Wife Takes the Reins: The Calm CEO

Chapter 2: First Encounter

“No need!” The male voice, clear as a heavenly melody, rang out once more. Li Xiaowan looked in the direction of the voice. The first thing that caught her eye was a young, handsome face with flawless features. Combined with a well-fitted casual suit and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, he exuded an air of gentle refinement and grace. even Li Xiaowan—who was usually immune to handsome guys—felt a slight flutter in her heart, not to mention the “love-struck girl” Qi Xin'er. “Wow! Xiaowan, he’s a total catch! If I could ever date a guy like him, I’d be so proud to take him out!” Although Qi Xin'er was clearly swooning, she didn’t dare say it outright, so she could only whisper it into Li Xiaowan’s ear. “Look at you, drooling like a love-struck fool. Wipe that off!” After saying this, Li Xiaowan actually pulled a pack of tissues from her purse and handed it to Qi Xin'er. “Forget it. Even if I am drooling, I’m not going to do anything about it,” Qi Xin'er said nonchalantly. She knew Li Xiaowan was secretly mocking her for being such a pushover, but she didn’t blame Li Xiaowan—after all, who could blame her for being unable to tear her eyes away from a handsome guy? Li Xiaowan stopped paying attention to Qi Xin'er’s starry-eyed behavior. “Excuse me… thank you…” She walked straight up to the man. “Handsome guy, we really owe you one. If it weren’t for your help, who knows where we would’ve ended up. Thank you so much,” Li Xiaowan said from the bottom of her heart, hoping the handsome guy in front of her could tell she was genuinely expressing her gratitude. “Like I said before, it was no big deal,” the handsome guy replied without even glancing at Li Xiaowan, his gaze fixed on the view outside the car window. “Anyway, I still want to thank you.” ” After saying this, Li Xiaowan turned and returned to Qi Xin'er’s side. She knew full well that the handsome guy clearly didn’t want to have anything to do with her; he probably saw her and Qi Xin'er as the kind of people the tattooed man had mentioned. Sure enough, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Still, he had saved her and Qi Xin'er, so she didn’t want to make a big deal out of it—after all, the innocent will always be innocent. “Xiaowan, you don’t look too good. Did that handsome guy give you a hard time?” Qi Xin'er asked. She knew that almost everyone in the car was looking at the two of them strangely right now. There was nothing they could do about it—people were free to think and say whatever they wanted. As the old saying goes: ‘If you’re upright, you have nothing to fear from your shadow!’ Let them say what they will! On this point, she was surprisingly in agreement with Li Xiaowan. “Really? I think it’s just too stuffy in here. Xin'er, how many stops until we get off?” Li Xiaowan quickly changed the subject. She didn’t want to dampen Qi Xin'er’s spirits. From the very beginning, she’d refused to attend tonight’s cocktail party; if it weren’t for accompanying Qi Xin'er, she’d never have come—no matter what. Who would’ve thought they’d run into such a frustrating situation along the way? “Let me check. Oh, this is our stop. Driver, hold on a sec—we’re not getting off yet!” Qi Xin'er said as she nudged Li Xiaowan toward the back door. The two of them then hurriedly got off the bus, leaving behind countless pairs of eyes on the bus staring at them with disgust as they walked away. “Finally, I get to breathe some fresh air!” At that moment, Li Xiaowan truly took in the scent of earth and flowers carried by the gentle breeze. Just as she was lost in her own delight, a fiery red sports car—one that looked incredibly expensive at first glance—suddenly flashed past her. Unfortunately, it vanished in a flash, and she didn’t even get a clear look at what kind of car it was. What she didn’t know was that as the sports car passed her, the person sitting in the passenger seat seemed to glance at her—whether intentionally or not. “Xiaowan, were you also drawn to that sports car just now? If only I were lucky enough…” Qi Xin'er hadn’t even finished her sentence. “Stop… stop… Let’s hurry up and find a ride. Otherwise, the cocktail party will be over before we know it. I don’t really care, but for you, it’s a different story.” Although Li Xiaowan was extremely reluctant to attend any cocktail party, she still didn’t forget to kindly remind Qi Xin'er. “Xiaowan, you’re the best friend I have in the whole world!” Qi Xin'er said, then hugged Li Xiaowan in a playful, childlike manner. “Tsk, tsk… I’m getting goosebumps! Okay, I’ve hailed a cab. It says it’ll be here in two minutes.” After saying this, Li Xiaowan gently pushed Qi Xin'er away. Ever since they were little, the two of them had been as close as two peas in a pod; people often mistook them for biological sisters. “I never would’ve thought we could hail a cab this quickly in such a seemingly remote spot. Xiaowan, hold this mirror for me—I’ll touch up my makeup before the cab gets here!” After saying this, Qi Xin'er handed the compact mirror she’d just taken out of her handbag to Li Xiaowan. “Beautiful Qi, you don’t need to touch up your makeup—you’re definitely going to be the most dazzling one at the party. While you’re at it, why not hook me up with a handsome, charming, and wealthy husband? Then your older sister here won’t have to worry about food or clothes for the rest of my life. But don’t forget your friends when you see a handsome guy, okay?” ” Li Xiaowan said jokingly. But Qi Xin'er really was a stunner—tall, with an alluring face, and she loved to dress up. Unlike herself, who often looked a mess when she wasn’t at work. Thankfully, her face was still somewhat pleasant to look at; otherwise, people would surely call her crazy or an ugly monster. “Xiaowan, am I really that kind of person? Taking your words as a good omen, I’ll pray to Heaven—I beg you, please grant me a super-handsome guy tonight, just like Xiaowan described! I, Qi Xin'er, will never forget your great kindness,” Qi Xin'er said devoutly. “Xin'er, you’re actually taking this seriously! Hurry up and get in the car!” Li Xiaowan nudged Qi Xin'er—the silly girl was daydreaming again. “Hello, ladies! Are you heading to ‘Bolerro Winery’?” the driver asked. “Yes, driver, please drive a little faster,” Li Xiaowan said. She was genuinely afraid they’d arrive too late and be turned away—she certainly didn’t want to spend the rest of her days with people nagging at her nonstop. “Sure thing, ladies—don’t worry!” the driver said confidently. Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, the driver stepped on the gas, though he didn’t break any traffic laws along the way and drove quite smoothly—he seemed like an experienced driver. “Ladies, I’m sorry, but the security guard up ahead is signaling that we can’t pass. We’ll have to stop here. Remember to take your belongings with you when you get out,” the driver said kindly after bringing the car to a stop. It was his first time taking passengers to “Bolerro Winery.” As far as he knew, almost no one ever took a taxi here—just like now, they’d been forced to stop at least five hundred meters away from the winery. “Driver, why are other cars able to pass?” Li Xiaowan noticed that several cars ahead hadn’t been stopped, so she asked. “Miss, is your destination really ‘Bolerro Winery’? But judging by the way you’re dressed, I’d say it’s probably correct,” the driver said, answering his own question. “Yes!” Qi Xin'er interjected before Li Xiaowan could speak. “So you didn’t do any research on ‘Bolerro Winery’ before coming here?” the driver asked, offering another helpful reminder. “Of course we did! I even went online to look up all the information about ‘Bolerro Winery,’ and since I already had some basic knowledge about it beforehand, I’d done my homework thoroughly,” Qi Xin'er said bluntly. “All right, it seems this is your first time here, ladies. First, take a look at what kind of car they’re being invited into, and if you get the chance, try to find out who the people inside are!” ” The driver said with a sigh of resignation. It wasn’t that he looked down on Li Xiaowan and Qi Xin'er—the two young women in front of him were about the same age as his own daughter—but he was more concerned for them. Judging by the situation, they were bound to be mocked once they went inside. He wasn’t sure whether their chance to come here was a blessing or a curse. “Thanks for the heads-up, driver!” Li Xiaowan instantly grasped the meaning behind his words. But since they’d come this far, there was no turning back now. So she motioned to Qi Xin'er and they got out of the car. As far as the eye could see, the ground was carpeted with flowers, and rows upon rows of hibiscus trees lined the landscape. The hibiscus blossoms on the trees were in full, vibrant bloom, and between every two rows of hibiscus trees lay a series of hibiscus-lined avenues stretching five hundred li into the distance. At the far end, a castle-like structure could be faintly seen; even from a distance, it retained an air of majestic grandeur. Li Xiaowan couldn’t help but marvel inwardly that, in a city filled with towering skyscrapers, she could still come across such a vintage urban structure. “Ladies, please show your invitations!” one of the security guards approached and said politely. Li Xiaowan and Qi Xin'er each took their invitations out of their bags and handed them to the guard. He held them in his hand, examined them carefully for a moment, and then said, “Ladies, please come in! Also, would you like us to send a special car to pick you up?” “Thank you, but no need to trouble yourself. We’ll just walk—it’ll give us a chance to enjoy the rare sights along the way,” Li Xiaowan said with a smile. “Certainly, ladies, please take your time!” the guard replied politely. At that moment, Li Xiaowan thought to herself: I don’t really feel like they’re looking down on us, but the way they spoke just now… maybe that’s just part of their job! “Xiaowan, I don’t even know what you’re thinking. Why didn’t you have a car sent to pick us up? Look how far it is, and we’re wearing such high heels—be careful not to get blisters,” Qi Xin'er complained incessantly. “Miss Qi, can’t you even handle a little pain? I’ll teach you a way to stop complaining—just think hard about all the handsome guys you’re about to meet!” After saying this, Li Xiaowan stuck her tongue out at Qi Xin'er, then turned and walked briskly ahead. “You little rascal, Li Xiaowan, you’re making fun of me again! Wait for me…” Qi Xin'er watched as Li Xiaowan walked farther and farther away and hurried after her, surprised that she could walk so fast even in high heels. “Ah...” Li Xiaowan, who was walking ahead, suddenly let out a startled cry. “Xiaowan, what’s wrong?” Qi Xin'er asked anxiously. “My heel’s stuck—I can’t pull it out.” This situation once again confirmed Li Xiaowan’s long-held premonition: she knew that after all these years of bad luck, they were bound to run into trouble—even if something good did come their way, it would surely be accompanied by misfortune. “Xiaowan, why don’t you pull your foot out first, and then we’ll figure out how to gently wiggle the heel free,” Qi Xin'er said; this kind of awkward situation was something she hadn’t anticipated at all. “Xin'er, I’ve thought it over carefully. You should just go in by yourself. I won’t be going. I’ll wait for you at the guard post later. Is that okay?” Li Xiaowan said. She really wasn’t in the mood to go back in; rather than facing such a cold and formal setting, she’d much rather take a leisurely stroll outside. “No, Xiaowan, you can’t back out now. We agreed you’d come with me—you absolutely can’t go back on your word,” Qi Xin'er said firmly, then looked at Li Xiaowan with a pitiful expression. She was genuinely afraid that Li Xiaowan wouldn’t accompany her inside; she really didn’t have the nerve to enter such an upscale venue on her own. “All right, you’ve really got me!” Li Xiaowan ultimately couldn’t resist the pitiful look in Qi Xin'er’s eyes. It was getting late, and she couldn’t delay any longer. After saying that, she immediately pulled her foot out of the shoe, then grabbed the upper with both hands and yanked it off with all her might. “Rip...” The heel and upper were severed at the same time. “Clang...” As luck would have it, the shoe upper landed right on the hood of a glossy black sports car coming straight toward them. Oh my God! Disaster was upon them! Both Li Xiaowan and Qi Xin'er recognized the sports car before them, though they couldn’t recall where they’d seen it featured. It was a globally limited-edition model, reportedly worth over 100 million, but the worst part was that, in their panic, neither of them even thought to go check if the car had been damaged. “It’s over… it’s over…” Li Xiaowan muttered to herself, staring blankly as a man who moved like the wind stepped out of the sports car. She had intended to approach him to apologize or something, hoping he would be magnanimous enough not to hold it against her—and most importantly, not to make her pay for the damage. She was certain that even if she were sold, it wouldn’t be nearly enough to cover the cost.