CHAPTER 55

When the phone rang, Assistant Gao had just put on a face mask, comfortably leaning on the sofa while watching a TV series. She clicked her tongue slightly impatiently, maintaining her posture and picking up the phone to glance at it, suddenly sitting up straight.

With one hand protecting the face mask and the other answering the call, she took a moment to steady her breathing. "...Miss Xiang?"

"Yes, yes, I've already finished work, you're not disturbing me." Assistant Gao decisively removed the face mask, muted the TV, and said, "...You, you, cough, please wait a moment, I'll contact President Wei right away."

Assistant Gao hung up first, paced around for a few moments, checked the time—it was half-past ten. She didn't know if the boss had finished her socializing, but she didn't care. She made a quick decision and dialed the phone directly. "President Wei."

"Sorry to bother you... It's like this, Miss Xiang called me just now, saying she wants to meet with you."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Assistant Gao quickly recalled Xiang Xiaoyuan's words—"Assistant Gao, I want to meet President Wei, do you think it's possible?"

'I can't just say it outright, I need to create all possible opportunities!'

'Come on, Gao! You need to make this happen for yourself!!'

So she added, "President Wei, Miss Xiang attended the celebration tonight at XX Hotel, but she left early, saying she wants to see you tonight."

Before she could hear President Wei's response, she even pulled the phone away to check the call status, it was still connected.

She suppressed the boiling emotions within her. "..."

'Just wait a moment, I can't overwhelm her with too much information. The boss is inexperienced in these matters, if she gets startled, she might just hang up!'

"Tonight?" President Wei finally spoke, her tone cold, like the chilly night air. "Did she say tonight?"

"..." Assistant Gao swallowed the trembling hesitation in her voice, "...Yes, and she means right now." Just as she finished speaking, she nervously pursed her lips and silently cursed. Oh, if she was found out, her job would be in danger.

Wei Zhuang fell silent again, but this time not for long. She said, "Okay."

Assistant Gao took a deep breath and tried to keep her tone calm. "Okay, President Wei, I'll personally go pick up Miss Xiang." No joke, she was determined to be part of this occasion, even if she had to force her way in.

She immediately dialed Xiaoyuan's number, feeling excited enough to tap her foot, took out her formal attire, glanced outside—it seemed like it was going to rain.

After hanging up, Xiaoyuan looked at the notification about tomorrow's thunderstorm and clicked "X." She walked back to the two men waiting for her and said, "You guys can head back first, I still need to wait a bit."

Cai Juan and Xiang Zhishi exchanged a glance.

Xiang Zhishi asked, "Why not go back together?"

Xiaoyuan didn't want to answer and didn't want to hide anything. "I'm not a minor, don't worry, brother."

Xiang Zhishi pursed his lips, furrowing his brows slightly, showing his disapproval.

Xiaoyuan said, "I want to see someone, I'm waiting for a car to come."

As soon as she said this, Xiang Zhishi's expression became even more unpleasant.

Cai Juan looked at her, then looked at him, not knowing whom to help, nor whether to leave or stay.

At the end of September, after the public relations battle involving the video about Xiaoyuan that Sun Xin held for over nine hours was exposed, perhaps some netizens believed it was a hacker who hacked his computer, but Xiang Zhishi didn't believe that.

He made several calls, ruled out his connections, and didn't quite believe that there were actually righteous people helping. So he asked Xiaoyuan, and to his surprise, a casual inquiry led to uncovering everything.

Xiang Zhishi was first shocked, then confused, and finally overwhelmed by a mix of emotions that became very complicated.

And at this moment, he wanted to object.

"Brother, don't be angry." Xiaoyuan looked at him, her eyes showing a hint of worry, "I have really thought about it carefully..."

He looked at her, then glanced at Cai Juan, who also had the same expression. Their eyes met, and Cai Juan slowly shook her head.

Xiang Zhishi: "The decision you've made, I... although I don't agree, I respect it."

As soon as he said this, he saw his sister's expression brighten. Her eyes sparkled, and her whole face glowed. "Thank you, brother."

She glanced at her phone, smiled, "...Then I'm off now."

Cai Juan & Xiang Zhishi: "..."

"The car is here. I'll go out through the back door. Brother, Cai Juan, please go home quickly!" Xiaoyuan took her handbag from Cai Juan, put her phone inside, and walked away.

...Wait,

Just as Xiang Zhishi took off his coat to drape it over her, Xiaoyuan had already turned and her fringed dress swayed as if it were a heart dancing with eagerness.

He was momentarily stunned, his movements frozen.

Many years ago, when he first saw his sister, she was small and thin, with a pale complexion that hinted at malnutrition, her watery eyes timidly looking at him.

"Are you my brother?" She was wearing a very old short T-shirt, her thin arms showing some bruises, some darker, some lighter, a shocking sight.

"Yes, Xiaoxiao, I am your brother!" His throat tightened. "I'm your biological brother."

With the affirmation, she immediately ran towards him and threw herself into his arms, like a bird returning to the forest.

Although she was his full-blood sister, they only met when she was twelve.

Xiang Zhishi changed her surname back, gave her a new name, hoping she could separate from her painful past and live happily and joyfully from then on.

As long as she was happy, wasn't that enough?

Xiang Zhishi withdrew his hand.

He was always here, accompanying her, waiting for her, becoming her most reliable harbor.

That's the meaning of family.

"Brother Zhishi," Cai Juan called softly.

Xiang Zhishi relaxed his expression and smiled at him. "Let's not bother about her anymore, let's go."

"Mm-hmm, alright! Hey, she's all grown up now! We should worry less."

"If we say too much, she might think we're annoying."

"Right, a girl is too big to be kept at home!"

"..."

"..."

If that's how they felt...

Xiang Zhishi's expression suddenly became strange, and Cai Juan felt a bit uneasy too.

Oh my gosh!

Unbelievable!

Xiaoyuan is actually interested in Wei Zhuang.

Same s*x? Actually, that's not a big problem.

A significantly older same-s*x partner? That could be reluctantly accepted.

But a significantly older same-s*x partner who is also a well-known industry tycoon and businesswoman, with a completely different status and a personality that is enigmatic and unpredictable...

This is...

In short, it's definitely not someone any parents would feel at ease about.

"Ah, raising kids is so hard, and raising girls is even harder..."

Even after the car started moving, Cai Juan was still muttering.

Xiang Zhishi glanced out of the window, the dazzling lights emerging from the thick night.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he unlocked the screen at a red light.

It was an unrecognized number, with a message: [She has succeeded, Congratulations.]

[P.S. Do you still remember the promise from back then?]

The neon lights of the buildings flickered in the night, the red light at the intersection ahead, Xiaoyuan gripped her handbag tightly, getting more and more nervous, completely forgetting where her courage had come from just now.

"President Wei is at the XX Club, we'll be there soon." Assistant Gao said cheerfully.

Xiaoyuan nodded, feeling that Assistant Gao's smile tonight was particularly bright.

"Assistant Gao, what's your name? Can I call you by your name?" Xiaoyuan smiled at her.

Casual conversation could help distract her and ease her anxiety.

"Ah, you can just call me Alex." Assistant Gao replied with a smile. The boss calls her that too, so it's fine for her to call her the same.

"Alex? Wow, that's a nice name." Xiaoyuan said. "It works for both genders, it's quite neutral."

"Yes, yes!" Assistant Gao sat beside her, experiencing the intense impact of this beauty and smelling the fragrance emanating from the girl. Her heart was completely unable to control its pace.

'I don't know if it's because she's young or because of her looks, but I find her scent really pleasant...'

'If I took a few photos and tossed them in the group chat, those kids would probably go wild!'

The more Assistant Gao thought about it, the more thrilling it became, and she found it hard to keep her mouth shut.

"President Wei has been very busy these past few months. Tonight isn't a work-related social event. It's a club member day that President Wei is attending." Assistant Gao selectively shared everything she could say.

"Oh..." Xiaoyuan vaguely understood. Aside from her busy work life, Wei Zhuang didn't have anyone else, no signed contracts.

She had to admit that it made her feel a bit relieved. "Thank you, Alex."

Having worked in the entertainment industry, Assistant Gao had seen too many stars and actors, and too many disappointments. Joining the QQ group was just a spur-of-the-moment decision to understand the "signed partners" of the boss. At her age, she couldn't really be a star chaser, even though she quite liked Xiaoyuan herself.

Now, upon closer inspection, there was indeed a sense of excitement from this close contact with an idol, not to mention that this idol had a romantic connection with their boss.

This star was worth following, this CP was worth pursuing!

Assistant Gao suppressed the smile that was about to rush out.

Xiaoyuan, oblivious to Assistant Gao beside her, found the car winding and eventually entering an underground parking lot.

It looked quite private.

She blinked a couple of times, feeling nervous about the upcoming meeting.

At that moment, she realized that she truly wanted to see Wei Zhuang, to share all her happy news with her, and to connect with her. She had never felt this way about anyone outside her family.

Such feelings were rare and precious, not to be let go easily.

So if Wei Zhuang needed a contract, it was fine. In her view, it was just a piece of paper. She had never asked for any favors from her before, and she certainly wouldn't start now.

It was a small matter, and let others think what they may. She hadn't wronged anyone else.

Wei Zhuang was used to this approach, and she could compromise as well.

She was a bit older than Xiaoyuan, so she could give way to her.

The parking garage was quiet, bathed in soft light.

Assistant Gao asked her to wait a moment and then got out of the car.

Xiaoyuan leaned closer to the car window and before long, she saw Wei Zhuang stepping out.

Wei Zhuang was dressed in brown trousers, a white shirt, with a brown and black shawl draped over her arm, the first time Xiaoyuan had seen her in these two colors. White and brown, cold jade and warm gold, giving a warm feeling on a cold night.

Wei Zhuang looked in their direction.

Assistant Gao promptly opened the car door, Xiaoyuan hesitated slightly, then stepped out.

A breeze passed by, tousling her hair slightly. Xiaoyuan lifted her head, gathered her hair, and stood in front of the car door, her gaze meeting Wei Zhuang's.

Wei Zhuang approached gracefully, her slender waist cinched in a belt, exuding a light and graceful aura that was unique, accumulated through age and experience.

"..." Xiaoyuan was about to say something, but she was underdressed and was momentarily struck speechless.

Wei Zhuang's gaze slowly wandered over her, then she reached out and handed the shawl draped over her arm to Xiaoyuan.

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