Chapter 130: My Surname Is Luo

The family business dealt in real estate.

Luo Yixia stepped out of the taxi and looked up at the towering building before her. Had she not visited a few times in the past, she might have forgotten where it was entirely. She strode toward the entrance.

As she reached the lobby, a receptionist blocked her path. "Excuse me, who are you here to see?" the receptionist asked, looking her over.

"I’m here to see Luo Hongtao," Luo Yixia replied.

"Appointments are required to see Mr. Luo. Do you have one?" the receptionist asked with a standard, practiced smile.

Luo Yixia pursed her lips. She searched her pockets for her phone, then rummaged through her bag, only to realize she hadn't brought it. She had left in such a rush from home that she had forgotten it. "I’m sorry, could you please make a call and ask? My name is Luo Yixia."

The receptionist stared at her again before finally, and somewhat reluctantly, calling Mr. Luo’s secretary.

The secretary recognized the name immediately; he often delivered documents to the Luo residence and frequently saw the boss’s cherished daughter. "Secretary Li says he wants to speak with you," the receptionist said, handing the phone to Luo Yixia.

Luo Yixia quickly recalled that Secretary Li was the uncle who often visited their home. "Is that you, Uncle Li?" she asked cautiously.

"Is that you, Xiaxia?" Once he heard her voice, Secretary Li was certain.

"Yes, it’s me. I’m at the company to see my parents."

"Mr. and Mrs. Luo are both in their office. I’ll come down to get you right away."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Li."

Luo Yixia returned the phone to the receptionist with a word of thanks. Within minutes, Secretary Li arrived to escort her. "Xiaxia, it’s been such a long time since I last saw you."

Luo Yixia smiled. "I’m in university now, so I’m not home very often."

"Come, let’s head up. Your parents don't even know you're here yet."

As they entered the elevator, the two receptionists huddled together. "So that’s Mr. Luo’s daughter? She’s really pretty, isn't she?"

"Yes, and she has such a refined air. But I’ve been working here for over a year and I’ve never seen her."

"I’ve been here two years and I haven't seen her either. But she just said she’s been busy with school."

Inside the elevator, Luo Yixia asked casually, "How has my dad’s company been lately? I’ve noticed him working overtime a lot."

Secretary Li sighed. "Mr. Luo has been acquiring some land in the old town district recently. It’s been very taxing."

Secretary Li had been with Luo Hongtao for over a decade. He was practically a brother to him, and they shared a close relationship. Watching Luo Hongtao age, Secretary Li often sighed for him. With only one beloved daughter, and given Luo Hongtao’s stance of never forcing her to take over the business—always letting her do as she pleased—the couple never interfered with her life. Yet, he worried that there would be no one left to run the company in the future.

Luo Yixia bowed her head, feeling a pang of discomfort. Since starting university, she had become completely detached from their lives, knowing nothing of their daily affairs or the company’s business.

Neither Luo Hongtao nor Yu Wenjing expected Luo Yixia to show up without a word. When they saw her, they were both surprised.

"Mr. Luo, I’ve brought her up. I’ll get back to work now," Secretary Li said, not wanting to intrude on their family time.

"Thanks, Little Li. Go ahead."

Yu Wenjing, who had been sitting on the sofa, stood up upon seeing her. "Why are you back? Is it break time?"

"It’s a holiday, so I came back. When I realized you weren't home, I decided to come visit the office," Luo Yixia said, running over with a grin.

"Did you come alone?" Luo Hongtao asked.

"Yes. Some classmates came to visit me today, and Song Chengyi went to help drop them off."

"We’re going home tonight anyway. Why did you make the trip?" Yu Wenjing asked, unsure whether to be pleased or annoyed.

"I missed you, so I came to see you," Luo Yixia said, flashing a cheeky smile.

"You’re so big now, yet you have no sense of shame," Yu Wenjing chided. Though she remained stern-faced, she was delighted; it had been over a week since she’d seen her daughter.

"Dad, are you very busy?" Luo Yixia leaned toward Luo Hongtao, feeling a bit dizzy looking at the stacks of documents on his desk.

"A bit busy lately. Things will settle down soon."

"Then you two carry on. I’ll go make you some tea, and then we can all go out for dinner after work." She grabbed the cups from their desks.

Luo Hongtao almost told her that the assistant could handle such trivial tasks, but he swallowed the words. *Let her do it,* he thought. *It’s rare that she makes tea for us.*

Yu Wenjing watched the girl rush out without even closing the door. "Always so scatterbrained, rushing about all day," she sighed.

"Isn't that how we raised her?" Luo Hongtao replied with a chuckle.

That single sentence left Yu Wenjing speechless. It was precisely because they raised her that they spoiled her; she couldn't figure out who the girl took after, but it certainly wasn't her.

After asking around for a while, Luo Yixia finally found the pantry and brewed two cups of tea. Time flew by, and suddenly it was five o'clock. It was November, and the autumn evenings were already growing dark.

Luo Yixia leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window, bored, watching the heavy traffic below. A casual glance caught sight of a familiar white SUV parked downstairs. From her vantage point, she could see the driver’s side window was open, with an arm resting on the ledge. In the reflection of the side mirror, she caught a glimpse of the person inside—wasn't that her "idol"?

"Mom, Dad, I’m heading down for a bit," she said, and dashed out the door.

Yu Wenjing shook her head, while Luo Hongtao watched with a helpless, doting smile.

Luo Yixia ran as if her life depended on it. The office building didn't have a private elevator for the president, and both public elevators were currently in use. She pressed the buttons repeatedly, watching the floor numbers change with agonizing slowness.

Unable to wait, she turned to the stairwell and bolted down. By the time she reached the bottom, her legs felt like lead. She had sprinted down eight flights of stairs. In the lobby, she could barely stand, leaning against her legs to catch her breath before pushing herself out the door.

Sure enough, the person she had been longing for was right there. Song Chengyi saw her emerging from the building and opened the car door to step out. Luo Yixia ran straight into his arms.

Noticing the beads of sweat on her forehead and the way she was gasping for air, Song Chengyi held her waist. "What’s wrong? Why are you so sweaty?"

"I... I saw you, but the elevators were busy... so I ran down the stairs." Once the words were out, she finally allowed herself to rest.

Song Chengyi pulled out a tissue and wiped her brow. After she caught her breath, she asked, "Why are you here?"

"After I got back, Mom mentioned you were at the office. I got the address, but since you didn't have your phone, I just waited for you," he explained.

"Why didn't you just come up? Or call out for me? I would have heard you and come down!" she said, thinking him a bit dense.

Song Chengyi didn't reply. Only this silly girl would think of calling out; with the noise of the traffic and the soundproofing of modern buildings, he’d likely scream until his throat was raw without her hearing a thing—and he’d probably just attract security. He wouldn't do something so foolish. He had tried going inside earlier, but without a phone to reach her and the front desk insisting on an appointment, he had found it too much of a hassle and simply returned to his car to wait. He hadn't expected her to spot him so quickly.

"Are your parents still upstairs?" Song Chengyi asked, glancing at the building.

"Yep, let’s go up, then we can head out for dinner," she said, linking her arm through his.

Song Chengyi let her lead him inside. The two receptionists blinked in surprise, realizing the handsome man had come to see the boss’s daughter. They looked like such a perfect match.

Inside the elevator, a few other people were present, casting curious glances at the pair. A middle-aged man asked, "Are you two new hires, or are you here to see someone?"

"I'm here to see someone," Luo Yixia replied.

The man looked stern. "Did the front desk let you in? How can you just wander into the company like that?"

"Just pretend we're new," Luo Yixia said with a smile.

"Who are you looking for? How is the front desk doing their job?" The man was visibly annoyed by her playful attitude.

"Ding." The elevator stopped, and the doors slid open.

"I'm here to see my father," Luo Yixia said, pulling Song Chengyi out. Before the doors closed, she added, "My last name is Luo."

The people in the elevator froze. The last name Luo... the only person in the company with that name was...

"It seems you don't come to the company often," Song Chengyi remarked.

"It’s too boring, and I don't understand anything here. My major has nothing to do with it, so why bother?"

Song Chengyi didn't say anything. That made sense; she studied medicine, which had nothing to do with real estate. Yet, it was clear she rarely set foot in the place.

When the office door opened, the two stood neatly side by side.

"Chengyi is here too?" Yu Wenjing looked even more excited than she had when she saw her daughter.

"I noticed Xiaxia wasn't home, so I came to pick her up," Song Chengyi said with a smile.

Luo Yixia kept her arm tucked into his, as if glued to his side. She looked at him with innocent, blinking eyes, wearing a radiant smile.