Reborn in the 70s: Pampered by Regiment Commander
Chapter 367 - 254: Changing Faces

Chapter 367: Chapter 254: Changing Faces

Xiao family.

Xiao Bingqi pushed his wife, who was still lingering, staring blankly at their son’s bedroom, "Alright, let’s go. Mom is waiting for you at home."

"Old Xiao, I want to see Yuwen before I leave. It’s been days since I’ve seen him, and now that we’re parting, who knows when I’ll see him again. Can’t you let me take one last look at him, please?" Lu Yuer pleaded with a pitiful face. Her husband wouldn’t tell her which hospital their son was in, let alone allow her to make inquiries. It was one thing to live here, but now that she had to leave, she truly felt uneasy.

"How many times have I told you? His issue is sensitive, and family members cannot visit him. Even Aiping can’t go, so why are you causing trouble?" Xiao Bingqi waved his hand impatiently, "I’m still busy. Stop dawdling."

Lu Yuer, who had always been obedient to her husband, dared not say another word. She lowered her head and took two steps outside, then turned back to Liu Lingmei, "Sister, I’ll have to trouble you with everything here. I’m entrusting both father and son to you and Aiping."

Liu Lingmei grabbed her hand and patted it, "Don’t worry, sister-in-law. I don’t have much going on for the time being. When you come back, I’ll move out. Until then, leave it to me."

Seeing Xiao Bingqi frowning, Lu Yuer hurried out in fear. At the door, she turned back to Liu Lingmei with a grateful smile, "Thank you, sister."

"It’s all good," Liu Lingmei replied.

Zhou Aiping felt something was amiss hearing her mother’s words. Why should her mother be in charge? Caring for her son-in-law and his father – how did that become her responsibility?

"Hurry up and go!" Xiao Bingqi pushed Lu Yuer, "We were doing just fine here even before you came. Taking good care of dad and mom is more important than anything else."

"Old Xiao, I will take good care of dad and mom; you can count on me!" Lu Yuer declared solemnly, as if receiving an order.

Xiao Bingqi waved his hand impatiently, signaling her to get in the car quickly.

As the car slowly drove away, Liu Lingmei felt a sense of relief and looked at Xiao Bingqi with a smile, "Director, shall we eat at home for lunch?"

"Sure," Xiao Bingqi answered and led the way into the house.

After the meal, without saying a word, he went to the study.

Liu Lingmei, seeing his bad mood, assumed it was because of Lu Yuer’s departure. She felt a tinge of jealousy and spoke with Zhou Aiping somewhat distractedly.

Noticing her listlessness, Zhou Aiping stood up, "Mom, if you’re tired, go take a nap. I’ve made plans to get a haircut with Fang Qing. Yuwen will be back in a couple of days, and if I get my hair cut today, it will still look good."

"Go ahead," Liu Lingmei was keen for her daughter to leave, letting out a yawn, "Just don’t cut it too short. It won’t look good."

"I know," Zhou Aiping grabbed her bag and left.

Liu Lingmei instructed the nanny, "You should rest too. I’m here."

"Yes." The nanny, quite perceptive, obediently went to her own bedroom.

With all obstacles out of the way, Liu Lingmei swaggered to the outside of the study and gently knocked on the door, "Brother Xiao, it’s me. May I come in?"

"Come in."

"Brother Xiao..." Seeing Xiao Bingqi’s weary face, Liu Lingmei felt an even stronger pang of discomfort and said with a hint of sourness, "You miss your sister-in-law, don’t you? Should we bring her back to help take care of Aunt Xiao?"

"That’s not it," Xiao Bingqi waved his hand, "You misunderstood, it’s work-related stuff."

"Sigh," Liu Lingmei sighed, "Brother Xiao, you’re not made of iron. How can you push yourself like this?" She moved behind him and began to massage his shoulders, "Look how tense your shoulders are. Does this feel better now?"

Xiao Bingqi reached up and patted Liu Lingmei’s hands, "You understand me. Not like Lu Yuer, who only knows how to work hard without knowing how to say a caring word."

"Hehe..." Liu Lingmei giggled, "Hearing you say that, Brother Xiao, I feel flattered and embarrassed. How can I compare with your sister-in-law?"

"What sister-in-law." Xiao Bingqi pulled her in front of him, looking into her eyes, "Xiaomei, we’re not getting any younger. I don’t want to play guessing games with you. I like you. What about you? Do you like me?"

Although anticipating this, being asked so abruptly by Xiao Bingqi still made Liu Lingmei blush. Her eyes flickered for a moment before she finally nodded, "Mhm."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Xiao Bingqi stood up, pushing her onto the small bed in the study, his gaze burning with intensity, "A woman as good as you should be cherished by a man."

Biting her lip, Liu Lingmei asked, "Brother Xiao, can you marry me?"

"I can, but if we’re together, what about the kids?"

Liu Lingmei sighed softly, "Brother Xiao, do you think I’m so selfish that I don’t care about my daughter’s happiness? Actually, I’ve long known that Yuwen doesn’t like Aiping. These past two years, he often doesn’t touch Aiping for months. If we keep delaying this, Aiping’s life will be ruined."

"You want them to divorce?"

"Does Brother Xiao have a better idea?" Liu Lingmei stared directly at Xiao Bingqi, "Lu Yuer believes that family cannot visit Yuwen in the hospital. I don’t, and Aiping knows but dares not ask. Brother Xiao, there’s another girl taking care of Yuwen, isn’t there?"

"You really can’t be fooled by anything..." Xiao Bingqi said with a light chuckle as he began to undress Liu Lingmei. They were both in their forties, experienced enough not to play games of reluctance like young couples in love. There was an unspoken understanding between them, and now that the opportunity had arisen, why would they waste time?

After their tryst, Liu Lingmei lay with her eyes closed, a look of satisfaction on her face, "Brother Xiao, in this lifetime, you must treat me well. I’ve followed you without concern for anything else. If you don’t marry me, I... I won’t be able to live..."

Listening to Liu Lingmei’s constant prattle, a cold smirk appeared on the corner of Xiao Bingqi’s mouth.

These past few days, rather than the assured victory he had anticipated, he sensed the threat of an impending storm. If... that’s why he was so eager to send Lu Yuer back and win over Liu Lingmei—it was to cuckold Zhou Gangping and disgrace the Zhou family! Marry her? In her dreams!

Unfortunately, Zhou Mikang’s little wife was tightly guarded by Old Man Wan; otherwise, he would’ve loved to let his son have a taste too. That way, it would truly be the best of both worlds!

"Knock knock knock..."

The door to the study was suddenly knocked on loudly, accompanied by a muffled call for "Dad".

Xiao Bingqi’s thoughts were abruptly pulled back; he hurriedly got up to latch the door. Liu Lingmei panicked too. Although this affair had been planned and longed for, Xiao Yuwen was still her son-in-law, and the scandal—if exposed—would leave her with no place to hide her face.

Xiao Bingqi’s pants had already been pulled down to one leg, and in his rush, he tripped over them with a "thud," falling to the ground. Liu Lingmei, too flustered to pull him up, hurriedly fumbled with her clothes. But just as she had pulled her sweater halfway on, the door creaked open.

"One... one moment..."

Seeing the two half-naked people in the room, Xiao Yuwen couldn’t help but realize what had happened. His teeth were gone, his dentures not yet fitted, making his speech horribly slurred.

"Close the door!" Xiao Bingqi snapped, quickly going back to the bed to get dressed. By this time, Liu Lingmei had already straightened her clothes, blushing red as a tomato, uncertain whether to stand or sit by the bed.

"You should leave," Xiao Bingqi said.

Liu Lingmei, as if granted amnesty, rushed out of the study in a few strides.

"What happened to you again?" Seeing that his son’s face was swollen like a pig’s, Xiao Bingqi frowned deeply, "Who did this to you this time?"

"Beating by surprise."

"What happened exactly?" Xiao Bingqi waved his hand dismissively, "Never mind that, go fit your teeth first."

After ten minutes, Xiao Yuwen came back and demanded, "Dad, how could you get together with my mother-in-law? You’re really not discriminating at all!"

"Don’t talk nonsense if you don’t know!" Xiao Bingqi glared at his son, "Your father doesn’t need your lessons on how to handle things. Speak up, what exactly happened?"

"Li Xiaoru has a childhood sweetheart named Cheng Guo, who is Jing Zhe’s apprentice. Jing Zhe took his apprentices to back her up, and it just so happened..." Xiao Yuwen paused, "It just so happened I wanted to do what dad has just done, and got caught red-handed. He beat me up like this. And the worst part..." Xiao Yuwen pointed woefully at his crotch, "his female apprentice stepped on me here. It’s so painful, I’m afraid if I don’t get it treated soon, dad, you might really end up without descendants!"

"Why did you even come back then?" Xiao Bingqi, anxious, pulled him up to hurry out.

"Jing Zhe won’t let me stay in Room 401. Without dad’s arrangements, how could I go anywhere else?"

"You two..." Seeing the Xiao father and son rushing out, Liu Lingmei quickly followed, "Where are you going?"

"You can pack up and leave," Xiao Dongqi glanced at her, "When I come back, you must disappear from this room." Saying that, he walked out without looking back, pulling Xiao Yuwen out the door.

"You... you’re not taking responsibility?" Liu Lingmei blanched with anger, as she had been fantasizing about becoming the mistress of the Xiao family. But instead, she was being swept out?

Was this kindness in recent days all for this one moment?

Did he think she was so easily bullied? She defiantly decided not to leave, challenging him to deal with her.

The housekeeper glanced at the fuming Liu Lingmei, "Do you need help packing your luggage?"

"Get lost!" Liu Lingmei glared at her, "Since when is it your turn to talk here?"

"The master asked you to leave as soon as possible. I’m sorry, but I can’t let you stay here," the housekeeper said, grabbing her arm, "Pack your things quickly, or else I’ll throw you out just like this."

"You..." Liu Lingmei pointed at her, shaking with rage, "Say that again, I dare you?"

The housekeeper stared back fearlessly, "Pack up and leave now, or else I’ll throw you out just like this."

"This is outrageous..." Considering Xiao Bingqi’s recent demeanor, Liu Lingmei’s tone softened slightly, "No matter what, my daughter is the Xiao family’s daughter-in-law, and you are just a housekeeper. You wouldn’t want to lose your job, would you?" (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com) with your recommendation ticket or monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)