*Knock, knock, knock!*
Before long, a violent knocking sound came from outside the door. The door panels shook violently, causing the entire room to vibrate.
“Xia Yao! What are you doing in your room? Where is that friend of yours? They’re almost here, so why are you still in your room? Come out and get ready!”
Generally speaking, Xia’s Mother used this method to urge her daughter.
To make her listen, she had to use things important to her as leverage. Otherwise, she would have the capital to resist, which was absolutely unacceptable in the eyes of Xia’s Mother.
Seeing that Xia Yao did not respond, Xia’s Mother showed no mercy and pressed the door handle to open it.
However, when she pushed down, the resistance of the door lock held it firmly, preventing her from entering.
This made her even more irritated. For a moment, she felt the urge to burst out in a tirade.
But considering that an outsider was about to arrive at the house, doing so would make her lose face, so she let it go. Instead, she slammed the door hard.
“I’m telling you, get out here right now. Don’t waste people’s time!”
She grumbled unhappily, seemingly very dissatisfied with such a daughter, and then walked into the kitchen—a place she rarely visited.
After Xia’s Mother left, the sound of a kitchen knife slowly chopping on a cutting board drifted from the kitchen. It was a long time before the bedroom door finally opened.
A white-haired head peeked out from the crack in the door, her eyes blinking as she looked around curiously. There was no one around.
Judging by the sounds from the kitchen, the cooking process was not going smoothly for Xia’s Mother. It even gave Lin Xiaojue the feeling that the woman was just going through the motions.
She turned her head and looked at Xia Yao, who was on the bed tidying up some semi-transparent gauze clothes.
Her pitiful eyes were filled with conflict, flickering with a faint reddish light. She could not help but speak.
“Predecessor… I’m sorry. She’s just like this…”
Even now, Xia Yao was still speaking up for her mother.
Lin Xiaojue felt a sharp pang in her heart. Having just changed into her gray wool coat, she saw Xia Yao acting like this again.
She was still obediently organizing the clothes on the bed, her movements cautious and careful.
Xia Yao was a person who was obedient to her very core. Whether someone was begging her or waiting for her help, even if someone scolded her, she would just swallow her resentment in silence.
But at this point, the status between the two parties was completely unequal.
Lin Xiaojue could not help but narrow her eyes. She knew what to do next, but Xia Yao’s own wishes were her primary concern. Perhaps sometimes, forced measures were more effective.
Carefully locking the door, a plan swirled in her mind. She returned to the bedside, sat down slowly, and spoke with a gentle gaze.
“It’s okay, Xiao Xia. It’s about time to head out. Let’s go.” She took Xia Yao’s hand and brushed her other hand across her own face. Brilliance flowed, and her features suddenly shifted.
She performed a transformation into the appearance she had shown Su Yaqing yesterday: an exquisite face with a bit of baby fat and smooth hair falling on both sides of her face, while the rest was tied up in a high ponytail.
However, her eye and hair color were both dyed a quiet, deep black. This reduced the exotic style and gave her the immediate vibe of a campus belle.
After putting on her scarf, Lin Xiaojue carefully tidied herself in front of the mirror. Her shapely figure was wrapped and hidden beneath the undulating gray wool coat.
The neckline opened all the way to her chest, but because it was covered by the scarf, only her snow-white neck was visible.
It was a very fashionable outfit.
Lin Xiaojue was satisfied, and she could not help but curl her lips upward.
“Um… Predecessor.”
“Hmm?” Lin Xiaojue looked back and found Xia Yao staring at her in confusion. She suddenly realized.
“Ah, I almost forgot. Ever since I gained the ability to use a transformation, I’ve learned many new abilities.”
“I… Is that so?”
Lin Xiaojue came up with a random excuse to brush it off. Xia Yao did not ask further. Everyone had their own secrets; all she had to do was trust her predecessor.
“Yes, let’s go out then.”
She took Xia Yao’s hand, their palms pressing tightly together as they felt each other’s warmth. Walking into the living room, Lin Xiaojue took it upon herself to open the front door.
*Creeeak—*
“Pardon the intrusion!”
She performed the “friend entering the house” routine herself. She looked toward the shoe rack by the door but did not find her own shoes. It seemed they had already been thrown away by Xia Yao.
Lin Xiaojue shook her head, sat down on the sofa wearing the cotton slippers she had changed into, and Xia Yao sat obediently by her side.
“Oh, this must be Yao’er’s friend? Please, sit, sit.”
Hearing the door open, Xia’s Mother immediately poked her head out of the kitchen like a hound scenting decay.
The sound of chopping in the kitchen accelerated. Her face was full of joy, as if the guest’s arrival was a grand occasion to be celebrated with gongs and drums.
“The food is almost ready! Oh my, why did you come so quickly? I’m not even prepared yet.”
Acting as if they were old acquaintances, Xia’s Mother tried to get close to the black-haired girl on the sofa.
She chatted aimlessly, and seeing that the other party did not respond for a long time, her tone gradually cooled.
“Speaking of which, I haven’t asked your name yet. Where do you work? What does your family do?”
Lin Xiaojue remained silent for a moment. Only after seeing Xia’s Mother’s face turn ashen did she speak up slowly and unhurriedly.
“Ah, I’m sorry, Xiao Xia’s mother. I was so busy chatting with Xiao Xia that I forgot to speak with you. Look at me, I’ve been so rude that I didn’t even bring a gift.”
“Oh, that’s nothing, it’s nothing at all. You two go ahead and chat. You can just bring a gift next time.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary. Since my family does a bit of business, I’ll just transfer some money to Xiao Xia for now. Consider it a token of my regard.”
Lin Xiaojue took Xia Yao’s phone. Her own phone had been ruined earlier by the seawater. Fortunately, the Su Group’s Tidal Wave Pay supported fingerprint authentication.
Logging into the account, Lin Xiaojue opened the back end.
There had not been much money left after buying clothes for Su Yaqing, and she was not sure how much remained. To her surprise, 100,000 yuan had suddenly appeared in the account.
‘Hiss… where did this money come from?’ Lin Xiaojue opened the bill history to find the record, but it was nowhere to be found.
If she wanted to ask, she would probably have to return to the Su Group building and ask the customer service staff under Su Yaqing.
‘Is Su Yaqing using this to monitor me?! Will I be tracked by Su Yaqing as soon as I spend money?’
Lin Xiaojue shook her head and laughed. How could that be? Su Yaqing was not that kind of person.
Although she was a bit of a pervert and somewhat obsessive, she at least would not engage in such stalker-like behavior. She had her limits.
Lin Xiaojue suddenly recalled those defeat CGs and felt that it did not quite match up.
‘Forget it, forget it.’
In the end, Lin Xiaojue could not be bothered to think about it. Only a fool would have money and not spend it. Entering the password and transferring the money was a seamless process.
**[Ding! Tidal Wave Pay has received 50,000 yuan]**
“Oh my, oh my! What are you saying? Oh, this is making me feel so…”
Hearing the sweet sound of money, Xia’s Mother immediately dropped her kitchen knife and rushed out of the kitchen. While wiping her hands, she walked toward Lin Xiaojue with a flushed face.
***
In the next moment, Xia’s Mother’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
The elegant black-haired girl sat poised on the sofa.
Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, with strands falling beside her snow-like, distant eyes. She looked like someone who transcended worldly affairs—refined and otherworldly.
She was holding the black tea Xia Yao had brewed, taking light sips. Every movement and gesture revealed the cultivation of someone from the upper class.
‘A great lady! She is definitely a great lady! Which family’s daughter is she?!’
A thought instantly formed in Xia’s Mother’s mind. She remembered that Xia Yao’s previous job involved sewing clothes for people.
She called it “design” or something, but the mother did not understand it anyway. It was most likely some nonsense that could not earn any money.
She never expected that Xia Yao could come into contact with such a person. Her eyes darted around, and a look of flattery appeared on her face.
However, she concealed it well, changing her expression to the gentle demeanor of a loving mother.
“Daughter, come here quickly. For your friend…”
“Su Xiaojue,” Lin Xiaojue added casually.
“Ah, right!” Xia’s Mother clapped her hands. “Look at my memory. Make some food for Xiao Jue. She came all this way in the heavy snow; she must be hungry.”
She gestured to Xia Yao. Just as Xia Yao was about to stand up, Lin Xiaojue’s grip on her hand tightened. Instantly, Xia Yao was pulled back onto the sofa.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Since the weather is so cold, I actually really want to eat hot pot. How about this? I’ll take Xiao Xia out for hot pot. You just stay at home, Auntie. Does that sound okay?”
Lin Xiaojue announced the decision casually.