The car drove into the most upscale Champs-Élysées villa district in the city center and stopped in front of a detached villa. It was only a ten-minute drive from the school and located in one of the city's most expensive areas.
Pushing open the ornately carved door, a high-ceilinged European-style living room came into view. Crystal chandeliers refracted brilliant light under warm illumination. One entire wall next to the living room was a display case showcasing the various awards my mother had received over the years: Outstanding Entrepreneur of the City, Economic Figure of the Year, Most Influential Female Entrepreneur… Most prominently displayed was an interview from last month—"Xia Ling: From Starting from Scratch to Building a 1.5 Billion Yuan Fashion Empire."
Yes, my sexy, tall mother is the founder and CEO of Lingya Fashion Group.
My mother's company mainly deals in high-end business women's wear, high-end stockings, and women's leather accessories. Its annual turnover exceeds 500 million yuan, and its market value is 1.5 billion yuan. The company owns a fifteen-story Lingya Building in the city center and has directly operated stores in first-tier and new first-tier cities across the country.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows stretched a meticulously maintained garden, the fountain's water cascading with a melodious, clear sound. Mom, having changed out of her high heels, leaned back on the imported Italian leather sofa, her legs, encased in trousers, elegantly crossed. Her small, alluring feet in black stockings peeked out from her slippers. She slightly squinted, her slender fingers gently massaging her temples, her gaze finally settling on the report card she had just received on the coffee table.
"What happened with this exam?" Mom's voice still carried the sharp edge of a CEO.
I lowered my head, avoiding her gaze. "Lately… I haven't been feeling well."
"Is it because that boy named Wang Xiong bullied you?" Mom asked pointedly.
I remained silent.
Since Dad's passing from illness years ago, Mom's personality had become increasingly perceptive. By day, she orchestrated the company's success, transforming the small textile workshop she and her father started into the now 1.5 billion yuan Lingya Fashion Group. At home, despite having a driver, nanny, and gardener to take care of everything, she insisted on personally overseeing my studies.
"Protection money, what's going on?" My mother's tone grew cold.
"It's nothing serious… they just asked me for some pocket money…" I stammered.
"Ha." Mom scoffed, her gaze sweeping over the article on the wall, "Lingya Group Joins Hands with Municipal Government to Establish Youth Care Fund." "I know all too well about this kind of school bullying. Tomorrow I'll have the legal department investigate this Wang Xiong. That brat, barely out of his teens, is bullying my son..."
"Mom!" I quickly interrupted her. "No need, I can handle it."
"Are you sure?" Mom raised an eyebrow, straightening up from the sofa. Her sharp, tailored suit seemed to remind me of her powerful, successful woman's methods.
I gritted my teeth. "Yes, Mom, I want to handle this myself."
I knew very well that with Mom's shrewd business acumen, dealing with a petty thug like Wang Xiong would be a piece of cake. But what worried me more was that if Mom intervened, Wang Xiong would definitely retaliate even more severely at school. Mom couldn't protect me 24/7, and I didn't want to be Mom's obedient child anymore.
Mom stared at me for a long time, finally softening her gaze. "Good, our Xiaowei's grown up. A man should learn to stand on his own. But remember, if you can't handle it, tell me anytime."
I nodded.
Looking at the glittering awards in this huge mansion, I knew how powerful Mom was. But since Dad left, she'd become accustomed to maintaining that strong, independent image in front of others, rarely showing her inner softness.
"Go do your homework," Mom said, standing up and straightening her business suit. "I'm going to the study to handle some work."
Watching Mom's retreating figure as she walked up the stairs to the study, I felt a growing unease. Mom had slapped Wang Xiong today; I wondered how he would retaliate at school tomorrow.
I returned to my room on the second floor, took a hundred-yuan bill from my piggy bank, and put it in my bag, silently praying that Wang Xiong would stop bothering me with the money.
...
The night passed, and the next morning, with the hundred yuan in my pocket, I nervously went to school.
When I arrived at the classroom, I immediately spotted Wang Xiong in the back corner. He sat there arrogantly, his face beaming, seemingly engrossed in a lively conversation with his gang of followers.
"Brothers, I've got some juicy news for you." Wang Xiong lowered his voice deliberately, but it was just loud enough for me to hear. "Do you guys know who Xiao Wei's mom is? Xia Ling, the president of Lingya Group!"
"Ah, really? The president of Lingya Group? My cousin loves their clothes, but they're too expensive, most people can't afford them!" one of the underlings chimed in. "You mean that woman in the black suit yesterday?"
"Yeah." Wang Xiong grinned, a sickly glint in his eyes. "Looks aloof, right? Actually, she's got a real flirt streak. Didn't you guys notice? Those legs, that figure... tsk tsk tsk, amazing."
There was still some time before morning self-study started, and most of the students had arrived. Wang Xiong's loud chatter in the classroom was clearly audible to everyone.
Wang Xiong continued, "However, this elegant female CEO is already ours. Xia Ling is now my girlfriend!"
Upon hearing this, everyone in the class perked up their ears. Although they all pretended to be nonchalant, they were actually subtly turning their heads, simultaneously receiving Wang Xiong's signal from the back of the classroom and exchanging glances with those next to them.
"Ah, no way, Brother Xiong?" one of the henchmen exclaimed dramatically. "She's a real female CEO, big breasts, long legs, and a great butt. How old are you? You barely reach her mother's chest when you stand up, and you're still a student..."