Volume 1 Chapter 8: Probing
“Ah—” Li Xixi screamed again, having no time to utter anything else before tumbling down the stairs.
Crashing at the bottom, Li Xixi nearly lost her ability to speak. Though she lay on a thick carpet, she felt the warmth gradually draining from her body, her scalp tightening, and her vision slowly blurring.
Through the haze, she saw a man in a suit standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at her with his usual expressionless face.
As if…
As if no one was worthy of stirring any emotion in him.
And what about her? Since childhood, she could only watch him from afar. Only when her father achieved something would Li Xuzhou spare her a glance.
“Li Xuzhou!” Mother Li was genuinely angry now. Though she knew her son cared little about anything, to the point of being somewhat cold-blooded, she never expected him to be so lawless.
The distance between the first and second floors wasn’t far, and the stairs weren’t steep—just slightly sloped steps.
She hurried downstairs to help Li Xixi up, gently shaking her a couple of times. Seeing no obvious injuries, she sighed in relief, her tone slightly reproachful: “How could you slander an innocent girl like that? Your words were too harsh…”
Just as Li Xixi regained her senses, she heard these words. Shocked, furious, and enraged, she fainted once more.
Father Li followed down the stairs: “Xiao Luo, call the driver to take Li Xixi to the hospital.” Xiao Luo was the servant responsible for the first floor.
“A Qiong, let’s go. There’s nothing more for us here,” Father Li said gently, though his eyes sharpened slightly when he saw his wife struggling to support Li Xixi. “Old Li has been up to quite a few tricks lately. I originally intended to let it slide, but it seems the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
Li Xixi’s father had followed them for many years and was considered a founding figure in the rise of Huayang. However, when Li Xuzhou took over, his appetite grew. Dissatisfied with the current distribution, he engaged in many shady dealings behind the scenes.
He had been busy scheming in secret, though it only caused minor losses. Given his years of service—if not merit, then at least effort—Father Li and Li Xuzhou had turned a blind eye, giving him one last chance.
But once someone tastes sweetness, how could they easily stop?
The holes in his accounts grew larger, almost impossible to fill, until he ultimately chose to send his daughter over, hoping Li Xixi would soar to new heights.
Unfortunately…
“By the way, Xiao Luo, after Miss Li undergoes her check-up, report directly to the police and give them this,” Li Xuzhou added calmly, tossing a USB drive to Xiao Luo.
“Don’t entertain any foolish ideas. Someone like you only inspires disgust,” Li Xuzhou said coldly to Li Xixi.
They didn’t notice Ruan Yu trembling slightly.
Seeing his parents looking over, Li Xuzhou explained: “Li Xixi went to my study yesterday and stole the bidding documents, engaging in malicious competition. The surveillance footage has it all. Uncle Zhou sent it to me this morning.”
Mother Li frowned, taking Father Li’s hand as she stood up, chiding: “You father and son are always in cahoots, keeping me in the dark.” Turning to Ruan Yu with an apologetic tone, she said: “Xiao Yu, I’m sorry you had to witness this. Were you frightened?”
Ruan Yu, who had witnessed the entire incident, looked somewhat pale but forced a smile: “Auntie, I should be the one apologizing for causing you trouble.”
“Silly child, how could we blame you.” No one brought up what Li Xixi had just said again. Father and Mother Li glanced at the two upstairs and tactfully left.
Li Xuzhou thought to himself that this wasn’t good—he might have been a bit too obvious this time.
He should have found someone else to handle it.
When he heard her name, he couldn’t control himself, and by the time he realized it, he was already by her side. Fortunately, she was unharmed.
But… Li Xixi and her father wouldn’t get off lightly.
Li Xuzhou narrowed his eyes, sent a message to his assistant to switch the meeting to online, and spoke coldly, “Miss Ruan, are you alright?” Seeing Ruan Yu’s frail figure, he couldn’t help but add, “No one believes what Li Xixi said.”
He was referring to the word “prostitute.”
Ruan Yu shrank back slightly and turned to face Li Xuzhou. “I’m fine, thank you, Mr… Li.”
Li Xuzhou nodded, discreetly scanning her from head to toe. Seeing that she was unharmed, he prepared to leave.
Just as he moved, he heard her soft, delicate voice, “Mr. Li…”
“Hmm?” Li Xuzhou stopped in his tracks.
This tone was very much like the teasing one he had used that night at the hotel.
Ruan Yu blinked and asked, “Mr. Li, do you really dislike others interfering with your work?”
She was referring to what Li Xixi had done earlier. Li Xuzhou thought she might be interested in his life or perhaps had been frightened by Li Xixi and needed some reassurance.
“Yes, I don’t particularly like people with too many schemes, especially those who use daily matters to manipulate work affairs.”
Li Xuzhou’s tone was indifferent. After speaking, he left for the company.
Left alone, Ruan Yu’s face grew increasingly pale. Wasn’t she herself sent here to seduce him and secure the Xiangshan project?
She wasn’t much better than Li Xixi. Li Xixi was right—she was trading her body for benefits, just a bargaining chip in the business world, not even worthy of being placed on the table.
Ruan Yu fell into a sudden wave of self-loathing. She vaguely sensed her special feelings for Li Xuzhou but wasn’t entirely sure what they were.
She could only follow her heart, drawing closer and then pulling away.
Three years of isolation had left her with a lower sense of morality than most. She didn’t think climbing into Li Xuzhou’s bed was wrong; she only felt that being intimate with him was comforting.
Moreover, Li Xuzhou’s appearance perfectly matched her aesthetic—tall and imposing. Being held in his arms felt safe, as if she were completely enveloped by him, sinking into his very being.
She didn’t want him to dislike her…
Feeling downcast, Ruan Yu also felt hungry.
“I just had breakfast, why am I hungry again…” Ruan Yu lowered her head, feeling weak.
Just as she was about to enter her room, she was called by a maid from the second floor.
“Miss Ruan, please wait.” The girl seemed to be from Southeast Asia, her spoken language not very fluent, her voice slightly hoarse. She handed over a tray with an exquisite plate on it.
“This is mullet fish tartlets with asparagus, scallops, and bacon bits.” Xiao Qin opened the door for Ruan Yu and carefully placed the tray on the table, choosing her words carefully. “The master of the house instructed this for Miss Ruan.” She wanted to say it was Li Xuzhou or the young master’s order, but the pronunciation was difficult, so she settled on “the master of the house.”
Ruan Yu was surprised. “Thank you.” She naturally assumed it was Mother Li’s arrangement, her heart softening at the thought.
Xiao Qin smiled again, revealing her white teeth. “Meals are delivered every hour. If Miss Ruan doesn’t need anything, please let me know.” After speaking, she withdrew. She wasn’t much of a talker to begin with, which was why she had been assigned to Ruan Yu.
As she left, she couldn’t help but glance once more at Ruan Yu’s face, thinking silently to herself: “Miss Ruan is so exquisitely beautiful she hardly seems real, no wonder the young master is so concerned about her.”