Chapter 65: Touch It

Say hello to your tail for me. I want to touch it, can I?

In a small town, if anything happens in a family, it’s basically known to everyone. Not to mention, Xing Yue was the kind of person who built a whole building for her mother.

She was the envy of countless aunties and uncles, who often mentioned her: “Look at Xing Yue over there, she could build her family a whole building.”

Moreover, Xing Yue came from a single-parent family. People initially wanted to pity the mother-daughter pair, but who would have thought Xing Yue would be so capable? She’d had good grades since childhood, gotten into a university in a big city, and could even buy a small villa and a car worth hundreds of thousands in a big city. Her own skills were undeniable, and, more importantly, she was filial to her mother.

In the entire small town, who could stay as well-maintained, as youthful, and as fashionable as Xing Yingnuan at over fifty? Whenever people asked, “Mama Xing, how do you take care of yourself?”

Mama Xing would loudly declare it was because Xing Yue sent her money for cosmetic procedures—a basic one cost a few thousand, a better one tens of thousands.

And so, the whole town had nothing but praise for Xing Yue.

Xing Yue’s reputation was excellent. In the eyes of those aunties and uncles, she was practically the epitome of “good kid,” “moneymaker,” “considerate and filial, caring,” “capable, and devoted.”

Once, Xing Yue had even brought a girlfriend home. They dated for seven years, so they heard. Even though they broke up in the end, seven years was a rarity in their world.

With all these factors combined, there were quite a few young girls wanting to go on blind dates with Xing Yue. Mama Xing personally screened them and finally settled on a quiet, gentle girl who made cakes in town. The more she looked, the more satisfied she was.

That one from the Bu family was too troublesome; marrying into a family like that would mean chaos every day. She’d be satisfied with anyone who was better behaved than that Bu family vixen. She’d like anyone like that.

At this very moment, that very troublesome Bu family vixen was indeed pestering her daughter—

[Will you still like me when you get back, big sister?]

[Miss you so much. I start missing you the moment I don’t see you for a day. Big sister must come back tomorrow (sad.jpg)]

[Calling wife, calling wife, are you thinking of me?]

[Can I embark on an adventure in your bed.jpg]

[Say hello to your tail for me. I want to touch it, can I?]

All the way home, Xing Yue was chatting with Bu Yao on her phone. She’d traveled this route countless times. Usually, she’d listen to music or look at the scenery on the way, but this was the first time her phone never left her hand, her eyes never left the screen, solely focused on replying to messages.

It took three hours by train just to reach the city. It was already dark. Getting to the town required another transfer. After getting off the train, Xing Yue wanted to go straight to the hospital. “Mom, I’m here. Which hospital are you at? I’ll take a motorcycle taxi. It’ll be faster.”

Xing Yingnuan was stunned, forgetting the excuse she’d prepared. She asked in surprise, “Where’s your car? You owe that much money? You sold your car?”

“I’ll explain later. Send me your location first,” Xing Yue changed the subject.

Given the situation, how could Xing Yue hide anything?

Xing Yingnuan chuckled drily. “I knew it. Nothing good ever comes from you getting involved with that Bu girl. I told you, she’ll be the death of you. Stop seeing her, but you just won’t listen… I’m paralyzed at home. The hospital fees were too expensive, so I got discharged early.”

Originally annoyed by the nagging, her attention was immediately diverted upon hearing about the early discharge. “How could you be discharged early? Did the doctor say you could go home?”

Worried, she rushed back without stopping.

As soon as she reached the town entrance, she saw a woman coming out to meet her with a flashlight. Dressed in high-quality silk pants and a brocade long shirt, her hair permed in a fashionable style, her face was even rosier than Xing Yue’s, even more energetic.

Xing Yue’s expression changed instantly, seething with anger. “Didn’t you say you broke your leg?”

Xing Yingnuan waved the flashlight. “Yeah, but I figured it wasn’t safe for you to come home alone, so my leg healed itself! Isn’t your mom a superwoman?”

It was such a ridiculous excuse, Xing Yue turned to leave.

“Where are you going? Don’t you want the money either?” Xing Yingnuan grabbed her, looking her over to see if she’d gained or lost weight, and led her home. “You won’t even tell me how much you owe the company. Are you carrying it all yourself? Are you that foolish? If you don’t have money, you have to ask me!”

Xing Yue knew, of course, that her mother had some savings. Although rent was cheap in a small town, the location was good, with direct buses to the first-tier city, so there were quite a few white-collar tenants.

Plus, Xing Yingnuan had earned some money when she was young and knew how to manage finances. She could probably come up with a couple hundred thousand without a problem, but suddenly producing seven hundred thousand would likely require selling the house.

Her pride prevented her from asking. Ever since she started making money, she’d never asked her family for a cent, let alone a large sum that would drain her mother’s entire life savings.

Seeing Xing Yue silent, Xing Yingnuan was mentally prepared. “Just tell me straight, how much exactly? Are you afraid you’ll scare me?”

The stars in a small town at night were always more numerous than in a big city.

Xing Yue felt dazed. For several consecutive years now, her mother’s calls had only been about urging her to get married. It had been a long time since her mom had talked to her about anything else. And now, when they finally did, it was about these downtrodden topics—her career setback, her life hitting rock bottom.

“Se… Seven… Hundred… Thousand…”

“How much?” Xing Yingnuan didn’t catch it. “Seven hundred thousand?”

Xing Yue nodded bitterly.

Xing Yingnuan looked speechless and poked Xing Yue’s forehead with her index finger. “Oh, good heavens. Seven hundred thousand—can that even be called money? Your mother was prepared to cover seven million for you! All that fuss from your little mouth, and it’s just seven hundred thousand? What’s so hard to say about that little bit of money? Are we poor? Tomorrow morning, when the bank opens, you and I are going with two sacks to get the money.”

She’d been terrified the whole afternoon, thinking it was some astronomical sum that had forced her daughter to sell her car.

Xing Yue was starting to suspect her mother had indeed fallen—probably on her head and damaged her brain. “Mom, how does our family have so much money?”

“How do we not?” The woman was even bewildered that her daughter thought they didn’t even have seven hundred thousand. She mentioned a certain male with disgust. “Your dad’s family runs a factory! After I divorced your dad when you were seven, he went back home, fought with your uncles for two years, and snatched back the factory. He’s been sending a hundred thousand in living expenses every month for us two, all these years. Now it’s up to two hundred and thirty thousand a month. I’ll push a bit more and get him to make it two hundred and fifty thousand starting next month.”

As she spoke, she deliberately emphasized to Xing Yue, “Don’t you ever think your father loves you. He doesn’t. This money is just a little dribble from between his fingers, nothing at all. Wait until your father kicks the bucket, and you’ll just inherit the tip of the iceberg. Then you’ll know exactly how much money he has.”

Xing Yingnuan was terrified Xing Yue would develop any familial affection for that man who’d walked away. She repeatedly stressed this was what he owed them, that he should be paying even more, that this small change couldn’t compensate their family. Now, she was just hoping that man would ascend to heaven soon, so they could split a larger sum.

Xing Yue’s mind went blank. Whatever was said after that, she didn’t hear a word, her entire being in a surreal state. “Mom, did you hit your head when you fell? Maybe we should still go to the hospital?”

“Tsk, you child, stubborn as a mule since you were little. I always wondered where you got that stubborn nature from.” Xing Yingnuan shook her head and started listing Xing Yue’s strange quirks. “I offered to set up a pub for you, you didn’t want it. To open a studio for you, publish your own records, you refused. I tell you to be a boss, but no, you insist on working for others. I keep saying I have money, stop working so hard, but still you send me money. I asked you which area is good to buy a house, and what do you do? You just built me a whole building in town.”

Although Xing Yue spending money on her made her happy, proving that Xing Yue cared about her, the more she told Xing Yue not to work so hard, the harder Xing Yue worked to earn money. She didn’t dare mention it again.

Later, when Xing Yue reached marriageable age, she thought about buying a bigger house for Xing Yue as a marital home. How Xing Yue interpreted it, she didn’t know, but Xing Yue thought she had nowhere to retire, so she spent a fortune building her a house for her old age.

She’d always thought Xing Yue was just overly independent. How could she have thought their family was poor?

Xing Yue’s grandparents, after all, were hereditary nobles from way back. Even running a factory now was considered a decline.

All these years, that selfish, cold-hearted, emotionless man had actually made his business thrive. A mere twenty-something thousand a month—even sending the money was delegated to a secretary, never even glanced at by himself.

Hmph, look at how this despicable man held himself high.

Xing Yingnuan still gnashed her teeth at the mention of her ex-husband, absolutely forbidding Xing Yue from having any feelings for that male creature.

“Mom, why did you never tell me any of this…” Xing Yue was still skeptical, her head buzzing.

“Bring him up for what?” Xing Yingnuan dragged her home, muttering incessantly. “Mentioning men is bad luck! Didn’t your grandma tell you everything? How come she didn’t mention it?”

Seeing that Xing Yue truly seemed unaware of how wealthy their family was, she started feeling heartbroken. Oh, this silly child. She’d thought Xing Yue was just a natural-born workaholic, suffering so much out there without a single word of complaint, enduring it all.

Xing Yue was utterly bewildered. “Grandma was afraid I’d be sad. She didn’t really talk about him.”

So it turned out Xing Yingnuan thought Grandma would have told her, but Grandma, fearing Xing Yue would be hurt, hadn’t mentioned that man at all.

For so many years, Xing Yue only knew her father’s family had a factory, that he’d had a college romance with her mother, eloped, then abandoned his wife and child when times got tough. She knew nothing else.

She hadn’t even had time to digest the information she’d received tonight when, as soon as she stepped inside, she saw a table full of food and an unfamiliar young woman…

Xing Yingnuan beamed, her voice shifting several degrees in tone. “Yueyue, come here. This is someone your auntie introduced to you. It’s nothing serious, just a meal, a chat, making friends.”

Seeing Xing Yue, the young woman quickly stood up, a little shy. “Hello…”

Xing Yingnuan warmly pulled the girl to a seat, took Xing Yue’s bag, and tugged Xing Yue down as well. “Miss Lin, don’t be so formal. Yueyue here has a similar personality—shy and quiet. Tomorrow, I’ll have her take you into the city for some shopping. You two have fun and get to know each other.”

In front of outsiders, Xing Yue didn’t want to argue with her mother, who was quite concerned with face.

But hearing her mother make decisions for her was a bit too much. “When did I say I was going to the city tomorrow?”

Xing Yingnuan shot her a look. “What’s wrong with getting to know someone? Miss Lin waited for you all day. Don’t you owe it to her to make it up? This is non-negotiable. You’re going, whether you like it or not.”

Xing Yue looked at the table full of her favorite dishes and had no appetite whatsoever.

She stood up, ready to go to her room, and said apologetically to the girl, “Miss Lin, it’s very late. Knock on the door on the fourth floor when you’re done eating, and I’ll see you home. I have to spend time with my girlfriend tomorrow. My mom didn’t know the situation. I’m sorry for wasting your time.”

After all, her mother had arranged this gathering, and the girl had waited so late. For safety reasons, Xing Yue would escort her home. As for shopping tomorrow, her heart wasn’t in it at all.

But such a young girl couldn’t handle this kind of blatant rejection.

Even though Xing Yue apologized, this wasn’t something a simple “sorry” could fix. Waiting all day on an empty stomach, dressing up carefully for a blind date, only to be told the other party had a girlfriend—who wouldn’t be angry?

The girl’s eyes reddened, and she ran out.

“Oh no, oh no,” Xing Yingnuan was frantic, urging Xing Yue. “Go after her!”

Seeing Xing Yue still not moving, she physically pushed her towards the door. “Go! Do you think this is a city with cameras on every street? In a small place like this, if something happens, they won’t even find the culprit!”

Hearing this, Xing Yue finally felt compelled to chase after her.

Going downstairs, she jogged to catch up with the girl. Seeing her walk faster and faster, she simply stepped in front and blocked her path. “I’m sorry. Tomorrow, let me treat you to a proper meal and apologize properly, alright? I really didn’t do this on purpose.”

The scene of them pulling at each other on the street—one aggrieved, the other coaxing—looked a bit like a lovers’ quarrel.

Miss Lin’s eyes reddened even more. Xing Yue might as well not have chased her at all.

A black sedan pulled up beside them. The car window slowly rolled down. Bu Yao had arrived just in time to see this scene… The anesthesia from her own surgery hadn’t even worn off yet. Half her body was still numb.