Chapter 24 The Young Lady in the Wheelchair 24: I'll Treat You to Dinner

The crumpled pajamas were put down, and the door clicked open. Xi Congshuang had already left, leaving behind only a few words of advice and her unique scent.

Cheng Zhishu took out her phone, which she had forgotten about for a long time. It was full of messages from Shangguan Yin.

Only then did she have the opportunity to reply to Shangguan Yin's questions, answering them one by one and informing her that several of them would be expelled.

After thinking for a moment, Cheng Zhishu typed: Why did you call your sister over?

When asked about this, Shangguan Yinke had something to say, and she sent several long voice messages.

【Little Grass Yinyin】: It's very simple. I said to my phone, "Siri, call my sister," and it dialed the number. I was worried that she wouldn't answer, but she answered instantly.

[Xiaocaoyinyin]: After the call connected, I wasn't sure if the person on the other end was Xi Congshuang. Then she directly asked me why I had taken her phone and made me speak.

[Little Grass Yinyin]: I was almost scared to death. You have no idea how scary her tone was. It was like I had kidnapped you.

[Little Grass]: (Beagle crying.jpg)

Cheng Zhishu lay on the bed, her face buried in the soft pillow. Her phone was tossed aside, its screen lit up, displaying a message transcribed by Shangguan Yin.

After staring at the page for a while, she couldn't help but laugh, then buried her face in the pillow, unable to suppress her joy.

After waiting for a while without receiving a reply, Shangguan Yin couldn't help but send a message asking.

【Little Grass】: Where is everyone? Where did they go? Why aren't they saying anything?

Unbeknownst to her, on the other side of the screen, Cheng Zhishu, dressed in pajamas, was already asleep, a smile still lingering on her lips.

At the same time, a red apple flashed before Xi Congshuang's eyes as she was talking to Chairman Xi.

It flapped its wings and congratulated Xi Congshuang: "Congratulations, the female lead's collapse value has decreased by 2."

"Current Honkai value: 22."

Xi Congshuang's eyes were fixed on it, her slender fingers holding her phone as she spoke to the other end: "Yes, I've figured it out. I don't want to continue being depressed. I want to shift my focus."

"Even if I can't walk, I don't want to be stuck in a wheelchair forever."

Her tone of voice was clearly melancholy, but her eyes betrayed a different story.

A red apple landed on the table in front of her, next to a silver-gray notebook: "Helping the female lead resolve her psychological trauma is indeed a good approach, and it has already been added to my database."

"As expected of an elite, they can even think of this."

Chairman Xi is always busy, but overall she cares a lot about Xi Congshuang. The other younger generation are left to their own devices and rarely receive any attention from her.

Every time Xi Congshuang went out, the news would be sent to Chairman Xi. This was the second time because Cheng Zhishu had gone out, and she was also curious, so she called to inquire.

It seemed like someone on the other end of the phone said something too.

Xi Congshuang frowned, stared at the red apple, and replied, "No, I will manage my emotions properly."

"Yes, Grandma, I am indeed unhappy about what happened tonight, and I don't want to just let it go like this. Grandma, do you want to persuade me?"

The call between the two parties wasn't going to end anytime soon, and the red apple, feeling rather foolish, rolled around next to the laptop, tumbling back and forth.

Then it quietly disappeared, leaving a mark, neither too light nor too heavy, on Xi Congshuang's heart.

The two chatted for half an hour, and only ended the call after listening to Xi Congshuang's plans.

It was already late, close to midnight, and all was quiet both inside and outside the literary world.

Xi Congshuang stared at the computer screen for a while, then shifted her gaze to where the system had disappeared. After a long pause, she raised her hand and closed the computer.

Just as she told the system, she was able to manage her emotions as always.

Moreover, this reason was indeed very suitable, and Chairman Xi believed it without a doubt, telling her: no matter what the reason, as long as she is willing, that's fine.

In the early morning, Cheng Zhishu got up, washed up, and went downstairs. There was already someone sitting at the dining table.

She rubbed her eyes and saw clearly who was sitting there; it really was Xi Congshuang.

Cheng Zhishu exclaimed in surprise, "Sister? You're up so early!"

Xi Congshuang: "I've got some things to take care of lately, I need to finish the rehabilitation as soon as possible, and then I'll get back to work. Don't just stand there, come and eat with me."

Cheng Zhishu put her schoolbag aside. She had just finished her exams yesterday and didn't have much homework, so her schoolbag felt light.

Walking over to Xi Congshuang, she bent down and sat down, the loose collar of her school uniform hanging down, revealing a section of her beautiful and delicate collarbone.

Xi Congshuang glanced at her and saw that her neck was bare. After thinking for a moment, she remembered that Cheng Zhishu's neck had always been bare and she was not wearing that necklace.

I remember Xi Hanran mentioning that No. 1 Middle School does not restrict students from wearing accessories; as long as they are not too ostentatious, they are in compliance with the rules.

Xi Congshuang asked, "Why aren't you wearing that chain?"

Cheng Zhishu subconsciously touched her neck, only to find it empty. She then realized, "The clasp on the silver chain is broken, and I haven't replaced it with a new one, so I haven't been wearing it."

Xi Congshuang: "Is it broken?"

Seeing Xi Congshuang's curiosity, she took out her pencil case from her schoolbag, pulled out the necklace, and pointed to the clasp with her fingertip: "It's here. It's a bit deformed and can't be fastened. I was afraid it would disappear if I wore it, so I haven't worn it."

The precious necklace was displayed to her by Cheng Zhishu herself. She curiously leaned over to take a look, and the two of them almost touched heads.

Cheng Zhishu tried to loosen the clasp, but it was still loose: "This is something my grandma got from a temple when I was a child. It's actually just some cheap Hetian jade. I bought it for a few hundred yuan back then, but I really like it."

She also remembered where the chain came from.

At that time, her younger brother had already been born. Her adoptive mother bought him a gold lock to wear around his neck and posted it on her WeChat Moments. Her grandmother saw the photo and the next day she brought a necklace home, saying it was a gift for Cheng Zhishu.

Recalling the past, Cheng Zhishu's eyes showed a hint of a smile: "Grandma also said that I should have what others have. She spent a long time choosing and finally picked out this peace buckle, hoping that I would be safe and sound."

Reaching out and pinching the broken clasp, Xi Congshuang lifted the necklace to examine it. This necklace had been worn close to Cheng Zhishu's body for a long time and had been touched countless times, making it smooth and lustrous.

The necklace was returned to Cheng Zhishu's hand, and Xi Congshuang said to Cheng Zhishu, "It's a very beautiful necklace."

After Cheng Zhishu left, Xi Hanran arrived late, rubbing her eyes and asking, "Why did you get up so early? Did you have breakfast? I'm hungry."

Xiao Liu stepped back with the medicine box in her arms. Xi Congshuang said, "You've come at a bad time. There's no breakfast left, but I'll have someone make you something. Didn't Wen Can prepare breakfast for you?"

Xi Hanran laughed and said, "It's too disgusting, I can't eat it."

Seeing Xiao Liu approaching, she called out, "Just give me a bowl of porridge with some side dishes, and if you have any fried dough sticks, give me some too."

The kitchen was managed by a chef, so Xiao Liu only needed to say a few words and went to get busy.

Unlike Xi Congshuang, Xi Hanran didn't talk while eating breakfast. She ate and talked to Xi Congshuang: "I said, you really don't plan to go back to the company?"

To be honest, Xi Hanran initially felt great when Xi Congshuang wasn't around, as if nothing could stop her. But after hearing that Xi Congshuang had adopted her brother's adopted daughter, she couldn't resist coming to take a look.

After that, I was like a ghost, not wanting her to stay there alone, feeling it was a waste.

She wasn't abusing a disabled person; she just genuinely felt that Xi Congshuang shouldn't be like this.

Xi Congshuang held a tablet in both hands, looking at the news: "I'm planning to..."

Xi Hanran: "Seeing you just sitting at home doing nothing every day, don't you feel... wait, what did you say?"

Xi Congshuang didn't even look up, swiping her finger across the screen: "I said I plan to return to the Xi family."

"..."

The sudden silence made Xi Congshuang look up. Xi Hanran hesitated several times before asking, "You, you wouldn't be because of... what happened yesterday, would you?"

Xi Congshuang did not deny it, since that was her reason for speaking to Chairman Xi anyway.

For some reason, Xi Hanran rubbed her arms and gave a strange look: "Ugh—I can't stand you."

Xi Congshuang: "?"

What's wrong?

Even after returning to the company, Xi Hanran was still wondering what had gotten into her that made her take over Xi Congshuang's driver job and drive her to the Xi Group headquarters.

It wasn't until the black G-Wagon drove into the underground parking lot that Xi Congshuang's decision to return to the company truly took hold in Xi Hanran's mind.

Moreover, she brought it back herself. Looking at her hands gripping the steering wheel, a year welled up from the bottom of her heart.

—Could it be that the person who has lost their mind is someone else, not Xi Congshuang?

Xi Hanran parked the car, looked up at the rearview mirror, and asked, "Is anyone coming to pick you up?"

I don't know if she was provoked into coming by my own words.

Xi Congshuang looked up from her phone and answered truthfully, "I've notified my assistant to come over; I need to see Chairman Xi first."

In the company, regardless of how close or distant the relationship is, everyone is addressed by their job title.

Xi Hanran: "Okay."

I cursed myself a hundred times along the way for not being a mother, but I couldn't help myself when I saw someone in a wheelchair.

Later, unable to convince himself any further, he handed the person over to Xi Congshuang's assistant and ran away, his steps toward the elevator much faster than before.

The assistant who went downstairs to meet her boss, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, was speechless.

As soon as the person disappeared into the elevator, the assistant asked anxiously, "Boss, are you alright? Why did Manager Xi bring you here?"

Actually, the assistant wanted to ask if the boss was injured.

The two used to argue so much that they were practically fighting tooth and nail. It was hard to imagine them sitting down and talking peacefully.

She imagined her boss sitting in a wheelchair, probably powerless, and not knowing how to retaliate if targeted. Someone as strong-willed as her would definitely not be able to stand it.

Xi Congshuang had no idea what her assistant was thinking. She shook her head and said, "She just gave me a ride on her way to repay my kindness in providing a meal."

Assistant: "Huh?"

Xi Congshuang didn't explain further and maneuvered her wheelchair toward the elevator. Her assistant, who had just come to her senses, quickly caught up and personally escorted her to Xi's office.

Little did she know the uproar Xi Congshuang caused upon her return to the company, leaving her assistant, who was slacking off in the break room, completely bewildered.

Since it was her first day back at the company, even the workaholic Chairman Xi couldn't bear to exploit his granddaughter. He chatted with her for a while before letting her go back to his office to learn about the company's current situation.

Xi Congshuang wasn't taking it very seriously to begin with, so she readily agreed and then spent the entire day in the office.

The office, which had been empty for a long time, suddenly welcomed its new owner, Xi Congshuang, who had almost died in a car accident. How could this not arouse curiosity?

But Xi Congshuang didn't know what was going on. She changed her usual style and stopped going out of the house. She even had her assistant order food and have it delivered to her office.

The entire headquarters was incredibly curious, eager to find some excuse to sneak into Xi Congshuang's office and see what was going on with her.

It's not that I'm overly concerned; it's just a trivial curiosity in the midst of a busy schedule.

Of course, as Xi Congshuang's assistant, Ni An could not reveal her boss's current situation. Faced with a series of open and covert probing attempts, she simply smiled and let it go.

only……

Ni An brought in coffee, closed the door to block out curious glances, and the thick carpet swallowed the sound of her footsteps.

A woman's pained monologue could be heard coming from inside the office. Behind the large computer screen sat Xi Congshuang, who was staring intently at the screen.

"Have you ever thought that I've been lying to you all along, that I don't love you at all?"

"No, I don't want to believe it. I don't believe you came to find me in the rain to lie to me. I don't believe you rescued me from those thugs to lie to me. I don't believe you took a red-eye flight back to celebrate my birthday to lie to me. Fine, then dare you say you have no sincerity towards me at all? Look me in the eyes and say it."

Ni An walked to the desk, bent down to put down the coffee, and just then saw two women in the picture painfully embracing and kissing.

People outside are always worried that the boss is plotting something in the office, so her fourth aunt has sent several rounds of people to keep watch around the area.

In fact, Xi Congshuang did nothing. She neither kept a close eye on the company's recent business nor analyzed the current situation of her competitors with gritted teeth.

Instead, it's an open and aboveboard way to slack off while still getting paid.

Watching TV shows, eating, drinking coffee, taking medicine, playing on a tablet, and lifting dumbbells while watching TV shows.

Then Xi Congshuang put down the dumbbells and said to Ni An, "I'm so tired, let's go home."

"...?"

Ni An, who thought today would be very busy, almost thought she had misheard. She raised her watch to check the time and found it was only 4:30 in the afternoon!

And the boss didn't do anything today!

Ni An felt that her boss was a complete stranger at that moment, but she had to see him off downstairs to his car since he had left early.

Xiao Li had already arrived downstairs. The two colleagues, who hadn't seen each other for a long time, met in the parking lot. Ni An's feelings were a little complicated. She thought she would never see him again, but she never expected to see him again.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Ni An got into the car and breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, she had already prepared her resume and was ready to send it out everywhere once Xi Congshuang fired her. She never expected to see Xi Congshuang come back.

I'm a little touched that my job is safe.

I was even more touched that the boss was slacking off like crazy on the first day back at work.

Although I felt like something was off, I was too busy being moved to remember.

Before arriving, Xiao Li had received a message from his boss. As was his habit, he turned the steering wheel around and drove Xi Congshuang and Ni An toward the destination that had been notified in advance.

Thirty minutes later, the Rolls-Royce, having finally escaped the rush hour traffic, stopped at the bustling school gate.

Upon seeing the scene outside, Ni An thought, "..." Wait, no, where is this?

Damn muscle memory made her subconsciously sit in the passenger seat of her boss's car. By the time she realized it, she was already near the school.

This is probably the umpteenth time today that Ni An has asked herself these three questions: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?

Just as Ni An was racking her brains trying to figure out how to tell Xi Congshuang that she would be leaving if there was nothing else, something even more shocking was about to happen.

A student emerged from the crowd. He was tall and looked completely unfamiliar. He opened the car door with practiced ease, climbed in energetically, and grabbed Xi Congshuang's arm.

"Why did my sister come to pick me up today?" Cheng Zhishu asked happily.

Ni An instinctively cried out in surprise, "Ah! What are you doing!"

Cheng Zhishu was also startled: "Ah!"

She thought she had gotten on the wrong bus and hugged the wrong person, but upon closer inspection, she realized it was Xi Congshuang's scent.

Ni An suddenly turned her head: "You you you..." Where did you come from? How dare you hug the boss's arm like that!

After stammering for a while, the nervous Ni An couldn't come up with a clear answer. Cheng Zhishu didn't recognize her and instead moved closer to Xi Congshuang, looking at her with confusion.

Xi Congshuang then noticed there was another person in the car and asked in confusion, "Huh? What are you doing here?"

Ni An: "..."

For some reason, she felt like she was glowing at that moment.

After a long while, Ni An's sluggish mind finally recalled the shocking news that had struck her that morning: [I heard that CEO Xi has adopted a child and is very fond of that child!]

Ni An scoffed at the time, thinking that her boss, who found raising turtles too much trouble, could not possibly raise children; this news was pure fabrication.

It's true! I can't believe it's true!

The living person was sitting right in front of him, and Ni An was devastated.

Cheng Zhishu felt a chill run down her spine under Ni An's gaze and shrank even closer to Xi Congshuang: "Sister, what's wrong with her?"

Xi Congshuang: "She is my assistant at the company, Ni An."

Actually, Xi Congshuang wasn't quite sure what was wrong with this assistant either. It was her first time meeting her, so she could only say, "She might be a little shy. Please be understanding."

Cheng Zhishu nodded, treating her as a second Xi Hanran, but a quieter version.

The shy Ni An forced a smile and said, "Hello."

*

Over the next few days, the shy Ni An regularly updated her feed from the passenger seat, watching her boss slack off at work and then pick up students from school after get off work.

Because Ni An's house and Xi's residence are in the same direction, in the past, Xiao Li would pick her up and drop her off on the road. Ni An would then carry a bag full of fully charged power banks and spend two yuan to take a bus to her doorstep.

These days, Xi Congshuang hasn't come to the company, so Ni An has had to temporarily go to another department to help out. She also has to take the subway to get off work, which takes up a lot of time.

Today is the second day of returning to her previous life. Ni An looked out the window curiously and easily recognized Cheng Zhishu in the crowd.

I didn't dare to look closely yesterday, but now that I'm looking closely, the child is quite good-looking.

She has striking features, and at first glance, her profile looks somewhat like that of a mixed-race person, but upon closer inspection, she has an Asian face. She stands out beautifully among a group of students, like the morning sun.

Xi Congshuang was also looking out the car window when she saw Cheng Zhishu saying goodbye to her classmates and running quickly toward them.

A vibrant figure weaved through the crowd and arrived at the car a few seconds later. The scent of citrus mixed with the fragrance of books and ink wafted in, followed by her voice.

"Sister, my exam results are out! Guess what rank I am?"

Xi Congshuang pondered for a moment: "What place is it? Let me think..."

Eager to impress, Cheng Zhishu couldn't help but smile. After not hearing Xi Congshuang speak for a while, she asked anxiously, "Am I that hard to guess?"

Xi Congshuang shook her head, feigning seriousness: "I want to be more cautious about you."

Cheng Zhishu had no choice but to force herself to be patient and wait anxiously for an answer.

Unable to resist Cheng Zhishu's gaze, Xi Congshuang smiled and said, "I guessed the answer. Why don't you tell me the real answer and see if I guessed right?"

Cheng Zhishu pulled her arm: "I'm number one, I'm number one, did you guess right, sister?"

"You got first place in your very first exam after transferring schools, that's amazing."

Listening to the conversation that followed, Ni An thought to herself that her boss, who had skipped grades all the way up from childhood, actually had a day when he genuinely praised others.

Cheng Zhishu was delighted, her brown eyes sparkling with obvious joy.

"Sister, how about I treat you to a meal after I receive my scholarship?"

————————

Ni An: [Cracked]