Chapter 28: Cold Kinship

Yue Lingsi's eyes lit up, but her expression darkened. She took a deep breath and said, "Yueying Culture Media contracted several big projects some time ago. The company was focused on them when suddenly, the investors backed out. The Vice President ran away after embezzling a huge sum of money from the company, and now Yueying is facing a huge financial crisis. Your grandmother..."

Backed out?

Why did that happen so suddenly?

Xi Xiaye looked at Yue Lingsi in doubt, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"It all started with Xinyi. The master of Qi Kai Group has been interested in Xinyi for a long time now and wanted to marry her, but you know Xinyi and Yifeng are inseparable, so, of course, she wouldn't agree to marry that person. Then, Qi Kai Group backed out in anger, and under such circumstances, the Vice President stole the company's funds and ran away. Your grandmother was extremely shocked about it and passed out."

Yue Lingsi suddenly turned around and looked at Xi Xiaye. After a while of struggling, she finally mustered her courage and said, "Xiaye, I know the whole thing about Han Yifeng is Xinyi's fault. All of us still can't get over it in the past few years, especially your grandparents. They're really worried about you.

"However, Han Yifeng and you are matters of the past. He's truly in love with Xinyi and I hope that you can move on and let them be. Your grandmother has been really worried about you. She's afraid that you might not be taking care of yourself well alone, so she's been trying to find you a good partner."

At this point, Yue Lingsi paused and her eyes held a very faint sense of insincerity. She bit her lip and said, "Actually, the master of Qi Kai Group isn't bad at all. He's tall and handsome and comes from a rich and prestigious family. All the women in City Z are dying to marry into the Qi family, which is pretty decent. I know the lady of the Qi family. They're an easygoing bunch..."

Xi Xiaye's eyes turned cold upon listening to her. Steeling herself, she put up an icy cold grin and asked, "So what?"

"So... so..."

Yue Lingsi looked down.

"Let me say it." An old and exhausted voice interrupted them.

"Are you awake now, Mother? How are you feeling? The doctor said you've overexerted yourself. You can't get worked up..."

Yue Lingsi seemed surprised and went up to her. Xi Xiaye realized that Deng Wenwen had already opened her eyes without anyone even noticing. Her old pair of eyes were still looking sharp.

"Help me get up."

While Deng Wenwen's voice sounded weak, her aura was still as strong as ever.

Yue Lingsi helped her up and put two pillows behind her back while Xi Xiaye just stood there as she watched Deng Wenwen silently and calmly.

"Sit down!"

Deng Wenwen's tone sounded a little frosty. Obviously, she was not very pleased with Xi Xiaye. "Do you still know that you're a member of the Xi family? You don't even come back when your grandfather was sick or when your sister came back? What's wrong with you?"

Xi Xiaye maintained her cold grin as she accepted the scolding. "Why should I go back? I'd go to a doctor if I was sick, I'd go back home to eat. What can I do if I go back there?"

Deng Wenwen did not anticipate Xi Xiaye to talk back to her. Back then, no matter how much she was criticized, Xi Xiaye would just keep quiet and now...

Deng Wenwen frowned and her expression darkened. Yue Lingsi quickly exclaimed, "Xiaye, how could you talk to your grandmother like that? Your grandmother can't take any more stress now! The doctor told us just now, didn't you hear?"

Xi Xiaye's grin grew wider as she stood straight and turned to face the window. It was as if she did not hear Yue Lingsi's words.

"Yueying is the blood and flesh of the Xi family, so she's also my family. I never expected to face something like this and it's my fault. I know you've been upset about Xinyi and Yifeng, but don't you forget that you're part of our family too. How can family members hold grudges against each other? Moreover, everyone can see that Xinyi has been really worried about you for the past few years."

Deng Wenwen softened after looking at Xi Xiaye for a while. "It's not a critical moment for the Xi family. I just hope that we can unite together and overcome this challenge. We have to get those big projects from the Qi Kai Group. In the current industry, with Yueying facing such circumstances..."

"That's right, Xiaye. Yueying is the hard work of us Xi family. All of your grandmother's effort is in it. You have to save Yueying!" Yue Lingsi pleaded anxiously.

"I save Yueying? How? Did you guys appoint me to take a high position in Yueying? Or do you guys think I'm some sort of ruler of Qi Kai Group?"

Xi Xiaye thought it was a joke.

"You can save Yueying as long as you agree to marry the master of Qi Kai Group. If you'd agree to marry him in place of Xinyi, then it'd solve all these problems. After all, you look quite similar to Xinyi, so the master of Qi Kai Group will surely be happy with your looks. The Qi family wanted a daughter-in-law from a prestigious family and you're the mayor's daughter. So, with that fact and your looks, it'll definitely be enough!"

Deng Wenwen's eyes were brimming with confidence as she spoke.

Xi Xiaye inherited the beauty features of Shen Wenna. Her looks and aura were a notch higher compared to Xi Xinyi's. If it were not for her personality, if it were not for... Deng Wenwen still willing to love her, unfortunately...

Xi Xiaye was stunned. Very strong dark thoughts muddled her head as she stared at Deng Wenwen, thinking that she had misheard something. "What did you say just now? Marry the master of Qi Kai Group in place of Xi Xinyi?"

"Xiaye, the master of Qi Kai Group is great. Qi Lei is the only son of the Qi family. With their huge business and background, it's even bigger than the Han Corporation. With all that, you can forget about Han Yifeng soon, and maybe you can even get married on the same day as them!" Yue Lingsi explained excitedly.

"So, you guys can't wait to push me out and get me to replace Xi Xinyi as your bargaining chip to solve Yueying's crisis?" Xi Xiaye turned to look at Deng Wenwen with an air of indifference and a forced smile.