepared for her; they were incredibly comprehensive.


    Her little desk was right next to Song Sinian¡¯s¡ªnot only was there food and drinks, but also books to read, and notebooks and pens for drawing.


    Even more outrageous was that her desk and chair were all pink!


    There was even an extremely girly pink cloud-shaped cushion on her chair.


    Lu Zhaozhao touched the sketchbook on the desk and glanced at Song Sinian uneasily, ¡°Uh¡­ sitting here like this, won¡¯t I really interfere with your work?¡±


    She hadn¡¯t thought it would be an issue at first, but seeing all these things now, she wasn¡¯t so sure anymore.


    The blatantly mismatched colors in Song Sinian¡¯s minimalist black, white, and grey office were really striking.


    Song Sinian gave Lu Zhaozhao a look and completely missed her anxiety, nodding lightly, ¡°I think it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Alright then, if he says it¡¯s fine, it must be fine.


    For most of the morning, Lu Zhaozhao sat next to Song Sinian feeling rather nervous.


    She was afraid his subordinates would stare at her with strange looks.


    But besides the office being busier than usual, things were almost normal.


    What Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t know was that Zhao Xi¡¯s work chat had exploded completely.


    ¡°God really opened his eyes! He sent such a beautiful wife to the boss!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, if God hadn¡¯t been so kind, our days wouldn¡¯t be this good!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, just now with the lady present, the boss only said ¡®redo it,¡¯ without even saying ¡®get out!''¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it! I need to finish this document by working overtime, I want to go and see the lady!¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡±


    ¡°Me too +1!¡±


    ¡­


    Seeing the sudden surge in morale in the work chat, Zhao Xi¡¯s mouth twitched. He had never expected Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s presence at the company could actually boost work efficiency.


    ¡°Mr., there¡¯s a new product development meeting later; do we need to go to the conference room now?¡± Zhao Xi briefly reminded.


    If they went now, Lu Zhaozhao would have to stay in the office.


    There were no extra seats in the conference room after all.


    And it wouldn¡¯t really make sense for her to go.


    But¡­ those employees attending the meeting might suffer, being forced to ¡®live apart¡¯ from their ¡®wife¡¯ could make their boss very irritable.


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised, ¡°Isn¡¯t the sales department supposed to have a seminar? Let them have the conference room, while others can have the meeting here.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mr.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s decision was somewhat unexpected, yet reasonable, so Zhao Xi wasn¡¯t too surprised.


    But for everyone else, it couldn¡¯t be said the same.


    Especially for those attending the meeting.


    They were so nervous about having the meeting in the CEO¡¯s office that they sat at the long table almost breathlessly.


    Feeling somewhat sympathetic towards them, Zhao Xi decisively placed some chocolates from Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s desk in front of her.


    Then he arranged a pile of snacks in front of her.


    ¡°Madam, would you like some snacks? This meeting might take a while¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded and casually took the snacks from Zhao Xi.


    ¡°Crunch, crunch¡­¡±


    In the silent office, a crisp sound echoed.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s mouth suddenly paused.


    Although the sound of eating wasn¡¯t loud, in a completely silent environment, it was indeed a bit inappropriate.


    Thinking so, Lu Zhaozhao silently put down the chocolate she was holding, wanting to grab something else to eat to alleviate the awkwardness.


    But when she saw clearly the snacks on the desk, she was numbed.


    Other than the chocolate, the remaining snacks on the desk were rice crisps, potato chips, twisted dough sticks, and crunchy corners.


    Each one would make a louder sound than the chocolate.


    Almost everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on Lu Zhaozhao, so she simply decided to go all out and grabbed a few rice crisps and started ¡°crunch, crunching¡± away.


    Now, the gazes that had been staring at Lu Zhaozhao quietly shifted towards Song Sinian.


    It looked like a thunderous fury was inevitable.


    But to everyone¡¯s surprise, Song Sinian just looked at Lu Zhaozhao and gently rubbed the corner of her mouth with his hand.


    After wiping the crumbs off her lips, he slowly said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start the meeting.¡±


    Unexpectedly, the atmosphere in the office softened considerably.


    The office workers glanced at each other and silently withdrew their gazes.


    It was said that Song Sinian doted on his wife a lot, and it didn¡¯t seem to be an unfounded rumor.


    It looked like they needed to be more sensible when they saw the lady in the future.


    As the meeting began, the sound of Lu Zhaozhao eating became less noticeable.


    She secretly heaved a sigh of relief and excitedly wrote on a piece of paper next to Zhao Xi, ¡°Really¡­ our Mr. Song is just like a little angel!¡±


    Zhao Xi glanced at the words Lu Zhaozhao wrote and gave her a rather diplomatic smile.


    If ¡°angel¡± could describe their boss, then devils simply didn¡¯t exist.


    If it weren¡¯t for Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s presence, he could make mincemeat out of everyone present in a minute.


    Zhao Xi silently added some milk to her cup on the desk and then wrote on the piece of paper next to Lu Zhaozhao, ¡°Will madam also come to the office on weekends?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao shrugged and spread her hands out to both sides.


    She wasn¡¯t sure.


    But what Lu Zhaozhao didn¡¯t realize was that she was sitting too close to Song Sinian. Her movement was too big and wasn¡¯t controlled, hitting Song Sinian right on the shoulder.


    At that moment, an employee was reporting the basics, so everyone¡¯s attention was on the employee.


    Lu Zhaozhao herself was startled and froze on the spot.


    Song Sinian was even more clueless about why Lu Zhaozhao suddenly called him, but when he saw her outstretched little hand, he seemed to understand a bit.


    But not much.


    Without thinking, he lowered his head and placed it on her little hand.


    Now, Lu Zhaozhao was even more panicked.


    That¡¯s not what she meant, hey!


    Just as Lu Zhaozhao was about to explain, the previously continuous chatter in the office suddenly stopped.


    She couldn¡¯t help but swallow her saliva, and surely enough, all eyes on her and Song Sinian shifted from shock to utter shock.


    Lu Zhaozhao knew this time she couldn¡¯t clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River, so she could only pretend to be calm, withdrew her hand, and patted his head saying, ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, let¡¯s continue the meeting.¡±


    She tried to make her voice sound calm, pretending that she didn¡¯t care about it at all.


    But after retracting her hand, she shielded her face with a book, firmly covering it.


    Ah! If she had to undergo this kind of thrill a few more times, she really would have a heart attack!

 Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81: No, absolutely not!

    Chapter 81: Chapter 81: No, absolutely not!


    Yet some people seemed completely oblivious to the oddity of the situation just now and continued the meeting with their usual nonchalance.


    Zhao Xi secretly captured the moment everyone¡¯s jaws dropped, full of satisfaction.


    Seeing their expressions, as if they had been struck by lightning, brought instant balance to his heart.


    Indeed, this ¡°sin¡± shouldn¡¯t be borne by him alone.


    It would only be fair if everyone shared the burden of ¡°eating dog food.¡±


    Fortunately, the staff of Song Group were quick to adapt, and it didn¡¯t take long before they refocused on the meeting.


    Lu Zhaozhao was on the side, munching on snacks and half-listening, when suddenly her cellphone vibrated.


    She glanced at the caller ID, nodded slightly to Song Sinian and Zhao Xi, and quietly left the office.


    She exited the meeting room and dashed to the farthest fire escape to answer the call.


    This was the president¡¯s floor, and generally quite deserted.


    ¡°Hello, second brother?¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s soft voice came through and took Xia Wenqing by surprise.


    This was the first time he had heard her use that term since she returned to the Lu Family.


    When Xia Wenjin was home, she would only stiffly say ¡°second brother¡± when she needed his help; normally, she couldn¡¯t care less to exchange a single word with him.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Not to mention hearing the tender address of ¡°second brother.¡±


    Xia Wenqing squinted slightly, his facial expression softened noticeably, ¡°Zhaozhao, the water sample you sent has been tested, and indeed it contains medicinal components.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao tensed up upon hearing this, ¡°Is it poison?¡±


    She had merely suspected that Mr. Song¡¯s accident might have been deliberate, never imagining that someone would daringly drug him.


    ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t be nervous, the drugs found in the water are oral hypoglycemic drugs,¡± Xia Wenqing immediately soothed her upon hearing her urgency.


    Lu Zhaozhao raised an eyebrow, ¡°Could it be someone just put the medicine in the water for convenience?¡±


    If that was the case, the incident would simply be an accident.


    But Xia Wenqing quickly dashed her hopes, ¡°No one would put a three-day dosage into the water for that purpose.¡±


    The implication was clear.


    The water that Old Master Song drank had definitely been tampered with.


    After saying this, Xia Wenqing added, ¡°This matter is not simple, be very careful about your safety before we can ascertain who drugged Mr. Song, and don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    Whoever dared to harm Mr. Song must hold a significant position within the Song Family; if such a person targeted Lu Zhaozhao, she would be in danger.


    Naturally, Lu Zhaozhao understood this. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, second brother, I won¡¯t be impulsive.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you can contact me any time if anything happens, I know many people here who can help,¡± Xia Wenqing was still a bit worried and didn¡¯t forget to remind her again before hanging up.


    ¡°Mm, I know, thanks, second brother.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao hung up the phone and couldn¡¯t help but sigh lightly as she stood by the window.


    She had suspected something earlier and had the water that Old Master Song drank tested.


    Now that the results were out, she wasn¡¯t sure what to do next.


    Should she tell Song Sinian directly?


    With her current capabilities, she couldn¡¯t meddle in the affairs of the Song Mansion, but if she told Song Sinian, how could she explain why she had sent the bottle for testing without telling him?


    Lu Zhaozhao thought for a moment, sighed deeply again, and decided to admire the view outside the window, leaning against its side.


    After a while, a deep voice came from behind her, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    The corridor was empty, his voice echoing in the long hallway.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes drooped, unsure of what to say, and chose silence instead.


    Song Sinian¡¯s brows lifted slightly, and he cupped her chin in his hand, planting a kiss on her lips, ¡°So, are you planning to wait until after I¡¯ve kissed you before you tell me, or will you say it now?¡±


    As he spoke, the pad of his thumb gently brushed her rosy lips, his deft touch reminding her of the time Song Sinian ¡°consulted¡± her about why her face was hot.


    Lu Zhaozhao swallowed hard, her gaze involuntarily moving to the corridor¡¯s security camera.


    No, absolutely not!


    ¡°I¡­ I, I¡¯ll say!¡± Lu Zhaozhao took a deep breath, ready to spill everything.


    She pulled Song Sinian into a surveillance blind spot and then whispered, ¡°I¡­ After I saved grandpa in the mountains, I had the water he drank tested¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words halted there, her gaze involuntarily seeking Song Sinian¡¯s, as if bracing for his reproach.


    But Song Sinian simply looked back at her, urging her to continue, showing no signs of blaming her.


    Lu Zhaozhao was momentarily stunned but quickly caught on, ¡°Grandpa¡¯s water contained a large amount of hypoglycemic drugs, I suspect the accident last time might have been intentional.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes narrowed slightly, and he took hold of Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hand, asking very seriously, ¡°Apart from you, who else knows about this?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao thought Song Sinian was worried about the Song Family¡¯s affairs being leaked and quickly explained, ¡°I only asked my second brother for help; he wouldn¡¯t reveal it.¡±


    After all, Xia Wenqing was a lawyer and had a basic level of professional integrity.


    She might not be his client, but his concern seemed genuine as a brother.


    Song Sinian squeezed her small hand, ¡°If this matter is intentional, everyone in the Song Family, including anyone who could have approached the old man, is a suspect, so you mustn¡¯t get involved anymore, understand?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s mouth opened, but before she could finish, Song Sinian¡¯s lips were on hers, and then as if punishing her, he bit her lip.


    Lu Zhaozhao blinked her eyes in confusion, looking at him as he said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you are thinking, but your safety always comes first with me.¡±


    ¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao was visibly stunned by his words.


    Before she could recover, Song Sinian spoke again, ¡°You can do anything you want, but it must be on the condition that you ensure your safety, understand? As long as you are safe, even if you bring down the sky, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s small hands almost covered her mouth in surprise.


    If she didn¡¯t know Song Sinian had a communication disorder, she would have truly believed he was a master of romance; his sweet nothings were so touching and heartfelt.


    Every word touched her heart.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s face inevitably flushed, and she silently took Song Sinian¡¯s larger hand, nodding gently¡­

 Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Goodness, can this even be compared?

    Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Goodness, can this even be compared?


    Maybe she could try to trust Song Sinian a little more in the future.


    The last life had conditioned her to instinctively think of the worst every time she encountered a problem.


    It seemed this needed to be improved.


    ¡°Sir?¡± Suddenly, from afar, a voice called out.


    Lu Zhaozhao emerged from a blind spot in the surveillance and looked out, just catching sight of Zhao Xi standing not far away.


    Zhao Xi, upon seeing Lu Zhaozhao, secretly heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed that he hadn¡¯t disturbed their sir¡¯s good deeds just now.


    He walked forward and then slowly said, ¡°Sir, there are important guests in the reception room who might need your personal attention.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyebrows pressed down slightly, somewhat puzzled by this ¡°important guest.¡±


    However, since Zhao Xi didn¡¯t specify a name, he naturally had his reasons.


    Song Sinian raised his hand and touched Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s little head, ¡°You go back to the office first; I¡¯ll come to find you in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Lu Zhaozhao nodded obediently and left.


    As he watched Lu Zhaozhao enter the office door, Song Sinian¡¯s gaze turned to Zhao Xi, ¡°Who went to the reception room?¡±


    Zhao Xi immediately responded, ¡°It was the old master who had shown up, probably because he heard that the madam had come to the company.¡±


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Since Song Sinian had taken the position of president of the Song Group, Old Master Song had almost entirely delegated authority.


    Not to mention visiting the company.


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyelid slightly lifted, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the reception room.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The two men arrived one after another in the reception room, where they saw Old Master Song leisurely sipping tea. Song Sinian¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he sat opposite Old Master Song.


    However, seeing Song Sinian got Old Master Song¡¯s face to wrinkle even deeper, ¡°Why are you here? Where is Zhaozhao?¡±


    He had heard that Lu Zhaozhao was visiting and specifically came to the company to see her, hoping to take her out while Song Sinian was working. He hadn¡¯t expected this brat!


    Song Sinian¡¯s lips curved slightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you come to the company to see me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Old Master Song suddenly found himself at a loss for words.


    Indeed, he had come with the pretense of visiting Song Sinian.


    He coughed lightly, ¡°This time, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Have everyone leave; I want to have a serious talk with you.¡± Before Old Master Song could finish his sentence, Song Sinian sternly fixed his gaze on him.


    His unexpectedly cold expression took Old Master Song by surprise.


    It wasn¡¯t that serious, was it?


    Was it necessary to make such a big fuss just to see his granddaughter-in-law?


    Old Master Song coughed lightly and glanced at his assistant beside him, tilting his chin, ¡°Alright, you can go out first. I need to talk with this brat.¡±


    The assistant nodded and promptly left.


    For a moment, only Song Sinian, Old Master Song, and Zhao Xi remained in the office.


    Zhao Xi had originally intended to leave too, but since Song Sinian had not indicated he should go, he had to stay where he was.


    To make his presence felt, he took the initiative to pour tea for both Old Master Song and Song Sinian.


    Song Sinian glanced at Zhao Xi, then quickly turned his eyes back to Old Master Song, ¡°Have you found out why you fainted last time?¡±


    Old Master Song was taken aback, his eyes flashing with surprise, seemingly unaccustomed to Song Sinian¡¯s sudden concern.


    During his time in the hospital, this kid had glanced over him briefly, explained a few things, and then left.


    Now that he was discharged, the kid was showing concern?


    Old Master Song¡¯s eyes, full of wrinkles, squinted slightly¡ªwas this all thanks to Lu Zhaozhao?


    Thinking this, Old Master Song felt considerably happier.


    ¡°My health is fine; you don¡¯t need to worry about me. Just take good care of Zhaozhao.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyes grew colder, ¡°Do you know that your drink was tampered with?¡±


    Old Master Song¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, the wrinkles around them seeming to smooth out.


    He stared incredulously at Song Sinian, ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    He had been diagnosed with low blood sugar at the hospital, so he hadn¡¯t paid it much mind.


    After all, it¡¯s not uncommon for people with diabetes to experience low blood sugar.


    He had thought it was just a severe case.


    He had assumed it was an accident.


    Since he no longer involved himself in the Song Group¡¯s internal affairs, there seemed no reason for anyone to target him.


    So, he hadn¡¯t considered this possibility.


    Now that Song Sinian had mentioned it, he was utterly shocked.


    Song Sinian watched as Old Master Song¡¯s face turned from pale to flushed, and he frowned slightly, tapping Zhao Xi beside him, ¡°What¡¯s his expression now?¡±


    Zhao Xi: ¡°¡­¡±


    Suddenly, he wished he were under a car rather than here.


    He had thought that Song Sinian had kept him here out of complete trust, but now it seemed he just wanted a living, emotionless tool for analyzing expressions.


    Zhao Xi reluctantly glanced at Old Master Song and then at Song Sinian, having no choice but to biting the bullet and say, ¡°The old master must be very shocked.¡±


    Song Sinian nodded lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s put the shock aside for now; you better clean up the staff at the Song Mansion first. If stuff you put in your mouth can be tampered with, is it really because you¡¯re getting older?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Old Master Song¡¯s face instantly turned gloomy, staring irritably at Song Sinian, ¡°You brat! You¡¯ve grown up and your wings have grown hard, huh?!¡±


    Zhao Xi timidly approached Song Sinian, whispering, ¡°The old master is angry. Look, even his eyebrows are standing up.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Can¡¯t I hear it?!¡± Old Master Song was nearly driven to explode on the spot by these two brats.


    He slammed his hand on the table hard, his expression almost becoming fierce.


    Song Sinian stared at Old Master Song¡¯s face for a while before disdainfully retorting, ¡°Is that what an angry expression looks like? Zhaozhao looks much better when she¡¯s angry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Seriously? Was that even comparable?


    Zhao Xi was utterly speechless.


    Why did he feel that their sir¡¯s thought process had deviated somewhat recently?


    Shouldn¡¯t the situation call for pacifying Old Master Song at this point?


    That comment just now seemed rather like adding fuel to the fire.


    Old Master Song was obviously stunned by Song Sinian¡¯s behavior as well, but hearing the name ¡°Lu Zhaozhao¡± visibly softened his mood.


    At least the brat knew enough to ask about his feelings; that was some progress.


    Don¡¯t get angry! Don¡¯t get angry! Don¡¯t get angry!


    The grandson is his own flesh and blood, but the life is his own!


    Don¡¯t get angry, don¡¯t get upset; getting sick pleases no one!


    If my anger kills me, who would it satisfy¡ªmoreover, it wastes energy and wears on the spirit!

 Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83 What if its unavoidable?

    Chapter 83: Chapter 83 What if it¡¯s unavoidable?


    Mr. Song had to mentally prepare himself before he could slightly tug at the corners of his mouth and ask, ¡°How did you know someone tampered with my water? Do you suspect anyone?¡±


    Sinian usually didn¡¯t bother with such trivial messes, unless¡­


    ¡°If you can handle this matter, don¡¯t trouble my wife with it. If you can¡¯t, I can take care of it for you.¡± Before Mr. Song could clarify things, Sinian responded ruthlessly.


    Mr. Song¡¯s lips twitched, ¡°I don¡¯t need you, you little brat, to teach me how to handle such petty issues!¡±


    He had thought retirement would bring peace, but he had not expected his home to become infested with vermin.


    It was indeed time for a thorough clean-up.


    However, the affair couldn¡¯t be dealt with ostentatiously, as it was still unclear how many vermin were in the house, and more importantly, Zhaozhao could very likely get hurt if things were handled too harshly.


    Sinian must have been aware of these concerns to confront him directly, right?


    Ah, the little brat had finally seen the light¡­


    Because he had spent the weekend with Sinian at the office, Zhaozhao, right after finishing her first two classes on Monday morning, went to the hospital during her free period.


    She heard from Xia Wenjue that Xia Wenmo was scheduled for surgery soon and hoped everything would go smoothly.


    When she reached the door of the ward, she saw Xia Wenmo painting on his drawing board. Curiously, she stood at the doorway, watching him, careful not to interrupt.


    In the quiet hospital room, he painted with intense concentration, using colors that were bold and distinctive.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    It looked somewhat familiar¡­


    Such a distinctive painting, she would definitely remember if she had seen it before.


    While Zhaozhao was searching her mind, Xia Wenmo just finished his painting and turned around to see the person at the door.


    ¡°Zhaozhao? You¡¯re here?¡± Xia Wenmo¡¯s eyes immediately curved in a smile, waving at her, ¡°Come and see how my new painting looks?¡±


    Zhaozhao nodded and walked in. As she stood before the oil painting, the sense of familiarity intensified.


    She frowned, ¡°This style¡­ It¡¯s a bit like¡­¡±


    ¡°Like the one you bought at the auction?¡± Before Zhaozhao could finish her sentence, Xia Wenmo blurted out.


    Zhaozhao immediately nodded, ¡°Yes, yes, this style¡­¡±


    Her words were abruptly cut off.


    Her eyes widened in shock, and she stared at Xia Wenmo in disbelief, ¡°You couldn¡¯t possibly be that painter abyss, could you?¡±


    Although Zhaozhao had concluded, deep down, she was frantically hoping Xia Wenmo would deny it.


    But to her disappointment, Xia Wenmo slightly nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, I am the painter abyss. I never expected that the first painting I sold in China would be bought by my own sister~¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    At that moment, Zhaozhao¡¯s mind was completely in disarray.


    If painter abyss was Xia Wenmo, that meant he¡­ was dying.


    Previously, she had lamented the untimely death of this painter.


    At the time, she didn¡¯t know the painter and simply felt it was a case of a bright life cut short.


    But now, this living person was right in front of her, her own brother!


    Zhaozhao didn¡¯t know what to do.


    What exactly had caused Xia Wenmo¡¯s death in the previous life?


    Was it because the surgery failed?


    Then if she had helped find a doctor, could this tragedy have been avoided?


    But what if it couldn¡¯t be avoided?


    Once Lu Zhaozhao thought of this, she could no longer control her tears as they began falling from her eyes.


    Xia Wenmo was about to ask Lu Zhaozhao to praise him when he turned and saw her tears falling non-stop like broken beads.


    He immediately felt helpless, ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t cry? I¡ªI didn¡¯t mean to keep it from you. If you¡¯re upset about the money spent on the painting, I¡ªI can give it all to you, okay?¡±


    ¡°Not okay!¡± While wiping her tears, Lu Zhaozhao looked at Xia Wenmo and said, ¡°Unless you promise to undergo the surgery safely, you must be safe, okay?¡±


    She knew it was unreasonable to demand a patient to be completely safe, but she just couldn¡¯t help it.


    Every time she thought about what happened in her previous life, she couldn¡¯t help but feel terrified.


    She would rather give up the tenfold profit from the painting.


    She wanted to keep this brother who was so gentle with her.


    Xia Wenmo, completely flustered by Lu Zhaozhao crying, agreed to everything she said, ¡°Okay, okay, I promise everything, be good, don¡¯t cry now¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he squatted halfway down, carefully wiping Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s tears with the sleeve of his garment.


    However, this scene was clearly seen by Xia Wenjue as he entered the room.


    ¡°How did you make Zhaozhao cry?¡± Holding two bags of groceries and seeing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s teary eyes, then looking at Xia Wenmo¡¯s apologetic face, his brows immediately furrowed.


    He unhappily set down the groceries and strode towards them.


    Without thinking, Lu Zhaozhao stretched out her hands to shield Xia Wenmo, ¡°Big brother, it¡¯s not Triplet Brother¡¯s fault, I was just thinking too much.¡±


    As she spoke, tears once again uncontrollably fell.


    Now Xia Wenjue was also panicked, ¡°What were you thinking about? Did someone bully you? Tell big brother and I will stand up for you!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Triplet Brother will stand up for you too!¡± Xia Wenmo couldn¡¯t help but join in.


    ¡­


    But this made Lu Zhaozhao cry even harder.


    Xia Wenjue and Xia Wenmo had to consider whether Lu Zhaozhao was being bullied in the Song Family.


    The two exchanged glances, and Xia Wenjue tentatively spoke, ¡°Zhaozhao, do you want to stay with the Xia Family for a few days? Mom has really missed you, too.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Lu Zhaozhao shook her head without even thinking about it, ¡°No need, big brother.¡±


    She sniffled and wiped her face again, then after a moment, she looked at Xia Wenjue, ¡°Big brother, I have something I want to ask you privately¡­¡±


    Xia Wenjue nodded, glanced at Xia Wenmo, who also nodded, then took Lu Zhaozhao to a partition in the hospital room.


    This room, completely separated from the next hospital room, was specially arranged for Xia Wenmo¡¯s convenience.


    It even had hidden surveillance installed.


    So Xia Wenmo could hear everything Lu Zhaozhao and Xia Wenjue were saying.


    As soon as the door closed, Lu Zhaozhao hurriedly grabbed Xia Wenjue¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°Big brother, how experienced is the doctor performing the surgery on Triplet Brother? If he¡¯s not good enough, can we wait a little longer? Find someone more capable, can we?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Xia Wenjue was clearly stunned, ¡°The thing you just worried about, wasn¡¯t it about Triplet Brother¡¯s surgery?¡±


    Because Lu Zhaozhao had previously given a water sample to Xia Wenqing, he had thought she was being bullied in the Song Family¡­

 Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Uh... That was an accident

    Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Uh¡­ That was an accident


    Lu Zhaozhao nodded gently, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that all surgeries carry risk, and experienced doctors can minimize surgical risks to a greater extent¡­¡±


    Of course, she had just made that up on the spot; her main worry was that Xia Wenmo could pass away at a young age just like in her previous life.


    So, perhaps a more professional touch could save her third brother¡¯s life.


    Xia Wenjue raised his eyebrows, ¡°If you¡¯re talking about this, then rest assured, the neurosurgeon operating on the third brother is currently the most authoritative in the country.¡±


    Although Xia Wenmo had a tumor in his brain, proper surgery wouldn¡¯t pose any significant danger.


    It was just that there might be problems with his vision, which was why Xia Wenmo gave up on himself and wanted to refuse treatment.


    If it weren¡¯t for Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s words, Xia Wenmo might really have been in grave danger¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao pressed her lips together, looking uncertainly at Xia Wenjue, ¡°Is what you¡¯re saying true?¡±


    Her voice trembled noticeably because she had just been crying.


    Xia Wenjue nodded, patted Lu Zhaozhao on the shoulder, and said, ¡°I promise you, this doctor is absolutely the best. As long as the third brother is willing to have the surgery, his life is definitely safe.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao couldn¡¯t help murmuring softly, ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡±


    Seeing that Lu Zhaozhao was still somewhat anxious, Xia Wenjue thought for a moment and added, ¡°Actually, at the auction, if it wasn¡¯t for you buying his painting, he might not have agreed to the surgery.¡±


    A puzzled frown crept across Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s brows, ¡°Didn¡¯t you think about knocking him out and taking him to the operating room?¡±


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Xia Wenjue couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°With the third brother¡¯s temperament, even if I knocked him out and took him to the operating room, he would definitely not cooperate with the treatment after the surgery, and he might well die young.¡±


    Hearing the words ¡°die young,¡± Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s tears started falling pitter-patter again.


    Xia Wenjue hurriedly amended his words, ¡°I was just joking, don¡¯t take it seriously. See, he has agreed to the surgery, right? Don¡¯t be scared, let¡¯s not cry now¡­¡±


    Xia Wenjue quickly pulled out a handkerchief from his suit pocket to wipe away Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s tears.


    Seeing her red-rimmed eyes, he felt so regretful he could have hit himself over the head.


    Everything had been going fine until he said that one extra thing.


    Lu Zhaozhao sniffed, rubbing her nose with the handkerchief, and asked softly with teary eyes, ¡°Before the surgery, can I come to see third brother often?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± As soon as Lu Zhaozhao finished speaking, Xia Wenjue eagerly agreed, ¡°If you¡¯re worried, I¡¯ll set up a monitor for you, we can keep an eye on him 24 hours a day. I¡¯ll go find a doctor to get him a 24-hour cardiac monitor to keep track of his data all the time.¡±


    ¡°Clatter!¡±


    A noise came from next door, something hitting the floor, startling Lu Zhaozhao. She immediately pushed open the partition door and ran out.


    She saw Xia Wenmo and Xia Wenyan sitting by the bed, holding a tablet that had shattered from the fall.


    ¡°Uh¡­ that was an accident,¡± Xia Wenmo tugged at the corner of his mouth, trying to maintain a calm smile for Lu Zhaozhao.


    He had never imagined that Lu Zhaozhao would be so worried about his illness, and he felt a wave of warmth in his heart.


    Although he was somewhat resistant to the idea of being under 24-hour cardiac monitoring as proposed by his elder brother, he couldn¡¯t stand seeing his sister looking so pitiful.


    Forget 24-hour cardiac monitoring; he¡¯d agree to 24-hour personal care!


    Lu Zhaozhao, still not completely reassured, walked over to Xia Wenmo¡¯s side and thoroughly checked him over before finally relaxing.


    ¡°Third brother, you¡¯re going to have surgery in a few days, you must be careful.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± Xia Wenmo raised his hand to ruffle Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s hair, and seeing her red little nose, he couldn¡¯t help but gently graze her nose bridge.


    Xia Wenyan, who was holding a chipped tablet, glanced at Lu Zhaozhao and timidly raised his hand in greeting, ¡°Hi, Zhaozhao.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao merely nodded at him without saying much.


    At that, Xia Wenyan felt an even deeper twinge in his heart.


    When he had entered, he saw Xia Wenmo holding a tablet, listening to Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s tearful worries about his third brother.


    She was softly calling them both brother, but when it came to him, all he got was a nod.


    Xia Wenyan felt disheartened, yet he dared not say much more.


    After all, he hadn¡¯t been nice to Lu Zhaozhao in the past, had misunderstood her, even dissed her, so the fact that she wasn¡¯t cursing him out was something to be thankful for.


    Therefore, during the time Lu Zhaozhao stayed in the hospital room afterward, he wanted to try to gain her favor.


    Unfortunately¡­ Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s attention was all on Xia Wenmo, occasionally chatting with Xia Wenjue, while he was almost completely in a nodding acquaintance state.


    Seeing the time was almost for afternoon classes, Lu Zhaozhao looked at her phone, then deeply at Xia Wenmo.


    ¡°Third Brother, I¡¯ll come see you again tomorrow when I have time.¡± She picked up her bag, not forgetting to admonish, ¡°Eat well tonight, and don¡¯t wander around.¡±


    Xia Wenmo laughed at being admonished like a child.


    He nodded continuously, ¡°Okay, okay, Third Brother will eat well and won¡¯t wander, just waiting for you to come see me, alright?¡±


    ¡°Mmhm.¡±


    Only then did Lu Zhaozhao nod gently.


    Seeing this, Xia Wenjue reached into his pocket for his car keys and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send¡­¡±


    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Xia Wenyan immediately rushed over, pressing his hand on Xia Wenjue¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll take Zhaozhao back to school; I¡¯ve got nothing else to do anyway.¡±


    Although Xia Wenjue didn¡¯t want to give up this opportunity to Xia Wenyan, seeing his pleading face, Xia Wenjue couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    He could only toss the keys to Xia Wenyan, finally saying, ¡°Zhaozhao, why don¡¯t you let him take you?¡±


    As he said this, he was also carefully watching Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s reaction.


    After all, they were all clear about the ¡°good deeds¡± Xia Wenyan had done before, so if Lu Zhaozhao showed any displeasure, Xia Wenjue was ready to cut off the possibility from the root.


    Fortunately, Lu Zhaozhao did not resist, simply nodding her head, she accepted, ¡°Alright then.¡±


    She actually had no hostility towards Xia Wenyan.


    But neither did she have much fondness.


    After all, she was always doubtful about the character of someone who would end up in a bad way because of drug use.


    Furthermore, he had always stood by Xia Wenjin, so she didn¡¯t want much to do with Xia Wenyan.


    But he was, after all, a part of the Xia Family, so completely ignoring him wasn¡¯t a viable option. So, what she could do now was just to keep it cordial on the surface.


    She and Xia Wenyan walked one after the other, barely getting in the car, Xia Wenyan spoke up, ¡°Zhaozhao, I¡¯m sorry about before, I misunderstood you without proper investigation¡­¡±


    ¡­


    After Xia Wenyan finished speaking, the car fell into a silence as still as death.


    He swallowed nervously and, lifting his eyes towards the rearview mirror, he looked tentatively at Lu Zhaozhao¡ª

 Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 85 How is he going to comfort her?

    Chapter 85: Chapter 85 How is he going to comfort her?


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips, not expecting Xia Wenyan to apologize to her directly, and she didn¡¯t react for a moment.


    Seemingly noticing his discomfort, Lu Zhaozhao awkwardly tugged at the corner of her mouth, ¡°You actually didn¡¯t need to apologize to me, everyone has different tastes. There¡¯s no need to force it.¡±


    To Xia Wenyan, she definitely followed the principle of ¡°respect others¡¯ destinies, give up the urge to help¡±¡ªas long as he didn¡¯t destroy himself in the entertainment industry.


    Whether he was her brother or not didn¡¯t matter anymore.


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s head shook like a rattle drum; he turned back and stared at Lu Zhaozhao eagerly, ¡°Not forcing it, not forcing it. I really know I was wrong, Zhaozhao, can you give me another chance to be your brother?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao blinked, and decisively replied, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Xia Wenyan probably hadn¡¯t expected Lu Zhaozhao to respond so bluntly; the words he was about to say got stuck in his throat.


    He opened his mouth, and it took quite a while before he managed to speak, ¡°Zhaozhao, I know it will take some time for you to accept me as your brother, but I will definitely try harder in the future to become a brother worthy of you.¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao looked at Xia Wenyan, who was swearing his promises, and felt a bit of a headache.


    She really hadn¡¯t expected him to try too hard; she would be grateful as long as he didn¡¯t become a scandal-involved celebrity in the entertainment world.


    However, Lu Zhaozhao reconsidered; after her recent report, the police did catch a few drug users, but Xia Wenyan was uninvolved, which meant he hadn¡¯t touched those substances yet.


    Maybe¡­ keeping a tighter watch might prevent him from taking the wrong path?


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Thinking so, Lu Zhaozhao looked up at Xia Wenyan, ¡°I¡¯ll carefully consider what you just said, but whether it¡¯ll work or not is another matter. After all, my requirements for a brother are strict, and the baseline is absolutely no bad habits.¡±


    Xia Wenyan¡¯s eyes immediately sparkled, and he almost wanted to pat his chest loudly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I am a fully-developed ¡®five-good youth¡¯ in morals, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor! To become a qualified good brother, I will definitely try harder!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Well, she had tried her best.


    As for whether Xia Wenyan would end up like he did in the last life, that was up to him now.


    Lu Zhaozhao went to school in a peace of mind in the afternoon but didn¡¯t know that her meeting with Xia Wenyan had already been reported to Song Sinian.


    ¡°Sir, this is the latest news related to Xia Wenyan.¡± Zhao Xi placed the tablet in front of Song Sinian.


    Ever since Lu Zhaozhao started paying attention to Xia Wenyan before, Song Sinian¡¯s men had been regularly sending news and photos related to him.


    To prevent him from coming into contact with shady people.


    Song Sinian glanced at the man on the tablet, his tone indifferent, ¡°If it¡¯s the same as usual, there¡¯s no need to report.¡±


    Xia Wenyan had been relatively honest recently; ever since the company¡¯s self-examination, he had been moving between just his home and the hospital.


    Zhao Xi hesitated for a moment while standing beside, ¡°Uh¡­ the lady also went to the hospital at noon, so¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, Song Sinian had already grabbed the tablet.


    He opened the photo album and quickly found the picture where Lu Zhaozhao and Xia Wenyan were together.


    Yet this single look mattered greatly; he almost immediately noticed that Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eye color was different from usual.


    His fingers lightly spread across the photo, magnifying it several times.


    Indeed, she had cried.


    These Xia family folks take up her time, and they dared to make her cry?


    Song Sinian¡¯s gaze darkened as he stared at the photo in his hand, the chill around him almost freezing the entire office.


    Zhao Xi, standing to the side, couldn¡¯t bear it either.


    After all, it had been a long time since he had seen Song Sinian in this state.


    Since Lu Zhaozhao had married into the family, Song Sinian had been consistently in a nice state, completely forgetting his previous devilish demeanor.


    Zhao Xi¡¯s mind spun rapidly, and he soon whispered a reminder, ¡°Mr. Song, it seems that Madam only has one class this afternoon.¡±


    Once their Mr. Song finished his work at hand, he should be able to return home quickly.


    This way, their Mr. Song shouldn¡¯t be so irritable, right?


    Just as Zhao Xi finished speaking, Song Sinian¡¯s gaze shifted toward him.


    His eyes darkened slightly, and he said in a cold voice, ¡°What work is there still to do?¡±


    Zhao Xi quickly flipped through the schedule on hand and then said, ¡°Besides the documents on the desk, there¡¯s just one meeting left. As long as this meeting is over¡­¡±


    He had barely finished speaking when he distinctly felt the chill emanating from Song Sinian.


    Without a second thought, Zhao Xi blurted out, ¡°The meeting can be switched to a video conference without affecting the outcome.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised, and the coldness in his demeanor halved, ¡°Then notify them, the meeting is delayed by half an hour and changed to a video conference.¡±


    He stood up, walked to the coat rack to grab his suit jacket, and then left the office directly.


    Zhao Xi silently watched Song Sinian¡¯s departing figure, quietly heaving a sigh of relief¡ªthose young whelps in the meeting had just saved their skins¡­


    When Song Sinian got home, Lu Zhaozhao was sitting at the desk in the study, wiping the painting she had previously acquired.


    Her gaze was vacant, as if she was looking at the painting, yet also as if she was looking through the painting at something else.


    Song Sinian stood at the doorway of the study, watching Lu Zhaozhao for a moment before gently knocking on the open door.


    Lu Zhaozhao came back to her senses, holding the painting as she looked over and saw that it was Song Sinian, a flash of surprise visibly sparkling in her eyes.


    ¡°Mr. Song, you¡¯ve come home quite early today!¡± Almost instantly, her eyes and brows curved into a smile.


    As if nothing had happened just moments ago.


    Song Sinian walked into the room, observing the sudden changes in her small face, realizing she wasn¡¯t planning on telling him about today¡¯s events.


    Was it because she still didn¡¯t trust him enough?


    Or because she felt that issues concerning the Xia family weren¡¯t appropriate to mention before him?


    Song Sinian¡¯s dark eyes imperceptibly deepened, and he calmly said, ¡°Today¡­ the situation was a bit special.¡±


    As he spoke, his gaze inadvertently swept across her small face.


    Her expression seemed normal.


    Even if he asked her if she was unhappy, she would likely deny it.


    So how was he supposed to comfort her?


    Simple daily acts of affection seemed insufficient to console her.


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s eyebrows lifted, and she placed the painting on the desk.


    For some reason, she always felt that Song Sinian had been acting strange since he entered.


    Usually, he would have embraced and kissed her upon seeing her, but now he was standing across from her without any move.


    What was going on?


    Had something happened during work?


    Or was there an issue concerning Old Master Song?


    As Lu Zhaozhao was brimming with confusion, Song Sinian finally slowly began to speak¡ª

 Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Song Sinian seems to be clingier than before…

    Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Song Sinian seems to be clingier than before¡­


    ¡°Zhaozhao, hug me.¡±


    Song Sinian slowly extended his hand and looked at her, his eyes downcast and filled with a hint of pity.


    Without a second thought, Lu Zhaozhao shifted forward from her desk and reached out to hug Song Sinian standing beside her.


    Due to the height of the desk, Song Sinian had to bend down to embrace her.


    Lu Zhaozhao, with her neck tilted up resting on his shoulder, gently patted Song Sinian¡¯s back, ¡°Did something upsetting happen?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Song Sinian didn¡¯t respond because he couldn¡¯t think of a suitable reason right away.


    He just felt that by saying this, Lu Zhaozhao would hold him; he wanted to comfort her, so even if he initiated, it could still comfort her, right?


    Holding that thought, Song Sinian nuzzled his nose into the nape of her neck, then held her even tighter.


    Lu Zhaozhao, who was initially curious about why Song Sinian suddenly asked for a hug¡ªusually, he would answer whenever she asked.


    Now that he wasn¡¯t speaking, it seemed the situation was more serious than she had imagined¡­


    Lu Zhaozhao sighed softly, murmuring in consolation, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to talk about it now. You can tell me when you feel like it later.¡±


    Song Sinian¡¯s body suddenly stiffened as he held Lu Zhaozhao, then he propped himself up to look at her and asked, ¡°Would you do the same?¡±


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lu Zhaozhao looked slightly bewildered at Song Sinian, instinctively nodding, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Song Sinian stared deeply at Lu Zhaozhao, then continued, ¡°When you feel better, you¡¯ll tell me then?¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips, looking into Song Sinian¡¯s very serious eyes, feeling somewhat guilty.


    She instinctively shrunk her neck, ¡°I guess¡­¡±


    Hearing her response, Song Sinian stared at her intently again, then once more held her tightly.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± his deep voice murmured into her ear, nuzzling again into her neck.


    ¡°???¡±


    Lu Zhaozhao held Song Sinian, instinctively patting him.


    Was it her imagination?


    She felt like Song Sinian had become even clingier than before¡­


    While Lu Zhaozhao pondered this, Song Sinian started speaking again, ¡°I have a meeting soon, will you join me?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Maybe I should just wait for you to finish your meeting,¡± Lu Zhaozhao tentatively replied.


    Unexpectedly, Song Sinian burrowed further into her embrace, ¡°No good, I don¡¯t want to be apart from you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Did he have separation anxiety now?


    Lu Zhaozhao was unsure whether Song Sinian clinging to her was a good or bad thing.


    It seemed she needed to consult Doctor Tian soon¡ªif this was a symptom of worsening depression, that would be troublesome.


    For now¡­ it was better to just go along with him.


    ¡°Well, okay then, I¡¯ll join you in the meeting,¡± Lu Zhaozhao forced a smile, trying to keep her emotions fairly calm.


    Since Lu Zhaozhao had previously spent two days in Song Sinian¡¯s office, before the meeting, he directly instructed Qian Hong to prepare a pile of snacks for her as before in the office.


    Unlike Zhao Xi, the snacks Qian Hong prepared were almost all freshly made in the kitchen.


    Lu Zhaozhao glanced at the Bingtang Xue Li, mini cakes, doughnuts, and pastries in front of her, then at Song Sinian who was already working on his computer, and silently sighed.


    She was only there to accompany him to the meeting, not to do a mukbang.


    Fortunately, the camera didn¡¯t capture her, but she still felt somewhat uneasy.


    So, she ate with extra caution, fearing that any little sound might be heard by the people on the other side of the computer.


    She had already made quite the impression in the office of the president of Song Group; she couldn¡¯t afford to cause any more trouble.


    The more carefully Lu Zhaozhao ate, the more Song Sinian felt that something was off.


    He slightly turned his face and tapped his fingertips lightly on the table.


    While listening to the meeting presentation coming from the computer, Song Sinian¡¯s gaze stayed fixed on Lu Zhaozhao.


    Was there something wrong with the food?


    The other employees sitting in the conference room felt somewhat anxious. Although it was a video conference, the oppressive aura displayed by their boss was utterly unchanged.


    Fortunately, Zhao Xi, who was sitting beside the camera, silently held up a white paper with a line clearly written in black marker: ¡°Don¡¯t be scared today; the wife is beside him.¡±


    Almost instantly, everyone, originally on edge, relaxed, all wishing they could dine and wine Lu Zhaozhao like a goddess.


    Meanwhile, Lu Zhaozhao, utterly unaware that she had been revered as a deity among the Song Group employees, was wholly focused on the small cake in her hands.


    Because there was a jar of cherry jam on top, including a whole candied cherry, and she only had a fork, she worried that poking it might cause the cherry to fall off.


    As she hesitated, Song Sinian¡¯s handsome face suddenly leaned in and stole the cherry off her cake with his mouth.


    Lu Zhaozhao: ¡°???¡±


    She raised an eyebrow suspiciously, about to quietly ask Song Sinian why he took her cherry, but when her gaze landed on his face, she immediately panicked.


    Because he had eaten the cherry jam without using anything else, a bright red smear was clearly visible on his lips, resembling her lipstick.


    Lu Zhaozhao immediately gestured to her own mouth, signaling to Song Sinian that there was something on his lips.


    But Song Sinian¡¯s attention was half on the meeting; seeing Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s gesture, he instinctively leaned in and gave her a peck on the lips.


    Lu Zhaozhao was stunned.


    ¡°I was saying there was cherry jam on your lip, not asking you to kiss me¡­¡±


    Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough to be heard by the people on the other side.


    She could almost clearly hear a sharp intake of breath from across the side.


    It was over!


    She was originally trying to prevent Song Sinian¡¯s employees from getting the wrong idea, which was why she wanted him to wipe off the cherry jam.


    Now they wouldn¡¯t misunderstand about the cherry jam because¡­ Song Sinian had just confirmed their suspicions with that act.


    Lu Zhaozhao felt utterly flustered now.


    Could she still ¡°clarify¡± the situation in time?


    Lu Zhaozhao¡¯s pleading gaze turned towards Song Sinian, only to see him lightly rubbing the bright red smear on his lip with his fingertip, which only made it more conspicuous against his pale, elegant fingers.


    His aloof and restrained demeanor made people¡¯s imaginations run wild!


    Well, now even if she jumped into the Yellow River, she couldn¡¯t clear herself of this.


    Lu Zhaozhao decided to give in to fate and began eating the cake voraciously.


    This time, she didn¡¯t care if the noise disturbed Song Sinian¡¯s meeting; she might as well do a mukbang right beside him, as the meeting attendees probably wouldn¡¯t get stirred up anymore.


    After all, what could be more sensational than what had just happened?


    But apparently, Lu Zhaozhao still underestimated Song Sinian¡­