Xie Heng’s eyes lit up.
Who cares who pays, as long as he get paid!
After all, this is money earned by selling his own labor… and looks, and it’s legitimate. Five thousand yuan—university students working part-time at bubble tea shops would have to work at least two months for that.
After the recent period, he had repeatedly researched a lot of information and understood that it’s hard to make money in today’s society. Even university students are cheap labor, let alone him, a poor student.
He felt a little guilty about taking a cut from Ms. Lu’s prize.
But! The money was meant to buy her a gift, not for his own use.
But now that his dad had stepped forward and was willing to provide the money, that was great. He could earn money without offending Ms. Lu. A win-win!
“But—” Xie Yizhao pursed his lips slightly, his eyes lightly falling on Xie Heng. “You need to perform well, no slacking. If your Mom calls you, you must respond immediately.”
Xie Heng froze, pursing his lips. “Respond immediately? What if I’m in class? Should I skip it?”
Lu Xi glanced at him and noticed the look in Xie Yizhao’s eyes. The two exchanged a glance.
How rare.
The silly goose’s first thought was actually this. Why didn’t he start shouting and complaining, ‘She’s not my real mom, don’t treat me like an idiot!’?
Lu Xi smiled faintly.
It seems the goose isn’t so stupid after all. She’d thought of this, too. No need to rush. There was no need to make him accept anything right away. When the time was right, he’d figure it out himself.
The boy who used to just bluster and threaten people now had grown. Lu Xi felt a natural sense of comfort.
Xie Yizhao chuckled lightly and reprimanded, “Stop being sarcastic.”
Xie Heng deliberately hummed, looking proud, though his expression was relaxed.
He didn’t like being scolded by Xie Yizhao because his Dad always acted high and mighty, but this time was different… After what happened in the office last time, his Dad and Ms. Lu had become his support, so he wasn’t so averse to his Dad anymore.
“Wait—”
Xie Heng suddenly thought of something. “What if she isn’t selected? Will I still get paid?”
“…”
The smile on Lu Xi’s face gradually froze, and even Xie Yizhao, after a moment of daze, raised his eyebrows in disbelief.
“Are you saying you think I’ll be eliminated?” Lu Xi sneered coldly. “Hm?”
Xie Heng finally realized what he’d said. Panicking, his mind went blank for a moment. He quickly tried to explain, “No, I mean… if… do you understand? I believe you’ll definitely be selected, but what if, you know…?”
Lu Xi still smiled coldly, not appeased. Her gaze grew even more subtle and increasingly intimidating.
Xie Heng gave up. In a panic, he looked toward the second floor.
Now it was his omnipotent Dad’s turn to step in and save the day!
But when he looked again, where was Xie Yizhao? The study door was firmly closed.
Xie Heng : “…”
So what if he was the school tyrant? No one knew, and the tyrant’s Mom was even more terrifying. Not even the tyrant’s Dad dared to mess with her.
Xie Heng felt confused and closed his eyes. His handsome face was full of frustration, as if he were making a great sacrifice, and he extended his face toward Lu Xi.
“You… you pinch me. Consider it my apology,” the boy emphasized with his last bit of stubbornness. “But only pinch once.”
Lu Xi, of course, wouldn’t let this opportunity slip by.
She was both angry and amused, not being polite with him. She immediately pinched him, and after pinching, she couldn’t help but rub his furry head.
The young master, knowing he was in the wrong, though not happy, still gritted his teeth and endured it.
After all, he had said the wrong thing earlier.
But he promised that he wouldn’t make such a mistake again in the future.
The Young Master felt remorseful. When he got back to his room to take a shower, the hot water poured over him, and suddenly a flash of realization hit him.
He was pinched on the face, rubbed on the head, bullied, and yet no one told him—if Lu Xi hadn’t won, would he have received a reward?
！！！
After a round of pinching, Lu Xi messed up his blue hair until it was unrecognizable. Finally feeling satisfied, she returned to her room, then walked into the walk-in closet and sat down at her desk.
Now that she had a career, even though it was just getting started, it was still a serious matter, and it wasn’t appropriate to continue sharing a study room with Xie Yizhao. She needed a private space for herself while working.
This was something she didn’t need to ask Xie Yizhao about; she could make the decision herself. So, she found the butler and picked an empty room on the left side of the second floor, right next to Xie Yizhao’s study.
The butler smiled slightly when he saw her choice: “This used to be Young Master’s playing room.”
Lu Xi was a bit surprised, “Then why is it empty now?”
The butler explained : “When Young Master was seven, he stopped coming here to play because next door…”
Lu Xi blinked, immediately understanding, and smiled.
Of course, next door lived his humorless and entertainment-averse strict Dad. Imagine, a little boy happily playing with a toy train in the game room, only to have Xie Yizhao open the door and scold him. Such a mood killer.
If it were her, she’d want to move too.
Her new study still needed to be organized, and she had to get office supplies. Lu Xi also chose the office desk, chairs, bookshelves, computers, and other decorations according to her preferences. Everything would take a few more days to arrive.
Until then, she would temporarily work in the walk-in closet.
At this stage, all she needed were design drafts, and her computer and drawing tablet were enough. As for why she chose the closet—it was, of course, because she would feel more inspired with all her beautiful clothes in front of her.
This time, for the Mingli Middle School uniform design competition, there were four sets of designs required: male and female versions, for both spring/summer and autumn/winter.
The deadline was the end of this month, with less than twenty days left—not exactly tight, but certainly not abundant.
The competition’s requirements seemed flexible. Every parent, regardless of whether they were a designer or not, could participate. But it was clear the school was only doing this to show ‘fairness.’ Parents who couldn’t design wouldn’t suddenly have a talent explosion and produce four sets of designs in twenty days.
However, there were fifty-three parents who signed up.
Lu Xi looked at the design drafts, then opened the forum announcement on her computer. She didn’t pay much attention to the names of the parents, only furrowing her brow.
Were the parents of Mingli Middle School this full of hidden talents?
The competition was far more intense than she had imagined.
At first, she was just trying it out, not really expecting much—if it worked, great; if not, it was fine. But as the difficulty increased, she could feel the pressure building. Yet, she also found it more fun.
If a game lacks difficulty, it quickly becomes dull.
She heard a faint sound from the door, followed by footsteps approaching.
The bedroom and the walk-in closet were connected. Soon, Lu Xi raised her eyes and met Xie Yizhao’s gaze.
“Still not asleep?” The man raised an eyebrow slightly as he walked towards her.
Lu Xi furrowed her brows slightly, her beautiful face showing some concern. “Hmm, there’s a design detail I’m stuck on. I’m thinking about it.”
Xie Yizhao walked over to her side, leaned down, and placed his hand on the back of the chair behind her, carefully studying the design draft she was holding.
Lu Xi, without giving much away, slightly lifted her eyelids and looked at the man beside her.
After a day of work, it was already past ten o’clock, but he still didn’t show the slightest sign of fatigue. His features were deep, and his face resembled a carefully carved statue—cold and handsome.
No matter how you looked at him, he was pleasing to the eye.
But… the slight confusion in his eyes somewhat ruined the atmosphere.
That déjà vu feeling was like her seeing a calculus question, and him seeing every single one of them.
Lu Xi pressed her lips together. “Do you understand?”
The man was silent for a moment, then finally found a balance between his pride and honesty with his wife, and softly said, “A little. Not fully.”
To him, clothes were just clothes. He only cared about the occasion and functionality.
For example, he would never wear a suit for a morning run.
He would never wear pajamas to an important event.
As for the other details, Xie Yizhao never thought about them. In fact, he didn’t need to worry; someone else took care of his clothing purchases, and from the moment they were bought, it was decided when and where they would be worn.
He didn’t understand men’s fashion enough, let alone women’s fashion. The design draft Lu Xi was showing him was for women’s clothing.
Lu Xi smiled. How unsurprising.
But her smile quickly faded, and she furrowed her brows again. She didn’t even notice when Xie Yizhao raised his hand and gently brushed her soft hair with the gentlest touch.
Xie Yizhao noticed she seemed a bit tense and asked, “Is there a problem?”
Lu Xi slowly blinked and stretched lazily, glancing at him before sharing what had been on her mind.
She sighed, “I thought it was just a small campus event, but I didn’t expect the competition to be so fierce. Maybe that brat’s jinx will come true. I might not win after all.”
Xie Yizhao noticed the list on the computer screen.
There were indeed quite a few people.
He wasn’t familiar with the professions of the parents at Mingli Middle School, but most of them were high-income individuals. Having so many designers around seemed unusual.
“Actually…”
The man began to speak, then paused, as if carefully considering his words.
Lu Xi leaned back in her chair, gazing at him with an intriguing look, curious to hear what Xie Yizhao would say to comfort her.
She didn’t have high expectations.
The father and son were remarkably similar in some ways—just look at Xie Heng, and you’d know who he took after.
Xie Yizhao lowered his gaze, not bothered by the teasing look in her eyes, and said calmly, “It may not be that way. If you think there are too many people, this list might be able to reduce by half.”
Lu Xi was momentarily stunned.
She had expected him to offer some typical manly comfort or some cliché soul-soothing words, but instead, he refused to be sentimental and played it real?
“How so?”
Xie Yizhao briefly and concisely said, “The rules of the competition state that as long as the participant is a student’s parent, they can join. However, there’s no strict requirement that it must be the parent who designs it, and afterwards, no one will investigate the origin of the design drafts.”
Lu Xi’s eyes suddenly brightened.
That’s right!
He hit the nail on the head. No wonder he’s been in the business world for so long. He could immediately spot the loophole in the rules. Indeed, the competition rules were vague. The parents were wealthy enough to hire skilled designers, and since this was just a school event, who would be so serious about it?
What Xie Yizhao meant was that they should ask the school to revise the rules, specifying that it must be the parent who designs. In this case, as long as a legally binding contract is signed, it would be fine.
Xie Yichao truly lives up to his reputation…
For a moment, Lu Xi wasn’t sure whether to admire him or feel a little scared.
Since she time-travelled, she’d heard some ‘scary’ rumors about Xie Yizhao. His ruthless tactics in the corporation, the unmerciful ways he crushed his competitors…
But Lu Xi didn’t understand business, so it didn’t really resonate with her. It was like hearing a legend about a big shot—just a story.
At this moment, though, she suddenly felt and understood the true strength and intimidation of Xie Yizhao.
If she had such an opponent, she’d definitely lose sleep.
But fortunately, he wasn’t her enemy, at least not right now. They were colleagues on the same side… as teammates, he was terrifyingly strong! But with him as a companion, she felt incredibly at ease.
“That’s a good suggestion, but forget it. If they want to cheat, let them. I’ll only take care of myself,” Lu Xi said.
Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow, a little surprised by her decision.
From what he knew, Lu Xi was never someone to be easily bullied. She appeared delicate on the outside, but deep down, she was strong-willed.
He asked, “May I ask why?”
Lu Xi smiled slightly, calm as ever, and said, “Since the rules are vague, their actions aren’t crossing any lines. And… I’m confident in myself. Competing with a strong opponent is more interesting.”
Xie Yichao’s gaze paused for a moment, and he fell silent, watching the woman’s petite figure, his eyes filled with a hint of admiration.
It was the first time he realized how strong her desire to win was.
Her slight smile was confident yet ambitious, giving him the impression that she wasn’t just a delicate flower nurtured in a glass greenhouse. She also had a wild, untamable side.
The man stared at her delicate profile, his expression momentarily dazed.
She had tied her long hair up with a hairpin, leaving some stray strands to fall and reveal her small, pale ear lobes.
If he hadn’t snapped back to his senses in time, Xie Yizhao almost reached out with his fingers to touch it…
He silently walked away, giving her space to focus on her work.
Lu Xi, immersed in her work, didn’t notice when he left, nor did she pay attention to the time. Her mind was a little sluggish, and she grew sleepy. She propped her head on her hands to think, only to fall asleep without realizing it.
In a drowsy haze, she felt herself being lifted into someone’s arms.
She was so tired, her mind was almost shutting down. She didn’t have the time to wonder who it was. Only that the embrace felt warm and reliable, with a faint, cool scent that was very appealing to her.
She felt a sense of security and, without thinking, snuggled closer into his arms. Her long lashes drooped, and her face looked soft, appearing even more obedient in her sleep than usual.
Xie Yizhao walked steadily, effortlessly guiding her to the side of the bed, then placed her onto the fluffy pillow and covered her with the blanket.
The man gazed at her peaceful sleeping face, his brow relaxed, with none of the usual authority or distance.
His heart stirred slightly, and he couldn’t help but reach out, gently touching the woman’s cheek with restraint.
Just then, he heard a notification from the wardrobe.
He had only carried Lu Xi over, and her phone was left on the table.
Xie Yizhao walked over to retrieve it, intending not to pry into her private matters, but as he looked down, he caught sight of a message notification on the screen.
[Ye Sisheng : Miss Lu, are you free tomorrow evening? The internal fashion show has been postponed, and I’d like to invite you to come watch.]
“…”
An inexplicable sense of unease surged in Xie Yizhao’s heart.
His brows furrowed again.
Ye family’s Young Master, huh…
The next morning, Lu Xi didn’t come downstairs until almost 10 AM. When she saw Xie Yizhao at the breakfast table, she was somewhat surprised.
“Don’t you have work today?” It was already this late.
Xie Yizhao was looking at the project report the assistant had sent him. He glanced at Lu Xi, placed the file on the table, and pinched his brow, saying, “I’m going on a business trip tomorrow, so I took the day off today.”
Lu Xi smiled.
It was rare. This invincible workaholic was actually taking a break?
The servant brought breakfast to Lu Xi, which today was a Chinese meal. Lu Xi really liked the beef noodles made by one of the senior chefs in the kitchen. A simple pairing with a cup of soy milk filled her up and tasted delicious.
Now, the whole family understood her status clearly. Even though she hadn’t had a wedding with the Master when she entered the house, no one dared to underestimate her.
Everyone could see how much the Master valued her, and even the Young Master was becoming more and more obedient to this new Madam.
So, whatever she asked for, the staff would do with great care, even if she didn’t speak a word. With just a glance or a frown, the attentive people could understand her thoughts.
Lu Xi picked up her chopsticks and blew on the hot steam from her food.
She heard Xie Yizhao say, “I heard from Assistant Li that a new French restaurant opened by the river. The food is good. Would you like to go tonight if you’re free?”
Lu Xi then lifted her eyelids, looking at him with surprise.
She asked, “Aren’t you working tonight?”
Xie Yizhao raised an eyebrow casually and said, “I’m resting today. Besides, no matter how busy I am, there’s always time to have a meal with you.”
Lu Xi looked at Xie Yizhao, and in the warmth of the steam, she happily squinted her eyes.
After all, it was always worth being happy to be valued, especially by someone like Xie Yizhao, a wealthy and busy man whose every second counted.
But she could only regretfully shake her head. “Next time, I have plans tonight.”
Xie Yizhao seemed unsurprised and only asked, “What’s going on?”
If he hadn’t asked, Lu Xi wouldn’t have mentioned it, but there was nothing to hide, so she spoke naturally: “Master Louis’s nephew, Ye Sisheng, invited me to watch a fashion show at their company tonight.”
Lu Xi paused for a moment before saying, “Sorry, I replied to him as soon as I saw the news this morning. If you had told me earlier, I would have agreed to you first.”
Although that wasn’t exactly what she was thinking, she decided to say the more pleasant thing first. After all, comforting a man didn’t cost her anything, did it?
Xie Yizhao’s expression froze for a moment, his brows relaxing slightly.
Did this mean that, when choosing between attending the show or having dinner with him, she preferred the latter?
The man’s long, strong fingers pinched the edge of the folder, and he asked her, “Alright, does Mr. Ye mind if I accompany you?”
Lu Xi was slightly stunned.
She wasn’t sure. After all, this was an internal fitting and runway show for Ye’s company, and it needed to remain confidential. Although Ye Sisheng invited her, it didn’t necessarily mean she could casually invite someone else along.
“Wait a minute, I’ll ask.”
Lu Xi picked up her phone and dialed Ye Sisheng’s number.
She didn’t have his number initially. It was only a few days ago that Ye Sisheng called her to invite her to the show. That day, she happened to be going to the school, and Xie Heng ran into some trouble. She wasn’t in a good mood, so after some thought, she declined the invitation.
Unexpectedly, the fitting show was delayed, and now, of course, she didn’t want to miss it.
The call connected faster than she had expected.
Lu Xi exchanged a few pleasantries before briefly explaining her situation: “Mr. Ye, my husband would like to join me tonight, is that alright?”
Xie Yizhao listened quietly.
There seemed to be a brief pause on the other end of the line.
Lu Xi heard something and smiled gracefully: “Thank you, we’ll arrive on time tonight.”
The servant came to refill Xie Heng’s coffee.
The man held his coffee cup with his fingers and smiled faintly: “Mr. Ye is so straightforward, he seems like a decent person.”
Lu Xi wasn’t particularly moved.
Whether he was good or not didn’t matter to her. What she cared about was Ye Sisheng’s resources in the fashion industry and his connections with Louis. Now that she was opening a studio, it was naturally beneficial to engage with people in the fashion world and build her network. It certainly couldn’t hurt.
As for Ye Sisheng’s intentions toward her…
If he was a smart man, he should get the hint when he saw that she was bringing Xie Yizhao along tonight.
However, Ye Sisheng might not be a good person, but he should be a decent and tactful one.
After dinner, Lu Xi spent half an hour preparing in her room, changing into the dress she had selected earlier.
Tonight, with models gathering for the runway show, she couldn’t afford to let her appearance slip.
But since it wasn’t her own event and she wasn’t there to compete with anyone for beauty, wearing something too flashy would seem impolite. So, she chose a black dress, low-key but with a unique and clever design, subtle yet eye-catching without being overly showy.
Her makeup was light and fresh, with a light touch of cinnamon lipstick and a sweep of eyeshadow across her eyelids, shimmering in the night light.
Lu Xi had always been confident in her beauty.
However, when she walked out of the closet in her high heels, Xie Yizhao was waiting in the bedroom, and for a moment, a trace of admiration flashed in his eyes. She couldn’t help but feel a little surprised seeing it.
Xie Yizhao was always calm and unruffled, and it was rare to see such an expression on his face.
They got into the car, and half an hour later, they arrived at the KC Group.
The fitting runway was on the ninth floor, an internal runway venue for them. As the elevator doors opened, Lu Xi could already hear rhythmic music from inside.
There were a few staff members at the entrance, and Lu Xi also saw Ye Sisheng.
He saw them as well.
The young face, with a hint of mixed heritage, smiled at her. His expression was flawless in its calmness. He walked over and took the initiative to shake hands with Xie Yizhao. “Mr. Xie, Mrs. Xie, it’s an honor to have you here.”
Xie Yizhao shook Ye Sisheng’s hand back, his gaze momentarily pausing. He nodded slightly, saying indifferently, “I just happen to be off today, so I asked my wife to bring me here to see the world.”
Ye Sisheng smiled slightly. “I didn’t expect Mr. Xie would be interested in a fashion show. Could it be… that you’re planning to acquire our group?”
Xie Yichao’s expression remained unchanged. “Not necessary. My wife just entered the fashion industry. My investment in her is enough.”
Lu Xi looked at him in confusion.
????
Come on, she had just opened a small workshop with fewer than ten employees, and she hadn’t even come up with a name yet. Why did he make it sound like she had founded a world-renowned, top-tier brand?!