Through the tinted car window, I could vaguely see Xia Ling and Wang Xiong's figures.
Xia Ling sat upright in the driver's seat, maintaining her usual elegant posture even in this situation; while Wang Xiong, short and thin, fidgeted restlessly in the passenger seat, his head barely reaching the headrest, his dirty school uniform constantly rubbing against the seat, a stark contrast to Xia Ling.
The two chatted in the car. Wang Xiong was beaming; it was his first time riding in such a luxury car, and he was like a country bumpkin visiting a grand mansion, his dirty hands casually fiddling with everything in the car, touching and looking at everything.
Xia Ling, on the other hand, looked serious. Although her expression remained as cool as ever, her furrowed brows and the occasional rise and fall of her chest betrayed her unease.
Later, Wang Xiong even pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, lit it, and the cramped car space instantly filled with smoke. Xia Ling could only watch helplessly as he acted arrogantly, coughing incessantly while covering her nose.
After what seemed like an eternity, the passenger door finally opened.
Wang Xiong got out of the car, deliberately straightening his wrinkled school uniform. A nauseating smile graced his ugly face, like a cunning rat who had succeeded in its scheme.
Seeing me standing not far away, he swaggered over and stopped in front of me.
Because of his short stature, he had to crane his neck to see my face: "Xiao Wei, your mother's a smart woman. She knows how to endure humiliation in crucial moments. Remarkable, huh?"
He finished, giving a meaningful wink of his murky eyes.
I clenched my fists, trembling all over, but my inner cowardice prevented me from uttering a single word. Wang Xiong waved to me and swaggered into the internet cafe. Watching his departing figure, I quickly walked towards Xia Ling's white Porsche Panamera…
The moment I opened the car door, a stench of foul air wafted out—a faint scent of perfume mixed with the cheap, pungent smell of tobacco. I couldn't help but wave the air in front of my nose for a while until the smell dissipated somewhat before I got into the car.
"Mom…" I cautiously looked at Xia Ling in the driver's seat.
Xia Ling remained seated, her long, beautiful legs elegantly crossed, her new, flawless pantyhose perfectly fitting beneath her black trousers. However, her usually impeccably composed and aloof face revealed a slight flaw; her exquisite makeup looked somewhat tired.
"Let's go home."
Xia Ling's perfect voice carried an unusual tremor. She tilted her head slightly, as if she didn't want me to see her expression.
I couldn't help but ask, "Mom, are you alright?"
Mom pursed her pale lips, forcing a smile. "Mom's fine, don't worry. Wang Xiong won't bully you anymore."
As she spoke, her gaze remained fixed on the road ahead. However, I noticed that her long, slender fingers gripping the steering wheel were slightly white, clearly the result of excessive force.
Mom's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and even her delicate makeup couldn't conceal the faint blush on her face. Even the way she pressed the accelerator wasn't as composed as usual…
The Porsche slowly started, heading towards home. Mom drove intently, seemingly trying to mask her inner unease. Sunlight streamed through the car window, illuminating her profile and outlining her perfect features, but I could also clearly see a barely perceptible bitterness at the corner of her mouth.
I couldn't help but ask again, "Mom, are you...really okay?"
"Xiaowei," Mom suddenly spoke, her voice choked with emotion, but quickly regained its composure, "There are some things Mom will handle. Just remember, no matter what happens, Mom will protect you."
These seemingly comforting words only made me feel more and more distressed.
I looked at Mom's profile. That face, usually radiating confidence and a smile, was now shrouded in a shadow I couldn't decipher. Her elegant neck was slightly stiff, and her chest heaved beneath her suit jacket, as if she were enduring something.
Who exactly is this "Zhang Ming"?
What did Wang Xiong say to Mom?
Why has my usually strong mother become so vulnerable all of a sudden?
Countless mysteries swirled in my mind, but I could do nothing, only watch helplessly as Mom bore all of this alone.
...
Back home, Mom took off her high heels, revealing her slender feet in black stockings and soft slippers beneath her trousers, instantly reverting to her CEO-like aura.
She sat on the leather sofa, reviewing documents on her tablet while making a phone call.
"Yes, the venue for the launch event is confirmed," Mom's voice still carried the cool elegance of a CEO. "I need to confirm the models' makeup beforehand. The focus of this new product is the sheen and coverage of the stockings; pay special attention to the presentation."
Mom's long, slender legs were elegantly crossed beneath her trousers, the black pantyhose gleaming delicately in the sunlight streaming through the window.
Even at home, Mom maintained perfect poise, yet I noticed a slight tremor in the long, slender fingers of her other hand; clearly, the Wang Xiong affair hadn't yet worn off.
"Remember, the runway lighting needs to be properly adjusted, not too glaring..." Mom continued, giving instructions. "The main colors this time are a lustrous black and a deep gray; we need to showcase the high-end feel of the stockings."
Watching Mom's elegant figure and listening to her perfect voice, I forcibly suppressed the unease in my heart, lying to myself that everything was over, that nothing would happen again. I slowly made my way back to my room down the stairs, trying to distract myself by doing my homework.
...
Mom worked remotely from home all weekend. In the afternoon, she even received two business partners, still so confident and generous, still so elegant and composed, as if the morning's events had never occurred, as if it were all just a dream.
However, as night fell, things began to change.