Mom sat back down on the sofa, seemingly drained of all strength. Her black suit was wrinkled, her silk stockings trembled slightly, and her long, slender fingers unconsciously rubbed the fabric of her trousers, making her appear even more haggard.
"Wang Xiong…" I asked cautiously, "What will happen to him?"
Mom shook her head, a look I couldn't decipher flashing in her eyes: "It's none of your business."
Her voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable firmness and restraint. In that moment, I seemed to see the decisive and efficient female CEO I knew all too well.
…
The conversation ended. My mistake seemed to be over, yet it also felt like it would never be over.
That night, I passed by the study several times, peeking at Mom through the crack in the door.
She had changed into a champagne-colored silk nightgown, but still wore her signature black pantyhose. Her long, beautiful legs were crossed under the table as she focused intently on her computer. The lamplight outlined her graceful profile, but it also accentuated the weariness in her eyes.
I was worried that Wang Xiong might suddenly video call Xia Ling, but the study remained quiet until late at night.
Would Wang Xiong not bother Xia Ling tonight?
Or had he already video called her, but I hadn't noticed?
This apparent calm only made me more uneasy. Lying in bed, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep, a feeling that something terrible was about to happen. The moonlight outside seemed particularly cold, shining on my bedside like an ominous premonition.
…
The next morning, I went downstairs as usual to wash up, only to find that Xia Ling was no longer home. Only the housekeeper was busy in the dining room.
My anxiety intensified. "Auntie, where's Mother?"
"Madam has already had breakfast and went out," the nanny said, bringing me milk. "She seems to have had something to do; she didn't even eat much breakfast."
"Oh, I see..."
I didn't know what to say to the nanny. After all, these servants never interfered in household matters; they wouldn't even show up at home unless it was at a fixed time.
I forced myself to finish breakfast and went to school with a heavy heart.
As soon as I entered the classroom, I felt the strange atmosphere—the students' gazes were like swords, some mocking, some pitying, making me extremely uncomfortable. What worried me most was that Wang Xiong's seat remained empty; he didn't appear even after the morning self-study bell rang.
A bad premonition gradually rose in my heart.
...
Just as I was fidgeting restlessly, a tall, elegant figure appeared in an old residential area in the city.
Mom maintained her impeccable CEO look—a tailored black suit accentuated her shapely figure, and slim-fitting trousers highlighted her long legs. The pantyhose peeking out from beneath the trousers gleamed with a delicate, alluring sheen. However, unlike her usual black stockings, today Mom wore flesh-colored ones.
Her slender, flesh-colored legs were clad in 10cm black patent leather high heels, each step exuding the elegant poise of a mature woman.
Wang Xiong's neighborhood, once the most prestigious upscale area in the city over a decade ago, was now dilapidated.
The crumbling walls were covered in ivy, dark green vines coiling like snakes. The rusty iron gate creaked painfully. Inside the security booth, an elderly man with gray hair and a missing front tooth was dozing off, staring at his phone.
The old security guard wouldn't bother anyone except delivery drivers. Mom, in her high heels, moved unimpeded, her crisp footsteps echoing on the concrete. This elegant sound clashed sharply with her surroundings, a stark contrast to the upscale office buildings and villa complexes she usually frequented.
Today, Mom deliberately avoided having her driver pick her up in her conspicuous Mercedes. Her Panamera was also parked in the garage. She chose to take a taxi because she didn't want anyone to know she'd been here.
"It should be this way..."
Mom took out her phone, double-checking the address Wang Xiong had sent her. She carefully walked along the uneven, potholed pavement in her high heels.
Seeing such a tall and elegant woman, the residents stopped to stare. The older women hanging laundry stopped what they were doing and chattered amongst themselves; the old man practicing Tai Chi on the lawn tilted his head, observing this unexpected visitor with interest; several children playing stopped their chasing and stared curiously at the woman's shiny high heels and the smooth, flesh-colored stockings beneath her trousers.
"Why would such a beautiful woman come here?"
"Judging by her attire, she must be some kind of leader. Is our neighborhood going to be demolished?"
"Which building's son found another rich girlfriend?"
The whispers around her continued, but Mom pretended not to hear them. Her attention was entirely on her phone, her slender fingers trembling slightly as she repeatedly checked the address Wang Xiong had sent.
Following the directions, Mom turned left and right, finally arriving at the apartment building where Wang Xiong lived.
The motion-activated lights in the stairwell were broken, and the damp, dark air smelled musty. Mom took a deep breath and climbed the stairs step by step in her high heels. Each step was covered in dust, discarded cardboard boxes and bottles were piled in the corners, and cobwebs covered the windows, making the light filtering through seem particularly eerie.
With the echo of her high heels on the stairs, she stood before Wang Xiong's door.
A faded security door, the paint peeling and chipped. Mom took a deep breath, raised her hand, and gently knocked on the door with her knuckles.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
The knocking had barely finished when hurried footsteps came from behind the door, followed by a click—the door opened.
"Sister Xia, you've finally arrived!"