“I believe your company will assess this, and whether cooperation succeeds or fails is not something I can decide. Miss Xiao need not specially tell me.” The two women met face-to-face for the first time with sparks flying, and Summer Xi, who had always been calm, clearly had the upper hand. “You—” Provoked to the extreme by her indifferent demeanor, Xiao Meishen truly wanted to tear apart her confident expression. “I didn’t expect the world to change, where even an illegitimate daughter speaks so loudly.” The lowest blow, a vicious personal attack. “Whether I am an illegitimate daughter is irrelevant to obtaining the agency rights for Zhen Ji. Miss Xiao has gone off-topic.” Summer Xi politely nodded and smiled at her. “Goodbye.” *** “…Is that so? I would also like to see that scene!” After hearing Zhao Qianchiu describe the morning confrontation between the two women, Duan Yeqin murmured to himself, though his flat expression showed no particular interest. “However, that way of speaking is indeed very much Summer Xi’s style,” Lu Ziye curved his thin li
」Elegantly resting her chin on her hand, Lu Ziyi lazily flipped through the planning document. “I’ve looked it over,” Zhao Qianqiu nodded firmly, “To be honest, the conditions Yalong offered are the most generous, with almost half the profits going to us. They’re just acting as agents.”
“If you think it’s good, then it’s good. The final decision is yours,” Lu Ziyi closed the file and returned it to him untouched. “As Summer Xi said, I won’t interfere. Just follow the rules!”
“President, this—” Zhao Qianqiu was stunned, not understanding what game they were playing?! Who wasn’t managing whose affairs? Were they even considered a sweet couple?
“Manager Zhao, just do as the president says,” Duan Ye Xun reminded.
“If I intervene, Summer Xi definitely won’t be happy. If she really wants my help, she’ll ask me directly. Why would she go to you? Do you understand this mindset?” Lu Ziyi raised an eyebrow.
“…Yes,” Zhao Qianqiu responded, not entirely understanding.
“If Summer Xi makes any request of me, I’ll definitely do it as long as it’s within my capabilities,” Lu Ziyi sighed as if regretful, “But I don’t know when she’ll learn to rely on me!”
“You disappeared early this morning. What were you busy with?” Lu Ziyi asked somewhat deliberately, biting into a steaming hot char siu pastry without much interest.
“What could I be busy with?” Summer Xi laughed lightly, brushing it off casually. “Just wandering around.”
“Hmm…” He actually harbored a small secret from her, and Lu Ziyi felt a bit uncomfortable in his heart, letting out a light snort. “Go shopping if you want to!” After all, the other party was just trying to use her, yet she was still foolishly sincere. Since the person was willing, what could he say? Silly Xia Xi.
“Ziyi, your tone sounds strange,” Xia Xi narrowed her eyes suspiciously, feeling like he seemed to know something.
“It’s nothing. This char siu pastry just arrived and is perfect to eat. Have a bite,” Lu Ziyi brought the half-eaten pastry to her mouth.
Eating the pastry without taste, she carefully examined his calm and handsome face. If she, Xia Xi, always wore a merchant’s fake mask, then Lu Ziyi, who never showed his emotions, would surely become a demon or spirit. From his face, she couldn’t discern anything.
“How sweet, the little couple dining together,” Xiao Meisen, who somehow always received her gossip, happened to appear in the same restaurant, as if deliberately blocking their way.
“May I sit down?”
Lu Ziyi subtly furrowed his brow, his usually calm handsome face rarely showing a hint of annoyance.
“What? Not welcome?” Xiao Meisen still smiled brightly.
“Please sit,” Xia Xi had just responded, but then suddenly heard his cold voice.
“No, not welcome.” Lu Ziyi didn’t even glance at Xiao Meisen.
Xia Xi was somewhat surprised by his overly cold attitude. Could they be old acquaintances?
“How annoying!”
“Still so cold to me,” Xiao Meisan smiled lightly, not minding his rude tone, and instead deliberately said intimately: “Is she your new love?” She asked knowingly. Was she a “new love”? It would be a lie to say this didn’t sound harsh, Xia Xi lowered her eyes to look at the white tableware, every word Xiao Meisan said pricking her uncomfortably. She was a new love? Then who was the old love? Could it possibly be her?
“Do you have something you want?” Lu Ziye’s tone was even colder, not being the first time he’d seen her little tricks.
“Are you not welcoming me?” Xiao Meisan slowly blinked, asking in Japanese: “From her appearance, you haven’t told her about our relationship yet?”
“What exactly do you want to say?” His black eyes suddenly narrowed, Lu Ziye similarly asked in Japanese.
Besides being simple work partners, did they have any other relationship?
“Ah! You’ve really changed, where has your former gentleness to me gone? Is it because of her appearance?” Xiao Meisan looked aggrieved.
“My attitude has never changed,” he coldly retorted.
“Yes, you have. What about those words you once said to me? And those promises?”
“…”
“You won’t really have forgotten our happy days together, right? At least I have never forgotten,” Xiao Meisan asked pitifully.
“My father has always looked forward to our marriage.”
“Xiao──” His thick eyebrows furrowed tightly, Lu Ziye called out with great forbearance.
“I’m sorry,” she didn’t speak, but that didn’t mean she didn’t understand what they were saying. Xia Xi’s face turned pale, and she suddenly stood up. “If you want to catch up, I can leave first.” No wonder Xiao Mei Shan had always been hostile towards her. So they were lovers! And they were discussing marriage, so what about her? What was she? Just another one of CEO Lu’s love hunting games? Without allowing herself to show any vulnerability, Xia Xi quietly glanced at them and turned away without looking back.
***
She was a big fool! She was truly a big fool! After selecting and choosing for so long, she still ended up choosing someone else’s beloved husband. Her vision blurred, her makeup smeared by tears, Xia Xi continued walking quickly forward. She wanted a simple and faithful love, absolutely not this awkward situation of being the third party. Remembering Lu Zi Ye’s gentle smile from before, Xia Xi’s chest ached as if it was about to split open. She was angry at him, but even more angry at herself… She was indeed a big idiot!
“Hey!” A large hand accurately grabbed her wrist, and Lu Zi Ye’s handsome face suddenly appeared in her line of sight. “Why did you leave without waiting for me?”
“Why should I wait?” Keeping her head down and refusing to look up, Xia Xi asked angrily, wiping away the tears from her face, not wanting him to see her miserable state.
She absolutely would not be sad because of him, absolutely not!
“Did you misunderstand something?” He frowned slightly and asked.
“I didn’t misunderstand anything, I heard your conversation clearly,” Xia Xi took a deep breath, still unable to bear the pain in her chest. “Lu Ziyi, President Lu, perha
“Mistress?” Raising a thick eyebrow, Lu Ziyi’s expression was profound and inscrutable, “Who said you were a mistress?”
“You──” Xia Xi couldn’t help but gasp, implying that she wasn’t even worthy of being a mistress?!
“Xia Xi, playing the ostrich and avoiding the issue doesn’t suit you. What do you want to ask, just ask me directly!” His grip was so strong that it hurt her wrist bone. Lu Ziyi forced her to look up at him.
“…”
“What do you want to ask? Ask me directly!” he repeated, his ink-black pupils locked onto hers.
“Quickly ask me about my relationship with Xiao Meixin.”
“I don’t──” Before she could finish “want to ask”, Xia Xi was stunned by the storm brewing in his eyes.
“Ask now!” His tone was still flat, but Xia Xi understood he was in a state of fury.
