The children, gathered in groups of three or five, were immediately drawn by the sound and thundered out to watch.
She merely glanced outside, snorting disdainfully. It was just a car, after all.
Lin Xu paid it no mind, but the more ignorant ones gasped in awe.
It was an Aurora purple sports car, pulling up imposingly in front of a farmhouse with black-tiled roofs and white walls.
Anyone with eyes could tell it was expensive, radiating prestige.
Even more eye-catching was the woman who stepped out of the car.
She sported striking red wavy curls, high-waisted jeans hugging her plump hips, and a black leather jacket half-draped over her shoulders, exuding both allure and laziness.
She took off her sunglasses, hooking them on her pinky finger and swinging them casually, impatience etched between her brows.
She glanced at her surroundings again and felt a headache coming on.
An elderly man with white hair parted the crowd from a distance and approached with a beaming smile.
“Miss Gu, your presence honors our humble village. Sorry, I just got the notice and kept you waiting.”
He gestured obsequiously. “This way, this way.”
Then he instructed the young man following behind.
“Watch Miss Gu’s car carefully!”
Gu Huaiyuan pursed her lips arrogantly. She couldn’t care less about such flattery.
If her private detective hadn’t tracked Lin Xu getting into a sedan that ended up driving into this village, she wouldn’t have bothered using an investment excuse for this so-called inspection.
The Lin Group was thriving externally, with stocks rising steadily and its industries leading the market, boasting impressive annual reports.
But ever since Old Lady Lin fell seriously ill this year, a power vacuum had emerged within the family.
With the vacuum came intensified factional struggles, everyone harboring their own schemes.
Lin Xu had gotten engaged to her following Old Lady Lin’s wishes, binding the Lin and Gu families closely.
Now with Lin Xu mysteriously missing, her uncle—the sycophant—was eyeing her CEO position and shares even more greedily.
Just thinking about her family pressuring her to go public with the marriage made Gu Huaiyuan want to flip the dinner table.
She was a top Omega, after all. Why should she bow to Lin Xu, that irritable narcissist? Who would even like her?
The two of them clashed constantly but had to pretend to be loving in front of the elders for family interests.
Here in the village, the chief kept droning on about road repairs, tourist developments, and such investments.
He shook his head, saying the funds wouldn’t get approved, and so on.
Gu Huaiyuan let it go in one ear and out the other. Wasn’t it just fancy begging for money?
Her gaze drifted downward to the tea—it wasn’t to her taste.
The cup, however, was nice, with ice crackle glaze in lang red, not mass-produced.
The village chief looked surprised. It was made by an old man in their village.
Seeing Miss Gu linger on it, he fawned.
“Miss Gu has a good eye. This was made by an old ceramic artist from around here.”
“Who?”
The village chief eagerly added.
“Her surname is Shu. She passed away about half a year ago, but the owner of the car you wanted me to look into? That’s her granddaughter.”
Gu Huaiyuan had little interest in ceramics, though she’d seen a tea set in a glass cabinet in Lin Xu’s office.
She didn’t even use it for guests—just admired it alone.
Boring.
Gu Huaiyuan tossed her long hair. “Then what are we waiting for? Lead the way.”
The main road outside was still concrete, but inside it was all muddy weeds. Gu Huaiyuan found it hard to rate.
She was seriously considering funding road repairs for the countryside.
Meanwhile, after Shu Qingyou repeatedly assured her sister she wouldn’t fall for Lin Xu again, Shu Wan Ning finally agreed to go look for her.
After all, Lin Xu was in a Schrödinger’s state of innocence or not right now. If she got lost, they’d be fully responsible.
“Tch, best if she disappeared for good.”
Shu Wan Ning put on her shoes and stomped out cursing.
By chance, she saw a group escorting a flashy woman heading her way.
She stood warily with arms crossed, brows furrowed.
“Who are you people?”
Her pretty face screamed displeasure—this bunch meant trouble.
If not for her sister missing their grandmother, they wouldn’t be crashing here.
The transportation wasn’t even convenient.
The village chief shot Shu Wan Ning a glare.
“Don’t be rude, girl. This is the young lady from the Gu Corporation!”
Treating it like the old society, Shu Wan Ning sized up this lofty Miss Gu and rolled her eyes.
“So you’re saying you barge into my house, and I should kneel to welcome Miss Gu?”
The village chief’s old face flushed with embarrassment.
“Hey, no, you—a college student like you, so ill-mannered.”
Shu Wan Ning despised their hypocritical nonsense and shoved past without a word.
But a hand grabbed her arm, followed by a spoiled female voice in her ear.
“You’re the one who brought Lin Xu home. Where is she? Take me to her.”
So she was here for Lin Xu. Shu Wan Ning’s mind raced, feigning ignorance.
“Yeah, she passed out on the road. I did a good deed picking her up, but the ungrateful wretch ran off.”
She eyed the hands holding her—rounded, tender fingertips.
Soft, pampered hands that had never done housework.
Realizing this woman cared about Lin Xu, Shu Wan Ning guessed she was one of Lin Xu’s flings and yanked her arm free.
Seeing the woman’s high heels wobble, she sneered, eager to shoo away the intruder.
“Don’t come back. She’s not here.”
Gu Huaiyuan was far from satisfied with this outcome.
She’d been pampered like a princess her whole life—when had she ever been ignored like this?
She lifted her high heel and stomped precisely and viciously onto Shu Wan Ning’s shoe, instantly staining the white sneaker with mud and sending piercing pain through her foot.
Shu Wan Ning’s features twisted in agony, fury boiling over.
She grabbed the woman’s hair.
“Crazy bitch, if you’re nuts, go to a mental hospital!”
These rich people had too much time on their hands—one harassing her sister, now this menace.
“You stinking Beta, you wanna die?!”
Gu Huaiyuan was a bit shorter, and struggling only made her scalp hurt more from the backlash.
“Let go! Damn it, ahhh!”
The village chief broke into cold sweat, stunned that the new college girl was so feisty.
Like a powder keg, she wouldn’t take any loss. He rushed forward to separate them.
The onlookers were dumbfounded. Who was Miss Gu?
This mere student must have a death wish!
“Little Shu, let go, let go! I’m begging you as an old man. We’re just here to find someone—no ill intent!”
Seeing the village chief’s near-death expression, Shu Wan Ning released her gleefully.
She arched a brow. “Tch, I know where Lin Xu is. Wanna know? Too bad, I won’t tell you.”
Sure enough, under Gu Huaiyuan’s scorching glare, Shu Wan Ning added fuel to the fire.
“And I know Lin Xu’s got someone she likes now. Don’t even think about it.”
Gu Huaiyuan was still reeling from the news that Lin Xu liked someone when Shu Wan Ning bolted far away.
“You stinking Beta, stop right there!”
Rushing for delivery gigs had honed Shu Wan Ning’s legs—she could place top two in a 3K run.
She was impossible to catch.
Humiliated, Gu Huaiyuan gave the village chief the cold shoulder the whole way.
No matter how he pleaded, even on his knees, it was useless.
Gu Huaiyuan elegantly slipped into her sports car and donned her sunglasses.
The engine roared low, and she sped off.
Leaving only a trail of dust from the exhaust.
Suddenly, she remembered her special detective and called in a rage.
“Look into the ceramic artist surnamed Shu in Sea City. Get me her whole family’s info.”
Lin Xu was still lost in aimless wandering.
She admired the mountains, the little bridges over streams, then cheerfully watched puppies fight.
After the brief joy, her stomach and heart both sank into double emptiness.
Should she apologize to Shu Qingyou? She seemed frail health-wise.
“Sigh, where should I go from here?”
As she wallowed in self-pity, someone patted her shoulder.
“You planning to jump? I’ll warn you, the water’s too shallow. You won’t drown.”
Lin Xu whipped around, scalp tightening as she instinctively assumed a defensive stance.
“What do you want!”
Shu Wan Ning rolled her eyes at her.
“I’ll say it once: I agreed to let you stay at our house.”
“Who knows if you’ve got bad intentions!”
Lin Xu kept a safe distance, scanning her for deadly weapons.
Inviting her out of the goodness of her heart, and this ingrate!
Shu Wan Ning frowned the whole time, pinching her brow. Lin Xu was a huge headache.
Who knew if one of Lin Xu’s rotten peaches would show up at their door later.
Her patience was running out.
“Stay or not, I don’t care. Go be a stray for all I mind—I’ll be thrilled, as long as you don’t cling to my sister.”
Lin Xu gradually lowered her guard, rubbing her belly and asking softly.
“I can go back, but… I’m hungry.”
“Oh, then go eat.”
Lin Xu leaned awkwardly on the stone bridge railing.
“You treat.”
Like that, huh? Shu Wan Ning’s mouth twitched. Coming to mooch off them.
Was this really the tycoon boss from the news, dominating the world?
Lin Xu successfully scrounged lunch from Shu Wan Ning.
Who knew this rundown place had such tasty stir-fried noodles? One bowl wasn’t enough.
Not thinking to save her money, she yelled to the boss, “Another bowl, to go!”
“Coming right up!”
The boss hollered to the kitchen. The wok flared up, filling the little diner with wok hei aroma.
Damn, she’s a big eater too.
Shu Wan Ning sipped water, eyeing Lin Xu with utter disdain.
“Hurry up. Get back quick—my sister wants to settle scores with you.”
Half a bite of noodles dropped into the bowl. Lin Xu froze.
“Huh? Settle scores? Your sister will be upset, and Qingyou’s delicate. I can’t upset her.”
Shu Wan Ning slammed the table, drawing glances from nearby diners.
She cleared her throat.
“Don’t get cocky. Who are you to call her Qingyou? Shut your shameless mouth!”
“Hey, who’s shameless? Watch your language, clean up that filthy mouth of yours!”
Lin Xu felt deeply insulted. How were these sisters so different? Were they even from the same mom?
She lost her appetite for the rest.
She was full of anger.
Shu Wan Ning let out a mocking laugh. Who was the one with the filthy mouth back then? She’d suspected Shu Qingyou paid off debts by selling herself.
But Shu Qingyou insisted there was some emotional basis with Lin Xu. Like anyone would buy that.
Shu Wan Ning didn’t believe it. Blocked from the luxury complex gates by security, she staked out the entrance.
She actually spotted Lin Xu, who—despite perfect vision—wore gold-rimmed glasses, dressed impeccably.
Seeing someone tailing her specifically, Lin Xu didn’t ignore her.
As Shu Wan Ning approached to confront her,
Lin Xu just beckoned. Her assistant, sharp-eyed, shielded the boss.
Lin Xu whispered something to the assistant—Shu Wan Ning didn’t catch it.
But the assistant’s relayed message left her fuming all night.
“Miss Shu, I’m just passing on President Lin’s words: ‘Your sister climbed into my bed willingly. It was mutual benefit. As the sister, you should support her choices. At least I didn’t leave you both homeless—you should kowtow to me three times.'”
