The Whole World Wants Them to Get a Divorce - Chapter 4

Si Yu felt like she was a kid in elementary school, tattling on a classmate to the teacher, but she was genuinely hurt. She was just talking to Lu Xi’s grandmother and hadn’t done anything to deserve such a harsh attitude from Lu Xi.

Although she knew Lu Xi’s hostility was directed at the original “Si Yu,” not her.

The heartwarming scene was suddenly disrupted. The old woman in the wheelchair looked flustered and quickly said, “Xi Xi, Qiao Qiao came to see me.”

Lu Xi: “…Qiao Qiao?”

The housekeeper explained, “The old madam mistook Miss Si for Miss Yuan Qiao.”

Lu Xi looked at Si Yu, who was quietly groaning in pain. “Grandma,” she said in a low voice, “she’s not Qiao Qiao.”

“She is Qiao Qiao.” The old woman pushed her wheelchair forward, separated their hands, and pulled Si Yu to her side. She looked at Lu Xi. “Xi Xi, that incident was many years ago. It wasn’t Qiao Qiao’s fault. Don’t blame her, and don’t make her leave.”

Si Yu was completely confused and didn’t understand what was happening.

Lu Xi frowned.

The old woman took Si Yu’s right hand and saw that her wrist was red. Her heart ached. “Qiao Qiao, does it hurt?”

Meeting Lu Xi’s unreadable gaze, Si Yu gave a guilty “Mmm.”

Lu Xi ground her teeth.

“It doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t hurt. Grandma will blow on it for you.”

Seeing the old woman cradle her hand like a treasure and blow on her wrist, Si Yu felt a mix of wanting to laugh and wanting to cry.

She leaned down slightly and whispered to the old woman, “Grandma, it doesn’t hurt anymore. You don’t have to worry.”

“It doesn’t hurt?”

“Mmm, it doesn’t.”

“Oh, my poor child.” The old woman’s thin, frail hand stroked her cheek, looking at her as if she couldn’t get enough. “If anyone ever upsets you again, you must tell me. If you’re unhappy about anything, you must tell me, understand?”

Si Yu desperately held back her tears. “I understand, Grandma,” she said obediently.

The old woman held her hand and whispered, “I had someone buy your favorite cantaloupe and put it in the fridge to chill. Let’s go and eat it.”

Si Yu glanced at the silent Lu Xi on the side, raised an eyebrow, and said, “Okay!”

Lu Xi’s lips were pressed tightly together, and the emotions in her eyes were unreadable.

Si Yu took the wheelchair from the housekeeper and pushed the old woman toward the living room.

Lu Xi’s cold, serene eyes were fixed on Si Yu’s back, deep in thought.

She had just gone to her room to answer a few emails when she heard the housekeeper say that Si Yu had come to see her grandmother. Worried that something might happen, she rushed over, only to see a beautiful scene of a loving mother-in-law and a devoted daughter-in-law.

This wasn’t the first time her grandmother had mistaken someone for another, but how could she have mistaken Si Yu for that person?

The Lu family mansion was a standalone villa surrounded by a lake on three sides, with a massive area. It was a long walk from the backyard to the living room.

Si Yu patiently chatted with the old woman and had to multitask by asking Little B, “Who is Qiao Qiao?”

Little B: “Qiao Qiao’s original name was Lu Qiao, but she later changed it to Yuan Qiao. She is the Lu family’s ‘fake’ daughter.”

Si Yu: “Fake daughter?”

Little B: “The Lu family’s matriarch and a woman named Yuan gave birth to daughters at the same hospital. For some reason, the babies were switched. Lu Qiao was the Lu family’s daughter for ten years before it was discovered she wasn’t their biological child. The Lu family then found Lu Xi. Lu Qiao was kicked out and changed her name to Yuan Qiao. Yuan Qiao had the best relationship with the old madam and was very doted on by her.”

After hearing this character background, Si Yu was so shocked her jaw almost dropped.

In the novel, the author only said that Lu Xi was the Lu family’s daughter, incredibly beautiful and talented, and became the CEO of Guangying Entertainment, the largest entertainment company in the country, at a young age. Si Yu was amazed at how awesome the character was, but now she was hearing this “secret”?

It turned out that the perfect Lu Xi had such a bizarre childhood.

This plot was so cliché! This “switched at birth” trope was something that writers had long since moved on from.

Was this considered a family secret?

The author of the novel probably had no idea about Lu Xi’s background, or else they would have included it.

“Where is this Qiao Qiao now?” Si Yu couldn’t help but ask.

Little B: “She went abroad.”

Abroad? Was it arranged by the Lu family, or was there another reason?

Si Yu didn’t have time to ponder this and asked, “Does this Qiao Qiao look a lot like me? How could the old madam have mistaken me for her?”

Little B: “I don’t know.”

Si Yu: “There are things you don’t know?”

Little B: “I am only an artificial intelligence; I’m not omniscient.”

Si Yu: “…”

Si Yu didn’t believe that she and Yuan Qiao looked alike. After all, the character “Si Yu” was made to look exactly like her by the system, which was frustratingly random.

Since they didn’t look alike, the old madam mistaking her for the other woman was very strange.

But it wasn’t all that surprising.

Si Yu’s own grandmother had Alzheimer’s and eventually couldn’t even remember who she was. In her final moments, as her mind briefly cleared, her grandmother, who had been incoherent for a long time, suddenly grabbed her hand and tearfully called her name, “Xiao Yu.”

“‘Xiao Yu’, you must live a good life”—those were the last words her grandmother ever said to her.

Si Yu also wanted to live a good life, but she had terrible luck and was killed by an out-of-control minivan.

They entered the living room while she was lost in thought.

The old woman instructed the housekeeper to get the cantaloupe from the fridge and cut it for Si Yu.

“I’ll do it,” a cold voice cut in. Lu Xi took the fruit knife from the housekeeper.

The housekeeper quickly said, “You shouldn’t trouble yourself with something like this.”

“It’s fine,” Lu Xi said, holding the fruit knife and looking at the woman who was laughing and chatting with the old woman. She slowly said, “Si Yu, you can come help me.”

Si Yu thought she had misheard. She pointed to herself. “Are you talking to me?”

There was a hint of repressed emotion in Lu Xi’s alluring, slender eyes. She gently tapped the gleaming fruit knife with a long, slender finger. “Yes, I am.”

Si Yu looked at the sharp fruit knife and swallowed.

She didn’t think Lu Xi wanted her help to cut fruit. That look and motion seemed more like she wanted to cut her.

Si Yu subconsciously touched her bare neck. She turned to the old woman and smiled. “Grandma, I’ll go help first.”

“Go ahead,” the old woman said.

A single cantaloupe could be cut in the living room, but Lu Xi insisted on going to the kitchen. Si Yu guessed she had something to say to her.

Slam—

The kitchen door was mercilessly shut, blocking them from view.

Si Yu’s hands, which were holding the cantaloupe, trembled. The round fruit fell into the sink with a “thump.”

She pressed her back against the door, looking at Lu Xi, who was holding the knife with an unfriendly gaze. She stammered, “M-m-murder will land you in jail. You’re young, beautiful, and have a limitless future. Don’t do anything reckless!”

Lu Xi calmly placed the fruit knife on the cutting board. Her long, narrow eyes looked over Si Yu. “I warned you not to get close to my grandmother again. Why are you here?”

Why not? Why can’t I get close to her?

As soon as these two questions popped into her mind, a scene flashed before her eyes:

A few months ago, “Si Yu” came to visit the old woman, who had Alzheimer’s. She pushed her into the yard, claiming they were going for a walk, but then sat down with her headphones on to play games. The old woman got thirsty and called out to her for a long time, but “Si Yu” didn’t hear her. In a panic, the old woman tried to get a drink herself and fell out of her wheelchair.

The two-minute scene was received by her mind in less than a second.

After “seeing” this, Si Yu finally understood why Lu Xi was so angry.

She would be angry, too!

“Si Yu” was supposed to be taking care of a defenseless elderly woman with Alzheimer’s, but that’s how she treated her?

She’s not a human being!

The anger inside her was one thing, but in front of Lu Xi, Si Yu couldn’t show any flaws.

She suppressed her rage, exhaled, and pressed her feet together, saying with a hint of awkwardness, “I was careless last time and didn’t watch Grandma properly. I promise something like that will never happen again.”

Lu Xi looked at her with a “I don’t believe you” expression. “I told you, no matter what tricks you try, I am going to get a divorce. My grandmother’s memory is a mess right now; she only temporarily mistook you for Yuan Qiao. Do you think she can help you?”

That was something Si Yu hadn’t considered at all!

Lu Xi’s words were a wake-up call. Her mind raced, thinking about how she could play the “emotional card” with the old woman.

She couldn’t think of anything right now.

Whatever.

Si Yu’s eyelashes fluttered. She said sincerely and with deep affection, “I’m not playing any tricks. I truly don’t want a divorce, and I genuinely want to be good to Grandma. If you don’t believe me, look at my sincere eyes.”

The fruit knife was no longer in Lu Xi’s hand. Si Yu bravely stepped closer, tilted her head back, and stared intently at the beautiful face in front of her.

This distance wasn’t intimate, but it was closer than her usual “safe space.”

To be honest, it was a little intimidating to be this close to a flawless beauty like Lu Xi. Si Yu didn’t want to show any fear, so she made her doe-like eyes as wide as they could be.

Lu Xi felt an urge to push her away. She lowered her gaze and stopped when she met Si Yu’s clear, innocent eyes.

“Do you see my sincerity?” Si Yu blinked quickly.

“Sincerity?” A flicker of a strange expression appeared on Lu Xi’s icy face. With a slight smirk, she said, “All I see is the discharge from your eyes.”

Discharge???

Si Yu’s expression froze. She quickly raised her hand to rub her eyes.

When she saw the sticky stuff on her fingertips, Si Yu was speechless.

It must be because I haven’t been getting enough sleep lately.

…How embarrassing.

Si Yu felt a whirlwind of emotions. Then she heard someone outside the door shout, “Are you done yet? It’s taking so long to cut one cantaloupe. Why did you close the door?”

With a “click,” the kitchen door opened. The housekeeper and the old woman were standing outside.

Si Yu let out a sigh of relief. She composed herself, her face radiating a smile. “Almost done, Grandma! We’ll cut it now. Hurry, hurry.”

She nudged Lu Xi.

Lu Xi’s gaze fell on the hand that had just rubbed her eye. Her expression was one of barely suppressed collapse. She said through clenched teeth, “Wash your hands.”

Of course, Si Yu knew she should wash her hands first.

After she finished, she saw Lu Xi awkwardly holding the fruit knife, clumsily trying to slice the cantaloupe in half. She sighed softly and said, “Give me the knife. I’ll cut it.”

Lu Xi had never done housework. Her hands were used to typing on a keyboard and signing documents. She looked at Si Yu with suspicion. “You know how?”

Tsk, who are you looking down on?

Si Yu carefully took the knife from her hand, expertly sliced and peeled the cantaloupe, and then cut it into cubes. She then instructed the stunned Lu Xi, “Help me get a fruit plate.”

Lu Xi was truly shocked. In her mind, Si Yu was a lazy freeloader who couldn’t do anything. But the way she was cutting the fruit made it seem like she had done it plenty of times before.

“Go get it,” Si Yu urged when she saw Lu Xi standing still.

Lu Xi: “…”

Lu Xi could count the number of times she had been in a kitchen on one hand. She fumbled in the sterilizing cabinet for a while before finding a fruit plate. When she turned, she almost bumped into Si Yu, who was standing close by.

“What are you doing?” Lu Xi took a step back with a stiff face.

Si Yu had carved a small piece of cantaloupe into a heart shape. She put a toothpick in it and held it up to Lu Xi’s mouth. “Here’s a little heart for you,” she said with a bright smile.

“…”

“Try it and see if it’s crunchy.”

Lu Xi’s eyes flickered. “What are you trying to…”

“Grandma is watching,” Si Yu whispered, interrupting her.

Lu Xi looked back, meeting the old woman’s curious gaze. Her expression was complicated.

Si Yu held up the little heart. Her eyes were bright, her smile was innocent, and she said in a sweet voice, “Do you want to eat it?”

She could have easily refused, but then she thought about what her grandmother had said earlier…

Lu Xi hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth and took the piece of cantaloupe. She frowned.

It was too sweet. She didn’t like it.