Chapter 54: An Overdue Apology

"Well, that's it. I basically skipped all my university classes this week."

"Does it really matter anymore?"

Lu Nian'an shot Xia Jiuwei a sidelong glance.

"...Huh. I guess it really doesn't."

A bright smile instantly spread across Xia Jiuwei's face.

"Still, I should probably apply for a suspension from school later. It'd be more proper."

"Sure. I'll take care of it."

As she spoke, Lu Nian'an scrolled through the messages that had piled up over the past four days.

"Let me see what you're looking at."

Resting her chin on Lu Nian'an's shoulder, Xia Jiuwei leaned in curiously.

"Why don't you go take a shower first?"

Without looking up from her phone, Lu Nian'an glanced sideways at Xia Jiuwei.

"Since time flows so differently between the two worlds, we might as well get a good night's sleep first. We can deal with everything tomorrow before heading back to the zombie world."

"Alright."

Xia Jiuwei answered softly before heading into the bathroom.

When she came out of the shower, still carrying the warmth of the shower, the first thing she saw was Lu Nian'an sitting on the sofa.

"You're seriously working again?"

she muttered under her breath as she slowly wandered over.

On the laptop in front of Lu Nian'an, a video was playing.

The screen showed none other than Xia Jiuwei herself, enthusiastically filming the mutated deer with her phone.

Without a word, Lu Nian'an reached over, pulled her down beside her, and handed her one side of the earphones.

"Wow! So this is how ferocious a mutated deer really is?"

The video caught not only her excited voice, but also the eager look on her face.

Snap.

The laptop slammed shut in an instant.

"So cute."

Smiling brightly, Lu Nian'an watched the white-haired girl whose ears had already turned faintly red.

"You..."

Xia Jiuwei looked at the woman sitting before her.

Thinking back to how cold and distant Lu Nian'an always appeared around other people, then comparing it to the playful smile she wore now...

She really had become much more cheerful.

"...Never mind. Go take your shower already."

By the time Lu Nian'an stepped out of the bathroom, the lights in the living room had already been turned off. Only a soft glow seeped through the crack beneath the bedroom door.

Humming quietly to herself, she walked into the room.

"Over here."

Sitting on the bed, Xia Jiuwei patted the empty space beside her.

Lu Nian'an switched off the bedroom light, lifted the blanket, and lay down beside her.

Xia Jiuwei immediately snuggled closer.

"Mia."

"Hm?"

"Do you remember what happened at my dad's birthday banquet?"

"Yeah. I remember. Didn't that whole thing leave you completely exhausted afterward?"

"I've got one piece of good news and one piece of bad news."

Lu Nian'an suddenly asked,

"Which one do you want to hear first?"

Xia Jiuwei thought for a moment.

"The bad news."

"Then I'll start with the good news."

"...Huh?"

"The legal process to take Lu Group private has finally been completed."

Xia Jiuwei's eyes immediately lit up.

"So that means you won't have to bury yourself in work every day anymore?"

"Well..."

Lu Nian'an gave her a somewhat guilty smile.

"Now comes the bad news."

"Oh no..."

"First, Lu Group is still being targeted by our primary upstream supplier in Incheon, so I'll have to negotiate with them."

"And my dad asked me to go see him."

As she spoke, she tightened her arms around the girl in her embrace.

"I have to meet him tomorrow."

Then she rubbed her cheek lightly against Xia Jiuwei's and asked in a small voice,

"Is that okay?"

"So tomorrow you're going to see your dad..."

Xia Jiuwei's words came out a little muffled beneath the affectionate rubbing.

"And after that you'll still have to negotiate..."

She thought about it for a second.

"Honestly... that doesn't sound all that bad."

"How is that even supposed to count as bad news?"

Then something suddenly occurred to her, and her expression immediately became serious.

"As for that video on your laptop..."

"You'd better delete it."

"Hehe. Nope."

"...Hey—"

Before Xia Jiuwei could protest any further, her lips were gently silenced.

The long night quietly slipped by.

The next morning.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, spilling softly across the room.

Xia Jiuwei slowly opened her eyes and glanced at Lu Nian'an, who was still sleeping soundly with her wrapped in her arms.

She thought for a moment before mumbling quietly,

"...Forget it. I'll just sleep in with you."

Curling comfortably back into Lu Nian'an's embrace, she happily drifted off for a second round of sleep.

By the time the two of them finally woke up, it was already close to eleven in the morning.

"So, what's the plan today?"

Xia Jiuwei asked as she climbed out of bed.

"I thought about it yesterday."

Still lying lazily on the bed, Lu Nian'an looked up at her.

"There isn't really anything special."

"I'm just going to see my dad."

"The handover at the company has already been completed. Whatever's left, my younger brother can deal with himself."

Stretching lazily, she continued,

"After I meet him, we can go visit Charles. Sound good?"

"Sure."

Xia Jiuwei nodded.

"So... should we head out now?"

Lu Nian'an climbed out of bed, and the two of them walked into the dressing room, quickly picking out what to wear for the day.

Once they had changed, they headed straight downstairs.

When they reached their familiar parking space in the underground garage, however, it was empty.

Lu Nian'an stared at it in silence for two seconds.

"I think I forgot my car is still parked in your faculty parking lot."

"So..."

Xia Jiuwei hesitated.

"Should we go 'retrieve' it first?"

"Actually, no."

Lu Nian'an shook her head.

"I'll just have someone drive that one back later."

As she spoke, she took out another set of car keys and led Xia Jiuwei toward a different parking space nearby.

"..."

Xia Jiuwei froze.

"What?"

Lu Nian'an lightly jingled the keys in her hand, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Surprised?"

"I mean..."

Xia Jiuwei nodded honestly.

"You never told me you had another car."

"Oh, there's more than just this one..."

Lu Nian'an chuckled softly before stepping on the accelerator.

Less than an hour later, they had left the city behind and were driving toward the nearby mountains.

The skyscrapers outside gradually gave way to dense forests.

At the end of the winding mountain road stood a grand yet somewhat lonely estate.

After parking the car, the two walked through the front gate, where an elderly butler was already waiting.

The moment he saw Lu Nian'an, he bowed respectfully.

"Miss, the Master has been waiting for you."

With that, he turned to lead the way.

From beginning to end, however, he never once acknowledged Xia Jiuwei, who was holding Lu Nian'an's hand, as though she simply didn't exist.

The three of them walked through a long corridor before stopping outside the study.

"The Master is inside."

The butler gently pushed open the door.

Xia Jiuwei glanced inside.

The room was quiet.

An elderly man with graying hair sat alone at a tea table.

She quietly let go of Lu Nian'an's hand.

"You should go talk to your dad."

"This is your family's business."

"I'll wait outside."

But in the very next moment, Lu Nian'an took her hand again, her grip tightening ever so slightly.

"No."

She spoke softly before leading Xia Jiuwei into the room with her.

The door slowly closed behind them.

On the other side of the desk, Father Lu was preparing tea.

Steam drifted gently from the spout as he silently rinsed the tea set and poured the tea with practiced movements.

Only after the fragrance had filled the room did he finally look up.

"Since you're here..."

"Have a seat."

His voice was noticeably lower than before, carrying a trace of weariness.

He gestured toward the seat prepared across from him.

Lu Nian'an, however, remained standing.

She simply looked at him, her expression calm, though tinged with unmistakable indifference.

"If you have something to say, just say it."

Father Lu's hand paused slightly around the teacup before he gave a helpless smile.

"Sit down."

"There's no need."

Lu Nian'an's voice remained even.

"If you have something to say, say it."

"If not, I'm leaving."

Silence settled over the room once more, broken only by the faint sound of tea flowing into porcelain cups.

Father Lu lowered his gaze to the tea set.

After a long while, he finally spoke.

"This tea set..."

His fingers gently brushed along the edge of the tea tray.

"You gave it to me after your first successful investment."

"You were only in your early twenties."

A nostalgic smile appeared on his face.

"I've kept it all these years."

"Sometimes, when I make tea..."

"I still think about the person you were back then."

He poured a cup and carefully offered it to Lu Nian'an with both hands.

"Have a cup."

She didn't even glance at it.

"No."

Her voice remained perfectly steady.

"If this is just about reminiscing..."

"Then let's end it here."

The teacup lingered awkwardly in midair before slowly being lowered back onto the table.

Father Lu fell silent again, seemingly searching for the right words.

After a long pause, he let out a quiet sigh.

"The truth is..."

"I've always admired you."

"Watching you build everything you've achieved, step by step..."

Lu Nian'an remained silent, quietly watching him.

With a bitter smile, Father Lu lowered his eyes to his aging hands.

"But later..."

"I kept thinking..."

"You already had so much."

"So what about my other two children?"

"They were still young."

"They had nothing."

"As their father..."

"I wanted to leave them something too."

His voice dropped even lower.

"And because of that..."

"I made a lot of mistakes."

Lu Nian'an's hand unconsciously tightened, her knuckles turning pale.

"So?"

She finally spoke again, her voice colder than before.

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

"If this is about the company's shares..."

"Then there's nothing to discuss."

"There's no room for negotiation."

"You should simply accept how things are now."

Father Lu merely nodded.

He offered neither argument nor excuse.

"I suppose you're right."

Leaning back in his chair, he suddenly looked years older.

"Lu Group belongs to you now."

"And the truth is..."

"You really are far more capable than I ever was."

Outside the window, the wind rustled through the trees.

The room fell silent once again.

After what felt like an eternity, Father Lu finally spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Nian'an..."

"I've always been proud of you."

Lu Nian'an froze ever so slightly.

Keeping his head lowered, Father Lu continued quietly,

"It's just that..."

"In this lifetime..."

"I failed you."

Silence completely filled the room.

Standing there, Lu Nian'an looked at the man before her—the same man who had once seemed so overwhelmingly powerful.

Suddenly, the man who had once seemed invincible felt like a stranger to her.

In the end, she simply took Xia Jiuwei's hand again and turned toward the door.

Just as her hand rested on the doorknob, she stopped.

Without looking back, she said only one sentence.

"Tell your eldest son..."

"After everything is settled the day after tomorrow..."

"Report to the company and take over as CEO."

With that, she pushed the door open and walked away without another glance.

Only the lonely, aging figure beside the tea table remained.