Everyone could clearly see it on the face of their aloof, high-and-mighty CEO: finally, two words
Divorced.
“…So,” Xie Yan carefully placed his tablet on the desk, “when does she start working at the hospital?”
Wang Hao: “Tomorrow!”
Xie Yan: “Immediately prepare a million-dollar suit for her she likes blue.”
Wang Hao, ever the sycophant, nodded. “Already prepared, please go try it on.”
Xie Yan snapped his fingers. “Double her salary!”
He strode out, then stepped back to announce to all the executives, “Celebrate, everyone! All members of the group get a five-day holiday!”
There was a brief moment of silence in the office.
Then the entire Xie Corporation office erupted in a wave of screaming excitement.
For almost a month, the hot topics around Xie Corporation were:
Who got divorced?
Why is Xie Yan wearing a million-dollar suit, and who is he meeting?
Meanwhile, Xu Mian was sitting on the second floor of the Xu family villa, reclining in a chaise lounge and leisurely reading.
Xu Die, dressed in a little princess dress, came upstairs while talking to Aunt Li. “In the Xu family, I’m the only eldest daughter. If she tries to act like the eldest daughter, don’t hold back with her. I’ve got your back for everything.”
With that, Xu Die pushed open the door. When she saw Xu Mian lying on the chaise lounge, she screamed.
“Xu Mian! This is MY room!”
“I’m obsessed with cleanliness, don’t you know?!”
“How dare you come into my room!”
“Get out right now!”
Xu Mian lowered the book that had been covering her face and looked at Xu Die coldly. “This is your room?”
Xu Die shouted immediately: “Dad said this is my room now! Your room is the storage room! Get out right now!”
Seeing Xu Mian not move, Xu Die stomped her foot and yelled: “Aunt Li!”
Aunt Li stepped forward, but Xu Mian pinned her in place with a half-smile, half-sneer.
Hearing the commotion, Wang Fang rushed over, concerned.
Aunt Li said immediately: “Madam, Xu Mian is trying to take the eldest daughter’s room.”
Wang Fang’s eyes flashed with displeasure, but she quickly composed herself.
She stood beside Xu Die and whispered comforting words, then turned to Xu Mian: “Mian, don’t you like the room I prepared for you?”
Xu Mian raised an eyebrow. “You mean the storage room?”
Wang Fang smiled. “I thought you wouldn’t mind. Mian, could you give way a little? You know Xu Die isn’t in great health. This room is big, sunny, and better for her condition. Besides, she’s already used to sleeping here. Couldn’t you be considerate for your sister?”
Xu Mian dug at her ear. “What did you say?”
“Sister?”
“Sorry, my mom only had me.”
“As far as I know, my dad only had me too, right?”
At that, both Wang Fang and Xu Die’s faces fell.
Not being recognized as the “real” eldest daughter was a thorn in Xu Die’s heart.
Xu Mian smiled faintly. “Also, don’t act all high-and-mighty here. Back when you, Wang Fang, first came into my house as a maid, you lived in the maid’s room. What, now that you’ve hooked up with my dad, you’re noble and can’t stay in the storage room? You want my room instead?”
At first, Xu Mian didn’t care to fight over these things.
In her mind, her dad had lost his wife young and would eventually remarry. She didn’t care about the inheritance or luxury she generally went along with whatever Wang Fang said. She never argued.
But apparently, they forgot one thing.
She was the daughter of Lin Yin, a commercial prodigy. If she decided to fight, who could win against her?
Wang Fang’s expression soured.
Xu Mian, however, pulled a light, half-hearted smile and even said to Aunt Li: “Aunt Li, put in some effort. If you sleep with my dad, you could enjoy being the lady of the house too why be a sycophant?”
“You !” Wang Fang almost lost her composure. She thought of the soon-to-expire trust fund and forcibly held back, weeping quietly.
Xu Lin had gone out for a walk.
There was no one at home to defend them.
Xu Mian said to Aunt Li: “One hour. Get this place organized, or you can leave and forfeit your pay. Understood?”
Aunt Li looked at Wang Fang, who dared not speak, and replied reluctantly: “Understood.”
Xu Mian crossed her legs, covered her face with her book again, and leisurely said: “Make it clean. I’m obsessed with cleanliness.”
As Aunt Li angrily cleaned, Xu Mian’s phone rang.
“m, want to take a case?”
Xu Mian’s slender fingers typed a single word: No.
“But… the client specifically requested you handle an international infringement case. The agent fee is nine digits.”
She typed without looking up, noticing Aunt Li peeking over. She ignored her and lazily replied: Do I need money?
Meanwhile, on the road to the border city, Wang Hao received a rejection from the International Alliance Taotie Law Firm.
“They won’t take it, even for money. So high-profile,” Wang Hao told Xie Yan. “They refused.”
Xie Yan frowned. “Increase the offer go up to this m-level price!”
Wang Hao’s heart trembled at the previous offer. “Mr. Xie… must it be m? They clearly don’t want our case. Throwing money at it isn’t wise.”
Xie Yan looked out the window.
The International Alliance Taotie Law Firm had once gained fame from a cross-border case.
m, as a leading member, had stood out.
The case wasn’t public, but the lawyers’ confrontation that day left traces.
“If there’s anyone in the world who can properly defend Xie Corporation in this infringement case, it’s only m. Keep contacting them.”
Wang Hao had heard of m’s legendary skills.
Back when an international case reached a deadlock, m’s firm turned it around, rewriting a zero-win record.
The firm’s capability was proven to the world.
But m was reclusive, taking only one or two cases a year, spending the rest on vacation.
m had been completely absent for five years.
Wang Hao raised the agent fee to five hundred million.
When Xu Lin returned, Wang Fang and her daughter stood downstairs crying.
Wang Fang wiped her tears. “Honey, do you think my daughter and I shouldn’t even appear in this house?”
Wang Fang cried like a young woman despite being in her forties, well-maintained and used to spending on her appearance. People praised Xu Lin for marrying a young, beautiful wife.
Xu Lin felt distressed, wrapping an arm around Wang Fang’s shoulders, softly coaxing:
“I don’t care about myself, but our daughter… to be called a country bumpkin outside is one thing. Now even her room is being snatched. Honey, you know Xu Die isn’t well. She can’t sleep in the small room. It’s not that her stepmom is being unreasonable.”
“I know, I know,” Xu Lin’s face darkened with anger, then he turned to comfort the quietly sobbing Xu Die. “Don’t worry, darling. Dad’s here. You can sleep in whichever room you want. I’ll speak for you.”
He guided Wang Fang’s shoulder and went upstairs, muttering angrily: “Still rebelling! Don’t know who really runs this house!”
He pushed open the door.
Aunt Li was inside, slowly cleaning.
Seeing Xu Lin, she slowed even further, smirking, waiting for a show.
“Xu Mian!” Xu Lin shouted.
Xu Mian turned leisurely. As Xu Lin opened his mouth to yell again, she turned slightly, took something from behind her, and aimed it at him.
It was a framed photo.
The direct shock made Xu Lin step back several paces.
“You!” Xu Lin’s face twitched. “Xu Mian, are you crazy! Why are you holding your mother’s portrait?”
Xu Mian dusted off the frame. “Nothing much. It’s been too long since I talked to my mom. The weather’s nice today I thought I’d chat with her.”
Xu Lin looked at Lin Yin’s black-and-white face, unable to speak, physically scared.
He turned and fled.
Aunt Li, seeing this, immediately sped up her cleaning. The breeze from the balcony made it feel chilling.