Chapter 1: The Beautiful Mother, Chi Qinglan
Chapter 1: The Beautiful Mother, Chi Qinglan
Wanghai City, bordering the sea, is one of the most prosperous metropolises in China and the world.
Under the starlit sky, the city was a flowing tapestry of people and flashing neon. The entire skyline was ablaze with light, looking like a brilliant pearl embedded in the velvet of the night.
A towering skyscraper, hundreds of meters tall, stood in the heart of Wanghai City. In this district where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, the value of this building could no longer be measured by mere money.
On one of the upper floors, within an office decorated in an elegant and minimalist style, a noble and graceful woman was reviewing various documents.
Time slipped away quietly, and before she knew it, noon had arrived.
The sun hung high in the sky, and a ray of piercing sunlight fell across her eyes.
The beautiful woman looked up slightly, revealing an exquisite and flawless face of peerless beauty.
Her features were three-dimensional: bright phoenix eyes with slightly upturned corners, eyebrows like distant mountains, a high, elegant nose, and enticing red lips.
Her raven-black hair was gathered behind her ears like a silken waterfall, exposing a snow-white, slender jade neck. Her phoenix eyes, as clear and bright as a deep pool, held a hint of coldness. Her gaze inadvertently projected an air of indifferent detachment that warned others not to approach lightly. Despite her cold and noble temperament, her face bore no trace of the passing years; her skin was like suet jade, without a single fine line, smoother and more delicate than that of a young girl.
Yet, she radiated the mature and sexy charm that only a woman in her prime possesses, making it impossible to guess her true age.
She paused her work and gently massaged the space between her brows. Standing up, she walked to the floor-to-ceiling window to stretch her body, which had grown stiff from long hours of office work.
She was very tall, with a net height of 173 centimeters. At first glance, the most eye-catching feature was the pair of rounded, straight, and slender legs beneath her willow-thin waist.
Her legs were exceptionally long, yet their proportions were perfect. The grace in her stride was enough to make it impossible for anyone to look away, leaving them lost in a daze.
She wore a custom-made, black, tailored suit. Beneath the small blazer was a thin, white blouse. Her breasts were high and firm, their rounded fullness pushing against the fabric of the blazer, yet the white blouse underneath was buttoned to the very top, revealing not a hint of skin.
Judging by the bountiful scale of her chest, it seemed unlikely that one could even cup them with both hands joined together.
The tailored suit cinched sharply beneath her bust, outlining a slender and captivating waist. It was so thin it seemed a single hand could wrap around it, as supple as a spring willow branch yet full of womanly grace.
Her abdomen was flat with no trace of excess fat. Below the waist, her beautiful buttocks were tightly encased in the tailored suit trousers. They were perky and full, rounded and large—a shape as perfect as a ripe peach. The soul-stirring curve was incredibly tempting, making one long to bury their face in that fullness.
Following the line of her long legs downward, a pair of fair, petite jade feet were hidden within black stilettos. Her feet were exquisite and alluring; a single glance was enough to make one's blood boil, sparking an instinctive urge to kneel on the ground and lick her soles.
Standing before the window, she exuded the unique charm of a mature woman. As she watched the heavy traffic on the streets below, her elegant brows furrowed slightly. her gaze was as deep as a dark pool, lost in thought.
Ring, ring...
The crisp sound of the doorbell pulled her back from her wandering thoughts. She turned back to her desk and pressed a button, and the office doors slid open automatically.
Though the door was open, the delicate girl standing there did not move immediately.
"Enter," the woman said, her red lips parting slightly to deliver the brief command.
Only then did the girl, who was carrying a stack of documents, step inside. she walked toward the woman with quick, quiet steps.
The girl had a plain but clean appearance and was dressed very appropriately. She had been with the company for less than three years and had already become Chi Qinglan's personal assistant, which spoke volumes of her outstanding ability.
"President Chi," the girl said softly, standing before the desk. "Director Chi has requested an urgent meeting with you. It's scheduled for four o'clock this afternoon in the corporate conference hall."
Hearing this, Chi Qinglan frowned slightly. Her expression turned icy, showing no sign of pleasure.
The young assistant held her breath, not daring to make a sound, silently waiting for her superior's reaction.
After a moment, Chi Qinglan sighed softly and rubbed her temples in resignation.
The "Director Chi" the girl mentioned was Chi Qinglan's elder brother. He was one of the controllers of the Chiyue Group, overseeing various subsidiaries like Chiyue Pharmaceutical and Chiyue Heavy Industry.
Chi Qinglan and her brother held intertwined power. Both held key positions in the Chiyue Group's subsidiaries and owned significant shares; they were the true masters of the Chiyue Group.
Chi Qinglan said softly, "I understand. You may go."
Her words were brief, offering no further comment.
The girl placed the documents gently on Chi Qinglan's desk and quietly withdrew.
The office doors slid shut automatically.
Chi Qinglan stared at the monitor in front of her, her beautiful eyes somewhat vacant.
Her brother's sudden request for a talk would undoubtedly involve the research direction for Chiyue Electronics' new products and the overall reform of the Chiyue Group.
Since their father's sudden death from illness, Chi Qinglan and her brother had jointly inherited all his shares in the Chiyue Group's companies.
While Chi Qinglan advocated for bold reforms and constant expansion into new fields, her brother was conservative and stuck to tradition, disagreeing with her methods.
Because of their differing philosophies, the relationship between the siblings had grown increasingly strained in recent years.
A moment later, Chi Qinglan composed herself and glanced at the slender wrist of her fair arm to check the time. It was already one o'clock in the afternoon.
The watch she wore was not expensive; in fact, it was quite ordinary. Whether in terms of temperament or value, it did not match her at all.
She reached for the insulated lunchbox nearby. Inside was the Osmanthus Lily Red Date Porridge her son had meticulously prepared for her. It was still steaming, releasing an inviting fragrance that made one's mouth water with just a sniff.
Chi Qinglan took a small spoonful of the porridge. The rich aroma and familiar sweet taste spread through her mouth, allowing her to feel a sense of unprecedented relaxation after a tiring morning.
She took one small bite after another, her spoon never stopping. Before long, she had finished the entire bowl.
After finishing her lunch, Chi Qinglan leaned back in her chair lazily. Her previously furrowed brows smoothed out, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared on her face, which was usually masked in a cold frost.
She stared blankly at the lunchbox for a moment. It featured a cartoon design of a mother holding her son's hand as they watched the sunrise together—a warm, cozy scene.
The corners of Chi Qinglan's mouth curled into a smile she didn't even notice. She suddenly beamed, making the entire office seem to brighten.
She reached out to stroke the cartoon pattern on the lunchbox, the image of a clean-cut young boy appearing in her mind. Her eyes softened as she murmured softly, "So thoughtful, baby."
Osmanthus Lily Red Date Porridge had the effect of nourishing the skin and blood. To cater to her picky palate and take care of her body, which was often overworked, her son had clearly put a lot of effort into studying his culinary skills.
Checking the time again, Chi Qinglan picked up her phone and dialed a number.
Beep... beep... beep...
She waited for nearly half a minute before the call was finally answered.
With a smile on her face, Chi Qinglan said softly, "Hello, Teacher Chu. This is Lin Yuan's mother, Chi Qinglan."
The other end of the line was very quiet. For several seconds, no one spoke.
Just as Chi Qinglan began to frown in confusion, a somewhat hurried voice suddenly came through the phone: "He... hello, Lin Yuan's mother. Um... yes, please... ah! ... go ahead."
The voice was charming, accompanied by a seductive, suppressed moan, as if the speaker were desperately holding something back.
Chi Qinglan's expression turned to shock. The hand holding the phone gave an imperceptible tremble, and a flush of crimson crept onto her cheeks.
Her eyes filled with shame and indignation; she instantly understood what Teacher Chu was doing on the other end of the line.
Chi Qinglan's chest heaved slightly. She cursed inwardly, then composed herself and said in a low voice, "Te... Teacher Chu, I might be a bit late to pick up Lin Yuan this afternoon. Could you please pass the message along? I'm afraid he'll be anxious waiting after school."
There was another long silence. Just as Chi Qinglan was about to hang up, a series of crisp "clap-clap-clap" sounds suddenly erupted from the receiver. It sounded like raindrops pelting a window during a storm—rapid and fierce—accompanied by the "squelch-squelch" sound of splashing liquid.
"Ah... ah... ahhh!"
Immediately following that was Teacher Chu's lewd, utterly wanton scream.
Chi Qinglan finally lost her composure, her expression one of extreme outrage. She had met this Teacher Chu before; in her memory, she was an intellectual beauty with an outstanding temperament and a scholarly air—a very charming woman.
Chi Qinglan could hardly imagine that now, in the middle of the day, this elegant and well-mannered Teacher Chu would be engaging in such debauchery—and without even trying to hide it while on the phone.
"O-okay... ahhh!" Chu Ning's moans came through the phone again. She could no longer control her pitch; her voice was high-pitched and depraved.
"Mmm... gentler..." Chu Ning's voice suddenly became soft and coquettish, as if she were acting spoiled.
Chi Qinglan didn't hesitate and hung up the phone immediately.
But in the split second before the connection cut, a man's suppressed low growl came through the speaker.
Or rather, "boy" was more appropriate, because the voice was clear, young, and tender. And it was very familiar.
Chi Qinglan froze. She instinctively looked at the phone in her hand, but the call had ended, and no more sound came out.
The boy's low growl echoed repeatedly in her mind. Chi Qinglan's heart was instantly thrown into a state of chaos because the voice at the end of the call was far too familiar to her. It was almost identical to the voice of her son, Lin Yuan!
Her face turned as pale as paper. Her fair hand gripped the phone so tightly that her long, jade-like fingers turned white from the pressure. Her expression shifted rapidly as she stared at the screen.
Was that Yuan'er? Why did that voice sound so much like his? Chi Qinglan thought to herself. Her heart was like a turbulent sea, unable to find peace for a long time.
She instinctively swiped the screen open, her fingertip hovering over the contact named "Teacher Chu." She remained frozen in that position for a long time. Finally, she snapped out of it, shaking her head with a forced chuckle. She muttered to herself, "How could it be Yuan'er? He's such a good boy. What on earth am I thinking..."
She set the phone down and pulled the documents her assistant had brought earlier toward her, her beautiful eyes scanning the information.
Minutes and seconds ticked by. A long time passed, yet Chi Qinglan had not written a single word on the documents.
Instead, the once clean and tidy pages were now covered in various scratches and marks she had made unconsciously...