Chapter 31: In What Capacity Do You Ask Me

"Is Mr. Xiang mistaken?" she asked, a glint in her eyes.

She had been so deliberate in turning her face away and hiding it with her hair. How could he possibly see it? Did he have X-ray vision?

Xiang Zhihua frowned, displeased. "I may be blind in one eye, but not both," he said coolly.

The young girl’s face was swollen like a steamed bun; it would have been difficult for anyone not to notice.

Lu Yao blushed. "It was an accident... I accidentally bumped into the floor."

Given her current relationship with Xiang Zhihua, she wasn't in a position to complain or seek justice from him. Keeping quiet was the best course of action to avoid mutual embarrassment.

Xiang Zhihua’s gaze deepened. Seeing she had no intention of telling the truth, he stopped pressing the matter. "What do you intend to do with the person you brought back?"

Aside from himself, Cheng Gang, and the housekeeper, no strangers had ever set foot in Gold Paulownia Villa. "By bringing her here, are you planning to have her stay?"

Had this girl forgotten that her own stay here was merely temporary? And now she had brought someone else along. Was she actually planning on living here with him forever?

"May I?" Lu Yao asked. "Aunt Wu is a kind person, and she is very diligent."

If she could keep her here to work, it would be a form of compensation. After all, her current plight was entirely her own fault. She couldn't just abandon her. That was why she had hoped to bring Aunt Wu to Xiang Zhihua’s place and try her luck. What if he agreed?

"In what capacity are you asking me?" Xiang Zhihua countered.

The girl hadn't even clearly defined her own position before bringing someone else home. Did she think his place was a shelter for everyone in the Hong Kong circle?

"As your woman—is that acceptable?" Lu Yao asked. She couldn't think of any other status.

Xiang Zhihua stared at her in silence for a few seconds, his expression complex and unreadable. "Since you want to keep her here, you may arrange it yourself."

He had handed the management rights directly to her. Lu Yao was taken aback; she had expected a long, arduous struggle to convince him. His ease of agreement made things much simpler for her.

After dinner, Xiang Zhihua called Cheng Gang into the study. "Tell me, what happened to the injuries on her face and palms today?"

Since the girl wouldn't speak, Cheng Gang, who had been with her, should know the truth.

Cheng Gang looked troubled. "Mr. Xiang, Miss Lu specifically asked me not to tell you what happened at the Lu residence today. She was afraid it would bring you trouble."

Xiang Zhihua’s eyes flickered. Was that it? Was she keeping the truth from him because she was afraid of causing him trouble? She was truly foolish. In his position, was there ever a day without trouble? A little more or a little less made no difference. Did she think he would be afraid of her petty troubles?

"Is that what you thought, too?" Xiang Zhihua narrowed his eyes at Cheng Gang. "That she would bring me trouble?"

Cheng Gang looked ashamed.

"Foolish!" Xiang Zhihua said. "Do you think I wouldn't be able to find out if you didn't tell me? Cheng Gang, you've been by my side for at least ten years, if not fifteen. Why are you still so naive? Do you not know my temperament?"

If he truly wanted the truth, he wouldn't waste time sitting here listening to him. It was true; with Xiang Zhihua’s resources and connections, he could uncover the truth within half a day. Cheng Gang’s concealment was useless. Realizing this, Cheng Gang stiffened, feeling like a fool for having insisted on silence.

After a few moments of silence, he recounted how Xu Xingyue had stolen Lu Yao’s jade pendant and how the Xu family had fired Aunt Wu—who had testified for Lu Yao—just to protect their daughter’s reputation.

A flicker of dark malice crossed Xiang Zhihua’s eyes. "Has the Xu family lost their minds?" They knew Lu Yao was his woman, yet they allowed their other daughter to bully her. Did they think he wouldn't stand up for her?

"Mr. Xiang, looking at today’s events, it seems Miss Lu’s life as an adopted daughter in the Xu family hasn't been easy," Cheng Gang said hesitantly. "Furthermore, that daughter, Xu Xingyue, relies on the support of the Xu parents and treats Miss Lu with complete disregard, as if she were a stray dog."

No wonder Miss Lu, knowing that their employer was physically disabled and unable to have children, had still chosen to become his woman. Perhaps she had been forced into it by the Xu family.

***

"Aunt Wu, you can sleep in this room tonight," Lu Yao said, leading her to a spacious room on the first floor. "Everything you need is here. If you find anything lacking, just tell me, and I’ll have someone buy it immediately."

Cheng Gang had told her before going upstairs that every guest room in the villa was fully equipped; nothing needed to be bought. Besides, the cook and the cleaning lady never stayed over; that was Xiang Zhihua’s rule. So, aside from herself and Aunt Wu, there were no strangers living there.

"That won't be necessary, Miss Lu," Aunt Wu said. She had never lived in such a fine house. At the Lu residence, she had lived in a cramped, cluttered hallway room, and it had become even smaller after Lu Yao joined her. Here, the room was bright, spacious, and odorless, with its own walk-in closet and private bathroom. It was more than she could have asked for.

"You should go and attend to your business," Aunt Wu urged. "Mr. Xiang might be waiting for you in his room!" She hadn't forgotten that this was supposed to be a special night for the couple, and she didn't want to get in the way.

Lu Yao paused. How had she forgotten that? She felt a wave of embarrassment. She had agreed to be his woman and move in, but did that mean she had to give herself to him tonight? The thought made her resist.

"Go on, Miss Lu," Aunt Wu said, pushing her toward the door. "Don't delay."

Helpless, Lu Yao stepped out of the room, fearing that if she didn't, Aunt Wu would escort her to Xiang Zhihua’s door herself.

The moment she stepped out, Xiang Zhihua’s voice drifted down from the second floor. "Come up."

Looking up, she saw him sitting in his wheelchair by the second-floor railing. With no chance to hide, she had to steel herself and walk up the stairs, step by step.

"Mr. Xiang!" she said, nodding respectfully.

"Push me to the study," he said coldly. "I have work to do tonight. If you're tired, go back to your room and rest."

Lu Yao felt a wave of relief. He had inadvertently granted her an escape. "Very well!"