She Became The Black Lotus’s Pure, Untouchable Love - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Huo Xingyu held her arms open, waiting for Ning Xiangxiang to pounce.

Watching the inner conflict play out on Ning Xiangxiang’s delicate, fair face—which looked as soft as a little steamed bun—and seeing her slender hands reach out only to hesitate, Huo Xingyu couldn’t help but find it adorable.

She never knew Ning Xiangxiang could be this flustered.

In their past life, after they married, Ning Xiangxiang had been like a highly trained wife designed specifically for her. Whenever Huo Xingyu returned home, she would find Ning Xiangxiang waiting at the dining table; when she woke in the morning, Ning Xiangxiang would already be unhurriedly ironing her clothes.

She was never panicked, never rushed.

Seeing Ning Xiangxiang finally extend her hands after much hesitation, Huo Xingyu smiled with satisfaction.

Then, Ning Xiangxiang reached out and took off her blazer.

“Uh…” Huo Xingyu watched her in silence.

Why is she taking off my coat??

Huo Xingyu frowned. Her peripheral vision caught the book by the bed: The Cousin’s Proxy Marriage.

The front cover showed two men hugging, while the back cover depicted a more muscular man stripping a suit off a thinner man. The sentence from the back cover flashed through her mind:

Little vixen… a romance of soul and flesh… when she hesitates, hold her tight.

Huo Xingyu was momentarily dazed.

Should I be the one to hug her?

She looked down at Ning Xiangxiang. The girl’s reddish almond eyes were brimming with tears, and her own reflection was mirrored in them. Huo Xingyu stared at those tears and remembered her at the funeral—sobbing until she could barely stand.

Her heartbreaking grief had stood in sharp contrast to the cold, indifferent expressions of everyone else. It was as if, when Huo Xingyu died, Ning Xiangxiang was the only one who truly felt the pain.

The forced, practiced smile vanished from Huo Xingyu’s face. She reached out and pulled Ning Xiangxiang into a hug.

At that moment, Liu Meng, who had been waiting outside, knocked on the door. Seeing Huo Xingyu embracing Ning Xiangxiang, a look of awkwardness crossed his face. After a moment of hesitation, he stepped forward and held out Huo Xingyu’s phone.

An incoming call was flashing on the screen.

Huo Xingyu sighed.

The Ning family wasn’t actually the best choice for an alliance. The Huo family had deep roots and a massive estate; many families were desperate to climb the social ladder through them. In her previous life, it was only after a series of twists and turns that her grandfather finally made the executive decision to choose Ning Xiangxiang.

She patted Ning Xiangxiang’s hair and said, “Behave yourself.”

Then, Huo Xingyu left.

Ning Xiangxiang watched her retreating figure, feeling a bit dazed. When Huo Xingyu had hugged her just now, her heart had pounded wildly. She had been so terrified by the woman’s abnormal behavior that she froze—until that low, cold, and detached voice sounded in her ear.

“Behave yourself.”

Yes. That emotionless, commanding tone… that was the real Huo Xingyu.

Huo Xingyu probably only hugged her because Ning Huaiai was watching and she couldn’t appear too cold.

To the side, Ning Huaiai, who had witnessed the whole scene, teased, “It seems Fourth Miss Huo is very satisfied with you.”

Ning Xiangxiang smiled but didn’t reply. In her heart, she knew that no one understood Huo Xingyu better than she did. That woman was incapable of loving anyone. If she absolutely had to marry someone out of “love,” it would have to be the company’s financial reports or stock options come to life.

“Aunt Chen will bring you some soup later. I’m going to see Ruomeng. If you want to save your mother, then do exactly as I say.”

“I know.”

Ning Xiangxiang sighed and reached for her phone on the nightstand.

What should she do now? She thought… Life after marrying Huo Xingyu was restrictive. She had to be cautious, terrified of making a single mistake. She had to maintain an image of grace and elegance to be a wife worthy of Huo Xingyu, so as not to lose face for the family.

From the time Huo Xingyu first made a name for herself at twenty-two to when she officially took charge of the family at thirty, the title of “Mrs. Huo” had been like a chain wrapped around Ning Xiangxiang, tightening until she could barely breathe.

She didn’t want that life again. But where would she get the money for her mother’s medical bills? All her business activities were controlled by her stepmother.

Thinking of this, she swiped her phone and opened Weibo. As expected, she was the number one trending topic: #Ning Xiangxiang Accident.

She clicked in to see comments full of prayers and people feeling sorry for her. Her eyes stung. Just as she was thinking about posting an update to say she was safe, a WeChat message popped up.

Hungry? I’ll have someone send you something to eat.

She tapped the notification. The sender’s profile picture was solid black. There was no contact name, only the nickname: ” . “

A period. But Ning Huaiai had just said Aunt Chen was making soup, so it must be her…

She clicked into ” . “‘s Moments, but it was completely empty. Ning Xiangxiang thought to herself: Aunt Chen is a cheerful woman in her fifties—how is she so edgy and “cold” online?? Did something happen to make her upset?

Ning Xiangxiang had been raised by Aunt Chen. Though she was a nanny, in Ning Xiangxiang’s heart, she was family. Since she seemed unhappy, a bit of sweet-talking might help, right?

She tapped on the screen:

Ning Xiangxiang: Okay! I love you the most, most, most! 💋💋💋

She scrolled through her stickers and sent four or five “kiss” emojis. Feeling that wasn’t enough, she added:

Ning Xiangxiang: If you’re busy, you don’t have to come see me. Take care of yourself, don’t get too tired!

A long while passed before the other side replied:

. Not busy.

Ning Xiangxiang arched an eyebrow at the brief reply. Usually, when she went home, Aunt Chen could chat for hours. Now she was being so curt.

Aunt Chen was definitely in a bad mood.

…

Lin Xian narrowed her eyes at her daughter sitting across from her.

Exquisite face, intelligent, composed, and seasoned—this was the masterpiece she had cultivated, the proudest work of her life. But today, Huo Xingyu was acting very strangely.

From the moment she walked in, she had been staring at her phone with an ever-changing expression. One moment she looked pleased, the next expectant, and at one point, she even had a bizarre flush on her face.

On anyone else, Lin Xian would have said she was in love. But on Huo Xingyu, that explanation didn’t fit.

A mother knows her child, Lin Xian thought firmly. The company stock must have gone up.

She cleared her throat twice to get Huo Xingyu’s attention before speaking: “You know why I called you back today, right?”

“I know.”

“I was already debating if that girl from the Ning family was suitable. Now it seems she doesn’t know her place. She is definitely not a match.” Lin Xian took several photos out of her bag and laid them out on the coffee table one by one.

Her diamond-encrusted nail tapped the first photo. “Wen Ran. Just returned from studying abroad. You knew each other before. We know her background. Go meet her this afternoon.”

Huo Xingyu lowered her eyes. Among the spread of photos, Ning Xiangxiang’s had been pushed to the very edge. In the picture, the sunlight caught Ning Xiangxiang’s hair, creating a warm glow. She was smiling, her eyes curving like crescents, with towering mountains in the background.

Who went with her? The thought suddenly popped into Huo Xingyu’s head.

“Xingyu, are you listening to me?” Lin Xian frowned.

“Too skinny.”

Lin Xian nodded. She had met the girl a few days ago; Wen Ran was indeed a bit thin, but she was beautiful, gentle, and well-mannered. Lin Xian was quite satisfied. “She can put on some weight.”

“When she was two, she stole my toy. You can judge a person by age three. She’s too overbearing; she doesn’t suit me.”

“Uh…” Hearing this nonsensical reason, Lin Xian stared at her daughter in confusion.

You still remember a toy being stolen when you were two? You’ve stolen countless things yourself!

Hearing such a childish excuse delivered with Huo Xingyu’s serious, cold, and expressionless face felt incredibly surreal.

Lin Xian pointed to the second photo. “What about this one? Good figure, good personality, gentle, and obedient.”

“Uh…” Huo Xingyu was silent for a moment. “Not enough personality.”

Lin Xian suddenly understood. She smiled knowingly and said, “You already have someone in mind? Why didn’t you tell me? Which one is it?”

She wanted to see which girl managed to have “personality” without being “overbearing” to enchant her daughter so much.

Huo Xingyu didn’t answer. She reached out.

Lin Xian’s gaze followed Huo Xingyu’s slender hand as it skimmed over the photos, stopped at the very edge, and pushed the last photo forward.

Ning Xiangxiang…

Lin Xian looked at the photo, then pulled out her own phone to check the stock market. She couldn’t understand what could have happened to the Huo family’s stock to make her daughter lose her mind like this.

Seeing the red curves trending upward in a perfect bull market, Lin Xian fell silent.

What kind of woman was Ning Xiangxiang? An 18th-tier actress. This was a business marriage. Huo Xingyu hadn’t even met her until today. Would the profit-driven Huo Xingyu really choose her?

Lin Xian looked into Huo Xingyu’s eyes. Her gaze was the same as always—calm and ripple-less. Everything indicated that this was like any other decision she made: calculated, not impulsive, and the “optimal choice.”

Lin Xian felt a premonition that she was about to become the “wicked mother-in-law” from a TV drama. She didn’t consider herself a mean person. But if Huo Xingyu wanted to marry Ning Xiangxiang, she wouldn’t just break them up—she’d pluck every feather off that bird.

Her “masterpiece” could not have a single flaw.

Lin Xian forced a smile, maintaining her composure. “Do you like her?”

“No.”

“Then why?” She waited to see what logic Huo Xingyu would use to convince her.

“She likes me.”

“Are you lacking people who like you?”

“No…” Huo Xingyu looked her straight in the eye and stated calmly: “But no one likes me more than she does.”

“I’m trying to be patient, Huo Xingyu, but what kind of reason is that? Can’t you make up a decent one? If you said you liked women, I’d find you women, but don’t try to provoke me on purpose…” Lin Xian laughed out of sheer frustration. She took a sip of her coffee and said:

“Clear your schedule for this afternoon. You are going to meet Wen Ran.”