Chapter 4 – She’s your real mother.
“Haha!”
“Pfft!”
Laughter filled the classroom, but they were suppressed and intermittent. Out of consideration for Xie Heng, they kept their voices low, but couldn’t help themselves.
Xie Heng : “…”
With a grim expression, he snatched the book away and left the classroom, looking disgruntled, striding away with long steps.
The girl sitting next to him finally dared to laugh. She nearly felt like she was going to burst internally. How did it feel like the cool, aloof school bully was different from her imagination? Was he actually a handsome but silly guy?!
Over the next three days, Lu Xi stayed obediently in the villa without going out. She slept early and woke up late, even napping at noon, gradually recovering her spirits. With nutritious and delicious soups served three times a day from the kitchen, she gained two pounds.
Fortunately, she could feel her body slowly recovering, and was getting accustomed to it.
During these days, apart from sleeping, she spent her time watching dramas and variety shows on her phone, feeling not at all obsolete by the times. However, many of the celebrities who were popular back then had faded away, replaced by fresher faces, which made Lu Xi somewhat sentimental.
Although she claimed not to care, she was still curious about what Xie Yizhao looked like now.
She didn’t get a clear look that night. He seemed quite handsome, but after all, he was thirty-eight years old now. It was impossible for him to be exactly the same as before, unlike her, who had directly crossed over as a twenty-two-years-old.
Lu Xi searched for Xie Yizhao online but couldn’t find recent photos. It seemed he kept a low profile, typical of someone who quietly earned a fortune, fitting his personality.
Xie Yizhao had always seemed mature beyond his years when he was young, not just in appearance but also in temperament and style.
In their first year of marriage, Xie Yizhao’s father passed away, and he took over managing the conglomerate. At that time, several uncles had ill intentions, trying to sideline him with petty tricks.
He was so busy then that he didn’t even have time to honeymoon with her. Lu Xi went alone, staying at a seaside hotel, indulging in shopping and having a great time.
Some friends didn’t understand and thought she was pretending to be happy, but Lu Xi sneered at this.
What was there to pretend about? She and Xie Yizhao were in a marriage of convenience. They were not familiar with each other. She agreed to marry him partly because he was handsome and partly because he was wealthy—clear and straightforward.
Although this husband of hers didn’t love coming home, he was generous enough to work hard and earn money, allowing her to enjoy herself to the fullest. What was there for her to be dissatisfied with?
Knowing that Xie Yizhao also didn’t love her, she became even more indifferent. She felt free every day.
If it weren’t for that dream, she probably wouldn’t have changed her mind in this lifetime. But now… waking up from that dream, her husband was in middle age, and there was suddenly a rebellious teenager to deal with. Everything was different now.
Xie Corporation was now thriving, and Xie Yizhao was a prominent figure on the rich list. He was wealthy, powerful, and his wife had passed away early… a top-tier diamond bachelor.
Had he had any women in these years?
No, she should ask how many he had had. Was he single now?
Lu Xi liked her life of luxury and comfort as before. But if Xie Yizhao really had something going on, she would rather not compete with other women for a man.
Whether before marriage or after, Lu Xi had no shortage of suitors with good prospects. Asking her to compromise for a man? Sorry, she couldn’t do it.
Lu Xi wasn’t the type to worry needlessly. She preferred to go with the flow and wasn’t overly concerned about what lay ahead. Last night, she stayed up until three in the morning watching dramas and specifically told the maid not to wake her up today.
Unexpectedly, this time she had another nightmare.
In this dream, the protagonist wasn’t her, but Xie Heng.
In his sophomore year of high school, he was disciplined by the school for fighting. He often got into fights, but this time was particularly serious: he blinded a boy’s eye, which had to be removed. Xie Yizhao paid a large sum of money and reached a settlement with the boy’s parents, but other parents and teachers at the school were afraid of Xie Heng. They jointly petitioned the principal to expel him and pressured him on social media.
Mingli is a prestigious private school for the rich, and although its parents are wealthy and influential, they are not as wealthy as Xie Yizhao. However, their combined strength is not small.
In the end, the school had no choice but to expel Xie Heng.
Xie Yizhao arranged for him to study abroad and not return, sending someone to take care of his daily life while also monitoring him. But how could Xie Heng, a rebellious teenager, be restrained by outsiders? He ran away, didn’t go home, didn’t go to school, and hung out with some messy friends.
During an illegal street race, Xie Heng drove under influence and had an accident, careening off a cliff. The entire car was totaled, and he died on the spot, only seventeen years old.
In the final scene of the dream, Xie Yizhao stood in front of Xie Heng’s grave, full of regret and sorrow, realizing that no amount of money could bring back Xie Heng’s young life.
Lu Xi woke up startled, drenched in cold sweat, heart pounding wildly, and throat parched as if it were on fire.
She grabbed the water glass on the bedside table and gulped down a large mouthful of cold water, drinking it down. Her heart felt cold, her eyes sharp and piercing.
Is this plot too dark and twisted?
Lu Xi’s face darkened. In the past few days, this was the first time she felt so angry.
Yes, she didn’t have much motherly affection for Xie Heng. Her arrival here was so sudden, and now Xie Heng was already in high school. Even if she saw him, she couldn’t summon any magical maternal love. After all, he was so grown-up, and she found it hard to have a ‘baby, good boy, come and hug mommy’ attitude towards him…
But waking up from that dream, it seemed something was different.
The thought of Xie Heng getting into trouble in the future made Lu Xi’s heart ache, as if something was tugging at it. At the same time, she felt a strong sense of anger and a powerful desire to protect Xie Heng.
Could this be what they call a ‘protective instinct’?
She lay back in bed, trying to calm herself down and organize her thoughts.
Xie Heng hadn’t gotten into trouble yet, hadn’t been expelled, and hadn’t been sent abroad. There was still time to change everything.
At that moment, she suddenly heard voices downstairs, as if people were arguing. She pressed the servant’s bell and soon a maid knocked on the door.
Lu Xi : “What’s the noise downstairs?”
“Master has returned, along with Young Master.”
Lu Xi frowned, sitting up straight from the bed, her brows furrowed with annoyance. She thought angrily, oh, how convenient that he’s back just when I was about to ask him how he’s managing his son.
After noon, when Xie Heng was released from school, the chauffeur took him home, with Xie Yizhao arriving just before him, in the car in front of his.
Xie Yizhao got out of the car, glanced at him, and simply nodded faintly, “You’re back.”
Xie Yizhao didn’t ask anything else.
The father and son maintained the same icy expression as they walked into the house, but Xie Yizhao was calmer while Xie Heng seemed much more awkward, occasionally stealing glances at his Dad.
Xie Yizhao sat down on the sofa, and the butler brought him a cup of tea. His assistant stood nearby, reporting details of a contract to him in a low voice. Xie Yizhao listened indifferently, not saying a word to Xie Heng who stood in the living room.
Feeling ignored, Xie Heng frowned unhappily. Unable to bear it any longer, he lifted his chin defiantly and interrupted them, “Enough, I know you want to scold me. If you want to scold, do it quickly. I have things to do later.”
These past few days, he had taken a trip to the police station and learned about the situation that day.
Song Ji had indeed spiked his drink. He had known early on that Xie Heng’s family was wealthy and intentionally approached Xie Heng with ulterior motives. Being a ruffian who dabbled in all sorts of things, he owed significant debts outside, and thought to control Xie Heng using this method to extract money from Xie Heng.
Even if that didn’t work, he could at least extort a hefty sum from Xie Yizhao. Surely, Xie Yizhao wouldn’t want news of his son developing such habits to spread.
With bar surveillance footage and the test results from the spiked drink, Song Ji had confessed almost without resistance, implicating several accomplices who were at the table that day, helping him cover up.
Xie Heng remembered those individuals vaguely. They often followed Song Ji, always treating him like a brother, freeloaders who took advantage of him. He hadn’t expected such low characters.
At the police station, he had also seen Xie Yizhao’s lawyer, who had gathered substantial evidence, ensuring Song Ji would spend at least fifteen years behind bars.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Xie already knows. He won’t let those people off,” the lawyer reassured him.
Xie Heng ignored the lawyer and strode out of the police station feeling burning heat on his face, both angry and embarrassed.
His face hurt.
He thought about how he had considered these people his friends, even defending them in front of Xie Yizhao, and now his face truly hurt.
He felt ridiculous, manipulated like a fool. Now, in his Dad’s eyes, he was even more of a joke.
Returning home this time, he anticipated a scolding. Xie Yizhao often lectured him from a position of authority, using a tone that was stern and disappointed, as if he were nothing but a waste.
But now, Xie Yizhao didn’t even scold him. It was as if Xie Yizhao had anticipated this all along, not even bothering to lecture him, which only made him angrier.
Xie Yizhao glanced at him. “Be quiet.” Then he asked the butler, “Is she still asleep?”
The butler replied, “Yes, Miss Lu instructed not to be disturbed for breakfast today.”
Xie Yizhao stood up. “I’ll go check on her.”
Xie Heng felt ignored once again!
Yes, that woman! After finishing that novel, all he could think about was the substitute for white moonlight, hardly thinking about being betrayed by Song Ji.
Because this matter was even more absurd.
His own father, a dignified chairman of a listed company who always maintained a serious demeanor, had such twisted preferences in private… Fine, even if this was his private matter, Xie Heng couldn’t ignore it when it involved his own mother.
And Xie Yizhao had actually brought that person home?
Xie Heng immediately stopped Xie Yizhao, his voice low and steady, “First, make it clear. Whoever she is, I can’t accept her becoming my stepmother. Give up on that.”
Xie Yizhao looked at the young man standing almost as tall as himself, his jaw tense, speaking seriously, “Who said I want her to be your stepmother?”
“…” Xie Heng was stunned.
Was it just a fling then? Xie Heng was shocked. He hadn’t expected his own father to be so despicable!
Before he could recover, hurried footsteps came from upstairs.
Lu Xi descended the stairs, wearing a robe, her beautiful face icy, bypassing the servants and heading straight for Xie Yizhao.
Xie Heng just noticed that the woman came out from the room on the right side of the third floor. That was Xie Yizhao’s bedroom, where his mother used to live.
He clenched his fists.
This is outrageous, how could she…
The young man’s muscles tensed, burning with anger. His eyes slightly reddened as he glared angrily at Xie Yizhao. “Take your mistress out for a good time, I don’t welcome you two here!”
Lu Xi grabbed Xie Yizhao’s collar, forcing him to retreat until he was pressed against the wall. Her beautiful eyes widened in anger as she demanded, “Mr. Xie, can’t you take care of your child? If you can’t I will!”
Xie Yizhao, however, did not resist. He just gave Lu Xi a deep look, then turned to Xie Heng and said coldly, “Shut up, she’s your real mother.”
The butler on the side : …Master is almost two meters tall, how can he obediently let himself be pushed against the wall like this?
Lu Xi : Mistress? What nonsense is this brat talking about?
But the most bewildered one was Xie Heng. He stared at Xie Yizhao in shock, then looked at Lu Xi with a face full of rejection.
Could it be true that his father was blinded by beauty? This woman is only a few years older than him, how could she be his real mother?
Eu não aguento! É tão engraçado lol! Fofo! Obrigada!