Chapter 19: The Sacred Son of Miao Territory’s Beloved Light, Part 3

After Lu Ningshi left, Xie’s mother’s smile faded slightly. She turned to Xie Ninghuai and asked, “How are things between you and Yiwei now?”

Hearing this, Xie Ninghuai’s head ached.

“Mom, I only see her as a little sister. Besides, she doesn’t like me, so please stop trying to set us up.”

“What kind of nonsense is that? Yiwei comes from a good family and is beautiful. What’s not suitable about her? With her qualities, it’s hard to find someone better even if you search with a lantern.”

Xie’s mother gave him a look of frustration, as if scolding a fool, and added with a sigh, “How did I end up with such an unperceptive son?”

Xie Ninghuai was utterly helpless. Seeing her about to persuade him again, he quickly interrupted, “Where’s Dad?”

“Your father has urgent matters at the company and has been staying there these past few days.”

Xie Ninghuai furrowed his brows. “The previous issue hasn’t been resolved yet?”

“Your father said it’s because the funds haven’t come back in. It’s not so easy to fix.”

His mother’s expression grew more worried. “If we can’t get past this hurdle, our family might…”

She stopped herself, sensing it was inappropriate to talk about the family’s potential bankruptcy in front of the child, and quickly changed the subject. “You’ve come back all the way; what do you want to eat tonight? I’ll cook for you.”

“Anything’s fine.”

Xie Ninghuai didn’t ask further. His mother had never worked before; there were some things she simply wouldn’t understand.

Around eight in the evening, Xie’s father returned home, carrying a briefcase and looking exhausted.

“Yuanshan, you’re back.”

Xie’s mother spotted him immediately and hurried to greet him.

Xie Ninghuai followed behind, calling out “Dad” as the man took off his shoes and looked up.

“Ninghuai’s back? Is it vacation now?”

Seeing his son, Xie’s father was momentarily dazed, realizing how quickly time had passed—it was already summer break.

“Let’s eat first, we’ll talk while we eat.”

His mother took his briefcase and coat with care and let him go ahead.

Xie Ninghuai’s gaze fell on his father’s deeply furrowed brow, and he stood silently for a moment.

At the dinner table, he took the initiative to mention school matters. The three of them chatted and laughed, creating a warm scene from afar.

After a while, Xie’s father put down his chopsticks and said, “You two keep eating. I still have some work to handle, I’ll go take care of it.”

With that, he hurried to the study.

Xie Ninghuai paused, lowering his eyes.

Having helped his mother clean the dishes, he noticed light slipping out from under the study door and knocked.

“The door’s not locked.”

“Tea’s on the table... Ninghuai, why are you here?”

Xie’s father had thought his wife had brought the tea. Seeing his son, he was surprised for a few seconds.

Sitting opposite him, Xie Ninghuai gathered his thoughts and slowly asked, “Dad, did something happen with the company?”

“It’s nothing. That’s adult business—you don’t need to worry about it.”

His father didn’t want to discuss company affairs with him. If he had the time, he’d rather look for projects to make some money to fill the gap.

Xie Ninghuai opened his mouth slightly, wanting to say he was no longer a child, but he knew well his father would only give a perfunctory answer and not take it seriously.

He felt some regret—perhaps he shouldn’t have ignored his parents’ wishes when choosing his path back then.

After a moment of thought, as if resolute, he asked, “The Lu family... can they help us solve this?”

“Of course, the Lu family can. But you know we don’t have a close relationship with them. They won’t just hand over billions to help us.”

His father had considered asking the Lu family for help, but as he said, they were just neighbors, not relatives. Why would they help out?

Xie Ninghuai understood this well. Pressing his lips tighter, he said gravely, “I’ll find a way.”

His father shook his head and smiled, not taking his words seriously.

Meanwhile, at the Lu family’s residence.

Lu Ningshi lay barefoot on the sofa, his face covered with a thick black mask.

Lu Qingyu twitched the corner of his mouth, unable to look directly and turned his head away.

One second, two seconds, less than three seconds later he quickly turned back. “I’m saying, you’re a girl; can you at least sit properly?”

“Mind your own business.”

Lu Ningshi rolled her eyes dramatically.

“You didn’t go pick me up today, fine, but you left me with Xie Ninghuai. I haven’t even gotten mad at you for that, and yet you’re already questioning me.”

Seeing her huffing complaints, Lu Qingyu’s deep brown eyes fixed on her seriously.

Lu Ningshi touched the black mud on her face and bared her teeth at him like a little wolf defending its territory.

“What? You want to try it too?”

“No thanks.”

Lu Qingyu’s eyelid twitched. He wanted to look away but stubbornly held his gaze. “I have a question for you. Please answer honestly.”

Seeing him so serious, Lu Ningshi turned her eyes, sat cross-legged, and gestured for him to go ahead.

“What do you think of Xie Ninghuai?”

“No opinion,” Lu Ningshi replied quickly and expressionlessly.

Lu Qingyu had never heard her answer so swiftly. After a brief pause, he rephrased, “If the Xie family is about to go bankrupt, and Xie Ninghuai falls from grace into the mud, would you feel sorry for him? Would you consider helping him make a comeback?”

“Lu Qingyu, if you have time to help others, why not just give me money? I happen to be broke.”

Lu Ningshi stretched out her palm, speaking with righteous insistence: “Give me money.”

“Wait until I finish asking.”

He weakly pressed down her hand.

Lu Ningshi smiled faintly, “Ask again and I’ll tear your mouth apart.”

Her tone was soft, but her hand made a violent tearing gesture, threatening darkly.

Lu Qingyu: …

Other sisters are cute, obedient, and lovely, but how did mine become like this?

Is it really impossible to retrain a sister?

“Lu Qingyu, whatever your intentions, I want to make it clear: I don’t like Xie Ninghuai. Never have, never will.”

He had asked seriously today, so Lu Ningshi decided to be straightforward.

“All things concerning the Xie family have nothing to do with me. To me, they are merely irrelevant strangers.”

“Also, Xie Ninghuai has a girlfriend now. Don’t say such things again, or people might think I like him—which would embarrass me.”

“Xie Ninghuai has a girlfriend?”

Lu Qingyu frowned deeply, a flash of anger in his eyes.

What was the Xie family playing at? Mocking them?

They hinted at a marriage alliance in front of him, saying Xie Ninghuai only liked his sister, yet secretly were two-timing?

Lu Ningshi caught his troubled expression out of the corner of her eye and poked his leg with her toe. “What’s wrong? You look so grim.”

“Nothing, just suddenly feeling my temper is too good. It lets some shameful things pretend to be respectful while bullying our family.”

“If it’s shameful, just ignore it. Giving them attention only means you care.”

Lu Ningshi peeled off her face mask and said indifferently.

Lu Qingyu smiled, “You’re right.”