I Married My Love Rival (GL) - Chapter 11
Early the next morning, Luo Simo did not disturb Ji Ran, allowing her to peacefully sleep in. She quietly went downstairs to make breakfast and left Ji Ran a very detailed note, instructing her on how to cook wontons herself, and providing a few numbers for food delivery services.
She was clearly afraid that Ji Ran would starve herself, or that if Ji Ran cooked, she would make herself sick.
August nudged his leash against her leg, wanting to go out. Luo Simo stroked his head.
“Be good. Big Sister is busy today. I’ll take you out when I get back tonight.”
After thinking for a moment, Luo Simo left another note.
[Remember to walk August.]
Having done all this, Luo Simo drove toward the city center.
She didn’t go to the Luo family company but instead went to the company of a friend, which she had personally invested in. The main office was in Country W, and they had just decided to open a domestic branch in Jiangcheng. The small office building they leased was still undergoing renovations.
Her friend, Lin Yutong, couldn’t return to the country, so she sent her younger sister, Lin Zhi, to handle the domestic affairs first. When Luo Simo arrived, Lin Zhi was supervising the work.
“Supervising” was an overstatement; she was mostly just sitting there playing on her computer. Seeing Luo Simo, Lin Zhi quickly exited the screen that showed she was playing Dou Dizhu (Fight the Landlord) and fawned:
“Sister Sisi, what brings you here?”
Hearing the nickname, Luo Simo’s eyebrow twitched.
“Don’t learn from your sister and call me that.”
“Okay, CEO Luo!”
Getting up from her chair, Lin Zhi dutifully led Luo Simo on a tour. She knew why Luo Simo was here: she was supervising the workers, and Luo Simo was supervising her.
“The progress is excellent. After the National Day holiday at the beginning of the month, I’ll start recruiting and interviewing people. Then, by mid-to-late October, we guarantee we can have our ribbon-cutting ceremony! You and my sister can just pick an auspicious date.”
“That’s fine, but one person will be added to the management of the domestic branch. You don’t need to interview her. I’ll bring her over later.”
“Huh?”
Lin Zhi was stunned and very surprised.
Seven years ago, Luo Simo invested in her sister’s small company, which allowed the company to grow larger and larger later on. Luo Simo was the initial and largest shareholder, yet she had never once used this relationship to interfere with the company’s operations, even allowing her sister to develop the company independently.
Luo Simo, who had only ever funded and assisted, was now using her influence to push someone into the company through the back door?
“Um, may I know who it is?”
Lin Zhi was too curious to keep silent.
Luo Simo glanced at her without speaking, but the message was clear.
“Fine, don’t tell me. I’ll find out eventually anyway,” Lin Zhi pouted, then started gossiping about another matter. “By the way, how’s that marriage arrangement your old lady set up for you going?”
Lin Zhi, who was not well-informed, didn’t know the engagement had been canceled. After all, she wasn’t from Jiangcheng and couldn’t possibly be privy to the affairs of those family circles there.
“I’m on my way to deal with that matter. You’ll know soon enough.”
Leaving the office building, Luo Simo drove once more to the Luo family’s old residence.
The last time, the old lady had broken her promise, even hiring a private investigator to follow her. Today, Luo Simo was here to settle the score.
The old lady’s illness had long since recovered. It was lunchtime, and the three members of the Luo family were eating together at the dining table. Into the silence, Luo Simo walked in.
The Luo family’s rule was to eat in silence, speak little, and focus on etiquette, but Luo Simo clearly had no intention of complying.
The sound of her high heels was as loud as possible.
The old lady frowned. Jiang Li (Luo Simo’s stepmother) stood up with a smile.
“Xiao Mo, you’re here at a good time. Come eat with us.”
Having said that, Jiang Li considerately went to the kitchen to fetch new bowls and chopsticks.
“No need, I’ll get them myself.”
Luo Simo put down her bag and went to the kitchen herself, washing her hands and getting her own bowls and chopsticks.
Outside, Jiang Li sat down with an awkward smile. Seeing the old lady’s displeased face, she hurriedly spoke up for Luo Simo.
“Xiao Mo is still very sensible. She never bothers others, and she manages the company very well. I heard the performance this quarter is quite good.”
Clearly, the old lady’s favorable view of other young people last time hadn’t threatened Luo Simo but had threatened her nominal parents, who feared the old lady would hand the Luo family over to a branch family member.
“Eat and speak less.”
The old lady was a bit impatient and spoke with a tone of reprimand. Jiang Li immediately closed her mouth and stopped speaking, but the expression on her downturned face was not so submissive.
Since marrying into the Luo family, she had endured too much resentment.
Luo Chengke (Luo Simo’s father) showed no reaction, only focusing on his meal.
He had initially been afraid that the old lady would be angry about Luo Simo’s absence from the engagement ceremony and that it would affect Luo Simo’s standing in the Luo family, but Luo Simo had clearly handled it much better than he had imagined.
She was already capable of standing up to the old lady, much more capable than he, her father, was.
Luo Simo joined the meal. At the round table, she sat in the spot furthest from everyone, directly opposite the old lady.
“Grandma probably hasn’t told you all about my marriage yet.”
Her calm opening words caused Jiang Li and Luo Chengke to exchange glances, then look at the old lady.
“Let’s talk about this after we finish eating.”
“Fine.”
The old lady still wanted to talk in private, and Luo Simo agreed.
After the meal, the two went to the study, leaving Jiang Li and Luo Chengke outside with their own thoughts.
“Speak. What startling news are you going to tell me today?”
The old lady chose not to sit at the large desk where she handled business but instead sat at the small round table by the window, indicating a willingness to negotiate.
Luo Simo sat across from her and poured herself a cup of tea.
“You should know perfectly well.”
The old lady chuckled, playing ignorant.
“I have no idea.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll go through it with you, item by item.”
“Initially, the Luo family refused to acknowledge me. It was you who financed my education and sent me abroad. I am grateful for that, which is why I was willing to return to the Luo family and take over. You also said you were willing to retire and no longer interfere with the Luo family’s affairs, as long as I managed them well.”
“But you have always been the one unwilling to fully relinquish power, and you are also the one who wants to control my life. Three days ago, you promised not to interfere in my life, but the very next day you contacted some of the company’s older board members. I know, but I didn’t want to get too involved in the Luo family’s matters. But on the third day, you broke your promise. I caught the private investigator.”
The old lady first made inquiries at the company, which Luo Simo discovered, so she kept an eye out. Sure enough, the next day, she found someone following her.
“Always promising things you can’t deliver—I’ve seen too much of your deceit along the way.”
Luo Simo’s tone was relatively calm and polite, but her displeasure and anger were obvious. The old lady could only sigh as she listened.
She truly couldn’t control Luo Simo anymore. She had initially wanted to use the company to restrain her and temper her sharpness, but it was proving more difficult than expected. Furthermore, after Luo Simo moved, she didn’t even know where she lived.
This time, with the engagement, Luo Simo had truly come prepared.
“Hiring a private investigator—I had no ill intent. I just wanted to know how you were doing. You don’t live at home and you didn’t even tell us when you moved. Even if you don’t interact with us much, you still have the Luo family bl00d and the Luo surname. We are family and shouldn’t be so estranged over a few disagreements.”
The old lady softened her tone, playing the family card. She knew Luo Simo hadn’t reached the point of being completely heartless.
“I’ve allowed you to handle your marriage as you wish. Now, I simply want to care for you. You can’t possibly go your whole life without introducing your wife to us, without announcing her, and without holding a wedding ceremony, can you?”
“I will announce her, but not now.”
If the old lady found out about Ji Ran now, after a few meetings and a few brainwashing sessions, Ji Ran would probably listen to the old lady and leave her.
After all, Ji Ran had foolishly agreed to get married to her after only a few words of persuasion.
“Then when will it be?” the old lady quickly asked.
For a moment, Luo Simo couldn’t immediately answer. Seeing this, the old lady added.
“How about in a month? It will be my seventieth birthday then, and we’ll be holding the routine banquet. It would be a good time for you to bring her to meet everyone.”
In a month?
Luo Simo thought about Lin Zhi’s words from the morning. After a moment’s consideration, she agreed.
That would indeed be a good time. It would save her the trouble of finding another reason to gather so many people and introduce Ji Ran.
“That’s acceptable, but you did break your promise this time. Since you broke your promise, you must bear the consequences.”
The consequence was the one she had previously mentioned: she was no longer going to keep her marriage a secret. The news would slowly spread, and the Xu family, upon hearing this news, would have to be placated by the old lady.
It felt like her going to the Xu family to apologize was all for nothing.
As for releasing the marriage news, it would serve as a warm-up for Ji Ran’s eventual appearance.
While Luo Simo was busy running around, Ji Ran was still leisurely cooking wontons.
Following Luo Simo’s instructions precisely, she ended up with a decent bowl of small wontons. Ji Ran even took a few photos.
To fulfill her promise from yesterday about seriously nurturing their marriage, she sent the pictures to Luo Simo, seeking praise and asking for her approval.
[Looks good, doesn’t it? Am I surpassing the master?]
[I’m going to walk August after I eat. I’ll grab lunch at a restaurant down the hill.]
Unfortunately, Luo Simo didn’t reply for a long time, but Ji Ran understood. Luo Simo was not like them, who always had their phone on them, constantly checking it.
As far as she had noticed these past few days, Luo Simo hardly ever looked at her phone when she was with her.
It only took about twenty minutes to walk down the hill. Using walking August as an excuse, Ji Ran took the opportunity to familiarize herself with the surroundings. Moreover, having a big dog like August by her side made Ji Ran feel much less scared.
Around noon, the home furnishing company called. Their goods had been dispatched and were expected to arrive in about an hour.
So Ji Ran led August back up the hill. The round trip and all the wandering around left Ji Ran quite exhausted, but August was still full of energy and very active.
This reminded Ji Ran of the incident in the small gym two days ago.
“You really take after your owner, you know.”
August barked twice at her, as if agreeing with her words, then bolted forward. Ji Ran, holding the leash, could only follow breathlessly.
“My ancestor, slow down!”
On the other side, Luo Simo, back at the company, opened her phone in the elevator to check the time, but was surprised to find that Ji Ran had actually sent her a message.
And it included text and pictures.
Quite good. She’s getting the hang of it, even knowing to share her life with me constantly.
Luo Simo’s lips slowly curled into a smile. She was quite pleased and started replying to Ji Ran’s messages one by one.
[Good skills. I’ll teach you how to make more delicious things later.]
[August loves to walk. If you get tired, you can use the balance scooter at home.]
[If you don’t know how, I’ll teach you when I get back.]
The elevator stopped at the selected floor. When the doors opened, Secretary Li and others waiting outside were completely caught off guard and flustered upon seeing Luo Simo. They had been laughing and joking moments before, but instantly fell silent.
Didn’t CEO Luo say she was taking two days off and wouldn’t be coming to the company?
And, if they weren’t mistaken, was CEO Luo just smiling foolishly at her phone?
“Good afternoon, CEO Luo.”
“Mm, good afternoon.” Luo Simo hadn’t expected to see three or four people from the office as soon as the doors opened. Instinctively, she hid her phone behind her back.
After Luo Simo left, the few people got into the elevator and immediately started gossiping.
“Was CEO Luo just smiling?!”
“Yes, she was smiling, and she was looking at her phone while doing it.”
“Maybe she was watching a joke video?”
“I don’t think so. CEO Luo is always so serious. And that smile, how to describe it? It felt like she was in love… a little goofy!”
“Yes, yes, I thought so too!”