That night, Li Cheng didn't come home, and it made Xiotan furious. The same thing happened the next day and the day that followed. For five whole days, he didn't return home, and what annoyed Xiotan the most was that he wasn't picking up any of her calls or replying to her messages.
Waking up with a frown, she went straight to the bathroom, took a quick shower, and dressed up. She applied a bit of makeup, just enough to enhance her natural beauty. She had made up her mind: today, she was going to his company to talk things out. She couldn't keep up with this silent treatment. After preparing lunch for him, she packed it in a beautiful thermos flask.
***
A few hours later, a sleek black Bugatti Chiron pulled into the parking lot of Black Whales Company, Li Cheng's empire. Xiotan stepped out of the car, her presence commanding attention. She was dressed in an autumn floral print V-neck puff sleeve skater dress paired with black peep-toe platform heels. Her hair was styled in a sleek ponytail with perfectly laid edges, and she accessorized with stud diamond earrings, a simple diamond necklace, a silver bangle, and a delicate sparkling ring. Her look was simple yet elegant, radiating effortless beauty.
As she stepped out, she scanned the parking lot, searching for Li Cheng's car. She didn't see it at first and began to wonder if he was even around. Just as she was about to leave, her eyes caught sight of a gold Lamborghini parked in a private spot away from the other cars. Without a doubt, she knew it was his.
Walking to the entrance of the company, she was met by two towering guards standing firm by the doors. She had insisted on coming alone, without any maids or bodyguards, wanting to handle this on her own terms.
The revolving door pushed her forward with its strong, thick glass and golden steel frame. As she stepped inside, her jaw dropped in amazement at the stunning interior. The place was immaculate, with everything and everyone organized to perfection.
She walked up to the receptionist, offering a polite greeting. "Good day, how have you been?"
The receptionist smiled warmly. "I'm good, ma'am. And you?"
"Same," Xiotan replied, her tone courteous.
"How can I help you today, ma'am?" the receptionist asked.
"I'm here to see your boss, Li Cheng," Xiotan stated, her voice calm but firm.
The receptionist was momentarily taken aback. It wasn't common for someone to address him so directly without the usual titles of respect. "Do you have an appointment with him?"
"Appointment? No, I don't. I'm just here to see him," Xiotan replied casually.
The receptionist's face turned apologetic. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but you won't be able to see him without an appointment or a business-related matter."
"But I really need to see him. Could you give him a call and let him know someone is here to see him?" Xiotan insisted, her patience thinning.
"That won't be possible, ma'am," the receptionist explained. "He gave strict instructions not to be disturbed unless it's for business purposes."
"I'm sure if you tell him his wife is here, he'll want to see me," Xiotan said confidently.
The receptionist looked at her, startled. "Wife? You're his wife?"
Xiotan's expression darkened. "What do you mean? Don't you know he's married?"
"I know he's married, but are you sure you're his wife? Because, with all due respect, you don't look like her at all," the receptionist replied, eyeing her skeptically.
Xiotan's temper flared. "Are you insinuating that I'm not his wife because I don't have an entourage or because I look too simple?"
"I don't mean to insult you, ma'am," the receptionist said cautiously, "but many women come here claiming to be his wife just to get a chance to see him. I'm afraid you might be one of them."
"Hmph! You don't know me at all. I could beat you to a pulp for saying that to me , but that's not what I'm here for," Xiotan snapped, pulling out her phone to call Li Cheng herself. She dialed his number, but it was unreachable. Hissing in frustration, she tried again, with the same result.
"Fuck this useless network!" she cursed under her breath.
"Ma'am, please, could you kindly leave?" a guard asked, stepping forward with his hand outstretched, signaling her to exit. She hadn't noticed when the receptionist had called him over, too engrossed in her phone to see the signal.
"Are you normal? You're asking me to leave? What kind of nonsense is this?" she snapped at both the guard and the receptionist.
"Ma'am, please leave respectfully before we have to throw you out in an embarrassing way," the receptionist warned, her tone firming up.
"And you should be ready to lose your job," Xiotan retorted, her voice dripping with disdain.
"You're really testing my patience. Don't make me create a scene. Just pick up the phone and call your boss," she demanded, her voice growing louder and drawing the attention of nearby employees.
"I don't understand why you're questioning if I'm his wife. Aren't you his workers? Why don't you know who his wife is?" Xiotan asked, exasperated.
"Because he doesn't want us to," the receptionist explained eyeing her. "He didn't invite any of us to his wedding, so we've never met her. And if she were coming today, he would've informed me to let her in, but he didn't. Plus, our boss's wife wouldn't dress this… simply."
"This is bullshit!" Xiotan exclaimed, her patience wearing thin. "Just call him; it's a very simple task. Ugh, why don't I have Da Ming's number?"
"Ma'am, this is your last warning. Please leave," the guard warned, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
"If you don't shut the fuck up, I'm going to slap you so hard you'll lose all your teeth!" she threatened, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Please, escort her out," the receptionist ordered arrogantly. As the guard reached out to grab her, Xiotan reacted swiftly, delivering a stinging slap across his face and a hard kick to his groin, sending him doubling over in pain.