Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Capital Injection

Ares hadn’t expected Kula Peng to ask such a pointed question. Recalling the moment Lu Xiao had used the word “lover,” his sharp gaze softened unconsciously. “It’s not a pet name. That was the first time she’s ever introduced me that way.”

’Holy cow,’ Kula Peng thought. ’It was the first time!’

’Now I’m even more envious. I really shouldn’t have asked.’ QAQ

Admiral Kula Peng, who had been planning to ask Ares for advice, was so overwhelmed by their public display of affection that he instantly lost all desire to ask anything else. He decided he’d better just go back and collect himself.

’Why can other people be so sweet with their female masters?’

During the lunch break, Lu Xiao brought her lunch box to find Ares. Since it wasn’t her first time there, Kevin and the others in the office were much more relaxed when they saw her.

“Major General Ares is inside.” Kevin quickly stood up. “I’ll go heat up your lunch for you.”

Lu Xiao didn’t refuse, handing the lunch container to Kevin. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Kevin said, then went to heat up Lu Xiao’s food.

Lu Xiao gave a token knock on the door to Ares’s office, and soon she heard his cool voice from inside. “Come in.”

Lu Xiao smiled and pushed open the door. “Still busy, Major General?”

Hearing the familiar voice, Ares looked up, his gaze gentle. “Off work?”

Lu Xiao closed the door and walked over with a smile. “You’re not off work yet?”

“I just have one document to approve, and then I’ll be done. Where’s your lunch? I’ll go heat it up for you.”

“You don’t have to, Kevin’s already helping me.” Lu Xiao walked to the sofa and sat down. “Did Admiral Kula Peng come to see you?”

Caught off guard by her question, a smile flickered in Ares’s eyes. “How did you know?”

“Did he give you a hard time?”

Seeing the undisguised concern in her eyes, Ares’s heart swelled with sweetness. “He didn’t give me a hard time. On the contrary, he was worried you might be angry with him…”

Ares briefly explained what had happened.

After listening, Lu Xiao gave her assessment of Beina: “She was up to no good.”

She truly hadn’t expected a female to harbor such malice toward a male she’d never even met.

If it hadn’t been Ares today, but some other male, one could only imagine the consequences. After all, they had already seen firsthand the Female Protection Association’s inaction.

Seeing that Lu Xiao was still fuming, Ares’s heart ached for her. “I’m so happy,” he said, “that you stood by my side so firmly at that moment. Thank you, Lu Xiao.”

“How can you say that?” Lu Xiao tilted her head back to look at him, but quickly found the position too tiring. She reached out and pulled Ares down until he was bent over to face her. Only then was Lu Xiao satisfied. “We’re a family,” she continued. “Of course I’d stand with you. If we have a problem, that’s something we settle at home. When we’re out in public, I’m not going to side with a stranger over you, am I? Besides, the Ares I know wouldn’t go running to just any female who crooked her finger at him!”

Ares let Lu Xiao pull him, even going with the motion to kneel on one knee. This way, Lu Xiao was in the higher position, and he had to look up slightly to meet her gaze. “I really like it when you call me your lover.”

Surprise flickered in Lu Xiao’s eyes. She hadn’t expected Ares to remember that. The word “lover” had just slipped out at the time.

But on second thought, females here rarely even called males their partners, let alone used a word like “lover.”

She cupped Ares’s face. “How about I always introduce you like that from now on?”

“Okay. Can I, too?” ’He felt he was being greedy, but this greed was something Lu Xiao had permitted. She was the one who had granted him the right to have such desires.’

“Of course you can.” ’It goes both ways,’ Lu Xiao thought. If Ares could call her that in public, it sounded much better than “female master.”

’Those two words, “female master,” always made her feel like she was living in a slave society.’

“Excuse me, sorry to interrupt. The lunch is ready.” The office door, which had been left ajar, was pushed open a crack. Kevin’s voice came from outside; he had clearly been waiting for quite some time.

Only then did Lu Xiao remember she had come to have lunch with Ares. She stood up with a smile. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Kevin.”

“No problem, no problem at all. I was just worried it would get cold, and it never tastes as good reheated. Well, if that’s all, I’ll see myself out!” Kevin finished and hurried away.

’Honestly, if he’d said one more word, Ares would have shot daggers at him with his eyes.’

When Kevin came out after delivering the lunch, he was immediately surrounded. Facing everyone’s curious and expectant gazes, he cried, “What’s with you guys? You’re scaring me!”

Kevin said this while wrapping his arms around himself in mock fear.

“What are you afraid of? We just want to know, what were Major General Ares and Lady Lu Xiao getting up to in there?”

“What do you mean, ’getting up to’?” Kevin feigned ignorance.

“Don’t play dumb. You waited outside for ages before going in. You’re telling me they weren’t doing *something* in there?”

Kevin rolled his eyes. “Then when the Major General comes out later, why don’t you go ask him yourself and find out?”

“If we had the guts, do you think we’d be asking you? We’re just dying to know what Major General Ares and Lady Lu Xiao’s relationship is really like!”

Kevin shot him a look. “Forget it. Whatever their dynamic is, it’s not something we could ever replicate. To even have a chance, you’d first need to have a female master like Lady Lu Xiao.”

“Ouch, harsh!”

*

In the afternoon, when Lu Xiao returned to her consultation room, Teacher Ai Li saw her and immediately pulled her aside. “Are you really planning to go to Duke Green and demand an explanation?”

Lu Xiao hadn’t expected Teacher Ai Li to come and ask her about this specifically. “Did someone talk to you?”

Surprise flashed in Teacher Ai Li’s eyes at her words. “How did you know?”

Seeing that she had guessed correctly, Lu Xiao smiled. “Because the Teacher Ai Li I know isn’t one to meddle in other people’s business.”

At this, Teacher Ai Li didn’t deny it. “You’re right. The butler from Duke Green’s family just contacted me. He said that if you don’t pursue the matter, they’re willing to invest 20 million in the Fifth Research Institute. Of course, he also said that if that’s not enough, the amount is negotiable. I didn’t give them an answer. I wanted to hear what you think first.”

“An investment of 20 million… that’s no small sum.” Lu Xiao hadn’t expected Duke Green would be willing to offer 20 million to smooth this over. “Are Duke Green’s family that wealthy?”

“A family like theirs is definitely not short on money.”

Hearing Teacher Ai Li’s words, a small smile played on Lu Xiao’s lips. “Of course I’m going. I’m not letting them get away with bullying Ares. But Teacher Ai Li, don’t you worry. We’re going to take that 20 million, too. Here’s what I need you to do: reply to them and say that I have to be the one to negotiate this in person.”

After hearing Lu Xiao’s words, Teacher Ai Li’s eyes lit up. ’She knew it! Lu Xiao was someone who had her own plans and wouldn’t let herself be taken advantage of!’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep