After My Death, the Richest Heiress Committed Suicide to Be With Me - Chapter 13

Xiao Lou glanced at her phone; it was already 2:05 PM. “Junior Wu, how are you getting back to school?” she asked.

Wu Yi was agonizing over her next move when she looked up. Xiao Lou’s face—refined, elegant, and gentle—appeared through the rising steam of the rice noodles. To Wu Yi, she looked like a vision from another lifetime. She blinked quickly to hide the moisture in her eyes. Just as she was about to answer, an idea flashed through her mind, clearing her heart like the moon emerging from behind the clouds.

“Senior Xiao!” she said excitedly. “I knew I had something to tell you! I just remembered!”

Xiao Lou set down her bowl, curious. “What is it?”

Wu Yi’s eyes sparkled as she looked at her. “That kitten! I had originally bought cat food and canned treats to go see it, but these past few days,” Wu Yi trailed off, feeling embarrassed. To be honest, she never expected Xiao Lou to rescue her from the street, let alone show up at her door to apologize for the tutoring situation. These were all unexpected joys that had completely consumed her, causing her to lose track of everything, including the kitten that served as their primary connection.

Realizing that Mo Qinghan and Xiao Lou spent every day together while she could only contact Xiao Lou under the guise of schoolwork, Wu Yi felt a wave of despondency. She searched her mind until she remembered the kitten. That was the best possible bond between her and Xiao Lou.

Blushing and unable to meet Xiao Lou’s honest gaze, Wu Yi lowered her eyes and stammered, “I actually forgot about it. I am so sorry. I talked to my family when I got home. This was a responsibility I took on, and I should not have just abandoned it. Besides, it is so inconvenient for you to keep a cat in a dormitory, so I thought,” she looked up again, meeting Xiao Lou’s eyes. “Senior Xiao, I want to take the kitten home and raise it myself. Would that be okay?”

Having lived two lives, she was finally learning to be considerate. She realized that with four people in a dorm, even if the roommates liked Xiao Lou, a kitten would inevitably meow and leave messes. No matter how diligently Xiao Lou cleaned, there would be smells. Over time, the roommates might grow resentful, even if they did not say it. After all, the dorm did not belong to Xiao Lou alone.

The more Wu Yi thought, the more ashamed she felt. That day, she had only thought about giving the cat to Xiao Lou so she would have an excuse to see her. Now, she realized she had brought her trouble, possibly causing her to be marginalized by her roommates and forcing her to squeeze money out of her tight budget for veterinary bills and food. She felt like she was making a mistake all over again.

“This,” Xiao Lou started, unsure how to respond. But across from her, Wu Yi was already restless with anxiety based on her own assumptions. Her eyes followed Xiao Lou’s every move, desperate for her to agree.

After a moment, Xiao Lou said, “It is really alright. I have always liked animals, and my roommates like the kitten too. You are still in Senior High; you should not be distracted.”

Wu Yi had not expected Xiao Lou to be worried about her in this situation. Feeling a mix of joy and guilt, she leaned forward, her gaze sincere. “Senior Xiao, do not worry. There are many people in my house who can help me look after the kitten.”

Her voice grew more fervent, as if she were making a solemn vow. “If you are afraid I am just being flighty, I promise you that I will absolutely take the best care of the kitten. I will report to you every day on how it is doing. I will not let it get hurt ever again. Truly!”

Seeing Wu Yi’s impassioned state—her face flushed, her large eyes fixed on her, and her pale hands clenched into fists—Xiao Lou found her junior’s earnestness as adorable as a primary school student’s.

“Alright then,” Xiao Lou conceded. “You can take it home. But while you are looking after it, do not forget your studies.”

Overjoyed, Wu Yi immediately replied, “I will! I promise Senior Xiao that I will not let it affect my schoolwork.”

Realizing she was being too intense, she quickly straightened her posture. “Senior Xiao, I was too impulsive just now. Do you think I am being childish?”

Xiao Lou gave a gentle smile. “No. Actually, I think it is quite cute. It is getting late, Junior Wu. You need to get back to school or you will be late. Shall I call a car for you?”

Wu Yi checked her phone; it was already 2:10 PM. “No need, I will call one myself.” Seeing Xiao Lou still watching her, she added quickly, “Really, I can take care of myself.”

Xiao Lou found this insistence on her independence even more charming. She watched her with warm eyes but said nothing.

Afraid of being late, Wu Yi stood up. “Senior Xiao, can I come pick up the kitten tonight?”

Xiao Lou thought for a moment. “I have something tonight. How about tomorrow at noon?”

“Okay.” Wu Yi stepped away from the table. Seeing the stall owner cooking for other students, she suddenly realized Xiao Lou had paid for everything. She could not stop herself from feeling guilty again. Whenever she saw Xiao Lou, she forgot everything else.

As the moment of departure neared, Wu Yi felt a sense of gloom. She followed Xiao Lou out in silence. Her security detail, following her earlier instructions, stayed back. Her driver saw her approaching the road and started to move toward her, but watched as she and her companion flagged down a bus instead.

Once on the bus, Wu Yi regained some of her composure. Looking through the window at Xiao Lou, she said, “Senior Xiao, I was so happy you treated me to noodles today. Tomorrow at noon, can I treat you to lunch?”

Xiao Lou handed her a canvas bag. “I am the senior; treating you to a meal is nothing. Do not overthink it.”

Hearing that tone of a senior looking after a junior, Wu Yi felt a surge of anxious embarrassment. She blurted out, “Senior Xiao, I have money! I have a lot of pocket money!”

Xiao Lou burst out laughing, genuinely amused. Playing along, she said, “Alright, alright, I know you have plenty of pocket money. Keep it for yourself. Driver, to Guohai First High, please. Go on now, do not be late.”

She nodded to the driver, and the bus started up immediately. Before Wu Yi could say another word, the vehicle sped off with a hum. The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror and asked cheerfully, “Was that your sister? She seems to care about you a lot.”

Dejected, Wu Yi replied casually, “She is not my sister.”

Sensing her sour mood, the driver hummed an acknowledgment and stayed quiet. Wu Yi took a few deep breaths, staring down at the canvas bag on her lap. She stroked it gently with her palm, murmuring under her breath, “She is the most important person to me. I do not want her to be my sister.”

The bus reached Guohai First High in less than ten minutes. Wu Yi paid and got off, clutching the canvas bag to her chest. Looking toward the campus, she saw the red flags fluttering over the wide plaza and students moving through the corridors of the teaching buildings. Suddenly, she felt a pang of regret because she had forgotten to tell her something. She quickly pulled out her phone to type:

“Senior Xiao, I forgot to tell you earlier, my mother is back.”

She sent the message and turned off her screen. Taking a deep breath, she walked quickly toward the teaching building. Just as she reached the stairs, her phone chimed.

“That is good, you can spend more time with her. Also: Focus on class, do not play with your phone.”

“Blockhead,” Wu Yi whispered softly. She turned the screen off again and put the phone on silent. With a light step, she headed to her classroom, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from her heart, replaced by ripples of joy.

After school, Qi Qing came to find Wu Yi and found her copying ancient texts. “A-Yi, there is progress!”

Wu Yi made a shushing motion and continued her transcription. Seeing her friend’s serious expression, Qi Qing did not speak further. She sat in the seat next to her and watched her write, stroke by stroke. She realized Wu Yi was practicing calligraphy using a workbook for ancient texts. “A-Yi,” she could not help but ask, “you really are a different person after three days. You are even practicing calligraphy now?”

Wu Yi finished the final stroke, scrutinized the page from top to bottom, and finally set her pen down with satisfaction. “Of course. I said I was going to study hard; I cannot waste a single moment.”

She took out her phone and began photographing the workbook. After three shots she was not happy with, she stood up to get a better angle for two more.

Qi Qing was baffled. “Why are you taking pictures? Do you not hate posting on social media?”

Wu Yi smiled. “I am not posting this to social media.”

“Then is it for a souvenir?”

“Heh, something like that.” She quickly opened her chat with Xiao Lou, selected the best photo, and hit send.

“Senior Xiao, today’s calligraphy practice. Seeking your review.” She attached a cute cat emoji. Only then did she turn to Qi Qing. “What is the progress?”

“I found those two security guards you asked for,” Qi Qing said, checking the time. “I have already arranged for them to be at my private office.”

After Wu Shanyin divorced Su Lianxin and married Lin Xia, he handed Wu Yi’s guardianship over to Lin Xia. Although Wu Yi held the title of the Richest Man’s Daughter, she actually lacked people she could trust and was restricted financially. To prevent Lin Xia from interfering, Wu Yi had insisted on meeting the guards on Qi Qing’s turf.

The two girls headed straight to a modern skyscraper in the center of Huaihai City. This was a branch office of the Qi family, where a private office had been set up specifically for Qi Qing. They took a private elevator to the office. A man and a woman were sitting on the sofa in silence. The man sat upright with a solemn expression, while the woman had her long legs propped up on the coffee table, her face full of defiance. They glanced at Qi Qing and Wu Yi as they entered, then looked away.

Qi Qing sat behind her desk. “This is Wu Yi, the young head of the Wu family. She is the one looking for you.”

The two remained silent, not even moving their eyes. Without a word, Wu Yi pulled a card from her schoolbag and waved it between her fingers. Staring at Song Hao and Shen Qingqing, she said, “There is one million in here. This is the budget for the first task I want you to handle.”

Song Hao looked at her. “Miss Wu, I have not agreed to your employment yet.”

Wu Yi replied calmly, “That is fine. I have not approved of your skills yet, either.” She noticed Shen Qingqing’s eyebrows twitch with interest. Wu Yi continued, “The first task is a test. Only if you pass will you be considered. Whoever passes first will become my personal security captain. As for your salary,” Wu Yi paused, scanning them both. “I will pay you three times the highest industry rate, paid annually in advance.”

“Heh, cheap tricks,” Shen Qingqing sneered. “You think we will fall for such a childish provocation? I do not have time to play games with a schoolgirl.” Looking at Wu Yi’s backpack, she stood up irritably, preparing to leave.

“Hey!” Qi Qing tried to stop her, but Wu Yi signaled her to wait. “After you pass the test, your annual salary can be withdrawn immediately. Whether it is true or not will be clear then. Or are you two famous S-rank security professionals lacking even that much courage?”

Song Hao frowned. “I will not touch anything dirty.”

Wu Yi said, “The Wu family follows the law; I will not do anything stupid. I am about to turn eighteen and will lead the family in the future. It is only natural for me to select my own private security team!”

Shen Qingqing turned back, her eyes sharp. “What is the test?”

Wu Yi smiled. “A three-day trip to experience farm life in a small village in Huainan. Oh, and if this is successful, there is a two hundred thousand bonus.”

Song Hao and Shen Qingqing exchanged a look. Wu Yi casually tossed the card. Shen Qingqing spun and caught it neatly between her index and middle fingers. “What are the specifics?” she asked, frowning.

Wu Yi hooked her arm through Qi Qing’s and walked toward the door. “I will explain the details over the phone. This will be our contact point from now on. Meeting adjourned.”

In the hallway, Qi Qing whispered, “A-Yi, a million is not much to us, but it is a lot for ordinary people. You just handed it over like that?”

Wu Yi’s voice was certain. “Do not worry, nothing will go wrong. Come on, let us go to my house for dinner. My mom loves it when you visit; she told me at noon to invite you over.”

Qi Qing glanced at her. “If Auntie Su did not ask you to invite me, would you have ignored me?”

Wu Yi was looking at her phone and only snapped back after a moment. “Oh, of course not.”

“Then what is it?”

Wu Yi stared at her screen, dazed. After a long silence, Qi Qing heard her mutter to herself, “She still has not replied. She must be busy helping her.”

At 7:00 PM, in the office building next door to the modern skyscraper. Mo Qinghan pushed open the glass doors and walked in, smiling. “We are here. Lou, come in.”

Outside, Xiao Lou looked around curiously. “Xiao Han, you said you needed help. Why did you bring me here?”

She walked in and looked around. It was a renovated suite of three offices. Several people were busy; a professional-looking middle-aged woman was directing four young people in setting up the space. Desks, chairs, computers, files, and printers were scattered about. It was clearly a new office in the making. When Mo Qinghan entered, the five of them stopped working and greeted her respectfully: “President Mo.”

Mo Qinghan nodded to them. “Keep working.” She took Xiao Lou’s arm and led her to a private inner office—an executive suite. Once inside, Mo Qinghan closed the glass door and pointed excitedly to a crystal logo on the wall behind the desk. “Lou, this is the company I just started. It is our company. I specifically named it Xiao-Mo International Trading Company, Limited. Do you like the name?”

Xiao Lou turned to her in shock. “Xiao Han, what is this about?”

Mo Qinghan explained, “A relative recommended a business opportunity to me that is guaranteed to make money. But time was of the essence, so I rushed to set up the company.” She shook Xiao Lou’s arm playfully, her voice a bit coaxing. “Lou, I am still a bit scared doing this alone. I want you to help me hold down the fort. Will you help me?”

Xiao Lou began to understand; Mo Qinghan was pulling her into a business venture. She frowned, slightly unhappy about the approach. But Mo Qinghan knew her temperament perfectly; she immediately shook her arm again and pleaded softly, “Lou, trust me. I know this business will make money; we will see results in two months, really.”

Before Xiao Lou could speak, she continued, “I have been running around these past few days to get everything ready. The office is set up, and we officially open tomorrow. Do not worry, I am the legal representative. You are joining as a partner through an investment, but of course, you do not actually have to provide the funds.”

She watched Xiao Lou’s expression. Seeing her pursed lips, she knew she was upset. She moved in front of her, took both of Xiao Lou’s hands in hers, and looked up with a vulnerable expression. “Lou, are you mad at me because I did not tell you first? Lou, I have no one else I can trust. Only you, Lou,” she pleaded, drawing out the sound of her name.

After a long silence, Xiao Lou asked, “If I do not provide capital, how am I helping you?”

Mo Qinghan’s worry turned to joy. She knew this question meant Xiao Lou had forgiven her. She beamed. “Lou, I have the funds. Do not worry. As long as you are willing to be by my side, I will be full of energy and everything will go smoothly. That is the biggest help of all.”

Xiao Lou did not catch the underlying meaning. She sighed. “Xiao Han, we are only freshmen. We should focus on our studies. Making money can wait until after graduation.”

Knowing how much Xiao Lou valued education, Mo Qinghan replied instantly, “I know, Lou. I promise that even while running the company, I will not let it affect my studies. You can supervise me.” A flash of regret crossed her eyes. In the past, I was willful and missed my chances. How could I waste my education again?

Xiao Lou knew little about running a company. She looked around solemnly and said, “If you need me, I can be a partner in name only. But only in name.”

Mo Qinghan understood; Xiao Lou was saying she would not take any of the profits. She did not argue, but secretly planned to find ways to subsidize her so she would not have to work as a tutor to make ends meet. Now that she had the ability, she could support her parents and help Xiao Lou, never to be controlled by others again.

Mo Qinghan took her on a tour and introduced her to the five employees as a shareholder. Then, the two of them left together. On the way back to the dorm, Mo Qinghan talked non-stop about her vision for the company. “Lou, let me tell you, I have the first-mover advantage. Our company will be a dark horse. First, we will establish ourselves in the market, then we will find a large group to partner with and use their power to scale up.”

Xiao Lou was happy to see her so passionate, but she simply listened without saying much.

At the same time, in the Zhongzhou Tower, the most luxurious part of the Huaihai CBD. Du Ruoxin, dressed in an expensive bespoke suit, was sitting in the lounge area of her CEO office reviewing documents. Suddenly, she slammed a report down on the coffee table.

Lin Xia happened to enter just then. Seeing her rubbing her temples in frustration, she tapped on the door and teased, “President Du, who upset you?”

Du Ruoxin looked at her, a smile touching her eyes. She pointed at the report. “Who else? The subordinates, of course. They are getting more ridiculous by the day. They actually dared to bring me an investment report this unfeasible. Are they asking to be yelled at?”

Lin Xia smiled, patted her shoulder, and sat down elegantly beside her. “Not everyone is as dedicated and professional as you. Come on, do not be upset. I am leaving work early today. I heard a new Western restaurant opened; shall we go try it?”

Du Ruoxin’s face brightened as she looked at Lin Xia with tender eyes. “I did not expect the famous Queen Lin to have the time for food-tasting.”

Lin Xia picked up the report and flipped through it casually. “You are teasing me again. Even an Iron Queen has to eat.” Her voice trailed off. Her eyes locked onto a photograph on the second page—a company profile with a picture of the legal representative. The person in the photo had gentle long hair and a beautiful, youthful face. She looked slightly awkward, as if it were her first time wearing a custom suit.

Lin Xia’s gaze remained fixed on the photo. Her voice sounded strained. “Ruoxin, is this the new company seeking investment?”

Du Ruoxin replied casually, “Yes. There are so many companies and projects seeking investment every day they are like crucian carp crossing a river. I am getting tired of being the CEO of this finance firm. Why do you not find someone else to take over while I go manage the industrial projects?”

Lin Xia did not respond. Her deep eyes were glued to the photograph. “A-Xia, what is wrong?”

It took a long moment for Lin Xia to close the report. Her voice was very low. “Why is the surname Mo?”

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