There was an unexpected snowfall at dawn, letting the pristine white snow cover everything in silence. The weather had delayed the arrival of light, making the early hours of the morning look like night. This was the kind of weather to snuggle up into your warmest blankets and sleep in.
Xia Xue exited Liu Zhengnan’s room. Without even pausing to stretch her spine, she had rushed towards Liang Siyao’s door. However, before she could wrap her cold fingers around the metal door k.n.o.b, Liang Siyao’s voice came from inside the room.
“Ah, you need to be gentle. What if you hurt the child?”
“Can’t you see that I’m doing my best? I’m literally not exerting any strength.” Xia Lei’s deeper voice followed after.
“Jeez, it feels rough. I’m going to feel so sore after this. I still can feel it at your gentlest. My body feels so abnormally sensitive.”
“Should we stop for a moment?”
“No, no. I can feel the baby moving. Ah, there it is again…”
Xia Xue could feel her cheeks heat up as her mind manifested a filthy a.s.sumption. The voices travelling from inside the room made her think of something unspeakable. The woman turned around to leave all while grumbling hushedly, “Jeez, how shameless! Doing the deed so early in the morning. My brother is such a h.o.r.n.y b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Sister Siyao is already pregnant and yet he’s still eager to get laid. What if he hurts his own child?”
At this moment, Xia Lei called out to her from behind. “What are you doing out here? Come on in.”
“Huh?” Xia Xue halted her footsteps and turned to stare at the still shut door. There was only shock plastered obviously across her dainty face.
“Hey, stop making a.s.sumptions. I was just ma.s.saging your sister in law.”
Xia Xue had nothing to say.
So she made her way into Liang Siyao’s room, finally realizing that her brother was telling the truth. Her brother really was only ma.s.saging his lover and the spot was Liang Siyao’s slightly protruding baby b.u.mp. No wonder Liang Siyao was uttering such weird things just now.
“Sister Siyao,” greeted Xia Xue meekly.
Liang Siyao flashed her a comforting smile. “Come sit down, Xiao Xue. What are you doing here so early in the morning? Are you here for me or your brother?”
Xia Xue answered, “I’m here for my brother.” Then, she turned to look at Xia Lei but said nothing else.
“What’s the matter?” Xia Lei continued, “Don’t worry. Your Sister Siyao is part of our family, she’s not a stranger.”
Xia Xue smiled defeatedly. “Alright then. You gave me the permission so I’ll just dive into the main topic.”
“Go on,” urged Xia Lei.
“It’s going to be Lunar New Year soon. When is the exact date of your wedding with Fan Fan and where would the venue be?” Xia Xue spoke fast, eyes studying Liang Siyao’s response through the corner of her view.
Ah, so that was it. It would’ve been awkward to discuss Xia Lei and Fan Fan’s wedding in front of Liang Siyao. Xia Xue was just trying to be tactful because the younger woman wasn’t eager to hurt Liang Siyao.
Liang Siyao finally understood Xia Xue’s initial reluctance. She smiled at her. “Xiao Xue, there’s no need to worry about my feelings. I’m fine with it. I’m even going to be her bridesmaid during the ceremony.”
Xia Xue could only gape.
Xia Lei interjected, “Xiao Xue, do you wish to handle the ceremony arrangements?”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m here to discuss this,” answered the younger woman.
“Sure, I’ll let you handle it. Let’s set the date on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year.”
“Why that specific date?”
“Because I’m going to marry four wives on that day,” replied Xia Lei shamelessly.
Xia Xue found herself at a loss of words once again.
Though speechless, Xia Xue couldn’t help but be impressed by her brother’s ability to manage such a messy private life. The fact that his lovers have gotten along well was a miracle. There were not many men that could get on the same level as her brother. Despite that, she had made up a decision in the dark. Liu Zhengnan must not be left alone with her brother for long in the fear of him getting polluted by Xia Lei!
Liang Siyao punched Xia Lei’s shoulder. “You sound like you’re enjoying all of this, huh? I’m so not going to marry you.”
Xia Lei, on the other hand, dismissed her half-hearted comment. He continued, “Xiao Xue, you’re free to decide who to invite for the ceremony.”
“Alright then. Now that you’ve settled on a date, I’ll help take care of the other things. I’m estimating five hundred tables for your banquet. I’ll make sure to make it as grand as possible. You and your wives shall not be disappointed,” declared Xia Xue with a smile.
“Work is work but you need to be careful,” reminded Xia Lei solemnly.
“Got it, I’ll watch out.” This wasn’t the first time Xia Xue was met with a similar situation.
“Hey, can you leave already? I’d like to talk to Xiao Xue.” Liang Siyao nudged Xia Lei’s side, attempting to kick him out of the room.
Xia Lei retorted, “I did not bring our discussion out of the room so why are you kicking me out?”
“It’s women’s talk, men are not welcomed here. Get out.” Liang Siyao pushed him out of the door and clicked it shut.
To be fairly honest, it would’ve been a piece of cake for Xia Lei to spy on their pillow talk. All he needed to do was activate his X-ray vision and use his lip-reading ability to get the job done. But he had integrity. To spy on a conversation between his wife and sister was such a lowly thing to do.
After breakfast, Xia Lei clocked into work.
The piece of information he had received from his father yesterday was crucial, albeit it being incomplete. But Xia Lei had his own interpretation, which was that the formulas and production technical information implemented in America’s new material project was severely lacking. Until now, the accurate and complete information regarding the new material was all stored in Xia Lei’s brain. The man had not mentioned it to anybody so far. Therefore, unless the Americans had the ability to steal it from his subconsciousness, they would only have incomplete formulas.
This deduction had pushed him into another direction. The spy had stolen some samples and earlier formulation recipes from Li Youdun’s new material laboratory. The Americans had managed to master the silver metal’s carbon element arrangements and that was a gigantic loss on Thunder Horse Organization’s part.
Xia Lei made a beeline for the new material laboratory. A few footsteps shy of the laboratory entrance, he came across Qing Caiyue, who had just exited the lab.
“Good morning, Director Xia.” Qing Caiyue’s little smile was sweet as ever, retaining the same honey-like loveliness in her feminine voice.
Xia Lei replied nonchalantly, “Why are you here so early in the morning?”
“Well, it’s because I’m hardworking.” Qing Caiyue grinned and handed a stack of doc.u.ments into Xia Lei’s hands. “These are reports Mister Li Youdun had requested me to deliver to you. He mentioned that it was very important.”
Xia Lei did not move a finger to understand its content. Instead, he looked at her straight, “Why can’t he bring it over to me directly?”
Qing Caiyue answered, “This I’m not really sure, perhaps he’s just really busy. I recall him talking about working on a masterplan to build the material works.p.a.ce.”
“He told you all of this?” Xia Lei’s tone was still as calm as ever.
Qing Caiyue giggled. “Director Xia, please don’t misunderstand our dynamics. He doesn’t fit my taste in men. We’re just regular friends.”
Xia Lei dismissed her. “Okay, you can leave now. I’ll go check on him now. Wait, please make me some tea and place it on my desk.”
“Alright, Director Xia.” And there she went.
Xia Lei watched her leave, letting his left eye twitch to peel apart Qing Caiyue’s office attire. The man needed to check if there was any spying bug implanted on Qing Caiyue. He was in search of something akin to a hearing device or a pinhole camera.
But as his X-ray vision penetrated through the layers of fabric on her back, his search was proven to be futile. There was nothing of that sort on her.
Before he could even pull his attention away from her retreating back, his eyes caught onto something.
“Huh? It’s so early in the morning, what the h.e.l.l is going on?” An idea immediately clicked in Xia Lei’s mind. Abruptly, he pulled out a signature pen and tossed it in front of him, having it aimed to land on the gra.s.s plots right beside Qing Caiyue.
Qing Caiyue hadn’t noticed that her boss had done something so meaningless but she did hear him scream for her attention.
“Caiyue! My pen dropped, can you please pick it up for me?” Not waiting for Qing Caiyue to whip her head around, Xia Lei continued, “It’s just on your left. Yeah, on the gra.s.s.”
Qing Caiyue looked into that direction and bent over to pick up his pen.
As she lowered her torso, Xia Lei spied on her perky bottom. Qing Caiyue’s posture was stimulating to watch, but it also made one fact clear to Xia Lei. His secretary had just gotten laid with someone earlier.
Qing Caiyue strutted over to pa.s.s the pen back into Xia Lei’s extended palm. “Here you go, Director Xia.”
“Thank you,” Xia Lei said with a charming smile.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, Director Xia?” asked Qing Caiyue.
“Nope, you’re free to go.”
“Okay.” Qing Caiyue nodded and proceeded to leave.
Today, the woman had kept her hands to herself. Qing Caiyue had not made a move to disturb her superior. If it wasn’t for his earlier finding, Xia Lei would’ve completely overlooked that detail.
“I wonder who she got laid with?” Xia Lei couldn’t suppress his curiosity, but the man was quick to give up. “She’s an adult and she has needs. She had attempted to seduce me one too many times but couldn’t get anything from me. I can’t possibly expect her to be deprived of her needs forever, right? Since Siyao had returned, she had literally zero chance of seducing me. It’s only natural for her to get a boyfriend. Right… I wonder who her boyfriend is?”
Xia Lei’s mind was filled with unimportant thoughts.
Finally entering the material laboratory, Xia Lei came to stand in front of Li Youdun’s office. Once again, he activated his X-ray vision and scanned the insides of the office carefully.
Li Youdun was seen chipping away at a doc.u.ment at his computer desk, which happened on the new material works.p.a.ce for Thunder Horse Organization. The man seemed extremely focused on his work.
Xia Lei studied his laboratory again, finding nothing suspicious. Eventually, the man ended his prying and pushed the office door open.
The intrusion attracted Li Youdun’s attention, to which the scientist quickly fumbled to stand from his seat. “Ah, Director Xia. Good morning, please pardon the mess in my office… Here, please take a seat. I’ll go get you some tea.”
Xia Lei quickly rea.s.sured the man. “There’s no need for that. I’m just here to check on the progress of your masterplan.”
“I’m just at the beginning, I’m only halfway done with the introduction.” Li Youdun s.h.i.+fted, a little sheepish in his own office. “I worked overtime yesterday night and only managed to complete the experiment report from last time.” He noticed the stack of papers in Xia Lei’s grip. “Oh, isn’t that my report? I see that Secretary Qing has delivered it to you.”
“Yeah, I met her outside just now.” Xia Lei admitted, “But I didn’t have the time to flip it through. I’ll make sure to read it when I’m back in my office.”
Li Youdun nervously rubbed his palms. “Director Xia, I should’ve delivered it to you personally but…”
Xia Lei interrupted his sentence, “It’s alright, you’re busy. You’re free to request Secretary Qing to bring doc.u.ments to me. How about this? I’ll leave you to do your work. Please come meet me in the multipurpose room for a meeting tomorrow.”
“Sure, I’ll be there on time,” affirmed Li Youdun.
Xia Lei reached over to pat the scientist’s shoulder. “I’ll be looking forward to your good work. If everything goes well, you and I will leave a footprint in history.”
Li Youdun returned him a heavy nod. “I will not disappoint you, Director Xia.”
Xia Lei smiled and left Li Youdun’s office.
As soon as he was out of sight, he opened his clenched palm. In the middle of his hand was a strand of pubic hair.
It took no time for his mind to be supplemented with inappropriate imagery.
These two fellas sure do know how to play.