Chapter 23 (1/2): Xia Xia is My Only Daughter

“What talent do you have?”

Lu Jin Nian didn’t even bother looking at him.

“You can’t even beat Xia Xia, a three-year-old kid. If you really had talent, I’d buy you a game company and let you play every day.”

Hearing this, Lu Shuo mumbled a few words but said nothing else.

His gaming skills had improved a lot recently; today at school, several classmates were his defeated opponents.

But that little brat was just a weirdo—how could he possibly beat a weirdo!

“Can I start a game company in the future?”

It was as if he’d caught a key phrase, and his eyes suddenly lit up with excitement.

Bai Xia glanced at him and said, “You don’t even recognize characters. If I let you start a game company, the accountant would embezzle all the money and you wouldn’t even know.”

Lu Shuo looked confused.

“What’s an accountant? Why would they take my money? Shouldn’t the money be with me?”

The driver forcefully suppressed a laugh and then focused intently on the road ahead.

Lu Jin Nian was too lazy to argue with him and instead asked his great-granddaughter what she learned at school today.

“Do you get along well with that Wang Yiyi?” he asked casually.

Bai Xia shook her head while sipping her milk.

“I don’t know her, but we’re in the same class group. Besides, if a classmate is bullied and I just stand by, who knows if one day that bullying will come to me? I can’t be like Dad—proud and arrogant with no sense of collective responsibility.”

Hearing his great-granddaughter’s words, Lu Jin Nian smiled and nodded.

Although she never suffered losses, she had a strong sense of the bigger picture.

Lu Lin, on the other hand, lacked this entirely; he had no family responsibility and all he ever thought about was that woman Bai Ruanwen.

Recently, he’d been busy investing in artificial intelligence, and the company’s registered owner was Bai Ruanwen.

Lu Jin Nian thought he was clearly out of his mind.

Back at the villa, Bai Xia changed her shoes and headed upstairs for judo class.

Lu Shuo trailed behind her, pestering her with questions.

“You still haven’t told me, why can an accountant embezzle my money? Can they hack my bank account and steal my savings?”

Bai Xia paused and patiently explained, “If you want to start a company, it definitely needs operating capital for running costs. That money is in the company account, not your personal one. Of course, if you want to be an accountant yourself, you’ll need to be good at math. For now, just practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.”

Lu Shuo’s eyes widened as he stepped in front of her.

“No way, that’s too complicated. How about you be my accountant? You’re good at studying, right? Later, we can partner to start a game company—I’ll be chairman, you be accountant—and then I can develop whatever games I want!”

At that thought, his eyes sparkled.

He really was a genius!

That way, his mom wouldn’t say he was just living on hot air anymore!

Bai Xia looked at him in disbelief.

“Me as your accountant? And you the chairman?”

“Not impossible! I’ll be chairman, you be CEO. We split shares 50-50. For now, you save money—save up two hundred million—and then we can start the company together.”

Hearing it takes two hundred million to start a company, Lu Shuo sucked in a breath.

Even counting all his pocket money and New Year’s money, he only had five hundred thousand, and the rest was spent on game consoles and toys.

How long would it take to save two hundred million?

“Study hard. If you make the top ten on exams, your parents will each reward you with a million, and your great-grandfather will too. If you get first place, your parents will definitely reward you more. Before long, you’ll have enough to start the company.”

Bai Xia raised her eyebrow.

Lu Shuo fell into deep thought.

That made sense.

If he could get first place, Mom would surely reward him with a lot of money.

But first place was so hard—how could he possibly achieve it?

Seeing him lost in thought, Bai Xia went back to her room.

Turning hobbies into careers wasn’t bad at all; life should be lived the way you like.

Besides, gaming could be quite profitable.

But with his current state, he’d probably get scammed and lose everything.

Those con artists loved fools with lots of money like rich second-generation kids.

Better to focus on studying first.

When Yao Yun returned, she found her son doing homework in his room.

She didn’t dare disturb him and practically wanted to light incense to pray that he would keep up his diligence.

The next day at school, Bai Xia attended a classical poetry analysis class but spent the break doing high school math problems.

She wasn’t used to it yet, and soon she felt overwhelmed.

She heard the food on the first floor of the cafeteria was good, according to her classmates.

So she planned to go downstairs with He Yuehua and Wang Yiyi.

But the lines were very long.

Getting food.

She immediately took out her phone and called.

Within minutes, Lu Shuo arrived panting.

Bai Xia quickly handed him her meal card to get the food.

He even tried to use his height to cut in line, but Bai Xia kept glaring at him, and he had no choice but to queue properly.

“Is he your little uncle?”

He Yuehua seemed to recall something.

Bai Xia shook her head.

“He’s a servant that great-grandfather hired for me.”

If you lose a bet, you have to accept the consequences—what’s wrong with having him get food? Servants are made to be ordered around.

“Here you go!”

After a few minutes, Lu Shuo returned, gasping, with three lunchboxes and placed them on the table, looking around nervously.

“I got your food. Should… should I get paid?”

Bai Xia saw he really wanted to save money and transferred a thousand yuan to him on her phone.

Every hardworking person deserves a reward.

Hearing the notification, Lu Shuo happily went off to play basketball with his classmates.

He Yuehua blinked sitting beside them.

“So he really is your family’s servant? Working at such a young age… that’s kind of pitiful.”

Bai Xia opened her lunchbox and found that Lu Shuo had packed only meat dishes—he loved meat and didn’t add any vegetables despite her clearly asking for some!

“No seats left here. Can we sit here?”

In the busy cafeteria, Qi Mo naturally sat down on a nearby chair, holding his tray. Wang Yiyi scooted over a bit, kindly making room for them.

Bai Xia glanced over at the tables behind.

“Are you nearsighted? There are plenty of seats back there.”

Qi Mo looked at her secretly.

“Maybe I’ve been playing on my phone too much lately. My vision’s gotten worse. But since I’m already sitting here, and we’re classmates, it’s fine.”

“Yeah, we’re all classmates. We should unite and be friendly,” Wang Yiyi said obediently.

Qi Mo grinned broadly.

“Right, right. Hey, who was that upperclassman just now? Why was he getting food for you?”

He wasn’t even close to being good friends with Bai Xia yet, and he wouldn’t allow anyone else to interfere!

Not even a chubby upperclassman stealing his spot!

“What’s it to you? Mind your own business. He’s not the one getting the food,” Bai Xia shot him a sidelong glance.

After that, she looked at Lin Yan, who silently ate his meal.

“You two are really weird. One’s mute, the other won’t stop talking.”

Nobody knew how these two ended up together—one looked gloomy, the other seemed brainless.

“I’m actually quite quiet,” Qi Mo shut his mouth and obediently lowered his head to eat.

Lin Yan looked up at her.

“I’m not mute.”

But he still spoke in that innocent childish tone, so forget it.

“Just stay mute. Less talking in class means less disturbance. Discipline matters.”

Bai Xia tugged at her disciplinary committee armband.

Qi Mo quietly bowed his head and ate, already holding himself back.

At worst, he’d pass notes later.

After lunch, Bai Xia washed her lunchbox.

He Yuehua didn’t know how to wash dishes—it was obvious she hadn’t done this kind of chore at home.

Although the cafeteria provided trays, she didn’t trust public utensils and brought her own lunchbox.

Bai Xia taught He Yuehua how to wash the dishes, then they went to the classroom for a midday break.

Probably because of her warning, the two in the back row finally stopped whispering, and the classroom grew quiet.

Qi Mo lay on the desk, unable to sleep.

He kept staring at Bai Xia’s back and secretly took out a piece of paper from his desk.

The girl he drew had big eyes and an adorably angry expression.

His drawing was really beautiful.

“What are you doing with that?”

Lin Yan noticed the paper in Qi Mo’s hand and frowned.

Qi Mo hurriedly stuffed it back inside and whispered, “I accidentally drew it. Don’t tell Bai Xia. She’d think I was offending her.”

Seeing how serious he was, Lin Yan kindly advised, “Focus on your studies and behave properly. She’ll be good friends with you.”

From his observations, Bai Xia had a strong sense of social responsibility and preferred associating with well-behaved people.

“Am I not well-behaved? Who’s better than me? I even won ‘Model Student’ in kindergarten!”

Qi Mo’s eyes widened instantly.

Hearing the whispers from the back, Bai Xia turned her head to glare.

“How many times do I have to say it? Are you all radios? If you don’t sleep, how can others? Show some collective responsibility!”

Qi Mo immediately shut up and forced himself to close his eyes.

He felt he needed to take the initiative—like inviting Bai Xia to walk home together.

Finally, at three o’clock, school ended.

Qi Mo packed up neatly but looked around and couldn’t see Bai Xia anywhere.

He hurried out with his backpack but saw the chubby upperclassman from lunch riding the same car as Bai Xia at the school gate.

This scene was like a bolt from the blue.

He knew the Lu family had only one daughter, Bai Xia—there couldn’t be anyone else.

Watching the car drive away, he glared resentfully at Lin Yan, who strolled slowly behind him.

“Who is that chubby guy? Why is he leaving with Bai Xia? Just because he got her food? That’s too much! He’s a toad lusting after a swan! Doesn’t even know his place!”

Lin Yan looked at him.

“That’s Bai Xia’s uncle—her dad’s younger brother.”

After saying that, he got into his own car.

Only Qi Mo looked skeptical.

Uncle?

Who’s fooling who?

There’s no such thing as a little uncle!

He could be her dad’s son!

He’d ask his mom when he got home to find out the truth!

He wouldn’t allow that chubby toad to court the swan!

Afterwards, Bai Xia immediately video-called the female lead, who said she’d take her to the amusement park this weekend.

Bai Xia readily agreed—some parent-child time was necessary.

She could skip her flower arrangement class on Saturday morning.

Because of the investment, the male lead had been so busy recently that no one had seen him until dinner, when he finally appeared and immediately asked if she’d been bullied at school.

He seemed ready to blow up again.

That was why she called Lu Jin Nian instead of the male lead—he was too impulsive.

If something upset him, he’d make those who upset him pay heavily, even for the smallest things.

“He already apologized. Besides, he just didn’t get the right upbringing. You don’t need to worry about it. I can handle my own matters. If you can’t handle little things, what will you do when big things come?”

She earnestly lowered her head to eat.

Hearing this, Lu Lin’s expression darkened, but he didn’t say anything further.

Lu Jin Nian glanced sideways at him.

“I heard you’ve been investing in artificial intelligence and even partnered with Bai Ruanwen. Are you three years old? You and your dad are the same—one day, you’ll have all your money swindled by a woman!”

Bai Xia blinked.

Actually, she was the one who got the male lead to invest.