“He’s always hanging around doing nothing. I need a guide at my art exhibition. Let him do that.” Lu Qihui said without changing expression.
Hearing this, Yao Yun frowned slightly. Bai Xia was about to inherit the group, and he suggested his son be an exhibition guide?
“I have my own company. The game launches next week. Why be a guide? I don’t understand art—it’s too abstract.” Lu Shuo muttered.
Lu Qihui knocked his forehead with chopsticks. “Can’t you have a bit of artistic talent? Not a trace of my genes.”
Lu Shuo covered his head, pouting. “Neither did big brother inherit yours. Maybe it’s skipped a generation. You should let Xia Xia appreciate it.”
Bai Xia blinked. Honestly, she had no artistic talent and didn’t understand Lu Qihui’s paintings. She had professionals evaluate them. They said Lu Qihui’s work was average, definitely overrated due to the Lu family’s name.
“None of you ever give me peace of mind.”
Lu Jin Nian looked displeased at Lu Qihui. “Look at Lu Lin now—buying Bai Ruanwen’s stuff in public. Isn’t that embarrassing? Is he planning to be a monk for life?”
As long as Lu Jin Nian was around, he worried about what the grandson might do without supervision. How could he trust the Lu family to such reckless people?
He sighed, thinking he could only count on his great-granddaughter. Lu Lin still listened to his daughter a bit; maybe he could be restrained.
“Not marrying is better than a bad marriage. Big brother’s situation isn’t bad. If he remarried and had siblings for Xia Xia, they’d have no common language.” Lu Shuo said seriously.
Like him and his brother, he didn’t want that tragedy to repeat.
Yao Yun took a deep breath, giving her son some food, her eyes warning. “Eat well, okay?”
Lu Shuo quickly ate a few bites, then went upstairs immediately.
Lu Jin Nian glanced sideways at his son, lost his appetite, then stood with his cane and left.
Only Bai Xia remained, seriously drinking soup. Lu Jin Nian was clear-eyed—he knew all the family discord stemmed from Lu Qihui. The male lead might not mind his father remarrying, but the timing—his wife just died and remarried quickly—caused resentment. That dissatisfaction extended to Lu Shuo as well.
“Xia Xia’s lost weight again recently. Eat more. Young people need to take care of themselves, or great-grandfather will worry.” Lu Qihui added a chicken leg to Bai Xia’s plate.
Bai Xia smiled and thanked him, then finished eating and returned to her room. Sometimes, she admired Lu Qihui’s incredible thick skin. No wonder Lu Jin Nian always scolded him but he acted like nothing was wrong—Lu Shuo definitely inherited those genes.
Online public opinion was still fermenting. The company and her personal bad reviews had mostly been suppressed. She also inquired with the police. Song Qi had been released on bail; how he’d be judged depended on the evidence chain.
But she knew well—Song Qi might not be convicted. As long as Song Qiming found someone to take the fall, nothing would happen. She reported it to show attitude—she wouldn’t tolerate anyone.
On the weekend, her mother invited her for dinner. Bai Xia did not refuse but dared not eat breakfast, knowing digestive pills wouldn’t help.
The Song family rarely discussed business privately, which she liked, but she couldn’t avoid questions about Lu Jin Nian’s health.
“Your great-grandfather is old. I heard he was hospitalized recently. You all need to take good care of him.” Song Yuehua was serious, rare for him.
The table was filled with over a dozen dishes. Bai Xia ate crab meat and nodded seriously. “My father goes fishing with him whenever he can and opened a pond behind. Great-grandfather can sit there all afternoon. My father gets impatient after half an hour and always gets scolded.”
Imagining the scene, Song Xun laughed, then put a shrimp in his wife’s bowl. “He was afraid of water as a kid but didn’t say. I secretly taught him.”
Thinking back, he shook his head with a smile. Although Lu Lin now regarded him as an enemy, he understood. That was just his nature. Time would heal all.
“He’s just stubborn and never bows.” Bai Ruanwen chuckled, recalling the past.
Bai Xia thought the female lead and the male supporting character were truly kind. Even though the male lead often mocked and embarrassed her, they maintained no grudges. It wasn’t naivety but seeing through things, focusing on the essence.
Many things are like that—missed chances should be left behind to look forward. Maybe a better life awaited.
“If Xia Xia is grown up now, does she like any boys?” Song Yuehua teased, leaning in.
Bai Xia’s expression didn’t change as she ate. “Love only takes up my thinking time. I don’t really need it.”
Hearing this, Bai Ruanwen didn’t argue. Song Yuehua frowned. “That won’t do. If not, get a live-in son-in-law. Want me to introduce some? Good family backgrounds, broad shoulders, narrow waist, tall—you’d definitely like them.”
“Don’t say nonsense. Xia Xia’s still young. She doesn’t know these things.” Song Xun frowned at his father.
Song Yuehua shot him a glance. “If I don’t watch over her, what if she gets cheated? There are so many phoenix men nowadays. Xia Xia’s conditions are excellent. People asking about her every day can’t be counted on one hand. While I’m alive, I have to plan carefully.”
“Eat more. Don’t worry, you’ll see it for yourself!” Bai Xia stood and picked some food alone.
Dating was just to relax life. She’d think about it when bored. For now, she had no time.
After dinner, she had boxing class in the afternoon and didn’t linger. But suddenly, her car wouldn’t start. She didn’t dare drive it anymore, so Song Yuehua sent his longtime driver to take her home.
Once in the car, Bai Xia contacted someone to tow the car for inspection. This was no small matter—novels always used mysterious car failures to lead to accidents.
This car was definitely done for. She would have to get a new one.
Noticing they weren’t heading to the Lu family home, Bai Xia silently sent her location to the female lead, then looked puzzled at the driver. “Uncle Li, is there a traffic jam on Huaming Road? My map doesn’t show it.”
The driver nodded. “There was an accident there this morning. I feel it’s unlucky, so it’s better to go via Sanpin Road.”
Bai Xia didn’t reply. She adjusted her hair tie and drank some water from her bag.
As the route became more remote, she glanced back. Several cars kept following behind—since leaving the Song house, they’d been tailing her, obviously afraid she’d try to escape.
Was it Yao Yun? Or Song Qiming?
Despite all precautions, this had still happened. Indeed, luxury family stories were dangerous.
Her phone screen remained lit but on silent. The female lead kept messaging, but she didn’t know where the driver planned to go.
“I remember Uncle Li has served Grandfather Song for twenty years,” she said quietly.
The driver’s expression twisted as he stared ahead, voice choked. “I’m sorry, Miss. My son owes gambling debts and has been detained. I have no choice. If I don’t do this, my son will be dead.”
Bai Xia said nothing. Clearly, Song Yuehua’s driver had long been targeted, but now it was being used against her.
No doubt, it was Song Qiming.
The car entered the suburbs, the surroundings growing desolate, until it stopped at an abandoned factory. Two other cars stopped alongside. Several masked men with electric batons stepped out and approached.
Bai Xia didn’t grab her bag or phone. She got out directly. One man immediately pulled out a rope to tie her hands.
“I’ll give you a million. Let me speak to him.” Bai Xia scanned the men.
They exchanged looks, then glanced at the old man in the car, beckoning him out.
The driver wiped tears and knelt abruptly. “I’m sorry, Miss. I’ve betrayed the chairman. I will turn myself in. But I only have this one son. I really can’t abandon him.”
Bai Xia glanced at the open car door. Just as a man tried to tie her wrist, she suddenly spun around and kicked him hard in the chest. As he staggered back, she raised her leg and kicked another, then quickly slipped into the car.
“Damn! After her!”
The men’s faces changed. They watched helplessly as she started the car and sped off, then rushed into their own cars. No one expected such a small girl to have such strength and skills.
Bai Xia turned the steering wheel and floored the gas, then reached behind the seat for her phone. Without caring how many missed calls she had, she dialed the last number.
“What’s going on? Where are you?”
Lu Lin’s tense voice came through.
Bai Xia stared at the cars behind in the rearview mirror, frowning deeply. “I’ve been kidnapped. Check my phone’s location and call the police immediately. Don’t tell great-grandfather. He has a heart condition and can’t take it.”