Xie Family Manor spans several thousand acres, with a beautiful environment nestled between mountains and water. For the safety and comfort of the residents, outside vehicles are strictly prohibited from entering.
Upon reaching the entrance, Su Miaomiao gazed at the manor hidden among the mountains and glanced at her high heels, taking a deep breath.
Just as she was about to walk up with her suitcase, she suddenly saw Wang Zhong drive out in a Maybach.
"Madam, the master has sent me to bring you home."
He parked the car steadily, took Su Miaomiao's suitcase from her, and placed it in the car before opening the door for her to get in.
"Not knowing when you would return, the master has been waiting!"
Su Miaomiao indeed breathed a sigh of relief, "Thanks, is my husband at home?"
"Yes, Madam."
That's good.
Back at the manor, Wang Zhong carried the luggage upstairs.
"Madam, the master is in the study handling official business; you can go straight to him."
Su Miaomiao took off her high heels and walked barefoot towards the study.
The door to the study was open; Xie Yuan was sitting in his wheelchair, conducting a video conference behind the desk.
He was wearing a black shirt that day, made of very draping fabric.
It clung to his chest, outlining the shape of his pectoral muscles.
Today's glasses with gold rims pressed over his cool brows and eyes.
He looked even more like a dissolute scholar, inexplicably alluring.
Su Miaomiao stood at the door and knocked gently.
Xie Yuan's gaze fell, pausing on her fair feet, and he spoke in a deep voice, letting out fluent French.
"C'est mon chaton ici, c'est tout aujourd'hui. (My kitten is here, that's all for today)"
The meeting came to an end, and he closed the laptop and took off his glasses.
"Have you got all your things? Your room is on the third floor. If anything is missing, you can talk to Uncle Zhong."
Su Miaomiao nodded and bit her lip.
Seeing that she hadn't left, Xie Yuan understood.
"Is there something you want to say?"
"Mr. Xie, I'd like to ask for your help..."
When they were alone, she still found it hard to call him 'husband'.
She laid out the issue of preserving her grandfather's old house and the Louwai Building, naturally omitting Su Zhen's dirty talk.
After speaking, she felt somewhat embarrassed.
"I know this is a bother for you, but I really need a lawyer. Can the fees be deducted from my salary?"
Compared to Su Zhen, she would rather trust Xie Yuan.
"I'll have Uncle Zhong handle it; the slippers are in your dressing room."
Xie Yuan's tone was unfluctuating as he put his glasses back on.
"Your face?"
Su Miaomiao unnaturally brought her hair forward and pursed her lips.
"It's nothing; I will go back to my room."
She couldn't bear to say that she had a father who would, at every moment, try to send her to another man's bed for his own benefit.
After she left, Wang Zhong came to the study.
Xie Yuan spoke coldly, "Find out who laid hands on her and contact the best legal team."
"Yes..."
The manor, castle-like, was divided into three floors; Su Miaomiao's room was on the third floor, while the second floor was where Xie Yuan lived.
Although she knew the moment she signed the contract that there was no turning back, and that living together, what should happen would happen,
she wasn't repulsed by Xie Yuan's physique or looks.
But to sleep together right from the start was still somewhat unacceptable to her.
She truly felt relieved when she learned of this arrangement.
She pushed open the door to her room and paused in surprise.
A princess bed, lace canopy, elegant wallpaper, and a vase on the table with roses so vivid they almost dripped.
Apart from the room being bigger and the view from the window being better, this setup was almost exactly the same as the old house's.
Yet the style Xie Yuan liked was clearly minimalistic, with this room being the only exception.
She walked into her room, ready to hang up the clothes she had brought.
Opening the wardrobe, she found it filled with the latest items from various brands.
Pulling open another side, it was stocked with luxury bags, shoes, and jewelry, everything one could need.
Compared to those, the clothes she brought were nothing but rags.
She squatted down and took out a pair of slippers from underneath.
They were fluffy pink cat-ear slippers that struck right at her girlish heart.
It's undeniable that Xie Yuan's purchaser really understood her.
After taking a hot shower and changing her clothes, it was time for dinner.
With her hair loosely tied in a bun, she took the elevator down to the first-floor dining room.
The long table was already set with food, and Wang Zhong pushed Xie Yuan to one end and sat him down.
Then, he circled to the other side, pulled out a chair, and invited her to take a seat with a smile.
"Madam, please sit."
Su Miaomiao bent over to sit, finding the distance between her and Xie Yuan amusing.
Just two of them for dinner, yet it felt like they were separated by an entire galaxy.
Xie Yuan's dining etiquette was impeccable, clearly reflecting the upbringing of a wealthy and well-mannered family.
Dinner was sumptuous, comprising both Eastern and Western dishes.
Yet Su Miaomiao was preoccupied with concerns and had little appetite.
After finishing his meal, Xie Yuan wiped his mouth with a napkin and excused himself from the table.
Su Miaomiao watched his retreating figure, ultimately too embarrassed to ask for help with the matter at hand.
After dinner, she returned to her room to rest.
Who could have imagined that in such a vast manor, there would just be her and Xie Yuan at night?
The sound of footsteps descending the stairs echoed through the silence.
Back in her room, she lay under the covers on the bed, struggling to fall asleep for a long time.
Eventually, whether from suffocation or sheer exhaustion, she managed to sleep for a couple of hours.
When she opened her eyes again, the sky was bright.
Birds chattered ceaselessly outside the window—it was a beautiful day.
The distant bay was clearly visible, a pristine shade of blue.
After washing up and going downstairs, she found out that Xie Yuan had already left for the company.
Wang Zhong had someone serve Su Miaomiao breakfast, waiting on her with a smile.
"Madam, the master doesn't like strangers frequenting the house."
"I have arranged a meeting with lawyer Xia Man for you outside. If you have no other plans for a while, I will take you to meet with Xia Man."
Su Miaomiao was drinking milk when she heard the name Xia Man, almost spraying it out.
Even though she was not familiar with the legal circle, she had heard of that renowned name.
This was a top lawyer who had returned from America and had never lost a case in his career.
He was a legend within the legal field. She had asked Xie Yuan for help, but she didn't expect him to directly enlist Xia Man.
She hurriedly put down the milk glass, wiped her mouth, and rose to her feet.
"No plans, no plans at all."
That was Xia Man, after all—how could she make such a person wait for her?
Wang Zhong continued to wear a gentle smile, appearing utterly unruffled.
"The master said you must finish breakfast first."
Fine, Su Miaomiao pouted and reluctantly sat back down to finish her breakfast.
Wang Zhong drove her in the Maybach to the hotel to meet with Xia Man.
Contrary to what one might expect from such a revered lawyer, he was surprisingly approachable.
After understanding the situation, Xia Man assured Su Miaomiao there was no need to worry; even if the old man remained unconscious, neither the old house nor the Louwai Building could fall into Su Zhen's hands.
Su Miaomiao felt a weight lift off her chest upon hearing this.
Before leaving, she made a quick trip to the restroom, asking Wang Zhong to help send Xia Man downstairs.
As they got off the elevator and walked toward the parking lot,
nobody noticed a sneaky figure following them.
After snapping photos of the two, Su Niannian followed Wang Zhong back upstairs.
By coincidence, she captured pictures of them entering and leaving the hotel together.
Looking at the photos on her phone, she couldn't help but smile until her eyes curved.
Hmph, Su Miaomiao always looked down on her and her mother, calling them mistresses.
Now, hadn't she become a mistress herself?
The old man may be ugly and promiscuous, but Su Miaomiao had just as quickly gone from seeing his wife off to meeting with him at a hotel.
She was determined to utterly ruin Su Miaomiao's reputation, to see how she would strut around then…