Chapter 09: Sister

Han Tian never explained to Lu Qingzhuo why Fu Yumian had done this. As the mistress of the villa, Lu Qingzhuo ordered the servants to leave the bed where it was. With no other choice, Han Tian turned a blind eye and left—after all, Fu Yumian wouldn’t bother to check whether the bed was ultimately destroyed or not.

Lu Qingzhuo moved the bed, worth millions, into another bedroom. However, she hadn’t seen Fu Yumian in the past few days. She wasn’t sure if it was because her actions that night had been too playful and had angered Fu Yumian, causing her to avoid coming home.

“Ye Ye! Catch!”

Lu Qingzhuo skillfully tossed the frisbee. For several days in a row, she had been playing with Ye Ye, and now she was covered in dog fur every day.

“Ye Ye, my sweet baby, tell me—why has your mom disappeared for so many days? I actually kind of miss her.”

It was strange. Fu Yumian had left without a word. Over the past few days, Lu Qingzhuo had tried sending messages to see if Fu Yumian was truly upset, but aside from the few texts she had sent asking for help on the night of the 25th, Fu Yumian hadn’t responded at all.

Sometimes, Lu Qingzhuo really wished WeChat had a “read” notification—she wanted to know whether Fu Yumian had even seen her messages.

There was no need to guess—Fu Yumian had definitely read the message. She just didn’t want to reply.

Better not to be annoying. Lu Qingzhuo lay on the sofa, stroking Ye Ye’s fluffy head. She wrapped her arms around its chin and planted a kiss on its forehead. “What should I do, Ye Ye? Your mom doesn’t want me anymore. When the time comes, will you stay with me or her?”

“Woof woof!”

Ye Ye barked twice at Lu Qingzhuo, then lowered its head and licked her palm. The warm, soft tongue brushed against her skin, making her giggle from the ticklish sensation. “I knew you loved me, my little baby. I love you the most, too!”

What she said to Ye Ye was like asking a child, “Who will you live with after the divorce?” If, after two years of marriage, she had to move out, she would definitely be reluctant to part with Ye Ye.

Maybe she shouldn’t leave after all. Her original plan was to sell her house in Mingxia Manor, take the money, and move abroad to live alone. She had no interest in staying under the same roof as her soon-to-be ex-wife.

But with Ye Ye around, she felt like a mother being separated from her beloved child. Just the thought of leaving made her heart ache. If it came to that, she might as well steal the dog away, too.

Even though she had been married for less than a month, Lu Qingzhuo had already mapped out every possible path for her post-divorce future.

She still wanted to act, but that was just a hobby. She didn’t need it to make a living, nor did she have to fight tooth and nail with other Alphas and Omegas in the industry.

Over the past four days, Li Xuelan hadn’t called or messaged her once. Lu Qingzhuo kept an eye on trending searches and headlines online, worried that something about her might suddenly appear.

To her relief, everything was calm. No unexpected trouble.

She really wanted to ask Fu Yumian how she managed it. She was also curious about Li Xuelan’s current situation. Gambling, drinking, smoking—Li Xuelan had squandered away everything long ago.

After the original owner’s father died in a car accident, Li Xuelan remarried and had another Omega daughter with a different Alpha. That girl was Lu Qingzhuo’s half-sister.

Her younger sister had had asthma since childhood. Li Xuelan didn’t like Omegas and never showed any affection for her second daughter. When she was pregnant she nearly died in childbirth. In the end, she was told that her reproductive system was damaged, and she would never be able to conceive again. After that, she vented all her frustration on her youngest daughter, Geng Xingluo.

For years, Lu Qingzhuo had covered all of Geng Xingluo’s tuition and living expenses. She sent home a fixed amount of 100,000 yuan every month, but even that wasn’t enough for Li Xuelan, who could lose more than that in a single gambling round.

What kind of nightmare start was this? A dead father, a debt-ridden mother, a sister still in school, and her—the one left to carry everything.

Lu Qingzhuo had to admire the original owner. To rise above such a disastrous family background, enter the entertainment industry, and build a bright future, only to die in a swimming pool… Lu Qingzhuo refused to believe it was just an accident.

She had to find out who was responsible.

A shiver ran down her spine, sending chills through her body. She was still alive, which meant that person had failed. But that didn’t mean they wouldn’t try again.

There was a high chance the culprit was someone from the industry, but Lu Qingzhuo hadn’t found any clues yet.

Instead of overthinking, wouldn’t it be more practical to ask Fu Yumian for help?

But these past few days, President Fu seemed to be avoiding her. Maybe Lu Qingzhuo was just imagining things.

Her WeChat notification sounded. Thinking it might be Fu Yumian replying, she quickly checked her phone—only to see a message from the very person she had just been thinking about: Geng Xingluo, her younger sister.

Xingluo: Sister, did Mom ask you for money again?

Xingluo: Please don’t give her anything. I’m hiding outside right now. I’ve already skipped school for two days.

Lu Qingzhuo hadn’t expected Li Xuelan to become so unhinged that she would go to Geng Xingluo’s school to demand money. Given her sister’s personality, she must have been completely cornered to the point of taking leave and hiding.

Lu Qingzhuo immediately made a video call. Geng Xingluo picked up quickly, greeting her sweetly, “Sister.”

“Where are you right now?” Lu Qingzhuo examined the room behind her. Judging by the décor and the headboard, it looked like a hotel. Concerned, she asked, “Did she do anything to you? Are you hurt?”

“No.” Geng Xingluo shook her head while nibbling on a piece of green mint cake. “When my roommate went out to buy barbecue, she saw someone at the campus gate asking around about me. She recorded a video for me just in case. As expected, it was Mom. So, I took leave and ran. I don’t dare to go out now.”

Her eyes were red. She glanced at Lu Qingzhuo through the screen, lowered her head, and rubbed her eyes. In a choked voice, she muttered, “Sister, am I really that useless? I’m already an adult, but I’m still so scared.”

Lu Qingzhuo wished she could reach through the screen and hug her little sister. Lowering her voice, she gently reassured her, “As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters. You don’t have to shoulder any of this. That’s what I’m here for.”

A dull ache spread through her chest, as if something deep inside her had been touched. She had a feeling it was the original Lu Qingzhuo’s last gift to her—entrusting her to take care of the only family she had left.

“Sister, you’re a big star now. Even if you don’t tell me, I know Mom has taken a lot of money from you over the years.” Geng Xingluo sniffled, forcing herself to eat another bite. “Please, take care of yourself…”

“Xingluo, which hotel are you at? I’ll drive over to get you.” Lu Qingzhuo couldn’t rest easy knowing her sister was alone. Li Xuelan was reckless when it came to money—who knew what desperate thing she might do next? “Skipping school for a few days is fine. Stay with me for now. I’ll handle everything and send you back when it’s safe. I’ll talk to your academic advisor.”

Geng Xingluo had just started college. She had always been the top student, the one every teacher praised. In her senior year, she had ranked first in the entire city and was admitted to Peking University’s finance program.

Originally, she had wanted to study medicine. But not long after Lu Qingzhuo arrived in this world, she had convinced her otherwise.

It’s not without reason that people say, “Persuading someone to study medicine is like being struck by lightning.” Lu Qingzhuo would never push her innocent little sister into such a deep abyss.

Geng Xingluo sent her location—she was at a hotel. Lu Qingzhuo checked the navigation, put on her shoes and coat, covered half of her face with a mask, and donned a light-colored baseball cap—an essential accessory. Grabbing her car keys, she headed out.

Fu Yumian didn’t have to report her whereabouts to Lu Qingzhuo, and the same applied the other way around.

The hotel was quite far from Mingxia Manor. Lu Qingzhuo guessed that Geng Xingluo had chosen a location far from school to avoid being tracked down by Li Xuelan. A newly-turned adult omega with no real sense of self-protection—how could Lu Qingzhuo possibly feel at ease with her staying in such a hotel alone?

Upon arriving, Lu Qingzhuo parked by the roadside, tightened her oversized trench coat, and crossed the street to the hotel entrance. The crisp autumn night wind howled around her, tousling her jet-black hair.

She called Geng Xingluo while walking. “I’m here. What’s your room number? Stay put—I’ll come up.”

At the front desk, she stated her purpose before heading up to the third floor, following the room number Geng Xingluo had given her. She knocked on the door at the very end of the hallway.

The door opened immediately, revealing a messy head of fluffy hair.

Geng Xingluo’s bright, deer-like eyes sparkled. The moment she saw Lu Qingzhuo standing there in person, she flung herself at her in joy.

“Sister! You’re finally here! I was so scared staying here alone!”

“If you were scared, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Lu Qingzhuo ruffled her hair with a sigh. “Next time, if you’re unsure about something, just tell me. It’s not safe to be alone—especially for someone as beautiful as you. What if some bad guy took an interest in you?”

“But sister, you’re even more beautiful,” Geng Xingluo said as she took Lu Qingzhuo’s hand and pulled her inside. She shut the door and started packing up her suitcase. “Even though you’re an alpha, you’re so pretty. I worry about bad guys bothering you too.”

“Enough with the flattery. Pack your things, and let’s go.”

Lu Qingzhuo picked up Geng Xingluo’s suitcase, and the two walked downstairs side by side. Noticing how thinly dressed Geng Xingluo was, Lu Qingzhuo took out the coat she had prepared in advance and draped it over her sister’s shoulders. Frowning, she asked, “It’s getting colder. Why are you only wearing a thin sweater?”

“I left in a hurry and forgot to bring something warmer.” Geng Xingluo rubbed her cold nose and, seeing that her sister seemed displeased, tugged on her sleeve. “I won’t do it again next time, okay? Don’t be mad.”

Click.

A camera shutter snapped.

Hiding in the bushes nearby, a paparazzo had captured the moment.

Lu Qingzhuo instinctively pulled her mask higher, grabbed Geng Xingluo’s hand, and quickly left the hotel. On the drive back, Geng Xingluo sat in the passenger seat, scrolling through her phone. She loved searching Lu Qingzhuo’s name on browsers or Baidu, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride every time she saw her sister shine.

But the moment she tapped on Weibo and clicked on Lu Qingzhuo’s profile, a shocking post popped up.

[Lu Qingzhuo spotted checking into a hotel with an unknown omega. (Photo) (Photo)]

Geng Xingluo opened the images.

She felt like the world was ending.  

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