ã€ŠAfter the Fake Young Lady Stole Everything from Me, I Became the World s Sweetheartã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Chapter One: Marriage Proposal

    ¡°Shi Nian, I¡¯m here to offer you a marriage proposal,¡± Yun Nan casually uttered from where she sat on the opposite side of Shi Nian¡¯s office desk.

    Shi Nian was just then signing a document and his hand twitched at her words, causing the last stroke of his name ¡®Nian¡¯ to drag out a little.

    He frowned and looked up at the beautiful woman before him and then politely reminded her, ¡°We¡¯ve only just met for the first time today.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Yun Nan nodded and continued, ¡°But we both know of each other. You have an engagement with the daughter of the Yun family, but you don¡¯t want to marry Yun Liu. However, you can¡¯t disobey your elders, so you keep delaying it.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t work for long. I¡¯m the real daughter of the Yun family; this engagement is between you and me in the first place. You¡¯ll be free from your predicament if we get married.¡±

    Shi Nian looked at Yun Nan and asked calmly, ¡°Miss Yun, you wish to discuss a collaboration with me?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled; it was certainly a pleasure dealing with intelligent people, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Shi Nian was dazzled by her bright smile and decided to hear her out. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. He then raised his eyebrows and stated, ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡±

    Yun Nan gave him the ¡®marriage agreement¡¯ she¡¯d prepared beforehand.

    Shi Nian flipped it open and read it carefully whilst Yun Nan¡¯s voice flowed past his ears like a stream as she listed the main points within the agreement.

    ¡°The term of our collaboration is five years. Once the five years are up, we will divorce and the fault in our ¡®relationship¡¯ will be mine¡ªwe can say that I was unfaithful.¡±

    ¡°You will have absolute freedom during these five years and I will act as your wife in all your activities and social gatherings, with family or in public. I will present myself properly and never embarrass you. However, behind closed doors, we are strangers and will not interfere with each other.¡±

    Shi Nian placed the document on the table and pointed at a paragraph with the pen in his hand and said, ¡°And in return, you request that I provide you with a safe haven and give you the help you need?¡±

    Yun Nan nodded, looking very relaxed as she answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. I find myself in need of support from a bigshot like yourself.¡±

    Shi Nian steadily gazed at Yun Nan as he probed, ¡°You went missing when you were a child, hence your parents adopted Yun Liu. You returned to the your family two years ago, right? I¡¯d expect the Yun family to pamper and spoil their princess as compensation for those lost years so why are you seeking aid from me? Despite the engagement, no one can force me if I insist on not going through with it.¡±

    He spoke truly; Shi Nian was a talented man with great influence that few wished to tackle. At the age of eight, Shi Nian was accompanying his grandfather as he attended board meetings. When he was sixteen, he opened an overseas branch company by himself. At twenty-five, he had already secured the position of chairman of the Shi Corporation.

    Shi Nian experienced great storms in his life, but he¡¯d never met anyone who dared to come up to him and brazenly negotiate conditions like Yun Nan did, especially when she looked like a young girl barely into her adulthood.

    ¡°But your grandfather can¡¯t afford to wait any longer!¡± Yun Nan smiled. ¡°His greatest wish currently is to see you get married, right? My adopted sister, Yun Liu, always wanted to take the engagement for herself. If you like her, I wouldn¡¯t be here discussing this with you but since that¡¯s not the case, Shi Nian, why not concede and give this collaboration a chance?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only for five years; it¡¯s not a loss for you and it will make your grandfather happy. All I want is the title of Mrs. Shi so that I can break free from the Yun family; I¡¯m not interested in you or your money. It¡¯s all written clearly in black and white; it¡¯ll be a clean break when we get divorced. What do you think?¡±

    Honestly, this agreement was flawless, and Yun Nan¡¯s words hit his soft spot.

    Shi Nian pondered for only a moment before he signed the agreement. He handed it back to Yun Nan, who took it with a cheerful smile and said, ¡°I look forward to working with you!¡±

    Shi Nian glanced at his watch, ¡°There¡¯s just enough time. Let¡¯s go register our marriage!¡±

    ¡­

    Standing in front of the Yun family¡¯s villa, Yun Nan let out a soft sigh. Her adoptive parents were a pair of modest traders. They led hard lives, but they had given her the greatest gift in the world: selfless and abundant love.

    She had gone missing when she was a child and had almost no memories of the Yun family. It was her adoptive parents who spent a lot of effort to find her kin. They had even given up the opportunity to live the rest of their lives in peace and relaxation, traveling far and wide in search of Yun Nan¡¯s family and dying in a foreign land.

    Whereas her original family had adopted a girl of similar age to Yun Nan to deal with the grief of losing her. After raising the girl for so many years, it¡¯s understandable that they had developed deep feelings for each other.

    However, Yun Nan¡¯s adopted sister had been targeting her ever since she returned to the family, but her parents and brother turned a blind eye to it. Instead, they were always picking on her and restricting her, causing her once expectant and fiery heart to gradually cool down.

    A family is something you make, not something that¡¯s given; this applied to both her and her biological parents. They didn¡¯t find each other acceptable and since that was the case, she had to take care of herself.

    As soon as she entered the house, she could hear her father¡ªYun Xiang¡ªbegin to furiously berate her.

    ¡°Where were you? What right do you have to change your sister¡¯s role? She bared her soul to you and tried her best to please you. What else do you want from her? She relied on her own hard work to get to where she is today. Not only did you disregard your bond as sisters, but you even secretly tripped her up! Why are you so malicious?¡±

    Yun Xiang was livid; he pointed and yelled at Yun Nan from afar, while her so-called sister, Yun Liu, was sobbing on the sofa.

    Her mother¡ªGu Wei¡ªquickly came forward and pressed her father¡¯s raised hand down as she tried to calm him. ¡°Oh, honey, keep your voice down. Why are you so angry? Give Yun Nan a chance to say her piece.¡± She then gave Yun Nan a look, indicating for her to take the initiative and apologize.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t help Yun Nan this time; she¡¯s the one at fault!¡± Yun Zhang spoke up angrily, ¡°Director Zhang already agreed to give the lead role to Yun Liu, but Yun Nan refused to accept that. She even threatened Director Zhang, stating that if he chose Yun Liu, she wouldn¡¯t direct the film anymore and would even take back the script. She clearly has it out for Yun Liu!¡±

    Yun Zhang glared at Yun Nan so heatedly it was as if his eyes could spew fire.

    Yun Liu stopped crying to move towards Yun Xiang and clutched his arm, saying in a panic, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be angry, it¡¯s all my fault. This has nothing to do with Yun Nan, I¡¯m just not good enough for the role.¡±

    Her tears fell like pearls from a broken string as she began to cry anew.

    ¡°Yun Liu, don¡¯t cry. What do you mean it¡¯s your fault? Why are you blaming yourself again?! Mom and Dad are here; we¡¯ll definitely support you and set things straight. Please don¡¯t cry!¡± Yun Zhang rambled as he tried to stem Yun Liu¡¯s tears. He¡¯d been unable to bear seeing his sister cry since he was young; when she cried, his heart ached.

    ¡°Yun Zhang, say no more. It really has nothing to do with Yun Nan. It¡¯s my fault for not being good enough,¡± Yun Liu cried sorrowfully. Her entire body shook as she sobbed and leaned into Yun Zhang¡¯s arms.

    ¡°I¡¯m just an adopted child; I don¡¯t know what kind of family I¡¯m from. I¡¯m slow-witted; no matter how hard I work, I¡¯m not good enough. Mom and Dad wasted their time and effort raising me¡ª¡± Yun Liu¡¯s last sentence ended in a wail.

    Gu Wei¡¯s heart felt like it was being cut by a knife when she saw her daughter in distress. She hurriedly hugged Yun Liu and gently consoled her, ¡°Silly child, what are you talking about? You are very outstanding! We raised you and that means you¡¯re our daughter, so stop this foolishness about being adopted and whatnot!¡±

    Her emotions got the better of her as she spoke and Gu Wei started crying too. The two weeping women riled up the men even further and they stared daggers at Yun Nan in unison.

    It had been two years since she returned to this family, and Yun Nan couldn¡¯t remember how many times this scene had been repeated.

    Yun Liu¡¯s acting skills were much better in real life than within a film set. If she could act like this before the cameras, Yun Nan still wouldn¡¯t let the woman be the female lead in her movie but she would at least recommend Yun Liu to other directors.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter Two: Parents

    ¡°Well, what do you have to say for yourself? Speak!¡± Yun Xiang roared at Yun Nan.

    There was nothing to explain. If they were truly willing to listen to her, she wouldn¡¯t be so disappointed.

    She took out the marriage certificate from her bag and showed it to the whole family.

    They were so stunned that even the crying stopped, and she took the chance to lightly say, ¡°I¡¯m married now so I¡¯ll move out immediately and we can go our separate ways in the future.¡±

    ¡°W-who are you married to?¡± Gu Wei asked reflexively.

    ¡°Shi Nian,¡± Yun Nan answered in a flat tone.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s name was like a bomb that blew up the four members of the Yun family. The matter of the female lead was no longer important; it was completely inconsequential in the face of Yun Nan¡¯s news.

    ¡°Come again? Who are you married to?¡± Yun Zhang questioned shakily.

    Yun Nan cleared her throat and raised her voice slightly so that everyone could hear her clearly as she repeated, ¡°My fianc¨¦, Shi Nian. The betrothal you arranged for me when I was a kid.¡±

    ¡°No! Impossible! Shi Nian is my fianc¨¦! Mine!¡± Yun Liu screamed and rushed over to snatch the marriage certificate from Yun Nan¡¯s hands.

    Yun Nan swiftly dodged Yun Liu¡¯s hands, put the marriage certificate back into her bag, and added, ¡°You can call Shi Nian to verify it.¡±

    Yun Liu was dumbfounded.

    ¡°No! Yun Nan, no! You can¡¯t marry Shi Nian! Shi Nian is your sister¡¯s fianc¨¦!¡± Gu Wei stared at Yun Nan firmly and resolutely with eyes that were bloodshot from her crying jag.

    ¡°Mom, what do you mean? I¡¯m your biological daughter, aren¡¯t I? I¡¯m the one promised to the Shi family back then.¡± Yun Nan met Gu Wei¡¯s gaze and returned it with the same determination.

    Gu Wei was flabbergasted by that response. She averted her gaze for a moment, before stoutly stating, ¡°But your sister has liked Shi Nian since she was young.

    They

    are the childhood sweethearts who grew up together! You can¡¯t steal your sister¡¯s boyfriend! You can¡¯t be a homewrecker!¡±

    ¡°Homewrecker?¡± Yun Nan echoed; she didn¡¯t expect her biological mother would stoop so low as to throw such allegations on her.

    ¡±

    *Smack!*

    ¡± A heavy slap landed on Yun Nan¡¯s face.

    ¡°You are shameless!¡± Her father¡¯s voice was cold and angry as he delivered this after having soundly whacked his daughter.

    Yun Nan covered her stinging cheek, looked at her flesh and blood relatives, and laughed bitterly, ¡°Who is the actual thief here? Exactly who is the shameless one? Who are you calling a homewrecker?¡±

    ¡°You stole your sister¡¯s boyfriend. If you¡¯re not a homewrecker, then what are you?¡± Yun Xiang replied angrily.

    ¡°Her boyfriend? Didn¡¯t the Shi family state that they would hold an engagement ceremony when the Yun family¡¯s daughter turned eighteen and get married after graduating from university? Yun Liu is twenty-six years old now so why is Shi Nian still unwilling to marry her?¡±

    ¡°You keep insisting that Shi Nian is her boyfriend but did he ever admit to it?¡± Yun Nan coldly gazed at Yun Liu, whose face alternated between red and white as she glared back at her venomously.

    ¡°The Shi family is indebted to the Yun family. They personally agreed to this marriage; it was set from the moment you were born!¡± Yun Xiang said roughly. ¡°Shi Nian has no choice but to go through with it; this marriage has to happen whether he likes it or not!¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and gently remarked, ¡°Dad, so you do still remember that this marriage was promised to

    me

    when I was born. Then, what¡¯s all this about Shi Nian being Yun Liu¡¯s boyfriend?¡±

    Her mocking smirk made Yun Xiang¡¯s anger rise again. ¡°You¡¯re both daughters of the Yun family! Although Yun Liu isn¡¯t our biological daughter, she grew up with us and that makes her our family! Yun Liu is your elder sister; you have to respect her seniority! Moreover, she has liked Shi Nian since she was young, so this marriage is naturally hers!¡±

    Yun Nan lowered her eyes. When she raised her head once more, her eyes were misty with unshed tears as she lamented, ¡°Back then, you lost me when we were on a trip. I was only two years old and couldn¡¯t even speak clearly. In order to make it easier for you to find me, my adoptive parents didn¡¯t dare to leave that place for five years and worked part-time to raise me.¡±

    ¡°Even in their last moments, they implored me to find you guys. They said that you all must be worried sick and so very heartbroken to have lost me. Hah!¡±

    Yun Nan laughed self-deprecatingly. Her kind adoptive parents always expected others to live up to their standards, but they didn¡¯t know that the world wasn¡¯t as generous as they were.

    Gu Wei¡¯s eyes shone wetly and were filled with guilt as she looked at Yun Nan. She spoke softly, ¡°We¡¯d been searching for you, too. We put up notices everywhere and even called the police, but three days in, still no one contacted us. Who knows, maybe your adoptive parents took you away on purpose!¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Yun Zhang chimed in. ¡°We lost you in the most famous tourist city in the country; it was a high-traffic area with many travelers so it¡¯s quite difficult to find a missing child there. Our parents were so saddened that they had to adopt Yun Liu to ease their grief. For so many years, it was Yun Liu¡¯s presence that alleviated our parents¡¯ pain of losing their daughter!¡±

    ¡®

    Three days! The couple who found their daughter searched for her birth parents for a lifetime, whilst the parents who lost said daughter only persevered for three days!

    ¡®

    ¡®

    How ironic! The heavens were too cruel to my kind adoptive parents.

    ¡®

    Hearing her cue, Yun Liu bawled out, ¡°I¡¯m not good enough! I¡¯m not fit to stay in the Yun family, and I¡¯m not worthy of marrying Shi Nian. I¡¯m just trash that no one wants!¡± Yun Liu wailed and threw herself into Gu Wei¡¯s arms.

    Gu Wei¡¯s heart ached, and tried to soothe her like a child, ¡°There, there, don¡¯t cry.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s knees buckled, and she knelt on the ground. ¡°Mom, Dad! Don¡¯t feel bad! It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s mine! I¡¯m the one who stole Yun Nan¡¯s home; I stole her parents and brother! I¡¯m a thief, a thief!¡±

    Tears streamed down her face as she pounded her chest. ¡°I¡¯m not as outstanding as Yun Nan nor am I as beautiful or capable. I know I don¡¯t have what it takes to be famous. I just want to stay in the company and help my brother.¡±

    ¡°With a director for a sister and me as an actress, I thought I can also contribute a little to our family¡¯s company and repay my parents for raising me. I never wished to fight with Yun Nan for anything! Daddy, a person like me doesn¡¯t deserve anything!¡± Yun Liu cried her heart out and hugged Yun Xiang¡¯s thigh.

    Yun Xiang¡¯s expression changed as he pulled Yun Liu to her feet and loudly proclaimed, ¡°Stop crying! Daddy is here! I won¡¯t let anyone steal your things! You¡¯re the eldest daughter of the Yun family!¡±

    He handed Yun Liu over to Gu Wei, pointed his finger at Yun Nan, and yelled commandingly, ¡°Get a divorce immediately! Return Shi Nian to Yun Liu! Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re great just because you have some fame! You¡¯re nothing without the Yun family, nothing!¡±

    ¡°In the future, do as you¡¯re told to in the company; you will direct whatever drama your brother asks you to direct! You¡¯ll support whoever I want you to support! I¡¯ll pick a suitable marriage for you; the Yun family won¡¯t mistreat you!¡±

    ¡®

    What a patronizing tirade! It¡¯s like he¡¯s doing me a favor and giving me handouts.

    ¡®

    Yun Nan knew she couldn¡¯t reason with this family. Perhaps from their point of view, she was the one being unreasonable. Since they had such differing viewpoints, it was best for them to part ways.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Those were Yun Nan¡¯s last words before she left to pack her bags.

    She¡¯d returned to her original family and fulfilled her adoptive parents¡¯ wishes. There was no need for her to stay any longer.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter Three: Breaking Up

    The rest of the Yun family panicked; they didn¡¯t know if they got through to Yun Nan.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, I¡¯m the one who made Yun Nan mad. I¡¯ll apologize to her and beg her forgiveness,¡± Yun Liu said in a trembling voice, but she didn¡¯t move an inch from her spot.

    Yun Zhang frowned as he mumbled, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to be so vindictive.¡±

    Gu Wei sensed that there was more to that comment and quickly asked, ¡°What is it? What did you do to provoke her?¡±

    Yun Zhang hesitated for a moment before he revealed, ¡°Yun Nan¡¯s previous two movies received very good reviews and her reputation has risen because of that. Riding on the previous success, we¡¯re now starting to prepare for the third movie.¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu and I took a look at the script and got someone to modify it into an urban romance drama; this genre is very popular nowadays. We also decided Yun Liu should play the female lead; with her current fame, she only needs a blockbuster hit to boost her to the next level. She could make use of Yun Nan¡¯s fame.¡±

    Yun Zhang¡¯s voice lowered as he continued, ¡°But who would have thought that Yun Nan would become so angry when we mentioned it to her? She didn¡¯t want us to touch her script and firmly forbade Yun Liu from playing the lead role.¡±

    ¡°She made a big fuss in the company; it was a shameful affair. Yun Liu asked her nicely, but she refused to listen. In a fit of anger, I told her that if she didn¡¯t comply, I wouldn¡¯t give her any funding for her movie. She told me not to regret it.¡±

    Yun Liu hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. The script was written by Yun Nan; I shouldn¡¯t have changed it.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s mad over such a small matter?¡± Yun Xiang frowned.

    When Yun Zhang heard this, he hurriedly answered, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just a small matter. Dad, you know what her temper¡¯s like¡ªwillful and stubborn.¡±

    ¡°Although everyone says that she¡¯s a genius and showered her with praise for achieving such fame at a young age, we can¡¯t just focus on her in the company¡¯s operations! We still have other directors and actors. Although she¡¯s my biological sister, I can¡¯t favor her! Such nepotism would ruin the family company¡¯s reputation!¡±

    Yun Xiang waved his hand to stem his son¡¯s ranting. ¡°Fine, enough! You did the right thing; she was being unreasonable! She grew up in the countryside; what kind of upbringing could a pair of uneducated country bumpkins give her? Since she has returned to our Yun family, she must follow our family¡¯s rules! We can¡¯t have others make fun of us and say we lack decorum!¡±

    ¡°When she comes out of her room, bring her to the Shi family and make sure she apologizes and gets a divorce! When Elder Shi returns in the next few days, I¡¯ll personally pay him a visit and settle the marriage between Shi Nian and Yun Liu! This matter can¡¯t be delayed any longer!¡±

    ¡°Sir, Mr. Shi¡¯s assistant is here,¡± a household staff came in to report and interrupted Yun Xiang.

    Yun Xiang was startled and looked at Yun Zhang.

    Yun Zhang immediately perked up and said, ¡°I suggested to Shi Nian to invest more in our company and he agreed. His assistant¡¯s probably here to discuss the details with me.¡±

    He turned to the staff and ordered, ¡°Hurry and bring him in now!¡±

    Yun Xiang¡¯s expression relaxed. In the end, it was his son who was the most promising among his children and didn¡¯t cause trouble for him.

    Shi Nian¡¯s assistant¡ªChang Yuan¡ªwas the grandson of the Shi family¡¯s head steward¡ªChang Pei. Chang Yuan was Shi Nian¡¯s classmate and had been by his side since he started his first business venture. He was the person Shi Nian trusted the most and had a high status. For someone with Yun Zhang¡¯s standing, seeing him was like seeing Shi Nian.

    Yun Zhang greeted Chang Yuan with a smile as he reached out to shake his hand, ¡°Assistant Chang, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you! My apologies for the wait. Why didn¡¯t you call me beforehand? I would have booked us a room at the ¡®Spirit Pavilion¡¯ so we could have tea together.¡±

    Yun Zhang thought his comment was witty, but Chang Yuan didn¡¯t respond at all. His business-like expression conveyed a sense of distant aloofness as he simply stated, ¡°I¡¯m here to escort the Young Madam home.¡±

    Yun Zhang¡¯s outstretched hand suddenly froze.

    Yun Nan came out of her room, dragging her luggage along with her. Chang Yuan respectfully informed her, ¡°Young Madam, Young Master asked me to escort you home.¡±

    ¡®

    What?!

    ¡®

    The Yun family members were thunderstruck, whereas Yun Nan was only startled for a moment. ¡®

    Shi Nian is quite astute,

    ¡® she thought to herself so she politely thanked Chang Yuan.

    Chang Yuan handily took Yun Nan¡¯s luggage, but any further conversation was interrupted by Yun Liu¡¯s heartbroken sobs.

    ¡°Stop right there!¡± Yun Xiang came to his senses when he heard Yun Liu crying.

    Chang Yuan turned around and graciously asked, ¡°Is there anything you need, Mr. Yun?¡±

    Yun Xiang glanced at the tearful Yun Liu and patiently explained, ¡°Assistant Chang, Yun Nan can¡¯t go with you. Shi Nian must have made a mistake as the one he should be marrying is Yun Liu¡­¡±

    Chang Yuan frowned and asked, ¡°Is Miss Yun Nan the biological daughter of the Yun family?¡±

    The faces of the Yun family members paled and Yun Xiang nodded with great reluctance. ¡°Yes, she is! But-¡±

    Chang Yuan interrupted him. ¡°Then, there¡¯s no mistake. Back in the day, Old Master had arranged for Young Master to marry the daughter of the Yun family.¡±

    ¡°Miss Yun and Young Master has registered their marriage and received their certificate today. Their wedding will be held when Old Master, Sir and Madam return but even so, Young Master said that they are already legally married. As such, Miss Yun¡ªmy mistake¡ªthe Young Madam should go back home to the Shi family!¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter Four: Making Noodles

    Chang Yuan was distantly polite as he unhurriedly delivered his speech. After he was done, he made an ¡°after you¡± gesture to Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan left the Yun family¡¯s house with Chang Yuan without a single glance towards the Yun family members. Behind her, she could hear Yun Liu screaming and crying, ¡°Mom! Mommy! I don¡¯t wanna live anymore! Just let me die!¡±

    Yun Nan sneered. Yun Liu was quite energetic despite her claims of being disappointed in life¡ªkicking up a fuss and howling for death; these aren¡¯t the actions of someone who truly wanted to die. She just wanted to coerce others to do as she wished.

    When they left the Yun family residence, Yun Nan courteously thanked Chang Yuan and said, ¡°Assistant Chang, there¡¯s no need to cater to me. You can get back to your work; I¡¯ll drive there myself.¡±

    Chang Yuan recalled Shi Nian¡¯s orders and didn¡¯t force the issue. He gave his contact details to Yun Nan and informed her before he left, ¡°Young Master said that I will be handling Young Madam¡¯s matters in the future, so please come to me if you need anything.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded and thought, ¡®

    Shi Nian kept his promise. He offered his assistant to help me and this way, our relationship can remain professional and detached.

    ¡®

    Shi Nian¡¯s residence was located in the most prosperous area within the city center, not far from the Shi Corporation¡¯s office building. Evidently, he chose to move there¡ªinstead of living together with his family in a luxury villa in the wealthy district of South City¡ªfor the convenience of getting to and from work.

    However, this residential area wasn¡¯t something the average person could afford. When the security guard let Yun Nan drive in after reading her license plate, she knew Chang Yuan had already checked her in as a resident. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to enter; the security level of the residential area was probably comparable to that of a head of state.

    Shi Nian lived in a super penthouse with an elevator that had direct access to it. It had two floors; the living room, dining room, and study were on the bottom floor, while the bedroom was upstairs.

    Yun Nan stood at the penthouse entrance, staring at the interior in a daze. With such a large space, she probably didn¡¯t even need to go out for her morning jog; she could achieve the same amount of exercise just by doing laps around the living room.

    The decor was in cool tones of black, white, and gray with an ascetic minimalist design, which was very in line with Shi Nian¡¯s temperament. The large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire downtown area perfectly.

    If she thought the lower floor was spacious, then the open area upstairs was excessive.

    Shi Nian had removed the inner walls of the entire floor to form one huge bedroom. However, there were no decorations or furniture aside from a huge bed, making the room seem even more cavernous.

    When Yun Nan was young, her adoptive parents were very poor. The whole family squeezed into the small bed that her father built. Her wish back then was to have a big, big bed!

    She didn¡¯t expect that Shi Nian would share her dream and even made it come true!

    ¡®

    The wealthy certainly indulge in childish whims.

    ¡®

    Yun Nan proceeded to sort out her luggage; having obtained Shi Nian¡¯s consent, she hung her clothes in the closet. Feeling a little hungry, she went downstairs to take a look around the kitchen.

    The kitchen of the wealthy elite was pristine and clean as new, but the refrigerator was well-stocked¡ªthough she could see no leafy greens.

    Looking at the ingredients available, Yun Nan decided to have something simple and deftly made a bowl of egg noodles. Just as the noodles were done, the sound of an elevator coming up could be heard from the entrance.

    Shi Nian could smell the aroma of food the moment he stepped out of the elevator and paused in surprise. Then, he recalled the day¡¯s events¡ªhe had a new housemate.

    Yun Nan placed a bowl of noodles on the dining table. When she looked up, she saw Shi Nian and smoothly greeted him, ¡°You¡¯re back! Would you like some noodles?¡±

    Shi Nian was busy changing out of his shoes when his mouth reacted faster than his brain and he heard himself reply, ¡°Sure.¡±

    After saying that, he was stunned by his own actions.

    Yun Nan went into the kitchen and returned with a pair of chopsticks. When Shi Nian sat down at the table, he realized that the bowl of noodles was meant for Yun Nan herself.

    Before he could say anything, Yun Nan beat him to the punch and said, ¡°Feel free to have that bowl of noodles. Mine will be ready soon.¡±

    Shi Nian was at a loss for words. She acted so natural and collected around the penthouse like it wasn¡¯t her first day here; it was as if she had lived here for her entire life.

    The aroma of the noodles was tantalizing; Shi Nian took a deep breath and picked up his chopsticks. What¡¯s done is done, he had to get used to having her around as soon as possible.

    The noodles were chewy and smooth. Shi Nian was once again surprised; they were quite delicious. He couldn¡¯t help but take a second bite.

    When Yun Nan¡¯s noodles were done, Shi Nian had already eaten more than half of his. Yun Nan began to eat and¡ªmouth full of noodles¡ªshe mumbled, ¡°Thank you for asking Assistant Chang to pick me up.¡±

    Shi Nian already heard what happened in the Yun family from Chang Yuan, so he accepted it with a ¡°Hm.¡±

    Yun Nan was a fast eater. Despite her speed of consumption, she still observed her table manners but she was indeed unpretentious and a little unrefined; very much unlike other girls he¡¯d met.

    They could still be considered strangers, but Yun Nan wasn¡¯t shy at all. Shi Nian had encountered many young girls who acted like perfect ladies with topnotch etiquette before him¡ªbut he found their interactions so fake he might as well be talking to marionettes.

    Aside from his mother and younger sister, this was the first time he had seen a woman as true to herself as Yun Nan. He found himself inexorably captivated by her every movement.

    Yun Nan put away the dishes and neatly cleaned up the kitchen. Shi Nian was secretly impressed; he¡¯d never met a woman like her.

    ¡®

    Looks like I don¡¯t need house cleaning services any longer in the future with her around. She knows how to cook and clean!

    ¡®

    He had someone look into her; not only was she the real daughter of the Yun family, but she was also an up-and-coming director. Moreover, she was recommended for admission to a university at the age of fourteen where she was a brilliant student and a lauded genius.

    And this gem of a girl can also make noodles, wash dishes, and clean. To Shi Nian¡¯s knowledge, his mother, sister and his other female relatives lived pampered lives and never lifted a finger around the house.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter Five: Conditions

    Yun Nan sat opposite Shi Nian after she finished tidying up and asked, ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    Shi Nian looked at her in confusion.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been staring at me for quite a while now. Do you have something to say to me?¡± Yun Nan inquired.

    Shi Nian was speechless and felt a little uncomfortable; no woman had ever been so relaxed and presumptuous with him.

    He cleared his throat and said lightly, ¡°There¡¯s only one bed in my penthouse, and I don¡¯t have a guest room to place another bed. So, you¡¯ll have to sleep on the sofa in the living room.¡±

    Yun Nan looked at Shi Nian¡¯s devastatingly handsome face. She¡¯d heard that this man was the dream man of millions of girls in the city. Those girls would be quite disappointed if they knew he was such an inconsiderate man.

    ¡°Shi Nian, we¡¯re collaborators; that means we are equally significant and no one gets preferential treatment. So why do you get to sleep on the bed while I have to take the sofa? Either we each take one side of the bed, or you sleep on the sofa and I can have the bed!¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t give an inch; so what if he¡¯s a hunk¡ªhis pretty face wasn¡¯t worth her bed and she refused to sleep on the sofa!

    ¡°This is

    my

    home. Why should

    I

    sleep on the sofa?¡± Shi Nian also wouldn¡¯t give in.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll share the bed.¡± Yun Nan raised her eyebrows, a clear sign of ¡®there, problem solved.¡¯

    ¡°Absolutely not! I can¡¯t fall asleep with someone else in the bed!¡± Shi Nian vetoed the idea immediately.

    Yun Nan secretly rolled her eyes and thought, ¡®

    That massive bed of his had enough room for him to do ten forward rolls in a row without falling off. Is he Princess Pea reincarnated or some such? He¡¯s such a finicky and immature man!

    ¡®

    ¡°Shi Nian, isn¡¯t your grandfather returning to the country soon?¡± Yun Nan suddenly changed the topic. Shi Nian was caught off guard and he unintentionally nodded.

    ¡°Well, if he finds out that we¡¯re sleeping separately despite being husband and wife and living together¡­¡± Yun Nan stared at Shi Nian with a deliberate frown as she let the sentence trail off meaningfully.

    ¡°Fine! We can share the bed!¡± Shi Nian snarled with gritted teeth.

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your virtue is safe with me; I¡¯m not interested in you. We¡¯ll set up a pillow barrier, and we¡¯re not to cross over it. Whoever crosses that line will get beaten; just like boys and girls sharing the same table when we were kids.¡±

    Shi Nian looked bemused at the comment, and Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I guess your female deskmates are more than happy to have you invade their space.¡±

    Although Shi Nian didn¡¯t understand what Yun Nan was talking about, he could tell that she was teasing him. Feeling annoyed, he snapped at her, ¡°I¡¯ve never

    had

    a female deskmate before!¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled. ¡®

    He¡¯s a little silly, isn¡¯t he? How did someone like him become the chairman of the Shi Corporation? Did he inherit via abdication?

    ¡®

    She¡¯d heard that, throughout the generations, the heads of the Shi family were smart and capable. ¡®

    Shi Nian probably had the lowest IQ among all the heads of the Shi family.

    ¡®

    ¡®

    Tsk! He¡¯s lucky he was born into a wealthy family!

    ¡®

    ¡°Good night!¡± Yun Nan stood up and started to move away as she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to bed.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Shi Nian called after her.

    Yun Nan turned around and looked at Shi Nian and was once again struck by his good looks. ¡®

    Tsk! It was little surprise that millions of girls were infatuated with him; this man was indeed quite pleasing to the eye. No wonder Yun Liu desperately wanted to marry him.

    ¡®

    ¡°Can you cook?¡± Shi Nian asked.

    Yun Nan nodded as she answered, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just eat the noodles I made? It tasted alright to me.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll try my best to come back for dinner in the future so you have to make sure to cook food for us!¡± Shi Nian¡¯s tone was commanding and had no room for discussion.

    Yun Nan raised her eyebrows as she said, ¡°That would be a little difficult. My job as a director doesn¡¯t have set working hours. My schedule can be quite erratic, so it¡¯ll be a bit of a hit-or-miss if you want to eat my cooking.¡±

    Shi Nian looked at her starlit eyes and decided to humor the attractive woman. He casually stated, ¡°I¡¯m sure you can manage our dinner at least three times a week. We¡¯ll be eating with Grandpa and my father back at the family villa on the weekends.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s settled, then. You can postpone dinner under special circumstances, but you can¡¯t cancel. Otherwise, Chang Yuan might not appear in time the next time you¡¯re in trouble.¡±

    Yun Nan was dumbstruck. She watched as Shi Nian walked past her and headed upstairs.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll poison your food?¡± Yun Nan managed to collect herself and squeezed out those words.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t turn around and continued to slowly climb the stairs. ¡°Of course not. You want to get a divorce in five years. I¡¯m sure being widowed isn¡¯t what you planned for.¡±

    ¡®

    Hey! I know I secretly mocked your low IQ not long ago, but I didn¡¯t expect you to slap me in the face so quickly,

    ¡® Yun Nan mentally groused.

    ¡°Shi Nian, we had a deal! You agreed to be my backer!¡± Yun Nan reminded him to abide by the spirit of the contract.

    Shi Nian had reached the second floor by then. He turned around, smiled, and ¡®reassured¡¯ her, ¡°Of course, I always keep my promises! My exact words were ¡®might not be in time¡¯ but I never said that I would withdraw my support. However, there¡¯s still a big difference between being your backer and being your timely backer, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    Yun Nan gritted her teeth and capitulated, ¡°Okay, fine!¡± Disgruntled, she wanted to have the last word and quickly added, ¡°But you¡¯re paying for the food!¡±

    ¡®

    It¡¯s just making dinner,

    ¡® she thought to herself. ¡®

    No big deal! I have to cook for myself anyway!

    ¡®

    ¡°There¡¯s cash in the entryway drawer, take however much you want!¡± Shi Nian shouted from his room upstairs.

    ¡®

    Hmph!

    ¡® Yun Nan put her hands on her hips and stomped her feet.

    Up in his room, Shi Nian¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. That silly girl thought she could pick a fight with him? He¡¯d never lost to anyone and that wasn¡¯t going to change. His performance today was off today due to the bowl of noodles; he won¡¯t be so easily caught off guard again.

    Although Yun Nan was fun to tease, he couldn¡¯t let her have the upper hand!

 Chapter 6

    Chapter Six: Agreement

    Yun Nan let out a long sigh from where she was lying on the bed. It had been a very tiring day.

    The day had been off to a bad start. When she arrived at the company, she saw Yun Liu, the assistant director, and two screenwriters editing a script. With Yun Zhang watching from the side, the assistant director and screenwriters basically nodded at whatever Yun Liu suggested.

    Yun Liu greeted her with a smile when she saw her, ¡°Yun Nan, we¡¯ve just been discussing your drama ¡®

    4:30 PM

    .¡¯ We think it¡¯s better to change it into a school idol drama. Your original script was too dark and sad; it didn¡¯t fit the current popular trend. Fortunately, the literary foundation of the script is good, and it¡¯s quite easy to change it into an idol drama.¡±

    The assistant director smiled apologetically and concurred, ¡°That¡¯s right, Director Yun. With Miss Yun Liu¡¯s modifications, it¡¯s now a pure love story. It¡¯s a beautiful narrative and it¡¯ll definitely be a hit.¡±

    ¡°Miss Yun Liu here just so happens to need a script like this to bring her to new heights. She¡¯s perfect for the female lead! It¡¯s a win-win situation, hehe. This project will surely be a success twice over for our company.¡±

    Yun Zhang, who was standing at the side, was filled with joy at the notion.

    ¡°Do you remember the terms of the agreement I signed when I joined this company?¡± Yun Nan coldly asked Yun Zhang.

    Yun Zhang was startled for a moment, and his expression changed. Then, he tried to brush the matter off by saying, ¡°Yun Nan, we¡¯re family. Yun Liu is doing this for your own good. If we shot the drama based on your original script, it would have been a flop, so it¡¯s best not to waste time and effort.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s film an idol drama and give Yun Liu a boost. We can even publicize the drama as a teamwork project of the Yun sisters; won¡¯t that be great? That will be our unique selling point!¡±

    The people at the side echoed his sentiments.

    Yun Nan¡¯s eyes were frigid as she stared at Yun Zhang. ¡°Your condition for letting me join the Yun Corporation was to help you shoot three documentaries. I did more than you asked; I filmed five documentaries and every one of them was a success.¡±

    ¡°You promised me that you would let me shoot three of my own movies and split the profits fifty-fifty. You¡¯ve already made a fortune from the first two! I have yet to see my portion of the paycheck! The third movie hasn¡¯t even started, and you¡¯re already muscling in on my script. This is a breach of contract!¡±

    Yun Zhang could say nothing to that; he was indeed at fault.

    Yun Liu looked panicked and she carefully apologized to Yun Nan. ¡°Yun Nan, sorry. I¡¯m sorry; this is my fault. Don¡¯t lose your temper at Yun Zhang. He¡¯s constantly trying to think of ways to increase your fame, so I suggested that you film a movie that follows the film market¡¯s latest trends. We-we¡¯re doing this for your own good. S-So, please, don¡¯t be angry.¡±

    Yun Nan looked at Yun Liu. ¡®

    There she goes again, acting timid and cautious; she¡¯s always pretending to be like this when we¡¯re with my relatives to sour their impression of me.

    ¡®

    As expected, Yun Zhang¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Why are you being so aggressive? You¡¯re being ungrateful; we¡¯re doing this for your sake! Do you understand? Don¡¯t get an inflated ego just because you achieved some results.¡±

    ¡°Sure, you¡¯ve gone above and beyond what I asked, but if it wasn¡¯t for our company¡¯s investment, would you be able to successfully film your movie? Things are looking pretty good for you now, but did you think anyone would have invested in you if you went to them with your ridiculous script back then¡ªbefore you had anything to showcase your talent?¡±

    Yun Liu said softly, ¡°He¡¯s right, Yun Nan. We¡¯re all part of the Yun family; we should act for the benefit of our family and company! Yun Zhang always has your best interests at heart, so shouldn¡¯t you be considerate of him too? The director and script-writers also think that the modified script would be a hit. If-if you don¡¯t want me to act in your film, then, then I¡¯ll quit.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s voice weakened towards the end of her speech, perfectly portraying the image of a bullied child.

    She successfully changed the topic, and for the finishing touch, her tears fell the moment she lowered her head.

    Yun Zhang immediately felt his heart ache. He loudly proclaimed, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, I have the final say in this matter! We will change the script just like we discussed! Yun Liu will play the female lead!¡±

    The assistant director smiled apologetically at Yun Nan. ¡°D-Director Yun, why don¡¯t you take a look at the parts we¡¯ve edited first?¡±

    Yun Zhang put his arm around Yun Liu¡¯s shoulder in a show of support and glanced at Yun Nan provocatively.

    Yun Liu timorously commented, ¡°Yun Nan, an agreement is an agreement. But we¡¯re family, after all. You have to focus on the big picture and do what¡¯s best for the family.¡±

    Yun Zhang nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right! You should learn from Yun Liu and be more sensible!¡±

    Yun Nan looked at the two siblings and felt that she was wasting her breath talking to them. She merely asked Yun Zhang, ¡°Are you determined to change my script?¡±

    Yun Liu hurriedly chastised her, ¡°Yun Nan, don¡¯t speak to your brother like that! We¡¯re doing this for your own good!¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to thank you for that?¡± Yun Nan sneered.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t listen to me, I won¡¯t give you any funding for your movie!¡± Yun Zhang barked out.

    ¡°Fine! I hope you don¡¯t regret it!¡± And with those last words, Yun Nan left.

    She had returned to the Yun family for two years and had experienced situations similar to this countless times within that period. She was thoroughly disappointed in her family and decided it was time to break ties with them.

    Yun Nan then went to meet Shi Nian and negotiated the marriage agreement.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter Seven: Concern

    When she was fourteen, Yun Nan¡¯s adoptive parents passed away unexpectedly. She grew up alone and suffered many hardships. However, she remembered her parents¡¯ last wishes and went through a lot to find the Yun family. She¡¯d thought that her hardships had finally ended when she returned to them.

    However, Yun Liu was afraid that she would lose her position in the Yun family with Yun Nan in the picture, so she deliberately slandered and set her up in every way possible to sow discord between her and her family.

    The little bit of guilt Yun Nan¡¯s family felt towards her had long been exhausted by Yun Liu¡¯s scheming.

    Yun Liu¡¯s poor acting skills could be seen through at a glance, but the Yun family believed her every time; they would move heaven and earth at a single tear from her eyes.

    The flame in Yun Nan¡¯s heart that yearned for their love gradually died out as her disappointment accumulated little by little.

    However, she remembered her adoptive parents¡¯ words; she had to repay her birth parents for bringing her into this world. Thus, she joined her family¡¯s company.

    Her brother¡ªYun Zhang¡ªhad established a film production company called the Yun Corporation and wished to make a name for himself. He wanted to support Yun Liu, who¡¯d graduated from a film academy, and make her a celebrity. However, due to poor management, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy.

    Yun Nan graduated with a Ph.D. and was already somewhat known in the film industry. She gave up on the offers from renowned companies and joined Yun Zhang¡¯s company to aid him instead. After all, she was a member of the Yun family; it was her duty to do her best for her family.

    That was her original intention, but it became a weapon that Yun Liu and Yun Zhang used to manipulate her.

    Fortunately, Yun Nan had signed an agreement with Yun Zhang under the reminder of her good friend Fang Xi and avoided selling her entire life to the Yun family.

    Thanks to her efforts, Yun Zhang¡¯s company was revived and even made it into the top three movie production companies. Yun Zhang was no longer the beleaguered man he was in the past, and Yun Liu became a B-list celebrity with a strong fanbase.

    They slowly began to take Yun Nan¡¯s efforts for granted¡ªas a matter of course. They felt that they could trample on her hard work as they pleased.

    Marrying Shi Nian was her risky move against the Yun family, but it seemed to have worked out so far.

    Yun Nan fell asleep to those thoughts.

    ¡­

    When Shi Nian came out of the bathroom, he saw a small bump situated near the edge of the bed. He was confused for a moment before he was again reminded that he had a new roommate.

    When he got closer, he saw that Yun Nan was already asleep. Her small figure was curled up in a ball, forming a lump under the covers.

    A blanket was folded up to form a barrier line on the bed, separating the bed into two sections; he had two-thirds of the bed, and Yun Nan had one-third. Pleased at her sensible allocation, Shi Nian took another look at the small human bundle.

    ¡®

    Seriously, why is she sleeping curled up like a baby at her age? I heard that sleeping in this position is a sign of insecurity. How can a girl who is so ferocious feel vulnerable?

    ¡®

    He leaned against the headboard and took out his phone to flip through the information about Yun Nan that Chang Yuan had collected. His frown deepened the more he read. ¡®

    No wonder she came to me for help,

    ¡® he silently fumed. ¡®

    The Yun family¡¯s behavior was outrageous!

    ¡®

    He turned to look at the little bundle. Yun Nan was sleeping soundly.

    He then sent a WeChat message to Chang Yuan, ¡°Keep a close eye on Yun Nan and be sure to assist when necessary.¡±

    ¡°Roger that,¡± Chang Yuan replied instantly.

    When sleep came for him, a thought suddenly occurred to Shi Nian, ¡®

    Why am I so concerned about her?

    ¡®

    ¡®

    For Grandpa! Yes, that¡¯s it! I¡¯m only taking care of her so that Grandpa can feel at ease! That¡¯s all¡­ there is¡­ to it¡­

    ¡®

    ¡­

    Yun Nan woke up, and the sight of her unfamiliar environment shocked her for a moment.

    The Yun family had given her the guest room on the first floor, right next to the kitchen. Every day, she would be woken up early in the morning by the sound of the staff preparing breakfast in the kitchen. It was so quiet this morning she thought that she had overslept.

    When her brain finally kicked into gear, she remembered what happened yesterday and heaved a sigh of relief.

    ¡®

    It¡¯s a new day, and a new life awaits me,

    ¡® she thought hopefully.

    Once set, the biological clock can be quite difficult to change. She found that she hadn¡¯t overslept; she¡¯d gotten up at the usual early hour.

    She quietly went downstairs and rummaged through the fridge for some breakfast ingredients. Fortunately, there was enough to make breakfast for two.

    As they¡¯ll be working in close contact for the next five years, Yun Nan decided not to bicker with Shi Nian. If making delicious food was all it takes in exchange for a harmonious collaboration, then why not? She had nothing to lose by doing so.

    Suddenly, she received a WeChat message from Fang Xi, ¡°Come over to the studio when you have time. The preparations are almost done.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and replied, ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll be there after settling some things at the company.¡±

    ¡­¡­

    When Yun Nan arrived at the company, everyone looked at her strangely, but Yun Nan didn¡¯t care¡ªshe was used to it.

    Although she was the real daughter of the Yun family¡ªYun Zhang¡¯s biological sister¡ªthanks to Yun Liu, she had always been seen as the interloper trying to steal what isn¡¯t hers.

    The assistant director from yesterday was startled when he saw her before he quickly put on a fake smile and greeted, ¡°Director Yun, you¡¯re back. Mr. Yun is waiting for you in the conference room!¡±

    Yun Nan was expressionless as she gave a slight nod.

    When she entered the conference room, she was met with the sight of Yun Liu crying softly next to a worried Yun Zhang, appearing as if she had suffered a great injustice.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter Eight: Negotiations

    When he noticed her presence, Yun Zhang glared at Yun Nan before quickly resuming his efforts to comfort Yun Liu. He raised his voice and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Grandpa Yun will be back in a few days. Mom and Dad will bring you along when they visit our grandparents! They¡¯ll make things right!¡±

    After saying that, he lifted his chin defiantly as he looked at Yun Nan.

    ¡°Hm,¡± Yun Liu responded obediently, but her gaze was cold and venomous when she stared at Yun Nan.

    ¡°Ahem.¡± The attorney cleared his throat, calling everyone¡¯s attention to him. ¡°Director Yun, I¡¯m here today to address your breach of contract,¡± he stated in a businesslike manner.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying

    I

    broke the contract?¡± Yun Nan raised her eyebrows and looked at Yun Zhang.

    ¡°Since you brought up the agreement, then we¡¯ll go by the book!¡± Yun Zhang said arrogantly.

    ¡°You got to where you are currently due to the company¡¯s support and resources; our company had invested in your previous movies! You will be violating our contract if you don¡¯t comply with our request to modify the script now! We¡¯ll resolve this issue through legal means!¡±

    Yun Nan read through the documents she received from the attorney.

    Misinterpreting Yun Nan¡¯s silence as she flipped through the documents, Yun Zhang¡¯s tone softened as he said, ¡°However, if you promise to break up with Shi Nian, we¡¯re willing to negotiate! We¡¯re family, after all.¡±

    Yun Nan took out her phone and made a call.

    Chang Yuan immediately picked up and greeted her, ¡°Young Madam.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t waste any time on pleasantries and got straight to the point. ¡°I need a lawyer. My present company wants to sue me for breach of contract.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have the lawyer contact you right away,¡± Chang Yuan replied.

    ¡°No; tell him to contact Mr. Yun directly. I want the suit canceled, and while he¡¯s at it, help me terminate my contract with the Yun Corporation and get the rights to my script back together with the copyrights to the two movies and five documentaries I produced!¡±

    With her demands made clear, Yun Nan hung up the phone under everyone¡¯s shocked gazes.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be hearing from my lawyer. I won¡¯t say any more lest you take my words out of context and use them as evidence in court.¡± And with that, she stood up and left.

    The assistant director chased after her and called out, ¡°Director Yun! Wait up, Director Yun!¡± Yun Nan only stopped when she reached the lobby.

    The assistant director¡¯s huge belly shook as he finally caught up to her. Gasping in exertion, he said, ¡°Come now, Director Yun, let¡¯s talk things out¡ªwhat do you say?¡±

    Yun Nan looked at the man¡ªwell-known for being a peacemaker¡ªand decided to give him some face and hear him out. ¡°What more is there to talk about?¡±

    The assistant director managed to catch his breath and said with a smile, ¡°Director Yun, modifying the script is just a small matter. If you don¡¯t wish to change your story, I can have our two screenwriters write a new piece of work instead. We¡¯ll tell the public that it is your script, is that okay? So calm down; we¡¯ll leave the original script as it is, alright?¡±

    ¡®

    So that¡¯s his angle.

    ¡® Yun Nan smiled and replied, ¡°Of course not! That¡¯ll be lying! I can¡¯t take credit for others¡¯ work!¡±

    The assistant director¡¯s face turned purple from the effort of holding in his anger. He smiled awkwardly and said, ¡°You can give some pointers and guidance to the screenwriters on the side. At the end of the day, you¡¯ll still be the primary screenwriter and executive producer. What do you think-¡±

    ¡°Stop! Do you have so little confidence in yourself and the screenwriters here? Why must you ride on the coattails of my name?¡± Yun Nan interrupted the assistant director.

    The assistant director had no choice but to tell the truth. ¡°Hehe, well, uh, with your fame, any film with your name on it as producer and screenwriter will gain attention and popularity.¡±

    Yun Nan continued to smile as she said, ¡°I appreciate you being straight with me; I won¡¯t be mad if you come to me upfront. Don¡¯t be like my so-called siblings who hide their intentions behind flowery words.¡±

    ¡°Now, about the script. I¡¯m not the problem here, so it¡¯s useless for you to come to me about it. I¡¯ve already lowered my bottom line again and again; my last and only request is to keep their paws off my script, and that¡¯s final. You can go back in. Since they¡¯ve decided to go the legal route, the lawyers can be the ones to deal with it.¡±

    Yun Nan then strode out of the building, leaving the assistant director stomping his feet on the spot.

    ¡®

    It is not easy being the middleman,

    ¡® he grumbled.

    As long as Yun Nan agreed to this film, she wouldn¡¯t have to trouble herself over the script or direct it. All she needed to do was to put her name on it. They just needed to borrow her renown to make Yun Liu famous, even if that fame only lasted for a few months. He would have completed his mission and no longer be called out by Mr. Yun.

    Yun Nan was immature; she was self-conceited just because of her talent, and she was stubborn as a mule to boot. What a terrible situation! Why was it so difficult to ride on her popularity?

    The production team who worked with her on those documentaries had all become popular due to her influence, so what did they have that he didn¡¯t?

    She had already endured the Yun family¡¯s treatment for two years so why couldn¡¯t she endure it a little longer? Just a little longer until the third movie was done. He¡¯s not asking for much, just one movie!

    *

    sigh

    * Even great directors were bound to encounter hardships and make unpleasant decisions. Yun Nan was still so young; she had a lot of time ahead of her to produce better and greater films, so why did she have to be so hard on herself and everyone else around her?

 Chapter 9

    Chapter Nine: Career

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t know that the assistant director was filled with resentment for her; even if she did, she wouldn¡¯t give it much thought. Everyone was so used to feeding off of her that they wouldn¡¯t know what to do if she cut them off. But that was none of her concern, was it?

    Yun Nan drove straight to an old suburb located in the outer ring of the central business district. Fang Xi achieved quite a feat, finding this quiet place in such a busy area with limited funds. She was extremely excited about it.

    Yun Nan calculated her capital as she drove.

    She had started a business with Fang Xi and her seniors since her university days and had accumulated some funds. Whereas in contrast, Yun Zhang had been pretending to be deaf and dumb to her contributions to the Yun Corporation for the past two years and didn¡¯t fulfill their contract.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t want to make a fuss originally about the money, but now that they had a falling out, she would take this opportunity to settle the score. She had a business to run, and that involved great expenses. She needed a large amount of initial investment to realize her and her friends¡¯ ambitions.

    Although it was called the suburb, it was actually an area filled with ancient buildings two or three floors tall. They can¡¯t be demolished due to their historical value, so the landlord rented them out. The rent was considerably cheap for the location; the area was one street away from the city center¡¯s bustling commercial district.

    It was perfect for them.

    The ancient house they rented had an independent courtyard; it was very spacious and could accommodate four to five cars.

    Yun Nan studied the house closely. The three-story building had an archaic charm; although it was old, the structure was stylish and elegant. Fang Xi had an extraordinary taste.

    ¡°Yun Nan, come on up!¡± Fang Xi waved at her from a window on the second floor. The others clustered around the window, eager to see Yun Nan. They were all her best friends. They called out to her, one after the other.

    ¡°Hey, boss lady! You only show up when we¡¯ve finished everything by ourselves, and reap the fruits of our labor. That¡¯s not cool; you must treat us to a meal!¡±

    ¡°Boss, it¡¯s not nice leaving all this work to us! What happened to ¡®being together through thick and thin,¡¯ hm?¡±

    ¡°I agree; Boss should treat us to a meal!¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s mood immediately improved when she was greeted by their enthusiastic smiles.

    Wealth didn¡¯t just refer to money, but also to these dozen individuals who couldn¡¯t be measured by money!

    They had worked as a team since university, and although they each got a job after graduation, they didn¡¯t lose contact. They would still gather together to discuss innovations and new ideas. When Fang Xi proposed they strike out and create a business of their own, the group hit it off.

    If Yun Nan hadn¡¯t wanted to repay the Yun family, the studio would have been established two years ago.

    Yun Nan loudly declared, ¡°Then, let¡¯s have something good for lunch as a reward to my trusty troops!¡±

    Someone hollered from upstairs, ¡°Awesome! I¡¯ll order food now! It¡¯s a great way to celebrate the start of our studio!¡±

    Following that, voices could be heard from various locations of the building, chiming out their owners¡¯ preferred cuisine. The years the group spent together had honed a tacit understanding between them; just a word or a look was sufficient to get the point across.

    Yun Nan found Fang Xi in the middle room on the second floor. Fang Xi led her by the hand and showed her around. ¡°This is your office! Do you like it? I¡¯ve set up everything; you can move in any time.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and hugged her. ¡°Thanks for your hard work, thank you!¡±

    ¡°Now that we¡¯re free for the next few days, let¡¯s polish up your script,¡± Fang Xi got straight down to business.

    Yun Nan looked at Fang Xi calmly and told her, ¡°Fang Xi, there¡¯s been a change; I quit the Yun Corporation. I plan to produce the film

    ¡®4:30 PM

    ¡® myself. What do you think?¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, which quickly turned into delight. ¡°Really? Are you serious? You really quit the Yun Corporation?¡±

    Yun Nan nodded and imparted, ¡°And I took the script ¡®

    4:30 PM

    ¡® with me. However, there¡¯ll be trouble ahead. Be prepared to take over at any time. The Yun Corporation might retaliate and turn public opinion against us so we need to be ready for a PR fight.¡±

    Fang Xi clapped her hands and said, ¡°No biggie, it¡¯ll be a piece of cake! What¡¯s important is that you¡¯re free from your family! That¡¯s wonderful news! We must eat something good to celebrate.¡±

    Yun Nan laughingly joked, ¡°Is eating a good meal the only way to express our joy?¡±

    ¡°Of course, food is the topmost priority of life!¡± Fang Xi said proudly.

    Yun Nan then proceeded to tell her about her conflict with the Yun family though she didn¡¯t mention her marriage with Shi Nian.

    Fang Xi was well-informed of Yun Nan¡¯s family situation, so she wasn¡¯t surprised at the news.

    She also had something to share with Yun Nan. ¡°I was just about to tell you. Last year, you applied for the New Director¡¯s Award and got shortlisted, but you didn¡¯t win. The truth was, you didn¡¯t lose; you were removed. After you got nominated, Yun Zhang replaced you with another director from his company. But in the end, that director didn¡¯t receive the award.¡±

    ¡°I had dinner with members from the Film Director¡¯s Association the day before yesterday, and they still felt it was a pity you withdrew from nomination. They said that if you didn¡¯t quit, you would have won last year¡¯s New Director¡¯s Award.¡±

    Yun Nan was stunned, and then she realized that Yun Zhang must have listened to Yun Liu and replaced her.

    When Yun Nan participated in the award competition last year, Yun Liu wanted to act in her second movie, but Yun Nan rejected her because there was no role suitable for Yun Liu. She wasn¡¯t targeting Yun Liu; she was merely stating facts.

    Although Yun Liu had formal training, her acting skills were poor.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t expect she would secretly screw her over in such a way. That woman is on a whole new level of vindictiveness!

 Chapter 10

    Chapter Ten: Incomprehension

    The group bought a lot of delicious food and celebrated the official establishment of their studio with a business lunch in the meeting room.

    It was a great blessing for close friends to appreciate each other and work together for the same goal.

    Chang Yuan called Yun Nan and stated, ¡°Young Madam, the lawyer has spoken to the Yun Corporation¡¯s attorney and is informed of the situation. Young Master wants to know if you have any other requests in addition to getting back your script and the remuneration due to you.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s it,¡± Yun Nan answered after some thought.

    ¡°You can ask for compensation,¡± Chang Yuan added.

    Yun Nan sighed and said, ¡°We¡¯ll reserve the right to claim compensation, just in case the Yun Corporation has a follow-up.¡±

    Chang Yuan agreed, ¡°Indeed. The Yun Corporation will suffer considerable losses if you leave. When the Yun family regain their senses, they will probably go back on their word.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave everything in your capable hands, Assistant Chang.¡±

    Chang Yuan hesitated before relaying, ¡°Young Master said not to forget about dinner tonight.¡±

    ¡®

    Tsk!

    ¡® Yun Nan was annoyed, but she calmly replied, ¡°Tell him not to worry. I never break my promises.¡±

    ¡®

    Since he got his lawyer to help me settle tens of millions of dollars, I will let that childish man get his way!

    ¡®

    Chang Yuan put down the phone and looked at Shi Nian, puzzled. The man¡¯s lips had curled into a rare smile; he seemed in a good mood.

    Chang Yuan curiously asked, ¡°What was that about dinner?¡±

    ¡°She knows how to cook,¡± Shi Nian commented offhandedly. Thinking of the soft and fragrant omelet he ate this morning, Shi Nian was in an extremely good mood.

    He hadn¡¯t had such a delicious home-cooked breakfast ever since he left home to live alone; even the milk tasted better than usual.

    ¡®

    Living together with the girl has its perks. It¡¯s a pleasant surprise.

    ¡®

    Yun Nan drove Fang Xi home after work. Fang Xi lived with her steady boyfriend¡ªher senior¡ªfor many years. However, Yun Nan had never met him, and Fang Xi never brought it up.

    Yun Nan only knew that Fang Xi got together with the senior after painstakingly pursuing him, and their relationship was very precious to her. However, the couple¡¯s relationship didn¡¯t seem very sweet to Yun Nan, but she didn¡¯t pry; they were probably just reserved in their feelings.

    While Yun Nan was driving, Fang Xi asked with a smile, ¡°Yun Nan, did you ever have feelings for a guy?¡±

    Yun Nan shook her head and responded, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Whoa, that was fast. What makes you so certain? You¡¯re young still, but I know you have a lot of admirers. After all, you were the belle of your year,¡± Fang Xi teased.

    Yun Nan looked at Fang Xi, exasperated. ¡°You know very well that I¡¯m a poor girl who spends all her energy on earning money. I don¡¯t have time to spare on such things.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no conflict between making money and dating,¡± Fang Xi groused.

    Yun Nan laughingly quipped, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just not made for love. I don¡¯t need a boyfriend, so what¡¯s the purpose of getting one? For security? I have a career, and I can earn money. I give myself security; I don¡¯t need to look for it from others. I can¡¯t think of anything I lack that a boyfriend can make up for.¡±

    Fang Xi smiled bitterly and muttered, ¡°You¡¯re still young and inexperienced. But that¡¯s a good mindset; you won¡¯t get hurt that way.¡±

    Yun Nan sensed something was wrong and gently asked, ¡°Did you fight with your boyfriend?¡±

    Fang Xi turned her head and looked out the window. She didn¡¯t say anything.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t press any further. She wasn¡¯t good at comforting others; she didn¡¯t know how to comfort someone in Fang Xi¡¯s situation.

    After a long silence, Fang Xi slowly revealed her woes, ¡°You know the phrase, the seven-year itch? They say that the cells in a person¡¯s body change once every seven years. In other words, you are a completely different person than the one you were seven years ago.¡±

    She continued, ¡°I guess the same applies to feelings. It¡¯s been seven years, but our relationship didn¡¯t bear fruit. Just two individuals who are heartily sick of each other.¡±

    The car slowly stopped outside Fang Xi¡¯s neighborhood.

    Yun Nan reached out to pat Fang Xi¡¯s head. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll get you a new boyfriend! Since you¡¯re no longer the you of the past, and he¡¯s also changed, let¡¯s just end things. If he has become another person, what¡¯s to say someone else won¡¯t become another him? There¡¯s plenty of fish in the sea, so why not put yourself out there?¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s depressed mood was swept away, and she laughed. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right! As expected of an accomplished woman, you have a unique point of view.¡±

    Yun Nan laughed along with her and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know much about love, but I do know a little about philosophy.¡±

    Fang Xi reached out and patted Yun Nan. ¡°Don¡¯t get too full of yourself now. Hurry up and get a boyfriend. How are you going to write a convincing script if you haven¡¯t experienced love? We¡¯ll be poking holes in your plot when we discuss your scripts in the future!¡± she ribbed.

    Fang Xi got out of the car, shook her head at her, and walked into her neighborhood.

    ¡®

    I don¡¯t care for a relationship,

    ¡® Yun Nan thought as she started the car.

    She had her career and money. She could imagine love well enough to write about it and pour it into her characters. She could write whatever she wanted, pure and simple, so why would she need to experience love with a guy? It would just be a waste of effort!

 Chapter 11

    Chapter Eleven: Peeling Prawns

    Yun Nan went to the supermarket to buy groceries and daily necessities before returning home; Shi Nian¡¯s house didn¡¯t have many essentials.

    Shi Nian could smell the fragrance of food as soon as the elevator door opened, and his mood spontaneously improved.

    Standing at the entrance to the penthouse, Shi Nian could tell that Yun Nan was still busy in the kitchen. He stood there for a moment, taking in the lived-in ambiance. Afraid to ruin the cozy atmosphere, he was hesitant to take another step.

    Yun Nan came out of the kitchen with a dish. She was wearing an apron with pink and blue stripes.

    She was surprised when she saw him standing at the door and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re in the right place. Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.¡±

    She then returned to the kitchen, like it wasn¡¯t her second day in this house.

    Shi Nian chuckled at the thought.

    By the time Shi Nian changed into his casual wear and came downstairs, the food was already ready.

    Yun Nan prepared four dishes and a soup, and they looked scrumptious. Yun Nan handed Shi Nian a bowl of rice and said, ¡°Thank you for your help this morning.¡±

    Shi Nian frowned. Why did she have to ruin the atmosphere by reminding him that this meal was an exchange?

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t notice his expression and happily picked up a prawn with a pair of chopsticks and placed it into his bowl. ¡°My braised prawns are delicious!¡±

    However, Shi Nian just looked at the prawn.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you not eat prawns? You didn¡¯t tell me you have any diet restrictions.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind eating it, but I don¡¯t want to peel it. It¡¯s so troublesome!¡± Shi Nian said disdainfully.

    ¡°Tsk!¡± Yun Nan rolled her eyes at him. She picked up the prawn and made short work of peeling it before ¡®dumping¡¯ it to Shi Nian.

    Seeing Shi Nian¡¯s gobsmacked expression, she snarked, ¡°You¡¯re the troublesome one. Don¡¯t tell me you won¡¯t eat it if no one peeled it for you?!¡±

    Shi Nian picked up the prawn and put it in his mouth. It tasted really good, but he refused to give Yun Nan the satisfaction, and stubbornly stated, ¡°I can eat the other dishes instead.¡±

    Yun Nan eyed him as if he were some unfathomable creature.

    Shi Nian picked up a piece of pork rib and took a bite under Yun Nan¡¯s complicated gaze. He praised, ¡°This is pretty good! You¡¯re quite a skilled chef; if you plan to open a restaurant, I will invest in it.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry at his remark.

    Then she had an idea.

    She slyly said, ¡°I can make a variety of dishes. I¡¯ll have more time to make them if you provide me more aid, so the more help you give me, the more chances you will have to eat delicious food in the future.¡±

    Shi Nian picked up a prawn and delivered it to Yun Nan¡¯s plate, indicating for her to peel it, before he uttered, ¡°Deal.¡±

    Yun Nan cheerfully began peeling prawns to feed them to the young master opposite her. She was quite pleased with the exchange of services.

    Her phone suddenly vibrated; it was a call from Fang Xi.

    Yun Nan picked up, and Fang Xi¡¯s voice was nasal when she spoke. ¡°Yun Nan, can you come and pick me up?¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right there. Send me your location,¡± Yun Nan immediately agreed.

    ¡°I¡¯m at home,¡± Fang Xi answered.

    Yun Nan put down her chopsticks and informed Shi Nian, ¡°Something¡¯s come up; I have to go out for a while. You can eat without me.¡±

    In any case, there were other dishes to eat aside from prawns. Although Shi Nian acted childish at times, he wasn¡¯t a child; he could take care of himself. Yun Nan¡¯s thoughts were focused on Fang Xi, and she hurriedly left the house.

    As Yun Nan drove towards Fang Xi¡¯s home, she suddenly recalled their conversation after work and realized that something might have happened between Fang Xi and her boyfriend.

    When Yun Nan arrived, Fang Xi was already waiting at the neighborhood entrance with two suitcases by her feet. Her thin figure was trembling slightly.

    Yun Nan got out and put the suitcases into the car. Fang Xi climbed in without saying a word.

    Yun Nan started the car and thought about where to go as she drove. She had no home or place to accommodate Fang Xi.

    ¡°Just head to the hotel near the studio. I¡¯ll find a decent place to rent in a few days,¡± Fang Xi said softly.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Yun Nan turned the steering wheel and drove towards the studio.

    Fang Xi was silent, but when Yun Nan turned her head to the side, she saw tears streaming down her friend¡¯s face, so she kept her mouth shut.

    ¡°I broke up with him,¡± Fang Xi said, unprompted.

    Yun Nan nodded and reached out to pat Fang Xi¡¯s shoulder. In such instances, words were unnecessary.

    Fang Xi looked at the fast-moving streets outside the window, and her tears fell uncontrollably. She only felt safe enough to be vulnerable when she was with Yun Nan. Everyone thought that she was tough, independent, and had a strong heart, including her boyfriend.

    The earlier scene replayed in her mind. That fragile woman was on her knees before Fang Xi, begging her, ¡°Miss Fang, I beg you, please give Xi Cheng back to me. I have nothing to offer in exchange, but I promise I¡¯ll repay you in my next life, even if it¡¯s as a slave; is that okay?¡±

    Fang Xi thought,

    ¡®I don¡¯t even have a good life right now, so what¡¯s there to hope for in the next one? I don¡¯t know what I would reincarnate as in my next life, so what use would I have for a slave?¡¯

    Fang Xi covered her face with her hands and dismissed the images from her head.

    It turned out that being strong was a mistake; one had to endure because they were strong, but why?

    After she had Fang Xi settled in, Yun Nan reached out to hug her and patted her back. ¡°Would you like me to stay here with you?¡±

    Fang Xi shook her head and smiled. ¡°Nah, just let me be alone for a bit. It¡¯s nothing, really; it¡¯s just a breakup. There are plenty of men out there. When I get over it, I¡¯ll be the vixen you all know and love again. Now shoo, go home. I don¡¯t want to embarrass myself in front of you.¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter Twelve: Breakup

    Yun Nan smiled and said, ¡°Then I won¡¯t bother you anymore. I look forward to the havoc you¡¯ll wreak when you finish your cultivation, little vixen.¡±

    She then left as Fang Xi wished.

    They were both adults; Yun Nan knew that no matter how close they were, there were some boundaries she shouldn¡¯t cross.

    She could go to the ends of the earth for Fang Xi when she needed it, but she couldn¡¯t dictate Fang Xi¡¯s thoughts. After all, this was between Fang Xi and that man; Yun Nan had no right to interfere.

    Fang Xi felt that the luckiest thing in her life was having Yun Nan as a friend at her beck and call.

    She then glanced at her phone; there was no call, no WeChat message, not a single word from Xi Cheng. This meant that he knew his mother and fianc¨¦e came to see her.

    The dignified Mrs. Xi had haughtily stated, ¡°Miss Fang, thank you for staying by Xi Cheng¡¯s side all these years and taking such good care of him. There¡¯s five million on this card. Consider it a small token of our appreciation. Although affection has no price, we feel it prudent to make up for the time and youth you spent on him.¡±

    Fang Xi stared at the card. ¡®

    Rich people really do like to use money to solve their problems,

    ¡® she absently mused.

    ¡°This is Xi Cheng¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Lin Yu. Our families have been friends for generations and are well-matched. Lin Yu and Xi Cheng are also childhood friends who grew up together. Lin Yu has a good temperament; no matter how much trouble Xi Cheng has caused running wild all these years, she can¡¯t bear to blame him.¡±

    ¡°However, as his parents, we refuse to let her suffer anymore. They are to be married at the end of the year. You¡¯re a sensible woman, Miss Fang, so we won¡¯t beat around the bush. We hope that you will never appear before Xi Cheng again.¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s heart was strangely calm. All these years, she seemed to have been waiting for this day to come. She knew that their relationship wouldn¡¯t last from the very beginning.

    Despite knowing they were unlikely to get a happy ending, she still persisted in doing the impossible and maintained their grudging bond. Even so, this result was destined right from the start.

    The ice in her heart slowly seeped out, and spread to her internal organs, limbs, and bones.

    Lin Yu then knelt before her, weeping. Fang Xi was so startled that she retreated and leaned against the wall. She lowered her eyes and looked at the teary woman.

    ¡®

    So, this is Xi Cheng¡¯s wife? The person he will spend the rest of his life with,

    ¡® she thought.

    Lin Yu was begging her, begging her to return Xi Cheng to her, but if Fang Xi could, she also wished to plead her for the same thing!

    She wanted to beg Lin Yu to give Xi Cheng¡ªthe man she had loved for seven years, the man she loved to the bone¡ªto her. She could give them money, too. If five million wasn¡¯t enough, she would offer ten million if only they would let Xi Cheng go and allow him to stay with her.

    Mrs. Xi pulled Lin Yu to her feet and sharply rebuked, ¡°Ms. Fang, the Xi family is generous. We don¡¯t want to push things too far, nor do we want to drive you into a corner. As long as you look at the big picture and never darken our doors again, we¡¯ll pretend that none of this ever happened. Otherwise¡­¡±

    Mrs. Xi didn¡¯t continue.

    ¡®

    Otherwise, what? Does she intend to kill me?

    ¡® Fang Xi wondered. ¡®

    If I die, will Xi Cheng¡¯s heart ache for me? Will he break up with his family because of me? Will he fight against all odds and elope with me?

    ¡®

    Fang Xi¡¯s heart sank when the answer came to her:

    No! He won¡¯t!

    He had told her everything on the first day they got together and let her make her own choices. She chose to be with him anyway, so she had to bear all the consequences today.

    Xi Cheng wouldn¡¯t reject her affections, but he wouldn¡¯t be responsible for her either.

    She¡¯d been with Xi Cheng for seven years, from 22 to 29; the best seven years of her life became a memorial of her love for him.

    Fang Xi clutched the blanket tightly to her chest. ¡®

    It hurts, it hurts so much. This pain in my heart; it¡¯s too much,

    ¡® she silently cried.

    She curled up, suppressed her sobs, and forced her tears back with the mantra, ¡®

    I¡¯m strong! Independent! Fearless! It is just a breakup, that¡¯s all!

    ¡®

    ¡­

    When Yun Nan returned to the penthouse, the kitchen and dining room had been cleaned and tidied up. ¡®

    The young master finally showed that he isn¡¯t useless at housework

    ,¡¯ she mentally jibed.

    When Yun Nan washed up and went to bed, Shi Nian was leaning against the headboard reading a book.

    Yun Nan hesitated briefly and decided it couldn¡¯t hurt to ask. ¡°Shi Nian, do you have an empty apartment or some such for rent?¡±

    Shi Nian flipped a page and thought for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s one downstairs on the eleventh floor.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s eyes lit up at the news, but then they darkened. ¡°The rent here must be very expensive, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Are you interested? Since you¡¯re the one asking, I can give you a discount: fifty thousand dollars.¡±

    Yun Nan shook her head, rejecting the offer, ¡°Forget it, that¡¯s too much.¡±

    Shi Nian looked at her. ¡°What figure do you have in mind?¡±

    Yun Nan tentatively suggested, ¡°Thirty thousand?¡±

    ¡°Okay, on the condition that I get a different breakfast every day,¡± Shi Nian agreed readily.

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Yun Nan was stunned.

    Breakfast wasn¡¯t a problem at all. What boggled her mind was that Shi Nian was willing to rent an apartment in this choice location to her for only thirty thousand dollars.

    Shi Nian¡¯s gaze returned to his book as he asked, ¡°Do you want to sign the contract now?¡±

 Chapter 13

    Chapter Thirteen: Scheming

    ¡°Certainly, yes, I do!¡± Yun Nan jumped out of bed to get her computer.

    ¡°Whoa, there!¡± Shi Nian stopped her.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you ask your friend if she wants to live here and if she¡¯s okay with the thirty-thousand-dollar rent? Also, she should take a look at the house before making a decision!¡± Shi Nian reminded her.

    Yun Nan thought he made sense and returned to bed. ¡°I¡¯ll ask her tomorrow. I think she¡¯ll be fine with the location, though she¡¯ll find the rent expensive. I¡¯ll write up two contracts; one for you and her declaring the rent at ten thousand dollars, and the other will be between us, stating that I¡¯ll pay you twenty thousand dollars to make up for the rest of the rent,¡± she decided.

    It suddenly occurred to Yun Nan, and she asked, ¡°How did you know that I¡¯m inquiring for a friend?¡±

    Shi Nian turned a page and said disdainfully, ¡°It¡¯s not hard to guess. You ran out in a hurry for half a day and came back asking me about renting a house. Clearly, it¡¯s your friend who wants to rent and not you. We are a contractual couple; not only do we have to live in the same house, but we also have to sleep on the same bed.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, if we want our marriage to be convincing, we have to buy our wedding rings and take wedding photos before our relatives return,¡± he added.

    Yun Nan quickly nodded. ¡°Sure thing. I have to go to the studio tomorrow morning, but I¡¯m free in the afternoon.¡±

    Shi Nian said calmly, ¡°Send me the address. I¡¯ll pick you up at noon tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Yun Nan readily agreed.

    Shi Nian turned off the lights and uttered softly, ¡°Goodnight. See you tomorrow!¡±

    ¡®

    Tomorrow, wha¡ª oh haha, very funny,

    ¡® Yun Nan thought drily. ¡®

    Saying see you tomorrow when we¡¯re sleeping on the same bed. Is there no end to his silliness?

    ¡®

    That night, Yun Nan had a flurry of dreams. She was very worried about Fang Xi, and that was reflected in her sleep. In her dreams, she kept scolding a blurry-faced figure¡ªher mind¡¯s interpretation of the man who broke Fang Xi¡¯s heart.

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t come to the studio the next day. Fortunately, everyone in the studio knew what they were doing, and everything was carried out according to plan.

    Yun Zhang finally managed to call her, and he furiously snarled, ¡°Yun Nan, have you gone mad? Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re a member of our family! We share the same blood! I can¡¯t believe you sent a lawyer after me!¡±

    Yun Nan said blandly, ¡°You were the one who threatened me with a breach of contract lawsuit, to begin with. Did our blood ties occur to you at the time?¡±

    ¡±

    You!

    ¡± Yun Zhang gasped heavily as his temper rose.

    He only brought in the attorney to intimidate her! He never planned to go through with the suit.

    The d*mn brat had always been a pushover He had to admit that if it weren¡¯t for her unique documentaries, his company might not have survived. Back then, when things were difficult, she¡¯d worked hard without complaint; she never mentioned anything about remuneration or splitting the profits.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t bring up payment even when the company had revived and recovered due to the box office sales of her two movies. Yun Zhang had thought that she¡¯d thrown her lot in with the company and accepted her role as a member of the Yun family.

    She was a workaholic. Yun Nan was impartial and impersonal when it came to work; she also had a hot temper. However, she achieved great results, and she didn¡¯t ask about any trivial matters outside of her work.

    That was why he dared to threaten her with legal measures. Yun Nan didn¡¯t know anything! She had never been involved in such matters.

    But Yun Zhang didn¡¯t expect her to be so ruthless.

    When he modified her script and switched her actors, she went and married Shi Nian. When he brought in an attorney to browbeat her, she involved the Shi family¡¯s exclusive legal counselor!

    The terms of the contract he¡¯d signed with Yun Nan back then were loose. In order to coax Yun Nan into filming and working for him, Yun Zhang had written the conditions of copyright ownership according to her wishes. Now, it appeared he¡¯d shot himself in the foot.

    The lawyer who represented Yun Nan demanded a huge compensation which was more than 90 million dollars in total!

    That was half of his net profit for the past two years. He was financially slaughtered!

    ¡°Yun Nan, let¡¯s sit down as siblings and talk things out, alright? Just us. Don¡¯t involve the Shi family¡¯s lawyer.¡± Yun Zhang was a smart man and decided he could be flexible in the face of the large sum concerned.

    Yun Nan laughed, ¡°What¡¯s there to discuss? Do you want me to give up the script, or give up my share of the profits? Or, do you want me to give up on compensation?¡±

    Yun Zhang¡¯s breath caught in his throat. He wanted her to give up all of it, of course.

    ¡°Yun Nan, you wrote that script while you were working in our company, didn¡¯t you? So it ought to belong to the company, don¡¯t you think? The company also invested in your previous movies. Thus, the box office earnings¡ªno matter how high¡ªshould still be counted as our company¡¯s income!¡± Yun Zhang tried to rationalize it away.

    ¡°Tell that to the lawyer instead!¡± And with that, Yun Nan hung up the phone.

    Yun Zhang had a knack for being unreasonable; when you try to reason with him, he takes the emotional route, and when you try to appeal to his affections, he acts like a hooligan instead.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t have the time or patience to waste her breath on him.

    Yun Zhang was incensed at being hung up on.

    ¡°Yun Zhang, Yun Nan didn¡¯t agree, did she?¡± Yun Liu asked softly from beside him.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter Fourteen: Coercion

    Yun Zhang snapped, ¡°That d*mn girl is foolish! Why did she have to be so darn stubborn?¡±

    Yun Liu sighed and bemoaned, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Why didn¡¯t I put myself in her shoes? I thought, now that she¡¯s back with us, she would be on our side.¡±

    Yun Zhang waved his hand and ranted, ¡°You don¡¯t have anything to feel guilty about. That brat never intended to be on our side! She¡¯s bad luck, that¡¯s what she is! She¡¯s brutal; she wants to ruin us completely! Then burn the ashes and salt the earth! Things have started looking good for the company, and she comes in to bleed me dry!¡±

    Yun Liu tentatively suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask Dad to invest more in the company? The company is doing well lately, so Dad will surely agree.¡±

    Yun Zhang wavered before mentioning, ¡°Your words carry more weight with Dad than mine.¡±

    Yun Liu gave him a pursed-lips smile and offered, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go ask Dad. I¡¯ll tell him that Yun Nan hired a lawyer so you need the money to settle things with her. If you don¡¯t give her the money, you¡¯ll end up in jail!¡±

    Yun Liu raised her fist as she spoke, ¡°Dad may not say it, but he does care for you. He will definitely help us!¡±

    Yun Zhang thought about it and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re the sweetest sister in the world. Do your best to make me sound pitiful; you can go to Mom with the story first, and she¡¯ll help you convince Dad.¡±

    ¡°You can count on me, Yun Zhang,¡± Yun Liu assured him as she girlishly hooked her arm around his.

    She suddenly paused and fretted, ¡°Then what about Yun Nan? Her lawyer is still waiting for a reply.¡±

    Yun Zhang¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°We¡¯ll take this to court if we have to! I won¡¯t submit so easily!¡±

    ¡°Yun Zhang, it¡¯s risky to take this matter to court. Setting aside the case outcome, what will people say if this becomes public? Our reputation¡ªthe company¡¯s reputation¡ªwould be at stake.¡± Yun Liu frowned.

    ¡®

    This Yun Zhang has a head full of rocks! He¡¯s always rushing into things without thought!

    ¡®

    ¡°Then what do you suggest I do? Don¡¯t tell me I have to give her the money! I don¡¯t want to give her a single cent!¡± Yun Zhang fumed.

    Yun Liu gave it some thought before she proposed, ¡°How about we stall this affair until Grandpa Shi returns? Then, we can ask him to talk with Shi Nian. Pose this as a Yun family matter and bid Shi Nian not to interfere. Do you think Grandpa Shi will agree?¡±

    All this, however, was just Yun Liu¡¯s excuse; a reason for her to visit the elderly Master Shi. She had to separate Shi Nian from Yun Nan. Even if they were married, she would make them get a divorce! This was a matter of utmost importance to her, and it was worth the entire Yun family¡¯s attention!

    ¡°You¡¯re right! Good gracious, I¡¯m so anxious that I¡¯m all confused! Thankfully I have you. Yun Nan is using Shi Nian to coerce me, but we can get Grandpa Shi on our side!

    There¡¯s a rock to every pair of scissors

    ; Grandpa Shi can undoubtedly handle Shi Nian!¡± Yun Zhang was delighted at the solution.

    Yun Liu heaved a sigh of relief. She had finally succeeded in leading Yun Zhang to where she needed him.

    After the siblings finished their discussion, Yun Zhang went out to meet Shi Nian¡¯s lawyer, with Yun Liu tagging along. ¡°Ahem, Lawyer Yan, I think there¡¯s still room for discussion on this matter. I would like to consult with Yun Nan again before making a decision.¡±

    Lawyer Yan had a formal expression as he said flatly, ¡°Mr. Yun, we¡¯ve gone over each and every term of the contract with your attorney. Is there anything you¡¯d like me to explain further?¡±

    Yun Zhang loosened his tie and replied, ¡°Not really, but Yun Nan is my sister. This can be considered a family matter. I still need to discuss some details with Yun Nan.¡±

    Lawyer Yan dismissed his words and stated, ¡°Mr. Yun, Chairman Shi asked me to inform you that we are fully in charge of Miss Yun Nan¡¯s matter. Since your company has started legal proceedings, this matter must then be resolved through legal means. Even Old Master Shi won¡¯t be able to make a difference.¡±

    ¡°Chairman Shi is waiting on the progress of this case. If there¡¯s no progression on my end, he will stop all investments in the Yun Corporation this afternoon, including¡ªbut not limited to¡ªyour film production company.¡±

    Yun Zhang and Yun Liu were speechless in shock.

    ¡°What?¡± Yun Zhang¡¯s heart rate sped up.

    Lawyer Yan didn¡¯t repeat himself; he had made it clear enough.

    After a few minutes, Yun Zhang looked like a deflated balloon as he slowly uttered, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange payment immediately.¡±

    Lawyer Yan handed over a document and asked Yun Zhang to sign it. Yun Zhang¡¯s hands trembled in fury as he signed his name.

    However, no matter how angry he was, Yun Zhang didn¡¯t dare to delay any longer. If he caused losses to his father¡¯s company, he feared his father would skin him alive.

    He knew that Shi Nian didn¡¯t speak empty words and would make good on his threat so Yun Zhang could only appease Yun Nan first and carefully plot against her later.

    ¡­

    Yun Nan held a meeting with the heads of the various departments of her film studio¡ªat the moment, they were the only members of these ¡®

    departments

    .¡¯ They were short on staff, and every one of the ¡®upper management¡¯ had no personnel to command.

    However, they were all university schoolmates or business partners who had met during their university days; they had a tacit understanding developed through many years of teamwork and cooperation.

    They¡¯d all left their previous careers behind to come together under Yun Nan¡¯s leadership, ready to realize their dreams. The thought set everyone¡¯s blood racing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss. We have faith in you!¡±

 Chapter 15

    Chapter Fifteen: Multiple Sides

    ¡°Boss, lead us forward; I¡¯ll follow you with my eyes closed!¡±

    Everyone joked as they packed their things.

    Yun Nan was the youngest among them, but everyone was used to calling her ¡®Boss.¡¯ It was a title they bestowed on her in respect¡ªa title given to her because she was the director; because she was always calm and composed, and because she was a good leader.

    ¡°You guys are putting a lot of pressure on me!¡± Yun Nan laughingly said.

    ¡°Now, we¡¯re just waiting for them to return your script. We¡¯ve got the costumes, lighting, cameras, props. Everything is set and ready to go! Fang Xi is in charge of publicity. How bad was her cold? Should we visit her? Is there anyone taking care of her?¡± Miss An, who was in charge of the costumes, asked in concern.

    Yun Nan hastily assured her, ¡°No, don¡¯t worry. I called her; she was fine. We should let her get some rest. Let¡¯s continue with our work.¡±

    When the meeting ended, Shi Nian¡¯s call came as scheduled. Yun Nan said goodbye to everyone and went downstairs.

    Yun Nan walked to the main entrance. When she turned around, she found her friends curiously looking out from all the windows. She smiled and waved at them before getting into Shi Nian¡¯s car.

    Shi Nian also stared at the faces by the windows, but he looked away and started the car when Yun Nan shut the door.

    ¡°Are they your employees?¡± he asked.

    Yun Nan considered the question for a moment before answering, ¡°They¡¯re my family.¡±

    Shi Nian was startled. She had never referred to the Yun family as such, and here she was, claiming those people as her own.

    ¡°I can feel their hostility through my window,¡± Shi Nian commented as he tilted his head and glanced at Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan laughed. ¡°Our group is concerned about each other¡¯s love lives, and we worry over the members who are in a relationship. They¡¯re not hostile towards you; they¡¯re just worried you might be a cheater.¡±

    ¡°People like us feel we¡¯re a little incompatible with society, and we can¡¯t help being slightly silly and paranoid. Don¡¯t take it to heart. I¡¯ll introduce you to them when I get the chance, and it¡¯ll be fine once you all get to know each other.¡±

    When Shi Nian heard her speak as if they were from two different worlds, he felt a chill down his spine.

    He peered at Yun Nan again with complicated feelings. Yun Nan didn¡¯t know this, but

    someone

    mistook her and her companions as members of the shady underworld.

    ¡­

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan found their wedding rings quickly because there was no ¡®picking¡¯ involved; both of them liked the rings with the simplest design, so there was no dispute. They then bought the rings and left. The shop assistants remarked that the couple were the easiest customers they had ever served.

    The shop assistants were a little put off by the couple¡¯s perfunctory attitude towards their wedding rings. If the two weren¡¯t a handsome man and a beautiful woman who looked very compatible together, the shop assistants would have thought they were cheating on their marriage.

    If Shi Nian and Yun Nan¡¯s behavior before was casual and indifferent, then it was ridiculous when they were taking their wedding photos. The two of them swiftly opted for and changed into the first¡ªand only¡ªset of wedding attire¡ªa tux and gown¡ªshown to them by the shop assistant.

    The shop assistant¡¯s account was as followed. The strangely impatient couple had moved to take photos after changing into the wedding attire, wasting little to no time on makeup and preparations.

    The bride did her hair herself; she secured her flowing locks with a long hairpin she took from the store¡¯s accessory box.

    She also did her makeup herself. Before the shop¡¯s makeup artist could react, the bride had already finished. Satisfied, she then pulled the groom to the photoshoot location.

    None of the wedding shop¡¯s staff¡ªfrom the shop assistant to the photographer¡ªhad ever completed a wedding photo so quickly. The photographer even secretly asked the shop assistant, ¡°Are they our new models?¡±

    The shop assistant ignored him and asked the bride and groom, ¡°Would you like to change into a set of Chinese-styled wedding outfits?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± The bride and groom answered in unison.

    Their marriage was just a collaboration. They only went through the process of buying wedding rings and taking wedding photos to have something to show their elders and relatives. There¡¯s no point in taking extra photos to commemorate a ruse.

    The shop assistant regretfully sighed, ¡°What a pity. We have several new designs; you two would look great in them. This is your wedding, so you should take more photos as a keepsake.¡±

    ¡®

    After all, marriage is a once-in-a-lifetime event, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡® the shopkeeper thought to herself.

    Despite her entreaty, the couple was unmoved; they changed their clothes and left.

    The staff chattered behind their backs.

    ¡°Who only takes one photo for their wedding? Why are they treating it so half-heartedly? Could it be a forced marriage?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it. They were quite peaceful, and there¡¯s no animosity between them.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s a

    polite marriage

    .¡±

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, what a shame. They make a beautiful couple.¡±

    The two subjects in question were unaware of the staff¡¯s discussion. As soon as they got into the car, Yun Nan received a notification on her phone: Yun Zhang had transferred the money to her. She just received 80 million dollars!

    Yun Nan smiled cheerfully and showed the message to Shi Nian. ¡°Thank you!¡± she beamed.

    Shi Nian glanced at it and requested, ¡°I want a feast for dinner!¡±

    ¡°No problem! I¡¯d make you dinner for a year for your tremendous help resolving this issue,¡± Yun Nan said magnanimously.

    Shi Nian laughed. ¡®

    This girl is quite interesting.

    ¡®

    From what Lawyer Yan gathered, in the eyes of the Yun family, Yun Nan was an ingrate and was greedy, heartless, overbearing, and unreasonable¡ªan all-in-all unforgivable character.

    Chang Yuan¡¯s investigations stated Yun Nan was a talented woman with an unfortunate past; she was calm and capable.

    However, the Yun Nan that Shi Nian saw was so innocent that she seemed a little silly at times.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter Sixteen: Chatting

    Shi Nian took Yun Nan to see the house downstairs.

    It was a very spacious three-bedroom apartment. Yun Nan took a fancy to it at first glance and immediately called Fang Xi.

    ¡°Fang Xi, I¡¯ve found a house that you will definitely like. I¡¯ll send you some photos of it!¡± Yun Nan quickly took a few photos of the apartment and sent them over along with the address.

    Fang Xi swiftly replied, ¡°Yun Nan, the rent in that area is at least thirty to fifty thousand dollars. The house is nice, but I can¡¯t afford it. My budget for rent is at most ten thousand dollars.¡±

    She sent a big ¡®sigh¡¯ emoji.

    Yun Nan hurriedly voice-called her, ¡°Fang Xi, this house belongs to a friend of mine. He doesn¡¯t wish to leave the house empty to collect dust, so he¡¯s willing to rent it out at a cheaper price. It means that someone is helping him look after the house. The rent is only ten thousand dollars. I¡¯m thinking we can pay for this place together; I want the room facing north to be my art studio. I¡¯ll give you two thousand dollars for it, so what do you say?¡±

    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Fang Xi screamed in delight. Yun Nan had to move the phone away from her ear.

    ¡°Forget about sharing the rent! Just take the room and use it however you like. It¡¯s such a nice house, and it¡¯s rented out for only ten thousand dollars? Are you sure?¡± Fang Xi asked.

    Yun Nan confirmed, and Fang Xi eagerly urged, ¡°Help me schedule a time with the landlord to sign the contract and move in.¡±

    Yun Nan glanced at Shi Nian, who made a gesture. Yun Nan understood and told Fang Xi, ¡°How does tomorrow sound to you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s great! Yun Nan, you¡¯re a gem. I love you to bits! You¡¯re my lucky star! Oh, set a time for me, please! Set the time!¡± Fang Xi implored.

    After the matter was concluded, Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh of relief.

    ¡°You¡¯re very good to your friend. You helped her rent a house and even shared the rent payment,¡± Shi Nian carelessly remarked as he entered the elevator.

    Yun Nan looked at the documents on her phone, and absently replied, ¡°There was a time when I couldn¡¯t afford food. Fang Xi was the one who supported me and kept me fed.¡±

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t afford food?¡± Shi Nian was surprised.

    Yun Nan put down her phone and smiled at Shi Nian. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve suffered a lot in the past. It¡¯s not something that a young master like yourself can ever imagine in your entire life. In difficult times, even the smallest aid from others can be life-saving. As long as I have the ability, I keep to the saying, ¡®

    Those who receive drips of water during their times of need shall return that kindness with a spring.

    ¡® That¡¯s what my parents¡ªmy adoptive parents¡ªtaught me.¡±

    The elevator swiftly deposited them at the penthouse. Yun Nan entered the house and went straight to the kitchen after she changed her shoes, leaving Shi Nian to slowly digest her words.

    He admired her straightforward personality. Yun Nan was always open and frank. She didn¡¯t fish for sympathy or hide anything. She was completely different from those pretentious girls from wealthy families. She was like purified water, sweet and refreshing.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t go upstairs as he usually would. Instead, he strolled to the kitchen entrance and watched as she nimbly took out the ingredients from the refrigerator and placed them on the countertop.

    When she looked up and saw him, she said, ¡°I need an hour to prepare dinner. I¡¯m making four dishes and a soup. It¡¯ll be a simple meal tonight. I¡¯ll cook the feast I promised you during my day off.¡±

    She spoke in a tone one would use when soothing a child.

    Shi Nian felt awkward, so he crossed his arms, looked at Yun Nan, and searched for a conversation topic. He asked, ¡°When did you learn how to cook?¡±

    Yun Nan deftly peeled the potatoes without stopping as she tilted her head in thought and answered, ¡°I don¡¯t remember. My parents used to run a small restaurant. I would help them wash and sort out the ingredients after I returned from school. I would stand by the stove and watch them cook. I guess I learned via osmosis that way.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take cooking skills lightly. After my parents passed away, I earned my tuition fees by cooking in restaurants for two summers.¡±

    Yun Nan placed the peeled potatoes on the chopping board and cut them into shreds. Her adept knife skills made it impossible for anyone to doubt her words.

    ¡°How old were you then?¡± Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Fourteen, but I told my employer that I was seventeen. They wouldn¡¯t dare to hire an underaged teen, otherwise.¡± Yun Nan said with a smug smile as if she was proud of her lie.

    ¡°I heard that you were admitted to university at that age,¡± Shi Nian stated; he had seen her resume.

    ¡°Yes, I joined the junior class. However, the tuition fees are still quite expensive for me, so I took advantage of the summer vacation to earn money,¡± Yun Nan said casually.

    ¡°What other jobs have you done?¡± Shi Nian asked as he watched Yun Nan shred, slice, dice, and chop the ingredients before putting them neatly on the plate. He was so fascinated that he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her as she worked.

    Yun Nan heated the saucepan before adding cooking oil. When she tipped the shredded potatoes into the pan, and they sizzled loudly, she raised her voice and replied, ¡°I did a lot of jobs, all sorts of stuff. When I was young, I could only do labor jobs which didn¡¯t earn much. But I had no choice; I needed the money. Tuition, food, and other living expenses; all of these things cost money.¡±

    The shredded potatoes were done, and she transferred them onto a plate. Yun Nan handily washed the pot and prepared the second dish.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter Seventeen: Appreciation

    ¡°Does the Yun family know about this?¡± Shi Nian asked softly.

    Yun Nan paused and was silent for a few seconds before answering, ¡°Probably not. No one had thought to ask me about it.¡±

    Since no one brought it up, naturally she didn¡¯t mention it.

    Yun Nan felt a little dazed.

    Indeed, her biological parents had never asked about her past. Ever since she returned to them, they were busy reassuring and comforting Yun Liu, afraid that Yun Liu would feel sad and insecure because of her return.

    They had neglected to inquire into their biological daughter¡¯s past

    Or perhaps, they didn¡¯t ask because they didn¡¯t want to know. Knowledge of Yun Nan¡¯s hardships would only make them feel guilty. They choose to be oblivious to avoid having to live with that on their conscience.

    The oil in the pan began to smoke. Yun Nan hurriedly poured the stirred eggs into the pan.

    ¡°*

    Sizzle

    *¡± The small bit of resentment in Yun Nan¡¯s heart dissipated along with the smoke.

    Certainly, some things wouldn¡¯t hurt if you didn¡¯t think about them.

    Shi Nian looked at the suddenly distracted Yun Nan and was able to build a general picture of her situation. He was unfamiliar with Yun Nan, but he knew the rest of the Yun family well enough.

    When the Yun family¡¯s daughter went missing all those years ago, Shi Nian¡¯s grandfather thought the marriage was voided. However, a few months later, the Yun family adopted a daughter¡ªYun Liu¡ªto replace the one they lost, and doted on her.

    In the few times they met, Shi Nian¡¯s parents and his grandfather weren¡¯t pleased with the adopted daughter, so the issue of their arranged marriage was put on hold and no longer mentioned.

    When he met Yun Liu again, Shi Nian had already taken over the Shi Corporation. After that encounter, the Yun family would bring her along to visit his grandfather now and then. Their aims were obvious.

    In the past two years, since Yun Liu started working in the entertainment industry as an actress, rumors that Yun Liu was his fianc¨¦e often cropped up. Shi Nian remained silent and didn¡¯t clarify the matter out of consideration for the two families¡¯ relationship, but he thought the Yun family were quite revolting.

    Two years ago, he heard the Yun family¡¯s biological daughter had been found. Shi Nian wasn¡¯t home when the Yun family brought their two daughters over for a visit. Therefore, he didn¡¯t meet Yun Nan until recently.

    Grandpa Shi mentioned that the Yun family intended to have Yun Liu marry into the Shi family, but Grandpa Shi and his parents felt that the Yun family¡¯s actual daughter¡ªYun Nan¡ªwas the better choice. Shi Nian¡¯s elders didn¡¯t want to dispute with the Yun family over this, so they let Shi Nian decide.

    Shi Nian hadn¡¯t wanted to marry either one of them. He used the excuse of being busy to avoid the Yun family and never saw them again.

    He could afford to put off his marriage, but the Yun family¡¯s daughters definitely couldn¡¯t. He planned to drag things out until the girls met someone they liked and got quickly married off. Then, Shi Nian would be free of the engagement.

    However, his grandfather was old, and the elderly man hoped to see his grandson build his own little family. He wanted to urge Shi Nian to get married, but he couldn¡¯t bear to force his grandson. Every time Shi Nian saw his grandfather hesitate and bite his tongue, his will wavered.

    ¡®

    It¡¯s just a marriage,

    ¡® Shi Nian had thought. ¡®

    My happiness isn¡¯t as important as Grandpa¡¯s gratification.

    ¡®

    And just as he was at his wit¡¯s end, Yun Nan came knocking on his door.

    She had stated her intentions with frank bluntness, going straight for his Achilles¡¯ heel. She laid her cards on the table, and Shi Nian gladly accepted her proposal.

    After spending the past two days together, he developed a strong curiosity about Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan was unguarded and didn¡¯t hide who she was around him. She was so real and honest that she got under Shi Nian¡¯s skin.

    He admired the way she resolved her grievances with the Yun family. She hadn¡¯t used any tricks against them, no devious or convoluted schemes. She didn¡¯t beat around the bush either. She had taken back what belonged to her decisively and straightforwardly.

    With her current status in the Yun family, if she wanted to take revenge on the Yun family for everything they¡¯d done to her, the Yun Corporation would collapse in a matter of minutes under the Shi Corporation¡¯s might.

    But instead, she¡¯d chosen to deal with them fairly and honestly. The Yun family seemed despicable in comparison. Her actions made even Shi Nian¡¯s meticulous planning look petty.

    Yun Nan quickly finished cooking her four dishes and soup. She brought the food to the dining table, took off her apron, and washed her face. Then, she sat opposite him, face devoid of makeup.

    Shi Nian was startled once more by this woman before him.

    Did she not care about such trifles, or did she not take him seriously at all?

    Yun Nan scooped a bowl of rice for Shi Nian and handed it over, unaware of the twists and turns Young Master Shi¡¯s thoughts had taken in such a short time.

    She picked up a piece of pork rib and tasted it carefully. She narrowed her eyes and muttered to herself, ¡°Hmm, this tastes a little different since I made it using a pressure cooker. During one of my days off, I¡¯ll slowly stew the ribs properly under low heat. I think you¡¯ll find that it tastes much better than this.¡±

    Shi Nian tasted the pork rib and felt it was already quite delicious. Her pork ribs were even better than the ones made by the chef in his family residence.

    ¡®

    She has such exacting standards. Is she trying to surpass a Michelin chef

    ?¡¯

    Not wishing to be seen as someone who¡¯d never had good food, Shi Nian bit back his praise.

    ¡°Grandpa and my younger sister will be home from abroad in two days. My parents should be back before that; they went on a domestic trip,¡± Shi Nian informed her as he worked his way through the mushroom soup. He did not know what she had put in it, but it was so fresh and savory that he raised his eyebrows in appreciation.

    ¡°Oh, okay. So I gather we will be going to your family residence to meet your parents? What gifts should I bring?¡± Yun Nan said composedly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to bring gifts. You have to come with me to the airport to pick up my relatives.¡±

    ¡°Alright, let me know in advance. You have my full cooperation.¡±

    Shi Nian wasn¡¯t used to dealing with this unusual partner of his, so he took a big bite of the pork rib instead.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter Eighteen: Cheer Up

    Fang Xi came to work the next day. She was a little haggard but not dispirited.

    No one noticed anything unusual.

    When the office was empty of others, Yun Nan could not help but ask her, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a long vacation? Go out on a trip and clear your head.¡±

    Fang Xi was surprised and countered, ¡°You¡¯ve gotten your script back, so your film is set to go. I have to sign you up for this year¡¯s film festival and prepare for all sorts of activities. Where would I find the time to take a break?¡±

    Yun Nan looked at Fang Xi and said nothing.

    Fang Xi smiled and patted her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just a breakup; I can handle it. There are plenty of men out there.

    Out with the old and in with the new

    , right?¡±

    Yun Nan grabbed her hand. ¡°The more you say things like that, the more it shows you care for and haven¡¯t let go of him. If you want to throw yourself into work, then I won¡¯t force you. However, you must, MUST take good care of yourself. I need you, whether it¡¯s at work or in my personal life!¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s eyes were a little wet. She gave Yun Nan a small push, ¡°Brat! You¡¯re too much! Who needs a man when I have you? Why don¡¯t we just spend the rest of our lives together?¡±

    Yun Nan laughed and avoided her grabby hands. ¡°Why would I spend the rest of my life with you when I can spend it with my money?¡± she teased.

    ¡°Hey! Do you have something against living with me?¡± Fang Xi pretended to hit her.

    The two of them laughed and played around for a while before they calmed down. Fang Xi felt much more relaxed and looked at Yun Nan gratefully. ¡°You are a gift from the heavens! Yun Nan, it¡¯s great to have you around.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled but didn¡¯t say anything.

    Fang Xi continued, ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m still upset. After all, I¡¯ve been with him for seven years. In the best years of my youth, he was in every corner. Now that our relationship is at an end, it¡¯s impossible not to be sad, but what can I do?¡±

    ¡°From the very beginning, he never promised me a lifetime. I loved him, and I felt that the process was more important than the result. Like a moth, I plunged into the flame and burned to pieces without hesitation.¡±

    ¡°Yun Nan, I don¡¯t regret it. I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m just a little reluctant to let things end like this. After all, we spent seven years together, and I didn¡¯t get even a little bit of affection from him. It makes me feel quite frustrated. Am I really that terrible?¡±

    Tears rolled down Fang Xi¡¯s face as she laughed self-deprecatingly.

    Yun Nan patted her hand and comforted her, ¡°It¡¯s not you, it¡¯s him! He¡¯s the blind one! Trust me; he will get his just desserts! If a blind man like him can have a good ending, then the heavens must also be blind. If that¡¯s the case, why do you still belittle yourself? Fang Xi, he¡¯s not worth it!¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s tears had already stopped. She smiled and perked up. ¡°Don¡¯t blame the heavens; it has nothing to do with this. Don¡¯t speak without restraint! Be careful or the heavens might send you a scumbag boyfriend,¡± she jibed.

    Yun Nan was indifferent to romance, and she said as much. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in men! I¡¯m born without a romantic bone in my body!¡±

    Fang Xi looked at the top of Yun Nan¡¯s head with pity and said, ¡°Yes, I know, I know. You¡¯re only interested in money! Then let¡¯s earn money!¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Money is the greatest and only source of security!¡±

    Fang Xi smiled and said, ¡°Yeah! Then let¡¯s hurry up and make some money, Boss!¡±

    Yun Nan waved her fist and stood up. ¡°Money makes me happy!¡±

    Their studio had just started operations, and there were too many things to do. The two friends quickly became immersed in discussing their work plans.

    ¡°Yun Nan, have Annie and Meida help you revise the script. You guys don¡¯t have to worry about anything else. I¡¯ll instruct the others and have them edit your previous movies and documentaries into short videos. When the voting for the award nomination begins, we¡¯ll release the short videos as part of our campaign. The social media accounts we opened years ago have been well-maintained. In the future, they¡¯ll be our exclusive public social accounts, and we will post the short videos there, along with the studio¡¯s notices and promotions. Everything is ready to go!¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s eyes sparkled and shone when she talked about work.

    Yun Nan also quickly switched to work mode and gave her own opinions. ¡°I¡¯m almost done revising the script, but I didn¡¯t show it to Yun Zhang and the others. I knew Yun Liu wouldn¡¯t be willing to let me shoot another movie. We should discuss the casting with everyone else, but I think we should let Mika handle it. He¡¯s a good judge of character, and I trust him.¡±

    Working with like-minded people can be extremely efficient.

    The two of them finished work early and went to the hotel in the afternoon to move Fang Xi¡¯s things to her new home.

    ¡°Yun Nan, how did you find such a nice place?¡± Fang Xi exclaimed, looking at the apartment. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I managed to rent such a nice house at such a low price.¡±

    Yun Nan took the chance to tell Fang Xi everything about her marriage agreement with Shi Nian, and the fact that he was Fang Xi¡¯s new landlord. However, she hid the part about the extra rent.

    Fang Xi knew Yun Nan¡¯s family situation the best out of all her friends. She wasn¡¯t surprised that she left the Yun family. In fact, Fang Xi felt it was the best choice Yun Nan could make. Even so, she couldn¡¯t help but be alarmed that Yun Nan actually agreed to a contract marriage with Shi Nian just to break free of her horrid family.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter Nineteen: Inform

    ¡°Yun Nan, what were you thinking?! Isn¡¯t that jumping out of the frying pan into the fire? Why did you think that marrying Shi Nian was a good idea? You don¡¯t even know him! Is he reliable? How many days have you two been sleeping in the same room together? Did he behave and keep his hands to himself? What? Did he bully you?¡± Fang Xi frowned and grabbed Yun Nan¡¯s wrist as she anxiously fired questions at her.

    Yun Nan smiled, broke free from Fang Xi¡¯s grip, and patted her friend¡¯s hand. ¡°Relax, Fang Xi. Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    She poured herself a glass of water and drank it in one go. She then filled two more glasses. She handed one to Fang Xi and held the other in her hands.

    ¡°My relationship with the Yun family is difficult and complicated. They will absolutely hold me back if I try to move forward. The only person who can keep them in line and whom I can negotiate with is Shi Nian.¡±

    ¡°Shi Nian and I were betrothed to each other when we were young. The story goes that, back in the day, my grandfather saved Grandpa Shi¡¯s life. That¡¯s probably an exaggeration, but it¡¯s true that the Shi family takes this affair seriously.¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t cancel the betrothal even after I went missing. The Yun family planned to have Yun Liu marry Shi Nian. I think the elders of the Shi family weren¡¯t very satisfied with her, so they postponed the marriage.¡±

    ¡°However, the Shi family¡¯s elderly master¡ªShi Nian¡¯s grandfather¡ªwas getting old, and I heard he was urging Shi Nian to choose between Yun Liu and me. That¡¯s why I dared to use the marriage agreement as a condition to negotiate with Shi Nian.¡±

    ¡°Then, what about Yun Liu? They¡¯ve known each other for so many years; how can you be sure he doesn¡¯t have any feelings for her at all?¡± Fang Xi asked.

    Then, something occurred to her. ¡°Oh, now that you mentioned it, I remember now. Yun Liu played up her identity as the daughter of a rich family when she first debuted, and it is rumored that she is the future daughter-in-law of a super-wealthy family.¡±

    ¡°However, an actress like her doesn¡¯t qualify to be a wife to such distinguished families, so I didn¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Fang Xi sniffed disdainfully. ¡°So, that super-wealthy family in question was the Shi family! Are you sure there¡¯s nothing going on between those two?¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure. Yun Liu has been one-sidedly pursuing Shi Nian, but he doesn¡¯t return her feelings. Shi Nian¡ªhe¡¯s 29 years old, but he hasn¡¯t even had a rumored girlfriend. He took over the Shi family¡¯s businesses a long time ago and is a workaholic. I¡¯ve been perfectly fine sharing a room with him, so relax. We¡¯re just partners; our relationship is strictly business.¡±

    Fang Xi took a deep breath, but she still wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°What will you two do after the five years are up? Then what?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and playfully tugged at Fang Xi¡¯s hair, ¡°Fang Xi, don¡¯t you think that by then, our business will have expanded to the point that we can stand against the Yun family? The Yun family can¡¯t hound me anymore when I¡¯m a strong and independent woman!¡±

    She went on to say, ¡°I¡¯ll just treat it as working for Shi Nian for five years, playing the role of his wife and humoring his relatives. Five years later, I¡¯ll leave with nothing and say I cheated on him. At worst, I¡¯ll have one of our actors pretend to be my illicit lover and create a scandal. It¡¯s easy!¡±

    Fang Xi blinked and asked, ¡°And Shi Nian agreed to this?¡±

    Yun Nan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why would he disagree? He has nothing to lose financially. As the ¡®guilty party¡¯ in the marriage, I¡¯m leaving with nothing. I won¡¯t take a single cent from him. He won¡¯t find anyone more suitable than me to satisfy his grandfather¡¯s wishes. Shi Nian is very filial; that¡¯s his Achilles¡¯ heel, so I grabbed at it.¡±

    ¡°I mean, he doesn¡¯t mind that you¡¯ll ¡®

    cheat on him

    ¡® five years later?¡± Fang Xi gulped at the thought.

    Yun Nan paused before slowly answering, ¡°He¡­

    didn¡¯t

    disagree. Look, we¡¯re both adults, and he handles a business empire. This teensy-weensy matter won¡¯t trip him up. Besides, a scandal like that is nothing new. Anyway, with his status, no one would dare to gossip about him.

    I¡¯ll

    be the bad woman; he just has to sit there and look pretty.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s

    exactly

    because he has a business empire to handle that he wouldn¡¯t be able to accept being cuckolded!¡± Fang Xi muttered.

    Yun Nan scratched her head.

    She figured that Fang Xi and her were looking at the issue from different perspectives. To Yun Nan, nothing came before her career; she felt that Shi Nian was similar to her in this regard.

    Fang Xi¡¯s mind, on the other hand, was still occupied by love and romance, so her thoughts were a little too much of an idol drama.

    Besides, many things would happen in the five years¡¯ time; she would deal with them when the time comes. The most important thing now was to make herself stronger, more powerful. With enough wealth and a firm foothold in the industry, she would fear no one!

    Shi Nian sent a message stating that he had something on tonight and wouldn¡¯t be home for dinner.

    Yun Nan was overjoyed at the news. She could now cook with Fang Xi to celebrate Fang Xi¡¯s move to her new home. She would also have time to start painting.

    Fang Xi was also a talented chef. She didn¡¯t allow Yun Nan to help out and told her to focus on her painting before shutting her in the art studio.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter Twenty: Gathering (1)

    Yun Nan¡¯s painting skills were mostly self-taught. Selling her artwork was also one of the ways she earned her living expenses. However, she only took custom orders online. Aside from Fang Xi, no one knew that Xi Jin, the legendary artist greatly lauded on the internet, was actually Yun Nan.

    She did illustrations for online novels, drew cover designs, and also graphic novels and serial comics. Sometimes, she would create artwork that would set the art community abuzz as members of the audience discussed their different opinions about them.

    Xi Jin¡¯s fan base was large and included people from all walks of life; that identity was far more famous than Yun Nan¡¯s current renown in the director industry.

    By the time Fang Xi called her in for dinner, she¡¯d already completed a sketch.

    ¡°Oh? This is a movie poster for ¡®

    4:30 PM,

    ¡® I presume?¡± Fang Xi asked.

    ¡°Yes, we can use it to attract traffic,¡± Yun Nan said as she stretched.

    Fang Xi smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a good idea. If Xi Jin were to promote ¡®

    4:30 PM

    ,¡¯ it¡¯s bound to cause a sensation. That¡¯s a solid fandom base.¡±

    ¡°Then all eyes will be on us. Poor Mika will be under even more pressure,¡± Yun Nan stated half-jokingly. She walked to the dining table and reached for the chicken wings.

    Fang Xi lightly swatted her hand away and scolded, ¡°Go wash your hands!¡±

    Yun Nan laughingly went and washed her hands. Suddenly, her heart skipped a beat. Shi Nian also behaved like this when they were at home. She and Fang Xi were extremely close and they regarded each other as family. But she had only recently met Shi Nian, so why did he treat her like family?

    She shook her head to clear it. They¡¯d only been together for a few days, so she shouldn¡¯t jump to conclusions. That immature guy was just being nice because he liked her food.

    Fang Xi raised her voice so that it would carry to Yun Nan. ¡°The more fans follow the movie, the better it is for the film; its popularity will increase. But you don¡¯t have to worry about lacking fans or popularity because you¡¯ve changed companies. Your films always have a strong following, and this one will, too. The fans only care about the actors¡¯ performance, not which company is responsible for producing the film.¡±

    Yun Nan returned to the table and spoke as she ate, ¡°We have to watch out for Yun Zhang and Yun Liu. They won¡¯t let me, nor my script, go so easily. I had Shi Nian keep them in line last time, but they wouldn¡¯t be willing to give up just like that. Yun Zhang is a simple-minded man with a firecracker temper and easily influenced by Yun Liu.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I received news today that Yun Zhang threatened to ban you from the entire industry,¡± Fang Xi reported.

    Yun Nan sneered.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell Shi Nian and get him to back you up?¡± Fang Xi asked.

    Yun Nan shook her head. ¡°I just used Shi Nian¡¯s authority to get a large sum of money from Yun Zhang the other day. If I call in Shi Nian again, that¡¯ll be bullying him too much. I¡¯ll deal with him myself and teach him a lesson he¡¯ll remember for a long time.¡±

    Fang Xi shook her head as she commented, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what those two are thinking. They could be living good lives but they insist on going against you instead. That¡¯s just courting death.¡±

    Yun Nan wiped her hands on a tissue and remarked, ¡°They grew up in the lap of luxury and had everything at their fingertips. They thought that whatever they wanted should naturally belong to them. To them, I am an outsider and a predator. Hence, they would not tolerate me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right.¡± Fang Xi pursed her lips and retorted, ¡°They¡¯re nowhere near as high-end and classy as you make them out to be. Under that innocent mask of hers, Yun Liu is a conniving b*tch. You should be careful; people like her can be quite vicious. Just because you¡¯ve braved bitter hardships and tribulations doesn¡¯t mean you could be unconcerned about her little tricks and schemes. She could still cause great harm if she takes a stab at you.¡±

    Yun Nan leaned over and said winningly, ¡°I have thick skin. Besides, I have you to protect me.¡±

    While Yun Nan and Fang Xi were chatting happily, Shi Nian was a little distracted on his end.

    Today was the first time he and his friends¡ªa close and brotherly quartet¡ªhad gathered together in more than a year; a rare occurrence indeed. As each and every one of them was sent off by their families to do their duties, they had little chance to meet, and the four of them were never able to sit down together as a group.

    They quickly caught up with each other and shared stories.

    Liang Han¡¯s film production company was doing very well, and managing it was the perfect job for the playboy. To him, his company was a pleasant place with pretty things to look at.

    Ye Kun went overseas to study under his brother and was now involved in investment and acquisition. The group could tell from his pale and wan face that he was going through a tough time. Ye Kun¡¯s brother didn¡¯t coddle him as his father would.

    Shi Nian and Xi Cheng traveled around the world for their studies when they were young. Now, they had returned to the city and were stationed there.

    Xi Cheng¡¯s face was dark the whole time. It was clear that he was in a bad mood.

    The three of them listened as Liang Han gave his eloquent speech in silence. He commented on the directors, actors, and celebrities in the country and abroad, one by one.

    ¡°Hey, let me tell you guys something; I¡¯ve been following a new director recently. She¡¯s very talented! Although she only filmed two movies, the documentaries she produced were amazing!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s definitely one of the best directors in the country. I watched her documentaries in the middle of the night like they were movies. I¡¯ve made up my mind to sign with her. With her genius, even if I do nothing else for the rest of my life, I¡¯ll still be famous for being Director Yun¡¯s aide!¡± Liang Han boasted and excitedly downed the wine in his glass.

    Strewn bonelessly on the sofa, Ye Kun lazily stated, ¡°You said the same thing about that director last time. What was his name again? And look how he turned out. How¡¯s he doing now, do you know?¡±

 Chapter 21

    Chapter Twenty-One: Gathering (2)

    Liang Han was taken aback. He quickly recovered and said, ¡°That¡¯s different. That fool became arrogant just because he had a little fame and dared to target one of his company¡¯s female artistes. He was just fooling around, but unfortunately, that lady had quite a stubborn personality and insisted on clinging to him. Really, what a scandal! I feel like giving him a kick or two!¡±

    Liang Han was so angry that he gestured wildly as he spoke. He beat his chest and stamped his feet.

    ¡°I¡¯d advise you to not be excited too soon,¡± Ye Kun said feebly. ¡°How can you be sure that this new director you¡¯re praising to the moon and back won¡¯t become the next fool?¡±

    ¡°Of course, she won¡¯t!¡± Liang Han chuckled. ¡°She¡¯s female, for one. And she hardly shows her face in public, so she probably looks unappealing. Think about it; she¡¯s a talented but unattractive woman. That makes her the perfect partner! I don¡¯t have to worry about messy and improper relationships for the rest of my life, nor do I have to fend off ardent admirers.¡±

    Liang Han rubbed his hands together excitedly, but alas, his three pals weren¡¯t interested in supporting him.

    Xi Cheng¡¯s phone vibrated. He picked it up and glanced at the message: ¡°Miss Fang has already left the apartment. She didn¡¯t take anything aside from her clothing and personal effects with her.¡±

    ¡°Did my mother visit her?¡± Xi Cheng sent the question with a dark expression.

    ¡°She brought Miss Lin along with her,¡± the other party replied.

    At that answer, Xi Cheng slammed his phone on the coffee table and gave everyone a shock.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Liang Han glared at Xi Cheng unhappily.

    Xi Cheng ignored him. He poured himself a glass of wine and downed it without saying a word.

    The others were stunned by his actions. Liang Han asked tentatively, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you get rejected? No way! There¡¯s not a snowball¡¯s chance in hell that Lin Yu is willing to let you go.¡±

    Xi Cheng glared at Liang Han, and he immediately shut up. He realized that he¡¯d once again touched a nerve, so he quickly looked around for help from his other friends.

    ¡®

    Xi Cheng has been like this since he was young. When he doesn¡¯t want to talk, it is best to ignore him,¡¯

    Shi Nian thought.

    He raised his glass and bumped it against Ye Kun¡¯s, asking casually, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go abroad to discuss the merger and acquisition? Why do you look like you¡¯ve been mining in Africa?¡±

    Ye Kun sighed and rubbed his face. ¡°Even

    that

    would have been preferable to what I went through!¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Liang Han was intrigued. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve had your kidney dug out.¡±

    Ye Kun glared at him. ¡°How the hell did you survive in the entertainment industry with that mouth of yours?¡±

    Liang Han proudly stretched his neck and stated, ¡°Money, of course.¡±

    ¡®

    Shameless!

    ¡® Ye Kun and Shi Nian both turned their heads away from him.

    ¡°Shi Nian, I¡¯ve decided to move to your residential area from tomorrow onwards. I¡¯m not going home,¡± Ye Kun announced.

    ¡°Why? Are your parents forcing you to get married?¡± Shi Nian teased.

    Ye Kun didn¡¯t say anything.

    Liang Han laughed loudly, ¡°Haha, Young Master Ye, it serves you right! But hey, what¡¯s up with that? Your big brother¡¯s not married yet. Why would your relatives skip over your elder brother and place this heavy responsibility on your shoulders?¡±

    Ye Kun slumped on the sofa and sighed, ¡°I lost to my big bro, as usual. He had just gotten together with his girlfriend so he went and told my grandmother that he would get married after I found myself a girlfriend. He said some nonsense about not wanting to leave me too far behind in life, and the old lady actually believed it.¡±

    ¡°I got off the plane yesterday morning, and before I even recovered from jet lag, I was made to sit through a series of blind dates! From yesterday until now, I¡¯ve met twelve blind dates.

    Please

    don¡¯t mention women in front of me; even the sight of one right now makes me nauseous!¡±

    Liang Han craned his head out to ask, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you like men?¡±

    ¡°F*ck off! If I like men, your *ss will be the first one I come for!¡± Ye Kun cursed, causing Liang Han to retreat to the side.

    Liang Han then took on a scared and timid expression; Ye Kun and Shi Nian looked away as they couldn¡¯t stand it.

    ¡°Liang Han, I hope you won¡¯t be able to sign that ugly and talented female director of yours!¡± Ye Kun said whilst pointing at Liang Han.

    ¡°Hey, hey, don¡¯t be like that! Don¡¯t joke about my career!¡± Liang Han cried plaintively.

    ¡°I¡¯ve rented out my apartment downstairs. Don¡¯t barge into the wrong apartment when you go back. Do try and remember your address.¡± Shi Nian reminded Ye Kun.

    The residential area was under his name. He kept two apartments downstairs for himself, and Ye Kun had fancied and bought one of them.

    ¡°Rented out? Who did you rent it to?¡± Liang Han asked. He¡¯d always had an extremely exuberant curiosity and was nosier than any paparazzi in the entertainment industry.

    Shi Nian ignored him.

    ¡°Why are you willing to rent it out?¡± Ye Kun inquired; he was also curious.

    His friend, Young Master Shi, had many quirks; he was possessive and a neat freak. Since the house was Shi Nian¡¯s, he wouldn¡¯t allow others to move in on his territory even if he didn¡¯t live in it.

    ¡°Could it be that he rented it to a woman?¡± Liang Han suggested, as excited as if he had discovered a new continent.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter Twenty-Two: Buddies

    Ye Kun¡¯s interest was piqued as well. Both of them looked at Shi Nian. Only Xi Cheng was fiddling with his phone, his mind elsewhere.

    ¡°A friend of a friend,¡± Shi Nian said lightly.

    ¡°A woman?¡±

    ¡°A woman!¡±

    Ye Kun and Liang Han chorused, one in question and the other in affirmation.

    Shi Nian nodded.

    Ye Kun¡¯s lassitude disappeared. He sat up straight and gave Liang Han a meaningful look before stating, ¡°I¡¯ll go over tonight. The house is stocked with everything I need. I¡¯ll just ask someone to send two sets of clothes over.¡±

    Liang Han came over. ¡°I¡¯ll go and stay for the night.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to pay for accommodation!¡± Young Master Ye said bluntly.

    Liang Han rolled his eyes at him and said, ¡°Pay my a*s! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m asking to have s*x with you!¡±

    ¡°You wish! Why would

    I

    ¡ªhandsome and dashing¡ªsleep with someone like you?¡± The two of them started arguing.

    Shi Nian coughed lightly and warned, ¡°If you scare away my tenant, I¡¯ll charge you double the rent!¡±

    ¡®

    Yo, a little protective, aren¡¯t we, Shi Nian?

    ¡® Liang Han and Ye Kun glanced at each other and smiled wickedly.

    Shi Nian was too lazy to explain and ignored them.

    Xi Cheng suddenly stood up. ¡°I have something to do. I¡¯ll be leaving first!¡±

    The three of them watched as Xi Cheng disappeared through the door. Liang Han questioned, ¡°What has gotten into him this time?¡±

    Ye Kun let out a long sigh. ¡°My guess is that Lin Yu is hounding him for marriage. The Lin family made a mistake in their decisions recently, and their businesses are collapsing. They are in urgent need of help. I guess we have to prepare red packets. Ah, we should be preparing to be groomsmen!¡±

    Liang Han chided, ¡°You saw his expression. Does it look like it belonged to a happy groom-to-be?¡±

    ¡°What does his happiness have to do with him being the groom?¡± Ye Kun sneered. ¡°If he dares to refuse Lin Yu, Lin Yu will definitely die in front of him. He may not care for her, but his mother does. His mother only acknowledges Lin Yu as her daughter-in-law! We should be glad we don¡¯t have such an assertive mother!¡±

    Liang Han fell silent because Ye Kun was right. Then, he let out a dramatic sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that we rich playboys would actually be the victims of arranged marriages. How pathetic,¡± he paused before grumbling, ¡°Guys, I¡¯m waiting for a response here!¡±

    Ye Kun rolled his eyes at him. ¡°Look who¡¯s talking. You¡¯re not being forced to get married¡­are you?¡±

    Liang Han was smug as he informed him, ¡°My family only hopes that I stop flirting around so much and be more serious. I¡¯m sighing for you guys, my buddies! After all, brothers should share their blessings and difficulties. I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯m very loyal!¡±

    He received two more eye rolls.

    ¡°Speaking of which, Shi Nian, how¡¯s your childhood sweetheart?¡± Ye Kun asked his best friend.

    ¡°I don¡¯t

    have

    any childhood sweethearts!¡± Shi Nian corrected him.

    Lin Yu and Xi Cheng were childhood sweethearts. Based on this standard, Shi Nian and the young lady from the Yun family really didn¡¯t count.

    Firstly, there was a huge difference in status between them and the Yun family; the Yun family weren¡¯t members of their social circle. Secondly, there was a relationship between Xi Cheng and Lin Yu, while Shi Nian turned a blind eye to Miss Yun.

    ¡°Tsk! Your granddad is coming back soon. I reckon that the next person forced to marry will be you. Shi Nian, why don¡¯t I lend you a female artiste? She could pretend to be in a relationship with you and drive Miss Yun away,¡± Liang Han offered.

    Shi Nian was startled, but he immediately replied, ¡°Thank you, but no need!¡±

    ¡®Someone has already arrived one step ahead of you,

    ¡® he thought.

    Liang Han said worriedly, ¡°You never know. You have to think of a solution as soon as possible, bro. If you get entangled with a woman¡ªthink about it, you should learn from Xi Cheng¡¯s plight!¡±

    Shi Nian calmly took a sip of wine.

    Ye Kun also chimed in, ¡°Shi Nian, Liang Han is right this time. You have to be prepared¡ªmake plans early.¡±

    Liang Han kicked him. ¡°What do you mean,

    this time

    ? That hurts, Ye Kun. We¡¯re not friends anymore!¡±

    Ignoring Liang Han, Ye Kun rubbed at his injured leg and said to Shi Nian, ¡°You should consider Liang Han¡¯s idea.¡±

    Shi Nian put his glass down and reassured him, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can handle it.¡±

    His heart rippled slightly. ¡®

    My brothers are still in dire straits, but I have already been pulled out of the pit by Yun Nan. This feeling is great!

    ¡® A faint smile appeared on his lips.

    Liang Han, the number one paparazzi, exclaimed, ¡°Shi Nian, you¡¯re awfully happy. Do I smell love in the air?¡±

    ¡°Hey, Ye Kun, look. He¡¯s laughing secretly. I¡¯ve never seen him so¡­ so worldly since I was young.¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s expression changed, and he kicked Liang Han, ¡°What are you on?¡±

    Liang Han immediately dodged and shouted, ¡°Hah, you¡¯re embarrassed! Ye Kun¡ªYe Kun, look, look! He¡¯s obviously hiding something. I was right!¡±

    Shi Nian grabbed the cushion behind him and pounced over, pressing Liang Han down on his chest.

    ¡°Why do you always do this? We¡¯re always forced to make you shut up,¡± Ye Kun smilingly remarked. ¡°Liang Han, we¡¯ve been friends since childhood, haven¡¯t you learned your lesson?¡±

 Chapter 23

    Chapter Twenty-Three: Venting

    From afar, Xi Cheng could see the window was dark, and his heart suddenly felt empty. He opened the door and stood there for a while before turning on the lights.

    If she were here, she would fly over like a bird, chattering non-stop, ¡°Why are you so late? Are you hungry? Did you have a drink? Do you feel uncomfortable? I¡¯ll make you some hangover soup!¡±

    No matter how late he was, she would wait up for him.

    The hangover soup she made was deliciously sweet and sour. It always soothed his uncomfortable stomach after drinking.

    She would prepare water at a suitable temperature for him to soak his tired feet. She even went out of her way to learn how to give foot massages. He would drowsily lean on the sofa while soaking his feet, and she would massage his feet. Then, she would fill the bathtub and urge him to take a bath.

    She served him with the utmost care and attention.

    The term here was ¡®

    serve,

    ¡® not ¡®

    take care.

    ¡®

    When she looked at him, her eyes always shone like stars.

    Xi Cheng walked through every room.

    Everything was neat and tidy, but there was no trace of her. She didn¡¯t even leave a toothbrush behind and wiped away all her traces.

    ¡®

    Was she crying as she cleaned?

    ¡®

    His gaze fell on the coffee table. Two bank cards lay on top of it, and there was a note beside them: ¡°One of the cards is from your mother, and the other card has all the money you gave me for our daily expenses. I haven¡¯t touched it.¡±

    The note was in her handwriting, but there was no indication of who it was for, nor did she sign her name.

    It had been seven years, and she had never spent a single cent of his money and actually gave it back to him.

    He had once insisted on giving her money for staying with him; he wanted to feel at ease and make it seem like he had bought their relationship with money. However, she refused to take it. She said, ¡°I have money. Just give me love.¡±

    He had never given her love because he didn¡¯t know what love was. What he did give her was a person who couldn¡¯t even take care of himself. He didn¡¯t even have a heart.

    For the sake of his conscience, he forcefully gave her the money, citing it was to be their household budget.

    In the end, she accepted it, and he was content.

    However, she never used his money, and in the end, she returned it to him.

    ¡®

    Is she deliberately making me feel uneasy?

    ¡®

    He bent down and slowly picked up the bank card, anger rising in his heart. ¡®

    She really has ulterior motives! She wants me to feel guilty about her for the rest of my life! She is such a scheming woman!

    ¡®

    He took out his phone and wanted to send her a WeChat message, but after thinking about it, he put it down again.

    He scrubbed his face, feeling an indescribable bitterness in his heart.

    When they first got together, she was 22 years old. When she smiled, her eyes curved into crescents, and there were small dimples at the corners of her mouth. She was youthful and attractive.

    She was always so happy.

    No matter how good or bad his mood was, she would always tolerate him, accompany him, and empathize with him.

    When he was in a bad mood, he would throw tantrums at her, and she silently endured it and tried her best to cheer him up.

    Seven years had passed in a flash. Ever since he had her, there had been no other woman by his side. Unknowingly, his wandering heart had been tied to her for seven years.

    He picked up his phone again and found her WeChat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he sent her.

    There were only two words.

    She replied with three: ¡°It¡¯s okay. Goodbye.¡±

    His eyes suddenly felt sore.

    He leaned back on the sofa for a while and finally mustered the courage to pick up his phone again. This time, he sent a voice message. ¡°I can¡¯t give you a marriage. I¡¯ve told you from the beginning that I hope you can meet someone who can marry you, and truly love you in the future!¡±

    He lifted his finger from the recording button, and the sending icon spun on the screen. Then, a red circle appeared with an exclamation mark in the middle.

    She had blocked him after receiving his ¡®sorry.¡¯

    Xi Cheng flung his phone against the wall and it broke into pieces on the floor.

    His heart was beating wildly.

    He slammed his fist on the coffee table, and the pain from his hand made him furious.

    He grabbed the cushion and the vase and threw them. He tossed and smashed everything he could get his hands on, venting his anger crazedly.

    He wanted to pull out the woman who had rooted in his heart, along with his flesh and blood!

    Looking out of the bay window, the city was bustling and lively under the night sky.

    Xi Cheng leaned against the glass and sat quietly. ¡®

    I¡¯m sorry.

    ¡®

    He said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    In the past seven years, he had never uttered those words. No matter how much he tormented or hurt her, he had never apologized to her.

    Seven years, and it ended in three words.

    Fang Xi curled up and hugged himself tightly.

    ¡®

    It¡¯s just love. It¡¯s over¡ªeverything is over.

    ¡®

    For seven years, the one she had fallen in love with was love itself, and it had nothing to do with anyone else.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter Twenty-Four: Invitation

    ¡°Director Mi has agreed to meet those people,¡± Miss Ding, Yun Liu¡¯s manager, said excitedly to her artiste.

    Yun Liu¡ªwho was having her makeup done¡ªmoved, and her eyebrows were ruined.

    The makeup artist hurriedly apologized and took out a makeup wipe to remedy the situation.

    Yun Liu glared at Miss Ding and said to the makeup artist, ¡°You can leave now. I¡¯ll fix it myself.¡±

    After the makeup artist closed the door, Miss Ding repeated, ¡°Director Mi has agreed to meet those people.¡±

    ¡°They know what to do, don¡¯t they?¡± Yun Liu¡¯s expression turned ugly. ¡°They won¡¯t be tempted to go with Director Mi, will they?¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± Miss Ding said hastily. ¡°I¡¯ve already shown the contract to their manager. If they breach the contract, they know how much they would have to pay.¡±

    Yun Liu snorted coldly. ¡®I never expected Yun Nan to have a new place to go to after leaving the Yun Corporation. I¡¯ve underestimated her, and this has caused my original plan to fail.¡¯

    ¡°Have you gotten the invitation to Mr. Mo¡¯s banquet tomorrow?¡±Yun Liu asked.

    ¡°Yes, I have! I got it! Oh, my star! You don¡¯t know how difficult it was! It wasn¡¯t easy to get you an invitation with the Yun family¡¯s prestige in the first place, but you insisted on getting another one. We had no choice but to get one in the name of Chairman Shi!¡± Miss Ding said fawningly.

    Yun Liu¡¯s mood was a little complicated, and her expression was unpleasant.

    Miss Ding quickly continued, ¡°I¡¯ll secretly spread the news. When the reporters ask about your relationship with Chairman Shi, remain silent. The more you keep your silence, the more convincing this matter will be. I¡¯ve asked around¡ªChairman Shi attends Mr. Mo¡¯s garden party every year. Our people will cooperate and take some ambiguous photos of the two of you and leak them.¡±

    Yun Liu gave a slight nod in agreement.

    Seeing that her expression had lightened, Miss Ding carefully asked, ¡°Yun Liu, have you met with Chairman Shi in private recently? You are always relying on this ambiguous relationship with him and, although it can attract traffic, it can¡¯t last long. Can you confirm your relationship with him before your new drama starts broadcasting? It¡¯s best if you can get him to announce it personally. Some people¡ªfans of your competition¡ªhave been questioning you. If this keeps on for any longer, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to suppress them!¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s expression changed.

    Miss Ding¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she secretly cried out that this wasn¡¯t good. Other managers had their artistes well in hand, but she was the only unlucky one who had been reduced to being no more than an assistant. However, Yun Liu was her meal ticket. No matter how difficult Yun Liu was, she had to persevere!

    Yun Liu did not flare up in anger. She just coldly said, ¡°Grandpa Shi will be back soon. When he comes back, our entire family will visit him.¡±

    Miss Ding was overjoyed at the news. ¡°That¡¯s great! Then, why don¡¯t we pick him up at the airport? What do you think?¡±

    Yun Liu hesitated for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact time he would be arriving at. If I ask Shi Nian, he definitely won¡¯t tell me.¡±

    Miss Ding smiled and suggested, ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can get the information from someone in the Shi Corporation. If you meet Chairman Shi at the Mo family¡¯s house tomorrow, take the opportunity to ask him.¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, Fang Xi looked at the invitation card in her hand with a puzzled expression. She asked Yun Nan, ¡°That¡¯s strange; Mr. Mo has sent us another invitation. Is their staff so busy that they got muddle-headed and sent another?¡±

    Yun Nan took the card and glanced at it. ¡°It came by express delivery?¡±

    Fang Xi nodded. ¡°Just investigate where it came from, and we¡¯ll find out why,¡± Yun Nan advised.

    Fang Xi was enlightened. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Last time, it was Mr. Mo¡¯s public relations staff who sent it over directly. This invitation, though, arrived strangely. Could it be the Yun family¡¯s doing?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll know once we look into it.¡± Yun Nan smiled nonchalantly.

    Fang Xi just about had an answer in her heart. She smiled and asked, ¡°What will you be wearing on that day? Do you have an outfit ready?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave that up to you,¡± said Yun Nan.

    Fang Xi snapped her fingers. ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to do as I say. It¡¯s fine for others, but you can¡¯t lose to Yun Liu! I¡¯ll be sure to make her wallow in shame.¡±

    Yun Nan buried her head in her work and rolled her eyes at her friend. ¡°You¡¯re being a little too arrogant. Why do you have to get into a petty feud?¡±

    Fang Xi looked down at Yun Nan¡¯s manuscript and said, ¡°I have nothing else to do, so why not.¡±

    ¡°Be careful, you don¡¯t want to get into trouble with Mr. Mo,¡± Yun Nan poured cold water on her.

    Fang Xi stuck out her tongue. ¡°Nah, the old man wouldn¡¯t care about such menial things.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re welcome to try your luck,¡± Yun Nan said indifferently. ¡°Anyway, I won¡¯t help you if you¡¯re exposed.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Yun Nan, where¡¯s your conscience? I¡¯m doing this for you,¡± Fang Xi groused with her hands on her hips.

    ¡°You ate it,¡± Yun Nan chuckled.

    Fang Xi also smiled. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m going to dress you up nicely anyway. You¡¯ll blow them away. Oh, right, there¡¯s actually a rumor online saying that you¡¯re a fat and ugly but talented woman.¡±

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but raise her head and stare at her best friend in an adorably perplexed manner. ¡°Ugly and fat?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Fang Xi laughed. It¡¯s a fresh rumor.¡±

 Chapter 25

    Chapter Twenty-Five: Evening Gown

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°What a creative thought process! If we can find out who came up with the idea, we should invite him into our studio as a screenwriter.¡±

    Fang Xi pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t deal with trash. Why would I invite someone with only this level of rumor-mongering?¡±

    Yun Nan twirled her pen and asked, ¡°Have you thought of a gift for Mr. Mo?¡± Without waiting for Fang Xi to reply, Yun Nan said, ¡°How about that painting I made before?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course! Mr. Mo will be delighted! I¡¯ll have someone get it framed now!¡± Fang Xi left like a gust of wind.

    Mr. Mo was a very influential figure in the entertainment industry. When he was young, no one could surpass the works that he directed. Later, he moved behind the scenes. He had a large network in the industry and was very experienced. He also came from a prominent background and was very wealthy. Everyone in the entertainment industry wanted to curry favor with him.

    He had a private garden in the suburbs modeled after the ancient gardens. It was understatedly luxurious and covered an area of more than one hundred acres. He would hold a garden party every year during this season.

    Because he had a wide circle of acquaintances¡ªfriends from all walks of life, and all of them preeminent figures¡ªthe annual garden party would facilitate several high-profile collaborations.

    Therefore, Mr. Mo¡¯s garden party received a lot of attention. Being able to get an invitation was a testament to one¡¯s identity and status; anyone who had connections would clamor for it.

    Yun Nan and Fang Xi had met Mr. Mo a few years ago. It could be considered a coincidence.

    Fang Xi had prepared a fitted one-shoulder red dress for Yun Nan. It was knee-length at the front while the back reached the floor. It was a stunning gown. Coupled with Yun Nan¡¯s enchanting baby face, it is¡ªin Fang Xi¡¯s words¡ª¡±absolutely perfect!¡±

    Fang Xi was wearing a white shirt paired with a gold-threaded horse-face skirt. Together with her wavy long hair, she looked competent and elegant.

    ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯m a mascot and you¡¯re the beast tamer?¡± Yun Nan groused.

    Fang Xi gave a pursed-lips smile and remarked, ¡°You always did have good instincts.¡±

    After they were ready, they arrived at the garden party on time and handed in their invitations at the entrance. The doorman smiled at them and told them, ¡°Mr. Mo is receiving guests in the study in the backyard. You can go over directly.¡±

    Fang Xi smiled back and stated, ¡°We won¡¯t disturb Mr. Mo and his guests. We¡¯re here to participate in the garden party, so we¡¯ll head to the garden.¡±

    The doorman smiled and invited them in.

    In the garden, Yun Liu¡ªunder the shade of flowers¡ªwas chatting with a few young ladies whom she usually got along with.

    ¡°Yun Liu, I just saw Shi Nian. Why didn¡¯t you go with him and meet Mr. Mo?¡± A young lady asked her with a smile.

    Yun Liu blushed and said softly, ¡°Men always have their own topics to discuss. It¡¯s boring for us to listen to them. Why don¡¯t we take a look at the scenery together? In this season, we can only see this many wisteria flowers here. The view outside is not nearly as beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu, if you were born in ancient times, I reckon you¡¯ll have men flocking to your doors to propose marriage. You¡¯re so gentle and sensible you¡¯re killing us. Every time my mother sees you, she will remind me: ¡®

    Look at how disciplined Yun Liu is. You could learn a thing or two from her!

    ¡®¡± A young lady complained to everyone.

    Yun Liu¡¯s smile became even more bashful as she reached out to swat at her mock-angrily.

    ¡°*

    Sigh

    * Be straight with us: you and Shi Nian are tying the knot soon, aren¡¯t you? Why haven¡¯t I seen any news about the two of you recently? Did you guys decide to keep your relationship a secret?¡± someone asked playfully.

    Yun Liu pursed her lips and smiled without answering. She had as good as admitted it with that attitude.

    Everyone was both envious of her and proud to be her friend.

    Yun Liu suddenly saw Yun Nan, and she could no longer maintain the smile on her face. Following her gaze, everyone looked over. ¡°Oh? That gown is from

    Moun

    ¡®s new collection this season. Didn¡¯t they say that it¡¯s not available yet? How could someone show up here with that dress? Could it be an imitation? My my, how bold!¡±

    ¡°That horse-face skirt is lovely!¡± Someone praised sincerely.

    ¡°Oh? Yun Liu, the one in the

    Moun

    gown looks like your sister.¡± Someone in the group very familiar with the Yun family piped up.

    Yun Liu had an awkward expression as she turned to the person beside her and ¡®explained¡¯, ¡°My sister grew up in the countryside and doesn¡¯t know much about these brands. She probably saw the pictures online and got someone to make the dress. She¡ªdoesn¡¯t know these things. Please don¡¯t make fun of her.¡±

    When she said this, everyone smiled disdainfully.

    ¡±

    Pheasants can never become phoenixes!

    That peasant girl has brought such shame to your Yun family!¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu, you really should do something about your sister. Look at her¡ªoh dear, is she trying to make us laugh to death? Even you are also embarrassed along with her.¡±

    Yun Liu was so anxious that her eyes reddened. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. My sister wants to see the world. It wasn¡¯t easy for me to beg Shi Nian to help me get an invitation card-¡±

    She bit her tongue. However, she¡¯d said enough. Everyone understood that Yun Nan had begged Shi Nian¡ªthrough Yun Liu¡ªto get the invitation. They all looked at Yun Nan with scorn.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter Twenty-Six: Taunt

    Yun Nan and Fang Xi felt their gazes and stopped not far away, looking at each other.

    ¡°You saw what happened. I didn¡¯t provoke her,¡± Fang Xi whispered to Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with her because I fear my intelligence will deteriorate if I do so for too long, too many times.¡±

    ¡°How dare you waltz around and show off while wearing knockoffs? You¡¯re truly shameless,¡± Someone pursed his lips and said contemptuously. A group of people had quietly surrounded the girls.

    ¡°Yun Liu, you¡¯re a classy girl. You have to teach these country bumpkins a lesson. Otherwise, it¡¯s not her face she would be losing, but yours!¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu, you¡¯re really too kind. How could you bear to give away such a precious invitation? And to such a seedy individual at that! You might as well give it to your manager if you ask me. Having Miss Ding here would be much better than some people, in my opinion.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Yun Liu, I don¡¯t want to criticize you, but aren¡¯t you lowering our status? This garden party is only for people with status. The others won¡¯t agree with your actions!¡±

    Yun Liu looked embarrassed. ¡°Guys, don¡¯t talk about my sister like that. She didn¡¯t do it on purpose. She doesn¡¯t understand these things, so please forgive her.¡±

    Hearing this, the group looked at Yun Nan and Fang Xi with even more contempt.

    Yun Liu hurriedly stepped forward and said to Yun Nan, ¡°Sis, you¡­ you should quickly go and change out of that dress. What should we do? I wonder if there¡¯s a clothing store nearby. Why don¡¯t I ask Miss Ding to bring a gown here right now? You can¡¯t wear this dress here. You¡ªyou¡¯ll be a joke!¡± Yun Liu appeared to be concerned as she said that.

    Yun Nan looked at Fang Xi in bewilderment. ¡®

    Fang Xi was the one who chose the dress. Is there a problem with it?

    ¡®

    Fang Xi stepped aside and looked at Yun Nan. She raised her voice slightly and said to Yun Liu as well as the others, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this outfit? Doesn¡¯t it look good? It looks great! So what¡¯s the problem?¡±

    She circled Yun Nan. ¡°It¡¯s not dirty,¡± she concluded. ¡°Why must she change out of it?¡±

    The people behind Yun Liu laughed softly and looked at them as if they were clowns.

    Yun Liu stomped her feet and berated, ¡°Why are you guys still laughing? Hurry up, and help me sort this out! She¡¯s my sister! I can¡¯t let her make a fool of herself.¡±

    Yun Liu was so anxious that her eyes reddened. Someone pulled her away and hissed, ¡°Yun Liu! You¡¯re too kindhearted! Why are you being so circuitous with country bumpkins like them? If you don¡¯t state things clearly, they won¡¯t understand at all!¡±

    The laughter became even more wanton at the remark.

    Yun Nan somewhat understood why they were looking down on her, but she wasn¡¯t concerned; Fang Xi wouldn¡¯t make any mistakes when it came to doing things.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Fang Xi was puzzled. ¡°Why are you speaking in riddles?¡±

    ¡°Yun Nan, the dress you¡¯re wearing is a fake. It¡¯s a high-quality imitation!¡± Yun Liu ¡®kindly¡¯ explained. ¡°Everyone¡¯s staring at you. If the brand finds out, they¡¯ll sue you!¡±

    Yun Nan lowered her head and glanced at her dress.

    ¡°I told you a country bumpkin like her doesn¡¯t know these things! She still doesn¡¯t know that she was wearing a fake!¡±

    ¡°How embarrassing!¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu is really unlucky to have a sister like her!¡±

    Yun Liu lowered her head in shame, mortified and at a loss.

    More and more people gathered around them. News of the incident spread through word of mouth, and people began to discuss it in low voices. They all sized up Yun Nan and Fang Xi as if they were foreign entities.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here? What¡¯s with all the commotion? Let me in on it, too!¡± A voice suddenly rang out.

    Everyone consciously moved aside to clear a path. Accompanied by a group of people, Mr. Mo walked over. When Fang Xi saw him, she smiled and went up to him. ¡°Mr. Mo, what do you think of the model I found for

    Moun

    ?¡± she asked.

    Yun Nan smiled and stood on the spot. Suddenly, her eyes focused and met another person¡¯s gaze as surprised as hers.

    The person accompanying Mr. Mo was Shi Nian.

    Shi Nian looked at the beauty in red before him and was stunned. ¡®

    Is this Yun Nan?

    ¡®

    ¡°Yun Nan, come here!¡± Mr. Mo beckoned. ¡°I see Fang Xi has tricked you into becoming a model again!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? What do you mean ¡®

    I tricked her again

    ?''¡± Fang Xi harrumphed.

    Mr. Mo chuckled. ¡°Yun Nan, the dress you¡¯re now wearing is

    Moun

    ¡®s latest design. Do you know it¡¯s the only one in the world?¡±

    Yun Nan was shocked. She truly had no idea.

    Fang Xi pretended not to hear the gasps around them and raised her voice to declare, ¡°This particular

    Moun

    piece is on the official website and hasn¡¯t been released yet. He has been looking for a suitable model for a long time, and I¡¯ve found one for him. Mr. Mo, just tell me if our Yun Nan is suitable!¡±

 Chapter 27

    Chapter Twenty-Seven: Married

    ¡°Of course, she is suitable! This was practically tailor-made for Yun Nan.¡± Mr. Mo chuckled and looked at Yun Nan with loving kindness.

    Yun Liu was shocked. The young ladies behind her who had spoken callously just now quietly retreated, wishing they could quickly disappear into the crowd.

    They had just mocked the other party for being a country bumpkin, and it turned out they were the ones who were inexperienced and uninformed. This slap in the face came too quickly and ruthlessly.

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t want to let them go. She smiled at Mr. Mo and said, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you came. Yun Nan was near-mobbed by these young ladies. They demand she immediately go out and find a shop to buy a new dress and change out of her gown. They told her not to embarrass herself here wearing a high-quality imitation. Isn¡¯t that right, Miss Yun Liu?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Mr. Mo¡¯s smile faded as his gaze swept across the group of flashily dressed girls.

    Yun Liu¡¯s face paled, and she quickly stepped forward. ¡°Mr. Mo, my apologies. I heard the dress was a fake from someone else just now. Yun Nan is my sister, and the one who brought her in here, so I panicked. I have her best interests at heart. I was afraid that she would be laughed at. I¡¯m terribly sorry to have caused you trouble here¡ª¡±

    ¡±

    You

    brought her in?¡± Mr. Mo interrupted her and looked at Yun Nan.

    Yun Liu hurriedly stepped forward, and said, ¡°Mr. Mo, please don¡¯t be angry with me. The Yun family only has two invitations. I gave them to my brother and sister. My sister came in with my invitation.¡±

    Mr. Mo¡¯s attention turned to Yun Liu, and he inquired, ¡°Then how did you¡­¡± He left his sentence unfinished, waiting for her answer.

    Yun Liu glanced at Shi Nian, who was standing beside Mr. Mo, and blushed slightly. ¡°I asked for another invitation card from your public relations department using Shi Nian¡¯s name.¡±

    She was certain that Shi Nian wouldn¡¯t ruin her reputation in public. Moreover, she noticed that when Shi Nian saw Yun Nan, the couple didn¡¯t interact, so she felt she knew the score of their relationship.

    Mr. Mo¡¯s face darkened, and he barked, ¡°Yun Nan! Did the public relations department not send you an invitation?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t accuse them of neglect. How could they not send me an invitation? They¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll snitch on them if they don¡¯t.¡±

    Even a blind person could tell that Yun Nan and Fang Xi had a close relationship with Mr. Mo.

    Mr. Mo frowned and turned to Shi Nian, ¡°Shi Nian, you should know better than to seek personal privileges from me.¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s expression was aloof, but his attitude was respectful when he responded, ¡°I¡¯ve never done such a thing. You should investigate this matter and ascertain the facts. On the other hand, I want to sue your public relations department; they shouldn¡¯t believe any charlatan who comes to them with my name. I won¡¯t pay the bill for their negligence.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s face first paled and then turned red as Shi Nian unceremoniously poured cold water on her. She stared at him, but Shi Nian didn¡¯t even look at her and only focused on talking to Mr. Mo.

    Mr. Mo pointed at Shi Nian and laughingly remarked, ¡°Are you turning this back on me, you little rascal?¡±

    Shi Nian retorted, ¡°That¡¯s not fair, old man. You should tell your staff to at least verify with me. Don¡¯t grant me favors for no reason, because I don¡¯t appreciate it. I suggest you fire anyone who does things so carelessly.¡±

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t give others a way out like Mr. Mo had hoped. He looked at Shi Nian resignedly and sighed, ¡°Kid, this is why you¡¯re single!¡±

    Shi Nian deliberately raised his left hand and covered his mouth with a fist. He coughed lightly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m not single¡ªI¡¯m a married man!¡±

    As he spoke, everyone saw the platinum ring on his left ring finger.

    A cry of surprise came from the crowd, and Yun Liu¡¯s figure swayed slightly.

    Mr. Mo was first shocked and then laughed. ¡°Way to go, brat! You certainly work fast! Where¡¯s your wife? Why didn¡¯t you bring her along to meet me?¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s gaze swept across Yun Nan¡¯s face, and there was a faint smile on his lips. He answered, ¡°My wife said she can¡¯t make our marriage public yet because she¡¯s afraid it will affect her career. We¡¯ll visit you when she agrees to go public.¡±

    Mr. Mo was amused. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would be a henpecked husband,¡± he teased.

    Shi Nian shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s hereditary, you know.¡±

    Mr. Mo laughed heartily. ¡°Alright, fine! I get it! Dear me, I never thought I¡¯d see the day! Your grandfather must be overjoyed! Tsk! This girl must be outstanding to be able to take down a beast like you!¡±

    Fang Xi looked at Shi Nian, who was the picture of a docile junior before Mr. Mo, and exchanged glances with Yun Nan. ¡®

    He was indeed not a simple man!

    ¡®

    The doorman hurried over and whispered to Mr. Mo¡¯s assistant, who then looked towards them.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Mr. Mo knitted his brows and loudly inquired.

    The assistant walked over and bowed. ¡°Sir, we found a few fake invitations today. The others were rejected at the door, but the doorman slipped up, and this one made it in.¡± He held up an invitation card and queried, ¡°Miss Yun Liu, is this yours?¡±

 Chapter 28

    Chapter Twenty-Eight: Authenticity

    Everyone stared at Yun Liu.

    Yun Liu wished she could find a hole to hide in. The ladies behind her quickly took two steps away from her as if she had the plague.

    Yun Zhang happened to arrive on the scene looking for Yun Liu, and he anxiously tried to explain, ¡°Sorry, Mr. Mo, but I think this is a misunderstanding. We wanted to get another invitation card for my other sister.¡±

    So saying, he turned his head towards Yun Nan and sternly ordered, ¡°Yun Nan! Quickly come and apologize to Mr. Mo! This all happened because of you!¡±

    Mr. Mo could not help but frown when he heard this. Shi Nian¡¯s gaze darkened to a glower as he looked at Yun Zhang.

    Yun Liu hurriedly said, ¡°Yun Zhang, don¡¯t blame Yun Nan. She didn¡¯t mean it. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Yun Liu¡¯s eyes reddened, and her tears began to fall.

    Yun Zhang hated seeing Yun Liu cry. He glared at Yun Nan and hissed, ¡°Why do you keep acting out? Haven¡¯t you caused enough trouble at home? Don¡¯t you think the Yun family is humiliated enough?¡±

    Fang Xi turned to block Yun Nan from his sight and reprimanded him, ¡°Can¡¯t you be more reasonable? What does this have to do with Yun Nan?¡±

    Seeing that Fang Xi had spoken up, Mr. Mo lightly commented, ¡°Mister Yun, I presume? You don¡¯t seem to understand the situation here.

    Someone

    falsely used the Shi family¡¯s name and snuck into my garden party with a fake invite. I would like to ask, Miss Yun, since you are a member of the Yun family and have the Yun family¡¯s invitation, why do you wish to attend under the guise of the Shi family¡¯s name?¡±

    That question destroyed all of Yun Liu¡¯s foreshadowing and insinuations today.

    ¡°Yun Liu actually attended under the guise of Shi Nian¡¯s name? But¡ªbut she¡¯s his fianc¨¦e, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°She lied! Shi Nian already said he is married, but he didn¡¯t say that Yun Liu is his wife. Otherwise, why didn¡¯t he state it directly when they were face-to-face?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Yun Liu tricked us! How shameless!¡±

    ¡°Good heavens! How could she do such a thing? This can¡¯t be happening! I don¡¯t believe it!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there not to believe? It was the doorman who found her out!¡±

    The unabashed chatter behind her made Yun Liu¡¯s heart tremble, but she immediately had an idea.

    She pushed Yun Zhang to the side and took a step forward. She gave a small bow and raised her voice slightly, saying meekly, ¡°Mr. Mo, the Yun family did have two invitations, but because my mother wanted my sister to participate in these types of events more often, she gave her one of them.¡±

    ¡°Because my family and the Shi family have been on good terms for generations, my mother got someone to ask the Shi family for another invite. It appears that our men were incompetent. They didn¡¯t make things clear and deceived my mother. I¡¯m really sorry for all the trouble this caused! Terribly, terribly sorry!¡±

    Her speech was thoughtful and polite, neither servile nor overbearing, and well-reasoned. The Shi family was uninformed, and the Yun family was innocent. All the blame lay on their staff who didn¡¯t do their jobs properly.

    Mr. Mo narrowed his eyes and glanced at Yun Liu. He then looked at Yun Nan.

    ¡°Little lady, what happened exactly?¡± He asked the question to Yun Nan and addressed her as ¡®little lady,¡¯ which was a very affectionate endearment from an elder to the younger generation.

    Yun Nan had been silent throughout the incident, and only now did she slowly speak up. Fang Xi gave her an envelope, and she handed it to the doorman beside her.

    She informed Mr. Mo, ¡°I did receive an extra invitation card to your garden party by post. We checked with the courier, and they said it was sent confidentially, so they aren¡¯t free to disclose the other party¡¯s information.¡±

    Yun Nan shrugged. ¡°I thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal, so I didn¡¯t worry about it. I even wanted to take it to your butler today to find out who was so careless.¡±

    The doorman took out the invitation card and examined it. The Mo family¡¯s invitation card was specially made and could be distinguished through certain inspection methods.

    ¡°This is the Yun family¡¯s invitation card,¡± the doorman whispered to Mr. Mo. Although he spoke very softly, the people close to him still heard him.

    Yun Liu¡¯s well-thought-out excuse fell apart at speed; she got slapped in the face once more.

    Unexpectedly, Mr. Mo spoke to Yun Liu again. His attitude was quite amiable as he told her, ¡°Miss Yun, tell your father not to go to such trouble next time. Yun Nan doesn¡¯t even need an invitation to come to my place. As long as it¡¯s Yun Nan and Fang Xi, they can come here any time. My doors are open to them 24/7. We¡¯ve been good friends for many years.¡±

    He looked around the crowd and said with a faint smile, ¡°Let me introduce my two young friends to you. Yun Nan, a young genius who was admitted to university at the age of fourteen. She graduated from film school with a PhD in Film Directing. I¡¯ve never seen such an intelligent, beautiful, and capable girl. I admire her very much!¡±

    Mr. Mo glanced at Shi Nian¡¯s wedding ring and inwardly sighed, ¡®

    What a pity. They would¡¯ve made an excellent couple.

    ¡®

    A peal of friendly laughter rang out from the crowd. Shi Nian¡¯s lips also curled into a slight smile as he lowered his eyes to avoid Mr. Mo¡¯s gaze.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter Twenty-Nine: Background

    ¡°This is Miss Fang Xi. To the fashionable gentlemen and ladies out there, I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s a great loss if you don¡¯t know her! You¡¯ll have to find out what her profession is yourselves; I don¡¯t have the guts to reveal it. This young lady is quite difficult to deal with! I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll turn around and settle the score with me!¡±

    ¡°But I can tell you one thing. The designer of

    Moun

    had asked Fang Xi¡ªthrough me¡ªto help them find the most suitable model for the

    Moun

    collection¡¯s first-release design that Yun Nan is wearing. They emphasized that the model must wear it to the best effect! And, in my opinion, she¡¯d done a great job at that!¡±

    Mr. Mo¡¯s evaluation of Fang Xi was filled with the love of an elder to a junior as he continued, ¡°Fang Xi only handles limited edition and first-release items. Hehe, she has an eye and talent for beauty and fashion that others can¡¯t compare to! However, she does have a temper, so it¡¯s best not to provoke her!¡±

    Fang Xi went up to Mr. Mo and locked arms with him, ¡°Are you complimenting or insulting me? I¡¯m a little offended. If I can¡¯t get a boyfriend because of this, I¡¯ll come to you directly and ask for compensation!¡±

    ¡°Are you truly willing to find a boyfriend?¡± Mr. Mo deliberately put on a stern expression. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to let go of your obsession and put yourself out there, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have men queuing from here to your parents¡¯ door!¡±

    Fang Xi covered his lips with her index finger. ¡°Stop! Enough of that! Let¡¯s talk about something else!¡±

    Mr. Mo laughed merrily; it seemed he was happy that he had gotten one over on Fang Xi. He warmly invited everyone to have a good time, but he left Yun Nan, Fang Xi, Shi Nian, and a few other youngsters beside him, and they laughed and chatted.

    Yun Liu and Yun Zhang were left on the sidelines just like that. Everyone immediately retreated from them.

    Mr. Mo had left the siblings their dignity, but no one present was a fool. How could they not see what was going on? Yun Liu was treating them like fools and was even prepared to use them as weapons. Her intentions were too sinister!

    ¡°I heard Yun Liu was adopted into the Yun family, and Yun Nan is the Yun family¡¯s real daughter. I didn¡¯t expect the one raised in the countryside would be more promising than the one who took her place!¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu always said that she and Shi Nian were engaged. I didn¡¯t expect Shi Nian to get married without a word, and it had nothing to do with Yun Liu at all! It was such an embarrassment!¡±

    ¡°Hey, who

    did

    Shi Nian marry? Why didn¡¯t we hear anything about it at all?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you on good terms with Shi Xiu? Why don¡¯t you ask her?¡±

    ¡°Shi Xiu went on a trip with her grandfather. I don¡¯t know which country she¡¯s in now, nor do I know the time zone she¡¯s in. I¡¯ll ask her when she comes back.¡±

    ¡°Jeez, why would you need to ask that? I¡¯m happy as long as he doesn¡¯t marry Yun Liu. She has been p*ssing me off all these years by flaunting her engagement with Shi Nian!¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s posse looked at her worriedly. Since Yun Zhang hadn¡¯t left, they couldn¡¯t go up and talk to her.

    Yun Zhang¡¯s expression was pale and drawn as he asked seriously, ¡°Was it really Mom?¡±

    ¡°Is this the time to care about that?¡± Yun Liu stomped her feet and complained. ¡°Look at Yun Nan. She clearly has such a close relationship with Mr. Mo, but she never revealed anything to us. She plainly doesn¡¯t treat us as family. She¡¯s such a bully!¡± Yun Liu choked out.

    Yun Zhang was also very unhappy. He turned around and saw Yun Nan chatting happily with Mr. Mo and the others. His gaze shifted back to Yun Liu, and he didn¡¯t ask her any further questions.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home. If we stay here any longer, we¡¯ll only be laughed at by more people!¡± Yun Zhang said stiffly.

    Seeing that he was really angry, Yun Liu didn¡¯t dare to say anything else. She glanced over at Mr. Mo¡¯s group and knew she couldn¡¯t insert herself into their circle this time. This was completely different from what she had planned.

    She¡¯d hoped to make Yun Nan embarrass herself at the garden party and strangle her studio in the cradle so she would never be able to make a comeback. She didn¡¯t expect to make a clown of herself.

    What was even more terrifying was that Shi Nian had actually put on a wedding ring and publicly admitted that he was married. Moreover, he didn¡¯t consider her feelings at all and directly tore her down. What was she going to do with herself in the future?

    Yun Liu¡¯s tears welled up in her eyes, but she forcefully held them back. Gritting her teeth, she chased after Yun Zhang and walked out. In any case, she couldn¡¯t let anything happen on Yun Zhang¡¯s end. The Yun family was her foundation and her last retreat.

    She could only think of another way to deal with Yun Nan and Shi Nian.

    Shi Nian¡¯s eyes strayed to Yun Nan from time to time. He had never seen Yun Nan in front of others. She was so graceful, refined, and had a demure beauty¡ªquite unlike the transparent and free little girl who didn¡¯t put on any disguise before him.

    Suddenly, a servant from the Mo family came over and said to him, ¡°Mr. Shi, someone is looking for you outside. They say it¡¯s urgent.¡±

    Shi Nian frowned and looked at his phone. ¡®

    Why didn¡¯t they call me if it¡¯s an emergency?

    ¡®

    The servant left in a flash. Shi Nian thought about it and felt it was about time he went home. Hence, he said his goodbyes to Mr. Mo and glanced at Yun Nan¡ªwho was communicating with a veteran director¡ªbefore walking out.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter Thirty: Scam

    The garden was most lively when he walked out. The guests had formed their own small groups and were chatting happily, and the garden scenery was beautiful with blooming flowers. Shi Nian thought that his grandfather would enjoy staying over for a few days when he returned.

    However, on second thought, he probably didn¡¯t need to stay over to improve his mood. His grandfather would already be in a good mood when he returned and saw Yun Nan.

    ¡°Mr. Shi! Mr. Shi, please help us.¡± Shi Nian had just sat down in his car when someone pulled on his car door. Shi Nian was furious; he had failed to notice someone approaching him in his moment of distraction. He was really too careless.

    He pushed the intruder away and slammed the door shut. He gritted his teeth and tried to calm down his rapidly beating heart.

    That person didn¡¯t give up and beat at his car window.

    This was the Mo family¡¯s public parking lot, so Shi Nian had no choice but to lower the window.

    His cold gaze made Miss Ding¡ªthe person standing outside the car¡ªshiver involuntarily. ¡°Mr. Shi, please help us. Yun Liu suddenly fainted. Can you please give us a ride to the hospital?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you call an ambulance?¡± Shi Nian asked coldly.

    Miss Ding hurriedly said, ¡°That¡¯ll be too late. Mr. Shi, please, just give us a ride in your car. Human lives are at stake! Mr. Shi!¡±

    Shi Nian stared at Miss Ding as if he wished to pierce through her with his gaze. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how is it that you still have the time to lie in wait and intercept my car? You can stop this charade!¡±

    Shi Nian stepped on the accelerator, and the car took off like a shot.

    Miss Ding was terrified. ¡°Ah!¡± she cried out and squatted on the ground.

    Yun Liu¡ªhiding close by¡ªwas dumbfounded. She went forward and pulled Miss Ding to her feet.

    Miss Ding looked at the exit with trepidation. Seeing no sign of Shi Nian¡¯s car, she nervously commented, ¡°Young Master Shi¡¯s temper truly lives up to its reputation!¡±

    ¡°How did you come up with this rotten idea anyway?¡± Yun Liu said hatefully. ¡°He saw through it right away! What should we do now? You have to think of a way to put a positive spin on what happened today! I can¡¯t lose face over this!¡±

    Miss Ding didn¡¯t attend the garden party, so she didn¡¯t know what happened inside. She could only try her best to reassure Yun Liu, ¡°We can discuss this later. We should go back now while there¡¯s no one around. Don¡¯t be anxious; there¡¯s always a way. Didn¡¯t you say that Old Master Shi will be back soon? We still have a chance!¡±

    Miss Ding checked that no one was around before she quickly pulled Yun Liu into the car.

    Yun Liu had sent Yun Zhang away because she wanted to stay behind and get a chance to be alone with Shi Nian.

    After all, Shi Nian didn¡¯t reveal who his wife was to the public today. She could make insinuations and mislead the public into thinking she was Shi Nian¡¯s wife. They didn¡¯t go public with their marriage because of her career!

    As long as she spreads this news, Shi Nian wouldn¡¯t be able to dispute it. If he told the public that Yun Nan was his wife, Yun Liu could put on a show of grievance and say that her sister had snatched her fianc¨¦.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t want things to develop to that extent.

    She was sure that Shi Nian and Yun Nan had no feelings for each other because she understood Shi Nian and Yun Nan. Both of them were people who could give up anything for their careers, so perhaps their marriage was a collaboration.

    Then she would have a chance to end their collaboration and take the opportunity to ruin Yun Nan¡¯s reputation!

    Therefore, the best way was to use public opinion to force Shi Nian to give in. The thing Yun Liu regretted the most now was that she had been too kind to Shi Nian a few years ago and had been too soft on him. If she had used forceful methods earlier, the two of them might have already been married by now, and that wretched girl, Yun Nan, wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to be so arrogant! ¡®

    It¡¯s all my fault for being so weak

    ,¡¯ she thought.

    However, she had never thought that her ruse today wouldn¡¯t work. ¡®

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t take the bait. What was going on?

    ¡® she wondered.

    Since Yun Nan returned, things hadn¡¯t gone well for Yun Liu in the past two years. Yun Nan was practically her nemesis! She wouldn¡¯t feel relieved unless she got rid of this thorn in her side.

    ¡°Take me home first.¡± Yun Liu said coldly to Miss Ding.

    Miss Ding knew she had been no help today, so she carefully kept silent.

    ¡­

    As soon as Yun Zhang returned home, he questioned Gu Wei, ¡°Mom, why did you give Yun Liu¡¯s invitation to Yun Nan?¡±

    ¡°What invitation?¡± Gu Wei was startled. ¡°What do you mean I gave it to Yun Nan? When did I ever give Yun Liu¡¯s things to Yun Nan?¡±

    Yun Zhang had to explain that it was an invitation to Mr. Mo¡¯s garden party, and he also told her what happened at Mr¡¯s Mo¡¯s house.

    Gu Wei was bewildered when she heard this. Although she didn¡¯t understand the reason, she did learn that Yun Liu had been wronged, and it was because of Yun Nan.

    She couldn¡¯t help but chide, ¡°Why is Yun Nan so immature? Why is she bullying her sister again? Where is Yun Liu? Why didn¡¯t she come back with you? Why didn¡¯t you comfort her when she was hurt? Is she crying alone outside again?¡±

    At her words, a thought suddenly flashed across Yun Zhang¡¯s mind. ¡®

    Why do we always jump to Yun Liu¡¯s defense?

    ¡®

 Chapter 31

    Chapter Thirty-One: Doubt

    ¡°Well? Where is Yun Liu? Why didn¡¯t she come home with you?¡± Gu Wei asked worriedly.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Yun Zhang reassured. Only then did Gu Wei relax.

    ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t you ask about Yun Nan?¡± Yun Zhang looked at Gu Wei as he inquired.

    ¡°What¡­what could happen to her?¡± Gu Wei was confused. ¡°Who could bully an unruly girl like her? Yun Liu, on the other hand, isn¡¯t like that. Yun Liu has lived a very sheltered life. She is different from those girls who are left to grow wild like weeds!¡±

    Yun Zhang suddenly thought of Yun Nan¡¯s calm and indifferent gaze when he got angry at her at the Mo family¡¯s house.

    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t hear the onlookers¡¯ comments about Yun Nan and Yun Liu. He stood on Yun Liu¡¯s side both rationally and emotionally. She was the younger sister he had raised since she was young, so naturally, he treated her differently.

    However, at the Mo family¡¯s house today, he suddenly remembered that Yun Nan was also a member of the Yun family. And yet, whether it was his parents, him, or Yun Nan herself, none of them seemed to realize this.

    Yun Nan¡¯s dissatisfaction must have been accumulating for a long time.

    ¡°Mom, Yun Nan didn¡¯t bully Yun Liu,¡± Yun Zhang mumbled. No matter what happened in the past, Yun Nan didn¡¯t bully Yun Liu this time.

    Unconcerned, Gu Wei waved her hands and said, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mention her anymore! That wretched girl has no heart at all! Look, she moved out just like that. She has such a temper! We may have said a few harsh words, but nothing we said was wrong!¡±

    ¡°She

    did

    snatch Yun Liu¡¯s boyfriend! Keep an eye on the Shi family. When Old Master Shi returns, we¡¯ll immediately go and reason with him!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if they have a marriage certificate or not. In any case, this marriage is Yun Liu¡¯s, not Yun Nan¡¯s! ¡®

    First come, first served.

    ¡® Yun Liu has liked Shi Nian for a long time, and Yun Nan clearly knows that, yet she still did such an immoral thing! She¡¯s deliberately doing this to spite us!¡±

    The more Gu Wei spoke, the angrier she became. She wished she could drag Yun Nan before her and scold her right now.

    Yun Zhang¡¯s head throbbed when she brought the matter up. He, too, became very mad at Yun Nan.

    As the mother and son were talking, Yun Liu returned home. Her eyes were red¡ªshe¡¯d obviously been crying. Her heart aching, Gu Wei hugged her daughter and remarked, ¡°Oh, sweetheart! Did that wretched girl bully you again?¡±

    When Yun Liu heard this, she thought Yun Zhang didn¡¯t tell Gu Wei about the incident. She immediately looked at Yun Zhang gratefully.

    Yun Zhang lowered his eyes. He did not know what was wrong with him today, but he felt a little uncomfortable. He watched as Yun Liu and Gu Wei helped each other up the stairs; the mother-daughter pair were as thick as thieves.

    Yun Nan had returned to this family for more than two years, but his mother had never treated Yun Nan like this.

    It wasn¡¯t all his mother¡¯s fault; Yun Nan also had issues. Her personality made it difficult for people to get close to her, unlike Yun Liu, who always stuck to them like glue.

    Yun Zhang sighed.

    When Shi Nian returned to the company, Chang Yuan immediately came over with documents for him to sign. Noticing his pale face, Chang Yuan inquired, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? The garden party shouldn¡¯t be over yet, right?¡±

    Shi Nian couldn¡¯t have stayed until the end of the garden party. Looking at the time, Chang Yuan surmised that he must have left midway through the party and returned directly to the company.

    ¡®

    I can¡¯t possibly tell Chang Yuan that I got spooked by someone and only recovered after a long time!

    ¡® Shi Nian thought.

    He closed the folder in his hand and said, ¡°Yun Liu¡¯s manager wanted to scam me, but I avoided it. They might take some petty actions these next few days. Also, I admitted before Mr. Mo that I¡¯m married.¡±

    Chang Yuan instantly understood and replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep an eye on the media and make sure they won¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±

    Shi Nian hummed in acknowledgment.

    The phone suddenly vibrated. After Shi Nian picked up the call, he could hear Xi Cheng¡¯s voice mumbling, ¡°Shi Nian, come¡­ Come, drink with me!¡±

    ¡°Did you have too much to drink?¡± Shi Nian frowned.

    ¡°Shi Nian! If we¡¯re¡­ we¡¯re buddies¡­ should come¡­ drink with me!¡± Xi Cheng continued to mutter drunkenly and didn¡¯t answer him.

    ¡°Where are you?¡± Shi Nian asked.

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t reply. He seemed to have dropped his phone, and Shi Nian could hear the sound of a bottle being opened.

    Shi Nian frowned and hung up the phone. He told Chang Yuan, ¡°Find out where Xi Cheng is. I knew something was wrong with him the other day. I hope nothing bad happened.¡±

    Chang Yuan called Xi Cheng¡¯s assistant straightaway. A moment later, he gave Shi Nian an address and even the passcode to the door.

    Shi Nian entered Xi Cheng¡¯s house without any obstruction. The place reeked of alcohol and cigarette smoke, and the living room was a mess.

    Xi Cheng sat on the ground between the sofa and the coffee table, drinking up a storm all by himself.

    When he saw Shi Nian, he held a glass of wine in his hand and smiled at him. ¡°Hey, buddy, you¡¯re here! Quick, have a drink with me!¡±

    Shi Nian inspected the house. Other than the living room, the rest of the house was clean and tidy. It was cozy and tastefully decorated. Based on his understanding of Xi Cheng, this was not his style. This house probably has a mistress¡ªor perhaps, it had a mistress before.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter Thirty-Two: Drunken

    He couldn¡¯t help but curiously walk in further. There was a study on his left. He was about to enter when Xi Cheng called out to him, ¡°Come back, you¡¯re not allowed in there!¡±

    Shi Nian stopped in his tracks and looked at Xi Cheng as if he was a madman.

    Xi Cheng stood up unsteadily and said in a slurred voice, ¡°Come here! Don¡¯t touch our room¡­ If you mess it up, her scent will be gone¡­ Hurry up¡­ Come here! Don¡¯t leave, leave your scent in the room. You! Come here!¡±

    ¡®

    I can¡¯t believe he could still say such things even though he¡¯s completely drunk,

    ¡® Shi Nian thought as he retracted his footsteps and returned to the living room.

    Only then did Xi Cheng seem relieved, and he fell back onto the sofa. ¡°This place, she¡­ meticulously decorated it¡­ She did a great, great job¡­ she was great¡­

    amazing

    ¡­¡±

    ¡®

    Oh

    ,¡¯ Shi Nian realized. ¡®

    This guy got dumped.

    ¡®

    It certainly wasn¡¯t Lin Yu who dumped him. If Lin Yu didn¡¯t want him anymore, he would probably buy all the firecrackers in the city and set them off at the beach in celebration.

    Shi Nian felt a little sorry for Xi Cheng. He sat down on the sofa to Xi Cheng¡¯s right and poured himself a glass of wine. He gently clinked his glass with Xi Cheng¡¯s and advised, ¡°Tell me. You¡¯ll feel better if you talk about it.¡±

    Xi Cheng was startled. He seemed to have sobered up a little, and his speech became clearer. ¡°Talk¡ªabout what? What¡¯s there to talk about? She left¡­ left me¡ªan empty house¡­ didn¡¯t take¡ªanything.¡±

    He pointed at the corner of the coffee table where there were two bank cards.

    ¡°That¡¯s the card my mother gave her¡­ and the card I gave her¡­ I usually give her pocket money¡­ transfer it all onto that card¡­ all for her. It¡¯s been seven years¡­ she hasn¡¯t spent a single cent.¡± Xi Cheng despondently buried his face in his hands.

    Shi Nian was surprised. They all knew that Xi Cheng had a woman on the side. They felt sorry for him, but they also disliked the way he handled the situation.

    Liang Han had once advised him to break it off cleanly with Lin Yu before getting together with a woman he liked. Otherwise, he would be irresponsible to both sides, making him the classic example of a scumbag¡ªan embarrassment to men everywhere.

    Xi Cheng and Liang Han had a huge fight over it. That was the only time they had come to blows since they grew up. Shi Nian and Ye Kun were dumbfounded. Liang Han hadn¡¯t said anything out of line; he didn¡¯t even say anything wrong. Did Xi Cheng have to react so badly?

    Xi Cheng had roared at Liang Han, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t want to? If you can help me break things off with her, I¡¯ll give the Xi Corporation to you!

    Only then did the three of them realize that Lin Yu would rather die than let go of Xi Cheng. Moreover, the elders of the Xi family would only accept Lin Yu as his wife. No one could help Xi Cheng out of his ordeal.

    They had always thought that Xi Cheng had resorted to debauchery to provoke Lin Yu into leaving him, but they didn¡¯t know that Xi Cheng was, in truth, the faithful type. He actually had a woman who had been with him for seven years.

    Needless to say, Xi Cheng¡¯s family found out about this woman and forced her to leave with money.

    However, that woman didn¡¯t take any money from the Xi family. She didn¡¯t take a single cent, whether it was the money from Xi Cheng¡¯s mother or the pocket money given to her by Xi Cheng.

    ¡®I guess that¡¯s love,

    ¡® Shi Nian mused.

    ¡°Shi Nian, did you know? When we first got together, she told me that she had money and bread and that I just had to give her love.¡± Xi Cheng laughed, but it sounded more like he was crying.

    ¡°Which of the women around us doesn¡¯t want money? Why couldn¡¯t she have wanted money? She wants

    love

    instead. What the

    f*ck

    do I know about love? I don¡¯t have something so noble!¡±

    Xi Cheng laughed as he cried. ¡°Such silliness! What? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s silly? She spent seven years, and all she wants in return is love! Isn¡¯t money the better choice?

    Isn¡¯t it?

    And yet, she doesn¡¯t want it! Not a single cent! Isn¡¯t that crazy? She¡¯s crazy!¡±

    Xi Cheng grabbed a bottle of wine and drank straight from the bottle. Shi Nian stepped forward and wrestled the bottle away from him.

    Xi Cheng was covered, head to toe, in spilled wine. His eyes were red as he asked, ¡°Shi Nian, tell me, what is love? Hmm? What is love?¡±

    Shi Nian shook his head gently. He didn¡¯t know how to respond to these words. He had no experience in love, so he didn¡¯t even know how to advise him.

    ¡°Did you talk to her?¡± Shi Nian finally managed to choke out.

    Xi Nian smiled bitterly as he hugged a bottle of wine and gently rocked back and forth. ¡°How am I supposed to do that? She blacklisted me. Took all her things with her. She didn¡¯t even leave a single hair behind!¡±

    He raised his finger and gestured. ¡°Seven years, she was with me. She treated me like an emperor¡­ Really, you have no idea¡ªno idea how great she was¡­ She was like the ¡®snail girl¡¯ from the stories. When I needed her, she would accompany me. When I didn¡¯t need her, she would fade into the background and not disturb me at all. Hehe, she was so obedient¡­ so sweet¡­ so good¡­ so good¡ª¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s voice gradually became unclear, and his vision blurred.

    Shi Nian sighed, ¡®

    The snail girl, huh.

    ¡®

 Chapter 33

    Chapter Thirty-Three: History

    Shi Nian¡¯s phone lit up, and he saw a message from Yun Nan: ¡°Are you coming home for dinner tonight?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Shi Nian replied. Then, he called Xi Cheng¡¯s assistant. ¡°Come over and take your Young Master Xi to the hospital to sober up!¡±

    He helped Xi Cheng up, and Xi Cheng mumbled in a daze, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want money? Why don¡¯t you want my money?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she say that she wants your love?¡± Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but retort.

    ¡°Love, love! I want love too, Shi Nian! I don¡¯t love the girl who loves me, and the one I love doesn¡¯t love me anymore! What should I do? Tell me, what should I do?¡± Young Master Xi whimpered.

    Shi Nian inwardly sighed, ¡®

    Love is such a scary thing. A wealthy Casanova like him, ruined!

    ¡®

    After Xi Cheng¡¯s assistant picked him up, Shi Nian stood where he was and sighed again. Suddenly, he felt a little poignant and sent a message to Yun Nan. ¡°I want to eat a bowl of noodles. I¡¯ll be home in half an hour.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± she replied instantly.

    Shi Nian¡¯s mood suddenly improved. ¡®

    I have a snail girl of my own!

    ¡®

    When he arrived home, the house was quiet. There was a bowl of noodles on the dining table. The noodles were just right and at the right temperature, but she wasn¡¯t there.

    Shi Nian felt a little unhappy and sent Yun Nan a message: ¡°Where are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m working,¡± Yun Nan responded.

    Shi Nian suddenly came back to his senses. ¡®

    What¡¯s wrong with me? What the h*ll am I doing? Why do I care so much about whether Yun Nan is here or not?

    ¡®

    Meanwhile, a certain friend of his is downstairs and on his way to meet Shi Nian¡¯s mysterious tenant.

    Ye Kun knocked on his neighbor¡¯s door. When it opened, he held out a handful of tri-colored baby¡¯s breath and very gentlemanly greeted her, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Ye Kun, your new neighbor! I¡¯m sorry to disturb you. I¡¯m here to apologize for the noise you¡¯ll be hearing. I¡¯ll be moving in some furniture for the next couple of days so it might be noisy.¡±

    Fang Xi hesitated for a moment and accepted the flowers. She thought to herself, ¡®

    This is a high-end residential area after all. The neighbors are so high-quality.

    ¡® She quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Yun Nan poked her head out. Her hair was messy, and her apron was splattered in colorful paint.

    Ye Kun craned his neck to take a look and commented with a smile, ¡°So two beauties are living here. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. When I¡¯ve finished moving in, I plan to invite my friends over for a housewarming party. If the two of you don¡¯t mind, you can join us.¡±

    Fang Xi frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We¡¯re both busy with work, and we don¡¯t have a fixed schedule, so we¡¯ll see.¡±

    She glanced at the flowers in her hands and felt she should return the favor. She took a bottle of red wine from the hall cabinet and stuffed it into Ye Kun¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Welcome to the neighborhood! Goodbye!¡± With her greeting done, Fang Xi slammed the door shut. Ye Kun felt that if he hadn¡¯t dodged so quickly, his nose would have been flattened. He subconsciously rubbed his nose and took a few steps back. ¡®

    How pretty! Those two are real beauties!

    ¡®

    The one inside was probably the little sister; she looked slightly younger. Her big sister at the door was a top-notch beauty. Not only was she beautiful, but the magnetic charm she exuded stuck in his heart.

    He walked home with a spring in his step, picked up his phone, and called Shi Nian for more info. ¡°Shi Nian, what¡¯s the background of your two tenants? Come on, give your pal a hand here! I just met the girl of my dreams! She just so happens to be your tenant! Bro, you gotta help me out! My future happiness depends on you!¡±

    He was excited and geared up when he suddenly felt something sounded strange at the other end of the call. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s that you¡¯re eating? Where are you? Who¡¯s with you?¡±

    Shi Nian picked up the bowl and finished the soup. ¡®

    Yun Nan must also be a snail girl. The noodles she makes are really delicious.

    ¡®

    ¡°I finished it; there¡¯s none left. That¡¯s none of your business!¡± He petulantly answered every one of Ye Kun¡¯s questions.

    Ye Kun decided to put the matter aside for the time being. He ignored Shi Nian¡¯s attitude and demanded, ¡°Quick, tell me about your two female tenants! Especially the older sister! The one with the bewitching charm!¡±

    Shi Nian was startled for a moment. It turned out that Yun Nan was downstairs. ¡®

    That¡¯s right, she¡¯d asked Fang Xi to leave her a studio.

    ¡®

    He glanced at his empty living room. ¡®

    What was I thinking back then? Why did I expand the living room so much? There¡¯s not even a single room left!

    ¡®

    ¡°Hello, Shi Nian, are you still there?¡± Ye Kun¡¯s voice brought his attention back to their conversation. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question. What¡¯s her name? What line of work is she in?¡±

    ¡°Her name is Fang Xi,¡± Shi Nian replied.

    Looking at them side by side, Fang Xi seemed much more mature and sophisticated than Yun Nan. The ¡®older sister¡¯ Ye Kun mentioned obviously referred to Fang Xi.

    ¡®

    The person Ye Kun has his eyes on is Fang Xi! That must be the case! Without a doubt!

    ¡®

    ¡°What does she work as?¡± Ye Kun eagerly wanted to know.

    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not too sure. I think she works at a studio¡ªa film and television studio. I don¡¯t know what her job is specifically.¡± Shi Nian realized that he knew very little about Yun Nan.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter Thirty-Four: Childish

    ¡°She works in the entertainment industry? Is she an actress?¡± Ye Kun asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Shi Nian replied.

    If Fang Xi was an artiste, she wouldn¡¯t mingle with Yun Nan and keep such a low profile.

    Ye Kun was very disappointed. ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t think I can get anything useful from you. Since she¡¯s involved in the entertainment industry, I¡¯ll go ask Liang Han,¡± Ye Kun stated and hung up the phone.

    Shi Nian stared blankly at his phone.

    He had previously investigated Yun Nan, and Chang Yuan¡¯s report was very detailed.

    However, now that they were living in the same house, Shi Nian suddenly realized he didn¡¯t know Yun Nan well at all. He couldn¡¯t relate the Yun Nan who existed before the public in the investigation report to the Yun Nan who lived with him. It was as if they were two different people.

    When Yun Nan returned home that night, she was in an exceptionally good mood. She had, once again, successfully avoided Yun Liu¡¯s trap, and her painting was almost complete.

    She hummed as she went upstairs, washed up, and headed toward the bed.

    She only discovered Shi Nian was still awake when she reached the bed. He was reading a book under the bedside lamp.

    Yun Nan abruptly stopped her tuneless humming and lightened her movements when she lifted the blanket.

    Shi Nian put his book down and looked at her. Just as Shi Nian opened his mouth, Yun Nan immediately apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was thinking about something else and forgot I have a roommate.¡±

    Shi Nian was stumped. He wasn¡¯t going to scold her; he rather enjoyed seeing her as happy as a lark.

    Yun Nan thought she could sleep now that she had apologized. She had just fluffed her pillow when she heard Shi Nian ask, ¡°Why don¡¯t you paint at home?¡±

    ¡®

    What?!¡¯

    Yun Nan lay on the pillow and blinked at Shi Nian, unable to keep up with his thought process.

    ¡°I said, why don¡¯t you paint at home? Why occupy a room at Fang Xi¡¯s place? Isn¡¯t there enough space to paint in this large house?¡± Shi Nian patiently stated.

    Of course, there is. The living room was almost as big as the field of her rural school.

    Yun Nan still didn¡¯t understand. ¡®

    Why is he suddenly scolding me for not using the living room as my studio, when he didn¡¯t even want me to sleep on the bed in the first place? He can¡¯t even bear to share the bed, so could he bear to share the living room?

    ¡®

    Shi Nian couldn¡¯t stand her transparent and somewhat naive gaze. He shifted his eyes to his book and told her, ¡°You can move your art studio into the house. Make a list of what you need. I¡¯ll have someone purchase them for you.¡±

    Only then did Yun Nan realize he was being serious. ¡°No, there¡¯s no need. I¡¯m fine with the room at Fang Xi¡¯s place.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to renovate the living room and separate out a room?¡± Shi Nian asked.

    ¡°What? There¡¯s no need to¡ªno, I don¡¯t, that¡¯s not¡­¡± Yun Nan didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Then, it¡¯s settled. I¡¯ll help you move your stuff up here tomorrow. Otherwise, we won¡¯t be able to explain why you don¡¯t have a personal workspace here to Grandpa when he comes for a visit. Besides, you shouldn¡¯t always hang around Fang Xi¡¯s place. What if she gets back together with her boyfriend or gets a new boyfriend?¡± Shi Nian reasoned.

    ¡°This place is spacious. You can use it however you want. It¡¯s too late to do anything today, so let¡¯s sleep first. We¡¯ll move your things tomorrow.¡± He reached out to turn off the lights and lay down to sleep.

    Yun Nan blinked in the sudden darkness. ¡®

    What¡¯s gotten into him?

    ¡®

    ¡°Hey,¡± she called out. Shi Nian turned his back on her and ignored her.

    Looking at his shadowy bulk beside her, Yun Nan thought, ¡®

    Is he mental? Why is he acting like an impulsive three-year-old child? How childish!¡¯

    On second thought, if they moved, Shi Nian¡¯s house would be more spacious, and it would be a good location for future photos.

    Yun Nan lay on the pillow and muttered to herself, ¡°But then I won¡¯t have an excuse to pay Fang Xi the 2,000 dollars to share her rent.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll get a new set of drawing tools at home. You¡¯ll have two art studios. It¡¯s that simple!¡± The dark shadow beside her suddenly retorted.

    Yun Nan jumped in surprise and wanted to kick Shi Nian off the bed. She managed to control that impulse and chanted to herself, ¡®

    He is just three years old, he is just three, he is a child, he doesn¡¯t know better, put up with him, put up with him!

    ¡®

    ¡®

    Honestly, this man!

    ¡® Yun Nan fell asleep in an upset mood and had a night of messy dreams.

    On the other hand, having achieved his goal, Shi Nian went to sleep with a contented smile on his face, unaware that he had done something childish.

    ¡­

    Yun Nan was woken up by Fang Xi¡¯s phone call.

    ¡°Yun Nan, you¡¯re on the headlines.¡± Fang Xi¡¯s tone was calm as she spoke. There was no trace of anxiety, panic, or anger in her voice.

    ¡°Oh, why?¡± Yun Nan replied. She was also calm because Fang Xi¡¯s reaction meant that this wasn¡¯t something she needed to be worried about.

    ¡°Because you took the Yun Corporation¡¯s cast and crew with you when you left, and started a new business, thus betraying your family and benefactor.¡± Fang Xi said.

    ¡°Is that everything?¡± Yun Nan yawned.

    ¡°See for yourself. I¡¯m going back to the studio, so I can¡¯t stay and be your newscaster anymore. Mika advises you not to show up today and let the media digest the news, so why don¡¯t you stay at home and finish the painting?¡± Fang Xi instructed her.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter Thirty-Five: Coaxing

    Yun Nan browsed through all the major social network platforms. Indeed, other than what Fang Xi had reported, the media also mentioned the issue concerning the copyrights of her script and movies.

    Yun Nan took a deep breath and called Yun Zhang. ¡°Are you all prepared?¡±

    Yun Zhang was stumped for a moment. When she called, he thought Yun Nan would ask why he slandered her; he was already prepared to receive her wrath. Unexpectedly, Yun Nan only calmly asked him a question.

    ¡°Prepare for what?¡± Yun Zhang asked subconsciously.

    Yun Nan laughed silently. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you guys aren¡¯t the ones responsible for those stories on the Internet. Brother, I regret returning to the Yun family to acknowledge my roots. If I had known that all of you didn¡¯t want me here, I would have continued to take my adoptive parents¡¯ surname and be their daughter. My adoptive parents¡¯ last wish was for me to find you¡ªfind my family. They said that all of you must be very sad when I got lost. They felt it was their fault for failing to find my family after so many years, stating their abilities are too limited¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve found my family, but so what? It would have been better if I¡¯d thought I was an orphan from the very beginning. At least then I wouldn¡¯t be sad because I was persecuted by my own family.¡±

    ¡°We both know the authenticity of those stories on the Internet. Since things have gotten to this point, stop asking me to consider the Yun family¡¯s reputation because you¡¯re the ones who threw away that reputation first.¡±

    Yun Nan hung up the phone.

    The calm and disappointed ¡®brother¡¯ she uttered felt like a bomb that exploded in Yun Zhang¡¯s ears. Every sentence that followed was like a small hammer that knocked on his heart, again and again.

    ¡°Hey! Yun Nan¡­¡± Yun Zhang wanted to say something, but Yun Nan had already hung up. When he called her back, Yun Nan didn¡¯t pick up.

    Furious, Yun Zhang pressed the beeper in front of him. ¡°Tell Yun Liu to see me in my office,¡± he ordered.

    Yun Liu seemed to have recovered from yesterday¡¯s sadness. She was radiant and in a good mood when she came to Yun Zhang¡¯s office.

    ¡°Yun Zhang, you wanted to see me?¡± Yun Liu daintily leaned over and poured herself a cup of tea from the tea set in front of him.

    ¡°Are you the one behind those stories about Yun Nan on the Internet?¡± Yun Zhang demanded. Yun Liu took a sip of tea and said smugly, ¡°Yes, I am!¡±

    Yun Zhang¡¯s tone became harsher as he chastised, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you discuss this with me beforehand? Do you ever think about the Yun family when you take action? Have you thought about Yun Nan¡¯s future?¡±

    Yun Liu was stunned. Why did her brother, who was the easiest to fool, suddenly change sides? He¡¯s actually thinking about Yun Nan¡¯s future?

    Yun Liu was alarmed at the thought.

    Yun Zhang felt that his tone was a little harsh, so he softened his tone and said, ¡°Yun Liu, no matter what, Yun Nan is our sister. We can quarrel at home or in the company, but if we cause a ruckus in public, it will be embarrassing for the Yun Corporation! We¡¯re all part of the Yun family, so we should work together! Our ultimate goal isn¡¯t to chase Yun Nan out of the Yun family. Doing something like this will only turn her against us.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°Yun Zhang, are you mad at me for accusing Yun Nan? That¡¯s right! I asked someone to put up those headlines! But I didn¡¯t make them up! Yun Nan has long been prepared to establish her own company. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to set up a studio right after she left the Yun Corporation.¡±

    ¡°If she didn¡¯t plan on backstabbing us, why would her studio¡¯s director, Mika, agree to meet our actors? He admired a few of them and clearly wished to poach our staff.¡±

    Yun Zhang was at a loss for words. He paused momentarily before saying, ¡°But Mika didn¡¯t agree to take them on. A simple meeting doesn¡¯t mean that Yun Nan betrayed us.¡±

    Yun Liu stared at Yun Zhang with wide eyes as tears rolled down her face. ¡°Yun Zhang, won¡¯t it be too late when Mika agrees? What will happen to the Yun Corporation if our actors are poached?¡±

    ¡°Yun Zhang, I know that you feel sorry for Yun Nan. No matter what, she is your flesh and blood sister. No matter what she does, you can¡¯t bear to target her and be wary of her. It¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have ignored my family for the sake of the Yun Corporation. Besides, I¡¯m in no position to talk because, in the end, I¡¯m adopted,¡± Yun Liu stated before she covered her mouth and sobbed softly.

    Yun Zhang panicked and quickly pulled out a tissue and handed it over. He gently comforted her, ¡°What nonsense! You¡¯re the sister I grew up with¡ªwe¡¯re the closest siblings! I didn¡¯t mean it that way!¡±

    ¡°Hey now, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯m sorry! I said the wrong thing! I know you are the one who is wholeheartedly thinking about the Yun family. That girl is a traitor. There¡¯s no way she would care about the Yun family. Alright, Yun Liu, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. I was just anxious just now, don¡¯t be angry with me!¡±

 Chapter 36

    Chapter Thirty-Six: Drawing

    The guilt towards Yun Nan and dissatisfaction towards Yun Liu that had just sprouted in Yun Zhang¡¯s heart were extinguished by Yun Liu¡¯s tears. Fortunately, Yun Nan no longer cared about the attitude of these blood relatives toward her.

    She stretched and looked at the time. Shi Nian had left early today and hadn¡¯t eaten breakfast. She only needed to prepare her own breakfast.

    Yun Nan washed her face haphazardly and went downstairs in slippers and pajamas. She was halfway down the stairs when she heard the sound of the door lock turning.

    ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t make too much noise. Don¡¯t disturb the madam,¡± she heard Chang Yuan¡¯s voice instruct.

    Yun Nan quickly turned around and headed upstairs to change. When she went downstairs again, she saw Chang Yuan instructing two workers to bring in a pile of things. They brought in an easel, drawing paper, paintbrushes, and a complete set of drawing and painting materials. Yun Nan was stunned at the collection.

    Chang Yuan placidly informed her, ¡°Young Madam, Young Master personally picked these. We didn¡¯t know much about these things and relied on the store owner¡¯s recommendation. This is the store¡¯s contact number. If there¡¯s anything else you need, just call them and ask them to send it over.¡±

    Yun Nan reached out to touch the easel and asked Chang Yuan, ¡°What-¡±

    ¡®

    What is wrong with him? Why did he buy these things?

    ¡® was what she wanted to say, but she bit back her words. She suddenly remembered that¡ªbefore she went to bed last night¡ªShi Nian had asked her to move her art studio upstairs. She hadn¡¯t agreed, so he decided to set up another art studio at home.

    Yun Nan¡¯s mind whirled with her speculations, ¡®

    Why is he so obsessed with this? Is he afraid that I¡¯ll affect Fang Xi¡¯s love life? Or perhaps, he¡¯s interested in dating Fang Xi? Does he find me a hindrance?

    ¡® She shook her head and felt that she was overanalyzing things.

    Seeing that she didn¡¯t continue speaking, Chang Yuan thought she was wondering about Shi Nian, so he said, ¡°Young Master has an important meeting today and went straight to the company. Are you looking for him?¡±

    Yun Nan shook her head. ¡°No, no, that¡¯s fine. Thank him for me when you see him. Just tell him¡­ I like it very much, thank you.¡± Yun Nan felt that there was no need to overthink this matter. At most, she would pay him for the materials.

    Chang Yuan left with his men. Yun Nan rolled up her sleeves and began to tidy up. Shi Nian had said that she could draw in the living room so she wouldn¡¯t stand on ceremony!

    Just as she was done with her task, Chang Yuan called, ¡°Young Madam, Young Master would like to know if you want to investigate the source of those rumors on the Internet.¡±

    Yun Nan frowned. ¡®

    Why does he insist on communicating through his assistant? Couldn¡¯t he ask me himself?

    ¡® However, she still replied, ¡°No, I know who¡¯s behind it and have already spoken with them. Let¡¯s see how the situation develops first.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Young Madam. If you need anything, please let me know at any time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Yun Nan said sincerely,

    Chang Yuan lowered his voice and commented, ¡°Young Master is out of sorts today. He wanted to ask you directly if you liked the things he bought. He was also quite angry about the rumors on the Internet, but he was too proud and refused to call you himself.¡±

    Chang Yuan hung up the phone after saying that. Yun Nan held her phone and looked at the screen after the conversation ended. She was dumbfounded.

    She didn¡¯t understand. ¡®

    What?

    ¡® she thought confusedly.

    ¡®

    Tsundere,

    ¡® was Chang Yuan¡¯s evaluation of Shi Nian.

    Yun Nan went downstairs to bring the unfinished painting up. She made some food and sat cross-legged on the floor to draw. Once she focused on something, she would get so immersed she would lose track of time.

    After the last stroke of her brush, the painting was finished. She had made a total of three paintings in the past few days. The contents of the paintings were all related to her movies¡ªthe two box office movies and the other one that was still to be filmed, ¡®

    4:30 PM

    .¡¯

    Yun Nan stretched and put the three paintings on display. She took a few decent photos after positioning them in the desired lighting and angle. Then, she logged in to Xi Jin¡¯s account and posted the photos on her social media platform with the caption: ¡±

    Actions speak for themselves, and the truth will prevail. Just do what you wish to do no matter life¡¯s obstacles.

    ¡±

    Yun Zhang had never taken her seriously, and neither did her parents. They didn¡¯t want to acknowledge her talent for Yun Liu¡¯s sake. At the same time, they couldn¡¯t accept the fact that a child who grew up outside was better than the child they had meticulously raised.

    Compared to blood ties, kinship, and love, their face was more important.

    The love and aid Yun Nan had received since she was young had all come from people who weren¡¯t related by blood at all. Therefore, Yun Nan had clearly understood a long time ago that there was no need to force herself, nor her biological parents and her brother, to maintain and nurture their relationship. This way, even if they go their separate paths, both parties wouldn¡¯t suffer any losses or be sad.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter Thirty-Seven: Treasure

    Shi Nian had just finished his meeting when he received a call from his grandfather. On the other side of the call, Shi Kong excitedly exclaimed to his grandson, ¡°Shi Nian, Shi Nian!¡±

    Shi Nian moved the phone away from his ear and frowned. ¡°Grandpa,¡± he greeted.

    ¡°There¡¯s an update on Xi Jin¡¯s social media account. She uploaded pictures of three new paintings!¡± Shi Kong said in the same deafening volume. ¡°She is actually promoting Yun Nan¡¯s movie! Is Yun Nan¡¯s third movie about to be filmed?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Xi Jin to be Yun Nan¡¯s fan! That says a lot about Yun Nan¡¯s talent! I¡¯ll watch all of her movies when I get back. They¡¯re movies that my idol recommended; they must be great!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask Yun Nan if she needed any help? Ah, the Yun family is blessed. Their missing daughter returned to them with such an outstanding upbringing! Shi Nian, I want to meet Yun Nan. This won¡¯t affect your choice of girlfriend, right?¡± Shi Kong¡¯s voice became softer, and his tone was tentative as he brought up the sensitive subject.

    There was a marriage contract between the Shi and the Yun family, but Shi Nian¡¯s parents had always been dissatisfied with Yun Liu. Coupled with Shi Nian¡¯s feelings on the matter, the marriage had been delayed.

    Shi Kong had always subscribed to democratic parenting methods when it came to raising children, and he respected their free will. Although he had an agreement with Old Yun, he was truly unwilling to force his grandson, so he could only make it up to the Yun family by accommodating them.

    After Yun Nan returned, Shi Nian¡¯s mother had a very good impression of Yun Nan. However, the Yun family insisted Shi Nian should marry Yun Liu instead. Therefore, the Shi family¡¯s elders put the choice in Shi Nian¡¯s hands. They also told the Yun family to let Shi Nian make his own choice, but Shi Nian delayed it for two years.

    Consequently, it became awkward for Shi Kong and Shi Nian¡¯s parents to get close to Yun Nan; they were afraid they would affect Shi Nian¡¯s decision. After all, this concerned his lifelong happiness.

    Therefore, Shi Kong was concerned about Shi Nian¡¯s feelings when Shi Kong wanted to meet Yun Nan as Xi Jin¡¯s fan.

    ¡°Grandpa, Yun Nan and I are married. You can see her anytime,¡± Shi Nian said calmly.

    ¡°Oh, okay. Then I¡¯ll ask Shi Xiu to help me arrange a meeting with Yun Nan¡ªWait, what did you say? Can you repeat that?¡± Shi Kong did a double-take. When he got his head around Shi Nian¡¯s news, Shi Kong suddenly raised his voice. Shi Nian took the phone away from his ear again.

    ¡°Shi Nian, what was that just now? Say it again!¡± Shi Kong was roaring at this point.

    ¡°Grandpa, Yun Nan and I are married. She is now your granddaughter-in-law. You can see her anytime,¡± Shi Nian imparted unhurriedly.

    ¡°Shi Xiu! Shi Xiu! Change the flight ticket! Rebook the ticket! I want to go home immediately! I want to go back right now! Hurry! Quickly now! Call your parents! We have a situation at home!¡± Shi Nian had the foresight to hold his phone far away, listening to his grandfather shout at his sister.

    He could imagine the scene with his eyes closed. He could easily picture his grandfather being so excited that he wished he could grow wings and fly back home right then.

    Everyone in the Shi family tended to make a fuss and be dramatic. They were a loud and exuberant family. Shi Nian had mastered the ability to remain calm since he was young. No matter how his family¡¯s emotions fluctuated, he was as unshakeable as a mountain.

    He hung up, knowing his grandfather must have thrown his phone to the side by now.

    His lips curled up into a slight smile.

    ¡®I wonder what delicious food that girl will prepare tonight. I gave her an art studio. That should be worthy of a feast, right?

    ¡®

    On the way home, he suddenly remembered his grandfather¡¯s words. He turned on his phone and found Xi Jin¡¯s social media account. The millions of ¡®likes¡¯ were enough to show how popular this online artist was. Even his grandfather and sister-in-law were huge fans of hers.

    He clicked on one of the pictures and zoomed in. The curtains in the corner of the picture were very similar to the curtains in his house. He clicked on the other two photos. The chair in the background of one of the photos was exactly the same as the chair in his dining room.

    ¡®

    No wonder Grandpa and Sister-in-law liked Xi Jin. It turns out that her taste and preferences are quite similar to our family¡¯s.

    ¡®

    ¡­

    Yun Nan was humming a song as she busied herself in the kitchen, the space hazy from whatever she was cooking. When she saw that Shi Nian was back, she turned around and shouted, ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait a while longer for dinner! We¡¯re having dumplings today! Do you want beef or pork filling?¡±

    Shi Nian stood at the door and stared at his ¡®snail girl,¡¯¡ªdressed in casual clothes and hair simply tied with a ribbon¡ªthrough a cloud of steam. ¡°Anything is fine.¡± His response was stilted.

    He went upstairs to change his clothes, and when he came down, there were already two plates filled with white and chubby dumplings on the dining table.

    Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Yun Nan¡¯s painting tools under the sunlight and suddenly stopped in his tracks.

    The finished paintings were placed at the side. It turns out the curtains in the pictures on the Internet didn¡¯t just

    look like

    the ones in his house¡ªthey

    were

    his house¡¯s. And the three paintings his grandfather was so excited over were quietly stacked right there.

    ¡®

    Yun Nan is Xi Jin?

    ¡®

    Shi Nian stared blankly at the corner of the balcony and suddenly burst into laughter. ¡®

    This girl is truly a hidden treasure.¡¯

 Chapter 38

    Chapter Thirty-Eight: Dumplings

    ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready¡± Yun Nan called out to him.

    Shi Nian turned around and walked to the dining table. His relatives would be ecstatic if they knew about Yun Nan¡¯s identity. His grandfather and sister-in-law were fans of Xi Jin, and his sister¡ªShi Xiu¡ªwas a fan of Yun Nan. This girl is a little too charming.

    ¡°These have beef filling, and these are stuffed with pork. I made two kinds of fillings. This mushroom soup is your favorite; it¡¯s even better with dumplings. It¡¯s best to have lighter meals at night, so I made shredded pork stir-fry and shredded asparagus lettuce salad,¡± Yun Nan said as she pointed out each dish while setting out the bowls and chopsticks.

    Shi Nian silently took the chopsticks from Yun Nan and watched as she placed a four-compartment condiment plate in front of him. Each compartment held a different dipping sauce; there was soy sauce, mature vinegar, chili oil, and sesame oil.

    ¡°Why do you know how to cook so many dishes?¡± Shi Nian asked.

    Yun Nan was surprised at the question, but she laughingly answered, ¡°I learned it from my mother when I was young.¡±

    Yun Nan had a blissful smile as she recalled her childhood. ¡°When I was young, my family wasn¡¯t rich. My father worked very hard, and my mother only worked part-time in order to take care of me. This way, she could have the food ready when my father came home from work, and the whole family could eat together.¡±

    ¡°Dad always said that when he returned home and saw our smiling faces and the table of dishes, he would no longer feel tired. My mother can always use the simplest and cheapest ingredients to make the most delicious dishes. She¡¯s amazing,¡± Yun Nan enthused.

    Shi Nian knew that the parents she was referring to were her adoptive parents. Yun Nan probably lived a happy life with her adoptive parents, even if they weren¡¯t financially rich. On the other hand, the Yun family likely didn¡¯t give her anything other than hurt and anguish.

    He didn¡¯t want to ruin her trip down memory lane, so he shared something of his own, ¡°My mother¡¯s cooking¡­ is awful, but none of us dared to say anything because my father won¡¯t let anyone upset her.¡±

    Yun Nan was stunned; she hadn¡¯t expected him to reveal a private detail just like that, but she wanted to know more, so she looked at Shi Nian with eyes full of curiosity.

    Shi Nian picked up a dumpling and took a bite. It was juicy, fresh and refreshing, and not at all greasy. He couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°These dumplings are very delicious.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and stared at him, seemingly still waiting for him to tell her a story. The delicious food not only warmed his stomach but also his heart. As Shi Nian ate, he slowly said, ¡°In my father¡¯s eyes, my mother is the most precious thing in the world; she is the apple of his eye. I heard from my grandfather that when my mother gave birth to my older brother, my father was so scared that he didn¡¯t want any more children.¡±

    ¡°He even disliked my brother because my mother cried in pain when she gave birth to him, so he gave my brother to my grandparents to raise. My mother loved my father too much and insisted on giving him a daughter. Then, she had me. Seeing that I am a boy, my father left me with my grandparents.¡±

    This was the first time Yun Nan had heard gossip about the Shi family, and it came from Shi Nian; she was filled with interest. ¡°And then, you have a younger sister,¡± she stated.

    Shi Nian nodded as he ate. ¡°Yes, my sister was an accident. When my mother was pregnant with her, she was extremely happy, while my father was not. At that time, my grandmother had already passed away. My father was worried that the birth of this child would ruin their time together, but actually-¡±

    Shi Nian bit his tongue. Yun Nan was fascinated by his tale and eagerly urged him to continue, ¡°What?¡±

    Shi Nian lowered his eyes and resumed his narration, ¡°My mother had no idea how to take care of a child at all. She¡¯s worse than Grandpa in that regard! To borrow a phrase from Grandpa, my parents think that ¡®it¡¯s fine so long as the child is alive.¡¯ So, Grandpa couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and took on the task of taking care of my sister. My parents only need to appreciate her.¡±

    ¡°Then, do you guys have a bad relationship with your parents?¡± Yun Nan recalled the two occasions she had met the other Yun family members. From what she remembered, the atmosphere in the Shi family seemed quite harmonious.

    As expected, Shi Nian shook his head. ¡°The three of us don¡¯t mind it. We¡¯re used to letting them have their way.¡±

    ¡°They were first loves. It was love at first sight. My father often felt guilty about being too busy with work and spending too little time with my mother, so he decided to train up a successor as soon as possible. My father made my brother and I attend their meetings when we were young, but my brother chose to go to military school and join the army, so I was the only one left.¡±

    ¡°After I completed my first merger and acquisition assignment, my father wasted no time stepping down and accompanying my mother to travel around the world,¡± Shi Nian said.

    Yun Nan was flabbergasted, ¡°So, that¡¯s how you became the youngest chairman?¡±

    ¡®What irresponsible parents! Forcing him to run before he could walk and giving him tall orders¡­¡¯

    Yun Nan inwardly sympathized.

    Shi Nian nodded and ate another dumpling.

    ¡°Your dad really loves your mom.¡± Yun Nan tried hard to think back. The impression she had of Mrs. Shi was a beautiful, elegant, and gentle woman who seemed to have the innocence of a young girl.

    In the past, her biological mother¡ªGu Wei¡ªhad secretly mocked Mrs. Shi for her innocent behavior and said she was being pretentious. But, in truth, Mrs. Shi wasn¡¯t pretending anything. She was naive because she was sheltered and nourished by her husband and her family¡¯s love.

    ¡®Happy love stories like that really do exist in real life!

    ¡® Yun Nan inwardly exclaimed.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter Thirty-Nine: Family Matters

    ¡°My grandfather, sister and my parents should be back by tomorrow at the latest. You¡¯re going to meet the parents,¡± Shi Nian suddenly informed. The dumpling Yun Nan had picked up with her chopsticks fell onto the table.

    Shi Nian secretly laughed to himself, but his expression remained unchanged as he said, ¡°My brother and sister-in-law are in the army, so they don¡¯t come home often; they barely get to visit twice a year. My parents travel all over the world, so they¡­ also hardly return home. Only my sister and I are home to keep Grandpa company. Actually, it¡¯s mainly my sister who keeps Grandpa company since she¡¯s still a student and has more free time.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll go to the airport to pick Grandpa up tomorrow,¡± Shi Nian said casually.

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Yun Nan answered. She picked up another dumpling and quickly adjusted her mindset. ¡®

    Looks like the probation period with Shi Nian is over. It¡¯s time to officially start my role as his wife.

    ¡®

    ¡°Can you tell me what they like so that I can cater to their preferences? After all, our agreement states I have to act as your wife for five years. I have to keep Grandpa happy and not let your family hate me,¡± Yun Nan stated, having immediately switched to work mode.

    Shi Nian glanced at her. ¡®

    She¡¯s really dedicated!

    ¡® he thought, but somehow he felt a little unhappy. ¡°My grandfather likes an online artist called Xi Jin,¡± Shi Nian revealed as he stared at Yun Nan without batting an eyelid.

    Yun Nan was momentarily surprised before she smiled and said, ¡°Okay, I got it!¡±

    ¡°My sister is a fan of your work and your looks,¡± Shi Nian imparted, a little annoyed. Yun Nan didn¡¯t pay his tone any mind and stroked her face. ¡°Alright, I lucked out there. What a convenient thing it is to be able to use my appearance to impress a little girl.¡±

    Shi Nian bemusedly looked at Yun Nan. ¡®

    Does she hear what she¡¯s saying?

    ¡® Aware that she had misspoken, Yun Nan quickly asked, ¡°And what about Aunt and Uncle Shi?¡±

    ¡°You should refer to them as Mom and Dad,¡± Shi Nian corrected her and waved the wedding ring on his finger at her. Yun Nan hurriedly nodded. ¡°Oh-oh, right. I forgot. What gifts should I prepare for them?¡±

    Shi Nian glanced at her unhappily and told her, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. It¡¯ll be fine if you just say you like whatever gifts they give you.¡±

    Yun Nan opened her mouth to speak, but Shi Nian interrupted her, ¡°So long as you don¡¯t break character, and call them mom and dad, they¡¯ll be so happy that they¡¯ll be on cloud nine.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded repeatedly and noted his advice while inwardly thinking about what she needed to prepare.

    Meanwhile, Fang Xi had just gotten off work. She parked her car and headed toward the residential building with her keys twirled around her finger as she listened to her assistant speak on the phone. She accidentally bumped into a man who was also on the phone coming in from the other direction.

    Fang Xi¡¯s key and the cardboard box the man was holding fell to the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Fang Xi hung up and quickly apologized. She bent down to help pick up the cardboard box. The lid of the box fell off, and Fang Xi was surprised to see a little puppy with black and white markings inside the box.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bumping into you,¡± Ye Kun also quickly apologized.

    ¡°Oh? It¡¯s you!¡± Ye Kun lifted the cardboard box into his arms and was pleasantly surprised when he straightened up and saw Fang Xi.

    Now that she had a proper look at him, Fang Xi realized he was the neighbor who¡¯d given her the baby¡¯s breath, so she politely nodded again. ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted.

    Ye Kun took the initiative and held the cardboard box out before her. ¡°Look, my friend gave me a puppy. It¡¯s only two months old and is called Tuan Tuan. Isn¡¯t it cute?¡±

    No one could resist such a cute little animal. Fang Xi nodded and reached out to stroke the puppy¡¯s head. The puppy gave an adorable bark at her touch.

    Ye Kun took the puppy out of the box with one hand and stuffed it into Fang Xi¡¯s arms. ¡°Here, please hold it for me.¡± Before Fang Xi could react, Ye Kun ran to the garbage station with the cardboard box.

    The puppy licked Fang Xi¡¯s hand, and Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but giggle at the itchy sensation. She had wanted to raise a puppy, but Xi Cheng thought that pets were too dirty and wouldn¡¯t agree no matter what. He still didn¡¯t agree even though Fang Xi repeatedly promised that she would keep the house clean and tidy and wouldn¡¯t let a single dog hair be on him when he went out.

    Fang Xi tried everything she could to win over Xi Cheng, but in the end, Xi Cheng disappeared for a month in a fit of anger, so Fang Xi didn¡¯t dare to bring the matter up with him again.

    At the thought of Xi Cheng, Fang Xi¡¯s heart felt like something had squeezed it tightly¡ªit hurt.

    She absentmindedly carried the puppy, entered the residential building with Ye Kun, and got into the elevator. She finally recovered her wandering wits when they reached her front door. Fang Xi returned the puppy to Ye Kun and politely said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s adorable.¡±

    Ye Kun took the puppy and thanked her with a smile before he said, ¡°My name¡¯s Ye Kun.¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi,¡± Fang Xi briefly reported her name in return, and without even looking at Ye Kun, she opened her door and entered the house.

    For the first time, the tall, handsome, and suave Ye Kun doubted his appearance. However, he wasn¡¯t discouraged. As soon as he entered his apartment, he lifted the puppy and told it, ¡°Little guy, my love life will depend on you in the future! Remember that lady just now; your task is to please her in the future!¡±

 Chapter 40

    Chapter Forty: Airport Pickup

    The puppy barked at him.

    Ye Kun put it down on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as an agreement. From now on, you¡¯re my son. As long as you help Daddy get together with that lady, Daddy will give you the best and most expensive dog food in the world!¡±

    The puppy sniffed as it walked around the new territory, exploring its new home.

    Liang Han called and asked, ¡°Hey, did you get a chance to meet her?¡±

    Ye Kun proudly answered, ¡°The heavens smiled on me! I bumped into her as soon as I got out of the car. Hehe, things are off to a good start, bro!¡±

    Liang Han was also very happy at the news, ¡°When you have made some progress, you must introduce her to us. I can only find my talented director through her!¡±

    Ye Kun didn¡¯t reject his buddy¡¯s help. As for Liang Han¡¯s request, it would depend on the situation.

    ¡­

    At the airport, Yun Nan looked toward the exit as she stood nervously beside Shi Nian with a bouquet in her hands.

    Shi Nian turned his head to look at her and coughed lightly into his fist before saying, ¡°When Grandpa comes out, you have to hold my hand. He¡¯ll be happy if he sees we have an intimate relationship.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Yun Nan readily accepted his advice. She held the flowers in one hand and Shi Nian¡¯s arm in the other.

    Chang Yuan¡ªwho was standing behind the two of them¡ªfelt that his boss was smiling even at the buttons of his suit today. His boss had never welcomed anyone in the Shi family home in such a happy mood. This meant that what mattered wasn¡¯t who was coming back but who was standing beside him.

    Chang Yuan and the Shi brothers grew up together, so he naturally knew that the Shi family produced loyal and passionate men; once they gave their hearts, they didn¡¯t wander. The Shi brothers had been consciously reminded from a young age not to be bewitched by beauty. However, the Shi family¡¯s eldest son had already fallen and, from the looks of it, the other son¡ªthe person before him¡ªwasn¡¯t far from falling either.

    Chang Yuan stood tall, ready to watch the couple put on a show.

    ¡°Assistant Chang!¡± A voice filled with delighted surprise called from behind him. Chang Yuan turned around and saw the Yun family rushing over.

    A few steps away, Shi Nian and Yun Nan also turned around. Shi Nian and Chang Yuan simultaneously frowned and glanced at each other, their gazes conveying confusion at the Yun family¡¯s presence. Chang Yuan¡¯s expression darkened; it seemed he wasn¡¯t strict enough with his subordinates. ¡®

    Someone actually dared to leak the boss¡¯s itinerary!

    ¡®

    ¡°Mr. Yun,¡± Chang Yuan gave him a very standard greeting. However, the Yun family¡¯s attention was focused on more important targets, so they ignored Chang Yuan. Instead, they surrounded Shi Nian and Yun Nan in unison.

    ¡°We made it in time, sis,¡± Yun Liu greeted Yun Nan affectionately as if they were a pair of inseparable sisters. Before Yun Nan could respond, Yun Liu¡¯s eyes fixed on Shi Nian. ¡°Hello, Shi Nian,¡± she called him so softly and sweetly that Yun Nan¡¯s arms broke out in goosebumps.

    Yun Nan wanted to pull her hand from Shi Nian¡¯s arm, but Shi Nian pressed his arm down with his strength to stop her from moving. His other hand covered hers as he nodded at the Yun family and gave them a simple ¡°hello.¡±

    He didn¡¯t even spare Yun Liu a single look. Yun Zhang¡¯s heart sank.

    Gu Wei glanced at Yun Nan before warmly saying to Shi Nian, ¡°It is fortunate that Yun Nan told us Old Master Shi will be back today. Otherwise, we won¡¯t have known about the news. We¡¯re supposed to come pick him up. It would be rude of us if we missed him!¡±

    Shi Nian frowned and glanced at Yun Nan. Yun Nan looked at Gu Wei¡¯s fervent gaze and Yun Liu¡¯s shy expression as she stood beside her and came to a conclusion. Yun Liu had somehow found out Shi Nian¡¯s schedule on her own and was now clearly framing Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan refused to take the blame, so she informed Shi Nian, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t tell them anything.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Yun Liu appeared surprised as she exclaimed, ¡°But Yun Nan, didn¡¯t you have your assistant call me and ask us to hurry to the airport to welcome Grandpa Shi?¡±

    She didn¡¯t give Yun Nan a chance to respond before she smiled and said, ¡°Mom and Dad even praised you for being sensible and mindful of our family¡¯s manners.¡±

    Yun Xiang¡ªwho was standing at the side¡ªalso seemed to want to ease his relationship with Yun Nan. He calmly said, ¡°That¡¯s right. When Old Master Shi comes over later, you should stand beside your mother. Look at you, clinging to Shi Nian; it¡¯s highly improper!¡±

    Gu Wei had long been displeased by the sight of the two holding hands, so when she heard Yun Xiang¡¯s reprimand, she hurriedly agreed, ¡°Exactly. Yun Nan, come over here now! Come and stand here! Shi Nian¡¯s grandfather values discipline and etiquette the most. The way you¡¯re behaving is outrageous!¡±

    Yun Liu looked at Yun Nan with eyes filled with gloating malice. She wished she could turn into a bolt of lightning and split their hands apart!

 Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter Forty-One: Severance

    Chapter 41: Chapter Forty-One: Severance

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± said Yun Xiang. ¡°Come here quickly! Hurry up!¡± he impatiently ordered.

    Yun Xiang found the sight of Yun Nan holding onto Shi Nian¡¯s arm displeasing.

    He¡¯d already promised Yun Liu that he would definitely split Shi Nian and Yun

    Nan up. Moreover, he had already chosen a fine marriage candidate for Yun Nan; if the marriage went through, it would be very beneficial to the Yun family.

    Shi Nian looked extremely irritated at the remarks. Yun Liu secretly felt quite smug; she absolutely wouldn¡¯t let Yun Nan have it easy! Yun Nan wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything in defense; no one would believe her denials!

    ¡°Yun Nan doesn¡¯t even know she¡¯s here to pick up my grandfather! I dragged her here at the last minute. She thought I was taking her to my family¡¯s villa,¡±

    Shi Nian spoke placidly, stopping the Yun family members dead in their tracks.

    Yun Zhang¡¯s expression darkened, and he gave Yun Liu a disgruntled look. Yun Xiang and Gu Wei looked at each other; they were both so embarrassed that they were at a loss.

    Yun Liu turned pale. ¡® is Shi Nian protecting Yun Nan? How did this wretched girl manage to make Shi Nian speak up for her like this? Yun Liu inwardly fumed, wishing she could stab Yun Nan with her glares.

    Shi Nian took in the Yun family¡¯s reactions before he focused on Yun Zhang. ¡°Didn¡¯t you all listen to what Yun Nan said? Or perhaps my assistant didn¡¯t make things clear? Yun Nan and I are married. Is that so difficult for you to understand?¡±

    Yun Zhang was so abashed that he didn¡¯t know how to respond and was wrought speechless.

    ¡°I see the passengers have arrived. The Old Master and Young Miss should be out soon,¡± Chang Yuan broke the awkward silence and gave the Yun family a way out of their embarrassing situation.

    Shi Nian placed an arm around Yun Nan¡¯s shoulder and pivoted them around to face the airport arrival gate. Looking at the crowd surging from the exit, he suddenly shifted and whispered into her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. Just ignore them.¡±

    Yun Nan felt an indescribable emotion in her heart; she felt complicated that her relatives would slander her in all sorts of ways while those with no blood ties would protect her without hesitation.

    When a hale and hearty Shi Kong and his energetic granddaughter¡ªShi Xiu¡ª came out, they were immediately surrounded by Yun Xiang, Gu Wei, and Yun Liu, who enthusiastically greeted them and inquired about their wellbeing. The trio¡¯s actions consequently forced Shi Nian and Yun Nan to the back, as if they feared Shi Nian would expose something on the spot. Yun Zhang silently looked at the scene and stepped back from his family.

    Shi Xiu instantly spotted Yun Nan at the back of the group. She pushed the Yun family aside and rushed to stand before her. ¡°Yun Nan! Yun Nan, you¡¯re my sister-in-law now, right? Am I right?¡±

    Yun Nan had to use some force to pull her hand from Shi Nian¡¯s arm. She smiled as she handed the flowers she held to Shi Xiu and greeted her warmly, ¡°Welcome home.¡±

    Shi Xiu accepted the flowers before quickly stuffing them into her brother¡¯s arms. Then she pounced on Yun Nan and delightedly exclaimed, ¡°Awesome! That¡¯s great! My idol is my sister-in-law! I¡¯m the happiest person in the world right now!¡±

    Shi Nian wordlessly dropped the flowers into Chang Yuan¡¯s hands behind him as he observed her circling Yun Nan like a monkey. He couldn¡¯t understand why his sister was the happiest person in the world when he was the one married to Yun Nan. A little annoyed at her antics, Shi Nian reached out and tugged Shi Xiu¡¯s braid, saying, ¡°Can¡¯t you behave yourself, brat?¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s scalp smarted, so she straightaway tattled to Yun Nan, ¡°Yun Nan, save me Yun Nan, Shi Nian ¨ª bullying me!

    Yun Nan smiled and lightly whacked Shi Nian¡¯s hand, indicating for him to let go of Shi Xiu¡¯s braids. ¡°Don¡¯t bully her,¡± she chided.

    Shi Xiu hugged Yun Nan¡¯s waist and sassed at Shi Nian, ¡°I have someone backing me from now on! Someone much more useful than Grandpa!¡±

    Then, she turned to Yun Nan and stated, ¡°Yun Nan, don¡¯t worry. If my brother bullies you, I¡¯ll call on the entire family to beat him up!¡± Before her idol, the girl heartlessly betrayed their twenty-years-long siblinghood without hesitation.

    Shi Kong finally managed to squeeze his way out of the Yun family¡¯s encirclement, and he smiled when he saw Shi Xiu and Yun Nan hugging each other. Yun Nan took the opportunity to step up, bow, and said, ¡°Grandpa, welcome home.¡±

    ¡°Yes, indeed, it¡¯s great to be back! I can¡¯t wait to get home, let¡¯s head off now!¡± Shi Kong merrily answered. He held Yun Nan¡¯s hand in one of his own and Shi Nian with the other and smiled as he said to the Yun family members, ¡°Thank you for coming to the airport to meet me. I¡¯m a little tired, so I¡¯m heading home first. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t entertain you all as we¡¯ll be having a family banquet today, but I¡¯ll invite you guys over another day!¡±

    The Yun family could only awkwardly smile at that. Yun Liu suddenly rushed to

    Shi Nian¡¯s side and gently pulled his sleeve, meekly calling out, ¡°Shi Nian.¡±

    Shi Nian reacted aggressively; he pushed Yun Liu away and demanded, ¡®What are you doing?¡± Yun Liu was caught off guard; she was pushed off-balance and fell to the ground. She had worn a knee-length white skirt today, so it was inevitable that she would be exposed when she fell.

    However, Yun Liu¡¯s first reaction wasn¡¯t to cover herself up but to scream instead.. Yun Zhang swiftly took off his coat and covered his sister before turning to Shi Nian and growled, ¡°Shi Nian, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡±

 Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter Forty-Two: Blackmail

    Chapter 42: Chapter Forty-Two: Blackmail

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian was livid. Yun Nan could tell at a glance that something was wrong with him, so she reached out and pulled him behind her. She calmly stated, ¡°Is Yun Liu injured? Let¡¯s call 911 and send her to the hospital.¡± Shi Kong was dumbfounded at her response.

    Shi Xiu ignored the comment. She pointed at Yun Liu¡ªstill making a scene on the ground¡ªand shouted at Yun Zhang, ¡°Why are you being so mean? She¡¯s the one who suddenly rushed over and grabbed my brother!¡± She then directed her words at Yun Liu, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Don¡¯t you have any sense of shame?! What do you want, blackmail or some such? You¡¯re such a disgrace to the Yun family!¡±

    Yun Xiang and Gu Wei looked mightily displeased at her remark. Yun Zhang helped Yun Liu off the floor, and Yun Liu wept as she collapsed bonelessly in his arms.

    Yun Zhang glared at Yun Nan and accused, ¡°This is all your fault! Why are you so troublesome? Can¡¯t you let us be a harmonious family for once?¡± He gave Yun Nan a look signaling that she should say something instead of leaving the Yun family to hang out to dry. He was used to speaking to Yun Nan ungraciously, so he didn¡¯t think anything was wrong with his tone.

    However, Shi Nian was already quite angry with the Yun family, and Yun Zhang¡¯s attitude only added to it. ¡°Since you all hate Yun Nan so much, she¡¯ll have nothing to do with the Yun family in the future! She¡¯s a part of the Shi family now!¡± Shi Nian declared as he placed an arm around Yun Nan¡¯s shoulder and turned to leave.

    Shi Kong looked at Yun Nan¡¯s parents¡ªwho only cared about Yun Liu¡ªin disappointment. He shook his head and followed his grandson. Shi Xiu, however, felt unsatisfied. She criticized Yun Liu contemptuously, ¡°You still have the nerve to cry? You really are pretentious!¡± With those last words, she also left. Chang Yuan didn¡¯t look at the Yun family members as he strode after his boss¡¯s group.

    Gu Wei felt saddened as she hugged Yun Liu. She sighed, not knowing what to say. Yun Xiang had a bad feeling about this. ¡®Shi Nian actually defended that wretched girl. Then what should I do about the marriage I arranged for her? he worried.

    Only Yun Zhang paid any mind to Shi Nian¡¯s words. They continuously buzzed in his ears. ¡®So, in others¡¯ eyes, our entire family hated Yun Nan!¡¯

    ¡®m vve? he wondered.

    ¡°That d*mn girl! What a royal mess this is! Why can¡¯t she be obedient?! She didn¡¯t even speak up for us! She only cared about climbing the social ladder herself. She just watched us get rejected, and left with no care at all!¡± Gu Wei griped.

    Yun Xiang hatefully concurred, ¡°She¡¯s a backstabbing wretch!¡±

    Yun Zhang stared at the floor tiles under his feet in a daze. It turned out that they do really hate Yun Nan. ¡® What did Yun Nan do wrong?

    ¡® Yun Nan didn¡¯t give Shi Nian up to Yun Liu. She didn¡¯t listen to ourparents! Yun Zhang gently exhaled and shook his head; he didn¡¯t want to think about it anymore.

    Yun Liu saw Yun Zhang¡¯s expression constantly change and became worried. Recently, this fool¡¯s attitude swayed back and forth; she feared he would be led astray by that wretch again.

    She broke free from Gu Wei and covered her mouth as she whimpered, ¡°Please just leave me to die. I¡¯m not worthy! I don¡¯t deserve anything in life!¡± As she spoke, she ran in the direction of the Shi family.

    Chang Yuan was the last to leave and trailed behind the group. When he heard the sound of high heels rapidly approaching from behind, he immediately became alert. He used his body to cover Shi Nian and softly cautioned him, ¡°Look out!¡±

    It was as if Shi Nian had eyes on the back of his head; he dodged almost at the same time as Chang Yuan¡¯s warning was given and even pulled Yun Nan¡ªwho happened to be holding hands with Shi Xiu¡ªwith him. Shi Xiu also swiftly reacted; she quickly let go of Yun Nan¡¯s hand and protected her grandfather.

    Yun Liu couldn¡¯t slow down in time, and she shot past them to collide with a young man who was dragging his luggage, and both of them screamed as they fell to the ground. This fall was different from her previous one. This was a heavy fall, and she even pushed a man to the ground.

    Yun Liu was in a sorry state as she got to her feet. She didn¡¯t even spare a

    glance at the man rolling on the ground after having sustained a hit to a vital organ. She rushed to Shi Nian and yelled, ¡°Shi Nian! Shi Nian! Please, I beg you! Don¡¯t go!¡±

    Yun Nan subconsciously shielded Shi Nian behind her and stared at Yun Liu coldly. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t figure out what Yun Liu was up to.

    Yun Liu burst into tears, knelt before Yun Nan, and cried, ¡°Sister dear, I beg you, leave us be! No matter what you want, I¡¯ll agree to it! I promise you that I¡¯ll leave the Yun family. I promise you that I¡¯ll never see my parents again. I will no longer be the daughter of the Yun family. I only beg you to let us be!¡±

    Her speech was vague, not to mention illogical, but it set off Yun Nan¡¯s alarms. Due to her professional sensitivity, Yun Nan knew that she was currently facing danger on all sides; if she wasn¡¯t careful, Yun Liu could ruin her public image. Hence, Yun Nan tilted her head towards Shi Nian and pointed at the young man still rolling on the ground.. ¡°Hubby, he needs urgent help! What are you still standing around for? A plea?¡±

 Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter Forty-Three: Going Home

    Chapter 43: Chapter Forty-Three: Going Home

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian and Chang Yuan were both extremely intelligent, and it didn¡¯t take them a second to catch on. They immediately went forward to help the injured young man up and concernedly asked, ¡°Are you alright? Do you need an ambulance? We¡¯ll take you to the hospital!¡±

    Chang Yuan politely turned to Yun Liu and said, ¡°Miss Yun, don¡¯t worry. We will certainly safely escort your boyfriend to the hospital. You don¡¯t have to Imeel and beg for such a small matter!¡± Yun Nan would have given the scheming Chang Yuan a thumbs up for that if they weren¡¯t out in public.

    ¡°Shi Xiu, come and give me a hand!¡± Yun Nan called Shi Xiu over, and together, they forcefully got Yun Liu off the ground. Yun Nan then whispered in her ear,

    ¡°If you dare to use such a despicable method to spread rumors about you and Shi Nian, you can say goodbye to your public image as a pure and innocent girl! Stand up properly!¡± At the threat, Yun Liu subconsciously stood up straight.

    Shi Xiu quickly made the connections, and with a sweep of her gaze, she found the spot where someone was secretly taking photos. ¡°Truly despicable! Miss Yun Liu, why don¡¯t we make a bet? I¡¯m curious to see which media company and social platform would dare to spread rumors about my brother and cause trouble for my sister-in-law tomorrow! I don¡¯t mind making them go bankrupt!¡±

    Yun Zhang¡ªwho had followed Yun Liu over¡ªheard Shi Xiu¡¯s words and felt a chill down his spine. Yun Liu¡¯s legs went weak, and she almost collapsed again. Yun Nan reached out and gently pushed Yun Liu¡ªleaning on her and Shi Xiu¡ª onto Yun Zhang. The two girls then accompanied their grandfather and quickly chased after Chang Yuan and Shi Nian.

    Shi Nian had a dark expression during the entire journey home. Fortunately, Yun Nan had Shi Xiu and Shi Kong around to speak with her.

    When they arrived at the family villa, as soon as Shi Xiu entered the door, she loudly announced, ¡°Mommy, Daddy! Shi Nian made my sister-in-law angry! Come quickly!¡±

    Yun Nan was shocked and unconsciously pulled Shi Xiu over. ¡°He did no such thing! ¡±

    Shi Xiu patted her hand and whispered, ¡°Shh, don¡¯t worry about it!¡±

    Shi Kong chuckled as he watched and didn¡¯t stop her. Yun Nan looked at Shi Nian apologetically. The Shi family¡¯s interpersonal relations were a little ¡®complicated.¡¯ She was a bit overwhelmed, to be honest.

    Shi Nian¡¯s stiff expression softened, but before Yun Nan could react, Shi Yun and Xu Yun were already out to greet them.

    ¡°Brat! How dare you bully your wife?! You think you¡¯re a big man, huh? I can still bend you over for a spanking!¡± Without waiting for any explanation, Shi Yun raised his fist and punched Shi Nian on the shoulder. Shi Nian merely grinned, giving no sign as to whether he was in pain or not.

    Xu Yun brought Yun Nan before her and stared at her from head to toe. ¡°Oh, my dear child! Don¡¯t lower yourself to that jack*ss¡¯ level. I apologize on his behalf. ¡±

    Shi Kong rubbed his hands and said, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! Come and tell us what you¡¯d like. If it¡¯ll make you happy, your mom will buy it for you immediately. Time is precious, so let¡¯s not waste it on this donkey.¡±

    Yun Nan turned to look at the ¡®donkey¡¯ in question. Said ¡®donkey¡¯ was very calm, as if ¡®it¡¯ was quite used to such treatment.

    Shi Xiu told Yun Nan in a loud whisper that everyone present could hear, ¡°In our family, my eldest brother is referred to as a ¡®dog¡¯ for his perplexing antics. Shi Nian here is called a ¡®donkey¡¯ due to his obstinate nature. That¡¯s why Mom, Dad, Grandpa, and I all like you, dear sister-in-law. My brothers are merely errand boys; a means to an end.¡±

    The listeners all nodded their heads incessantly, including the ¡®donkey¡¯ himself. The butterflies that had been fluttering in her stomach all the way here calmed and disappeared at the silly scene. She bowed and greeted Shi Yun and Xu Yun, ¡°Hello, Uncle and Auntie!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± The whole family expressed their doubts and then cast condemning gazes at Shi Nian.

    Shi Nian raised a fist to his lips and cleared his throat. ¡°She¡¯s still not used to her new status. I really did tell her she should call you guys Mom and Dad! I even had her practice for several days!¡±

    He took Yun Nan¡¯s hand in his and shook it slightly before carefully saying,

    ¡°Greet Mom and Dad properly!¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s face instantly flushed red. Under the family¡¯s expectant gazes, she bowed to everyone again and greeted, ¡°Grandpa! Mom! Dad!¡± The three elders smiled brightly and responded enthusiastically. Then, Yun Nan found herself holding three big red packets; she truly couldn¡¯t keep up with this family¡¯s tempo.

    ¡°It¡¯s my turn, my turn!¡± Shi Xiu spread her arms and held the elders back behind her. She smiled at the couple and bowed to them. ¡°Congratulations to you both on your wedding!¡± She then bent over and raised her hands above her head, palms facing upwards¡ªa clear demand for the red packet that elders traditionally give to the young and unmarried.

    Shi Nian stretched out his hand, patted her creamy white hands, and laughingly scolded, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Shi Xiu looked at her empty palms and howled, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t get me a present!¡±

    Yun Nan quickly held her hand and reassured her, ¡°Of course, we got you a present. Your brother is just messing with you!¡± So saying, she glared at Shi

    Nian and turned around to look for the box that Shi Nian had just brought in..

 Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter Forty-Four: Gifts

    Chapter 44: Chapter Forty-Four: Gifts

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Xiu smugly rolled her eyes at Shi Nian. She crossed her legs curiously and waited for Yun Nan¡¯s gift.

    Yun Nan handed a box to Shi Xiu. It was heavier than it looked; when Shi Xiu reached out to take it, her hands were dragged down slightly by its weight. ¡°Can I open it?¡± Shi Xiu asked.

    In response, Yun Nan opened the box for her. Before the others could make out what the box contained, Shi Xiu was already squealing excitedly, ¡°No way! These are Yun Nan¡¯s books!¡±

    She stuffed the box into Shi Nian¡¯s arms and took out the book at the top. She eagerly flipped it open and exclaimed once more, ¡°Oh my God, it¡¯s signed¡ªthat¡¯s Yun Nan¡¯s signature, right there! Ah, it¡¯s also illustrated! And look, it even has Yun Nan¡¯s signed photo!¡±

    Shi Xiu hugged the book to her chest and jumped up and down gleefully. She then rushed over and hugged Yun Nan. ¡°Sister-in-law! You¡¯re the best, sis! I absolutely love you to bits!¡±

    Xu Yun could only laugh helplessly at her daughter¡¯s behavior. ¡°Calm down, young lady. Listen to yourself, calling Yun Nan sister-in-law in one breath and sis in the next!¡±

    Shi Xiu couldn¡¯t bear to let go of her precious book and defended herself, ¡°That¡¯s because Yun Nan was my idol when she wrote these books. I¡¯m her fan, so of course I call her sister! But, now she¡¯s also my sister-in-law!¡± Shi Xiu bounced and shouted in joy at that fact.

    Yun Nan was also happy that her gift was so well-received. Shi Nian came up to her and said, ¡°Ignore her. She¡¯ll be in this crazy state for a while!¡±

    Yun Nan pursed her lips and smiled. She then took out another gift¡ªa catalog ¡ªand gave it to Shi Kong. Shi Kong took a look inside and was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Aren¡¯t these Xi Jin¡¯s artwork? I see that it even has the artist¡¯s three newest paintings! It¡¯s only been a few days, and they¡¯re already made into an artwork collection! And here I was planning on getting Shi Nian to find a way to buy them for me.¡±

    Yun Nan saw that Shi Kong really admired her artwork and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little embarrassed. ¡°If Grandpa likes them, I¡¯ll get all of them for you.¡±

    ¡°I do like them! I¡¯m particularly fond of Xi Jin¡¯s paintings. I¡¯m her fan! I collect all of her work, but I haven¡¯t seen this artwork catalog. This is great! It¡¯s amazing! This gift will be treasured! I like it very much!¡±

    Seeing how delighted the old man was over the catalog, Yun Nan suddenly felt that her gift was too stingy and blurted out, ¡°If you would like, Grandpa, I will give you the original copies of these three paintings after we¡¯ve finished promoting the movie.¡±

    Shi Kong absentmindedly nodded as he smoothed his hand over the artwork catalog before his mind caught up, and he was stunned. ¡°The originals? Are they available for sale? Oh my, Yun Nan! Are you saying you¡¯re able to buy Xi Jin¡¯s original paintings? Quickly now, tell Grandpa how much they cost! I¡¯ll purchase them myself. You don¡¯t have to spend money on this!¡± he enthused, thrilled at the prospect of owning the original paintings.

    Yun Nan was about to respond when Shi Nian replied indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Yun Nan already said she would give them to you after she¡¯s finished using them. If you truly can¡¯t wait, you can come to our house and look at the paintings anytime. They¡¯re placed in the corner of the balcony.¡± ¡®Huh? Shi Kong stared at his grandson, mouth agape.

    Shi Nian put his arm around Yun Nan¡¯s shoulder and said very calmly,

    ¡°Grandpa, meet Xi Jin. Xi Jin is Yun Nan¡¯s pseudonym.¡±

    The whole family was astonished. ¡°How did you know?¡± Yun Nan asked softly in surprise.

    Shi Nian¡¯s expression was extremely proud as he answered, ¡°I¡¯m not blind! Did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice the paintings on the balcony? How could I not be familiar with the house¡¯s chair and curtains in your Weibo photo?¡±

    ¡®Ah, so that¡¯s it,¡¯ Yun Nan thought. She thought he wasn¡¯t interested in such things, so she casually drew and placed her paintings in a corner of the living room. She didn¡¯t expect him to be so attentive and suddenly felt a little touched.

    Shi Kong was so elated that he lowered his voice, afraid he would accidentally DreaK apart tne ¡®tantasy¡¯ Detore mm It ne spoke too loudly. ¡°HeallY( Yun mang IS it true?¡±

    Yun Nan felt slightly shy and quickly confirmed, ¡°Xi Jin was the pen name I used when I first submitted my artwork.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true! It really is you!¡± Shi Kong was overjoyed at the news.

    ¡°Yun Nan, you¡¯re amazing! How are you so outstanding?! Grandpa, Grandpa! Look at this hidden treasure my brother married!¡± Shi Xiu gushed as she grabbed Shi Kong¡¯s arm and shook it repeatedly. Shi Kong could only nod persistently, still taking in this tremendous surprise.

    Yun Nan felt a little swamped by their praises, so she hastily took out the gifts she¡¯d prepared for her in-laws. ¡°Mom and Dad, these are for you.¡±

    Xu Yun accepted her gift, looked at it, and marveled, ¡°Oh!¡±

    Shi Xiu rushed forward to take a peek. ¡°Oh wow, this is exquisite!¡± she cried out.

    Yun Nan presented Xu Yun with 12 miniature qipao samples and told Xu Yun, ¡°I¡¯ve made a documentary about cheongsams before. I picked out twelve styles and made this series. They¡¯re all made of real silk, and the button knot craftsmanship on them is also a legacy of the world¡¯s intangible cultural heritage.¡±

    ¡°Me too, Yun Nan! I want this, too! Can I have this as well? Dear sister-in-law, you wouldn¡¯t reject me, would you?¡± Shi Xiu spiritedly chattered.

    Xu Yun gently thwacked her daughter and smilingly said, ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy! Each and every one of Yun Nan¡¯s gifts is a gem, and here you are, wishing to take it all for yourself!¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled and commented, ¡°I thought that Shi Xiu wouldn¡¯t like such things, so even though I prepared a similar gift for your other sister-in-law, I don¡¯t have one for you¡­¡±

 Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter Forty-Five: Doting

    Chapter 45: Chapter Forty-Five: Doting

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Xiu gave her a sweet smile, ¡°That¡¯s okay, Yun Nan. I¡¯ll be happy to wait while you prepare my gift.¡±

    Even Shi Yun couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her daughter¡¯s audacity and chided her, ¡°You greedy imp!¡±

    ¡°Look at you, acting like a country bumpkin!¡± Shi Nian said disdainfully. ¡°How embarrassing! ¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my sister-in-law. What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about?¡± Shi Xiu stated gloatingly.

    Seeing the siblings starting to argue again, Yun Nan smiled and offered,

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to visit my studio whenever you have time. You can meet the lady who makes these cheongsam samples there.¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really? Then, can I work in your studio?¡±

    ¡°What can you do aside from eating?¡± Shi Nian mocked.

    Shi Xiu raised her hand and whacked her brother in retaliation. Yun Nan smiled as she watched them roughhouse.

    Shi Yun fiddled with the brush in his hand happily as he mumbled, ¡°My gift is great! Mine¡¯s the best!¡± He¡¯d received a pair of weasel hair brush pens with pure white marble handles¡ªhis favorite type of brush.

    Yun Nan had prepared a fountain pen as a gift for Shi Nian¡¯s brother¡ªShi Ke. Yun Nan softly confessed, ¡°I don¡¯t know what Big Brother liked, so I chose this pen. At least it¡¯s practical.¡±

    Shi Xiu took a photo of the pen with her phone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yun Nan. Shi Ke will definitely like it. You don¡¯t have to bother getting a gift for him next time.

    Just get his wife something because my big brother is happy when she¡¯s happy! ¡±

    Shi Xiu sent the pictures of her big brother and sister-in-law¡¯s gifts to them.

    Then, she waved her phone and said, ¡°Look, I just need to send it to our big sister-in-law¡ªXiang Yang. I don¡¯t have to tell Shi Ke at all.¡±

    Yun Nan also smiled. ¡®It¡¯s obvious that the men in the Shi family doted on their wives. Evely one of them married for love.¡¯ At the thought, she turned to glance at Shi Nian. ¡®This fellow is a little pitiful in comparison, but fortunately, we¡¯ll only be tied in marriage for five years. When that time comes, Shi Nian can find a girl who truly loves him.¡¯

    ¡°Yun Nan! Yun Nan, we¡¯ve got you a gift too!¡± So saying, Shi Xiu grabbed Yun Nan and refused to let go. At this moment, a maid came in and reported, ¡°The gift from the Eldest Young Madam to the Second Young Madam has arrived.¡±

    Yun Nan was stunned. Shi Xiu smiled and remarked, ¡°See, Yun Nan! Although she¡¯s not home currently, Xiang Yang is with us in spirit.¡±

    Shi Kong couldn¡¯t watch her fool around any longer and lightly thumped her head. ¡°Ow!¡± Shi Xiu cried.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. You don¡¯t want to get beat up by your big brother, do you?¡± Shi Kong lectured his granddaughter.

    Shi Xiu stuck out her tongue and loudly whispered, ¡°Shi Ke is unconditionally biased towards Xiang Yang. Grandpa is doing this for my own good.¡± Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but laugh at that.

    Xiang Yang gave Yun Nan a set of diamond-studded jewelry. Yun Nan was shocked when she received them and stammered, ¡°I-isn¡¯t this too expensive? It¡¯s too much!¡± She looked toward Shi Nian, silently asking for help.

    Shi Nian nonchalantly said, ¡°Take it. It¡¯s a gift from your big sister-in-law.¡± Shi Xiu glanced at the gift, pulled Yun Nan close, and murmured, ¡°Xiang Yang¡¯s family is in the diamond business. She also gave me a set of diamond jewelry and told me that if my future husband treats me well, they can be passed down as family heirlooms. If he treats me badly, I¡¯ll just sell them for money! She prepared the jewelry for us just in case!¡±

    So saying, she looked at her brother meaningfully. Shi Nian glared at her in return. Yun Nan didn¡¯t know what to do for a moment.

    Xu Yun stepped forward to hold her hand and admonished Shi Xiu and Shi Nian, ¡°Alright! Stop arguing, you two. We don¡¯t even have a chance to say anything with you two squabbling like children!¡± She then smilingly said to Yun Nan, ¡°Yun Nan, dear, your father and I also have presents for you. It¡¯s just that there are a little too many of them so we put them in Shi Nian¡¯s room. You can go and take a look.¡±

    ¡® When Xu Yun smiles, her eyes curve into crescents, and she has an indescribable charm,¡¯ Yun Nan inwardly noted before she smiled and nodded.

    ¡°Thanks, Mom and Dad.¡±

    Shi Xiu quickly pulled Yun Nan over and entreated, ¡°Yun Nan, I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Without waiting for any response, she set off with Yun Nan in hand.

    Shi Nian¡¯s bedroom in the family villa was less than half the size of their own penthouse¡¯s bedroom. At this moment, it was filled with all sorts of handbags and purses. Yun Nan estimated there were at least twenty bags; some were from well-known luxury brands, while others were niche brands. She was wrought speechless by the sight.

    Shi Xiu laughed at her reaction and explained, ¡°Mommy likes to buy bags. Each time she visits someplace new, she¡¯ll bring back some local specialty bags. Yun Nan, have a look! These are all yours! I also bought you a bag. It¡¯s in my room,

    I¡¯ll go get it for you!¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Yun Nan replied, feeling quite touched. This family had accepted her without estrangement despite her sudden appearance as their daughter-in-law, treating her as if she had returned after a long time instead of as a stranger.

    ¡°Do you like Mom¡¯s presents?¡± Shi Nian asked when they returned from his room.

    ¡°I like them very much, but¡ª¡± Yun Nan trailed off. Everyone nervously waited for her to continue as she looked at them.

    ¡°I just want to say thank you, Mom!¡± Yun Nan finished speaking; only then did Xu Yun relax. She hugged Yun Nan and stated, ¡°I¡¯m glad you like them. I find that when it comes to these kinds of belongings, the more the better. You can also give them away if you so choose..¡±

 Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter Forty-Six: Mother-in-law

    Chapter 46: Chapter Forty-Six: Mother-in-law

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan was also relieved. ¡°I have a close friend who is very knowledgeable about clothing and accessories. I¡¯ll introduce her to you someday, Mom, ¡± she offered. Xu Yun nodded in approval.

    Shi Yun handed a card to Yun Nan directly and said, ¡°I¡¯m no good at picking gifts, so I might as well let you buy what you like yourself. You can spend as much as you want. If that card runs out of money, get Shi Nian to transfer more over to you. The card¡¯s PIN is Shi Nian¡¯s birthday.¡±

    Yun Nan felt that it was too much and didn¡¯t move to take the card. Instead, she looked to Shi Nian for aid. Sensing her hesitation, Shi Xiu snatched the card and stuffed it into Yun Nan¡¯s hands. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Just accept it, Yun Nan! This is Dad¡¯s way of expressing himself¡ªcrude and simple.¡±

    Shi Nian also smiled. ¡°Take it. They¡¯ll be upset if you don¡¯t.¡±

    Under everyone¡¯s urging, Yun Nan could only accept the card and thank Shi Yun. She planned to record and catalog these gifts later and return them to Shi Nian.

    Finally, it was Shi Kong¡¯s turn to give her a present. He took out a gift box and opened it, revealing a pair of beautiful green jade bracelets. Yun Nan could tell they must be quite expensive at a glance.

    ¡°Your grandmother prepared gifts for her future granddaughters-in-law when she was still alive; You and Xiang Yang each got a pair of bracelets. Don¡¯t even think about rejecting them! Your grandmother wished you to have them.¡± Shi Kong closed the gift box and handed it to Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan once again glanced at Shi Nian. He held her hand, and they accepted the bracelets together. He gently said, ¡°Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma.¡± Shi Kong beamed at that. Yun Nan somewhat understood and hastily gave her thanks as well.

    And with that, the gift- giving session finally ended. Yun Nan was still a little dumbfounded by her gifts, but Xu Yun held her hand and refused to let go. ¡°Shi Nian¡¯s penthouse is as empty as a show house. Why don¡¯t you two move back in with us? This house is only lively when there are more people at home!¡± Xu Yun tentatively suggested.

    Before Yun Nan could reply, Shi Nian beat her to the punch. ¡°No! We¡¯re fine living at our house!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so good about it?¡± Xu Yun glared at him. ¡°That lousy place of yours is like a basketball court. It¡¯s so empty and ugly; how can people live there?¡± A thought suddenly occurred to her, and she told Yun Nan, ¡°Oh, that reminds me.

    Yun Nan, let¡¯s go and pick out a set of furniture when you have the time.¡±

    ¡®Mom, there¡¯s really no need. We¡¯re fine, honestly! My living room is now Yun Nan¡¯s art studio; it¡¯s just the right space for her to use. It¡¯s very convenient!¡± Shi Nian said hurriedly. He knew all too well what his penthouse would face if his mother intervened.

    Xu Yun was skeptical and looked at Yun Nan, who quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, I do my art in the living room now. Fortunately, the room¡¯s big enough; it¡¯s just a little messy.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a little mess? That¡¯s what gives the house a lived-in atmosphere. Otherwise, who would want to live in that cold and austere house? *Sigh* Our ancestors must have blessed Shi Nian, or he would never have been able to marry such a good wife!¡± Xu Yun¡¯s words were immediately echoed by Shi Nian¡¯s father and grandfather.

    ¡°So, to show our gratitude, we must make the ancestral worship feast during this year¡¯s Spring Festival more grand, more superb!¡± Shi Kong declared.

    Shi Nian leaned back in his chair and pinched his nose, speechless at his family¡¯s stunts. Yun Nan couldn¡¯t stop laughing. When the family¡¯s conversation topic switched to worshiping the ancestors, she couldn¡¯t help but whisper to Shi Nian, ¡°I feel as if you¡¯ve been given the cold shoulder.¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s sharp ears caught Yun Nan¡¯s words and she moved closer to say in hushed tones, ¡°Yun Nan, there¡¯s no ¡®as if about it! He IS being snubbed! Think about it, with his stubborn temperament, how difficult was it for us to endure him until today? His only value lies in getting a wife to marry into the family. Once this mission is completed, he no longer has any standing in this family in the future. So his well-being and status in this house depend on you now, Yun Nan!¡±

    ¡°*Cough!*¡± Yun Nan was drinking water and accidentally choked when she heard the conclusion of Shi Xiu¡¯s speech.

    Xu Yun¡ªwho was talking to Shi Kong¡ªimmediately reached out and smacked her son. ¡°What did you do?¡± she scowled at him before turning to Yun Nan and concernedly asked, ¡°Is everything alright, Yun Nan?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m okay,¡± Yun Nan quickly reassured her.

    ¡°What good are you if you can¡¯t even take care of your wife?¡± Xu Yun scolded her son.

    ¡°Mom, he¡¯s very good to me, really!¡± Yun Nan hurriedly said.

    Seeing Yun Nan frantically trying to absolve her son, Yun Nan gave her another one of her crescent-eyed smiles. ¡°He¡¯s not a very sensible man, so please bear with him, Yun Nan. If he¡¯s wronged you, come home to us, and we¡¯ll set him right!¡±

    ¡°Do you have a busy job? Remember to take care of your health. If you need any help, just let us know. By the way, when do you want to hold your wedding ceremony? You don¡¯t have to worry about a single thing; just give us the date and leave the rest to us.¡± Xu Yun stated as she looked at Yun Nan expectantly.

    Yun Nan smiled and stared at Shi Nian, implying that the decision was all up to him. In reality, she was throwing the hot potato to Shi Nian.

    Shi Nian reached out to put an arm around her shoulders and commented,

    ¡°Yun Nan is about to start filming a movie soon, so wedding preparations will have to wait until that¡¯s finished. You said it yourself, Mom; we won¡¯t make any decisions or do anything for the preparations. We¡¯ll just show up on the wedding day and do our part as the bride and groom. You have to take full responsibility, Mom! You can¡¯t go back on your word!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will!¡± Xu Yun beamed.. ¡°Of course!¡±

 Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter Forty- Seven: A Fight

    Chapter 47: Chapter Forty- Seven: A Fight

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The family had a lively meal together before¡ªunder Shi Nian¡¯s repeated insistence¡ªreluctantly bidding farewell to Yun Nan. Yun Nan felt that the four Shi family members would happily follow her and Shi Nian back to their penthouse at her slightest word.

    Yun Nan was still smiling when the car left the villa compound. She had never experienced such a homely atmosphere before. Shi Nian saw her smile. He knew that his family preferred Yun Nan to Yun Liu, but he didn¡¯t expect them to like her so much.

    What¡¯s more, Yun Nan didn¡¯t bend over backward to please his family. She treated them naturally and sincerely, which caused him to have a better impression of her.

    ¡°Your family is so lively,¡± Yun Nan sighed softly. Shi Nian didn¡¯t say anything in response; he didn¡¯t know if the remark was aimed at the failures of her own family.

    Yun Nan turned to him with a smile and asked, ¡°Do you mind me bringing Shi Xiu over to my place? And your mother, too?¡±

    Shi Nian answered in confusion as he turned the steering wheel, ¡°Of course not. Why would you need to ask?¡±

    Yun Nan was quite happy at the affirmation and said, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

    Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°Just so you know, they aren¡¯t so nice to just anyone. My sister has a fiery temper.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded and didn¡¯t mind that fact. She¡¯s been around; after all, Fang Xi and Miss An could also be very alarming when they got worked up, so she could handle Shi Xiu!

    When they arrived home and got out of the car, Yun Nan looked at the mountain of gifts in the back seat and trunk and groaned, ¡°There¡¯s so many.¡±

    Shi Nian silently smiled. ¡®And there¡¯s more to come in the future. Once Yun Nan approves of their gift-giving, she will receive an endless stream ofgifts from my family. Xiang Yang is one such; she probably won¡¯t stop sending things over until Shi Ke steps in.¡¯

    Shi Nian began to pick up the bags. Yun Nan helped him as she said, ¡°We should do an inventory later and make a record of all these gifts.¡±

    Shi Nian looked at Yun Nan, puzzled. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to hand things over when we part ways if we have a clear record,¡± Yun Nan explained. Shi Nian became sullen at her answer; he walked towards the elevator with his hands full of bags without saying a word.

    Yun Nan was unaware of his dark mood. She carried the rest of the gifts and followed behind him. She was still reminiscing about Shi Nian¡¯s fun relatives and was completely ignorant of his anger.

    Shi Nian was furious. After he entered the house, he deposited the bags heavily on the floor. He stared at Yun Nan as she stumbled in with her burden, changed her shoes, and placed the bags on the floor with a sigh of relief.

    It took Yun Nan a second to notice Shi Nian¡¯s dark expression, and she blurted out, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Shi Nian pointed at the pile of gifts on the ground. ¡°These gifts are for you! There¡¯s no need to make a record; they¡¯re all yours! You¡¯re not allowed to return them to me when we¡¯re separated!¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s so many¡ª¡± Yun Nan began before Shi Nian cut her off. ¡°Mom said you can give them to someone else!¡±

    ¡®Are you kidding me?!¡¯ Yun Nan thought. ¡®The cost of these handbags and purses his mother and sister gave me range from tens of thousands to more than two hundred thousand dollars! I can¡¯tjust give them away!¡¯

    ¡°They¡¯re too valuable!¡± Yun Nan hurriedly stated.

    Shi Nian pointed at the painting on the balcony and commented, ¡°And the gifts you gave them aren¡¯t? Those items are impossible to get from anyone else, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    Yun Nan subconsciously swallowed. ¡®That¡¯s true, but¡­¡¯

    ¡°But then¡­¡± Yun Nan was tied in knots as she tried to work her mind around the issue.

    Shi Nian took out the jade bracelets that his grandfather had given her. Without any explanation, he pulled Yun Nan¡¯s left hand over and slid them onto her wrist as he adamantly said, ¡°Grandpa gave these to you, so you have to wear them. Xiang Yang always wears hers! Otherwise, what could you say if Grandpa asked you about them?¡±

    Yun Nan was caught off guard and didn¡¯t struggle free. She stared at the expensive bracelets on her wrist and dazedly replied, ¡°I will say I¡¯m keeping them safe to pass them down the family!¡±

    ¡®Keep them in the box until they can be passed on to the rightful person,¡¯ she silently added.

    Shi Nian held Yun Nan¡¯s wrist, feeling very satisfied as he studied it. ¡°I see no reason why you can¡¯t wear them and pass them down the line.¡±

    ¡°What if they get damaged? I can¡¯t afford that risk! They look custom-made; I don¡¯t think I can find the same model, can I?¡± Yun Nan weakly remarked. She had to admit the bracelets were beautiful¡ªso much so that she couldn¡¯t bear to take them off.

    Shi Nian reached out to poke Yun Nan¡¯s forehead, tilting her head back, and said, ¡°What kind of nonsense is going through that head of yours? Just wear them like how you would any other bracelet. You don¡¯t have to pay for them if they break; I¡¯ll write you a letter of commitment if that¡¯ll ease your worries.¡± ¡°What for?¡± Yun Nan asked, baffled.

    ¡°I pledge that these gifts were given to you by my family of their own free will. I won¡¯t take them hack. whatever the case mav help that enough for you?¡± Shi

    Nian inquired with a scowl.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant! I-I just feel that the gifts are too expensive. Our marriage is fake¡ª,¡± Yun Nan hastily clarified.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Shi Nian interrupted her..

 Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter Forty-Eight: Compromise

    Chapter 48: Chapter Forty-Eight: Compromise

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°You better forget the word ¡®fake¡¯ during these five years! Yun Nan, you have to be more professional. You have to treat our marriage as the real deal in order to continue your act,¡± Shi Nian gently persuaded her.

    Yun Nan naturally understood the science behind acting. ¡°That¡¯s true, but we

    ¡°No buts! Listen to me on this matter; that¡¯s that! Don¡¯t forget I have a condition too. Obeying me is also one of the conditions for my unconditional help! So are you sure you don¡¯t need my aid in the future?¡± Shi Nian concluded his speech and went straight upstairs without giving Yun Nan a chance to speak.

    Yun Nan looked at the pile of gifts and felt troubled.

    Of course, she knew that the Shi family was wealthy, and these things were mere pittance to them. However, she couldn¡¯t just accept such valuable things; she hadn¡¯t done anything to deserve them. What¡¯s more, she had a collaboration with Shi Nian; she couldn¡¯t take advantage of him.

    Thus, Yun Nan did the inventory on her own. She meticulously took photos of each gift and placed them in an empty corner of the living room. She was thinking about whether she should buy a cabinet for them before remembering a locker that could match this house¡¯s decoration wouldn¡¯t come cheap, so she decided to put the thought aside for later. There was no one else in the house to touch or rummage through the pile, anyway.

    After she tidied away the gifts, Yun Nan looked at the bracelets on her wrist. ¡® They really are beautiful,¡¯ she thought. She then tried to take them off.

    ¡°Yun Nan, I¡¯ll break things off with you right now if you dare take them off!¡± Shi Nian spoke through gritted teeth from above her.

    Yun Nan was startled. She quickly glanced up, but she didn¡¯t see Shi Nian; he must have gone upstairs after that shout. Yun Nan patted her chest and caught her breath. That childish prat almost scared her to death!

    ¡®Fine, I¡¯ll leave the bracelets on for now.¡¯ Between compensating for the bracelets and giving up Shi Nian¡¯s aid, the first choice was clearly the better deal. ¡® Whatever, I have work to do!¡¯

    Upstairs, Shi Nian finally heaved a sigh of relief. ¡®Is that girl stupid? he thought. ¡®Any other woman in her shoes would be ecstatic, so why did I have to resort to coercion and bribery to make her wear the familVs ancestral jade bracelet?

    ¡®However, ifit were any other woman, I¡¯d rather shatter the bracelets than let her wear them. The bracelets only suited Yun Nan,¡¯ Shi Nian thought pridefully and then busied himself with work.

    On the other hand, the Yun family was in a gloomy state. Yun Liu¡¯s tears kept falling as Gu Wei sighed and comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, sweetheart. There must be some misunderstanding!¡±

    ¡°Yun Zhang, tell Yun Nan to come back home tomorrow. I want to know if that wretched girl has said anything bad about us behind our backs. Why won¡¯t Old Master Shi let us pay him a visit at the villa? Usually, he would have at least invited us to the house as guests; this was the first time he had kept us from his door.¡±

    ¡°As if you need to ask! It must be that wretched girl¡¯s doing! She must have bewitched Shi Nian! He didn¡¯t spare our feelings at all and humiliated us in public! The nerve of that boy!¡± Yun Xiang fumed and slapped his thigh repeatedly.

    Yun Liu¡¯s weeping grew in volume as she wailed, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I don¡¯t deserve him! Shi Nian, Shi Nian! *Sobs*¡¯ Yun Liu cried until she was gasping for breath.

    Yun Zhang remained silent. He felt a little upset when he heard his parents blame Yun Nan. They all knew what type of person Old Master Shi was. Even if their entire family joined their voices, they wouldn¡¯t be able to influence Old Master Shi¡¯s mindset, let alone Yun Nan herself.

    Moreover, Shi Nian defended Yun Nan in public because Yun Liu accused Yun Nan of tipping them off about Old Master Shi¡¯s arrival. Why did Yun Liu say that? She¡¯d evidently learned the news by bribing Old Master Shi¡¯s service personnel with a lot of money, so why did she say that Yun Nan had told her?

    If he were Shi Nian, he would definitely be angry at Yun Nan. That was Yun

    Liu¡¯s plan all along, wasn¡¯t it? However, Shi Nian had immediately defended Yun Nan. It was obvious that Shi Nian believed Yun Nan wouldn¡¯t do such a thing; Yun Liu was just asking to be humiliated.

    Yun Zhang¡¯s parents only had Yun Liu in their hearts. They always demanded Yun Nan to do this and that to provide convenience for the Yun family, and never considered Yun Nan¡¯s feelings; this had become their habit, him included.

    So, did Yun Nan leave this house because she couldn¡¯t take it anymore? Has there never ever been a place for Yun Nan in this family? Was that so?

    Yun Liu suddenly tugged at his sleeve and explained, ¡°Yun Zhang, I didn¡¯t mean to frame Yun Nan. I just thought that since we¡¯re a family, we can¡¯t possibly act like a dysfunctional family before Shi Nian and his relatives. I didn¡¯t expect to¡ªI think I¡¯ve caused Yun Nan trouble.¡±

    Yun Zhang looked at his sister¡¯s innocent and timid eyes, and the strange emotions that had just surged in his heart immediately calmed down..

 Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter Forty-Nine: Shopping

    Chapter 49: Chapter Forty-Nine: Shopping

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Zhang reflexively said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Shi Nian won¡¯t get the wrong idea about Yun Nan. Didn¡¯t you hear him come forward and stand up for her?¡±

    ¡®Darn it,¡¯ Yun Liu thought. She blinked her eyes, and tears flowed down her cheeks once more as she asked Yun Zhang entreatingly, ¡°Yun Zhang, does Shi Nian truly not want me anymore? Yun Liu, she¡ªShi Nian and I, we¡¯re the ones who grew up together¡­¡± Yun Liu covered her mouth, and Yun Zhang could hear her repressed sobs.

    Gu Wei felt like her heart was about to break. She went forward, wrapped her arms around Yun Liu, and comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, sweetheart, don¡¯t cry. Don¡¯t worry! We¡¯ll visit the Shi family tomorrow and sort this out. We¡¯ll demand Old Master Shi take a stand. He can¡¯t keep letting Shi Nian act out like this! We¡¯ll make it clear that our family wishes to marry you to Shi Nian and not Yun Nan! Darling, don¡¯t cry. Mommy and Daddy are here for you!¡±

    Yun Xiang angrily joined in the conversation, ¡°That wretched girl is too unruly! What a rotten thing for her to do! Yun Zhang¡ªyes, you¡ªcall Shi Nian out and talk with him! You¡¯re their brother; you have the absolute right to approach him on this matter!¡±

    Gu Wei also looked at her son and nodded approvingly at the idea. Yun Zhang stared back at her blankly. As Yun Nan and Yun Liu¡¯s older brother, he did have the right to call Shi Nian out, but what then? Did they expect Shi Nian to break up with Yun Nan and marry Yun Liu? ¡®Shi Nian already made his attitude very clear at the airport. How do they suppose I negotiate the matter with him? he thought

    Besides, he wasn¡¯t even qualified to meet Shi Nian¡¯s assistant when they put aside this relationship. He feared just one look from Shi Nian would set him at a loss if he tried to speak with him.

    Yun Xiang saw his son¡¯s troubled expression and frowned. ¡°You¡¯re the eldest, so you should act the part! You¡¯ll be the one supporting this family in the future. If you don¡¯t back your sister up, who will she rely on then?¡±

    Yun Liu looked at Yun Zhang tearfully, and Gu Wei stared at him earnestly. Yun Zhang inwardly struggled but finally nodded in acquiescence and left the house to meet Shi Nian.

    Instead of waiting torturously for news at home, Gu Wei decided to take Yun

    Liu out shopping. ¡°You should go out shopping more when you have the chance right now. You won¡¯t be able to do so leisurely when you become famous,¡± Gu Wei said with a smile, looking at Yun Liu as she tried on some clothes. Her heart filled with happiness at the sight.

    Yun Liu pursed her lips and smiled. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and was quite pleased. ¡®Wrap this up for me and show me your latest collection this season, ¡± Yun Liu instructed the staff nearby.

    ¡®Yes, Miss Yun,¡± the shop assistant replied and delightedly jogged to bring Yun Liu the requested clothes. Yun Liu tried them on, one by one, and was satisfied with them, so she asked the shop assistant to pack them up for her.

    A white dress caught Yun Liu¡¯s eye, and she uttered, ¡°I want this one too.¡±

    Hearing that, another shop assistant hastily came over, smiled apologetically, and said, ¡°My apologies, Miss Yun, but this dress is reserved. Why don¡¯t you take a look at our other styles?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s reserved?¡± Yun Liu remarked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Then you should have taken it down. I don¡¯t care. It¡¯s placed here, so that means I can buy it. I will have this dress. Return the deposit to that customer; I¡¯ll pay you double the amount. I¡¯ll buy it without a discount,¡± Yun Liu coldly and scathingly stated.

    The shop assistant gave her a troubled smile as she responded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Yun. That customer has only just reserved the dress, and we haven¡¯t had the time to pack it up. I sincerely apologize for the mix-up. Why don¡¯t you have a look at our other designs? I can give you the highest discount.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s temper flared, and she fumed, ¡°I don¡¯t care. That¡¯s not my problem; it¡¯s yours. You¡¯re the one who messed up!¡± The shop assistant was speechless, scared by her imposing manner.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your manager?¡± Gu Wei chimed in. ¡°Call her over! We¡¯re your VIPs, and this is the way you treat us? I¡¯m very disappointed with your service! Do you know the consequences if we inform our social circle of this?¡±

    The shop assistant became even more flustered and quickly ran to get the store manager. The store manager greeted them from afar as she came over with a smile. ¡°Hi, Madam Yun, Miss Yun, fancy seeing you here in our store today!¡± As the saying goes, you get more flies with honey than vinegar. Gu Wei and Yun Liu¡¯s expressions eased up at her amiable demeanor.

    The shop assistant quickly informed the manager in a low voice that Yun Liu had clutched the dress in her hand and refused to let go. Seeing this, Gu Wei was angered and arrogantly declared, ¡°My daughter plans to pick a few clothes from your store. She¡¯ll join the production team in the next few days and intends to wear your brand¡¯s clothing for the filming. This is a great opportunity to promote your brand; even your boss won¡¯t miss it, but your little shop assistant here has rocks for brains.. She doesn¡¯t get it! Hmph!¡±

 Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter Fifty: Domineering

    Chapter 50: Chapter Fifty: Domineering

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The store manager smiled at Gu Wei while listening to the shop assistant¡¯s whispered report, and her expression became strained as the assistant finished.

    ¡°Madam Yun, Miss Yun, our store has a lot of new outfits to offer. Our designer has released many new designs this season. Would you like to take a look?¡± she said politely.

    When Yun Liu heard this, she glanced at the dress in her hand and retorted, ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, you can¡¯t sell this dress to me?¡±

    The manager looked troubled as she replied, ¡°That is correct, Miss Yun. This dress is reserved a few minutes ago. I¡¯m very sorry. If you really like it, I can immediately notify our headquarters and have them send another dress over; you¡¯ll only have to wait a day or two. Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Gu Wei interrupted the manager sharply. ¡°We want this dress!¡± Her tone was resolute when she spoke. Yun Liu frowned and remained silent.

    The store manager couldn¡¯t help but inwardly wail. Both parties are the store¡¯s important customers; she couldn¡¯t afford to offend any of them. The main thing was the consequences of displeasing any side were very serious.

    She decided to brave the storm and smilingly complimented, ¡°Miss Yun, you have a great figure! You should try our other outfits¡ª¡±

    ¡°Cut the crap! We¡¯ll be taking this dress! Go ahead and refund the deposit; we¡¯ll pay you double!¡± Gu Wei stated haughtily.

    Seeing her attitude, the shop assistant hurriedly tried to help her manager by softly revealing, ¡°Madam Yun, this really won¡¯t do. The Shi family¡¯s young miss bought this dress for her second sister-in-law. She didn¡¯t pay the deposit; she already paid the full amount. It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t gotten around to wrapping it up for her because she bought a lot, and I was busy dealing with them¡­¡±

    Gu Wei grabbed the shop assistant¡¯s arm with a look of surprise and questioned, ¡®What?! What did you say? Who did you say bought this dress and for whom?¡±

    The shop assistant nearly jumped out of her skin and stammered, ¡°M-Miss Shi bought it for her second sister-in-law.¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu!¡± Gu Wei was overjoyed. ¡°It turns out Shi Xiu bought the dress for you!¡± The store manager and the shop assistant looked at each other, stunned.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± Gu Wei proudly remarked. ¡°Yun Liu and the Shi family¡¯s second young master, Shi Nian, are childhood sweethearts! It¡¯s not unreasonable for Shi Xiu to call Yun Liu her second sister-in-law. It¡¯s only a matter of time before that is the case!¡± Yun Liu was slightly shy at that comment, and she blushed.

    The store manager wasnt sure about the validity of Gu Wei¡¯s words, but she also didn¡¯t dare to dismiss them either. Such a matter wasn¡¯t something to joke about; the average person wouldn¡¯t have the guts to pretend to be Shi Nian¡¯s girlfriend.

    She hesitated before quickly putting on a smile. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is! Actually, we didn¡¯t Imow. We honestly didn¡¯t Imow, hehe. So, about this little issue¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine; it¡¯s not your fault! Yun Liu is in the entertainment industry, so she always has to keep a low profile. For Yun Liu¡¯s sake, Shi Nian has kept quiet about their relationship for the past few years, so it¡¯s normal that you guys don¡¯t know.¡± Gu Wei felt magnanimous and didn¡¯t argue with the ignorant commoners before her.

    ¡°Alright, in that case, get this dress wrapped up. We¡¯ll take it with us!¡± Gu Wei then turned to a still-blushing Yun Liu and said, ¡°Yun Liu, give Shi Xiu a call to thank her, and be sure to treat her to a meal!¡± Yun Liu nodded lightly.

    The shop assistant looked at the store manager, and just as she opened her mouth to speak, she heard a melodic voice coming from the shop entrance. ¡°Are my clothes wrapped up?¡± the voice inquired. ¡°I want to get two more outfits. You can send them all to my house later.¡±

    The store manager and the shop assistant recognized the speaker and felt

    relieved. They swiftly walked over and greeted, ¡°Miss Shi, thank goodness you¡¯re back.¡±

    Shi Xiu was startled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s the thanks for? Are you guys always this mushy when welcoming your returning customers?¡± she asked, confused.

    Straightaway, Shi Xiu noticed the dress held in Yun Liu¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey, hey, isn¡¯t that the dress I bought? Why isn¡¯t it wrapped up yet?¡± She reached out her hand to take the dress as she spoke. Only then did she glance at Yun Liu.

    ¡°Oh! Yun Liu, what a coincidence! I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here. You¡¯re shopping, I presume?¡± While she spoke, Shi Xiu took the dress away from Yun Liu. She handed it to the shop assistant and asked her to wrap it up before she reprimanded her, ¡°This is a gift for my second sister-in-law. Why are you showing it to other customers after I¡¯ve already paid for it? Are you new here? Don¡¯t you know the rules?¡±

    Shi Xiu then turned to the store manager and commented, ¡°Oh, good, just the one I¡¯m looking for! Manager, your training isn¡¯t up to standard! You should teach her properly!¡±

    ¡°Hurry up! Oh, wrap the yellow and the blue dresses up as well; I can¡¯t have others wear the same outfit as my sister-in-law. Hello, Aunt Yun!¡± Shi Xiu talked a mile a minute; as she instructed the shop assistant to do her bidding, she even took the time to greet Gu Wei.

    The store manager and her shop assistant were dumbfounded, and so were Gu Wei and Yun Liu. Seeing the shop assistant¡¯s frozen state, Shi Xiu took down two dresses of similar styles herself and stuffed them into the shop assistant¡¯s hands, who hurriedly caught them..

 Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter Fifty-One: Complaint

    Chapter 51: Chapter Fifty-One: Complaint

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Only then did Shi Xiu become aware of the strange atmosphere around them. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s up with you all?¡± she asked them in confusion.

    Yun Liu¡¯s face was a little pale. Gu Wei was still unwilling to let it go and smilingly said, ¡°Shi Xiu, I¡¯m glad that you think of Yun Liu so much. Yun Liu tried the dress on just now, and it suited her very well. You¡¯re really too kind; I¡¯m sorry you spent so much money.¡±

    The store manager couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Madam Yun¡¯s brain was waterlogged. It was obvious the second sister-in-law that Miss Shi was referring to wasn¡¯t this Miss Yun Liu! How is she so self-absorbed?

    Shi Xiu frowned; she was also bewildered by Gu Wei¡¯s words. She sized Yun Liu up and asked, ¡°You said the dress suited her?¡± She then shook her head and commented, ¡°My second sister-in-law has a better figure than Yun Liu; the dress suits her more.¡±

    She glanced at the shop assistant and chided, ¡°Well, hop to it!¡± She turned her gaze back to the manager and questioned, ¡°Are both of you new here?¡±

    That woke the store manager and the shop assistant from their daze. Some things needn¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t be said. This matter had nothing to do with them; their job was to sell their goods, and they couldn¡¯t offend their customers.

    This Miss Shi had bought more than ten of their outfits with a wave of her hand. What would they do if she fought with Madam Yun, became angry, and decided not to buy any of their items?

    They smiled at Shi Xiu in unison. ¡°We¡¯ll get right to it, Miss Shi. We¡¯ll have everything sorted right away. Do you need anything else?¡±

    Shi Xiu looked around before stating, ¡°Nope, that¡¯s everything. Hurry up and get them wrapped up and sent to my                 Sigh* What am I thinking? I can send them directly to Shi Nian¡¯s house! I¡¯ll call Yun Nan and ask her when she¡¯ll be home. You have to deliver it to her on time!¡± The store manager quickly nodded.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s call went through, and she immediately beamed. ¡°Yun Nan, this is your dearest sister-in-law speaking. I¡¯m shopping, and I¡¯ve picked out a few sets of clothes for you. They¡¯re quite nice and will definitely suit you. You can trust my fashion sense!¡±

    Shi Xiu smiled at the response from the other end of the call and replied,

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that; I have unlimited pocket money. I have Dad, my older brothers, and Grandpa funding me, hehe¡­ Really? For real? Yun Nan, Yun Nan, quickly now, tell me the address! I¡¯ll come over after I¡¯ve had lunch¡ªoh, okay, we¡¯ll have lunch together!¡±

    Shi Xiu hung up the phone and informed the shop¡¯s staff with a smile, ¡°Send the clothes to my brother¡¯s company. He should take his wife¡¯s things home himself.¡¯

    The shop assistant had dutifully suffered Gu Wei and Yun Liu¡¯s bullying for nearly half the day. She clearly understood what was going on at this moment and couldn¡¯t help but deliberately feign ignorance and ask, ¡°Isn¡¯t Miss Yun your second sister-in-law, Miss Shi?¡±

    Shi Xiu was bemused. Seeing this, the shop assistant added, ¡°Madam Yun said that Miss Yun is your second sister-in-law just now, but from what I¡¯ve gathered, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. I would like to verify this with you in order to prevent the same mistake from happening again.¡±

    The store manager glared at the shop assistant, irritated at her for speaking out of turn. But on second thought, if they didn¡¯t deal with this matter properly, other shop assistants who didn¡¯t know the inside story might mess up again next time.

    ¡°My second sister-in-law is indeed Miss Yun, but not this Miss Yun!¡± Shi Xiu corrected her, puzzled at the mix-up. She looked up and saw that Yun Liu looked uncomfortable, and Gu Wei also had an awkward expression.

    She then realized the cause of the misunderstanding and sullenly told the shop assistant, ¡°You must be new here and haven¡¯t had much training, have you? You haven¡¯t even gotten your facts straight before assuming our relationship! My second sister-in-law is Yun Nan, not this Miss Yun Liu here! My brother and Yun Nan are already married, so mind that you don¡¯t spread rumors and cause a scandal for Shi Nian. He¡¯ll close down your shop if you do!¡±

    Shocked at that, the shop assistant hurriedly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, Miss Shi. It was ignorant of me.¡± And with that, she stuck out her tongue childishly and smiled before quickly lowering her head.

    Shi Xiu turned to Gu Wei¡ªwho was unable to interject despite wishing to¡ªand stated, ¡°Aunt Yun, please don¡¯t take offense. This little shop assistant is inexperienced and arbitrarily paired people together. Yun Liu aims to be a big celebrity in the future, so she can¡¯t be involved in any scandals with my brother. It won¡¯t be good for her career.¡±

    She continued to say, ¡°Yun Nan and Shi Nian are quite happily married. My grandfather and my parents also like her very much. Right now, my mother is trying to come up with a reason to get Shi Nian and Yun Nan to move back home and live with us. You can continue shopping with Yun Liu. I¡¯ll be going now; I have a play date with my sister-in-law.¡±

    Shi Xiu had the shop assistant swipe her card while she spoke. She had bought more than ten pieces of clothing in total, including the dress Yun Liu had taken a fancy to. The shop¡¯s staff speedily wrapped up her purchases.

    Shi Xiu instructed them to immediately send the clothes to her brother¡¯s company before she waved at Gu Wei and Yun Liu and left merrily..

 Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter Fifty-Two: Negotiations

    Chapter 52: Chapter Fifty-Two: Negotiations

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    After she left the shop, Shi Xiu immediately called Xu Yun and told her what had happened. When she finished, she scorned, ¡°Mom, they¡¯ve gone too far. They even dared to blatantly throw Shi Nian¡¯s name around! Yun Nan means nothing to them. I really don¡¯t understand why Aunt Yun is so muddle-headed! Yun Nan is her biological daughter!¡±

    Xu Yun was also furious and replied, ¡°We never could stand Yun Liu¡¯s scheming ways¡ªeven before Yun Nan was in the picture¡ªand Yun Xiang and Gu Wei were foolish, so we refused to agree to their marriage. Although Grandpa and Old Mr. Yun are friends, we can¡¯t sacrifice your brother¡¯s happiness for the prior generation¡¯s sake!¡±

    ¡°Thank goodness Yun Nan showed up. Our family is blessed to have her. Look at how happy Grandpa is. *Sigh* He¡¯d been worried about this matter! It must be a weight off his mind seeing Shi Nian get together with Yun Nan.¡±

    The mother and daughter shared the same hostility toward the Yun family and spent some time complaining about them. They were both glad that Shi Nian married Yun Nan.

    Meanwhile, Yun Zhang was looking nervously at Shi Nian¡ªhe was dealing with official matters before him¡ªand had difficulty starting a conversation with him.

    A secretary served them each a cup of coffee while another stood beside Shi Nian, waiting for him to finish reviewing the documents. Shi Nian handed the signed documents to the secretary and instructed, ¡°Get started on this right away. Furthermore, inform Chang Yuan to end his vacation early and return to the office.¡±

    ¡°Assistant Chang stated that he won¡¯t be ending his vacation early this time for any reason and that he needn¡¯t obey your orders since he¡¯s on leave,¡± the secretary relayed with a troubled expression.

    Shi Nian pursed his lips in thought and said, ¡°Lure him back, and I¡¯ll give you extra time off.¡±

    The secretary answered hesitantly, ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no room for error,¡± Shi Nian warned. ¡°You mustn¡¯t fail!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll definitely complete the task,¡± the secretary uttered resignedly and left with the documents.

    Yun Zhang was surprised; he didn¡¯t know that Shi Nian behaved like this in private. Immediately, he felt that the classy Shi Corporation was no longer so oppressive, and a smile appeared on his face.

    ¡°What are you here for?¡± Shi Nian asked. The relaxed air he¡¯d spoken to his secretary with was gone; his tone was now calm and impassive. Yun Zhang felt all his senses went on alert; that was the effect Shi Nian had on him.

    Yun Zhang cleared his throat and began to speak, ¡°I want to talk to you about Yun Liu and Yun Nan.¡± He remembered his father¡¯s words; he was the future head and pillar of the family. Therefore, he had to be confident and act the part.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t say a word and waited for him to continue. ¡°Mr. Shi, Yun Liu and Yun Nan are both my younger sisters, but Yun Liu grew up with you. You two are childhood friends, and she has liked you for a long time. My parents also hope that Yun Liu will be the one to fulfill the engagement between our families. You and Yun Nan aren¡¯t suited for each other,¡± Yun Zhang slowly said. Firstly, he was trying his best to express himself clearly, and secondly, he was trying to relieve the pressure Shi Nian gave him.

    He looked at Shi Nian, and Shi Nian looked back at him. ¡°Is that all?¡± Shi Nian asked. Yun Zhang nodded; he felt he¡¯d made his point evident.

    ¡°Have you seen my marriage certificate with Yun Nan?¡± Shi Nian asked, and Yun Zhang froze. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand why your family turned a blind eye to the fact that Yun Nan and I have registered our marriage. Do you think our marriage isn¡¯t protected by the law? Is our government-issued marriage certificate invalid in your eyes?¡± Shi Nian continued.

    Yun Zhang hesitated before stating, ¡°It¡¯s just a marriage certificate; you can get a divorce at any time. The point is: your marriage to Yun Nan is a mistake that should be corrected. We¡¯re talking about both of your lifelong happiness, after all. Yun Liu really loves you! I hope you will do her love justice.¡±

    Shi Nian nearly exploded in anger at Yun Zhang¡¯s audacity, but his rationality won out, and he coldly stated, ¡°What right do you have to say that my marriage to Yun Nan is a mistake? What do Yun Liu¡¯s feelings have to do with me? I don¡¯t love her; I don¡¯t care for her! Don¡¯t bring up the promise between our grandfathers; I don¡¯t buy into that!¡±

    Yun Zhang anxiously remarked, ¡°But didn¡¯t you marry Yun Nan because of that?¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s expression darkened further, and he growled, ¡°No! I married her because I love her! What type of person do you think I am? Do you think I¡¯d let any random woman drag me into marriage? Do you think that just anyone is qualified to be the young madam of the Shi family?¡±

    Yun Zhang looked at Shi Nian in astonishment as he went on, ¡°Even my grandfather can¡¯t force me to marry someone I don¡¯t want to marry! Your family knows this, so stop pretending to be ignorant! And Yun Zhang, if I

    remember correctly, Yun Nan is the one who¡¯s your biological sister, not Yun Liu! ¡°

 Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter Fifty-Three: The Difference

    Chapter 53: Chapter Fifty-Three: The Difference

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°But Yun Liu grew up with our family since she was young. She¡¯s no different to Yun Nan, with or without blood relations,¡± Yun Zhang muttered.

    ¡°There is a difference! Your family treats Yun Liu as their own, but none of you ever accepted Yun Nan. Since that¡¯s the case, sever all ties with her as stated in the agreement you signed when she left your family! She¡¯s now unrelated to all of you; don¡¯t use her to get close to my family in the future! Have some dignity, and don¡¯t make me look down on the Yun family any further!¡± Shi Nian chastised.

    Yun Zhang couldn¡¯t help but flush in shame. Shi Nian pressed a button to summon his secretary, and the secretary soon came through the door. Shi Nian coldly ordered, ¡°See him out the door!¡±

    The secretary stepped forward and politely stated, ¡°After you, Mr. Yun!¡± Yun Zhang remained where he was; he wanted to say something but didn¡¯t know what else to say.

    Shi Nian noticed his dithering. He looked Yun Zhang in the eye and warned, ¡°Listen carefully because I¡¯ll only say this once! I don¡¯t want to use my family¡¯s clout to oppress you and yours, but I won¡¯t hesitate if you guys cross the line!¡±

    Someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in!¡± Shi Nian snapped without pause for thought. He injected all of his rage into those two words, causing Yun Zhang to tremble involuntarily.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s bodyguard came in with more than ten bags in his hands. When he saw Shi Nian, he respectfully informed him, ¡°Second Young Master, these are clothes that the Young Miss has bought for Second Young Madam. The Young Miss wants you to bring them home for the Young Madam after you get off work. ¡±

    Yun Zhang was on his way out and couldn¡¯t help but turn around to take a look when he heard that. He was very familiar with the logo on those bags. It was a luxury brand; his mother and sister were regular customers. ¡®Shi Xiu bought all these for Yun Nan? he thought. ¡®Shi Xiu is quite frosty to Yun Liu, so why does she treat Yun Nan so nicely?

    Shi Nian¡¯s expression softened after hearing the bodyguard¡¯s words. ¡°And where¡¯s Shi Xiu?¡± he asked.

    The bodyguard answered, ¡°Young Miss is visiting the Second Young Madam for

    a playdate. It was inconvenient to bring these bags with her, and she didn¡¯t Imow when you two would be home, so she asked me to send them here to you.¡±

    Shi Nian smiled and replied, ¡°Alright, just leave them here and go.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The bodyguard then paused and glanced at Shi Nian, who asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±

    The bodyguard mustered up his courage and spoke. ¡°The Young Miss has a message for you: she wants you to work late tonight and don¡¯t return home too early. She wishes to spend more time with the Young Madam.¡±

    Shi Nian laughed and waved his hand, ¡°I got it, I got it. Off you go.¡± Yun Zhang felt a strange coldness in his heart; he had never heard Shi Nian speak with such gentleness before.

    Yun Nan was giving Shi Xiu a tour of her studio. Shi Xiu was full of surprise and amazement at everything she saw. She held Yun Nan¡¯s arm and whispered, ¡°Yun Nan, this place is amazing! There are so many things I¡¯ve never seen before! I feel like an uncultured bumpkin. ¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and patted Shi Xiu¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to come here often if you wish,¡± she offered.

    ¡°Can I?¡± Shi Xiu asked, hopeful yet unsure.

    Yun Nan smilingly nodded. ¡°Of course, you can. I¡¯ll take you to the costumes, props, and make-up department. Didn¡¯t you like that mini-qipao collection? I¡¯ll introduce you to the lady who made them.¡±

    Shi Xiu did her best to stop herself from jumping up and down in joy. Even so, she couldn¡¯t help but twirl around on the spot. ¡°Yun Nan, I love you to bits,¡± she murmured. Yun Nan laughed and put an arm around Shi Xiu¡¯s shoulders. ¡®She¡¯s so adorable,¡¯ she thought.

    Yun Nan brought Shi Xiu over to Miss An. Miss An looked up from her embroidery and gave Shi Xiu a once-over. ¡°Yun Nan, is this your little sister?¡± she asked. ¡°Mika will be quite happy to meet her.¡±

    Shi Xiu looked at Yun Nan in confusion. Yun Nan smiled and told her, ¡°Mika is my senior; he¡¯s our casting director. Miss An is saying that you¡¯re beautiful and cute, because Mika has an occupational habit; whenever he sees pretty girls like you, he¡¯ll chase after and persuade them to become his actresses¡ªhe¡¯s somewhat like a talent scout.¡±

    ¡°Oh? And here I thought Miss An felt I was too fat and that Mika liked to eat chubby people,¡± Shi Xiu joked, successfully making Miss An and Yun Nan burst out in laughter.

    Miss An¡¯s embroidery quickly drew Shi Xiu in. She was so absorbed she didn¡¯t pay Yun Nan any more attention and just stayed beside Miss An to watch her as she worked.

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°You can stay here with Miss An while I go and take care of a few things,¡± she suggested.

    ¡°Okay, alright, that¡¯s fine.¡± Shi Xiu waved her goodbyes, eyes glued to the embroidery.

    Yun Nan chuckled. Miss An also didn¡¯t look up from her work as she said, ¡°Go ahead. Fang Xi won¡¯t be back for several days, so you should hurry up and deal with her stuff as well. We¡¯re short on staff, so everyone has to take on multiple roles¡ªincluding you, boss! Leave your little sister to me. You never know, I might train her up to become one of our staff.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled as she left, thinking, ¡®Does Miss An want her name to go down in history as the person who trained the daughter of the Shi family into a

    worker?

 Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter Fifty-Four: Casting

    Chapter 54: Chapter Fifty-Four: Casting

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t expect Shi Xiu to stay by Miss An¡¯s side for the entire afternoon. She only realized that Shi Xiu hadn¡¯t come to look for her for the entire afternoon when her work shift ended. ¡®Sh *t, I forgot about her,¡¯ she silently cursed.

    When she rushed to Miss An¡¯s workshop, Yun Nan was met with the sight of Shi Xiu attentively helping Miss An split and wind her embroidery threads. Shi Xiu was listening to Miss An¡¯s lecture on fashion knowledge intently.

    Noticing Yun Nan¡¯s arrival, Miss An stood up and stretched. ¡°Yun Nan, I¡¯m exhausted!¡± she whined. ¡°How about you give this little lady here to me; she can be my disciple.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and ignored her. She asked Shi Xiu, ¡°Did you stay here the entire time? Don¡¯t you want to go and take a look at the other areas?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fun here!¡± Shi Xiu replied as she wound the threads.

    Miss An remarked, ¡°She has potential. I didn¡¯t think her interest and patience would endure, but she proved me wrong. Yun Nan, where did you find this little gem?!¡±

    Yun Nan saw that Miss An was actually serious about taking Shi Xiu on as her student and hastily said, ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas. She¡¯s my sister, not an employee. She¡¯s too young for a job here.¡± That said, Yun Nan pulled Shi Xiu away from the embroidery threads, intending to leave with her. ¡°That¡¯s all for today; it¡¯s time to go home.¡±

    However, Shi Xiu turned around and told Miss An, ¡°I can work here! I¡¯m a college junior! I¡¯m of age; I can work!¡±

    Miss An smiled and bid her goodbye, ¡°You¡¯ll have to go through our boss first, but I¡¯ll always welcome you!¡±

    Shi Xiu was dragged out of the department by Yun Nan but it wasn¡¯t long before she was skipping beside Yun Nan, asking, ¡®Yun Nan, your studio is great! I love it here!¡±

    ¡°You can come as often as you like; you¡¯re welcome here any day! Your brother mentioned you are studying fashion design?¡± Yun Nan suddenly recalled.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, but what we learn in school is so different from what Miss An taught me. Miss An is literally a living fashion encyclopedia; I think she knows more than my professors,¡± Shi Xiu exclaimed.

    Yun Nan found her comment funny and said, ¡°Your professors¡¯ job is to give lectures, whereas Miss An puts that knowledge into practice. Furthermore, she is an inheritor of our country¡¯s intangible cultural heritage, so of course her lessons are different.¡± Shi Xiu once again marveled when she learned of that fact.

    The two of them were chatting merrily when a person walked towards them. ¡°Stop right there, Yun Nan! Aren¡¯t you going to introduce my lovely new actress to me, hm?¡± A bespectacled young man stood before them, blocking their path with his arms spread.

    Startled, Shi Xiu retreated slightly and half-hid herself behind Yun Nan. ¡°Mika, can you not act like a mugger whenever you meet someone?!¡± Yun Nan teased. She then introduced the man to Shi Xiu, ¡°This is Mika. He¡¯s my senior and the casting director I told you about.¡±

    Shi Xiu nodded. ¡°I remember; the talent scout.¡± Her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled at Mika.

    Mika quietly studied her and murmured, ¡°She¡¯s perfect for the role of Xiao Yao in ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯!¡±

    Shi Xiu was baffled and turned to look at Yun Nan. Yun Nan nudged Mika and admonished, ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas about her. She¡¯s my sister.¡±

    Mika was an experienced talent scout, and no rejection could stop his ardent search for the perfect cast. ¡°Miss, can I interest you in a story?¡± he asked Shi Xiu directly.

    Yun Nan reached out her hand to stop him and pulled Shi Xiu away. ¡°Mika, it¡¯s time to get off work, so go home and have dinner! I promise we¡¯ll listen to your story next time!¡±

    Mika refused to give way. Although Shi Xiu knew that Yun Nan was protecting her, she still felt that it was embarrassing for Yun Nan to reject someone else like this for her sake. Moreover, the person standing before them was obviously a nice guy. Hence, she nodded and said, ¡°Alright, tell me your story.¡±

    ¡°Forget about the story! Look at the time!¡± Yun Nan chided. ¡°You¡¯ll get scolded by Grandpa if you don¡¯t head home now!¡±

    Hearing that, Shi Xiu was a little troubled. Mika stared at her with sparkling eyes, so Shi Xiu shook Yun Nan¡¯s arm and gave her a pleading look.

    ¡® What am I going to do with you? Yun Nan thought. ¡°Alright, fine. Mika, you have half an hour and not a minute more. You can tell your story, but you can¡¯t persuade her to become an actress! That¡¯s where I draw the line!¡± Yun Nan surrendered, but she also gave Mika a stern warning.

    ¡°No problem!¡± Mika replied delightedly. ¡°No persuading whatsoever! None, zilch!¡± He wasn¡¯t allowed to persuade Shi Xiu, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t offer advice and have her willingly sign up!

    Mika politely gestured for them to follow him and stated, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the large conference room. Our two screenwriters are also there!¡± Shi Xiu readily agreed and left with Mika while a worried Yun Nan followed behind.

    ¡°Boss, you have to see this! It¡¯s all over the Internet.¡± A young man rushed over and dragged Yun Nan away to look at the news. The young man was Xiao Gui. He was Fang Xi¡¯s underling and was in charge of film promotion.

    He dumped Yun Nan before a computer screen and urged her to look at a recently released article. The headlines read ¡®The Yun Corporation¡¯s investments in Yun Nan went down the drain when she left with the funds, causing immeasurable losses to the Yun Corporation, as disclosed by Yun Liu, the eldest daughter of the Yun family.¡¯

    Yun Nan frowned, ¡® What was Yun Liu up to this time?

 Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter Fifty-Five: Persuasion

    Chapter 55: Chapter Fifty-Five: Persuasion

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°It says ¡®as disclosed by Yun Liu.¡¯ Did it mention how and in what form? Is there a video?¡± Yun Nan asked.

    Xiao Gui shook his head no, and said indignantly, ¡°What a dastardly trick!

    Should someone¡ªus, for example¡ªtry to counter this rumor, the other party¡ª *cough* Yun Liu *cough*¡ªwill deny having done such a thing and push the blame onto the media for posting hearsay and quoting her out of context. If we sue the publisher, all they will do is give a perfunctory public apology; it won¡¯t have much impact on the damage done. Although this post won¡¯t do us any serious harm, it will tarnish your public image. How disgusting!¡±

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Yun Nan patted Xiao Gui¡¯s shoulder and reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart. Screen capture and save all of these rumors and comments on the Internet. The ones pulling the strings will get antsy when we don¡¯t respond. We¡¯ll let the rumor build up steam and then clear my name during our press conference for the filming of ¡®4-30 P.M.¡¯ Clarifying this matter before the press like that will be far more effective than replying to the posts and comments online one by one. The most important thing now is to record and keep the evidence. We¡¯ll show them we¡¯re not doormats; they picked the fight, but vv¨¦l/be the ones to finish it.¡±

    Xiao Gui clenched his fists and growled, ¡°When I¡¯ve collected all the evidence,

    I¡¯ll make those scumbags regret everything they did!¡±

    The two of them trawled the Internet for negative comments and posts against Yun Nan and her studio that had appeared everywhere. Yun Nan knew that this was again Yun Liu¡¯s doing; she must have spent quite a bit secretly hiring all these internet trolls. Yun Nan felt it wasn¡¯t worth it to waste time and energy on people like Yun Liu.

    Yun Nan checked the time and went to look for Shi Xiu. She was worried that Mika and her scriptwriters might really succeed in convincing Shi Xiu to become an actress; she didn¡¯t know how she would explain it to the Shi family if their Young Miss suddenly decided on such a career path after their play date.

    Yun Nan found Shi Xiu sporting a pair of reddened eyes. She glared at the trio for upsetting the girl¡ªpaying extra attention to their leader, Mika. Annie and Meida turned their heads away, and Mika ignored her as he leaned back in his chair and stared into space.

    When they left the conference room, Yun Nan patted Shi Xiu¡¯s shoulder and told her, ¡°Mika is a casting director. It¡¯s his job to find actors for his character roles, and he has a glib tongue, so don¡¯t you believe a word out of his mouth. Shi Xiu, you¡¯re welcome to learn Miss Ann¡¯s craft here anytime you¡¯re interested but don¡¯t make hasty decisions and become an actor just because you¡¯re touched! Besides, your relatives may support you if you wish to learn a craft, but it¡¯s another thing if you want to become an actress.¡±

    Shi Xiu didn¡¯t respond and just walked ahead silently. Yun Nan quickly grabbed her hand and shook it. ¡°Shi Xiu, what¡¯s the matter?¡± she asked.

    Shi Xiu looked up at her, and her eyes reddened further. ¡°Yun Nan, I read your novel ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ It¡¯s terrible what happened to Xiao Yao; I feel so bad for her.¡±

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t believe this; in the end, Mika still got his hands on Shi Xiu. Empathizing with the character was the basic quality of an actor.

    Shi Xiu softly sighed and commented, ¡°I¡¯ve always thought a story is just a story. Although stories are inspired by life, they¡¯re also brought into creation by their authors¡¯ imagination. I didn¡¯t expect¡­ When Mr. Mika shared his analysis and understanding of the characters in that story with me, my heart bleeds for them.¡±

    ¡°Yun Nan, can someone who isn¡¯t formally trained act in a film?¡± Shi Xiu earnestly inquired. Yun Nan facepalmed and thought, ¡®Mika is going to get it tomorrow!¡¯

    ¡°Mr. Mika said that acting is a talent, and you don¡¯t have to be professionally trained to be an actor. I want to give it a try,¡± Shi Xiu stated, her mind made up.

    ¡°Hey, hey, hold up one second!¡± Yun Nan quickly halted that train of thought. ¡°Shi Xiu, you need to consider this carefully. You¡ªyou have to discuss this with your grandfather and your parents when you get home. You have to get their approval, or I won¡¯t allow this. You need your family¡¯s approval¡ªand don¡¯t forget your brothers, too.¡± Yun Nan hoped that bringing in her relatives would quash Shi Xiu¡¯s idea of becoming an actress.

    Shi Xiu didn¡¯t say a word. She quietly got into her car and waved goodbye to

    Yun Nan. Yun Nan sighed as she watched her drive away. She wondered if Shi Nian would fly into a rage if he found out about this. Her intuition told her that the Shi family wouldn¡¯t be willing to let their only daughter take on an acting career.

    Yun Nan looked at the time and hurriedly started her car. She had to go to the supermarket to buy groceries; dinner would be late if she didn¡¯t head off now.

    Yun Liu looked at the information Miss Ding gave her and nodded lightly.

    ¡°You can rest assured,¡± Miss Ding simpered. ¡°We¡¯re very discreet this time. We¡¯ve spread the rumors separately, bit by bit. Her people can¡¯t hold us responsible; they have no proof. Before long, everyone will believe the tale, and there¡¯s nothing they can do against public opinion. Their reputation will be ruined before the movie even starts filming. Actually, it¡¯s best to wait until they¡¯ve finished filming before turning the public against them; then, they can¡¯t even sell the copyright. The movie would be a flop! Hmph!¡± ¡°Then what are you waiting for?¡± Yun Liu asked impassively.

    ¡°Yes, of course. I¡¯ll get to it immediately,¡± Miss Ding hastily answered.

    ¡°Keep this from my brother,¡± Yun Liu said with a frown. ¡°I don¡¯t want him to know I¡¯m the one behind this.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mr. Yun on our side?¡± Miss Ding asked, confused.

    Yun Liu frowned. ¡® Who knew what was going on with that fool recently? she inwardly griped. She felt Yun Zhang¡¯s attitude towards Yun Nan had changed slightly; he was beginning to speak up for her.. ¡®Men are all unreliable, brothers

    included!¡¯

 Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter Fifty-Six: Report

    Chapter 56: Chapter Fifty-Six: Report

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Miss Ding, hurry up and look through the scripts. We have to show my brother some results as soon as possible,¡± Yun Liu commanded.

    ¡°Yes, absolutely. I¡¯m already working on it; I have several lead roles suitable for you,¡± Miss Ding hastily replied.

    ¡°Find two scripts with supporting roles for me. I don¡¯t want to get ahead of myself. I want my brother to Imow that I¡¯m willing to be a supporting actress for the benefit of the Yun Corporation,¡± Yun Liu said coldly.

    It took Miss Ding a moment before she understood Yun Liu¡¯s goal and praised, ¡°That¡¯s genius! Yun Liu, you¡¯re so smart! This tactic is truly brilliant!¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s expression softened a little. Yun Zhang wasn¡¯t a problem; she¡¯d been able to manipulate him since they were young. The main trouble was Yun Nan; that woman was too difficult to deal with. Yun Liu had no idea how to handle her. She was humiliated by Shi Xiu for no reason today because of that woman. It really p*ssed her off!

    She didn¡¯t think Yun Nan would be able to wrap Shi Xiu around her finger in such a short time. Shi Xiu was well-known in the socialite circle for her sharp tongue and outspoken nature that didn¡¯t match her cute doll face. Even if she was rude, one look at that deceptive ¡®butter won¡¯t melt in her mouth¡¯ expression, and no one could do anything to her. It would feel too much like bullying her otherwise.

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t dare to provoke Shi Xiu, so she decided Yun Nan was the easier target. She had to ruin Yun Nan¡¯s reputation to the point that she couldn¡¯t make a comeback!

    Shi Nian brought everything that Shi Xiu had bought for Yun Nan back home. Yun Nan was a little dumbfounded when she saw all the clothes. She didn¡¯t know the price of each and every garment, but she knew this brand was expensive. ¡®Shi Xiu is such a big spender!¡¯ she inwardly cried.

    Shi Nian thought Yun Nan didn¡¯t like the clothes and calmly said, ¡°If they¡¯re not to your taste, you can get Shi Xiu to exchange them.¡±

    Yun Nan sighed and muttered, ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Shi Xiu has a good eye for fashion. I just feel that these are too expensive.¡±

    ¡®So she does like them,¡¯ Shi Nian sighed in relief. He told himself that he was relieved for Shi Xiu. ¡°I see no harm in accepting them; a girl can¡¯t have enough clothes. My mom taught Shi Xiu to pick out her own clothes ever since she was young. She went on to study fashion design and is quite happy with it,¡± Shi Nian remarked.

    Speaking of which, Yun Nan recalled that Shi Xiu had been brainwashed by Mika today with talk of being an actress and felt a little guilty. She quickly washed her hands and scooped up a bowl of rice for Shi Nian.

    Shi Nian took a bite of the beef salad and praised, ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s delicious.¡± Seeing that Shi Nian was in a good mood, Yun Nan carefully told him about Shi Xiu¡¯s visit to her studio earlier today.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard,¡± Shi Nian said with a nod.

    ¡°Will the family object if she decides to be an actress?¡± Yun Nan probed.

    Shi Nian paused in the middle of picking up food with his chopsticks. Yun Nan stared at his motionless hand and inwardly sighed, ¡®He definitely won¡¯t agree.¡¯

    ¡°Why would we object?¡± Shi Nian put the shredded bamboo shoot into his mouth and chewed it carefully. As expected, it was crisp and tasty. Yun Nan was stunned. ¡°You guys¡­ don¡¯t object to her acting in a film?¡± ¡°The point is, no one would want her in their movie,¡± Shi Nian smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me your production team wants her?¡±

    ¡°What if we do?¡± Yun Nan murmured. Shi Nian considered it for a moment while Yun Nan looked at him nervously.

    ¡°That¡¯s her own business. She¡¯s an adult, not a child. She can do as she likes,¡± Shi Nian stated indifferently.

    ¡°However, keep in mind that she is quite obstinate and willful. She¡¯s high-maintenance, and there¡¯s nothing you guys can do if she couldn¡¯t persist. She has never suffered hardships or been bullied; we¡ªthe whole family¡ªtreat her like a princess. Although she¡¯s a good person by nature, her temper is still very difficult to deal with. She¡¯s good to you and my big sister-in-law because she likes you two. She wouldn¡¯t behave so nicely if it were someone else¡ª someone she dislikes¡ªshe¡¯ll turn into a little beast then,¡± Shi Nian readily revealed.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t expect Shi Nian¡¯s perception of Shi Xiu to be like this. ¡°Really? She doesn¡¯t seem like that kind of person,¡± she commented.

    Shi Nian snorted and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by her cute face. When she gets bullheaded, even Shi Ke and I can¡¯t do anything about her.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled. Mika was indeed keen-eyed; with her personality, Shi Xiu was quite suited for Xiao Yao¡¯s role. Yun Nan admitted, ¡°I thought you and your family wouldn¡¯t agree to let Shi Xiu act in the film. She¡¯s also very interested in our clothing department. She spent the whole afternoon with the lady in charge of the clothing department and really enjoyed herself. She majors in fashion design which is compatible with what they do there, so I invited her to come over often in the future. It should be helpful for her studies.¡±

    ¡°We met the casting director as we left the clothing department, and Shi Xiu chatted with him for a while. I think she¡¯s tempted to give acting a try. If you and your family don¡¯t approve, I suggest you persuade her off this course as soon as possible,¡± Yun Nan told Shi Nian her thoughts. After all, Shi Xiu was his sister, and Yun Nan liked Shi Xiu a lot, so she didn¡¯t want this matter to end

    unhappily..

 Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter Fifty-Seven: Perspective

    Chapter 57: Chapter Fifty-Seven: Perspective

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian curiously asked, ¡°Why do I get the feeling you don¡¯t want Shi Xiu to act in the movie?¡±

    Yun Nan shook her head and answered, ¡°Mika is the one in charge of the casting, and my team and I trust his judgment. We all hope we can find the right actors for our characters. He must have his reasons if he thinks Shi Xiu is suitable. I¡¯m just worried that if Shi Xiu gets her heart set on this matter and the family objects, it¡¯ll cause a lot of strife for everyone.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded and said, ¡°Then leave Shi Xiu be and let her make her own decisions. Grandpa and my parents are open-minded; they won¡¯t interfere with her decisions. They¡¯ll be more at ease since she¡¯ll be working beside you.¡± Shi Nian changed the topic and inquired, ¡°When will you start filming?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll begin filming when Fang Xi returns. Her mother hasn¡¯t been well, so Fang Xi went back to her hometown to look after her,¡± Yun Nan told him.

    ¡°Where¡¯s her hometown?¡± Shi Nian asked casually.

    ¡°Canada,¡± she replied.

    Shi Nian was surprised and asked, ¡°Her family lives overseas?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, her whole family is overseas. Her parents have separated, and both of them have their own family. She studied in China all by her lonesome; she is very independent domestically and financially,¡± Yun Nan informed.

    ¡°I see.¡± Shi Nian thought, ¡®It¡¯s no wonder Fang in Xi and Yun Nan are so close. There quite alike in some aspects; I suppose they¡¯re sympathetic to each other.¡¯

    Yun Nan sighed and remarked, ¡°Fang Xi excels everything she does, except when it comes to her relationship. She got involved with a scumbag who hurt her deeply. I think it¡¯s good for her to go on a trip overseas; although she seems fine on the surface, I know she¡¯s still upset.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be glad that they broke up since he¡¯s a scumbag and all?¡± Shi Nian cautiously spoke up. Having Yun Nan talk to him so casually about the people close to her was novel and heartwarming to Shi Nian. Does this mean Yun Nan saw him as someone she could trust and be close to? Why else would she talk to him about such a topic?

    He had never interacted with anyone like this before. He was afraid that his clumsy words would ruin the atmosphere, so all of his senses were on alert trying to deal with this situation. He¡¯d never been so focused, not even when facing the most difficult merger and acquisition cases.

    He secretly rejoiced when his words got Yun Nan¡¯s agreement. She nodded vigorously and said, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. Breaking up with a scumbag is definitely something worth celebrating. However, Fang Xi won¡¯t be able to bounce back from her failed relationship for a while. It¡¯ll take some time.¡±

    Shi Nian stared at her expression and smiled. ¡°What about you? Have you ever been in love? The deep and unforgettable kind?¡±

    Yun Nan was full from the food. She lazily stretched and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m one of the lucky ones. I¡¯ve never been in a relationship because I don¡¯t have the time for it.¡± She started to clear the table, and Shi Nian helped her carry the cutlery to the kitchen and put them in the dishwasher.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Shi Nian asked curiously.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m busy working part-time and earning my living expenses,¡± Yun

    Nan said lightly, as if it was logical for a schoolgirl to shoulder such burdens.

    Shi Nian looked at her back and suddenly felt sorry for her. He had investigated her background and knew she had a harsh life, but despite that, her academic achievements were particularly outstanding.

    ¡°Then how did you write those romance novels?¡± Shi Nian asked as she wiped the stove clean. He¡¯d deliberately chosen the easier topic.

    As she washed her hands, Yun Nan smiled and answered, ¡°By paying attention to the world around me, of course

    ¡°Then, do you no longer believe in love after writing so many love stories?¡± Shi Nian mused aloud.

    Yun Nan tilted her head in thought and stated, ¡°I guess so? At the very least, I¡¯m quite level-headed. However, Fang Xi said that¡¯s because I haven¡¯t met the right person¡ªsomeone who can make my heart pound¡ªand that I¡¯ll believe in love once I do.¡±

    Shi Nian felt disgruntled when he heard that. Unaware, Yun Nan continued, ¡°1 can¡¯t think of any reason why I might need a boyfriend in my life. I can earn my own money, and I do a pretty good job taking care of myself. I¡¯m doing fine on my own. I can work overtime whenever I want, and I can go on business trips whenever I want without having to report to anyone.¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi said she needed love, that she¡¯ll be fine if that guy gave her his love. Turns out he was a scumbag, and she got nothing but a heart full of hurt. It¡¯s really not worth it. I don¡¯t want someone who can hurt me like that, so I don¡¯t need a boyfriend!¡± Yun Nan firmly concluded.

    Shi Nian spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°You need me!¡±

    Yun Nan bobbed her head and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right.. I need a collaborator like you, not a boyfriend!¡±

 Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter Fifty-Eight: Rescue

    Chapter 58: Chapter Fifty-Eight: Rescue

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian fumed, ¡®She¡¯s so dense! Urgh, this blockhead!¡¯ He turned around and went upstairs to sulk.

    Yun Nan tidied up the kitchen, did a few stretching exercises, and walked towards her painting studio in the living room, ready to work on more paintings. After all, work is a most loyal partner and will never betray you!

    Shi Nian received a call from Ye Kun, and as soon as the call connected, Ye Kun immediately said, ¡°Yo, bro! Come out for a drink with us! Please, Shi Nian, you have to come! I need your help!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shi Nian asked with a frown.

    ¡°Well, Xi Cheng returned with Lin Yu. They asked us out for a drink, but now the situation is a little¡­ delicate,¡± Ye Kun said in a hushed tone. ¡°Liang Han and I can¡¯t keep this up. Lin Yu brought her best friends along! I¡¯m about to die from the awkvvardness. Shi Nian, this is an emergency, so hurry and come to my rescue! I¡¯ll owe you big time for this!¡±

    Shi Nian decided to push his luck and commented, ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡±

    That caught Ye Kun off guard, and he demanded, ¡°Shi Nian, how could you?!

    Aren¡¯t we brothers for life? Have a heart!¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll put this on your tab. You now owe me a favor,¡± Shi Nian relented. He was in a bad mood due to that bonehead downstairs and decided that a change in scenery wasn¡¯t a bad idea, and he could do Ye Kun a favor in the meantime.

    ¡°*Sigh!* Okay, fine, I owe you, you hustler!¡± Ye Kun replied, annoyed.

    ¡® You say that as ifyou aren¡¯t one yourself,¡¯ Shi Nian thought as he went downstairs. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a while!¡± Shi Nian shouted out.

    Yun Nan was painting on the balcony when she heard him, and she responded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Shi Nian turned to stare at her. The balcony lights were on, and Yun Nan was sitting cross-legged in front of her drawing board, focused on her drawing. It was a warm and beautiful scene. Unfortunately, the person in this lovely image didn¡¯t pay him any attention.

    Shi Nian felt dejected and left. ¡®She called me a collaborator! To h*ll with that! Would a collaborator go to such lengths for theirpartner? Do everything in theirpower to treat her well? He might as well be living with a stone monkey with how thick-headed she is.

    Xi Cheng was drinking like a fish this evening, downing glass after glass of alcohol. His handsome face looked a little gloomy beneath the dim lights of the bar. Lin Yu sat demurely beside him and smiled as she watched her besties chat enthusiastically with Ye Kun and Liang Han.

    Ye Kun and Liang Han saw Shi Nian almost simultaneously. The two stood up and called him over, ¡°Shi Nian, Shi Nian! Here, over here!¡±

    Shi Nian paused. He could count the number of times they had been so enthused to see him on one hand. He knew them like the back of his hand, so something fishy must be going on.

    However, it was too late for him to turn around and leave. Ye Kun had come up and grabbed him, complaining, ¡°What took you so long? Is the Shi Corporation so poor they couldn¡¯t hire more staff? Look at you, so busy at such hours! Come, tell your old pal here about it; I¡¯ll be sure to help you out!¡± As he spoke, he put his arm around Shi Nian¡¯s shoulders. Shi Nian batted his hand away in disdain and brushed his shoulders.

    Xi Cheng had remained seated. He handed Shi Nian a bottle of alcohol and lightly tapped it with his own bottle. He then raised the bottle to his lips and took a large swig.

    Shi Nian reached out, snatched the bottle from him, and placed it on the table. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get drunk and blame it on me. Your fianc¨¦e¡¯s right here; I have a witness.¡±

    Lin Yu smiled at him graciously and said, ¡°Shi Nian, it¡¯s been a while.¡±

    Shi Nian gave her a slight nod and replied, ¡°Hello, Mrs. Xi.¡± Lin Yu was very pleased with being referred to as ¡°Mrs. Xi¡± and cheerfully introduced him to her friends. ¡°These are my besties, Gu Man and Shi Gao. Girls, this is Shi Nian. He¡¯s also one of Xi Cheng¡¯s buddies. All of us grew up together.¡±

    The two intellectual beauties reached out to shake Shi Nian¡¯s hand and greeted him, ¡°Hello.¡±

    Shi Nian retracted his hand after a second¡¯s contact. He sat beside Xi Cheng and asked, ¡°I heard you two are engaged?¡±

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t respond. ¡°We just held our engagement ceremony. It was a small family-only event, so we didn¡¯t invite you guys, ¡± Lin Yu stated.

    Shi Nian nodded and gave his congratulations. Lin Yu smilingly thanked him as Ye Kun and Liang Han sat back down. ¡®It¡¯s now three of us guys against them two girls,¡¯ Liang Han and Ye Kun thought. They were no longer flustered with Shi Nian here to back them up.

    Lin Yu gazed at the trio and remarked, ¡°The three of you aren¡¯t getting any younger. Isn¡¯t it about time you guys consider marriage?¡± Her demeanor and tone were much like a mother or elder worried about their kids¡¯ marriage prospects.

    Xi Cheng coughed and calmly told her, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that, you know they hate being urged to get married.¡±

    Lin Yu glowered at him reproachfully and retorted. ¡°We all grew up together, and I¡¯ve never seen them get together with anyone. As their friend and elder, I¡¯m worried for them! Besides, if you guys get married, I¡¯ll have more company. Your wives and I can drink tea and go shopping together. Wouldn¡¯t that be great?¡± Xi Cheng didn¡¯t say anything to that, and the whole group fell silent.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re aiming to find companions for yourself instead of helping us find a girlfriend!¡± Liang Han joked feebly. Lin Yu rolled her eyes at him and then laughed with her two best friends..

 Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter Fifty-Nine: Mediating the Situation

    Chapter 59: Chapter Fifty-Nine: Mediating the Situation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian exchanged glances with Ye Kun and Liang Han. He now understood why they insisted on him coming over. ¡®Guys, don¡¯t drag me into this,¡¯ he inwardly griped.

    Shi Nian asked Ye Kun about the progress of the department store he was in the middle of acquiring. Ye Kun was grateful for the save and began to chat non-stop on the topic. He reported everything to Shi Nian as if he was a teacher inspecting his homework. From time to time, Shi Nian would raise questions and give some suggestions while Liang Han listened as seriously as if he was at a lecture.

    Gu Man and Shi Gao were left to their own devices, and after a while, they started whispering to Lin Yu.

    ¡°I invited you guys here for a drink and to socialize, so why are you all talking about work?¡± Lin Yu interrupted Ye Kun. ¡°I know Shi Nian is a workaholic, but why are you two joining in as well? Of all the things you could learn from him, you picked up his workaholic ways!¡±

    Ye Kun and Liang Han felt sheepish. Xi Cheng put down his glass, picked up a

    fork, and took a piece of watermelon from the fruit platter before him. He slowly uttered, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t work be a man¡¯s priority? Who would look up to a man without a career? You were urging them to find a girlfriend just now. Why would anyone want to date them if they don¡¯t have a career?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not always the case,¡± Shi Gao teased. ¡°Girls will flock to them just for their looks alone.¡± Shi Gao and Gu Man then covered their mouths and giggled.

    Xi Cheng glanced at the trio. ¡°Good looks, huh? That¡¯s true,¡± he lightly said. ¡°People like us, we have our looks, and putting that aside, we also have our family pedigree. So even if we¡¯re useless layabouts, women will still be lining up to date us for our family wealth and influence.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s smile froze. Xi Cheng picked up his bottle of alcohol, took another swig, and asked the guys, ¡°Have your families been urging you guys to get married recently again?¡±

    The trio stayed silent. Xi Cheng gave them a wry smile and added, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, resistance is futile. I advise you to concede earlier rather than later. Or, you can find a girl you like and marry her as soon as possible. At least your relatives will stop hounding you on the matter.¡±

    Lin Yu paled. Thanks to Xi Cheng, the atmosphere was uncomfortable once more. Ye Kun tried to liven up the mood by revealing, ¡°I met a girl recently. I¡¯m trying to woo her.¡±

    Liang Han¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Do you mean that neighbor of yours?¡± Ye Kun was all smiles as he nodded.

    ¡°Did you make any progress?¡± Liang Han demanded. ¡°What stage are you two

    Ye Kun was a little vexed as he answered, ¡°We just got close enough for some casual chit-chat, but she¡¯d suddenly disappeared these past few days. Shi Nian, do you know anything about this?¡±

    Shi Nian calmly informed him, ¡°I heard that she went abroad. Her family¡¯s overseas.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Ye Kun¡¯s spirits immediately rose. ¡°So that¡¯s why I haven¡¯t seen her around these past few days. When will she be back? Which country is she visiting?¡± he swiftly interrogated.

    Shi Nian shook his head and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Ye Kun grabbed his wrist. ¡°Hey, now! Aren¡¯t we buddies? How can you leave me in the lurch like this? Your best pal¡¯s life¡¯s happiness lies in your hands. How dare you keep inside information to yourself! Shi Nian, hurry up and tell me! Tell me everything! I¡¯ve been anxious for several days already. Geez, how did I forget about you? I should have gone upstairs and asked you!¡±

    Shi Nian frowned and broke free from his grip. ¡°1 really don¡¯t know. I just heard from her friend that she went to visit her parents. I don¡¯t know the details. Oh, that¡¯s right, she just broke up with a scumbag a while ago. That¡¯s everything I know; there¡¯s really nothing else.¡±

    ¡°She got dumped? By a scumbag? So that¡¯s why there¡¯s a thick cloud of sadness on her. Even when she smiled, I could see the melancholic loneliness in her eyes,¡± Ye Kun remarked.

    Liang Han patted his arm and said, ¡°Are you interested in being a screenwriter m my companys your language expression anu appncauon SKIMS Just now were superb. That was so sappy, bro.¡±

    Shi Gao gave Ye Kun a cryptic look and chuckled, ¡°She must be a stunning beauty to be constantly on Young Master Ye¡¯s mind.¡± Ye Kun was still deep in his thoughts and ignored her.

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t want her friend to feel awkward so she asked Shi Nian, ¡°You know that girl?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah. She¡¯s a friend of a friend. We chat occasionally,¡± Shi Nian answered.

    ¡°Your girlfriend¡¯s friend?¡± Lin Yu¡¯s keen ear caught the difference in his tone when Shi Nian mentioned his ¡°friend.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Shi Nian denied with a smile. ¡®At least not yet. She still refers to me as her collaborator.¡¯

    Lin Yu pursed her lips, smiled, and nudged Xi Cheng. ¡°Look at that! They all have someone they¡¯re interested in.¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s legs automatically moved him away from her. He asked Shi Nian and Ye Kun, ¡°Have you looked into her family¡¯s background? Don¡¯t get into a relationship so easily; it will save you trouble in the future. You don¡¯t want to waste a girl¡¯s time and youth on a fruitless relationship, do you?¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s expression changed when she heard that. Shi Nian hurriedly stated, ¡°Pigs would fly if Ye Kun could get into a serious relationship. Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense. I wouldn¡¯t sell out my friend¡¯s friend to him; this menace doesn¡¯t deserve her.¡±

    ¡® Way to go, Shi Nian!¡¯ Ye Kun and Liang Han silently praised Shi Nian for averting another uneasy silence. It was no wonder that Shi Nian had gained control over his family¡¯s corporation earlier than them.. Aside from personal reasons within his family, this guy¡¯s talent and abilities were also excellent enough to manage his massive empire!

 Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter Sixty: Whimsical Idea

    Chapter 60: Chapter Sixty: Whimsical Idea

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Although he appreciated the save, Ye Kun still insisted, ¡°I¡¯m serious this time. My parents have also agreed; it¡¯s fine as long as I like her. It doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s not from a family with influence. I¡¯m not the only child in my family; if they want to make a perfect match, they have my older brother. But my brother is sly, so just in case, I have to act fast and find the right girl as soon as possible. That way, I¡¯ll be free from the pressure of an arranged marriage.¡±

    Shi Nian kicked him. ¡®Ye Kun, you moron!¡¯ If he continued on like this, Shi Nian would no longer help him. Ye Kun shut his mouth resentfully.

    Liang Han decided it would be funny to see Shi Nian on the hot seat for once and teased, ¡°Shi Nian, I heard that something happened between you and your childhood sweetheart at the airport a few days ago?¡±

    Shi Nian frowned. Liang Han patted him on the back and assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chang Yuan handled it very cleanly. Not a single piece of news leaked out. I just happened¡ªby chance¡ªto hear the media reporter she hired complain that he got in trouble without anything to show for it. Your childhood sweetheart is a rotten piece of work!¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t have any childhood sweethearts.

    I¡¯ll get angry if you bring it up again.¡±

    ¡°Are you guys talking about the Yun family?¡± Lin Yu interrupted.

    Shi Nian stated disgruntledly, ¡°My grandfather may be friends with their grandfather, but my father and my generation have never associated with the Yun family members, much less being childhood sweethearts.¡±

    Lin Yu said, ¡°No offense, Shi Nian, but you should find the right occasion and clarify everything in public. Did you know Miss Yun Liu has been secretly going behind your back, telling everyone that you two are childhood sweethearts? She¡¯s taking advantage of you.¡±

    Shi Nian remained silent. Xi Cheng kicked Shi Nian¡¯s feet. ¡°Do you really not like her? Or are you just pretending so you can keep your relationship a secret?¡±

    Shi Nian glared at him, ¡°I¡¯m not like¡ªthat kind of person.¡± Shi Nian changed his words abruptly in the middle of the sentence.

    Xi Cheng froze at his words before replying, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re not.¡± Only the two of them understood what they were talking about.

    Shi Nian took a deep breath and spoke to Liang Han. ¡°I need you to help me spread some news through your channels.¡±

    Liang Han was confused. ¡°What kind of news? Why can¡¯t you do it yourself?!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t use my people; this can¡¯t be tied to me. We¡¯ll leave no traces if we spread them through your channels,¡± Shi Nian explained.

    Liang Han nodded and nonchalantly agreed, ¡°Alright. Tell me, what do you need me to do? I¡¯ll support you, come hell or high water!¡±

    Shi Nian took a sip of alcohol and told him, ¡°I¡¯ll hand you some photos and documents. You only need to send them out as is.¡±

    The idea came to Shi Nian when Liang Han mentioned the airport¡ªhe was talking about what happened that day his grandfather and sister returned.

    Yun Liu had obviously planned that incident; thankfully, Yun Nan had cleverly resolved the situation then and there. Even if the tabloids wanted to make something of it, they have nothing to work with. Shi Nian initially wanted to leave the matter alone, but then he remembered that Yun Nan was about to start shooting her film. He didn¡¯t want any trouble to affect Yun Nan, so he asked Chang Yuan to ensure the press won¡¯t release any news about the incident.

    He trusted Chang Yuan¡¯s abilities and¡ªas Liang Han said¡ªChang Yuan indeed delivered. Shi Nian didn¡¯t take the matter to heart since it had been dealt with.

    But now, he suddenly had a thought. Yun Liu always bent the rules and made up rumors about her relationship with him. Then why couldn¡¯t he spread some gossip about himself and Yun Nan? Yun Nan also needed public attention, anyway, and Shi Nian would prefer her rumored romantic partner to be him

    man some other guy.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t know Yun Liu was quite effectively threatened into silence by Yun Nan and Shi Xiu that day. Because of that, she didn¡¯t dare to make a move, and the incident ended uneventfully. Yun Liu had also suffered that tumble for nothing; the man she crashed into was an unfortunate casualty.

    Liang Han¡¯s interest was immediately piqued. ¡°Hey, so tell me, what¡¯s all this about? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Seeing that everyone¡¯s attention was focused on him, Shi Nian straightened his back and vaguely replied, ¡°Basically, I¡¯m trying to impress a girl.¡±

    ¡°Noooooo!¡¯ Liang Han wailed, startling everyone. Liang Han threw a tantrum and cried, ¡°How is it that all of you found a girl, but I¡¯m still single?! Where¡¯s our brotherhood? You guys can¡¯t leave me behind like this! No, this won¡¯t do!¡±

    Shi Nian restrained him with Ye Kun and growled, ¡°Would you stop and behave yourself? You¡¯re embarrassing!¡± Liang Han spied Lin Yu¡¯s two best friends out of the corner of his eye and immediately fell silent. He pushed them off and sat back down on his seat.

    Lin Yu smiled at her besties and commented, ¡°They¡¯ve been roughhousing like this since they were kids. Men! No matter how old they get, they¡¯re all children at heart. ¡±

    Gu Man chuckled and looked at Shi Nian. ¡°I¡¯m more interested in your lady friend, Mr. Shi. I¡¯m curious as to what kind of girl can catch your eye.¡±

    Shi Nian smiled and said nothing..

 Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter Sixty-One: Testing Limits

    Chapter 61: Chapter Sixty-One: Testing Limits

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu could tell that Gu Man was interested in Shi Nian, so she smiled and said, ¡°Shi Nian has high standards. Now that you mention it, I¡¯m also curious. Come on, Shi Nian, tell us! We all want to know: who is this outstanding lady?¡±

    Shi Nian smiled and kept quiet. Xi Cheng carefully studied Shi Nian before stating, ¡°Keep her safe. Don¡¯t let her get hurt unnecessarily.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll let you guys know as soon as I have good news.¡±

    Gu Man glanced at Xi Cheng and tartly remarked, ¡°Xi Cheng, you talk like you¡¯re a protective lover, but I haven¡¯t seen you protect our dear Lin Yu in all these years! You should be grateful for her; Lin Yu is a sweet girl. She suffered a lot for your sake.¡±

    Xi Cheng mockingly commented with a slight smile, ¡°I¡¯m indeed a blessed man. I had my mother in charge of me when I was young, and now I have Lin Yu.¡±

    ¡°At least you know your place,¡± Gu Man snorted, and Xi Cheng knocked back another swig of alcohol.

    Seeing Xi Cheng¡¯s doleful expression, Ye Kun sedately said, ¡°Xi Cheng, you¡¯ve always put the bigger picture ahead of your own feelings and sacrificed yourself for others. You¡¯re willing to march into hell for your friends and family, and we salute you for that. Here¡¯s a toast to our buddy, Xi Cheng! I just wanna say that I wish for your happiness!¡±

    Ye Kun raised his glass as he finished speaking. Xi Cheng was about to take another gulp from the bottle when he heard Ye Kun¡¯s words and froze. Shi Nian and Liang Han also raised their glasses, and clinked them against Xi Cheng¡¯s bottle.

    ¡°Come, drink up. Let¡¯s drink the night away!¡± Liang Han exclaimed. The four men knocked back their drinks as the three women stared¡ªentranced¡ªat their bobbing Adam¡¯s apple.

    Shi Nian finished his drink and snatched Xi Cheng¡¯s bottle away. He poured it out into a glass before handing the glass to Xi Cheng and uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t try to bluff us with the bottle!¡± Gu Man thought Shi Nian¡¯s unique wav of advising people not to drink was cute and became even more interested in him.

    She decided to start a conversation with the man and said, ¡°Mr. Shi, you should dissuade Xi Cheng from drinking so much. He won¡¯t listen to Lin Yu no matter what she says, and she¡¯s even helping him hide his drinking habits from his family. It¡¯s really infuriating,¡± So saying, she raised her glass to Shi Nian.

    Shi Nian ignored her, and stared straight into Lin Yu¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why hide it? Just go to his parents and tell them. They¡¯ll teach him a lesson, and there¡¯s your problem solved.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she snapped, ¡°I can¡¯t do that!¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Shi Nian said nonchalantly. ¡°It¡¯s the best way to restrain his drinking. He might not listen to anyone else, but he would definitely obey his parents.¡±

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t say anything, and Gu Man quickly retorted. ¡°They¡¯re engaged; it would be unseemly for her to tattle on her fianc¨¦ to his parents. You guys should do your brotherly duties and talk to him.¡±

    Shi Nian lowered his eyes and chuckled. ¡°You won¡¯t take this up to his parents because you don¡¯t want them to think you can¡¯t keep him in line. You¡¯re afraid they¡¯ll think you¡¯re not suitable to be their daughter-in-law!¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s face turned red, then white, and then red again. When Shi Gao saw this, she hastily commented, ¡°Lin Yu and Xi Cheng grew up together; Xi Cheng¡¯s parents naturally wouldn¡¯t blame her for such a small matter. Lin Yu is too nice¡ªshe¡¯s always indulging Xi Cheng.¡±

    She then turned to Xi Cheng and admonished, ¡°Xi Cheng, you¡¯re not a child anymore; you¡¯re an adult. You shouldn¡¯t behave so wilfully. You two are already engaged, so you should prepare to live your lives together. Although we¡¯re your friends, we have no right to criticize or butt in on your personal matters. Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Shi?¡±

    Shi Nian and Ye Kun shared a look. ¡®Ooh, looks like we have a tough opponent here.¡¯

    Ye Kun smiled and replied, ¡°You may not know this, but we¡¯ve been friends with Xi Cheng since we were kids. We would give our lives for each other. You¡¯ll have to go through us if you want to criticize him. We¡¯re best buds¡ªwe¡¯ll be there to applaud and learn from him when he¡¯s done something right, and if he¡¯s done something wrong, we¡¯ll stubbornly support and stand by him to the

    end. ¡±

    ¡°Lin Yu knows us well since she was a child, don¡¯t you, Lin Yu?¡± Ye Kun remarked. ¡°Even we can¡¯t stand Xi Cheng¡¯s attitude sometimes. That man¡¯s a mess, and I don¡¯t know why you insist on marrying him. Girls, instead of trying to get this drunkard to shape up, I think it¡¯s best to just give up on him and leave him to his fate. He¡¯s really not marriage material! I wouldn¡¯t pick him if I were a girl. Isn¡¯t that right, Shi Nian, Liang Han?¡±

    Liang Han¡¯s spirit lifted, and he grinned. ¡°That¡¯s right. Who would want to put up with someone like him? Lin Yu, you¡¯ve tolerated him for all these years, so you know what you¡¯re getting yourself into.. It¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t handle, am I

    right?¡±

 Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter Sixty-Two: Besties

    Chapter 62: Chapter Sixty-Two: Besties

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu stiffly nodded and pretended the earlier conversation never happened¡ªshe was asking to be humiliated if she kept on the topic. She quickly gave her besties a look. She¡¯d given them a chance by inviting the guys out; the rest was up to them. There truly wasn¡¯t much else she could do for them, and she didn¡¯t want to ruin things with Xi Cheng. Their relationship wasn¡¯t set in stone yet, so she had to avoid any complications.

    Lin Yu quickly calmed down. She immediately led the conversation and didn¡¯t allow her best friends to speak much. She didn¡¯t want them to provoke the guys any further.

    Shi Nian, Ye Kun, and Liang Han knew to quit while they were ahead. Lin Yu was Xi Cheng¡¯s fianc¨¦e, after all. Drinking became their best shield against talking to the girls in this situation, and it wasn¡¯t long before they all had a little too much to drink.

    It wasn¡¯t until they were about to leave that Lin Yu asked Shi Nian to send Gu

    Man home after Gu Man¡¯s constant hints. Ye Kun leaned on Shi Nian¡¯s shoulder and gave the girls a drunken smile. He slurred, ¡°No can do, ladies. Shi Nian¡­

    has to send me home¡­ We live close to each other¡­ he can drop me off on the way¡­ you guys live out of the way.¡±

    Liang Han also hurriedly stated, ¡°I¡¯m with them. I¡¯ll be spending the night at Ye

    Kun¡¯s place. My mother will whoop my       if I head home in this state!¡±

    Lin Yu felt a little humiliated by the men¡¯s uncharitable rejections. Xi Cheng, however, just casually replied, ¡°They¡¯re our guests, so naturally, we¡¯ll be the ones to send them home. I¡¯ve already called my chauffeur to come over. The three of you can get lost!¡±

    ¡°Sir, yes, sir!¡± So saying, Liang Han dragged Ye Kun and Shi Nian along with him as he walked away on unsteady feet.

    When Shi Nian returned home, he felt a little dizzy. He didn¡¯t drink often, but he could hold his liquor. However, he only drank when he was in the mood. Seeing Xi Cheng so depressed had them all feeling down tonight. He didn¡¯t deserve to be tied to a loveless marriage and everyone felt sorry for him.

    He rushed to the kitchen to get some water; he was very thirsty. The small light above the kitchen stove was lit, and a pot of tea was placed on the tea table in clear sight.

    Shi Nian reached out and touched the teapot; it was perfectly warm. He poured a cup of tea, took a sip, and recognized it as the hangover tea that Yun Nan had brewed for him before.

    Shi Nian¡¯s dizziness cleared straight away. He downed the tea in one gulp, and a smile appeared on his lips. ¡® Yun Nan is really thoughtful. How could there be such a kind snail girl? he thought.

    Xi Cheng fell asleep in the passenger seat. Gu Man let out a disdainful snort at him, and Shi Gao gently held Lin Yu¡¯s hands.

    Lin Yu changed the topic and asked, ¡°Gu Man, do you like Shi Nian?¡±

    Gu Man blushed and turned to face the window without saying anything. Shi Gao said, ¡°Shi Nian is a very handsome man, and he comes from such an influential background; it¡¯s no wonder our Gu Man has a crush on him. Speaking of which, he¡¯s quite outstanding, so why doesn¡¯t he have a girlfriend?¡±

    Lin Yu told them, ¡°The Shi family is different from the others. They don¡¯t care about family status; they marry for love. Shi Nian¡¯s parents, grandparents, his elder brother¡ªShi Ke¡ªand his wife¡ªXiang Yang¡ªare all adoring couples. However, Shi Nian¡¯s elders had arranged a marriage for him; he had to marry his childhood friend from the Yun family, but he did nothing. He never gave any indication of liking that girl, nor were there rumors of him getting together with anyone. The matter was left hanging until now. He¡¯s almost thirty and still single.¡±

    ¡°So, I take it he doesn¡¯t like that childhood friend of his?¡± Gu Man asked

    ¡°That¡¯s probably the case, but you heard what he said back there; he has a crush on someone now,¡± Lin Yu gently reminded her. She could tell that Shi Nian wasn¡¯t interested in Gu Man, and she didn¡¯t want Gu Man¡¯s feelings to cause conflict between the two. More importantly, she didn¡¯t want this to impact her.

    Gu Man unconcernedly stated, ¡°So? He¡¯s not married, so he¡¯s on the market.¡±

    And then, she remembered Xi Cheng, and added, ¡°He has to at least be engaged for me to consider him taken.¡±

    It would have been better if she didn¡¯t add that last comment; it only made it worse. Shi Gao sought to change the topic and remarked, ¡°It¡¯s rare for wealthy families to marry for love. They usually prioritize social status, don¡¯t they? The Shi family is quite lucky¡ªthey all fell in love with people of equal social caste.¡± Lin Yu thought about it for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± she agreed. ¡°They are indeed very lucky, come to think of it.¡±

    ¡°Are Shi Nian¡¯s big brother and his wife¡ªI ¡® Shi Gao paused. ¡°Are they happy together?¡±

    Lin Yu nodded affirmatively. ¡°Shi Ke has always had an independent streak. He chose to study in a military school and became an officer after he graduated. His wife followed him into the military. She¡¯s also a slightly famous jewelry designer.¡±

    ¡°Do they have kids?¡± Shi Gao asked.

    Lin Yu shook her head no. Although she didn¡¯t know why Shi Gao was asking for these details, she still frankly answered, ¡°I met them during the Spring Festival last year. Shi Ke said he didn¡¯t want to have children just yet; he¡¯d like to spend more alone time with his wife. I can tell that he loves her very much. She¡¯s a lucky woman; I envy her so much.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to envy her! You¡¯re not doing so bad yourself! You finally got what you wanted. You only need to learn how to manage your husband in the future,¡± Gu Man smilingly assured Lin Yu and pinched her cheek.

    Xi Cheng¡ªwho appeared to be sleeping soundly in the front seat¡ªtwitched his lips..

 Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter Sixty-Three: Rest

    Chapter 63: Chapter Sixty-Three: Rest

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan woke up early in the morning and was surprised to find that Shi Nian was still asleep. As a business elite, Shi Nian usually got up early and went to bed late; he kept to this schedule very dedicatedly. In comparison, Yun Nan¡¯s life wasn¡¯t as regular as his; she rarely saw Shi Nian still in bed when she woke up.

    Due to the time difference, Shi Nian had arranged all his daily briefings with foreign companies in the morning, so Yun Nan would find him holding meetings online in the study or working out in the gym in the morning.

    Yun Nan hesitated for a moment. ¡®Could he be sick? she silently fretted. She knew he returned home very late last night; she was nearly asleep when he came back, and was so sleepy she couldn¡¯t open her eyes. She hadnt moved to get out of bed; she had already prepared some hangover tea for him in the kitchen¡ªshe¡¯d done more than enough for him.

    Now, Yun Nan felt worried as she looked at Shi Nian¡¯s motionless form. She walked to Shi Nian¡¯s side of the bed and studied him. His complexion looked normal, and his breathing was stable, but his brows were furrowed. ¡®Is he uncomfortable? Yun Nan wondered. ¡®I can¡¯tjust leave him like this, so I might

    as well¡­¡¯

    Yun Nan carefully stretched out her hand and placed it on Shi Nian¡¯s forehead, intending to check his temperature. However, just as her hand settled on his forehead, someone grabbed her wrist.

    Yun Nan cried out in shock. Still holding her wrist, Shi Nian opened his eyes, sat up, and muttered, ¡°My head hurts.¡±

    At that, Yun Nan forgot about the reproach that was on her lips and concernedly asked, ¡®You have a headache?¡±

    Shi Nian nodded and replied, ¡°Yeah, I drank too much. My headache would probably be worse if you hadn¡¯t left me some hangover tea.¡±

    Shi Nian buried his head in his blanket and reluctantly released Yun Nan¡¯s wrist; he didn¡¯t want to push her too far. Face hidden, he smiled, delighted she cared so much for him. He recalled the sensation of her hand; her petite hand was very soft and supple.

    Yun Nan¡¯s attention was indeed not on her hand. Instead, she anxiously asked, ¡°Is it bad? Should we go to the hospital?¡±

    Shi Nian suddenly had a thought and stated pitifully, ¡°My stomach isn¡¯t feeling well. I think it¡¯s because I drank too much last night, so going to the hospital won¡¯t help much.¡±

    Yun Nan got the hint and quickly offered, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go make some porridge for you. It won¡¯t take long; in the meantime, you can have some rest!¡± That said, she rushed downstairs without waiting for Shi Nian¡¯s reply.

    Shi Nian raised his head, looked at the staircase, and laughed. ¡®I never knew chasing girls could be so much fun,¡¯ he mused. ¡®I guess that would depend on if the girl in question is interesting.¡¯

    When the porridge was ready, Shi Nian ¡®wobbled¡¯ down the stairs in casual clothes. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to come down. I was going to bring it up for you,¡± Yun Nan concernedly told him.

    Shi Nian shook his head, pulled out a dining chair, and sat down. He yawned before looking at the fragrant minced meat porridge before him and took a deep breath. He picked up a spoon and nodded approvingly as he tasted the porridge.

    Yun Nan felt relieved when she saw him eating the porridge and brought her breakfast to the table: two slices of bread, a boiled egg, and a glass of milk.

    Shi Nian reached out, took a piece of bread off her plate, and bit into it. ¡°Is this all you¡¯re having for breakfast?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry today, so this will do,¡± Yun Nan answered.

    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s the matter?¡± asked Shi Nian.

    Yun Nan took a sip of milk and informed him, ¡°There¡¯s a meeting today about the things we have to get ready before filming starts. Um, Mika asked Shi Xiu to come, too. He hasn¡¯t given up yet¡ªhe wants her to play a cameo role.¡±

    Yun Nan tentatively glanced at Shi Nian. Although he did not object to it last time, she was still worried he might change his mind. Shi Nian ate his porridge and took another bite of the bread before he nodded and said, ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡® What does he mean by that? Yun Nan thought.

    ¡°Can I come?¡± Shi Nian asked.

    ¡® What?!¡¯ Yun Nan stared at him, dumbfounded. Shi Nian was secretly a little nervous but acted nonchalantly as he commented, ¡°I¡¯m taking the day off. Can I go to your workplace for a tour? I can keep an eye on Shi Xiu and prevent her from causing trouble.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Shi Xiu¡¯s an angel; she won¡¯t be any trouble,¡± Yun Nan retorted. Then, she realized that Shi Nian wanted to see her studio. ¡®Perhaps he has a sudden interest in the filming industry? she thought.

    She gave Shi Nian a once-over; he was wearing beige trousers paired with a white casual shirt. ¡® Tsk! He¡¯s ridiculously handsome.¡¯

    ¡°If you go to our studio looking like this, Mika might detain you,¡± she said pointedly. Shi Nian was puzzled and raised his eyebrows questioningly at Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan laughed and told him, ¡°He¡¯s our casting director and he¡¯d definitely encourage you to become his actor. He can¡¯t help but want to recruit all the handsome and beautiful people he meets. ¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m handsome?¡± Shi Nian suddenly asked with shining eyes.

    Yun Nan nodded and chortled, ¡°Of course! I heard that you¡¯re the dream man of every girl in the city. I¡¯d say the eyes of the masses are discerning.¡±

    The light in Shi Nian¡¯s eyes went out, and he remarked, ¡°In this day and age, anyone with a little bit of money can be the dream man of every girl in the city.

    The eyes of the masses are only sharp when it comes to money.¡± Yun Nan was surprised and laughed so hard that she almost collapsed..

 Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter Sixty-Four: Wife

    Chapter 64: Chapter Sixty-Four: Wife

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Mika was talking to Shi Xiu nonstop about the script when Yun Nan walked in. The young lady¡¯s eyes were sparkling as she listened to him, completely immersed in the plot.

    Mika looked up and was stunned when he saw Yun Nan and Shi Nian come through the door. He then strode over and excitedly gushed, ¡°Yun Nan! Yun

    Nan, is he a new actor? He¡¯s got quite the charisma; I want to give him a role!¡±

    Yun Nan was exasperated and reprimanded him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting a little carried away? You can¡¯t just give a role to every person you see! Are we so short of actors?¡±

    Mika sized up Shi Nian as he answered Yun Nan, ¡°You can never have too many actors. It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s a newbie; I¡¯m confident I can train him up.¡±

    Yun Nan did not want to bother talking with him anymore because she hadn¡¯t been able to reason with him for all the years they knew each other. She tugged Shi Nian close and told him, ¡°Ignore him; leave him to his craziness. You can wait for me in my office.¡±

    However, Shi Nian offered his hand to Mika and introduced himself, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Shi Nian.¡±

    ¡°Hi, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you! My name is Mika,¡± Mika reached out and began to shake Shi Nian¡¯s hand. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and he froze. ¡°Shi Nian? THAT Shi Nian?! Oh my god! You are him!¡± Mika quickly released Shi Nian¡¯s hand as if it were hot coals, took two steps back, and looked at Yun Nan in horror.

    Yun Nan was a little tired of the situation. She rolled her eyes at Mika and quipped, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he doesn¡¯t bite.¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Shi Nian and Shi Xiu couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    Mika pulled Yun Nan over and hurriedly whispered, ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for jokes! How on earth did you manage to invite this legend? Is he here to invest in our studio? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? We have to give him the royal treatment since he¡¯s our investor! I¡¯m no good at that! You have to get Fang Xi; she can handle him.¡± Mika then stomped his feet and anxiously stated, ¡°Oh, no! She¡¯s not here! Aargh, why did she have to be absent at such an important time? *Sigh* What should we do?¡±

    ¡°Mika, weren¡¯t you going to make him an actor?¡± Yun Nan smilingly jibed as she looked at him.

    Mika gritted his teeth and growled, ¡°Yun Nan! I¡¯m being serious here!¡±

    Yun Nan stopped teasing him when she saw that he was truly stressed. ¡°Chill,

    Mika. It¡¯s alright; don¡¯t be nervous. He¡¯s just here to have a look around today.

    You don¡¯t have to worry about the investment issue. We don¡¯t need investments¡ªat least not for this movie. Fang Xi and I can handle that ourselves.¡±

    Mika still fretted, ¡°How can I not be worried? You girls should save your money for your dowries. That small sum won¡¯t be able to cover the movie production cost. Hmm? Did you say he¡¯s here to look around?¡±

    Mika looked at Shi Nian in shock. Shi Nian smiled, stepped forward, and put his arm around Yun Nan¡¯s shoulders before addressing Mika. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m always ready to invest if you guys need it.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡± Mika couldn¡¯t believe it. Yun Nan stared at Shi Nian. She had never made such a request of Shi Nian, nor did she ever have such plans; she felt it was best to set boundaries between them. He was someone she used to deter her biological family¡¯s pestering, and he did great at that¡ªthere was no need to complicate things further by going beyond the conditions agreed upon in their marriage contract.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my duty to support my wife¡¯s work, isn¡¯t it?¡± Shi Nian stated as he looked at Yun Nan affectionately. Yun Nan immediately took a step back at his affectionate gaze, but she didn¡¯t break free from his embrace.

    ¡°Wife?¡± Mika was alarmed. ¡°What wife?¡±

    Shi Nian deliberately peered at Yun Nan and asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t told them

    about our marriage yet?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re married?! When did that happen? Yun Nan, how dare you get married behind our backs!¡± Mika was genuinely offended this time. Everyone heard his shouting and came over.

    Yun Nan looked at Shi Nian exasperatedly and mouthed, ¡°You did this on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± Shi Nian looked at her with a smile and nodded slightly.

    Shi Xiu had watched the entire scene with her mouth agape. Right now, everyone had surrounded the small group, looking as if they were about to swallow her brother and sister-in-law whole, so she hurriedly stepped forward and shielded them. ¡°Calm down, everyone. Take it easy; we can talk this over¡ª¡±

    Miss An pulled Shi Xiu over and interjected, ¡°Shi Xiu, step aside. I have to interrogate this gentleman.¡±

    ¡°Miss An, he¡¯s my brother,¡± Shi Xiu hurriedly said.

    Shi Xiu felt that Shi Nian was useless; he couldn¡¯t even protect his wife. She quickly pushed her hands out to stop the crowd. ¡°Everyone, calm down and listen to me. My brother and Yun Nan were engaged since they were young. It was decided by both our families¡¯ elders. They didn¡¯t get married in secret; it was all above board.¡±

    ¡°Since they were young? An arranged marriage? That won¡¯t do at all!¡± Miss An and Yun Nan¡¯s other female friends were unhappy when they heard that and scrutinized Shi Nian even more critically.

    Shi Nian watched the proceeding with great interest..

 Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter Sixty-Five: Bribe

    Chapter 65: Chapter Sixty-Five: Bribe

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Xiu anxiously assured her, ¡°Miss An, it¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s really not! Our entire family loves Yun Nan!¡±

    Miss An, Mika, and the others were still eyeing Shi Nian. ¡®What does she mean by that? was their collective thought.

    Mika reached out and pulled Yun Nan over. ¡°Well, tell us what¡¯s going on! Did they think you had no support and bullied you? Listen up because I¡¯m telling you now! You have a ton of supporters; this whole building is full of your friends and family! So stand up straight and hold your head high! Tell us who threatened you into this arranged marriage. I want to talkwith them.¡±

    Yun Nan felt quite done with everything and was very annoyed with Shi Nian. ¡® Why did he have to cause trouble for no reason!¡¯ she inwardly griped.

    ¡°Alright, alright! Stop it and listen to me, okay?¡± Yun Nan¡¯s raised voice cut through the crowd¡¯s discussion.

    Everyone in the studio quietened, alertly awaiting her explanations. Yun Nan heaved a sigh of relief and glared at Shi Nian. However, Shi Nian only returned her look with a calm expression.

    ¡°Guys, this is my husband, Shi Nian. Yes, we¡¯re legally married¡ªwe¡¯ve already gotten our marriage certificate. He¡¯s a part of my family from now on,¡± Yun Nan stated concisely.

    ¡°You¡¯ve registered your marriage? Yun Nan, did your parents force you into this?¡± Miss An had some understanding of Yun Nan¡¯s family situation, and she couldn¡¯t help but ask. Yun Nan shook her head, reassuringly patted Miss An, and told her, ¡°No, no! I have nothing to do with them anymore. Don¡¯t worry; I wasn¡¯t forced into this.¡±

    ¡°But this can¡¯t be right! Weren¡¯t Shi Nian and the eldest daughter of the Yun family rumored to be childhood sweethearts? Yun Liu, wasn¡¯t it? Not long ago, that woman was hinting that they were going to formally announce their relationship to the public. How did he end up marrying you in the blink of an

    cheating on Yun Nan?¡± Mika didn¡¯t even call him by his name now. Instead, he just bluntly referred to him as ¡°you.¡±

    ¡°No, of course not! Absolutely not!¡± Shi Xiu hurriedly explained on her stupid brother¡¯s behalf.

    Shi Nian pushed her aside and pulled Yun Nan¡ªwho was standing at the side with a resigned expression¡ªclose. He gently said, ¡°Yun Nan and I both consented to this marriage! However, I¡¯m really happy to see everyone here treat her so well. I¡¯ve always admired her, and I¡¯m blessed to have such a talented wife. I came here today to get to know you all and show my face to Yun Nan¡¯s family. I promise I will definitely treat Yun Nan well. If you guys need my help with anything, just say the word, and I will do my best.¡±

    His speech was reasonable and quite heartfelt. Yun Nan¡¯s friends and family were appeased by his sincerity, especially by his gentle attitude and the soft look in his eyes when he looked at Yun Nan. As professionals in the film industry, they were skilled in distinguishing fake emotions from genuine ones, and they could tell Shi Nian¡¯s feelings for Yun Nan were real.

    Yun Nan secretly praised Shi Nian. Despite the fuss he caused, this business partner of hers was quite capable. Although his announcement was a little unexpected, she suddenly felt that revealing their marriage wasn¡¯t a big deal. They had a five-year agreement, and they couldn¡¯t hide their marriage the entire time, so why not let everyone know? This way, it would be more convenient for them, and they would have more time to pave the way for their separation in five years.

    Shi Xiu hastily added, ¡°My brother and Yun Nan¡¯s marriage was arranged when they were young by the grandfathers of both families. Yun Nan went missing when she was a child, so the Yun family wanted to marry Yun Liu to my brother. However, my brother doesn¡¯t like her¡ªnone of our family does. That¡¯s why we put Shi Nian¡¯s marriage on hold. Yun Liu created the scandal about being involved with my brother herself; it has nothing to do with my brother. Please, don¡¯t misunderstand. My second brother only likes Yun Nan. Our entire family likes her too! ¡±

    Shi Xiu diligently backed her brother up. When she got home, she would report this to her grandfather and parents and take her due credits. ¡®Hmph! Without me, my idiot brothers marriage would never have worked!¡¯

    Everyone in the studio relaxed. Yun Nan took the opportunity to say, ¡°Alright! Now that we cleared up all the misunderstandings and gossip, why don¡¯t we get back to work?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll treat everyone to a meal; take it as my gratitude to all of you for treating

    Yun Nan so well and also as my thanks for accepting me,¡± Shi Nian chimed in.

    Shi Nian¡¯s sincerity and Shi Xiu¡¯s endorsement finally calmed everyone¡¯s worries. Inviting everyone to a lavish feast also gained him some points. Yun Nan felt bad about making him splurge to gain her friends¡¯ approval and whispered, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, you know.¡±

    Shi Nian smiled and replied, ¡°It¡¯s worth it. Only by getting to know them can I get to know you better. They¡¯re your family, after all.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t know what to say, so she kept her mouth shut. ¡®Fine,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to feed him well in return..¡¯

 Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter Sixty-Six: Suppression

    Chapter 66: Chapter Sixty-Six: Suppression

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi stood at the airport, blankly looking at the people coming and going around her. She had lived in this city for ten years. She had subconsciously treated this place as her home since her university days because her best friends and loved ones were all in this city.

    Some people say that ¡®home is where your family is.¡¯ However, her family wasn¡¯t here, and sadly, she had no home with them either. Therefore, she tacitly accepted this place as her home¡­ It was merely her own tacit assumption.

    She walked towards the exit with her suitcase towed behind her and silently gave herself a pep talk. ¡®It¡¯s no big deal. Everyone comes into this world alone and leaves alone. You only live once; there are no do-overs, take-backs, or second chances. So make the most ofit and live your life happily. Be happy, and look out for yourself¡ªto h *Il with everyone else!¡¯

    ¡°Xi Cheng, wait up!¡± Lin Yu called out as she chased after Xi Cheng in her five- inch heels.

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t drop his speed until Lin Yu caught up and clutched his arm; he had no choice but to slow down. He looked at Lin Yu¡¯s stiletto heels and frowned before asking, ¡®Why do you go out in these types of shoes?¡±

    Unable to defend her choice of footwear, Lin Yu forced a smile and changed the topic. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? There may be reporters at the exit. You know how they are. If they saw us leaving separately and took pictures, they might write nonsense, and then Mom would make a fuss when she sees the news.¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s frown deepened, but he slowed down further and allowed Lin Yu to hold his arm. Lin Yu felt smug but didn¡¯t dare to show it; instead, she leaned against Xi Cheng and smiled gracefully. They were the very image of a happy couple.

    ¡°Xi Cheng, could you make time for our wedding photos?¡± Lin Yu requested.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t we already have our photos taken?¡± Xi Cheng stated. There was a hint of impatience in his indifferent tone.

    ¡°Those were just a few photos for our engagement ceremony. They¡¯re definitely not enough for a wedding,¡± Lin Yu laughingly explained and continued without waiting for Xi Cheng¡¯s response.

    ¡°I¡¯ve discussed it with my mom. We¡¯ll take photos of both Chinese- and

    Western-styled wedding attire. Mom and Dad also want to take photos with us; it¡¯ll be a family photo. We¡¯ll have to take photos every year when we have children in the future.¡± Lin Yu had a sweet expression as she pictured their future together.

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t say anything. He could say nothing whenever Lin Yu brought up his parents. They were his kryptonite¡ªuseful against him at any time and place.

    Lin Yu expectantly commented, ¡°Xi Cheng, Mom said that we¡¯re not young anymore, and it¡¯s time we consider having children. Mom has already made an appointment with the doctor for our physical examination. Mom has also helped us find someone to read our fortune and pick out an auspicious date for conception. We only have to cooperate with her.¡±

    Xi Cheng stopped in his tracks, and Lin Yu looked at him in confusion. He stared at her dolled-up but plain face and swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.

    What was there to say? He had tried everything, from earnest persuasion to hysterical shouting and honest begging. Lin Yu was immune to it all and stubborn to a fault; she had set her sights on him and would have no other.

    Furthermore, his parents were also determined to have her as their daughter-in-law. Even if the Lin family had caused a huge disaster, his parents wouldn¡¯t hesitate to clean up the mess for them, thus making Lin Yu even more committed to him.

    Xi Cheng bitterly smiled as he thought, ¡® What an ill-fated relationship this is, and I¡¯m the sacrificial lamb between the Xi and Lin families.¡¯

    Just as Lin Yu had expected, there were many reporters at the exit brandishing cameras, cell phones, and video cameras. There were flashes of light as they furiously snapped photos.

    Even though he was wearing sunglasses, Xi Cheng couldn¡¯t help but turn his head away. Lin Yu, on the other hand, openly faced the cameras with a modest smile. She¡¯d thought the reporters would come over to interview her, but unexpectedly, they all suddenly ran to one side.

    Lin Yu heard them yell, ¡°Hurry! Come on! Quick!¡± Her expression soured, but it would be impolite to pull them aside and ask what was going on, so she could only stand by and watch. She managed to catch a snippet of conversation from the crowd of reporters as they passed by: ¡°I heard she¡¯s Director Yun¡¯s right-hand woman, and Mr. MO thinks very highly of her! Many major brands are vying to work with her.¡±

    In the blink of an eye, all the reporters before Xi Cheng and Lin Yu had left. Xi Cheng heaved a sigh of relief while Lin Yu¡¯s eyes followed their retreating figures and unhappily remarked, ¡°Who¡¯s their target? Is it a celebrity?¡±

    However, her face immediately darkened when her gaze landed on the figure in the crowd. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she bid Xi Cheng as she hastily pulled him away.

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t want to stay in the first place; he wasn¡¯t interested in watching the show, so he let Lin Yu pull him away without saying a word. But he didn¡¯t understand what was wrong with this woman. Not long ago, she was complaining about him walking too fast and wasn¡¯t considerate of the fact that she was wearing high heels. Now, she was striding off speedily on her stiletto heels. Fortunately, he was used to Lin Yu¡¯s strange behaviors and didn¡¯t care or mind..

 Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter Sixty-Seven: Response

    Chapter 67: Chapter Sixty-Seven: Response

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi watched the familiar figure leave with his woman from the corner of her eyes. A trace of sadness welled in her heart, but she kept a professional smile as she warmly answered the reporters¡¯ questions.

    ¡°Thank you very much for your concern. Yun Nan is now fully immersed in the preparation for ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ We strive to make the best movie for everyone,¡± she stated.

    A reporter quickly took the chance and spoke up, ¡°1 heard that Yun Nan is a daughter of the Yun family and that the copyright of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ actually belongs to the Yun Corporation. Is it true that the Yun Corporation is also a shareholder of your studio? If so, the Yun family has gone to great lengths to help Yun Nan. Could you share your thoughts on this with us?¡±

    Fang Xi wasn¡¯t annoyed at all. She smiled at the reporter and replied, ¡°About that¡­ Hmm, how should I put this? You¡¯re well-informed in that you were able to find out Yun Nan is the Yun family¡¯s ¡®biological¡¯ daughter. But you¡¯re not so well-informed since you don¡¯t even know that Yun Nan is the original author of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ Yun Nan has never given her novel¡¯s copyright to anyone. As for our studio, do ask them to show you the share confirmation letter the next time you hear someone claiming to be our shareholder. You¡¯ll know they¡¯re lying if they don¡¯t have one or try to excuse themselves by saying they can¡¯t show such an important thing to others. These people are fakes and liars and most certainly not our shareholders.¡±

    ¡® Um,¡¯ the reporters thought and looked at each other. Her reasoning and communication skills were indeed worthy of Mr. Mo¡¯s admiration. She had clearly explained Yun Nan and the Yun family¡¯s relationship with just a few words.

    None of the people present were idiots; it wasn¡¯t hard for them to understand what she meant. Several reporters were on good terms with Yun Liu and the Yun family. They were paid generously by the Yuns, so they decided to put Fang Xi on the spot, and one of them accused, ¡°Since Yun Nan is the Yun family¡¯s biological daughter, why did she betray her family, strike out and establish her own studio? I guess family doesn¡¯t mean much to her; she wasn¡¯t raised by them, after all. I feel sorry for the Yun family for having a daughter like her.¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s beautiful eyes moved to the speaker, and she smiled faintly. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you the sympathetic one? You¡¯re even crying out for the Yun family. Then why don¡¯t you dig a little deeper and write a good story about how the Yun family adopted a girl to replace their biological daughter after they lost her and treated said adoptee as their own? It¡¯s so touching, isn¡¯t it? As for Yun Nan, hers is a tale of how an orphan grew up constantly striving to improve herself.¡±

    Fang Xi brushed back her long wavy hair and smilingly said, ¡°We are all kindred spirits. I still believe that ultimately, ¡®justice will prevail.¡¯ Every one of you is familiar with Yun Nan¡¯s works over the past few years. Our studio has spent¡ªand will be spending¡ªall our time producing this film so we will be relying on your help for publicity. If there is anything you need to know, or if you need our cooperation for publicity purposes, please contact our studio¡¯s publicity staff. We are very willing to let more people understand Yun Nan and us through your channels.¡±

    Fang Xi was a friendly and easy-going beauty; she was also graceful and generous, which won her the favorability of those present. She didn¡¯t say a single bad word about others or praise her people. She had marvelous E.Q., and her attitude was impeccable. It wasn¡¯t until everyone¡¯s questions were over that Fang Xi waved goodbye to them.

    When she reached the parking lot, Fang Xi subconsciously looked around. She caught herself and laughed. ¡® Why am I expecting to see his car here? Its over between us; we¡¯ve been less than strangers for a long time. Back then, when we were living together, had he ever looked at me?

    She could always sense him from a few thousand meters away, whereas he wouldn¡¯t feel anything even if she was standing before him¡ªthat was the difference between love and apathy.

    Fang Xi sent a WeChat message to Yun Nan. It said, ¡°Come out for a drink.¡±

    Yun Nan replied, ¡°I¡¯m in a meeting. Do you want to come and join me? If not, go and relax. Send me the address when you reach the bar; I¡¯ll come pick you up.¡±

    Fang Xi chuckled. This was how someone who loved her should treat her. Yun Nan gave her absolute freedom and a sense of security. She doted on her without questions. The hatred, sadness, and indescribable negative emotions she had brought back from her trip abroad all dispersed and disappeared because of Yun Nan¡¯s reply.

    In the ¡°Vision of Eternity¡± bar, Fang Xi took the drink the bartender handed her and gave him a business card. ¡°You know the drill; if you see me drunk, call her,¡± she instructed. The bartender smiled and made an ¡®OK¡¯ gesture, indicating that she could relax and have fun..

 Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter Sixty-Eight: Coincidence

    Chapter 68: Chapter Sixty-Eight: Coincidence

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    When Ye Kun entered the bar, he instantly spotted a familiar figure among the crowd dancing on the dance floor, and his eyes widened. There he was, searching for her everywhere, and she suddenly showed up when he least expected her!

    He found a seat with a good view of the dance floor and sat down. When the bar manager saw him, he quickly came and greeted him. ¡°Young Master Kun¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me,¡± Ye Kun interrupted and waved him away. ¡°Get me a glass of soda water.¡±

    ¡®Soda water? The foreman thought, slightly bewildered, but he immediately did as told.

    Ye Kun drank his soda water as he watched the woman on the dance floor move her body to her heart¡¯s content. Her graceful figure seemed to be venting some kind of emotion. She was unrestrained and flamboyant¡ªa huge contrast to her usual bright and intellectual appearance.

    ¡®She really is extraordinary,¡¯ Ye Kun mused.

    When the song ended, the dancers dispersed. Fang Xi was a little shaky on her feet, but her mind was clear. She was walking to her booth with a faint smile when someone blocked her way. The guy flirted, ¡°Hey, that was some awesome dancing out there! Why don¡¯t we have a drink together?¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s smile instantly turned cold. She waved her hand, indicating her disinterest without looking up at him, and walked away. However, the man wouldn¡¯t give up until he got a date with the beauty. He stepped close, grabbed her arm, and said, ¡°Hey, do me a favor here.¡±

    Fang Xi flipped her arm, freeing it from the man¡¯s hold, and coldly rebuffed him, ¡°Move it! Get out of my way!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you have a temper. Spicy, I like that.¡± The man was quite displeased at being rejected and¡ªunder the influence of alcohol¡ªwouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. He reached out his hand again and forcefully pulled her back.

    Fang Xi sneered and gave a knife-hand strike to his wrist. The man retracted his hand in pain, and his companions beside him laughed at his plight.

    Humiliated, the man flew into a rage. He raised his hand, intending to slap Fang Xi¡¯s face, and shouted, ¡°You ungrateful b*tch!¡±

    A strong hand grabbed his raised hand before he could bring his palm down.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± its owner demanded. The man turned his head to stare at the meddler and was about to blow up at him when one of his companions quickly restrained and pushed him away. His companion then turned around and repeatedly apologized, ¡°Young Master Kun! Sorry, our bad! We¡¯re terribly sorry!

    My friend had too much to drink.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble here!¡± Ye Kun coldly warned them.

    ¡°Of course, we won¡¯t! Rest assured! We definitely won¡¯t! Absolutely!¡± So saying, the guys covered their intoxicated friend¡¯s mouth and dragged him away, afraid that his drunken tantrum would cause them more trouble. They didn¡¯t dare to look back at Ye Kun as they left.

    Fang Xi was only a little tipsy, not drunk. She recognized Ye Kun and casually thanked him. Ye Kun smiled merrily at her, his previous cold expression nowhere to be seen. ¡°What a coincidence, Miss Fang! ¡± he beamed. Fang Xi chuckled and nodded at him before returning to her booth.

    The dance music started up again, but Fang Xi didn¡¯t return to the dance floor; she just sat in her booth and drank alcohol. After a moment¡¯s thought, Ye Kun walked over to her with his drink in hand. He sat down on the outermost side of the booth, and before Fang Xi could say anything, he stated, ¡°I¡¯m sitting here so that no one will come and disturb you, Miss Fang. You can trust me and drink without worry since I¡¯m an acquaintance, after all. You know my address¡ªyou know where to find me if anything happens. I don¡¯t have any other intentions; I just want to spare you some trouble. I¡¯m fine just sitting here; you can pretend I don¡¯t exist.¡±

    ¡® What else can I say to that? Fang Xi thought. She pursed her lips and smiled at

    wonderful man.¡±

    ¡®Her smile is even more dazzling than the neon lights above her head,¡¯ Ye Kun inwardly sighed, and his heart skipped a beat.

    Fang Xi knew Yun Nan would come to pick her up, and she was very familiar with the bartender here, so she felt quite safe. Mildly drunk, she looked at the person before her whom she¡¯d met less than five times, and smilingly asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s your name again? I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve had too much to drink. My brain is a little scrambled right now, so I can¡¯t remember it.¡±

    Ye Kun smiled. ¡®She¡¯s adorable,¡¯ he thought before he answered, ¡°It¡¯s Ye Kun. Ye as in leaf and Kun as in the universe.¡±

    Fang Xi nodded and solemnly assured him, ¡°Okay, got it, Mr. Leaf Universe.¡± She cutely blinked her eyes at him, feigning innocence, and then the two of them burst into laughter.

    ¡°Just call me Ye Kun. It¡¯s simple and easy to remember,¡± Ye Kun laughingly commented.

    Fang Xi nodded and carefully repeated his name. ¡°Ye Kun, Ye Kun.¡± Ye Kun smiled at her and poured her a glass of soda water. Fang Xi took a sip and was surprised. ¡°Isn¡¯t this soda water?¡±

    Ye Kun smiled without saying anything. Fang Xi waved the bartender over and asked them to bring her two glasses of alcohol. She handed one to Ye Kun and told him, ¡°What¡¯s the point of coming to a bar if you¡¯re not going to drink? Are you just here rubbernecking?¡±

    Ye Kun took the offered drink, put it aside, and said, ¡°Go and knock yourself out. I¡¯ll send you home when you¡¯ve had enough.¡±

    Fang Xi had just taken a sip of her drink and froze. His words were too kind and took her off guard. With a gulp, Fang Xi swallowed and promptly choked on her drink..

 Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter Sixty-Nine: Embarrassing Tales

    Chapter 69: Chapter Sixty-Nine: Embarrassing Tales

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Ye Kun quickly handed her a tissue and concernedly asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Fang Xi took the tissue and coughed into it a few times. Her slightly tipsy face reddened, and she gently shook her head and apologized, ¡°Sorry about that.¡±

    Ye Kun was relieved when he saw that she was fine and advised her, ¡°Slow down; the drinks aren¡¯t going anywhere.¡±

    Fang Xi returned to their previous conversation and told him, ¡°Mr. Ye Kun, you needn¡¯t bother sending me home. I have a friend picking me up, but I appreciate the offer. Thank you!¡±

    Ye Kun now understood why Fang Xi dared to drink so liberally and felt slightly disappointed. Just then, the bartender hurried over and informed Fang Xi, ¡°Miss Fang, Miss Yun couldn¡¯t get through to you, so she called me and asked me to come over to check if you were drunk. She said she¡¯s a little busy and couldn¡¯t come pick you up at the moment.¡±

    Fang Xi was stunned¡ªshe couldn¡¯t believe Yun Nan bailed on her. More importantly, she had just assured Ye Kun she had a ride home not a minute ago!

    Ye Kun barely hid his smile at the news and stated, ¡°Miss Fang, we¡¯re heading the same way anyway. Why don¡¯t I give you a ride home so you don¡¯t have to trouble your friend?¡±

    ¡®Her friend who is also a girl. That¡¯s good to know. From that, I think it¡¯s safe to say she definitely doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend,¡¯ Ye Kun secretly deduced, and hope blossomed in his chest.

    ¡°Young Master Kun, Miss Fang is our VIP customer,¡± the bartender respectfully imparted.

    Ye Kun smiled. ¡°Okay, then it¡¯s my duty as a member of staff to escort Miss Fang back home. I guarantee in the name of this bar that I¡¯ll send you home safely, Miss Fang, so give us a chance. Let us provide you with the VIP services promised to our VIP customers.¡±

    When the bartender saw Fang Xi¡¯s baffled expression, he hurriedly told her, ¡°Miss Fang, Mr. Ye Kun is one of our bar¡¯s shareholders.¡±

    Fang Xi smiled and thanked the bartender. She then took out her phone and saw she¡¯d missed a call from Yun Nan. She knew that Yun Nan must be busy right now, so she sent her a reply on WeChat: ¡°It¡¯s fine. The bar has arranged for someone to send me home. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    She put down her phone and accepted Ye Kun¡¯s offer. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ye. I could really use that VIP service if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure!¡± Ye Kun delightedly replied.

    ¡°Can we take my car? I have work tomorrow,¡± Fang Xi requested.

    ¡°No problem,¡± Ye Kun immediately agreed. He didn¡¯t mind being her chauffeur at all. He hadn¡¯t drunk a single drop of alcohol the entire night just for this very moment.

    Sitting in the passenger seat of her car, Fang Xi felt sleepy and rubbed her forehead. ¡°Go ahead and take a nap. I¡¯ll wake you up when we get there,¡± Ye Kun suggested as he fastened his seatbelt.

    Fang Xi leaned back in her seat and got comfortable. She smiled lazily and said, ¡°Nah, why don¡¯t we chat instead? I can sleep when I get home.¡± She had poor sleep; if she slept now, she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep a wink when she got home.

    ¡°How about I tell you some funny stories about my childhood?¡± Ye Kun volunteered as he started the car and smiled. ¡°They¡¯re probably more effective than hangover soup.¡± He deliberately didn¡¯t call her ¡°Miss Fang.¡± Fang Xi was busy laughing and didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Oh, really? Is that so?¡±

    ¡°I was eight years old the first time I drank alcohol,¡± Ye Kun began. ¡°I heard Maotai is especially delicious, so I stole two bottles of it from my grandfather. I even invited my buddies over for a drink. The four of us hid in the basement and drank. We had one bottle, and then the alcohol kicked in. We got so high that night. One of us thought he was Popeye the sailor man, another thought he was B-Robo Kabutack, and someone thought they were Simba from Lion King.¡±

    ¡°And for the sake of justice, we started to use our powers. When the adults found us, we just about tore the basement apart. My brother said it was the first time he saw someone turn into a demolisher after having too much alcohol. ¡±

    Fang Xi could picture the scene in her mind, and she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Chortling, she asked, ¡°What did you imagine yourself as?¡±

    ¡°Me? I thought I was a tiger and fought Simba for the sofa. In the end, I decided that if I can¡¯t have it, no one can, so I dug a hole in the middle of the sofa, haha!¡±

    Fang Xi cracked up and chuckled, ¡°Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun!¡±

    Ye Kun nodded and agreed, ¡°Yeah, we did. We also got a spanking for it. Now that wasn¡¯t much fun!¡± Fang Xi laughed to tears at that.

    Ye Kun clicked his tongue and continued, ¡°My older brother took a photo of what happened back then. That year, each time the four of us celebrated our birthdays, he would take out those photos and let us relive them. Thanks to him, our four families got a lot of fun out of our embarrassing moments. However, none of us could beat him, and no one stood on our side when we complained about him. It made us very upset for a while.¡±

    Fang Xi was laughing so hard she had to lean against the window. She felt she shouldn¡¯t be laughing at Ye Kun¡¯s past misfortune and repeatedly apologized, ¡°Sorry, sorry. Please excuse me.¡± However, Ye Kun¡¯s tale was honestly too funny, and she couldn¡¯t stop herself.

    Ye Kun turned to look at Fang Xi¡¯s giggling face. ¡®This girl is just too cute,¡¯ he thought.. ¡®Sharing that embarrassing incident was completely worth it!¡¯

 Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter Seventy: Taken Care Of

    Chapter 70: Chapter Seventy: Taken Care Of

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    When they arrived at their residential building, Yun Nan called. ¡°Fang Xi, where are you?¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s voice still carried a hint of laughter as she reassured Yun Nan, ¡°I¡¯m downstairs. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Relieved, Yun Nan asked, ¡°How did you get back? Did you leave your car at the

    Fang Xi replied, ¡°Relax, the bar¡¯s shareholder drove me home in my car. Are you done with your work? Is everything ready? I¡¯m returning to work tomorrow. I¡¯ll be checking everyone¡¯s work; I want to make sure you guys didn¡¯t slack off while I was gone.¡±

    Yun Nan laughed and told her, ¡°Aye, aye, Chief Steward. You won¡¯t be disappointed.¡±

    Ye Kun parked the car and handed the car keys to Fang Xi. Knowing he¡¯d left his car at the bar, Fang Xi apologetically offered, ¡°Why don¡¯t I send you to work tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Ye Kun smilingly declined. ¡°My workplace isn¡¯t far away.¡±

    That scored him more points with Fang Xi. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he accepted her offer so they could meet each other again. However, the sincerity he was showing her was rare nowadays. He truly had no other intentions aside from taking her back home.

    They got to their floor and opened their respective doors. Fang Xi turned around to say goodbye, only to hear a ¡°woof¡± coming from Ye Kun¡¯s apartment. Then, a furry little animal jumped out.

    ¡°Tuan Tuan!¡± Ye Kun hurriedly called out in admonishment. Tuan Tuan barked angrily at Ye Kun. Then, the canine noticed Fang Xi and ran over to her.

    Fang Xi was about to enter her apartment, but when she saw Tuan Tuan running towards her, she immediately stopped in her tracks, squatted down, and stretched out her hand to Tuan Tuan.

    Tuan Tuan sniffed Fang Xi¡¯s hand and licked her fingers, causing her to giggle at the ticklish sensation. Fang Xi stroked Tuan Tuan¡¯s head with her other hand and greeted the puppy, ¡°Tuan Tuan, hi there! ¡±

    Tuan Tuan barked cutely and wagged his tail in response. Fang Xi looked up at Ye Kun and remarked sincerely, ¡°Tuan Tuan is too cute.¡± Before Ye Kun could say anything in reply, Tuan Tuan ran into Fang Xi¡¯s apartment through her slightly opened door.

    ¡°Tuan Tuan!¡± Ye Kun cried out.

    Fang Xi stood up a little too quickly. She felt dizzy, and her vision turned dark for a moment. ¡°Careful, easy now,¡± Ye Kun cautioned and gently supported her. Fang Xi steadied herself against her doorframe. She knew she had drunk too much and sighed.

    Ye Kun helped her into the house, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s get you inside first. Do you have any honey? I¡¯ll make you some honey water.¡±

    He led Fang Xi to the sofa and sat her down on it. Fang Xi propped her head up and answered, ¡°There¡¯s some in the fridge.¡± Tuan Tuan jumped onto the sofa and leaped into Fang Xi¡¯s arms, sniffing around. ¡®This little one is extremely adorable,¡¯ Fang Xi thought and hugged Tuan Tuan; she was extremely fond of the pup.

    Ye Kun found the honey and deftly mixed it with some warm water. He handed the cup of honey water to Fang Xi and reached for Tuan Tuan, but Tuan Tuan refused to leave Fang Xi¡¯s arms.

    Fang Xi took the cup and felt quite touched. This was the first time in her life that a man had made honey water for her. Usually, she was the one who made honey water for others. Fang Xi¡¯s eyes blurred. Blinking, she saw Tuan Tuan struggling to stay with her and suggested, ¡®Why don¡¯t you let Tuan Tuan play with me for a while?¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Ye Kun conceded. ¡°Make sure you drink that honey water. Otherwise,

    you¡¯ll have a heauache tomorrow morning.¡± rang Al stareu at ye nun anu smiled sadly. She had said the same thing to the man she loved countless times. She didn¡¯t expect to hear the same thing herself one day.

    Fang Xi downed the honey water in one gulp. Ye Kun took the cup from her hand and brought it to the kitchen to wash it clean before placing it back where he found it.

    Fang Xi looked at his tall figure in shock. His movements were fluid, natural, and without any pause. It was as if he did this every day. She was brought out of her daze by Tuan Tuan licking her fingers again. Fang Xi lowered her head and was met with the puppy¡¯s shiny black eyes. It was so adorable that her heart was about to melt.

    ¡°Tuan Tuan, it¡¯s time to go home. Aren¡¯t you hungry? Miss Fang needs to rest. We can visit her another day, okay?¡± Ye Kun persuaded as he extended his hands toward Tuan Tuan once more.

    ¡°Woof!¡± Tuan Tuan barked at Ye Kun in protest. Ye Kun and Fang Xi laughed at the dog¡¯s antics.

    Ye Kun exasperatedly commented, ¡°You little rascal! You can¡¯t just dump your dear old dad for a pretty lady!¡±

    ¡°Tuan Tuan is a male?¡± Fang Xi asked.

    Ye Kun nodded and told her, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a boy, and it looks like this little fella has a taste for beautiful girls!¡±

    Fang Xi lifted Tuan Tuan and rubbed his coat. ¡°Tuan Tuan is a cute little guy!¡± she declared. The puppy stuck out his tongue and licked his own nose.

    Ye Kun reached out and took the little furball. ¡°Get over yourself, you little beastie. We have to go home and eat. Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±

    Tuan Tuan twisted and turned before obediently sitting in Ye Kun¡¯s arm. After all, food is of the utmost importance..

 Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter Seventy-One: Entrusted

    Chapter 71: Chapter Seventy-One: Entrusted

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi saw them to the door and sincerely said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ye.¡±

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Ye Kun replied, ¡°Call me Ye Kun, and I¡¯ll call you

    Fang Xi. It¡¯s easier that way.¡±

    Fang Xi nodded with a smile and agreed, ¡°Alright. Goodbye, Ye Kun. Bye-bye,

    Tuan Tuan.¡±

    ¡°Woof!¡± Tuan Tuan barked and wriggled in Ye Kun¡¯s arms. Fang Xi and Ye Kun smiled at each other before they returned to their respective homes and closed their doors.

    The next morning, the doorbell woke Fang Xi up. Thinking that it was Yun Nan, who had forgotten her keys again, she opened the door in her pajamas and complained, ¡°You do know you can use the key code if you don¡¯t have the keys, right? I need my beauty sleep, so please don¡¯t disturb¡ª¡±

    ¡°Woof!¡± She came face to face with Tuan Tuan. Ye Kun lifted the puppy up and quickly fired off his request when Fang Xi appeared, ¡°Fang Xi, please help me take care of Tuan Tuan for three days. I have to get to the airport right NOW! It¡¯s an emergency! I don¡¯t have any reliable friends I can trust to take care of Tuan Tuan aside from you, so I can only leave him with you. Please and thank you! These are my contact number and my apartment¡¯s key code. Feel free to head in and get anything you need. Thank you, bye!¡±

    Ye Kun stuffed Tuan Tuan and a Post-it note into Fang Xi¡¯s hands. He moved like a whirlwind; by the time he had finished speaking, he¡¯d already entered the elevator.

    Fang Xi stood flummoxed at her door, sporting a messy bedhead and pajamas while holding a dog in her arms and a light blue Post-it note clutched in one hand.

    ¡°Woof, woof, woof!¡± The small creature in her arms was dissatisfied with the beauty¡¯s dazed inattention and decided to remind her of its presence.

    Fang Xi looked down at Tuan Tuan. She brought the puppy into her apartment and closed the door. She then stuck the post-it note on the door and asked the canine, ¡°Is your dad usually this impetuous? What if I¡¯m a dog dealer who would sell you off?¡±

    ¡°Woof!¡± Tuan Tuan looked up at her innocently, and Fang Xi felt exasperated.

    Fang Xi arrived at the studio with a luxurious and comfortable-looking dog crate. Xiao Kang¡ªthe cameraman walking towards them¡ªdidn¡¯t fail to notice the expensive carrier and exclaimed, ¡°Fang Xi, your dog must be so happy. I want to be your dog too! Where do I sign up?¡±

    Fang Xi kicked him. ¡°I think you should aim higher¡ªa panda, at least. A national first-class protected animal would get more than just a dog crate.¡±

    Xiao Kang grinned as he played with the puppy. Tuan Tuan bared his teeth at him from within the crate and barked, ¡°Woof!¡±

    ¡°My, my, what a fierce little puppy you are!¡± Xiao Kang chuckled. Fang Xi was a little puzzled; this was the first time she had seen Tuan Tuan behave so aggressively. She was a little worried but had work to do, so she put the matter aside and headed to Yun Nan¡¯s office with her dog crate.

    When she got to Yun Nan¡¯s office, Yun Nan was surprised. ¡°Where did the puppy come from?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Someone asked me to look after him for a few days. I was worried about leaving him alone at home, so I brought him with me,¡± Fang Xi succinctly explained as she felt it was too troublesome to tell the whole story.

    Yun Nan thought nothing of it; she knew Fang Xi had always liked small animals. She extended her hand and greeted Tuan Tuan, ¡°Hi, hello there!¡± ¡°His name is Tuan Tuan, ¡± Fang Xi informed her.

    ¡°Oh, okay. Hello, Tuan Tuan!¡± Yun Nan said, and Tuan Tuan returned her greeting with an adorable ¡°Woof!¡±

    Fang Xi laughed. ¡°This little fellow is a bit selective. Maybe his owner was right¡ªTuan Tuan does like beautiful women.¡± She then took a closer look at Yun Nan. She spotted her tired face and chastised, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were up all night?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and told her, ¡°All the preparations are done. You can go and check them out yourself. We¡¯ll start filming at your command. By the way, how¡¯s your family? How¡¯s your mother doing?¡±

    Fang Xi shrugged. ¡°Same old, same old. My mother¡¯s health isn¡¯t any worse than mine. She tricked me home because she wanted to introduce a boyfriend to me. It¡¯s the same thing with my father. Both of them are urging me to get married, and they¡¯ve each prepared a team of young and talented men for me to go on blind dates with, so I escaped and came back.¡±

    Yun Nan laughed and patted her shoulder. ¡°No one can resist your charms, Fang Xi.¡± Fang Xi¡¯s parents had divorced, and they both remarried and formed new families. Fang Xi had several half-brothers and half-sisters. However, she had no home despite her large family. That was Fang Xi¡¯s deepest pain, and if she didn¡¯t mention it, Yun Nan wouldn¡¯t bring it up.

    ¡°Yun Nan! Yun Nan, the takeout your husband ordered for us has arrived! Come have a look!¡± Xiao Kang shouted in surprise.

    ¡°Your husband?¡± Fang Xi repeated and frowned. Yun Nan told Fang Xi about Shi Nian¡¯s visit to the studio as they walked out.

    Fang Xi¡¯s frown deepened, and she asked, ¡°What does he want from you?¡±

    Yun Nan reassured her, ¡°Nothing. Our marriage contract stipulates we have to pretend we¡¯re happily married for five years, so it¡¯s just as well. We have to be convincing, after all.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried he¡¯ll fall in love with you?¡± Fang Xi questioned.

    Yun Nan laughed as she answered, ¡°I¡¯m not as worried about that as I am about whether your two teams of young and talented men will come all the way here to see you.¡±

    Yun Nan noticed Fang Xi staring at her and quickly assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fang Xi, he won¡¯t. I looked into him before I collaborated with him. The guy has no interest in women.¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So he¡¯s interested in men? Same-sex marriage?¡±

    Yun Nan sighed. ¡°No, what I mean is, the guy has no interest in relationships.. He¡¯s an emotionless workaholic! Do you think I would dare to make such a move otherwise? I¡¯m not one to court disaster!¡±

 Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Seventy-Two: Concern

    Chapter 72: Seventy-Two: Concern

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Looking at the takeout that filled the largest conference table in the hall, Fang

    Xi muttered, ¡°I have the feeling that¡¯s exactly what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    Yun Nan was also shocked by the scene. Shi Xiu immediately perked up when she heard it was her second brother who had sent them the food, and went forward to help distribute it, saying, ¡°That¡¯s very kind of my brother! I¡¯ll have to thank him later. Everyone, please help yourself. Have a bite! You¡¯ve all worked hard, so you should enjoy a well-deserved break.¡±

    Fang Xi stared at her and asked Yun Nan, ¡°And who¡¯s the little lady over there?¡± Yun Nan quickly called Shi Xiu over and introduced Fang Xi to her. ¡°This is my best friend, Fang Xi.¡±

    Shi Xiu beat Yun Nan to the punch and introduced herself. ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Shi

    Nian¡¯s sister and Yun Nan¡¯s sister-in-law, Shi Xiu. I¡¯m currently learning under

    Director Mika. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Fang Xi!¡±

    Shi Xiu suddenly bowed at Fang Xi, startling the woman. Fang Xi hurriedly pulled her up and praised, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a beauty? I¡¯m sure Mika felt like he¡¯d found a gem when he met you.¡±

    Shi Xiu was a little embarrassed by that. Yun Nan laughed and told Fang Xi, ¡®You really should give him a stern talking to. He¡¯s too bold! Did you know not only did he manage to persuade Shi Xiu to join the cast, but he also took a shine to Shi Nian?¡±

    ¡°He wanted Shi Nian in the movie?¡± Fang Xi was stunned at Mika¡¯s idea. Yun Nan nodded and commented, ¡°You know how he gets around good-looking people.¡±

    However, Fang Xi remarked, ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea. You know what¡ªMika¡¯s right.

    As your husband, he has to be willing to go to the ends of the earth for you. Isn¡¯t that right, Shi Xiu?¡±

    Shi Xiu nodded furiously in agreement and stated, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fang Xi. My brother is at your disposal as long as Yun Nan is around.¡±

    Fang Xi froze. She then turned to stare at Yun Nan, who could read the silent question in her eyes: ¡® What did she mean by that?

    Yun Nan smiled but didn¡¯t give her an answer. She pulled Shi Xiu towards her and said, ¡°I¡¯ve asked her brother, and he doesn¡¯t object to her having an acting career.¡±

    ¡°What about her parents? Is she of age?¡± Fang Xi asked, worried.

    ¡°Yes! Yes, I am. Fang Xi, I¡¯m twenty years old. My parents and grandfather know that I¡¯m working with Yun Nan, so they¡¯re not worried at all.¡±

    Fang Xi was speechless and shook her head at Yun Nan. ¡°It seems your marriage does have its perks; it got us a new actress.¡±

    Only Fang Xi knew the truth about her marriage. Yun Nan knew she was worried about her, so she smiled and quipped, ¡°Relax, Fang Xi! You worry too much. Forget about all the unpleasant things. We¡¯ve all been waiting for you to return and run the show!¡±

    Fang Xi let out a long sigh. ¡®My work never ends,¡± she groaned. Shi Xiu stuffed a box of grilled eel on rice and a box of vegetable salad into her hands and smilingly urged, ¡°Have some, Fang Xi!¡±

    Fang Xi looked at the food in her hands and spoke to Shi Xiu, ¡°You can call me your sister if you want.¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s slightly uneasy heart finally calmed at Fang Xi¡¯s welcoming attitude.

    She looped her arm around Fang Xi¡¯s and happily accepted the offer. ¡°That¡¯ll be awesome! I¡¯m your little sister from now on.¡±

    ¡°*Tsk!* You little sweet talker! I bet you¡¯ll have Mika head over heels in no time,¡± Fang Xi murmured. Even she wasn¡¯t immune to this cute little girl.

    Everyone sang Shi Nian¡¯s praises during lunchtime, and Yun Nan sent him a WeChat message to express her gratitude. Shi Nian promptly replied, ¡°You stayed up all night yesterday. You should go home early today and get some rest. Don¡¯t tire yourself out.¡±

    Yun Nan dazedly stared at her WeChat window and had an indescribable feeling. Although it was just a text message, she could feel Shi Nian¡¯s concern from the words. It was a kind of concern that surpassed their collaborative relationship and was closer to the concern shown between a couple or a husband and wife.

    Yun Nan broke out in goosebumps and rubbed her arms. ¡®Honestly, what is up with me? What¡¯s with these ridiculous thoughts? She quickly shook her head and tried her best to banish them. She decided she would cook a delicious meal for Shi Nian when she got home in return for his consideration as well as their lunch today. She didn¡¯t want to owe him too much.

    Liang Han¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at the pictures and papers that Shi Nian had sent him. He instantly called him and asked, ¡°Shi Nian, y-you, you¡¯re serious about this girl?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± was his simple and brief answer.

    ¡°Who is she? When can we meet her? Now I¡¯m really curious. Oh, and have you decided on a strategy? Did you plan this for a long time? Buddy, are you really serious about her?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Shi Nian repeated; even his tone stayed the same.

    Don¡¯t give me that! Aren¡¯t we brothers? Why are you being so mysterious? Stop keeping me in suspense, or I might not help you anymore,¡± Liang Han both begged and threatened.

    ¡°I can always ask someone else to help me,¡± Shi Nian delivered the checkmate..

 Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter Seventy-Three: Advert

    Chapter 73: Chapter Seventy-Three: Advert

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Hey, stop right there¡ªYou can¡¯t do that! *Sigh* Okay, fine, I¡¯ll listen and do as you say! But you can¡¯t leave me hanging like this! You know I won¡¯t be able to sleep if my curiosity isn¡¯t satisfied!¡± Liang Han whined, pulling out his trump card.

    After a moment¡¯s silence, Shi Nian revealed, ¡°She¡¯s quite stupid. She won¡¯t understand mine or her feelings without external help.¡±

    Liang Han made a puzzled noise. Shi Nian carefully formulated his words as he said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to believe in love. She only has work on her mind. I want to use my own method to make her understand.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see what you¡¯re getting at. Bro, you¡¯re playing the long game. It¡¯s just like you, Shi Nian, to take on such a high-level challenge! Alright, your pal here will do anything for you! Tell me what you need; I¡¯ll do whatever you say!¡± Liang Han assured him, and Shi Nian was pleased with the promise.

    Fang Xi came up to Yun Nan with a magazine, looking confused. ¡°What is it?¡± Yun Nan asked and reached out for the magazine.

    ¡°There¡¯s a picture of you and Shi Nian in there,¡± Fang Xi informed her. She flipped open the magazine, found the page she wanted, and pointed out said picture to Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan was stunned. It was a wedding ring advert, and beside the wedding ring pictures was a beautiful photo of a man with his arms around a woman¡¯s shoulders, head lowered as he smilingly whispered into her ear. It was obvious that they were a pair of lovers; the sweetness and affection between them were about to overflow from the photo.

    It wasn¡¯t strange to find such ads in the magazine, and the photo¡ªfrom the layout to the content¡ªwas a common feature of wedding ring ads. That wasn¡¯t the issue. What was a little unusual was that the couple¡¯s faces weren¡¯t shown in the photo, though more of the man¡¯s side profile can be seen than his partner¡¯s. However, anyone who knew Yun Nan and Shi Nian would definitely be able to recognize them, just like Fang Xi currently did.

    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful photo¡ªvery well taken,¡± Fang Xi softly commented.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know when this photo was taken,¡± Yun Nan replied, flummoxed.

    She looked at Fang Xi and queried, ¡°Is there a problem with this?¡±

    Fang Xi shook her head. ¡°The photo is a big hit. Everyone is awed by the fairytale couple. However, I¡¯ve already received several calls asking if you have a boyfriend. Mr. MO also called and asked me why the couple in the photo looked a lot like you and Shi Nian.¡±

    ¡°*Tsk!* Why are you guys making such bold guesses when even Ican¡¯t be sure it¡¯s me in the photo?¡± Yun Nan sighed and drily retorted.

    Fang Xi pointed to a ring pictured in the advert. ¡°See this ring here?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The ad¡¯s theme is ¡®Love Eternal.¡¯ I¡¯m really impressed by the copyvvriter. Yun Nan, do you know what this feels like?¡±

    ¡°No. Would you care to share?¡± Yun Nan asked, bemused.

    Fang Xi leaned against the door frame and tilted her head in thought. She uttered, ¡°It feels like Shi Nian is shamelessly showing off his love for you to all and sundry.¡±

    ¡®Huh? Yun Nan was baffled by her friend¡¯s thought process. She shut the magazine and stuffed it into Fang Xi¡¯s arms. ¡°You should join the scriptwriters¡¯ team with that storytelling talent of yours. Are you interested in writing a script for us? We could film a romance drama after we¡¯re done with our current

    project.¡±

    Fang Xi shrugged. ¡°You truly don¡¯t think Shi Nian has feelings for you?¡± she questioned.

    Yun Nan shook her head and answered frankly, ¡°I¡¯m quite sure he doesn¡¯t feel anything for me. He respects the contract, and so do I! We are like-minded people, and we have an understanding!¡±

    Fang Xi hugged the magazine to her chest and gave Yun Nan¡¯s words some thought before smiling, ¡°That¡¯s true. You don¡¯t have a single romantic cell in that brain of yours. Shi Nian will have a hard time if he has feelings for you. He has my condolences.¡±

    Yun Nan pushed her out of her office as she said, ¡°You should put away your overflowing sympathy. He certainly doesn¡¯t need it.¡±

    There was an imperceptible smile on Shi Nian¡¯s lips as he looked at the magazine before him, spaced out. Chang Yuan coughed lightly into his fist and brought Shi Nian back to the present. Shi Nian felt slightly awkward and stated, ¡°The jewelry that my sister-in-law designed this time is exquisite.¡±

    Chang Yuan couldn¡¯t hide his smile as he replied, ¡°Your ad did most of the work. Why did you publish it through Liang Han? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we published it ourselves?¡±

    Shi Nian shook his head and told him, ¡°That would scare her off. It¡¯s best if I get her used to the idea bit by bit.¡±

    ¡®Ah, the boiling frog strategy!¡¯ Chang Yuan thought and glanced at Shi Nian. Ever since he was young, Shi Nian would succeed at everything he set his mind to. Now, the man was using his tremendous intellect to woo his wife¡ªit seemed he really liked Yun Nan.

    ¡°Do you plan to have everyone know about your feelings for her, get everyone onboard with the idea, and create a favorable atmosphere before confessing to her?¡± Chang Yuan asked.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°You should give her some gifts from time to time,¡±

    Chang Yuan suggested. ¡°Girls tend to like gifts and surprises.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Shi Nian wasn¡¯t sure that would work with Yun Nan. Chang Yuan nodded and reassured him, ¡°I¡¯m certain that¡¯s the case. Take Shi Xiu, for example.. Don¡¯t all the boys who like her give her presents every now and then?¡±

 Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter Seventy-Four: Fury

    Chapter 74: Chapter Seventy-Four: Fury

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian remained silent. Shi Xiu had received more gifts than she knew what to do with since she was a kid, but she¡¯d never taken the boys who gave her those gifts seriously. Evidently, gifts aren¡¯t guaranteed to win the heart of every girl. However, it was worth a try.

    Yun Liu sat on the sofa, exhausted. Miss Ding quickly called her assistant over to give Yun Liu a massage. She smiled obsequiously at Yun Liu and said, ¡°Thanks for all your hard work, honey. You can rest for a few days once today¡¯s variety show is over.¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± Yun Liu replied lazily.

    ¡°Yan Ning is your co-host today. He recently became popular because of his performance as the second male lead in a drama. He¡¯s a big hit. I¡¯ve already discussed it with his manager; we¡¯ll create some gossip about a romance between you two to gain more publicity.¡±

    Yun Liu glanced at her indifferently. ¡°Show me the draft before you release the news. Don¡¯t make me out as if I¡¯m a clingy date. He¡¯s not worth that sacrifice,¡± she sneered.

    Miss Ding maintained her smile and assured Yun Liu, ¡°Of course, dear! Of course! We¡¯ll definitely be the ones holding the reins. After the show¡¯s over, we can all go out for a meal and record a video of the two of you entering the restaurant together. We can release the video together with the news.¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t say anything. Another assistant came in with a few magazines and placed them beside Yun Liu¡¯s hand. Yun Liu picked one up and flipped through it in boredom. Miss Ding then chimed in and commented, ¡°I heard that the Shi family¡¯s young madam has launched a new product.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Yun Liu immediately perked up. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to show my support.¡±

    Xiang Yang was Shi Nian¡¯s sister-in-law and was doted on by the Shi family¡¯s elders. She came from a prestigious family and had a cold and aloof personality. Yun Liu had tried her best to please her but to no avail, so she could only spend money to buy Xiang Yang¡¯s new jewelry products in order to show her support and gain some points with that woman.

    Fortunately, all of Xiang Yang¡¯s designs were exquisite and had collectible value. It wasn¡¯t a loss if Yun Liu treated them as an investment. Yun Liu saw the wedding ring advert, and her eyes were instantly caught by the ring pictured on it. She caressed the picture and sighed, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful!¡±

    The assistant giving her legs a massage piped up, ¡°Only a beauty like you is worthy of such a gorgeous ring!¡± Yun Liu was quite pleased when she heard that. She carefully studied the design concept of the ring, as well as the number of diamonds and grams of platinum the ring contained, and couldn¡¯t help but feel secretly amazed by it.

    ¡°Wow! This photo is stunning!¡± The assistant exclaimed as she moved in close and pointed at the couple¡¯s picture on the ad. Yun Liu¡¯s gaze fell on the photo, and she suddenly felt as if lightning had struck her.

    The assistants began to talk about the photo. ¡°You¡¯re right! Oh my, the photo and this ring are truly a perfect match,¡± one of them remarked.

    ¡°*Sigh* We should find out who the photographer is and hire them to take a photo of Yun Liu. She¡¯ll look fabulous!¡±

    ¡°This man is so handsome! He got me swooning with just his side profile!¡± ¡°This woman¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get out!¡± Yun Liu suddenly flew into a rage and violently threw the magazine she held at one of the assistants. She also kicked the assistant who was massaging her leg to the ground. The assistants paled in fright. Miss Ding didn¡¯t know what brought on Yun Liu¡¯s sudden bout of anger, but she speedily gave the assistants a look indicating them to leave hastily.

    Yun Liu¡¯s face was pasty, and her chest heaved as she breathed heavily. ¡®What got her so mad? Miss Ding wondered and swiftly replayed the conversation in her mind. She bent down, picked up the magazine on the ground, and flipped it open.

    ¡°Yun Nan, that b*tch! She actually did this in secret!¡± Yun Liu hatefully hissed. Miss Ding took a closer look at the ad and finally understood what Yun Liu was angry about. If Yun Liu hadn¡¯t pointed it out, she honestly wouldn¡¯t have noticed that the couple in the photo were Shi Nian and Yun Nan.

    Yun Liu suddenly began to cry; she covered her face and sobbed. She couldn¡¯t understand why Shi Nian would quietly marry Yun Nan and ignore her courting efforts. ¡® What does Yun Nan have that I don¡¯t? Yun Liu thought poisonously. ¡®I won¡¯t accept this unreasonable defeat!¡¯

    ¡°Yun Liu, don¡¯t cry! We¡¯ll figure something out. You never know; this might be a good thing for us!¡± Miss Ding gently consoled her.

    Yun Liu wiped her tears and dejectedly sniffed, ¡°What else can we do? That woman is too shameless. Her new movie is already hyped up, so what more does she want? Shi Nian is mine! He was supposed to be mine!¡±

    Miss Ding promptly comforted her, ¡°Okay, okay. Don¡¯t cry anymore. Let¡¯s stop crying, alright? You wouldn¡¯t be able to put your make-up on if your eyes swell up. You should stop crying and listen to me! ¡±

    Yun Liu finally stopped crying. She stared at the magazine before her and was about to throw another tantrum when Miss Ding said, ¡°You need to calm down. Now see here, no one formally stated that the woman in the photo is Yun Nan, so why can¡¯t it be you?¡±

    ¡® What? Yun Liu looked at Miss Ding, too surprised to react. Miss Ding gave her a smug smile and continued, ¡°Silly girl, it¡¯s nothing to cry over. You can only see a quarter of her side profile. Who can tell that it¡¯s Yun Nan in the photo? I say she looks more like you.. What do you think?¡±

 Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter Seventy-Five: Avoiding Suspicion

    Chapter 75: Chapter Seventy-Five: Avoiding Suspicion

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡®I think that¡¯s a great idea! Why not? Yun Liu thought, and her eyes brightened.

    Miss Ding knew she understood. She tidied Yun Liu¡¯s hair and said, ¡°We can get the hairstylist to trim your hair and style it like the photo. Then, we¡¯ll have someone take a few photos of you from similar angles and spread the news with those pictures within the next two days. We¡¯ll openly imply the woman is you instead of playing hide-and-seek like Yun Nan. Hmph! She won¡¯t be able to refute the rumors even if she shouts the facts until she¡¯s blue in the face. But Yun Liu, you have to remember not to confirm anything. Change the topic if the media reporters ask about it. Don¡¯t respond or clarify things; you just have to muddy the waters.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s eyes shone brighter as she listened. Miss Ding was delighted when she saw that Yun Liu approved of her strategy. Now that she had a plan, Yun Liu slowly calmed down. ¡°Miss Ding, count the small hiccup just now as overtime work and give those three girls an additional 1,000 dollars each,¡± she commanded, fiddling with her phone.

    Miss Ding¡¯s phone pinged with a notification, and Yun Liu informed her, ¡°I¡¯ve transferred another 20,000 dollars to you. Help me buy some desserts for everyone.¡±

    Miss Ding grinned widely and replied, ¡°Thanks, sweetie! Then, I¡¯ll call the hairstylist right now!¡± Yun Liu nodded slightly in approval.

    Fang Xi sat in the large conference room, monitoring various public opinions online while listening to their studio¡¯s different teams¡¯ meetings. Meanwhile, Yun Nan sat across the table, reading her movie script.

    ¡°*Pfft*!¡± Fang Xi suddenly spluttered and spat out her coffee. Opposite her, Yun Nan quickly reacted and blocked the sudden ¡®coffee attack¡¯ with her script folder.

    Fang Xi started coughing violently. Yun Nan, having been caught in the crossfire, stood up and patted her back. She handed her a tissue and teased, ¡°My, my, I know the word ¡®Xi¡¯ in your name means stream, but did you have to act the part, too?¡±

    Everyone looked over and laughed nonstop. Fang Xi stopped coughing and poked Yun Nan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Here I am, worried about my best friend, and this is the thanks I get?¡± she grumbled. ¡°Who do you think I did this for, hmm? See for yourself. Look how many women showed up overnight, claiming to be your husband¡¯s¡ªthe distinguished Second Young Master Shi¡ªrumored girlfriend.

    Do you still feel like laughing?¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Yun Nan retorted, but she still took a look at the tabloid. The headlines read: ¡®Female celebrities changed looks overnight!¡¯

    ¡®Huh,¡¯ was Yun Nan¡¯s reaction. At first, Yun Nan had thought there was some new plastic surgery technology, but it turned out that more than ten female celebrities had suddenly changed their hairstyles.

    The media released the before and after photos of these celebrities, including pictures of them from the front and back. The strange thing was: photos of these women¡¯s side profiles were combined together, side by side. It was like viewing characters in a mobile game; the women¡¯s images were dizzying and confusing!

    ¡°What is the meaning of this? Is this some kind of event?¡± Yun Nan asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Nope, no event. Take a closer look. Don¡¯t these women look familiar?¡± Fang Xi hedged as she cleaned up the coffee stains. Curious, some of their colleagues also came over.

    One of them commented, ¡°Yeah, they do seem familiar!¡±

    Yun Nan recognized Yun Liu at a glance. As for the others¡­ A few of them were familiar, but she couldn¡¯t remember their names, so they definitely weren¡¯t good actors. Otherwise, she would have remembered them.

    ¡°Oh, I get it! These people are imitating Yun Nan!¡± Miss An hit the nail on the head with that answer.

    ¡°Why would they imitate me?¡± Yun Nan said, more puzzled than before. She read through the tabloid again but still didn¡¯t get it.

    Fang Xi rolled her eyes at her and told her, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone so dense.¡± She then reached out and stroked Yun Nan¡¯s hair. ¡°See, they¡¯re imitating your hairstyle. They all want to be identified as the woman who took that photo with Shi Nian in the wedding ring ad! You can¡¯t see her face in the photo, so if a reporter asks¡ªIwas it you who took the photo with Mr. Shi?¡¯¡ª these women only need to smile, stay silent and let the media make their own assumptions!¡±

    ¡°And without a doubt, the media would lap it up. Add a little embellishment here and there, and they¡¯ll have quite the story for their readers and audience. These celebrities¡¯ fangirls and boys will all think their idols are the real deal, and the others are clout-chasers! Take a look; people are arguing everywhere online. If you don¡¯t support their idols¡ªscratch that; if you support someone other than their idols, these fans would immediately gang up on you. *Tsk* It¡¯s crazy, I tell you.¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s years of experience in the entertainment industry showed through; she managed to explain the crux of the matter in a couple of sentences. Yun Nan held the celebrities¡¯ combined photo up and stared at it. Then, she took a small round mirror lying on the side, studied her reflection, and said, ¡°Miss An, get me a wig, will you? I don¡¯t want to be involved in this mess.¡±

    ¡®*Sigh* All these irrelevant fakes are fighting to be recognized, but the real deal chooses to avoid suspicion,¡¯ was what Yun Nan¡¯s friends and colleagues thought.

    ¡°Wait, how did that photo get published in the first place? Isn¡¯t that magazine afraid Shi Nian might sue them for violating his image rights?¡± Yun Nan asked, her mind clear and logical.

    ¡°Strictly speaking, even if Shi Nian wishes to pursue the matter through legal means, he couldn¡¯t do much. After all, the photo only showed a side profile,¡±

    Fang Xi explained..

 Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter Seventy-Six: Changing Looks

    Chapter 76: Chapter Seventy-Six: Changing Looks

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan, however, disagreed. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible if Shi Nian seriously wanted to pursue this matter!¡±

    Meanwhile, Shi Xiu was quite unhappy about the whole situation. ¡°Why are these women so shameless?! My brother won¡¯t pursue the matter; this is a promotional ad for Xiang Yang¡¯s¡ªmy sister-in-law¡ªproduct. Xiang Yang must have asked my brother and picked out that picture.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded; what Shi Xiu said made sense. Fang Xi laughingly quipped at Shi Xiu, ¡°Many people are pretending to be your second sister-in-law right now. It¡¯s a mess out there!¡±

    Shi Xiu snorted. ¡°It¡¯s fine. If worse comes to worst, I¡¯ll ask my brother to make a statement and announce my sister-in-law¡¯s identity!¡±

    ¡°Wait! Please don¡¯t¡ª¡± Yun Nan anxiously tried to dissuade her from the idea.

    Fang Xi interjected and smilingly said, ¡°Sounds good. Then, our movie will gain a lot of attention.¡±

    Yun Nan facepalmed and groaned, ¡®Girls, this isn¡¯t helping! Shi Xiu, call your brother and tell him not to clarify or say anything!¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Shi Xiu defiantly replied. ¡°Yun Nan, this is a scam! They¡¯re lying! My brother has never had an ambiguous relationship with any of them. You have to believe me!¡±

    Yun Nan raised her hands in surrender. ¡°I do! Of course, I do! I only hope that we don¡¯t get mixed up in this mess. Otherwise, we won¡¯t be able to shoot our movie in peace. You don¡¯t want to be surrounded by paparazzi every day during your first filming experience, right?¡±

    Shi Xiu somewhat understood what Yun Nan was getting at. Fang Xi patted her shoulder and said, ¡°What your second sister-in-law means is that we want to make this movie a hit based on our own talents and abilities instead of relying on crooked methods. Also, we don¡¯t want to be bothered by all sorts of rabble when we start filming. It¡¯ll affect our publicity efforts in the later stages. Do you understand?¡±

    Shi Xiu understood. ¡°But I¡¯m still angry!¡± she griped. The young miss pouted, and her cheeks puffed up in anger. Yun Nan poked her cheeks before stating, ¡°This is your first lesson as an actor: a little impatience spoils great plans!

    Forget about this matter and tell your brother to watch his mouth!¡±

    Shi Nian hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out so bizarrely. Chang Yuan looked at his bewildered expression and found it funny. He could probably count this matter as one of the few¡ªless than ten¡ªfailures that Shi Nian had experienced since he was a kid.

    Shi Xiu sent Shi Nian a voice message, and Shi Nian¡¯s expression soured even more after listening to it. Chang Yuan, on the other hand, was slightly surprised. He asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t the Young Madam come to you for your support? Why won¡¯t she let you speak up on this matter? No matter how you look at it, it would be very beneficial to her if you announced her identity outright to the public now, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    Shi Nian rubbed his chin in thought and uttered, ¡°She has never wanted to rely on others to further her own career. She only came to me to help her deal with the things and people she doesn¡¯t want to waste her time on.¡±

    ¡®Uh, okay? Chang Yuan thought, nonplussed by Yun Nan¡¯s unique approach.

    Shi Nian¡¯s brain worked rapidly as he played with his phone in his hand. Since she didn¡¯t want him to publicize their relationship, he would spend the time laying the groundwork for the moment their relationship was made public. He turned on his computer, picked a few more photos, and sent them to Liang Han. Then, he called Liang Han.

    ¡°Hey, bro! Your little advert caused quite a sensation. Did you hear about those female celebrities changing their looks overnight? Oh man, I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. I wish I could see the look on your face! Hahahaha! Oh, how did your lady love react?¡± Liang Han didn¡¯t forget to ask after he finished teasing Shi Nian.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sent you a few photos. I¡¯ll send you the accompanying texts later,¡± Shi Nian informed him, ignoring his ribbing.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on? Shouldn¡¯t you come out and make a statement? Won¡¯t everything be solved if you reveal your lady love to the public? What¡¯s with all the cloak-and-dagger and keeping everyone hanging? Are you deliberately doing this for more publicity?¡± Liang Han asked, perplexed.

    ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Shi Nian retorted.

    ¡°No, no problem at all¡ªBut this isn¡¯t like you! Shi Nian, what are your plans? I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re trying to achieve here,¡± Liang Han stated, even more confused than before.

    ¡°She wants to play, so I¡¯ll go along with her,¡± chuckling, Shi Nian responded.

    ¡®Ew!¡¯ Liang Han disdainfully thought and rubbed his arms. ¡°You¡¯re giving me goosebumps here, buddy.¡±

    Shi Nian smiled as he hung up the phone. Chang Yuan stared at the man¡¯s foolish grin with mixed feelings and thought, ¡®I guess the impossible can happen. Good luck, Shi Nian.¡¯

    The photos Shi Nian sent Liang Han were the ones secretly taken by the media during his visit to Mr. MO¡¯s garden. Due to Yun Liu¡¯s scam that day, he had all the photos of the media on the scene confiscated in a fit of anger. He kept all the photos of him and Yun Nan.

    He was wearing his wedding ring at the time. Though that ring was something they¡¯d bought offhandedly, it didn¡¯t matter because he had photoshopped the new wedding ring his sister-in -law had designed onto those photos. Now that everything was sorted, Shi Nian called his sister-in-law to reserve that pair of wedding rings..

 Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter Seventy-Seven: In-laws

    Chapter 77: Chapter Seventy-Seven: In-laws

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    When Shi Nian¡¯s sister-in-law heard he wanted the wedding rings she¡¯d recently designed, she readily stated, ¡°Then, this ring design will no longer be available to anyone else. Your wedding rings will be the one and only on Earth!¡± ¡°Thanks, Xiang Yang! How can I thank you for this?¡± Shi Nian said, delighted. Xiang Yang gave it a moment¡¯s thought before stating, ¡°Let¡¯s just say you owe me one.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Shi Nian agreed. He wasn¡¯t afraid of how she would use that favor at all. He still had his big brother to fall back on if her request was beyond him.

    Yun Liu and Miss Ding didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this. The other celebrities had the same idea, and the ¡®female celebrities changing their looks overnight¡¯ incident became a joke. Yun Liu wished she could stuff those two-bit celebrities who imitated her into the sewers to vent her anger.

    ¡°Miss Ding, get me that pair of rings, no matter the cost!¡± Yun Liu demanded through gritted teeth.

    Miss Ding had been worried Yun Liu would get angry about the incident. When she heard her demand, she immediately understood and assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely get those rings! If we can¡¯t buy them, we can have someone custom-make them for us!¡±

    Yun Liu liked that idea and commanded, ¡°Arrange someone to make an identical copy of the ring right away. Those women are probably racking their brains trying to get their hands on the rings right now. I have to visit the Shi family and buy them before the others do

    Hearing this, Miss Ding instantly said in a happy tone, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s much more reliable to buy the rings directly from the Shi family than to think of a way to get them through the sales channels. The price of this ring has probably driven sky-high now.¡±

    Yun Liu immediately called her mother¡ªGu Wei¡ªand asked her to accompany her to the Shi family.

    Xu Yun was politely distant when the mother and daughter pair visited. She was a little confused when she heard what they came for, but out of courtesy, she still gave her eldest daughter-in-law a call before them.

    When Xiang Yang heard her mother-in-law ask about the rings. she smiled

    and didn¡¯t even wait for her to finish speaking before uttering, ¡°Mom, you like the rings, too? That¡¯s great! Shi Nian contacted me and said he wished to buy a pair of wedding rings for his wife. I thought Yun Nan definitely won¡¯t want others to wear the same ring as hers, so I told him I¡¯ll give this pair of rings to them especially, and the rings won¡¯t be available for sale. That way, they¡¯ll have their very own unique rings. What do you think, Mom?¡±

    Xu Yun was overjoyed at the news. ¡°That¡¯s brilliant, Xiang Yang! You¡¯re so thoughtful! Oh, but that means you won¡¯t be making money from the rings¡¯ sale. Tell me how much you lost; I¡¯ll make it up to you!¡±

    Xiang Yang laughed and replied, ¡°Mom, I won¡¯t suffer any loss; I just have to come up with a new design. Shi Nian and Yun Nan finally managed to get married. We have to show them our congratulations, don¡¯t we?¡±

    Xu Yun nodded. ¡°Yes, yes. You did the right thing. You¡¯ve done well!¡± she approved.

    The two continued to chat, and Xiang Yang set the date when she would return home with her husband and have dinner with the family, including Shi Nian and Yun Nan.

    Xu Yun¡¯s smile didn¡¯t fade even after she ended the call. ¡°My apologies, but Xiang Yang said she doesn¡¯t plan to sell the rings anymore. She¡¯s giving them to Shi Nian and Yun Nan as wedding gifts. She said they have also taken a liking to the rings!¡±

    Gu Wei¡¯s expression curdled slightly, and she looked at Yun Liu. Yun Liu was so jealous she almost started to cry right then and there. Gu Wei couldn¡¯t bear seeing her upset and spoke to Xu Yun, ¡°Yun Nan and Yun Liu are sisters, and we¡¯ve actually always wanted Yun Liu to marry Shi Nian. Our Yun Liu is much more sensible than Yun Nan. She¡¯s been obedient and filial ever since she was a kid¡ªI¡¯

    Displeased, Xu Yun interrupted Gu Wei and told her, ¡°Now see here! I don¡¯t agree with what you¡¯ve just said. Our Shi Nian and Yun Nan are an affectionate couple; they¡¯re very much in love! So why are you still saying such things? You¡¯re Yun Nan¡¯s biological mother! From what you just said, anyone who isn¡¯t aware would think Yun Liu is your biological daughter and that you didn¡¯t like

    Yun Nan!¡±

    Gu Wei¡¯s face reddened at Xu Yun¡¯s rebuttal, but Xu Yun didn¡¯t give her a chance to defend herself and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t care who¡¯s your biological or adopted daughter. I will only treat the one my son recognizes as his wife as my daughter-in-law!¡±

    ¡°As for Yun Liu¡­ I gather she¡¯s a very good girl from what you¡¯ve said, so she¡¯ll certainly be able to find a good match. That son of mine is as stubborn as a mule, and only Yun Nan¡ªbless that child¡¯s kind heart and gentle temper¡ªcan bear with him! Our entire family has nothing bad to say about her!¡±

    Embarrassed, Gu Wei was at a loss for words. Yun Liu held back her tears and sniffled pitifully, ¡°Our family is thankful Auntie likes Yun Nan so much. We¡¯re grateful you all care so much for her. My sister went missing as a child and grew up without us, so she¡¯s quite strong-willed. Please don¡¯t take offense if she and Shi Nian have any disagreements in the future.¡±

    Gu Wei hurriedly nodded. ¡°Yes, yes! Don¡¯t be deceived by her act; Yun Nan has quite the temper herself! We should know; we¡¯re her family!¡±

    Xu Yun¡¯s displeasure was written all over her face as she coldly stated, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our entire family has good judgment; we¡¯ve never made a mistake. We like Yun Nan from the bottom of our hearts! It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t like her. After all, she grew up without you. Understandably, there¡¯s no love lost between you and Yun Nan.. Since that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t let her return to your house and cause your family trouble in the future!¡±

 Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter Seventy-Eight: Filming Begins

    Chapter 78: Chapter Seventy-Eight: Filming Begins

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xu Yun and Shi Yun had always been a sweet and loving couple, and the Shi family had a good family atmosphere, so Xu Yun¡¯s temperament was usually gentle and generous. However, that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t have a temper. She¡¯d already heard from her daughter about how this bizarre mother-and-daughter pair treated Yun Nan, but since Yun Nan didn¡¯t air her grievances, it would¡¯ve been inappropriate for Xu Yun to go after Yun Nan¡¯s biological mother on her behalf. However, she didn¡¯t expect them to come Imocking on her door today, daring to slander Yun Nan without restraint in her presence.

    Xu Yun couldn¡¯t tolerate this and showed them the door. Snubbed and embarrassed, Gu Wei and Yun Liu returned home resentfully.

    The movie ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ quietly began filming, and everything went smoothly.

    Shi Xiu had been on the set since day one. Her part didn¡¯t come in until later in the shoot, but she was on set everyday, buzzing around helping Yun Nan, Mika, Miss An, and even the cameraman and script supervisor. She would show up wherever there was a shortage of staff. Everyone soon forgot about her identity as the daughter of a wealthy family a few days in and treated her like their little sister. She was smart, intuitive, and hardworking; even Fang Xi was impressed.

    ¡°You have a pretty good sister-in-law!¡± Fang Xi praised as she handed Yun Nan a cup of coffee. Only then did Yun Nan notice Shi Xiu, who was helping Miss An carry some clothes.

    Yun Nan turned pale and cried, ¡°Oh my goodness! Her mother would kill me if she saw this!¡± She was about to call the girl over when Fang Xi covered her mouth.

    ¡°Hey, take it easy, will you? It seems like you¡¯re not taking your role seriously at all! If you want your marriage with Shi Nian to be convincing, you have to get in character and treat Shi Xiu as your sister-in-law!¡±

    Yun Nan pushed Fang Xi¡¯s hand away and said exasperatedly, ¡°I can¡¯t make her work like this, real sister-in-law or not!¡±

    ¡°Why not? She obviously enjoys being here! Besides, judging by that temper of hers, even her own mother couldn¡¯t stop her, let alone you! Just let her be. If it¡¯s just her passing whim, she¡¯ll quit after a day or two without you saying anything. On the other hand, why put her on the spot if she truly likes her work here?¡± Fang Xi objectively analyzed.

    Yun Nan gave it a moment¡¯s thought before conceding, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll talk to her brother tonight.¡± Fang Xi looked at Yun Nan strangely and withheld her words.

    Yun Nan had drawn a clear line between herself and Shi Nian, but she hadn¡¯t noticed Shi Nian quietly blurring that line. As a bystander, Fang Xi could tell Shi Nian had fallen for her friend, and Shi Xiu wholeheartedly treated Yun Nan as her beloved second sister-in-law. With Yun Nan¡¯s personality, Fang Xi knew she would surrender to the Shi family¡¯s gentle care sooner or later; all her struggles now were futile.

    However, people were often clear-headed observers while being blind to their own situation. Fang Xi felt Yun Nan¡¯s dense nature when it comes to romance wasn¡¯t a bad thing¡ªit presented an opportunity to test Shi Nian. After all, whoever falls in love first, loses. Fang Xi knew this to be true from her own tearful experience. Being burned once was enough for her; she never wanted to get involved in relationships ever again.

    Ye Kun had asked her to care for Tuan Tuan for three days, but he only returned a week later. During that time, Tuan Tuan followed Fang Xi everywhere; when Fang Xi drove, Tuan Tuan would sit in the passenger seat, and when Fang Xi was at the studio or on the film set, she would bring Tuan Tuan in the dog carrier. Tuan Tuan had met and been fed by many people these days. Belly round and well-fed, the puppy had long forgotten about his so-called ¡®Dad.¡¯

    Thus, when Fang Xi opened her apartment door to let Ye Kun in, Tuan Tuan just came to take a look at him before turning his little ass around and going back to the living room to play with his new toy.

    Fang Xi chuckled, ¡°I think Tuan Tuan might be angry at you.¡±

    Ye Kun was slightly embarrassed and said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about this. I could have settled things in three days, but something went wrong, and it took me a week to finish everything.¡±

    Fang Xi replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine; these things happen. That¡¯s work for you. You¡¯ll have to learn to expect the unexpected.¡±

    Ye Kun stood at the entrance, stunned at the dog snacks and toys all over the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all the trouble,¡± he apologized.

    Fang Xi lightly kicked Tuan Tuan¡¯s toys to the side and smilingly stated, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. I bring Tuan Tuan to work with me everyday, and all my friends and colleagues love him. The toys and treats all come from them.¡±

    ¡°Woof!¡± Tuan Tuan barked at Ye Kun, then walked to him and rubbed against his leg. Ye Kun picked the puppy up and bared his teeth at it as he commented, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a lucky dog? You have so many people who love and take care of you.. You¡¯re living a happier life than I am!¡±

 Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter Seventy-Nine: Dinner

    Chapter 79: Chapter Seventy-Nine: Dinner

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but laugh when she heard Ye Kun compare himself to a dog and asked, ¡°Did you just get back?¡±

    Ye Kun sighed and answered, ¡°Yeah, I rushed here right after I got off the plane. I was worried Tuan Tuan would be a handful, but I couldn¡¯t contact you because I didn¡¯t have your number. I called the bar; they told me you hadn¡¯t been there these past few days and gave me your number. However, I held back and didn¡¯t call you because I thought you might be busy, and our time difference made calls inconvenient.¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s easy explanation made Fang Xi¡¯s heart skip a beat. No one had ever so considerately explained anything to her in such detail. In the past¡ªwhen she was with that man¡ªhe would never report his schedule to her, nor would he explain any of his actions to her. She never heard a word of explanation from him, even if he¡¯d disappeared for half a month. Ye Kun¡¯s behavior made Fang Xi feel like she was being respected and valued.

    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Fang Xi blurted out.

    Ye Kun shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t had anything yet. The airline food was so terrible I didn¡¯t eat a single bite.¡± His aggrieved tone and manner were much like Tuan Tuan¡¯s expression when the puppy had had enough fun and wanted her to hug him.

    ¡°Then, how about I make you a bowl of noodles?¡± Fang Xi casually offered.

    Ye Kun spied the folder spread open on the sofa and stated with a smile, ¡°No, no, there¡¯s no need for that. Carry on with your work. Do you mind if I borrow your kitchen to make some food myself?¡±

    Fang Xi was surprised, so Ye Kun continued, ¡°I would like to stay here for a while. I want Tuan Tuan to have more time to get used to me; I¡¯m afraid he might be uncomfortable if I take him with me right now.¡±

    Fang Xi looked at Tuan Tuan¡ªthe pup was starting to struggle in Ye Kun¡¯s hands¡ªand laughingly agreed. ¡°Okay, you can play with him for a while. This little guy is quite unusual. When I brought him to my workplace, he only liked the beautiful ladies and was rather unfriendly to the young men there!¡±

    When Ye Kun heard that, he patted Tuan Tuan¡¯s head and said, ¡°Hah, I knew it! I knew you were a playboy!¡±

    He then pointed at the documents on the sofa with his chin and told Fang Xi,

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to your work. I¡¯ll be in the kitchen making noodles.¡±

    Fang Xi brought him to the kitchen and was about to show him where everything was when he uttered, ¡°I can manage things here by myself. I don¡¯t want to get in the way of your work.¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s sincerity and straightforwardness gave Fang Xi a good impression of him, so she consented. ¡°Alright, help yourself.¡±

    Ye Kun beamed at her and shut the kitchen¡¯s glass door, leaving Fang Xi alone outside. Fang Xi watched him work his way around the kitchen and was amazed, ¡®He looks like he knows his way around the kitchen.¡¯ Then, she focused on her documents. What she had in her hands was a script¡ªYun Nan¡¯s new work that hadn¡¯t been finalized yet. Yun Nan wanted her to review it first.

    ¡°Woof!¡± Fang Xi had barely read a few pages when Tuan Tuan rushed out of the kitchen. The puppy jumped onto the sofa and into her arms to lick her hand. A delectable aroma wafted over, and she thought, ¡® Wow, he actually does know how to cook.¡¯

    Ye Kun brought out two bowls of noodles, placed them on the dining table, and called out to her, ¡°Do you mind having a meal together? I made two servings.

    Sorry, I forgot to ask if you wanted dinner.¡±

    Fang Xi chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not on a diet.¡±

    Ye Kun was glad to hear that and replied, ¡°That¡¯s great! Actually, I just wanted to let you try my cooking. I can¡¯t say this is me treating you to a meal as thanks because the ingredients were yours, but it would be blowing my own trumpet to say, straight out, that I want you to try my food.¡±

    Amused by his antics, Fang Xi carried Tuan Tuan to the dining table and sat down. Before her were two bowls of beef noodles, one with a larger portion than the other.

    She took a deep breath and praised, ¡°Hmm, it smells delicious.¡±

    Ye Kun handed her a pair of chopsticks as he remarked, ¡°Your kitchen is well-stocked. It seems like you¡¯re quite the chef yourself. Do you usually cook?¡±

    Fang Xi paused for a moment before answering, ¡°No, not really. I don¡¯t have the time. I¡¯m too busy.¡±

    Ye Kun nodded. ¡°I thought as much. Then, how about I make you a portion as well when I have time to cook in the future? My cooking skills are pretty good! I would have earned a living as a chef if it weren¡¯t for the fact that I was afraid of my brother hitting me.¡± He then gestured for Fang Xi to taste his noodles.

    Fang Xi took a bite and chewed the noodles carefully. She looked surprised before giving Ye Kun a thumbs up. ¡°This is really good!¡±

    The butterflies in Ye Kun¡¯s stomach settled. He smiled as he ate his noodles and mumbled, ¡°Receiving your positive response is the happiest thing for me.¡±

    Fang Xi laughed. ¡°Do you not get positive feedback often?¡±

    Ye Kun nodded as he chewed, and when he swallowed the noodles, he sighed and told her, ¡°I have a brother who is perfect at everything. I¡¯ve lived under his shadow since I was a kid. Nothing I do can measure up to him, so I often doubt my own abilities. The only thing I can surpass my brother in is cooking. However, my family scoffed at this specialty of mine and never acknowledged my skills, so I could only look outwards..¡±

 Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter Eighty: Sadness

    Chapter 80: Chapter Eighty: Sadness

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Look outwards?¡± Fang Xi repeated, puzzled.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Ye Kun nodded. ¡°Look outwards and seek approval from others! One day¡ªafter living under the suppression of my parents and my brother for many years¡ªI suddenly woke up to the fact that this world doesn¡¯t just consist of the three of them. It doesn¡¯t matter if my family doesn¡¯t approve; I can gain approval from other people. If I can¡¯t compare to my brother, so be it! What¡¯s the big deal? I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m worse than everyone else. Not everyone is like my big brother! ¡±

    Fang Xi blinked and slowly gave Ye Kun a thumbs up. ¡°Most people would probably be depressed in a situation like the one you described. And yet, you were able to think outside the box and find a way to make peace with yourself.

    You¡¯re amazing.¡±

    Slightly embarrassed by the sudden compliment, Ye Kun stuttered, ¡°I-I was cornered and desperate; even a worm will turn. I¡­¡± Fang Xi laughed and thought, ¡®There he goes, likening himself to other creatures again. I have to admit, Ye Kun is a little cute.¡¯

    The two of them ate their noodles happily. Ye Kun was very glad Fang Xi enjoyed his cooking. After they finished their meal, Ye Kun didn¡¯t let Fang Xi do anything. He cleaned up the dishes, dining table, and the kitchen himself.

    Fang Xi was extremely shocked. She was extremely familiar with this man¡¯s every move because she had done them herself countless times for another man. She¡¯d never expected there would be a day when she would actually see a man do all this for her. She didn¡¯t understand how thatperson from her past could be indifferent to her when she couldn¡¯t help but be moved by these very same actions done on her behalf.

    ¡®I guess some things are different when one is in love, or not,¡¯ she bitterly mused.

    Ye Kun took Tuan Tuan with him when he left. Fang Xi sent them out with a smile but couldn¡¯t focus on a single word when she returned to her work. She sat quietly by the bay window and stared blankly at the bustling streets below.

    When she visited both her parents¡¯ houses on her trip overseas, she was more welcomed than ever before. Her father said her two half-brothers would probably never accomplish much and hoped she could take over the family business. He also wanted to introduce a bright young man to her¡ªher stepmother¡¯s nephew, to be exact. Her stepmother never intended to hand the family business away; she¡¯d planned to have her nephew marry Fang Xi and thus keep the family business in hand.

    Fang Xi¡¯s mother, on the other hand, tried her best to matchmake her with a

    young man from another wealthy family, saying that if Fang Xi could marry into that family, her status in her stepfather¡¯s family would also rise.

    Fang Xi had stitched her broken heart up bit by bit during her flight back to the country. She figured since even her own flesh and blood had spared no effort to hurt her, the pain she suffered because of her failed romance was just what she deserved for being naiVe.

    Everyone stands alone in this world. No one shares the same happiness and sorrows; feelings don¡¯t flow freely from one to another, so loving oneself is of the utmost importance. She had a career and friends¡ªnothing else mattered.

    It had been a week since Shi Nian had eaten Yun Nan¡¯s homemade dinner, and he was starting to complain. Yun Nan knew she was in the wrong and promised him she would return to her usual routine this weekend so she could make him two meals a day.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be going to my parents¡¯ house this weekend,¡± Shi Nian informed her.

    ¡®Oh? Yun Nan was stunned before she remembered their agreement. ¡°But we didn¡¯t go to their place for dinner last week, a-and the week before that. M-moreover, Shi Xiu also stayed at my workplace and didn¡¯t go¡­¡± Yun Nan trailed off guiltily.

    Shi Nian rolled his eyes at her and drawled, ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ we have to go to my parents¡¯ for dinner this week¡ªtogether with Shi Xiu!¡±

    Yun Nan nodded vigorously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry! I will definitely, definitely have dinner at your parents¡¯ house!¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s expression softened slightly at her ready apology and good attitude. ¡°Shi Xiu didn¡¯t cause you any trouble, did she?¡± he asked.

    Yun Nan carefully answered as she observed Shi Nian¡¯s expression, ¡°She didn¡¯t cause any trouble. In fact¡­ she worked very hard!¡±

    Shi Nian raised his eyebrow in question, so Yun Nan told him about Shi Xiu¡¯s performance on the set and finished with, ¡°That girl has gotten a little obsessed. What should we do?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shi Nian queried, confused.

    Yun Nan could only carry on and explain, ¡°She¡¯s getting more and more passionate about acting and filming. If you don¡¯t do something now, she might not be willing to quit if you wish to pull her out in the future.¡±

    ¡°Why would I pull her out? If she likes her work, then so be it! It¡¯s fine as long as she likes it¡ªit¡¯s up to her, be it on screen or behind the scenes. Not everyone has the opportunity and ability to do what they like to do. You, of all people, should understand that,¡± Shi Nian retorted.

    ¡® But this is your sister were talking about¡ªthe Shi family¡¯s one and only precious daughter. Aren¡¯t you guys worried she¡¯ll decide on a career in the entertainment industry? Yun Nan inwardly cried.

    Apparently, Shi Nian wasn¡¯t worried. Yun Nan bit back her words and decided to wait until the weekend to see what the Shi family¡¯s elders thought of the matter. She felt a little guilty about leading the Shi family¡¯s beloved daughter astray..

 Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter Eighty-One: Incident

    Chapter 81: Chapter Eighty-One: Incident

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    However, something happened early in the morning on the weekend. ¡°Gao Bei¡ªour female lead actress¡ªjust quit,¡± Fang Xi gravely told Yun Nan.

    ¡°Wait, did you just say she quit? Why?! Filming began a week ago, so why is she quitting mid-production? Is she planning to pay the penalty for her breach of contract?¡± Yun Nan asked as she gaped at Fang Xi in disbelief. Fang Xi gently nodded.

    ¡°Where is she?¡± Yun Nan demanded.

    Fang Xi handed her a letter. ¡°Her manager¡ªXiao Ya¡ªsent this to us. She¡¯s going nuts looking for Gao Bei. Gao Bei didn¡¯t let on about her plans and suddenly left last night with a guy, saying that she¡¯d found her first love. Xiao Ya called the police.¡±

    ¡°She called the police?¡± Yun Nan questioned, more confused than before.

    ¡°The whole thing seemed odd. She¡¯s worried something might have happened to Gao Bei,¡± Fang Xi explained.

    This explosive news caused a stir in the production team. How could the movie continue filming without the lead actress? Everyone was at a loss. Harried and troubled, Yun Nan and Fang Xi went to the police station to meet Xiao Ya.

    Xiao Ya¡¯s eyes were red; evidently, she had been crying. ¡°Yun Nan, she left. She left the country. She¡¯s so irresponsible¡ªshe just up and left,¡± Xiao Ya sobbed as she held Yun Nan¡¯s hand. Yun Nan was speechless; she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Xiao Ya had filed a missing person¡¯s report at the police station and asked around. Through various official and private channels, she finally found an image of Gao Bei at the airport with a man and tracked down their plane tickets¡ªthey were flying abroad.

    Fang Xi and Yun Nan headed back after receiving the news. Yun Nan was driving when she sighed heavily. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s gone mad?¡±

    Fang Xi looked out the window and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know about her, but I¡¯m going crazy!¡±

    ¡°We can recast the female lead,¡± Yun Nan offered, knowing how much pressure Fang Xi was under.

    ¡°Are you serious? A recast?¡± Fang Xi facepalmed and leaned back in her seat. ¡°Do you know how many people Mika auditioned before he chose Gao Bei for the role? We¡¯re already a week into filming; how can we find a suitable actress on such short notice? We need someone who fits the character and is familiar with the plot¡ªscratch that, I won¡¯t even ask for that much; at worst, we¡¯ll just have to explain and discuss the script again. But where on earth are we going to find a fresh young actress with adequate acting skills?¡± Fang Xi held up her fists, feeling an intense desire to punch something, but no target was in sight. She was so frustrated she cursed, ¡°Argh, f*ck this sh *t!¡±

    Yun Nan calmly comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; everything will work out. We¡¯ll get back to the studio and have a meeting right away. We¡¯ll figure this out together with everyone¡¯s help.¡±

    ¡°I doubt Gao Bei will stay abroad and never come back. When she does come back, I¡¯m totally suing her *ss!¡± Fang Xi resentfully vowed.

    Yun Nan glanced at her. ¡°That would affect Xiao Ya as well. She¡¯s an innocent victim too, you know.¡±

    ¡°Innocent my *ss! She couldn¡¯t even keep track of her artiste, and she still dares to call herself innocent? Gao Bei left the country, not the province! She left so quickly she must have prepared her passport and visa beforehand. Is Xiao Ya deafblind? How does she not know anything?¡± Fang Xi retorted, her anger burning like a raging wildfire.

    Yun Nan sighed. She knew Fang Xi was angry and needed to vent, so she teased, ¡°Fang Xi, look at it this way. Don¡¯t you think that young lady is quite admirable, rushing off with solitary courage just for the sake of love? At least, both of us wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve such a feat in our lifetime.¡±

    Fang Xi snorted coldly, ¡°You call that a feat?! She¡¯s an airhead if you ask me! There¡¯ll come a day when she will regret abandoning everything for a man. It¡¯ll be too late for her to cry then! Hmph! That¡¯s not bravery; that¡¯s stupidity!

    Stupid I tell you!¡±

    Having unloaded her grievances, Fang Xi tightly closed her eyes as her mind worked rapidly. She called Xiao Ya and asked, ¡°Did you find out who that man

    ¡°Not yet. Gao Bei never mentioned such a person. Fang Xi, I¡¯m so sorry for all of this,¡± Xiao Ya cried.

    Fang Xi interrupted her and said, ¡°Never mind that; you still have to apologize to a lot of people, so let¡¯s just cut to the chase. Let me know immediately if there¡¯s any news. Remember to count me in when you get your revenge on them.¡± Fang Xi ended the call and didn¡¯t speak for a long time.

    By then, Yun Nan had regained her composure and began to analyze the situation. ¡°Fang Xi, if those two are lovers, why didn¡¯t Gao Bei just tell Xiao Ya straight out? Why did she choose to elope instead? She¡¯s an adult; she knows she¡¯ll face a huge penalty if she does this. Is this man worth it? Is he really that attractive?¡±

    Fang Xi remained silent. She imagined herself seven years ago; if she was Gao Bei and that man asked her to let go of everything and leave with him to prove her love for him¡­ Would she have left?

    The answer was a resounding Yes! She would!

    Fang Xi muttered, ¡°If she loved her man enough, she would go to the ends of the earth for him.¡±

    Yun Nan still couldn¡¯t understand such a mindset and stated, ¡°But that man doesn¡¯t love her! If he even has one iota of feelings for Gao Bei, he wouldn¡¯t let her throw her life away so irresponsibly!¡±

 Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter Eighty-Two: Story

    Chapter 82: Chapter Eighty-Two: Story

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi felt like her heart was violently struck by a heavy hammer, causing every inch of her bones to throb in heart-wrenching pain.

    ¡®He didn¡¯t love her!¡¯ Those four words were enough to explain the whole thing. Gao Bei was a fool, but so was Fang Xi. Fang Xi endured her heartache and slowly exhaled. ¡°Yun Nan, let¡¯s put this matter aside for now. We¡¯ll recast and pick a new lead actress, ¡± she commented.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t know her words had inadvertently torn into Fang Xi¡¯s most secret emotional wound. She thought Fang Xi¡¯s pale face was due to her anger at Gao Bei and hurriedly said, ¡°Okay! Don¡¯t worry; we¡¯ll get through this.¡±

    ¡® We¡¯re done for!¡¯ Mika thought as he sat in his seat, almost pulling his hair out in stress. The creative team and backstage staff were all silent.

    ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ was a story written by Yun Nan for her adoptive mother; it was based on the woman¡¯s true life experiences. When she was very young, human traffickers kidnapped Yun Nan¡¯s adoptive mother and sold her to a family with three sons in the mountains. There, she wasn¡¯t fed or clothed well and had endless work to do every day. At the age of five or six, what little memories she had left of her original home weren¡¯t sufficient to help her find her way back.

    That family bought her because they planned to marry her off in exchange for money they could use to pay their future daughter-in-law¡¯s bride prices, or they could marry her to one of their sons if he couldn¡¯t get himself a wife. Many girls shared the same situation in their village, all abused to varying degrees. During the winter, 4:30 p.m. was dinner time for all the families in the village, and only then could these girls take a breather.

    Yun Nan¡¯s adoptive mother told her the winter sun at 4:30 in the afternoon was as red as blood. Its rays painted the mountains and forests crimson as if heralding the coming horrors of the night and the heavens¡¯ sympathy for these unfortunate girls.

    Her adoptive mother managed to escape when she was sixteen. She met Yun Nan¡¯s adoptive father, and they built a warm family together. Sadly, she couldn¡¯t remember her hometown and never found her birth family. It was why she was so determined to help the lost Yun Nan find her biological parents; she didn¡¯t want Yun Nan to share the same regrets she had.

    ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ does show the love between Yun Nan¡¯s adoptive parents, but its story focuses more on the life experiences of the unlucky girls¡ªvictims of a cruel time and fate. It was a movie with a heavy and grave theme which was why Yun Nan got so upset when Yun Liu wanted to turn it into a romantic idol drama.

    They chose Gao Bei to play the lead role because Yun Nan felt she looked a bit like her adoptive mother, and Mika saw the doe-like innocence Yun Nan had described in her story in her. Once you have the image of a character in mind, it would be difficult to change it. It would be no easy feat for the creative team to erase the previous lead role¡¯s image design from their minds¡ªa task akin to torture.

    ¡°Will we have to re-film all the scenes from the previous week if we recast?¡± Annie¡ªone of the scriptwriters¡ªasked tentatively. Yun Nan nodded and didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°How about we use Al face-swapping software? That way, we can reduce our losses,¡± an editor suggested.

    ¡°Face-changing isn¡¯t the problem here. The problem is: where are we going to find a suitable lead actress so we can film the rest of the movie,¡± Fang Xi uttered as she tapped her fingers on the table. Silence descended once more as none of them had a solution. Whether it was a face-swap or reshooting the scenes, they could deal with it, but they had no suitable candidate to play the lead role.

    Someone knocked on the conference room¡¯s door. ¡°Come in!¡± the person closest to the door called out, but the door stayed closed. The man got up to open the door and muttered impatiently, ¡°Whose delivery is it this time¡ª¡±

    He abruptly stopped talking when he saw the person at the door. ¡°Excuse me, are you still hiring? I-I¡¯m a competent worker. A-and you don¡¯t have to pay me wages; I just want some food,¡± said a timid voice from the doorway.

    Everyone¡ªincluding Yun Nan and Fang Xi¡ªlooked toward the door. That was a line from ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ It was what Xiao He, the female lead, said to the male lead, Ah Feng, at the door of his shop after she had escaped and starved for three days.

    Hong Can, the actor who played Ah Feng, was the first to react. He stood up, walked towards the door, and responded with the next line of the scene, ¡°I¡¯m not hiring, but I can offer you some food.¡±

    The girl standing at the door in tattered clothes knelt and sobbed, ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± Under her frayed headscarf, tears welled in her clear doe-like eyes and streamed down her face.

    ¡°Shi Xiu!¡± Mika exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yun Nan and Fang Xi also stood up in shock; they wouldn¡¯t have recognized Shi Xiu ¡ªcurrently dressed like Xiao He in the movie¡ªif Mika hadn¡¯t pointed it out. Hong Can was likewise speechless as he helped Shi Xiu to her feet.

    Shi Xiu took off her headscarf and smiled brightly at everyone. ¡°How did I do? Was that okay?¡± she asked. Mika took a deep breath while Yun Nan and Fang Xi looked at each other, stunned.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s expression fell at their reaction. ¡°Still no good, huh? Give me a chance! I¡¯ll study the script again.. I think I can take on the lead role!¡±

 Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter Eight-Three: Self-Recommendation

    Chapter 83: Chapter Eight-Three: Self-Recommendation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°No! No, I mean, you got the wrong idea! Of course, I think you can take the lead role! You did great!¡± Mika praised as he stepped forward and stared intently at Shi Xiu.

    ¡°Really? For real?¡± Shi Xiu squealed, overjoyed. Mika turned around and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Fang Xi nodded, and Yun Nan sighed.

    ¡°Yun Nan, are you dissatisfied with my acting?¡± Shi Xiu dejectedly inquired. Yun Nan facepalmed and said weakly, ¡°Can you go home and ask your parents for their opinions first?¡±

    Shi Xiu widened her eyes and questioned, ¡°Does that mean you think I can do it?¡± Yun Nan nodded somewhat reluctantly.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s eyes lit up, and she beamed, ¡°That¡¯s good! My parents¡¯ opinions aren¡¯t all that important. Besides, what opinions would they have? If you think I can do it, then I¡¯ll go and get myself prepared!¡±

    Mika was the casting director as well as the executive director, and he didn¡¯t care about the consequences; he would have Shi Xiu as the lead actress no matter what. He immediately pulled Shi Xiu over and enthusiastically prattled, ¡°Oh, you precious little thing! You¡¯re my darling princess from now on! You¡¯re a lifesaver! I¡¯ll repay your kindness in the future!¡±

    Mika continued, ¡°But first, I need you to come over here and discuss the script. Hong Can, you too¡ªOh, that¡¯s right! You show up later on, so it¡¯s not your scene yet. I¡¯ve changed my mind; you don¡¯t have to come over. You two! The ones who play her evil adoptive parents! Get over here! Let¡¯s practice your scenes. Come on!¡±

    Soon, everyone was in high spirits thanks to Shi Xiu¡¯s involvement and Mika¡¯s excited energy. They surrounded Shi Xiu and Mika and started to discuss the movie script. Then, the group felt the conference room wasn¡¯t enough for them, so someone took the lead and swiftly moved everyone to the movie set.

    Leaving behind Fang Xi and a resigned-looking Yun Nan. Seeing her friend¡¯s expression, Fang Xi reassured her, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Even though Shi Xiu is young, she has a mind of her own and knows what she¡¯s doing. You don¡¯t have to worry about her. If she can take on the lead role, Mika and I will beg for forgiveness from her family ourselves.¡± Yun Nan gave her a wry smile. What else could she say to that?

    Due to the rollercoaster of emotions the entire production team had experienced that day, spirits were high, and the team took the initiative to retake last week¡¯s scenes. Everything went smoothly; Shi Xiu was a very hardworking girl. She shot half of the previous scenes in one go. If Mika didn¡¯t pay such great attention to the characters¡¯ emotional development, they wouldn¡¯t have realized the day had already gotten so late.

    Yun Nan walked up to Shi Xiu and handed her a towel and a bottle of water. ¡°Shi Xiu, are you tired?¡± she asked in concern.

    Due to her multiple crying scenes, Shi Xiu¡¯s eyes were a little swollen, but they shone like stars, and she looked exhilarated. ¡°Nope! I¡¯m not tired at all, Yun Nan.¡±

    There was a sudden commotion in the crowd. When Yun Nan turned around to find out what was happening, she saw Shi Nian walking through the crowd toward them. Everyone was staring at them with smiles on their faces.

    ¡°Shi Nian!¡± Shi Xiu happily waved her hands at her brother. Yun Nan¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Oh, no!¡± she whispered to Shi Xiu. ¡°I forgot! We were supposed to have dinner with your family tonight.¡±

    ¡®How negligent ofme!¡¯ she inwardly sighed. Shi Xiu, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t concerned; she held Yun Nan¡¯s hand as they walked toward her brother and told Yun Nan, ¡°It¡¯s fine! They won¡¯t start dinner without us.¡±

    ¡® What?! Yun Nan was a little terrified at the thought that she¡¯d made the entire Shi family wait for her.

    ¡°Ladies, are you done with your work? May we go now?¡± Shi Nian queried. He¡¯d noticed Yun Nan¡¯s expression and could guess what was going through her mind. He didn¡¯t expect her to beat herself up over this small slip-up. ¡®She¡¯s quite dedicated and has good professional ethics,¡¯ he mused.

    ¡®However, does she truly not have any feelings for me? Does she plan to fix herself to what was required ofher within the scope of the contract? *Sigh * What a worrying situation I¡¯ve gotten myselfinto!¡¯

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re done here, Shi Nian. I have good news to share! I¡¯ll tell you more when we get home.¡± So saying, Shi Xiu handed Yun Nan over to Shi Nian and skipped off to bid her farewells. Yun Nan said her goodbyes to Fang Xi, who shooed her away. She¡¯ll be staying behind to have a meeting with Mika and the rest of the team.

    On the way home, Shi Xiu seized the opportunity to ask Yun Nan about Xiao He¡¯s¡ªthe female lead¡¯s¡ªemotional journey and mentality throughout the story. Shi Xiu was indeed intelligent, and before she knew it, Yun Nan was giving her an in-depth and detailed explanation.

    Shi Xiu nodded as she listened. ¡°This is so touching. Yun Nan, how did you come up with such a great story?¡± she probed.

    Yun Nan was momentarily silent before she decided to give Shi Xiu an honest answer. ¡°The lead character, Xiao He, was based on my adoptive mother. The movie tells the story of my adoptive mother¡¯s life. It is also my adoptive parents¡¯ love story.¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s mouth gaped open, and she uttered, ¡°Oh my god! So that¡¯s how it is. Then, Yun Nan¡­ Do you think I can play this role properly? Can I really do this character justice? I¡¯m feeling the pressure now.¡±

    Yun Nan looked at her and smiled. ¡°We didn¡¯t pick you for the lead role previously because we had already chosen Gao Bei, so we¡ªincluding Mika¡ª didn¡¯t picture you as Xiao He. We¡¯d arranged for you to play the role of a kind and innocent girl from a wealthy family who helped Xiao He because you had no prior acting experience, and we thought you would be very outstanding if you played a role similar to your identity. However, your self-recommendation today was amazing. It blew us out of the water.¡±

    Such affirmation, especially from the author herself, was a great honor for ShXiu..

 Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter Eighty-Four: Donâ€™t Worry

    Chapter 84: Chapter Eighty-Four: Don¡¯t Worry

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    As soon as Shi Xiu entered the house, she kicked off her high heels and ran inside barefooted, hollering, ¡°Mom, Dad! I got the lead role!¡±

    Yun Nan smiled wryly. Shi Nian handed her a pair of house slippers and consoled her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she can handle it herself. Mom and Dad can¡¯t thank you enough.¡± Even so, Yun Nan didn¡¯t dare to relax.

    Shi Xiu bumped into her grandfather and hugged him. Eager to share the news, she exclaimed, ¡°Grandpa, Grandpa! I got the role! I¡¯m the female lead!¡±

    Nearly bowled over by his granddaughter, Shi Kong staggered back and cried, ¡°Ouch! Easy now, sweetheart, slow down! These old bones aren¡¯t what they used to be!¡±

    Shi Xiu gave Shi Kong a peck on the cheek before rushing to her father, who had shown up after Shi Kong. ¡°Daddy, Daddy! I¡¯m the female lead!¡±

    Shi Kong looked at his frenzied granddaughter and asked his grandson and granddaughter-in-law behind him, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into her? Why is she so¡­ happy?

    Yun Nan hurriedly explained, ¡°Grandpa, Shi Xiu¡¯s audition was successful today. She¡¯s now the female lead of one of our movies.¡± Yun Nan didn¡¯t give him the whole long-winded tale; she cut to the chase and got straight to the point.

    Shi Kong was a little surprised at the news. He looked at Yun Nan and then turned to stare at Shi Xiu, who was excitedly reporting her day to her parents. He lowered his voice and asked, ¡°Did you get her in through the backdoor?¡±

    Yun Nan was startled. She quickly shook her head and told him,¡± No, of course not, Grandpa! Shi Xiu earned the role herself. We all think she did great!¡±

    Shi Kong still wasn¡¯t convinced and concernedly admonished, ¡°You can¡¯t play favoritism! Our family may pamper and spoil her at home, but she has to follow the rules like everyone else when she¡¯s outside. You two are her elders; you should set a good role model. You can¡¯t break the rules for her!¡±

    Shi Nian put an arm around Yun Nan¡¯s shoulders and assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa. Yun Nan isn¡¯t one for such foolishness.¡± And Shi Kong finally relaxed at his words.

    Although Shi Xiu¡¯s parents had praised and cheered for their daughter during the hugging session, when Shi Xiu left to change her clothes, they still came up to Yun Nan and Shi Nian and softly asked, ¡°Did she really get the role or are you just trying to make her happy?

    Yun Nan found that her previous fears were unfounded. Shi Xiu¡¯s elders were instead worried that Shi Xiu might cause her trouble, so Yun Nan had no choice but to tell them everything from the beginning.

    ¡°Won¡¯t you lose a lot of money since that lead actress left?¡± Xu Yun anxiously stated when she heard the whole tale. ¡°Shi Nian, make sure you cover the costs! We can¡¯t let Yun Nan bear the losses!¡± Xu Yun automatically came to her daughter-in-law¡¯s aid.

    Yun Nan quickly said, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay. The production team took into account all sorts of possible situations in our cost estimates before we started filming. The losses due to our lead actress quitting mid-production are within our bad debt allowance, and¡ªright now¡ªwe won¡¯t know if we¡¯ll suffer losses.¡±

    Uneasy, Xu Yun meaningfully looked at her son. Shi Nian got the message and hastily replied, ¡°I know. I know. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± He knew sometimes, all the reassurances and explanations in the world were useless because Xu Yun wouldn¡¯t listen. The only thing on his mother¡¯s mind was whether her precious daughter-in-law would suffer any losses.

    ¡°Then, did you get Shi Xiu in through the backdoor? You can¡¯t spoil her like that! She¡¯s overconfident and arrogant enough as it is. I don¡¯t want her to cause trouble for you!¡± Xu Yun whispered.

    ¡®Mom, you too?! Yun Nan secretly moaned before she again explained how Shi

    Xiu got the role and relieved Xu Yun¡¯s apprehensions. Yun Nan watched as the

    Shi family elders busied themselves preparing dinner and murmured to Shi

    Nian, ¡°Your family all have such good moral compasses!¡±

    Shi Nian smiled and muttered, ¡°I told you you needn¡¯t worry.¡±

    Yun Nan and Shi Nian had a happy dinner; no one blamed them for being late and making the others wait. Instead, they were met with care and concern. Before they left, the elders had their maid fill the car trunk with all the various snacks and sauces they had prepared for them in advance before reluctantly sending them off.

    The three elders had gratified and expectant smiles when Yun Nan repeatedly promised to have dinner with them whenever she had time. When the car started, Yun Nan heaved a long sigh of relief. Shi Nian found it funny and teased, ¡°Are you relieved now?¡±

    Yun Nan turned to face him and commented, ¡°Truth be told, Shi Nian, you and your siblings are quite blessed. It¡¯s rare to see such a warm family atmosphere. Nowadays, many public media figures are revealed to have awful family environments. Experts have found that many social problems, including the causes of crime, are related to the family environment. You and your siblings are lucky.¡±

    Shi Nian smiled and asked, ¡°So, you don¡¯t think my parents and my grandpa are a little immature?¡±

    Yun Nan was surprised. ¡°Of course not! I don¡¯t think they¡¯re immature at all! I think they¡¯re adorable! It would be fabulous if I could be as youthful in appearance and mentality as your mother when I reach her age. Fang Xi would idolize Mom once I introduce them to each other someday!¡±

    Shi Nian noticed Yun Nan had rather naturally addressed Xu Yun as ¡®Mom¡¯ instead of ¡®your mom,¡¯ and his smile deepened. ¡®Seems like the boiling frog strategy works after all..¡¯

 Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter Eighty-Five: Hints

    Chapter 85: Chapter Eighty-Five: Hints

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan stretched lazily in her seat and remarked, ¡°Today has been a day of ups and downs. If it weren¡¯t for our lucky star¡ªShi Xiu¡ªFang Xi, Mika and I would probably be crying in each other¡¯s arms right now.¡±

    Shi Nian had already heard the whole story from the production team when he went to pick up Yun Nan and Shi Xiu. He had also mobilized his people to investigate the matter when the girls rushed to finish their work. Since Yun Nan had brought it up, he pointed out, ¡°Don¡¯t you think this whole thing is fishy?¡±

    Yun Nan nodded in agreement, ¡°I do, but I don¡¯t have time to think about this today; I need to salvage the situation first. I¡¯ll leave this matter until tomorrow when I have fewer things on my mind.¡±

    Shi Nian looked at her with amusement. He stopped the car when the traffic lights turned red and informed Yun Nan, ¡°I got someone to look into Gao Bei. Her first boyfriend has long been married and has a three-year-old child.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Yun Nan immediately sat up straight, staring at Shi Nian with widened eyes as she mulled over the information Shi Nian had just nonchalantly disclosed.

    ¡°He¡¯s married and has a kid. Then, either the man Gao Bei left the country with wasn¡¯t her first boyfriend, or that boyfriend of hers abandoned his family to elope with her.¡±

    ¡°Gao Bei was born in a small and remote town. Her first love is an honest and lawful man. When Gao Bei left her hometown and came to the big city to pursue her dreams, he stayed because of his elderly parents,¡± Shi Nian indirectly answered.

    Yun Nan read between the lines and stated, ¡°Which means the man Gao Bei left with wasn¡¯t her first love. We have no idea who he is!¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that. That man is a waiter at the ¡®Rolling Clouds¡¯ bar. He often hires himself out to wealthy women, accompanying them in their travels abroad and so on. He keeps a low profile; he¡¯s a favorite among his rich clients.¡± Shi Nian told her.

    ¡°Huh?¡± was Yun Nan¡¯s dumbfounded reply. Shi Nian gave her some time to reflect on the news.

    After a long period of thought, Yun Nan uttered, ¡°Um, so Gao Bei teamed up with a-a professional escort to help her disappear. She did all this, just to, just to bail on our movie? Why would she do that? That¡¯s not beneficial to her at all. Has she gone nuts? Is she out of her mind? That¡¯s so stupid!¡±

    Shi Nian glanced at her. ¡®It¡¯s not like you¡¯re any better. Idiot,¡¯ he thought. He had no choice but to further hint, ¡°What if someone offered her a large sum of money and a promising future to do so?¡±

    Yun Nan dazedly stared at Shi Nian, so he gave her an example. ¡°Say that I would give Gao Bei ten million dollars if she told the world she was eloping with her first love and then leave the country never to come back¡ªdo you think Gao Bei will take that offer?¡±

    Yun Nan muttered, ¡°Probably¡­ Yes, she would. After all, she¡¯s only a little-known actress right now. But who would shell out ten million dollars¡ª Are you saying someone deliberately did this?! Someone is targeting our studio!¡± Yun Nan finally figured it out.

    Yun Nan went silent, and Shi Nian focused on his driving. After a while, she took out her phone, called Fang Xi, and relayed the information. As expected, Fang Xi immediately exploded in anger.

    ¡°Fang Xi, ask Xiao Ya to check if Gao Bei has been in contact with Miss Ding recently,¡± Yun Nan calmly said.

    Fang Xi agreed, ¡°I was thinking the same thing. Only they would do something so awful.¡±

    ¡°Tell Xiao Ya that if she needs any help, she has our full support,¡± Yun Nan added.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I Imow what to do! I¡¯ll make them regret ever being born!¡± Fang Xi snarled through gritted teeth.

    Yun Nan laughed and consoled her, ¡°There, there. Don¡¯t be angry anymore! Look on the bright side; we wouldn¡¯t have discovered Shi Xiu if they hadn¡¯t caused such a ruckus.¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu¡¯s deeds and Shi Xiu are two separate things! Just because Shi Xiu saved the day doesn¡¯t mean I should excuse that woman¡¯s transgressions.¡± Fang Xi admonished; romantic relationships aside, she had always been clear-headed.

    ¡°Who is Miss Ding?¡± Shi Nian asked after Yun Nan ended the call.

    Yun Nan paused and replied, ¡°She¡¯s Yun Liu¡¯s manager.¡±

    Shi Nian searched his mind and remembered there was indeed a particularly chatty woman usually accompanying Yun Liu, always making her presence known. ¡°You suspect Yun Liu is the culprit?¡± Shi Nian questioned.

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anyone who would want to ruin ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ besides her. Yun Liu once tried to modify the movie¡¯s script into an urban idol drama with her as the female lead; it was one of the main reasons I left the Yun family. When I first established the studio, she pulled some strings; she tried to insert some of her actors into my team and poached a few newcomers we¡¯d trained up.¡±

    Shi Nian frowned and commented, ¡°Yun Zhang allows her to do all this?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled bitterly and said, ¡°He trusts Yun Liu, so he never kept an eye on what she was doing. After all, they grew up together. Yun Nan could read him like a book, and she knows all his weaknesses. They certainly make the

    perfect pair.. ¡°

 Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter Eighty-Six: Pleased

    Chapter 86: Chapter Eighty-Six: Pleased

    Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan turned to look out the window. Shi Nian thought, ¡®I guess she¡¯s still upset that her own flesh and blood don¡¯t care about her.¡® He changed the topic and asked her, ¡°Why did you name it ¡®4.30 P.M.¡¯?¡±

    Yun Nan exhaled softly before answering, ¡°My mom told me she was most afraid of the winter sun at 4:30 in the afternoon when she was a kid. It was as red as blood and painted all the mountains and forests crimson. It was a nightmarish scene that filled her with terror¡ªa terror which haunted her like a shadow. It wasn¡¯t until she lived in the city with my dad¡ªwhere the high-rise buildings blocked the horror of the setting sun and the dense crowd gave her a sense of security¡ªthat she finally moved past her sense of helpless fear.¡±

    ¡°After my parents passed away, I lived alone for a few years. During the days I starved, not knowing when my next meal was, I developed the same fear of the sunset my mother had. Ironically, however, I also felt a certain closeness to the blood-red setting sun because of this shared connection with my mother,¡± Yun Nan divulged with lowered eyes.

    ¡°Oh. So, is that why you used Xi Jin as your pseudonym? ¡®Xi¡¯ for sunset and ¡®Jin¡¯ means beautiful.¡± Just then, Shi Nian finally understood those two words¡¯ significance.

    Yun Nan gently nodded and continued, ¡°When I grew older and had a secure lifestyle, I overcame my fear and was able to face the sunset calmly. However, 4:30 p.m. will forever be a special time for me as it represents the emotional journey both my mother and I have experienced in our difficult times. That¡¯s why I chose this name when I wrote this biography for my mother. Fang Xi and Mika thought it was a unique title, so they unanimously agreed. I know wherever she is up there, my mother will understand.¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s heart ached for her when he heard her talk about her past. Yun Nan always spoke lightly of her hardships. Despite that, she was clearly a very sensitive person, yet she also showed such strength and independence. ¡®How many hardships did she go through to become so polished?¡® Shi Nian wondered.

    ¡­

    Miss Ding cheerily shooed the assistants who were busy in the room out. Yun Liu glanced at her while doing her nails and waited until everyone else had left before she inquired, ¡°Did everything go well?¡±

    Miss Ding nodded and reported, ¡°She¡¯s just an inexperienced little girl¡ªquite easy to manipulate. On the other hand, that man wanted to refuse because the money was too little. I had to hint all the money gained from selling Gao Bei would belong to him before he agreed. It¡¯s just as well; no one can tie it to us if someone looked into this.¡±

    ¡°Make sure you clean up after yourself,¡± Yun Liu said detachedly. ¡°You can¡¯t leave any evidence behind. I can¡¯t protect you if this gets found out.¡±

    Miss Ding hastily assured her, ¡°Of course! No evidence whatsoever. It¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation like over there?¡± Yun Liu nonchalantly asked.

    Miss Ding¡¯s lips curled as she smugly stated, ¡°There¡¯s not much they can do. Their lead actress ran off¡ªgone with a poof! Haha! Xiao Ya went to the police to file a missing person report, and Fang Xi went with her. They won¡¯t sue Xiao Ya; those bleeding hearts couldn¡¯t bear to do so. Xiao Ya cried her eyes out, and she was swamped dealing with all the people demanding penalty charges for the breach of contract. Fang Xi¡ªthe soft-hearted fool she is¡ªnaturally wouldn¡¯t ask for their penalty charges seeing Xiao Ya¡¯s plight. It was a lively scene, I tell you!¡±

    Yun Liu smiled when she heard this. ¡°Miss Ding, release the news that they¡¯ve lost their female lead. Make sure to discredit their movie! Hmph, ¡®4:30 P.M.¡®, what an awkward name! With a name like that, I would be very surprised if that movie is a hit!¡± Yun Liu coldly remarked.

    ¡°No problem! I already released the news a while ago. All we have to do is wait. By tomorrow morning, everyone will know! I guarantee that Yun Nan and Fang Xi will be in a terrible bind,¡± Miss Ding uttered pridefully, to Yun Liu¡¯s delight.

    Miss Ding took out a box from her bag and showed it to Yun Liu, saying, ¡°Oh right, I almost forgot about this most important thing. Your custom ring is done! It cost a lot of money because jewelers are reluctant to imitate Xiang Yang¡¯s work. The Xiang family has very good lawyers.¡±

    Yun Liu held the ring box and once again admired the design. ¡°Everyone has a price. The question is: what is that price, and whether you¡¯re willing to pay it.¡±

    At the thought of the ring¡¯s price, Miss Ding twitched and groaned, ¡°With the price we paid, we might as well have bought the original ring! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into Xiang Yang; she steadfastly refused to sell her rings!¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s because she wanted to give them to her brother-in-law and his wife!¡® Yun Liu got angry every time she recalled this fact. She removed the ring from the box to take a closer look at it. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to take a few photos of me wearing this ring and spread them. No explanations or comments needed; the photos are enough of a suggestion.¡±

    Miss Ding quickly consented. ¡°Yes, alright. I got it! We must spread the photos ASAP and be the first to show up with this ring. We can¡¯t let anyone get ahead of us this time!¡±

    Yun Liu gripped the ring in her fist. Gao Bei¡¯s matter had opened up new ideas for her. She would never give up on Shi Nian. She didn¡¯t care if he was married¡ªit¡¯s no big deal. She still had a chance since they didn¡¯t publicly announce their marriage. And it didn¡¯t matter even if they did announce it. She was Yun Nan¡¯s sister! She had her family¡¯s support! She could accuse Yun Nan of being a man-stealer and make it impossible for Yun Nan to explain and defend herself. Who does she think she is, barging in on her territory? She¡¯ll show that country bumpkin a thing or two.

 Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter Eighty-Seven: Rumors

    Chapter 87: Chapter Eighty-Seven: Rumors

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Early in the morning, the Internet was aboil with countless news painting Yun

    Nan and her studio in a negative light. Public media was flooded with posts and articles with headlines and comments such as:

    ¡®Female lead quits the movie ¡®4?.30 P.M.¡¯ and left the set without a word. Emerging director¡ªYun Nan¡ªpossesses a temper and character so questionable that even an inexperienced D-list actress couldn¡¯t stand her.¡¯

    ¡® Numerous celebrities complained about Yun Nan¡¯s temper and revealed that she mistreated the actors and staff. Yun Nan¡¯s former colleagues in the Yun Corporation had also long suffered from Yun Nan¡¯s tyranny.¡¯

    ¡®Minor but pompous young director Yun Nan doesn¡¯t respect her seniors.¡¯

    ¡® Yun Nan¡¯s stubbornness dashed investors¡¯ hopes; her movie ¡®4-30 P.M.¡¯ incurred losses just a week into filming. The Yun Corporation initiallyplanned to invest in and film said movie, but the heartless and ungrateful Yun Nan was obstinate and even left the Yun Corporation with the script.¡¯

    ¡® The entertainment industry is going to the dogs! Up-and-coming director Yun Nan looks down on everyonejust because she¡¯s had some small success. She left the Yun Corporation with their resources, resulting in her family¡¯s heavy losses. Now, her deeds have caught up with her! Her new movie¡¯s lead actress walked out on her, and ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ has fallen through.¡¯

    Yun Nan¡¯s car was blocked at the entrance of the film set. Multiple cameras, recording pens, microphones, and mobile phones were jammed in her face, and Yun Nan¡¯s ears were bombarded with noise as reporters fired off all sorts of questions. Yun Nan frowned and raised her hand, signaling everyone to quiet down. The crowd quietened, but some reporters took advantage of the others¡¯ silence to shout pointed questions at Yun Nan.

    ¡°Director Yun, please tell us what you plan to do with ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ Are you going to return it to the Yun family?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Director Yun! The book¡¯s fans are all looking forward to the movie. You can¡¯t go against the fans¡¯ wishes and selfishly ruin the classic!¡±

    Yun Nan raised her voice and stated, ¡°You should be quiet and listen to me if you want me to provide answers for your press release.¡± At this, the rowdy bunch finally quieted down.

    Pitching her voice louder, Yun Nan waved her phone at them and uttered, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t take what I¡¯m about to say out of context because I¡¯ve also started recording.¡± It was a word to the wise¡ªshe was no inexperienced newcomer, and they shouldn¡¯t mess around with her!

    ¡°I¡¯ve read some of the comments online, but not each and every one of them because there were too many. I¡¯ll start with the question everyone is concerned about: the original lead actress of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ has indeed gone missing. Her manager has already called the police, and we¡¯ve immediately replaced her with a new lead actress. She is more suitable for the role than the previous actress, and we have already completed a portion of the reshoot work.

    Everything is back on schedule, and the movie definitely won¡¯t disappoint the book¡¯s fans,¡± Yun Nan assured them.

    She continued, ¡°As for the personal attacks and slander on my character posted on the Internet, I¡¯ve already handed them over to my lawyer as evidence.

    Fabricators of these lies will receive letters from my lawyer. The Internet isn¡¯t lawless, and I won¡¯t show mercy to anyone spreading such rumors.¡± Yun Nan delivered her sharp words in a calm tone.

    The crowd was silent, intimidated by her speech. They thought, ¡®Isn¡¯t this.. a little too ruthless? However, most people are all bark and no bite and generally didn¡¯t do much in terms of retaliation. How else could anyone survive in this Internet age?

    ¡°Yun Nan had found a new lead actress so quickly¡ªdid she expect this to happen and made preparations beforehand? Shouldn¡¯t they wait for news from Gao Bei? What if Gao Bei comes back tomorrow? Then what?¡± The crowd began to murmur.

    ¡°Yeah, aren¡¯t you being a little too callous? You immediately replaced her with someone else. Could there be something more to this? You seemed to have been prepared for this all along.¡±

    Yun Nan swept her gaze over the talkers and felt those media reporters with disdainful expressions were familiar¡ªshe had a rough idea of who sent them. Her gaze turned cold when she stared at them, but she still maintained a faint smile as she asked, ¡°Then what do you expect me to do? Do you want me to cry before you? Or do you want me to scold Gao Bei right here in front of everyone? You all came here hoping to see me make a fool of myself when you heard my lead actress had run off, and when I told you I¡¯ve found someone else to replace her, you guys claim I¡¯d planned the whole thing. Guys, what do I have to do to satisfy your dark desires?¡±

    This was the first time the reporters had met someone who¡¯d so bluntly retorted them and their faces burned with embarrassment, feeling like they¡¯d just been slapped.

    Yun Nan smiled and remarked, ¡°All of us here kind of share a similar line of work¡ªwe¡¯re colleagues of a sort. We can work together happily if everyone aims for the same goals and helps each other out, but you¡¯ll be disappointed if you¡¯re here to see me cry.¡±

    She went on to say, ¡°Not many production teams have encountered a situation where they¡¯ve lost contact with their lead actress. I¡¯ve always been one to solve problems and minimize losses. Gao Bei is an adult; she can take responsibility for her own actions. She doesn¡¯t need me to hold her hand or speak for her.. Do I have to make the entire production team stop to wait for her and then hug and cry together?¡±

 Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter Eighty-Eight: Rescue

    Chapter 88: Chapter Eighty-Eight: Rescue

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Soft and kind laughter came from the crowd. Someone loudly asked, ¡°Director

    Yun, can you tell us who the new female lead is?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled¡ªthis time, her smile was sincere¡ªand replied, ¡°Discovering her is a pleasant surprise for us. Learning from our mistakes, we¡¯ve decided to keep a low profile this time; that¡¯ll also create a sense of mystery for everyone. Apologies, but we won¡¯t disclose any more information about this movie to the public. After all, there have been many twists and turns in the process of filming this movie.¡±

    ¡°Director Yun, I heard you defected from the Yun Corporation; they hold you accountable for their losses, and you will face huge compensation costs. Is that true, or is there some misunderstanding?¡± someone inquired politely.

    Yun Nan courteously nodded at the person who posed the question. ¡°I appreciate your concern, but I don¡¯t want to engage in another pointless argument on the subject. I saw many similar comments about this on the Internet, so I¡¯ll leave it to my lawyer to deal with the Yun Corporation. I, too, wish to hear what the Yun Corporation¡¯s CEO¡ªMr. Yun Zhang¡ªhas to say about this.¡±

    A question then came from the crowd. ¡°I heard you, Mr. Yun Zhang and Miss

    Yun Liu are siblings?!¡±

    Yun Nan brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and commented, ¡°I wonder, do the people who said I betrayed the Yun Corporation and the Yun family are seeking compensation from me know about our relationship? So, why don¡¯t you ask Mr. Yun Zhang and Miss Yun Liu this question first?¡±

    ¡°What about you? What do you think?¡± That person doggedly asked.

    Yun Nan paused for thought before answering, ¡°I am indeed the Yun family¡¯s biological daughter. I went missing when I was a kid and was already an adult capable of living independently when I returned to them. Therefore, the Yun family and I are blood-related, but my work and career have nothing to do with them. As for those who say I¡¯d betrayed my previous company and defected, I¡¯ll make every effort to hold them accountable for their slander. All I¡¯m saying is, you may accuse me of incapability, but you can¡¯t slander me like this.¡± Yun Nan didn¡¯t show the Yun family in a negative light¡ªshe admits she couldn¡¯t bring herself to distort the truth like Yun Liu.

    Fang Xi came out with some staff to pick Yun Nan up. Seeing the flock of reporters surrounding Yun Nan, she smiled and remarked, ¡°Hey, are you holding a press conference here of all places? Yun Nan, this won¡¯t do! No matter how the media pictures us¡ªpositive or negative¡ªwe still have to treat them with courtesy. We would seem petty otherwise. Isn¡¯t that right, guys?¡±

    Fang Xi had always been media savvy. Her arrival greatly reduced Yun Nan¡¯s pressure. She livened up the crowd¡¯s atmosphere with just a few sentences and led them elsewhere, allowing Yun Nan to extricate herself.

    However, the media reporters failed to get any information from Fang Xi. Fang Xi¡¯s oratory and deflection skills were much better compared to Yun Nan¡¯s. Not only were they unable to get any information, but Fang Xi also gave them backhanded compliments in a way they couldn¡¯t find fault with.

    Miss Ding gritted her teeth as she watched the live broadcast. ¡°This Fang Xi is so annoying!¡± Likewise, Yun Liu didn¡¯t expect the scheme she had planned so well to be this easily resolved by them.

    ¡°Miss Ding, get someone to write about what happened today! Make sure it¡¯s unflattering. We can¡¯t let the public believe and side with them. Go all out and vilify her!¡± Yun Liu lightly uttered those vicious words, and Miss Ding nodded vigorously.

    ¡°Find out who the substitute lead actress is immediately and get rid of her with the same method we used last time! I can¡¯t let Yun Nan film this movie! Miss Ding, spread the word that there¡¯s no future in being her lead actress!¡± Yun Liu stated with a smile as she thought, ¡®Yun Nan, you naive woman. Since the hardships oflife haven¡¯t taught you to be obedient, I¡¯ll give you a revision and make sure the lesson sticks!

    However, Yun Liu had counted her chickens before they hatched. Yun Nan and Fang Xi reacted quickly, and the production team of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ walled off all outsiders amid the Internet¡¯s rampant discussions. All their whereabouts were kept confidential, and they didn¡¯t accept any form of interview. The people Miss Ding sent were rebuffed and resentfully returned.

    Yun Liu frowned at the news, and Miss Ding hurriedly reassured her, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I think it¡¯s a good thing they isolated themselves. I would be slightly worried if they took advantage of their current popularity and stirred up some hype. After all, negative publicity is still publicity. I didn¡¯t expect them to be so pathetic that they wouldn¡¯t even know how to use such a good opportunity. Don¡¯t worry, Yun Liu. Getting rid of them will be a piece of cake, so let¡¯s take things slow.¡±

    ¡°I want Yun Nan¡¯s movie to fail!¡± Yun Liu firmly declared. ¡°Even if she managed to complete the filming, I don¡¯t want that movie to make it to the screens! In short, I want her to lose everything!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! She will!¡± Miss Ding uttered confidently..

 Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter Eighty-Nine: Bullying

    Chapter 89: Chapter Eighty-Nine: Bullying

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    All kinds of negative news about ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ were flying around once again and quickly overshadowed Yun Nan and Fang Xi¡¯s live on-the-scene question-and-answer broadcast. Who wanted to listen to normal, boring news in this day and age?

    People tend to have a novelty-seeking mentality, and everyone only wanted to know if Yun Nan was a heartless ingrate and was the original lead actress of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ a lovestruck fool. Did she suddenly quit the movie because Yun Nan bullied her? Did the new lead actress get the role by sleeping with Mika¡ªthe most highly regarded executive director in Yun Nan¡¯s studio?

    Yun Entertainment¡ªwhich had fallen into a slump recently¡ªwas perceived as the ¡®innocent victim¡¯ of the current circumstances. The public couldn¡¯t get any exciting news from Yun Nan, so they turned their attention to Yun Entertainment.

    And thus, ¡®coincidentally,¡¯ everyone discovered a huge secret: they found that

    Miss Yun Liu was wearing a ring in her recent photo shoot. It shared a striking resemblance to the one designed by Xiang Yang, which had caused a sensation some time ago. Most importantly, Yun Liu¡¯s hairstyle was the same as the hairstyle of Shi Nian¡¯s female partner in the advert!

    Aha! Mystery solved! Gee, they really should¡¯ve known! Rumors that Yun Liu and Shi Nian were childhood sweethearts had been around for years! Although Shi Nian had once clarified in a private event that they had nothing to do with each other, Shi Nian did admit that he was married and stated he didn¡¯t disclose his wife¡¯s identity because it would inconvenience her!

    Wasn¡¯t that secretly¡ªor rather, clearly¡ªpointing toward Yun Liu? Yun Liu had debuted not long ago and wasn¡¯t very well-known. If she announced that she was married, it would definitely be detrimental to her career! All the signs were obvious¡ªYun Liu was Shi Nian¡¯s mysterious wife!

    Miss Ding¡¯s phone nearly exploded with calls, and the woman smugly smiled as she looked at the vibrating phone on the sofa. She only chose to answer one out of ten calls.

    She picked up a call and listened before replying, ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry, but Yun Liu has been busy with work recently and has no time for an exclusive interview. Oh, you¡¯re asking about her relationship with Shi Nian? Hehehe, forgive me, but I¡¯m not allowed to say anything without permission. Really, I can¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Come now, you must understand! It¡¯s best not to talk too much about an artiste¡¯s private life to avoid spreading rumors. Our Yun Liu has always insisted on keeping her work and personal life separate, so please be understanding,¡± she continued.

    Miss Ding then hung up the phone and happily gushed, ¡°Yun Liu, you¡¯ve been in the top ten trending searches for ten consecutive days! Three magazines have come with intentions of working with us in these past two days alone! I hope Yun Nan will spend more time shooting her film and keep her mouth shut longer. It¡¯s awesome that we didn¡¯t even have to spend a single cent to make you a trending search topic.¡±

    Yun Liu frowned and asked, ¡°Do we still not know who their new lead actress

    With their current success, Miss Ding didn¡¯t care about that substitute actress anymore and commented, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who the female lead is now. They¡¯re keeping her a secret right now, but they can¡¯t continue to do so when the movie is released, can they? When the time comes, we¡¯ll dig up dirt on her or create some if we can¡¯t find any! But, hey, who doesn¡¯t have a dirty secret or two? Why would she join the entertainment industry if she¡¯s truly such a clean and honest girl?¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s frown deepened as she replied, ¡°I don¡¯t want her to complete her movie. Do you understand?¡±

    Miss Ding quickly stopped smiling at Yun Liu¡¯s serious expression and offered, ¡°Then I¡¯ll work something out. I¡¯ll send some people to that movie¡¯s filming locations and have them mingle with the people there.¡± Yun Liu didn¡¯t say anything, but Miss Ding knew she had acquiesced to her plan, so she added, ¡°The rumors about you and Chairman Shi have spread far and wide. It¡¯ll be much easier for us to promote our new show riding this wave of popularity.¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t the script ready yet?¡± Yun Liu groused, her mood inexplicably irritable.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be ready soon! Very soon! It¡¯s going through its final revision. This script is tailor-made for you! Our ace scriptwriter and director¡ªDirector Zhang¡ªwill personally direct it so you just sit and wait to receive your award. We¡¯re going to use the entire company¡¯s resources to make you into a top actress!¡± Miss Ding cheerily assured.

    Yun Liu¡¯s temper eased, and she inquired, ¡°Where¡¯s my brother? Why haven¡¯t I seen him recently? What¡¯s he so busy with?¡± She hadn¡¯t seen Yun Zhang at home recently.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s probably busy finding funds. It took a lot out of the company to Day Yun Nan¡¯s compensation fee, so Mr. Yun is pitching our company to investors. Speaking of which, Mr. Yun certainly dotes on you twenty-four-seven. I wish I had an elder brother like that, though I doubt anyone can measure up to him.¡± Everyone knew how well Yun Zhang treated Yun Liu.

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t know why, but she suddenly felt uneasy.. The company, their family, and Yun Nan were involved in such a big public commotion, so why didn¡¯t Yun Zhang react to it at all? With that foolish kindness of his, he couldn¡¯t be indifferent to everything that was happening now!

 Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter Ninety: Uncovered Past

    Chapter 90: Chapter Ninety: Uncovered Past

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Zhang stared agape at the thick stack of demand letters before him and stuttered, ¡°These-these, are all addressed to us?¡±

    ¡°That is correct, Mr. Yun,¡± the lawyer answered stoically.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! How is this possible?¡± Yun Zhang replied as his mind blanked.

    The lawyer politely informed him, ¡°Our client has entrusted us to investigate and sue the slanderers for spreading fake news, and our investigation showed the prejudicial remarks against our client on the Internet are posted by account IDs all held by your company¡¯s employees. Other users also indicated your company¡¯s employees had given them money and instructed them to post extreme comments.¡±

    Yun Zhang slowly collected himself and inquired, ¡°Is your client¡­ Yun Nan?¡±

    The lavvyer stated, ¡°Miss Yun Nan¡¯s studio, to be precise, and not her personally. However, another client had requested we pursue the matter regarding the slanderous remarks against her person.

    ¡°Another client? Who is it?¡± Yun Zhang dazedly questioned.

    The lavvyer answered evenly, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Shi Nian.¡± Yun Zhang¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he couldn¡¯t describe his complicated feelings at the moment.

    ¡°Mr. Shi Nian said that he won¡¯t spare anyone who¡¯d persecuted Miss Yun Nan, and he won¡¯t accept mediation.¡±

    Yun Zhang slowly nodded at the lavvyer¡¯s words and said, ¡°Alright, I understand. I will inform my company¡¯s legal department, have them contact you, and handle this matter properly.¡± With that, he felt a sense of helplessness rise from the bottom of his heart.

    The lawyer didn¡¯t say much and stood up to leave. He relayed, ¡®Mr. Yun, Mr. Shi Nian wanted me to pass this message to you: He will do everything he can to protect Miss Yun Nan. Mr. Shi will show no mercy to those who wish to hurt her, even if it¡¯s the Yun family¡ªeven if Miss Yun doesn¡¯t want to pursue the matter.¡±

    Yun Zhang was speechless, and after the lawyer left, he sat quietly on the chair, mind distracted. He hadn¡¯t been paying attention to the news online recently because he had a sudden impulse to understand Yun Nan¡¯s past.

    He¡¯d found the shop that had belonged to her adoptive parents, situated in the area where Yun Nan had gone missing back then. The shop had changed owners, but the neighbors only had praise when they mentioned Yun Nan¡¯s family. Her adoptive parents were kind-hearted and had never given up on helping her find her biological parents. They were afraid her biological parents wouldn¡¯t be able to find her, so they never changed her name.

    However, Yun Zhang knew very well that when his sister went missing, his parents didn¡¯t put much effort into searching for her. Instead, they were so busy casting blame on each other that they nearly divorced. Their fights didn¡¯t die down until their relatives came up with the idea of adopting another child. Then, his parents put all their attention on his new sister. They thought Yun Nan must have been kidnapped by human traffickers and were convinced they would never recover their lost child.

    Yun Nan became an orphan after her adoptive parents passed away. However, she wasn¡¯t an adult, and though her neighbors offered her help, it wasn¡¯t a solution. In order to fulfill her adoptive parents¡¯ wishes, Yun Nan insisted on finding her biological parents. Led by her remaining memories, Yun Nan wandered to many places. She had to find ways to fill her stomach while cleverly ensuring her own safety. Yun Zhang couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of life she had in those few years.

    After her fruitless search, Yun Nan returned to the house that no longer contained her adoptive parents. Living off the generosity of her neighbors, she managed to catch up on her studies in a year and got admitted to university. She was the pride of the entire street, and her neighbors raised funds for her university fees. They¡¯d bought a custom banner and placed it at the alley¡¯s entrance with a donation box underneath. There was enough money for her tuition fees and travel expenses in the donation box by the time school started. Before she left, Yun Nan had knelt at the alley¡¯s entrance and kowtowed thrice to the neighbors who came to see her off.

    Yun Zhang couldn¡¯t stand listening to any more of Yun Nan¡¯s past. He couldn¡¯t help but recall that, during that time, their entire family had doted on and cared for Yun Liu in every possible way and had long forgotten about Yun Nan ¡ªthe Yun Nan who was studying at university while having to rely on part-time jobs to support herself.

    Yun Zhang finally understood why Yun Nan approached things briskly and decisively. Her personality was formed and molded by the things she experienced as she grew up. He honestly couldn¡¯t imagine how difficult it was for a girl to grow up without anyone to rely on.

    He felt deeply guilty for his and his parents¡¯ actions. They had let Yun Nan down. Yun Nan had gone through so many difficulties to find her way back home, but how did they treat her?

    ¡® Yun Nan must hate us, doesn¡¯t she? Yun Zhang didn¡¯t dare to ponder over this question. If he were in her shoes, he would probably hate them¡ªthere was no way he wouldn¡¯t.

    But Yun Nan¡­ Yun Nan didn¡¯t hate them; he was sure of it. Yun Nan only felt disappointed in them¡ªextremely disappointed. Therefore, she chose to leave their family and struck out on her own. Yun Nan had grown up to become a successful person without her family, but they constantly bullied her when she returned to them, so why did she have to stay and suffer such treatment?

    Yun Zhang felt extremely upset when he thought about it..

 Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter Ninety-One: Concealed Truths

    Chapter 91: Chapter Ninety-One: Concealed Truths

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    However, before the guilt could fester and grow, he found that Yun Liu had again driven Yun Nan into a corner. Yun Zhang could feel his blood pressure rise bit by bit as he browsed through the various comments on the Internet one by one.

    Someone knocked on the door, and Yun Zhang threw his phone at it without checking who was there, yelling, ¡°Get lost!¡± That person immediately retreated and closed the door. Yun Zhang leaned back on his chair and tugged off his tie, so angry his entire body was trembling.

    Even though all hell was breaking loose outside, the production crew of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ didn¡¯t notice and wasn¡¯t affected at all thanks to Yun Nan and Fang Xi who¡¯d created an immersive environment for them, allowing everyone to focus on the movie.

    Their newcomer¡ªShi Xiu¡ªwas especially hardworking and soaked up everything Mika taught her little by little. Shi Xiu was admittedly quite talented; she got into character very quickly and had a strong ability to empathize with the role. The other actors weren¡¯t famous, so they all pushed themselves in the hopes of producing an amazing movie and gaining more fame. This environment caused a rat race wherein everyone was in a competitive mood; they studied and rehearsed their scenes even during their break time, and as a result, the filming was unprecedentedly smooth.

    Fang Xi rubbed her temples as she walked up to Yun Nan, who was scrolling through the film clips. She picked up Yun Nan¡¯s cup of coffee and took a sip, sighing as she said, ¡°All that work nearly killed me! Once I have time for a breather, I¡¯ll definitely find out who¡¯s behind all this and skin them alive!¡± Yun Nan didn¡¯t even spare her a glance when she asked, ¡®You¡¯re still angry?¡±

    ¡°Apparently, some people don¡¯t want us to have a moment¡¯s peace despite our efforts to stay low!¡± Fang Xi groaned. ¡°The Internet has gone crazy with all kinds of news; if the rumors continue to spread, I won¡¯t be surprised if they make you out to be a three-headed and six-armed vixen born from a rock!¡±

    Yun Nan rolled her eyes at Fang Xi and joked, ¡°Make up your mind. Am I Sun Wukong, Nezha or Daji?¡±

    Fang Xi laughed and replied, ¡°You¡¯d be a chimera, I guess. These people hide behind their computers, fantasizing and making things up out of thin air. Anything¡¯s possible with them; they have enough creative imaginations to fill the entire solar system. I have to say I¡¯m a little impressed. With that kind of creativity, they might even become top screenwriters if they put their minds into writing plays and scripts.¡±

    Yun Nan lazily drawled, ¡°Then keep an eye on the ones with good writing skills. You never know; they might be useful in the future. There are many outstanding talents out there!¡±

    Fang Xi rested her chin on her hand and looked at the film clip Yun Nan was watching. One of Shi Xiu¡¯s scenes was playing on screen. She inquired, ¡°What do you think will happen when Shi Xiu sees those comments online after she finishes filming?¡±

    Yun Nan looked at Fang Xi in shock; she obviously hadn¡¯t thought about that. Fang Xi smiled; she knew the thought had never occurred to Yun Nan¡ªher friend tended to be surprisingly dense in some areas.

    ¡°Our Miss Shi isn¡¯t one to be taken lightly. I look forward to what she¡¯ll do when she finds out!¡± Fang Xi remarked with a prideful grin.

    Yun Nan¡¯s consternation turned into relief as she mulled over Fang Xi¡¯s words and stated, ¡°The Shi family is very democratic. The elders are very supportive of the interests and hobbies of the younger generation. Shi Nian told me he only took over his family¡¯s businesses because his grandfather, father, and older brother set him up. However, I feel that a bigger part of the reason he is willing to take over that responsibility is because he wanted his loved ones to do the things they enjoy. They¡¯re a loving family. Fang Xi, have you noticed? Children who have no shortage of love are especially confident and bold. They are generally not easy to deal with.¡±

    ¡°You have a point!¡± Fang Xi agreed and nodded. ¡°You could tell a little about Shi Xiu¡¯s upbringing just through her ability to empathize. However, that¡¯s not always the case for everyone; take Yun Liu, for example. The Yun family must have provided her with a loving environment as she grew up, but she became wicked anyway. In the end, it¡¯s a matter of human nature.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and shook her head before she teased, ¡°You and your way with words.¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is the truth!¡± Fang Xi defended with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Yun Nan, this isn¡¯t just about you. She¡¯s targeting the studio, so this matter concerns all of us now. You can¡¯t be soft-hearted and show mercy. Do you understand?¡±

    Yun Nan knew what she meant and nodded lightly. ¡°I understand. It¡¯s fine if she¡¯s only targeting me, but she¡¯s playing with fire. I won¡¯t stop you guys,¡± she uttered.

    Fang Xi was satisfied with her answer and commented, ¡°I¡¯ve never met such an outrageous person! She put the Yun family in the line of fire for her own paltry desires which can¡¯t even be counted as benefits. And that Yun Zhang is a featherhead, spoiling and enabling her like so. I would¡¯ve been more courteous to him if he could treat you with a tenth of the attention he gave to Yun Liu!¡±

    Yun Nan smiled bitterly and said, ¡°I don¡¯t blame him. After all, blood ties can¡¯t compare to their relationship growing up together.¡±

    Fang Xi disdainfully criticized, ¡°He¡¯s just a blockhead; he¡¯ll be sorry one day. I don¡¯t pity him at all. Yun Nan, when that time comes, you have to keep your overly soft heart under lock and key; you can¡¯t just smile and forget all grudges. Just on Gao Bei¡¯s incident alone, it¡¯s impossible for us to forgive and forget!¡±

    Yun Nan agreed. She wasn¡¯t a saint; she wasn¡¯t so magnanimous as to be able to ¡®smile and bury the hatchet..¡¯

 Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter Ninety-Two: Wrapping Up

    Chapter 92: Chapter Ninety-Two: Wrapping Up

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Xiu lost a whole 15 pounds by the time ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ had finished filming! Her face¡ªoriginally a little chubby with baby fat¡ªhad turned into a petite

    V-shaped face. Her personality had also undergone some changes¡ªshe was calmer nowadays than before. Like many new actors who¡¯d taken part in their first movie, she was deeply immersed in her role and had difficulty completely separating herself from her character. Yun Nan and Mika were very experienced and carried out systematic psychotherapy on Shi Xiu.

    Shi Xiu cried her eyes out at the film¡¯s completion party and expressed her gratitude to every cast and crew member for helping and taking care of her. Shi

    Nian had flowers and gifts sent to each and every person on the production team. Shi Xiu took the lead in teasing Yun Nan and singing praises to her brother, and Yun Nan generously accepted everyone¡¯s blessings.

    It was only then that Fang Xi told everyone about the rumors that had been going on outside in the recent period. Everyone was furious, and Shi Xiu was boiling mad.

    Fang Xi analyzed the pros and cons for everyone and taught them how to subsequently deal with the matter and how to protect themselves and the movie they produced together.

    ¡°The cost of creating rumors is too low!¡± Shi Xiu fumed indignantly. ¡°These rumor-mongers had probably never met anyone who took their actions to heart! I say it¡¯s high time they opened their eyes and learned the power of the law!¡±

    She turned to Fang Xi and stated, ¡°Fang Xi, send me a copy of every piece of evidence you¡¯ve collected! You guys may not have the time, but I do! I¡¯ll hire a lavvyer, and we¡¯ll sue the perpetrators into bankruptcy! Sue them until they regret ever being born!¡±

    Everyone was immediately on board with Shi Xiu¡¯s idea. ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave this to you, Shi Xiu. Make sure not to let them off easily!¡±

    Fang Xi gazed at Yun Nan and whispered, ¡°See, what did I say? Didn¡¯t I tell you she¡¯s not one to be taken lightly?¡±

    Yun Nan gave her a wry smile. Subconsciously, Yun Nan didn¡¯t want to have too much to do with the Shi family. After all, she and Shi Nian had a five-year agreement. They¡¯ll go their separate ways after the five years are up, so the less interaction they have, the simpler it will be.

    However, things changed. She hadn¡¯t expected everyone in the Shi family to treat her so well without knowing the agreement. They loved and treated her like a real family member. Shi Xiu also did her best to unquestioningly treat Yun Nan¡ªher second sister-in-law¡ªwell.

    Shi Nian came to fetch them home for dinner. Shi Xiu hadn¡¯t been home for two months, and Shi Nian¡¯s home-cooked dinners had stopped long ago. After all, these two ladies tend to forget everything else when they get into their work.

    As soon as they got into the car, Shi Xiu said to Shi Nian, ¡°Shi Nian, I need to borrow your best legal advisor!¡±

    Shi Nian frowned and looked at his sister sitting in the back seat. ¡°What trouble did you get yourself into now?¡± he asked.

    Shi Xiu smacked Shi Nian¡¯s seat from the back and cried, ¡°Hey! I didn¡¯t get myself into any trouble at all! People are bullying me and Yun Nan! I have to use legal means to protect us!¡±

    Shi Nian glanced at Yun Nan, who was sitting at the side, and softly inquired, ¡°She only found out about it today?¡±

    Yun Nan nodded and replied, ¡°Yes. I was afraid it would affect her emotions.¡±

    Shi Nian inclined his head and then raised his voice to say to Shi Xiu, ¡°Do you need anyone else aside from the legal advisor? Say, the security chief, perhaps.¡±

    Shi Xiu frowned in thought and then promptly smiled. ¡°Sure! Why not?¡± she agreed.

    Yun Nan was puzzled and turned to Shi Xiu behind her with the question,

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yun Nan,¡± Shi Xiu said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m a weak little girl who is no good at fighting or arguing, so of course, I need a few security guards to follow me around and protect me!¡±

    Yun Nan looked at Shi Nian in confusion. ¡°Did you not assign her bodyguards?¡±

    Shi Nian chuckled, ¡°She probably wants a team of guards to bully others into submission. It¡¯s fine; my staff are all reliable. Let her have her fun. She should relax and enjoy herself after being locked up for so long.¡±

    Shi Xiu cleared her throat and uttered, ¡°Shi Nian, I¡¯m the lead actress of the movie Fang Xi will start promoting soon. I can¡¯t have any negative news about me. Otherwise, our entire production crew¡¯s hard work could be ruined! So I definitely won¡¯t be bullying anyone. I need to maintain my ladylike image.¡± As she spoke, Shi Xiu corrected her posture and straightened her back. Yun Nan laughed and commented, ¡°Are you tired?¡±

    Shi Xiu immediately collapsed and giggled, ¡°It is quite tiring.¡±

    Yun Nan advised her, ¡°There¡¯s no need to put on a facade; you¡¯ll die of exhaustion if you do. Just relax and be yourself. We¡¯ll keep your identity a secret in the early stages of our promotion work to maintain a sense of mystery and only announce you to the public when the movie is released. When that time comes, you will have a lot of strenuous work. You¡¯ll need to go on a roadshow with the production team.¡±

    Shi Xiu was very excited to hear that and eagerly assured Yun Nan, ¡°It¡¯s not a chore to me at all. In fact, I¡¯m looking forward to it. Now, I¡¯m going to deal with those rumor-mongers that are causing trouble for us. I have to teach them a

    lesson and make them learn the code of ethics!¡± As she finished speaking, Shi Xiu looked proud of herself for upholding justice.

    ¡°The police rescued Gao Bei,¡± Shi Nian murmured. Yun Nan and Shi Xiu were both stunned at the news..

 Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter Ninety-Three: Chicanery

    Chapter 93: Chapter Ninety-Three: Chicanery

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gao Bei held a press conference, accompanied by her manager Xiao Ya.

    Gao Bei¡ªonce described as a ¡®fairy maiden¡¯¡ªlooked a far cry from her previous youthful beauty. Gao Bei¡¯s tears streamed down her face as she stood before the cameras, crying that she¡¯d been tricked into going abroad and had several near brushes with death. She wailed that she was almost sold and transported to another country before the SWAT team managed to find and rescue her.

    Gao Bei¡¯s experience was saddening. Xiao Ya took the opportunity to cry and beg the many parties whom Gao Bei had signed contracts with to forgive the girl in consideration of her juvenile ignorance and tragic encounter and exempt her from prosecution and huge penalty fees. Xiao Ya promised her company would do its best to compensate for the losses these parties incurred due to Gao Bei¡¯s breach of contract.

    Fang Xi shook her head, sighed, and said, ¡°Gao Bei had backed her into a corner, so Xiao Ya had no choice but to throw her to the wolves. Otherwise, it won¡¯t be fair to her other artistes.¡±

    Yun Nan frowned and questioned, ¡°Didn¡¯t they call the police to look into the matter?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they did. However, investigating this incident is one thing, and compensation is another. Just because Gao Bei was maliciously tricked doesn¡¯t mean she doesn¡¯t have to pay the penalty fees,¡± Fang Xi explained.

    ¡°By the way, that nominal husband of yours has put in a lot of effort. His legal team really impressed me; thanks to them, we¡¯ve already received a lot of compensation from the online rumor-mongers. Ah, it feels good to settle the score! I got our financial department to donate every compensation sum we received to peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns and then publish the donation details on the studio¡¯s official Weibo account,¡± Fang Xi stated proudly.

    Yun Nan smiled and praised, ¡°Fang Xi, you¡¯re as dependable as always.¡±

    Fang Xi glanced at her and inquired, ¡°Do you know where most of the compensation came from?¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t know, and Fang Xi smiled. ¡°The Yun family,¡± she revealed as she spread her fingers to admire her new manicure.

    Yun Nan fell silent, and Fang Xi continued, ¡°I¡¯ve asked around. Miss Ding was the one behind the rumors; no doubt she was acting under Yun Liu¡¯s orders. Yun Zhang wasn¡¯t at home, and by the time our legal team went over to him, the situation had already escalated to an irreparable stage. However, Yun Zhang was acting strangely. He agreed to compensate without much arguing and even gave a meticulous apology statement.¡±

    Yun Nan was also surprised at that and commented, ¡°Oh? That doesn¡¯t seem like him.¡±

    Fang Xi shrugged. ¡°Who knows? Maybe he¡¯d finally woken up to the truth?¡±

    The ¡®awakened¡¯ Yun Zhang looked at Yun Liu¡¯s tearful appearance and felt upset. This was the first time he realized that Yun Liu always prevaricated and danced around the subject when she talked to him. When he asked her why she hired Internet trolls to slander Yun Nan online, she cried that her dear brother no longer loved her. When he asked her why she smeared Yun Nan, she said that he didn¡¯t care for her anymore and that there was no longer any place for her in their family.

    Yun Zhang heaved a great sigh. He didn¡¯t need to ask any further questions;

    Yun Liu obviously targeted Yun Nan on purpose. He didn¡¯t know how to explain himself to Yun Nan, and Yun Nan might not listen to his explanations. Yun

    Zhang rubbed his face tiredly and waved at Yun Liu as he uttered, ¡°That¡¯s enough, stop crying. Leave. I want to be alone.¡±

    ¡°You want me to leave, Yun Zhang?¡± Yun Liu sobbed. ¡°You still blame me, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you believe I¡¯m doing this for Yun Nan¡¯s sake? She will only come back if we drive her into a corner. I wouldn¡¯t have done this if you had any other ideas! You want our sister to come back, don¡¯t you? Well, I do, too!¡±

    If it were in the past, Yun Zhang would definitely believe Yun Liu, but he didn¡¯t feel touched by her words today¡ªhe only felt endless fatigue and annoyance.

    Yun Liu saw his indifference to her tears and left, trembling. Her sadness emanated from her retreating back, but unfortunately, Yun Zhang had buried his face in his palms and didn¡¯t notice.

    Yun Liu¡¯s dejected expression changed into an icy one as soon as she was out the door. She wiped her tears off her face, thinking, ¡®Yun Zhang is getting more and more ridiculous. If this continued, he might really side with that wretched girl, Yun Nan. I have to speed up myplans and get rid other ASAP!¡¯

    She called Miss Ding and ordered, ¡°Tell Director Zhang to see me in my office!¡± Since Yun Zhang was being stubborn, she¡¯ll be the one calling the shots from now on! And while she¡¯s at it, she could increase her publicity. She had to be one-up on Yun Nan before her movie was released!

    Yun Nan prepared a tableful of delicious food to make up for the meals she owed Shi Nian during the time she was busy shooting her movie. Shi Nian tried his best not to let his happiness show as he looked at the table nearly overflowing with dishes and nodded slightly to indicate his satisfaction.

    Yun Nan was unaware of what was going on in Shi Nian¡¯s mind. She was feeling very pleased with the results of her afternoon¡¯s work.

    Seeing her state, Shi Nian questioned, ¡°What¡¯s gotten you in such a good mood?¡±

 Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter Ninety-Four: Chat

    Chapter 94: Chapter Ninety-Four: Chat

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan replied while scooping up some soup for the both of them, ¡°The movie shoot went smoothly. The actors performed quite well, especially Shi Xiu. That girl is a gem!¡± Shi Nian felt very proud when he heard her praise his sister.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a rest for a few days. In the meantime, Fang Xi will arrange for the movie to be approved and schedule the movie¡¯s release and so on. After that comes the movie promotion stage during which I¡¯ll be quite busy.¡± Yun Nan stated, giving Shi Nian a brief summary of her upcoming schedule.

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll have trouble getting your movie approved and released?¡± Shi Nian asked.

    Yun Nan shook her head. ¡°It should be fine. We¡¯d planned to film this movie for a long time¡ªlong before I returned to the Yun family. We¡¯d already talked to some of our seniors in the LPF back then, and everyone is glad that the movie¡¯s finally finished filming.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded, but he still felt a little worried. He took out his phone and sent a message to Chang Yuan, telling him to keep an eye on the movie¡¯s proceedings.

    ¡°Did you tell Mr. MO?¡± Shi Nian inquired. Since she and Fang Xi were well-acquainted with Mr. MO, they could ask him to do them a favor. Things would go much easier for them with Mr. MO as a safeguard.

    Yun Nan nodded and told him, ¡°Mr. MO said he¡¯ll attend the movie premiere and asked for the best seat in the theater.¡± At that, Shi Nian was finally relieved. Since Mr. MO mentioned the movie premiere, that meant the movie would have no problem getting released. Shi Nian inwardly sighed as he ate the prawns Yun Nan had peeled. He was unexpectedly more nervous about the movie than the movie¡¯s director herself. ¡® You really do worry a lot about someone when you care about them,¡¯ he mused.

    ¡°Has your family been here before? This penthouse, I mean.¡± Yun Nan suddenly asked.

    Shi Nian was surprised at the question, but he still answered, ¡°They had a look at it, yes.¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°What? They left after just a quick look?¡±

    Shi Nian nodded and explained, ¡°They think this house is too big and austere. They don¡¯t like the decor either. They said that¡­ this place isn¡¯t fit for human habitation.¡± Yun Nan totally understood what Shi Nian¡¯s family meant.

    ¡°I¡¯m free for the next couple of days, so I want to invite Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and Shi Xiu over for a meal¡ªI¡¯ll cook,¡± Yun Nan suggested. She¡¯d wanted to cook for the Shi family for a long time now.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t understand why she wanted them over for dinner, so Yun Nan continued, ¡°They¡¯re so nice to me, and I don¡¯t have anything to repay them with, so I thought I could make them a meal. Besides, we¡¯re legally married, and this penthouse is our home. We should invite your family over, shouldn¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡®She¡¯s right! Shi Nian thought, elated that she¡¯d called the penthouse ¡®their home.¡¯ Shi Nian quickly nodded and agreed, ¡°Alright! Give me a list of ingredients you need, and I¡¯ll go buy them. When do you want to invite them over? I¡¯ll get Chang Yuan to change my work schedule.¡±

    This time, Yun Nan was the one feeling confused. She didn¡¯t know why Shi Nian was suddenly so enthusiastic, so she carefully stated, ¡°I was just about to ask you to check with your parents and grandpa to see when they¡¯ll have time before we take a look at your schedule. Shi Xiu and I are on vacation, so anytime will do for us.¡±

    ¡°Any time is fine for them, ¡± Shi Nian told her. ¡°I¡¯ll get Chang Yuan to free up time in my schedule. How does tomorrow night sound?¡±

    Yun Nan was amazed by Shi Nian¡¯s swift and decisive attitude and uttered,

    ¡°Sure, sounds good.¡±

    Shi Nian asked concernedly, ¡°Can you handle making all that food yourself? I can ask the housemaid at my parent¡¯s house to come over and help.¡± Shi Nian didn¡¯t doubt her cooking skills, but he couldn¡¯t bear to see her work so hard.

    Yun Nan hurriedly waved her hand and assured him, ¡°No! No! It¡¯s fine! If you ask her over, then it won¡¯t be any different to eating at your parent¡¯s house. I want to treat your family to a meal I made myself.¡±

    Yun Nan said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the supermarket after this meal. That way, I can start preparing the ingredients tomorrow morning. You¡¯ll be the chauffeur and pick up your relatives. Is that okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Shi Nian agreed, and his heart jumped in joy. He felt like a high-spirited youth¡ªhe was in an extremely good mood.

    There weren¡¯t many people in the supermarket at night. Shi Nian pushed the cart and followed behind Yun Nan as he watched her place the items she had chosen into the cart, muttering about the dishes she planned to make. Shi Nian¡¯s gaze followed her movements, gentle and satisfied.

    The two of them were immersed in their own worlds, unaware that they¡¯d drawn the eyes of onlookers. The passersby who saw them couldn¡¯t help but admire the sweet atmosphere around the beautiful couple.

    Yun Nan looked at the shopping cart full of groceries with great satisfaction and confidently declared, ¡°They¡¯ll surely love me tomorrow!¡±

    Shi Nian frowned and retorted, ¡°They¡¯ll love your food, you mean.¡± He silently grumbled, ¡® Why would you want them to fall in love with you? What about me? Yun Nan tilted her head and smiled, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡±

    When it was time to pay for the groceries, Yun Nan reached out, took two lollipops, and handed them to Shi Nian. Shi Nian couldn¡¯t remember when he¡¯d last had sweets and was at a loss when he took the lollipops.

    ¡°These are peach flavored. They¡¯re delicious!¡± Yun Nan remarked.

    After Shi Nian paid the bill, Yun Nan picked up the bags filled with the groceries, but then Shi Nian immediately snatched them away. He had a shopping bag in each hand, so he raised his chin, indicating to Yun Nan to walk forward.

    Yun Nan felt bad about letting him carry all the bags and offered, ¡°Here, I¡¯ll carry one.¡± She reached for one of the shopping bags, but Shi Nian dodged away..

 Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter Ninety-Five: Sharing

    Chapter 95: Chapter Ninety-Five: Sharing

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan saw that Shi Nian seemed quite happy carrying the bags, so she left him to it. She took out the lollipops and peeled off their wrappers before she stuffed one into her mouth and held the other to Shi Nian¡¯s mouth.

    Shi Nian spotted a photoflash nearby from the corner of his eyes, so he openly popped the lollipop into his mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious, isn¡¯t it?¡± Yun Nan asked, and Shi Nian nodded. Yun Nan continued, ¡°Fang Xi said these peach-flavored lollipops are good. You can¡¯t go wrong with anything she recommends.¡±

    ¡®Oh, so the lollipops were recommended by FangXi,¡¯ Shi Nian thought. ¡°Do all girls like sweets?¡± Shi Nian inquired.

    Yun Nan shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Fang Xi and I eat sweets to keep us awake and boost creativity. Fang Xi likes to suck on lollipops because it reduces her cravings for a cigarette. She used to smoke, but she quit after she met her crush. The only good thing I can say about that man was that he got her to stop smoking. ¡±

    ¡°Has she gotten over her breakup?¡± Shi Nian inquired. He Imew that Yun Nan must be in a pleasant mood because she was sharing these stories with him.

    Yun Nan shook her head and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think she can. Although she looks fine on the surface¡­ Fang Xi is the type to hide her negative emotions, so the more composed she appears to be, the more hurt she is on the inside. She loves that man very much. She gave her entire heart to him, and he broke it.¡±

    Shi Nian felt moved by Fang Xi¡¯s tragic romance and questioned, ¡°Does she hate him?¡±

    Yun Nan twirled before Shi Nian, light-footed as a butterfly, and answered, ¡°Hate him? No! She¡¯d already spent all her power loving him. Where would she find the energy to hate him? She¡¯d die from exhaustion.¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s tale suddenly reminded Shi Nian of Xi Cheng. ¡°I have a friend who broke up with his girlfriend because he was pressured by his family,¡± Shi Nian offered. ¡°He¡¯s now engaged to another woman and has completely changed.

    He¡¯s very depressed, and his relationship with his fianc¨¦e is very strained.¡±

    Yun Nan was surprised; this was the first time she heard him mention his friend. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like his fianc¨¦e? Then why did they get engaged? Does his girlfriend love him very much?¡± Yun Nan probed, curious. She didn¡¯t expect there would be a real-life version of such a melodramatic love story.

    Shi Nian thought of how dispirited Xi Cheng was recently, sighed softly, and told Yun Nan, ¡°His mother likes his fianc¨¦e. His girlfriend¡¯s family doesn¡¯t have much power or influence, so she got chased away by his mother. Before she moved away, she left behind the money his mother gave her and the money he¡¯d given her during all those years they lived together. I once found that friend of mine grieving alone in the house they used to share. He even forbade me from opening the bedroom door because he feared the girl¡¯s scent would dissipate.¡±

    Yun Nan honestly didn¡¯t expect such a plot-turn. ¡°He really loves that girl,¡± Shi

    Nian added.

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he go look for her?¡± Yun Nan asked.

    ¡°He had no choice but to do as his mother wished and be with someone else,¡± Shi Nian explained.

    Yun Nan shook his head. ¡°I disagree. I don¡¯t think he truly loves his girlfriend. He¡¯s just trying to fool himself with his act of deep love so he¡¯d feel better about himself. How is this true love? He felt powerless against his parents and expressed his misery as his deep love for his girlfriend, but his girlfriend knew nothing about it. If he loved her so much, why didn¡¯t he let his girlfriend know?¡±

    Yun Nan continued, ¡°Because, if his girlfriend found out how miserable he was without her, she would return to him, and he doesn¡¯t want that. There was no place for her by his side because he didn¡¯t dare to stand against his parents and break things off with his fianc¨¦e. He didn¡¯t want to admit that weakness, so he put on an act for himself and his friends to create an image of a man deeply in love when, in fact, he only loves himself.¡±

    Shi Nian stopped in his tracks and looked at Yun Nan. She sighed and commented, ¡°I hope your friend¡¯s girlfriend can be like Fang Xi and move on from that relationship¡ªrip off the plaster quickly and let it go. If she can¡¯t move on¡­ Well, you don¡¯t need love to survive. In short, she needs to cut her losses and stop wasting her time and emotions on him. A man like that isn¡¯t worth loving.¡±

    Shi Nian was deeply shocked by Yun Nan¡¯s perspective. He didn¡¯t understand or approve of Xi Cheng¡¯s actions, but the guy was a close friend he had grown up with, so he naturally stood on his side. He didn¡¯t have a good impression of Xi Cheng¡¯s current fianc¨¦e, Lin Yu, or that girlfriend he had never met before because they had hurt his best friend.

    However, Yun Nan didn¡¯t even know these people. She had hit the nail on the head and pointed out the essence of this matter just from the brief words he shared. Shi Nian had to admit Yun Nan¡¯s every word was a gem.

    ¡°What about you? What kind of love do you hope to find?¡± Shi Nian asked.

    ¡°Me? I don¡¯t want love,¡± Yun Nan replied without hesitation.

    ¡°Why? Have you also been hurt before?¡± Shi Nian asked.

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a romantic relationship, but I have eyes. I¡¯ve seen too many examples of people hurt by love. I¡¯ve seen so many true and false love stories that I¡¯ve become immune. This is a big world, and there are so many important things to do. Why should I waste time on love?¡±

    Shi Nian suddenly felt the shopping bags in his hands were unusually heavy. Shi Nian had never expected the words ¡®a long way to go¡¯ would one day be the label on his journey to love.

    He truly did have a long way to go..

 Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter Ninety- Six: Praise

    Chapter 96: Chapter Ninety- Six: Praise

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Everyone in the Shi family was surprised and excited by the news that Yun Nan would personally cook for them, and they arrived at Shi Nian¡¯s house early.

    Shi Nian looked at the suddenly crowded living room, and his face darkened.

    ¡®We said to come over at lunchtime! What are you all doing here so early?¡±

    Xu Yun ignored her son¡¯s displeasure and beamed, ¡°We came to see if Yun Nan needs help! After all, many hands make light work!¡± And with that said, she pushed her son out of her way and went into the kitchen.

    Shi Xiu yawned at her brother and lightly shoved him, mumbling, ¡°I¡¯m still sleepy. I¡¯m going to take a nap in your bedroom.¡±

    She then went upstairs, and Shi Nian saw that his grandpa and his father¡ªShi Kong and Shi Yun¡ªwere on the balcony, admiring and praising Yun Nan¡¯s painting. Shi Nian stood in his own house and felt like an ornament¡ªan obstructive one at that. He sighed and headed to the kitchen.

    When he entered the kitchen, he heard Xu Yun exclaim to Yun Nan, ¡°Oh my! Yun Nan, you¡¯re amazing! Is there anything you can¡¯t do?! That silly son of mine is truly lucky to have a wife like you!¡±

    ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t you sit outside for a bit? I¡¯ll make you some tea,¡± Shi Nian interjected, preventing his mother from embarrassing him further.

    Xu Yun waved her hand at him without bothering to turn her head and refused, ¡°I don¡¯t drink tea!¡± She then continued to praise Yun Nan. ¡°Wow, Yun Nan! You know how to cook this fish?! Yun Nan, you¡¯re so awesome!¡±

    Shi Nian stared at his mother as she oohed and aahed over every little thing Yun Nan did and facepalmed, thinking, ¡®Looking at her now, no one would think she¡¯s the famous Madam Shi. This is so embarrassing!¡¯

    As Yun Nan busied herself, she smiled and described the recipe and order of dishes she would be making to Xu Yun. When she spotted Shi Nian, she bluntly requested in an unquestionable tone, ¡°Shi Nian, help me peel the garlic!¡±

    Shi Nian silently found the garlic and began peeling in earnest. Although his mother¡ªthe third wheel she was¡ªwas also present, he still felt cozy whenever he spent time with Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan had almost finished cooking her dishes by the time Shi Xiu woke up from her nap and stumbled downstairs. She stood on the stairs and gaped at the tableful of delicacies before blurting, ¡°Oh my god! Yun Nan made all this herself? Are you sure she didn¡¯t order takeout or hire a hotel chef?¡±

    Shi Nian, who had just brought out the dishes and placed them on the table, heard the comment and rapped her head with his knuckles. ¡°Do you think everyone is like you and only knows how to sleep?¡± he scoffed.

    Shi Xiu covered her head and yelled, ¡°Mom! Shi Nian hit me!¡±

    Xu Yun stuck out her head from the kitchen and replied, ¡°I¡¯m now retired from the role of his babysitter! You should go find Yun Nan the next time you want to tell on your brother.¡±

    Shi Xiu immediately ran to the kitchen doorway and whined, ¡°Yun Nan, Shi

    Nian hit me!¡±

    Yun Nan had heard their entire conversation. She smiled and handed Shi Xiu a bowl of mango pomelo sago, saying, ¡°Ignore your brother! Here, have some!¡± Shi Xiu accepted the dessert with sparkling eyes and made a funny face at Shi Nian before she went looking for her father and grandfather with the bowl in hand.

    When Shi Xiu left, Yun Nan turned to Shi Nian and chided, ¡°You¡¯re an adult, so stop provoking your little sister!¡±

    Shi Nian reached out to adjust the strap of her apron. His tone had a slight hint of complaint as he concernedly asked, ¡°Is there anything else? You¡¯ve made a lot of food.¡±

    Yun Nan could feel his concern and smiled as she uttered, ¡°I¡¯m almost done. Go ask Grandpa and Dad what they want to drink, then prepare the wine.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Shi Nian obeyed.

    When he was gone, Xu Yun told Yun Nan in hushed tones, ¡°Shi Nian has such a bad temper that we were all worried he wouldn¡¯t be able to find a wife! But then, you showed up. Our entire family is grateful that you accepted him!¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°Really? His temper really isn¡¯t that bad. I think it¡¯s pretty good.¡± At least, their cooperation has been pleasant so far. Perhaps it was because Yun Nan was his collaborator, but Shi Nian treated her quite well. Yun Nan decided she shouldn¡¯t get too close to the guy; he seemed like the type who¡¯d be cordial to outsiders but acted unrestrictedly before his loved ones.

    Xu Yun replied, ¡°That¡¯s a relief. You must let us know if he mistreats you, and we¡¯ll take care of him!¡±

    Yun Nan thought Shi Nian¡¯s family had an odd way of showing their love for him. ¡® What did he do to offend his family and make them worry about him like this

    That being said, Yun Nan noticed that everyone in the Shi family had high EQ. ¡®A family atmosphere like theirs was really enviable,¡¯ Yun Nan thought, but at the same time, she felt a little guilty. She was uneasy when she thought about how she was lying to them about her relationship with Shi Nian. She couldn¡¯t tell them the truth, so she would repay them with double the kindness.

    The family drank and chatted happily at the dining table, and¡ªinfluenced by the Shi family¡ªYun Nan also became more and more unrestrained as time passed. Shi Xiu told everyone about the interesting things that had happened during their filming, and her relatives exclaimed and laughed at her tales. They would ask Yun Nan for confirmation from time to time, and Yun Nan would join in and give everyone her own narrations..

 Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter Ninety-Seven: Exposed

    Chapter 97: Chapter Ninety-Seven: Exposed

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian silently listened as he ate. The more he looked at it, the more he felt that Yun Nan was compatible with his family.

    His phone on the table suddenly started vibrating; it was a call from Chang Yuan. Yun Nan¡¯s phone also rang at the same time. They both stood up and went aside to answer their phones.

    Fang Xi sounded excited as she spoke through the phone. ¡°Yun Nan, go on a media platform¡ªany platform¡ªand take a look. You and Shi Nian are trending! ¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Yun Nan was bewildered.

    ¡°You two certainly picked the right time to go public. I wouldn¡¯t have spent so much effort on the movie promotion if I had known this would happen. I would¡¯ve gotten better results and attracted more attention just by putting the two of you out there.¡± Fang Xi groused, feeling a little like she¡¯d wasted her efforts needlessly.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t hang up. She immediately went on the entertainment news website and, frozen on the screen in high definition, was the scene of her feeding a lollipop to Shi Nian. The caption reads, ¡®Billionaire chairman in a relationship with the up-and-coming female director.¡¯ Yun Nan facepalmed, feeling powerless.

    Shi Nian walked over and showed her his phone. Yun Nan felt resigned as she stared at the screen displaying another photo of them looking at each other affectionately. In the photo, Shi Nian was pushing a shopping cart, and she was saying something to him with a smile while holding a bag of chicken wings. The scene caught on camera was so sweet that Yun Nan couldn¡¯t face it.

    ¡°Will this affect you guys?¡± Shi Nian asked in a deep voice. The question wasn¡¯t only directed at Yun Nan but also at Fang Xi on the other end of the phone.

    ¡°Yes!/No! ¡± came Yun Nan and Fang Xi¡¯s simultaneous but different answers.

    Yun Nan sighed and stated, ¡°Fang Xi, don¡¯t you dislike riding on popularity?

    ¡°That depends on who the subject is,¡± Fang Xi replied. ¡°What¡¯s the harm in riding on your popularity? Don¡¯t tell me I have to give this opportunity to others?¡±

    Yun Nan was speechless. Shi Nian took over her phone and asked Fang Xi,

    ¡°Then what should we do now?¡±

    Fang Xi was quite satisfied with Shi Nian¡¯s humble attitude and instructed, ¡°Mr. Shi, if you want to make your relationship with Yun Nan public, then be straightforward and do whatever you have to do openly. But,¡± she drew out the word before continuing, ¡°If you have any concerns and don¡¯t plan to go public yet, then we¡¯ll have to get someone to suppress this news¡¯ popularity.¡±

    ¡°No need!¡± Shi Nian uttered emphatically. Realizing that his response was a little too forceful, Shi Nian added, ¡°What I mean is, since that is already the case, why don¡¯t you guys use this matter to help promote your movie? It¡¯ll save you some effort. Wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡±

    Fang Xi laughed and commented, ¡°You read my mind, Mr. Shi. The incident where our lead actress ran off landed us in hot water some time ago, and now, someone is secretly messing with us behind our backs and trying to suppress our movie¡¯s publicity. However, no one expected something like this to happen, and now the movie has gotten more attention than before. Unless you decide to suppress this news, anyone else would probably be unable to do anything about it. It¡¯s now impossible for us to keep a low profile even if we want to! Tell Yun Nan to stop dwelling on this; some things have become unavoidable at this stage!¡±

    Shi Nian very cooperatively answered, ¡°Alright. Let me know if you need anything.¡± He returned the phone to Yun Nan, and seeing her troubled expression, he stated, ¡°Are you upset because you feel like you¡¯ve cheated by using this news to promote your movie?¡±

    Yun Nan reluctantly nodded. ¡°A little, but given the situation, there¡¯s no other way. I just hope everyone can focus on the movie instead of my private life. I don¡¯t want the actors¡¯ talent and everyone else¡¯s efforts to be overshadowed by something so trivial.¡±

    Shi Nian stroked Yun Nan¡¯s head and comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t let it bother you too much. It doesn¡¯t matter whether the people are interested in the movie because of your team¡¯s efforts or because they¡¯re interested in you. As for the actors and the movie itself¡­ as long as they¡¯re good enough, no one can overshadow them.¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s words had enlightened Yun Nan¡ªso much so that she¡¯d overlooked the fact he¡¯d stroked her head. Shi Nian stared at his hand and had the silly thought, ¡®Her hair is so smooth.¡¯

    Shi Xiu oohed and aahed as she looked at the photos of Shi Nian and Yun Nan posted on various media platforms. She shared the photos with her parents and grandfather, and they began to discuss which one looked best.

    As for the words and comments that came with the photos, she only paid the positive and well-meaning statements some attention and ignored the others. Yun Nan was surprised; with that strong mental fortitude, Shi Xiu truly had great potential to be an artiste.

    As opposed to the Shi family¡¯s unruffled attitude, Yun Liu was going mad with anger. The rumor she¡¯d started with her expensive imitation ring had yet to gain steam, and before she could use it to sneakily make the public believe she was Shi Nian¡¯s wife, her plans were ruined when the couple¡¯s ¡®sweet love¡¯ was made public.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you suppress this news¡¯ popularity?¡± Yun Liu asked Miss Ding fiercely.

    Miss Ding knew things had gone south the moment she saw the news. When she heard Yun Liu¡¯s demand, she braced herself and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s out of our hands now,¡± she told Yun Liu. ¡°Several media outlets are spreading this news right now; it¡¯s all over the place. Since even the Shi family hasn¡¯t stepped forward to suppress the news, these media outlets wouldn¡¯t pay heed to anyone else. This news is now the number one trending topic. There¡¯s really nothing we can do..¡±

 Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter Ninety-Eight: Soft-hearted

    Chapter 98: Chapter Ninety-Eight: Soft-hearted

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Yun Nan, that b*tch!¡¯ Yun Liu was so angry that she swept all the bottles and jars on the table to the ground.

    Yun Zhang pushed open the door and entered the room with a dark expression, coldly snarling, ¡°Yun Liu, what did you say?¡±

    Yun Liu panicked. She hurriedly stood up and said, ¡°Yun Zhang, what brings you here?¡±

    Yun Zhang wasn¡¯t going to let the matter go. ¡°How could you call Yun Name names like that?! She¡¯s our sister!¡± Yun Zhang yelled.

    Yun Liu could feel the control over her anger slipping and forced herself to keep her mouth shut. She couldn¡¯t get into any more conflict with Yun Zhang right now.

    ¡°Yun Zhang, I didn¡¯t mean it! I was just angry. I¡¯m really, really angry! Yun Zhang, we treat Yun Nan as our sister, but Yun Nan doesn¡¯t care about us at all! ¡±

    ¡°Yun Zhang, if Yun Nan had left that movie ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ with us, we could have used it to turn things around. But now, Yun Nan used it to curry favor with Shi Nian instead. She cares more about consolidating her position in the Shi family than she does our lives! She doesn¡¯t care about us at all!¡± Yun Liu stated as she handed a magazine to Yun Zhang. Yun Zhang quickly scanned the magazine¡¯s headlines before throwing it on the table, and his dark expression remained unchanged.

    ¡°Yun Zhang, you¡¯re becoming more and more biased towards Yun Nan! Why are you angry at me? What have I done wrong? Oh, I get it! You regret letting her leave now that you see how successful she is, don¡¯t you? You dislike me because I¡¯m not as capable or talented as your biological sister, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Yun Liu began to cry as she spoke. ¡°I Imow,¡± she sniffled, ¡°I¡¯m an orphan¡ªI¡¯m an unwanted child¡ªwho should be grateful to your family for raising me for so many years¡ªI should repay you all for your kindness¡ªand I should know my place. I shouldn¡¯t be greedy and hope for my parents¡¯ love or yours¡­¡± At this point, she was sobbing so hard she couldn¡¯t speak. ¡®Crying and playing the poor orphan card always worked perfectly on Yun Zhang,¡¯ Yun Liu thought.

    Sure enough, Yun Zhang looked a little helpless as he calmed his temper and said, ¡°Do you hear what you¡¯re saying? When have I ever treated you like an unwanted orphan? Name one person in our entire family who doesn¡¯t love you. Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re breaking our hearts when you say such things?¡±

    Yun Liu gazed at him with a face filled with sorrow, and tears streamed down her cheeks. Yun Zhang¡¯s heart softened at the sight, and he gently muttered, ¡°Yun Liu, stop calling yourself an orphan. You know very well that my parents and I have treated you as one of our own for all these years. Don¡¯t you know how much it upsets us when you say things like that? Think about it. Don¡¯t we treat you better than Yun Nan? Yun Nan is also a member of our family. You don¡¯t have to like her, but you can¡¯t hurt her.¡±

    Yun Zhang placed the documents he was holding on the table at the side and said in a distraught tone, ¡°Our legal department has been extremely busy lately dealing with the demand letters that showered down like winter snow. All because our people are spreading rumors and lies. Yun Liu, what you¡¯ve done has harmed us as well as Yun Nan!¡±

    ¡°Every single hurtful statement has been documented. We had to publicly apologize. We were completely disgraced and had to pay all kinds of financial compensation. We¡¯ve already suffered a great loss. Yun Liu, what you¡¯re doing serves no one¡¯s interests. Can you please stop targeting Yun Nan?¡± Yun Zhang pleaded.

    Yun Liu wiped her tears, looked at Yun Zhang with wet eyes, and uttered aggrievedly, ¡°Yun Zhang, you think I¡¯m targeting Yun Nan? I¡¯m targeting her? What about the way she treated us? I just wanted to get revenge for our family and the company. What right does she have to blame us for those comments online? Yun Zhang, you shouldn¡¯t have paid compensation! Doing so only makes us seem guilty!¡±

    Yun Zhang was furious at Yun Liu¡¯s unreasonable behavior. ¡°The evidence

    provided by their lawyer is crystal clear; there¡¯s not the slightest chance we could prove otherwise. What other way do we have to settle the matter aside from paying compensation

    He continued, trying earnestly to make Yun Liu see sense. ¡°Yun Liu! Although the Internet is large and complex, the web isn¡¯t beyond the law! We can¡¯t take any chances; that will only harm ourselves in the end!¡±

    Yun Liu wailed and threw herself into Yun Zhang¡¯s arms. ¡°Yun Zhang, I¡¯m sorry! It¡¯s all my fault! I¡¯m just¡ªI¡¯m just so frustrated that all of you like Yun

    Nan instead of me. I¡¯m afraid! I¡¯m so afraid that all of you don¡¯t want me! Yun Nan has everything and everyone! She has the whole world, but I only have this one family. I¡¯m nothing compared to her! There¡¯s no way I can win against her! Yun Zhang, I¡¯m so afraid!¡±

    Yun Zhang¡¯s heart completely softened. When his parents had brought Yun Liu into their home, she had tiptoed around trying to please everyone. She was afraid they wouldn¡¯t like her and would send her back to the orphanage. It took her several years to slowly overcome her trepidations. However, Yun Nan¡¯s return aroused Yun Liu¡¯s fears once again. Even though she had grown up, she was still afraid of losing them; she was still the sad and lonely little girl from back then..

 Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter Ninety-Nine: Trouble

    Chapter 99: Chapter Ninety-Nine: Trouble

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu leaned into Yun Zhang¡¯s embrace. She smiled as he gradually relaxed, having read his mind from his body language.

    Yun Zhang patted Yun Liu¡¯s back and gently said, ¡°Alright, dry your tears. We¡¯ve got a lot of work ahead of us. Yun Nan is working hard, so we can¡¯t fall behind. I still have a lot of follow-up matters to deal with.¡±

    Yun Zhang glanced at Miss Ding¡ªstanding in the corner, not daring to make a sound¡ªand coldly stated, ¡°You have to give her more guidance. My little sister is inexperienced, but you¡¯re all seasoned staff. You know very well what kind of consequences this mess would have. If I hear word of something like this happening again, you can pack up and leave!¡±

    Miss Ding quickly lowered her head and assured him she would look out for Yun Liu. Miss Ding and Yun Liu didn¡¯t move after Yun Zhang left until Yun Liu got tired and sat back down in her chair. She touched up her makeup and gave Miss Ding a look.

    Miss Ding got the message and carefully opened the door to take a peek outside before closing the door with a relieved sigh. ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± she told Yun Liu.

    ¡°Set up a surveillance camera at the door.¡± Yun Liu ordered as she did her makeup.

    Miss Ding didn¡¯t dare to refute. ¡°Now what?¡± she asked. ¡°That¡¯s it, right? Mr.

    Yun gave us a pass, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°What more does he want?¡± Yun Liu sneered. ¡°It¡¯s just a small compensation fee. Companies do this sort of thing all the time, so why is he so gung-ho about it when I¡¯m just doing what everyone else is doing? When all is said and done, it¡¯s because we¡¯re not blood-related.¡±

    Miss Ding felt for her. She moved closer to Yun Liu and whispered, ¡°Yun Liu, have you never investigated your background and searched for your biological parents?¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s hand holding an eyebrow pencil paused briefly before she nonchalantly uttered, ¡°Do you think a rich family would leave their child at an orphanage¡¯s entrance?¡± The unstated implication was: What good would searching for her parents do? She¡¯d be in a bind if she found her parents and they turned out to be penniless. Whether she would accept such parents aside, she would have to worry about supporting them. She didn¡¯t believe her biological parents could treat her better than the Yun family.

    Besides, if her biological family was wealthy like the Yuns, why would they leave their child at the orphanage? It was more likely her parents left her there because they couldn¡¯t afford to raise her, so why would she bother looking for them? That was just asking for trouble.

    Miss Ding thought Yun Liu made sense when she heard her comment, so she didn¡¯t say anything else on the subject. Instead, she inquired tentatively, ¡°Then, are we still going to release the articles we prepared?¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t even glance at Miss Ding as she replied, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll release them. But stop leaving trails; you don¡¯t want to get caught again, do you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t let them catch us!¡± Miss Ding hurriedly guaranteed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice those people asking us to deal with their legal suits have stopped coming recently? We only got caught because the people I hired were cheap and incompetent.¡±

    Yun Liu slammed her eyebrow pencil on the table. ¡°Do I not pay you enough?¡±

    ¡°Th-that¡¯s not what I meant! I just wanted to save us some money. After all, we currently don¡¯t have much authority in the company,¡± Miss Ding swiftly groveled.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Yun Liu lightly snorted. ¡°That¡¯s exactly whywe should spend more money! I¡¯d like to see anyone try to withhold my money!¡±

    ¡®Nothing is going smoothly!¡¯ Yun Liu silently fumed, and her gaze fell on the magazine spread. She ripped it out, tore Yun Nan¡¯s bright smile into pieces, and hissed, ¡°Why should she have everything while I had to go through so much trouble?¡± Yun Liu then threw the bits of paper into the trash can.

    ¡°Miss Ding, haven¡¯t you found out who their lead actress is yet?¡± Yun Liu questioned with a frown.

    Miss Ding looked troubled as she answered, ¡°Fang Xi is tricky. Some of the people working with them signed confidentiality agreements, so they kept their mouths shut because they didn¡¯t want to get into trouble. The others don¡¯t even have access to the team¡¯s core matters; they don¡¯t know the details despite being on the production team. All they heard was-was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and spit it out! What did they hear?¡± Yun Liu demanded impatiently.

    ¡°They said Shi Nian¡¯s sister spends all her time in the production team and has a very good relationship with Yun Nan and several key figures of their studio. The entire Shi family seems to really like Yun Nan.¡± Miss Ding informed her. She didn¡¯t know if this information was useful, but she honestly couldn¡¯t find anything else, so she could only use it to make up the numbers.

    Yun Liu scoffed. ¡®Who¡¯d thought the daughter of a wealthy family like her would hang around someone like Yun Nan? Hmph! What a disgrace! She put on princessy airs when I once tried to be nice to her¡ªthat ungrateful wench!¡±

    She continued, ¡°Miss Ding, get someone to spread the news that the current lead actress of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ had once eloped, took drugs, had an abortion, and was a delinquent. Yun Nan chose her to be the lead actress to attract attention. The movie ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ is based on a true story¡ªa story about Yun Nan¡¯s adoptive mother! She was once kidnapped and raped, and her experience is similar to what happened to the female lead in the movie.. Anyone with a sense of modesty wouldn¡¯t watch this lousy movie acted by such a wretched person!¡±

 Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter One-Hundred: The Premiere

    Chapter 100: Chapter One-Hundred: The Premiere

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Miss Ding held her breath and stared at Yun Liu, who rolled her eyes at her. ¡°What? Too afraid to do it? Hire a professional; price isn¡¯t an issue. Spread the news before their movie premiere. I want her to lose everything! You must incite public opinion against them!¡±

    Miss Ding nodded slightly. She had a feeling this matter would get ugly fast. However, on the other hand, if they didn¡¯t cause such a commotion, it would indeed be difficult for them to overshadow Yun Nan.

    She had previously underestimated Fang Xi and thought she was just a half-baked manager who didn¡¯t know how to play the game. She didn¡¯t expect the b*tch to be so forceful. The woman had made off with several promising talents she had had high hopes for; she seemed to have a magic power that could firmly attract the people around her. Miss Ding had tried to persuade them to defect, only to fail numerous times. Yun Liu was anxious about Yun Nan¡¯s rise to fame, while Miss Ding herself wanted to nip Fang Xi¡¯s career in the bud!

    The premiere of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ was held at the Central Grand Theater. Mr. MO and his friends were the first guests to arrive; they and the media reporters were orderly seated. Despite the various doubts and slanderous voices outside, the people from Yun Nan¡¯s studio didn¡¯t seem affected.

    Even though Mr. MO and the other big shots in the film industry were holding the fort, the reporters were so tortured by curiosity that they couldn¡¯t sit still. Before the screening, the reporters gathered together and whispered to each other. Then, some reporters pulled the staff members aside to ask them questions. The big shots sat staidly in the front row while the noise behind them rose in volume.

    The lights hadn¡¯t dimmed completely when Shi Nian and his group entered. A keen-eyed reporter noticed them and immediately exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s Shi Nian! Shi Nian really came!¡±

    The people in the back rows all stood up to take photos. Shi Nian went to greet Mr. MO and the others one by one and then waved to the back before he turned around and sat beside Mr. Mo.

    The reporters excitedly inspected the photos they¡¯d taken. One of them remarked, ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got quite the scoop today! I didn¡¯t expect Shi Nian would actually come. It seemed that the rumors weren¡¯t groundless!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! This news will sell like hotcakes!¡±

    ¡°Mr. MO is here too! What an honor! Chairman Shi must have invited Mr. MO to hold the fort.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Mr. MO, Yun Nan, and Fang Xi are old friends, and Mr. MO appreciates them very much!¡±

    ¡°Really? Why haven¡¯t I heard anything about this?¡±

    ¡°You have to get up to speed! Don¡¯t you know what happened at Mr. Mots garden party?¡±

    ¡°The garden party? What happened at the garden party?¡±

    ¡°Oh! You guys don¡¯t know! Then, forget it. Forget I said anything.¡±

    ¡°Hey, c¡¯mon! Don¡¯t leave me hanging like this! We don¡¯t have as much power as you guys so we didn¡¯t get the garden party¡¯s invitation last time! Come on, buddy. Please, tell me! I¡¯ll treat you to a meal later!¡±

    It only took a few moments for the news of what happened at the garden party to spread like wildfire. At the time, Yun Zhang had spent a lot of effort to suppress the negative news to save his family¡¯s reputation. However, his clout alone wasn¡¯t enough to keep the various media outlets quiet. Everyone looked to Mr. MO and Shi Nian instead. Since Mr. MO and Shi Nian had instructed them to keep mum on the matter, naturally no one dared to spread it.

    But, in the current situation, Mr. MO and Shi Nian had clearly lifted that restriction, so what else was there to worry about? The reporters who didn¡¯t manage to enter the venue back then didn¡¯t expect to receive such a scoop before the movie had even started and felt a little choked at the news.

    ¡°So, the wife Chairman Shi mentioned back then¡­ was Yun Nan?¡±

    ¡°Hehe, he didn¡¯t say, so we can¡¯t say for sure either. But, the two just so happen to be here today; we can ask them about this directly.¡±

    ¡°I saw that photo; the two of them looked extremely sweet together. You don¡¯t say. They do look like a matching couple.¡±

    ¡°Was Yun Nan also the woman in that ring advert? The one that caused all the female celebrities to change their hairstyles some time ago.¡±

    ¡°Gosh, seems like we might have a great haul today!¡± These voices gradually grew louder and more or less reached the front.

    Mr. MO turned to stare at Shi Nian and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to explain to me?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already explain it to you? My wife doesn¡¯t want to make our relationship public. I can¡¯t affect her career,¡± Shi Nian answered with a slight smile.

    Mr. MO nodded. ¡°Hm, that does sound like something Yun Nan would do.¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s smile deepened. Mr. MO sized him up, sighed and said, ¡°At that time, I wondered, ¡® What kind ofgirl did you marry that you¡¯re actually willing to be a henpecked husband? It¡¯s not surprising now that I know it¡¯s Yun Nan.. That girl is worth it!¡±

 Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter One-Hundred and One: Debut

    Chapter 101: Chapter One-Hundred and One: Debut

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Mr. MO spared no words in his praise for Yun Nan, and Shi Nian listened and nodded repeatedly. Mr. MO had a moment¡¯s thought before he asked, ¡°Should I be counted as her side of the family or yours? What do you think?¡±

    Shi Nian chuckled, ¡°She has everyone in her studio to act as her family, and our family treats her like she¡¯s the apple of their eyes. Why don¡¯t you stand on my side? I¡¯m truly outnumbered here.¡±

    Mr. MO looked at Shi Nian, surprised at first, and then laughed. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see the day!¡±

    Shi Nian was in a very good mood and didn¡¯t mind the good-natured teasing. The audience only slowly quieted down when the movie started. When the movie ended two hours later, and the lights lit up one after another, the audience was in complete silence, though occasionally, a few sobs could still be heard.

    Yun Nan and Fang Xi walked out with the movie¡¯s creative team to thank everyone. All of the staff wore black pants and white t-shirts, with the words ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ clearly shown on their chests. The emcee handed a microphone over and let everyone introduce themselves one by one. Shi Xiu was a little shy and nervous when it was her turn. Yun Nan stood beside her and put an arm around her shoulder.

    ¡°Hello, everyone. My name is Shi Xiu, and I¡¯m the actress who played Xiao He in ¡®4:30 P.M. ¡°¡® Shi Xiu introduced herself and handed the microphone to the male lead actor beside her.

    Yun Nan patted her shoulder and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous! You¡¯re doing great!¡±

    Shi Xiu turned her head to the side to smile gratefully at Yun Nan. ¡®I¡¯m not so nervous with Yun Nan by my side,¡¯ she thought. Her gaze fell on her brother sitting in the front row, and Shi Nian gave her a thumbs up.

    Shi Xiu was so happy she covered her mouth. She actually got her brother¡¯s approval! Shi Xiu immediately felt her entire body fill with strength, and her back straightened.

    Meanwhile, the emcee said, ¡°As everyone knows, the female lead of our movie

    is a newcomer. In order to give everyone the best viewing experience, our newcomer has never been revealed before the screening of the movie. Today is her first appearance before the public. Come; let us invite Miss Shi Xiu to tell us how she feels about her first movie filming experience.¡±

    The emcee handed the microphone to Shi Xiu, who was shocked and turned to stare at Yun Nan. Yun Nan nodded and smiled encouragingly. Shi Xiu accepted the microphone and stepped forward, looking around worriedly at the others, all smiling encouragingly at her.

    Shi Xiu held the microphone, bowed deeply toward the viewing arena, and said, ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Shi Xiu. I¡¯m honored to have the opportunity to play Xiao He. This is my first time filming a movie, and it really has been my privilege to come across such a role! I¡¯m especially grateful to everyone in our production team. They have taught me so much.¡±

    With that, Shi Xiu turned around and bowed to the people on both sides. No one had expected Shi Xiu to do this. They couldn¡¯t help but reach out to stop her, and those closer to her patted her.

    The emcee chortled, ¡°I can tell the atmosphere in your production team is very good. Shi Xiu, do they all treat you like a little sister?¡±

    Shi Xiu nodded and sincerely stated, ¡°I¡¯d never faced a camera before filming this movie, and I didn¡¯t know exactly what making a movie involves. Our director¡ªMika¡ªour screenwriter¡ªMiss An¡ªour manager¡ªFang Xi¡ªand Director Yun taught me everything, bit by bit¡ªfrom the lines to the motions, facial expressions, and even emotional expressions. When I sometimes felt stupid and depressed, my friends and colleagues would come to comfort and encourage me. To be honest, I felt I would be letting our crew down if I didn¡¯t do well.¡¯

    Everyone, even the emcee, laughed. ¡°Shi Xiu, you have quite a lively personality, don¡¯t you? Xiao He is a very troubled and depressed character, so how did you understand her? How did you portray a person completely different from yourself?¡± the emcee asked.

    Shi Xiu was much more at ease when speaking about her role. She replied, ¡°Xiao He¡¯s experience is tragic, but she is a strong, brave, and optimistic person. I lived with the crew for a while, meditating on the set, putting myself into Xiao He¡¯s mindset and feeling her tenacious willpower.¡±

    ¡°When she was young, she was determined to find her biological parents. Later, she adopted her daughter and was determined to help her daughter find her biological parents. The hardships of life and material suffering were nothing to her; she could always find beauty and joy in her miseries. Therefore, the daughter she raised also had the same qualities as her.¡± Shi Xiu explained and glanced at Yun Nan standing at the side..

 Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter One-Hundred and Two: Picking Fights

    Chapter 102: Chapter One-Hundred and Two: Picking Fights

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan smiled encouragingly at her, so Shi Xiu continued, ¡°Before this, I never knew there was such suffering in this world. I didn¡¯t know there are truly people who are as tough as grass and determinedly survive the tempestuous storms of their lives. Xiao He is my guiding light; she helped me find a goal and pathway to strive towards. I feel that saying anything else is too vague, so my fundamental message is to be kind, cherish life, and be a star to yourself and others, and you¡¯ll definitely become an angel!¡± The applause at the end of her speech was thunderous. Shi Xiu bowed deeply to the audience.

    ¡°Miss Shi Xiu, may I ask which school you graduated from? How did you get this role?¡± someone asked.

    The emcee smiled and said, ¡°It seems that everyone can¡¯t wait to ask questions, but we haven¡¯t reached the Q&A segment yet. Why don¡¯t we first let our director tell us about the movie¡¯s original premise?¡±

    A male reporter wearing a cap caustically retorted, ¡®We don¡¯t think the original premise is all that important. What we do want to know is why the studio hasn¡¯t conducted any follow-up investigation into the yet-to-have-subsided ruckus caused by your previous lead actress¡ªGao Bei¡¯s¡ªinexplicable disappearance and breach of contract. Could it be that you¡¯d planned the incident all along? Did you do all this to attract attention and increase your movie¡¯s popularity? You made a mystery of everything later by hiding the entire production crew away. I have to say, this marketing method is quite brilliant. The entire industry should learn a thing or two from you!¡±

    The atmosphere instantly turned cold. Although many people had similar questions, not everyone dared to ask those questions aloud in person.

    The production crew members on stage looked at each other; some of them were already feeling nonplussed. Yun Nan got hold of the emcee¡¯s microphone, but Fang Xi beat her to the punch. She had already taken a microphone from a staff member on the other side and indicated to Yun Nan to keep quiet.

    Fang Xi smiled as she held the microphone and replied, ¡°The gentleman with the cap; I know you. You¡¯re Mr. Wang Wei¡ªchief reporter of Xinyan Press¡¯ entertainment paper. ¡±

    The young man with the cap named Wang Wei was evidently stunned at being called out. Xinyan Press had a terrible reputation in their industry. They fabricated news and dug up dirt on celebrities; like extreme fans, everyone hated them. However, they tenaciously and miraculously survived because they became an important mouthpiece in the game played between celebrities, entertainment agencies, major entertainment companies, and the bourgeois. Xinyan Press would speak for whoever gave them the most money.

    When Fang Xi pointed out Wang Wei¡¯s identity, those around him immediately looked at him with disdain. However, Wang Wei didn¡¯t care at all. Instead, his expression was haughty as he aggressively stated, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s me. Miss Fang Xi, would you like to give us a satisfactory answer on behalf of Miss Shi Xiu? We¡¯re all ears!¡±

    Except for that man from her past, Fang Xi was never one to give ground when it came to words. She smiled and answered, ¡°I¡¯m very thankful to Mr. Wang Wei for bringing this question to the table and allowing me to explain and reply to all the negative news concerning us lately. We¡¯re very popular, so everyone has been very polite. Although people would curiously discuss these topics in private, they¡¯re too shy to ask us questions because they¡¯re afraid of hurting our reputation and our relationship with the media, which would be detrimental for all of us.¡±

    The crowd couldn¡¯t help but laugh kindly at her words, and the tense atmosphere Wang Wei had stirred up immediately relaxed. Mr. MO proudly commented to Shi Nian, ¡°That girl possesses a rare quick wit. I¡¯ve always wanted to recruit her, but unfortunately, she refused to work for me.¡±

    Shi Nian chuckled, ¡°Maybe your offer wasn¡¯t attractive enough? From what I¡¯ve seen, she is extremely protective of Yun Nan.¡±

    Mr. MO was dumbfounded. He pointed at Shi Nian and light-heartedly complained, ¡°Brat, do you have to be biased about something like this, too?¡±

    Shi Nian just pursed his lips into a smile, indicating for him to listen to what Fang Xi had to say.

    Fang Xi told the reporters, ¡°The original lead actress of our movie was Miss Gao Bei. As everyone knows, Gao Bei suddenly disappeared a week after we started filming. Even her manager couldn¡¯t find her. We were also very anxious about her disappearance. We quickly discussed countermeasures and did our best to help Gao Bei¡¯s manager, Xiao Ya, find her. If Mr. Wang wants evidence, you can get them from the police station. The police report documented all of the names of the people on the scene, ours included, and the statement Xiao Ya made right before the police, expressing she¡¯ll offer us compensation.¡±

    Fang Xi added, ¡°But we know Xiao Ya dotes on every single one of her artistes and treats them like siblings. She spent most of her money on her artistes, so she didn¡¯t have the financial ability to pay compensation. Besides, our top priority at the time was to continue filming ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ because each day of suspended work is money out the window.¡± Fang Xi¡¯s words made many people in the know, and experienced media people and directors empathize with them..

 Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter One-Hundred and Three: Causing Trouble

    Chapter 103: Chapter One-Hundred and Three: Causing Trouble

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Wang, but we couldn¡¯t waste our time squabbling with Xiao Ya. As for keeping our entire production crew a secret¡­ We had no choice. Someone had already exposed the fact that our lead actress had run away while we were still worried about Gao Bei, and made us a laughing stock. I remember the first person to break that news was also from

    Xinyan Press. Am I right, Mr. Wang?¡± There was an instant uproar at her words.

    Wang Wei refused to concede despite this and stubbornly remarked, ¡°Our news has always been the fastest.¡± With that said, he disdainfully looked down on everyone.

    Fang Xi observed the scene and the crowd¡¯s growing anger toward the man and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± she stated. ¡°It¡¯s really difficult to get such first-hand information without an insider!¡±

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t give Wang Wei a chance to argue and continued, ¡°We¡¯re also well aware of this. We went back to investigate our own production team and actually found a few spies waiting to reveal our helplessness to the public. Of course, their goal was to ensure Yun Nan would be broken by the incident and never be able to make a comeback.¡±

    ¡°Hence, we sealed off the set so we wouldn¡¯t be affected by the outside world and focused on presenting a good movie to everyone. I¡¯m glad we finally have this opportunity to explain things to the public today.¡±

    Fang Xi gestured for Shi Xiu to come to her side as she spoke, ¡°As for Miss Shi Xiu, she¡¯s indeed a newcomer. She was initially chosen to play another role, but after our lead actress stood us up, she stepped up to the plate and retook the previous scenes. Having watched the movie, I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t need to say any more about her performance. As a newcomer yet to graduate from university, she truly impressed us.¡±

    Fang Xi then went on, ¡°Judging from Mr. Wang Wei¡¯s words just now, I think he means we planned for Shi Xiu to be our lead actress from the beginning, but we set up the whole missing lead actress drama to make a name for ourselves. I have to say, you really pulled out all the stops to sling mud at us. I feel that anything I say¡ªor don¡¯t say¡ªwould be a mistake, would be taken out of context, or misinterpreted. So I¡¯ll save myself the effort and wait for time to prove our innocence.¡±

    Wang Wei opened his mouth, still wanting to speak up. Someone beside him stood up, put a hand on his shoulder, and teased, ¡°Wang Wei, bro, we¡¯re all fellow colleagues, aren¡¯t we? The entertainment industry is only so big; we¡¯re bound to meet each other from time to time, so why don¡¯t you tell us the source of your information? Let us all make progress and get rich together!¡±

    Wang Wei frowned, shrugged the man off, and reached out to dust his shoulder with a look of disdain.

    Someone on the side jeered, ¡°Hey! Take a hint, will you? This guy is paid to do his business. All the questions he asked went for the jugular, or didn¡¯t you hear? He¡¯s clearly working under someone¡¯s orders, so aren¡¯t you stealing his job by asking such questions?

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Wang Wei barked and glared at the person speaking.

    That person laughed and taunted, ¡°Don¡¯t you guys make money by talking nonsense? So what¡¯s with the sudden dislike for it? Besides, I¡¯m not talking nonsense. Can you please point out which word I said was nonsense?¡± The crowd burst into laughter at that.

    Wang Wei was immensely frustrated; he wanted to be rid of these idiots and continue pestering Fang Xi. He returned the man¡¯s comments with even ruder responses. The others had long disliked the Xinyan Press, and immediately, several people surrounded him after his offensive words. The situation was a hair-trigger away from a fight.

    Noticing the situation was getting out of hand, the emcee sought assistance from their boss while trying to attract everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Miss Shi Xiu,¡± the emcee inquired, ¡°What do you plan to do next? Will you continue to act in movies or television dramas?¡±

    Shi Xiu also noticed the disturbance in the back rows. Just as Fang Xi reached for the microphone to speak for her, Shi Xiu gently blocked her hand and took the microphone. ¡°I would have had the people deliberately causing trouble like this chased out with my previous temper, ¡± she uttered. ¡°However, the biggest benefit I gained after playing the role of Xiao He is the ability to restrain my temper. Gentlemen, either you come on stage and talk things out, or you can solve things the manly way and have your fight outside. Well, what will it be?¡±

    The audience immediately fell silent, and everyone stared at the petite little girl. Shi Xiu acted as if she hadn¡¯t said anything and turned to look at the emcee with a smile. ¡°I haven¡¯t graduated from university yet, so the most important thing for me now is to study. However, if the right opportunity comes, I¡¯m willing to try roles that suit me. Acting is a completely new field for me. My family is very supportive of me finding my own interest and potential through continuous experience..¡±

 Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter One-Hundred and Four: Talk Smack

    Chapter 104: Chapter One-Hundred and Four: Talk Smack

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Everyone was a little shocked as they stared at Shi Xiu. One second, this young lady was aggressively roasting people, and the next second, she was gentle and sweet.

    As expected of a reporter from the number one unscrupulous tabloid press, Wang Wei immediately snapped back, ¡°I heard you used to be a delinquent, and you eloped with someone when you were only fourteen. I also heard you took drugs and even had an abortion. I don¡¯t know how Director Yun found you, but you share some similarities with the movie¡¯s protagonist. It¡¯s no wonder you can play the role so well; you just have to act like yourself. How long did it take you to memorize your sanctimonious speech?¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s expression immediately changed. She pointed at Wang Wei and challenged, ¡®What did you say?! Would you like to repeat that?¡±

    Yun Nan and Fang Xi held her back and whispered, ¡°Calm down! Shi Xiu! Calm down!¡±

    Yun Nan looked at Wang Wei, grabbed the microphone, and coldly stated, ¡°All of you heard what this gentleman just said, didn¡¯t you? Mr. Wang, we have the right to sue you for defamation!¡±

    Wang Wei interpreted Shi Xiu¡¯s expression as one of humiliated anger. He felt even more confident and pompously commented, ¡°You¡¯re all adults, so you should know that everyone has to be responsible for their actions. If Miss Shi wanted to use the movie to make herself Imown to the public and start her life over with a clean slate, she should have thought about what would happen if her negative history was exposed! Director Yun should also have expected the consequences of using such a person!¡±

    ¡°Then, what are the consequences? What do you think will happen to Shi Xiu?¡± A cold voice suddenly sounded.

    Yun Nan mentally heaved a great sigh. She hugged Shi Xiu¡ªwho was crying from anger¡ªand exchanged a glance with Fang Xi. At this moment, Fang Xi pitied Mr. Wang Wei, who was standing ramrod straight. ¡®Some people really should learn the expression no zuo no die,¡¯ she thought.

    Shi Nian adjusted the button of his suit jacket with one hand and strode onto the stage. He pulled Shi Xiu from Yun Nan¡¯s arms into his and gently comforted her. ¡°What¡¯s with the waterworks? There¡¯s no need to cry because whoever bullies you, your brother will bully them back for you.¡± Shi Xiu felt even more aggrieved and sobbed even louder.

    At that moment, Wang Wei¡¯s expression was quite interesting to watch. As a veteran paparazzi, he naturally knew who the man on the stage was. Right now, Shi Xiu was clinging and hiding in Shi Nian¡¯s arms, and beside them was Yun Nan, the next target he was going to attack. ¡® What was going on? he wondered. ¡® Could it be that the two women are both his lovers? I guess a rich man can have multiple partners.¡¯

    Shi Nian¡¯s gaze landed on the dumbstruck man, and he uttered in a deep voice, ¡°What did you just say about my sister? Something about being a delinquent and eloping at the age of fourteen? Taking drugs and having an abortion?¡±

    Wang Wei didn¡¯t dare to say a word. ¡®His sister? The one and only daughter of the Shi family?! Her name is Shi Xiu! Why didn¡¯t I realize it earlier? Her surname is Shi! How many people in the city had the surname Shi? He wanted to give himself two big slaps when he finally realized Shi Xiu¡¯s identity.

    Someone shoved him and smirked, ¡°Wang Wei, Chairman Shi asked you a question! Say something!¡±

    ¡®I bet they¡¯re all gloating at my misfortune!¡¯ Wang Wei silently fumed.

    The crowd looked at Wang Wei with wicked glee. They finally got to see him get his just desserts. They never thought they¡¯d see the day Xinyan Press would receive its comeuppance. Hahahaha!

    Wang Wei¡¯s forehead was already covered in sweat. He could feel the oppressive aura rolling off Shi Nian, even from this distance. Wang Wei opened his mouth; he was so nervous that he stuttered as he tried to explain himself,

    ¡°Chairman Shi, I-I didn¡¯t mean that. I-I didn¡¯t know Miss Shi Xiu is your

    sister. ¡±

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, you can make up lies about me if I¡¯m not his sister?¡± Shi Xiu shrieked, so angry her entire body was trembling. She would have rushed over and kicked this rat-faced man if it weren¡¯t for her brother and sister-in-law.

    Shi Nian put his arm around his sister¡¯s shoulders and curled his fingers to hold her shoulder, indicating she should calm down. He indifferently stated, ¡°Mr. Wang Wei, was it?¡± He turned to ask Yun Nan, ¡°Which press company does he belong to?¡±

    ¡°Xinyan Press!¡± Yun Nan replied, glaring at Wang Wei. She had already imagined herself stomping on him ten thousand times in her mind.

    Shi Nian nodded before addressing Wang Wei, ¡°May I ask what right you have to say such things about my sister? If you have evidence to prove your words, then show it to me. If you don¡¯t¡­ then this matter won¡¯t end so easily¡ªfrom now on, Xinyan Press and everyone in that company will disappear from the media industry.¡±

    The other reporter from Xinyan Press that came to the movie premiere with

    Wang Wei was also drenched in cold sweat. They hastily stood up and begged, ¡°Chairman Shi, this is a misunderstanding. It¡¯s a misunderstanding! Wang Wei likes to shoot his mouth off, spouting nonsense¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Shi Nian sneered. ¡°Do you take me for a fool, or do you think everyone here is a fool? What is there to misunderstand?¡±

    Wang Wei¡¯s colleague didn¡¯t dare to speak further..

 Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter One-Hundred and Five: Confession

    Chapter 105: Chapter One-Hundred and Five: Confession

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Wang Wei¡¯s mind was still in a state of confusion, and he still couldn¡¯t get his head around Shi Xiu¡¯s identity. He didn¡¯t understand; how did the supposed starlet become the daughter of the Shi family?

    Knowing the severity of his situation, Wang Wei quickly stuttered out an explanation, ¡°I-it wasn¡¯t me¡­ I-I didn¡¯t know! S-someone else t-told me. They s-said that there was s-something wrong with the I-lead actress of this movie. I-I¡¯m simply sharing the news, t-that¡¯s all.¡± Everyone looked at Wang Wei sympathetically; his employer had evidently given him a task from hell.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t reply, so Wang Wei mustered his courage and asked, ¡°Chairman Shi, could it be that you are the financial backer behind ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯? I heard that you and Director Yun are having an affair!¡±

    Wang Wei¡¯s colleague frowned and thought, ¡® Where did the shrewd Wang Wei I knew go? What on earth is he saying? What does he mean by ¡®having an affair¡± ? The issue with Miss Shi has yet to be resolved, so why is he dragging Director Yun into the mix? Does he have a death wish?

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but chide, ¡°In English, please? I don¡¯t speak scum.¡±

    Fang Xi sneered, ¡°Yun Nan, you¡¯re asking too much of him. The guy¡¯s just a dog, so why are you expecting it to speak a human language? Nothing decent ever comes out of that mouth.¡±

    ¡® Wow, theyjust unabashedly cursed a man out without a single swear word/ the crowd thought.

    Wang Wei had been dissing big names for so long it had become a habit, so he instinctively retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t try to refute it! It¡¯s clear to everyone with eyes that something is going on between you two! We¡¯re not blind!¡±

    Shi Nian laughed. ¡® What a rare fool he is. He¡¯s so stupid that it¡¯s amusing,¡¯ he thought. ¡°Actually, I just want to know who gave you the courage to say such nonsense so confidently.¡±

    Shi Nian continued, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t tell me. I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this. Now, I¡¯ll reintroduce these two important ladies beside me to everyone so that you won¡¯t waste your time and effort writing nonsense. My legal department still has to file a lawsuit against you and your company. I don¡¯t care about the money, but I don¡¯t want to waste my precious time on pointless people.¡±

    His statement met with silence on and off the stage. The ones who knew very well that they were the ¡°meaningless people¡± he spoke of also held their breaths. Fang Xi tactfully led the production crew members off the stage quietly, leaving the stage to the family trio.

    Shi Nian first introduced Yun Nan, ¡°This is Miss Yun Nan. She¡¯s my wife.¡± Yun Nan waved her hand elegantly with an easy smile on her face.

    ¡°A few days ago, we were secretly photographed at the supermarket. I didn¡¯t pursue the matter legally. Not only that, but I would also like to take the opportunity to thank that media outlet today! If it weren¡¯t for your help, Yun Nan wouldn¡¯t have wanted to publicize our relationship because she didn¡¯t want people to think she was using the Shi family¡¯s name to further her career,¡± Shi Nian stated.

    ¡°*Sigh!* Speaking of which, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s the most miserable. Despite being married, my wife won¡¯t let me use my status as her husband to help her. She didn¡¯t even care when I was besieged or when several women pretended to be my girlfriend some time ago, and she was indifferent to the scandals people have fabricated about me. I have to admit, I feel like I¡¯m unnecessary. But it can¡¯t be helped; she¡¯s an outstanding girl who¡¯s independent in all aspects, from spiritually to financially!¡± Shi Nian¡¯s words made Mr. MO laugh, and the others soon followed.

    ¡°Serves you right, brat!¡± Someone shouted, and the big shots in the front row laughed even louder.

    Shi Nian nodded and chuckled, ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t think I would have this day either, but I wouldn¡¯t change it for the world. You can¡¯t imagine the happiness I feel every day having this woman in my life.¡±

    Someone in the crowd commented, ¡°Ew, you¡¯re so mushy!¡± And the laughter rose in volume. No one had ever seen Shi Nian like this; this new Shi Nian was strange but friendly. Who would¡¯ve thought that the youngest chairman in the city, an all-powerful figure in the business world, was actually a sweet man who would whine and act soft before his wife? But¡­ don¡¯t the two make an adorable couple?

    ¡°Chairman Shi, many girls in the city will certainly be heartbroken by your announcement! ¡± someone loudly teased.

    Shi Nian took a step back and replied, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t say such things; my wife¡¯s right here. Those girls have nothing to do with me. Yun Nan is the only person in my heart! You¡¯ll all be my witness! We have sworn an oath to be faithful to each other in life and death!¡±

    The smile on Yun Nan¡¯s face froze, and she silently grumbled, ¡®You only had to come on stage and stand up for your sister; why did you have to drag me into this? Ifyou want to announce our relationship, then so be it, but what¡¯s all this nonsense you¡¯re talking about? Isn¡¯ t this digging a hole for yourself? We¡¯ll go our separate paths in five years, so what will you do then?

    However, they were in this together; she couldn¡¯t undermine him, so Yun Nan could only act like an ornament and stand there and smile. She rolled with Shi Nian¡¯s show of deep affection and conducted herself with elegance and grace.

    Shi Nian reached out to hold Yun Nan¡¯s hand and looked at her lovingly. Yun Nan knew the cameras couldn¡¯t catch her face, so she had no qualms about rolling her eyes at him, and Shi Nian laughed happily.

    Mr.. MO took the lead in clapping, and someone whispered in his ear, ¡°What a

    perfect couple! ¡°

 Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter One-Hundred and Six: Endorsement

    Chapter 106: Chapter One-Hundred and Six: Endorsement

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Mr. MO nodded and admitted, ¡°I¡¯m relieved; I was a little worried before, when

    Shi Nian said he was married. I was afraid he¡¯d end up with a bad match! Now, I can rest assured. Yun Nan would definitely make a fine wife!¡±

    ¡°Mr. MO, people would generally worry about women being the weaker party in a relationship rather than the men.¡±

    Mr. MO chuckled. ¡°Just look at Shi Nian¡¯s expression. He¡¯s clearly the one clinging to Yun Nan, so there¡¯s nothing wrong with what I¡¯ve just said!¡±

    Shi Nian put an arm around Shi Xiu and introduced her, ¡°This is my little sister, Shi Xiu. She¡¯s my biological sister! We have the same parents and all that! She¡¯s the baby of our family and has never left the sight of our family. She has at least two visible and four invisible bodyguards whenever she goes out. It¡¯s impossible for her to skip school even if she wants to.¡±

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s-his-name! Where did you get the idea my sister eloped, took drugs, and had an abortion? Did you come up with it yourself, or did someone else make you say that? Oh, right, you mentioned it before. Someone told you to say those things! Come, you have to give me an explanation today. Otherwise, not only you, but your entire company¡ªincluding your media outlet¡ªwill be going down with you.¡± Shi Nian uttered those alarming words in the calmest tone.

    Cold sweat trickled down Wang Wei¡¯s neck. His colleague couldn¡¯t wait any longer and spoke up. ¡°Chairman Shi, this truly is a misunderstanding. It¡¯s honestly a misunderstanding.¡±

    Shi Nian remarked, ¡°The word ¡®misunderstanding¡¯ seems paltry. Wang Wei, I¡¯m still waiting for that explanation. You can¡¯t avoid this. Say something; I¡¯ll give you guys three minutes to make up a lie, and if I¡¯m satisfied with your explanation, I¡¯ll let you guys go. If I¡¯m not satisfied¡­ then you better pray to your ancestors.¡±

    Wang Wei¡¯s colleague tugged at him, signaling him to hurry up and spit out whatever he planned to say. Wang Wei straightened his back, still stubbornly insisting, ¡°I didn¡¯t come up with the news. Someone leaked the news to us but they didn¡¯t mention Miss Shi. They said the news was about the lead actress of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯! Who would¡¯ve thought that the lead actress of this movie was Miss Shi?!¡±

    ¡°Oh? Sounds like it¡¯s my sister¡¯s fault you¡¯re in this mess! If she didn¡¯t act in this movie¡­ if she wasn¡¯t the female lead, this wouldn¡¯t have happened, right?¡± Shi Nian inquired.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Wang Wei answered honestly.

    His colleague nearly went on their knees as they pleaded, ¡°Chairman Shi, you heard what Wang Wei said before. You understand, don¡¯t you? Wang Wei was deceived. He truly didn¡¯t mean to spread rumors about Miss Shi¡ª¡±

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t even bother looking at Wang Wei¡¯s colleague. He only stared at

    Wang Wei as he ordered, ¡°Shut up! Nobody asked for your opinion. Let Wang Wei give his own answers!¡±

    Wang Wei raised his hand to wipe away the sweat on his forehead. It seemed there was no escape for him today. As his colleague glared furiously at him, he finally bowed his defiant head and stated, ¡°Someone did ask me to say this. They really did ask me to do so, but I didn¡¯t expect the lead actress of this movie to be¡­¡±

    No one was surprised by his words. Someone was deliberately slinging mud at ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯, but that mud was now thrown at the wrong person and caused trouble.

    ¡°They must have paid you quite a sum for you to be so tight-lipped about them! How about this; so long as you tell me who made you do all this, however much they¡¯re paying you, I¡¯ll double it,¡± Shi Nian calmly offered.

    ¡°N-no need. I-I can¡¯t take your money,¡± Wang Wei hurriedly refused.

    ¡°Oh? Does that mean you don¡¯t intend to tell me who¡¯s behind all this?¡± Shi Nian asked slowly.

    Wang Wei lowered his head and uttered, ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­ It¡¯s Ding Pei from Yun Corporation.¡±

    These were overwhelming circumstances he found himself in; at this moment, Shi Nian was a hurdle he couldn¡¯t overcome no matter what. He could take Ding Pei¡¯s money¡ªcould ask Ding Pei for double the amount¡ªbut Shi Nian would ensure he wouldn¡¯t be able to spend a single cent of that money. Shi Nian could even wipe out their company¡ªin that case, he also wouldn¡¯t be able to take a single cent.

    Shi Nian¡¯s smile faded slightly when he received his answer. ¡°Alright, noted.¡±

    Wang Wei¡¯s colleague was very perceptive and quickly added, ¡°Chairman Shi, we were deceived by them. We definitely didn¡¯t mean to offend Miss Shi.

    Please, sir, have mercy¡ª¡±

    However, Shi Nian acted as if he didn¡¯t hear anything. He turned to look at the emcee standing at the corner of the stage and asked, ¡°Sorry, I seem to have disrupted your show. What¡¯s next on the program?¡±

    The emcee was quick on the uptake. She swiftly walked over and smilingly stated, ¡°No, not at all! We¡¯re honored to have Chairman Shi interact with us and even disclose such explosive news. We would all like to know more. Isn¡¯t that right, everybody?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± the crowd replied. Of course, they wanted to hear more! This was news that Shi Nian was tacitly allowing them to publicize! The eyes of the entertainment reporters lit up in anticipation.

    The emcee smiled as they asked, ¡°Chairman Shi, when did you get together with Director Yun? You two hid your relationship so well; there wasn¡¯t any news about it in or outside your social circles..¡±

 Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter One-Hundred and Seven: Principles

    Chapter 107: Chapter One-Hundred and Seven: Principles

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian shifted slightly to shield Yun Nan, and this small protective action resulted in another wave of teasing from the crowd.

    Shi Nian answered, ¡°We¡¯ve been married for more than half a year; she was preparing for this movie at the time. We only registered our marriage and didn¡¯t hold a wedding ceremony; we just had a meal with our family. Yun Nan doesn¡¯t like trouble. She feels that our relationship is between the two of us, and there¡¯s no need to announce it to the world. I didn¡¯t dare to refute her and could only fully support her decision.¡±

    Everyone laughed, and Shi Xiu backed her brother¡¯s words by saying, ¡°My brother does everything my sister-in-law says! If he dares to disobey, our entire family will come for him!¡±

    With her brother backing her up, there was no need for Shi Xiu to argue with those scoundrels. That would only be demeaning herself and turn her into a laughing stock. However, she would definitely ensure that that media company called ¡®Xinyan Press¡¯ would come to an end. And let¡¯s not forget ¡®Yun

    Entertainment¡¯; from what she¡¯d heard, Yun Liu was evidently behind all this. That woman¡¯s peaceful days are over!

    But right now, the promotion of this movie comes first. Shi Nian and Yun Nan had even made their marriage public for her sake. Shi Xiu couldn¡¯t let their ¡®sacrifice¡¯ go to waste.

    ¡°Miss Shi Xiu, Shi Nian¡¯s your brother, so shouldn¡¯t you be on his side?¡± the emcee laughingly asked.

    ¡°But I like Yun Nan!¡± Shi Xiu smiled sweetly as she stated, ¡°Our whole family likes her. My brother¡¯s greatest contribution to the family is that he married

    Yun Nan!¡±

    Yun Nan stood at the side and smiled.

    Shi Xiu chuckled, ¡°Thank you for asking this so bluntly. Then I¡¯ll tell you frankly that I volunteered myself for this role. Yun Nan doesn¡¯t want me to be an artiste. She¡¯s afraid I won¡¯t be able to cope with the hard work and the public pressure that comes with the job.¡±

    ¡°But I like acting. Yun Nan reluctantly agreed to let me act when she saw that the whole family didn¡¯t object to it. That¡¯s why I worked especially hard during the filming; I wanted to get her approval.¡±

    Yun Nan was a little surprised. She didn¡¯t expect Shi Xiu to care so much about her opinion. Moreover, the girl understood her concerns. Yun Nan reached out to Shi Xiu, who hugged her and whispered in her ear, ¡°Thank you, Yun Nan! I hope you live a long and happy life with my brother. We¡¯ll always be a family.¡±

    Yun Nan was a little touched but also felt a little guilty. Shi Nian stood at the side and looked at his sister and wife with a contented expression.

    ¡°Chairman Shi, are you sure you didn¡¯t invest in this movie?¡± the emcee persistently questioned.

    Shi Nian sighed and said, ¡°I wanted to. As long as Yun Nan needs it, I will support her unconditionally. However, Yun Nan wrote this movie for her mother; she insisted on completing it independently and wouldn¡¯t allow me to interfere. I can only hope that she will allow me to invest in her works in the future.¡±

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but glance at Shi Nian. ¡® Why is he so abnormal? Whats going on? Or did Iget too close to him, know him too well, and lose my rose- tinted glasses? Why do I feel that the current Shi Nian is different from the Shi Nian who signed the marriage agreement with me in the beginning?

    The emcee and the audience, however, were extremely touched by Shi Nian¡¯s words. Then, the emcee finally brought the topic to the movie itself. ¡°Director Yun, Chairman Shi mentioned you created this movie for your mother. She¡¯s your adoptive mother, isn¡¯t she? I heard Miss Fang touch on it before. Can you tell us in detail about your original intentions and hopes?¡±

    Yun Nan finally understood Shi Nian¡¯s good intentions and looked at him gratefully. Shi Nian smiled at her in response, and the many cameras on the scene also recorded this heartwarming interaction.

    Yun Nan took the microphone and spoke eloquently. ¡°Xiao He is based on my adoptive mother. My original intention for making this movie was to commemorate her and my adoptive father. They were a very ordinary couple. My mother was kidnapped when she was a child and suffered a lot during her childhood and teenage years. What the movie can portray is only one ten-thousandth of what she experienced.¡±

    Yun Nan continued, ¡°She once said that meeting my father was the greatest blessing in her life. Although they weren¡¯t rich, they understood and loved each other and supported each other through thick and thin. In my eyes, that was the best form of love. If there was anything my mother regretted, it was that she never found her biological parents. They adopted me and always wanted to help me find my biological parents. For this reason, they settled down in the area where they found me. Unfortunately, they searched until they died, but they never found my original family..¡±

 Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter One-Hundred and Eight: Defeat

    Chapter 108: Chapter One-Hundred and Eight: Defeat

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan paused before stating, ¡°In ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯, some people saw love, and some saw the social problem of human trafficking. Yes, these are things I want to convey, but actually, what I want most to impart is my parents¡¯ principles: Nothing is more important than living life! The most important thing as a human being is to live life well. No matter what kind of situation you¡¯re in, you have to do your best to live well!¡±

    The audience was silent, and then they broke out into thunderous applause.

    ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ became a hit, and the movie¡¯s box office sales soared. Yun Nan once again catapulted into fame. The rumors about ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ were dispelled, and no one remembered the movie¡¯s previous lead actress, Gao Bei.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s acting skills were well-received inside and outside the entertainment industry, and she gained a massive fanbase. Fang Xi became Shi Xiu¡¯s manager temporarily because she was worried about handing her over to someone else.

    The rising star, Shi Xiu, wasn¡¯t at all affected by her new fame and happily learned fashion from Miss An. She finally found the career path she liked; her major was still most fascinating to her. As for acting, it could be her second choice.

    Fang Xi sighed at Yun Nan and lamented, ¡°Ah, youth. It¡¯s great to be young these days. You can have your cake and eat it too.¡±

    Mika, who happened to be walking over, heard and said, ¡°Do you want to act in a movie? I have a suitable role for you.¡±

    Fang Xi glanced at him and asked, ¡°What role is it?¡±

    ¡°A matchmaker, the kind with a mole right here!¡± Mika tapped at a spot beside his lips, and Fang Xi immediately chased him down. The studio was in chaos due to their horseplay, but there was laughter everywhere.

    Yun Liu stared at the cinema¡¯s schedule and hissed, ¡°It¡¯s an outrage! And she said she didn¡¯t want to use Shi Nian¡¯s name! Hah! The cinema clearly gave them so many screening slots because of Shi Nian! How shameless!¡± None of the managers dared to speak.

    ¡°Where¡¯s our film? Why does it have so few screening slots? Several of these screenings are at midnight! How can they bully us like this? What is your marketing department doing? They¡¯re on a roadshow going everywhere. Why haven¡¯t we even arranged an interview?¡± Yun Liu continued to question, but no one answered¡ªmainly because no one could answer these questions. Their new movie, ¡®Cozy in Love,¡¯ was an urban romance film. It had the clich¨¦ ¡°domineering CEO falling in love with a commoner¡± plot. The lead actress was Yun Liu, and the male lead was their company¡¯s young star, Zhao Peng. The supporting roles were all played by their company¡¯s newly signed artistes. They aimed to create a low-budget but big production film. They hired a very high-level production team to produce the movie, and the final edited result was very satisfactory to the Yun siblings. The creative staff unanimously felt their movie could compete with the other movies released at the same time as theirs.

    Of those movies, the one Yun Liu paid most attention to was Yun Nan¡¯s movie, ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ Back then, she¡¯d strongly advocated for ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ to be adapted into a romance film, but Yun Nan refused no matter what and used this as an opportunity to leave the Yun Corporation¡ªwhich was exactly what Yun Liu wanted.

    She¡¯d read the draft script for ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ and felt the plot was too banal and bland and didn¡¯t meet the market trend at all. However, the love story in the script was good, so she borrowed some of the scenes and put them into her movie ¡®Cozy in Love. Even the director had praised the film¡¯s romantic tale, so she was confident that ¡®Cozy in Love¡¯ would definitely beat ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ For this reason, they¡¯d worked overtime and rushed their movie¡¯s production just so they could make it in time to compete with ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t expect Shi Nian to support and back Yun Nan up at the movie premiere, causing ¡®Cozy in Love¡¯ to fail catastrophically and its box office dismal. Yun Liu gritted her teeth in hatred. She just couldn¡¯t understand why she was always half a step behind Yun Nan. Why was she so unlucky all the time when Yun Nan always had the help of a benefactor? When it comes down to it, Yun Nan is her curse! That woman should¡¯ve died outside just like her adoptive parents!

    When Yun Liu thought about how Shi Nian had publicly admitted his relationship with Yun Nan, making all her earlier preparations come to naught, and even the ring she¡¯d spent a fortune on was now useless, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble with anger.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what method you guys use, but I demand you push up the box office of ¡®Cozyin Love. From now on, everyone in the marketing department has to communicate with the cinemas and get them to increase our scheduled screenings. We must have more screenings than the others, especially ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯! The finance department will fully support the expenses; I¡¯ll sign the approval forms!¡±

    Seeing that Yun Nan was in a furious mood, everyone quickly agreed and expressed their determination to succeed. They immediately got to work after the meeting.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Miss Ding? She didn¡¯t ask for leave, so why isn¡¯t she here today?¡± Yun Liu coldly questioned the assistant beside her..

 Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter One-Hundred and Nine: Charges

    Chapter 109: Chapter One-Hundred and Nine: Charges

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get through to Miss Dings phone. Maybe¡­ maybe she stayed up too late playing cards?¡± the assistant said timidly.

    Yun Liu glared at her assistant and ordered, ¡°Then go to her house and get her! I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s still in the mood to play cards at a time like this!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go immediately!¡± The assistant quickly replied and headed for the door.

    As soon as the assistant opened the door, two police officers came in. ¡°Excuse me, are you Miss Yun Liu?¡± one of them inquired seriously.

    Behind the police officers was a terrified receptionist, who squeaked, ¡®Miss, these two police officers wanted to see you.¡±

    Yun Liu was very surprised and answered, ¡®Yes, I¡¯m Yun Liu.¡±

    ¡°There are a few cases that require your cooperation in our investigation.

    Please come with us,¡± the police officer requested in a business-like tone.

    ¡°What case? I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about!¡± Yun Liu uttered, alarmed. She truly didn¡¯t know what was going on.

    ¡°There¡¯s a Miss Gao Bei who is accusing you of tricking her into going abroad, resulting in her great personal injury,¡± the police informed her. ¡°The parties involved in several cases of spreading online rumors all claimed you were the one who instigated them into doing so.¡±

    There was a ringing in Yun Liu¡¯s ears, and her mind was in a panic. ¡°That has nothing to do with me! I have nothing to do with all this!¡± she denied, grabbing onto her chair¡¯s armrest and refusing to leave.

    The police patiently told her, ¡°We¡¯re just bringing you in to assist our investigations. As for whether these cases have anything to do with you, that¡¯ll depend on the evidence!¡±

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t go! I¡¯m not going!¡± Yun Liu shrilled as she retreated.

    The police officers frowned and looked at each other. Someone knocked on the door and barged in, calling, ¡°Yun Liu!¡±

    When Yun Liu saw Yun Zhang, she threw herself at him, clinging to him as if he was her lifeline. ¡°Yun Zhang! The police are here to arrest me!¡± she cried.

    Yun Zhang staggered from Yun Liu¡¯s forceful collision and hastily supported her before politely asking, ¡°Officers, may I ask what¡¯s happening here?¡±

    The two police officers repeated what they¡¯d just said, and Yun Zhang frowned. ¡°These things have nothing to do with her. Can I go in her place?¡± he offered.

    The police officer shook his head and stated, ¡°The allegations are made against her.¡¯

    Yun Zhang knew he couldn¡¯t go in Yun Liu¡¯s stead for something like this; he was just asking because he didn¡¯t know what else he could do. He helped Yun Liu to her feet and comforted her, ¡°Yun Liu, calm down. Go with the police officer first. I¡¯ll get the lawyers to go with you. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going!¡± Yun Liu shrieked, backing away. ¡°You go! This has nothing to do with me! I didn¡¯t do anything! Where¡¯s Miss Ding? Let Miss Ding go! This has nothing to do with me! She said so!¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu!¡± Yun Zhang thundered and glared at her, shutting her down. ¡°Behave yourself. The lavvyers will accompany you. Tell the police truthfully if you know anything and leave the rest to the police and the lawyers. They¡¯ll help you clear your name if you didn¡¯t do anything, alright? Be good!¡± That was all Yun Zhang could say before the police.

    Yun Liu calmed down, but she was still trembling. Her mind was working rapidly, trying to come up with ways she could get out of her situation, and she silently cursed Miss Ding over and over in her head.

    Yun Liu mournfully left with the police. Yun Zhang immediately asked the director of their legal department to bring three lawyers with him to the police station. Then, he swiftly called Miss Ding.

    However, he couldn¡¯t get through to her. Yun Zhang held his phone and paced around in frustration. His assistant, Xiao Gong, pushed the door open and entered with a grave expression. ¡°Mr. Yun, Ding Pei was arrested.¡± ¡®What?¡± Yun Zhang stared at Xiao Gong in disbelief.

    Xiao Gong nodded and checked that the door was closed. Even so, he still lowered his voice when he imparted, ¡°Gao Bei called the police, saying that she was tricked into going abroad and was almost sold into prostitution. She arduously managed to return to the country and found the scumbag who deceived her. That scumbag admitted Ding Pei had instructed him to do it, so

    Gao Bei called the police.¡±

    ¡°Then, was Ding Pei really the culprit?¡± Yun Zhang asked urgently.

    Xiao Gong pursed his lips and haltingly replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Perhaps¡­ Yun Nan was aware of it?¡±

    ¡®Sh*t,¡¯ Yun Zhang silently swore as his heart trembled. He recalled Yun Liu¡¯s state just then and didn¡¯t think she was unaware. Now, he could only take things as they come.

    ¡°Tell the lawyers to figure out a way to bail Yun Liu and Ding Pei out and clear their names¡­ If that¡¯s impossible, get Yun Liu out. Try to contact Ding Pei and

    tell her I¡¯ll compensate her handsomely,¡± Yun Zhang said calmly.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Yun. I know what to do, ¡± Xiao Gong assured him and bowed.

    Just as Xiao Gong was about to leave, Yun Zhang called out, ¡°Where is Gao Bei now? Can you find her?¡±

    Xiao Gong didn¡¯t understand why Yun Zhang wanted to contact Gao Bei. Yun Zhang pondered before stating, ¡°See if you can contact her privately. It¡¯s best to settle this matter privately, if possible. See how much money she¡¯s asking to drop the issue.¡±

    Xiao Gong looked at Yun Zhang and thought, ¡®So, he¡¯s certain Miss Ding is the culprit? When he thought about it, with Miss Ding¡¯s character, she was indeed someone who could do such a thing, so Xiao Gong stayed silent..

 Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter One-Hundred and Ten: Panic

    Chapter 110: Chapter One-Hundred and Ten: Panic

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu had calmed down on the way to the police station. When the police came to question her, Yun Liu said she didn¡¯t know anything and sobbed piteously¡ªthe very image of a sweet damsel in distress.

    The police officers were frustrated while the Yun family¡¯s lawyers stood in a

    row outside, fully alert. The police had brought Yun Liu in just for routine

    questioning, and the higher-ups received a call asking them to make an

    exception and let her off. Therefore, not long after, they let Yun Liu go after

    she signed her statement.

    The lawyers quickly surrounded Yun Liu protectively, and Yun Zhang had rushed over to pick her up. Many reporters had gathered at the entrance of the police station and swarmed Yun Liu¡¯s group as soon as they saw them. Yun Zhang removed his coat and draped it over Yun Liu, shielding her behind him as the reporters fired questions at them.

    ¡°Mr. Yun, I heard that Miss Gao Bei accused Yun Entertainment of instigating a

    swindler to trick her into going abroad to sell her into prostitution. Is it true?¡±

    ¡°May I ask why Miss Yun Liu wanted to harm Miss Gao Bei? Did the two of them have any grudges against each other?¡±

    ¡°Miss Yun Liu, didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ve been engaged to Mr. Shi Nian since you were a child? Why did Mr. Shi Nian marry Miss Yun Nan?¡±

    ¡°Miss Yun Liu, please explain your love triangle!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Yun Zhang, is your biological sister Miss Yun Liu or Miss Yun Nan?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Yun Zhang, did you know about this human trafficking incident in advance?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Yun Zhang! Mr. Yun Zhang, why did you chase Miss Yun Nan out of the company?¡±

    ¡°Miss Yun Liu! Miss Yun Liu, do you still love Mr. Shi Nian?¡±

    ¡°Miss Yun Liu! Miss Yun Liu¡ª¡±

    A tumult of voices surged over the group like a tide. Yun Zhang and the lawyers tried their best to shield Yun Liu as they walked forward. The lawyers whispered to the Yuns, advising the two siblings not to respond or speak. Yun Zhang looked gloomy as he tightly pursed his lips and held Yun Liu protectively in his arms.

    Yun Liu was exhausted from all the crying she did and burned with anger when she heard those voices at this moment. She broke free from Yun Zhang¡¯s embrace and wailed with all her might, ¡°It was Yun Nan who stole my place!¡±

    Yun Zhang covered her mouth and pushed her into the car. Then, he got in and closed the door with a bang. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Yun Zhang angrily roared, ¡°Didn¡¯t we tell you to keep quiet?¡±

    Yun Liu was startled by his sudden outburst, but she still stubbornly said, ¡°Why should I? Everyone is bullying me!¡±

    The reporters were knocking on the car¡¯s windows, so Yun Zhang instructed the driver, ¡°Drive! Get us home!¡±

    The car moved forward with difficulty in the crowd. Fortunately, the car¡¯s tinted windows blocked the car¡¯s interior from sight. The people outside couldn¡¯t see Yun Liu¡¯s hysterics in the car.

    Yun Liu glared furiously at the distorted faces outside, feeling extremely wronged. Yun Zhang wearily leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, not wishing to say anything.

    ¡°Yun Zhang, where¡¯s Ding Pei?¡± Yun Liu inquired. ¡°Where the h*ll did she go?

    Did she skip town?¡±

    Yun Zhang didn¡¯t open his eyes as he answered, ¡°She was arrested, allegedly for human trafficking. You¡¯d better think about whether she has any leverage on you and whether she¡¯ll give you up.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Yun Liu exclaimed, and her eyes widened in fright.

    ¡°Yun Zhang! Yun Zhang, what should we do? What should we do? She¡­ If she wants to drag me down and sell¡ªWhat should I do if she says I ordered her to do it?¡± Yun Liu fretted. Yun Zhang opened his eyes and silently stared at Yun Liu.

    ¡°Yun Zhang, what should we do?¡± Yun Liu questioned, rattled.

    Yun Zhang¡¯s mind was a mess as he looked at his little sister whining at him as usual. This was an illegal act of human trafficking. It wasn¡¯t a small matter like her maxing out her credit card or bullying her classmates. However, she was acting like it was a small matter! Yun Zhang took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Why did you target Gao Bei?¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s fingers that were holding Yun Zhang¡¯s arm subconsciously tightened, and she avoided his gaze as she replied, ¡°I¡¯m not targeting her! I didn¡¯t! ¡±

    ¡°What did Gao Bei ever do to you? Why did you do that to her? You could¡¯ve just found someone to intimidate and teach her a lesson. Why did you kidnap her? Don¡¯t you know that¡¯s illegal?¡± Yun Zhang reined in his temper and asked patiently.

    Yun Liu averted her gaze, sat upright, and faced the front. She took out a tissue to dab the tears on her cheeks, and her tone was more stable when she remarked, ¡®Yun Zhang, our immediate concern is figuring out how to shut Ding Pei¡¯s mouth up. I never instructed her to do those things! But what if she insists that I did? Then, she¡¯ll not only be screwing me over; she¡¯ll be screwing over our family, too!¡±

    Yun Zhang closed his eyes and thought, ¡®Again with the ¡°for our family¡± statement.¡¯ Yun Liu knew him well and played a good hand; he finally understood what it meant to be cautious in taking action. He had to admit that even if it wasn¡¯t for Yun Liu, for the Yun family, he still had to do his best to settle this matter. However, the first thing he thought of when Yun Liu got in trouble was to get her out, but Yun Liu obviously didn¡¯t appreciate it¡ªshe thought that everything he did was for the sake of the Yun family..

 Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter One-Hundred and Eleven: Dumplings

    Chapter 111: Chapter One-Hundred and Eleven: Dumplings

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The news of Ding Pei¡¯s arrest spread like wildfire and the entire entertainment industry soon knew about it.

    Gao Bei held a press conference and cried about her unfortunate experience. She thought she had met her ¡®Mr. Right.¡¯ The man claimed he was an heir of a wealthy family; he spent money on her freely and treated her very well. He told her he had to go abroad for business and said the trip would be boring without a partner, so he wanted her to accompany him for a few days.

    Gao Bei was a naive girl who dreamed of love, so she secretly left with her ¡®boyfriend¡¯ without telling her manager. She thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal¡ªshe would just be skipping work for a week. She didn¡¯t mind if they terminated her contract¡ªher ¡®boyfriend¡¯ had plenty of money, and he¡¯d already agreed to help her pay the penalty for her breach of contract.

    However, her ¡®boyfriend¡¯ changed his attitude once they were overseas. Not only did he confiscate her passport, but he also raped her and then sold her to a foreign man.

    That man sent her directly to a brothel. She refused to obey and was nearly beaten to death; she probably would¡¯ve died there if a gunfight hadn¡¯t broken out outside. She took the chance to escape, and on the way, she met a

    kind-hearted countryman who saved her.

    Gao Bei broke down and cried several times during the press conference. She told the audience the first thing she did when she returned to the country was call the police and have her scumbag ¡®boyfriend¡¯ arrested. That scumbag was just a gigolo working at a nightclub. Ding Pei had given him money and asked him to pretend to be a rich heir to deceive her.

    Now, her career was ruined, and Gao Bei felt sorry for disappointing her manager who had nurtured her, and she was also sorry for letting down ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ and its production team. She would turn over a new leaf and start anew, but she would never forgive the people who harmed her. She would definitely bring them to justice.

    This matter had a huge social impact. Ding Pei was a member of Yun Entertainment and Yun Liu¡¯s manager. Even though the Yun Corporation had announced to the public that Ding Pei had resigned before Gao Bei held the press conference, the public didn¡¯t buy it. After all, Ding Pei was still a member of their company when she committed those acts. Are they trying to kid themselves? Did the Yun Corporation take the public for fools?

    Yun Nan was making dumplings with everyone at the Shi family¡¯s house when Gao Bei¡¯s press conference was broadcast on TV. Well, to be exact, Yun Nan, the housemaid, and the family¡¯s cook were making dumplings together while Shi Xiu was making a mess. Shi Nian only watched as he stood beside them, knowing well that¡ªeven with a demonstration right before him¡ªhe would probably fail in making a dumpling.

    Mom, Dad, and Grandpa surrounded the chefs, singing all sorts of praises, but they didn¡¯t join in the dumpling-making fun. Yun Nan had tasked them to only watch because it would be a waste of flour to teach the newbies hands-on how to make dumplings.

    Only Shi Xiu didn¡¯t believe she would have much difficulty learning how to make dumplings when she¡¯d learned complicated embroidery. The family was having a lot of fun, laughing and making dumplings. It was like another world from the sadness shown on the television.

    Shi Xiu finally learned how to roll out the dumpling skin. She held up her successful dumpling skin and showed it off to everyone in the living room. She then stood in front of the television and watched it for a while. When she returned to the dining room, she asked Yun Nan, ¡°What made you choose Gao Bei to be the lead actress back then?¡±

    Yun Nan turned to look at the television and answered frankly, ¡°I showed Mika a picture of my mother. She bears a slight resemblance to my mother. She was also quite astute during the audition, so I decided to choose her.¡±

    ¡°What a pity,¡± Shi Xiu sighed. ¡°I kind of feel like I¡¯ve stolen her role.¡±

    ¡®Why?¡± Yun Nan questioned, bewildered. Then, she understood and chuckled, ¡°Silly girl, what makes you think that? To be honest, we¡¯re all very glad that this incident happened early on. We¡¯re not wishing bad on Gao Bei, but think about it. If this incident happened after we finished filming the movie, it most likely wouldn¡¯t pass the review because any work done by artistes with spotty reputations has great difficulty passing the reviews. In that case, all of our hard work would be in vain, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    Shi Xiu thought about it and shook her head, saying, ¡°That would be terrible!¡±

    ¡°So, I really have to thank the heavens, and thank you! Thank you for helping me¡­ thank you for helping us!¡± Yun Nan said to Shi Xiu with a smile as she handed her the dumplings she¡¯d pleated in the wheat pattern.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s eyes lit up, and she marveled, ¡°Yun Nan, you¡¯re so skilled at this! I just learned how to make a normal dumpling, and here you are, showing off your unique skills again. How am I supposed to catch up to you?¡±

    Yun Nan chortled, ¡°You managed to learn embroidery. This is nothing compared to that!¡±

    Everyone laughed. ¡°Our Yun Nan is so ingenious! Shi Xiu has finally found a good friend and mentor! ¡± Xu Yun remarked as she examined the fat wheat pattern dumpling.

    Shi Nian looked proud, pleased that his relatives praised his wife..

 Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter One-Hundred and Twelve: Script

    Chapter 112: Chapter One-Hundred and Twelve: Script

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Yun watched the TV for a while and asked Yun Nan with slight worry, ¡°Then, will this girl still affect you? She probably wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in the entertainment industry anymore after having caused such a commotion.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded and solemnly said, ¡°I heard from Fang Xi that her manager, Xiao Ya, told Gao Bei she wouldn¡¯t hold her accountable anymore if she made the whole thing public. Gao Bei is facing huge compensation payouts, but she doesn¡¯t have the money to pay those penalties, so Xiao Ya had to shoulder them. Gao Bei was foolish; she sacrificed the rest of her life for a momentary lapse in judgment.¡±

    Shi Nian stood at the side and looked at Yun Nan. She¡¯d experienced many of the world¡¯s evils but was still unwilling to think the worst of others. She was still filled with compassion.

    That woman, Gao Bei, wasn¡¯t as pitiful as she appeared to be. She knew from the beginning that suddenly abandoning the movie as she did would bring trouble to her manager and Yun Nan¡¯s production team. However, in the face of such a huge temptation, she unhesitatingly chose to do it anyway.

    She didn¡¯t feel much gratitude toward the people who took a great risk to save and bring her home. She wouldn¡¯t have stood out and told the truth if it wasn¡¯t for the sum of money he promised her to let her start over. As for how difficult the situation was for her manager, that wasn¡¯t within her consideration at all. It was best for such a person to never appear around Yun Nan in the future. To Shi Nian, any problem that could be solved with money wasn¡¯t a real problem.

    ¡°Ding Pei admitted to everything and said she did it because she couldn¡¯t stand Gao Bei. Can you believe it, Yun Nan?¡± Shi Xiu groused indignantly.

    Of course, Yun Nan didn¡¯t believe it. She arranged the dumplings neatly as she coolly replied, ¡°Ding Pei is a veteran of the Yun Corporation and has shared interests with the Yuns, so she has no choice but to shoulder everything.¡±

    ¡°The shared interest between Ding Pei and the Yuns, huh¡­ Isn¡¯t that Yun Liu?¡± Shi Xiu¡¯s words hit the mark. She hadn¡¯t forgotten the rumor-mongering incident during the movie premiere. ¡°I heard her movie ¡®Cozy in Love¡¯ bombed. Yun Nan, they say you wrote that movie¡¯s script. Is that true?¡± Shi Xiu asked.

    Yun Nan was stunned and stated, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t write the script! Where did you hear that from? The onlv movie I wrote that was vet to be filmed when I left the Yun Corporation was our movie ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ I didn¡¯t participate in any of the company¡¯s subsequent script production because of our differing cooperative philosophies.¡±

    Shi Xiu then understood. ¡°Oh,¡± she dragged the word out, ¡°They wanted to use your name to boost their lousy film. How despicable! Yun Nan, you have to stay away from them in the future. That Yun Liu is better at creating gossip than those screenwriters!¡±

    She continued, ¡°On one hand, she wants to suppress you, but on the other hand, she wants to use your name to hype her own fame. Her methods are deplorable! Hmph! That Yun Liu better pray she doesn¡¯t run into me! If she falls into my hands, I¡¯ll kick her ass!¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s fierce words attracted her family¡¯s attention, and Shi Kong immediately questioned, ¡°Honey, did someone bully you? Whoever it is, you can tell your brother and let him deal with them!¡±

    Shi Xiu gave him a bright smile and commented, ¡°Grandpa, who would have the guts to bully me, your precious granddaughter?! I¡¯m usually the one doing the bullying instead!¡±

    ¡°Then who do you want to deal with?¡± Shi Kong inquired, doubtful of her words.

    Shi Xiu pouted. ¡°I want to deal with the people who bullied Yun Nan! Grandpa! Yun Nan is too nice! I have to protect her in the future!¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s parents and Shi Kong nodded and looked at Yun Nan affectionately as they said, ¡°Yun Nan! You must come home and tell us if you¡¯ve been wronged! We won¡¯t allow anyone to bully our family members! Shi Nian, don¡¯t come home if you let Yun Nan get bullied! How could you show your face when you couldn¡¯t even take care of your own wife?¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry at that, and Shi Xiu winked at her mischievously. The Shi family had given Yun Nan the warmth of a family she hadn¡¯t experienced since her adoptive parents passed away, making her heart overflow with gratitude.

    After receiving his elders¡¯ decree, Shi Nian took even more care of Yun Nan and decided to send her to work every morning. Yun Nan was a little overwhelmed and had no choice but to have a serious talk with Shi Nian.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to treat me like this. Have you ever thought about how you¡¯re going to explain things to your relatives when we break up five years later?¡± Yun Nan tried to reason with him and appeal to his better nature.

    Shi Nian shrugged. ¡°Isn¡¯t that five years away? Right now, we¡¯re newlyweds, so we have to act like we¡¯re in our honeymoon phase. I don¡¯t see what¡¯s wrong with my actions,¡± he remarked.

    Yun Nan resisted the urge to roll her eyes and stated, ¡°Shi Nian, we just need to maintain a friendly distance between us. You don¡¯t have to put in so much effort. It¡¯s not worth it! I appreciate your kindness, but it¡¯s really not necessary.. Okay?¡±

 Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirteen: Probing

    Chapter 113: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirteen: Probing

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian shrugged again and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a lot of work. Besides, you¡¯re a director, so you should understand that you should be as convincing as possible to sell your act. The sweeter we are now, the more realistic our break-up will be in five years!¡±

    Yun Nan opened her mouth, wishing to refute him, before she thought better of it and resignedly replied, ¡°There¡¯s really no need.¡±

    Shi Nian handed her her bag and stated, ¡°1 think it¡¯s very necessary. Let¡¯s go; I¡¯ll take you to work.¡±

    ¡®I have my own car!¡¯ was what Yun Nan wanted to say, but she swallowed the

    words on the tip of her tongue because Shi Nian immediately continued, ¡°Shi Xiu noticed you were going to work alone, so she called and nagged at me for a long time.¡±

    ¡® This pair of siblings are both weirdos,¡¯ Yun Nan silently grumbled.

    The elevator descended and stopped on the eleventh floor. The elevator door opened, and seeing the two standing in the elevator, Fang Xi cut her yawn short. ¡°Oh? What a coincidence. Good morning!¡± Fang Xi greeted Yun Nan and walked into the elevator to lean close to Yun Nan and whisper, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s he doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sending Yun Nan to work. Care to join us?¡± Shi Nian swiftly answered before Yun Nan could.

    Fang Xi accepted his offer, ¡°Sure! I¡¯m still sleepy anyway.¡±

    Curious, Yun Nan asked, ¡°What did you get up to last night? You don¡¯t look like you¡¯ve slept much.¡±

    ¡°I was busy with public relations, duh!¡± Fang Xi exasperatedly answered. ¡°My dear, someone is envious of our movie¡¯s box office success and has started to decrease our screening slots. The cinemas have no credibility to speak of; they¡¯ll listen to whoever offers them the most money. They¡¯re still trying to argue the small print in our signed agreement. They don¡¯t know who they¡¯re messing with! I brought them all out together for a meal to discuss the issue with them yesterday. Despite our displeasure with them, we should still be courteous and treat them the way we should.¡±

    Yun Nan reached out and hugged Fang Xi. ¡°Aww, my poor baby. *Sigh* It must¡¯ve been hard on you!¡±

    Fang Xi was someone who would be satisfied with a little verbal reward. She immediately felt better and gallantly patted Yun Nan. ¡°It¡¯s okay, honey. For you and our common cause, this bit of hard work is nothing.¡±

    Shi Nian felt the scene before him was an eyesore and couldn¡¯t help but cough lightly. Fang Xi turned around and sized him up before she inquired ominously, ¡°Chairman Shi, may I ask how many cinemas does the Shi family own? I want to check if any of your cinemas have betrayed us!¡±

    Shi Nian was stunned. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know,¡± he replied hesitantly. ¡°But I can get Chang Yuan to look into it. I¡¯ll definitely give you a satisfactory result.¡±

    Fang Xi was quite pleased with what he said. ¡°Alright! That¡¯s more like it. I won¡¯t show mercy if I find out that your cinemas did betray us! Don¡¯t forget, your wife¡ªthe Shi family¡¯s Young Madam¡ªand your little sister¡ªthe Shi family¡¯s Young Miss¡ªworked on this movie! If anyone dares to betray us¡­ Chairman Shi! Fire them!¡± So saying, Fang Xi made a throat-cutting gesture.

    Shi Nian smiled and nodded. He really had to get Chang Yuan to investigate the matter. When he got into his car, Shi Nian sent Chang Yuan his new mission via WeChat.

    Fang Xi dragged Yun Nan to sit in the back with her and suddenly remembered something. ¡°Yun Nan, there was something strange I forgot to mention.¡±

    Yun Nan quietly waited for her to continue, and she did. ¡°Xiao Ya came to thank me. She said she had to thank me for the smooth resolution of Gao Bei¡¯s matter, but I hadn¡¯t done anything! All I did was refrain from pressing her to pay the penalty fee, but seeing how grateful she was, I didn¡¯t say anything. After all, there¡¯ll be more collaborations between us in the future; it wouldn¡¯t be bad if she owed me a big favor.¡±

    ¡°I probed her about it later. She told me it was us Chinese people who had successfully rescued Gao Bei and not the foreign police. They even mentioned my name, though I don¡¯t know such powerful people.¡±

    ¡°It was the Chinese who saved Gao Bei?¡± Yun Nan asked, also puzzled. ¡°I always thought she had called the police overseas.¡±

    Fang Xi shook her head and remarked, ¡°After hearing what Xiao Ya said, I¡¯m starting to think that the whole thing went too smoothly. Ding Pei does have her ways; she¡¯d hidden that scumbag¡¯s identity so well that even Xiao Ya didn¡¯t see through it at first. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have let Gao Bei be deceived. To be honest, when Gao Bei went missing, there was nothing our local forces could do.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Gao Bei would be rescued overseas so quickly, and that scumbag who tricked her was also caught. Everything went so smoothly; it was as if they had the help of God. Witnesses and physical evidence were sent straight to Xiao Ya, and she was dumbfounded, thinking that someone up there had finally heard her prayers.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s even stranger was Gao Bei had refused to cooperate and report the incident to the police at first because she didn¡¯t want to air her shame, nor did she want to get into debt. Xiao Ya was so angry she wanted to strangle her. But two days later, Gao Bei suddenly took the initiative and went to her and agreed to file a police report, and the matter was resolved smoothly. Phew, Xiao Ya sure went through a lot of ups and downs.¡±

    Yun Nan was also surprised when she heard. Fang Xi nudged her, indicating for her to look at Shi Nian¡ªhe might have had something to do with the whole thing. She wanted Yun Nan to question him, but Yun Nan shook her head gently.

    Shi Nian had never asked her about the goings-on of her production team. All he heard were the things she and Shi Xiu usually discussed. Besides, the Shi family was only involved in legal businesses. How could Shi Nian have anything to do with kidnapping, extortion, and human trafficking?

    Fang Xi refused to give up and bluntly stated, ¡°Chairman Shi, I don¡¯t want to beat around the bush. Did you or did you not help behind the scenes? If you did, just tell us so we can thank you..¡±

 Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter One-Hundred and Fourteen: Shed Light

    Chapter 114: Chapter One-Hundred and Fourteen: Shed Light

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian had noticed their little actions before. He shrugged and said with a smile, ¡°You flatter me. You can ask Yun Nan. I¡¯ve been in the country all this time and have no plans to go abroad.¡±

    His ambiguous answer made Fang Xi slightly suspicious, but she swiftly let the matter go. Fang Xi sighed, ¡°Either way, Gao Bei¡¯s incident has been resolved somewhat satisfactorily. We didn¡¯t have to pay any penalties because we were the victims, and we didn¡¯t get caught up in the mess. When all is said and done, we have to thank our little lucky star, Shi Xiu! That girl is truly a good luck charm. I love her to bits.¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°Then you can continue to be her manager. Many people are looking to offer her roles in scripts, commercial performances, and variety shows. You can check them out and make sure she doesn¡¯t accept anything suspicious. I don¡¯t feel at ease handing her over to anyone else.¡±

    Fang Xi gave it a moment¡¯s thought before saying, ¡°But I don¡¯t have much time to arrange activities and events for her! It¡¯ll keep her from making money-Uh¡ª¡±

    Fang Xi glanced at Shi Nian¡ªwho was driving¡ªand changed her tune. ¡°I guess money isn¡¯t a concern for that little cutie. Fine, then I¡¯ll continue to look after her. ¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and replied, ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank you on Shi Xiu¡¯s behalf!¡±

    Fang Xi gave a fake cough and joked, ¡°I don¡¯t want your measly thanks. What I want is a wealthy benefactor.¡±

    Shi Nian chortled, ¡°Then, would you accept my thanks, Fang Xi?¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Fang Xi sighed happily.

    Yun Nan smiled and patted her, gently admonishing, ¡°Oh, you!¡±

    Shi Nian dropped them off at the studio, and Fang Xi was still squinting at his car even after it had gone far away. Yun Nan pushed her and urged, ¡°What are you looking at? Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Fang Xi took two steps back and narrowed her eyes at Yun Nan.

    ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Yun Nan inquired and went to grab her ¡°Silly girl, can¡¯t you see that he treats you differently than others?¡± Fang Xi said solemnly.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t take her words seriously. She smiled, pulled Fang Xi towards the studio¡¯s entrance, and remarked, ¡°Of course he does! I have a special agreement with him!¡±

    Fang Xi let Yun Nan drag her along as she shook her head and sighed, ¡°That poor man! The first obstacle he encountered in his perfect life is probably you!¡±

    Yun Nan was both angry and amused, so she teased, ¡°To be honest, with that kind of creative imagination, you really should join the scriptwriters¡¯ team. You can be their boss.¡±

    Fang Xi knew Yun Nan had a ¡®heart of ice¡¯ when it came to relationships. It wasn¡¯t easy to carve out a place in her heart¡ªit would take a lot of time and effort. Fang Xi lamented, ¡°What a difficult romance this is!¡±

    Shi Xiu bounced over to them with a folder in her hand. ¡°Fang Xi! Fang Xi, please do me a favor!¡± she cried.

    Fang Xi broke free from Yun Nan and said mock-seriously, ¡°Looks like I have work to do. Boss, please go right ahead!¡±

    Yun Nan playfully hit her and pointed at the folder as she asked Shi Xiu,

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    Fang Xi snatched the folder before Shi Xiu could say anything and told Yun Nan, ¡°That¡¯s for me to know. Didn¡¯t you just say I¡¯ll be the one to take care of her?¡± She then turned to Shi Xiu and informed her, ¡°Your brother and sister-in-law have just decided that I¡¯ll be your manager!¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡± Shi Xiu jumped on the spot joyfully.

    Yun Nan smiled and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you two are pleased with the arrangement. Alright, go and have fun. I¡¯ll leave you two to it.¡±

    When Yun Nan¡¯s figure disappeared around the corner, Shi Xiu patted her chest in relief and whispered, ¡°Thank goodness she didn¡¯t read it.¡±

    Curious, Fang Xi opened the folder and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want her to read

    Shi Xiu quickly covered the document with her hands and spoke hushedly, ¡°Fang Xi, I want to participate in this event, but I¡¯m afraid Yun Nan won¡¯t let me participate, so I¡¯m secretly discussing it with you. Please, let me take part.

    Pretty please! ¡±

    Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Once again, she was glad she had accepted the job of being Shi Xiu¡¯s manager. Otherwise, who could rein this young lady in? She even dared to play tricks right under Yun Nan¡¯s nose!

    ¡°You have to let me see what this event is, right?¡± Thus saying, she pushed Shi Xiu¡¯s hand away. Her elegant eyebrows furrowed when she saw what was written on the document. ¡°That woman still has the guts to come out and make a scene?¡± Fang Xi commented.

    ¡°I know, right? She¡¯s dying for fame! I don¡¯t care if she tramples on others, but I won¡¯t allow her to bully my sister-in-law! I have to make her pay for it!¡± Shi Xiu uttered furiously.

    Seeing how protective she was of Yun Nan, Fang Xi advised, ¡°But this is a live broadcast. If you get into a conflict with her, it¡¯ll also result in negative news about you. Are you sure you want to do this?¡±

    Shi Xiu raised her eyebrows. ¡°She was the one who sent me my first negative news. It was extremely despicable; she made me out to be a delinquent who had an abortion, took drugs, and eloped. Can there be anything worse than that? I¡¯m a good girl! At most, you can say I¡¯m spoiled, headstrong, and bad-tempered, but that¡¯s my nature! Hmph!¡±

    Fang Xi smiled and reached out to ruffle Shi Xiu¡¯s head. ¡°I like your nature! Alright, fine! I¡¯ll allow it. I¡¯ll help you convince Yun Nan!¡±

    Shi Xiu hugged Fang Xi in delight.. ¡°Fang Xi, you¡¯re the best!¡±

 Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifteen: Discipline

    Chapter 115: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifteen: Discipline

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The program Shi Xiu wanted to participate in was a live reality show with ten episodes and scheduled to finish recording within two months¡ªtime would be tight, and the workload intense. Shi Xiu wanted to participate because Yun Liu would also be participating.

    Recently, Yun Liu was struggling, plagued by negative news. Yun Zhang asked their company¡¯s best and most well-connected manager, Tan Ning, to be Yun Liu¡¯s manager. Tan Ning was famous for having a bad temper; she was one of the pillars of Yun Corporations and managed her artistes with a strict hand.

    Yun Zhang didn¡¯t choose Tan Ning to be Yun Liu¡¯s manager before because he feared the woman¡¯s stern attitude would hurt his sister. When Tan Ning¡¯s temper flared up, she wouldn¡¯t even show him¡ªher boss¡ªrespect. That temperament was also why Tan Ning had a high reputation in the industry.

    This time, Yun Zhang hardened his heart and decided to discipline Yun Liu properly. He also wanted Yun Liu to properly build her career rather than having her finger in every pie like before and poorly managing all of them. Instead, it would be better to let her hone her acting skills for a few years. It would help her to transition to other career paths¡ªshould she wish to¡ªif she had a few presentable films.

    Yun Liu knew that she was in the wrong. Although unhappy with the arrangement. she didn¡¯t dare to obiect. After all. Ding Pei¡¯s case hadn¡¯t been concluded yet. Yun Zhang used this to threaten her to keep this matter quiet from their parents in case she whined to them about it and distorted the facts.

    Yun Zhang is determined to discipline his sister this time. However, in Yun Liu¡¯s eyes, this was just more proof that Yun Zhang didn¡¯t truly care about her because they weren¡¯t blood-related.

    Tan Ning didn¡¯t care what the siblings thought. No matter who or what, the artists under her management had to listen to her, though she didn¡¯t think Yun Liu would make it far. She only took Yun Liu in out of respect for her boss.

    After considering Yun Liu¡¯s various qualities, Tan Ning felt that, right now, the best move for her was to take on more variety shows to make the public more familiar with her and accumulate more popularity. Tan Ning wanted to build her up as the obedient and kind girl next door. She planned to increase the buzz about Yun Liu as much as possible by presenting her as modest and patient despite her rich family background.

    Yun Liu threw a huge tantrum over this. How could someone like her lower her status to become some variety show guest? She was the lead actress of a movie! Although her movie¡¯s box office results weren¡¯t looking good, she was definitely better than those variety show guests who never made it to the big screens!

    However, Tan Ning ignored her temper and said, ¡°Do you want to do this or not? If you do, then pack up and join the production team. If you don¡¯t, stop wasting my time and GET LOST.¡±

    Yun Liu felt so wronged that she didn¡¯t even dare to cry. She had no choice but to comply. Beggars can¡¯t be choosers; no one else would dare to be her manager if Tan Ning didn¡¯t want her. Therefore, she could only pack up and join the production crew.

    Before she left, Tan Ning reminded her, ¡°You must be careful with what you say and do because it¡¯s a live broadcast. I would prefer you keep silent instead of saying something you shouldn¡¯t. Do you understand? The best thing to do when you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing is to keep your mouth shut. You must focus on the job!¡±

    Yun Liu nodded and said nothing. Tan Ning knew she bore her a grudge, so she let the behavior go, and stated, ¡°After this is done, we will put out word that you¡¯re not the Yun family¡¯s biological daughter. The Yun family doesn¡¯t want you to remain unaware of who your birth parents are, so they want to help you find your parents and fulfill your wish. This coincides with the plot of Yun Nan¡¯s ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ This isn¡¯t something anyone else could take advantage of! You have to make good use of the opportunity! Cherish it!¡±

    Yun Liu frowned and retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t want to look for my birth parents. I¡¯m pretty happy with the Yun family!¡±

    ¡°What are you worried about?¡± Tan Ning sneered. ¡°If your birth parents leave much to be desired, just continue looking! No one else can force you if you don¡¯t admit they¡¯re your parents.¡±

    She continued, ¡°You can keep looking and not find them. The more you search for them, the more your fans will feel sorry for you! This can only benefit your reputation! And what if your birth family is more influential than the Yuns?

    Wouldn¡¯t you have a better home then?¡±

    Tan Ning looked derisive as she uttered the last sentence; even she thought her own words were unlikely. Yun Nan didn¡¯t take them to heart; however, the first half of what she said was quite tempting. Of course, Yun Nan had to make good use of anything she could make use of.

    Yun Nan¡¯s opinion of Tan Ning had changed a little. She was indeed a top artist manager; she had some intelligence, unlike Ding Pei. Though that woman was obedient, her plans always fizzled out, and Yun Liu had to clean up her mess.

    After some thought, she was no longer protesting toward the job that Tan Ning had arranged for her. She picked up the script and asked, ¡°Who else will be in the show?¡±

    ¡°Who cares?¡± Tan Ning said flippantly. ¡°Just do your part. You can suppress and trample on those you can. Other than the two famous seniors who you have to be respectful towards, you don¡¯t have to care about anyone else..¡±

 Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter One -Hundred and Sixteen: Comments

    Chapter 116: Chapter One -Hundred and Sixteen: Comments

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡® That¡¯s more like it,¡¯ Yun Liu thought and became happier. She liked that sort of arrangement.

    The program required their guests to wear their personal clothes, so Yun Liu planned to bring her assistant to pick out her outfits. Ever since Ding Pei was arrested, her assistant¡ªXiao Yun¡ªhad been fearfully silent, especially after being coached by Tan Ning. She was even more cautious than before and didn¡¯t dare to say a word.

    Yun Liu was flipping through her clothes, and when she saw Xiao Yun¡¯s timid state, she stated disdainfully, ¡°You¡¯re such a wuss! Can¡¯t you do anything without Miss Ding? What are you afraid of? As long as I have use of you, as long as you¡¯re one of mine, no one will dare to do anything to you. The most important thing in life is to be sharp-eyed and clear-minded and be able to tell who your boss is. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±

    Xiao Yun¡¯s eyes brightened, and she nodded repeatedly. ¡°I understand, Miss

    Yun Liu. From now on, you¡¯re my only boss! ¡±

    Yun Liu was quite satisfied with her answer. She pointed at the clothes on the shelf and instructed the shop assistant behind them, ¡°Get me one of these in my size. I want to try it on.¡±

    The shop assistant hurriedly replied in affirmative and went to get her clothes.

    Just then, the TV in the shop was airing the interview about ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ with Mika, the movie¡¯s male and female leads, and the screenwriters. Yun Liu crossed her arms and watched the interview with a cold expression.

    ¡°Yes, for us to get a feel for Xiao He¡¯s living environment, the director specifically brought us out to experience such a lifestyle. Before that, Director Mi said that we don¡¯t know life¡¯s miseries. Acting really isn¡¯t that simple; if we can¡¯t empathize with our characters, then we can¡¯t convincingly act as the characters should,¡± Shi Xiu answered the host¡¯s question with a smile.

    The male lead also smiled and uttered, ¡°Yeah! We used method acting during our time on the film so that we¡¯ll be able to inject real emotions into our performances. The side effect is that it¡¯s a little difficult to break out of our characters

    Everyone laughed, and Mika added, ¡°They¡¯re both newbies, especially Shi Xiu. It was her first time acting, and in such a heavy role, too. After the shoot, they both squatted in a corner, not talking to anyone and just cried. Haha.¡±

    ¡°Director Mika doesn¡¯t give praise easily,¡± a shop assistant whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him praise an actor like that in all these years.¡±

    Another shop assistant commented, ¡°I watched the movie. The actors did a great job! No wonder the director praised them. I didn¡¯t realize they were inexperienced newbies at all.¡±

    The shop assistant returned and handed Yun Liu the dress she wanted. Yun Liu accepted it with a snort and remarked, ¡°Look at her identity and think about it. With her status, even the director has to suck up to her! Family background is also important in this line of work. It¡¯s a huge honor to have the young lady lower herself to act in the movie, so of course, he had to flatter her!¡±

    Only then did the shop assistant recognize Yun Liu, and she exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Oh my, you must be Miss Yun Liu! I saw you in that movie, ¡®Cozyin Love! You¡¯re Nuan Nuan! Hey, everybody! Look, it¡¯s Nuan Nuan!¡±

    Hearing that, the other two shop assistants also came over. The store manager walked over and glared at the shop assistants. ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize who this is? You hicks! This is our VIP client, the Yun family¡¯s young lady!¡±

    She turned to Yun Liu and smiled. ¡°Miss Yun, please don¡¯t take offense. We had a major staff adjustment. These are all new employees who haven¡¯t finished their training yet. They don¡¯t know the rules.¡±

    Yun Liu magnanimously waved her hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Everyone starts new at some point.¡±

    The store manager smiled obsequiously and stated, ¡°You have good taste, Miss

    Yun. The dress you picked out is our new season¡¯s collection.¡±

    Yun Liu went into the fitting room to change her clothes and came out to assess her outfit in the mirror. Xiao Yun immediately praised, ¡°You look beautiful!¡±

    Yun Liu was also very pleased with the dress. One of the shop assistants ran over with her phone, smiled meekly at her, and asked, ¡°Miss Yun, can I take a photo with you?¡±

    Straightaway, Xiao Yun stopped her and uttered, ¡°No! Miss Yun doesn¡¯t take photos casually.¡± The shop assistant looked disappointed and turned to leave.

    When Yun Liu changed out of the dress and came out of the fitting room, she heard the two assistants commenting in hushed tones, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Yun Liu to be so arrogant compared to Shi Xiu. Shi Xiu is so approachable, like the girl next door!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s even made those comments about Shi Xiu being a spoiled princess. Look who¡¯s talking? Sh¨¦s the one acting like a spoiled princess! You sure are something, being able to recognize her as Nuan Nuan. I didn¡¯t even watch that movie. I heard the ratings are very low!¡±

    Yun Liu clenched her clothes so tightly her knuckles turned white. She didn¡¯t expect to encounter such a dreadful thing even when she was out buying clothes!

    Xiao Yun rushed over and shouted at the two shop assistants, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±

    The shop assistants¡¯ faces turned pale, and they lowered their heads. They made to leave, but Xiao Yun yelled, ¡°Where¡¯s the manager? Where did your manager go?¡± Xiao Yun roared.

    The store manager had just entered the storeroom to look for some products when she heard the commotion and quickly rushed over..

 Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventeen:

    Chapter 117: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventeen:

    Humiliation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on?¡± The manager asked hurriedly.

    ¡°They¡¯re gossiping behind our backs!¡± Xiao Yun fumed. ¡°I¡¯ll file a complaint against you!¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and apologize!¡± The store manager scolded the shop assistants.

    The two shop assistants hastily bowed, but Xiao Yun refused to let the matter go and stated, ¡°What¡¯s the use of apologizing? I don¡¯t care even if you kneel and kowtow right now! Manager, you have to fire them! Otherwise, we¡¯ll cancel the orders we made at your store!¡±

    The store manager¡¯s expression darkened, and she coldly told the shop assistants, ¡°You two, go to the office to settle your salaries!¡±

    The two shop assistants panicked. ¡°Manager, it was a mistake. We won¡¯t do it again!¡±

    The manager gave them a meaningful look. They immediately rushed to Yun Liu and apologized, ¡°Miss Yun, we¡¯re sorry. We were wrong. We shouldn¡¯t have spoken ill of you behind your back. We¡¯re very sorry!¡±

    Yun Liu lowered her head slightly and put down the dress in her hand. One of the shop assistants quickly said, ¡°Miss Yun, please forgive us. We really didn¡¯t mean it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Miss Yun. You¡¯re prettier, more elegant, and more skilled in acting than Shi Xiu. We had no sense and were talking rubbish. Please forgive us!¡± the two shop assistants begged.

    The store manager hesitated for a moment and then spoke, ¡°Miss Yun, they¡¯ve only just started working here and haven¡¯t learned their manners¡­ Please don¡¯t be angry with them.¡±

    ¡°You know they¡¯re ill-mannered, yet you still let them work in your store?¡± Xiao Yun coldly questioned. ¡°Miss Yun isn¡¯t someone you can talk about. How dare you compare Miss Yun with Shi Xiu! She doesn¡¯t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Miss Yun! Hmph!¡±

    Yun Liu placed the clothes she was holding on the counter. She had already lost interest in buying anything.

    ¡°Pfft.¡± A soft snicker came from the VIP fitting room at the side. Shi Xiu pushed the fitting room curtain aside and walked out, followed by the store¡¯s regional manager with a gloomy face.

    ¡°What happened, Yun Liu? Why are you so angry?¡± Shi Xiu asked, voice crisp and pleasant, and Yun Liu¡¯s expression changed.

    When the store manager saw the regional manager, her expression paled, and she glared at the shop assistants. She¡¯d been busy rearranging their products and hadn¡¯t noticed the regional manager¡¯s arrival, and the two shop assistants might as well be blind. They didn¡¯t recognize the regional manager and didn¡¯t mention that Shi Xiu was trying on clothes in the store even after Yun Liu came in. ¡®Great. Now everyone¡¯s here. I¡¯m so dead,¡¯ she thought.

    Xiao Yun was also dumbfounded. She didn¡¯t expect Shi Xiu to be so despicable as to eavesdrop. ¡®How am I supposed to explain this? she silently worried.

    Yun Liu chuckled, ¡°Shi Xiu, what a coincidence. Are you also here picking out clothes?¡±

    Shi Xiu smiled and replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. If it weren¡¯t for this coincidence, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to witness such an exciting show. You have quite the assistant there. She¡¯s very loyal. You should give her a raise, Yun Liu!¡±

    Xiao Yun quietly retreated. Yun Liu laughed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind them, Shi Xiu. They¡¯re just a bunch of ignorant girls. Why don¡¯t we go and have a drink together?¡±

    ¡°Have a drink with you?¡± Shi Xiu widened her eyes and remarked, ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Yun Liu. I don¡¯t deserve such a privilege. Isn¡¯t that right, Miss Assistant?¡±

    At this moment, Xiao Yun wished she could dig a hole and bury herself. Shi Xiu turned to the regional manager and instructed, ¡°Manager Wang, please wrap up my clothes and deliver them to my home.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Miss Shi,¡± the regional manager quickly responded without looking at the two shop assistants.

    Shi Xiu sighed and told the two trembling shop assistants, ¡°You guys are out of order. How can you talk about your guests behind their backs? You even compared your guests to each other! How impolite! Moreover, it could easily hurt your customers¡¯ fragile hearts! Now look, you¡¯ve caused trouble for yourselves, haven¡¯t you? It¡¯s not easy to find a job! Losing your job over such a small matter isn¡¯t worth it!¡±

    She turned to the regional manager and stated, ¡°You can deal with this accordingly. I don¡¯t think you need to fire them, do you?¡±

    The regional manager lowly concurred, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Shi Xiu then smiled and looked at Yun Liu. ¡°I know you¡¯re a magnanimous person, Yun Liu. You won¡¯t be so unforgiving over such a small matter, will you? That doesn¡¯t suit your character! Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    She continued, ¡°When it comes down to it, this whole thing started because of me. I can¡¯t bear to let these two young ladies lose their jobs because of this. I¡¯ll tell you what; I¡¯ll pay for the clothes Yun Liu took a fancy to. Manager Wang, help me pack them and send them to Miss Yun¡¯s company. I have a job I need to attend to, so I¡¯ll be leaving now. Bye!¡±

    Shi Xiu walked out of the door with a smile on her face. Two men who looked like they were strolling around immediately followed her. They were the Shi family¡¯s bodyguards..

 Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighteen: Chance

    Chapter 118: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighteen: Chance

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian had once publicly said there were no less than eight bodyguards guarding his sister. What a show of ostentation! Who would still have the cheek to call themselves a ¡®Lady¡¯ before Shi Xiu?

    Yun Liu never expected to be humiliated like this when she went out to buy clothes. Moreover, she didn¡¯t expect that¡ªbefore she could vent her anger¡ª she would meet Shi Xiu again on a variety show.

    Yun Liu had only lowered herself to participate in the variety show in respect of Tan Ning. She had seen the show¡¯s script. The program would be filming a group of eight young people¡ªfour men and four women¡ªliving in a

    picturesque small town for two months, immersively experiencing life in the countryside. The show aimed to advocate the concept of the ¡°Slow Life¡± and the main theme of rural development. None of the participants could bring their assistants or nannies along; they had to rely on themselves.

    There were many similar variety shows in the country so it wasn¡¯t easy for the show to stand out. Therefore, the main focus of this show was whether a group of pampered youths could adapt to the self-sufficient life in the countryside. For the participants, it was both a challenge and a good opportunity to increase their fanbase and popularity.

    Among the eight people of this group, there were two new artistes; one of them was Yun Liu, and the other was still unknown. The group would also include two veteran actors, two established singers, and two non-entertainment members. As for who they were, that hadn¡¯t been decided yet¡ªperhaps for the sake of the show¡¯s effect and to give the audience a sense of mystery.

    Tan Ning told Yun Liu she had to build herself the image of a gentle, dignified, and understanding young lady. Although such a persona would restrict her acting career in the future, it was still a skill if she could perfectly portray a type of character! And it would be appropriate if she wanted to change her career path in a few years when she was older.

    Yun Liu felt that Tan Ning¡¯s words made sense and were exactly what she wanted. Therefore, she didn¡¯t care who the other participants in this variety show were. It didn¡¯t matter who they were; she just needed to do her part well.

    The show started filming when Yun Liu was packing her luggage, and the cameras ¡®inadvertently¡¯ captured Yun Liu¡¯s luxurious bedroom. ¡°Yun Liu, your room is huge,¡± one of the production team members admired.

    Yun Liu smiled and said, ¡°My parents designed this room for me. We¡¯ve had it renovated several times since I was a child. They always bring back all kinds of unique trinkets when they go on vacation or business trips, so¡ªsee¡ªmy room¡¯s messy and crowded with their gifts.¡±

    The camera swept across the entire room when Yun Liu expressed her ¡®sweet troubles.¡¯ From the extravagance shown, there was no need to introduce and describe Yun Liu¡¯s family background; her family was clearly well- to-do.

    Yun Liu wore cute loungewear as she ¡®clumsily¡¯ packed her luggage; she was the perfect image of a gentle, delicate, and adorable bourgeois. From time to time, she would call her mother and the housemaid over to help, revealing her identity as a wealthy young lady bit by bit.

    After they got off the plane, the production crew filmed Yun Liu arduously dragging a few large suitcases. Yun Liu faced the camera and brightly smiled as she remarked, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve done such heavy lifting by myself. I didn¡¯t expect it to be so tiring. Now I know how my little assistant feels. I have to take good care of her next time.¡± Yun Liu didn¡¯t miss a chance to exhibit her kind nature. After all, who wouldn¡¯t like such a sheltered and kind person?

    When she finally managed to get into the car, Yun Liu was so tired that she sighed. A production crew member accompanying her asked, ¡°Miss Yun, our show is about authenticity. Are you truly prepared for the hardships ahead?¡±

    Yun Liu pouted. ¡°You¡¯re still asking me that after I¡¯ve come all this way? Have I not been sincere enough?¡±

    She took a breather and continued, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m really looking forward to this show. Usually, my parents and brother take such good care of me that I don¡¯t have to worry about anything. I had everything handed to me on a plate, so much so that I couldn¡¯t wait to suffer. Do you think I¡¯m a little masochistic?¡± So saying, she laughed. Her straightforward manner made the production team members laugh along with her.

    ¡®Such a character would definitely be liked and envied by the audience. I¡¯ll easily be the star of the show,¡¯ was Yun Liu¡¯s self-congratulatory thought.

    When they reached the residence, they found six of the participants had already arrived. Among them were two highly respected actors in their fifties¡ª a man and a woman. The male was Si Kun¡ªhe was the idol of countless girls during his youth¡ªand the female was a winner of many awards, Mai Fen.

    Yun Liu respectfully bowed and greeted them, ¡°I¡¯ve seen many of your works and especially admire you two. You¡¯re my idols!¡±

    Mai Fen chuckled and told Si Kun, ¡°Oh my, such a beautiful girl is sure to have a boundless future!¡±

    There were also two washed-up singers. The male was Xiao Zhao¡ªhe was a rock musician in his youth. The female was a singer who¡¯d left the music scene a few years ago because of the negative news about her marriage. This was her first appearance in public after many years. Her name was Yan Tang..

 Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter One-Hundred and Nineteen: Meeting

    Chapter 119: Chapter One-Hundred and Nineteen: Meeting

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Hello! It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you both!¡± Yun Liu politely greeted them. ¡°I really like your songs.¡±

    Yan Tang frowned slightly. ¡°You like them? You¡¯ve heard our songs?¡±

    Yun Liu was slightly embarrassed and hurriedly answered, ¡°Yes, my brother is a music enthusiast. I often hear Mr. Xiao Zhao and your songs playing at his place.¡±

    Xiao Zhao nudged Yan Tang and smiled as he stated, ¡°Then, if you get the chance, feel free to invite your brother over as a guest.¡± Yun Liu sighed in relief and returned Xiao Zhao¡¯s smile.

    The four participants took her to get her rooming arrangement sorted out and gave her a tour of the residence. Yun Liu carefully responded to them and seemed a little restrained.

    Yun Liu was very unfamiliar with the living conditions in the countryside. She behaved like a wealthy child from the city and showed fear towards the chickens, ducks, geese, horses, cows, and sheep. She was cute but not annoying. Moreover, she got herself into silly and funny situations because she didn¡¯t understand or recognize many things in the countryside.

    At this time, the other two members who had gone out for a walk returned. After they introduced themselves, Yun Liu learned that one of them was the national master sculptor, Ji Fei, and the other¡ªa graceful and competent-looking middle-aged woman¡ªwas Ms. Hai Hua, who worked in venture capital.

    Yun Liu had learned her lesson this time and didn¡¯t try to bond with them rashly. She only briefly introduced herself. Ji Fei replied with a smile; as an artist, he wasn¡¯t a talkative person. Hai Hua candidly greeted Yun Liu, ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± The atmosphere was quite harmonious, and Yun Liu¡¯s nerves settled.

    ¡°We¡¯re still one person short. Where¡¯s our last teammate?¡± Xiao Zhao raised his voice and asked the production crew. ¡°Just look at the time! Why aren¡¯t they here yet?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s familiarize ourselves with this place first. We¡¯ll be living here for quite some time, so we have to treat this place as our home. You can all go and do as you please; there¡¯s no need to wait for our missing member. They¡¯ve encountered some problems on the way here, so they¡¯ll arrive a little later,¡± the director answered.

    ¡°Can you tell us who our mysterious member is?¡± Hai Hua joked. The production crew pretended to be busy, and no one responded.

    Si Kun chuckled, ¡°Looks like they want to surprise us! Oh well. We¡¯ll take things as they come. Let¡¯s have a look around and then prepare dinner. Food is the most important thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Everyone agreed in unison.

    The others looked after Yun Liu because she was the youngest among them. This was undoubtedly very beneficial to the image that Yun Liu wanted to establish. Yun Liu felt she should be able to make a comeback with this variety show.

    When it was time to cook dinner, everyone had already divided the work. Unexpectedly, Si Kun and Xiao Zhao were the best chefs in the group, so they would take the role of head chefs while the others would help out and do odd jobs according to their abilities.

    ¡°I can make noodles and soup, but I can¡¯t really cook,¡± Mai Fen stated with a smile.

    Yan Tang artistically added, ¡°I can¡¯t even do that. I¡¯m only good at eating!¡±

    Hai Hua also smiled. ¡°I¡¯m good at boiling water!¡± she shared, and everyone laughed.

    Ji Fei adjusted his glasses and told the group, ¡°I can wash and peel vegetables. I can also clean.¡±

    Yun Liu looked helpless and embarrassed as she revealed, ¡°I¡¯m not good at anything.¡±

    ¡°Dear me. All of your seniors here can at least name one thing we¡¯re good at. You, young lady, I can tell at a glance you haven¡¯t done much physical work nor do you have any agricultural knowledge. Us women here are already outclassed by the men, but you¡¯re an even greater disappointment than us,¡± Hai Hua good-heartedly teased. ¡°No worries, you can just stand by and watch. All you have to do is wait for the food,¡± she uttered frankly, feeling rather protective toward Yun Liu. Yun Liu sweetly expressed her gratitude, attracting attention with her looks and actions.

    Suddenly, there was activity outside the door. The production crew told them the last member had finally arrived. ¡°Hello, everyone! I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late!¡± The group heard their mystery member say with a voice that was crisp and pleasant to the ear, filled with energy and enthusiasm.

    Yun Liu froze. She didn¡¯t need to look outside like the others; she could tell from her voice that it was Shi Xiu! Yun Liu¡¯s mood soured, and every inch of her body¡ªfrom her hair to her toenails¡ªrejected her current situation.

    Shi Xiu dragged two large suitcases into the courtyard, and those who weren¡¯t busy went out to welcome her. Shi Xiu introduced herself, and so did everyone else. Shi Xiu bowed to everyone and said, ¡°Hello! It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all.¡± She was as well-behaved as a schoolchild and looked like a student, giving others a good impression of her.

    ¡°Mr. Si Kun and Mr. Xiao Zhao are cooking in the kitchen, so you¡¯ll have to go there to meet them,¡± Hai Hua informed her with a smile.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Shi Xiu agreed and walked towards the back.. She saw Yun Liu when she looked up, and before Yun Liu could say anything, she exclaimed, ¡°Yun Liu, why are you here?¡±

 Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty: Stealing the Spotlight

    Chapter 120: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty: Stealing the Spotlight

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Without giving Yun Liu a chance to speak, Shi Xiu jumped up happily, grabbed Yun Liu¡¯s hand, and gushed, ¡°Oh my! It¡¯s amazing to meet you here! This is great, Yun Liu. I didn¡¯t expect that we would be able to participate in a show together!¡±

    Yun Liu had no idea what Shi Xiu was up to. She had humiliated her in the boutique two days ago, so why was she acting like they were sisters today? ¡® What is going on? Yun Liu wondered. She didn¡¯t even know how she should respond to Shi Xiu.

    While she was dazed, Shi Xiu had already let go of her hand, looking slightly hurt before she immediately smiled and greeted the chefs, ¡°Mr. Si Kun, Mr. Xiao Zhao, it¡¯s Shi Xiu! I¡¯m here!¡± Shi Xiu then strode into the kitchen and left the dumbfounded Yun Liu there.

    Si Kun smiled as he cooked. ¡°Alright, I know you¡¯re here. Don¡¯t get too close. We wouldn¡¯t want you to get burned by the oil,¡± he cautioned.

    Xiao Zhao also smiled and stated, ¡°Just stand there and behave yourself. It¡¯s fine as long as I know you¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    Shi Xiu giggled. ¡°You know each other?¡± Hai Hua asked curiously.

    Shi Xiu nodded and answered, ¡°Mr. Si Kun taught us acting lessons in the past, and Mr. Xiao Zhao is my parents¡¯ idol!¡±

    Hai Hua chuckled, ¡°You didn¡¯t expect to meet them here before you came, did you?¡±

    Shi Xiu glanced at Yun Liu and smilingly nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right! Life¡¯s just full of surprises!¡± she remarked, thinking, ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have come ifI didn¡¯t know the guestlist and that Yun Liu would be here! This time, I want to take revenge on the spot!¡¯

    Shi Xiu was chatty and hadn¡¯t stopped talking since she entered the residence. She was all over the place, asking questions about this and that and making everyone laugh from time to time.

    Dinner was soon ready. Shi Xiu sincerely praised as she looked at the table full of food, ¡°This is great! It¡¯s amazing! You guys are incredible! This is the second time I¡¯ve seen a non-professional cook up a table full of dishes in one go!¡± Hai Hua chuckled, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®non-professional¡¯?¡±

    ¡°When I say ¡®non-professionals,¡¯ I mean people who don¡¯t work as chefs or professional maids and nannies,¡± Shi Xiu replied. This explanation was quite accurate, and everyone laughed along.

    Since Shi Xiu arrived, Yun Liu had been ¡®squeezed¡¯ to the side and had become a nonentity. At this moment, she seized her opportunity and gently asked, ¡°Then, who¡¯s the first ¡®non-professional¡¯ master chef you¡¯ve met, Shi Xiu?¡±

    Shi Xiu looked at Yun Liu, and her smile deepened before she answered, ¡°That would be my second sister-in-law, Yun Nan!¡±

    Yun Liu immediately fell silent. Those who weren¡¯t in the know¡ªsuch as Ji Fei and Yan Tang¡ªcouldn¡¯t help but curiously ask who her second sister-in-law was, so Shi Xiu told them about her multi -talented and versatile sister-in-law.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention that your parents¡¯ idol is Xiao Zhao? Why do I get the feeling your idol is your second sister-in-law?¡± Yan Tang teased.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you have a keen eye!¡± Shi Xiu laughed and uttered, ¡°I admire my second sister-in-law an awful lot!¡±

    Xiao Zhao served the last dish and sat down with everyone. He said to Yan Tang, ¡°Yun Nan is indeed very charismatic. I¡¯ll introduce her to you when I have time in the future. You¡¯ll definitely like her. When I first got to know Yun Nan, I thought you two shared some similar characteristics and would definitely become great friends!¡± Shi Xiu nodded vigorously at his comment.

    Yun Liu was very elegant and refined during the meal. She was well-behaved and polite; she didn¡¯t speak, but she would look over at the person speaking. Shi Xiu, on the other hand, was very cheerful and outgoing. She praised every dish, and her comments were well done and caused everyone to laugh on occasion.

    Shi Xiu sighed. ¡°I¡¯m so busy! I only have one mouth, but I want to eat AND talk! I wish I could do both at the same time. I¡¯m so happy! I didn¡¯t expect my first time filming a show to be so enjoyable! I met all you nice people and got to eat such delicious food. My manager even tried to scare me, saying I¡¯d suffer if I came here! Fortunately, I wasn¡¯t scared by her!¡±

    It was hard not to like Shi Xiu with her honesty and innocence. Mai Fen had been staring at Shi Xiu with a smile. She hadn¡¯t said much, but at this moment, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh at Si Kun. ¡°Shi Xiu reminds me of us when we were young. It¡¯s a wonderful age to be!¡±

    Shi Xiu was eating braised pork ribs when she heard that and held up her bowl, stating, ¡°Miss Mai, if I can have your achievements when I reach your age, I¡¯ll even quit eating!¡±

    Mai Fen laughed, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re such a charmer.¡±

    Shi Xiu was a barrel of laughs. She¡¯d stolen Yun Liu¡¯s spotlight just as Yun Liu was making an appearance. However, with the clear and innocent look on Shi Xiu¡¯s face, Yun Liu couldn¡¯t do anything about it, and her expression gradually darkened.

    While Shi Xiu was determined to expose Yun Liu¡¯s true colors on the show, Fang Xi was having a business drink and doing her best to fight for their interests.

    ¡® This really is a tough line of work,¡¯ Fang Xi silently grumbled..

 Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-One: Encounter

    Chapter 121: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-One: Encounter

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi vomited in the restroom, washed her face, and touched up her makeup. Her face was too pale, so she had to use blush to add some color to her complexion. After she was done tidying up her appearance, she pushed the restroom door open and staggered out on swaying feet. Fang Xi then composed herself and walked towards her private room, thinking, ¡®Just one last round. I¡¯ll drink those guys under the table, and today¡±s mission will be over and done with!¡¯

    ¡°Fang Xi? It¡¯s really you!¡± someone said as they suddenly grabbed her arm, and before she knew it, a tall figure stood before her. Fang Xi¡¯s heart quivered. She looked up and met the eyes that appeared in her dreams every night. She even forgot to breathe.

    Xi Cheng looked at the exquisitely made-up woman before him in disbelief.

    ¡®Its Fang Xi, it¡¯s really her! The Fang Xi I¡¯ve been thinking about day and night!¡¯

    However, she seemed a little different from the Fang Xi he knew. His Fang Xi was gentle, obedient, caring, and virtuous¡ªlike the girl next door. The woman before him looked like Fang Xi but had a competent air about her that his Fang Xi didn¡¯t have. He was momentarily stunned as he stared at her.

    Fang Xi took a deep breath and shook off Xi Cheng¡¯s hand. She was about to speak when a voice called out from the other end of the corridor, ¡°Xi Cheng! Hurry up, everyone¡¯s waiting for you!¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s heart ached, and she walked past Xi Cheng without saying a word. Xi Cheng turned around and grabbed her arm again. ¡°Fang Xi! You owe me an explanation!¡± he demanded.

    Fang Xi stood still. Every word Xi Cheng said was like a nail to her heart. She slowly turned around and raised her head to look at Xi Cheng. Gazing at the face that made her heart ache until it went numb, she smiled brightly and reminded him, ¡°Mr. Xi, your fianc¨¦e is calling you! ¡±

    Xi Cheng froze. Lin Yu¡¯s voice sounded again, asking, ¡°Xi Cheng! What are you doing?¡± Fang Xi saw the figure walk over from the corner of her eye. She once again shook off Xi Cheng¡¯s hand and hurried towards her private room.

    ¡°Fang Xi!¡± Xi Cheng softly called her. Fang Xi didn¡¯t turn around; a man who didn¡¯t even dare to call out her name wasn¡¯t worth it. However, her tears fell uncontrollably.

    Lin Yu came over and inquired, ¡°Xi Cheng, what are you doing here? Did you meet someone you know?¡± She glanced around warily. The lights were too dim, so she couldn¡¯t see who the person talking to Xi Cheng was; she could only tell it was a woman.

    ¡°No, it was a drunk stranger,¡± Xi Cheng replied indifferently. They moved towards their private room. As they passed the room that Fang Xi had entered, Xi Cheng looked through the small glass window on the door and saw Fang Xi guzzling down a large glass of beer.

    ¡® When did she learn how to drink?! Why didn¡¯t I know about this?!¡¯ he thought, thunderstruck.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s waiting for you. Ye Kun says he has to leave early, so hurry and go say goodbye to him!¡± Lin Yu chattered idly.

    ¡°If he wants to leave, then leave. There¡¯s no need to be this polite with him,¡± Xi Cheng answered dully.

    ¡°I know you two are good friends born in the same delivery room, but you still have to be polite,¡± Lin Yu coaxed him like she would a child. Xi Cheng didn¡¯t say anything. He lowered his head and pushed open their private room¡¯s door.

    ¡°Hey, look who¡¯s back!¡± Liang Han shouted. ¡°Why did you run off when the drinks were flowing? Do you really need to go to the toilet so often? You¡¯re a terrible drinking partner!¡±

    Xi Cheng was a little distracted and ignored Liang Han. Lin Yu, though, smiled and uttered, ¡°He can¡¯t hold his drink as well as you guys, but he¡¯s too embarrassed to admit defeat.¡±

    Ever since Lin Yu got engaged to Xi Cheng, she virtually became Xi Cheng¡¯s spokesperson. She always followed him to the rare gatherings he had with his friends and brought her best friends along without fail. Most of their conversation was her answering on behalf of Xi Cheng.

    Liang Han gave Xi Cheng a complicated look. Ye Kun nudged him and said, ¡°Stop messing around! Xi Cheng, I have to go soon. I have a meeting tomorrow morning. ¡±

    Xi Cheng tugged at his collar impatiently and scowled, ¡°Whatever, just go. It¡¯s always work with you! You¡¯re always busy!¡±

    Ye Kun was stupefied. He didn¡¯t understand what had gotten into Xi Cheng this time. Xi Cheng pushed him away and wanted to sit next to Shi Nian, but Lin Yu¡¯s best friend¡ªGu Man¡ªsat not far away from Shi Nian. There wasn¡¯t enough space to sit another person between them. Xi Cheng¡¯s mood worsened when he saw this, and he pushed Ye Kun again and sat opposite Shi Nian.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Ye Kun cried, and his expression darkened. He couldn¡¯t bear with Xi Cheng and berated, ¡°What was that for? What¡¯s with the angry face? What¡¯s bothering you, and why are you taking it out on me?¡±

    Xi Cheng snatched a bottle from the table and took a large swig. He glanced at Ye Kun and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not taking anything out on you.¡±

    Liang Han couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and spoke, ¡°You¡¯re out of line, Xi Cheng. What¡¯s with the long face? We invited you out for a drink out of goodwill.. You didn¡¯t have to come if you aren¡¯t happy being here!¡±

 Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Two:

    Chapter 122: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Two:

    Save

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng¡¯s temper flared up when he heard that. He placed the bottle on the table and yelled, ¡°Then what do you guys want? Do you want me to apologize?

    I¡¯m sorry! Is that enough?¡±

    Gu Man seemed frightened by Xi Cheng. She ran to Shi Nian¡¯s side and clutched his arm. Shi Nian frowned and immediately got up. He broke free from Gu Man¡¯s hands and walked over to Xi Cheng without even glancing at her. He held Ye Kun and Liang Han back and said, ¡°You¡¯ve all had too much to drink. Let¡¯s call it a day and go home.¡±

    Liang Han dragged Ye Kun away, saying, ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Ye Kun struggled out of Liang Han¡¯s grip and gave him a look. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now,¡± he announced before whispering to Liang Han, ¡°You stay with Shi Nian.¡±

    Liang Han spied Gu Man from the corner of his eye and understood. When Ye Kun left, he angrily reprimanded Xi Cheng, ¡°Xi Cheng, I don¡¯t want to criticize you, but you¡¯ve gone too far! Little Kun has constantly been flying here and there, coming out and socializing with us whenever he has time. How dare you say that to him? You went too far!¡±

    Shi Nian snatched the bottle Xi Cheng was holding and told Liang Han, ¡°That¡¯s enough out of you.¡±

    Liang Han shut his mouth but¡ªby accident or design¡ªstood behind Shi Nian, blocking Gu Man off as the woman tried to ¡®pounce¡¯ over again, wanting to lean close to Shi Nian to see what was happening.

    Lin Yu quickly sat down and gently asked, ¡°Xi Cheng, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you suddenly upset?¡± She turned to Shi Nian and Liang Han and uttered, ¡°Thank goodness it¡¯s you guys he¡¯s showing his temper to. Despite his awful behavior, you¡¯ve never distanced yourselves from him. With that temper of his, it would be terrible if he ran into someone else.¡±

    Xi Cheng covered his eyes with his arm and stated, ¡°I¡¯ve had too much to drink. I want to rest for a while. You guys can continue drinking!¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go back, too. It¡¯ll be more comfortable to rest at home,¡± Lin Yu hurriedly suggested.

    Gu Man got past Liang Han and stood at Shi Nian¡¯s other side, commenting, ¡°Xi

    Cheng, look at how worried Lin Yu is! Why don¡¯t we all go home? We can

    always meet up again next time.¡±

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t say anything. Shi Nian straightened his back and sighed, ¡°Give him a moment to himself. Let¡¯s not bother him. Liang Han, let¡¯s go get some fresh air.¡±

    Gu Man grabbed Shi Nian¡¯s arm and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Let¡¯s just go. Lin Yu, take Xi Cheng home!¡±

    Shi Nian twisted his arm and broke free of Gu Man. He put his hands in his pocket and headed towards the exit with Liang Han.

    ¡°Hey, Shi Nian, if you both go out, how are we supposed to carry Xi Cheng?¡± Gu Man pouted.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t turn around. Liang Han stood behind Shi Nian, waved his hand, and replied, ¡°You don¡¯t need to! He¡¯s not drunk!¡±

    Ye Kun had just reached the entrance when he saw a group of men and women heading out. A familiar figure entered his sight. It was Fang Xi.

    Fang Xi was a little unsteady on her feet. A fat man¡ªwhose hair was thinning at the top¡ªplaced his arm around Fang Xi¡¯s waist as he assured her, ¡°Ms. Fang, don¡¯t worry. Leave the matter to me; I¡¯ll see to it. It¡¯s no problem at all! I¡¯ll get them to change your screening slots back when I return!¡±

    Fang Xi staggered and pushed away the man¡¯s groping hands. She smiled and responded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank you in advance. I¡¯ll be waiting for the good news, Mr. Li.¡±

    The man continued to reach for Fang Xi, but someone else forcefully pulled her into an embrace. Fang Xi¡¯s expression changed, but just as she was about to lose her temper, her eyes met Ye Kun¡¯s familiar orbs.

    Ye Kun tightened his arms around Fang Xi and spoke to the portly man. ¡°Sorry, my girlfriend drank a little too much. I¡¯ll be taking her home now.¡±

    Mr. Li wasn¡¯t drunk; he was just using it as an excuse to take advantage of Fang Xi. However, the moment he saw Ye Kun, his mind instantly cleared up, and he stuttered, ¡°Mr. Ye¡­Y-you¡ª¡±

    Ye Kun smiled. ¡°Excuse me, we have to go he told the man and half-supported, half-hugged Fang Xi as they strode out. Fang Xi¡¯s stomach was queasy, and as soon as they walked out of the entrance, she held onto the trash can beside her and began to vomit.

    Ye Kun frowned and concernedly patted her back. Fang Xi pushed him away, wanting him to stay further away. After Ye Kun left, she finally relaxed. When she had purged everything in her stomach, she stood up with her hands supporting her waist.

    A bottle of water appeared before her, and Fang Xi was stunned. Ye Kun hadn¡¯t left; he went to buy water for her. Fang Xi lowered her eyes, took the bottle, and rinsed her mouth. Then, Ye Kun handed her a pack of tissues.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Fang Xi said softly.

    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Ye Kun gently asked. Fang Xi nodded.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home. My car is just ahead.¡± Ye Kun pointed at his car parked in the square.

    ¡°You¡­ haven¡¯t been drinking?¡± Fang Xi inquired.

    ¡°I called a chauffeur,¡± Ye Kun informed her and smiled, revealing his pearly white teeth. He looked as pure as a child. Fang Xi also smiled; she hadn¡¯t seen such a decent and honest man in many years..

 Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Three:

    Chapter 123: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Three:

    Looked After

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The two of them sat in the car¡¯s back seats because Ye Kun was worried Fang Xi would feel ill.

    Fang Xi giggled, ¡°I won¡¯t throw up in your car.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine even if you do throw up. I can just get the car washed,¡± Ye Kun replied.

    Fang Xi was shocked. There was once when she caught a bad cold. That was the only time he had accompanied her to the doctor. To be precise, he¡¯d dropped her off at the hospital on his way. She¡¯d thrown up in the car because she wasn¡¯t feeling well. At the time, his expression had immediately darkened, and Fang Xi had felt guilty over the matter for a long time.

    But today, a man told her it was alright if she threw up. He¡¯ll just get the car washed. ¡®How can there be such a huge gap between men? Fang Xi thought, stupefied.

    ¡°Do you still feel uncomfortable? How about we go to the hospital and see a doctor to prescribe some medicine?¡± Ye Kun asked with concern.

    Fang Xi turned to look at him and inquired, ¡°Have you ever been drunk?¡±

    Ye Kun nodded and answered, ¡°Of course.¡± He¡¯d gotten drunk countless times. He¡¯d started drinking when he was very young, thanks to the bad influence of his three best friends.

    Fang Xi laughed and teased, ¡°Who would go to the hospital just because they¡¯re drunk? Would you?¡±

    Ye Kun was embarrassed and stated, ¡°You girls are more delicate, unlike us men. My mother said that we¡¯re all as stout as mules.¡±

    ¡°Your mother prefers girls?¡± Fang Xi questioned as she leaned her head against the seat. ¡®Luxury cars sure are comfortable,¡¯ she mentally sighed.

    ¡°Yes, because she doesn¡¯t have a daughter,¡± Ye Kun replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± Fang Xi commented with a smile and gently closed her eyes. ¡®You should sleep for a while,¡± Ye Kun suggested straightaway. ¡°I¡¯ll wake you up when we get home!¡±

    Fang Xi placed her fist on her forehead and lightly knocked on it again and again before sighing softly.

    ¡°Were you out on business tonight?¡± Ye Kun asked curiously. ¡°What do you need from those people?¡±

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t open her eyes as she chuckled, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m out on business. I¡¯m just a common citizen; I have to make a living, you know! Our new movie¡¯s screenings were canceled and replaced for some reason. Those people didn¡¯t give us the screenings they promised us, so I had to treat them to a meal and come to a new agreement with them. They¡¯re all sly old foxes and very difficult to deal with.¡± Ye Kun nodded and mentally noted that down.

    Right now, Fang Xi¡¯s mind was filled with that man¡¯s eyes and soft calls. He rarely called her name because he didn¡¯t need to. She would appear before him at a single glance, and sometimes, not even a glance was necessary because she could always predict his needs. But, so what? No matter how much she had done for him, it was nothing compared to his fianc¨¦e¡¯s call.

    Tears slowly fell from the corners of Fang Xi¡¯s eyes. When she realized it, her face was already covered in tears. Ye Kun handed her another tissue. Fang Xi thanked him, accepted the tissue, and wiped her tears.

    Ye Kun earnestly advised, ¡°You should quit if you aren¡¯t happy with your job. You can work at another company. There¡¯s no need to compromise yourself for work.¡±

    This kind of concern made Fang Xi¡¯s heart feel like it had been scalded¡ªit wasn¡¯t just warm, it was scalding. Fang Xi couldn¡¯t bear to see such an innocent person worry about her. She sniffled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not about work. It¡¯s nothing; I just saw my ex-boyfriend. It brought up some memories.¡±

    Ye Kun didn¡¯t expect Fang Xi to be so calm when she mentioned her ex-boyfriend. Judging from that, they must have broken up for a long time, and she¡¯d recovered from the heartbreak. The thought made him happy, and he remarked, ¡°That¡¯s even simpler. He¡¯s not worth your sadness! You don¡¯t need someone with such poor taste; just throw him away.¡± After saying that, he

    Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but laugh along with him, but her tears also flowed uncontrollably. ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s not worth it! That man with such poor taste isn¡¯t worth it!¡± She tearfully repeated this sentence as if she was comforting the heart-wrenching pain in her chest.

    When they arrived home, the effects of the alcohol Fang Xi consumed kicked in, and she had a terrible headache. Ye Kun was worried; after he¡¯d helped her into the house, Fang Xi had curled up on the sofa, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Ye Kun made some hangover soup in Fang Xi¡¯s kitchen and woke her up so she could drink it.

    Fang Xi looked at Ye Kun, amazed, and asked, ¡°You even know how to make hangover soup?¡±

    Ye Kun held the cup of hangover soup closer to her and urged, ¡°Drink it while it¡¯s warm. It¡¯ll induce sweat and make you feel better.¡±

    Fang Xi took the cup and carefully drank the warm liquid. This was the first time she drank hangover soup someone else made for her. In the past, she had always been the one to make the soup for others. The soup¡¯s sourness was just right, and the sweetness was perfect. ¡®Hangover soup never tasted this good before. Is the soup only so delicious when you¡¯re drunk? she wondered.

    Ye Kun turned around and left, and Fang Xi dazedly held the cup in her hands. She felt that everything that just happened with her and Ye Kun was unreal.

    ¡°Woof woof!¡± A chubby Tuan Tuan suddenly raced towards her, jumped onto the sofa, and burrowed into her arms.

    ¡°Tuan Tuan!¡± Fang Xi called out and hugged Tuan Tuan in delight. She had been too busy recently and hadn¡¯t played with Tuan Tuan for two months.

    Then, she wondered, ¡® Ye Kun traveled all the time, so how did he take care of Tuan Tuan for the past two months?!

    Tuan Tuan licked all over Fang Xi¡¯s hands and face. Fang Xi laughed and pushed the canine away, and they happily played together..

 Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Four: Ways

    Chapter 124: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Four: Ways

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Ye Kun felt this scene was heartwarming as he stood at the kitchen door and watched. A good girl like Fang Xi deserved to be protected and treated like a princess. He was truly grateful to her ex-boyfriend; he wouldn¡¯t have found such a lovely girl if the man hadn¡¯t let her go.

    After Fang Xi had fallen asleep, Ye Kun left, carrying Tuan Tuan¡ªthe dog was reluctant to leave¡ªback home.

    There, he called Shi Nian. ¡°Are you back home?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Shi Nian answered succinctly.

    ¡°The friend Lin Yu brought with her, Gu Man, is interested in you. Don¡¯t forget, you have a wife now, so you should be more mindful,¡± Ye Kun jokingly reminded him.

    Shi Nian was also quite annoyed at the woman and replied, ¡°Let¡¯s not invite Xi Cheng to our next social gathering.¡±

    Xi Cheng brought Lin Yu along with him every time they met up together¡ªor was it Lin Yu who insisted on following him? And her friends would come with her. Shi Nian was quite disgruntled by the fact that Lin Yu still brought Gu Man despite knowing she had feelings for him.

    Ye Kun sighed, ¡°It isn¡¯t easy for Xi Cheng either, but he made his own choice. There¡¯s nothing we can do to help. By the way, I wanted to ask, do you know that the screening schedules for the movie Fang Xi¡¯s team produced were tampered with?¡±

    ¡°I do; I heard Yun Nan and Fang Xi talk about it. Fang Xi told Yun Nan not to worry; she¡¯ll handle it.¡± Shi Nian truthfully recounted.

    Ye Kun blew a fuse. ¡°F*ck! Do you know how she dealt with it? She drank with those pot-bellied sleazeballs!¡±

    Shi Nian had to move his phone further away from his ear. He felt Ye Kun was overreacting; this sort of thing was common in any business dealings. Perhaps he couldn¡¯t accept it because Fang Xi was the one doing the schmoozing.

    ¡°So, I take it you want to help her? I¡¯ve already instructed Chang Yuan to keep an eye on this, and we¡¯ve already notified all the cinemas my company owns, as well as those we have a say in. Fang Xi¡¯s very smart; she even suspected I had intervened in that scam and kidnapping incident. Fortunately, I said I hadn¡¯t gone abroad all this time, so she let it go. Look at you, silently defending her and all that! I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re such a righteous soul.¡± Shi Nian¡¯s voice carried a hint of teasing as he said that.

    Ye Kun didn¡¯t mind and told him, ¡°I like her, so of course, I have to stand up for her. I get so angry when I think of some bastard trying to take advantage of her. I have to teach those people a lesson.¡±

    Shi Nian admired his best friend¡¯s straightforwardness and informed him,

    ¡°When Chang Yuan was dealing with this matter, he told me that Yun Nan¡¯s studio and the cinemas already had an agreement, but later, someone from Yun Entertainment came and bribed the cinemas, so they switched sides.

    Chang Yuan has already dealt with the cinemas my company owns.¡±

    ¡°Yun Entertainment? Doesn¡¯t it belong to your wife¡¯s family?¡± Ye Kun questioned; he¡¯d pretty much worked out Shi Nian and Yun Nan¡¯s relationship.

    Shi Nian Man replied, ¡°Yes, it does, but her family doesn¡¯t like her, and they don¡¯t hesitate when it comes to doing bad things to their kin. Our families are good friends, so I can¡¯t move against them.¡±

    Ye Kun sneered, ¡°Alright, then leave it to me.¡± Nothing more needed to be said on the matter; the two had a kind of telepathy between them.

    ¡°Do you know anything about Fang Xi¡¯s ex-boyfriend?¡± Ye Kun inquired.

    Shi Nian shook his head. ¡°Yun Nan mentioned him a few times, but it seems she hasn¡¯t met him before. All she knows is that the guy is a scumbag who hurt Fang Xi deeply.¡±

    Ye Kun fell silent.

    ¡°Do you mind that she had a past romance?¡± Shi Nian asked.

    ¡°No! Why would I care about that? I was thinking about what I can do to heal her broken heart,¡± Ye Kun uttered.

    ¡°Good luck, buddy!¡± Shi Nian encouraged him with a smile.

    Shi Nian hung up the phone and raised his head to look upstairs.

    Recently, Yun Nan had been working overtime; she was so busy that Shi Nian barely saw her. When they did meet each other, she always apologized for her absence and promised to make up for all the meals she owed him.

    Even Ye Kun seemed to have made some progress with his pursuit, while Shi Nian was still where he started even though he and Yun Nan were married.

    ¡®How depressing,¡¯ Shi Nian thought. ¡®I have to find a way to get closer to her.¡¯

    Yun Nan came downstairs in a sleepy daze with her hair down. When she saw him, she asked, ¡°Do you not have work today? I¡¯ll make breakfast. Do you want some?

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Yun Nan tied up her hair, washed her face, and went into the kitchen to work on breakfast.

    Shi Nian stood at the kitchen door and said, ¡°I need your help with something.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± Yun Nan stated without pausing in her task.

    Shi Nian deliberated momentarily before saying, ¡°Can you accompany me to a get-together?¡±

    Yun Nan was chopping up coriander when she heard that. She looked up, glanced at him, and asked, ¡°Why the sudden invitation?¡±

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t know what to say. Seeing his behavior, a thought suddenly occurred to her. ¡°Let me guess. Some lady took a fancy to you and refused to give up, so you want to use me as an excuse. Am I right?¡±

    Shi Nian stared at her. ¡°Is that alright with you?¡±

    Yun Nan laughed, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m okay with it. I am your wife, after all.¡±

    ¡®She is still laughing,¡¯ Shi Nian inwardly grumbled. ¡°Is it that funny?¡± Shi Nian muttered, a little annoyed.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it. I just think that this situation is a little amusing¡­ Shi Nian, have you encountered this problem before? How did you resolve it?¡± Yun Nan questioned, suddenly curious.

    Shi Nian gave it a moment¡¯s thought before telling her, ¡°All I can say is¡­ it¡¯s troublesome.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s probably best to use me as an excuse. Speaking of which, you¡¯ve already confessed so affectionately in public. They should know you¡¯re married, and yet they¡¯re still harassing you? Looks like someonewants to be your mistress..¡±

 Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Five: Seeking Help

    Chapter 125: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Five: Seeking Help

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian nodded and thought, ¡®So you do know that that was a loving confession. Then why aren¡¯t you touched at all?

    Looking at Yun Nan¡¯s professional attitude toward a potential love rival, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh heavily for himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m free in the afternoons and evenings this week. Let me know when you¡¯ve arranged the time; I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Yun Nan said as she fried some eggs.

    Shi Nian sullenly grunted in response and thought, ¡®Why do I get the feeling she¡¯s like a mother about to go and stand up for her bullied child? I don¡¯t like it, but its fine as long as she comes!

    Shi Nian believed that Yun Nan would definitely be able to make Gu Man give up. ¡®Just look at how she negotiated with me back then; not many women could be her match.¡¯

    While eating, Yun Nan gazed at her phone as she asked, ¡°Do you need me to show off my affection and stake my claim? Scare away your admirers?¡±

    Shi Nian stared at her with great forbearance and responded with an affirmative ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°Understood. Rest assured, I¡¯ll¡ªhuh?¡± She picked up her phone in surprise, not caring that her chopsticks had fallen to the ground. She quickly scrolled through the news on her phone with a shocked expression.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Shi Nian reached for her phone, wanting to look at it.

    Yun Nan replied in a tight voice, ¡°Shi Xiu went to participate in a live reality-variety show!¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Shi Nian nodded. ¡°She told me she would be away for around two months to film a program.¡±

    Yun Nan held her phone before Shi Nian and said darkly, ¡°Yun Liu is also in the show.¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s gaze also landed on the phone. ¡°So? What of it?¡± he asked. Yun Nan frowned; she felt like she was talking to a brick wall. She immediately called Fang Xi.

    Fang Xi¡¯s mind was a little scattered when she woke up; she couldn¡¯t remember what had happened yesterday. She ruffled her hair, and then her phone rang. It was a call from Yun Nan, and she answered it.

    When Yun Nan heard her voice, she said straightaway, ¡°Fang Xi, did you know that Yun Liu is on the show Shi Xiu is participating in?¡±

    Fang Xi paused for a moment and vaguely replied, ¡°So? What¡¯s the problem with that?¡±

    Yun Nan worriedly stated, ¡°Yun Liu is good at playing dirty tricks and messing with people. She might set Shi Xiu up! No, I can¡¯t let that happen. You have to find some way to get her out. The contract she signed for this show¡­ Does she have to participate for the entire show?¡±

    Fang Xi rubbed her temples and tried to reassure her, ¡°Yun Nan, don¡¯t be so nervous. Shi Xiu isn¡¯t one to be taken lightly. Yun Liu¡¯s dirty little tricks probably won¡¯t be able to harm Shi Xiu. Don¡¯t worry!¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi!¡± Yun Nan interrupted her.

    ¡°Okay, okay! *Sigh* Fine, I surrender,¡± Fang Xi relented. She had no choice but to come clean. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you; Shi Xiu knew about the show¡¯s guest list before she went, but she insisted on going because she had a score to settle.¡± ¡°What score?¡± Yun Nan questioned, puzzled.

    Fang Xi told her, ¡°Tsk! How could you forget so quickly? Did you forget what Yun Liu did? Don¡¯t you remember all those rumors she started? Do you think the whole thing¡¯s over just by having Shi Nian stand up for you two and dispel the rumors? Even if the public opinion has been settled on this matter, Shi Xiu¡ªthat girl still holds a grudge! What could she do? It¡¯s not like she could go to Yun Liu¡¯s house and beat her up.¡±

    Fang Xi continued as she got out of bed, ¡°Shi Xiu decided to give Shi Xiu a taste of her own medicine. She wanted to expose Shi Xiu¡¯s true colors and signed up for the show. I know you¡¯re worried about her, and she knows it too! That¡¯s why she forbade us from telling you about this. Let me tell you, she handled everything on her own¡ªfrom asking me to help her take on this project until she set off¡ªI didn¡¯t need to step in at all. You can imagine how determined she was.¡±

    Yun Nan was about to go nuts. She demanded, ¡°But what if they had a conflict? Have you ever thought about that? What if Shi Xiu gets hurt? This is a reality show we¡¯re talking about! It¡¯s a live broadcast, Fang Xi! A live broadcast!¡±

    ¡°Honey, calm down! Calm down! How do you know that she will be at a disadvantage? Can you please have some confidence in her? I¡¯ve said it before; that young lady isn¡¯t someone to be trifled with! With her temperament, we¡¯d be lucky if she didn¡¯t bully others! Can you stop being so pessimistic? Relax a little, okay?¡± Fang Xi patiently persuaded her.

    Yun Nan held her phone in her hands and wailed, ¡°Fang Xi, how can I be at ease?! This whole thing is a ticking time bomb! Even if she didn¡¯t get hurt by Yun Liu, the netizens online might still attack her. Fang Xi,¡± she began to breathe heavily, ¡°Fang Xi, what should I do?¡±

    Shi Nian reached out, snatched Yun Nan¡¯s phone away, and said, ¡°Easy there, don¡¯t be so nervous. Fang Xi, ignore her. I¡¯ll talk to her.¡± And with that, Shi Nian hung up the phone.

    Fang Xi¡¯s eyes were wide as she stared at her phone. ¡®He just hung up on me.. Did he suddenly find his inner dictator?

 Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Six: Playback

    Chapter 126: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Six: Playback

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan sighed; she was so worried.

    ¡°You¡¯re too nervous,¡± Shi Nian commented. ¡°You should take a leaf out of Fang Xi¡¯s book and leave Shi Xiu to sink or swim. She can take her own responsibility, for good or bad. You can¡¯t shelter her forever.¡±

    Yun Nan stared at Shi Nian in surprise. ¡°She¡¯s still a child¡ªI¡®

    Shi Nian patiently said, ¡°She¡¯s twenty years old; she¡¯s not so little anymore. She¡¯s an adult, and no matter how much you love and care for her, you can¡¯t live her life for her. If she wants to go head-on with someone she doesn¡¯t like, why not let them butt heads? Either she loses out or gains more experience. These are both life lessons. Yun Nan, you¡¯ve suffered so much and taken so many twists and turns to achieve what you have today, so why won¡¯t you let Shi Xiu venture out on her own?¡±

    Yun Nan sighed. ¡°You know too little about the entertainment industry and don¡¯t take it seriously enough. It¡¯s much more complicated than you think it is. Once you¡¯re in, it¡¯s very difficult to get out in one piece. I don¡¯t want her to get hurt by the industry.¡± So saying, Yun Nan morosely leaned against the kitchen¡¯s glass door.

    Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but reach out and stroke her head. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯ve suffered difficult situations before so you¡¯re always thinking of helping her. You¡¯re so silly!¡±

    Yun Nan subconsciously tilted her head into his touch. This overly intimate action stunned them both.

    Shi Nian picked up his phone again and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we watch Shi Xiu¡¯s show?¡±

    ¡°This is a replay. The live broadcast was yesterday, ¡± Yun Nan replied moodily.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that better? We can take a look at the comments on the Internet,¡± Shi Nian said casually and turned on the television.

    The bullet comments flashed past one by one: [Yun Liu is so beautiful! She¡¯s so cute! I really like her!]

    [The girl of my dreams, Yun Liu! Her family is so wealthy, but she¡¯s not fussy at all! She has such a good upbringing!]

    [I didn¡¯t think these two veteran actors would come to a variety show. It feels like they are all just foils to our idol Yun Liu!]

    [I¡¯ve never heard of these two singers¡­ Are they famous? Why is this woman so arrogant? She¡¯s not very friendly to our Yun Liu! I hate her!]

    [Huh? Why did they invite a sculptor to the show? What a joke!]

    [Looks like our Yun Liu is the cutest of the group. None of the other guests hold a candle to her!]

    [They¡¯re still missing a member. Why aren¡¯t they here yet? How unprofessional! ]

    [Don¡¯t tell me the last guest is an ugly troll. I hope they don¡¯t frighten our Yun Liu!]

    ¡°See?¡± Yun Nan sighed. ¡°People nowadays take no responsibility for their rumor-mongering. They could say all kinds of unpleasant things with just a tap of the keyboard. They hate and vilify others for no purpose or reason.¡±

    Shi Nian, however, wasn¡¯t worried. He pressed the acceleration button and fast-forwarded to the segment where Shi Xiu appeared.

    [Oh my god! Isn¡¯t that the lead actress from ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯?]

    [That rumored delinquent? The one who took drugs and had an abortion?] Shi Nian¡¯s face darkened, and Yun Nan rubbed her face in distress.

    [What?! That¡¯s nonsense! She is the daughter of a wealthy family! Her brother is the chairman of Shi Corporation! They¡¯ve already refuted those rumors!]

    [So? Just because she¡¯s rich doesn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t do all those things. There¡¯s no smoke without fire! Only a guilty conscience would refute the rumors!]

    [This girl is so cute, sweet, and delicate. She could give Yun Liu a run for her money! Personally, I feel that Yun Liu is a little pretentious!]

    [You¡¯re not an Internet troll hired by Shi Xiu, are you? Why are you slandering our Yun Liu?]

    [Me?! You¡¯re the Internet trolls! Her name is all over the screen! Yun Liu this and Yun Liu that! No one would believe you people if you guys said you aren¡¯t hired Internet trolls!]

    A fight broke out in the comments section. Shi Nian was a little baffled, so Yun Nan explained, ¡°There are professional Internet trolls; they get paid to post comments and so on. For example, if I want to promote Shi Xiu¡¯s popularity, I can hire a troop of Internet trolls and have them continuously post bullet comments praising Shi Xiu to increase her popularity ratings; that¡¯s the rough

    idea. ¡±

    Shi Nian nodded and pointed at the television screen. ¡°So, Yun Liu hired some Internet trolls?¡±

    Yun Nan answered, ¡°She probably did. Knowing her, she wouldn¡¯t dare to miss a chance to increase her hits and popularity, but our Shi Xiu definitely wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. The others certainly wouldn¡¯t either. That¡¯s how the viewers caught Yun Liu¡¯s Internet trolls so quickly. Their blatant bias toward Yun Liu made them stand out too much.¡±

    Shi Nian chuckled, ¡°I find that this adopted sister of yours always does stupid things that end up benefiting others and making herself suffer.¡±

    However, it wasn¡¯t a laughing matter to Yun Nan. ¡°You underestimate her. There may be a limit to a person¡¯s goodness, but there¡¯s no limit to a person¡¯s badness. That is even more so if that person is willing to do anything to

    achieve their goals..¡±

 Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Seven: Provocation

    Chapter 127: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Seven: Provocation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian raised his eyebrows and stated, ¡°Tell me, where can I hire these Internet trolls? We¡¯ll also hire Internet trolls. Let¡¯s hire a whole troop and drown those rumor-mongers in comments.¡±

    His statement made Yun Nan laugh, and she said, ¡°Stop it! How would we be any different to Yun Liu if we did that? Let¡¯s watch the show¡¯s next live broadcast next week together. Since what¡¯s done is done, we can only take things one step at a time.¡±

    ¡°I thought you would have Shi Xiu quit and bring her back home immediately,¡± Shi Nian uttered, surprised.

    Yun Nan gave him a wry smile and explained, ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. I can¡¯t just walk in and take her away with me. Shi Xiu has signed a contract with them.

    She¡¯ll have to pay a huge penalty fee if she quits.¡±

    Seeing the look on Shi Nian¡¯s face, Yun Nan added, ¡°I know that bit of money is insignificant to you, but this concerns Shi Xiu¡¯s reputation. We can only move forward and let this play out; we can¡¯t back out of this, or there¡¯ll be consequences in the future.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re really worried, call Shi Xiu and chat with her,¡± Shi Nian suggested.

    Yun Nan shook her head and replied, ¡°Fang Xi will talk to her. Shi Xiu signed the contract behind my back. She¡¯ll feel pressured if I call her now. She¡¯ll be more open with Fang Xi instead. I can rest assured with Fang Xi advising her.¡±

    Shi Nian found her sudden change funny and commented, ¡°I¡¯m impressed; you sure thought that through quickly.¡±

    Yun Nan sighed. ¡°I¡¯m an impatient person. Most of the time, I can control myself and make slower decisions. However, I¡¯m very impulsive when it comes to the people and things I care about.¡±

    Noticing her disconsolate state, Shi Nian remarked, ¡°I think that¡¯s a good thing. Being yourself is a form of self-respect. Don¡¯t always think of others; that¡¯s a very tiring way to live.¡±

    ¡®He saw through me? Yun Nan thought, a little stunned.

    Shi Nian was never one to procrastinate and asked Xi Cheng out for a meal. He didn¡¯t invite Liang Han and Ye Kun because he didn¡¯t want them to get involved. He liked to solve his problems directly.

    His invitation was only for Xi Cheng and didn¡¯t extend to Lin Yu; Shi Nian wanted to give his buddy one last chance as friends. However, Xi Cheng wasted that chance because not only did he bring Lin Yu with him, but he also brought Gu Man and Shi Gao along.

    The three women were dumbfounded when they saw Yun Nan. Shi Nian introduced them to Yun Nan. ¡°This is my childhood friend, Xi Cheng. This is his fianc¨¦e, Miss Lin Yu, and these two are her friends.¡± He deliberately snubbed the two by not introducing them by their names.

    Shi Nian held Yun Nan¡¯s arm in his as he introduced her, ¡°This is my wife, Yun

    Nan.¡±

    ¡°Hello, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all,¡± Yun Nan gently smiled and greeted them.

    Lin Yu returned her smile as she sized Yun Nan up and commented, ¡°Wow, you¡¯re so pretty! No wonder Shi Nian refused to let us meet you. He must be afraid you would get snatched away.¡±

    Shi Nian smiled slightly and replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s why I only invited Xi

    Cheng; I didn¡¯t even let Liang Han and Ye Kun know.¡±

    Xi Cheng and Shi Nian had known each other since their birth, so naturally, he understood Shi Nian¡¯s meaning. But there was nothing he could do about his tagalongs.

    He extended his hand to Yun Nan and stated, ¡°Hello! It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Yun Nan candidly shook his hand in response.

    ¡°Geez, there¡¯s no need to be so formal!¡± Lin Yu chuckled. ¡°Yun Nan, right? You probably don¡¯t know yet, but Xi Cheng and Shi Nian are close buddies born on

    the same day in the same delivery room. These two are closer than biological brothers. They grew up together, so you don¡¯t have to be so reserved. Oh, right, I haven¡¯t introduced them to you. These are my two besties, Gu Man and Shi Gao.¡±

    Yun Nan responded with a smile and discreetly examined the three women. She could tell in a flash that the woman Shi Nian had asked her to deal with was Gu Man.

    Noticing that Yun Nan didn¡¯t say anything, Lin Yu made up her mind and deliberately arranged for Gu Man to sit on Shi Nian¡¯s other side. Shi Nian frowned and looked at Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan got the message and leaned over Shi Nian to speak to Gu Man. ¡°That¡¯s a beautiful bracelet you have there, Miss Gu. Hey, Shi Nian, switch seats with me, will you? I can¡¯t see it properly with you in the way.¡±

    Shi Nian mentally praised Yun Nan. He stood up and even helped Yun Nan get up as he exchanged seats with her. Gu Man¡¯s expression soured when she saw the intimacy between the two.

    However, Yun Nan held her sleeve, took a closer look at the bracelet on her wrist, and said, ¡°Miss Gu, your bracelet is gorgeous!¡±

    Gu Man disgruntledly pulled her hand away before replying in cool disdain,

    ¡°It¡¯s not worth much.¡±

    She didn¡¯t expect Yun Nan to retract her hands before wiping them with a wet towel on the table. Yun Nan nodded and amiably remarked, ¡°Yeah, imitation jewelry like this isn¡¯t valuable, but they are beautiful. Miss Gu, I can tell you¡¯re a connoisseur; you¡¯re probably only wearing this piece because you like how it looks. Indeed, not many are knowledgeable in jewelry; experts only wear these things for fun..¡±

 Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter One -Hundred and Twenty-Eight: Fake

    Chapter 128: Chapter One -Hundred and Twenty-Eight: Fake

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Hearing that, Gu Man jumped to her feet and looked like she wanted to eat Yun Nan alive as she snapped, ¡°What are you talking about? Are you saying that I¡¯m wearing fake jewelry?¡±

    Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but reach out to shield Yun Nan from the woman as he frowned and glared at Gu Man. Gu Man¡¯s face reddened as she realized she had lost her composure.

    Yun Nan appeared surprised as she commented, ¡°It looks like Miss Gu doesn¡¯t know the tourmaline on the bracelet she¡¯s wearing is a fake?¡±

    Gu Man couldn¡¯t take it anymore and angrily retorted, ¡°Miss Yun, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being rude?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and replied. ¡°My apologies, Miss Gu. I thought you Imew this bracelet wasn¡¯t worth much. I was sincere in my praise; it is indeed beautifully designed. We also like to collect such accessories sometimes. I thought you were aware these things are fake. I didn¡¯t realize you didn¡¯t¡­ I¡¯m very sorry; this was my fault.¡±

    Gu Man felt stumped; she didn¡¯t know how to respond to that comment. Seeing her friend¡¯s dilemma, Lin Yu quickly came to her aid. ¡°Gu Man usually likes to collect these little accessories. I didn¡¯t know you liked them too, Yun Nan. Gu Man is the apple in her family¡¯s eyes; she doesn¡¯t care about the price tag if she likes something. Whether it¡¯s real or fake¡ªif she liked it, she would buy it; if she didn¡¯t like it, she would throw it aside. She¡¯s truly quite spoiled by her family.¡± So saying, she pulled Gu Man¡¯s hand and gestured for her to take a seat.

    ¡°Hmm, I can tell.¡± Yun Nan nodded with a rather meaningful smile, leaving others to guess what she meant by that.

    Gu Man¡¯s pride¡ªwhich had just been restored by Lin Yu¡ªwas trampled down again. She swallowed her anger, sat down, and stated unhappily, ¡°Miss Yun, you say this tourmaline is fake. Do you have any basis for that claim?¡±

    Yun Nan gave her a friendly smile as she answered, ¡°Do you know of the master appraiser, Song Ning? I once studied with him for some time because of my work. I can ask Teacher Song if you wish to confirm my words, Miss Gu.¡±

    Yun Nan picked up her phone and made a video call. Lin Yu wanted to stop her, but it was too late. Meanwhile, Gu Man didn¡¯t believe her bracelet was fake at all and waited for Yun Nan to make a fool of herself with complete confidence.

    The call went through, and Song Ning appeared on the screen, loudly saying,

    ¡°Whoa! Look who it is! Well, look who finally decided to call! Yun Nan, you finally got your conscience back and remembered to call me!¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled. ¡°Teacher Song, there¡¯s something I want you to look at.¡±

    Song Ning rolled his eyes. ¡°No! Can¡¯t you look at it yourself? I taught you everything I know, so something like this shouldn¡¯t be a problem for you. Are you trying to embarrass me?¡±

    Yun Nan still kept smiling as she responded, ¡°Teacher Song, my knowledge is superficial compared to yours. Please, give me some pointers.¡± She then aimed her phone screen at Gu Man¡¯s bracelet and showed it to Song Ning from different angles.

    ¡°Tsk! Yun Nan! Is this what you wanted me to look at? Can you really not tell? Really, I¡ª If I officially take you on as my disciple, I¡¯ll make you stand in the corner for three months! Can¡¯t you even tell if this thing is real or fake? Why are you showing me this fake thing? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s an eyesore?!¡± Song Ning scolded her vociferously.

    Yun Nan begged for mercy and told him, ¡°Alright, Teacher Song, calm down. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal sometime!¡±

    Song Ning went off on her like an exploding chestnut. ¡°And when would that be? Are you cooking or are we going to a restaurant? I¡¯m not going if it¡¯s the latter! ¡±

    Yun Nan laughed. ¡°You can come look for us at the studio any time. Miss An and I will cook. How does that sound?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it! I¡¯ll find you when I¡¯ve arranged the time off work! Don¡¯t go back on your word!¡± Song Ning warned.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t. Even if I do go back on my word, Miss An and Mika won¡¯t, ¡± Yun Nan very good-temperedly cajoled.

    ¡°Hmph! I won¡¯t help you next time if you dare to break your promise!¡± And with that, Song Ning hung up the phone.

    Yun Nan smiled at the shocked crowd and said, ¡°As you just saw, Teacher Song has a temper. We got scolded every day when we were learning from him. He¡¯s a good person with very keen eyes, but he does have a vicious mouth.¡± ¡°You should introduce him to our sister-in-law,¡± Shi Nian suggested a little boastfully.

    Yun Nan loudly whispered, ¡°He¡¯s quite afraid of Xiang Yang; he doesn¡¯t even dare to mention her name aloud.¡±

    Shi Nian chuckled, ¡°Then that settles it. If he yells at you in the future, you can look for Xiang Yang to back you up.¡±

    The two of them laughed softly together. Shi Gao¡ªsitting opposite Yun Nan¡ª lowered her eyes and viciously stabbed the chicken wing before her with the chopsticks she was holding. Gu Man¡¯s face paled before turning green with envy, and she felt extremely humiliated..

 Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Nine: Catfight

    Chapter 129: Chapter One-Hundred and Twenty-Nine: Catfight

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu raised her voice and interrupted the intimate atmosphere between Shi Nian and Yun Nan. ¡°You sure know a lot of people, Yun Nan! Gu Man, you can ask Yun Nan to arrange an appointment with Master Song Ning to inspect your collection when you¡¯re free. Although we don¡¯t care if the accessories are real or fake, it¡¯s still good to have them verified, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Gu Man coldly replied, ¡°Of course. I buy whatever catches my eye; who cares if it¡¯s real or not?¡±

    Yun Nan grinned and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right; as they say, ¡®you can¡¯tjudge happiness in terms ofmoney! It¡¯s good that you have such a mindset, Miss Gu.¡± Yun Nan didn¡¯t retaliate to any of Yu and Gu Man¡¯s attacks, so the two couldn¡¯t get revenge for her previous slight.

    Gu Man wanted to show Yun Nan up, but Yun Nan got her before she even started. She was so angry¡ªwhat she felt like doing the most now was to flip the table before her.

    Lin Yu naturally wasn¡¯t willing to let her best friend be outdone, so she stated, ¡°Why was your marriage to Shi Nian so sudden? I¡¯ve never heard Shi Nian mention you before. Shi Nian, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being mean to us? We¡¯re your childhood friends! We grew up together! I can¡¯t believe you suddenly dropped the bomb on us like that, or was it a whirlwind romance? Aren¡¯t you being a little hasty?¡±

    Shi Gao echoed Lin Yu¡¯s sentiments. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that quick marriages are usually short-lived. Oh, no offense, I¡¯m not talking about you guys.¡± So saying, she laughed to herself.

    Gu Man gave Yun Nan a pursed-lipped smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Shi Nian to be such a hopeless romantic. Miss Yun, you have to watch out. This kind of love comes and goes quickly! There are plenty of women lining up outside to court a man with Shi Nian¡¯s qualifications.¡±

    Yun Nan widened her eyes as she ate the food Shi Nian had given her. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to be one of them, do you, Miss Gu? Oh my, if that¡¯s so, then you have to tell your fellow sisters in line that we don¡¯t have any plans to divorce for the time being, or in the near future. I suggest you girls stop waiting. It¡¯ll just be a waste of time¡ªtime that you girls could have used to find a suitable boyfriend¡ªand it would be terrible if you all end up old and single. Just imagine the guilt Shi Nian would be in.¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s expression darkened, and he reached out and gently smacked Yun Nan¡¯s head. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? What¡¯s all this talk of whirlwind romance and divorce? How can our relationship be considered a whirlwind romance? We had been engaged since our birth! We¡¯re married now, and you¡¯re thinking about a divorce? No plans to separate, for the time being, you say? Not in the near future, huh? I¡¯m telling you now, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m ever letting you leave me, so don¡¯t even think about it! Just give up on the idea because that¡¯s impossible!¡±

    Yun Nan laughed as she covered her head, protecting it from Shi Nian. She inwardly commended Shi Nian¡¯s tacit cooperation as she uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t hit my head! Don¡¯t hit my head; I don¡¯t want to become stupid!¡±

    The couple¡¯s public display of affection caught the others off guard. Gu Man¡¯s expression was extremely dark as she stared at the two.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Yu nudged Xi Cheng¡ªwho was beside her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±

    Xi Cheng had been silent the entire time and just sat there drinking. When he heard Lin Yu¡¯s prompting, he raised his head to look at Shi Nian and poured himself a glass of wine. He raised it before Shi Nian and Yun Nan and gave them a toast, ¡°I haven¡¯t congratulated you on your marriage yet! Come, Shi Nian, Yun Nan. I wish you two a long and joyful life together!¡±

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan raised their glasses and clinked their glasses. ¡°Thank you!¡± Yun Nan said. She had scrutinized Xi Cheng when they first met; he was good-looking, but his personality was depressing and gloomy. However, after getting to know Lin Yu, Yun Nan could understand why he acted that way. ¡®Anyone unfortunate enough to be stuck with a woman like Lin Yu and those two weirdos would be depressed,¡¯ she thought. ¡®No wonder Shi Nian was so resistant to marriage!¡¯

    Xi Cheng felt quite apologetic towards Shi Nian. He¡¯d known Gu Man was interested in Shi Nian but was too lazy to care about it. He¡¯d thought that Shi Nian could accompany him in his misery since he wasn¡¯t married. However, he didn¡¯t expect Gu Man and Lin Yu to still provoke Shi Nian even after knowing he was married and even with Yun Nan¡¯s appearance before them. Xi Cheng¡¯s disappointment in Lin Yu deepened.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shi Nian, Yun Nan. This is my fault,¡± Xi Cheng apologized sincerely.

    Shi Nian understood what Xi Cheng meant and neutrally said, ¡°The person you should be apologizing to is my wife, Yun Nan. I¡¯m only letting it go, seeing as it¡¯s you.¡±

    ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry, buddy,¡± Xi Cheng replied dejectedly.

    The women at the table looked at the two men in confusion, not understanding what they were talking about.

    ¡°How long do you plan to live like this?¡± Shi Nian asked him. Xi Cheng didn¡¯t say anything; he poured himself a glass of wine but didn¡¯t drink it. He just stared at it intently.

    Lin Yu smiled sweetly at Shi Nian as she inquired, ¡°Hey, Shi Nian. What did my fianc¨¦ do to offend you? Why did he apologize to you?¡± Shi Nian casually took a sip of water and said nothing..

 Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty: Rebuttal

    Chapter 130: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty: Rebuttal

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu turned to Yun Nan and said, ¡°Shi Nian has always been full of plans and ideas since he was a child. He was the leader of their group of childhood friends and was the one who came up with all the mischievous schemes when they were kids. But every time they were caught and punished, Xi Cheng was the one who took the blame. Even our elders said that Xi Cheng was like their big brother. ¡±

    Lin Yu was constantly showing off the fact that she had grown up with Shi Nian and his friends. Yun Nan naturally understood what the woman was implying. ¡® Women like her are only good at catfighting. What a bore,¡¯ she thought.

    Yun Nan smiled at Lin Yu and replied, ¡°Then it¡¯s fortunate that I didn¡¯t grow up with him, or I wouldn¡¯t have married him!¡±

    Lin Yu choked at that while Gu Man disdainfully remarked, ¡°Oh? You mean to say you were reluctant to marry Shi Nian?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. Shi Nian tenderly commented, ¡°She was reluctant, but I was very willing to marry her.¡±

    Yun Nan turned her head to smile at him. ¡®That was some perfect teamwork,¡¯ she inwardly praised. ¡®Its good that he didn¡¯t waste my efforts to help him deal with this group of troublesome women.¡¯

    The loving scene between the couple rankled Gu Man, and she glared daggers at Yun Nan, wishing that looks could kill. Shi Gao saw this and smilingly stated, ¡°You have a quick and witty tongue, Miss Yun. But¡­ Lin Yu, I remember you once asked Shi Nian why he didn¡¯t marry the girl he was engaged to. What did Shi Nian say back then?¡±

    Gu Man laughed. She had been so angry that it had muddled her head. How could she have forgotten about that? ¡°That¡¯s right, Shi Nian. Didn¡¯t you say the woman you were engaged to was a celebrity? Was it you he was talking about, Yun Nan? Why haven¡¯t I seen you on TV before? Oh, I get it. You¡¯re a starlet, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯ve never acted in any big productions, have you? People barely even know you,¡± Gu Man mocked, her attitude arrogant and scornful.

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡®Looks like I really got on her nerves for her to snap like this.¡¯

    Shi Nian was about to speak when Yun Nan smiled and inquired, ¡°Oh? I didn¡¯t know you were engaged to a celebrity. Why haven¡¯t I heard about this? Should I ask Grandpa exactly how many marriages he had arranged for you?

    Shi Nian mock-glared at her and protested, ¡°I¡¯m already having so much trouble with one engagement; why would I need more?¡±

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s going on with that celebrity? Why didn¡¯t I know about that?¡± Yun Nan asked with a smile, acting as if she was interrogating him out of jealousy.

    Lin Yu hastily tried to smooth things over and said, ¡°Sorry, Yun Nan. Please don¡¯t get the wrong idea about Shi Nian. Gu Man, why did you have to blab everything out? Isn¡¯t that a slap in Yun Nan¡¯s face?¡±

    Gu Man was happy to cooperate with her and said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, Miss Yun. I

    was mouthing off and accidentally revealed Shi Nian¡¯s affair. Please don¡¯t take it to heart. It¡¯s quite common for a man¡ªespecially such an outstanding one¡ª to have a past lover or two. You two are already married; that means you won, so why bother with the past, right? I can tell at first glance you¡¯re a magnanimous woman, Yun Nan.¡±

    The sarcasm and sting in her seemingly innocent remarks made even Xi Cheng frown and glance at Lin Yu unhappily. Lin Yu quickly averted her gaze. She couldn¡¯t stop Gu Man anymore at this point. She would apologize to Shi Nian if worse came to worst and Yun Nan made a fuss. She reckoned that Shi Nian wouldn¡¯t hold it against her.

    Yun Nan looked at Gu Man and sighed heavily. ¡°Miss Gu, you might not know this, but marrying a man like Shi Nian is stressful. There¡¯s a reason why I didn¡¯t want him to spread our relationship around when we first married. I didn¡¯t want to deal with those jealous women who coveted Shi Nian.¡±

    Shi Gao retorted, ¡°It¡¯s not actually our fault for misunderstanding. Isn¡¯t the celebrity embroiled in a scandal with Shi Nian also surnamed Yun? It¡¯s a rare surname and one she happens to share with you, Miss Yun.¡±

    ¡®So Shi Gao is the one with the silver tongue!¡¯ Yun Liu thought and pretended she suddenly had an epiphany before stating, ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re talking about Yun Liu! It¡¯s no wonder such a misunderstanding occurred. Well, I can understand why you made such a mistake, but you guys are unaware of some things about this matter. Forget it; there¡¯s no need to explain it to you guys. I¡¯ll just have to put up with Shi Nian¡¯s scandal! Hah, Shi Nian, you owe me for this!¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s face darkened, but he obviously didn¡¯t dare to refute her. He could only grumble, ¡°Now I can¡¯t even clear my name. I really don¡¯t understand why there are so many tiresome gossipers.¡±

    Lin Yu and the other two girl¡¯s faces turned green; they knew that Shi Nian was referring to them with that last remark..

 Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-One: Pull the Rug Out

    Chapter 131: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-One: Pull the Rug Out

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng slowly said, ¡°Yun Nan, don¡¯t mind them. There are plenty of people with nothing better to do with their lives. Sometimes, they¡¯ll say you¡¯re covering up something if you try to explain yourself. Why waste time on such people? Shi Nian was very lucky to be able to marry you; he must have used up all the luck he had in eight lifetimes to do so! Isn¡¯t that right, buddy? You two have to cherish each other and be happy!¡±

    His cold gaze swept across Lin Yu, Shi Gao, and Gu Man as he lightly stated, ¡°I once accompanied my mother to a temple to listen to a monk¡¯s sermons. I remember what he said clearly. He said that if someone constantly covets and wants to appropriate things that don¡¯t belong to them, they will slowly become heinous. I think it makes sense. Being insatiable and acting without restraint often leads to self-humiliation.¡±

    Those were heavy words, and Shi Gao and Gu Man¡¯s expressions changed when they heard them. They knew what they were doing wasn¡¯t right, but it hurt their pride having Xi Cheng point it out so blatantly. The girls looked at Lin Yu with a silent plea for help.

    ¡°What are you talking about, silly?¡± Lin Yu gently soothed. ¡°You¡¯re going off-topic. Come, Yun Nan, have some food. Girls, you too. Don¡¯t just chat and forget about the food¡ªtry some of this soup. The guys and I often come to this restaurant. The food here is quite good, isn¡¯t it? What do you think, Gu Man?¡±

    However, Xi Cheng contradicted her and told Yun Nan, ¡°We don¡¯t come here that often. Sure, we guys spent a lot of time drinking and eating out together before I got engaged. But after I got engaged, my fianc¨¦e and her friends tagged along wherever we went, so my buddies usually couldn¡¯t be bothered with me anymore. You two just got married, so this is the first time you¡¯re having a meal with us. We¡¯re a bit much, but I hope you¡¯ll get used to us.¡±

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t wait for Gu Man to take the out Lin Yu gave her and tore down their excuses. ¡®He¡¯s angry,¡¯ Lin Yu thought and quickly lowered her head to busy herself with her food. She knew she couldn¡¯t keep testing Xi Cheng¡¯s bottom line.

    However, Gu Man¡¯s temper flared. ¡°And what do you mean by that, Xi Cheng? What do you mean we¡¯re a bit much? Are you referring to us? Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re Lin Yu¡¯s best friends. Think carefully and make sure you know whose side you should be on!¡±

    ¡°Gu Man! Stop it!¡± Lin Yu hurriedly interjected. Xi Cheng glanced at her indifferently and¡ªfor her sake¡ªdidn¡¯t get mad.

    Shi Gao tried to smooth things over. ¡°Our Gu Man is a straightforward person. She always says whatever comes to her mind. She¡¯s a classic example of a person whose mouth operates faster than her brain. Miss Yun, please don¡¯t take her words to heart.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled innocently and replied, ¡°I won¡¯t because I¡¯m also a person who speaks my mind. I understand that sometimes people say things without thinking.¡±

    ¡± You! Are you calling me an idiot?¡± Gu Man hissed; she could hear the sarcasm in Yun Nan¡¯s words.

    Yun Nan seemed frightened by her and stammered, ¡°I was talking about myself! And you, too, Miss Gu. Didn¡¯t Miss Shi just say that you tend to speak thoughtlessly? Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Miss Shi is your friend so she can say things like that, and I¡¯m just a stranger. I¡¯m very sorry. See? I¡¯m also someone who doesn¡¯t think before I speak.¡±

    Gu Man was about to explode in anger. She looked at Shi Nian¡ªwho remained calm and collected¡ªand wondered, ¡®I really don¡¯t get it. Why would such an outstanding man marry such an unbearable woman?

    In a fit of stupidity, she bluntly asked, ¡°Shi Nian! Why did you marry a woman like her? Aren¡¯t you worried she¡¯ll be an embarrassment to you?¡±

    Shi Nian was slightly shocked; he didn¡¯t expect this woman to be so stupid. Yun Nan once again stopped him from answering and questioned Gu Man with a pure look on her face, ¡°Miss Gu, who are you to Shi Nian? You sound like you¡¯re his wife or something. If I didn¡¯t know that I¡¯m the one¡ªand onlywoman¡ªhe married, I¡¯m afraid I would have been spooked! Shi Nian, have I embarrassed you?¡±

    Shi Nian slowly shook his head and said earnestly, ¡°You are my pride and joy!¡±

    His face darkened when he addressed Gu Man, ¡°Miss Gu, don¡¯t take this too far. I¡¯m only putting up with you because of Xi Cheng!¡±

    This time, Lin Yu realized that things had gotten out of hand. If Shi Nian got angry at Xi Cheng, it wouldn¡¯t just be Xi Cheng¡¯s problem. She quickly stood up and tugged Gu Man¡¯s hand, indicating for her to stop before saying to Shi Nian, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shi Nian. Gu Man was just caught up in the moment. Please don¡¯t take it personally.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize to me. She¡¯d been mean to Yun Nan time and time again. Shouldn¡¯t she say sorry to her?¡± Shi Nian demanded coldly. Gu Man made to speak, but Lin Yu stopped her and immediately apologized to

    Yun Nan, ¡°Yun Nan, I¡¯m sorry. Gu Man has a stubborn temper. It¡¯s how she is, so please don¡¯t take offense.. For my and Xi Cheng¡¯s sake¡­ No hard feelings?¡±

 Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Two: Movie Fans

    Chapter 132: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Two: Movie Fans

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan smiled as she looked at Yun Liu and replied, ¡°I¡¯m flattered by your consideration, but unfortunately, I¡¯m also quite stubborn. When I heard he was going to have dinner with his friends today, I decided to come with him to stake my claim. I wanted to let those who covet my husband know he has a jealous, sharp-tongued, and unforgiving wife.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Being married to Shi Nian is like prancing around with the crown jewels. Although no one dares to come up and snatch them from me, I feel uncomfortable being stared at. It can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯m a very possessive woman, so I¡¯m now making it clear that he¡¯s mine. Shi Nian, is that okay with you?¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s cold expression softened, and he actually smiled as he answered, ¡°Of course it is. I have no objections. Just make sure you keep me with you; you can¡¯t let go of me¡ªnot for a lifetime. You have to keep this promise.¡±

    The others were again caught off guard by another one of their public displays of affection. Lin Yu didn¡¯t Imow what to say. She looked sheepish as she gripped Gu Man tightly and held her back, not letting her speak. She didn¡¯t care if the force she used hurt her friend.

    The restaurant manager knocked on the door and came in with a couple of attendants to bring them a fruit platter. Her arrival was just in time to ease the awkwardness in the private room. Lin Yu heaved a sigh of relief.

    The restaurant manager instructed the attendants to place the fruit platter in the middle of the table, but they didn¡¯t leave straight after that. Instead, they stood at the side with smiles on their faces.

    The restaurant manager only spoke up when Xi Cheng and Shi Nian looked over. ¡°Mr. Xi, Mr. Shi, our staff here have a favor to ask.¡±

    Shi Nian and Xi Cheng glanced at each other and then asked, ¡°Go on. What¡¯s this about?¡±

    When the manager heard this, she looked at Yun Nan and requested, ¡°Director Yun, can we please have your autograph as a souvenir?¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t expect the manager to be here looking for her. Before she could reply, the two attendants behind the manager bowed and said, ¡°Director Yun, we all like your movie very much. It was a pleasant surprise seeing you in person today. The staff didn¡¯t want to disturb you, so they sent us as representatives. If you don¡¯t mind, can we please have your autograph?¡±

    ¡® Theyre all my fans,¡¯ Yun Nan thought, surprised. She smiled and stated, ¡°No problem. Where would you like me to sign?¡±

    The manager and attendants were overjoyed. One of the attendants quickly replied, ¡°We have copies of your novel. Can you autograph them for us?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Yun Nan nodded. Being liked was something to be happy about.

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll bring the books over,¡± the attendant told her, and the staff headed towards the exit.

    ¡°Hey, wait, do you have a lot of them? Why don¡¯t I go with you guys and sign the books outside so you don¡¯t have to carry them in and out?¡± Yun Nan considerately suggested.

    The manager was charmed and uttered, ¡°Then, please follow me. I¡¯ll show you where the books are.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Yun Nan softly whispered to Shi Nian as she got up. Shi Nian held her hand before letting ¡°Alright, come back soon.¡± Yun Nan gave him a sweet smile and left. No one spoke in the private room for a long time until Shi Nian picked up his cup and took a sip.

    ¡°What does she do exactly?¡± Gu Man mumbled nearly inaudibly.

    This time, Shi Nian didn¡¯t ignore her. Instead, he nonchalantly informed her,

    ¡°She¡¯s a director. She produced the movie ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ that recently came out.¡±

    Lin Yu and her friends were stunned. They hadn¡¯t watched the movie but knew how popular it was.

    ¡°She¡¯s a director?¡± Gu Man repeated, dumbfounded. The funny thing was she had just mocked her for being a two-bit celebrity.

    Shi Gao didn¡¯t expect the young and innocent-looking girl was actually a famous director. Lin Yu was even more embarrassed and tried to explain herself. ¡°Shi Nian, I¡¯m sorry. We went a bit too far today. I thought that since you and Xi Cheng are close friends, we¡ªyour wives¡ªwould be as close as sisters-in-law in the future. I didn¡¯t think Yun Nan would get unhappy with our teasing today. As her sister-in-law, I¡¯m very sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine; it really isn¡¯t that serious. Yun Nan isn¡¯t unhappy, but perhaps she made someone else unhappy?¡± Shi Nian commented indifferently. ¡°However, I support her actions; I think she did the right thing. When I married her, I promised I would be her safe harbor and protect her forever.¡±

    He continued, ¡°But I¡¯m quite happy today because she finally staked her claim on me. She¡¯d refused to come to our social gatherings and meet my friends, so I was quite uneasy. I was afraid she didn¡¯t want me. After all, she¡¯s too talented, and I love her too much.¡±

    Shi Nian clinked his wine glass with Xi Cheng¡¯s. ¡°So, consider us even, buddy. But there won¡¯t be a next time.¡±

    Xi Cheng silently drank the wine in his glass. He understood that when Shi

    Nian said ¡®there wouldn¡¯t be a next time,¡¯ he meant he didn¡¯t want to see Gu

    Man again. If he did¡­ Xi Cheng was uncertain what the man would do then..

 Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter One -Hundred and Thirty-Three: Rewards

    Chapter 133: Chapter One -Hundred and Thirty-Three: Rewards

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    On the way back, Yun Nan looked very happy as she toyed with the small gifts the restaurant attendants and manager had given her. Her joy also infected Shi Nian, and he would glance at her from time to time.

    Yun Nan was admiring a small plush monkey accessory when she asked, ¡°I think I did a pretty good job today, don¡¯t you? Do you think your admirer will give up on pursuing you?¡±

    Shi Nian smiled and replied, ¡°That¡¯s her business.¡±

    Yun Nan exchanged the monkey accessory for another accessory and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give this one to Shi Xiu; she¡¯ll like it. Miss An can have the little monkey. She¡¯s born under the Monkey zodiac.¡±

    ¡°That Miss Gu Man as good as put a sign on you denoting that you¡¯re hers exclusively,¡± Yun Nan commented as she shook her head.

    Shi Nian pursed his lips and told her, ¡°Lin Yu is Xi Cheng¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Because of Xi Cheng, we didn¡¯t hold it against her and her friends in the beginning. I didn¡¯t expect them to get carried away.¡±

    Yun Nan put away the gifts and straightened her back. ¡°Speaking of which, your friend is a little strange. I think he knows what his fianc¨¦e is doing, but he didn¡¯t stop her and let her and her friends do whatever they want. Is he really that confident about your friendship, or is he setting up his fianc¨¦e?¡±

    ¡°You can tell that in just a short time? Impressive,¡± Shi Nian praised sincerely. He then shook his head and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what those two are up to either, but I don¡¯t want to get involved. That¡¯s why I asked you to come with me today. It¡¯s also an ultimatum to Xi Cheng. I had no choice but to get you involved. Our families are close friends, so I can¡¯t go overboard.¡±

    Yun Nan understood Shi Nian¡¯s situation and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. If you get harassed by your admirers again, I¡¯ll still fend them off for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Shi Nian uttered, and he couldn¡¯t keep the slight smile off his face. After a moment¡¯s thought, he decided to return the favor and offered, ¡°Then, feel free to tell me if you need my help chasing away unwanted suitors.¡±

    Yun Nan dismissed the offer and remarked, ¡°Ha, I reckon I won¡¯t need to. I¡¯m a romance repellent. Besides, you¡¯ve already announced our relationship to the world at the movie premiere. Who would want to make an embarrassment of themselves pursuing me?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re a romance repellent? Didn¡¯t you have any admirers

    when you were in school?¡± Shi Nian probed. All the information he could find on Yun Nan was too one-dimensional. He couldn¡¯t get to know her properly from that info, so he could only ask her personally.

    Yun Nan scratched her head, stared out the car window as she leaned against it, and answered, ¡°I went to university when I was fourteen. My classmates were much older than me. I was just a kid in their eyes. By the time I reached puberty and grew up, they all had partners or had sworn off relationships after some bad experiences.¡±

    She shrugged and finished with, ¡°So, I was left single.¡±

    Shi Nian laughed. ¡°Then, you¡¯ve never fancied anyone?¡±

    Yun Nan shook her head. ¡°No, never. I prefer money. I love money, and I love earning it! Fang Xi said I must have been a money-grubber in my past life!¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s smile faded, and he subconsciously reached out and touched his nose. ¡°You¡­ Why do you want to earn so much money?¡± he inquired, curious about this question once again.

    ¡°It gives me a sense of security!¡± Yun Nan answered without hesitation, and she even sounded slightly proud.

    ¡®Alright,¡¯ Shi Nian thought. ¡®Looks like itll be a long and difficult battle to win her heart! I still have a long way to go.¡¯

    Meanwhile, Xi Cheng had driven the girls back to his home, and Gu Man angrily stormed into the house. When she saw Xi Cheng¡¯s mother, Han Yuan, she hugged her and cried, ¡°Godmother, I¡¯m so sad right now!¡± Han Yuan was shocked and inquired, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± She then looked at Xi Cheng and Lin Yu, who had followed after Gu Man.

    Lin Yu lowered her eyes timidly. Xi Cheng stared at his mother and suddenly gave her a smile that spoke volumes. ¡°I had too much to drink, so I¡¯m going to bed,¡± he stated, and with that, he went upstairs.

    Gu Man whined and sobbed as she hugged Han Yuan. Han Yuan tried to pull the girl off as she consoled her, ¡°Oh dear, you should calm down and talk this through. Dry your tears now. Just look at the state you¡¯re in. Your eyes will swell up if you keep crying. Do you want to walk around with swollen eyes tomorrow?¡±

    Sniffling, Gu Man let go of Han Yuan. ¡°Now, what happened, exactly?¡± Han Yuan asked Lin Yu.

    Han Yuan was Gu Man¡¯s¡ªand also Shi Gao¡¯s¡ªgodmother, and their two families had close ties. Gu Man might have married Xi Cheng if Lin Yu had fewer tricks and means. Hence, Lin Yu tried her best to get her ¡®besties¡¯ married off as soon as possible while maintaining their fake friendship. Keeping a woman like Gu Man by her side was ultimately a risk.

    Shi Nian, Ye Kun, and Liang Han were all good matches. However, Lin Yu had already tried her best to matchmake, but the girls had let her down. They either disdained the guys or couldn¡¯t catch them. What more could Lin Yu do?

    As long as they didn¡¯t set their sights on Xi Cheng, she was willing to go along with their shenanigans. As long as they didn¡¯t cross Xi Cheng¡¯s line, the more trouble they caused, the more she would benefit..

 Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Four: Whining

    Chapter 134: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Four: Whining

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    However, she couldn¡¯t let anyone know her thoughts, not even her mother-in-law who doted on her. Although Han Yuan was good to her, she would always love her son the most. If it was back in the day when polygamy was the norm, her mother-in-law would probably have Xi Cheng marry half the girls in the city and take them as his concubines, and would also remind

    Lin Yu that¡ªas a wife¡ªshe had to be tolerant.

    When Lin Yu saw that Han Yuan was distressed by Gu Man¡¯s tears, she informed her, ¡°We had dinner with Shi Nian.¡±

    ¡°Why would a dinner result in tears?¡± Han Yuan asked before she finally realized. ¡°Oh! Did Gu Man take a fancy to Shi Nian?¡±

    Lin Yu lightly nodded. Han Yuan immediately chuckled, ¡°Shi Nian is a good match! Our Manman has good taste.¡±

    Gu Man cried even harder. Confused, Han Yu questioned Lin Yu, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t tell me Shi Nian doesn¡¯t like our Manman?¡±

    Lin Yu nodded again, and Gu Man wailed, ¡°Godmother! He¡¯s married! I can¡¯t believe he married a run-of-the-mill woman!¡±

    Lin Yu lowered her eyes. Yun Nan was far from ¡®run-of-the-mill¡¯ in terms of looks and career.

    ¡°He¡¯s married?¡± Han Yuan repeated, surprised. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! The Shi family would have held a banquet for Shi Nian¡¯s wedding if that was the case. Take Shi Ke for example; when he got married, his family threw a three-day banquet in celebration! I doubt the celebration of Shi Nian¡¯s wedding would be any less than his brother¡¯s! Besides, Shi Nian would¡¯ve invited us to his wedding, so he can¡¯t be married! Impossible!¡±

    Both Lin Yu and Gu Man felt that her words made sense. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re still making wedding preparations. Perhaps they¡¯ll inform us about their wedding soon?¡± Lin Yu stated hesitantly.

    Gu Man, however, didn¡¯t think so. Her eyes lit up, and she said, ¡°There¡¯s another possibility; the Shi family might not have acknowledged their marriage at all! Shi Nian¡¯s elders probably didn¡¯t like that woman! Hmph! She may have charmed Shi Nian, but it¡¯s not that easy getting accepted into his family! ¡±

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t say anything. Shi Nian had been in charge of his family and its businesses for many years; everyone knew he had the final say in the Shi family.

    Gu Man held Han Yuan¡¯s hand and sweetly whined, ¡°Godmother, why don¡¯t we have a meal with Auntie Shi? Can you ask Auntie Shi for me, please?¡±

    Han Yuan smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal; I¡¯ll just ask her directly. I¡¯ll tell her you¡¯ve taken a fancy to Shi Nian and ask her if she wants to be in-laws!¡±

    Gu Man panicked. ¡°No! Don¡¯t, Godmother! You can¡¯t do that! That¡¯ll be too embarrassing! ¡±

    Han Yuan laughed and teased, ¡°Seems like you really do like Shi Nian. Alright, alright! Godmother will help you invite your Auntie Shi! How does tomorrow sound?¡± Gu Man hugged Han Yuan in delight and acted coquettishly, making Han Yuan extremely happy.

    Lin Yu smiled and left. She saw Xi Cheng holding a glass of red wine in the parlor on the second floor. Lin Yu frowned and chided, ¡®Why are you drinking again? Didn¡¯t you have enough to drink at dinner? I saw you consume a considerable amount of alcohol.¡±

    Lin Yu reached out to take Xi Cheng¡¯s wine glass away, but Xi Cheng transferred the wine glass to his other hand. He stood up, walked to the staircase railings, and downed the wine. ¡°Do you find it interesting?¡± he casually inquired.

    Lin Yu was startled. ¡°What?¡±

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t respond. He just stared at Han Yuan and Gu Man chatting intimately downstairs.

    Lin Yu walked up to him and softly asked, ¡°Are you talking about us? Or are you talking about Gu Man and Shi Nian?¡±

    . Both,¡± Xi Cheng answered without looking away from the two downstairs¡ªhe didn¡¯t look at Lin Yu.

    Lin Yu pursed her lips and avoided the first question. She smiled and said, ¡°Gu

    Man likes Shi Nian and begged Auntie to help her mention it to Auntie Xu Yun.¡±

    Xi Cheng frowned, looked at Lin Yu, and growled, ¡°Haven¡¯t you girls done enough already?! Now you want to use my mother to do something so shameless?¡±

    Lin Yu paled, and she quickly denied, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Xi Cheng snorted.

    Lin Yu defended, ¡°Auntie said the Shi family didn¡¯t hold a wedding ceremony for Shi Nian. Gu Man thought it must be because Shi Nian¡¯s girlfriend didn¡¯t have his family¡¯s approval. Gu Man felt she still had a chance, so she asked Auntie to talk to Auntie Shi and see if she could create opportunities for her and Shi Nian to spend more time together. Xi Cheng, Gu Man is Auntie¡¯s goddaughter. It¡¯s not my place to interfere.¡±

    ¡°Well, you sure kept your hands clean there!¡± Xi Cheng clearly didn¡¯t buy it at all.

    Lin Yu felt wronged. ¡°Xi Cheng, do you really think that badly of me? I¡¯m your fianc¨¦e. Everything I do is from the perspective of your wife. Those two are my mother-in-law and her goddaughter; there¡¯s only so much I can do and say from my standpoint. There¡¯s nothing else I could do!¡±

    Xi Cheng was used to Lin Yu¡¯s prevarications and blame-shifting. Normally, he would turn around and leave without saying a word, but today, he couldn¡¯t take

    it anymore..

 Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Five: Warning

    Chapter 135: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Five: Warning

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°You know very well why Shi Nian invited us to a meal and brought Yun Nan along, Lin Yu, but you still took your two ¡®besties¡¯ with you. If you don¡¯t understand that guests shouldn¡¯t bring uninvited partners, then you¡¯ve wasted the fine upbringing your family provided you!¡± Xi Cheng berated her.

    ¡°Not only are you rude, but you also ignored Yun Nan¡¯s existence and tried your best to matchmake Gu Man and Shi Nian. Do you know why Shi Nian didn¡¯t blow up at you? Because I¡¯m his buddy, and he still cares about our friendship! However, I¡¯ll be too ashamed to face him if you keep causing trouble like this.¡± And with that, Xi Cheng violently threw the glass cup in his hand onto the ground, shattering it to bits.

    Lin Yu jumped and screamed in fright. Xi Cheng didn¡¯t spare her a look as he turned around and left.

    ¡°What happened?¡± A housekeeper heard the commotion, came over, and exclaimed. ¡°Are you alright, Miss Lin?¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s face was pale as she pressed her hand to her wildly beating heart; she couldn¡¯t speak.

    Han Yuan and Gu Man rushed over from downstairs when they heard that. Even before she arrived, Gu Man was already shouting, ¡®What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on? Lin Yu, did you make Xi Cheng mad again?¡±

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°You know very well why Shi Nian invited us to a meal and brought Yun Nan along, Lin Yu, but you still took your two ¡®besties¡¯ with you. If you don¡¯t understand that guests shouldn¡¯t bring uninvited partners, then you¡¯ve wasted the fine upbringing your family provided you!¡± Xi Cheng berated her.

    ¡°Not only are you rude, but you also ignored Yun Nan¡¯s existence and tried your best to matchmake Gu Man and Shi Nian. Do you know why Shi Nian didn¡¯t blow up at you? Because I¡¯m his buddy, and he still cares about our friendship! However, I¡¯ll be too ashamed to face him if you keep causing trouble like this.¡± And with that, Xi Cheng violently threw the glass cup in his hand onto the ground, shattering it to bits.

    Lin Yu jumped and screamed in fright. Xi Cheng didn¡¯t spare her a look as he turned around and left.

    ¡°What happened?¡± A housekeeper heard the commotion, came over, and exclaimed. ¡°Are you alright, Miss Lin?¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s face was pale as she pressed her hand to her wildly beating heart; she couldn¡¯t speak.

    Han Yuan and Gu Man rushed over from downstairs when they heard that. Even before she arrived, Gu Man was already shouting, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on? Lin Yu, did you make Xi Cheng mad again?¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s chest tightened, and she nearly choked on her breath. ¡®Some people are worth helping, and some aren¡¯t,¡¯ she inwardly grumbled.

    Han Yuan worriedly pulled Lin Yu close and examined her from head to toe. ¡°What¡¯s all this all of a sudden? Are you hurt? What¡¯s wrong with that scoundrel this time?¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s eyes filled with tears as she softly said, ¡°Auntie, Xi Cheng blames us for getting involved with Shi Nian¡¯s marriage.¡±

    Gu Man looked unhappy and retorted, ¡°What does that have to do with him?¡±

    Lin Yu ignored her and told Han Yuan, ¡°Auntie, Xi Cheng said the one Shi Nian loves is Yun Nan. If we break them up, he and Shi Nian will no longer be buddies. ¡±

    Han Yuan was shocked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that Shi Nian really likes this girl?¡±

    Gu Man started to feel anxious. Lin Yu glanced at her before saying, ¡°Auntie, since you¡¯ve already arranged to meet Auntie Xu Yun, why don¡¯t you ask her in person and find out? However, you should get things straight before rashly mentioning anything else to avoid being rude.¡±

    Han Yuan nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±

    She turned around and comforted Gu Man, ¡°It¡¯s okay. If Shi Nian doesn¡¯t like you, there¡¯s still Ye Kun and Liang Han. They¡¯re both good kids with good qualifications. They¡¯re also good matches for you.¡±

    Gu Man pouted. Lin Yu lowered her head and stared at the ground, thinking,

    ¡® The most important thing right now is to maintain my position as Xi Chengs

    ¡ªsoon-to-be¡ªwife. A goddaughter is still inferior to a daughter-in -law. Han Yuan will side with me if things get rough between me and Gu Man. Since you want to ride roughshod over me, Gu Man, then you can¡¯t blame me for returning the favor.¡¯

    Xu Yun had arranged to meet Han Yuan at a clubhouse. They first had a full-body spa, then booked a private room and watched TV while eating fruits. They were watching the second episode of Shi Xiu¡¯s live reality show.

    Xu Yun didn¡¯t expect Han Yuan to bring her future daughter-in-law and two goddaughters. However, she didn¡¯t mind; she liked young girls. It was also livelier with more people, so she happily ordered more fruit platters and snacks, and everyone watched the show together.

    Han Yuan was just about to exchange a few pleasantries with her when Xu Yun placed her index finger to her lips and made a shushing gesture. She pointed at the television screen, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to it.

    Yun Liu was the host of this episode¡¯s opening speech; she looked quite pretty in casual clothes as she stood before the cameras. ¡°We¡¯ve been busy for a week. Today, I¡¯m here to show everyone the results of our labor. Our work is still ongoing. Come on, follow me, ¡± she announced to the audience.

    She once again showed everyone around the small courtyard. There was a small flower bed in the courtyard already planted with flowers. A large pavilion was set up beside it, and there was a long dining table in the pavilion.

    Yun Liu patted the dining table and smiled as she stated, ¡°This is our dining room. We bring the food here to eat after we¡¯re done cooking in the kitchen. We also drink tea, work, and chat here at other times, so this is also our outdoor living room.¡±

    ¡°Look! There are two swings at the entrance. Isn¡¯t it nice? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any girl who doesn¡¯t like to play on the swings, right? I, for one, like it very much.¡± Yun Liu¡¯s smile was pure and charming as she shared this with the audience.

    ¡°Oh! This girl is quite cute,¡± Han Yuan commented. She had a good memory; she recalled something about the Yun family¡¯s daughter and turned to ask Xu Yun, ¡°Hey, Xu Yun, this Yun Liu¡­ Is she the one engaged to Shi Nian since they were kids?¡±

    Seeing that her daughter hadn¡¯t appeared on screen yet, Xu Yun speared a piece of mango with her fork and took a bite. When she heard Han Yuan¡¯s question, she shook her head and replied, ¡°No! Those are all rumors! Our Shi Nian isn¡¯t engaged to her! I don¡¯t like girls like her. She¡¯s full of schemes and has a lot of bad qualities and very few good ones.¡±

    Xu Yun always says things as they are. With her status, even if they didn¡¯t like what she said, no one dared to say anything. She would still say the same thing even if Yun Liu stood before her.

    When Gu Man heard that, she was overjoyed. ¡® That means Shi Nian isn¡¯t engaged! Yes! Hes not engaged!

    The cameras turned and pointed outside the courtyard. Yun Liu¡¯s clear voice said, ¡°That¡¯s our vegetable garden. We¡¯ve already planted all of our vegetables and seedlings.. We¡¯re just waiting to harvest them!¡±

 Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty- Six: Master

    Chapter 136: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty- Six: Master

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    One bullet comment after another floated across the screen.

    [Gosh, it¡¯s our goddess, Yun Liu!]

    [What a cute young lady!]

    [She¡¯s such an elegant beauty. Only a truly wealthy family can raise a girl with such a temperament.]

    [Not only is Yun Liu charismatic, but she¡¯s also gentle and kind. I simply adore her!]

    [She¡¯s so beautiful. I love her to bits.]

    [This is how a wealthy young lady should be.]

    Xu Yun frowned as she ate her fruits. Gu Man had been pretending to be disinterested while surreptitiously observing Xu Yun¡¯s expression. Noticing Xu Yun¡¯s slight dislike towards Yun Liu, she disdainfully sneered, ¡°Is she reallya wealthy young lady? Which family is she from? That coy and shy attitude is ridiculous!¡±

    Xu Yun couldn¡¯t agree more and nodded. ¡°She¡¯s a little fake,¡± she commented, and Gu Man was delighted at her response.

    Han Yuan chuckled, ¡°The Yun family isn¡¯t an aristocratic family to begin with. If it weren¡¯t for the Shi family helping them all these years, they wouldn¡¯t be where they are today. In my opinion, you shouldn¡¯t let Shi Nian marry this girl; that would be degrading.¡±

    Xu Yun stared at the television as the scene switched to another and nodded. ¡°There¡¯s no way Shi Nian would marry her!¡±

    Han Yuan and Gu Man looked at each other and grinned. Gu Man was about to mock Yun Liu further with, ¡°How dare she call herself a wealthy young lady? No self-respecting aristocrat would let their daughter go on a TV show like that; it¡¯s a disgrace!¡±

    But before she could say anything, Xu Yun suddenly pointed at the screen and exclaimed, ¡°Look, it¡¯s my daughter, Shi Xiu!¡±

    Gu Man was shocked and almost bit her tongue. Her palms were sweating at her near-miss, and she quickly looked at the big screen.

    Shi Xiu was onscreen, wearing cargo overalls, a black cap, and cotton gloves. She was carrying a wooden vase as she barged into camera view and walked past Yun Liu. She quickly went off-camera, but her voice could be heard excitedly saying, ¡°Mr. Ji, come take a look at the vase I carved!¡±

    On the camera, Yun Liu¡¯s expression darkened. Fortunately, the camera immediately moved away, but some sharp-eyed netizens saw it, and bullet comments appeared straight away. [Oh, Yun Liu doesn¡¯t look happy. Why¡¯s that?]

    [Why else? Two words: female rivalry!]

    [That¡¯s b*llsh*t! What utter nonsense! Didn¡¯t you see a certain someone just walk by in front of the camera? How rude! I feel sorry for our Yun Liu. She has to deal with such behavior when she¡¯s not good at reasoning with people!]

    Xu Yun had a piece of fruit on her fork but didn¡¯t eat it; she was too busy anxiously looking at the screen.

    ¡°Is that Shi Xiu?¡± Lin Yu asked softly, but no one answered.

    The camera switched scenes and showed Shi Xiu running up to Ji Fei and handing the vase she was holding to him. Ji Fei took the vase, and his expression gradually turned pleasantly surprised as he observed it. He flipped the vase repeatedly as he scrutinized it, and Xiao Zhao, Yan Tang, Mai Fen, and the others all came over to take a look.

    ¡°Hey, Mr. Ji, I think Shi Xiu¡¯s wood carving today is better than yesterday¡¯s,¡± Xiao Zhao smilingly remarked.

    Ji Fei nodded. ¡°Hm, not bad!¡±

    ¡°Just ¡®not bad? Mr. Ji, it¡¯s so hard to get a proper compliment from you!¡± Mai Fen laughed and said. ¡°As laymen, we think that this is already very good. ¡®Not bad,¡¯ huh? Hearing that, Shi Xiu will probably start a new carving today.¡±

    Yan Tang went to Shi Xiu and pulled off Shi Xiu¡¯s left glove. ¡°Oh my!¡± she cried.

    Before the television screen, Xu Yun also couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s fingers were covered in wounds. Shi Xiu retracted her hand and quickly put on her glove. She grinned and reassured, ¡°Yan Tang, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Yan Tang looked at her with pity in her eyes and composedly instructed, ¡°Come with me later to get that treated!¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am! Thank you, Yan Tang!¡± Shi Xiu thanked her sweetly but was looking at Ji Fei nervously.

    Ji Fei finally returned the vase to her with the comment, ¡°This is pretty good.¡± Shi Xiu took the vase and happily kissed it, and everyone laughed.

    Ji Fei then said, ¡°You¡¯ve completed your training, Shi Xiu. I¡¯m not joking. This is the first time I¡¯ve met such a talented student willing to work so hard. If you need anything in the future, you can come find me at my studio.¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s jaw dropped in shock. Hai Hua stood behind her and patted her back, saying, ¡°Silly girl, hurry up and thank your Master.¡±

    Shi Xiu quivered, immediately knelt on the ground to kowtow, and happily called out, ¡°Master!¡±

    Ji Fei was shocked and quickly reached out to pull her up. ¡°Get up, the floor¡¯s dirty!¡± It rained last night, so the floor was still a little damp. However, Shi Xiu didn¡¯t even hesitate when she knelt and kowtowed. Ji Fei couldn¡¯t hide the smile on his austere face.

    ¡°Shi Xiu, I think you¡¯re his last disciple,¡± Hai Hua chimed in. ¡°Master Ji stopped taking disciples a long time ago. Your seniors are much older than you!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s rare to find such talent,¡± Ji Fei commented with a smile. ¡°Keep up the good work, Shi Xiu!¡±

    Shi Xiu nodded. ¡°Yes, Master! I¡¯ll definitely study hard!¡±

    Mai Fen chuckled, ¡°Hey, shouldn¡¯t we have something nice for lunch today to celebrate?¡±

 Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter One -Hundred and Thirty-Seven: Work

    Chapter 137: Chapter One -Hundred and Thirty-Seven: Work

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Yes, definitely!¡± Xiao Zhao said excitedly. ¡°Today, Si Kun and I will cook a table full of delicious food! Consider it a congratulatory gift for you two!¡±

    Si Kun smiled and agreed, ¡°That¡¯s right! This is a happy occasion! Shi Xiu¡¯s a good kid. If you don¡¯t take her as your disciple, then we¡¯ll take her ourselves.¡± Mai Fen rolled her eyes at him and asked, ¡°What would you teach her?¡±

    ¡°Acting, of course! She didn¡¯t have any formal acting training, did she? Don¡¯t you think she¡¯ll be as good as any trained actor with us two teaching her?¡± Si Kun answered with wide eyes, looking regretful that he didn¡¯t manage to snatch himself a disciple.

    Shi Xiu smiled goofily and stated, ¡°You can also be my Master.¡± With that said, she was about to kneel once more.

    Mai Fen pulled her back up and admonished, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t go around kneeling to people. I¡¯ll teach you even if you don¡¯t acknowledge me as your master! This is a serious matter. You just got yourself a Master. Don¡¯t be so quick to kneel and kowtow to another.¡±

    Shi Xiu stuck out her tongue and hastily stole a glance at Ji Fei. Ji Fei didn¡¯t care about such formalities. He was just really happy to find a kid who liked carving so much.

    Xiao Zhao pulled Si Kun over to discuss their lunch menu. Mai Fen told Hai

    Hua, ¡°Let¡¯s wash and sort out the vegetables.¡± She then instructed the others, ¡°Nlao znao, 51 Kun, tell us wnat you need arter you decide on tne menu, ancl we¡¯ll prepare the ingredients. Yan Tang, treat the wounds on Shi Xiu¡¯s hand.¡±

    Yan Tang reached out and tapped Shi Xiu¡¯s head. ¡°Come on, troublemaker!¡± Though her words may seem impatient, she didn¡¯t sound unhappy; her tone and actions were quite different from her cold image.

    Shi Xiu giggled, followed her, and remarked, ¡°Yan Tang, I want to learn the guitar from you. You look so cool when you play the guitar!¡±

    Yan Tang glanced at her gloves and replied, ¡°That¡¯ll have to wait until your hand heals first.¡±

    Shi Xiu bounced up to her and insisted, ¡°It¡¯s fine. The wounds don¡¯t hurt much anymore.¡±

    Hai Hua smiled as she watched them leave. Yun Liu was also smiling, but her smile was a little strained. However, she knew how to present herself before the camera. Therefore, no matter which angle the camera swept past, Yun Liu would always be quietly smiling.

    Hai Hua saw her and smilingly told her, ¡°Yun Liu, I¡¯ll leave the job of introducing our little ¡®Wu Wei Residence¡¯ to you. We¡¯ll be busy with dinner preparations.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Ms. Hai Hua,¡± Yun Liu responded obediently. The screen once again filled with bullet comments.

    [Oh wow! Shi Xiu is literally the group¡¯s favorite. Ah! I also want such a fun and cute sister!]

    [Who is that woman? She¡¯s so arrogant¡ªbut that attitude is so cool!]

    [You don¡¯t know who she is? Man, you suck. Just search Yan Tang on the Internet. She¡¯s the first lead singer of the band ¡®Honey.¡¯ When she sings, her voice is amazing!]

    [You just exposed your age. Those who¡¯ve heard Yan Tang¡¯s songs must be in their thirties or forties now, right?]

    [So what? Yan Tang¡¯s fans may have aged, but they¡¯re not dead!]

    [I love our little princess Shi Xiu so much. She¡¯s truly a princess! Did you see how her brother protected her at her movie premiere and called out her slanderers? She¡¯s so lucky!]

    [Speaking of which, what did she carve? Why didn¡¯t anyone show it to the cameras? Was it because her carving was terrible, and everyone else was saying those things just to be nice?]

    [No way! Now that¡¯s just being insulting to Mr. Ji Fei! He is a leading figure in the Academy of Fine Arts!]

    [That¡¯s right! Forget about getting a ¡®not bad from Mr. Ji; it¡¯s already the highest affirmation if he took several glances at your work and didnt dismiss it!]

    [Is he really that incredible? Does that mean Shi Xiu¡¯s carving is pretty good?]

    [It must be. Didn¡¯t you see him acknowledging her as his disciple right on the spot?]

    [I want to see Shi Xiu¡¯s work.]

    [I want to see Shi Xiu¡¯s work.]

    [I want to see Shi Xiu¡¯s work.]

    This sentence was neatly arranged as they appeared repeatedly on the screen. Xu Yun couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°Shi Xiu is really clever! ¡± Gu Man hurriedly commented. ¡°How is she so good at everything?¡±

    Xu Yun smiled and replied, ¡°That child never could keep her focus on one thing for long. She likes everything; once she likes something, she will seriously study it. However, her attention span usually doesn¡¯t last long, and she¡¯ll go on to another subject once she loses interest. I¡¯m curious to see if she¡¯ll persist in her new interest this time as she even went so far as to kowtow and got herself a master.¡±

    Han Yuan frowned. ¡°1 don¡¯t know what that child was thinking! How can she acknowledge a master so simply? She should¡¯ve at least gotten her brother to investigate the man before doing so!¡±

    Xu Yun, however, wasn¡¯t concerned. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. As long as she studies attentively, she can acknowledge anyone more capable than her as her master.¡±

    Han Yuan felt a little uncomfortable; Xu Yun¡¯s equable approach made Han Yuan seem materialistic.

    Lin Yu gently stated, ¡°Auntie Xu, you¡¯re hoping Shi Xiu will find something she likes to do so that she¡¯ll stick to it, right?¡±

    Xu Yun nodded, her eyes never leaving the screen. ¡°That¡¯s right! She has always been flighty and uncertain of her future.¡±

    Lin Yu smiled as she pushed the pistachio nuts she peeled toward Xu Yun and said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Shi Xiu is still young..¡±

 Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Flattery

    Chapter 138: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Flattery

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xu Yun was startled by Lin Yu¡¯s pistachio nuts and hurriedly uttered, ¡°Oh, you silly child. You can eat those yourself. You don¡¯t need to peel them for me; I can do it myself.¡±

    Lin Yu placed the other half of the pistachio nuts she peeled beside Han Yuan¡¯s hands.

    Han Yuan laughed and joked, ¡°My daughter-in-law is truly a hundred times better than our two sons!¡±

    ¡°Lin Yu is best at charming people,¡± Gu Man huffed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take care of Aunt Xu. You go and charm your real mother-in-law.¡±

    Xu Yun quickly asked the waiter to bring more fruits and desserts. She chuckled, ¡°Both of you, stop it. Han Yuan and I aren¡¯t so old to need you to serve us like this! We¡¯ll do it ourselves!¡±

    She then told Lin Yu, ¡°Your mother-in-law never lets go of any opportunity to show you off. You should stop spoiling her!¡±

    Han Yuan rolled her eyes at her. ¡°You can show off your daughter-in-law, too.¡±

    Xu Yun smiled without saying a word, and she was looking at the screen once again. The camera is now following Yun Liu, who turned the camera to the sign on the residence¡¯s entrance.

    ¡°Wu Wei Residence is the name we voted on for our home. Mr. Ji Fei carved this sign. What does everyone think? Isn¡¯t it quite artistic?¡± Since the others were busy with their duties, Yun Liu continued to be the host and commentator.

    Because Yun Liu was the host, the show¡¯s production team sent instructions to her. Yun Liu was holding her phone; she had already seen the instructions but ignored them. She had to use great willpower to maintain the smile on her face.

    However, she didn¡¯t expect public opinion to be so overwhelming that she had no choice but to point her phone¡¯s camera at the carved work Ji Fei had placed on the dining table.

    Yun Liu commented as she filmed, ¡°Shi Xiu is quite a serious and hardworking person. She did everything she could to learn from Mr. Ji; she pestered Mr. Ji so much that he had no choice but to give her a few pointers. She spent all her time carving every day. When she wasn¡¯t eating and sleeping, she was carving things; she was very much absorbed and consumed by it.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s gentle words immediately caused the bullet comments to explode on the screen again.

    [Oh my god! Is she here to learn at public expense? Didn¡¯t everyone have to participate in the chores and work around the residence? If that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t she doing nothing to help? So what if she¡¯s a wealthy young lady¡ªwhat¡¯s the big deal? It doesn¡¯t mean that everyone has to accommodate her!]

    [Needless to say, our Yun Liu must have done her share of the work for her.

    She¡¯s taking advantage of her family¡¯s wealth to make everyone support her.] [I never would have thought Shi Xiu was such a scheming woman!]

    [Look at her smug look just now. It¡¯s disgusting! ]

    [Our poor little Yun Liu doesn¡¯t even know she¡¯s getting bullied! She even put in a good word for her.]

    [What a silly little cutie!]

    Yun Liu sat on the swings and gently swung back and forth. She blinked her eyes and remarked, ¡°The weather today is great!¡± She had seen the bullet comments on her phone and was in a great mood.

    For the show¡¯s authenticity, all the guests were required to not use their phones on a daily basis, so they naturally couldn¡¯t see these comments. Yun Liu was allowed access to her phone because she was the commentator, but for the sake of authenticity, she had to turn off the bullet comments.

    However, Yun Liu had turned on the bullet comments from an angle the camera couldn¡¯t see, so she saw the comments about Shi Xiu, and they made her feel extremely good.

    Yan Tang and Shi Xiu came out after bandaging Shi Xiu¡¯s hand and came over when they saw Yun Liu sitting on the swings. Yun Liu immediately got off the swings and concernedly asked, ¡°Shi Xiu, is your hand alright?¡±

    Shi Xiu wiggled her hand around and stated with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine! Yan Tang wrapped so much gauze on my hand that it looked like a dumpling. I can¡¯t do any work with my hand like this, so I can now slack off!¡±

    Yun Liu smiled beside her. Yan Tang nudged Shi Xiu and said, ¡°You made the swings but haven¡¯t had a chance to enjoy them yet. Get on; I¡¯ll push you. I¡¯ll let you experience the joy of childhood.¡±

    Shi Xiu giggled as she sat on the other swing, and Yan Tang pushed her on the swing. Shi Xiu couldn¡¯t swing too high because they were in their multi-purpose hall, but she was still very happy. Her laughter chimed like silver bells.

    Yun Liu awkwardly sat on her swing and filmed Shi Xiu with her phone. She didn¡¯t film Shi Xiu¡¯s entire body¡ªshe only focused on her bandaged hand.

    [Hey, did she have to wrap her hand up like this? It wasn¡¯t that injured. It¡¯s obvious she just doesn¡¯t want to work anymore!]

    [Miss Shi Xiu¡¯s family must have thrown a lot of money into this program for her. Everyone is explicitly and implicitly on her side, bullying our Yun Liu!]

    [You guys! How can you say that? Are you guys here to cause trouble? Didn¡¯t you hear Yan Tang say that Shi Xiu made the swings? What evidence do you have to say she didn¡¯t do any work? Look at your goddess Yun Liu floating around. I don¡¯t see her doing any work..]

 Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Nine: Evaluation

    Chapter 139: Chapter One-Hundred and Thirty-Nine: Evaluation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    [Your ¡®sweet Yun Liu constantly kept her eyes on the cameras. She always manages to precisely present her most beautiful side before the cameras, whereas Yan Tang and Shi Xiu behave more realistically. They talk and walk normally without any affectations at all.]

    [Of course! They have confidence in themselves!]

    [Hah, you say that¡¯s confidence? They probably don¡¯t know how to look good

    before the cameras, so they didn¡¯t bother! They¡¯re just a has-been singer and a starlet who bought her way to fame!]

    [Who are you calling a has-been? I told you; Yan Tang¡¯s fans may be old, but they¡¯re not dead!]

    More and more bullet comments appeared on screen, and they grew more and more intense. The production team quickly switched the camera to the group who were cooking the food.

    This group of young and middle-aged members was much more sedate. They harmoniously worked together and divided the work between them; some of them washed and sorted out the vegetables, while others chopped and prepared the ingredients, and the chefs were busy stir-frying things.

    There was a faint smile on Ji Fei¡¯s austere face as he worked; he was obviously in a good mood. Xiao Zhao chuckled, ¡°Mr. Ji, go ahead and smile openly. We know you¡¯re happy. You don¡¯t have to hide it.¡±

    Hai Hua teased, ¡°You guys might not know this, but Mr. Ji had a passion for talent when he was young. If his students had good aptitude, he would pave the way for them at all costs and would see to their success. His students are lucky to have met him. ¡±

    She suddenly sighed. ¡°However, it¡¯s hard to fathom a person¡¯s mind. Some students would always remember his kindness, whereas others¡­ Hmph! Some people forget their roots once they become successful!¡±

    Ji Fei¡¯s expression darkened, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Mai Fen laughed and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure little Shi Xiu won¡¯t be like them. I can tell that she¡¯s a simple-hearted child.¡±

    Ji Fei quickly nodded. Hai Hua smiled and added, ¡°She definitely can¡¯t go wrong with all of us watching her! Your little disciple will surely be filial in the future. Mr. Ji, you can¡¯t forget us even if you¡¯ve received filial piety from that little disciple of yours!¡±

    Everyone laughed. Si Kun sighed. ¡°I think that girl can also make some achievements in acting. I regret not keeping an eye on her, and she went and acknowledged Old Man Ji as her master. Old Man Ji, I never expected I would actually fight you for a disciple, seeing as our professions are worlds apart.. * sigh!

    A smile appeared on Ji Fei¡¯s face. He wasn¡¯t good with words but was evidently laughing up his sleeves. To Si Kun, it was more of an insult than injury.

    Thus, Si Kun snarled, ¡°That does it! I have to pull this girl over to my side. I¡¯ll introduce her to a few famous directors and let her act in a few more movies.

    Hehe, Old Man Ji, let¡¯s see who¡¯ll win in the end!¡±

    Xiao Zhao received the production team¡¯s instructions through his in-ear monitors and smiled, saying, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t just fight over Shi Xiu. Mr. Si, why don¡¯t you teach Yun Liu? I think that girl isn¡¯t bad either!¡±

    Si Kun was deveining prawns and accidentally used a little too much force when he heard this and broke the prawn¡¯s ¡®vein,¡¯ ¡°Tsk!¡± he grumbled.

    Xiao Zhao continued, ¡°Although Yun Liu hasn¡¯t acted in famous dramas or films, she¡¯s still quite popular currently. She probably just lacks opportunities.¡± And with that, Xiao Zhao rapped the plate that was before Si Kun with the spatula in his hand.

    Si Kun looked up at Xiao Zhao and knew he couldn¡¯t avoid the subject anymore, so he slowly uttered, ¡°If the kids are willing to learn, we are naturally willing to teach them. However, in this industry, sometimes what¡¯s important is talent and hard work.¡±

    Mai Fen quickly washed the vegetables and drained the water before adding, ¡°That¡¯s right! In our eyes, every role is the same; whether it¡¯s the main character or the supporting role, we act out the roles wholeheartedly. Some kids are quite intelligent and know how to act with just a little prompting, whereas some kids have questionable intentions and always try to advertise themselves, so they often can¡¯t act well.¡±

    Hai Hua chuckled, ¡°Isn¡¯t that commonly known as ¡®putting on a facade¡¯?¡±

    Mai Fen nodded. ¡°Kind of, but not exactly. Anyway, some things just can¡¯t be taught. Take Shi Xiu, for example¡ªshe has never studied acting before. She only relied on her understanding of the script and the guidance of the directors and screenwriters. But she performed wonderfully. You can¡¯t say her role was close to her real-life experience because it certainly wasn¡¯t. Her movie character and real-life identity are miles apart, but the audience who watched the movie didn¡¯t feel her performance was out of place. That is talent.¡±

    Xiao Zhao scratched his head and glanced towards the production team. ¡®I tried my best,¡¯ he thought. ¡®ICs not my fault they didn¡¯t take the cue. What else could I do? Why don¡¯t you guys inform everyone¡ªthat way we¡¯ll all fully cooperate with you.¡¯

    The production team definitely wouldn¡¯t do that because they had to make the show as realistic as possible..

 Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty: Reversal

    Chapter 140: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty: Reversal

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The production team were worried as they looked at the bullet screen. [Why do I feel like everyone in this show ostracized Yun Liu?]

    [Oh? And how do you know that they¡¯re ostracizing her? Clearly, someone managed to isolate herself thanks to her own actions.]

    [Shes the one who isn¡¯t getting along with others, but she still insists on saying that they¡¯re ostracizing her when she doesn¡¯t receive everyone¡¯s recognition. What a fragile ego she has.]

    [That¡¯s right! Exactly!]

    [Shi Xiu obviously paid them off!]

    [She must have. Otherwise, why would everyone unanimously praise her like this?]

    [Can¡¯t they be praising Shi Xiu just because she did a good job?]

    [That¡¯s impossible. Our Yun Liu is the most sensible and outstanding one among them.]

    [Sure, your Yun Liu is outstanding. She can¡¯t do anything aside from pretending!]

    The camera silently switched to the chickens, ducks, and geese at the back of the yard. The show¡¯s participants might have caused disputes, but the poultry wouldn¡¯t.

    Then, before the captions could introduce the place to the viewers, Shi Xiu came over with a basket and muttered, ¡°Are you hungry, my little babies? Why didn¡¯t you call me when you¡¯re hungry? I won¡¯t know if you¡¯re hungry if you don¡¯t call.¡±

    Suddenly, the chickens, ducks, and geese all began to cluck, quack, and honk. Some of them even flapped their wings as they clamored. It was a stifling scene.

    However, it didn¡¯t seem to affect Shi Xiu as she skillfully poured the feed from the basket into different containers. She watched in high spirits as the poultry birds furiously competed for food.

    Yan Tang covered her nose and dragged Shi Xiu away, complaining, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it stinks? Why are you still standing there laughing?!¡±

    Shi Xiu was still grinning as she placed the empty basket on the rack at the side. ¡°We have to feed them even if they stink. Look at them; they¡¯re so hungry!¡±

    Yan Tang was at a loss for words. She could only say, ¡°Let Xiao Zhao feed them next time.¡±

    Shi Xiu hurriedly said, ¡°Xiao Zhao already has to wake up early to feed them their first meal every morning, and he¡¯s very busy the entire day. I¡¯ll feed them since I¡¯m free. It¡¯s such a light job, and I won¡¯t do anything else, so don¡¯t push this chore on anyone else.¡±

    She stated this so naturally that Yan Tang couldn¡¯t help but put down the hand she was using to cover her nose and look at Shi Xiu.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Shi Xiu yelled all of a sudden and ran to the wall. She pointed outside and shouted, ¡°Yan Tang, look! Isn¡¯t it nice?

    ¡°Do you even know what that is?¡± Yan Tang laughed. ¡°That¡¯s foxtail grass. You say it¡¯s nice¡ªwhat¡¯s so nice about it?¡±

    Shi Xiu was surprised. ¡°So this is foxtail grass. It¡¯s so pretty! I want to cut it off and put it in a vase!¡±

    Yan Tang felt slightly helpless as she looked at Shi Xiu and asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Shi Xiu nodded and told her, ¡°I¡¯ll go get the scissors!¡±

    ¡°Hey, come back! You don¡¯t need scissors! I¡¯ll teach you how to pluck these grasses¡ªit¡¯s quite simple!¡± Yan Tang felt like she was raising a child. She had become famous at a young age and was only 32, but she felt positively prehistoric standing before Shi Xiu. Shi Xiu¡¯s goofiness always reminded her of her younger self, and she subconsciously wanted to protect her all the time, as if she was protecting her past self.

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t see Shi Xiu feed the chickens, ducks, and geese. When she arrived, Shi Xiu had already gone to pluck foxtail grasses.

    Yun Liu apologetically said to the cameras, ¡°This place smells a little bad. I¡¯m allergic to these furry little animals so I won¡¯t bring you guys over there.¡± Yun Liu turned around when she was still far away from the fence.

    [My goodness! Shi Xiu just finished feeding the poultry, and she didn¡¯t say this place smelled bad. She didn¡¯t mention anything about being allergic, either. Isn¡¯t Yun Liu too fussy? Does this count as having princess syndrome?]

    [Hey, aren¡¯t you going a little too far? So, she¡¯s allergic¡ªwhat¡¯s the big deal? She was born with a silver spoon and lived a pampered life. She had never seen a dirty environment before. What¡¯s wrong with her being allergic to dirt?]

    [You say that like Yun Liu¡¯s the only rich girl on the show. Her family can¡¯t be wealthier than Shi Xiu¡¯s, can it? So why didn¡¯t that princess have princess syndrome?]

    [You guys are being unreasonable. Everyone¡¯s physique is different. Some people are more prone to allergies. Don¡¯t make a mountain out of a molehill.]

    [You¡¯re right. People are different! So very different! The difference is very clear when you compare them; some people are only good at lip service, while others can only work.]

    Yun Liu secretly glanced at the comments and pursed her lips. When she returned to the courtyard, Shi Xiu was gone once again.

    Xiao Zhao called out to her. ¡°Yun Liu, come and bring the food outside!¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Yun Liu hurriedly answered, put away her phone, and went to help. She ran back and forth several times and finally got all the dishes onto the dining table outside. Only then did Shi Xiu and Yan Tang walk out of their room, chatting and laughing. The two had already changed their clothes, and their hair was nice and warm. It turned out that they had gone to take a shower.

    Yun Liu quickly called out to them. ¡°Yan Tang, Shi Xiu, hurry up! There are so many delicious dishes, and we¡¯re all waiting for you! If I had known you two would take so long, I would have taken a shower too!¡±

    Mai Fen walked over with a pair of chopsticks and chuckled, ¡°These two have been everywhere today and were dirty and smelly.. We won¡¯t be giving them food if they don¡¯t bathe!¡±

 Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-One: Questions

    Chapter 141: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-One: Questions

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yan Tang showed a rare moment of childishness before Mai Fen as she retorted, ¡°We were out working!¡±

    Mai Fen swatted her shoulders in mock admonishment. ¡°You mean you were accompanying Shi Xiu when she worked, right? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re willing to feed the chickens and ducks.¡±

    Yan Tang smiled without saying anything. Shi Xiu reached out to grab chicken feet from one of the dishes and said, ¡°Of course, Yang Tang is willing. She helped me carry the feed basket. We worked well together!¡±

    Yan Tang laughed, and so did Mai Fen. Mai Fen tapped the back of Shi Xiu¡¯s hand with her chopsticks, gently chiding, ¡°Don¡¯t eat with your hands! Sit down when you¡¯re eating. What¡¯s the hurry?¡±

    Shi Xiu stuffed the deboned chicken feet into her mouth and repeatedly nodded while mumbling with her mouth full, ¡°This is delicious!¡± She grabbed a stool and sat down.

    Yan Tang and Xiao Zhao sat on either side of Shi Xiu, and sitting opposite Shi Xiu was Ji Fei. Shi Xiu swiftly stood up to scoop a bowl of rice for Ji Fei before handing it to him with both hands. ¡°Here you go, Master!¡±

    Ji Fei smiled and thanked her as he accepted the bowl of rice.

    ¡°Hey, what about me?¡± Si Kun shouted.

    Shi Xiu was quite perceptive; she quickly scooped another bowl of rice and handed it to Si Kun. ¡°Mr. Si, please help yourself to the food.¡±

    By the time Yun Liu realized and went to scoop some rice for her seniors, she only had time to give one bowl to Mai Fen as Shi Xiu had already speedily handed everyone else their rice. She¡¯d even scooped up a bowl of rice for Yun Liu and placed it in front of her. ¡°Here, Yun Liu. This is yours.¡±

    Si Kun couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Whoa, slow down there! Why are you in such a hurry?¡±

    Shi Xiu sat back down and chuckled, ¡°I wanna eat! I¡¯m hungry!¡± That made everyone laugh, and they began eating after some polite conversation.

    ¡°Today, Mr. Si and I dedicate this meal to Mr. Ji and Shi Xiu! Congratulations to

    Mr. Ji for taking on a talented disciple and to Shi Xiu for gaining a master!¡± Xiao Zhao cheered. ¡°Let¡¯s raise our glasses to them and celebrate! Come, everyone, cheers!¡±

    Everyone raised clinked their glasses together, and Shi Xiu merrily stated, ¡°Thank you, everyone! Thank you!¡± She was evidently better at socializing than Ji Fei. After a glass of wine, everyone chatted as they ate.

    Yun Liu ate with refined manners, while in comparison, Shi Xiu¡­ Well, it could only be said that she made a clean sweep of the food. Yan Tang couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°Will you please slow down? The food isn¡¯t going anywhere.

    Aren¡¯t you afraid your fans will dislike you when they see you like this?¡±

    Shi Xiu was grinning even as she chewed her food and said, ¡°Why do I have to be so polite when eating is such a happy activity? Besides, my fans are long used to me being unbothered about such formalities!¡±

    Everyone looked at Shi Xiu dotingly at that. Si Kun put down his chopsticks and told her, ¡°Shi Xiu, I originally thought you were just a wealthy young lady who came here for fame. To be fair, you were late on the first day, giving me quite a bad impression of you even before you came.¡±

    Shi Xiu giggled. Yun Liu¡ªsitting beside Yan Tang¡ª suddenly poked her head out and curiously inquired, ¡°By the way, Shi Xiu, why were you late on the first day? Didn¡¯t the production team provide all of us with private cars to drive us here? Did you miss your plane?¡±

    Shi Xiu scratched her head in embarrassment and replied, ¡°No, I should have arrived with you, actually. The production team arranged for us to take different cars. However, when we were about to leave the airport, a child suddenly fell ill, and no car was available, so I discussed it with the production team. I asked them to send the child to the hospital first before coming back to pick me up.¡±

    For so many days, no one had asked about Shi Xiu¡¯s late arrival, and Shi Xiu also never mentioned it, so they didn¡¯t know that such an interlude had occurred.

    ¡°What happened after that?¡± Yan Tang questioned.

    ¡°The child was very sick. The hospital near the airport couldn¡¯t take him in; he had to be taken to the hospital in the city center. The driver said that since they¡¯d come this far, they might as well go the extra mile. They sent the child to the city, and I had to figure out a way to come here by myself. I had too much luggage; they couldn¡¯t all fit in one car, so I chose the airport bus. It¡¯s cheap and can carry all my luggage. But it¡¯s slow.¡±

    ¡°After a while, I left my luggage on the airport bus and only brought the important things along before taking a taxi here. In the end, I arrived here much later than expected,¡± Shi Xiu continued.

    Shi Xiu embarrassedly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for making you all wait so long. It was my first time going out by myself; I didn¡¯t have any experience. Actually, I could¡¯ve left my luggage at the airport and taken a taxi; that wouldn¡¯t have taken much time. But, I took the bus¡ªwhich took me further and further away from my destination¡ªbefore switching to a taxi and ended up wasting a lot of time.¡±

    Yun Liu wished she could take back the question she had just asked. She¡¯d intended to embarrass Shi Xiu but had unexpectedly given the girl the upper hand. ¡®Is Shi Xiu here to jinx me? she mentally grumbled..

 Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Two: Perspective

    Chapter 142: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Two: Perspective

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Everyone was surprised. ¡°I can¡¯t believe something like that actually happened, and we didn¡¯t know about it. Why didn¡¯t you say anything, Shi Xiu?¡± Si Kun chided.

    Shi Xiu shook her head as she munched some pork ribs and replied, ¡°What¡¯s there to say? Oh, you want to know what happened to that child, right? I asked the driver; he said the child got to the hospital in time and was now out of danger. Oh, right, the director and the others even donated some money through the driver. They told the child¡¯s parents to contact them if they didn¡¯t have enough to pay the post-surgery fees, and we could all donate some money. A life is on the line, after all.¡±

    ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you donate some money to the little girl?¡± Yun Liu asked softly. The expression on her face clearly implied, ¡®It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have the money. Why didn¡¯t you pay for everything?

    Everyone felt what Yun Liu said made sense and stared at Shi Xiu. Shi Xiu looked at Yun Liu seriously and stated, ¡°We can¡¯t just hastily donate without knowing the whole story. We don¡¯t know the child¡¯s family situation¡ªwe don¡¯t know if they need a donation or how much they would need. Giving them a sum of money willy-nilly isn¡¯t helping them, but giving them charity.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, this money might cause them unnecessary trouble. No matter what, we shouldn¡¯t test human nature when it comes to money. Our focus isn¡¯t to blindly give away some money but to let that child recover.¡± The others nodded and stated that she had a point.

    Yun Liu was at a loss for words; she seemed to have humiliated herself again.

    She somewhat embarrassedly remarked, ¡°That¡¯s very thoughtful of you, Shi Xiu. If I were in your shoes, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have thought of this and would¡¯ve given them the money directly. My parents have always taught my brother and me to be kind to others and do our best to help where we can. After all, some things aren¡¯t a problem for us at all. Our family donates to the orphanage every year. The children there are so pitiful.¡±

    The others looked at her in approval. Then, they called out to the production team and asked them to follow up on the child¡¯s care. If the child needed anything, they would definitely help out.

    Yan Tang commented curiously, ¡°Shi Xiu, why are you so sensitive at such a young age? I wouldn¡¯t have taken so much into consideration if something like that happened to me.¡±

    Yan Tang¡¯s words may sound slightly harsh, but Shi Xiu was already quite familiar with her. She knew Yan Tang didn¡¯t have any bad intentions; it was just her nature, so Shi Xiu smiled sweetly and teased, ¡°That just goes to show that you don¡¯t have enough life experience!¡±

    Yan Tang raised her chopsticks and pretended she was going to hit her with them. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to your head!¡±

    Shi Xiu grinned. Seeing that everyone was also anticipatedly waiting for an answer, she uttered, ¡°I learned it from listening to my parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law chatting. My brother¡¯s company has a special donation fund to help those in need.¡±

    ¡°He would also ask his assistant to check on the fund¡¯s implementation regularly. He said you shouldn¡¯t just donate money and leave it at that. Certain measures have to be put in place because monetary donations might breed corruption over time. It¡¯s better to use that money to buy the resources needed and donate those instead. Furthermore, in some special circumstances¡ªsuch as disasters¡ªmoney isn¡¯t as useful as resources and supplies.¡±

    Everyone nodded. ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    Shi Xiu surreptitiously glanced at Yun Liu, thinking, ¡®We both know you and your family donated to the orphanage just for show.¡¯ Yun Liu noticed her provocative gaze, but she was facing the cameras and couldn¡¯t even make a face.

    ¡°I remember hearing a piece of news before; a child had been sick for many years, and his parents were physically and mentally exhausted. One day, that family won the lottery, and the father left with the large prize money because he couldn¡¯t stand living such a miserable life anymore,¡± Shi Xiu softly uttered.

    Some had heard of this news before, while others raised their eyebrows in surprise.

    ¡°I remember hearing a piece of news before; a child had been sick for many years, and his parents were physically and mentally exhausted. One day, that family won the lottery, and the father left with the large prize money because he couldn¡¯t stand living such a miserable life anymore,¡± Shi Xiu softly uttered.

    Some had heard of this news before, while others raised their eyebrows in surprise.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Yun Liu exclaimed. ¡°Shi Xiu, are you worried the child¡¯s parents will take the donation money and abandon her? But how can you know that? Won¡¯t you be framing good people if they aren¡¯t that kind of folks?¡±

    Shi Xiu frowned. ¡°I never said such a thing. How can you say that, Yun Liu? Are you trying to get the netizens to attack me?¡±

    Ji Fei and Hai Hua looked at Yun Liu reproachfully, and Yun Liu was embarrassed.

    Shi Xiu remarked, ¡°There¡¯s something my sister-in-law said that I completely agree with; she said that human nature is at its best when it¡¯s not needed. So, don¡¯t do things that will test human nature. If we think through our actions more, we can avoid a lot of unpleasant things happening, so why challenge human nature? Those who dig into other people¡¯s private lives and backgrounds are even more outrageous. They¡¯re all thoughtlessly testing the limits of human nature.¡¯

    Yan Tang applauded Shi Xiu¡¯s speech, and Xiao Zhao also placed his chopsticks down to clap and say, ¡°Well said! I really want to get to know your sister-in-law!¡±

 Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Three: Bullet Screen

    Chapter 143: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Three: Bullet Screen

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yan Tang stated, ¡°You did the right thing, Shi Xiu. The best thing you can do for that child is not expose her matter to the public. Alright, I¡¯ll admit it, I¡¯m impressed. You¡¯re so young, but you really taught me a lesson there.¡± Yan Tang was a straightforward person and said whatever was on her mind.

    [It¡¯s obvious who is truly kind-hearted! You¡¯re not a good person just because you say you are.]

    [I learned something today. I¡¯ll follow the Shi family when I donate in the future. Is anyone here in charge of the Shi family¡¯s charity? Give me an account; I want to join your organization¡¯s efforts.]

    [Don¡¯t be silly. The Shi Corporation already has a special donation fund. They don¡¯t need our meager contributions!]

    [A contribution is a contribution, no matter how small! Every little bit counts. The main thing I¡¯m most tempted by is that the money I donate will be properly used. I think Shi Xiu is very sensible despite her young age. This girl certainly had a good upbringing.]

    [¡®Human nature is at its best when it¡¯s not needed, so don¡¯t test humanity.¡¯ ]

    [Who is Shi Xiu¡¯s sister-in-law? She¡¯s so insightful! How did all the cultured thinkers end up in one family?]

    [Her brother is Shi Nian, so her sister-in-law is Yun Nan! How can you not know that?! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still using a 2G network?]

    [Yun Nan is the director of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯! I suggest you all go and watch that movie if you haven¡¯t yet.]

    [Director Yun is a great beauty. She¡¯s a calm and soothing woman with the makings of a heroine.]

    [Someone who can say such words must be amazing! I have to watch a movie later.]

    [Just so you know, our Shi Xiu is the main lead of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯]

    [Do any of you think Yun Liu is a little b*tchy and pretentious?]

    [Yun Liu is great! She¡¯s beautiful and a knockout!]

    [You¡¯re the b*tch! Your whole family are b*tches!]

    [Why do you guys have to praise someone at the expense of another? Couldn¡¯t we admire these two beauties without fighting? They each have their own unique characteristics. Why compare them like this?]

    [Our Yun Liu is the best! She¡¯s beautiful, elegant, and well-educated¡ªunlike some people who use their wealth and status to bully others.] [Who are you calling a bully? Tell me, you bunch of jerks!]

    [Yun Liu hires people to pretend to be her fans and hype her name at the slightest sign of trouble. If she¡¯s so great, why doesn¡¯t she show us that by producing some representative work?!]

    [Who says that our Yun Liu doesn¡¯t have any representative work? She has already acted in more than 20 shows since her debut.]

    [Our Yun Liu has never fought or made a fuss. She¡¯s a multifaceted actress and has been diligently honing her acting skills all this time!]

    [Ugh, you have the nerve to call her lackluster and unchanging acting skills

    ¡®multifaceted!]

    [Oh yeah?! Shi Xiu has some nerve to show off when she¡¯d only acted in one measly movie! How shameless can she be?!]

    [So what if it¡¯s just one movie? Shi Xiu¡¯s low-budget film has earned three billion dollars at the box office. May I ask if any of your idol¡¯s 20-plus movies earned enough to make up for their production costs? Hahahaha]

    [Hahahahaha]

    [Yun Liu is still accumulating experiences, okay? You guys are just like Shi Xiu, lording her success over everyone else!]

    [Hmph! Why argue with such ignorant people? We only have to safeguard our Yun Liu.]

    [Hahaha, it¡¯s true what they say! If you can¡¯t win an argument, just be b*tchy about it!]

    Xu Yun frowned. Gu Man noticed and weighed her words before she spoke. ¡°The entertainment industry is truly a mess. Auntie, is Shi Xiu planning to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?¡±

    ¡°Dunno,¡± Xu Yun lightly replied. ¡°She likes it now, but who knows what will happen in the future?¡±

    Gu Man glanced at Lin Yu and Shi Gao. Seeing that they had no intention of speaking, she gritted her teeth and asked, ¡°Auntie, I see the bullet screen is talking about Shi Xiu¡¯s sister-in-law. Are they talking about Shi Kels wife?¡±

    Shi Gao was trying to crack a walnut, and when she heard this, her hand slipped, and the force ended on one of her thumbnails instead. Her newly manicured fingernail shattered audibly.

    She hissed in pain, and Han Yuan looked over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Han Yuan inquired.

    Shi Gao tucked her injured thumb in her palm to hide it and said with a smile,

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m okay. These walnuts are difficult to crack.¡±

    Xu Yun didn¡¯t notice their little episode. She heard Gu Man¡¯s question and chuckled, ¡°No, Shi Ke¡¯s wife is Xiang Yang. Yun Nan is Shi Nian¡¯s wife.¡±

    Xu Yun¡¯s words blew the four women¡¯s minds. They were stunned. ¡°Shi Nian¡¯s wife?¡± Han Yuan exclaimed. Her eyes widened, and she questioned Xu Yun, ¡°Hold on a minute. Shi Nian is married?! When did this happen? Why wasn¡¯t I informed?¡±

    A smile immediately appeared on Xu Yun¡¯s face, and she told her, ¡°The two of them registered their marriage, so they¡¯re legally married, but my new daughter-in-law is too busy with work and doesn¡¯t have time to hold a wedding for the time being. Shi Nian defers to his wife, and we defer to them, so the wedding will have to wait until she¡¯s free!¡±

    Xu Yun¡¯s smugness was written all over her face. Gu Man¡¯s expression changed, and she looked at Han Yuan aggrievedly.

    Han Yuan refused to give up. She asked, ¡°When did this happen?¡±

    Xu Yun gave it a moment¡¯s thought before replying, ¡°He¡¯s been married for a while now. Gosh, come to think of it, their fates were tied together long ago. Shi Nian¡¯s grandfather arranged a marriage between Shi Nian and Yun Nan when Yun Nan was born..¡±

 Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Four: Explicitly Expressed

    Chapter 144: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Four: Explicitly Expressed

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Man was about to cry. Lin Yu silently held her hand and helped her ask the question on her mind, ¡°Auntie, didn¡¯t you say Shi Nian didn¡¯t like the woman he was arranged to marry when he was a babe? Isn¡¯t Shi Nian engaged to Yun Liu? Shi Nian had once publicly stated that he didn¡¯t like Yun Liu. Why is he suddenly married? How is that other woman, Yun Nan, involved in all this?¡±

    Gu Man glanced at Lin Yu gratefully. Xu Yun took a sip of her warm tea, and her lips curled into a smile under the burning gazes of the four women. She couldn¡¯t hide her pride and happiness as she replied, ¡°No, no, no. You might not know this, but our Shi Nian was engaged to the Yun family¡¯s biological daughter, Yun Nan, since he was a baby. However, Yun Nan went missing when she was a child, and the Yun family later adopted Yun Liu with the thought of marrying Yun Liu to Shi Nian.¡±

    ¡°But Shi Nian doesn¡¯t like Yun Liu, so we decided to drop the arranged marriage. Thank the heavens, Yun Nan later found her way back. Our entire family liked Yun Nan very much the moment we saw her. We were originally worried Shi Nian¡ªthat blockhead¡ªwouldn¡¯t be able to fall in love, but in the end, that silly boy fell in love with Yun Nan, and we can finally put our hearts at ease.¡±

    Still reluctant to accept it, Han Yuan asked, ¡°Are you and your family worried those two wouldn¡¯t last, so you didn¡¯t hold a wedding? Keeping their marriage under wraps like this, no one would know even if they broke up in the future, and it won¡¯t affect their search for a new partner, right?¡±

    Xu Yun almost choked on her tea. She coughed as she waved her hand and said, ¡°No way! Of course not! It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to hold a wedding; we¡¯re just delaying it. Yun Nan¡¯s recent movie was just released, and I heard it broke through three billion dollars at the box office. She didn¡¯t have time to hold a wedding previously, and now, she¡¯s so busy we barely see her. The kids are young and quite career-oriented. Although their Grandpa and I want to hold a wedding for them, we respect their wishes. The formalities aren¡¯t important as long as the two of them are doing well.¡±

    ¡°How can this be?¡± Gu Man muttered. ¡°How could this have happened?¡±

    Xu Yun looked at her strangely and understood Gu Man¡¯s intentions. She hurriedly turned around, pretended she hadn¡¯t noticed, and said to Han Yuan, ¡°Shi Yun and I were getting anxious when we saw Xi Cheng and Lin Yu get engaged. We didn¡¯t know when our silly son would find himself a good girl like Lin Yu. I truly envied you for having such good fortune. Thankfully, our silly son now has someone to spend the rest of his life with.¡±

    Han Yuan quickly suppressed her disappointment and smiled perfunctorily. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say such ridiculous things. Shi Nian is such a good child; if I had a daughter, I would definitely offer her to you as a daughter-in-law! In fact, I

    was just about to show you my goddaughter and see what you think about her, but you¡¯ve already gone and got your son a wife!¡±

    Han Yuan still felt a little discontented¡ªmainly because she hadn¡¯t met Yun Nan and didn¡¯t know what kind of girl she was. She didn¡¯t think Yun Nan could be better than Gu Man and wanted Xu Yun to reconsider.

    Xu Yun smiled and remarked, ¡°I don¡¯t doubt your goddaughter is a fine young lady. However, I don¡¯t make the decisions on Shi Nian¡¯s matters. Of our entire family, only Shi Ke and his wife might be able to pressure him.¡±

    Shi Gao suddenly piped up, ¡°Shi Nian lets his sister-in-law interfere in his affairs?¡±

    Xu Yun chuckled, ¡°Our Xiang Yang treats Shi Nian as her own brother. She scolds and dotes on him when appropriate and has the demeanor of an elder sister-in-law, so Shi Yun and I don¡¯t have to worry about him anyway. Xiang Yang even specifically designed wedding rings for Shi Nian and Yun Nan. The two of them liked the rings very much.¡±

    Shi Gao opened her mouth but never had the chance to interrupt her. Only then did Lin Yu realize that the soft and gentle Mrs. Shi¡ªwho had seemed to be a trophy wife just like her future mother-in-law¡ªwasn¡¯t so simple at all. The four of them had come at her from all sides, but Mrs. Shi handled them with flawless ease. It was obvious her future mother-in-law was nothing compared to her in terms of EQand IQ.

    ¡®Mrs. Shi probably already saw through Gu Man¡¯s little plan,¡¯ Lin Yu thought.

    She was happy Gu Man had failed but worried she couldn¡¯t marry the pest off. The longer Gu Man stayed around, the longer her position would be at risk.

    However, she was still quite happy at the moment, though she had to hide it from the others. Lin Yu eased the situation by saying, ¡°The harmonious atmosphere in Auntie¡¯s family sounds pleasant. Nothing can compare to your family¡¯s love and respect. We should have a get-together with Shi Nian, his brother, and their wives when we get the chance. We can chat, share our experiences, and learn from each other..¡±

 Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Five: Win Over

    Chapter 145: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Five: Win Over

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Although Han Yuan felt sorry for Gu Man, she finally gave in to Lin Yu¡¯s implicit and explicit hints. Gu Man was considerably unhappy when she returned to the Xi family house.

    Han Yuan consoled her, ¡°It¡¯s okay. There are still other men besides Shi Nian. I think Ye Kun and Liang Han are also fine men. Xi Cheng has many young and talented friends. With your looks and family background, you¡¯ll certainly find a suitable candidate.¡±

    Lin Yu chuckled, ¡°Yeah! Manman just has high standards. She liked Shi Nian immediately after meeting him, but he¡¯s already taken. I guess you two just weren¡¯t meant to be. You¡¯ll find your destined love someday, and he¡¯ll definitely be better than Shi Nian!¡±

    Gu Man glanced at her coolly but said nothing, and Lin Yu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Xi Cheng happened to return right then. He was sober today¡ªa rare occurrence¡ªbut he looked exhausted.

    ¡°Have you been working all day today?¡± Han Yuan asked in concern. ¡°You look so tired, dear. Have you eaten?¡±

    Xi Cheng lightly frowned when he saw Lin Yu and the others were there and told his mother detachedly, ¡°I have a business dinner tonight. I¡¯m just home to get a document.¡± And with that, he turned and strode away.

    Looking at Xi Cheng¡¯s disappearing figure, Gu Man commented a little gleefully, ¡°Lin Yu, why do I get the feeling Xi Cheng isn¡¯t too happy to see you?¡±

    Han Yuan was about to go after and check up on her son when she heard this and paused. She turned to ask Lin Yu, ¡°Did you two have a fight?¡±

    Lin Yu appeared confused as she aggrievedly answered, ¡°No, we didn¡¯t.¡±

    She took two steps forward to get to Han Yuan¡¯s side and whispered something in her ear. Han Yuan raised her eyebrows and scoffed at whatever she heard before patting Lin Yu¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Oh dear child, you¡¯re so sensible. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll explain it to him if he asks. This matter has nothing to do with you.¡± Tears started to fall from Lin Yu¡¯s eyes. She gently turned her head away and smiled through her tears, saying, ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡±

    Han Yuan then went to look for her son while Lin Yu casually took out a tissue to wipe her tears with a calm expression. Gu Man and Shi Gao were both bewildered. They didn¡¯t know what Han Yuan and Lin Yu were secretly chatting about.

    ¡°Lin Yu, what did you say to my godmother?¡± Gu Man asked anxiously.

    Lin Yu smiled and replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing; just some family matters.¡± With that one sentence, she classified Gu Man as an outsider. Gu Man was furious, but she couldn¡¯t find fault with it.

    Lin Yu turned to Shi Gao. ¡°Xiang Yang has a solo exhibition next month. Are you interested?¡± she inquired.

    Shi Gao was a little surprised. Lin Yu added, ¡°I heard the tickets aren¡¯t easy to get. If you want to see the exhibition, I¡¯ll ask someone to get us some tickets. I heard she only holds her exhibitions when her husband is on vacation. I think she¡¯s quite pretentious, but her works are truly amazing.¡±

    Shi Gao laughed. ¡°Sure!¡± she said. ¡°Try and see if you can get us some tickets. I would like to see the exhibition!¡±

    Lin Yu lowered her head and smiled faintly, thinking, ¡®ICs not the exhibition you want to see, but certain people. ¡®

    She had to cater to Shi Gao¡¯s likes¡ªshe needed to get Shi Gao on her side. She couldn¡¯t let her assist Gu Man; that would cause her a lot of trouble.

    Xu Yun informed the whole family during dinner that Xiang Yang would return next month to hold an exhibition. She told Shi Nian and Yun Nan to find some time to go and see it and try their best to come home for dinner every day. She wouldn¡¯t accept any leave or rebuttals.

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan both chuckled and agreed. Nowadays, Yun Nan enjoys eating with the Shi family very much; their meals together are always relaxed and happy. She hadn¡¯t felt such a warm family atmosphere in a long time; it always reminded her of her adoptive parents.

    ¡°By the way, I watched Shi Xiu¡¯s live broadcast today,¡± Xu Yun stated.

    Yun Nan apologetically said, ¡°I haven¡¯t had the time to watch it yet, but my studio¡¯s staff are keeping an eye on it. If there are any problems, they can resolve them in time. The main thing I¡¯m worried about is that she¡¯s participating in the show together with Yun Liu.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Xu Yun smiled and assured her. ¡°My daughter isn¡¯t one to be trifled with! From what I¡¯ve seen, my daughter is bursting to fight with Yun Liu. I saw the comments on the bullet screen; a fight nearly broke out between their fans.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded as he ate and commented, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re amazing. You even figured out the bullet comments.¡±

    Yun Nan probed, ¡°Netizens these days know no boundaries when it comes to online comments. Aren¡¯t you upset about the things they say, Mom?¡± There would definitely be negative comments about Shi Xiu, and Xu Yun must¡¯ve seen them. Yun Nan was worried Xu Yun wouldn¡¯t be able to stand them.

    ¡°Why would I be upset? I know what my daughter is like,¡± Xu Yun replied nonchalantly. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the irresponsible remarks they make just based on the very little they know about Shi Xiu from the show. However, I¡¯ll accept all their praises to my daughter.¡±

    Yun Nan laughed and thought, ¡®This family has ridiculously strong psychological endurance.¡¯

    ¡°About those Internet trolls¡­ Where can we hire some? I read someone¡¯s comment saying that Yun Liu hired several Internet trolls.. I want to hire some for Shi Xiu, too!¡± Xu Yun said indignantly as she thought, ¡®I can¡¯t let my

    daughter fall behind!¡¯

 Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Six: Apology

    Chapter 146: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Six: Apology

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Mom, you said you didn¡¯t mind the comments,¡± Shi Nian sighed. He felt his mother had double standards.

    ¡°That¡¯s two different things. I¡¯m just fighting fire with fire.¡±

    Yun Nan giggled, ¡°Mom, do you want to know more about Shi Xiu¡¯s fan club?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a fan club?¡± Xu Yun had never heard of it. ¡°It¡¯s an organized group of fans,¡± Yun Nan explained.

    ¡°Shi Xiu¡¯s fans?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Does she have a lot of fans?¡± Xu Yun carefully asked.

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°She has quite a lot of them.¡±

    ¡°I would like to know more about her fan club. What do you have planned?¡± Xu Yun inquired.

    The best candidate came to Yun Nan¡¯s mind. She suggested, ¡°If you have time tomorrow, I can introduce you to Fang Xi and let her introduce you to Shi Xiu¡¯s fan club.¡±

    ¡°Alright! I want to be my daughter¡¯s fan and personally support her!¡± Xu Yun stated determinedly.

    She then fiercely warned her son, ¡°Shi Nian, watch yourself! You¡¯re a married man; don¡¯t you dare fool around with other women! Yun Nan, keep a close eye on him. If he dares to play around, I¡¯ll get his dad to break his legs!¡±

    Shi Nian gasped and glanced at Yun Nan, feeling quite exasperated. Yun Nan laughed and reassured Xu Yun, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. Shi Nian already told me about it. I¡¯ve already met her.¡±

    Shi Nian raised his hand before Yun Nan to give her a thumbs up and said to Xu Yun, ¡°Yun Nan was amazing! She absolutely crushed that woman; it was a total victory!¡±

    Xu Yun was pleasantly surprised and asked Yun Nan, ¡°Really? You did?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and nodded. Xu Yun was very pleased and stated, ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Well done! We can¡¯t let outsiders bully us!¡±

    As always, Yun Nan left the Shi family house in a great mood. Unwittingly, she had completely integrated into the Shi family. In the car, Shi Nian looked at her blissful expression and couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡®Looks like my plan to insinuate myselfinto her life is working,¡¯ he thought. He had to take things slowly when dealing with people like Yun Nan, who protected their feelings under multiple layers.

    ¡°Are you still busy with the movie premiere?¡± he questioned. Yun Nan has been very busy recently. It had been a long time since he¡¯d eaten the dinner she made.

    Yun Nan shook her head. ¡°No, I have a few meet-and-greets coming up. I¡¯m also in the middle of discussing new scripts and projects. The place I lived in when I was young used to be a tourist area. It later declined because of the bad economy. Since parts of our movie were filmed there, the local municipal committee found me through my past neighbors and asked me if I was willing to go back and help them promote the area¡ªfilm some clips and adverts and so on to boost the economy. I agreed.¡±

    Yun Nan looked a little solemn. Shi Nian knew that place¡ªwhether it be the people or things that happened there¡ªwas very important to her.

    ¡°When do you plan to go over?¡± Shi Nian inquired.

    ¡°Next month. Help me ask Xiang Yang when she¡¯ll hold her exhibition. I¡¯ll set off after her exhibition. In the meantime, I¡¯ll get everything else done first,¡± Yun Nan answered as she counted the time on her fingers.

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Okay. Chang Yuan is the one in charge of these things for Xiang Yang. I¡¯ll get him to coordinate with you once he gets everything arranged.¡±

    Yun Nan stretched in her seat and said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been so busy recently I didn¡¯t have time to cook. I¡¯ll take time off work for a while after I return from my hometown and make it up to you! You can bring your friends home for dinner!¡±

    Shi Nian smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no rush.¡± He didn¡¯t mind missing a few of her meals. He had a lifetime to spare, after all.

    ¡°That place in your hometown¡­ Does it need investment?¡± Shi Nian asked.

    ¡°Of course it does, but I¡¯m not sure what industry it¡¯s suitable for. However, the scenery there is beautiful; it has a quaint and antique charm.¡± A smile appeared on Yun Nan¡¯s face when she mentioned her hometown.

    Shi Nian especially loved Yun Nan when she was like this¡ªshe was warm all over. Yun Nan had many sides. When she was before the Yun family, she armed herself with indifference. Yun Nan actually did care about her blood relations because her adoptive parents cared. She was somewhat sad that she couldn¡¯t get along with her family, but she was very clear-headed and wouldn¡¯t compromise herself because of this. She always maintained her independence.

    Yun Nan was very cunning when she faced Gu Man. She had a very solid understanding of human nature and saw through Lin Yu and Gu Man¡¯s little tricks and deceits, but she didn¡¯t expose them. She pulled her punches; she didn¡¯t humiliate the girls¡ªshe gave them enough respect and enough warning. Those women were truly worthless and a joke before her.

    However, Shi Nian felt a little upset. She was only so forthright before Gu Man because she hadn¡¯t fallen in love with him. ¡®Ifshe loved me, would she be more domineering?More genuine? he wondered.

    He looked forward to her taking possession of him. Shi Nian facepalmed at the thought.. ¡® What kind ofstrange idea is that?!¡¯

 Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Seven: Birth Mother

    Chapter 147: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Seven: Birth Mother

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

    Ever since Xu Yun met Fang Xi and learned about the workings of the fan club under Fang Xi¡¯s guidance, she was unstoppable and quickly became the backbone of Shi Xiu¡¯s fans. Even Fang Xi hadn¡¯t expected this outcome.

    With Xu Yun¡¯s support, Shi Xiu¡¯s fans went up against Yun Liu¡¯s fans and her hired Internet trolls, and they actually came to a draw after a few rounds.

    Fang Xi exclaimed, ¡°Auntie, Tan Ning is a notoriously tough-to-beat manager, and you actually tied with her in your first fan war! That¡¯s amazing!¡±

    Xu Yun didn¡¯t hide her pride at all as she accepted the praise. Yun Nan and Fang Xi finally understood where Shi Xiu got her straightforward personality.

    Due to the ¡®competition¡¯ between Xu Yun and Tan Ning, the reality show¡ª which wasn¡¯t very well-known at the beginning¡ªsuddenly became a hot topic. More and more people began to pay attention to this show, and thanks to it, the box office of ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ increased, and so did the number of views of Yun Liu¡¯s various productions.

    However, the fans were again divided and took sides because of Shi Xiu and Yun Liu¡¯s productions. More and more people started taking an interest in Shi Xiu, and her casual fans have increased.

    The reality show¡¯s director took advantage of this opportunity to boost the show¡¯s popularity, and the audience began to demand they invite the peripheral personage onto the show. The most popular guest candidates we. Shi Xiu¡¯s brother and sister-in-law.

    The production team¡¯s assistant director got in touch with Fang Xi with a nervous heart. He also used all his connections and went through several people to contact Chang Yuan. He had only one goal, and that was to use all possible means to persuade Shi Nian and Yun Nan to make an appearance on the show.

    Fang Xi strongly recommended Yun Nan to attend and cheer for Shi Xiu, but Yun Nan felt, with her combat ability, Shi Xiu really didn¡¯t need her help. Before Fang Xi could try and persuade her any further, Yun Zhang and Gu Wei came knocking on the door.

    Gu Wei hugged Yun Nan and started crying and apologizing to her as soon as she entered. Yun Nan froze and looked at Yun Zhang, perplexed, only to see someone filming behind Yun Zhang.

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Yun Nan asked Yun Zhang bluntly. Yun Zhang gave a light cough and looked away.

    Gu Wei sobbed, ¡°Yun Nan, it¡¯s all Mom¡¯s fault; I¡¯ve let you down. If you have any grievances, you can take it out on me. Don¡¯t make things difficult for your sister, okay? Please, I¡¯m begging you.¡±

    Yun Nan immediately understood what this was all about. She coldly glanced at Yun Zhang, supported Gu Wei, and took two steps back.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she politely and distantly asked. She then courteously gave up her seat and called for someone to bring them tea and water, all the while ignoring the person who was filming on their phone.

    It was only when Gu Wei and Yun Zhang sat down and the staff served their tea that Yun Nan looked at the person filming everything and smiled before inquiring, ¡°Yun Zhang, what¡¯s the meaning of this? Are you recording our meeting because you want to keep it as a souvenir? Or do you want me to promise you something you¡¯re afraid I won¡¯t fulfill?¡±

    Yun Zhang cleared his throat and glanced at Gu Wei without saying anything. Gu Wei hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯m the one who called them here. I think it¡¯s high time we talk things out today. I specifically got someone here to record everything and act as a witness to prevent us from going back on our words in the future.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°Alright, go ahead. I¡¯m listening.¡±

    Seeing Yun Nan¡¯s cooperative attitude, Gu Wei couldn¡¯t help but feel smug. Tan Ning¡¯s suggestions worked; she was indeed quite capable.

    Gu Wei straightened her back and stated, ¡°I know you¡¯re talented and capable, but you¡¯re a member of our family. That means all your glory also belongs to our family. Although your sister isn¡¯t my biological child, she was the one who brought us joy and showed filial piety to us when you weren¡¯t home for so many years. Therefore, you must never forget your sister¡¯s kindness!¡±

    She continued, ¡°You¡¯re rich and famous now, but you can¡¯t just ignore your brother and sister and us. We¡¯re your family! Your brother gave you the green light when you wanted to leave and strike out on your own. Now that you¡¯ve made a name for yourself, I think it¡¯s about time you put this studio under the Yun Corporation¡¯s purview. It¡¯ll count as a subsidiary.¡±

    Before Yun Nan could say anything, Yun Zhang stood up in shock. ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?¡± He¡¯d accompanied his mother here to meet Yun Nan because he thought she wanted to ease her relationship with Yun Nan. Although he was a little put-off by the filming, he thought his mother had wanted to show Yun Nan her resolve by recording their discussion. He didn¡¯t expect her to make such a shameless demand. Even he felt ashamed.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Gu Wei snapped and glared at Yun Zhang. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with what I said? Yun Nan is your biological sister, and you three siblings were just kidding back then with those ridiculous contracts. Yun Nan has been independent for quite some time now, and it¡¯s time for her to return to the Yun Corporation. This time, make sure you take good care of your sister. You¡¯re her older

    brother, after all..¡±

 Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Eight: Rejection

    Chapter 148: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Eight: Rejection

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan laughed when she heard that.

    Gu Wei Imew Yun Nan wouldn¡¯t dare to fly into a rage before the camera, so she brazenly said, ¡°You¡¯ve seen how talented Yun Nan is. Her movie made Shi Xiu popular, so now she could make Yun Liu popular, too; if Yun Nan didn¡¯t support her own older sister, she would be a laughing stock! Don¡¯t you think so? Yun Nan?¡±

    When Yun Nan didn¡¯t respond, Gu Wei was even more loose with her words and stated, ¡°Tan Ning has told me that all your scripts are suitable for Yun Liu. Your sister doesn¡¯t mind if she¡¯s a lead role or a supporting character. We¡¯re all family, and Yun Liu isn¡¯t a picky person. Tan Ning said that Yun Liu is mainly honing her acting skills now. She¡¯s smart, and with you to guide her, she¡¯ll definitely be a success. Yun Nan, we¡¯re family, so I¡¯ll just come right out and ask: That¡¯s okay with you, right?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Yun Nan detachedly replied.

    Gu Wei was stunned. She didn¡¯t expect Yun Nan to be so direct, but she was very calm as she uttered, ¡°Alright. Tell me what you¡¯re unhappy with!¡±

    Yun Nan was also quite calm when she answered, ¡°I¡¯m unhappy about everything you have planned for me. Sorry, but I can¡¯t and won¡¯t accept them. My studio is an independent legal entity and will not merge with any other company. However, if the Yun Corporation can¡¯t continue operating and you wish to sell it, I can consider taking it over. None of our studio¡¯s works are created to support any one person; if that¡¯s what you want, you¡¯ve got the wrong person.¡±

    Gu Wei was stupefied. Yun Nan spoke too quickly; Gu Wei¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t keep up with what her daughter was saying, and she had a hard time processing.

    Yun Nan turned to the person filming them and smiled at her. ¡°You¡¯re Tan Ning, right? If you¡¯re trying to cherry-pick and take my words out of context, then please find out my relationship with the Yun family before you do so.

    Though I am the Yun family¡¯s biological daughter, they never raised me. If you must insist that I owe them for giving birth to me, then the scripts I wrote and the films I produced for the Yun Corporation are more than enough to make up for it. I hate moral blackmail the most; if you must use this method to deal with me, then come at me for all I care.¡±

    ¡°M-moral blackmail? What are you talking about? How can you say such a thing? I¡¯m politely discussing matters with you here, so why did you bring Tan Ning into this? I¡¯m talking about our family! I¡¯m asking you¡ªdo you care about the Yun family? Do you care about Yun Liu?¡± Gu Wei¡¯s tone became unyielding towards the end of her speech.

    Yun Nan looked at her and said composedly, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡¯

    Gu Wei was furious. ¡°You¡­!¡±

    Yun Zhang took a deep breath and uttered, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go. Stop making a scene. I¡¯ll handle Yun Liu¡¯s matters. It has nothing to do with Yun Nan. Stop making things difficult for her!¡±

    Gu Wei blew up when she heard that. ¡°I¡¯m making things difficult for her? How am I making things difficult for her? I¡¯m her mother! Shouldn¡¯t she listen to me?! Shouldn¡¯t she do whatever I ask her to do? Yun Liu is her sister; shouldn¡¯t she help her? If she¡¯s disobedient, then she¡¯s being disrespectful to her parents! I¡¯ll go out and tell the media she¡¯s unfilial! So what if she¡¯s famous?! I¡¯ll tell everyone that she is an unfilial daughter!¡±

    Yun Nan raised her voice slightly and said, ¡°So if I listen to you, if I make Yun Liu famous, if I give this studio to Yun Zhang¡­ I¡¯ll be a filial daughter, is that right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Gu Wei shouted without hesitation.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Yun Zhang snapped.

    Yun Nan softly exhaled and told her, ¡°Alright, then go ahead and tell the masses!¡±

    Yun Nan  shocked by Yun Nan¡¯s nonchalance. ¡°You! Aren¡¯t you afraid of what others will think? You¡¯ll be disgraced!¡±

    Yun Nan gently shook her head and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid because there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. I even begged for food after my adoptive parents passed away, so what¡¯s so disgraceful about this? I built everything I have today, bit by bit. I didn¡¯t rely on any support from the Yun family¡ªnot one single bit. I earned everything I have myself; what do I have to be afraid of?¡±

    Gu Wei was trembling with anger. ¡°Why are you so stubborn?¡± she hissed. ¡°You don¡¯t care about us because you think our family didn¡¯t raise you. So what? It doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re our daughter! We could¡¯ve gotten along harmoniously, but those outsiders who raised you corrupted you. You always thought we were unfair to you, and you keep wanting to drive Yun Liu out.

    You¡¯re so heartless!¡±

    Yun Nan stared at the elegant and luxuriously dressed woman before her, decked in designer brands from head to toe. ¡® This is my birth mother,¡¯ she inwardly sighed.

    Gu Wei had stood in front of her and unashamedly accused her. Her accusations were illogical and unjustified, but she didn¡¯t feel guilty at all.

    At this moment, Yun Nan had deep regrets. ¡® Why did I come back? Why was I so adamant about finding my biological parents? she thought.. ¡®Isn¡¯t it better for me to be my adoptive parents¡¯ child for the rest of my life? If my adoptive parents weren¡¯t so insistent on finding my parents, would they have been able to stay alive and accompany me for a few more years? Would I have had the chance to be filial to them?

 Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Nine: Saving the Day

    Chapter 149: Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-Nine: Saving the Day

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Tears loomed in Yun Nan¡¯s eyes, and she turned her head away. Yun Zhang looked at her, and his heart ached for her. Just as he was about to speak, someone pushed him aside.

    Yun Zhang stumbled. When he managed to steady himself, he saw that Shi Nian already had Yun Nan in his arms.

    ¡°Mr. and Madam Yun, have you come here to bully my wife? Don¡¯t you remember what you said back then when Yun Nan left home? Didnt you disown her? What? Do you want to go back on your word now? Even if that¡¯s the case, you need my permission first! Do you think you can simply bully my loved ones and get away with it?¡± Shi Nian coolly reproached them.

    Gu Wei didn¡¯t expect Shi Nian to be here. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Yun Nan asked softly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I came,¡± Shi Nian remarked. ¡°Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to hear such a wonderful statement from Madam Yun!¡±

    He looked at the woman who was filming on her phone and told her, ¡°Did you get everything? You¡¯d better not edit this and show things out of context. I don¡¯t mind taking you to court.¡¯

    The woman¡¯s hand trembled, and she almost dropped her phone.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t release Yun Nan from his embrace as he walked out, saying, ¡°Apologies, but we¡¯ll be heading out to eat. Take care and see yourself to the door! Yun Zhang, I thought since you specifically went to the area where Yun Nan grew up to take a look, your opinion of Yun Nan would¡¯ve changed when you came back. I didn¡¯t expect¡­ Ah, I thought too highly of you.¡±

    Gu Wei wanted to chase after them, but Yun Zhang stopped her. He looked frustrated as he berated her, ¡°Mom! What¡¯s wrong with you?! I thought you came here to sincerelv reconcile with Yun Nan but look at what vou¡¯re saving!¡± also quite angry and replied, ¡°I am here to reconcile with her, but look at the attitude she¡¯s giving me! Tan Ning said, right now, I have to be tough when I¡¯m dealing with Yun Nan. She¡¯s famous now, so surely she¡¯s afraid of disgracing herself. Tan Ning said that if she¡¯s stubborn, we should let her have a taste of what it means to be utterly discredited.¡±

    Gu Wei continued, ¡°Tan Ning said that if Yun Nan was obedient, we¡¯ll treat her nicely, but if she wasn¡¯t, there are a hundred ways to make her obedient. She is a member of our family so she should listen to us! We have to make her return to our family, even if that means ruining her reputation! The longer she¡¯s out there, the more our family is embarrassed. Tan Ning¡ª¡±

    Yun Zhang cut her off. ¡°Tan Ning this, and Tan Ning that. Do you believe everything that woman says?¡± Yun Zhang didn¡¯t expect Tan Ning would actually dare to brainwash his mother. ¡®D*mn it,¡¯ he mentally cursed.

    Gu Wei was also unhappy when she saw that her son was displeased with her. ¡°Everything Tan Ning said sounds reasonable,¡± she retorted. ¡°Why can¡¯t I go see Yun Nan? I¡¯m her mother! I was too indulgent towards her before because I always felt I should make it up to her for having lost us all these years. Tan

    Ning made sense; the one I should feel guilty about isn¡¯t Yun Nan, but Yun Liu!¡±

    ¡°She healed the grief I felt from losing my daughter. She brought me joy and took care of me for so many years. I can¡¯t just watch her career suffer! Yun Nan has to help Yun Liu, and she must also be grateful to Yun Liu for accompanying and caring for us for so many years!¡± Gu Wei stated with righteous eloquence.

    Yun Zhang was so angry he did a 360-degree turn and rebuked plaintively, ¡°Mom! Don¡¯t forget that Yun Nan is married to Shi Nian! Now that Shi Nian knows about this entire incident, do you think he¡¯ll persuade Yun Nan to return home or help Yun Nan stay away from us?¡±

    ¡°Of course, he¡¯ll¡ª¡± Gu Wei¡¯s self-righteous words suddenly faltered and stopped.

    Yun Zhang sighed deeply. ¡°Mom, let¡¯s just¡ªlet¡¯s just go home! Instead of thinking up ways to harass Yun Nan, why don¡¯t you think about how we should go to the Shi family and apologize to Grandpa, Uncle, and Auntie Shi? We have to tell them not to let Shi Nian make things difficult for us!¡±

    Gu Wei panicked, having finally realized the consequences of her actions. ¡°Shi Nian can¡¯t do that! He¡¯s a sensible child; he definitely won¡¯t do things that¡¯ll add insult to injury!¡± she muttered, trying to convince herself.

    Yun Zhang didn¡¯t say anything. Even a blind person could see Shi Nian¡¯s attitude towards Yun Nan! Only his mother¡ªexploited by scoundrels¡ªhad unexpectedly come to do such a thing. Moreover, she had been caught red-handed by Shi Nian.

    And he, Yun Zhang, had inexplicably become the elder brother who brought his mother to pick on his biological sister. He wouldn¡¯t be able to explain himself out of this situation.

    ¡°Did you know? Tan Ning told me Yun Liu and Shi Xiu are on the same variety show. Shi Xiu is always bullying Yun Liu, implicitly and explicitly. Isn¡¯t Yun Nan the one who made Shi Xiu famous?¡± Gu Wei kept ranting about Yun Nan¡¯s faults.

    ¡°If she can nurture Shi Xiu¡ªwho has never acted before¡ªinto a sought-after new star, why didn¡¯t she spend that energy nurturing Yun Liu instead? We¡¯re her family! How could she treat her in-laws better than her own family? That girl grew up in a little hole somewhere and was raised to be stupid!¡±

    ¡°Mom, please, stop! Just cut it out, will you? I¡¯ll get Tan Ning to pack up and leave tomorrow!¡± Yun Zhang shouted, furious..

 Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty: Warmth

    Chapter 150: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty: Warmth

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Wei  shocked by her son¡¯s sudden temper, and her voice weakened when she asked, ¡°You¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Come on! We¡¯re going home!¡± Yun Zhang dragged Gu Wei towards the exit and snatched the phone from a stunned Tan Ning.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s evidence!¡± Gu Wei indignantly shouted as she reached for the phone in Yun Zhang¡¯s hand.

    Yun Zhang looked angry as he avoided her hand. He struggled to suppress his rage and murmured, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m begging you, please just go home. Stop embarrassing yourself here! ¡±

    A few curious staff members were already crowding at the door, wondering what was going on.

    ¡°What¡¯s there for me to be embarrassed about?!¡± Gu Wei yelled, trying for fierce nonchalance despite feeling otherwise. ¡°Yun Nan isn¡¯t afraid of embarrassing herself, so why should I be afraid?¡±

    Upstairs, Yun Nan stood before the window and heaved a sigh of relief as she watched Yun Zhang drag Gu Wei away. She also felt a little chagrined at letting the woman get to her.

    Shi Nian read her mind and teased, ¡°That was stupid. Where did the sharp-tongued Yun Nan go?¡±

    Yun Nan rolled her eyes at him. No matter how much Gu Wei hurt her, she was still her birth mother. For some reason, Yun Nan couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything harsh to the woman.

    Shi Nian sighed. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s always the ones closest to us that hurt us the most. She doesn¡¯t want to treat you as her own, but she wants to enjoy the benefits you can give her. Psh¡­ like that¡¯ll ever happen. Yun Nan, you need to get a grip. Don¡¯t let her emotionally blackmail you. From the looks of it, Yun Zhang probably didn¡¯t know his mother came here for such a purpose. He¡¯ll quite likely reprimand her when they get home.¡±

    Yun Nan said nothing, but Shi Nian¡¯s words warmed her heart.

    Shi Nian informed her, ¡°Yun Nan, Hai Hua got in contact with Chang Yuan; she wants us to go on Shi Xiu¡¯s reality show. I just learned from Fang Xi that the show¡¯s staff also approached you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they did. I told Fang Xi I don¡¯t want to go,¡± Yun Nan replied.

    ¡°Yun Nan, let¡¯s go on the show together,¡± Shi Nian said seriously.

    Yun Nan looked at Shi Nian in surprise and thought, ¡®You¡¯re the Shi Corporation¡¯s chairman, and you want to go on a reality show?

    Shi Nian knew what she was thinking, smiled, and uttered, ¡°I want to give it a go. We won¡¯t stay long¡ªonly for an episode or two. This way, we can kill two birds with one stone. Firstly, we can check up on Shi Xiu. Secondly, I think your mother and Yun Liu will definitely use your relationship with them against you and spread rumors. We can take this opportunity to clarify things to the public. Even if we can¡¯t settle this once and for all, at least we¡¯ll have used this good opportunity and let the people know the truth.¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s reasoning was solid, but Yun Nan was slightly hesitant about the idea; she had never liked showing her private life to others.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea!¡± Fang Xi chimed in. She had come in sometime during their conversation and leaned against the door frame.

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan turned around to look at her. Fang Xi chuckled and shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop; you guys left the door open. I just wanted to peek at what you lovebirds are up to.¡±

    Shi Nian laughed while Yun Nan glared at her. Fang Xi quickly wiped the wide grin off her face and replaced it with a more sedate smile. She walked towards the couple and said, ¡°I heard the news. Yun Liu¡¯s current manager, Tan Ning, is famous for being difficult to deal with. I saw what your mother did today. They have a camera filming the whole thing, but we also have surveillance cameras! Tan Ning must want to use that recording to cause a public stir. She¡¯ll probably spread the news about the tension between you and your relatives, push all the blame on you, and use that to discredit you. Since we know what she plans to do, we can¡¯t just ignore it.¡±

    ¡°But Fang Xi, isn¡¯t that your job?¡± Yun Nan sighed. ¡± You¡¯re the one who is supposed to tackle these problems when they arise. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re doing a good job. Why do you still need me¡ªthe party involved¡ªto come forward to

    solve this matter?¡±

    Fang Xi rolled her eyes at her. ¡°I don¡¯t see the chairman of the Shi Corporation complaining about coming forward for such a small matter, so why are you complaining? To be honest, Chairman Shi just has to make an appearance in public, whereas you¡¯ll have to sell your charm! I¡¯m relying on your stunning looks to make our small studio famous so people will stop trying to merge us with their companies!¡±

    Fang Xi had grabbed Yun Nan¡¯s chin as she spoke, so Yun Nan slapped her hand away. Fang Xi ignored her annoyed friend and turned to Shi Nian to ask,

    ¡°Chairman Shi, you¡¯re certain you want to participate in this reality show?¡±

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Please, call me Shi Nian.¡±

    Fang Xi smiled and gave him a meaningful look. Mika shouted to Yun Nan from another office a distance away, ¡°Yun Nan, come here for a moment!¡±

    Yun Nan hurriedly left the two and walked out. After she was gone, Fang Xi suddenly asked Shi Nian, ¡°Are you serious about Yun Nan?¡±

    When Shi Nian heard this, he knew Fang Xi knew the truth about his marriage with Yun Nan. He smiled and answered, ¡°I was serious from the beginning.¡±

    Fang Xi looked at Shi Nian in shock. Although she could tell Shi Nian had feelings for Yun Nan, she hadn¡¯t expected the man to admit it himself.

    Shi Nian smiled and said, ¡°She is smart and very perceptive, but she¡¯s sensitive and slow when feelings are involved.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Fang Xi inquired, curious..

 Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-One: Gratified

    Chapter 151: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-One: Gratified

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°She¡¯s always very sentimental towards the Yun family. They always manage to hurt her inadvertently because she cares too much about them. But towards anyone else, she automatically blocks herself emotionally away from them. It¡¯s her form of self-protection. I can¡¯t say she¡¯s wrong to do so; it¡¯s just¡­ She got things backward. Her relatives are the ones she should protect herself from,¡± Shi Nian frustratedly stated.

    Fang Xi was truly shocked at Shi Nian¡¯s words; she didn¡¯t expect Shi Nian to understand Yun Nan so thoroughly.

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll accompany, protect, and get her to gradually accept me,¡± Shi Nian said optimistically.

    ¡°Can I trust you?¡± Fang Xi asked solemnly after a long while. ¡°Shi Nian, have you truly fallen in love with Yun Nan? You won¡¯t leave her when your marriage contract ends in five years?¡±

    Shi Nian confidently chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be with her for much longer than five years.¡±

    Fang Xi had mixed feelings about this. Shi Nian knew she didn¡¯t trust him completely so he told her, ¡°Just wait and see.¡± He then strode out to look for

    Yun Nan.

    Staring at Shi Nian¡¯s back as he walked away, Fang Xi suddenly smiled and felt gratified for Yun Nan. ¡®It¡¯s fine,¡¯ she thought. ¡®If the guy is a man ofhis word, I¡¯ll definitely cheer for him. But ifhe mistreats Yun Nan, I won¡¯t be responsible for my actions. If that happens, I¡¯ll ruin him no matter what!¡¯

    The popularity of the live reality show ¡®Embracing Life was at an all-time high. Most of the viewers were Shi Xiu and Yun Liu¡¯s fans; the show¡¯s popularity soared higher and higher as these fans discussed and argued about their idols. Some people even managed to ¡®dig out¡¯ Xiao Zhao and Yan Tang¡¯s songs; many were amazed by them.

    Some of Si Kun and Mai Fen¡¯s classic dramas and movies were also dug out and made into all sorts of exciting short videos. Their acting skills were praised once again. The production team made a video compilation of Ji Fei¡¯s artistic works. They also found some of his now-famous disciples¡ªthey all left messages and shout-outs to cheer for their master. As for Hai Hua, the production team filmed a short video of a few business tycoons sending her their regards and cracking some jokes¡ªincluding Shi Nian.

    In the short video, Shi Nian faced the camera and said, ¡°Hai Hua, it¡¯s been a while. I¡¯ll definitely go visit you when I have the time.¡±

    The production team showed these short videos to the show¡¯s participants, and everyone watched them with great interest.

    ¡°Hai Hua, so you know my brother,¡± Shi Xiu remarked delightedly.

    Hai Hua glanced at her and replied, ¡°Yeah, I know Shi Nian, but I didn¡¯t know you before I came on this show! I knew the Shi family had a little princess very much treasured by her two brothers. I never could have expected the Shi family¡¯s little princess would actually come to such a place to raise chickens and feed ducks, rush to do all kinds of farmwork, and even join the entertainment industry. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re really Shi Nian¡¯s sister!¡±

    Shi Xiu giggled. ¡°Being the Shi family¡¯s little princess doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t do all those things. I joined the entertainment industry because my sister-in-law opened a door for me; I had a unique advantage, so I thought, ¡®Why not?¡±

    Shi Xiu was just like that. She would never deny or reject the fact that she was born with better opportunities than others, so netizens had no way to be acerbic about her family background even if they wanted to¡ªbefore anyone could say it, she straightforwardly stated she had the privilege of being born at a higher starting point than some people would ever achieve. That was how she is, so deal with it.

    Yan Tang asked Shi Xiu, ¡°Do you think your brother meant it when he said he¡¯ll visit Hai Hua? I¡¯m not interested in him, but I really want to meet your sister-in-law. She must be quite interesting.¡± Yan Tang had made no secret about her liking for Shi Xiu. She admired the girl¡¯s direct nature and was curious about the woman Shi Xiu looked up to.

    Shi Xiu nodded in approval. ¡°Yan Tang, you certainly have great insight. You¡¯ll definitely like my sister-in-law.¡±

    Yun Liu had been getting side-lined these days and was frustrated about the situation. When she heard Shi Xiu mention her sister-in-law, she couldn¡¯t help but inquire, ¡°Shi Xiu, don¡¯t you have two sisters-in-law? Which one is the one you like?¡±

    Shi Xiu turned around to look at her and smiled. ¡°Yun Liu, why would you ask something like that? Are you trying to stir up conflict between us sisters-in-law?¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s eyes darkened, and she put on a cautious and apologetic smile and said, ¡°T-that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±

    Everyone felt slightly awkward, but Shi Xiu smiled again and commented, ¡°I understand, Yun Liu. You were adopted into my sister-in-law¡¯s family, so nominally, you¡¯re her older sister. You never liked Yun Nan because you were afraid you¡¯d lose your family¡¯s favor with her in the picture. You¡¯re always thinking badly of her, but, actually, you needn¡¯t have worried. Yun Nan doesn¡¯t need to compete with you for her birth family¡¯s favor because our whole family dotes on her. My big sister-in-law, Xiang Yang, likes her too. How about that? Are you envious?¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s thunderous expression spoke volumes. Xiao Zhao inserted a finger into his ear and wiggled it as though that would clear his mind before saying, ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯ve been out of touch with society for many years, so I¡¯m a little confused about your relationship. What did you just say? You two¡­ you¡¯re related?¡±

    Shi Xiu didn¡¯t give Yun Liu a chance to speak and answered, ¡°Sort of. My sister-in-law, Yun Nan, is the Yun family¡¯s biological daughter. However, she went missinq when she was a kid, so the Yun familv adopted Yun Liu. MV brother, Shi Nian, has been engaged to the Yun family¡¯s daughter since he was a child, but because Yun Nan went missing, the Yun family wanted him to marry their adopted daughter instead.¡±

    ¡°However, my brother didn¡¯t want to marry her and kept putting off the marriage. That¡¯s why there were rumors that Yun Liu and my brother were engaged. It¡¯s actually a misunderstanding.. Later, Yun Nan found her way home, and she and my brother naturally got married!¡±

 Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter One -Hundred and Fifty-Two: Acting Skills

    Chapter 152: Chapter One -Hundred and Fifty-Two: Acting Skills

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Xiu smiled at Yun Liu after saying that. From Yun Liu¡¯s point of view, it was a blatant provocation. Yun Liu¡¯s expression darkened before she suddenly realized she was in front of the cameras and had no choice but to adopt a milder mien. Her bizarre behavior didn¡¯t go unnoticed.

    Yan Tang saw the entire exchange and asked Yun Liu with a smile, ¡°Oh, is that so? Yun Liu, you must have been quite aggrieved by those rumors back then. Tsk, that¡¯s how it is for us artistes. However, a little scandal here and there isn¡¯t a bad thing, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Yun Liu immediately looked embarrassed and helpless. Shi Xiu chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Yan Tang. At the time, Yun Liu had only acted in a few small roles and wasn¡¯t very popular yet, but her popularity rose quite a bit thanks to her scandal with my brother. My brother refuted the rumors several times until my mother later told him to forget it for the sake of the Yun family¡¯s reputation. She said Shi Nian is a grown man, so he should stop fussing about it. Fortunately, now that the news of my brother and Yun Nan¡¯s marriage has been made public, those rumors naturally fell apart.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s eyes reddened, and pearly tears ran down her cheeks. Mai Fen¡¯s heart went out to her, and she glanced at Yan Tang and Shi Xiu reproachfully before comforting Yun Liu, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s no big deal. In our line of work, people will inevitably gossip about us. It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t need to prove anything to anyone; the truth will speak for itself. Don¡¯t let their words bother you.¡±

    Yun Liu cried even harder. She took the tissue Ji Fei offered her and sobbed, ¡°Thank you, Ms. Mai Fen. I¡ªI was just so sad for a moment, I couldn¡¯t help myself¡­¡±

    Her words dissolved into cries, and then, looking as if she had something to get off her chest, Yun Liu sniffled, ¡°I-I was an orphan¡­ Mom and Dad adopted me from the orphanage¡­ and gave me a warm family. I-I¡¯m really¡­ really grateful to them¡­ I feel that¡­ I¡¯m the luckiest child in the world.¡±

    ¡°Although¡­ Although I was abandoned by my biological parents, but¡ªbut I have my adoptive parents¡­ I must work hard¡ªpush myself harder¡ªand make them proud of me¡­ make them feel that¡­ it was worth it¡­ adopting me back then¡­ That¡¯s why I¡¯ve never dared¡­ to slack off all these years¡­ I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯ll embarrass them¡­ I¡¯m afraid people will say that I¡¯m not like a child of the Yun family¡­¡± Yun Liu covered her mouth and began to sob in earnest.

    Mai Fen couldn¡¯t help but feel moved by Shi Xiu¡¯s words. She quickly patted her back and softly consoled, ¡°There, there, don¡¯t cry. Look at all you¡¯ve achieved. Aren¡¯t you quite popular now? You¡¯re already very outstanding. Your adoptive parents are definitely proud of you!¡±

    Yun Liu took the opportunity to lean into Mai Fen¡¯s arms and cry. Shi Xiu lowered her eyes and mentally sighed, ¡® Yun Liu is really something. I can see why Yun Nan always got set up by her. Yun Nan is no match for such a sly and treacherous vixen.¡¯

    ¡®But Tm a different story.¡¯ When Shi Xiu looked up once more, her face was filled with sympathy as she remarked, ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate your parents abandoned you, Yun Liu, but you¡¯re lucky you met the Yun family. Aunt and

    Uncle Yun and Yun Zhang all treat you so well. They treat you better than Yun Nan, and she¡¯s their biological daughter!¡±

    Yun Liu interrupted Shi Xiu and resentfully said, ¡°Shi Xiu, that¡¯s not true at all! My parents also treat Yun Nan extremely well. However, she has a bit of a temper. She¡­ probably doesn¡¯t like having someone unnecessary like me around. ¡±

    Shi Xiu smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not in a position to comment on whether you¡¯re an unnecessary person or not. But I think you¡¯re way off the mark when you say my sister-in-law has a bad temper. She has the best temper of anyone I know.¡±

    She looked at the others and stated, ¡°When we were filming, my sister-in-law accompanied us¡ªthe actors¡ªevery day. She never lost her temper whenever we weren¡¯t in the right mood, didn¡¯t act well, or had bad takes. She went through the scenes with us again and again. Her studio had just been established, and there was a shortage of manpower in all the departments. She ran around and gave out all sorts of help; she was forever worried her employees would be tired. She was always able to notice our moods and calm everyone down in time. Really, I¡¯ve never seen anyone who spoke ill of Yun

    Nan.¡±

    Yun Liu was so angry she could explode, but she didn¡¯t let it show. She only shrank into herself and whispered, ¡°Maybe¡­ Maybe Yun Nan just has a bad temper towards our family.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you might be right about that, Yun Liu. It would make sense that Yun Nan has a problem with your family. I mean, think about it; she was lost for so many years, and her adoptive parents never gave up on helping her find her biological parents. But what about her biological parents? They got themselves a substitute and never searched for her again. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s sad? Yun Nan is too good-tempered; if I were in her shoes, I would¡¯ve raised hell!¡± Shi Xiu seized the opening Yun Liu provided and took the chance to defend her sister-in-law again..

 Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Three: Sob Story

    Chapter 153: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Three: Sob Story

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu looked extremely aggrieved, but she kept quiet, acting as if she didn¡¯t want to say anything because she knew she couldn¡¯t outtalk Shi Xiu.

    Upon seeing this, Si Kun hurriedly smiled and said, ¡°Oh my, that sounds complicated. It seems to be quite the tale; I¡¯m really interested now. I¡¯d like to hear the whole story! It¡¯s exciting enough to be a novel. I wonder if it would be adapted into a film. I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡±

    Shi Xiu chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll ask my sister-in-law when I get back home. The movie I filmed¡ª1 4:30 P.M.¡¯¡ªwas adapted from her adoptive mother¡¯s real-life story that Yun Nan wrote. Don¡¯t worry; if Yun Nan doesn¡¯t write the screenplay, I¡¯ll urge our ace screenwriter to write it.¡±

    Yan Tang laughed and teased, ¡°Shi Xiu, I know people can have sister or brother complexes, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone with a sister- in-law complex! ¡±

    Shi Xiu giggled and shrugged. ¡°What can I say? Yun Nan is simply too outstanding! My big sister-in-law, Xiang Yang, is also outstanding. I can continue to show off if you¡¯re willing to listen.¡±

    Ji Fei suddenly commented, ¡°Xiang Yang is indeed a rare talent.¡±

    Shi Xiu grinned. ¡°See, even my master agrees with me. Master, Xiang Yang is going to hold a solo exhibition soon. Do you want to go and take a look?¡±

    Ji Fei smiled. ¡°That depends on whether she invites me or not.¡±

    ¡°Of course, she would! How could she not invite you?!¡± Shi Xiu exclaimed.

    Hai Hua chortled, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to your master; he¡¯s just                                                                                                            pretentious.

    Even if Xiang Yang didn¡¯t invite him, he would still go to support her.¡± Ji Fei smiled but said nothing¡ªa silent agreement to Hai Hua¡¯s words.

    And just like that, Yun Liu¡¯s complaint session was disrupted and passed over.

    Even Yun Liu began to suspect the Shi family was behind this show. They let Shi Xiu steal all the limelight but kept suppressing her at every turn. ¡®Everyone is suppressing me,¡¯ Yun Liu mentally grumbled.

    Yun Liu was so angry she wanted to lose her temper then and there. She held her anger back and decided to find an opportunity to call Tan Ning tonight. She wanted to see if Tan Ning could get rid of these clowns and replace them with normal people with clean backgrounds.

    [Oh, Yun Liu! My poor Yun Liu! She had such a bitter life!]

    [Don¡¯t be ridiculous. How can this be considered a bitter life? Our Yun Liu must have saved the world in her previous life; that¡¯s why she¡¯s lucky enough to be adopted by the Yun family in this life and able to have such a good upbringing and resources.]

    [Yeah, you¡¯re right! Our Yun Liu saved the entire world in her previous life!]

    [Oh my god! Do fans these days not have brains? Can¡¯t you tell she¡¯s a nefarious schemer? She didn¡¯t directly say anything about Director Yun, but she was scolding her with every word she said! You guys seriously can¡¯t tell?]

    [Of course, we could. What of it? Just ignore Yun Liu and her fans; why bother caring about such an ungrateful and heartless woman? All that will do is increase her online traffic. Even controversial celebrities can become famous nowadays. Fellow Shi Xiu fans, don¡¯t be fooled by this woman!]

    [That¡¯s right! We should focus on our little angel, Shi Xiu. She¡¯s the truly lucky one; she was born in a blessed home. Only a child who grew up loved can be as open and forthright as our angel, Shi Xiu!]

    [To be honest, I also want to meet our little Shi Xiu¡¯s sisters-in-law. They sound like the happiest family in the universe¡ªso much so that it doesn¡¯t feel real.]

    [Yeah! I want to see her sisters-in-law.] [We want to see Xiang Yang and Yun Nan!]

    [We want to see Xiang Yang and Yun Nan!]

    [Are you guys Internet trolls? What a huge commotion! How many of you did

    Shi Xiu hire? How shameless. Playing dirty because she¡¯s afraid of losing! ]

    [Sure, sure. Whatever you say. You guys throw out a sob story when you¡¯re in over your head and accuse others of hiring Internet trolls when you¡¯ve lost the argument.]

    [I realize all the show¡¯s guests seem to have some connection with Shi Xiu; Ji Fei is her master, Hai Hua knows her brother, and even Yun Liu is related to her sister-in-law! With such a powerful background, calling her ¡®heaven¡¯s favored daughter¡¯ is truly not an exaggeration. However, I like her because she¡¯s her, not because of her family background. Haha, does anyone understand what I¡¯m saying?]

    [Previous Commentor, what you said was classic. I also like Shi Xiu because she is who she is. I like her honesty and sincerity. She dares to speak her thoughts and do what she wants.]

    [That¡¯s right. She¡¯s much better than those who try to please everyone and smooth things over. Anyone can tell that Shi Xiu and Yun Liu are competing with each other. However, only the best will win. I, for one, support Shi Xiu!]

    [Our little Yun Liu doesn¡¯t care about such boring competitions. She doesn¡¯t need to win such things to prove she¡¯s the best and prettiest!]

    [Oh, stop blowing hot air out of your *ss. Best and prettiest? Hah! How is she pretty? Do you find fake crying pretty? I don¡¯t see what there is to cry about, really.]

    More and more, the style of the back-and-forth comments on the Internet was starting to resemble Xu Yun and Tan Ning¡¯s..

 Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Four: A Lesson

    Chapter 154: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Four: A Lesson

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    For the show, these comments and responses couldn¡¯t be better. The show will only get more interesting with these conflicts and confrontations.

    As opposed to Yun Liu¡¯s anxious distress, Shi Xiu was in a much better mood. She was busy taking care of her little animal friends early in the morning.

    Yun Liu was dressed neatly and elegantly as she inattentively wiped the tables and set the chairs. She has to portray herself as a hardworking and capable person. She can¡¯t lose to Shi Xiu! However, she truly didn¡¯t know how to¡ªor want to¡ªdo the things that Shi Xiu did.

    Mai Fen noticed Yun Liu¡¯s behavior and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡®This young lady is still a little lacking. She won¡¯t go far ifshe continues like this.¡¯

    She wanted to help Yun Liu out of kindness, so she walked to Yun Liu¡¯s table and sat down. Yun Liu greeted her obediently, ¡°Good morning, Ms. Mai.¡±

    Mai Fen greeted her with a smile. Yun Liu returned her smile while she swept the rag in her hand across the table and ended up sweeping the vase on the table to the ground.

    ¡°Oh, no! ¡± Yun Liu exclaimed. Mai Fen quickly bent down and picked up the vase. It was Shi Xiu¡¯s first carving¡ªthe wooden vase she¡¯d carved not long ago.

    ¡°What should I do? What should I do? Ms. Mai, please back me up! I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡± Yun Liu was so anxious she couldn¡¯t stand still.

    Mai Fen carefully examined the vase and said, ¡°Fortunately, it¡¯s made of wood. It¡¯s fine; Shi Xiu can fix it. If she can¡¯t, we¡¯ll let Mr. Ji will fix it.¡±

    Yun Liu immediately started to cry. ¡°It was an accident. I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I know how this looks; nobody will believe me if I say this was an accident. There are already fans online who say that I bullied and targeted Shi Xiu, and now, after this incident, people will only believe that even more. Ms.

    Mai, you have to help me tell them; I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡±

    Mai Fen frowned. Yun Liu instantly began to sob quietly and tightly gripped the rag she held in her hands. She was seemingly so scared that she didn¡¯t dare say a word¡ªshe was the very picture of a bullied child.

    At that moment, Shi Xiu came bouncing in her overalls, saying, ¡°Good morning, Ms. Mai, Yun Liu! Hey, why are you crying?¡±

    Shi Xiu looked at Mai Fen and asked, ¡°Ms. Mai, are you giving Yun Liu acting lessons? Ooh, me too! I want to learn too!¡±

    Shi Xiu appeared to be jubilant at the thought, and when she turned around and saw Yan Tang and Ji Fei walking over, she quickly called out to them, ¡°Hurry up and come to class!¡± Mai Fen didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry at her antics.

    Seeing that Yun Liu was still crying, Shi Xiu lowered her voice and inquired, ¡°Are we learning how to cry on demand today? Ms. Mai, I¡¯m especially bad at crying scenes. I really do need a lesson in that.¡±

    Yan Tang and Ji Fei came in, followed by Hai Hua. Mai Fen didn¡¯t answer Shi Xiu¡¯s question. Instead, she composed herself, turned to Yun Liu, and said, ¡°Since you didn¡¯t do it on purpose, why don¡¯t you just apologize? The misunderstanding will only grow if you keep crying like this.¡± Mai Fen¡¯s voice was cool and detached, without any of its usual friendliness.

    Everyone was stunned and looked at Yun Liu. Yun Liu secretly gritted her teeth, but when she raised her head, she had a panicked look on her face. ¡°Shi Xiu, I-I¡¯m sorry. I-I accidentally knocked your vase off the table. I-I might have¡­ might have chipped it¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes fell on the vase in Mai Fen¡¯s hands.

    Shi Xiu took the vase, looked it over, and smilingly reassured Yun Liu, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s something expensive. If I can¡¯t fix it, I¡¯ll just carve another one. I¡¯ll treat it as practice. Isn¡¯t that right, Master?¡±

    She handed the vase to Ji Fei, who took it and inspected the vase¡¯s chipped lip. He chuckled and teased Mai Fen, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you scolded the child for such a small matter?¡±

    Mai Fen gave Yun Liu a meaningful look. Yun Liu lowered her eyes and subtly retreated, secretly trying to think of a countermeasure.

    Yan Tang smiled. ¡°Mai Fen obviously wouldn¡¯t blame Yun Liu for such a small matter. She knows it¡¯s not a big deal. Besides, Shi Xiu isn¡¯t someone who would fuss over such things. However, we don¡¯t know what happened and only saw Yun Liu crying, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that we would blame Mai Fen. Mai Fen, were you trying to console Yun Liu?¡±

    Mai Fen smiled back at Yan Tang. With her experience and qualifications, she didn¡¯t need to explain herself. However, this little scheme had crossed her line.

    She looked at Yun Liu pointedly and said lightly, ¡®Yun Liu, how do you know the fans are saying that you¡¯re bullying Shi Xiu?¡±

    Yun Liu abruptly raised her head, glanced at Mai Fen, and swiftly lowered her head. Her palms were sweating.

    Yan Tang raised her voice and questioned, ¡°The fans said that? Yun Liu, How do you know what the fans are saying?

    Hai Hua had already found herself a seat and sat down.. When she heard this, she asked, ¡°Yun Liu¡­ You have another phone, don¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Five: Surprise

    Chapter 155: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Five: Surprise

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    That was the only possible answer. All of them had handed in their cell phones.

    Ever since they went on the show, the participants had relied on their respective managers, assistants, and the show¡¯s production team to pass on information; these were the only contacts they had with the outside world. This was to ensure that the participants wouldn¡¯t be affected by the outside world¡ªby the online comments. No one had thought to keep another phone on hand because those were the rules.

    Shi Xiu suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Master, I¡¯ll carve another vase. I want to give one to everyone¡ª¡±

    Mai Fen interrupted her. ¡°Shi Xiu, there¡¯s no need to change the topic.¡± She then told Yun Liu indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s your own business if you don¡¯t abide by the rules. I have no obligation to discipline you. However, you¡¯ve gone too far. As your senior, I feel compelled to reprimand you.¡±

    ¡°Putting aside whether or not you knocked Shi Xiu¡¯s vase off on purpose, let¡¯s just talk about what you said after the incident. You said there are fans already saying that you were bullying and targeting Shi Xiu, and you want me to be your witness. You were actually trying to make me think that Shi Xiu was bullying you, and you¡¯re powerless against her because you can¡¯t afford to offend her, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    Mai Fen¡¯s expression was harsh as she continued, ¡°You saw that I didn¡¯t fall for your trick; you wanted to convince me, so you tried to use your tears to gain my sympathy. But your plan backfired when everyone unexpectedly showed up and saw you crying. They thought I was bullying you; you ended up pushing me away instead of winning me over. You¡¯re quite upset about that, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Yun Liu could only cry softly and put on a pitiful look of helplessness as she bitterly kept silent. Since Si Kun and Xiao Zhao¡ªthe two people best at mediating¡ªweren¡¯t present, Shi Xiu, as the ¡®accused party,¡¯ couldn¡¯t say anything else.

    Hai Hua put a cup of tea before Mai Fen and lightly stated, ¡°The lesson is over. Have some tea; it¡¯ll help moisten your throat.¡± She placed a hand on Mai Fen¡¯s shoulder and squeezed slightly.

    Mai Fen finally picked up the teacup and took a sip before saying, ¡°Thank you.¡± Then, she spoke to Yun Liu, ¡°I see myself as your senior, so I might have said more than I should have; I hope you don¡¯t mind. Now, dry your tears and go about your business.¡±

    Yun Liu nodded reluctantly, covered her mouth, and ran away crying. She acted like she¡¯d just suffered the world¡¯s greatest injustice, and everyone present felt depressed as they watched her receding figure. They looked at each other but couldn¡¯t say anything.

    Activity at the front door broke the awkward situation. Xiao Zhao¡¯s excited voice rang out. ¡°We have guests!¡±

    They all looked towards the door. ¡°Ah!¡± Shi Xiu exclaimed and rushed over. She hugged Yun Nan and jumped up and down in delight. ¡°Yun Nan! Yun Nan! Why are you here?¡±

    Yun Nan laughed and patted her head. ¡°I¡¯m here to see if you¡¯ve been naughty.¡±

    Shi Xiu smiled and said in honeyed tones. ¡°I have absolutely not been naughty!

    I promised I wouldn¡¯t embarrass you guys, hehe!¡±

    Someone suddenly tugged her hair, and Shi Nian¡¯s voice sounded above her. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me, you brat!¡± Shi Nian had been waiting for Shi Xiu¡¯s delighted hug. He didn¡¯t expect the girl to only have eyes for her sister-in-law, so he could only tug at her hair to remind her of his presence.

    Shi Xiu still leaned against Yun Nan as she rescued her hair from Shi Nian¡¯s grasp and pulled a face at her brother. She then pulled Yun Nan along, eager to introduce her to everyone else.

    As the oldest resident of Wu Wei Residence, Si Kun was the first to welcome their guests. Xiao Zhao¡¯s childhood friend, Le Chao, had also come along with Shi Nian and Yun Nan. He was a famous musician and artist and was also friends with Yan Tang.

    They all introduced themselves to each other and exchanged pleasantries. Yun Nan respected Si Kun and Mai Fen very much; she treated them as her seniors and was extremely courteous and respectful towards them, making them feel a little embarrassed but also quite happy.

    Xiao Zhao was all geared up and announced that he would prepare lunch to welcome their guests. However, they were given instructions by the production team; some of the vegetables in their garden were ripe and needed picking. There wasn¡¯t enough manpower with just the residents, so they recruited the newly joined guests as well.

    Yun Nan volunteered to cook. Xiao Zhao was momentarily surprised at her choice before he concluded, ¡®She¡¯s the wife ofa chairman and a famous director, so we can¡¯t make her do menial work. However, if we let her cook.. Everyone would be forced to go hungry after working hard for halfa day if she¡¯s not as good a cook as she fancies herself to be.¡¯

    With that in mind, Xiao Zhao suggested to Mai Fen, ¡°Why don¡¯t you cook together with Director Yun?¡± He trusted Mai Fen; she was staid, so at least there wouldn¡¯t be any mistakes with her around.

    Yun Nan could read Xiao Zhao¡¯s thoughts and didn¡¯t expose them. She went along with the suggestion and remarked, ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we work together and cook them a meal this time, Mai Fen?¡±

    Due to the unpleasant scene with Yun Liu just now, Mai Fen didn¡¯t want to go out with the others, so she readily agreed. Only then did Xiao Zhao realize that Yun Liu wasn¡¯t around and hurriedly asked, ¡°Hey, where¡¯s Yun Liu?¡±

    No one responded. Yan Tang coughed lightly and glanced at Xiao Zhao. After the show¡¯s director explained to Xiao Zhao what had happened that morning through his in-ear monitors, Xiao Zhao said a little frustratedly, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go distribute the tools and invite the young miss out for a walk while we¡¯re at

    it..¡±

 Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Six: Division of Labor

    Chapter 156: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Six: Division of Labor

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Hai Hua was also slightly worried about leaving the cooking to Mai Fen and Yun. ¡°How about I stay and help wash the vegetables?¡± she offered.

    Ji Fei chuckled, ¡°Even Chairman Shi has to pick vegetables with us, so you don¡¯t get to back out of it.¡±

    Hai Hua sighed helplessly and asked, ¡°Shi Nian, why don¡¯t you stay and wash the vegetables?¡±

    Shi Nian quickly waved his hand. ¡°No, no. Yun Nan has always found me a hindrance when she cooks. I¡¯d be better off doing something that¡¯s within my ability.¡±

    The others were surprised. They hadn¡¯t thought Yun Nan really knew how to cook, but judging from Shi Nian¡¯s words, she had cooked for him before. However, they thought Yun Nan only made simple meals when the couple was at home, so they didn¡¯t think too much about it.

    Yun Liu was shocked to see Yun Nan and the others when she came out. Tan Ning hadn¡¯t informed her that the show would be inviting guests in advance. It was clear that Tan Ning didn¡¯t know about this. She hadn¡¯t expected the production team to really take the audience¡¯s opinions into account.

    Yun Liu wasn¡¯t mentally prepared to meet Yun Nan and Shi Nian, so she hurriedly put on a defensive and pitiful mien. ¡°Hey sis, Shi Nian, why are you two here?¡±

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t say anything. Yun Nan detachedly replied, ¡°I¡¯m here to see if Shi Xiu has caused any trouble.¡± After saying that, she looked away as if she didn¡¯t want to talk any further.

    Yun Liu¡¯s eyes reddened again as she murmured, ¡°You¡¯re so nice to Shi Xiu.¡± Her hurt expression was enough for everyone to understand that Yun Nan treated this non-blood-related sister of hers very badly and caused her a lot of grievances.

    Mai Fen didn¡¯t want to bother with Shi Xiu any longer and urged, ¡°It¡¯ll be noon soon. It¡¯ll be blazing hot out if you guys don¡¯t go now. Be careful not to get sunburnt!¡±

    Hearing this, Yun Liu hurriedly returned to her room to get sunblock spray before the group finally set out.

    Yun Liu walked beside Shi Nian, and her heart beat wildly as she tried to engage him in small talk. ¡°Shi Nian, how did you find the time to come here? Won¡¯t participating in a show like this affect you?¡±

    ¡°Shi Xiu!¡± Shi Nian frowned and loudly chastised, ¡°Can¡¯t you watch your step when you¡¯re walking?¡±

    Shi Xiu turned around and saw Yun Liu walking beside Shi Nian and looking at him with adoration. She sighed under her breath, ¡°She¡¯s such an annoyance.¡±

    She then merrily ran back and squeezed in between them, pushing Shi Xiu out of the way in the process. Shi Xiu looped her arm around Shi Nian¡¯s and joked, ¡°Grandpa, do you need help walking there?¡±

    Shi Nian glared at her and huffed, ¡°Up to you. Besides, you¡¯ll beg for my help a lot in the future.¡±

    Shi Xiu immediately beamed with joy. ¡°Aye, aye, dear brother of mine. I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m very obedient, and my service is great!¡±

    The two siblings talked and laughed as they walked on, forcing Yun Liu to the sidelines. Yan Tang, who had been walking with Shi Xiu before, deliberately slowed down so she could walk together with Yun Liu. She sighed and said, ¡°Those two siblings have such a good relationship.¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t speak. Yan Tang continued, ¡°Shi Xiu¡¯s sister-in-law also treats her well. She¡¯s truly a lucky child. Children who grow up in such loving families lead good lives.¡± Yan Tang¡¯s tone carried a hint of envy as she spoke.

    She was an orphan and grew up alone; she was also often betrayed by the people close to her, so she didn¡¯t trust interpersonal relationships, but now, she seemed to have found hope in Shi Xiu.

    Yun Liu, however, thought Yan Tang was mocking her and sneered, ¡°Yan Tang, you can¡¯t even compare to me, so why must you come and take a dig at me? I know you all don¡¯t like me. After all, who would want to miss out on a chance to curry favor with the rich and powerful?¡±

    After saying that, she grabbed her tools and hurried after the rest of the group, leaving Yan Tang behind, on her own. Yan Tang was bewildered, ¡®Did I say something wrong? Why is she so angry?

    The harvesting process was broadcast live, and Shi Xiu was constantly on guard and stuck to Shi Nian¡¯s side to prevent Yun Liu from getting close to her brother. However, she was also very excited; it was the first time she¡¯d picked ripe vegetables and fruits. She was so thrilled she laughed and acted like a child. Her laughter filled the whole live broadcast.

    [What¡¯s there to get so delighted about? It¡¯s just tomatoes. Why are you so excited?]

    [This certainly illustrates the gap between the rich and poor. It¡¯s funny seeing the princess come down from her pedestal; she¡¯s actually so excited about such an ordinary thing.]

    [So, people of all social classes should try to learn more about the world around them.]

    [Isn¡¯t this normal? We all know Little Shi Xiu comes from an extremely privileged background. She¡¯s bound to be ignorant of the world¡¯s hardships because she doesn¡¯t need to know. However, now she¡¯s a part of it; she¡¯d quickly adapted and blended in with everyone! Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a rare thing?]

    [When I was a child, I was as happy as she was when I saw these cucumbers and tomatoes. I think she¡¯s very authentic, and her happiness isn¡¯t faked.]

    [That¡¯s right. She¡¯s better than those young ladies who just stand at the edge of the fields and daren¡¯t go in, isn¡¯t that right? Those young ladies only know how to act coy and timid; she¡¯s even afraid of insects and leaves.. So pretentious!]

 Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty- Seven: Work

    Chapter 157: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty- Seven: Work

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    [Who are you calling coy and pretentious? Our Yun Liu is a bona fide heiress. She doesn¡¯t need to know any of this in her entire life! Why must she experience these things? She doesn¡¯t have to if she doesn¡¯t want to! She has the right to reject things that don¡¯t belong or pertain to her world!]

    [Yeah! Celebrities can spoil their fans but shouldn¡¯t give in and pander to their fans. That¡¯s our Yun Liu¡¯s principle. She doesn¡¯t need to listen to your demands; she only needs to do her own thing!]

    [I can¡¯t believe that a wealthy and aristocratic heiress like Shi Xiu is actually willing to demean herself and do this kind of farm work to stand out and attract attention. She¡¯s certainly putting a lot of effort into this! Very hardworking¡­ Hey, could the Shi family be a fake wealthy family? Hahahaha!]

    [Wow! Even the daughter of a wealthy family needs popularity. We live in an era where popularity is king, and no one is immune to it.]

    [Our Yun Liu won¡¯t bow down to streaming numbers. She will only stay true to herself!]

    [Oh my God, are you guys for real? How¡¯s your teeth? They must be in quite a sorry state, considering how much you all like lying through them! You know you¡¯ll pay for your lies one day, right?]

    [How to explain what a two-faced green tea is¡­ There¡¯s no need for me to explain; you only have to look at your idol Yun Liu. She¡¯s the perfect example.] [Who are you calling green tea? You and your entire family are all green tea!] The netizens were busy arguing back and forth on the Internet while the show¡¯s guests were busy picking ripe fruits and vegetables. None of the people present had any experience in harvesting, so the show¡¯s production team specifically invited some local villagers to guide them.

    Therefore, even Shi Xiu¡ªwho was making a racket with all her yelling and exclamations¡ªmanaged to complete quite a number of tasks.

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t go down into the fields, partly because she wanted to keep up her wealthy heiress image and partly because she really couldn¡¯t make herself do this kind of work. She was left at the side of the fields to take inventory of the fruits of their labor.

    Everyone¡¯s faces were covered in sweat and dirt when they were done. Their faces were muddy, never mind their makeup. Shi Nian¡¯s beige-colored casual clothes were also stained with mud and water, but he still looked outstanding despite his sorry state.

    Most importantly, everyone was having a great time. They felt a sense of accomplishment when they looked at the various vegetables they harvested.

    The villagers had provided them with three wheelbarrows. After several times of loading and overturning the wheelbarrows, they finally mastered the usage of the wheelbarrows and transported the vegetables home.

    The first wheelbarrow to arrive home was Si Kun and Ji Fei¡¯s. As soon as they entered the door, they saw Mai Fen carrying food from the kitchen to the dining table outside. She was pleasantly surprised and excited to see them. ¡°You¡¯re finally back,¡± she said. ¡°We were just getting worried!¡±

    Xiao Zhao, Hai Hua, Yun Liu, and the newcomer, Le Chao, had followed right behind Si Kun and Ji Fei with the second wheelbarrow, so they heard Mai Fen¡¯s comment.

    Xiao Zhao¡¯s heart sank. He was worried that he wouldn¡¯t have any food to eat after returning home from such exhausting labor and would have to cook for them in his tired state. He hurriedly asked, ¡°Worried? About what? What¡¯s wrong? Give me a moment to catch my breath. I¡¯ll make lunch right away. I¡¯ll cook some noodles if lunch is a bust.¡±

    In his distraction, his wheelbarrow toppled amid cries of surprise. Le Chao sighed and tried his best to hold the wheelbarrow upright while grumbling at Xiao Zhao, ¡°When will you stop worrying? You¡¯re always fretting about this and that and trying to solve every problem you see! Yan Tang, you have to keep him on a leash. He¡¯ll run himself ragged! You¡¯re not a Superman, Xiao Zhao!¡±

    Yan Tang ¡®added insult to injury¡¯ by teasing, ¡°He¡¯s not Superman. He¡¯s a Buddha who came down to the mortal world with a mission to save all living beings!¡± Le Chao laughed so hard he couldn¡¯t stand straight.

    Shi Nian, Shi Xiu, and Yan Tang brought in the third and last wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow wobbled and shook but managed to reach their destination without mishap. After carefully putting away the wheelbarrows full of fruits and vegetables, everyone turned to save the veggies and fruits that had spilled out of Xiao Zhao¡¯s wheelbarrow.

    Xiao Zhao didn¡¯t have time for his friends¡¯ jokes. He was anxious to see what state the kitchen was in, so he quickly strode towards the kitchen, dragging his partner, Si Kun, with him along the way.

    Si Kun was of the same mind as Xiao Zhao. They both thought they would have to make lunch and were prepared to do so. However, they didn¡¯t get that far. They stood agape at the dining table in the courtyard. The table was filled with dishes¡ªall sorts of food were laid out before them in large amounts.

    They were stunned. Mai Fen came out, carrying bowls of rice, and knew what they were thinking when she saw their expressions. She laughed merrily and said, ¡°Why are you two still staring at the food? I¡¯ve taste- tested them for you; I guarantee you¡¯ll be satisfied! Go take a shower and change your clothes, then hurry up and come over for lunch!¡±

    She also instructed the others to quickly clean up so they could eat. Everyone who passed by the dining table exclaimed in surprise before they swiftly ran to clean themselves up, afraid they wouldn¡¯t have food if they were late.

    Yun Liu¡¯s eyes flashed, and she looked toward the kitchen but didn¡¯t see Yun Nan. Her mind was filled with doubts and conjectures. When Yun Liu came out after taking a shower and changing her clothes, everyone except Shi Nian and

    Yun Nan were already seated.

    Shi Xiu was saying, ¡°My brother is a moron when it comes to day-to-day skills.

    Without my sister-in-law, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to find his own clothes!¡±

    Footsteps came from behind Yun Liu. ¡°Are you saying bad things about me again?¡± Shi Nian came out hand-in-hand with Yun Nan and admonished his sister.

    Shi Xiu pulled a face at her brother and told Yun Nan, ¡°You should¡¯ve left him to his own devices, Yun Nan. That way, he won¡¯t be able to find any of his clothes and thus be unable to come out for dinner.. You¡¯ll starve, Shi Nian! How about that!¡±

 Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Eight: Delicious

    Chapter 158: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Eight: Delicious

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan smiled and said nothing. Shi Nian patted her head and then ruffled her hair. The two of them didn¡¯t need to announce their love or say anything; the others could tell they were a loving couple just from their conversation. Coupled with the easy, calm, and peaceful expressions they exchanged between them, they made a beautiful picture together.

    Xiao Zhao was the first to speak up. ¡°Director Yun, this is amazing! I can¡¯t believe you actually made all these dishes. It really blew my mind! You¡¯re incredible! Amazing!¡± Xiao Zhao gave her a thumbs up.

    Si Kun also chimed in, ¡°To be honest, the two of us were slightly worried about how lunch would turn out; we were prepared to cook noodles for everyone when we came back, but we didn¡¯t expect to see such a feast spread out before us when we returned. Just look at this selection of food! There are meats and veggies, cold dishes and hot dishes, foods stir-fried and braised. Even Xiao

    Zhao and I don¡¯t have the skills to make all this. I¡¯m impressed, Director Yun. Thank you for your hard work today!¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°You can just call me Yun Nan. Why don¡¯t we all try the food and see if it tastes good?¡±

    Hearing that, everyone started eating. Immediately after, a series of ¡°wow¡±s could be heard.

    ¡°This is so delicious!¡±

    ¡°Oh my god, you have to try the pork ribs. They¡¯re so tasty! Xiao Zhao, they¡¯re better than yours!¡±

    ¡°Try the beef! It¡¯s so tender and smooth!¡±

    Yun Nan silently scooped a bowl of soup for Shi Nian amidst the praises. She made it a routine for Shi Nian to drink soup before meals to nourish his stomach.

    Shi Xiu didn¡¯t care about such things. She picked up a chicken wing and started eating. As she ate, she mumbled, ¡°1 wasn¡¯t lying when I said my sister-in-law is a great cook. Yun Nan is amazing, isn¡¯t she? She also makes beautiful dumplings; they come in all kinds of shapes!¡±

    Shi Xiu shared her sister-in-law¡¯s qualities with childish glee. Yun Nan reached across Shi Nian to pat Shi Xiu before she smilingly chided, ¡°Eat properly! Don¡¯t talk with your mouth full!¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Shi Xiu responded and focused on demolishing the chicken wings.

    Yan Tang praised, ¡°No wonder Shi Xiu is so proud when she mentions you, Yun Nan. If I had a sister-in-law like you, I would show off even more than she did.¡±

    Yun Nan picked up the stir-fried Chinese kale before her with the serving chopsticks and placed it in Yan Tang¡¯s bowl, remarking, ¡°Yan Tang, I remember you have a song called ¡®Kale Without Garlic.¡¯ I made this dish especially for you.¡±

    Yan Tang was stunned. ¡°You¡¯ve heard my songs?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and nodded. ¡°My family used to run a small restaurant in town.

    We had speakers at the entrance. My dad likes to listen to folk music so¡­ Yan Tang, Xiao Zhao, and Le Chao, I listened to your music every day. I don¡¯t know all the lyrics, but I can hum along.¡± The three music artists felt moved when they heard that.

    ¡®Your family owned a small restaurant?¡± Si Kun asked curiously. ¡°Aren¡¯t they¡ªI¡® He stared at Yun Liu, who was silently and timidly eating her food.

    ¡°Oh, I mean my adoptive parents,¡± Yun Nan replied frankly.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so great at cooking because your family used to run a restaurant, right?¡± Xiao Zhao stated in realization.

    Yun Nan nodded and laughed. ¡°Yeah. When I was young, I would do my homework in the shop after school. After I finished my homework, I would help my parents out. My parents said their fatigue would disappear whenever they saw me. Therefore, my childhood dream was to grow up quickly and learn to cook so my parents could take a break.¡±

    Yun Nan spoke very candidly. Everyone could see the nostalgia on her face as she talked about her childhood. Shi Nian placed some food into her bowl, and Yun Nan automatically ate them before she turned around and smiled at him.

    Yun Nan had Shi Xiu¡¯s sweetness as well as Yun Liu¡¯s elegance, but her composed and concise charm was something those two couldn¡¯t match. Her bright light couldn¡¯t be masked in the slightest, even by the dazzling Shi Nian sitting beside her. She could make people feel calm and happy just by sitting there; everyone had a good impression of her.

    ¡°You said they ¡®used to¡¯ run a restaurant, so what are they doing now?¡± Hai Hua asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t take over their small restaurant. Are they retired?¡±

    Yun Nan gave her a faint smile and lowered her eyes as she answered, ¡°They¡¯re gone. ¡±

    Everyone fell silent at that. Le Chao softly remarked, ¡°I can relate¡­ I used to think that I could give my parents the best life when I became successful. However, they¡­ passed away before I managed to achieve anything. As the saying goes, ¡®time and tide wait for no man,¡¯ so those of you who still have parents around should really visit them more often, love them, and cherish them. You don¡¯t want to have regrets. If I had the chance to choose again, I would choose to stay with my parents and enjoy my time with them.¡±

    Yun Nan grabbed her cup and gently touched it to Le Chao¡¯s before taking a sip from it. She was the one who¡¯d started the topic; she didn¡¯t want the mood to get too somber, so she smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. They¡¯re all watching over us from the heavens. They¡¯ll be glad as long as we live our lives in earnest..¡±

 Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Nine: Finding Faults and Picking Fights

    Chapter 159: Chapter One-Hundred and Fifty-Nine: Finding Faults and Picking Fights

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Everyone nodded.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you should go home and visit our parents more often, Yun Nan. They miss you,¡± Yun Liu said softly.

    Yun Nan was picking up some veggies with her chopsticks when she heard this and paused for a moment. The green veggies slipped off and happened to fall onto Shi Nian¡¯s plate.

    Yun Nan was about to apologize when Shi Nian picked up the veggies and ate them, saying, ¡°I know, I know. I should eat more veggies. Don¡¯t worry, honey.

    I¡¯m very obedient. See, I ate my veggies.¡±

    Shi Xiu covered her eyes and complained, ¡°Stop spoiling him like this, will you,

    Yun Nan? We¡¯re here to eat food, not watch you two¡¯s public display of affection.¡±

    Everyone laughed, and Yun Liu¡¯s words were ignored. Yun Nan didn¡¯t even bother looking at her.

    Yun Liu gripped her chopsticks so tightly her knuckles turned white. She sighed heavily, quieting the crowd¡¯s laughter, and stated, ¡°You guys might laugh at this, but I¡¯ll share it anyway. My parents are Yun Nan¡¯s biological parents, but she never set foot in the kitchen since she returned to our family. I never thought I¡¯d be so lucky to be able to eat Yun Nan¡¯s food when even my parents had never had her cooking. We didn¡¯t even know she could cook.

    *Sigh* You treat others better than your own family, Yun Nan. What would Mom and Dad think?

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t even have to imagine the deluge of nasty comments the netizens must be scolding her with on the live broadcast bullet screen. ¡®She sure does love using smear tactics,¡¯ Yun Nan thought.

    She glanced at Yun Liu and detachedly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember, Yun Liu? The Yun family kicked me out of the house and disowned me. I¡¯m no longer a member of your family. ¡±

    Yun Liu frantically put down her chopsticks. ¡°What do you mean, Yun Liu? I Imow you have conflicts with Yun Zhang; I admit that Yun Zhang and Mother are slightly partial towards me, but they never said anything about kicking you out! They missed you so much when you went missing for so many years¡­ You¡ªyou can¡¯t accuse them like this!¡±

    Yun Liu looked pitiful as tears welled up in her eyes and threatened to fall. Mai Fen frowned; she only just realized that despite this girl¡¯s poor acting performance in movies, Yun Liu was a master actress in real life.

    Before Yun Nan could speak, Mai Fen cut in and said, ¡°Yun Nan, I¡¯m very curious about you and your past. Shi Xiu told us a little about it, but you know how flighty she is. She only gave us bits and pieces here and there; it was confusing, and we never got the whole story, so why don¡¯t you tell us? I hope you don¡¯t mind us eating while we listen to your story.¡±

    Yun Liu froze. Yun Nan nodded gratefully at Mai Fen. ¡°My past isn¡¯t all that interesting; it¡¯s just a normal story. But if you guys are willing to listen, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±

    Yan Tang agreed and joked, ¡°I want to clean my ears before listening to your story, but your food is so delicious I couldn¡¯t bear to leave. I¡¯m afraid that if I leave, Xiao Zhao and Le Chao will eat everything!¡±

    Everyone chuckled, and tensions eased. Shi Nian handed Yun Nan a drink to help moisten her throat. Yun Nan smiled as she accepted it and took a sip.

    Yan Tang covered her eyes and mock-grumbled, ¡°Like Shi Xiu said, enough with the PDAs already!¡±

    Shi Xiu covered her mouth and laughed. Yun Nan felt a little embarrassed; she quickly changed the topic and began to tell her story. ¡°When I was four years old, my whole family went to an ancient town for a vacation, and then I got separated from my parents. I met my adoptive parents, and they took me everywhere to look for my family. I was very young back then and couldn¡¯t express myself clearly, but even so, my adoptive parents took me all over town ¡ªand even the areas around the town¡ªto help me search for my parents, but to no avail.¡±

    ¡°They called the police and returned to where they found me. They waited there for half a month, but there was still no news, so they decided to stay in that ancient town and opened a small restaurant in the area where they found me.

    They made a living there while waiting for my parents to come looking for me.

    Thus, I grew up in that small town, in that small restaurant.¡±

    ¡°My dad was a skilled cook, so our restaurant had good business. That area was a tourist attraction, so our customers were mostly tourists. Later, due to external reasons, fewer tourists came to visit, and the restaurant¡¯s business suffered. However, my parents still made enough to support our family. They were very optimistic people, so we lived quite happily despite the town¡¯s gradual decline.¡±

    ¡°The people in that small town were simple and kind. Even though they knew about my background¡ªknew that I was adopted¡ªno one used it to discriminate against me or bully me. I was a happy child, so I wasn¡¯t all that keen on finding my biological parents. My mom would often lecture me for my unfilial attitude and say how sad my biological parents must be, having lost

    me..¡±

 Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty: Her Past

    Chapter 160: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty: Her Past

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan stopped there.

    ¡°Yun Liu, when did the Yun family adopt you?¡± Yan Tang suddenly asked.

    Yun Liu lowered her head and pursed her lips. She didn¡¯t want to answer that question. ¡°She was adopted about three months after I went missing. My biological parents adopted a girl from the orphanage when they couldn¡¯t find me,¡± Yun Nan answered on Yun Liu¡¯s behalf in a calm voice.

    ¡°They did search for you!¡± Yun Liu insisted. ¡°They did! But you guys somehow missed each other. Maybe¡­ maybe your adoptive parents had something to do with that? Perhaps they purposefully took you elsewhere when Mom and Dad came looking for you?¡±

    Yun Nan glared at Yun Liu. ¡°Only those involved would know whether they¡¯d actually searched or not. You can speak for your parents, but you can¡¯t distort my adoptive parents¡¯ intentions. Yun Liu, watch what you say!¡±

    Only then did everyone realize that Yun Nan does have a temper; it¡¯s just that she has excellent self-restraint. ¡®Yun Liu shouldn¡¯t have said that,¡¯ they thought. ¡®How could she say things like that? She brought that on herself.¡¯

    Xiao Zhao feared that a fight would occur between the two women¡ªthat wouldn¡¯t look good for anyone¡ªso he quickly brought them back on topic. ¡°What happened after that?¡±

    Yun Nan sighed softly. ¡°My adoptive mother was kidnapped and sold to another family when she was a child. Her ¡®adoptive parents¡¯ abused her until she escaped from that family and met my adoptive father. My adoptive father¡¯s family took her in, but his parents passed away in a natural disaster.¡±

    She continued, ¡°My adoptive parents fled the disaster and came to the ancient town where they met me, and the three of us formed a family. My adoptive mother had two wishes in her life; one was to find her biological parents, and the other was to find my biological parents. Unfortunately, they ended up in a car crash, and both of them passed away.¡±

    All the other women aside from Yun Liu gasped. Yun Liu didn¡¯t want to dwell on her adoptive parent¡¯s deaths and went on with her story. ¡°1 began to search for my biological parents because it was my mom¡¯s last wish; I wanted her to be at ease in heaven. However, my early childhood memories were too vague; all I could remember was my life with my adoptive parents. I wandered the streets and went from town to town looking for my biological parents before the authorities sent me back to the ancient town where I lived.

    ¡°I mentioned it before; the people in that ancient town are simple and kind. The entire neighborhood took it upon themselves to keep me fed and clothed. I even used the skills my father taught me to open up the restaurant again. I wanted to earn my own living and support myself. Later, the town mayor sent me to school and said my parents would definitely be happy if I studied hard and got into university. So I did; I studied hard and got accepted into university.¡± Yun Nan gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and Shi Nian handed her a tissue. Yun Nan took it and dabbed her eyes with it.

    ¡°How old were you then?¡± Hai Hua asked softly.

    ¡°I was fourteen,¡± Yun Nan replied. The others gasped.

    ¡°So¡­ an accident took your parents, and you went out and lived on the streets for a while. Then came back, opened a small restaurant, went back to school, and went to university when you were fourteen¡­ Wait, you were admitted to university at the age of fourteen?¡± Yan Tang was so shocked that she could barely finish her sentences.

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°My mother was sold to a family in the mountains and didn¡¯t have the chance to go to school, but she was very smart. She had secretly taught herself how to read before she escaped, and after she met my adoptive father and settled down, she voraciously consumed any books she could get her hands on and studied like mad. She was very strict with my studies. I constantly skipped grades. I was already in high school when my parents died; I skipped grades after finishing seventh grade. I was twelve then. If my mother was still around..

    The implication was self-evident. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    ¡°And then? What happened after that?¡± Xiao Zhao impatiently inquired.

    Yun Nan stated, ¡°Later, I chose to attend Communication University because I wanted to find my biological parents. I thought I could use media connections to help me find them. That way, my parents would be at ease in heaven. And indeed, I found my biological parents with the help of my university classmates and seniors.¡±

    Yun Nan glanced at Yun Liu before adding, ¡°However, that family of four is living quite blissfully, so I don¡¯t wish to bother them. I¡¯m okay with being alone; I¡¯ve already been alone for so many years. It¡¯s fine; I just wanted to find them, and I did. There¡¯s no need for us to disturb each other. They can live their lives while I get on with mine; it sounds pretty good to me.¡±

    Yun Nan just briefly touched on her relationship with the Yun family. No matter what, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to renounce her family so completel Shi Nian was right. She always gave in when it came to her relatives because her adoptive parents¡ªthey were the most precious people in her life and ve dear to her heart. Their last wishes were for her to find her family and reuni with them. She didn¡¯t want them to be unhappy up in the heavens, so she swallowed all her grievances.

    She had given in to the Yun family too much, so much so that Gu Wei and Yl Liu dared to push their luck, thinking Yun Nan wouldn¡¯t retaliate. Gu Wei wanted to squeeze every last drop of use out of Yun Nan, and Yun Liu wishe( ruin her.

    Shi Nian gently put his arm around Yun Nan¡¯s shoulders and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take i from here. I¡¯ll tell the rest of the story. The Yun family doesn¡¯t want her anymore, but the Shi family does. Thanks to my grandfather, we have been engaged since we were kids. She¡¯s now my wife; she¡¯s a member of the Shi family and has nothing to do with the Yun family. ¡±

    ¡°As for cooking for her parents, Yun Nan has already done so several times.

    parents and grandfather all look forward to Yun Nan coming over and cooki for them, but they also can¡¯t bear making her do so much work. The way my sister treats her says it all; Yun Nan has a higher standing in my family than do! My relatives wouldn¡¯t care if I was gone, but they would raise hell for Yu Nan.. The Shi family is her home, and my mother is also her mother!¡±

 Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-One: Foreshadowing

    Chapter 161: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-One: Foreshadowing

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian¡¯s words made everyone laugh.

    Hai Hua couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°Oh, stop. You¡¯re so mushy I can¡¯t stand it anymore! Shi Nian, I never took you for such a sap! Does your merry gang of friends know this about you?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this got to do with them? She¡¯s my wife; if I don¡¯t protect her, who will?¡± Shi Nian retorted.

    ¡® Ugh, he¡¯s so sappy,¡¯ the group collectively thought.

    Xiao Zhao laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk to him anymore. This guy will only feed us more lovey-dovey talk.¡±

    Yun Nan looked at Shi Nian gratefully. He¡¯d stepped in to defend her and helped her to such an extent. She was truly very grateful to him. Shi Nian met her gaze and smiled at her. To others, his eyes were filled with doting love.

    Mai Fen gently nodded and said, ¡°Yun Nan, although you¡¯ve had a difficult and unfortunate life, you¡¯ve also met good people. Your adoptive parents were good people, and things have gotten better for you. It¡¯s clear that you¡¯re very happy now.¡±

    Shi Xiu interjected, ¡°Our movie ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ is based on Yun Nan¡¯s adoptive mother¡¯s real-life story. Ms. Mai, I highly recommend you watch it when this reality show has finished. I played the lead actress in it!¡±

    Shi Xiu patted her chest proudly as she said that before she lowered her voice and begged, ¡°After you¡¯ve watched the movie, can you call me in private and tell me which parts I could¡¯ve done better and give me some pointers?¡± She put her hands together in a pleading gesture and gave Mai Fen puppy dog eyes, looking cute and funny.

    Mai Fen chuckled and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely watch your movie! However, I¡¯m no expert, so I can¡¯t say I¡¯ll have any pointers to give you, but we can discuss it privately.¡±

    ¡°Okay! That sounds great!¡± Shi Xiu uttered, overjoyed.

    She turned around and saw Yun Liu¡ªshe was green with envy¡ªand deliberately said, ¡°By the way, before I joined the crew, I heard Yun Liu¡¯s movie, ¡®Cozyin Love,¡¯ was also written by Yun Nan. Is that true, Yun Nan?¡±

    Yun Nan knew Shi Xiu brought this up to give her a chance to clarify herself.

    She lightly stated, ¡°No, that¡¯s not my work. I only directed documentaries when

    I was at Yun Entertainment. I didn¡¯t leave any unfinished scripts at the Yun

    Corporation when I left. I didn¡¯t work with them after that either.¡±

    Shi Xiu looked at Yun Liu. ¡°Then, why did you and your company advertise it as

    Yun Nan¡¯s work, Yun Liu? That¡¯s not okay.¡±

    Shi Xiu was skilled at disguising her razor-sharp comments within normal banter, and it was only then that everyone realized that though she was cute and sweet, Shi Xiu wasn¡¯t stupid.

    Yun Liu silently put down her chopsticks and started to cry. Le Chao couldn¡¯t bear seeing her cry, so he gently asked, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong? We¡¯re just talking, so what¡¯s with the waterworks?¡±

    He didn¡¯t quite understand what was happening; he hadn¡¯t caught on to Yun Liu¡¯s tricks, so he had a good impression of her and thought she was a well-behaved girl. Whereas Shi Xiu seemed a little aggressive to him. Le Chao didn¡¯t like that Shi Xiu was bullying Yun Liu just because she had her brother and sister-in-law there to support her.

    Seeing Yun Liu¡¯s distress, Le Chao offered her an out. ¡°You didn¡¯t know about this, did you, Yun Liu?¡±

    Yun Liu nodded aggrievedly. ¡°I really don¡¯t know about these things. I heard from my brother that Yun Nan originally had a script agreement with the company, but the issue was dropped after she left to establish her own studio. I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re saying Yun Nan wrote the movie. I¡ªI was only responsible for acting the role assizned to me.¡±

    Shi Nian made to speak, but Yun Nan placed her hand on his, indicating she could do it herself. She placed a piece of pork rib on the plate in front of Yun Liu before stating with a calm and slightly jovial tone, ¡°So you didn¡¯t know about the agreement I have with the Yun Corporation? No wonder your manager sent someone to look for me two days ago. She wanted me to arrange a role for you in my new movie.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s expression paled. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± she blurted.

    Yun Nan smiled and unhurriedly said, ¡°You can ask Mom if you don¡¯t believe me. She¡¯s the one who came to me on Tan Ning¡¯s behalf.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying! My manager would never have asked you for resources! I don¡¯t need your help!¡± Yun Liu snapped.

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°So, what are you saying? I¡¯m getting mixed signals here. Am I a part of the Yuns or not?¡±

    Yun Liu was stumped. She¡¯d put herself in a difficult situation; she wanted people to think Yun Nan and the Yun Corporation were one big family, but she also wanted to establish an image that had nothing to do with Yun Nan. She didn¡¯t want people to say she only succeeded because of Yun Nan. In the end, Yun Nan managed to put her on the spot. Yun Liu¡¯s face reddened in shamed anger.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t push Yun Liu too far; having made her point, she ignored her. The others weren¡¯t stupid; they understood the implications, spoken and unspoken. However, they were all people of status, and it wouldn¡¯t do to allow the atmosphere to remain so awkward, so they decided to break tensions by calling out to each other with comments such as, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat!¡±

    ¡°Oh my, you should try this. It¡¯s delicious! ¡±

    The group had worked hard the entire morning and were extremely hungry, and Yun Nan¡¯s culinary skills were impeccable. None of them were willing to cause trouble when they had delicious food before them.

    Moreover, from the way things look currently, it was obvious Yun Liu was trying to pick a fight, and it just so happened that she was the unreasonable party. Everyone was already showing her great kindness by pretending ignorance and being ¡°indifferent¡± to the whole thing instead of ganging up and attacking her..

 Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Two: Green

    Chapter 162: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Two: Green

    Tea

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu felt anxious when she saw that everyone was ignoring her. Now, no one was willing to offer her an out. She secretly regretted it and could only continue to act pitifully. She didn¡¯t eat or leave; she just sat there and cried.

    A chicken wing landed on her plate. She looked up in shock and saw Shi Xiu smiling innocently at her. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Yun Liu,¡± Shi Xiu told her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ve never eaten my sister-in-law¡¯s cooking? This is a rare opportunity to try some! I believe you when you say you don¡¯t Imow what your manager did! I think your fans will believe you, too!¡±

    ¡°After all, the masses have a clear idea of what happened! I went through something similar when our movie was first released. There were rumors about me everywhere; they said the movie¡¯s female lead was a gangster, slept around, took drugs, had tattoos, and stayed out all night. All sorts of rumors were flying around, and some reporters even asked directly to my face if any of it was true. It really ticked me off! I was so mad!¡± Shi Xiu gritted her teeth as she finished speaking, and Mai Fen and the others were dumbfounded. ¡®What?! You, a gangster?!¡± They all looked at Shi Nian and Yun Nan, silently demanding them to explain the matter.

    Yun Nan smiled and informed them, ¡°The movie had some bumps along the way. The female lead quit when we just started filming due to personal reasons, so it was an impromptu decision to have Shi Xiu take the role. We kept it a secret, so the public didn¡¯t know who the lead actress was until the movie¡¯s release.¡±

    Yan Tang sneered, ¡°So they just made things up arbitrarily? These media outlets are really too unscrupulous. They really should be taught a lesson!¡±

    Shi Xiu nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, you said it! I was so mad! My brother was there at the premiere, and he was furious. Oh, by the way, the reporter who spearheaded the whole mess there said he got the news from Yun Entertainment. Isn¡¯t that your company, Yun Liu?¡±

    Yun Liu had just recovered a little color but turned pale again upon hearing this. ¡°The company wouldn¡¯t do something like that! That¡¯s impossible!¡± She denied it, but her tone was no longer as loud and confident as before.

    ¡°We also think Yun Entertainment would never do such a wicked thing!¡± Shi Xiu sighed. ¡°Yun Liu, this is a serious case of slander! I think you should sue those media outlets and put an end to this improper conduct! Teach them a lesson they won¡¯t forget!¡±

    Yun Liu bit her lip. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sue them?¡±

    ¡°Me? Who says I didn¡¯t sue? My brother had his men record down every piece of nonsense the media outlets were spreading. He had all of his corporation¡¯s lawyers working on this; we sent demand letters to every unscrupulous media outlet and rumor-monger. We have zero tolerance for such misdemeanor!¡±

    After she said this, Shi Xiu viciously bit down on a piece of bone and spat it out.

    Yun Liu looked away from Shi Xiu when she heard this; she didn¡¯t want to talk about this anymore.

    However, Shi Xiu suddenly remembered something and uttered, ¡°Oh, speaking of which, I remember a lavvyer telling me once that quite a few of those rumor-mongers¡¯ IDs belong to the Yun Corporation! I¡¯m certain you had nothing to do with this, Yun Liu¡ªyou probably didn¡¯t know anything about it! Your manager at the time was¡ªwas¡­ Ding Pei! That¡¯s right, her! Gosh, the police later found out Ding Pei was the one behind our original lead actress¡¯ abduction. Imagine that!¡± Shi Xiu sighed and shook her head.

    Yun Liu replied with a cold expression, ¡®Well, in that case, you should thank Ding Pei. If it weren¡¯t for her, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to play the female lead!¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s smile froze, and she looked at Yun Liu. ¡°How can you say that, Yun Liu? What a malicious person you are to say such things!¡±

    Alarmed, Yun Liu rushed to explain herself, ¡°That¡ªThat¡¯s not what I meant.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s smile disappeared. ¡°Then, what do you mean? Gao Bei is a living human being. Did you not watch the press conference she held? Her entire life was ruined just like that, all because of Ding Pei¡¯s selfishness. What was Ding Pei trying to achieve? Don¡¯t tell me she used such despicable methods and ruined people¡¯s lives so she could stop Yun Nan from filming her movie?¡±

    Yun Liu panicked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. How should I know? Ding Pei was the one who did all that! What does it have to do with me? I don¡¯t know anything!¡±

    Shi Xiu looked at her and detachedly remarked, ¡°People say you¡¯re modest and indifferent to the spotlight, but I didn¡¯t think you could be this cloistered! You didn¡¯t know your former manager was a human trafficker, just like you didn¡¯t Imow your current manager instructed your mother to cause trouble at my sister-in-law¡¯s studio! It must be nice being so sheltered!¡±

    Yun Liu began to cry once more. ¡°I know¡­ you don¡¯t like me¡­ you can¡¯t stand me¡­ so you¡¯re always targeting me¡­ My family isn¡¯t as wealthy as yours¡­ my resources aren¡¯t as good as yours¡­ and I¡¯m not as pretty as you¡­ Dear sweet Yun Nan, I¡¯m not as good as you in anything¡­ Can¡¯t you just leave me be?¡±

    She sniffled and continued, ¡°Why do you constantly come at me like this? What did I do wrong? Why do you hate me so much? And you, Yun Nan! You both hate me, but I feel hurt, too. I don¡¯t even know what I did wrong to make you two hate me so much..¡±

 Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Three: Lambasted

    Chapter 163: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Three: Lambasted

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Tears were a woman¡¯s best weapon. It had always been so since ancient times, and they were applicable in any situation.

    Once Yun Liu started crying, she became the weaker party. They would be accused of bullying her if they said anything further. Yun Nan frowned; of all of Yun Liu¡¯s tricks, she hated this one the most¡ªit worked on the Yuns every time. Someone else was present who hated people like Yun Liu even more than Yun Nan: Yan Tang.

    Yan Tang handed Yun Liu a couple of sheets of tissues and said, ¡°Stop crying. If crying can solve problems, then everyone would do nothing but cry all day. Hold your tears, and let me ask you a few things first so I can clarify things. It¡¯ll stop Shi Xiu from being so pushy¡ªdon¡¯t forget, she has her brother and sister-in-law to back her up.¡±

    Yan Tang¡¯s words stunned Yun Liu. ¡®Yan Tang has never liked me,¡¯ she thought, ¡® Why is she suddenly speaking up for me? However, Yun Liu wouldn¡¯t look a gift horse in the mouth; anyone who spoke up for her was her lifeline at this moment.

    She accepted the tissues, wiped her tears, and looked at Yan Tang with tearful eyes. Yan Tang glanced at her before looking at the surprised Shi Xiu and Yun Nan.

    She swept a glance at the others and commented, ¡°I think we know the rough story between you girls.¡±

    She then pointed at Yun Nan and Shi Nian. ¡°You two were betrothed when you were kids, but you¡ª*she pointed at Yun Nan*¡ªwent missing. The betrothal is still valid.¡± Yan Tang asked Yun Liu, ¡°Have the Yun family ever considered letting you replace Yun Nan and marry Shi Nian?¡±

    Yun Liu nodded hesitantly. Yan Tang looked at Shi Nian and rather impolitely inquired, ¡°And you? Do you have any feelings for this young lady? Did you make her any promises or some such?¡±

    Shi Nian hurriedly shook his head. ¡°No. Never.¡±

    Yun Liu cried at that. Yan Tang stated, ¡°I get it now. Yun Liu, you have an unrequited love for Shi Nian, don¡¯t you? No wonder you dislike your sister so much!¡±

    She then looked at Yun Nan. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder she doesn¡¯t like you and always wants to make things difficult for you. It makes sense if you think about it. She was originally an orphan and finally found a family. Now that you¡¯re back, she¡¯s in an awkward position. Moreover, you¡¯re the official fianc¨¦e of the person she has a crush on.¡±

    Yan Tang shook her head and sighed, ¡°Yun Liu, I don¡¯t blame you. Who wouldn¡¯t fall for a man like Shi Nian? Yun Nan is a beautiful and talented woman; anyone standing beside her would feel pressured. Understandably, you love Shi Nian and hate Yun Nan!¡±

    Yun Liu was stupefied. Yan Tang seemed sympathetic, and her words weren¡¯t wrong but were still unpleasant to her.

    Yan Tang stared at Yun Liu and said, ¡°However, there¡¯s one thing you should know.¡± Her solemn tone and words made Yun Liu look at her attentively. Yan Tang slowly uttered under Yun Liu¡¯s gaze, ¡°There¡¯s a saying; I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard of it before. ¡®What will be, will be.¡¯ If it¡¯s meant to be, it will happen. Otherwise, don¡¯t push it. Shi Nian might have liked you, and Yun Nan might have liked having you as an older sister had you been content with your role as an adopted daughter and were truly as gentle and well-behaved as you make yourself out to be. It¡¯s ironic, but that¡¯s how it is¡ªsometimes, the more you care about something, the more afraid you are of losing it. And the more afraid you are of losing it, the more likely you are to lose it.¡±

    Yang Tang pointed at Yun Nan. ¡°Is it her fault you couldn¡¯t make Shi Nian fall in love with you despite her going missing for so many years? Of course not; that lies with you. You can¡¯t blame others when you¡¯re the one unable to make Shi Nian fall for you.¡¯

    Yun Liu was so dumbstruck she even forgot to cry. This was the first time she got reprimanded so directly.

    ¡°And you!¡± Yan Tang pointed at Yun Nan. ¡®You were able to roam and survive on the streets alone; it shows that you¡¯re mentally strong and capable of surviving on your own. Then why must you return to the Yun family? They don¡¯t like you, so why go back? Isn¡¯t that asking for abuse? Don¡¯t you feel sad about how they treat you? Won¡¯t your adoptive parents feel sad?¡±

    Her words gave Yun Nan pause. Yun Nan then swiftly smiled and replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already left the Yun family.¡±

    Yan Tang wasn¡¯t surprised by her response. She nodded and told Yun Nan,

    ¡°That¡¯s wise of you.¡±

    She calmly added, ¡°Please excuse my harsh tongue. The things I hate the most are green tea b*tches and naive, selfless idiots. I tend to rebuke them every time I come across one. Shi Xiu, of all the things you could learn, you choose to act like a green tea? Did you think you have to fight fire with fire? Cut it out.¡±

    Shi Xiu applauded and cheered, ¡°That was amazing, Yan Tang! Thank you for that! You¡¯re right, Yang Tang. I¡¯ll learn from you in the future! Your lecture was so satisfying! It was great!¡±

    Yun Liu wished the world would end right this moment so she didn¡¯t have to sit here and be humiliated by them. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into the palms of her hands.

    Yun Nan noticed and sighed deeply. She wasn¡¯t¡ªand didn¡¯t want to, couldn¡¯t¡ª be a saint. Yun Liu chose this path herself..

 Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Four: Losing Fans

    Chapter 164: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Four: Losing Fans

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    After that, Yun Liu and Shi Xiu both dropped out of the show ¡®Embracing Life.¡¯

    Both of their fans quarreled about what had happened in the show, and Yun Liu was losing a lot of fans. There were loads of comments about her online.

    [I truly didn¡¯t expect her to pull such tricks behind people¡¯s backs. And here I thought she was pure and innocent!]

    [Girls, keep this in mind! You can act gentle and delicate, but you can¡¯t have evil intentions!]

    [Now that I think of it, Ding Pei was pretty brazen before she got arrested. I think Yun Liu is the one behind Ding Pei, supporting everything she did. Ding Pei never did such things when managing other artistes before.]

    [Yun Liu¡¯s such a schemer. She¡¯s always using doublespeak, constantly insinuating things about others and stirring up conflict. She¡¯s such a green tea!]

    There were also diehard fans who defended Yun Liu.

    [They manipulated Yun Liu into saying those things! The entire show is paid off! All the participants are bribed to speak for a certain princess!]

    [Yun Liu is a lucky and talented girl. Why should she bother associating with this group of people? Why should she be bullied by them? She should ignore them and focus on her career. She can be great, even on her own!]

    [I¡¯ll always love you, Yun Liu. I hope everything goes well for you. I look forward to your promising future!]

    Shi Xiu¡¯s popularity was also affected as Yun Liu¡¯s fans rushed to Shi Xiu¡¯s social media account to scold her.

    [You think you¡¯re so special just because you¡¯re rich! If you asked me, you¡¯re

    the biggest conspirator. You spent so much effort to target our Yun Liu. How malicious!]

    [You¡¯re just jealous that our Yun Liu is prettier and more popular than you.

    You¡¯re as vicious as a viper!]

    [You have money, so what? Why don¡¯t you try competing with Yun Liu in acting instead? Hah, I doubt you have the guts to do so. How dare you be so cocky when you¡¯ve only produced one movie!]

    [You¡¯ll go down in flames! I¡¯ll curse you every day!]

    Fang Xi and Shi Xiu read each and every one of these online comments seriously. Yun Nan felt speechless as she looked at the two huddled together before the computer.

    ¡°Is this the result you wanted?¡± Yun Nan demanded.

    Fang Xi smiled carelessly and said to Shi Xiu, ¡°Fame is fame, good or bad! Congratulations, Shi Xiu! You¡¯re now famous!¡±

    Shi Xiu sighed, ¡°So it¡¯s that simple to become famous!¡±

    Yun Nan facepalmed. Shi Xiu pounced on Yun Nan, hugged her shoulders, and reassured her. ¡°Don¡¯t worrv. Yun Nan. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    ¡°How do you plan to handle this?¡± Yun Nan asked. She then looked at Fang Xi. ¡°Fang Xi, you¡¯re Shi Xiu¡¯s manager now, so please take good care of her! Keep her on a leash! Make sure she behaves herself, okay?¡±

    Fang Xi raised her hands in surrender. ¡°Okay, okay, I got it. Aren¡¯t you a little young to be so naggy? How about we ALL do our jobs? Please hurry up with your script, Yun Nan! Oh, and one more thing¡ªXiang Yang wants to use a few of your paintings for her exhibition. I agreed on your behalf.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled wryly. ¡°Go ahead and take whatever you want. But first, you gotta deal with this brat¡¯s mess.¡± So saying, Yun Nan pushed Shi Xiu¡ªwho was sticking to her like gum to a shoe¡ªaway.

    Fang Xi got up, stretched, and said, ¡°Okay, no problem. Just wait for my good news. I¡¯ll head back and rest for a while.¡¯

    Shi Xiu posted this on her social media account: ¡°Thank you all for your concern for me. About your verbal abuse, I¡¯m sorry, but I have selective blindness and can¡¯t see them. Actually, I really want to ask everyone a question: When those rumors about me were running rampant, did any of you stop to think if those rumors were fake? If you did, why didn¡¯t I see anyone post anything to comfort me back then? If you didn¡¯t, then what right do you have to judge whether I¡¯m scheming or not when you yourselves have malicious intentions?¡±

    ¡°Back then, my studio clarified things for me, my brother spoke up for me, and we even hired a professional team of lawyers, and we still couldn¡¯t suppress those rumors. You all would rather believe those rumors than my innocence, so I had no choice but to prove it myself.¡±

    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve proven myself innocent, you guys are guilty. You got your face slapped hard, and now you¡¯re complaining I was too heavy-handed? Well, I¡¯m glad to hear that. It has always been my habit to repay my grudges. I don¡¯t hold grudges because I avenge them on the spot. I hope you all learn a lesson from this and think more before you believe in rumors and casually become people¡¯s fans in the future!¡±

    Shi Xiu had sharply and indiscriminately retorted the people who left comments on her social media account. And then..

    [Wow, this young lady is so cool and dashing! I love it!]

    [She¡¯s a real character! ¡®I avenge my grudges on the spot.¡¯ She personally went in and tore them a new one! That was amazing! I like her!]

    [Her personality is so different from her character in the movie! Her acting skills are great since she could act out her character so convincingly! I can¡¯t believe she never learned acting before she took on the role. It¡¯s incredible!]

    [This girl has talent. That statement she posted is superb! I¡¯d fall in love with her just for that alone.]

    [She¡¯s the first celebrity I¡¯ve seen who told her fans to think more. She¡¯s so sensible and clear-headed! She¡¯s truly a breath of fresh air!]

    Yun Liu fell seriously ill after returning from the show, and Gu Wei was worried sick.

    Yun Zhang had been holding back his anger at Yun Liu for a while now, and after watching the live broadcast of ¡®Embracing Life¡¯ and seeing Yun Liu from a third-person perspective, he felt even more disappointed in her.

    He then had a serious talk with Tan Ning, and Tan Ning promised him she would do her job responsibly and correct Yun Liu¡¯s attitude..

 Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Five: Sister-in-law

    Chapter 165: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Five: Sister-in-law

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Zhang had also decided to have a good long talk with Yun Liu when he next saw her. He had to make her correct her attitude. But Yun Liu fell ill after she returned; she looked as if a gust of wind could topple her over. She seemed so pitiful that Yun Zhang¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but soften. He didn¡¯t have the heart to scold her, so his reprimand would have to wait until she recovered.

    In truth, Yan Tang had informed Yun Liu beforehand that Yun Zhang wouldn¡¯t let her behavior go with only a slap on the wrist, so she pretended to be sick. Yun Liu was angry that Yun Zhang had turned on her and betrayed their years of sibling friendship, but she had no choice but to get her act together and give Yun Zhang the runaround. After all, Yun Zhang wasn¡¯t as easy to fool as her parents were.

    She had been counting on this show to consolidate her position and increase her popularity and exposure. She didn¡¯t expect to encounter that troublemaker, Shi Xiu. That brat almost ended her career in the entertainment industry.

    Tan Ning told her to lay low for a while. The public was forgetful; they wouldn¡¯t remember this incident in a few months, and this would all blow over. In the meantime, she could take a break. However, Yun Liu was extremely anxious and upset; she was in no mood to rest and relax.

    Tan Ning called and whispered over the phone, ¡°Yun Liu, I have great news for you!¡± From how she behaved, it seemed she had quite the news to share.

    ¡°What¡¯s the good news? Do you have a new film for me?¡± Yun Liu asked lazily.

    ¡°No! Listen, I need your hair,¡± Tan Ning said in hushed tones, her voice filled with excitement.

    ¡°What for?¡± Yun Liu inquired, puzzled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it for now. Just give me your hair; I¡¯ll come over to get it myself. I¡¯ll tell you everything when the results are out.¡± Tan Ning then hurriedly ended the call.

    When Tan Ning came to her house, Yun Liu questioned her again. Tan Ning watched Gu Wei leave and made sure she was out of earshot before she began whispering, ¡°I think I might have found your biological parents.¡±

    Yun Liu was shocked and reflexively replied, ¡°I don¡¯t want to know who my biological parents are. I like my life as it is!¡±

    Tan Ning¡¯s eyes darted to Yun Liu¡¯s face, and she uttered, ¡®What if your biological parents are a hundred times richer than the Yuns?¡±

    Yun Liu stared at Tan Ning, dumbfounded. Tan Ning pursed her lips and nodded with a smile. ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure yet; we still have to do a paternity test! The results will come out soon. You have to wait patiently.¡± Yun Liu got over her shock and grabbed Tan Ning. ¡°Is it true? Are you sure?¡±

    Tan Ning turned around and patted her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Let¡¯s leave everything to fate. If things go our way, we¡¯ll make a complete comeback.¡±

    The Shi family house was once again very lively as the family celebrated Xiang Yangs return. Yun Nan finally got to meet her much-talked-about sister-in-law.

    The two were like-minded and shared similar interests, and they hit it off at first sight. Where Yun Nan had a soft and gentle beauty, and Shi Xiu¡¯s fiery looks were strikingly attractive, Xiang Yang was a cold and aloof beauty. She had an aura that made it difficult for people to approach her; she was akin to the most precious porcelain placed in a museum¡¯s most gorgeous display window, meant only to be seen from afar but not touched.

    Fortunately, Xiang Yang was easy to get along with when she was with her family. More importantly, she was Yun Nan¡ªno, Xi Jin¡¯s fan!

    Fang Xi had agreed¡ªon Yun Nan¡¯s behalf¡ªto loan Xiang Yang three paintings for her exhibition. However, Yun Nan had checked out the exhibition¡¯s preparations at the venue and noticed there were still a few empty spaces, so she sent three more paintings over¡ªenough to fill all the empty spots. When Xiang Yang returned, she could hardly put those paintings down.

    Seeing how much she liked them, Yun Nan gave the paintings to Xiang Yang. Xiang Yang couldn¡¯t believe it and repeatedly asked Yun Nan if she was really giving her the paintings.

    That made Yun Nan slightly embarrassed, and she told Xiang Yang, ¡°I gave the three paintings I drew for ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ to Grandpa. These are the only paintings I have left. If you like them, you can have all of them! I was worried you wouldn¡¯t like them.¡±

    Xiang Yang lightly caressed the painting, ¡®Dusk,¡¯ and said excitedly, ¡°Of course I like them! How could I not? I was on a business trip in Paris when I first saw this ¡®Dusk on the Internet. This painting inspired me to make the set of jewelry that won the first prize in that year¡¯s competition. Of course, I like it!¡±

    Yun Nan was a little surprised to hear that. Xiang Yang dragged her to her jewelry display table and pointed at one of the sets of jewelry. ¡°There, that¡¯s the jewelry set I was talking about! Isn¡¯t it nice?¡±

    It was indeed spectacular. There was a necklace with rare orange topazes with a ruby in the middle, matched with a ring, earrings, and a small crown, all with the same sunset theme. The topaz represented dusk, and the ruby was the setting sun.

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°Xiang Yang, you¡¯re amazing! This is so beautiful.¡±

    Xiang Yang was delighted at the praise and returned it with, ¡°It was your drawing that inspired me! When the exhibition is over, this topaz jewelry set is yours!¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s too much! I can¡¯t take them!¡± Yun Nan refused.

    ¡°Why not? If I say it¡¯s okay for you to have them, then it¡¯s okay! In ancient times, women would give each other hairpins when they became sworn sisters. We don¡¯t have hairpins, so we¡¯ll give each other our artwork. That¡¯s settled! We¡¯re sisters from now on! We¡¯re sisters for life, with or without the Shi family men!¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. For a moment, she thought Xiang Yang had figured out that her marriage to Shi Nian was fake.. She didn¡¯t expect Xiang Yang to continue to say, ¡°Even if there comes a day when I can¡¯t live with Shi Ke anymore and decide to get a divorce, you¡¯ll still be my sister!¡±

 Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Six: Rock

    Chapter 166: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Six: Rock

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan resisted the urge to facepalm at that.

    Xiang Yang winked at her and said, ¡°Sisters come before husbands.¡± After saying that, she looked around to see if anyone else heard her.

    Yun Nan tried not to laugh as she teased, ¡°Are you afraid Mom will hear you?¡± They laughed, and their relationship became even closer as they shared jokes and teased each other. The two chatted about their experiences.

    Xiang Yang told Yun Nan, ¡°I got into jewelry designing because my family is in the jewelry business. I lived with my grandmother when I was a kid and played with gems as toys. I didn¡¯t have a good relationship with my parents; I was very rebellious when I was young. After my grandparents passed away, I was sent abroad to study. No one was there to discipline me, so I grew up wild and unruly.¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°Then we have some similarities.¡±

    Xiang Yang nodded. ¡°I heard about your history from Shi Xiu. No matter what happened in the past, it¡¯s behind us; we¡¯re grown up now. What¡¯s important is to live our lives well.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°Yeah, we should live our lives well.¡±

    ¡°How is Shi Nian treating you?¡± Xiang Yang asked, concerned about Yun Nan¡¯s marriage.

    Yun Nan nodded and replied, ¡°He treats me quite well.¡±

    ¡°The Shi family values relationships, and they are faithful and affectionate. Before I met Shi Ke, I didn¡¯t believe in love at all. I mean, think about it; I can¡¯t even trust my family¡¯s love let alone romantic love. I¡¯ve been in a few relationships in the past, but I was unable to put my heart into them. I didn¡¯t feel particularly sad when I saw those men cheating on me later on, either. I was even slightly relieved and would think, ¡®See, I knew things would end up like this! And then, I met Shi Ke.¡± Here, Xiang Yang stopped.

    Her gaze fell on one of Yun Nan¡¯s paintings. It was titled ¡® Waiting.¡¯ It was a painting of a beautiful alley in an ancient town; the buildings were white-walled and had black-tiled roofs, and bluestone cobblestones paved the street. A young man stood tall and straight at the entrance of the alley.

    Xiang Yang¡¯s voice was low and gentle when she spoke, ¡°When I saw this painting of yours, it immediately reminded me of Shi Ke. That¡¯s how he is¡ª always standing, firm as a rock, at the place where we belong, waiting for me.

    No matter how my emotions fluctuate, he would be there to catch me.¡±

    Yun Nan looked at her from the side and felt moved. Beautiful love stories were always especially touching.

    ¡°Oh, these jewelry are so beautiful! Xu Yun, you¡¯re so lucky! Each of your daughters-in-law is more amazing than the next!¡± Xiang Yang and Yun Nan heard and instantly frowned at the fawning words. They turned around and saw a group of ladies, bedecked in jewels, slowly making their way over.

    Yun Nan and Xiang Yang quickly went over to them when they saw that it was their mother-in-law, Xu Yun, the other ladies were clustering around.

    ¡°Mom!¡± they both called out in greeting and stood on either side of Xu Yun.

    Xu Yun looked at her two daughters-in-law and smiled. She introduced them to the other women and then introduced the ladies to them. Then, she told Yun Nan and Xiang Yang, ¡°We were having afternoon tea at the hotel next door. I mentioned wanting to come over to see how the preparations are going, so these aunties wanted to come and take a look. I hope we aren¡¯t disturbing you.¡±

    She then looked at Yun Nan and asked, ¡°How do you have the time to come over and help? Shi Xiu had to participate in an event today. Don¡¯t you have to attend that as well?¡±

    Yun Nan moved closer, lowered her voice, and said, ¡°I came to help Xiang Yang, so I stood them up.¡±

    Xu Yun laughed and playfully hit her. ¡°Won¡¯t your co-workers have a bone to pick with you for that?¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell them I came to watch the exhibition with my mother-in-law. Mom, you have to cover for me.¡±

    Xu Yun liked that the girls were close with her. She smiled and said to Xiang Yang, ¡°Here, now you have leverage over her. The next time you want her to do something, you can use this to threaten her!¡±

    Xiang Yang laughed. ¡°Thanks, Mom! I¡¯ll happily accept it.¡± And she proceeded to wink at Yun Nan mischievously.

    The ladies at the side couldn¡¯t help but feel envious when they saw the easy-going relationship between Xu Yun and her daughters-in-law. Han Yuan straightened her back. Her daughter-in-law was in no way inferior to the Shi family¡¯s.

    She remarked, ¡°Xiang Yang, I heard from your mother-in-law that a lot of the jewelry you exhibited this time are your award-winning works, and a small number of them are available for sale when the exhibition officially begins. Aunty wants to ask you a favor; I want two of your jewelry sets to give to my daughter-in-law and goddaughters.¡±

    Xiang Yang smiled. ¡°Just tell my mother-in-law which ones you like. I¡¯ll have them reserved for you.¡±

    Then, she held Xu Yun¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Mom, I gave the topaz jewelry set to

    Yun Nan, and she gave me her paintings; we exchanged gifts.¡±

    Xu Yun was a little surprised by that. She first looked at Xiang Yang and then Yun Nan before she smiled and sighed, ¡°You two are like children playing house. Alright, alright. Those things are yours, anyway. You can do whatever you want with them. But make sure to mark them as ¡®reserved¡¯. Otherwise, when the exhibition officially begins, people might want to buy them, not knowing they¡¯re not for sale. Such a misunderstanding can be troublesome..¡±

 Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Seven: Annoying

    Chapter 167: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Seven: Annoying

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan and Xiang Yang nodded and praised, ¡°Mom is so thoughtful.¡±

    The ladies around them couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Xu Yun, you¡¯re so lucky. People would mistake your daughters-in-law for your daughters with how sweet they are to you. I¡¯m so envious.¡±

    Xu Yun smugly stated, ¡°I may not be able to compare with you ladies in other aspects, but I won¡¯t lose when it comes to my daughters-in-law!¡±

    Han Yuan sized up Yun Nan, smiled, and said, ¡°So you¡¯re the woman Shi Nian married without a wedding ceremony.¡±

    Everyone suddenly went silent for a couple of seconds before Xu Yun pulled Yun Nan close and smilingly told everyone, ¡°We¡¯re still busy making preparations for that. Ladies, none of you are allowed to refuse our invitation when we hold the wedding. You all simply must come and show your support!¡± Everyone hurriedly went along and replied, ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll definitely be there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, definitely!¡±

    Han Yuan looked at Yun Nan with a smile. ¡°Look at how supportive all of us are! But you still haven¡¯t told us when the ceremony will be. Yun Nan, when are you going to hold the wedding? You have to be careful; you wouldn¡¯t want to get pregnant before the wedding¡ªyou won¡¯t be able to wear a beautiful wedding dress if that happens. Although you two have registered your marriage, people will talk if you¡¯re a pregnant bride on your wedding day. They might think this is your second marriage after getting pregnant from your first!¡±

    Yun Nan was about to speak when Xiang Yang tugged her hand and stage-whispered, ¡°If you ask me, you should just forego the wedding ceremony. You have no idea how tired I was during the wedding when Shi Ke and I married. Just the banquet alone took three days. Really, there¡¯s truly no need to use the wedding to prove anything. Our family can give you a large bride-dowry to show how much we appreciate you, and we don¡¯t have to prove anything to others.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and nodded. ¡°Xiang Yang, I totally agree. Shi Nian and I don¡¯t want to deal with all that, so we don¡¯t want to hold a wedding. However, Grandpa loves a good party; he asked Mom and Dad to hold a grand wedding for us. Shi Nian and I were terrified when we heard that.¡± Xiang Yang and Yun Nan huddled together and laughed.

    However, Han Yuan wouldn¡¯t stop pestering them about the wedding. ¡°Oh, Xiang Yang, that¡¯s wrong of you to say that. How can your sister-in-law not have a wedding? Are you worried your sister-in-law¡¯s wedding will overshadow yours, so you don¡¯t want them to have a wedding?¡±

    As she spoke, she turned around and shared a look with the ladies on good terms with her, and they all laughed together.

    Xiang Yang¡¯s face lost its smile and turned cold. Xu Yun glanced at Han Yuan, and her smile also faded. ¡°I think you should worry about Xi Cheng and Lin Yu before worrying about others,¡± Xu Yun remarked. ¡°Their engagement ceremony was so grand you¡¯ll be hard-pressed to hold an even grander wedding ceremony; I¡¯m really worried something might go wrong. I heard that Xi Cheng is always at odds with Lin Yu. You should give them some advice and guidance, or I fear we might not have a wedding ceremony to attend. ¡±

    Seeing Xu Yun¡¯s cold expression, Han Yuan didn¡¯t dare to cause further trouble and replied sheepishly, ¡°Of course, I will!¡±

    Xiang Yang and Yun Nan looked at each other and smiled. Their mother-in-law wasn¡¯t a suggestible and biased paper tiger. She wouldn¡¯t allow such insolence from anyone, especially if they were targeting her family.

    Xiang Yang and Yun Nan accompanied their mother-in-law and gave the group of ladies a tour of the entire exhibition hall. Xiang Yang informed everyone about the origin of each and every piece of jewelry and what they symbolized. She also introduced Yun Nan¡¯s paintings. Although most of these people didn¡¯t understand what Xiang Yang was talking about, they pretended they did and still tried their best to praise the artworks and jewelry.

    Yun Nan saw Xiang Yang¡¯s calm expression and knew she was used to such ¡°spectacles.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but smile and think, ¡®This sister-in-law ofmine is indeed interesting. ¡®

    Yun Nan had heard Xiang Yang and Shi Ke¡¯s romance story from Shi Xiu. However, Shi Xiu tends to side with her sisters-in-law over her elder brothers, so her story is definitely biased due to her rose-tinted glasses.

    Xiang Yang had accompanied Shi Ke into the army. She¡¯d made huge sacrifices when she married Shi Ke and became an army wife. Only love could have made this cold beauty sacrifice herself to help her husband.

    Although Yun Nan didn¡¯t believe in love, she didn¡¯t dislike love stories; she admired both the happy and the unhappy ones. Those who dared to love were brave. No matter if it was Xiang Yang¡ªwho succeeded in love¡ªor Fang Xi¡ª who failed¡ªthey were all brave and endearing people.

    The exhibition will officially be held in two days. During these two days, the important figures in Yun Nan¡¯s studio had all become good friends with Xiang Yang. They all took a three-day holiday to come support Xiang Yang the day her exhibition officially began.

    Xiang Yang was very busy during the exhibition. The venue was full of notable figures and elites, brought in by a perfect combination of Xiang Yang¡¯s reputation and the Shi family¡¯s status. Yun Nan and Shi Xiu accompanied Xu Yun and stayed by her side during the event.

    The jewelry pieces that were available for sale were sold out in less than an hour on the first day of the exhibition. Then, people began to queue up to make pre-orders. Both the host and guests enjoyed themselves in such a lively scene..

 Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Eight: Undermining

    Chapter 168: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Eight: Undermining

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi was wearing a bohemian dress today. She had her long curly hair casually tied up and had light makeup on, looking elegant and casual. She was purely there as a spectator; she¡¯d already bought the jewelry exhibited that she liked through inside channels¡ªYun Nan had asked for them from Xiang Yang. Therefore, she wasn¡¯t one of the anxious buyers today; she wasn¡¯t nervous at all. She was just leisurely admiring the items that weren¡¯t for sale.

    She was suddenly attracted by the conversation of a group of four or five women beside her.

    ¡°I heard Xiang Yang married a military man, so her husband can¡¯t always be by her side; the poor thing!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to pity her for? With such wealthy in-laws, who needs a husband? I heard her in-laws treat her especially well!¡±

    ¡°Tsk! She might as well have married her mother-in-law. Her husband is virtually non-existent. Hahahaha!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. She married into the military!¡±

    ¡°Hmph! You guys still don¡¯t know, do you? That Xiang Yang¡­ Her family didn¡¯t like her, so they sent her abroad to study. She was pretty wild during her school years and had hordes of boyfriends all over the place. Later on, she had enough fun and wanted to get married, but what decent man would marry a girl like her? However, she was lucky enough to meet the Shi family¡¯s Eldest

    Young Master¡ªwho was as innocent as snow¡ªand effortlessly won his heart. She¡¯s truly very lucky!¡±

    ¡°Hey, Shi Gao, how do you know so much about them? Are you friends with Xiang Yang or Shi Ke?¡±

    ¡°What, you don¡¯t believe me? You can look it up. She studied at ¡®Pei Ying Bilingual Primary School.¡¯ The school expelled her because she had a fight with her classmates, so her family sent her overseas. She kept switching schools because she either failed her studies or got expelled due to relationship disputes. In short, she¡¯s bad news!¡±

    ¡°Really?! Oh my, I really couldn¡¯t tell. I thought she was one of those lofty and aloof types. I didn¡¯t expect her to be such a dirty wh***. Now that you mention it, I don¡¯t even want to buy the jewelry she designed anymore! How revolting!¡±

    Having listened to the entire exchange, Fang Xi walked over leisurely and asked with a smile, ¡°Miss, since you don¡¯t want those jewelry pieces, can you give them to me? I can pay you extral¡±

    The young ladies who were loudly whispering to each other raised their heads to look at her, and they all seemed a little awkward. Fang Xi smiled even more brightly at them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it revolting?¡± the woman whom Fang Xi had called out to asked in a low voice. ¡°I heard that Xiang Yang has a promiscuous private life!¡±

    Fang Xi smiled and narrowed her eyes as she stated, ¡°There¡¯s no evidence to suggest that Xiang Yang¡¯s private life is as terrible as this lady says, but her works have won all the major awards in the country and abroad. I would think the organizing committees who gave her those awards probably aren¡¯t so incompetent that they would give such a deplorable person so much honor.¡±

    Everyone involuntarily nodded after hearing these words. The young lady who had wanted to give away the jewelry hurriedly said, ¡°I was just joking; I¡¯m not planning to give the jewelry away!¡±

    Fang Xi smiled and looked at Miss Shi Gao, standing in the middle of the group. As her name would suggest, Miss Shi Gao was very tall. As for her appearance¡­ Fang Xi would say she was only above average. It couldn¡¯t be helped; Fang Xi¡¯s life was surrounded by beauties. Even the less photogenic backstage staff members in their studio had better elegance, poise, and discipline than the woman before her.

    Shi Gao looked disdainful as she coldly remarked, ¡°You can buy those kinds of awards! Both the Xiang and Shi families can afford them; it¡¯s only a paltry amount of money to them!¡±

    Fang Xi nodded. ¡°Hmm, you have a point!¡± Shi Gao scoffed derisively, and the girls¡¯ expressions began to change once more.

    Fang Xi unhurriedly said, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you all go buy an award and get a certificate? Miss Shi Gao, you seem quite well-informed, seeing as you were the one who brought it up. How about you help me get a couple of certificates and awards? Don¡¯t worry, money isn¡¯t a problem!¡±

    The group of young ladies came to a realization: ¡®She¡¯s right! You can¡¯t buy awards! Thars ridiculous! Shi Gao is simply spouting nonsense!

    Shi Gao didn¡¯t know who this woman was, but she hated her to the extreme. She angrily said to the people beside her, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t talk to such an ignorant person.¡± And then, she huffily strode off.

    Fang Xi crossed her arms and smiled at the women leaving hesitantly. ¡°Can you get me a certificate or not, Miss Shi Gao?¡± she asked. ¡°Tell me! I am indeed ignorant, but you can¡¯t treat the people around you like fools, right?¡±

    The young ladies paused before following Shi Gao. ¡® We¡¯re being treated like fools by Shi Gao!¡¯ they realized.

    Fang Xi noticed the gap between Shi Gao and the rest of the girls as they walked away, smiled, and turned to walk in another direction. She heard a low laugh from somewhere beside her, and a tall figure came over. Fang Xi¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she saw who it was..

 Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Nine: Charmer

    Chapter 169: Chapter One-Hundred and Sixty-Nine: Charmer

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°That was simply fantastic. Fang Xi, you are the most amazing girl I have ever met!¡± Ye Kun sincerely praised.

    Fang Xi¡¯s heart started to beat normally again as she stared at Ye Kun. ¡°What a coincidence, ¡± she smiled and said.

    Ye Kun was dressed in light blue casual wear today. It was a flashy color, but it matched his strikingly handsome face. He stared at his and Fang Xi¡¯s figures reflected in the glass to the side and felt that they were really a good match.

    Hence, his mood brightened even further, and he smiled and replied, ¡°Yeah, what a coincidence! I was just thinking, ¡® Why didn¡¯t I invite FangXi to come with me when there are so many beautiful accessories here? I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s busy or not. Will it be okay ifI suddenly call her? Which of these beautiful jewelry would she like? I was just letting my imagination run wild when I saw you. I picked you out of the crowd immediately!¡±

    Fang Xi looked at Ye Kun, whose eyes were sparkling, and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°What did you have for breakfast today?¡±

    Ye Kun was stunned and thought, ¡®She¡¯s concerned about me? That¡¯s great!¡¯

    ¡°I was in a hurry to leave the house, so I only drank a glass of milk and ate one of the eggs I cooked for Tuan Tuan,¡± Ye Kun answered honestly.

    Fang Xi laughed, and someone looked over and raised their eyebrows at the sound. Fang Xi quickly covered her mouth and quietened her laughter, but her shoulders shook¡ªshe was still laughing, albeit quietly. She could barely stand up straight and laughed until her eyes teared up.

    Ye Kun was slightly startled, but seeing Fang Xi so happy, he foolishly laughed along. He¡¯d never seen Fang Xi smile and laugh so happily. She always kept her emotions in check and kept others at a distance; she would quickly retreat the moment someone got too close to her.

    ¡®A beautiful girl like her should always laugh and smile like this,¡¯ Ye Kun thought.

    Fang Xi supported herself against a pillar and finally stopped laughing, but her smile remained. She noticed Ye Kun staring at her goofily and changed the topic. ¡°Then, has Tuan Tuan eaten? You said you ate his breakfast.¡±

    Ye Kun smiled and told her, ¡°I only ate one egg. Tuan Tuan had the rest of them.¡±

    Fang Xi chuckled. Ye Kun was as innocent as a child. It was rare to see someone with such a pure heart. Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but become gentler towards Ye Kun.

    ¡°Why did you come to watch this exhibition? Did you want to pick out some jewelry as a gift for someone? I¡¯ll help, ¡± Fang Xi offered, thinking about the jewelry pieces that would make great gifts for relatives. She didn¡¯t think Ye Kun had a girlfriend; he seemed like the type of guy who would be joined at the hip with his girlfriend if he had one; he would probably bring her everywhere with him. ¡® What an innocent boy,¡¯ Fang Xi thought.

    However, Ye Kun misunderstood and hastily explained, ¡°I don¡¯t have a girlfriend, but now that you mention it, I think I can buy something suitable for my mother. If I give her a gift, she¡¯ll be happy and won¡¯t scold me so much.¡± Ye Kun¡¯s rushed explanation made Fang Xi want to laugh again. ¡®Ye Kun was very mature and composed in the past. Why is he so childish and adorable today? she wondered. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s right. The Ye Kun I sawin the past either needed my help or helped me.¡¯

    ¡°Why would your mother scold you?¡± she asked. ¡®Any woman would happily boast about having such a son!¡¯

    Ye Kun sighed. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. My elder brother is stationed overseas, and my dad is my mom¡¯s loyal fan, so I¡¯m the only one he can order around. My dad said he had a second child because he feared he couldn¡¯t count on my elder brother. My brother said he had already seen what was coming¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to end up as my parents¡¯ errand boy, so he worked very hard to encourage my mother to have a second child. I was my dad and brother¡¯s planned sacrifice.¡±

    Fang Xi found the whole thing funny and commented, ¡°Your family is quite interesting.¡±

    Ye Kun shook his head repeatedly. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so at all. Y-You¡¯d better help me see if there¡¯s any suitable jewelry for me to give to our family¡¯s Empress Dowager. The more I think about it, the more this seems like a good idea, a great idea!¡±

    Fang Xi smiled as she checked out the exhibition with Ye Kun.

    Fang Xi was very Imowledgeable about gemstones, and her taste was much better than most. She spoke about the jewelry to Ye Kun as they looked at them. Ye Kun was amazed and praised Fang Xi for knowing so much.

    Praise makes people happy, especially ones from the opposite sex. Fang Xi considers herself a strong and confident woman; even though she has lived such a complicated family life, Fang Xi has never doubted herself. However, a failed relationship experience had her self-confidence crushed into dust.

    Ye Kun was like a ray of light, lighting up that dark and damp corner of her heart. And there in that corner was a young and tiny Fang Xi, struggling to sprout, struggling to get back on her feet, struggling to start anew.

    Ye Kun paid little attention to the jewelry. In his eyes, there was no jewelry, only Fang Xi, radiant as she talked about each and every exhibition item. He had never had such a knowledgeable and talented girl by his side. And she was so beautiful! She was so perfect!

    Meanwhile, Shi Gao was angry enough to burst. Her friends following her around had all found excuses to leave, one after the other. Shi Gao naturally Imew why they had left and hated that woman just now even more..

 Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy: The Truth

    Chapter 170: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy: The Truth

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Since her friends had left, Shi Gao could only make her way to Lin Yu and the others.

    Lin Yu had naturally stayed by her mother-in-law¡¯s side, and the two were fawning over and heaping flattery upon Madam Shi¡ªXu Yun¡ªtogether. Seeing that Shi Gao had come over, Lin Yu shot her a look, told Han Yuan she was taking leave from the group, and went to the restroom with Shi Gao.

    Lin Yu heaved a sigh of relief when she touched up her makeup.

    Shi Gao chuckled, ¡°You must be exhausted. Accompanying a group of old ladies and listening to them talk about boring things has got to be tiring.¡±

    Lin Yu smiled detachedly and added some powder to her nose. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come forward and chat with all of us? Madam Shi seems to have a good temper.

    She¡¯s quite direct and tells it like it is. She¡¯s very easy to get along with.¡±

    Shi Gao sighed, ¡°Yeah¡­ That Xiang Yang is really lucky. If her mother-in-law were anyone else¡ªeven if, say, your mother-in-law¡ªshe probably wouldn¡¯t be able to marry into the family!¡±

    Lin Yu glanced at her in the mirror and remarked, ¡°Mrs. Shi seems to like Xiang Yang very much. She treats both her daughters-in-law equally well, and Xiang

    Yang and Yun Nan get along well, too.¡±

    Shi Gao was a little disappointed to hear that and groused, ¡°That¡¯s why I told you Xiang Yang has some tricks up her sleeve. She¡¯s good at deceit, and her-in-laws are none the wiser about her true nature.¡±

    Lin Yu smiled at her in the mirror. ¡°You can solve that easily enough. Find a suitable occasion and tell Madam Shi about it.¡±

    Shi Gao¡¯s eyes lit up but then dimmed. ¡°The Xiang family must have cleaned up

    all the evidence; they definitely won¡¯t leave any evidence. Madam Shi will find nothing when she goes to verify my claims, and then they¡¯ll say I falsely accused her.¡±

    Lin Yu rolled her eyes at her. ¡°What mother-in-law would bother to investigate if they heard about such a matter? ¡® Theres no smoke without fire!¡¯ Look at my mother-in-law; when she heard Xi Cheng¡¯s mistress was an indecent woman, she believed it without thinking twice. She didn¡¯t send someone to investigate. She was too busy thinking up ways to get rid of that mistress.¡±

    She continued, ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a piece of advice. What mothers-in-law can¡¯t stand the most is their son and daughter-in-law being in love because they feel their position is threatened. To them, if there¡¯s a woman in their son¡¯s heart who¡¯s more important than his mother¡ªwhether she¡¯s their son¡¯s wife or his lover¡ªthat woman deserves to die!¡±

    ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t that woman go and explain herself to Xi Cheng?¡± asked Shi Gao curiously.

    Lin Yu washed her hands meticulously, turned off the tap, and slowly wiped her hands dry with a tissue. ¡°What¡¯s there to explain? Did you expect her to explain she¡¯s a woman of virtue and never slept around? She never did because she doesn¡¯t even know why my mother-in-law wanted her out of Xi Cheng¡¯s life; my mother-in-law and I never said anything bad about or accused her of anything to her face.¡±

    ¡°We only begged her to leave Xi Cheng¡ªbegged her to give Xi Cheng and I a chance to live better lives. That¡¯s all; we didn¡¯t say anything bad about her. My mother-in-law even gave her money. To a woman like her, money is the greatest insult to their love, so she left.¡±

    Shi Gao found the whole thing unbelievable. ¡°Then, what about Xi Cheng?¡± she asked. ¡°He let her go just like that?¡±

    Lin Yu smiled. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Shi Gao didn¡¯t say anything. Xi Cheng was always by Lin Yu¡¯s side like a loyal dog. Only, he didn¡¯t talk much.

    Lin Yu went on to say as she applied her hand cream, ¡°If you¡¯re asking me, did those two love each other, the answer is, ¡®of course,¡¯ but so what? If their love was strong enough, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to tear them apart. It¡¯s not my fault they broke up so easily; that¡¯s their own problem. You can¡¯t say I¡¯m the one responsible for breaking them up.¡±

    Shi Gao clapped. ¡°Lin Yu, I¡¯m so impressed! You¡¯re really amazing!¡±

    Lin Yu smiled. She¡¯s willing to befriend any woman so long as they don¡¯t set their sights on Xi Cheng. Having more friends meant more connections, after all. Take Shi Gao, for example. She didn¡¯t even mind that the girl wanted to be the Shi family¡¯s eldest young madam, despite the fact that Shi Ke was already married. As long as the man Shi Gao wanted wasn¡¯t Xi Cheng, it was none of her business; she could even provide her help.

    The two left the restroom, and one of the cubicle doors opened. Fang Xi walked out, face white as a sheet. Looking at her pale visage in the mirror, Fang Xi twitched the corners of her mouth into a smile, but it wasn¡¯t a happy smile. She turned on the tap, and warm water hit her cold hands, making her subconsciously tremble.

    ¡® Yeah, she¡¯s right. No one could have torn us apart if our love was strong enough,¡¯ Fang Xi thought. She came out of the restroom solemn and downtrodden.

    Ye Kun didn¡¯t understand why Fang Xi¡¯s mood changed so drastically after going to the restroom. She was such a far cry from the happy and sparkling Fang Xi just moments ago that she seemed like a different person altogether.

    ¡°Are you okay? Do you feel ill?¡± he asked her softly.

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t seem to hear him and stared at something in the distance. She saw Lin Yu had wrapped her arm around Xi Cheng¡¯s, smiling gently as she accepted the ladies¡¯ compliments and praises.

    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. I¡¯ll be going home now,¡± Fang Xi woodenly said to Ye Kun beside her.

    Ye Kun quickly reached out, touched Fang Xi¡¯s forehead, and uttered, ¡°Let¡¯s go. You don¡¯t look too good. Why are you so cold? Are you coming down with a fever? Should we go to the hospital?¡± Ye Kun¡¯s figure just so happened to block the gaze directed at Fang Xi

    Fang Xi moved towards the exit as she replied, ¡°No need, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    ¡°Alright, okay! Let¡¯s go home!¡± Ye Kun was ecstatic. ¡®She said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home!¡± As in, us, together!¡¯ he thought gleefully.

    After Xi Cheng had finished dealing with the group of women, he searched the entire exhibition but couldn¡¯t find that familiar figure.

 Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-One: Addicted

    Chapter 171: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-One: Addicted

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Liang Han grabbed him and asked, ¡°Hey, have you seen Ye Kun? Where did that guy run off to?¡±

    Xi Cheng shook his head and replied, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen him around.¡±

    Liang Han gave Ye Kun a call, but Ye Kun simply hung up on him, and Liang Han could hear the voicemail recording: ¡°The number you are dialing is currently busy.¡±

    He then received a message from Ye Kun stating, ¡°[I¡¯m busy, stop bothering me.]¡±

    ¡°What?! Hey! What¡¯s his problem? What¡¯s up with him?¡± Liang Han grumbled and showed Xi Cheng the message on his phone.

    ¡°He¡¯s probably off flirting with some girl he took a fancy to,¡± Xi Cheng commented disinterestedly.

    Liang Han gave his words some thought and nodded. ¡°You might be right.

    Alright, I¡¯ll cut him some slack. I¡¯m off to chat someone up, too!¡±

    Liang Han took two steps forward before returning to Xi Cheng to inquire,

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you have to accompany your fianc¨¦e?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I take a breather?¡± Xi Cheng answered expressionlessly.

    Liang Han found it funny and remarked, ¡°Xi Cheng, my man, I¡¯ve been feeling suffocated just watching you all this time. We barely see you alone these days; it¡¯s like she¡¯s your warden or something. It¡¯s an engagement, not a life sentence! You¡¯ve dated other girls before; you didn¡¯t bring them along everywhere you go. You¡¯ve never ignored us for your lady love in the past. But now that you have a wife-to-be, I can¡¯t help but feel that you don¡¯t care about us, your childhood bros, anymore with how you¡¯re acting.¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s gaze landed on a painting not far away, and he detachedly said, ¡°If you¡¯re so bothered by it, why don¡¯t you also find yourself a wife?¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s words seemed to have touched a nerve because Liang Han immediately uttered, ¡°No way. Nope, not on your life. Bro, don¡¯t curse me like that; it¡¯s a fate too cruel to imagine.¡±

    Xi Cheng walked towards the painting. In it, a young man stood tall and straight at the entrance of a bluestone-paved alley lined with white-walled buildings topped with black-tiled roofs. The painting was mostly done in cool tones and was named, ¡® Waiting.¡¯

    Xi Cheng waved an attendant over and told her, ¡°I¡¯ll buy this painting.¡±

    The attendant smiled and politely informed him, ¡°Sir, this painting isn¡¯t for sale.¡±

    Xi Cheng frowned. ¡°It¡¯s not labeled as such.¡±

    The attendant hurriedly stated, ¡°Sir, all the paintings on display aren¡¯t for sale. A dear friend gave them to Miss Xiang, and all of them are her favorites. If you take a look at our jewelry, you¡¯ll see that many of Miss Xiang¡¯s jewelry have meanings that correspond to the paintings. For example, the name of this painting is ¡®Waiting,¡¯ and we have a hairpin that goes with it. Please, have a look.¡± The attendant pointed at a hairpin in the corner of the display counter produced it to Xi Cheng.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Liang Han came over and asked, ¡°What kind of flower is this? It¡¯s very unique!¡±

    ¡°This is a poppy flower,¡± the attendant said softly. She put on some gloves, opened the display counter, and took out the hairpin. ¡°This hairpin is made of red agate. Poppies mean ¡®silently waiting for your return¡¯ in flower language, whereas red agate symbolizes hope, so this hairpin represents lovesickness, which echoes the painting ¡® Waiting.¡¯ However, because the design is a poppy flower, no one is willing to buy it¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy it. Can you wrap it up for me now, please?¡± Xi Cheng interrupted her.

    The attendant was stunned for a moment before she smiled and told him, ¡°Sir, you have to pay a deposit for our products first, and we¡¯ll send them to your address after the exhibition ends.¡±

    Xi Cheng whispered to Liang Han, ¡°Help me buy the hairpin and have it sent to your place. Hold onto it for me.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± For a second, Liang Han was bewildered, and then he caught on. ¡°Ah! Oh! Alright, I got it.¡±

    Xi Cheng felt relieved. Liang Han went about purchasing the hairpin, and the attendant double-checked the information with Liang Han.

    ¡°Xi Cheng, what did you buy?¡± Xi Cheng heard an all-too-familiar voice and saw Lin Yu, Shi Gao, and Gu Man walking over.

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t say anything, but Liang Han could tell his pal was silently asking him for help, so he smiled, gestured to the hairpin, and replied, ¡°I asked Xi Cheng to help me pick out something.¡±

    The three women looked at the hairpin in unison. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this a poppy flower? Liang Han, are you buying this?¡± Shi Gao curiously inquired.

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s beautiful, so I don¡¯t see why not!¡± Liang Han casually responded. Gu Man pouted. ¡°But that¡¯s a poppy. Isn¡¯t it a drug? It can cause addiction!¡±

    Liang Han¡¯s hand momentarily paused in the middle of signing the purchase agreement when he heard this, and he uttered, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? I don¡¯t take drugs, and this isn¡¯t a real poppy. I won¡¯t get addicted.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re heading over to Mom. Do you want to come with us?¡± Lin Yu asked Xi Cheng gently.

    Xi Cheng shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m helping Liang Han pick out some jewelry.¡±

    Gu Man laughed. ¡°Oh? Who are they for? Liang Han, did you get yourself a girlfriend? What family is she from? You should introduce her to us.¡±

    Liang Han chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s still too early to say. I¡¯ll definitely let you guys know when I have good news!¡±

    After the women left, Liang Han waved the receipt in his hand and joked, ¡°You sure you want this, buddy? ¡®It¡¯s a drug!¡¯ ¡® You¡¯ll get addicted!¡±¡®

    Xi Cheng snatched the receipt from him, took out his phone, and transferred the money to Liang Han.

    ¡°Dude, don¡¯t be like that; we¡¯re bros. I¡¯ll give it to you; you don¡¯t have to give me money for it.¡± Liang Han told him as he looked at the transaction notification on his phone.

    ¡°No, I want to buy it myself,¡± Xi Cheng said impassively.

    Liang Han sighed. ¡°Buddy, don¡¯t tell me you really got addicted. You could¡¯ve just bought it yourself directly if you liked it so much. Why do you have to make things difficult for yourself? Like I said, you¡¯re only engaged, not imprisoned for life. We all suffer when we see you like this.¡±

    Xi Cheng tore the receipt into pieces and threw it into the trash can. ¡®Yeah,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Like poppies, she¡¯s addictive..¡¯

 Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Two: Surprise

    Chapter 172: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Two: Surprise

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°What suffering?¡± A deep, mellow voice with a hint of laughter spoke behind them.

    Liang Han and Xi Cheng turned around and exclaimed, ¡°Shi Ke! It¡¯s you!¡±

    Shi Ke and Shi Nian walked up to them. Shi Ke and Shi Nian weren¡¯t much different in height and build, and the two brothers looked very similar, though Shi Nian¡¯s elder brother, Shi Ke, had an imposing and dignified steadiness. With Shi Ke beside him, Shi Nian¡¯s usual sternness seems much gentler.

    Shi Ke hugged Xi Cheng and Liang Han, patted their backs, and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve seen you, brats!¡±

    Liang Han chuckled, ¡°Shi Ke, we¡¯re not brats anymore! We¡¯re nearly in our thirties! That¡¯s old!¡±

    Shi Ke laughed and punched him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t mention the word ¡®old¡¯ before me.¡±

    Liang Han giggled. Xi Cheng had a rare happy smile as he asked, ¡°Shi Ke, you came back to accompany Xiang Yang, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Shi Ke smiled and nodded. Shi Nian glanced at his older brother and commented, ¡°He¡¯s already getting on in years, and yet he¡¯s still so immature. He¡¯s here to surprise Xiang Yang. She still doesn¡¯t know that he¡¯s back!¡± Shi Ke¡¯s smile remained unchanged, completely unconcerned about his little brother¡¯s snitching.

    Liang Han sighed. ¡°I¡¯m so envious. I believe in love again!¡±

    Shi Nian scoffed, ¡°You always say that, but I¡¯ve never seen you get in a relationship.¡±

    Xi Cheng glared at him. ¡°Why are you so acerbic? Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?¡± Liang Han found it extremely funny and laughed.

    Shi Ke wasn¡¯t annoyed by Shi Nian¡¯s attitude at all. He smiled and said, ¡°You guys Imow him better than I do. Just now, when I saw him looking like this, I tried to figure out if I owed him money! I found out later that Xiang Yang had taken Yun Nan with her, and he was ignored. He¡¯s unhappy he was left alone.¡±

    Xi Cheng and Liang Han shook their heads and said in unison, ¡°Serves you right! It¡¯s retribution!¡±

    Shi Ke cracked up laughing and then looked around. ¡°Huh? Where¡¯s Ye Kun? Is he not here with you guys?

    Liang Han took out his phone and showed it to the Shi brothers. ¡°See for yourselves. He doesn¡¯t want us to bother him. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s up to.¡± Shi Guang chuckled, ¡°Maybe he¡¯s on a date?¡±

    ¡°Tsk! What girl would be so foolish as to fall for him?¡± Liang Han was unconvinced. Shi Ke was accustomed to the four boys¡¯ love-hate relationship and just smiled as he watched them fooling around.

    Gu Man was looking for Shi Nian in the crowd and immediately spotted the four guys. After all, it wasn¡¯t difficult to notice these four outstanding men in the mass. Her eyes lit up, and she nudged Shi Gao and Lin Yu beside her.

    There was an intense energy about Gu Man¡ªshe was eager to see Shi Nian again. She obviously hadn¡¯t given up on him; it seems that the greater the challenge, the more determined she gets. Even if Shi Nian had rejected her outright, Yun Nan had staked her claim, and even Xu Yun couldn¡¯t make any leeway, it didn¡¯t matter! It only strengthened her determination to obtain Shi Nian.

    ¡®Such an outstanding man like Shi Nian would naturally be hard to obtain,¡¯ Gu Man thought. ¡® The more difficult it is to get him, the more it proves I have good taste!¡¯

    Gu Man didn¡¯t think Yun Nan had anything she didn¡¯t have. She was just as good as¡ªif not better than¡ªYun Nan. It was just a problem of bad timing. If she¡¯d been the one to meet Shi Nian first, then Yun Nan wouldn¡¯t have had anything to do with him. It didn¡¯t matter; Gu Man was confident she could snatch Shi Nian from her.

    Girls have more success pursuing guys than vice versa; after all, men are creatures of impulse and often swayed by wild passions. As long as Gu Man her heart into it, failure was impossible¡ªshe would certainly succeed in getting the man she loved!

    However, Gu Man had also learned her lesson from her previous defeats. Be it Shi Nian or his mother, they didn¡¯t like people who were too direct. They probably preferred people like Lin Yu and Shi Gao¡ªalways putting on airs and beating around the bush. Therefore, she needed to drag the two to her side to help her.

    Of course, Lin Yu and Shi Gao knew Gu Man¡¯s intentions. Lin Yu couldn¡¯t wait to marry Gu Man off as soon as possible. That woman was cancer to those around her; Lin Yu didn¡¯t care if Gu Man harmed anyone so long as she¡¯d be rid of her. Shi Gao¡­ only had eyes for Shi Ke.

    She stopped breathing when she saw him. Shi Ke was always so dazzling, so much so that her eyes prickled whenever she looked at him. Shi Gao unconsciously walked toward him. One step, two steps, three steps¡ª

    Shi Gao¡¯s heart was beating so fast she feared it would burst out of her chest.

    She could feel herself tremble slightly and tried her best to take a deep breath. ¡® You can do it, Shi Gao! Deep breaths!¡¯ Shi Gao silently encouraged herself.

    Shi Ke just so happened to turn his head toward her. His eyes suddenly lit up, and a brilliant smile appeared on his face. Shi Gao was stunned.

    ¡®Shi Ke is smiling at me! He smiled!¡¯ Shi Gao thought, overjoyed. ¡®He¡¯s smiling so happily!¡¯

    Tears rolled down Shi Gao¡¯s cheeks. She saw Shi Ke stride towards her. ¡®He¡¯s coming over!¡¯

    Shi Gao closed her eyes tightly. Her soul seemed to have left its shell and stood from up high, examining whether her smile was perfect enough to match Shi Ke¡¯s current feelings¡­

    Shi Ke walked past her without stopping for even a second! He walked straight past, towards¡­ ¡°Honey!¡± He called out, his deep and mellow voice filled with affection.

    Xiang Yang froze for a few seconds, and then¡ª ¡°Ah!¡± she screamed in delight and rushed over. Shi Ke went up and embraced her and spun them both around twice.

    He hugged her and turned her around twice, and Xiang Yang laughed and exclaimed unbridledly. She was extremely happy to see him..

 Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Three: Heartbroken

    Chapter 173: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Three: Heartbroken

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Ke put Xiang Yang down and chided, ¡°Why are you running in high heels? What if you fall?¡±

    Xiang Yang put her arms around his waist and looked up at him, asking, ¡°Why are you here? Didn¡¯t you go on a mission? Didn¡¯t they say that it would take three months? It¡¯s only been over a month.¡±

    Before he could answer, Xiang Yang hopped a few times and said, ¡°I miss you so much! I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re here!¡±

    Shi Ke hurriedly supported her and panickily uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t jump, honey, don¡¯t! Be careful not to sprain your ankle!¡±

    Xiang Yang didn¡¯t care; she was too happy to worry about such things. Shi Ke hugged his restless wife and turned around to greet Xu Yun, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m back.¡±

    Surrounded by a group of ladies, Xu Yun was as happy as a clam to see her son. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back! I¡¯m glad! At least you¡¯re thoughtful enough to rush back!¡±

    The onlookers looked at the scene with different expressions. Some envied the love and happiness between Xu Yun¡¯s son and her daughter-in-law, while others gloatingly thought, ¡®Xu Yun always talked about her son, but it doesn¡¯t matter howgreat he is; he only has eyes for his wife after he got married.¡¯

    Shi Nian, too, had pulled Yun Nan to his side. Shi Ke looked at Yun Nan and smiled. Shi Nian whispered something to her, and Yun Nan hastily greeted, ¡°Big brother.¡±

    ¡°Yun Nan, thank you for helping Xiang Yang organize this exhibition,¡± Shi Ke thanked his sister-in-law, whom he had met for the first time. He could tell from his younger brother¡¯s sappy expression when he looked at her that the brat only had eyes for his wife. Seeing him so blissful, Shi Ke felt relieved.

    Throwing the Shi family¡¯s business to his younger brother was the only time he had let someone down in his life. He finally felt at ease now that he saw Shi Nian was happy.

    He had heard Xiang Yang passionately praise and talk about her idol before he¡¯d even met his sister-in-law, so Shi Ke had an extremely good impression of Yun Nan¡ªhe would always agree with whatever and whoever his wife thought was good. Yun Nan¡¯s clear eyes and smile reassured him; Xiang Yang and Shi Nian hadn¡¯t misjudged her.

    Shi Gao silently wiped away her tears. She could hear the sound of her heart shattering. It was so painful that her whole body was numb with it.

    ¡®He only has eyes for that rotten b*tch!¡¯ she inwardly cried. ¡®How can someone so outstanding be so blind and have no discernment? That woman is evil! She¡¯s too good with her tricks and has bewitched the innocent Shi Ke! She¡¯s a menace!¡¯

    Shi Gao had clenched her fists so tightly that one of her fingernails broke in her palm. Her body was so numb she couldn¡¯t feel it. She couldn¡¯t even sense anyone or anything around her.

    ¡°Since Shi Ke is back, Xiang Yang, you can accompany Shi Ke to the lounge to have some rest. Yun Nan and I will take care of things here,¡± Xu Yun stated. She understood her son very well. Right now, Shi Ke probably just wanted to carry his wife off¡ªaway from all the outsiders.

    Xiang Yang stared at Yun Nan with sparkling eyes. Yun Nan looked at the longing in Xiang Yang¡¯s eyes and chuckled, ¡°Xiang Yang, you owe me a meal for this! Don¡¯t forget!¡±

    Xiang Yang snapped her fingers and replied, ¡°Make that ten meals! Yun Nan, I love you!¡±

    She pounced over and hugged Yun Nan tightly. Shi Nian was caught off guard and didn¡¯t pull Yun Nan away in time. He gazed at his older brother resentfully. Shi Ke gave him a look that said, ¡°Relax, just go along with your sister-in-law.¡±

    Xiang Yang let go of Yun Nan, grabbed Shi Ke¡¯s hand, and merrily told Xu Yun, ¡°Mom, we¡¯ll be going home now!¡± Xu Yun nodded with a smile and waved her hand to signal them to leave quickly.

    And so, the top jewelry designer left her own solo exhibition halfway through.

    She skipped and left hand in hand with her husband, under everyone¡¯s gazes. As they walked off together, her tall and handsome husband was worried she would sprain her ankle bouncing around in high heels. People could feel the deep love between them just from looking at their retreating figures.

    ¡°Xu Yun, you¡¯re so lucky! Look at your son and daughter-in-law; they¡¯re so sweet. I¡¯m so envious!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Madam Shi. Those two lovebirds don¡¯t act like they¡¯ve been married for several years; they¡¯re like a couple who just fell in love!¡±

    Han Yuan, however, lowered her voice and remarked, ¡°Xu Yun, isn¡¯t this highly inappropriate of your eldest daughter-in-law? She just dropped her work and ran off with her husband! It¡¯s unseemly! You don¡¯t seem to have much authority as her mother-in-law! You really should discipline her more!¡±

    Another lady frowned upon Xiang Yang¡¯s behavior and commented, ¡°No offense, Xu Yun, but your daughter-in-law just dragged her man away in broad daylight. She was in such a hurry to¡­! Isn¡¯t that a little too crude? This behavior is unbecoming of a high-class woman! Even common womenfolk aren¡¯t so unruly!¡±

    Xu Yun ignored them and pulled Yun Nan over to her side. ¡°Yun Nan, Your sister-in-law is leaving everything here in your hands.. Can you handle it?¡±

 Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Four: Protection

    Chapter 174: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Four: Protection

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan naturally heard what those people had said. She smiled and stated, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. Shi Nian is here to help me if I need it. You should go home, too, if you¡¯re tired. You can arrange a welcome home party for Shi Ke.¡±

    Xu Yun nodded. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll leave things here to you two. I¡¯ll go prepare some delicious food for you!¡± So saying, Xu Yun left without a single word to

    Han Yuan and the others.

    Han Yuan couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly embarrassed and told Yun Nan, ¡°We meant no offense; we were just worried for your mother-in-law¡¯s sake.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled lightly and no longer looked at her. She spoke to the crowd, ¡°Ladies, please feel free to explore and look around. If any product catches your eye, you can ask the attendants to come over and put your name on the register. We¡¯ll deliver the products to your residence within the stipulated time.¡±

    Yun Nan turned to look at Shi Nian. Shi Nian put his arm around her shoulders and smiled. ¡°Thank you all for your support,¡± he stated, the implied dismissal clear in his tone. Then, they walked away, leaving the group of embarrassed and angry ladies behind.

    Yun Nan shook her head and sighed, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what these people are thinking. They just won¡¯t stop until they¡¯ve humiliated themselves.¡±

    ¡°Some people take pleasure in directing and controlling other people¡¯s lives,¡± Shi Nian remarked.

    ¡°Fortunately, Mom and Xiang Yang aren¡¯t easily influenced,¡± Yun Nan thankfully commented.

    The corners of Shi Nian¡¯s lips curled up slightly. Yun Nan had become very used to addressing his family the same way he did and didn¡¯t differentiate between

    ¡°yours¡± and ¡°mine.¡±

    Gu Man¡¯s sugary sweet voice spoke from behind them. ¡°Shi Nian, what a coincidence! You¡¯re here to see the exhibition too.¡¯

    There was laughter in Yun Nan¡¯s eyes when she smiled and glanced at Shi Nian before she turned them around. ¡°Fancy meeting you here, Miss Gu. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s much of a coincidence. Shi Nian isn¡¯t here to look at the exhibition¡ª he¡¯s here to help me.¡± Yun Nan shielded Shi Nian and interrupted Gu Man¡¯s attempts to get friendly with him.

    Gu Man¡¯s smile remained unchanged as she uttered derisively, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you. I thought Shi Nian would¡¯ve had a new lover by now! You¡¯re funny; you¡¯re actually making Shi Nian help you? Who do you think you are?¡±

    Yun Nan beamed as she plunged the proverbial dagger into Gu Man¡¯s heart,

    ¡°I¡¯m his wife.¡±

    Gu Man¡¯s gaze turned cold. Yun Nan turned to look at Shi Nian and said,

    ¡°Darling, I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s go to the lounge to eat something. ¡®

    Shi Nian was overjoyed when Yun Nan called him ¡°darling¡± and couldn¡¯t help but gently kiss the top of her head. ¡°Alright,¡± he replied.

    Yun Nan looked a little uncomfortable at Shi Nian¡¯s intimate gesture, but Shi Nian had already put his arm around her shoulders and led her toward the lounge room.

    Considering that Gu Man was behind them, Yun Nan said nothing. For the first

    time, Shi Nian didn¡¯t hate Gu Man for causing trouble.

    Fang Xi¡¯s head hurt; it felt like it was about to split open.

    She leaned back on the sofa with her eyes closed, her face as white as a sheet.

    ¡°Fang Xi, are you sure you don¡¯t need to see a doctor?¡± Ye Kun asked worriedly.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just my usual migraine. I¡¯ll be fine after some sleep,¡± Fang Xi gathered all her strength to say softly.

    Ye Kun didn¡¯t say anything. He went to his apartment, carried Tuan Tuan over, and placed him in Fang Xi¡¯s arms. ¡°You can sleep with Tuan Tuan tonight.¡± Fang Xi smiled gratefully at Ye Kun.

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t have a restful sleep. Perhaps it was because she saw Ye Kun open the door when he went to pick up Tuan Tuan, but Fang Xi kept seeing doors in her dreams.

    She pushed open a door and saw a familiar figure sitting by the bed smoking, and her heart ached.

    ¡°Smoking isn¡¯t good for the body,¡± she often advised him, but he always didn¡¯t listen. He never took her words seriously.

    ¡®FangXi,¡± someone called her name.

    ¡°FangXi.¡± It echoed in her dreams.

    Fang Xi reached out to touch the figure, but he disappeared, and another door appeared before her. She pushed the door open and saw that he was changing his clothes, looking ready to go out.

    ¡°Fang M,¡± she heard her name echoing out once more, like a record on repeat.

    ¡°FangXi.¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi, which tie should I wear with this jacket?¡± She seemed to hear his voice speak in her ears.

    ¡°Fang Xi, I want to wear that blue striped shirt today. Help me pick out a tie!¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi, where are my socks?¡±

    Fang Xi stretched out her hands, wanting to help him straighten his collar. He disappeared, and yet another door appeared in front of her.

    Fang Xi again anxiously pushed open the door. The door was quite heavy. She had to push it hard a second time to open it when it didn¡¯t budge the first time she tried.

    The door opened. He was lying on the bed with his back facing her. She opened her mouth to call his name, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t make a sound. Her throat felt like it was on fire.

    She wanted to tell him that she wasn¡¯t feeling well, that she wanted to drink water, that she was cold¡­ but he ignored her.

    She sighed and curled in on herself; she wanted to cry but couldn¡¯t.

    ¡®FangXi!¡±

    ¡°FangXi!¡¯

    A series of calls rang out in her ears. She didn¡¯t have the strength to respond. She was getting hot and cold flashes; one moment, she felt like she was on fire and would be freezing cold the next. Like on a roller-coaster, she went from one extreme to the other.

    ¡®This must be Hell, isn¡¯t it? Fang Xi thought.

    This was her punishment for overreaching and stepping into a relationship that didn¡¯t belong to her. This was her debt, and she would pay it off this time. She didn¡¯t want to be entangled with him anymore; she didn¡¯t want to be trapped by her feelings anymore. She just wanted to let it all go..

 Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventv-Five: Hell

    Chapter 175: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventv-Five: Hell

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Cool, sweet liquid flowed down her parched throat, and Fang Xi swallowed it greedily. It nourished her dehydrated body, and she felt like she¡¯d climbed up from Hell.

    ¡°Fang Xi? Fang Xi? Fang Xi? Fang Xi?¡± The loud and soft cries made Fang Xi struggle to open her eyes. She was greeted by Ye Kun¡¯s anxious face. He had a five o¡¯clock shadow, and his eyes were sunken and filled with anxiety.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± Ye Kun cried, pleasantly surprised.

    ¡°Thank Heavens! If you hadn¡¯t woken up, I would¡¯ve called 911,¡± Ye Kun told her. He was so relieved that his legs gave out, and he sat heavily on the ground.

    ¡°Water,¡± Fang Xi requested with some difficulty. Her throat hurts badly.

    ¡°Okay, water, got it. Water, you should drink more water. Drink more water to recover faster,¡± Ye Kun babbled as he got up to get some water.

    Fang Xi realized she was lying on the sofa with a thin blanket covering her body, and there were two cushions behind her.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t I take Tuan Tuan to bed with me? Just as Fang Xi had that thought, Tuan Tuan jumped onto the sofa and started sniffing from her blanket all the way to her hand. He licked her hand and looked at her pitifully. She reached out to hug Tuan Tuan to her chest and then turned to look at Ye Kun.

    Ye Kun poured a third of hot water into the cup, then mixed it with two-thirds of cold water. Then, he scooped in two spoonfuls of honey and quickly stirred the mixture twice. He brought the honey water over, sat on the sofa, then helped her sit up. ¡°Here, drink it. It¡¯s just the right temperature.¡± Ye Kun was leaning against the two cushions; only then did Fang Xi realize the cushions were for him. ¡®Could it be that I slept on his lap last night? she thought.

    The warm and sweet honey water tasted divine as it went down her throat. She drank it all in one go, then raised the cup and asked Ye Kun, ¡°What happened to me?¡± She noticed her voice sounded very hoarse.

    Ye Kun took the cup, stood up, and sighed, ¡°You had a fever of almost 40 degrees Celsius. I called my doctor friends. They said there are a lot of patients with the flu in the hospital right now; just to be safe, it¡¯s better to take care of you at home than going to the hospital. I fed you some medicine and then cooled you down physically.¡±

    Ye Kun pointed at the small table at the side. There was a basin of water and two towels on the table. They were the towels from her bathroom. It seemed that Ye Kun had placed them on her forehead to cool her down before.

    ¡°I carried you to the sofa so that it¡¯s easier for me to feed you water and medicine and lower your temperature. Your fever was too high, and you kept pushing off the blanket. I had to¡­ I had to hug you to keep the blankets on. The fever medicine will make you sweat. You might catch a cold if you¡¯re not properly covered up,¡± Ye Kun tentatively explained, afraid that Fang Xi would be unhappy with his actions.

    ¡®Oh! So, the doors Ipushed open in my dream was the blanket! Fang Xi realized. ¡® Then, what about ¡®him¡¯? Washe just a figment ofmy imagination? In my dreams, he¡­ was always dismissive ofme.¡¯

    Ye Kun carefully reached out to touch her forehead and said worriedly, ¡°You¡¯re still running a little hot. I¡¯ll call a doctor to come take a look at you.¡±

    Ye Kun turned around to get his phone. ¡°Ye Kun,¡± Fang Xi called out; her hoarse voice sounded unfamiliar even to herself. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ye Kun held his phone and answered her.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Fang Xi uttered.

    Ye Kun handed her the digital thermometer. ¡°Take a measure and see what temperature you¡¯re at now. We¡¯ll be fine without a doctor if it¡¯s below 38 degrees Celsius. We¡¯ll just need to continue to lower your temperature physically, take medicine, and drink water,¡± Ye Kun stated, talking more to himself than her.

    Fang Xi accepted the thermometer and smiled at Ye Kun. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really.¡±

    Ye Kun froze. Fang Xi¡¯s smile, while beautiful, seemed fragile.

    Fang Xi patted the seat beside her, indicating for him to sit down. However, Ye Kun pulled a small stool over and sat facing Fang Xi¡ªshe didn¡¯t need to be taken care of, so he could no longer get so close to her.

    Fang Xi lowered her head and chuckled. ¡® Ye Kun is a gentleman. He¡¯s very different from a certain someone¡¯s cold indifference.¡¯

    ¡°Ye Kun, I had a dream,¡± Fang Xi told him. ¡°I dreamed that I was in Hell and was frozen and burned. It was terrible.¡± With her throat moistened by the honey water, her voice gradually became clear.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you have a fever,¡± Ye Kun said.

    Fang Xi shook her head. ¡°No, that was Hell. The hell that is my punishment. I even met my ex-boyfriend there.¡±

    Fang Xi smiled at Ye Kun. Ye Kun was at a loss; he didn¡¯t know how to comfort her.

    ¡°After this little trip to Hell, I¡¯m truly over him. Ever since we broke up, I

    couldn¡¯t move on until¡ªuntil yesterday. I¡¯ve really moved on. From now on, my feelings for him will disappear together with the dream from last night. Ye Kun, I¡¯m not sad anymore. This counts as a rebirth of sorts. Thank you! For always taking care of me,¡± Fang Xi said calmly and coherently..

 Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Six: Love Confession

    Chapter 176: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Six: Love Confession

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi sighed in relief and forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m quite silly, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    Ye Kun shook his head. It pained him to see Fang Xi like this. She was a passionate girl, so there was no way letting go of her past relationship was easy on her.

    ¡°Did you know the best way to heal from a failed relationship is to start another relationship?¡±

    Fang Xi was stunned. She tilted her head and gave it a thought. Then, she smiled and nodded. ¡°That makes sense. I¡¯ll consider giving it a try.¡±

    ¡®She didn¡¯t understand what I was getting at!¡¯ Ye Kun mentally wailed. He didn¡¯t give up; he dragged the stool forward, looked into Fang Xi¡¯s eyes, and solemnly stated, ¡°Then, can you consider me for your boyfriend?¡±

    Fang Xi was dumbfounded. ¡°I can cook,¡± Ye Kun began to list his qualities. ¡°I like small animals. I¡¯m very good at taking care of people! I¡¯m a little busy with work sometimes, but so long as conditions permit, I can be at your beck and call. Uh¡­ I have a lot of good points; I do! I just can¡¯t remember them when I¡¯m nervous, but give me a chance. I¡¯ll show you I¡¯m a good boyfriend!¡±

    Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Looking at the sincerity on this man¡¯s face, she was really touched.

    ¡°Ye Kun, thank you!¡± she said sincerely.

    Ye Kun shook his head. ¡°No need to thank me. I just want to know if I have a chance.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI just broke up with someone,¡± Fang Xi explained.

    ¡°Yeah. You broke up with your ex, so now I can pursue you, right?¡± Ye Kun anxiously asked.

    ¡°But I liked someone else before!¡± Fang Xi tried once more to explain to him.

    ¡°I know that! But you don¡¯t like him anymore, do you?¡± Ye Kun asked to confirm.

    Fang Xi nodded slowly. ¡°That¡¯s right, I don¡¯t like him anymore. But don¡¯t you mind that I liked someone else before?¡±

    Without waiting for Fang Xi to speak, Ye Kun counted off his previous crushes on his fingers, ¡°When I was in kindergarten, I liked a beautiful girl in my class and wanted to marry her. However, she said she liked my buddy, so I had no choice but to stop liking her.¡±

    ¡°When I was in primary school, I liked my deskmate, but she said I was too short¡ªshe likes tall guys. When I was in junior high, I had just fallen in love with a classmate, but before I could confess, she announced with fanfare that she had fallen in love with the class monitor next door because the boy was handsome.¡±

    ¡°When I reached high school age, I grew taller and more handsome. However, I realized all the beautiful girls already had boyfriends. So I was left single because I didn¡¯t like the girls who liked me, but the ones I liked didn¡¯t return my feelings.¡± Ye Kun sighed sadly.

    Fang Xi found it funny. ¡°And then? What about university?¡±

    Ye Kun scrubbed his face. ¡°After getting into university, you would think I could finally have a nice relationship, wouldn¡¯t you? Hmph, my dad retired early, and my brother took over. He worked me like a dog; I was busy with my studies and work at the same time. Where would I have found the time to fall in love? *Sigh*!¡±

    Ye Kun suddenly cheered up. ¡°But, maybe I was waiting for you! Perhaps Fate was working behind the scenes, keeping me from getting a relationship so I

    would have the chance to meet you!¡±

    Fang Xi facepalmed. This man¡¯s sweet words were nice to hear but were also¡­ a little ridiculous. She burst his bubble and said, ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, then shouldn¡¯t I have also waited for you and not fallen in love with anyone else?¡±

    ¡°Nope! You got it wrong!¡± Ye Kun immediately retorted. He excitedly said, ¡°You must fall in love once before you meet me, but it won¡¯t be a successful relationship. That way, you can come to my side. Then, with a previous experience to make a comparison to, you¡¯ll know how good a boyfriend I am! This way, you¡¯ll happily be my girlfriend!¡±

    ¡°As for me? I hadn¡¯t met anyone suitable¡ªI was saving up my luck until I had enough to meet you! See? The two of us are fated to be together! We¡¯re very compatible!¡±

    Fang Xi laughed. If this man before her went out and yelled, ¡°Is there anyone willing to be my girlfriend?¡± half the city¡¯s unmarried young women would come to line up. Yet, here he was, clumsily trying to convince her they were fated.

    She laughed and laughed, and then tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Ye Kun, are you serious about this?¡± Fang Xi asked.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ye Kun nodded. ¡°I¡¯m very, very serious in pursuing you. From the first time¡ªno, from the second time I saw you, I¡¯ve been trying to woo you! Perhaps you have too many outstanding men around you, and I¡¯m too stupid, so you haven¡¯t noticed my feelings for you. But it¡¯s okay; if you didn¡¯t notice, I¡¯ll just tell you directly and let you know.¡±

    Ye Kun smiled sincerely. Fang Xi had never met a boy like him. He was as bright as the sun, but his brilliance was also blinding.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t know me,¡± Fang Xi murmured.

    ¡°Give me a chance to be your boyfriend, and we can slowly get to know each other. We have a whole lifetime ahead of us; there¡¯s no hurry. So¡­ will you give me a chance?¡± Ye Kun was full of anticipation as he waited for her answer..

 Chapter 177 - Chapter 177: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Seven: Laughter.

    Chapter 177: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Seven: Laughter.

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi was speechless.

    ¡°Alright, since you have no more questions, I take it you agree!¡± Ye Kun concluded. ¡°Love will come when it wants to, and you can¡¯t stop it, so you might as well go with it. Let¡¯s first confirm our relationship; this way, it¡¯ll be easier for me to show you my good qualities and for you to get to know me,¡± Ye Kun stated, relieved that Fang Xi didn¡¯t reject him.

    Fang Xi felt a warmth in her heart. She nodded with some difficulty before saying, ¡°Ye Kun, I might not be as amazing as you imagine. You might be disappointed once you get to know me.¡±

    Ye Kun chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t need to imagine to know that you¡¯re amazing. You don¡¯t have to worry about whether I¡¯m satisfied or not. You¡¯re the girl in this relationship; it¡¯s fine so long as you¡¯re content. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±

    Fang Xi was stunned. Ye Kun patted her head. ¡°Stop worrying your head about it. You¡¯re sick; this is the perfect opportunity to test your boyfriend! Whatever you want to eat or do, just say it, and I¡¯ll take care of it. I want to be the best boyfriend ever! Quick, state your request! Make a demand!¡±

    Fang Xi had never been treated like this; she¡¯d never been spoiled before, not even by her parents.

    Ye Kun touched her forehead and remarked, ¡°You¡¯re still slightly too warm. I¡¯ll get you another glass of water. After that, you can play with Tuan Tuan for a while. I¡¯ll go make some porridge; your stomach is unsettled when you have a

    cold, so it¡¯s best to eat something light and easy to digest.¡±

    Ye Kun smiled and nagged as he busied himself. Fang Xi hugged Tuan Tuan as her eyes followed Ye Kun. She didn¡¯t speak, just listened quietly, and her heart suddenly filled with warmth.

    Xiang Yang¡¯s exhibition lasted for a week and ended successfully. As the jewelry designer and the exhibition¡¯s host, Xiang Yang only made a token appearance for three days. She placed Yun Nan in charge for the rest of the time.

    Shi Xiu was responsible for live-streaming the event. With Xiang Yang¡¯s reputation and Shi Xiu¡¯s popularity, the sales from the live-streaming channel were more than four times that of the offline sales. This result surprised the whole family.

    At the family banquet, Shi Xiu was very proud of her achievements. ¡°This is the Internet era. You got to keep up with the trend when doing business!¡± she smugly told her family.

    Shi Ke chuckled and teased Shi Nian, ¡°Hear that? Our little sister is teaching you how to do business.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s teaching you!¡± Shi Nian retorted.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a businessman.¡±

    ¡°But you have to look after your wife¡¯s business!¡±

    Sure enough, Shi Ke shut up and reflected. Shi Nian was pleased that he had hit the nail on the head and one-upped his brother.

    Xiang Yang suggested, ¡®Why don¡¯t I leave you in charge of the sales team, Shi Xiu? I¡¯ll only have to be responsible for designing the jewelry. That way, I¡¯ll have more time to spend with my husband.¡±

    So saying, Xiang Yang grinned at Shi Xiu. Shi Xiu was shocked and hastily replied, ¡°No, no, that won¡¯t do! I can¡¯t! I¡¯m busy! I¡¯m VERY busy! Uh, isn¡¯t that right, Yun Nan?¡±

    Yun Nan was watching them with relish; she didn¡¯t expect them to suddenly involve her in the conversation. Xiang Yang gave her a look, which Yun Nan quickly understood, so she smiled and said, ¡°Do you still have work to do? I¡¯ll ask Fang Xi to cancel it for you. You should help Xiang Yang start her e-commerce business first.¡±

    Shi Xiu pounced on Yun Nan and whined, ¡°No, don¡¯t! Don¡¯t cancel! Yun Nan, my dear sweet sister-in-law, can you help me write another script?

    Shi Xiu shook Yun Nan¡¯s as she dragged out her name hand and acted cute. Yun Nan half-covered her eyes and told Xiang Yang, ¡°I can¡¯t help you anymore. She volunteered to be my female lead, which is great news for me!¡±

    Xiang Yang smiled and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let her go. She¡¯s all yours.¡±

    Only then did Shi Xiu realize that her two sisters-in-law were teasing her. She pouted and groused, ¡°Oh, the two of you ganged up on me! Hmph!¡±

    She glanced at her relatives and sighed, ¡°I was thinking of finding someone to back me up and help me deal with you guys, but when I looked around¡­ *sigh* I don¡¯t think any of them will help me. Oh, woe is me!¡±

    Shi Xiu pitied herself, and her relatives laughed merrily. Her grandfather consoled her, ¡°There, there, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s okay. You¡¯ll have someone on your side when you have a boyfriend in the future.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d have to find an incredible guy to be able to beat those two!¡± Shi Xiu grumbled, looking glum. ¡°Just thinking about it makes me feel discouraged.¡±

    Shi Ke unhurriedly stated, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to report to us if you¡¯re in a relationship.¡±

    Shi Xiu rolled her eyes at him. ¡°I¡¯m not in the army, so why do I have to report my love life to you.¡±

    Shi Ke asked Shi Nian, ¡°She has a boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°No. Dont worry, I¡¯m watching over her,¡± Shi Nian answered.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s expression changed immediately. ¡°Mom! Do you hear what they¡¯re saying? They¡¯re not allowing me to date!¡±

    Xu Yun smiled and placed a piece of pork rib onto her daughter¡¯s plate. ¡°They¡¯re doing this for your own good,¡± she said. ¡°If you have a boy you like, you must let your brothers do a check on him.¡±

    Shi Xiu glared at her two brothers.. ¡°Hmph! I absolutely won¡¯t tell them!¡±

 Chapter 178 - Chapter 178: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Eight: Unfaithful

    Chapter 178: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Eight: Unfaithful

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Ke ignored his sister¡¯s gaze and said to his brother, ¡°If anyone dares to cast their eyes on our sister, break one of their legs for me!¡± Shi Nian nodded. ¡°One for you and one for me,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Shi Xiu wailed.

    Xiang Yang couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and gently whacked Shi Ke. ¡°Stop it,¡± she admonished. ¡°How can you bully her like this?¡±

    Yun Nan also spoke up. ¡°That¡¯s too much.¡±

    Shi Xiu immediately sought help from her sisters-in-law. ¡°Yun Nan! Xiang Yang! Save me! My brothers are bullying me; I don¡¯t want them anymore. They don¡¯t treat me half as well as you do! Hmph, who needs brothers! I¡¯ll just follow you two in the future!¡±

    Xu Yun chuckled and patted her daughter¡¯s back. ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Silly girl, you¡¯ve finally learned how the world works!¡±

    The family all laughed and had fun together; it was a sharp contrast to the dark, cloudy mood in the Yun family residence.

    Gu Wei wept softly and murmured, ¡°I treated her like my own all these years. I painstakingly nurtured her and pandered to her every whim. I¡¯ve never treated her as an adopted daughter. Is that still not good enough for her?¡±

    ¡°When did this happen?¡± Yun Xiang asked Yun Zhang darkly. ¡°Did you not know about this beforehand?¡±

    Yun Zhang gently shook his head. ¡°I only knew about it when the Gu family came looking for her. Yun Liu and Shi Xiu had a big fight on a show a while back. Yun Liu lost a lot of fans, so the company had to spend a lot of time and manpower to solve these problems for her. Coincidentally, she fell ill and managed to avoid the limelight. I asked Tan Ning to keep her company, but I didn¡¯t expect Tan Ning to get her involved with the Gu family.¡±

    Yun Zhang sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t say she got herself involved with the Gu family. The

    Gu family has always been looking for their child¡­ I just¡ªI didn¡¯t expect Yun

    Liu¡¯s background¡­¡±

    Yun Zhang rubbed his face and didn¡¯t continue. Gu Wei cried, ¡°I brought her back from the orphanage. I didn¡¯t pick her up off the streets or buy her. How would I know how they lost her? What does that have to do with me?¡±

    She suddenly recalled something and looked at Yun Xiang. ¡°Darling! Do you remember, when we were at the orphanage, we originally wanted to adopt another girl younger than Yun Liu?¡±

    She continued, ¡°We went to chat with the orphanage director for a while. When we came out again, we met Yun Liu. She tripped and fell in front of us, and I helped her up. She then hugged me and cried pitifully. She said I smelled nice, and my arms were so warm; she said she¡¯d never been so happy. My heart melted, and I decided to adopt her right then and there. Do you remember that?¡±

    Yun Xiang frowned but slowly nodded. ¡°What does the Gu family intend to do?¡± he asked Yun Zhang, dismissing what Gu Wei had mentioned. ¡®What¡¯s the use of Gu Wei¡¯s memories? he thought.

    Yun Zhang answered, ¡°The Gu family was adamant. They said they¡¯ve already called the police and they must find out how their child went missing back then. They¡¯ll investigate whether there¡¯s anything wrong with the orphanage and the people who adopted the child¡ªwhether they¡¯re involved with their child¡¯s disappearance. If they are involved, the Gu family will go after every single one of them.¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Yun Xiang gave a furious laugh.

    ¡°How could they do this?¡± Gu Wei angrily stated. ¡°What? They come here without a single word of thanks to the orphanage and us for taking in their child and raising her with care. Instead, they actually suspect we had something to do with the child¡¯s disappearance! What kind of person does that?! Don¡¯t they have a conscience, or did they feed it to the dogs?¡±

    Yun Xiang calmed down and said, ¡°The Gu family is huge and has complicated interpersonal dynamics. How is the relationship of this branch of the Gu family with the main Gu family? The Gu family is influential, but that doesn¡¯t mean all the branch families are. Don¡¯t let their name-dropping scare you. We haven¡¯t done anything wrong, so we have nothing to fear.¡±

    He continued, ¡®You can also ask Yun Liu to help explain our innocence to them. We¡¯ve treated her extremely well all these years, and she knows it. Come to think of it, this might not be a bad thing. We¡¯ve raised Yun Liu for so many years, so no matter how you look at it, she owes us. Even if the Gu family doesn¡¯t want to return our favor, they can¡¯t possibly hold us accountable, right?¡±

    Yun Zhang didn¡¯t say anything. The Gu family¡¯s arrogance when they came to talk to him came to mind. They had scoffed at his explanations and sneered, ¡°We¡¯ll definitely make an investigation into how our young miss ended up in an orphanage! How could she have been so coincidentally adopted by your Yun family?! We will certainly look into it and find out if any shady dealings are involved! ¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go thinking you can build a relationship with our Gu family so easily. Although our Gu family has some wealth, we don¡¯t go around giving charity to just any Tom, Dick or Harry. Who knows what kinds of people they are? We wouldn¡¯t want to give aid to ingrates, would we?¡±

    Yun Zhang was so angry at the time he couldn¡¯t say a word.. They were on a whole new level of shamelessness!

 Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Nine: Openly Acknowledged

    Chapter 179: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Nine: Openly Acknowledged

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Ye Kun invited the Shi brothers to dinner and repeatedly stressed that they had to bring their wives along because he got himself a girlfriend and wanted to introduce them to each other.

    Shi Ke always treated his younger brother¡¯s close friends equally well. When he heard Ye Kun finally had a girlfriend, he sang Ye Kun all sorts of praises before his girlfriend. He was like a salesman, trying his best to introduce Ye Kun¡¯s strengths.

    Ye Kun was very thankful for that. He was also extremely grateful to Shi Nian. If Shi Nian hadn¡¯t rented the apartment to him, he wouldn¡¯t have had this opportunity to get so close to Fang Xi.

    Only then did Fang Xi and Yun Nan know that Shi Nian and Ye Kun were actually good buddies, and only then did Ye Kun and the Shi brothers know that Xiang Yang, Yun Nan, and Fang Xi had long been good friends.

    Xiang Yang felt this was an incredible turn of events, but Yun Nan was slightly anxious and stared at Fang Xi. Fang Xi smiled at her and squeezed her hand, indicating she could rest assured.

    Xiang Yang laughed. ¡°Wow, This really is a small world! I didn¡¯t expect we would end up in the same small social circle. Yun Nan and Fang Xi are like sisters, so Ye Kun and Shi Nian¡¯s relationship will be even closer in the future. You two have to watch yourselves from now on; if either of you makes one of the girls angry, the other will follow suit.¡±

    Ye Kun instantly moved his chair away from Shi Nian and warned, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare drag me down with you!¡±

    Shi Nian was momentarily stunned before he realized what Ye Kun meant. He was both angry and amused as he commented, ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t just toss me aside now that you have no use for me! Don¡¯t come begging me for help in the future. I¡¯ll bear a grudge!¡±

    Ye Kun hesitated and asked, ¡°Then, can you promise not to make your wife angry?¡± Thinking about it, he felt it wasn¡¯t very reliable to ask Shi Nian to guarantee such a thing, so he graciously said to Yun Nan, ¡®Yun Nan, if Shi Nian makes you angry, tell me immediately. I¡¯ll take care of him for you. Don¡¯t drag our Fang Xi away; she can¡¯t solve such issues, but I can! I¡¯m very useful against

    ¡ªAh!¡±

    Shi Nian released Ye Kun from his headlock and glared at him. ¡°What nonsense are you going on about? Fang Xi, what he told Yun Nan is also what I want to tell you!¡±

    Xiang Yang laughed so hard that she had to lean against Shi Ke. She told the other two girls, ¡°If you two are bored in the future, you can pretend to be angry. You can watch the fun as they fight it out. ¡±

    Shi Ke indulgently put an arm around his wife and smilingly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the two of them to become each other¡¯s bane. Not bad! Not bad at all! You two sisters can enjoy yourselves in the future. If you have any requests, feel free to tell those blockheads.¡±

    Shi Nian and Ye Kun looked at the couple in unison, and Ye Kun complained, ¡°Shi Ke, Xian Yang, will you stop fanning the flames?¡± He turned to Shi Nian and said, ¡°Let¡¯s work hard and ensure we won¡¯t anger our girls in the future. We can¡¯t let them treat us as entertainment!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Shi Nian stuck his nose in the air and said, ¡°Yun Nan and I are doing great! I won¡¯t make her angry.¡±

    Ye Kun followed suit and uttered, ¡°Me too!¡±

    Looking at their antics, Xiang Yang almost collapsed with laughter. ¡°Are they always like this?¡± she asked Shi Ke.

    Shi Ke nodded. ¡°Yeah, This is only the two of them together. It would be quite a lively scene if all four of them were here. Those guys are like four huskies in a

    row.¡±

    Yun Nan and Fang Xi couldn¡¯t get a word in edgewise into the others¡¯ conversation, but seeing Ye Kun¡¯s gallant and sincere attitude, Yun Nan felt slightly relieved. It seemed he was serious about Fang Xi.

    Yun Nan had never even met Fang Xi¡¯s ex-boyfriend. Yun Nan only seriously thought about this question when they broke up. If that man was serious about Fang Xi, why did he never meet her friends? In comparison, Yun Nan thought better of this Ye Kun.

    Ye Kun¡¯s hands weren¡¯t idle while he spoke; he would place food onto Fang Xi¡¯s plate from time to time. The dishes he chose were all Fang Xi¡¯s favorite. Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but secretly sigh in relief when she saw that.

    After everyone had their fill of jokes, they started to talk about their respective jobs. Shi Nian showed off to Ye Kun once more and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to accompany Yun Nan to another city. Their studio is going to the small town where she lived as a kid to do pro bono work.¡±

    Straightaway, Ye Kun looked at Fang Xi. Fang Xi somewhat resignedly told him, ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance to tell you yet. The trip was decided a long time ago.¡±

    Ye Kun felt relieved, and Shi Nian gloated, ¡°I heard you¡¯re going abroad to attend an order fair next week. I¡¯ve already made arrangements with Chang Yuan; I¡¯m on vacation now, so I¡¯m free to go with Yun Nan. I promised Chang

    Yuan I¡¯ll double his vacation time when I return.¡±

    Ye Kun glared at him. Fang Xi quickly consoled him, ¡°It¡¯s alright, you don¡¯t have to come with me. Your work is more important.¡±

    Ye Kun turned to Shi Ke and inquired, ¡°Shi Ke, is there anything you need me to

    Shi Ke smiled. ¡°Just tell me what you want from me. I¡¯ll decide what I want you to do based on the situation.¡±

    ¡°Shi Ke,¡± Ye Kun gritted his teeth. ¡°Help me talk to my brother. Tell him to give me a vacation.¡±

    Shi Ke wiped his hands with a wet towel. He had just peeled a prawn for Xiang Yang and chuckled when he heard that. ¡°Leave it to me,¡± he assured Ye Kun.

    Ye Kun¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really, Shi Ke?¡±

    Shi Ke nodded.

    ¡°Shi Ke,¡± Ye Kun immediately promised. ¡°I owe you; put it on my tab.. I¡¯ll definitely repay your favor in the future!¡±

 Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty: Exchange

    Chapter 180: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty: Exchange

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°How many debts does he owe you? Why do I get the feeling he does this quite often?¡± Xiang Yang stage-whispered to Shi Ke.

    Shi Ke chuckled, ¡°They both do this. It¡¯s a rule we¡¯ve had since we were kids.¡±

    He turned to his little brother and asked, ¡°How many debts do you owe Ye

    Kun¡¯s brother?¡±

    Shi Nian coughed lightly into his fist before replying, ¡°Just a few.¡±

    Yun Nan and Fang Xi looked at them in surprise. Xiang Yang asked the question the girls also wanted to ask, ¡°How do they usually pay you guys back? Won¡¯t they skip out on the debt?¡±

    Shi Ke glanced at the two younger boys¡ªthey¡¯ll always be boys to him¡ªand said, ¡°They won¡¯t because we¡¯re their older brothers. In any case, up until now, none of them had dared to rebel. As for how they would return the favor¡­ that¡¯s up to them and the situation at the time. They¡¯ll repay their debts; a gentleman¡¯s agreement isn¡¯t to be broken, after all.¡±

    The three women looked at each other, amazed the men had such a system.

    Xiang Yang sympathetically uttered to Shi Nian and Ye Kun, ¡±

    Shi Nian and Ye Kun were very calm; they didn¡¯t think the exchange was unfair at all. Ye Kun stated, ¡°It¡¯s an equivalent exchange; our older brothers gain, but we don¡¯t lose either. Sometimes, we have no other choice but to ask our big brothers for help; some things can only be solved by those big shots. For example, even my father can¡¯t get me a vacation from my brother, but Shi Ke can. My brother will let me off for Shi Ke¡¯s sake.¡±

    Xiang Yang curiously asked Shi Ke, ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how our friendship works,¡± he answered mock-mysteriously.

    Xiang Yang was impressed and said to Yun Nan and Fang Xi, ¡°I gotta hand it to them; that sounds pretty out there.¡±

    Yun Nan and Fang Xi nodded in agreement. ¡®Sometimes, the friendship between men is truly inexplicable,¡¯ they thought.

    The three women went to the washroom hand in hand, chatting and laughing as they sighed at the friendship between men. When Xiang Yang brushed past someone, she accidentally bumped into that person.

    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry,¡± Xiang Yang apologized reflexively.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you watch where you¡¯re going?¡± The other party questioned sternly. That person was a petite woman in her twenties or thirties with an arrogant expression.

    They¡¯d bumped into each other because they were walking in different directions, so they were both at fault for the collision. Xiang Yang only apologized out of politeness. She didn¡¯t expect that just because she¡¯d apologized, the other woman thought she was in the right and was being pushy and unreasonable about it.

    Xiang Yang stood still and stopped smiling. She coldly retorted, ¡®Me? Can¡¯t you watch where you¡¯re going?¡±

    The woman didn¡¯t expect Xiang Yang¡¯s prickly repartee. She loudly rebuked, ¡°You apologized, so that means you¡¯re in the wrong; if you weren¡¯t at fault, why are you apologizing to me?¡±

    ¡°I apologized because I thought I hit a person!¡± Xiang Yang stated coolly. ¡°If I¡¯d known what I bumped into was something that¡¯s not even worth trash, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered.¡±

    ¡°Who are you calling trash? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s not worth trash! ¡± The woman became even angrier.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m not! I¡¯m worth much, much more!¡± Xiang Yang smiled. The other woman probably had a brain made of wood; she still hadn¡¯t caught on.

    When she finally did catch on, the woman shrieked, ¡°You!¡± She was so mad she was at a loss for words.

    ¡°Gu Wen, what are you doing?¡± someone inquired, and then three women walked over from behind the woman.

    The petite woman¡ªGu Wen¡ªturned around and whined, ¡°Mom! Auntie! She called me trash!¡±

    Xiang Yang laughed and said to Yun Nan and Fang Xi, ¡°It¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve met a wimp who¡¯d run crying to their mom when they¡¯ve lost an argument.¡± ¡°Who¡¯re you calling a wimp?¡± Gu Wen snapped back, even more furious than before.

    Xiang Yang crossed her arms and leisurely remarked, ¡°I¡¯ve seen people beg for money, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone beg for a scolding before. What? Don¡¯t tell me you like people calling you a wimp?¡±

    Before Gu Wen could respond, an older woman frostily stated, ¡°Who are you rude vixens? How dare you bully my daughter?¡±

    ¡® The apple sure doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. With an attitude like that, no wonder her daughter is so arrogant,¡¯ Xiang Yang and the girls thought.

    Yun Nan told Gu Wen¡¯s mother, ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve misunderstood. It was your daughter who started it. We didn¡¯t bully her. Calling us vixens is a little too much, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Too much? I don¡¯t see what¡¯s wrong with what I¡¯ve said. All of you look like vixens, laughing and giggling in such a high-end hotel. You don¡¯t seem like decent folk to me!¡±

    Fang Xi was angrily amused. ¡°You¡¯re saying, just because we¡¯re good-looking, we¡¯re vixens? Then what do you call that troll of a daughter you have there?¡± Gu Wen¡¯s face turned red with anger. ¡°Who are you calling a troll?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the three of us aren¡¯t ugly, so¡­¡± Fang Xi lightly remarked.

    ¡°Yun Nan, you guys have really gone too far,¡± a soft and meek voice suddenly spoke behind Gu Wen¡¯s mother. Only then did Yun Nan see Yun Liu. Yun Liu had probably seen them earlier and deliberately hid behind the other women.

    ¡°You know her?¡± Gu Wen¡¯s mother questioned sharply.

    Yun Liu shrank away and said softly, ¡°Auntie, she¡¯s the Yun family¡¯s biological daughter, Yun Nan.¡±

    Gu Wen¡¯s mother glared at Yun Nan harshly and commented, ¡°She certainly is a difficult character. No wonder you¡¯re so submissive and useless¡ªit¡¯s probably because you always got bullied.¡±

    Yun Liu lowered her head, looking as though she didn¡¯t dare to speak..

 Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-One: Relatives

    Chapter 181: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-One: Relatives

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan was surprised and shared a look with Fang Xi. ¡® What kind ofperson says such things? they thought.

    The woman sized Yun Nan up and said disdainfully, ¡°As expected, you¡¯re a lowly commoner. You¡¯re so uneasy and have such narrow views; you seem like an inexperienced country bumpkin. Hmph! Gu Wen, why bother with people like that? Such folks are beneath us; didn¡¯t I always teach you that? How could you forget?¡±

    Gu Wen perked up when she heard this and took on a scornful expression. Yun Liu lightly bit her lip and looked as if she¡¯d mustered up a great deal of courage to timidly say, ¡°Yun Nan, this is my aunt, Madam Gu. This is my birth mother,

    Little Madam Gu. This is my cousin, Gu Wen.¡±

    ¡®Birth mother? Yun Nan thought and looked at Yun Liu, shocked.

    Yun Liu straightened her back slightly and gently uttered, ¡°I used to be very envious of you for being able to find your biological parents after you went missing for so many years. I didn¡¯t expect that I would also be so lucky to find my biological parents. I¡¯m returning to my biological parents like you did, Yun Nan. I hope you can reconcile with your parents soon and return to the Yun family¡ªthey¡¯re worried about you.¡±

    The woman Yun Liu called her mother looked deeply at Yun Liu and seemed very pleased with her demeanor.

    Although Yun Nan didn¡¯t know how Yun Liu suddenly had a birth mother¡ª what was that all about?¡ªshe smiled and said, ¡°Then, congratulations, Yun

    Liu. ¡±

    Yun Liu smiled. ¡°What happened just now was probably a misunderstanding.

    Gu Wen, can you drop this matter for my sake? She likely didn¡¯t mean it.¡±

    Gu Wen snorted and glared at Xiang Yang. ¡°Hmph! Alright, but only because you asked so nicely!¡±

    Gu Wen turned around and made to leave, but Xiang Yang took a step sideways and blocked her path. She stood before Gu Wen and spoke with a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes, ¡°Oho, that¡¯s some big talk there!¡± She turned to Yun Liu, ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone to speak for me, and who are you to do so anyway?¡± Then, she addressed Gu Wen, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with whom? Come, let¡¯s settle this properly. Show me what you got!¡±

    Gu Wen¡¯s expression immediately darkened. ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you block my wav! Don¡¯t think that just because we¡¯re from out of town,

    we don¡¯t have any connections in the local area. Let me tell you, the Shi family ¡ªthe wealthiest family in the city¡ªis our relative!¡±

    This time, it was Xiang Yang and Yun Nan who looked at each other. ¡®They¡¯re relatives of the Shi family?

    Xiang Yang laughed. ¡°You¡¯re related to the Shi family? What relatives? How many times removed are you? Tell me, and let me broaden my horizons!¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s expression changed slightly, but she hesitated and didn¡¯t stop Gu Wen. ¡°Why should I tell you anything? You¡¯re not worth my time, hmph!¡± Gu

    Wen scoffed.

    Xiang Yang didn¡¯t get angry. She smiled and replied, ¡°Alright, since I¡¯m not worthy of your time, then I¡¯ll call two people who are worthy over.¡± Before she could turn around to call Shi Ke and Shi Nian over, she saw someone quickly walking towards them.

    ¡°Gu Wen, what are you all doing? Why are you still out here?¡± It was Gu Man, clad in a fiery red skirt.

    Gu Wen saw Gu Man coming over and shouted, ¡°Gu Man, good timing! There¡¯s a pest here insisting I tell her about our relationship with the Shi family. Hmph! Gu Wen, come tell her personally that your fianc¨¦ is the Shi family¡¯s second young master, Shi Nian!¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s not just Shi Nian. Our little brother is also about to propose to the Shi family¡¯s only daughter. We¡¯re in-laws with the Shi family!¡± Gu Wen said gloatingly. Yun Liu silently retreated and gave the stage to the two Gu sisters.

    Xiang Yang laughed so hard she bent over double. She had no choice but to hold onto Yun Nan for support before she could control herself and managed to stand properly. Xiang Yan panted and chuckled, ¡°Yun Nan, did you hear that? She said¡ªsaid that this woman is Shi Nian¡¯s fianc¨¦e! Hahaha, this is so funny! Fang Xi, go and get Ye Kun. Didn¡¯t he say that Yun Nan should tell him if Shi Nian bullies her? He offered to help her beat Shi Nian up if that happened. Look, isn¡¯t this an opportunity for him to do so?¡±

    It was a scene too good for Fang Xi to pass up. ¡°Alright!¡± Fang Xi answered and straightaway turned around and walked towards their private room. Gu Man also saw Yun Nan and was so embarrassed that she had trouble speaking for a moment.

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°Now, now, Yun Liu. You are a local, so you know the people and affairs here perfectly well. Yet, you didn¡¯t tell your family the truth and let them make a fool of themselves here. What¡¯s that about, Yun Liu?¡±

    Yun Liu timidly lowered her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean, Yun Nan. Isn¡¯t it enough that you drove a wedge between my adoptive parents and I at home so they would treat me badly? And now you want to slander me in front of my biological mother? Yun Nan, what do I have to do to make you leave me alone?¡±

    As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked pitiful..

 Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: Chapter One -Hundred and Eighty-Two: The Boss

    Chapter 182: Chapter One -Hundred and Eighty-Two: The Boss

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Seeing this, Gu Man straightened her back and said coldly to Xiang Yang and

    Yun Nan, ¡°You guys can¡¯t just go around bullying others. Yun Liu is my cousin.

    Who gave you the confidence to strut around arrogantly and put down others?¡±

    Xiang Yang rubbed her ear and replied, ¡°I¡¯d like to know who gave you the confidence to call yourself Shi Nian¡¯s fianc¨¦e. What a joke! Did you find yourself a backer? How else would you dare to boast so shamelessly!¡±

    Gu Man¡¯s face turned red, and she snapped, ¡°That¡¯s my business; what does that have to do with you? Don¡¯t think that just because Yun Liu is a pushover, I¡¯m easy to bully too!¡±

    ¡°So these two are actually bullies,¡± Gu Wen haughtily remarked. ¡°No wonder they¡¯re so outrageous. I think they need a lesson; today, I¡¯ll teach you the consequences of bullying others.¡±

    She raised her hand, intending to slap Xiang Yang. Unexpectedly, someone grabbed her hand before she could strike. Yun Nan coolly stated, ¡°Then, what right do you have to bully others?¡±

    Angry that Yun Nan dared to stop her, Gu Wen pushed her hard and answered, ¡°My surname is Gu! That gives me the right!¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t expect her to be so boorish and so strong. The push carried her two steps back, and she accidentally bumped into someone behind her, so she subconsciously apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡±

    However, the person behind her held her firmly and uttered detachedly, ¡°So what if your surname is Gu? That doesn¡¯t mean you can hit people as you please. There¡¯s no such privilege.¡±

    Gu Wen¡¯s eyes lit up when she looked toward the speaker. ¡®This man is so handsome,¡¯ she thought, stunned by his good looks.

    Gu Man feared her lie would be outed and wanted to step back, but Yun Nan stopped her. ¡°Miss Gu, Shi Nian is here. Your cousin said that you¡¯re his fianc¨¦e. Please explain yourself. Otherwise, if there¡¯s any discord between us, Miss Gu will definitely be the one to take the blame. You wouldn¡¯t want to be accused of being a homewrecker, would you?¡±

    Shi Nian liked it when Yun Nan was a little aggressive like this, but her words made him frown. ¡°What fianc¨¦e? We¡¯re married, and there¡¯s no one else besides you. There¡¯s no discord between us, and there won¡¯t be! There is no other woman, and there never will be!¡± he declared, feeling quite anxious.

    Yun Nan rolled his eyes at him. ¡°Hush! Don¡¯t interrupt me!¡± Shi Nian obediently shut up but looked at her aggrievedly.

    Gu Man naturally didn¡¯t dare to spout nonsense before Shi Nian, but Yun Nan didn¡¯t seem to want to let things go. Seeing this, Gu Wen somewhat understood the situation and thought, ¡®I truly wasn¡¯t expecting Shi Nian to be such a handsome man. Gu Man has good taste this time.¡¯

    ¡°So you¡¯re Shi Nian!¡± Gu Wen spoke up. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect we would meet in such a

    way. But never mind; we would¡¯ve met sooner or later anyway. I assume you Imow we¡¯re members of the Gu family from White City, right?¡±

    Gu Wen¡¯s face was filled with sisterly love as she continued, ¡°We came with our little brother to meet your little sister and discuss their wedding. I heard my cousin Gu Man also likes you, so we thought it would be good to get both of your weddings sorted out together. That way, our two families will be even more close-knit. ¡±

    Xiang Yang sneered, ¡®What? Does no one else want to marry members of your

    Gu family? Why are you forcing them onto our Shi family?¡±

    ¡°Who are you to speak for the Shi family? How dare you!¡± Gu Wen angrily berated. She hated Xiang Yang so much!

    ¡°She¡¯s the boss,¡± Shi Ke answered, standing beside Xiang Yang.

    Gu Wen was dumbfounded. After all, Shi Ke and Shi Nian looked too similar. Anyone could tell at a glance that the two were brothers.

    ¡°The Gu family of White City, right? I remember Grandpa Gu was a kind and loving person. How could he allow his family members to be so arrogant and domineering? This is my wife, Xiang Yang, the eldest granddaughter-in-law of the Shi family. May I know what Miss Gu¡¯s status in the Gu family is? Let¡¯s see which of you holds more prestige and who is qualified to speak here?¡± Shi Ke¡¯s face tensed up as he spoke; he looked even sterner than Shi Nian.

    Everyone from the Gu family was shocked. They looked at each other and then at Yun Liu and Gu Man. It¡¯s understandable that they didn¡¯t know Xiang Yang and Yun Nan¡¯s identities and their relationship with the Shi family, but it was impossible for these two not to know. It was inexcusable that they let things develop to this point!

    Yun Liu¡¯s heart sank. She quickly went forward and said softly, ¡°Shi Ke, when did you return? It¡¯s been a while. I¡¯m Yun Liu. Do you remember me? I¡¯m the Yun family¡¯s adopted daughter.¡±

    Shi Ke frowned and stated, ¡°You¡¯re that girl from the Yun family?¡±

    Yun Liu pursed her lips and smiled sweetly. ¡°Yes, Shi Ke. I¡¯m glad you

    remember me.¡±

    ¡°Then, you should know my wife, shouldn¡¯t you? You know even better that Yun Nan is Shi Nian¡¯s wife. You actually allowed the Gu family to misunderstand and didn¡¯t speak up for them and explain. Are you deliberately sitting on the sidelines and watching them fight so you could reap the benefits?¡±

    Yun Liu paled, and tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Shi Ke, I really didn¡¯t! Xiang Yang and I hadn¡¯t seen each other for a long time, so I didn¡¯t recognize her at first.. As for Yun Nan¡­ She didn¡¯t hold a wedding with Shi

    Nian, so I didn¡¯t¡­

 Chapter 183 - Chapter 183: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Three: Exposed

    Chapter 183: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Three: Exposed

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Hah!¡± Xiang Yang and Yun Nan cried out simultaneously, cutting Yun Liu off.

    ¡°Surely your memory can¡¯t be that bad, Miss Yun Liu,¡± Xiang Yang commented. ¡°If I remember correctly, a few months ago, you were the one who copied the wedding rings I gifted to Shi Nian and Yun Nan. I even personally asked my lawyer to send you a demand letter. Don¡¯t give me that excuse about not recognizing me; at the very least, you must¡¯ve seen my photo at my new product launch! ¡±

    Yun Nan added, ¡°You were with the Yun family the day I left them and saw my marriage certificate with your own eyes. You cried and made a fuss because of this and made my father slap me, asking me to divorce Shi Nian immediately. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten about that, Yun Liu!¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t expect these two to expose her without regard for her feelings. She could only cry and argue, ¡°Xiang Yang, my previous manager was the one who copied the rings you designed. I was unaware of what she was doing; I really wasn¡¯t involved. Yun Nan, even Mom and Dad denied that marriage certificate. I thought the certificate was fake when I saw that you guys didn¡¯t hold a wedding. After all, it¡¯s not hard for your studio¡¯s props crew to make a fake marriage certificate.¡±

    Xiang Yang and Yun Nan had to try their best to resist the urge to roll their eyes when they heard Yun Liu¡¯s ¡®explanations.¡¯

    Little Madam Gu couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and stepped forward. ¡°Enough!

    Stop arguing! You¡¯re all people of some status. Is this any way to behave? Young Masters Shi, it seems that this is a misunderstanding. Why don¡¯t we end things here for now? We¡¯ll arrange a visit some other time and explain then.¡±

    She continued, ¡°We really did come here to discuss an important ¡®marriage proposal¡¯ with your Shi family. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go home and ask your family¡¯s elders! Sister-in-law, it¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Little Madam Guts speech basically smoothed over the issue and told the Shi brothers to hurry home. She¡¯d ignored the Shi family¡¯s two daughters-in-law while treating her eldest sister-in-law beside her with courtesy.

    Madam Gu snorted and walked away, the other Gu women following her. Xiang Yang wanted to say something, but Shi Ke stopped her and shook his head.

    After the group had left, Xiang Yang angrily said, ¡°That woman sure is something! She didn¡¯t say a word the whole time we were arguing, but when she saw that they were losing ground, she came out to close the argument.

    Hmph!¡±

    Shi Ke and Shi Nian shared a look, and Shi Ke questioned, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I hear anything about a visit from White City¡¯s Gu family?¡±

    Shi Nian frowned. ¡°From what they¡¯re saying, they¡¯re here to discuss Shi Xiu¡¯s marriage. The main branch of the Gu family only has one grandson.¡±

    Ye Kun was furious. ¡°So, they want their to marry Shi Xiu? The nerve!

    Shi Xiu is still a child! Besides, from what I¡¯ve seen of those women¡¯s characters, it¡¯d be a sin to marry Shi Xiu to their family!¡±

    Shi Ke, Shi Nian, and Shi Nian¡¯s buddies had all watched Shi Xiu grow up. Their four families had a thriving male population and only a few females, so the girls of their families were very precious to all of them. There was no way they could tolerate this when they heard about it.

    ¡°Those women are only from the Gu family¡¯s side branch, not the main branch,¡± Shi Nian explained.

    Yun Nan frowned. ¡°The main branch probably isn¡¯t any better if the family¡¯s side branch is already so arrogant! And what is going on with Yun Liu? When did she find her biological parents? I didn¡¯t hear anything about it at all.¡±

    Fang Xi gave it some thought and remarked, ¡°Yun Liu¡¯s reputation is extremely bad right now, so Tan Ning decided to make a big deal out of her orphan background. During many of her press conferences and daily interviews, Yun Liu frequently recounted her tragic orphan backstory and used this to gain the sympathy of her fans. I heard it¡¯s quite effective; people always instinctively sympathize with the weak. However, she didn¡¯t release the news that she¡¯d found her biological parents. I think she¡¯s planning something big to whitewash her image.¡±

    Xiang Yang furrowed her brows and said sympathetically, ¡°That woman¡¯s quite skilled at scheming. Yun Nan, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re her match. Fang Xi, you guys have to be careful. She¡¯s an upgraded combo version of green tea and a phony.¡±

    ¡°What does green tea have to do with this? Phony?¡± Shi Ke didn¡¯t understand such slang terms and asked in confusion.

    Xiang Yang chuckled, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know what they mean. You won¡¯t be able to meet such people anyway. But Yun Nan has her work cut out for her; she probably has to deal with quite a few of these kinds of women because Shi Nian is really too attention-grabbing.¡±

    Shi Nian felt aggrieved at the comment. ¡°Xiang Yang, I¡¯m not trying to seek attention. I don¡¯t hide anything from Yun Nan, so she knows everything about me. It¡¯s Gu Man who¡¯s shameless; I really can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±

    Xiang Yang pulled Yun Nan close and told her, ¡°You have to tell Mom, Dad, and Grandpa. You¡¯ve been wronged; you¡¯ve been the daughter-in-law of the Shi family for so long, yet someone still wants to replace you. This won¡¯t do. Looks like we have to hold a wedding and tell the whole world who you are!¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and said, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter whether we hold a wedding or not. Some people are just being deliberately obtuse. You can¡¯t wake a person who is pretending to be asleep..¡±

 Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Four: Seen Through

    Chapter 184: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Four: Seen Through

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian¡¯s expression darkened. Fang Xi noticed Shi Nian¡¯s subtle expression and smiled. ¡°Alright, I think you guys should go home and see who¡¯s messing with us. I¡¯ll go back and ask about what¡¯s going on with Tan Ning.¡±

    Xiang Yang and Yun Nan nodded in agreement. Yun Nan instructed Fang Xi, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about Yun Liu¡¯s matters; it has nothing to do with us. Focus on the arrangements for our trip to Lu Town. Fang Xi, I¡¯m leaving it to you.¡±

    Fang Xi nodded, and something suddenly occurred to her. ¡°Isn¡¯t Lu Town part of White City? Huh, this really is a small world!¡±

    ¡°Shi Ke, don¡¯t forget to help me ask my brother for leave!¡± Ye Kun reminded Shi Ke a little anxiously.

    Shi Ke suggested to his wife, ¡°I still have a few days of vacation.

    Xiang Yang¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Sure!¡±

    Then, Shi Ke told Ye Kun, ¡°Go home and prepare for the trip. I¡¯ll talk to Ye Tang. He won¡¯t say no.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Ye Kun excitedly replied. ¡°Thank you, Shi Ke!¡± After saying that, he lightheartedly dragged Fang Xi away, looking well-pleased with himself.

    Fang Xi laughed as she walked and commented, ¡°You seem very certain you¡¯ll get your vacation. ¡±

    Ye Kun wasn¡¯t worried at all. ¡°It¡¯ll be absolutely fine. All Shi Ke has to do is say the word, and it¡¯s a done deal. Shi Ke¡¯s words hold greater weight than my father¡¯s when it comes to my brother.¡±

    Fang Xi shook her head. ¡°I really can¡¯t imagine that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you see them together in the future,¡± Ye Kun said. ¡°Let¡¯s go home and prepare. I haven¡¯t taken a break in a long, long time. I¡¯m so excited!¡±

    ¡°Aw, poor thing.¡± The two chatted and laughed as they left.

    Shi Ke then asked Shi Nian, ¡°Has our family fallen to the point where we have to rely on marriage alliances to maintain our family?¡±

    Shi Nian looked at his brother exasperatedly. ¡°Have some confidence in me, will you? Why is that the first thing you think of? Can¡¯t it be that their family has fallen to the point where they need a marriage alliance with our family to maintain themselves?¡±

    Shi Ke shook his head and sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t help it; I¡¯m used to examining my own faults first. And you¡¯re not as dependable as you think. Look at you; you¡¯re already married but still attracting unwanted advances and causing trouble for Yun Nan. How can I be at ease?¡±

    Shi Nian petulantly stated, ¡°If you¡¯re so worried, why don¡¯t you retire from the army and take over the Shi Corporation? Then I¡¯ll have time to accompany Yun Nan. I¡¯ll be the man behind her and fade into the background; that way, I definitely won¡¯t be able to attract any unwanted advances!¡±

    Xiang Yang twirled her hair with a finger and slowly said, ¡°Darling, Shi Nian is complaining.¡±

    ¡°Ignore him,¡± Shi Ke replied. ¡°The older he is, the fussier he gets.¡±

    Yun Nan facepalmed and remarked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you two lovebirds bullying him too much?¡±

    Shi Nian immediately beamed. He held Yun Nan¡¯s hands and said, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. The two of them have always been like this. Finally, someone spoke up for me! Yun Nan, let¡¯s ignore them and go!¡±

    Shi Nian dragged Yun Nan away before she could say anything and uttered, ¡°Let¡¯s go home and check up on Shi Xiu. That silly girl better not have sold herself, or I¡¯ll have to help her clean up her mess.¡±

    Shi Ke and Xiang Yang stood there and watched as they left. Shi Guang sighed, ¡°What should I do with my silly little brother? He can¡¯t even woo his own wife!¡± ¡°Oh, so you noticed?¡± Xiang Yang asked, slightly surprised.

    Shi Ke raised an eyebrow and answered, ¡°Of course I did. Those two have been married for a while now, and that girl still doesn¡¯t have feelings for him yet. What¡¯s the use of him earning so much money if he can¡¯t even get his wife to fall in love with him?

    Xiang Yang defended Shi Nian, ¡°Don¡¯t say that about him. Yun Nan just hasn¡¯t caught on to his feelings for her yet. If Shi Nian puts in more effort, he¡¯ll succeed. He¡¯s in a very favorable position right now, after all. It was a good idea for him to occupy the status of her husband first.¡±

    Shi Ke snorted and uttered, ¡°He¡¯s useless.¡±

    Xiang Yang knew that, out of his two siblings, Shi Ke loved Shi Nian the most. Other than love, Shi Ke also felt guilt towards him. He was the one who had placed the heavy burden of their family business upon his younger brother. Even if the work he was doing now was for the good of the country, it was extremely irresponsible to his family, especially his younger brother.

    Xiang Yang smiled and comforted, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll assist him. I¡¯ll be his wingman¡ªer, wingwoman. I think Fang Xi is quite satisfied with his performance, so we¡¯ll both help him when the time comes.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Yun Nan is quite innocent. She¡¯s destined to be part of our family; no way is she getting out of that. I¡¯m not letting her run away; I like her too much. *Sigh* I have to say, our Shi Nian is very lucky. I heard that she voluntarily walked right into Shi Nian¡¯s clutches. I guess he used all the luck in his life to get himself such a remarkable wife.¡±

    Shi Ke understood Xiang Yang¡¯s intentions and couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡®Alright,¡¯ he thought, ¡®I can¡¯t help Shi Nian when it comes to business matters, but I can help my brother woo his wife.¡¯

    ¡°Let me make this clear to you first. I have no plans to find a boyfriend, get engaged, or get married! I have two older brothers, and they won¡¯t use me to form a marriage alliance! You¡¯d better get that idea out of your head!¡± Shi Xiu said to Gu Fei with gritted teeth..

 Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Five: Matchmake

    Chapter 185: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Five: Matchmake

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Fei was quite good-looking, especially when he smiled. He had a dimple on his left cheek, which made him look younger than his age and rather cute. He smiled at Shi Xiu and said, ¡°I understand, but I want to ask you for a favor.¡±

    Shi Xiu was a person more open to softer approaches and rejected forceful ones vehemently. Seeing Gu Fei¡¯s genial attitude, she yielded slightly and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll listen, but I make no promises.¡±

    Gu Fei was unfazed by Shi Xiu¡¯s attitude and chuckled, ¡°I want you to sit with me like this for a while so our elders inside will think we¡¯re having a good chat. This way, they won¡¯t bother me about this matter anytime soon. The next time

    I go out to do something, I¡¯ll say I went on a date with you.¡±

    ¡®What?¡± Shi Xiu looked at Gu Fei in shock. ¡°You mean, lie to them?¡±

    Gu Fei shrugged. ¡°Why not? After some time, when their enthusiasm wanes, we¡¯ll find an excuse to say that our personalities don¡¯t match and that we can¡¯t get along. Isn¡¯t it better to break up peacefully than to go against them directly?¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You seem like you have a lot of experience with this!

    Gu Fei laughed and quickly waved his hand. ¡°No, this is my first time doing something like this.¡±

    ¡°No way! That¡¯s too well-thought-out for your first time. It¡¯s clearly a lesson only learned from much experience! And it sounds very feasible, too, ¡± Shi Xiu commented.

    Gu Fei cracked up and laughed. Shi Xiu gave it some thought and told him, ¡°However, you don¡¯t have to do this. My family respects my decisions. My grandfather, parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law won¡¯t force me if I say I don¡¯t want this matchmaking.¡±

    Gu Fei¡¯s smile crumbled, and he uttered, ¡°That¡¯s why I said I¡¯m asking for your help. I know you don¡¯t need to go through all that trouble to get your relatives to drop this matter, but my relatives are a different story. Please take pity on me and help me get through this. Your act has to be convincing, though. My peers and my family¡¯s elders aren¡¯t easy to fool.¡±

    ¡°My relatives aren¡¯t easy to fool either.¡± Shi Xiu set him right. ¡®My relatives aren¡¯t stupid! Though it sounds like his relatives are quite dumb.¡¯

    Gu Fei hurriedly apologized, ¡°No, no! That¡¯s not what I meant. *Sigh* I don¡¯t want to do this, but there are too many people in my family, and it¡¯s really too tiring to reason with them one by one.¡±

    ¡°I have no choice but to do this. I tried my best to think up a plan where no one would get hurt as well as satisfy everyone. For this plan to work, I need your help, so I had to be upfront with you, no matter how unsightly I may now seem to you. I chose this plan because convincing you alone is much easier than convincing that whole group of people, after all. It¡¯s just¡­ I originally thought that you would have the same pressure as me. That way, I wouldn¡¯t need to waste too much effort convincing you as we¡¯ll benefit mutually¡ªit¡¯ll be a collaboration. Since that¡¯s not the case, I can only ask for your help now.¡±

    Gu Fei¡¯s honesty instantly gave Shi Xiu a favorable impression of him. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal; I don¡¯t have a problem with helping you out,¡± she stated, ¡°I¡¯m just curious; aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll sell you out?¡±

    Gu Fei smiled and shook his head. ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re a very kind girl. There¡¯s no way you¡¯d be so cruel.¡±

    Shi Xiu nodded. ¡°Although you¡¯re only being polite because you want something from me, I still accept your praise. Alright; I¡¯ll do as you say¡ªI won¡¯t undermine you. However, you have to tell me in advance if you need to use going on a date with me as an excuse. Otherwise, it won¡¯t look good for us both if they find out we¡¯re lying to them.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sure.¡± Gu Fei nodded repeatedly. ¡°That¡¯s good thinking. You¡¯re better at this than I am.¡±

    Shi Xiu didn¡¯t believe that Gu Fei hadn¡¯t thought of this. ¡® This guy looks quite honest and well-behaved, but he¡¯s very cunning. I¡¯d better stay away from him,¡¯ Shi Xiu thought.

    At this moment, the Shi family and the Gu family members were also happily chatting happily inside, sharing embarrassing things about their kids and grandkids¡ªspecifically Shi Xiu and Gu Fei.

    ¡°When Gu Fei was young, he said that he would marry Shi Xiu when he grew up,¡± Gu Fei¡¯s aunt told the others before she imitated the tone of a child and said, ¡°She¡¯s prettier than any of the girls in our family! I want a wife like her!¡±

    Everyone laughed. ¡°That¡¯s right. There are many girls in our family. When they heard that Shi Xiu was quite good-looking, they were all unconvinced and unhappy at the comparison. Because of that, the girls beat him up quite often, but the more they did, the more Gu Fei felt that Shi Xiu was the best, all soft and cute,¡± Gu Fei¡¯s other aunt added.

    Gu Fei¡¯s mother, Bai Jie, smilingly said to Xu Yun, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for more than ten years. Shi Xiu has grown even more beautiful. She still looks more like you than her father and has a good temperament.¡±

    Xu Yun modestly replied, ¡°She¡¯s a little spoiled, though. I¡¯m afraid Gu Fei will have realized by now that the soft and cuddly girl he imagined doesn¡¯t exist. Shi Xiu is clearly a little tyrant. She even bullies her two older brothers, and now she has two sisters-in-law who dotes on her, making her even more spoiled.¡±

    Bai Jie chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. Girls should be pampered.

    Otherwise, they¡¯ll grow up to develop an easily bullied and manipulated personality. That wouldn¡¯t do, especially for families like ours. Shi Xiu has two older brothers, so it¡¯s only right for them to spoil her. I took a peek at Shi Xiu and Gu Fei from afar, and they looked like they were chatting quite happily.. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll inconvenience you for a while as we¡¯ll be staying here to let those two spend more time together!¡±

 Chapter 186 - Chapter 186: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Six: Marriage Proposal

    Chapter 186: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Six: Marriage Proposal

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xu Yun smiled and said, ¡°Although we joked about getting the two engaged when they were young, the children are grown up and have their own ideas now. We¡¯re not old-fashioned parents; we should listen to and respect our kids¡¯ opinions. I¡¯ve given my children plenty of freedom, so they grew up very independent, including Shi Xiu. I¡¯ve never forced my kids to get married, and I won¡¯t start now.¡±

    Bai Jie smiled. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the twenty-first century after all¡ªarranged marriages are a thing of the past. However, it¡¯s really not an easy feat to find a suitable marriage partner for families like ours. I don¡¯t mind if the kids want a love match, but we can¡¯t just let them fool around, right?¡±

    ¡°Do you still remember the Xie family? Both of their sons had married celebrities. As for their daughter¡­ She insisted on marrying her bodyguard. In the end, the sons¡¯ divorce proceedings are in full swing after less than ten years of marriage, and their daughter actually got abused by her bodyguard husband and even made it into the entertainment news,¡± Bai Jie informed Xu Yun.

    ¡°Old Master Xie was so angry that he fell ill and got hospitalized. When Gu Fei¡¯s grandparents heard this, they sighed and told us we can¡¯t let our kids mess around where their marriage is concerned. Our children should find good matches, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Xu Yun concurred, ¡°You do have a point. However, it¡¯s still up to the kids whether they want to get married or not. You can¡¯t force love; after all, marriage means they¡¯ll have to live together for the rest of their lives, and we can¡¯t watch them for their entire lives.¡±

    Bai Jie smilingly replied, ¡°Of course. That¡¯s why we came; we wanted to let the kids spend more time together and give them a chance to get to know each other. You never know; they might develop an interest in each other; fate is a mysterious thing. The two were already engaged when they were young¡ªwho¡¯s to say this wasn¡¯t meant to be? Won¡¯t it be great if their childhood relationship comes to fruition? It really isn¡¯t easy for families like ours to find a match of equal status!¡±

    Xu Yun smiled politely. She agreed with Bai Jie¡¯s logic, but she didn¡¯t approve of her method. She still felt that mutual affection is more important than equal social status in a marriage.

    However, she didn¡¯t want to continue arguing, so she didn¡¯t say anything further. Her daughter is assertive, and her two sons and daughters-in-law weren¡¯t just for show. They¡¯ll be able to take care of it; she truly didn¡¯t have to worry about this.

    Bai Jie thought she had convinced Xu Yun when the woman didn¡¯t refute her and was secretly happy. ¡®Everything I said is true, so ofcourse, Xu Yun couldn¡¯t argue,¡¯ Bai Jie thought. It was true that there weren¡¯t many families of equal status to the Gu family; there were only two or three families that could match her family¡¯s social standing in White City, and these families had watched their children grow up, so they knew each other very well.

    None of those kids were suitable to be Gu Fei¡¯s wife. Gu Fei was currently the only male child in their clan, so saying that his wife had to be one in a million wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. They must be stringent when choosing his wife because this was a major issue that concerns the Gu family¡¯s future bloodline!

    Shi Xiu was the most outstanding out of all the potential marriage candidates. Therefore, the Gu family rushed to Rong City to let the children spend time together and develop a good relationship. It was fine if young people liked to play around and didn¡¯t like arranged marriages. Love can grow over time, so they just have to let the kids spend more time together and get to know each other, and naturally, they¡¯ll fall in love.

    The Gu family had already left by the time Shi Nian, his brother, and their wives returned home, so Xu Yun told them about the Gu family¡¯s visit. ¡°They¡¯re here for Shi Xiu. I think Gu Fei is a nice boy, but it¡¯s up to Shi Xiu whether she wants to marry him or not. We¡¯ll drop the matter if Shi Xiu doesn¡¯t like him. Your grandfather isn¡¯t home for a few days; he¡¯s gone to a gathering with some old friends. The Gu family wishes to wait for your grandfather to return before coming to visit us again.¡±

    Shi Ke shared a look with Shi Nian. This matched what those Gu women were saying in that altercation just now. However, they didn¡¯t know why those women thought Gu Man was Shi Nian¡¯s fianc¨¦e.

    Noticing they¡¯d returned, Shi Xiu ran out to meet them and excitedly asked, ¡°Yun Nan, when are we leaving?

    ¡®Seems like she doesn¡¯t care about Gu Fei at all,¡¯ her two brothers thought, immediately relieved.

    ¡°Shi Xiu, your big brother and I will also be going with you guys!¡± Xiang Yang told Shi Xiu. She also didn¡¯t bring up the Gu family.

    Shi Xiu was ecstatic and replied, ¡°That¡¯s great, Xiang Yang! Then we can play around together for a few more days.¡±

    Xu Yun laughed. ¡°Oh, you! You¡¯re always thinking about having fun and playing around. When will you grow up?¡±

    ¡°I have my brothers and sisters-in-law to shelter me,¡± Shi Xiu stated proudly. ¡°So I¡¯m not in a hurry to grow up. Isn¡¯t that right, Big Brother?¡± Shi Ke affectionately tugged her hair.

    Yun Liu returned to the Gu residence nervously. As expected, Madam Gu grabbed a teacup on the table and threw it onto the floor the moment she entered the house. Yun Liu was so frightened that her entire body trembled. Little Madam Gu¡ªher mother¡ªglanced at her displeasedly, and Yun Liu shrank back and lowered her head.

    Gu Wen and Gu Man ignored the broken cup and stepped over it to sit on the sofa. Madam Gu glared at them and snapped, ¡®Gu Man! Did you know beforehand that Shi Nian had a wife?¡±

    Gu Man avoided her eyes and uttered, ¡°They didn¡¯t hold a wedding, so who Imows what¡¯s up with that? Hadn¡¯t Yun Liu seen their marriage certificate before? She also didn¡¯t mention he was married..

 Chapter 187 - Chapter 187: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Seven: Mission

    Chapter 187: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Seven: Mission

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Madam Gu swept a glance over to Yun Liu and said coldly, ¡°You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No, Auntie, I didn¡¯t! I really didn¡¯t!¡± Yun Liu hurriedly denied it. ¡°Yun Nan always likes to tell tales; she lies all the time. Even my parents¡ªmy adoptive parents¡ªdon¡¯t believe a word she says. No one knows if she¡¯s telling the truth or not. I¡¯ve also asked my adoptive mother about it before, and she said that Yun Nan¡¯s marriage certificate must be fake. If it was real, according to the Shi family¡¯s rules, they would surely have held a wedding.¡±

    When Little Madam Gu heard this, she slowly uttered, ¡°Sister-in-law, I think what she¡¯s saying makes sense. For example, if our Gu Fei¡¯s marriage is settled, it¡¯s impossible for us not to hold a grand wedding to announce it to the world, right? We¡¯ve all seen what a spectacular wedding Shi Ke had back then. So how can Shi Nian¡¯s marriage be so quiet?¡±

    Yun Liu hastily nodded. Madam Gu didn¡¯t say anything. Gu Man commented, ¡°However, Shi Nian is already completely charmed by that vixen. He¡¯s always protecting her. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so good about her, hmph!¡±

    Madam Gu glared at her. ¡°Don¡¯t blame others for your own incompetence!¡±

    Gu Man bit her lip and stopped talking. Madam Gu continued, ¡°Although your parents are from the Gu family¡¯s side branch, you were raised by my side. I didn¡¯t spend so much effort teaching you and treating you the same as Gu Wen just for you to be an embarrassment. Listen up! I don¡¯t care how you do it, but you must snatch Shi Nian for yourself and marry him!¡±

    ¡°If the main family¡¯s Gu Fei marries the Shi family¡¯s daughter, you¡¯ll have to marry into the Shi family and become the young mistress. Only then will we be able to compete against the main family and not lose out!¡± Madam Gu ordered.

    Gu Man quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, Auntie. I understand.¡± Yun Liu glanced at Gu Man and lowered her eyes to hide her emotions.

    Madam Gu remarked, ¡°Since you¡¯ve acknowledged Mrs. Xi as your godmother, I should pay her a visit. Help me arrange a time for us to meet. The main family is definitely planning to expand their business into Rong City. We¡¯ll use this opportunity to build our own power base. It¡¯ll be too conspicuous for the men in our family to come over, so they¡¯re relying on us to build connections. You guys have to keep this in mind.¡±

    Everyone quickly agreed. Madam Gu looked at Little Madam Gu and asked,

    ¡°Sister-in-law, when do you plan to meet the Yun family?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to meet them,¡± Little Madam Gu said lightly. ¡°If they¡¯re sensible, I¡¯ll give them some money as compensation. If they aren¡¯t¡­ then I¡¯ll have our lawyer talk to them and see if we can sue them for kidnapping.¡±

    Madam Gu frowned in disapproval. ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea!¡±

    Little Madam Gu held back her anger and inquired, ¡°What do you propose?¡±

    Madam Gu stated frankly, ¡°We¡¯ve just arrived in Rong City. We¡¯re not completely without connections, but we haven¡¯t really gotten to know the wealthy families here yet. Although the Yun family is not very wealthy, they still have some sway in Rong City. Since they have a close relationship with Yun Liu, we might as well recruit the Yun family first. It¡¯ll be more convenient for us to do things in the future, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Little Madam Guts breath caught in her chest. It was Madam Gu who¡¯d ordered her to give the Yun family a hard time to prevent them from latching onto their family in the first place. And now, it was also Madam Gu who wanted to make peace with the Yun family. ¡®Is she messing with me? I¡¯ve already sent someone to the Yun family to deliver some very strong words. How am I supposed to take back those words now? Little Madam Gu inwardly raged.

    Madam Gu looked at Yun Liu and said haughtily, ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll be the contact person between our family and the Yun family. You¡¯ll have to maintain this relationship.¡±

    She continued, ¡°You should know what you have to do. Our Gu family doesn¡¯t lack girls. It makes no difference to us whether we keep you or not. If you want a place in our family, you have to have some ability yourself. The Gu family doesn¡¯t take idlers. What¡¯s the use of our Gu family acknowledging you if you don¡¯t contribute?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Auntie.¡± Yun Liu meekly and obediently replied.

    Little Madam Gu calmed down and said smilingly, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Sister-in-law. Our family only has the high status we enjoy today thanks to your strategizing.¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu has just returned to me, so she still doesn¡¯t know many of our family¡¯s rules. I hope you can patiently teach her, Sister-in-law. After all, she¡¯s a daughter of our Gu family, and we wouldn¡¯t want her to embarrass us. Yun Liu would be quite lucky if she could gain your favor and have you teach her like

    you taught Gu Man..¡±

 Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Eight: Heaven-sent

    Chapter 188: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Eight: Heaven-sent

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Flattery will get you everywhere; it¡¯s a universal fact. As expected, Madam Gu was delighted by Little Madam Gu¡¯s flattery, and her expression softened. ¡°I¡¯m the eldest of our family branch, so I naturally have to think and plan more. Otherwise, the main family branch would have swallowed us whole. It¡¯s good that you understand my intentions. You can go back and discuss what you should do next,¡± Madam Gu dismissed them.

    Only then did Little Madam Gu and Yun Liu stand up and leave. After they¡¯ve exited the room, Little Madam Gu snorted coldly and quickened her pace. Yun Liu quickly followed but didn¡¯t dare to say a word.

    Little Madam Gu finally sighed in relief when she returned to her residence. Being observant, Yun Liu poured her a glass of water. Little Madam Gu looked up at Yun Liu and asked, ¡°When you were in the Yun family, did you also follow behind Madam Yun like a timid mouse?¡±

    Yun Liu pondered the question and didn¡¯t know how to answer it because she couldn¡¯t work out Little Madam Gut s intentions. Little Madam Gu didn¡¯t chide or mind her hesitant attitude and only waved her hand to signal for Yun Liu to sit down.

    ¡°Our Gu family¡¯s daughters aren¡¯t to be so submissive, so you¡¯d better straighten your back and behave accordingly in the future,¡± Little Miss Gu instructed. ¡°You were the Yun family¡¯s adopted daughter before, but now, you¡¯re a proper young lady of the Gu family. Don¡¯t act so timid. Otherwise, you¡¯ll embarrass our family, and people will gossip about us again.¡±

    She took a sip of water to moisten her throat and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t let Gu Wen¡¯s arrogance fool you; she doesn¡¯t have as high a standing in the family as she pretends to. Her biological mother¡¯s status is¡­ unacceptable. Your aunt, Madam Gu, only used that woman as a child bearer. Unfortunately, that woman bore a daughter instead of a son. Madam Gu kept and raised the child because it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±

    ¡°As for that Gu Man¡­ Well, you heard your aunt just now. Her identity in our family is also awkward. Although you¡¯ve been raised outside of our family for so many years, you¡¯re still your father and I¡¯s biological daughter. Your bloodline¡ªyour status¡ªisn¡¯t in any way inferior to those two girls, so you don¡¯t have to be afraid of them.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mom. I understand,¡± Yun Liu replied obediently.

    Little Madam Gu gazed attentively at Yun Liu as she asked, ¡°Is our relationship with the Yun family reparable?¡± She had to complete Madam Gu¡¯s task; she couldn¡¯t afford to fail.

    ¡°How do you want to repair it, Mom?¡± Yun Liu calmly inquired. ¡°I¡¯ll help you

    think of a way.¡±

    Little Madam Gu reluctantly told her, ¡°Previously, under your aunt¡¯s orders, I sent someone to accuse the Yun family of kidnapping you back then and causing our family to be separated. After such harsh words, it would be a little unreasonable for us to try to be friendly now.¡±

    Little Madam Gu sighed heavily. Yun Liu was still as calm as before as she uttered, ¡°Mom, just tell them you didn¡¯t send anyone to the Yun family to say those things.¡±

    Little Madam Gu didn¡¯t understand where Yun Liu was going with this. Yun Liu continued, ¡°Tell them it was your butler; he was so angry that I was missing for so many years, so he sent someone to condemn the Yuns without permission. You were so happy to see me that you forgot everything else and didn¡¯t know what the butler had done. You only found out when we mentioned the Yun family today, and the butler came to claim credit.¡±

    ¡°Tell the Yuns you¡¯ve already severely punished the butler. You can visit my adoptive mother; bring along an expensive gift or two to express your gratitude and say that you¡¯ll always remember your debt of gratitude to the Yun family. From then on, I¡¯ll have two sets of parents.¡±

    Little Madam Gu¡¯s expression changed from shocked to surprised. She held Yun Liu¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Oh, you clever, clever child! That¡¯s a brilliant idea! Let¡¯s do it! You can pick out the gifts according to your adoptive family¡¯s preferences. Don¡¯t worry about the cost; money isn¡¯t a problem!¡±

    Yun Liu pursed her lips into a smile and nodded. ¡°Alright! Mom, my adoptive family has a fondness for grandiose gestures and impressing others. You only have to flatter my adoptive mother, and she¡¯ll warm up to you. But don¡¯t flatter her too much, or she¡¯ll push her luck and try to take advantage of you. You have to be careful where the line is there.¡±

    Little Madam Gu chuckled, ¡°Got it. I just have to treat her like how I treat your aunt. ¡±

    ¡°Oh, my adoptive mother can¡¯t compare to Madam Gu; she¡¯s not nearly as smart as Madam Gu, but she won¡¯t scheme against people as easily as her.¡± Yun Liu¡¯s words dispersed Little Madam Gu¡¯s pent-up frustrations, and Little Madam Gu felt very relieved.

    She smiled even more and stated, ¡°Your auntie has Gu Wen and Gu Man to give her advice. Now, I also have an advisor by my side. This is great! From now on, you should give me more advice and be on guard against your auntie and the others¡¯ schemes.¡±

    Yun Liu happily agreed and went outside to ask the butler to prepare the gifts. Little Madam Gu looked at her retreating back and smiled lightly. She¡¯d been lacking an assistant and, 10 and behold, the Heavens granted her wish and sent her a daughter. ¡®How nice!¡¯ she thought..

 Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Nine: Forgive

    Chapter 189: Chapter One-Hundred and Eighty-Nine: Forgive

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Zhang sat in the corner with a dark expression and didn¡¯t say a word as he watched his parents, Yun Liu, and Yun Liu¡¯s biological mother chatting and getting along like a house on fire.

    Previously, the Gu family¡¯s harsh and heartless words had made his mother cry for several days. He tried his best to persuade his parents, and they finally accepted the fact that they¡¯d raised Yun Liu for nothing. However, Yun Liu brought her biological mother to apologize to them.

    Little Madam Gu introduced herself and explained that their butler had taken it upon himself to vent his anger by sending people to say those harsh words to the Gu family. Those words weren¡¯t the Gu family¡¯s intentions. Then, she thanked the Yun family for raising Yun Liu and gave everyone expensive gifts.

    Yun Zhang¡¯s parents were quite happy with the gifts. However, Yun Zhang could tell at a glance that these gifts were chosen by Yun Liu because each of the gifts was tailored to their tastes.

    Yun Zhang looked at Yun Liu; she was affectionately leaning by his mother¡¯s side as usual. Yun Zhang watched as his mother¡¯s expression softened.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done me and my family a great kindness raising my daughter. It¡¯s a debt of gratitude that our Gu family will never forget. This child has been telling me how well her adoptive family treated her everyday these past several days. She¡¯d burst into tears when talking about you guys and said she didn¡¯t know how to repay you all for raising her.¡±

    Little Madam Gu held Gu Wei¡¯s hand and sighed, ¡°Yun Liu is a lucky child. I¡¯m so glad to have found her, but I won¡¯t take her from your loving family either. From now on, she¡¯s both our families¡¯ daughter. I¡¯ve discussed it with her and our family, and we¡¯ve decided we won¡¯t change her surname. She is our Gu family¡¯s daughter, but she¡¯s also your Yun family¡¯s daughter!¡± Little Madam Gu was so overcome with emotions that there were tears in her eyes.

    Gu Wei¡¯s tears fell when she heard that. This conclusion finally calmed all the past several days¡¯ sadness and grievance. This was an outcome she could barely dream was possible; how could she not accept it?

    Even Yun Xiang¡¯s eyes were wet. Being perceptive, Yun Liu reached out, hugged

    Yun Xiang, and sweetly called him, ¡°Dad.¡±

    Yun Xiang¡¯s heart melted. Seeing this, Yun Zhang couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He stood up and uttered, ¡°I still have some business to deal with, so I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    His parents were too caught up in their joy and only waved their hands to signal him to do as he pleased. Yun Zhang walked out of the living room, not wanting to listen to it anymore.

    ¡°Yun Zhang¡­¡± He heard Yun Liu anxiously call him from behind.

    Yun Zhang turned around, and Yun Liu threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. She choked out, ¡°Are you angry with me? Do you not want me as your sister anymore?¡±

    Yun Zhang took a deep breath and didn¡¯t say anything. Yun Liu stood still and looked up at Yun Zhang. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yun Zhang. I took a lot of liberties these days and made you sad.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s tears fell, and Yun Zhang subconsciously reached out to wipe them. Ever since Yun Liu was young, whenever she cried, his heart couldn¡¯t help but ache. It had been so in the past and remains so now; it¡¯d become his instinct.

    Yun Liu grabbed his hand and said, ¡°Yun Zhang, I did this because I didn¡¯t want you to be blamed. Instead of letting you be stuck in a bind between us, I thought, why don¡¯t I solve this matter myself? Yun Zhang, I know you love and care about me the most, and I care for you too!¡±

    ¡°Yun Zhang, just believe me this once. I¡¯ll never be disloyal to you, our parents, and the Yun family! I know Yun Entertainment is the result of your painstaking effort, and now that I have the Gu family backing me, I¡¯ll definitely be able to make our Yun Entertainment better and bring it to greater heights. Yun Zhang, don¡¯t be angry with me, okay? Give me a chance, and let me handle it, please?¡± Yun Liu pleaded.

    Yun Liu¡¯s warm tears fell on Yun Zhang¡¯s hands, scalding his heart as they did. ¡°Yun Liu, you don¡¯t have to do anything for me or the Yun family,¡± Yun Zhang told Yun Liu, sounding slightly hoarse and choked up. ¡°As long as you¡¯re fine and happy, my parents and I can rest assured.¡±

    ¡°No, Yun Zhang, I must show you that I can help; I have to contribute to the company. I can¡¯t let you dote on me for nothing,¡± Yun Liu expressed her determination again.

    She held Yun Zhang¡¯s hand and swung it slightly, whining cutely, ¡°Yun Zhang, please don¡¯t give me that long face. Don¡¯t be upset. Don¡¯t be angry with me.¡±

    Ever since they were kids, this was what Yun Liu would say to him whenever she tried to coax him. Yun Zhang¡¯s heart softened in the end. He reached out his hand and stroked Yun Liu¡¯s head, sighing, ¡°Silly girl, how could I be angry with you?¡±

    Yun Liu smiled with teary eyes and asked, ¡°Then, can I go back to work at Yun

    Entertainment tomorrow, Yun Zhang?¡±

    ¡°Yun Entertainment¡¯s doors are always open to you. You¡¯ll always be Vice President Yun,¡± Yun Zhang said softly.

    Yun Liu was extremely happy. She cheered and tiptoed to kiss Yun Zhang on the cheek. ¡°My brother is the best. I love you, Yun Zhang! ¡±

    So saying, Yun Liu turned and ran back to the living room. Yun Zhang shook his head and smiled wryly. ¡® What is wrong with me lately? I made mistakes in my relationships with both Yun Liu and Yun Nan,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡®Accepting Yun Nan as my sister doesn¡¯t mean I have to give up Yun Liu!

    They¡¯re all my younger sisters, both of them!¡¯

 Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety: Planning

    Chapter 190: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety: Planning

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Tan Ning let out a sigh of relief when Yun Liu got her up to speed. She hugged Yun Liu with no sign of her usual stern attitude as she said, ¡°Darling, that¡¯s amazing. I didn¡¯t expect this matter to get resolved so smoothly. I believe everything will go well for us from now on.¡±

    ¡°Tan Ning, I¡¯ll be counting on you,¡± Yun Liu told her. The two could be considered friends in need. Yun Liu was impressed by Tan Ning, and Tan Ning finally realized that Yun Liu wasn¡¯t a fool.

    Tan Ning stated, ¡°Next, we should arrange a press conference. We have to prepare a poignant story about your background; we can use this to win back some of your fans. Then, we once more promote your movie ¡®Cozy in Love¡ª the buzz about ¡®4:30 P.M.¡¯ will have died down by then, so I think we still have a chance to improve your movie¡¯s box office results.¡±

    Yun Liu nodded. ¡°Tan Ning, help me check what those guests from ¡®Embracing Life¡¯ are up to now. Those people have hurt me so much, and I can¡¯t get over it. I also heard Yun Nan is going to the small town where her adoptive family lived. You must get someone to keep an eye on her; don¡¯t miss any opportunity to embarrass her!¡±

    Tan Ning hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Yun Liu, Yun Nan is very much in the limelight right now. We won¡¯t be able to get anything out of it if we go head-on with her. What¡¯s most important for us right now is to establish and consolidate your image. Only then will you have long-term development.¡±

    Yun Liu bit her lip, and her eyes reddened. Seeing this, Tan Ning hurriedly reassured her, ¡°Alright, alright, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll send someone to keep an eye on them. If anything bad happens, we¡¯ll deal with it in time.¡±

    Yun Liu took a deep breath. ¡°There¡¯s already a rift between me and my brother. He doesn¡¯t trust me as much as before, so you must be careful, Tan Ning. You can¡¯t let my brother suspect me again.¡±

    Tan Ning understood the importance of this matter and quickly nodded.

    Bai Jie watched her son finish drinking his milk before asking, ¡°Sweetie, what do you think of Shi Xiu?¡±

    Gu Fei put down his cup, dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and answered, ¡°She¡¯s very nice. We had a great chat and even made an appointment to meet again. However, I get the feeling she¡¯s quite busy. Mom, she invited me to where she¡¯s filming, and I agreed.¡±

    Bai Jie nodded in satisfaction, but when she heard the word ¡°filming,¡± she frowned once more. ¡°You have to persuade Shi Xiu to give up acting after you guys get together in the future. Such a job really isn¡¯t suitable for people from distinguished families like ours¡ªespecially acting in those romance dramas! It¡¯ll damage your reputation if people see your partner canoodling with other men!¡±

    Bai Jie added, ¡°I heard that the missing daughter your uncle Gu An¡¯s family recently found is a starlet. I won¡¯t accept my daughter-in-law doing the same job as them.¡±

    ¡°Mom,¡± Gu Fei said without batting an eyelid, ¡°Shi Xiu and I haven¡¯t even started dating yet. You can take your time to discuss her job with her after she becomes your daughter-in-law.¡±

    Bai Jie thought about it and decided her son was right; the matter could wait. She told Gu Fei, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything else right now. Just focus on wooing Shi Xiu. You¡¯ll definitely marry her; I will accept nothing else. We¡¯re all counting on you now, son. Your sisters and I will spare no effort to give you whatever support you need!¡±

    Gu Fei didn¡¯t want to continue on this topic, so he said, ¡°Alright. Did my aunts not bring my newly-found cousin to see you? Now that they have another daughter in the family, won¡¯t they have another chess piece to use to build marriage alliances?¡±

    Bai Jie made nothing of it. ¡°Not yet, but they will. Those two aunts of yours are full of schemes; who knows what bad ideas they¡¯re coming up with this time? I heard Gu Man and that newly-found daughter both like the second young master of the Shi family, Shi Nian. However, Shi Nian is already married,¡± she informed him.

    ¡°I heard Shi Nian and his wife met the girls and had a very unpleasant fight, but your aunt still hasn¡¯t given up. I know what she¡¯s up to. Since you¡¯re going to marry Shi Xiu, then if they can marry a daughter into the Shi family, they¡¯ll have more bargaining chips against us main branch family.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ Hmph! You know what they say¡ªthe best-laid plans and all that. Shi Nian has secretly gotten married, and their wishful plans are probably going to fail. They¡¯ll only anger the Shi family if they continue to harass him. We should draw a clear line between us and them before the Shi family; we should distance ourselves from them and let them walk to their doom.¡±

    There were many women in the Gu family, and quite a few of them had high IQ and EQ, so Gu Fei had grown accustomed to seeing female rivalry and petty and jealous quarrels. He knew that even men would be humbled by these women¡¯s ruthlessness when they got serious, which was why Gu Fei had always been very resistant to women.

    He had four bossy elder sisters and a bossy mother. They suppressed the ¡®talented women¡¯ of the Gu family¡¯s other branches with their strong personalities and protected and maintained the main family¡¯s dignity and reputation. As the only male heir of their family line, Gu Fei¡¯s mother and sister had planned his life for him; he never had the opportunity to resist, nor did he have the right to do so..

 Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-One: Crisis

    Chapter 191: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-One: Crisis

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu demurely accompanied Han Yuan as she listened to Madam Gu¡ªChang Hui¡ªand Little Madam Gu¡ªZheng Xiu¡ªpile compliments on her mother-in-law.

    ¡°Gu Man is so lucky to have met you; she¡¯s always saying how you treat her like your own daughter! It must be fate for us to become friends!¡± Chang Hui said fondly. Gu Man affectionately held Han Yuan¡¯s hand and acted cute, and Han Yuan was naturally overjoyed.

    As for Lin Yu¡­ She was automatically ignored by everyone as if she didn¡¯t exist. Lin Yu knew Gu Man did this on purpose. She silently turned around and went out to arrange some fruit snacks for the women. She asked the staff to prepare a plate of red dragon fruit and send it to them. After a while, Han Yuan came out with a smile and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡±

    Lin Yu and Han Yuan had a code between them¡ªred dragon fruit indicated they had something urgent to discuss.

    Lin Yu looked apologetic as she replied, ¡°Auntie, I just heard some things from Shi Gao. I didn¡¯t have time to tell you before the Gu family came. I was worried it might cause you trouble if I don¡¯t say anything, so I called you out.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the important matter?¡± Han Yuan smilingly inquired. ¡°Tell me.¡±

    Lin Yu glanced behind Han Yuan to check that they were alone before whispering, ¡°Auntie, I heard the Gu family came into town to acquire a marriage alliance with the Shi family. The only male heir of the Gu main family branch wants to marry Shi Xiu.¡±

    Han Yuan nodded. ¡°Yes, they told me that. It¡¯s quite a good thing.¡±

    Lin Yu also nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s indeed a good thing. However, some internal problems have occurred in the Gu family during the past few years. The Madam Gu you were talking to¡ªher branch of the family has a rift with their main family branch. Madam Gu came to visit you today, but the madam of the main family didn¡¯t come. If we get too close to the women from the Gu branch family, I¡¯m worried that the main branch¡¯s madam will have issues with you in the future.¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s face darkened. Lin Yu hurriedly stated, ¡°Auntie, I know our family isn¡¯t afraid of the Gu family, but if we sour relationships with these madams and young ladies, it will definitely affect the business the uncles and Xi Cheng are doing outside and make things awkward for them. I don¡¯t know much about our family¡¯s business dealings with the Gu family, but I don¡¯t want us to be manipulated without knowing anything. Auntie, this is just my conjecture; you can analyze it yourself.¡±

    Han Yuan gave it some thought and frowned. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is! No wonder Chang Hui was so friendly, but Bai Jie didn¡¯t come. Find out Bai Jie¡¯s schedule for me and see if she was delayed by something or didn¡¯t come on purpose.¡±

    Lin Yu informed her, ¡°The Gu main family¡¯s madam brought her son to visit the

    Shi family today. I think Madam Gu took this opportunity to come find you.¡±

    Han Yuan thought for a while before saying, ¡°Help me invite the Gu main family¡¯s madam out for dinner tonight. I don¡¯t want to become a tool in their family fight.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Auntie,¡± Lin Yu deferentially said, and Han Yuan returned to the Gu women.

    Looking at Han Yuan¡¯s retreating figure, Lin Yu secretly heaved a sigh of relief. She was the future matriarch of the Xi family, so she had to plan for the future of the Xi family. Her Lin family fortunes had declined, and she could no longer count on them. The Xi family was where she and her future child¡ªor children ¡ªcould settle down, so she had to start planning early.

    She wouldn¡¯t allow any family¡¯s¡ªregardless of whether it was the Gu family¡¯s or any other families¡¯¡ªinternal problems to involve and endanger the Xi family¡¯s safety. In other words, she¡¯s willing to share wealth and get rich with other families, but the Xi family has no obligation to share their hardships and woes.

    Not taking sides in the Gu family¡¯s infighting was the best choice. However, now that the Gu family had stretched their hands this far, Lin Yu first had to get rid of Gu Man. It would be a risk to let her stay around her and the Xi family like this. She couldn¡¯t let Gu Man have even the slightest chance to get involved with Xi Cheng. She had to nip the problem in the bud.

    ¡®I need an alliance,¡¯ Lin Yu thought. She called Shi Gao and said hushedly, ¡°Shi Gao, can you accompany me to the opera tonight? I bought tickets. I met Shi Ke and Xiang Yang; they also got tickets to the opera.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go. Send me the time and place,¡± Shi Gao agreed without hesitation.

    Lin Yu ended the call and smiled. ¡®Anyone who can be used is a friend, and vice versa,¡¯ she thought.

    At the opera, Xiang Yang rejected her clingy husband¡¯s request to accompany her to the restroom and left him inside to watch the play. When she came out of the restroom, she bumped into Lin Yu at the corner.

    ¡°Xiang Yang!¡± Lin Yu¡¯s surprised voice had called out, and a slightly cold hand held Xiang Yang¡¯s.

    Xiang Yang was shocked and instinctively shook off her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Xiang Yang. I didn¡¯t mean to scare you,¡± Lin Yu quickly apologized.

    Xiang Yang looked at Lin Yu and found her familiar. She felt slightly awkward because she couldn¡¯t remember who Lin Yu was.

    Lin Yu chuckled, ¡°Did you forget who I am, Xiang Yang? I¡¯m Xi Cheng¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Lin Yu.¡±

    Xiang Yang suddenly remembered, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you! Sorry, my head is still caught up in the play, so I didn¡¯t recognize you straightaway,¡± she said apologetically..

 Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Two: snaccn

    Chapter 192: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Two: snaccn

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu hastily said, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. We barely see each other often, and I was with my mother-in-law during your exhibition, so I didn¡¯t have time to chat with you. However, I could tell from your appearance that you were in an excellent state. I was so envious. I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here today. It must be fate.¡±

    Xiang Yang also chuckled. Lin Yu was a gentle and sweet girl; no one could refuse her enthusiasm.

    ¡°Are you alone? Is Xi Cheng not with you?¡± Xiang Yang asked politely.

    ¡°He is overseas for work, so I came to watch a play with my friend. Xi Cheng called me just now, so I came out to take the call. I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here, Xiang Yang. What a coincidence! Xiang Yang, I really like that pair of bracelets you designed. I wanted to buy them for my mother-in-law, but¡­ I didn¡¯t make the order list,¡± Lin Yu answered and embarrassedly looked at Xiang

    Yang.

    Xiang Yang understood Lin Yu¡¯s intentions and inquired, ¡°Do you still remember the product number? I¡¯ll ask later if there¡¯s any stock.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s great, Xiang Yang! Thank you so much!¡± Lin Yu replied, overjoyed.

    Xiang Yang wanted to head inside, but Lin Yu inconspicuously stopped her, saying, ¡°Xiang Yang, I would like you to design the jewelry I¡¯ll wear for my wedding with Xi Cheng. I wonder if you have the time to chat with me about it.¡±

    ¡°Have you guys set a date for your wedding? I¡¯ll get my assistant to check my schedule. I¡¯ll definitely help as long as I¡¯m free. Thank you for liking my work,¡± Xiang Yang told her politely.

    ¡°Xiang Yang, you¡¯re so kind! I really don¡¯t know how to thank you,¡± Lin Yu said excitedly.

    Xiang Yang smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be glad so long as you and Xi Cheng live happily together. Let¡¯s go in; we¡¯ll miss the rest of the play if we keep chatting here.¡±

    Lin Yu embarrassedly apologized, ¡°Oops, I forgot about that. I¡¯m really sorry, Xiang Yang.¡±

    The two of them walked in one after another. On the narrow pathway, Xiang Yang¡ªwho was walking in front¡ªsuddenly stopped.

    Shi Gao had thrown herself into Shi Kels arms and hugged his waist tightly, crying, ¡°Shi Ke, what don¡¯t you like about me? Why won¡¯t you consider me once more?¡±

    Shi Ke nervously raised his hands to avoid touching her and said, ¡°S-stand up and talk properly.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t! Shi Ke, I beg you! Please, give me another chance,¡± Shi Gao sobbed.

    Shi Ke was exasperated and panic-stricken. He suddenly saw Xiang Yang standing on the opposite side and relievedly called out, ¡°Xiang Yang!¡±

    Xiang Yang stepped forward, pulled Shi Gao off of Shi Ke, and dragged him toward the exit without saying a word. Shi Gao shouted behind them, ¡°Xiang Yang, you don¡¯t deserve Shi Ke! You¡¯re not worthy of him! Do you dare to let him know about your wretched past? Xiang Yang, let Shi Ke go already!¡±

    Xiang Yang stopped in her tracks. Shi Ke placed an arm around her waist and didn¡¯t allow her to look back. He turned his head and warned, ¡°Shi Gao, that¡¯s enough! Xiang Yang is my wife. I won¡¯t allow anyone to slander her!¡±

    ¡°Shi Ke, if you¡¯d married anyone else, if you¡¯re happy, then no matter how much I love you, I would¡¯ve let you go with my silent blessings, but not when it¡¯s Xiang Yang! She doesn¡¯t deserve happiness! Someone died because of her!¡± Shi Gao practically shouted.

    Shi Ke didn¡¯t want to talk to her anymore, so¡ªarm still around her¡ªhe steered Xiang Yang towards the exit and squeezed past Lin Yu.

    Yun Nan had gotten a call from Shi Ke and quickly rushed to Shi Ke and Xiang Yang¡¯s house according to the address given by Shi Nian.

    Shi Ke said anxiously, ¡°Yun Nan, please help me keep Xiang Yang company. I have an urgent mission and must leave immediately. She had an unpleasant encounter today. I¡¯m worried that if she goes home to my parents, they¡¯ll be more of a hindrance than help because they don¡¯t know the situation.¡±

    ¡°What happened to Xiang Yang?¡± Yun Nan asked, puzzled.

    Shi Ke scratched his head. ¡°I can¡¯t explain it right now. Please help me keep her company. If she¡¯s willing to talk, just listen. If not, I¡¯ll tell you when I have the chance in the future. I have to leave now. Military orders can¡¯t be disobeyed.¡±

    Shi Ke was burning with anxiety. Yun Nan hurriedly nodded. ¡°You should leave quickly, Shi Ke. I¡¯ll keep Xiang Yang company. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll definitely complete my mission.¡±

    Shi Ke nodded solemnly and turned back to look at the tightly shut bedroom door before leaving resolutely.

    Yun Nan looked around the house and guessed that it was probably given to them by Shi Nian. It was very similar to Shi Nian¡¯s ridiculously large house. You could tell at a glance that the two houses were ¡®related.¡¯

    Yun Nan found the kitchen. As expected, the windows were bright and clean. Even the refrigerator was squeaky clean and empty. She could only order some ingredients online and wait for their arrival..

 Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Three: Going Home

    Chapter 193: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Three: Going Home

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    As expected, the aroma of food brought Xiang Yang out of the bedroom.

    Yun Nan had made four dishes and one soup. She was scooping some of the soup into a bowl when she saw Xiang Yang dispiritedly walk out with reddened eyes, and said, ¡°Go wash your face and come over for dinner.¡±

    When Xiang Yang sat down, Yun Nan informed her, ¡°Shi Ke was assigned a last-minute mission, so he returned to the military.¡±

    Xiang Yang froze, and the food she picked up fell back onto the plate. She looked very disappointed at the news.

    ¡°He¡¯s quite worried about you. If you want to ease his mind, take care of yourself, eat well, and wait for him to return. I don¡¯t know what mission he¡¯s on, but I promised him that you¡¯ll definitely be fine and told him not to get distracted. ¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Xiang Yang nodded and softly replied before picking up her rice bowl again.

    Yun Nan placed some food into Xiang Yang¡¯s bowl and pointed at the soup bowl. ¡°Have some soup first to warm your stomach.¡±

    Xiang Yang obediently took a sip of the soup, put down the bowl, and said gloomily, ¡°I went to watch a play today with Shi Ke, and we ran into his ex-girlfriend.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Ex-girlfriend?¡±

    Xiang Yang nodded and hesitantly stated, ¡°She¡¯s not really his ex-girlfriend; nothing had ever happened between them, and Shi Ke probably never thought of her as his girlfriend, but that woman thinks she¡¯s his ex-girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°Are you¡­ jealous?¡± Yun Nan tried to imagine it and felt it was a little melodramatic. ¡®Xiang Yang doesn¡¯t seem to be someone irrational and unconfident! she thought.

    Xiang Yang shook her head. ¡°No, like I said, Shi Ke had never been in a relationship with her. There¡¯s nothing to be jealous of.¡±

    Yun Nan was relieved. ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ What¡¯s all this about? Why are you so upset?¡± Yun Nan asked.

    Xiang Yang lifted the soup bowl and finished the soup in small mouthfuls. ¡°She said I don¡¯t deserve happiness, so I was a little hurt.¡±

    Yun Nan couldnt help but laugh. ¡°So you took her words to heart? That¡¯s silly! It sounds like she hasn¡¯t given up on Shi Ke and is purposefully saying that to upset you. Just like that Gu Man who¡¯s always trying to make me uncomfortable.¡±

    Xiang Yang lowered her head and didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat first. You should send a message to Shi Ke after dinner. At least let him Imow that you¡¯re fine and let him feel at ease,¡± Yun Nan advised. Hearing that, Xiang Yang picked up her phone and immediately typed and sent a message to Shi Ke.

    ¡°We¡¯ll pack our things after dinner. We¡¯ll be setting off for Lu Town tomorrow. You have to come with us even if Shi Ke isn¡¯t around. Otherwise, none of us will be at ease. You can also take this opportunity to relax and get your mind off things,¡± Yun Nan uttered.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Xiang Yang answered listlessly, looking depressed.

    The trip to Lu Town finally took place, and Yun Nan, Fang Xi, Shi Xiu, and the main creative staff were all super excited. They also had three additional members coming along with them: Shi Nian, Ye Kun, and Xiang Yang¡ªso altogether, they were a large group.

    The local leaders had already prepared a welcoming ceremony and arranged for them to stay in the best hotel in the area. After they all settled in, Yun Nan brought Shi Nian, Fang Xi, Ye Kun, Xiang Yang, and Shi Xiu to the street where she used to live. A two-story restaurant further down the alley was where she and her adoptive parents had lived. Now, the restaurant was closed, and the entrance looked slightly dilapidated.

    Yun Nan¡¯s hand was a little shaky as she was unlocking the entrance door¡¯s lock. Shi Nian held her hand and unlocked the door together with her. He gently pushed open the restaurant¡¯s creaking door. The smell of dust assaulted their nostrils, causing everyone to cough lightly.

    Yun Nan¡¯s eyes were a little wet. Everything in the restaurant was the same as when she¡¯d left. She reached out and touched the familiar tables and chairs. For a moment, it was as if she could see her young self running around in the restaurant while her mother smiled and scolded her and her father protected her. Those were the happiest years of her life. She blinked, and the ghostly figures of her past disappeared. Yun Nan looked at the deserted shop, and her heart felt empty.

    Yun Nan looked up and tried her best not to cry. Upstairs of the restaurant was a bedroom and a storeroom; it was her family¡¯s living space. Her adoptive parents always tried their best to give her the most comfortable life and loved her as much as possible.

    Shi Nian reached out and patted her head. ¡°Let¡¯s clean this place up. Maybe someone will come visit you later.¡±

    Yun Nan brought her thoughts back to the present and smiled gratefully at Shi Nian. She took out a painting from her backpack, and Xiang Yang¡ªstanding behind her¡ªcouldn¡¯t help but exclaim in awe.

    What Yun Nan was holding was a hand-embroidered painting; the couple sitting next to each other in it were Yun Nan¡¯s adoptive parents. Yun Nan had first sketched the outline and then filled in the colors using embroidery. Her embroidery skills were exquisite, and the painting was expressive, so much so that you could even feel the joy wafting off the happy expressions on the couple¡¯s faces..

 Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Four: Son-in-law

    Chapter 194: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Four: Son-in-law

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°This is¡­ so exquisite,¡± Xiang Yang and Shi Xiu marveled as they crowded around the painting, not even daring to stretch out their hands to touch it.

    Fang Xi knew about the painting beforehand. She smiled and sighed, ¡°From sketch to embroidery, it took Yun Nan three years to complete this painting; she put her heart into every pencil stroke and stitch.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and hung the painting on the wall in the middle of the restaurant hall. Looking at it, she said, ¡°This is the only thing I can do for them. They didn¡¯t even have a decent photo together when they were alive.¡±

    Shi Nian and Ye Kun walked around the restaurant. It used to be a small noodle shop. There were only six tables, and all the supplies and equipment were arranged neatly. Only there was a lot of dust.

    Two female neighbors came over and greeted them in surprise, ¡°Yun Nan, you¡¯re back! We just heard that several people had come and were wondering if it was you.¡±

    Yun Nan immediately ran over to hug them. ¡°Aunt Zhang, Aunt Wang! How are you guys?¡±

    ¡°Good, good. We¡¯re all doing fine,¡± Aunt Zhang replied, smiling so widely her eyes were crescents.

    The two women sized Yun Nan up, and Aunt Zhang commented, ¡°You seem to have grown even taller, and you look so pretty!¡±

    Aunt Wang chuckled, ¡°Our Yun Nan has always been good-looking. She has always been a beauty since she was a kid!¡±

    Aunt Zhang glanced at the others and lowered her voice to say, ¡°You brought your friends home? Come over to my house for lunch; your kitchen appliances and tools haven¡¯t been used for so long, it¡¯s best not to cook here.¡±

    Yun Nan called everyone over to introduce them to Aunt Zhang and Aunt Wang. She hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯m married now. This is my husband, Shi Nian.¡±

    Shi Nian bowed slightly and greeted, ¡°Hello, Aunt Zhang, Aunt Wang.¡±

    The two aunties were dumbfounded. They shared a look and turned to walk out. Shi Nian was stunned at their reaction and looked back at his companions. Ye Kun seized the opportunity and mocked, ¡°Well, Young Master Shi, looks like you scared them away.¡±

    He¡¯d barely finished speaking when he heard a loud shout from outside. ¡°Everyone, come take a look! Our Yun Nan got married! Our Yun Nan has come home with our son-in-law! ¡±

    ¡°Yun Nan got married! Yun Nan¡¯s married !¡±

    Yun Nan buried her face in her hands, and Shi Nian looked like he¡¯d blanked out. Xiang Yang, Fang Xi, and Shi Xiu all burst into laughter.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Ye Kun remarked. ¡°Seems like we¡¯ve become the zoo attraction again!¡±

    The entrance of the shop swiftly became packed with people. Everyone was talking and laughing as they looked at Shi Nian. Yun Nan introduced her friends to everyone and dragged Shi Nian over to greet the neighbors who had watched her grow up. It was an extremely lively scene.

    Ye Kun also stopped fooling around and took out all the gifts that Shi Nian had prepared; only then did he understand why Shi Nian had prepared so many things¡ªhe¡¯d probably expected such a scene. ¡®Shi Nian has always been so smart, but would it kill him to tell me beforehand? I was so shocked by this huge crowd!¡¯ Ye Kun inwardly grumbled.

    ¡°Wow! Yun Nan and her adoptive parents sure are popular in this area,¡± Ye Kun whispered to Fang Xi.

    Fang Xi also lowered her voice and said, ¡°Of course, her adoptive parents were popular; when they were alive, they would help out anyone if they had any problems. Later, when they passed away, the whole neighborhood took care of Yun Nan. She grew up here so when she heard that the town wanted her to help with some publicity, she agreed without another word. Think about it! At this juncture, you can imagine the kind of benefits and money we would get if we continued to promote our movie, but instead, we¡¯re here doing pro bono work. It¡¯s not surprising Yun Nan and her adoptive parents are so popular.¡±

    Ye Kun nodded repeatedly and couldn¡¯t help but admire Yun Nan a little more. He looked at Fang Xi and felt that Fang Xi was even more amazing. ¡°It¡¯s great that you two are such loyal and caring friends!¡± he told her.

    Fang Xi smiled proudly. Ye Kun was filled with joy seeing Fang Xi like this. He was startled when Xiang Yang patted him unexpectedly.

    Xiang Yang teased, ¡°Ye Kun, your eyes have been glued to Fang Xi the entire time. Why don¡¯t you take a look around? The scenery here is beautiful! Look at all the flowers, plants, and trees here.¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi is the only thing on his mind now,¡± Shi Xiu said before Ye Kun could reply. ¡°The only flower he can see is Fang Xi.¡±

    Ye Kun chuckled and nodded in agreement. Fang Xi playfully smacked him. ¡°They¡¯re making fun of you, but you¡¯re still nodding along? Are you stupid or what?¡±

    Ye Kun countered, ¡°They¡¯re right. No view is as beautiful as you.¡±

    Xiang Yang and Shi Xiu covered their ears and ran away, complaining, ¡°Geez, that¡¯s so mushy I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡±

    Fang Xi rolled her eyes at Ye Kun, but her heart felt warm. It was really a joy to be liked. When a man¡¯s heart and mind are filled by you, and he isn¡¯t stingy in expressing it, you¡¯ll feel a warm sense of security. Fang Xi had never experienced this before and let Ye Kun hold her hand and pull her along.

    The whole town became lively. As the skies darkened and the lights came on, everyone had already set up long tables by the street. Every family brought out their own dishes and placed them on the tables; there was food to eat from the alley¡¯s entrance to the end of the street. It was a scene even livelier than New

    Year¡¯s..

 Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Five: Undeserving

    Chapter 195: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Five: Undeserving

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian was the new son-in-law in everyone¡¯s eyes. He and Yun Nan raised their wine glasses and toasted the neighborhood elders. The elders earnestly instructed him to take care of Yun Nan and solemnly entrusted her to him.

    Some elders even had tears in their eyes; they were as reluctant to part with Yun Nan as if she were their daughter or granddaughter.

    Shi Nian sincerely promised to treat Yun Nan well and take good care of her. After the toast, Yun Nan¡¯s peers and juniors came over to challenge Shi Nian to a drinking contest.

    Yun Nan facepalmed and softly sighed, ¡°Why are they treating this like a couple of newly-weds¡¯ bridal visit home?¡±

    Fang Xi laughed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you think this would happen beforehand?¡±

    Yun Nan frowned at her. ¡°Why would it occur to me?¡± Deep down, she¡¯d always Imown that her marriage with Shi Nian was fake. She¡¯d never treated Shi Nian as her husband, so how could she have thought of this?

    ¡°You knew this might happen? Then why didn¡¯t you remind me?¡± Yun Nan questioned lowly.

    Fang Xi smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. She looked at Shi Nian chatting with the townsfolk and lightly said, ¡°Yun Nan, you should try to make your act more convincing. Look at how well Shi Nian is performing! Act natural, and don¡¯t expose yourself in front of your fellow townsfolk.¡±

    Yun Nan gritted her teeth and glared at Fang Xi. Shi Xiu ran over with a bowl and a piece of pork rib held in her chopsticks, saying, ¡°Yun Nan, Fang Xi, these ribs are delicious!¡±

    Fang Xi laughed and commented, ¡®You¡¯re such a foodie!¡± Shi Xiu didn¡¯t mind and took a bite of the rib.

    Affected by the warm atmosphere around her and a little drunk, Xiang Yang cheered up slightly and enviously remarked, ¡°Yun Nan, you¡¯re so lucky to be loved by so many people. I¡¯m so envious of you.¡±

    Yun Nan patted her shoulder and sat down beside her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to envy me. You have Shi Ke¡¯s love, which makes you luckier than most.¡±

    Xiang Yang¡¯s eyes were unfocused as she smiled and uttered, ¡°That¡¯s right! No matter how far I go, Shi Ke will always wait for me to return. With him around, I have a home. No one can snatch him away!¡±

    Despite her words, Yun Nan knew Xiang Yang hadn¡¯t resolved her pent-up frustrations. Yun Nan could only go along with her and say, ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re also a lucky person!¡±

    Xiang Yang looked up at the starry sky and muttered, ¡°Look! There are stars.¡±

    Yun Nan also looked up. ¡°Yeah, you can see the stars here in my hometown. I¡¯ll take you to the mountaintop to stargaze someday. It¡¯s quite beautiful up there.¡±

    Tears rolled down Xiang Yang¡¯s face. She wiped them away and smiled. ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance to stargaze with Shi Ke before. They¡¯re so beautiful.¡±

    Yun Nan noticed Xiang Yang¡¯s tears but didn¡¯t say a word. Fang Xi also saw and exchanged glances with Yun Nan. Neither of them pointed it out.

    Xiang Yang lifted her head inadvertently and wiped away her tears. She smiled and told two girls, ¡°I drank a little too much. I want to go back and sleep now.¡± Yun Nan stood up. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll walk you back.¡±

    Fang Xi also got up. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. You can¡¯t leave; you¡¯re the guest of honor today.¡±

    On the other side, Ye Kun saw Fang Xi and Xiang Yang were about to leave and quickly squeezed his way over to them. Fang Xi instructed him, ¡°Stay with Shi Nian, and don¡¯t let him drink too much. But don¡¯t drink too much yourself. Take care of Yun Nan and Shi Nian.¡± Ye Kun obeyed and sat back down in his seat obediently.

    Fang Xi brought Xiang Yang back to the noodle shop. Yun Nan had already tidied up the shop¡¯s second floor, and the two rooms were just enough for them to stay in.

    Fang Xi helped Xiang Yang up the stairs. She knew Xiang Yang wasn¡¯t drunk but had something on her mind, so she didn¡¯t say anything and just accompanied her silently. The two brushed their teeth, showered, and sat on the balcony to dry their hair. Fang Xi made a pot of fruit tea.

    Xiang Yang chuckled, ¡°This place is so nice. I really want to stay here and not leave.¡±

    Fang Xi poured her a cup of tea and smiled. ¡°Sounds good, then we¡¯ll agree to retire here in the future.¡±

    Xiang Yang laughed. ¡°Why wait for retirement? Why not now?¡±

    Fang Xi mock-glowered at her. ¡°You wish! We¡¯re just common mortals who haven¡¯t paid off our debts in the mortal world yet. We don¡¯t have the right to retire. ¡±

    Xiang Yang was silent. She sipped her tea, and the two of them swayed in their rocking chairs. There was only the sound of rocking chairs creaking and the noises of unknown insects.

    ¡°Fang Xi, do you love Ye Kun?¡± Xiang Yang suddenly asked softly.

    Fang Xi gave it some thought before answering, ¡°Frankly speaking, I don¡¯t love him, not yet. But that¡¯s not to say I won¡¯t love him in the future. Ye Kun knows this; he said he¡¯ll wait for me to fall in love with him.¡±

    Xiang Yang nodded. ¡°When you do fall in love with Ye Kun, you¡¯ll have this inexplicable fear of loss. You¡¯ll always be afraid of losing him, losing his love. It¡¯s quite agonizing.¡±

    Fang Xi nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, people often fear losing the things they love too deeply.¡±

    Xiang Yang didn¡¯t speak. Fang Xi smiled. ¡°Shi Ke loves you very much. Your love is a two-way street, so there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll lose his love. Don¡¯t let your

    imagination run wild.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t deserve him.¡± Xiang Yang said softly..

 Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Six: History

    Chapter 196: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Six: History

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Fang Xi asked, puzzled.

    Xiang Yang smiled bitterly and didn¡¯t speak. Fang Xi smiled and said, ¡°Shi Ke only has you in his mind and heart. Why would you still have such thoughts? What¡¯s this talk about ¡®deserving or ¡®not deserving? Is there a standard for love? You guys are already married, okay? Your in-laws and sisters-in-law all love you, so why are you thinking like that, you lucky woman?!¡±

    ¡°But the better they treat me, the more I feel I don¡¯t deserve him,¡± Xiang Yang said softly. Fang Xi was stunned. She suddenly realized that Xiang Yang was serious and wasn¡¯t just being humble.

    Xiang Yang stated, ¡°Fang Xi, do you know? A person can¡¯t do anything wrong in their life because what they¡¯ve done would leave traces impossible to forget or erase. A stain is a stain! There¡¯s no way to undo or remove it!¡±

    She choked and sobbingly continued, ¡°If one day you meet someone you truly love, then that stain will be magnified infinitely¡ªso big that it makes you afraid. Because you fear that the person you love will find out this stain; you fear that he won¡¯t love you anymore when he finds out.¡±

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t know what had happened to Xiang Yang and didn¡¯t know how to comfort her. Perhaps Xiang Yang had been burdened by the secret for too long, but under the influence of alcohol, she had the urge to get it off her chest.

    ¡°My mother passed away when I was very young,¡± Xiang Yang began. ¡°My tutor became my stepmother. At that time, I was in my rebellious period, and¡ªadditionally¡ªmy maternal grandmother and her family kept badmouthing my stepmother before me, so I was very resistant to my father marrying my stepmother. After they got married, I started to go against them.¡±

    ¡°I had a boyfriend in middle school, and my grades dropped. Since my grades were too low to get me into a good high school, my father sent me abroad to study. At the time, I thought he was disappointed in me and used the opportunity to abandon me.¡±

    ¡°So when I was overseas, I became even more unruly. I maintained amorous relationships with numerous boys. I didn¡¯t reject the boys, but I never officially confirmed any of them as my boyfriend. I felt a sense of satisfaction when I saw them fighting over me. It was as if, in doing this, I could prove to my father that I was loved and worthy of love. Many men would love me even if he didn¡¯t. ¡±

    Xiang Yang stopped, raised her head, and covered her face with her hands. After a while, she uttered, ¡°I thought I was quite happy, surrounded by sweet words and flowers every day. I was a girl squandering my youth and beauty in my best years. But I didn¡¯t know there was a price behind these beautiful things.¡±

    ¡°Due to my dalliances, I had a bad reputation among the international students. The girls avoided me like I was the plague. I was a rotten person in their eyes, and they had to prevent their boyfriends from falling in love with me. However, the more the girls isolated me, the more I wanted their worries to come true.¡±

    ¡°A sultry look, a charming smile, and a few oblique words was all it took to attract those men. They gathered around me and ignored their girlfriends. As a result, my reputation for promiscuity spread. Some of the girls even slandered me and said I took drugs. There were all kinds of rumors about me, and I gained a reputation as a vile person.

    Fang Xi recalled the time she¡¯d overheard a few women discussing Xiang Yang behind her back at the exhibition and couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for her.

    ¡°Unfortunately, something happened before my dad found out,¡± Xiang Yang told her bitterly.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Fang Xi asked, slightly nervous.

    ¡°Two men got into a fight because of me. One of the boys accidentally went overboard and seriously injured the other boy. He died from his injuries, and the boy who injured him was sentenced to 20 years in prison.¡±

    ¡°There was also a boy who had always liked me and thought he was my real boyfriend. He didn¡¯t expect that numerous boys had also thought they were my boyfriends. He couldn¡¯t accept it when he found out and slit his wrist. Although he didn¡¯t die, he suffered a huge blow to his mentality.¡±

    Fang Xi was shocked. She hadn¡¯t expected things to develop into such a tragic situation. ¡°But¡­ this isn¡¯t your fault. You didn¡¯t instigate them, ¡± Fang Xi said hesitantly.

    Xiang Yang gave her a dismal smile and remarked, ¡°You¡¯re on my side because you¡¯re my friend, so naturally, you¡¯ll think this way. However, the family members of those involved wouldn¡¯t share such views, nor would those boys¡¯ admirers. They all hated me to the core and would love nothing more than to skin me alive and feast on my entrails.¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi, I can understand where they are coming from. I was still very young when my mother passed away, but I understand the pain of losing a loved one. I didn¡¯t do anything to those boys, but everything happened because of me. I can¡¯t absolve myself of the blame..¡±

 Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Seven: Worries and Trauma

    Chapter 197: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Seven: Worries and Trauma

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xiang Yang stated, ¡°The law couldn¡¯t convict me because I didn¡¯t commit a crime. Therefore, the victim¡¯s¡ªthe boy who died¡ªmother hired someone to rape and kill me. A group of hooligans kidnapped me. They asked my father and grandmother for a ransom when they discovered I was from a wealthy family.¡±

    Xiang Yang¡¯s tears fell again as she continued, ¡°My father and grandfather used all their connections and diverted all the funds they could. They did everything they could and were willing to make any sacrifice to keep me alive.¡±

    ¡°I always thought that no one loved me. I did all I could to hurt the hearts of those who loved me the most. My father¡¯s hair turned white within a week due to the stress, and my grandfather passed away from a heart attack half a year after I got rescued. I know that his health had suffered due to the trauma of my kidnapping, so I¡¯m the cause of his death. I¡¯m a sinner; I don¡¯t deserve to live in this world.¡±

    Xiang Yang cried non-stop as she said, ¡°But I promised my grandfather before he died that I would live my life well no matter what happened. I must live well¡ªI¡¯ve already let him down once; I can¡¯t let him down again.¡±

    ¡°My father also forgave me and cleaned up my mess. He sent me to another country to study. There, I truly settled down and focused on my studies. To prevent me from repeating the same mistake, he arranged for my mother¡¯s cousin¡ªwho my mother often took care of before she passed¡ªto accompany me.¡±

    ¡°But, in fact, I won¡¯t do such things again even if no one watched over me. My heart had already died; I was only alive to fulfill my promise to Grandpa¡­ until I met Shi Ke.¡±

    Fang Xi heaved a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Shi Ke is like sunlight, shining into my gloomy life. He doesn¡¯t know my past; he only loves and dotes on me. I once thought of telling him, but I didn¡¯t know how to. I don¡¯t know how to tell him everything about my horrible past.¡±

    ¡°However, Shi Ke said everyone has a past. He wasn¡¯t involved in my past, nor does he have the right to judge. He loves me in the present and wants to continue loving me in the future. If the past is happy, it should be stored in our memory and deleted if it makes us unhappy.¡±

    ¡°His words made me finally let go of the worries in my heart and marry him. I feel that fate must have put him in my path to give me a new beginning so that I wouldn¡¯t dwell on the past. A few years have passed, and I¡¯ve gradually moved past the trauma back then. Almost no one in the country knows about my past. I thought that everything was all in the past.¡±

    ¡°I was too naive, Fang Xi. What happened in the past happened and would leave traces. I¡¯ve tried to escape and stay away from those people from back then, but we¡¯re ultimately living in the same time and space¡ªit¡¯s impossible for us not to interact for the rest of our lives. And even if we meet just one of them, it can drag me back into that hellish abyss.¡±

    Xiang Yang sighed, ¡°Fang Xi, I¡¯m so afraid I¡¯ll lose everything, but if I really do lose it, what right do I have to keep it? I don¡¯t deserve it.¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s heart ached for Xiang Yang. The banquet outside had ended, and everyone had returned. Xiang Yang held Fang Xi¡¯s hand and pleaded, ¡°Let me enjoy my happiness for a while longer. Don¡¯t tell them, okay?¡±

    Fang Xi slowly squatted down, looked at Xiang Yang, and told her, ¡°This is your story to tell. I have no right to spill it to others without your permission.

    However, Xiang Yang, it doesn¡¯t matter what others say. You can¡¯t slander or belittle yourself. No matter how much others love you, they can¡¯t compare to you loving yourself. How would you have the ability to save yourself if you don¡¯t even love yourself?¡±

    She continued, ¡°Everyone in the Shi family is a good person. Fate put them in your path because it was giving you a chance, telling you not to give up on yourself. You messed up in the past, but it wasn¡¯t entirely your fault. Everyone should only be responsible for their own lives and not bear the responsibility of others¡¯ mistakes and even fate on their own shoulders. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?

    Fang Xi then turned around to welcome those who had returned, leaving Xiang Yang alone in a daze. Xiang Yang stared as the stars gently winked in the night sky, compassionately and impartially looking upon all the tender-hearted people in the world.

    Everyone should only be responsible for their own lives, and everyone has their own ray of starlight.

    The thought had Xiang Yang in tears..

 Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Eight: Embroidered Portrait

    Chapter 198: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Eight: Embroidered Portrait

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan was a woman of action. Early next morning, she brought Shi Nian, Ye Kun, and Fang Xi to the mayor¡¯s office to listen to the mayor and the town¡¯s resident representatives talk about their plans and the difficulties they encountered.

    Shi Xiu had instructions from Fang Xi asking her to stay behind under the excuse of sleeping in to take care of Xiang Yang. Although Xiang Yang was very tired, she was in much better spirits after a night of physical and mental rest. Shi Xiu and her went out to enjoy the scenery hand in hand.

    Shi Xiu led the way for Xiang Yang, telling her, ¡°We filmed some of our movie scenes here, so I¡¯m quite familiar with a few places here. Xiang Yang, how about I take you to see the hand-woven work here? They¡¯re very stunning.¡± Xiang Yang nodded in agreement.

    The town¡¯s bluestone road was particularly charming. The two chatted and laughed as they walked down the paths and met a few tourists.

    ¡°Hey, girls! Why are you also here?¡± Hai Hua spotted Shi Xiu and Xiang Yang straightaway and exclaimed in surprise.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Hai Hua!¡± Shi Xiu rushed over to hug Hai Hua enthusiastically. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Shi Xiu asked, shouting and jumping like a little child.

    Hai Hua and Xiang Yang also greeted each other before Hai Hua replied with a smile, ¡°Your brother, Shi Nian, invited me here. I was supposed to come with you guys, but something came up at my work, so I was delayed and came a day late. But it just so happens that I have a few friends interested in tourism-related projects, so I came with them.¡±

    Hai Hua introduced her friends to the two girls. Then, Xiang Yang told them, ¡°Shi Nian and Yun Nan have gone out. Why don¡¯t you guys come to our place first? You can sort out your accommodations after they come back. We¡¯re unfamiliar with this place, so it¡¯s better to let Yun Nan set you guys up.¡±

    Hai Hua readily agreed and went home with them. ¡°Where were you two originally heading?¡± Hai Hua inquired as they walked.

    ¡°Shi Xiu has been here before. She said the hand-woven work here is quite beautiful and wants to bring me over to take a look,¡± Xiang Yang smilingly replied. Hai Hua had some history with her grandmother¡¯s family, so she knew Hai Hua.

    Hai Hua chuckled, ¡°So, Shi Xiu, can you be our guide?¡±

    Shi Xiu shook her head. ¡°I was here with the production crew to film our movie; we only stayed for a few days, and we spent most of our time here filming, so I haven¡¯t really had the chance to explore this place yet. I¡¯m not here for work this time so I¡¯ll be able to enjoy myself. Hai Hua, have you been in contact with the others?¡± Shi Xiu was asking Hai Hua about the others on the show ¡® Embracing Life.¡¯

    Hai Hua smiled and answered, ¡°I met up with Xiao Zhao and Yan Tang a few days ago. They want to reform their band.¡±

    Shi Xiu was surprised. ¡°Oh? That¡¯s great, but why didn¡¯t you guys invite me to your get-together? That¡¯s so mean!¡±

    Shi Xiu pouted. Hai Hua explained, ¡°Yan Tang said that she would ask you out on her own later. Xiao Zhao and her invited me out because they wanted to find a sponsor. There¡¯s nothing to be jealous of, you silly girl.¡±

    Shi Xiu giggled, ¡°That¡¯s because I like them. I¡¯ll be sad if they forget me.¡±

    Hai Hua sighed at Xiang Yang, ¡°This girl is a chatterbox. You¡¯re the cool and aloof type, and Yun Nan is gentle, so I reckon that with her around, the two of you don¡¯t have the chance to speak.¡±

    Xiang Yang smiled, and Shi Xiu remarked, ¡°But I¡¯m empathetic. If Xiang Yang and Yun Nan have something to say, they don¡¯t have to speak up because I¡¯ll directly express it for them.¡±

    Her words amused everyone. They arrived at Yun Nan¡¯s house as they spoke. When Hai Hua saw the embroidered portrait in the middle of the restaurant hall, she looked as if she¡¯d been electrocuted and froze.

    ¡°Who¡ªwho is this?¡± she questioned with a trembling voice.

    Shi Xiu didn¡¯t notice it. She took two steps forward and went on her tiptoes to point at the portrait, saying proudly, ¡°Yun Nan embroidered this. Isn¡¯t it so nice? It¡¯s simply a work of art!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. I want to know who the person in the portrait is!¡± Hai Hua stated, voice tense.

    Xiang Yang looked at her strangely. Shi Xiu realized that something was wrong and stopped smiling. She told Hai Hua, ¡°They¡¯re Yun Nan¡¯s adoptive parents.¡±

    After a moment¡¯s thought, she added, ¡°Yun Nan said that they didn¡¯t have any decent photos when they were alive, so she drew a portrait of them and embroidered it. When the townsfolk came to eat yesterday, everyone said it was a good likeness and very lifelike!¡±

    When Hai Hua heard this, she took a few steps forward and looked up at the portrait. She muttered, ¡°She looks so similar¡­ She¡¯s so alike¡­¡±

    Xiang Yang and Shi Xiu were puzzled. ¡°Did you know Yun Nan¡¯s mother, Hai Hua?¡± Xiang Yang inquired.

    Hai Hua shook her head. ¡°No, but she looks very similar to my aunt.¡±

    Shi Xiu was surprised. ¡®Your aunt?¡±

    ¡® What¡¯s her aunt got to do with anything? she thought.

    Hai Hua took out her phone and snapped a few photos of the portrait. Then, she agitatedly questioned Shi Xiu, ¡°I remember that you¡ªor was it Yun Nan¡ª you girls mentioned that Yun Nan¡¯s adoptive mother was kidnapped and sold to the mountains?

    Shi Xiu gently nodded. ¡°Yeah. Yun Nan wrote a novel about it, and the movie I acted in was based on that novel. The character I played was Yun Nan¡¯s adoptive mother..¡±

 Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Nine: Photograph

    Chapter 199: Chapter One-Hundred and Ninety-Nine: Photograph

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°What was your movie called again? Ah, yes, ¡®4:30 P.M.¡±¡® After saying that, Hai Hua held her phone and walked out of the door, sending messages, photos, and making calls.

    Xiang Yang and Shi Xiu looked at each other. They didn¡¯t know what was going on, so they could only bid everyone to sit and have some tea and water.

    Yun Nan and the others had yet to return, and Hai Hua was a little restless waiting for them, often getting lost in thought. Suddenly, her phone rang. Hai Hua strode outside to answer the phone, and those inside could hear her say,

    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right! Mm-hmm!¡±

    She looked so worked up that her fellow peers were baffled. Hai Hua was much calmer after the call. Seeing that Yun Nan and Shi Nian hadn¡¯t returned, she asked Shi Xiu and Xiang Yang to accompany them for a walk outside.

    The townsfolk were very simple. Hai Hua just asked a random child on the street, and he volunteered to be their guide. Xiang Yang couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Hai Hua is indeed extraordinary!¡± A businesswoman like her was born with a sharp mind.

    Hai Hua chatted with the child as they were sightseeing, and their conversation topic revolved around Yun Nan¡¯s family. When the child mentioned Yun Nan, his face was full of admiration and pride. ¡°We must all learn from Yun Nan and study hard so that when we grow up, we¡¯ll have a bright future and help develop our hometown!¡± Hearing that, as Yun Nan¡¯s sisters-in-law, Shi Xiu and Xiang Yang also felt proud.

    Hai Hua only got to see Yun Nan and Shi Nian at night. The townsfolk brought them a sumptuous meal, and the neighbors¡ªAunt Zhang and Aunt Wang¡ªhelped Yun Nan get the guests settled in. After a flurry of activity, everyone finally had a chance to talk.

    Hai Hua dragged Yun Nan to the center wall in the hall and pointed at the portrait as she inquired nervously, ¡°Yun Nan, did your adoptive parents leave any photos?¡±

    Yun Nan nonchalantly nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, but only a few. They didn¡¯t have any photos together, so I embroidered this.¡±

    Hai Hua had only focused on the word ¡°yes.¡± She directly asked, ¡°Do you have the photos here? Can I take a look?¡±

    Yun Nan was perplexed but nodded gently. ¡°They¡¯re in the bedroom upstairs.¡±

    Shi Nian frowned. ¡°Is there a problem? Why are you suddenly interested in the photos?¡±

    Hai Hua softly exhaled. ¡°Yun Nan, to tell you the truth, I was shocked when I first saw this embroidered portrait because your mother looks very much like my aunt! They look so alike!¡±

    Yun Nan was too stunned to react. Shi Nian questioned, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Hai Hua told them, ¡°My aunt¡¯s family only had one daughter. She was kidnapped when she was a child. My aunt and uncle have been looking for her for their entire lives. However, you guys know that if a child is lost, it¡¯s very unlikely to find them. Even if you have a lot of money, it won¡¯t do you any good in such cases. There hasn¡¯t been news about my cousin for decades. *Sigh* My aunt and uncle¡¯s health hasn¡¯t been good these days, and they miss their daughter more than ever.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s heart suddenly quivered, and she pulled Hai Hua towards the stairs. ¡°Hai Hua, come with me!¡±

    She quickly ran upstairs and went into the bedroom to rummage through the metal boxes she¡¯d collected when she was young. She found five or six yellowed photos and handed them to Hai Hua as she anxiously said, ¡°I also have a few photos of the three of us together; they¡¯re at my home in Rong City. I¡¯ll show them to you when we get back.¡±

    Hai Hua took the photos and looked at them under the light. Her eyes became a little wet as she stared at them. She sat on the floor as Yun Nan did, held the photos, and said, ¡°Yun Nan, your mother really resembles my aunt when she was young. I really think that they look exactly the same.¡±

    Yun Nan could feel her breathing become lighter. She couldn¡¯t believe it; she was afraid that if she breathed a little too hard, all this before her would disappear.

    ¡°Hai Hua, my mother¡¯s biggest regret was that she didn¡¯t find her biological parents,¡± Yun Nan uttered softly.

    Hai Hua nodded. Yun Nan inquired, ¡°Hai Hua, do you think¡­ Is it possible¡­ that my mother is your aunt¡¯s daughter?¡±

    Hai Hua smiled wryly as she held the photos and shook her head lightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Yun Nan, they¡¯ve been looking for their child for decades, and us relatives feel sorry for them. When I suddenly saw your mother¡¯s pictul and thought of this possibility, to be honest, Yun Nan, I couldn¡¯t believe it. aunt and uncle have experienced too many disappointments in their lives, too many.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°I know; I understand. My parents have been searching for my mother and I¡¯s biological parents all their lives. We know the feeling all too well; from when hope was ignited to when it was shattered, over and over again¡ªit was too torturous. My mother was always the fastest to adjust her mood to welcome the next round of hope and disappointment.¡±

    The two didn¡¯t speak for a long time. Shi Nian looked at the two sad women and said, ¡°That¡¯s enough moping. Let¡¯s think of a way to verify it.¡±

    Hai Hua raised her head. ¡°I called my aunt earlier today. They should be on their way.. ¡°

 Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Chapter Two-Hundred: Verification

    Chapter 200: Chapter Two-Hundred: Verification

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡® What?!¡¯ Shi Nian and Yun Nan looked at Hai Hua in shock.

    Hai Hua said, ¡°I was shocked when I saw the photos. All I could think of was the photo of my cousin when she went missing; she was only a few years old. After so many years, my impression of her had already solidified; I could only see her as the girl she was then. When I saw what I thought was the embroidered portrait of my aunt in the hall downstairs, I suddenly realized that if my cousin was still alive, she would already be a middle-aged woman in her forties.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been so many years; we should¡¯ve realized we were unlikely to find her with such outdated photos of her. She¡¯d grown up, and I thought, ¡® What ifshe looks like my aunt or uncle? So, I sent the photos to my family group, and¡ªif things go as expected¡ªthey should already be on their way here.¡±

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan were speechless. However, Yun Nan understood Hai Hua¡¯s current feelings very well. ¡°But, if my mother isn¡¯t their daughter, won¡¯t your aunt and uncle be sad?¡± Yun Nan stated worriedly. ¡°My mother has already passed away. How can we verify it?¡± Yun Nan was always used to thinking from others¡¯ perspectives, always thinking of others.

    ¡°Did your mother have a great influence on your personality?¡± Hai Hua asked. ¡°Was she considerate, gentle, thoughtful, determined, and never looked back once she set her mind on something?¡±

    Shi Nian was already nodding before Yun Nan could nod. ¡°Based on what you just mentioned, it seems there¡¯s an even higher possibility that Yun Nan¡¯s mother is your cousin. Although Yun Nan is the Yun family¡¯s daughter, she was brought up by her adoptive mother. Her personality is naturally more influenced by her adoptive mother. What you listed out just now are all Yun Nan¡¯s personality traits, which means they¡¯re traits her adoptive mother also shared. Could it be that your aunt also has these traits?¡±

    Hai Hua lightly nodded. ¡°Yes, so when I first met Yun Nan, I didn¡¯t feel she was unfamiliar; instead, I felt very close to her. At the time, I thought it was probably because Yun Nan had a good personality. Now, it seems that there

    might have been another reason: it might be because she reminded me of my

    aunt.¡±

    When Hai Hua turned to Yun Nan, Yun Nan was already in tears. ¡°My mom¡ª my mom spent her entire life looking for her biological parents and passed on with the greatest regret¡­¡¯

    Yun Nan cried bitterly. Shi Nian held her in his arms and gently patted her back. ¡°There, there. Calm down. We¡¯ll talk about this when we meet Hai Hua¡¯s aunt tomorrow. Try and remember if your mother left anything behind that can help us verify her identity.¡±

    Yun Nan sobbed and shook her head. ¡°The family that bought her abused her since she was young. How could she have been able to keep anything from her original family¡ª¡±

    Yun Nan paused. Shi Nian and Hai Hua looked at her, nerves on edge.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t care to wipe away the tears on her face. ¡°My mom said that she once had a jade piece. Her adoptive mother snatched it away, wanting it to be her son¡¯s betrothal gift. My mom said the jade was very beautiful. She drew it for me before¡­¡±

    Yun Nan swiftly got up to grab a pen or a pencil. ¡°Hai Hua, I¡¯ll draw it out for you! I¡¯ll draw it now!¡±

    Hai Hua stopped Yun Nan by pressing down on her hand, saying, ¡°No, don¡¯t draw it now!¡±

    Yun Nan looked at her in confusion. Hai Hua calmly said, ¡°You should wait until you meet my aunt. Then, you can both draw it together! Since your adoptive mother has passed away, verifying her identity will be even more difficult, so why don¡¯t we all be more cautious and not rush into things? It¡¯s best to wait until my aunt arrives before we start piecing things together.¡± Yun Nan slowly nodded, and her tears fell once more.

    It was a sleepless night for them. Shi Nian draped a thin blanket over his shoulders and sat on the balcony with Yun Nan in his arms. He knew that, right now, comforting words would be useless to Yun Nan. It was better to accompany her and spend the long night with her.

    ¡°Tell me, what if she¡¯s not their daughter?¡± Yun Nan was obviously anxious as she asked.

    Shi Nian replied, ¡°Wasn¡¯t your mother disappointed many times when she was alive? Then why would she care if she was disappointed this one more time? Yun Nan, relax a little. If it turns out that she is their daughter, you¡¯ll have fulfilled your mother¡¯s long-cherished wish, and everyone will be happy.¡±

    ¡°If she¡¯s not their daughter, we¡¯ll be good hosts and treat it as welcoming them here for a tour. They¡¯ve lost their daughter and suffered for their entire lives. It¡¯s at least a comfort for them to come here and meet someone with the same experience, ¡± Shi Nian advised.

    Yun Nan felt that his words made sense and nodded. ¡°Thank you! With you around, I feel so safe,¡± Yun Nan told him her feelings truthfully.

    Shi Nian was delighted and was secretly very happy. Not wanting Yun Nan to be nervous any further, he changed the topic, ¡°The stars here are so beautiful. Yun Nan, were you happy when you were a child? Did you like to look at the stars?¡±

    Yun Nan looked at the stars and nodded. ¡°Yes, I was. I¡¯d always been a happy child. Mom and I would squeeze on the recliner, and Dad would tell us stories. My mom especially admired my dad; in her eyes, Dad was a knowledgeable and cultured person. She was more fascinated by those stories than I was. I think she was so fascinated because my dad was the storyteller. Their love was the best love I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    At the mention of her adoptive parents, Yun Nan softened..

 Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Chapter Two-Hundred and One: Stealing a

    Chapter 201: Chapter Two-Hundred and One: Stealing a

    KISS

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian smiled. It was because she grew up in a peaceful and loving environment and had a pair of emotionally stable and loving parents that Yun Nan had such a gentle personality. She was also brave, optimistic, kind, and determined.

    Shi Nian looked up at the stars and remarked, ¡°Shi Ke was the storyteller in our family. I admired him very much when I was a child, but later on, as I grew older, I gradually realized he was making things up on the spot to fool my sister and I. When I raised my doubts about his stories, he beat me up; I couldn¡¯t beat him, so I had to submit and obediently read books instead. I didn¡¯t need Shi Ke to tell me stories anymore, so he continued to mess with Shi Xiu. However, she liked princess stories, and Shi Ke preferred heroic tales, so he later left her in my care.¡±

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°What about Mom and Dad?¡±

    Shi Nian coughed lightly. ¡°They were busy going on dates. Your parents included you in their romance, whereas my parents felt the three of us were redundant in their romantic lives and let us grow up freely on our own.¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°Well, you three siblings turned out fine. You guys get along well, and all of you are promising, successful, and filial.¡±

    Shi Nian shrugged and sighed, ¡°With parents like mine, what else could we do? It¡¯s not as if we could get new parents. Grandpa was the best; when we were young, he told us that we¡¯re siblings for a lifetime. He said the three of us had all been choosing up in the heavens for a long time before we were born into the same family and that we¡¯ll have to leave home when we grow up so the time we can be together as siblings is very limited. He said we must cherish our few years together, to love each other and not quarrel.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°Grandpa¡¯s right.¡±

    Shi Nian replied, ¡°The three of us thought so, too. So, Grandpa is a master; he established the foundation of us siblings¡¯ loving relationship with just a few words.¡±

    Yun Nan thought about it, ¡®Shi Nian has a point! Ifyou look at it that way, then Grandpa really had a lot offore thought.¡¯ Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but smile when she thought of Grandpa¡¯s kind and intelligent eyes.

    ¡°Our family¡¯s IQcan be ranked according to age,¡± Shi Nian sighed. ¡°So, Shi Xiu doesn¡¯t have much of a brain because we¡ªher brothers¡ªinherited all of the brains in the family.¡±

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t stop laughing at that. ¡® The Shi family members always spare no effort in teasing themselves and their relatives,¡¯ she thought.

    Shi Nian and her laughed for quite a while, and Yun Nan completely relaxed. Only then did she understand Shi Nian¡¯s intentions, and her heart couldn¡¯t help but feel warm.

    Shi Nian was still chuckling as he said, ¡°Fortunately, Xiang Yang nabbed my older brother; otherwise, I would still be under his thumb. I¡¯m relieved he got married, so we must treat Xiang Yang well for taking that disaster off our hands.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and nodded before suddenly remembering what had happened to Xiang Yang. ¡°Xiang Yang doesn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood lately,¡± she stated. She then told Shi Nian about how Shi Gao had picked on Xiang Yang and how emotional it made Xiang Yang.

    Shi Nian frowned. ¡°How would they have known each other? Oh, Xiang Yang grew up abroad. I recall hearing from Lin Yu that Shi Gao also grew up abroad. Perhaps that¡¯s how they met; maybe they had some bad history between them when they were abroad. That Shi Gao is always surreptitiously asking about Shi Ke. Could she be interested in Shi Ke?¡±

    Yun Nan found it unbelievable. ¡°But Shi Ke is already married to Xiang Yang.¡±

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t think that would matter to Shi Gao. ¡°We¡¯re married too, but that didn¡¯t stop Gu Man from pestering us. You can¡¯t wake a person pretending to be asleep,¡± he pointed out.

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°Fair enough. Shi Gao and Gu Man are good friends, and it seems they share the same views. They both like to snatch other people¡¯

    husbands, but¡­ Are you sure you don¡¯t like Gu Man at all!¡± she asked Shi Nian seriously.

    Shi Nian glared at her, so Yun Nan hurriedly said, ¡°I was thinking that if you have feelings for Gu Man, we can secretly tell our marriage is fake and ask her to wait a few years.¡±

    ¡°Mmpf!¡± Yun Nan¡¯s eyes widened because Shi Nian had held her chin with one hand, kissed her lips, and bit them lightly.

    ¡°This is punishment! If you pair me with other women again in the future, I¡¯ll double the punishment,¡± Shi Nian warned. He had a lofty expression as he looked smugly at Yun Nan, but he couldn¡¯t hide the smile in his eyes.

    Yun Nan¡¯s mind was in a daze. She reached out and touched her lips, her mind telling her heart: ¡°Shi Nian just kissed you!¡±

    Shi Nian KISSED her!

    Then, her ears registered his words, and Yun Nan thought, ¡®Did he just say that this was punishment forpairing him with other women?

    ¡®Is this any way to punish people?!¡¯ Yun Nan¡¯s ears felt a little warm, and she knew from the heat slowly spreading to her face that she must be blushing to her ears right now.

    Shi Nian put his hands behind his head and rocked his rocking chair as he stared at the starry sky. ¡°I¡¯m married, and my wife is you, Yun Nan!¡± he stated.. ¡°You must keep your promise! You can¡¯t take it back! I¡¯m your husband, so you have to protect me from being harassed by other women!¡±

 Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Chapter Two -Hundred and Two: The Gu Family

    Chapter 202: Chapter Two -Hundred and Two: The Gu Family

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Yun Nan muttered. He was the one who kissed her, but he¡¯s acting as if she was the one at fault. ¡®How is that reasonable? Yun Nan inwardly griped. ¡®He didn¡¯t even give me the right to pursue the matter.¡¯

    Yun Nan finally managed to organize her panicked thoughts and was about to go on the offensive when Shi Nian suddenly asked, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a high chance that Hai Hua¡¯s aunt is your mother¡¯s biological mother?¡±

    ¡®Hmm? The conversation topic changed so quickly that Yun Nan almost couldn¡¯t keep up. However, Yun Nan immediately became nervous at the mention of this matter.

    ¡°What do you think the probability of two unrelated people looking alike is?¡± Shi Nian asked again.

    Yun Nan shook her head blankly. Shi Nian continued, ¡°If the two really are mother and daughter, won¡¯t Hai Hua¡¯s aunt be quite sad? She finally found her daughter, but she¡¯d already passed away. Won¡¯t that be too much of a blow to the old lady?¡±

    Yun Nan was dumbfounded. She had indeed not considered that problem. Shi

    Nian muttered to himself, ¡°That won¡¯t do. We have to call a reliable doctor over. We don¡¯t want anything bad to happen.¡±

    Yun Nan became even more anxious when she heard that and hurriedly said, ¡°There¡¯s a small hospital in town. I¡¯ll get Auntie Zhang to invite the doctor over tomorrow.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Good, it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.¡±

    Yun Nan was a little uneasy. The problem that Shi Nian mentioned was indeed a big issue. Shi Nian felt slightly bad¡ªhe only wanted to divert Yun Nan¡¯s attention, not worry her.

    He¡¯d felt a little nervous because he had acted rashly in a moment of passion. He used that desperate excuse to distract Yun Nan because he worried she would be angry at his actions.

    Shi Nian felt slightly guilty about taking advantage of the situation, but only slightly. Yun Nan, that silly girl, was too obtuse when it came to relationships. Perhaps it was because her adoptive parents had too much influence on her that her understanding of relationships was simple and pure.

    Shi Nian racked his brains and came up with an idea. ¡°Why don¡¯t you make some of your mother¡¯s favorite snacks? Then, when Hai Hua¡¯s aunt and uncle come, they can have a taste; you can also count it as entertaining them on behalf of your mother. No matter what the outcome is, you¡¯ll have shown them a token of appreciation in your mother¡¯s place. What do you think?¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard that. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea! I¡¯ll make Mom¡¯s specialties and her favorites. Regardless of whether they¡¯re my mother¡¯s parents or not, at least I¡¯ll have shown them a token of my mother¡¯s gratitude for coming.¡±

    That said, Yun Nan immediately acted. Shi Nian secretly heaved a sigh of relief and followed behind Yun Nan to help her. He knew Yun Nan couldn¡¯t sleep with how high-strung she was, but she wouldn¡¯t have to wait agonizingly if she had some things to do.

    Shi Nian had found that Yun Nan could easily be immersed in one thing with astonishing single-mindedness. It was indeed not a coincidence that she could achieve such impressive results at such a young age. Looking at Yun Nan¡¯s busy figure, Shi Nian was once again extremely happy that he could be so lucky as to have her as his wife.

    The White City¡¯s Gu family lived not too far from the old town. Shi Nian and Yun Nan heard Hai Hua mention, by chance, during breakfast that her aunt¡¯s husband was the second son of the Gu family¡¯s main branch, Gu Bei, which means her aunt, Chen Yao, was the second madam of the Gu family.

    Yun Nan and the others shared looks. ¡® Was this world really that small? was their collective thought.

    Hai Hua looked at them in confusion. ¡°What is it? Is there something wrong?¡±

    Shi Nian rubbed his nose and told them, ¡°You guys probably don¡¯t know much about White City¡¯s Gu family. The Gu family¡¯s main branch had two sons in the previous generation; the eldest son inherited the family business, and the other son was a university teacher. That university teacher was also Hai Hua¡¯s uncle, Gu Bei.¡±

    Shi Xiu frowned. ¡°Is he Gu Fei¡¯s uncle?¡±

    Shi Nian shook his head. ¡°No. Gu Fei¡¯s grandfather is the eldest son I was talking about, Gu Nan. Hai Hua¡¯s uncle is Gu Fei¡¯s great-uncle.¡±

    Hai Hua was surprised. ¡°Shi Xiu, you know Gu Fei?¡± she asked.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s face fell. Seeing that Shi Xiu wasn¡¯t keen on answering her question,

    Hai Hua looked at Shi Nian, and Shi Nian glanced at his sister before saying,

    ¡°Gu Fei and Shi Xiu were betrothed to each other when they were kids.¡±

    Hai Hua was shocked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. I have some business dealings with the Gu family¡¯s main branch, but I don¡¯t know much about their family affairs.

    The most I¡¯ve heard of them over the years was about my missing cousin.¡±

    Shi Xiu smiled wryly. ¡°Even I, the party involved, didn¡¯t know about it, let alone you! If the Gu family hadn¡¯t suddenly appeared and made a grand visit to my house to discuss our marriage, I reckon my relatives wouldn¡¯t have remembered it, either.¡±

    She grumbled, ¡°This is all Grandpa¡¯s fault. When we were kids, he used our lifelong happiness to repay favors. First, it was my brother, Shi Nian, and now, me! He betrothed Shi Nian to the Yun family¡¯s daughter back then. If Shi Nian hadn¡¯t stood firm and Yun Nan had returned to the Yun family, my brother would¡¯ve been pestered to death by that Yun Liu.. When Grandpa returns, I¡¯ll definitely make him pay heavily for this! ¡°

 Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Chapter Two-Hundred and Three: Loss of Their Only Child

    Chapter 203: Chapter Two-Hundred and Three: Loss of Their Only Child

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Xiu dutifully said to Shi Nian, ¡°Shi Nian, I¡¯ll get your share from Grandpa, too. I¡¯ll give it to Yun Nan.¡± Shi Nian had always doted on his sister, and it was no different this time. Moreover, she wanted to hand it to Yun Nan, so he naturally supported her.

    Hai Hua didn¡¯t expect the Gu and Shi families to have such a relationship. She couldn¡¯t help but ask Shi Xiu, ¡°So, you¡¯ve met Gu Fei? You two¡ª¡±

    Shi Xiu hurriedly interrupted Hai Hua, ¡°Ah! Hold it right there, Hai Hua. Don¡¯t think too much about it; that Gu Fei isn¡¯t my type, but he wants my help. He¡¯s using me as a cover to resist his mother¡¯s control over him.¡±

    Hai Hua seemed relieved and said carefully, ¡°Gu Fei is the only male of his generation in the Gu family, so he¡¯s extremely precious to the family. He also has three older sisters who¡¯ve married very well, and they all treat their younger brother like the apple of their eyes. Gu Fei¡¯s mother, Bai Jie, also has a strong personality. I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be easy being the Gu family¡¯s daughter-in-law.¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s eyes widened. She looked at Hai Hua and then at Shi Nian and cried,

    ¡°Shi Nian, did you hear that? I don¡¯t want to marry him! You have to help me!¡±

    Shi Nian glanced at her and replied, ¡°That depends on your performance.¡±

    Shi Xiu hugged Yun Nan and uttered mournfully, ¡°Yun Nan, save me. You wouldn¡¯t let me marry into such a family to become a baby-making machine and be divorced and sent back to my mother¡¯s house if I didn¡¯t give birth to a boy, would you? Yun Nan, you¡¯re one of my family. You must help me! My brother is useless; I can only rely on you.¡±

    Her antics amused Yun Nan, and she laughed. Shi Nian patted Shi Xiu¡¯s head. ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m useless?¡± he mock-growled. ¡®Why are you begging me if I¡¯m useless?¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s tense nerves finally relaxed slightly, thanks to the siblings¡¯ tomfoolery. Xiang Yang, Fang Xi, and Ye Kun were busy; they were waiting for the Gu family¡ªHai Hua¡¯s aunt and uncle¡ªto come while preparing for the cooperation matters they had discussed with the town leaders yesterday.

    Ye Kun was silly when it came to relationships, but he was like a different person when he worked. It made Fang Xi look at him in a new light. Xiang Yang was fascinated by the town¡¯s embroidery that had been passed down from generation to generation and planned to cooperate with them in depth. Therefore, everyone was busy going in and out of the noodle shop the entire morning. At the same time, they were nervously looking forward to the Gu family¡¯s arrival.

    It was already three in the afternoon when Gu Bei and his wife arrived. Yun Nan had just finished making all kinds of snacks and was a little out of it.

    ¡°They¡¯re here! They¡¯re here! They¡¯ve arrived!¡± Hai Hua jumped up and shouted before rushing out.

    Shi Nian quickly held Yun Nan¡¯s wrist and went out together. Yun Nan twisted her hand around to clutch Shi Nian¡¯s hand; her fingers were cold, and her palm was damp. Shi Nian squeezed her hand to comfort her.

    The gray-haired Gu Bei got out of the car first, then helped his thin and frail wife down. Hai Hua walked over and greeted them, ¡°Auntie, uncle!¡±

    The couple nodded at Hai Hua; they looked like they had a million questions for her but didn¡¯t know where to start. Hai Hua went to Chen Yao¡¯s unoccupied side and supported her, asking, ¡°Auntie, slow down a little. Are you tired?¡±

    Chen Yao grabbed Hai Hua¡¯s hand and stated, ¡°Take me to that embroidered portrait; I want to see it. Quickly, now, show it to me.¡±

    The old lady seemed especially worked up. Hai Hua glanced at Gu Bei, who was very calm. He was a person who¡¯d been through a lot, after all. He¡¯d accumulated enough disappointment over the years.

    Hai Hua supported Chen Yao and advised, ¡°Auntie, please calm down. Let¡¯s¡ªI¡® She fell silent, not knowing how to comfort her.

    Chen Yao took a deep breath. ¡°I know, I know.¡± Although she said that, she still held Hai Hua¡¯s hand tightly.

    Hai Hua brought them to the restaurant hall. They¡¯d taken down the embroidered portrait from the wall and placed it on a table in the middle of the room.

    Gu Bei and Chen Yao both froze when they saw the portrait. Chen Yao abruptly pushed Hai Hua away, went forward to hold the embroidered picture in her arms, and burst into a flood of tears. Gu Bei also shed tears and was speechless for a long while. He snatched the embroidered portrait from Chen Yao¡¯s hands and looked at it carefully.

    ¡°She looks like you, Yao-Yao. She really looks like you. She looks exactly like you!¡± Gu Bei¡¯s voice trembled as he spoke.

    ¡°My child! My daughter!¡± Chen Yao hugged the portrait and fell to the ground, wailing. Gu Bei also knelt on the floor and hugged his wife and the embroidered picture as tears streamed down his face.

    All those around them felt moved and sorry for them, but they didn¡¯t Imow how to comfort them. What a human tragedy this was! The couple finally found their daughter after a lifetime¡¯s searching, but she was already separated from them forever. It was painful for a parent to outlive their child and to find out she¡¯d passed on after they¡¯d been searching for her for so long¡­ No one knew what to say; any words of comfort seemed feeble in the face of such a cruel and unpredictable outcome.

    The Gu family¡¯s butler came forward to offer them advice and encouragement in a low voice and finally helped the two of them up. Chen Yao hugged the embroidered portrait and didn¡¯t let go. She reached out toward the figure in the picture but didn¡¯t dare to touch it. Her hands trembled, and tears fell.

    She looked up to search for Hai Hua and uttered, ¡°You mentioned¡­ She had a daughter?¡±

    Hai Hua hastily answered, ¡°Yes, she adopted a daughter.¡± She turned to look for Yun Nan and called her over, ¡°Yun Nan, come here, please.¡± Yun Nan¡¯s eyes were red and swollen from crying..

 Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Chapter Two-Hundred and Four: Xiao Heâ€™s Story

    Chapter 204: Chapter Two-Hundred and Four: Xiao He¡¯s Story

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    From the very moment Chen Yao got out of the car, Yun Nan knew that this person must be her mother¡¯s biological mother!

    It was because they looked too similar. Yun Nan finally understood why Hai Hua had immediately thought of her aunt based on an embroidered portrait. It was because the figure in embroidery looked exactly like her aunt when she was young. Just as Hai Hua had recognized her aunt from the portrait, Yun Nan also recognized Chen Yao at a glance because she looked like her mother, just aged several years.

    Yun Nan was in as much pain as Chen Yao was. The two shared a connection via an unfortunate woman named Xiao He. Chen Yao pulled Yun Nan close and sized her up before softly saying, ¡°What¡¯s your name, dear child?¡±

    ¡®Yun Nan. My name is Yun Nan. My mother refused to take her adoptive parents¡¯ surname, so she took my adoptive father¡¯s surname, Mo. Her name was MO Xiao He,¡± Yun Nan answered.

    Chen Yao¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°Xiao He? Xiao He? Was her name really Xiao

    Yun Nan nodded. Chen Yao sobbed, ¡°Her birth name was Gu He. We welcomed her birth with exultant joy and thought it was a day worth celebrating, so we gave her the nickname ¡®Xiao He,¡¯ meaning ¡®little celebration.¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect that she would actually remember.¡±

    Yun Nan also burst out crying. The name Xiao He was probably the only memory her mother had left of her original family. Therefore, after she met her adoptive father, she changed her name to MO Xiao He. It was her husband¡¯s surname with the name in her memory. ¡®So, did she feel slightly comforted when others called her name? Yun Nan wondered.

    Shi Nian stepped forward and gently patted Yun Nan¡¯s shoulder, indicating for her not to be too sad. Hai Hua also held and helped keep Chen Yao on her feet as she said, ¡°Auntie, Yun Nan said that when her mother was still alive, she had once drawn her a piece of jade. Try and recall. Did my cousin wear a jade pendant when she went missing?¡±

    Gu Bei and Chen Yao nodded without hesitation. ¡°Yes, yes, she did! We put a piece of jade on her when she was born. It was a protection charm; she never took it off. ¡±

    Hai Hua nodded. ¡°Auntie, why don¡¯t you and Yun Nan each draw the shape of that piece of jade?¡±

    Gu Bei instantly understood Hai Hua¡¯s intention and nodded in approval. Yun Nan and Shi Nian also understood. Xiang Yang and Fang Xi quickly brought out pens and paper, and then Yun Nan and Chen Yao drew shapes on the paper with their backs to each other.

    When Yun Nan handed the paper to Hai Hua, she nervously stated, ¡°When I was a kid, my mother told me this was her only keepsake. Her adoptive parents snatched it away, saying they wanted it for their son¡¯s betrothal gift in the future. My mother couldn¡¯t find it when she escaped from that family. She said it was a pity she couldn¡¯t take it with her, so she drew it out for me based on her memory.¡±

    Chen Yao looked at the drawing and tearily covered her mouth. She passed the drawing to Gu Bei and said, ¡°Dear, look! She truly is our Xiao He!¡±

    Gu Bei took the sketch and burst into tears after a glance at it. Hai Hua handed Chen Yao¡¯s drawing to Yun Nan. Yun Nan felt sad when she saw it; if only her mother was still alive! She had finally found her biological parents.

    Chen Yao reached out and pulled Yun Nan into her arms. ¡°Dear child, you¡¯re her daughter, which means you¡¯re our granddaughter! Oh, my poor, unfortunate child!¡±

    Chen Yao and Yun Nan hugged each other and cried. Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but worry. He went to Hai Hua and uttered, ¡°Hai Hua, please calm Madam Gu down. I fear her body can¡¯t take it if she keeps on like this.¡±

    Hai Hua was crying along with Chen Yao and Yun Nan. Even a person with a heart of stone wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand such a scene. Gu Bei heard Shi Nian¡¯s words and muttered, ¡°Let her cry. Her heart had broken into pieces. It¡¯s better to let her cry than keep it in her heart.¡±

    Seeing Shi Nian¡¯s worried face, Gu Bei was grateful and patted his shoulder. ¡°Young man, I¡¯ve brought a doctor with me. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Only then did Shi Nian heave a sigh of relief. After all, he didn¡¯t feel completely reassured with only the small town¡¯s doctor present. He could tell by how well-prepared the Gu family was that they were used to traveling around and searching for their daughter with medical help on hand, just in case. However, out of the many, many trips they must have made, only this one gave real results. However, this result was too cruel.

    The world was impermanent. The joys and sorrows in the world don¡¯t change as a result of anyone¡¯s will. The mother and daughter who¡¯d searched for each other for more than 40 years had no chance to see each other again in their lives. After all the ups and downs they¡¯ve gone through, they could only look at each other across the skies, separated by death. Their love was forever frozen in time, unable to reach the other.

    Chen Yao didn¡¯t want to leave Yun Nan for even a moment. Yun Nan insisted on making a tableful of her father¡¯s specialty dishes for Gu Bei and Chen Yao. They were also her mother¡¯s favorite dishes. So Chen Yao followed her in and out of the kitchen, and her eyes could see only Yun Nan.

    Gu Bei looked at her and sighed, ¡°She transferred all her feelings for Xiao He to Yun Nan. It has been so hard for her all these years. It¡¯s a miracle that she hasn¡¯t already gone mad.¡±

    Everyone couldn¡¯t help but sizh..

 Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: Chapter Two-Hundred and Five: Acknowledging Family

    Chapter 205: Chapter Two-Hundred and Five: Acknowledging Family

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Bei looked at Hai Hua and Shi Nian and said, ¡°We watched that movie on our way here yesterday. We didn¡¯t know, at the time, the poor child was really our daughter. Now that I think about it, my heart aches.¡±

    So saying, he reached out and thumped his chest right over his heart. ¡°This small town gave my daughter her last bit of stability. The people here are our benefactors. Let me know when you two have decided which development projects to invest in. No matter what it is, you have to bring me on board. I want to contribute to this town which had taken care of my daughter for so many years. ¡±

    Hai Hua had been worrying about her aunt¡¯s daughter since she came to this town; she hadn¡¯t been in the mood to look at the town projects. She looked at Shi Nian, hoping he had more news to give on that matter.

    Shi Nian stated, ¡°We¡¯ve talked to the town¡¯s leaders and trade representatives. We¡¯ve pretty much figured out the basic problems. This place had been developed before, so the foundation is pretty good. And coupled with the simple and honest folks here, this town definitely has great prospects. If Mr.

    Gu is willing to invest, that would naturally be fantastic.¡±

    Gu Bei frowned and stared at Shi Nian. ¡°You¡¯re Yun Nan¡¯s husband?¡± he asked.

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re married. We just haven¡¯t had a wedding yet, so our family and friends don¡¯t all fully know about it yet.¡±

    Gu Bei nodded, but that wasn¡¯t what he was asking. ¡°Yun Nan is Xiao He¡¯s adopted daughter, so she¡¯s our granddaughter. She has to call us Grandpa and Grandma! What did you just call me? Mr. Gu, was it?¡±

    ¡® What? Oh! Shi Nian came to a sudden realization. He rubbed the back of his neck and gave a silly chuckle, feeling quite embarrassed.

    Hai Hua jabbed Shi Nian with her elbow. ¡°Hurry up and call him Grandpa! Do you want Yun Nan to deny you as her husband?¡±

    Shi Nian hurriedly shook his head and said, ¡°Anything you say, Grandpa.¡±

    Gu Bei¡¯s expression softened slightly. Hai Hua laughed and teased, ¡°Then that makes me one generation above you! Shi Nian, you have to call me aunt now!

    Hahahahaha!¡±

    ¡°Sure, Auntie!¡± Shi Nian easily acquiesced.

    Hai Hua was stunned and recoiled as if she was burnt. ¡°No, no, don¡¯t call me that! I¡¯m not used to it; that makes me sound so old!¡±

    Xiang Yang, Fang Xi, and Shi Xiu, who were listening in on the whole conversation, laughed their heads off. They didn¡¯t expect Hai Hua to be so playful yet inexperienced.

    Yun Nan made a tableful of dishes, and Shi Nian considerately followed behind her to help. When they were further away from Chen Yao, he whispered, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t tell me you want to abandon me because you now have a bigger backer?¡±

    Yun Nan was dumbfounded before she chuckled, ¡°Thanks for reminding me! I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡±

    Shi Nian glared at her. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it! We had an agreement! I¡¯m your backer! ¡±

    Yun Nan was very amused. Seeing that she wasn¡¯t taking his words seriously enough, Shi Nian looked around before he pressed close to her. Yun Nan suddenly thought of that kiss and blushed before quickly turning away to serve the dishes.

    Shi Nian grinned smugly. Chen Yao saw their little exchange and smiled at

    them lovingly. When she looked at them, it was as if she could see her daughter and son-in-law, whom she had never met.

    Yun Nan invited Gu Bei and Chen Yao to take their seats and requested Ye Kun, Fang Xi, Xiang Yang, Shi Xiu, and Hai Hua to eat with them. Under the youngsters¡¯ lead, everyone happily chatted, and the atmosphere finally became cheerful.

    Yun Nan then poured two cups of wine for the two elders and knelt before them respectfully. Chen Yao subconsciously went to get her up, but Gu Bei stopped her. He understood Yun Nan¡¯s intentions.

    Shi Nian also understood. He knelt beside Yun Nan, and the two respectfully kowtowed thrice to Gu Bei and Chen Yao. Yun Nan stated, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, I¡¯m kowtowing to you on behalf of Mom and Dad! Today, my parents¡¯ lifelong wish has finally come true. From now on, I¡¯ll be filial to you both on their behalf! ¡±

    Yun Nan kowtowed thrice more with tears in her eyes, and Shi Nian accompanied her without saying a word. As soon as Yun Nan finished her bows, Chen Yao rushed to help her up, and Gu Bei helped Shi Nian up.

    Not wanting them to feel sad again, Hai Hua took the lead to congratulate them. Everyone sat down at the table and raised their glasses in toast. With Shi Xiu there, the atmosphere abruptly became lively.

    Shi Xiu bit her chopsticks and tentatively asked Chen Yao, ¡°You¡¯re my sister-in-law¡¯s grandmother, so can I call you Grandma as well?¡± Chen Yao beamed at her and answered, ¡°Of course you can!¡± ¡°Grandma!¡± Shi Xiu immediately called out.

    ¡°Yes, sweetie?¡± Chen Yao replied with a bright smile.

    ¡°Grandma, you have to try Yun Nan¡¯s cooking! The food she makes is delicious!¡± Shi Xiu urged and stretched out her arm to put some food into Chen Yao¡¯s bowl.

    Shi Xiu turned around and called out, ¡°Grandpa! Try this braised fish. I guarantee it¡¯s the best fish you¡¯ve ever eaten!¡±

    Hai Hua chuckled, ¡°Aren¡¯t you exaggerating a little too much? Even Yun Nan doesn¡¯t dare to say that.¡±

    Shi Xiu stage-whispered, ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. You haven¡¯t taken into account the emotional aspect of this dish. No matter how many fish Grandpa has eaten, this is the only one made by Yun Nan.¡±

    When they heard this, Gu Bei and Chen Yao repeatedly nodded and unanimously took another piece of fish..

 Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: Chapter Two-Hundred and Six: Repaying A Debt of Gratitude

    Chapter 206: Chapter Two-Hundred and Six: Repaying A Debt of Gratitude

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The two took a bite of the fish and looked at each other in surprise before repeatedly praising the deliciousness of the food.

    Yun Nan smiled so widely that her eyes became crescents, and she replied, ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it. Please, have some more.¡± Her adoptive parents had yet to have a chance to eat the food she made before they passed on. But now, her grandparents were eating her food on their behalf¡ªYun Nan¡¯s wish had finally come true.

    After dinner, Gu Bei dragged Shi Nian off to discuss investment plans. This town that had saved their only daughter¡ªfrom the residents to the plants and trees¡ªwas their benefactor. They had to repay them well and build this place up so that the souls of their daughter and son-in-law could rest in peace here. Even if death separated them, they still wanted to do their best to give their daughter happiness.

    Hai Hua secretly shed tears at that, and Ye Kun silently participated in the planning. There was nothing more touching than the love of parents for their children.

    Yun Nan accompanied Chen Yao as they slowly walked through the streets and alleys of the town, telling her about her past stories growing up in this town. cnen Yao listened extremely attentively, wismng tnat sne could t0110W Yun Nan¡¯s voice and travel to her daughter¡¯s side, even if it was just her soul.

    Yun Nan knew what she was thinking and slowly uttered, ¡°Mom was very happy and peaceful. She and Dad were happy here. This was the place she loved the most. Grandma, at this moment, my mom must also sense you and Grandpa. She must be ecstatic walking around with you here. She wants her parents to be happy, just like how you want her to be, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Chen Yao was stunned and subconsciously looked around. Her gaze lingered on every brick, tile, grass, and tree around her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Tears dripped from the corners of her eyes, but her lips curled up into a smile.

    Chen Yao opened her eyes and looked at Yun Nan emotionally as she stated,

    ¡°You¡¯re right, dear child. My daughter would definitely wish that her father and I would live healthily. We will one day be reunited, so there¡¯s no hurry. She¡¯s so kind; we¡¯ll continue her kindness and help more people.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°Grandma, my mother definitely heard every word you said.¡± Chen Yao wiped the tears from her face and resolutely walked forward, her mood no longer as depressed as before.

    Yun Nan, who had a sleepless night, and Chen Yao, who had a weak body, both fell ill that night, having experienced such emotional ups and downs.

    Fortunately, the town doctor¡¯s Chinese medicine skills were very good, and the Gu family had brought their family doctor along, so the two women received timely treatment. They moved the two into the same room to make it easier for Xiang Yang, Fang Xi, and the others to care for them.

    Looking at his slumbering wife and granddaughter on the bed, Gu Bei said to Shi Nian and Ye Kun, ¡°You two, help me out with something.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and tell us,¡± Shi Nian replied.

    Gu Bei narrowed his eyes and stated, ¡°Help me find the family that adopted Xiao He back then, and then find the people who kidnapped her. Even if my daughter is no longer around, I won¡¯t let anyone who hurt her get away with

    ¡°Okay! We¡¯ll have someone look into it immediately,¡± Shi Nian and Ye Kun answered in unison.

    Chen Yao and Yun Nan¡¯s illnesses came and went quickly. Their fever finally broke three days later, and both were in good spirits.

    ¡°We would all collapse from exhaustion if Grandma didn¡¯t get better,¡± Shi Xiu said as she fed Chen Yao some porridge.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Chen Yao said as she looked at Shi Xiu apologetically.

    Shi Xiu tilted her head and smiled. ¡°Then, you need to get better soon, Grandma. Xiang Yang and I didn¡¯t have to do much because we didn¡¯t know how to do anything. Fang Xi had a harder time, but she¡¯ll put it on Yun Nan¡¯s tab. They owe each other so much that they won¡¯t be able to repay their debts in their lifetime.¡±

    Chen Yao smiled. ¡°You¡¯re all good kids.¡± She reached out and touched Yun Nan¡¯s forehead. ¡°Our Yun Nan is a good child with good fortune. She¡¯s quite lucky to have met you all.¡±

    Xiang Yang looked at Chen Yao and Yun Nan with her chin on her hand. ¡°Grandma, do you still need a granddaughter? I want to be your granddaughter, too.¡±

    Chen Yao stretched out her hand to her. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to have you. You¡¯re all such good granddaughters; I don¡¯t mind having more! All of you will be my granddaughters from now on!¡±

    Other than Shi Xiu, who grew up doted upon in a family that didn¡¯t lack love, Fang Xi and Xiang Yang both had rough lives. People often yearned for what they lacked the most. Chen Yao¡¯s love softened not only Yun Nan but also the onlookers¡ªXiang Yang and Fang Xi.

    For half of Chen Yao¡¯s life, aside from searching for her daughter, Chen Yao was also the Gu family¡¯s significant second madam. She was used to the inconstancy of the world and fickleness of human relationships and well-understood the ways of the world. She could tell these girls were kind and transparent, and she liked them from the bottom of her heart..

 Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seven: Search

    Chapter 207: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seven: Search

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Bei knocked on the door and came in. Seeing that his wife had recovered, he finally relaxed. The girls stood up and gave their seats to Gu Bei.

    Gu Bei sat by the bed and asked, ¡°Are you two feeling better now?¡±

    Yun Nan quickly nodded. Chen Yao said, ¡°It¡¯s been hard on these children these past few days. We¡¯re fine; I actually feel much more relaxed now.¡±

    She sighed softly and looked around the bedroom. ¡°I¡¯m staying in my daughter¡¯s house, but she never comes to see me in my dreams. I don¡¯t know¡­ perhaps she still has some unfulfilled wishes?¡±

    Gu Bei held her hand and replied, ¡°Of course she does.¡±

    Chen Yao and Yun Nan were stunned. Yun Nan only knew that her mother¡¯s lifelong wish was to find Yun Nan¡¯s and her own biological parents. ¡®Could it be that Mom had unfulfilled wishes I didn¡¯t know about?

    Gu Bei stated, ¡°The human traffickers who kidnapped her and the family who abused her are still at large!¡±

    Yun Nan came to a sudden realization. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Mom never dared to mention it. Dad said she still often had nightmares even years after she¡¯d escaped. They hurt Mom very much!¡±

    Her expression dimmed. ¡°But I don¡¯t know where that village is. It was probably the most dangerous place in the world to my mother. She wouldn¡¯t even tell me where it was.¡±

    Gu Bei patted her head and reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shi Nian and Ye Kun have already found it for us!¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s eyes widened as she shared a look with Chen Yao. ¡°How did he know?¡±

    Gu Bei smiled. ¡°That boy, Shi Nian, has always placed you in his heart. He takes every single one of your matters seriously. Once I told him my idea, he and Ye Kun immediately got to work. In addition, our family has established a wide and powerful network in our many years of searching for your mother, so it was easy for them to find that village.¡±

    ¡°Is it very far from here?¡± Yun Nan asked hesitantly. ¡°From what I could remember, they never came looking for my mother.¡±

    Gu Bei answered, ¡°It¡¯s not that far. Some villagers have been here before but didn¡¯t pass the news of your mother living here back to her adoptive family.

    Firstly, because your father took good care of your mother, she¡¯d filled out and grown taller and had become quite different from the poor, abused child in the village¡ªthey didn¡¯t recognize her. Secondly, that family has a bad reputation, and those who visited the town from that village were good people. They saw how well she was doing and didn¡¯t want to ruin her life, so they kept quiet about it. That¡¯s how your family managed to stay safe and unbothered for many years.¡±

    ¡®I see, so that¡¯s howit was,¡¯ Yun Nan thought.

    Chen Yao held Gu Bei¡¯s hand tightly and said, ¡°You can¡¯t let go of those who hurt our daughter!¡± Her eyes reddened as she spoke.

    Gu Bei patted the back of her hand reassuringly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let them off. I just came in to see how you guys are doing. I¡¯ll go over to that village with Shi Nian and Ye Kun in a short while. You two stay here and rest up. Wait for us to come back¡ªI¡®

    ¡°I want to go, too!¡± Yun Nan interrupted Gu Bei and looked at him firmly.

    ¡°Grandpa, let me go with you. I¡¯m fine now. I want to find Mom¡¯s jade pendant. It belongs to my mother; we must retrieve it.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯m going, too!¡± Chen Yao spoke up.

    I¡¯ll get it back even if they¡¯d already sold it!¡±

    However, Chen Yao uttered, ¡°1 know you¡¯re afraid that my body won¡¯t be able to take it, but I can! I must go and see where my daughter lived, see what her living conditions were like back then. I won¡¯t be at ease otherwise.¡±

    Gu Bei inaudibly muttered to himself. Looking at Yun Nan and his wife¡¯s expectant faces, he finally decided and nodded. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go together!¡±

    Yun Nan immediately jumped out of bed and packed her things. Shi Nian was shocked when he heard Yun Nan wanted to go but didn¡¯t object. He silently took a thermos cup and made a cup of chrysanthemum tea for Yun Nan.

    Zhang Tao sat in the courtyard basking in the sun, supervising her daughter-in-law as she washed the bedding. Her husband, son, and grandson had drunk too much yesterday and vomited everywhere. She had beaten her daughter-in-law out of bed before dawn and told her to dismantle everything that needed dismantling and wash everything that needed washing.

    Her daughter-in-law wasn¡¯t even fifty years old but looked older than her mother-in-law, Zhang Tao. Zhang Tao didn¡¯t have a trace of pity in her heart as she looked at her.

    Her grandson, Zhang Xian, finally woke up, came out of the house, and stretched his back. A smile immediately appeared on Zhang Tao¡¯s face when she saw him, and she got up to say, ¡°Oh, sweetums, why don¡¯t you sleep a little longer? What are you doing up so early?¡±

    She then turned around and scolded her daughter-in-law, ¡°Are you blind? Can¡¯t you see that your son is already awake? Why aren¡¯t you making him something to eat? Are you trying to starve him to death? You black-hearted hag! ¡°

 Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eight: Taking A wife

    Chapter 208: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eight: Taking A wife

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Zhang Tao¡¯s voice was sharp and high-pitched, and her daughter-in-law subconsciously trembled. She quickly stopped what she was doing and went to the kitchen.

    ¡°Cook some dumplings for him! Ones with celery filling!¡± Zhang Tao shouted after her. Looking at her daughter-in-law¡¯s receding figure, Zhang Tao resentfully commented, ¡°Tsk, she just went off without a single word of reply! I Imow she heard me! That woman¡¯s so quiet she might as well be a mute. She¡¯s such a wimp; she¡¯d probably be bullied to death if she gets a daughter-in-law in the future.¡±

    Zhang Xian had already brazenly sat on Zhang Tao¡¯s rocking chair and lazily replied, ¡°Granny, what daughter-in-law? How can I get a wife with this shabby house of ours?¡±

    Zhang Tao disagreed. ¡°Sweetie, how can you say that about yourself? You¡¯re so good-looking, so¡ªso¡­ What was it again? Ah, yes, dashing and debonair! My grandson is a handsome, dashing, and debonair man. There¡¯s no way you won¡¯t be able to get a wife!¡±

    Zhang Xian rolled his eyes at his grandmother. ¡°Oh, come on, get real. Young women these days are all so realistic. You would need real money to get married! You can¡¯t trick women into marriage nowadays like how you tricked my mother. ¡±

    Zhang Tao retorted, ¡®What do you mean ¡®trick?! I spent 300 dollars to buy your mother! Hmph! That woman cost me 300 dollars!¡± So saying, she couldn¡¯t help but look toward the kitchen again. She felt that the 300 dollars she spent wasn¡¯t worth it. If that wretched girl, Xiao He, hadn¡¯t run away, she wouldn¡¯t have had to sDend that extra ROO dollars.

    Zhang Xian sighed as he rocked in his rocking chair, ¡°That was way back when. Besides, 300 dollars to buy someone like my mother is already a pretty good deal. You won¡¯t be able to buy such a wife even if you spend 30,000 dollars now.¡±

    ¡°30,000 dollars? What kind of woman would cost so much? That¡¯s more expensive than the pigs in my pen! I¡¯m telling you, Little Xian, a wife¡¯s duty is to work and bear children! You don¡¯t buy a wife so they can sit there and look pretty! Don¡¯t follow Old Li and Old Liu¡¯s families¡¯ examples; those idiots put their wives on a pedestal and dress them to the nines. Those fools dote on their wives so much that those women couldn¡¯t lift or carry anything, let alone do any labor work, and they couldn¡¯t beat or scold them. Our family doesn¡¯t raise idle people! Do you hear me, Little Xian?¡± Zhang Tao earnestly instructed her grandson.

    Zhang Xian disagreed. ¡°Granny! That kind of thinking is old history!¡±

    Zhang Tao glared at him. Zhang Xian suddenly leaned close to Zhang Tao and said ingratiatingly, ¡°Granny, there¡¯s this girl I like.¡±

    Zhang Tao was delighted and asked, ¡°Who is it? Granny will go and propose marriage for you!¡±

    Zhang Xian¡¯s face immediately fell. ¡°The bride price she¡¯s asking for is a little too high. We can¡¯t afford it. Why don¡¯t we just forget about it?¡±

    Zhang Tao raised her eyebrows. ¡°What? Does she think you¡¯re poor? Is she looking down on you?

    Zhang Xian sighed. ¡°No, not really. She doesn¡¯t mind that I¡¯m poor, nor does she look down on me. It¡¯s just that her mother is worried about letting her marry someone like me. She¡¯s afraid her daughter will suffer in the future. Her family is quite wealthy, after all.¡±

    ¡® Wealthy? Zhang Tao immediately perked up at that. ¡®You¡¯re saying you found a girl from a wealthy family?¡±

    Zhang Xian nodded. ¡°Her father is a big businessman. Their family lives in a big house and drives luxury cars. They also have several nannies!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Zhang Tao¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard that. ¡®Isn¡¯t that the same as what¡¯s shown on television? she thought.

    Zhang Xian nodded and slightly depressedly said, ¡°But I don¡¯t dare to think about marrying her! How can our family support such a rich young lady? Although she says she doesn¡¯t care about material conditions, I¡¯m a man¡ªI care! Granny, what should I do?¡±

    Zhang Tao squinted her eyes and suddenly had a thought. ¡°Then, her family will prepare a huge dowry for her, won¡¯t they?¡±

    Zhang Xian answered a little dispiritedly, ¡°I guess so. She¡¯s her family¡¯s only daughter, so she¡¯ll definitely have a lot of dowry.¡±

    Zhang Tao patted Zhang Xian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Perfect! Little Xian, don¡¯t worry! Granny will make sure you get to marry that wealthy girl!¡±

    Zhang Xian smiled bitterly. ¡°How? With what? Are you telling me to talk my way into marriage? Save it, Granny! That¡¯ll never work!¡±

    Zhang Tao swatted Zhang Xian¡¯s shoulder mock-angrily. ¡°Why can¡¯t you believe in Granny? If I say you can marry her, then you can! Did you think we don¡¯t have any riches? Well, you¡¯re wrong. You look down on Granny too much! Let me tell you, Granny has already prepared the things for you to get married!¡±

    ¡°What did you prepare?¡± Zhang Xian asked curiously. ¡°Granny, did you save up money for me? How much did you save? Quick, tell me! I want to see if it¡¯s enough for me to marry Ting Ting!¡±

    Zhang Tao chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t have any money. Your grandfather and your father¡ªthose two idiots¡ªsquandered all the money they had!¡±

    Zhang Xian felt disappointed. ¡°Then how am I going to get a wife? You can¡¯t use anything other than money to get a wife!¡±

    Zhang Tao gave her grandson¡¯s head a good whack and scolded him, ¡°Silly boy, you¡¯re really ignorant. You only know that gold, silver, and cash are valuable.. Don¡¯t you know that jade is even more valuable than gold and silver?¡±

 Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Chapter Two-Hundred and Nine: Buttering Up

    Chapter 209: Chapter Two-Hundred and Nine: Buttering Up

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Zhang Xian immediately sat up straight from his chair. ¡°Granny? Do you really have a piece of jade? Really?¡±

    Zhang Tao looked smug and didn¡¯t say anything. Zhang Xian perked up, grabbed Zhang Tao¡¯s thin wrist, and said, ¡°Granny, Dad and Grandfather keep saying you¡¯ve got a treasure hidden somewhere. So it¡¯s true? You really do have a treasure?! Where is it? Let me have a look!¡±

    Zhang Tao still had a proud look on her face and ignored him. However, her lips couldn¡¯t help but curl into a smile. Zhang Xi knew at a glance that she must indeed have something valuable hidden away. He hugged Zhang Tao¡¯s arm and turned on the charm, saying, ¡°Granny, my dear sweet Granny, your grandson¡¯s entire life¡¯s happiness rests on you! Granny, as long as you take out your treasure and help me marry Ting Ting, I guarantee you¡¯ll live a pampered life for the rest of your days!¡±

    ¡°Think about it; Ting Ting¡¯s family is wealthy, but her father doesn¡¯t have a son! If I marry her, won¡¯t the family business be mine? When that happens, I¡¯ll bring you to the family villa and specially assign two maids to serve you. Doesn¡¯t that sound great? It also saves you from dealing with my clumsy mother, who doesn¡¯t know how to do anything. What do you think?¡±

    Zhang Tao was already quite enticed by the lavish lifestyle her grandson described, but she uttered, ¡°Really? Will you truly be so filial to me?¡±

    Zhang Xian immediately held up three fingers and swore to the heavens, ¡°Of course I will! I wouldn¡¯t be able to live such a good life without you! My grandmother is the most important person to me, Zhang Xian! I can¡¯t forget the one who brought me my life¡¯s happiness! I¡¯ll most certainly treat my grandmother like my most respected person!¡±

    Zhang Tao couldn¡¯t help but smile. She asked, ¡°What about your grandfather and your parents?¡±

    Zhang Xian waved his hand. ¡°They don¡¯t deserve it! What kind of life they live and whether or not they can live in the villa is up to my grandmother. Isn¡¯t that right, Granny?¡±

    Zhang Xian brought all his ass-kissing skills to bear; he¡¯d been good at this since he was a child. Although his grandmother would occasionally get beaten by his grandfather, the person who had the most ideas and made decisions in this family was still his grandmother.

    There had always been rumors that Granny had a precious treasure on her hands, left behind by his father¡¯s past child bride. However, Zhang Xian couldn¡¯t tell if the rumors were true or false because Granny had never taken it out all these years. Even his good-for-nothing parents hadn¡¯t ever seen the treasure.

    The subject was unintentionally brought up today, and Zhang Xian couldn¡¯t suppress his excitement when he managed to push the conversation to this point. If he really got his hands on that treasure, he wouldn¡¯t have to be trapped in this small village any longer.

    There was no ¡® Ting Ting¡ªhe¡¯d made everything up. The old lady had never left the village, never seen the world outside it. What she knew about the world, she¡¯d learned from watching television. She was very easy to fool! Moreover, Granny had always felt she was the one who treated Zhang Xian the best in their family, and he was the best to her.

    ¡°Oh, my Little Xian still dotes on Granny the most! If Granny helps you marry the girl you like, will you really bring Granny along to enjoy life and not bring the others?¡± Zhang Tao couldn¡¯t help but ask her grandson to give her a guarantee.

    Zhang Xian once again held his fingers up and swore to the heavens that only

    his grandmother was the most important person in his lite, and may he be struck by lightning if he broke his oath!

    Zhang Tao believed him. Rather than saying that she trusted her grandson, it was more accurate to say that she trusted the grandson she had raised.

    Zhang Xian feared the old lady would have second thoughts, so he provocatively added, ¡°Granny, tell me. What kind of treasure is it? Our family has been so poor for so many years; why didn¡¯t you take it out? Is it true or false? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re just messing with me.¡±

    As expected, Zhang Tao was displeased by her grandson¡¯s doubts. ¡°Of course it¡¯s true! The girl who was originally going to be your father¡¯s wife was from a proper wealthy family. It¡¯s such a shame your great-aunt was in too much of a hurry when she kidnapped her and didn¡¯t have the time to take any other valuables with her. We only got the jade pendant hanging around the girl¡¯s neck. *Sigh*!¡±

    Zhang Tao deeply bemoaned the wealth that they¡¯d missed out on. Zhang Xian Imew his father had a child bride in the past. His grandmother had to buy his mother for cheap because that girl ran away. His grandmother would curse at that runaway child bride every time his mother did things inefficiently and made his grandmother angry. Zhang Xian vaguely remembered that woman¡¯s name was Xiao He. She didn¡¯t have a surname, but it was still better treatment than his mother got. Everyone called his mother ¡°Hey,¡± ¡°Idiot,¡± ¡°You blind woman,¡± and ¡°B*tch.¡±

    Zhang Xian wanted more information, so he asked Zhang Tao several questions. ¡°Granny, what kind of jade pendant is it? It mustn¡¯t be big if it was for a child to wear. How much could such a small thing be worth? You tricked me.¡±

    As expected, Zhang Tao rolled her eyes at him with a disdainful ¡®you¡¯re such a bumpkin¡¯ look and said, ¡°Your great-aunt worked as a nanny in White City.. That girl¡¯s family is the wealthiest one in the city!¡±

 Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ten: Jade Pendant

    Chapter 210: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ten: Jade Pendant

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Zhang Xian was stunned. ¡°That¡¯s really bold of my great-aunt, daring to kidnap a child from such a family!¡±

    Zhang Tao rolled her eyes at him again. ¡°You don¡¯t understand; the wealthier the family, the more complicated it is. Think about it; if no one helped her, how could your great-aunt manage to steal away with the child?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Zhang Xian responded, clearly unable to wrap his head around what Zhang Tao was saying.

    Zhang Tao brought the topic back to the jade pendant and told him, ¡°That jade pendant the child wore was from her mother¡¯s dowry. It was blessed by an eminent monk. That aside, the pendant is priceless just by the quality of the jade itself! I heard it¡¯s worth enough to buy the entire White City!¡±

    Zhang Xian¡¯s jaw dropped in shock, but his lips soon curled in disbelief, and he said, ¡°Yeah, right. My great-aunt wouldn¡¯t have left the pendant with you if that was the case. She would have taken it long ago if it truly was that valuable. She had already left you the child. Why would she give you the treasure as well?¡±

    Zhang Tao smiled proudly. ¡°Of course, she wouldn¡¯t have left me the pendant. I got it with my own skills!¡±

    Zhang Xian was surprised and hurriedly urged Zhang Tao to explain. Zhang Tao recounted, ¡°Your great-aunt was in a terrible state when she brought that child here. She said she¡¯d been on the run and hadn¡¯t slept for three days. She fell asleep almost immediately after she arrived at our house. Since she¡¯d fallen asleep, I had to take care of the child. I didn¡¯t know how much the jade pendant was worth, but I decided to put it away first when I saw it. That little girl was a wild child and even bit me when I took it off her.¡±

    She stretched out her hand to show Zhang Xian the long-gone teeth marks on her twig-like hand. ¡°I was afraid she would cry and also afraid she would tell your great-aunt, so I told her that if the baddie who captured her woke up and saw the pendant_ she would definitely ghatch it away I told her T would keen it

    safe for her for now, and if the baddie asks about it, just say that she¡¯d lost it somewhere.¡±

    Zhang Tao proudly told her grandson how she tricked his great-aunt and the little girl back then. ¡°To make her feel at ease, we hid the pendant together, and I let her know its hiding spot. Only then did she feel at ease.¡±

    Zhang Xian gave her a thumbs up, and Zhang Tao was even more proud of herself. ¡°Then, did my great-aunt look for it after she woke up?¡± Zhang Xian asked, curious because he remembered the old lady was even tougher than his grandmother.

    ¡°Of course she did. She stripped the child naked but couldn¡¯t find it. I only discovered the jade pendant was priceless because she kept muttering about it! She hit the child when she couldn¡¯t find it, and the child said she¡¯d dropped it on the road and that her parents would find her through the jade pendant. Your great-aunt was so scared she didn¡¯t dare to look for it anymore and left the child at our house like she was a hot potato.¡±

    Only then did Zhang Xian believe there was indeed a treasure, and a small flame of hope ignited in his heart. However, Zhang Tao was still reminiscing and continued, ¡°Despite her young age, that child was cunning. She even told me that if I could send her back, she would certainly ask her father to give me a large sum of money¡ªmore money than I could ever spend.¡±

    Zhang Xian¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you send her back?¡± That would have been a great opportunity to get rich overnight and change the fate of their family for the better!

    Zhang Tao glared at him. ¡°That¡¯s stupid! Send her back?! What should I say if they ask how the girl ended up with me? Should I rat out your great-aunt? She¡¯s your grandfather¡¯s biological sister; she¡¯s our blood relative. That means we¡¯ll be implicated as well. If they sentenced her to a beheading, then, at the very least, we¡¯d go to jail. Could you imagine the shame that would bring? Our relatives would never allow us to be buried in the ancestral graves after we die because of it.¡±

    Zhang Xian was at a loss for words. ¡®And she calls me stupid! Who¡¯s the stupid one here?As expected, Granny lost out on such a great opportunity due to being uncultured.¡¯

    Zhang Tao was smug about her quick thinking back then. ¡°I had the priceless treasure andthe girl. I thought if I raised her myself, I would have one more worker at home, and when she grew up, your father wouldn¡¯t have to worry about getting a wife. I¡¯d only have to feed her for a few more years. And besides, she¡¯ll be working for me during those years anyway. No matter how you look at it, it was a profitable plan!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the little brat to be so ungrateful and hard to tame. Even though she was only a kid, she was always trying to escape. She never learned her lesson even when she was caught and violently beaten. I thought by locking her up and not letting her go out, she would naturally forget her original family after a few years.¡±

    ¡°She also seemed very obedient as she grew up. She withstood our beatings and scoldings and became more and more efficient at her work. She was a much better worker than your mother. I thought we¡¯d finally tamed her.¡±

    ¡°*Sigh* I have no one else but myself to blame. They say, ¡®Don¡¯tjudge a book by its cover,¡¯ but I got tricked by her innocent act and relaxed my guard. That wretched girl escaped in the end because I wasn¡¯t careful enough. Hmph! The nerve! It pisses me off whenever I think about it!¡± Zhang Tao ranted furiously. That was the biggest setback in her life.

    Zhang Tao cursed, ¡°That wretched girl! She probably never even made it out of the forest and got torn apart by the black bears living there! That¡¯s what she gets for running away! Hmph! Even if she did manage to leave the forest alive, she would¡¯ve starved to death out there.. She could¡¯ve had a good life with us, but no! She had to escape! Hmph! Serves her right!¡±

 Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Chapter Two -Hundred and Eleven: The Law

    Chapter 211: Chapter Two -Hundred and Eleven: The Law

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Granny, take out that jade pendant and let me look at it!¡± Zhang Xian wasn¡¯t interested in that ¡°ungrateful wench.¡± He was only concerned about the whereabouts of that jade piece.

    Zhang Tao looked around and muttered, ¡°Why isn¡¯t your mom done with those dumplings yet? Why aren¡¯t your father and grandfather awake yet?¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, Zhang Xian¡¯s mother brought out a bowl of dumplings. Zhang Xian took the dumplings and impatiently ordered, ¡°Go to the small shop at the east end of the village and buy me some canned food. I want coconuts.¡±

    The woman looked at her son blankly. Annoyed, Zhang Xian stuffed the ten dollars into her hand and said, ¡°Hurry up and go already! You don¡¯t have to hurry back; pick the cans with later expiration dates!¡±

    After sending his mother away, Zhang Xian told Zhang Tao, ¡°Granny, my father and grandfather drank so much yesterday, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll wake up before midnight tonight. It¡¯s just us now, so hurry up and show me the treasure!¡±

    Zhang Xian looked eager, and Zhang Tao also had the urge to show the pendant off after talking about the past for so long. It was indeed torturous for her not to show off her nice things. It had tortured her for decades, and she couldn¡¯t resist it any longer.

    Under her grandson¡¯s urging, Zhang Tao finally returned to the house. She asked Zhang Xian to help shift the blankets away, move the cabinet to the side, and then use a hammer to knock out some of the wall¡¯s bricks. Finally, Zhang Xian took out a palm-sized small wooden box from deep within the hole in the wall. Dirty and dust-covered, Zhang Tao sighed in relief when she saw the box.

    Zhang Xian walked out with the box. ¡°Hey, hey, where are you taking it?¡±

    Zhang Tao cried out anxiously. ¡°Others might see it if you take it outside! ¡±

    Zhang Xian replied with an excuse, ¡°It¡¯s too dark in the house, so let¡¯s look at it outside! It¡¯s nice and bright out! Oh, come on, Granny! Don¡¯t fuss. There¡¯s no

    Zhang Xian had already taken the pendant out as he spoke, and his words cut off as he stood in the courtyard, admiring the crystal-clear jade pendant in his hand under the sunlight. The piece of jade had an old and faded red string tied to it.

    Bang! Someone outside banged open the gate.

    Zhang Xian was so startled he even forgot to put away the jade pendant he was holding. He stared at the intruders and cursed, ¡°Who the hell are you people? Don¡¯t you know how to knock?¡±

    ¡®ftvo women in the group¡ªone young and one elderly¡ªscreamed, and Zhang Xian subconsciously clenched the jade pendant in his hand because they were staring at it. Before Zhang Xian could react, two burly men restrained him and snatched the jade pendant away.

    Arms pinned down and face squished to the ground, Zhang Xian yelled, ¡°Help! Murder! Robbery!¡±

    Zhang Tao heard the ruckus and saw someone restraining her grandson the moment she came out of the house. She picked up the broom at the door and rushed over, screaming, ¡°Help! Bandits! There are bandits here! Help!¡± The broom hit the bodyguards holding Zhang Xian down. The two were unmoved by the attack and looked at their boss.

    ¡°This woman was the one who kidnapped my daughter. Grab her!¡± Gu Bei said coldly. Immediately, two more bodyguards came over and grabbed the screaming Zhang Tao.

    ¡°Search the place and tie up anyone breathing in there!¡± Gu Bei ordered, and the bodyguards took action.

    Soon, even Zhang Xian¡¯s father and grandfather¡ªstill sleeping in the house¡ªwere tied up and thrown into the courtyard. The bodyguards found a few clean chairs and bid the others to sit down.

    However, Chen Yao was in no mood to sit still. She held the jade pendant and cried in Yun Nan¡¯s arms. Yun Nan was sure the pendant was the keepsake her mother had constantly been thinking about. It was the only clue her mother had to find her way home, yet it was possessed by these selfish and malicious people, causing her mother a lifetime¡¯s suffering.

    The Zhang family¡¯s shouts had attracted the attention of their neighbors. Although the Zhang family weren¡¯t good people, they had lived in the village for generations. The villagers here were all related somehow or the other; they couldn¡¯t just watch as the Zhang family got bullied by a group of outsiders who came from nowhere.

    A middle-aged man came forward and glared at the intruders. ¡®Who are you people? Don¡¯t you know the law? I could have you all arrested for breaking and entering, as well as hurting these people!¡±

    Before Shi Nian and Ye Kun could come over to mediate, Gu Bei frostily stated,

    ¡°I¡¯m here to look for my abducted and abused daughter. Is that a crime?¡±

    The villagers were all stunned. Of course, they were well aware of how the Zhang family got their daughter-in-law, but no matter how you look at it, that daughter-in-law couldn¡¯t have come from a wealthy family. These people were too grand to be that timid woman¡¯s relatives.

    A few women pushed a small and skinny old woman to the front. One of them questioned, ¡°You¡¯re saying she¡¯s your daughter?¡± That skinny old woman was Zhang Xian¡¯s mother. She held a can of coconut in her arms as she stood there, helplessly isolated and overwhelmed. She wished she could find a hole to hide in at the moment. She had no idea what was going on..

 Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twelve: Interrogation

    Chapter 212: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twelve: Interrogation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Zhang Tao began to howl, ¡°Damn it, you blasted curs! We didn¡¯t abduct or abuse your daughter! I bought this woman from Blindman Wang for 300 dollars! She¡¯s Blindman Wang¡¯s illegitimate daughter. She can¡¯t be your daughter! Let go of me! I want to call the police! Folks, call the police! They¡¯re bandits! This is a robbery! Help! Help!¡±

    Gu Bei gave her a look, and the bodyguard beside Zhang Tao immediately dislocated her jaw. Zhang Tao couldn¡¯t even close her mouth, so she naturally couldn¡¯t cry out anymore. She looked at the fiends before her in horror.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what she said?¡± the middle-aged villager who spoke before stated unhappily. ¡°Your daughter isn¡¯t here. Let them go, or we¡¯ll call the police.¡±

    Gu Bei sneered, ¡°No need, I¡¯ve already called them. The police are on their way.¡±

    His attitude had the villagers looking at each other. Someone uttered, ¡°They¡¯ve already told you their daughter-in-law isn¡¯t your daughter. What more do you want?¡±

    Gu Bei looked at the ignorant fools before him, and the anger in his heart reached its peak. ¡®Oh, NOW they have a sense ofjustice,¡¯ he inwardly fumed. ¡®If therd been so righteous back then, Xiao He wouldn¡¯t have been trapped here for so many years. Ifjust one of them had a conscience, Chen Yao and I wouldn¡¯t have only found our daughter after she¡¯d passed on. We never even got to be with her in her last moments.¡¯

    He looked at these people murderously. These bystanders were also guilty of hurting their daughter! If these people didn¡¯t just sit on the sidelines, had they offered his daughter help and stopped what the Zhangs were doing, things wouldn¡¯t have ended so badly! He wouldn¡¯t let anyone who¡¯d directly or indirectly hurt his daughter go!

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember their family once had a child bride?¡± Gu Bei said coldly.

    The villagers who were whispering to each other fell silent instantly

    ¡°D-Didn¡¯t she run away?¡± The middle-aged man who was the villagers¡¯ spokesperson stuttered as he retorted, no longer as self-righteous and arrogant as before.

    ¡®As expected, they knew about it,¡¯ Gu Bei¡¯s group thought. Shi Nian and Ye Kun stared at the villagers angrily. Chen Yao burst into tears and asked the villagers who were only there watching the show, ¡°My daughter was only this tall and so young. Can¡¯t you tell that she was kidnapped back then? Why didn¡¯t anyone call the police when this family abused her? Why didn¡¯t anyone save her? Why?! Why didn¡¯t anyone save her?¡¯

    The villagers looked away. Only then did Zhang Tao understand that these people were actually Xiao He¡¯s parents who had come looking for her. Zhang Xian had just finished listening to that woman¡¯s story, so he opened his mouth and shouted, ¡°Our family didn¡¯t kidnap her. Our family took her in! We took her in, do you understand? We raised her for many years! We¡¯re her benefactors!¡±

    His mind was working frantically at this moment, trying to turn this situation to their advantage. Zhang Tao immediately perked up at her grandson¡¯s reminder. ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m Xiao He¡¯s benefactor. I raised Xiao He like she was my daughter. Everyone in this village¡ªand some neighboring villages¡ªknows about it. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask those in our neighborhood.¡±

    She knew how the village worked. The villagers could hate her, but she was a village member. She was one of their own! If these outsiders managed to pin the crime on her, it would be a disgrace to the village, so none of them would betray her!

    Gu Bei sneered. Using a water ladle, Shi Nian scooped up some cold water from a traditional water tank and splashed it on the drunk old man¡¯s face. Ye Kun did the same and splashed cold water on the old man¡¯s son¡¯s face.

    Bound as they were, the two wriggled on the ground. The old man licked his lips and said, ¡°That barely tasted alcoholic at all. Did you buy fake alcohol? Did you get it from Old Zhao next door? I told you not to buy alcohol from him. The stuff he sells is fake! It¡¯s a scam!¡±

    The middle-aged man¡¯s expression darkened. He was Old Zhao, the one who sold the ¡°fake alcohol.¡± He didn¡¯t expect this idiot who owed him money was slandering him behind his back.

    Shi Nian looked around and took a bottle of alcohol from the windowsill. He opened it and took a whiff before he grabbed the old drunkard¡¯s collar and poured some down his throat. Shi Nian said to him, ¡°I want to ask you something. If you tell me, I guarantee you¡¯ll have good wine to drink every day.¡±

    Old Man Zhang smacked his lips and looked at Shi Nian with sleepy eyes. He delightedly replied, ¡°Keep your¡ªyour promise! Ask away. There¡¯s nothing¡ª nothing I don¡¯t know in this place!¡±

    ¡°Where is Xiao He?¡± Shi Nian asked calmly.

    ¡°Xiao He? Which Xiao He? Are you talking about our family¡¯s Xiao He? God knows where she is!¡± Old Zhang furiously answered.

    Shi Nian then gave him another mouthful of wine. Old Zhang gestured with his index finger, ¡°Let me tell you something¡­ Xiao He is¡ªis the precious daughter of a wealthy family¡­ My sister was a nanny¡­ worked with someone to¡­ steal her away and¡ªand gave her to me¡­ to be my daughter-in-law. Haha..¡±

 Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirteen: Confess

    Chapter 213: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirteen: Confess

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Old Zhang looked around; when he didn¡¯t see Zhang Tao, he drunkenly muttered, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s all¡­ my wife¡¯s fault. If¡ªif she didn¡¯t¡­ didn¡¯t beat the girl¡­ beat her too hard¡­ she wouldn¡¯t have escaped, yeah? That wretched girl¡­ so ungrateful! She¡ªshe ran away!¡±

    Shi Nian stood up and threw the bottle of wine at Old Zhang. Old Zhang¡¯s hands were tied, and he couldn¡¯t catch it. Seeing the wine spill out, he anxiously cried out, ¡°Hey! Hey! It¡¯s spilling, it¡¯s spilling! That¡¯s good wine, you know!¡±

    Shi Nian ignored the man and walked up to Old Zhao. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± he asked him. ¡°Does your conscience hurt knowing you¡¯re righteously protecting people responsible for such monstrosities?¡±

    Old Zhao couldn¡¯t speak as his face reddened, paled, then reddened again. Zhang Xian hurriedly stated, ¡°That had nothing to do with us! It was my great-aunt who stole the child. She even said that she only succeeded because there was an insider in your family!¡±

    Gu Bei¡¯s gaze sharpened as Chen Yao immediately looked at him. ¡°Who was it? Who helped her?!¡± he questioned Zhang Xian.

    Zhang Xian couldn¡¯t answer that, thinking, ¡®How would I know?

    Seeing that Zhang Xian wasn¡¯t saying anything, Gu Bei said, ¡°Fine. I can spare your family if you tell me who the insider is!¡±

    ¡°The insider? How¡ªhow would I know?¡± Zhang Xian mumbled.

    Gu Bei looked at Zhang Tao, who yelled, ¡°We really don¡¯t know! Only my husband¡¯s elder sister knows. We had nothing to do with it, nothing at all! Don¡¯t listen to that drunkard; I didn¡¯t abuse her!¡±

    Zhang Tao didn¡¯t know what to do even if she had a million tricks up her sleeve. She had heard from her sister-in-law that Xiao He¡¯s family was wealthy, but she didn¡¯t know the family was so powerful. If she had known, she would¡¯ve sent the child back. Who cared if that offended her sister-in-law? That woman had cut off all contact with her after Zhang Tao had taken Xiao He in, anyway.

    Suddenly, everyone could hear police sirens coming from outside. The village chief ran like the wind over to them before the police could show up, asking, ¡°What¡¯s this? What happened? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Old Zhao stepped forward and whispered something to him. The village chief stared at Gu Bei and the others in bewilderment and then walked up to the one who seemed the easiest to talk to in their group¡ªYe Kun. The village chief inquired, ¡°Young man, could there be a misunderstanding here? I¡¯m the village chief.¡±

    Ye Kun looked at him and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re the village chief? What took you so long? Did you only come because you heard the sirens?¡±

    The village chief wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Did Zhang Xian cause trouble outside?¡± he asked. ¡°That child has been unruly since he was a kid, always out of line. What kind of trouble has he caused this time? How about you guys just beat him up and let him go?¡±

    Ye Kun smiled. ¡°Chief, did you know this family used to abduct and sell people?¡±

    The village chief¡¯s expression froze. Ye Kun smilingly continued, ¡°We¡¯re here today to demand an explanation.¡±

    The village chief¡¯s expression changed, and his tone became even meeker as he said, ¡°I think there must be a misunderstanding here. The Zhang family used to have an adopted girl, but that was decades ago. That girl had long married and moved elsewhere. She¡¯s no longer here.¡±

    As expected of the village chief, he was skilled in cunning. Even the Zhang family members couldn¡¯t help but be stunned and thought, ¡® Why didn¡¯t we think of that?

    The sirens stopped; the police had arrived. The villagers at the entrance all made way for them. The police officer who seemed to be in charge didn¡¯t even look at the villagers and walked straight towards Gu Bei and the others.

    ¡®Mr. Gu, Mr. Shi, Mr. Ye, I¡¯m sorry we¡¯re late,¡± the officer apologized as he shook hands with everyone in Gu Bei¡¯s group.

    Ye Kun chuckled, ¡°No, you came at just the right time. We were wondering how we should resolve this. We were afraid that if we beat these guys up and injured them, it would be a slap to the local authorities¡¯ face, but if we didn¡¯t do anything, people would think we¡¯re easy to bully.¡±

    The police officer felt very embarrassed when he heard the hidden jab in Ye Kun¡¯s words and could only continue to say, ¡°Why don¡¯t we all move to the village committee¡¯s office? The mayor and the province governor will be here soon. It¡¯s more convenient to discuss things there.¡±

    Gu Bei very calmly acquiesced, ¡°Very well. Lead the way.¡± He turned around and helped his wife over as Chen Yao held the jade pendant in her hand, her face full of grief and anger.

    Seeing the pendant, Zhang Xian anxiously shouted, ¡°Hey, that belongs to our family! That¡¯s ours!¡±

    Chen Yao turned around and coldly replied, ¡°Your family¡¯s?! Know your place before you speak! Your entire county can¡¯t afford this jade pendant, let alone your family!¡±

    As the saying goes, ¡® The wealthy can be willful!¡¯ When dealing with ignorant people, perhaps only money could let them know the severity of the situation..

 Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fourteen: Intimidation

    Chapter 214: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fourteen: Intimidation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Not only the Zhang family but everyone present was dumbfounded. The villagers didn¡¯t expect the Zhang family to actually have such a treasure hidden away! ¡®As expected, that family wasn¡¯t ofone heart and mind with the village! the villagers thought.

    Driven by curiosity, the villagers followed the group to the village committee. The leaders of the province and city surrounded Gu Bei and the others as they introduced themselves, all more than eager to introduce the projects they brought.

    Gu Bei waited for everyone to finish speaking before slowly opening his mouth to say, ¡°You want me to invest here? I can do that. Not only can I invest, but I¡¯ve also brought people from the Shi, Ye, and the Hai family of Rong City here with me. We can all develop this place.¡±

    The leaders and locals¡¯ faces lit up with joy when they heard this.

    ¡°Then, do you all know why I¡¯m here?¡± Gu Bei asked.

    The leaders looked at each other once again. They¡¯d flocked here after receiving news from the leaders of Lu Town. They heard that Lu Town had obtained a lot of benefits from these outside investors and were green with envy. So they¡¯d hurriedly listed all their respective projects and rushed here without asking or investigating why these people had come here. After all, it wasn¡¯t easy to attract such big-shot investors.

    The man in charge of the city¡¯s development, Old Wang, quickly smoothed things over, saying, ¡°Honestly, Mr. Gu, we rushed over as soon as we heard the news that you were here. We really don¡¯t understand how and what potential you saw in our area, so we thought we might as well ask you face to face when we meet.¡±

    He wanted to say that their area is an outstanding place, but looking at Mr. Gu¡¯s dark expression, it would be best not to say too much right now. It was better to go along with their distinguished guest and let him take the initiative.

    Gu Bei was all too familiar with dealing with bureaucrats. Hence, he briefly told them about his daughter¡¯s disappearance when she was a child

    The entire place fell silent at that. The junior leaders quickly lowered their heads and looked elsewhere while the senior leaders looked embarrassed, secretly regretting not asking around before they came. The current situation was really embarrassing.

    Ye Kun coughed lightly before fanning the flames as he said, ¡°I read a story online. A couple¡¯s daughter got kidnapped, and when they found her, their daughter had already gone crazy. She died not long after. The old couple didn¡¯t say anything, but after that, the people in the village where they found their daughter kept getting sick. Not long after, everyone in the entire village died.¡±

    He continued, ¡°In the end, the old couple turned themselves in. They said that they regularly poisoned the water wells in the village. They poisoned the entire village because everyone there knew her daughter was a kidnappee, and when she was abused and tortured, no one helped her, so all the villagers were accomplices.¡±

    After he finished speaking, there was silence. Everyone felt a chill run down their spine, especially the villagers who were at the door listening in.

    After a long while, Gu Bei chuckled, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of doing that? Why am I actually here talking about cooperation with the local chiefs when I could get revenge instead? You guys even want me to invest in this place that was my daughter¡¯s Hell on earth. What¡¯s the point of investing in a place like this?¡±

    He sternly questioned, ¡°Am I to make this place better, make it into a wealthy area so that the people here can kidnap and sell more girls? I heard that the Zhang family also bought their current daughter-in-law. Are the local authorities ignoring this issue just because no one reported it? If I requite evil with good, then what should I repay good?¡±

    The police chief couldn¡¯t sit still anymore and hastily stated, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Gu. We¡¯ll absolutely crack down on illegal acts such as trafficking women and children and severely punish the culprits.¡±

    Gu Bei glanced at him, and his expression relaxed slightly. Those present were all smart people. Seeing Gu Bei¡¯s attitude, they immediately agreed with the police chief, declared they would do everything they could to stamp out human trafficking in the area, expressed their sympathies, and cursed human traffickers and the like in unison. Before such huge benefits, even that entire village was insignificant, let alone the Zhang family.

    Gu Bei seemed mollified after everyone had expressed their attitudes and nodded slightly. ¡°Speaking of which, this matter has nothing to do with anyone here, nor does it have anything to do with this beautiful place. We came here from Lu Town and made a lot of plans there. As for this area¡­ Shi Nian, Ye Kun, why don¡¯t we consider it too?¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say, Grandpa, ¡± Shi Nian replied in a deep voice. Ye Kun smiled and also said, ¡°Grandpa, you call the shots.¡±

    All the officials heaved a sigh of relief at that..

 Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifteen: Revenge

    Chapter 215: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifteen: Revenge

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    No one spoke up for the Zhang family anymore, and the family of five was loaded into the police car.

    On the way back, Ye Kun looked over the investment plans the officials had given them and regrettably remarked, ¡°Grandpa, some of these plans are actually quite good.¡±

    Gu Bei took the investment proposals from Ye Kun but didn¡¯t look at them.

    Since the women were in another vehicle and only the men were in the car, Gu

    Bei slowly said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think I was fooling those local officials and won¡¯t actually invest?¡±

    Ye Kun nodded, and Shi Nian said nothing. ¡°Shi Nian, what do you think?¡± Gu Bei asked.

    Shi Nian thought for a moment before replying, ¡°I would invest. That way, we could trap the villagers in that small village. They have to pay the price for what they¡¯ve done. We can¡¯t let them live out their days in peace.¡±

    Gu Bei nodded in satisfaction. Looking at the lush green mountains outside the window, Gu Bei measuredly stated, ¡°There can be no place my daughter¡ªalive or dead¡ªdoesn¡¯t dare to go. If there¡¯s a demon living there protecting those scum, then I¡¯ll seal that place off and make those heartless people pay the price. You¡¯re right, Shi Nian! We should trap them there! They ruined my daughter¡¯s life, so I¡¯ll trap them forever and never let them leave! Not all prisons have bars!¡±

    Ye Kun now understood what Gu Bei had planned. Although he didn¡¯t sympathize with those villagers, he couldn¡¯t help but be shocked by Old Master Guts brutal method.

    ¡°As for the five members of the Zhang family, they¡¯ll spend the rest of their lives in prison!¡± Gu Bei then looked at the two boys and uttered, ¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask of you.¡±

    ¡°Just say the word, Grandpa,¡± Shi Nian and Ye Kun hastily replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you guys¡¯ help I found this place. Please continue to help me find the Zhang woman who worked as a nanny in the Gu family back then. She¡¯s Zhang Tao¡¯s sister-in-law.¡± Gu Bei¡¯s voice turned cold when he mentioned that woman.

    Shi Nian and Ye Kun looked at each other and saw the dilemma in each other¡¯s eyes. Gu Bei¡¯s voice was cold and firm as he continued, ¡°According to Zhang Xian, some of the Gu family were also involved. I can¡¯t investigate further since I want to avoid alerting the enemy, so I can only rely on you two. No matter who it is, I must know the results.¡±

    Only then did Shi Nian and Ye Kun understand and quickly nodded their acceptance of the mission.

    Gu Bei fell ill as soon as they returned to Lu Town. He got even sicker than Chen Yao and Yun Nan. The town¡¯s traditional Chinese medicine doctor said slowly, ¡°Mr. Gu¡¯s qi flow is blocked. He also experienced a tremendous amount of anger which has affected his heart. Although he looks healthy, his body has long been under great strain and is in critical condition. He should be hospitalized so that he can be nursed back to health.¡±

    The Gu family¡¯s doctor also came to the same conclusion¡ªGu Bei should be immediately admitted to the hospital for comprehensive recuperation.

    Lu Town was much closer to Rong City than White City, so Shi Nian and Ye Kun suggested they go to Rong City. It just so happened that many of the Gu family¡¯s womenfolk were also in Rong City.

    Chen Yao made a prompt decision and set off for Rong City overnight. Yun Nan was worried and wanted to go with them, and Shi Nian would naturally follow

    Yun Nan.

    Hence, they had to redistribute their work. Xiang Yang will return to Rong City with Yun Nan and Shi Nian, while Ye Kun, Fang Xi, and Shi Xiu will stay. Firstly, they had to complete the remaining movie publicity work, and secondly, they were to assist Hai Hua in setting up the investment projects in

    Lu Town.

    Before they left for Rong Cheng, Fang Xi found an opportunity to remind Yun Nan, ¡°Keep an eye on Xiang Yang. Her heart is burdened by something big, and it hasn¡¯t been resolved yet. Don¡¯t be fooled by her cold and aloof facade; she just pretends to be like that because it¡¯s her protective shell. She¡¯s actually very fragile inside. Watch out for Shi Gao and Gu Man. Don¡¯t let them hurt her.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded hurriedly. ¡°Alright, I got it. I¡¯ll leave things here to you, Fang

    Xi. You know me the best.¡±

    Fang Xi laughed. ¡°What would you do without me?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled wryly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to find out. I can¡¯t live without you.¡±

    These words made Shi Nian and Ye Kun¡ªwho had just entered¡ªfeel extremely uncomfortable. The two silently communicated through their eyes.

    Ye Kun: ¡°Watch your wife! I¡¯m already always on guard against men, but now I have to be on guard against women as well?¡±

    Shi Nian: ¡°Watch your wife! Keep her away from mywife!¡±

    When Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhang heard that Yun Nan was leaving, they were extremely reluctant to part with her. They hurriedly prepared local specialties and snacks for them and wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer as they stuffed them into the cars. The bodyguards watched helplessly as their cars got stuffed with all kinds of meat, sausages, chicken, and eggs. They didn¡¯t dare to stop the aunties, nor did they want to.

    Strangely enough, when they went to the Zhang family¡¯s place, the entire village was fearfully quiet when faced with the bodyguards. The villagers didn¡¯t dare to look them in the eye.

    However, it was completely different in Lu Town. No one here was afraid of the bodyguards. The elderly folks only treated them as children. Sometimes, when they passed by someone¡¯s house on business, the residents would stuff them some food and wouldn¡¯t take the food back no matter what. The bodyguards had no choice but to eat them.

    The village and Lu Town were only a hundred miles apart, but their customs were completely different. That was why everyone in the village was indifferent and turned a blind eye to the trafficking of women and children, whereas Lu Town was a place where people didn¡¯t want to leave after visiting because it exuded a sense of belonging and security..

 Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixteen: Hitting On

    Chapter 216: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixteen: Hitting On

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    All Chen Yao could concentrate on was her husband¡¯s health. She merely said to Shi Nian, ¡°Gu Bei and I don¡¯t manage the Gu family¡¯s affairs, but we have had some success in our own businesses over the years. I know Gu Bei¡¯s intentions, and we do our best to repay those who have helped us.¡±

    ¡°We only had one daughter, Xiao He, and Xiao He only had Yun Nan for a daughter. Therefore, as her husband, we rely on you. Do as your grandfather tells you to on the things he¡¯d instructed, and do as you deem fit for those he hasn¡¯t instructed you on. When we get to Rong City, I¡¯ll ask his assistant to come to you for a debriefing.¡±

    Shi Nian was stunned at that, but he finally nodded. ¡°Grandma, take care of

    Grandpa. I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡±

    Chen Yao nodded in satisfaction. The Gu family was a big family. Fortunately, Gu Bei was the second son and didn¡¯t have to bear the responsibility of the rise and fall of the entire family.

    Even so, their clan members were quite disgruntled when the couple put all their efforts into finding their daughter, and even Gu Bei¡¯s elder brother, the clan leader, had tried to dissuade them multiple times. However, Gu Bei was someone who put family and relationships first. Since his ¡®lack of motivation¡¯ in their family matters had caused dissatisfaction among the clan members, he¡¯d simply resigned from all his positions in the family business and completely separated himself from the Gu family.

    For many years, they had been looking for their daughter while starting from scratch, slowly turning what they liked into a career. They had built an independent business empire for their daughter, one that had nothing to do with the Gu family. Whether it was his talent in business or his love for his family, wife, and daughter, Gu Bei was a legend.

    Xiang Yang was exhausted both physically and mentally. The trip to Lu Town didn¡¯t ease her mood. She missed Shi Ke, missed him very much. However, she couldn¡¯t call him or even send him a message. She knew the nature of his job and would never risk his safety.

    Xiang Yang went to her studio and looked at the painting ¡® Waiting that Yun Nan had given her, thousands of thoughts running through her mind. ¡® What did I do in this life that I got to meet such a good man after my heart was riddled with holes? she wondered.

    She took out her sketchbook and stared dazedly at the blank page. Xiang Yang wanted to design a set of unique jewelry that only belonged to her and Shi Ke, one that could represent her love for him and have magic that would make them stay together for the rest of their lives.

    However, she couldn¡¯t put down a single stroke after sitting quietly for a long while. Xiang Yang sighed and closed the sketchbook. ¡®A trip to the bar might help clear my mind,¡¯ she thought.

    In the ¡°Vision of Eternity¡± bar, Shi Gao straightaway noticed Xiang Yang coming in alone. Her eyes followed Xiang Yang until she sat in a booth and then looked towards the bar entrance¡ªno one familiar came in with Xiang Yang.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± someone in her group asked Shi Gao before they followed her gaze and saw Xiang Yang.

    One of them wolf-whistled. ¡°Wow, she¡¯s a beauty! Do you know her?¡± Shi Gao suddenly had an idea and smiled coldly.

    Xiang Yang was enjoying the bar scene before her and sighed softly. She was very familiar with such an environment. She was a frequent visitor to such establishments when she was a teenager. Those years of decadence and debauchery were unbearable memories she wanted to erase for the rest of her life. Even though she¡¯d kept herself a virgin during those years, she¡¯d still damaged her reputation in the end. She didn¡¯t care about such things back then, but now¡­ it was too late to regret it.

    ¡°Hey, beautiful, are you alone? Do you mind if I have a seat?¡± A tall and thin man smiled as he tried to chat her up.

    ¡°I do,¡± Xiang Yang coolly replied without hesitation.

    The man sat down as if he hadn¡¯t heard her. He waved the waiter over, asked for two bottles of alcohol, and placed them before Xiang Yang. ¡°Here, I bought you a drink. Let me introduce myself; my name is Chen An.¡±

    Xiang Yang looked at him frostily and sipped her drink without saying anything. ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you a cold one? Well, that¡¯s understandable. With your looks, you can get away with anything. Let¡¯s be friends,¡± Chen An said as he raised his bottle and waited for Xiang Yang to clink her glass to it.

    Xiang Yang ignored him and took another sip. Seeing that Chen An didn¡¯t retract his hand, she slowly enunciated, ¡°Not interested.¡±

    Chen An wasn¡¯t annoyed at her attitude. He withdrew his hand and took a sip from the bottle. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you here before. Is this your first time here?¡± he inquired.

    Xiang Yang didn¡¯t answer. She had seen many such bar come-ons. Seeing this, Chen An suddenly said, ¡°Why pretend? Weren¡¯t you quite wild in the past? You even used to have three or four boyfriends at the same time. So, what? You got married and decided to turn over a new leaf?¡±

    Xiang Yang was shocked. Her eyes widened as she looked at the unfamiliar man before her. Chen An¡¯s expression remained casual as he chuckled, ¡°What? Am I not as handsome as your husband? Or are you not interested in me because I¡¯m not as rich as he is? He isn¡¯t around anyway, so let¡¯s have some fun together..¡±

 Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventeen: Enemies

    Chapter 217: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventeen: Enemies

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xiang Yang raised her hand, intending to slap Chen An, but he grabbed her wrist.

    Chen An smiled cheekily. ¡°What? Are you miffed? Was it because I hit the nail on the head? Relax; why did you come here if you weren¡¯t lonely? There¡¯s no need to be mad just because I was right on the mark.¡±

    ¡°Let go!¡± Xiang Yang uttered coldly.

    ¡°Why would I let go?¡± Chen An chuckled. ¡°You were the one who personally delivered your hand to me.¡± After saying that, he lowered his head and kissed the back of Xiang Yang¡¯s hand.

    Xiang Yang didn¡¯t hesitate for even a second. She picked up the bottle on the table with her left hand and smashed it on Chen An¡¯s head without looking at it.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Chen An screamed. He didn¡¯t expect Xiang Yang would dare to hurt him. He held both hands to his head and felt sticky liquid covering his palms. He lowered his hands and saw that they were covered in blood!

    ¡°YOU B*TCH!¡± Chen An roared and jumped to his feet to scold Xiang Yang.

    Xiang Yang grabbed the other bottle and, with a crisp sound, broke the bottle¡¯s neck off. She poured the wine from the bottle onto the back of the hand that Chen An had kissed, disinfecting it.

    Chen An was so angry he flew into a rage. He pointed at Xiang Yang and cursed at her. The commotion attracted the surrounding people¡¯s attention, but no one panicked. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for a fight to break out in a bar.

    Immediately, the bartender and security guard ran over. Chen An covered his head with one hand and pointed at Xiang Yang with the other, bellowing, ¡°Call the police! I¡¯ll have you arrested! You¡¯re going to jail for this! You should have a taste of prison life!¡±

    That seemed to have hit a nerve, and Xiang Yang suddenly lost all her energy and drooped like a fading flower. She looked at Chen An and fixed her gaze on him, not hearing anything except for the sentence, ¡°You should have a taste of prison life!¡± It kept reverberating in her mind.

    Yun Nan and Shi Nian rushed to the police station. On the way, Yun Nan kept blaming herself. ¡°Fang Xi had told me to take good care of Xiang Yang. She said Xiang Yang has something on her mind and isn¡¯t in a good headspace. But I¡¯ve been busy caring for Grandpa and Grandma these past few days, and Xiang Yang seemed fine, so I didn¡¯t think much about it. If only I¡¯d paid more attention to her¡­ This is all my fault!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Shi Nian comforted her as he drove. ¡°Calm down. We¡¯ll talk about it after we meet Xiang Yang.¡±

    Shi Nian made calls, one after another, calmly giving out tasks one by one as he drove fast. ¡°Hello? Lawyer Yang, you can head straight to the police station. You don¡¯t have to wait for us if you arrive before we do. Speak to the police to understand the situation and bail my sister-in-law out first.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Chang Yuan, something happened to Xiang Yang at the ¡®Vision of Eternity¡¯ bar. Go there immediately and get the complete surveillance footage at all costs. Also¡­ investigate everyone who was at the bar today. Check their identities and backgrounds. You have to be quick. If someone is making trouble, they might tamper with the footage. I¡¯m worried that something might have happened at Shi Ke¡¯s end, and his enemies have come knocking.¡±

    Yun Nan looked at Shi Nian nervously. ¡°You think it¡¯s Shi Ke¡¯s enemies targeting Xiang Yang?¡± she asked. She couldn¡¯t help but feel worried for Xiang Yang.

    Shi Nian¡¯s expression was cold as he explained, ¡°Shi Ke has a sensitive job so, for many years, he has been largely ¡®invisible.¡¯ He tries his best to keep a low profile when he comes and goes because he¡¯s afraid of getting us¡ªhis family¡ª involved. He¡¯d cryptically instructed me to ensure the safety of our family. He lives up to his job and duty, but in doing so, he owes his family.¡±

    Shi Nian sighed softly, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to be a loyal subject and a filial son at the same time. All I can do is complete the mission he gave me. My parents and Shi Xiu don¡¯t know about these things. Yun Nan, no matter what you find out today, don¡¯t tell them.¡±

    The lawyer¡¯s assistant was waiting for them at the entrance of the police station. He came over when he saw Shi Nian and whispered, ¡°Miss Xiang Yang had a conflict with someone in the bar and hit a man over the head with a wine bottle. That man refuses to let the issue go and wants to sue Miss Xiang Yang for intentional assault.¡±

    ¡°Have you found out that person¡¯s identity?¡± Shi Nian asked composedly. ¡°Why did my sister-in-law hurt him?¡± He headed into the police station, and Yun Nan and the assistant followed.

    The lawyer¡¯s assistant answered, ¡°That man is Chen An. He¡¯s the ShiA family¡¯s Madam¡¯s nephew. He just returned from abroad. The Shin family members are already on the way. Miss Shi Gao is inside now; she¡¯s very agitated and insists on prosecuting Miss Xiang Yang. ¡±

    ¡°Shi Gao?¡± Yun Nan frowned. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time she¡¯s caused trouble for Xiang Yang. She has been constantly picking on Xiang Yang,¡± Yun Nan told Shi Nian in a low voice.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t stop walking as he instructed the lawyer¡¯s assistant, ¡°Stay here and wait for Chang Yuan. He¡¯ll be here soon. Inform me immediately if you see the ShiA family¡¯s lavvyer.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± The assistant stopped and turned around to return to the entrance.

    Yun Nan felt a little anxious. ¡°I wonder how badly injured that man is. What if they insist on prosecuting?¡±

    ¡°Do you think he would still be here pestering Xiang Yang if he was that seriously injured? He would¡¯ve gone to the hospital if that was the case,¡± Shi

    Nian stated coldly. ¡°Our family doesn¡¯t have much contact with the Shin family.

    If they want to confront us directly, we¡¯ll fight them to the end..¡±

 Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighteen: Inquisition

    Chapter 218: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighteen: Inquisition

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Can you get us in to see Xiang Yang first? I¡¯m worried about her.¡± Yun Nan knew that some things were beyond her ability, so she would only focus on Xiang Yang right now.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xiang Yang will be fine. The police also know Shi Ke¡¯s identity. They won¡¯t mistreat her,¡± Shi Nian replied very calmly.

    When they arrived at the mediation room, Yun Nan saw an angry-looking Shi

    Gao, who¡¯d cried so hard she ruined her makeup. The young man beside Shi Gao, with one hand holding his head and a pained expression, should be her cousin, Chen An.

    Shi Corporation¡¯s Lavvyer Yang stood up as soon as Shi Nian entered. Shi Nian nodded at him. Shi Gao glanced at them and sneered, ¡°Second Young Master Shi, I don¡¯t want to make things difficult for you, but look! Xiang Yang injured my cousin to this extent! Don¡¯t think we¡¯ll just swallow our anger! You can¡¯t simply force us to drop this, no matter how powerful the Shi family is!¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say, Ms. Shi? Bringing up my family¡¯s power at the police station; are you trying to accuse my family of working above the law?¡± Shi Nian detachedly stated. ¡°You think too highly of us; our Shi family doesn¡¯t have such power! Sir, if your injury is serious, why don¡¯t we go to the hospital and check it out first? The bandaging done on your head is too sloppy. If an accident occurs because you¡¯ve delayed treatment, then I might think you¡¯re purposefully worsening your injuries.

    Shi Gao was stunned by Shi Nian¡¯s cold and imposing manner. They had eaten together a few times, but Gu Man was the one who was always trying to interact with Shi Nian¡ªShi Gao was just there to accompany her. She could tell Shi Nian wasn¡¯t interested in Gu Man every time they met, but at least he wasn¡¯t as cold as the rumors said. If he had always maintained this aggressive and frosty demeanor, Gu Man might not have dared to have any improper thoughts about him.

    Shi Gao now felt slightly regretful that she¡¯d offended the Shi family, especially Shi Nian. Things didn¡¯t seem to be good for her.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t even bother looking at Shi Gao anymore. He directly said to the police officer, ¡°Officer, we are Xiang Yang¡¯s relatives. Please do everything by the book and give out whatever punishment is due. Our Shi family will certainly actively cooperate.¡±

    The young police officer immediately had a good impression of Shi Nian when he heard this. He was already quite annoyed by that unreasonable young lady. He¡¯d asked her to recount the incident at the bar, but she made up a bunch of nonsense, saying that the woman who¡¯d hit her cousin was a piece of trash who went about seducing men everywhere and had a terrible private life. He¡¯d never seen such a crazy woman. She would have kept ranting if Mr. Shi hadn¡¯t shown up.

    The police officer stood up and politely replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will definitely handle everything impartially.¡±

    Chen An grunted. ¡°I don¡¯t want any compensation. All I want is for that woman to go to jail.¡±

    Yun Nan frowned. ¡°Sir, do you know that woman?¡±

    Immersed in his pain and acting, Chen An casually answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know her!¡±

    Yun Nan stared at Chen An and questioned, ¡°Then why did she hit you? And with such force, too.¡±

    Chen An froze, realizing he¡¯d said the wrong thing. He could only adamantly repeat the answer he¡¯d given to the police earlier, ¡°How would I know? I just asked her if I could take the seat next to her. That¡¯s all I did, and she hit me!¡±

    Yun Nan frowned once more as she commented, ¡°Oh? If that¡¯s the case, then that woman must be mentally ill. Normal people don¡¯t hit someone theyve just met. Lawyer Yang, correct me if I¡¯m mistaken, but those mentally ill aren¡¯t legally liable even if they¡¯d killed someone, let alone beat someone up, right?¡±

    Lawyer Yang smiled and nodded. He was just waiting for the police to process the bail procedures, anyway. Since he had nothing to do, he was more than happy to go along with the Second Young Madam.

    Yun Nan said to Chen An, ¡°Hey, did you hear that? That was a professional¡¯s answer. She¡¯s not liable for your injury.¡±

    Chen An quickly uttered, ¡°No, that¡¯s not what happened. I just wanted to get to know her, so I chatted with her, but she got annoyed and hit me with a wine bottle! There¡¯s nothing wrong with her mentally!¡±

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°Oh, so there¡¯s nothing wrong with her. Then, sir, I take it you were acting like a hoodlum? If you didn¡¯t cross the line, a girl drinking in a bar wouldn¡¯t hit a man¡¯s head with a bottle even if she¡¯d drank too much!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s b*llsh*t! I didn¡¯t act like a hoodlum! I just saw that she was alone and wanted to be friends with her. She ignored me, so 1¡ª¡± Chen An suddenly stopped talking.

    Yun Nan pinned Chen An with her gaze and sneered, ¡°So you what? That woman ignored you, so what did you say or do that got you beaten up by a girl,

    ¡°Yun Nan, that¡¯s enough! Stop bullying him! Can¡¯t you see the wound on my cousin¡¯s head? Xiang Yang caused that, and that¡¯s a fact. How are you going to deny that?¡± Shi Gao spoke up. She didn¡¯t expect Yun Nan to suddenly try to get information from Chen An, and Chen An was completely overwhelmed by her..

 Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Chapter Two-Hundred and Nineteen: Dressing Down

    Chapter 219: Chapter Two-Hundred and Nineteen: Dressing Down

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Miss Shi Gao, you want to sue Xiang Yang for intentional assault, right?¡± Yun Nan asked lightly.

    Shi Gao smiled coldly, pointed at Chen An¡¯s head, and replied, ¡°She hurt him! That¡¯s a fact!¡±

    Yun Nan looked at her and enunciated word by word, ¡°Then we¡¯ll sue Miss Shi

    Gao for false accusations. I have a bunch of witnesses who can prove that Miss Shi Gao has caused trouble for Xiang Yang on different occasions and insulted her!¡±

    Shi Gao rushed to her feet and pointed at Yun Nan, saying, ¡°That¡¯s utter nonsense!¡±

    Yun Nan took two steps forward, faced Shi Gao¡¯s outstretched finger, and nonchalantly remarked, ¡°What did I say that¡¯s utter nonsense? You claim that Xiang Yang assaulted someone and your cousin¡¯s injury is proof. I say that you¡¯re slandering her, and I have witnesses. So, how about it? Worst comes to worst, we¡¯ll just both suffer!¡±

    Shi Gao looked at Yun Nan¡¯s provocative gaze and suddenly calmed down. She withdrew her finger and stated coldly, ¡°Just us suffering? Yun Nan, you think too highly of yourself. How dare you take on such a lawsuit for the Shi family?! Did you forget Shi Kels identity? Even if the Shi Corporation can afford such a scandal, Shi Ke can¡¯t have a wife with a spotted record! He¡¯s an active soldier.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s heart trembled, but her expression remained unperturbed. ¡°As expected, Miss Shi Gao is doing all this for my brother-in-law. Then, I understand. Miss Shi Gao, you¡¯re secretly in love with my brother-in-law and want to be the other woman, right? You want to wreck their marriage. You still haven¡¯t given up even though Shi Ke and Xiang Yang have been married for many years. You want to break them up and replace Xiang Yang, and for that, you¡¯re actually willing to use such underhanded methods to frame my sister-in-law?!¡±

    Shi Gao didn¡¯t expect Yun Nan to be so difficult to deal with; she was more unrestrained with her words than her. Shi Gao was so angry that her face paled, and her entire body trembled. She shouted, ¡°I¡¯m not the other woman! I met Shi Ke before Xiang Yang did!¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Yun Nan sneered. ¡°My brother-in-law still married Xiang Yang. He doesn¡¯t like you because you¡¯re nasty and vicious. No one would be willing to marry a malicious woman like yourself!¡±

    Shi Gao grabbed the glass of water on the table the police officer had poured for them and splashed it on Yun Nan.

    Shi Nian was shocked and subconsciously rushed over to shield Yun Nan. He was afraid that it was a glass of hot water. However, Yun Nan had expected Shi Gao¡¯s actions. She pushed Shi Nian away and stood there, taking the watery assault head- on.

    It was a full glass, and the water was warm. Yun Nan¡¯s hair, face, and the clothes on her chest were all wet. Shi Gao was stunned; she didn¡¯t expect Yun Nan not to dodge.

    The young policeman was even more startled. From the moment Yun Nan opened her mouth, these two women had been arguing back and forth, and no one else could get a word in. Even Shi Nian didn¡¯t manage to save Yun Nan from that splash of water.

    Dripping wet, Yun Nan looked at Shi Gao and suddenly smiled. She looked at Lawyer Yang and asked, ¡°Can I press assault charges on Miss Shi Gao? If that was boiling water, I would end up disfigured now.¡±

    Lawyer Yang really wanted to give Yun Nan a standing ovation. ¡® This Second Young Madam doesn¡¯t play by the rules at all!¡¯ he thought. ¡®However, it¡¯s so satisfying seeing her take that woman down a peg!

    All the rules in this world were set for rule-abiders, and those with evil intentions would alwavs test the boundaries of the rules and hurt those who followed the rules. Sometimes, the law was useless.

    So, how could you punish such evil-doers?

    There was another way, especially when you¡¯re dealing with crooks and the unreasonable. Use lawlessness to deal with lawlessness, fight evil with evil, use hoodlums against hoodlums, and defeat magic using magic.

    Lawyer Yang tried his best to control his facial expressions. It wouldn¡¯t do for him to appear jubilant at a time like this.

    ¡°Yes, Miss Yun Nan!¡± he said levelly. ¡°You have the right to do so.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll have to trouble Lavvyer Yang to be my lawyer. ¡±

    The dazed young policeman recovered and stuttered, ¡°You¡ªyou¡ª¡±

    He didn¡¯t know what to say. Shi Nian said gently, ¡°Officer, it¡¯s fine. Just handle the case you¡¯re handling as you normally would. This is another matter that we¡¯ll handle ourselves. We won¡¯t waste the police¡¯s time and resources.¡± Lawsuits weren¡¯t within the police¡¯s jurisdiction after all.

    Chen An was dumbfounded. He looked at Yun Nan with a gaze close to worship, thinking, ¡® This little beauty is really too remarkable. Not only is she hot looking, but herpersonality is also hot!¡¯

    Shi Nian unhappily pulled Yun Nan close and shielded her from Chen An¡¯s sticky gaze. He took tissues from Yun Nan¡¯s bag and handed them to Yun Nan. He softly said in a voice that everyone could hear, ¡°Alright, we have our witnesses and physical evidence. You don¡¯t have to stay wet like this. Dry yourself quickly, or you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡±

    ¡®Is he saying she¡¯ll catch a cold because ofa glass of water? Isn¡¯t Second Young Master Shi¡¯s doting behavior too much? the others thought.

    The ShiA family¡¯s lawyer rushed to the police station and was stunned when he saw Shi Nian. He turned around straightaway to go outside to call his boss without speaking to Shi Gao..

 Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Chapter Two -Hundred and Twenty: Intimidation

    Chapter 220: Chapter Two -Hundred and Twenty: Intimidation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Hey! Hey! Why did he leave?¡± Chen An asked anxiously. ¡°What¡¯s he doing?!¡±

    Shi Gao¡¯s heart turned cold. She looked at Yun Nan and said coolly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid this will damage the Shi Corporation¡¯s reputation?¡±

    Yun Nan met her gaze and didn¡¯t give an inch. ¡°What about you? Aren¡¯t you afraid your family¡¯s reputation will be damaged?¡± She didn¡¯t know the ShiA family¡¯s background but understood human nature, especially these parasitic rich kids.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about Shi Ke, ¡± Shi Gao haughtily reminded her. ¡°Even if the Shi Corporation isn¡¯t afraid of losing face, Shi Ke can¡¯t have a wife with a spotted record. He¡¯s an active soldier! He¡¯s not allowed any flaws.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t expect Shi Gao to actually be so vicious. ¡°Since you know that I¡¯m an active soldier, you should understand that I won¡¯t let anyone frame my wife!¡± a familiar voice said. The door opened, and standing at the door was Shi Ke in military uniform with an expression cold enough to freeze even the air.

    Shi Gao dumbly stared at Shi Ke who¡¯d seemingly fallen from the sky, but he didn¡¯t spare her a look. When the young policeman saw the epaulets on his shoulder, he immediately jumped to his feet, knocked his heels together, and saluted Shi Ke. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, he was glared at by the police captain behind Shi Ke, so he kept his mouth shut.

    ¡°Big brother!¡± Shi Nian and Yun Nan both called out, delighted. Lawyer Yang also stood up; he didn¡¯t expect Shi Ke to appear.

    Shi Gao¡¯s lawyer rushed in and was stunned when he saw Shi Ke. He didn¡¯t know Shi Ke, but anyone could tell at a glance that he and Shi Nian were brothers due to their resemblance. The lawyer was shocked; he skipped the greetings and quickly said to Shi Nian, ¡°Apologies, Chairman Shi. I¡¯ve already informed our chairman about this. This¡­ It¡¯s all a misunderstanding! It must be!¡±

    He turned to look at the young police officer handling the case. ¡°Officer, do you think we can drop this case? We¡¯ve reconciled. It¡¯s all a misunderstanding. Our families are good friends. It¡¯s the youngsters who don¡¯t know better, bringing their small spats here and wasting the police¡¯s time and resources. I¡¯m really sorry for this. We can pay a fine if we can¡¯t drop the case.¡±

    The young policeman knew they must have resolved this matter some other way, and from what he heard, this whole thing was due to the injured guy and his cousin being unreasonable. He told their lawyer, ¡°There¡¯s no need for a fine. Since you¡¯ve reconciled, just sign the papers and leave.¡±

    He then looked at the police captain and informed him, ¡°Captain, the other lady involved is in the next room. We had to separate them because they were quarreling fiercely. ¡±

    Shi Ke was already walking out before the police officer had finished speaking. Feeling slightly exasperated, the police captain waved his hand at the young policeman, indicating for him to hurry up with the papers, and followed after Shi Ke.

    Shi Gao¡¯s eyes reddened. From the moment he entered until he left, Shi Ke never even looked at her. ¡®Am I truly so undesirable to him? she inwardly wailed.

    ¡°Shi Ke,¡± she called, but Shi Ke was already gone.

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but frown. She couldn¡¯t understand this kind of reckless, persistent, and obsessive behavior.

    Shi Nian pulled her along as he walked out. Lawyer Yang would handle the procedures.

    ¡°Yun Nan, this isn¡¯t over!¡± Shi Gao suddenly reached across the table and yanked Yun Nan to a stop. Before Yun Nan could react, Shi Nian had already pushed Shi Gao¡ªwho had suddenly approached them¡ªaway.

    Shi Gao was caught off guard and fell backward. Fortunately, Chen An was behind her. Otherwise, Shi Gao would have had a bad fall.

    Yun Nan noticed that Shi Nian¡¯s breathing had become irregular the moment Shi Gao suddenly approached and quickly shielded Shi Nian behind her. She looked at the two cousins who¡¯d regained their footing and frostily warned,

    ¡°Listen carefully, Miss Shi Gao! From now on, if there is any gossip about Xiang Yang, I will hold you responsible. If you won¡¯t give up, I won¡¯t either! I¡¯ve been in the entertainment industry for many years; I¡¯m better at utilizing public opinions than you. If you dare to have a go at me, I¡¯m ready to tango!¡±

    Shi Gao¡¯s face turned green and then paled. She didn¡¯t expect Yun Nan to actually guess what she was going to do. ¡® This woman is truly obnoxious!¡¯ she mentally fumed.

    Chen An didn¡¯t understand what Yun Nan was getting at. Although he liked this woman very much, he must stand on his cousin¡¯s side. He yelled at Shi Nian,

    ¡°What are you all so smug about? Just wait until I go back and tell my grandpa.

    You guys are dead!¡±

    Shi Nian couldn¡¯t even be bothered to look at this buffoon. Because he hated how that guy looked at Yun Nan, he used his body to shield Yun Nan and walked out without looking back.

    They heard Xiang Yang¡¯s cries and Shi Ke¡¯s gentle, coaxing words as soon as they reached the corridor. Shi Nian and Yun Nan finally felt relieved. They looked at each other and smiled, then walked out hand in hand. They¡¯ve got no business being here any longer. Although they were worried that Xiang Yang might be traumatized by this matter, with Shi Ke around, they didn¡¯t need to do anything. The power of love was a better cure than any elixir or panacea..

 Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-One: False Alarm

    Chapter 221: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-One: False Alarm

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xiang Yang¡¯s grievance, fear, and regret all turned into tears that flowed out, wetting the front of Shi Ke¡¯s clothes. Remembering that this was his military uniform, she quickly lifted her head from his chest. Then, she felt extremely aggrieved and reached out to hit Shi Ke¡¯s shoulder twice, bawling as she did so.

    Shi Ke pressed her head back against his chest so she could cry into it. He¡¯d never seen her so hurt before, and his heart ached. He bent down, pulled her into his embrace, and pressed his face against her forehead. ¡°There, there, don¡¯t cry. Let¡¯s go home. My comrades are outside, waiting to meet you. It would be a little embarrassing for them to see you crying.¡±

    Xiang Yang hastily stopped crying and sniffled softly. She tried to struggle out of his arms, but Shi Ke refused to let her go and simply carried her out. Xiang Yang was already exhausted from everything she¡¯d been through that day, so she just buried her face in his chest and let him carry her away. She wouldn¡¯t return to this place again, so it didn¡¯t matter if she embarrassed herself or not.

    Shi Gao¡¯s heart shattered when she stepped out and saw this scene. ¡°Shi Ke! Stop right there!¡± Her lawyer tried to obstruct her, but she ignored him and quickly walked up to Shi Ke, stopping him in his tracks.

    ¡°Do you know what this woman did in the past? Do you know what a horrible person she is? Why are you still treating her like a treasure?¡± Shi Gao seethed.

    Xiang Yang wanted to get down, but Shi Ke held her head to his chest with one hand to prevent her from turning around, while his other arm held her firmly to prevent her from struggling.

    He stated, ¡°I don¡¯t need to know Xiang Yang¡¯s past. If her past is good, I would feel bad about not meeting her and being by her side earlier to witness her brilliance. If her past is bad, I¡¯ll blame myself for not being by her side earlier to protect her! It doesn¡¯t matter how horrible she is because whatever state she¡¯s in, I will fix her bit by bit. Xiang Yang is, and forever will be my¡ªShi Ke¡¯s¡ªtreasure.¡±

    ¡°Shi Gao, I did know you earlier than Xiang Yang, but we¡¯ve never been in a relationship. Please stop vaguely implying that we were a couple and misleading Xiang Yang. I love no one else but Xiang Yang and I won¡¯t let you wreck our marriage. Cease and desist, Shi Gao.¡± And so saying, Shi Ke strode past Shi Gao with Xiang Yang in his arms.

    Xiang Yang wrapped her arms around Shi Ke¡¯s waist, and Shi Gao screamed wildly behind them. No one paid her any attention.

    Shi Nian heaved a long sigh of relief after getting into the car. ¡°Thank goodness, it wasn¡¯t Shi Ke¡¯s enemy. It was just a false alarm.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t expect Shi Nian to be so worried about Shi Kel s identity. Chang Yuan called, and Shi Nian immediately put him on speaker. ¡°1 got the surveillance footage from the bar. Ms. Shi Gao was the one who instructed her cousin to mess with Xiang Yang. He said something to Xiang Yang that made her attack him. Ms. Shi Gao¡¯s cousin just returned from overseas and is a dim-witted fool. I¡¯ve already spoken to Chairman Shin, he¡¯ll make sure his old man won¡¯t hear of this. If he does find out about this and put up a fuss, we¡¯ll just stick it to them. At worst, we¡¯ll let Grandpa scold us in public!¡± Chang Yuan said viciously.

    Yun Nan was rather shocked. This was the first time she¡¯d heard Chang Yuan grumble, and so ruthlessly at that. Shi Nian gave Chang Yuan another task, ¡°Shi Ke is back and personally went to pick Xiang Yang up. I noticed he didn¡¯t even change out of his uniform, so he probably happened to be on a mission nearby and rushed over. I didn¡¯t have time to ask him for details, so have someone look into it.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Oh, alright,¡± Chang Yuan replied, and the two ended their call. Shi Nian leaned back in his seat, rubbed his forehead, and sighed.

    Shi Nian recovered, turned his head to look at Yun Nan, and patted her shoulder. ¡°Thank you, Yun Nan! It was all thanks to you just now.¡±

    Her performance back there was simply stunning. He would probably have had difficulty arguing with Shi Gao if he hadn¡¯t brought Yun Nan along. After all, Shi Gao was a woman; she could act shamelessly, but he couldn¡¯t. Otherwise, he would be seen as bullying a woman.

    During this period of time together, Yun Nan had gradually gotten used to Shi Nian¡¯s occasional body contact, such as touching her head, patting and hugging her shoulders, and putting his arm around her waist. ¡®He must see me as his buddy, just like I do him!¡¯ Yun Nan thought.

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°Are you talking about me quarreling with Shi Gao? Shi Gao¡¯s not that difficult an opponent. If Fang Xi was here today, she would definitely be able to scold Shi Gao until she cried.¡±

    Shi Nian found that funny. ¡°Oh, you two¡­ That really doesn¡¯t seem like something you girls would do.¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°Everyone in this world values their reputations, but sometimes, you can abandon some of those reputations. You¡¯ll be invincible once you abandon those restraints. Didn¡¯t Shi Gao think she could get away with her actions because she knew the Shi family and Shi Ke couldn¡¯t afford to lose face? She never considered that she also couldn¡¯t afford to lose face, let alone the Shin family. Only an idiot like her would think of a plan that would result in such a pyrrhic victory..¡±

 Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Chapter Two -Hundred and Twenty-Two: Difficult to Coax

    Chapter 222: Chapter Two -Hundred and Twenty-Two: Difficult to Coax

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Shi Gao will give up. She seems intent on trying to break up Shi Ke and Xiang Yang, regardless of the cost,¡± Yun Nan remarked worriedly.

    Shi Nian replied, ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Chang Yuan will warn the ShiA family to behave. The ShiA family recently undertook one of our projects, so they wouldn¡¯t want to sour relationships with us. Their lawyer will explain things clearly when he goes back. Right now, I¡¯m just afraid that Shi Gao will do something. I¡¯ll get someone to keep an eye on the media.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll also inform the press that I¡¯m familiar with. Even though the Internet is very sophisticated nowadays, there are only a few influential news outlets.¡±

    Shi Nian thought about it but was still slightly worried, so he called Chang Yuan again. Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°I feel like your relationship with Chang Yuan is more like buddies than that of an employer and employee, but it¡¯s slightly different from your relationship with Ye Kun and the others.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Chang Yuan¡¯s grandfather was my grandfather¡¯s butler for as long as I could remember. He passed away a few years ago. Chang Yuan¡¯s parents died in an accident when he was very young. It was too difficult for

    Grandpa Chang to care for his grandchild alone, so Grandpa decided to bring Chang Yuan to our place. Chang Yuan grew up with us, so he¡¯s basically one of the family.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that Grandpa Chang had instructed him to serve our family well, and Chang Yuan always followed those instructions. He treats himself as an outsider, a servant, even though our entire family has never thought of him as such. Shi Ke and I have beaten him up for this before, but Chang Yuan was too stubborn to change his mind, and we weren¡¯t willing to beat him up too badly,¡± Shi Nian continued.

    ¡°We could only let him move out and work for our company as he wished. No one in our family, from Grandpa to Mom and Dad, treats him as an outsider. Everything that we have, he also has a share, but we have to be careful not to trample on that aggravating self-esteem of his. He doesn¡¯t like Ye Kun and the others, so he doesn¡¯t interact with them much.¡±

    It was the first time Yun Nan heard him talk about Chang Yuan. Only then did she understand why that fastidious man was so loyal but felt so out of place.

    Xiang Yang went to the living room after she¡¯d taken a shower and saw that Shi Ke had already changed into loungewear and was sitting on the sofa reading her product magazine. Due to professional habits, Shi Ke sits straight and properly even when relaxing.

    He raised his head to look at Xiang Yang and frowned before he got up to find the hairdryer and sat her down on the sofa to dry her hair. So long as he was around, he would help her dry her hair because she could never dry it properly ¡ªshe was always quite sloppy when it came to taking care of herself.

    Xiang Yang hugged Shi Ke¡¯s waist when he turned around to put away the hairdryer after he¡¯d finished drying her hair, but didn¡¯t say a word. Shi Ke lowered his head and looked at the tightly clasped hands at his waist. He patted them gently, placed the hairdryer on the coffee table, and then turned around to squeeze close together with Xiang Yang.

    Xiang Yang¡¯s face was still slightly swollen from her earlier crying jag. Feeling self-conscious about her looks, Xiang Yang turned her head away. However, Shi Ke gently turned her head towards him and kissed her. ¡°Alright, my princess,¡± he uttered. ¡°If you¡¯re still angry, I¡¯ll get Chang Yuan to beat that kid up, okay? I guarantee we¡¯ll beat him so badly that his mom won¡¯t recognize him.¡¯

    That made Xiang Yang laugh, and she quietly muttered, ¡°Why ask Chang Yuan to beat him up?¡±

    Shi Ke swiftly replied, ¡°You want me to do it myself? Okay¡ªI¡®

    ¡°No!¡± Xiang Yang said immediately and glared at Shi Ke. Even though she knew he was joking, she couldn¡¯t accept him using his identity to do something so absolutely unworthy.

    Shi Ke reached out and ruffled Xiang Yang¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey. It¡¯s all my fault. We agreed to take a vacation together, but I stood you up, and you had to go to Lu Town alone.¡±

    Shi Ke knew he owed her. Xiang Yang rubbed her head against his palm, and

    Shi Ke kissed her forehead before saying, ¡°It¡¯s late. Let¡¯s go to bed.¡±

    Xiang Yang met Shi Ke¡¯s eyes and asked seriously, ¡°Darling, don¡¯t you want to know why I fought with someone? Are you really not at all interested in my past, just like you told Shi Gao?¡±

    Shi Ke thought for a bit before he also asked a question, ¡°Do you think what I said to Shi Gao was just for show?¡± He sighed helplessly, ¡°Honey, I meant everything I said.¡±

    Xiang Yang bit her lip and said softly, ¡°I actually wanted to tell you about my past for a long time now, but I never had the right opportunity. I also¡­ didn¡¯t have the courage to tell you. I was afraid¡ªafraid you would despise me.¡±

    Shi Ke chuckled, ¡°I would never! Why would I despise you?¡± He patted Xiang Yang¡¯s shoulder and stated, ¡°You can tell me whenever you¡¯re ready. I¡¯ll just treat it as a story. If you¡¯re not ready to tell your story, if telling it will make you sad, then you can continue to keep it to yourself. Xiang Yang, life is a luxury. We should cherish the present and the future, not dwell on the past..¡±

 Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty- Three: Forthright

    Chapter 223: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty- Three: Forthright

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xiang Yang finally told Shi Ke everything that had happened to her when she was young. This time, she told her tale to the man she loved the most.

    It was an extremely difficult and risky decision for her. If Shi Ke was bothered about her past, she would have to be prepared to leave him. But even so, Xiang Yang still told him. No matter what happens, she should face it bravely. She also didn¡¯t want Shi Ke to hear about her past from others in the future.

    When she finished her tale, Xiang Yang cried as she said, ¡°The mother of that classmate who passed away said she would never forgive me; she would curse me for the rest of her life. So, I always felt¡­ that I¡¯m not worthy of you¡ª¡±

    Shi Ke embraced Xiang Yang once again and uttered, ¡°Silly girl, why are you so silly? That wasn¡¯t your fault; you were also a victim. Why should they vent their anger on you? Only incompetents would do that.¡±

    All the grievances Xiang Yang had kept in her heart welled up within her. ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t become anyone¡¯s girlfriend. I just¡ªI just didn¡¯t reject the flowers and gifts they gave me. They were the ones who mistakenly thought that I liked them, that they were my boyfriend. That¡¯s how I comforted myself, but¡­ but someone died, after all!¡± Xiang Yang cried.

    ¡°I can¡¯t absolve myself of the blame. It¡¯s only right that those boys¡¯ parents hate me and resent me. I don¡¯t know what I can do to atone for my sins. I don¡¯t know¡­ A person like me doesn¡¯t deserve to be happy or deserve to have an outstanding husband like you¡­¡±

    Shi Ke gently patted her back. He could sense that Xiang Yang was feeling more helpless than ever before. Shi Ke had always known that the cold and aloof impression Xiang Yang gave others on the surface was just her disguise. Xiang Yang was just a spacey, innocent little girl before Shi Ke. However, he didn¡¯t know that there was such a deep scar in her heart.

    Shi Ke tried his best to coax and comfort her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault. If only I had met you earlier, then those people wouldn¡¯t have had anything to do with you. Don¡¯t cry; you won¡¯t be in any state to go out tomorrow if you keep crying. It¡¯s all my fault. Honey, why don¡¯t you punish me? You can punish me by making me carry you to bed.¡±

    The more he coaxed, the harder Xiang Yang cried. Shi Ke knew that what Xiang Yang needed was to vent. Only by venting all the negative emotions that had accumulated in her heart for so many years could her injuries slowly recover. And he, Shi Ke, was her lifetime healer. As such, he decided that the healing of

    her heart should start with her hndv Thew had been awav from their Invelv

    house for too long, and the bedroom and its owners needed some tender loving care. With that thought in mind, Shi Ke carried his still-sniffling wife into their bedroom¡­

    When Yun Nan went to meet Xiang Yang the next day, she was initially worried about how she should comfort Xiang Yang but felt relieved upon seeing that¡ª although Xiang Yang¡¯s face was swollen¡ªshe was in a good mood. The two agreed to go shopping and pick out some gifts for the family¡¯s elders.

    The three elders of the Shi family were all capricious folk. Their children were all well, and even their youngest had her brothers and sisters-in -law to take care of her, so they could now travel the world with even fewer worries about their kids. They told their children they wouldn¡¯t be returning unless it was necessary or something important had happened. Of course, they would return whenever they got homesick or tired of traveling.

    ¡®Homesick? Shi Ke, Shi Nian, and Shi Xiu thought. ¡®That¡¯s a first.¡¯ The reasons their elders were homesick about were also quite strange; they said they would miss Xiang Yang¡¯s tea and Yun Nan¡¯s cooking.

    Xiang Yang and Yun Nan knew the elders would definitely come back with tons of gifts for them, so they decided to buy some gifts for them, too. Such a leisure activity was rare for the two girls.

    They bought numerous things and got everything sent directly to the Shi family house. Then, with empty hands, the two found a caf¨¦ and sat down to rest and take stock of the things they wanted to buy for everyone.

    Xiang Yang was in a much better mood. She took a sip of her cold beverage and sighed comfortably. Yun Nan brought two small cakes over and urged, ¡°Try some. Fang Xi said the desserts here are quite delicious.¡±

    Xiang Yang sipped her drink and poked at the cakes before softly saying, ¡°I confessed to Shi Ke about my past yesterday.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s eyes widened, and she swallowed her beverage and replied, ¡°¡®Confess¡¯? Dear, that¡¯s a bad choice of words. To Shi Ke, that¡¯s called ¡®opening up your heart.¡±¡®

    Xiang Yang was embarrassed by her teasing and mock-glared at her. ¡°Haha, very funny,¡± Xiang Yang grumbled.

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°Fang Xi has repeatedly instructed me to take good care of you. She said that you¡¯re digging yourself into a hole. I didn¡¯t know what she meant then, but now I understand you¡¯re dwelling on the past. Don¡¯t you understand after seeing the people of Lu Town? If you hope to live a happy and decent life, you need to learn to let go of your mistakes..¡±

 Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-Four: The Good and Bad

    Chapter 224: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-Four: The Good and Bad

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Suddenly, the two girls overheard someone say, ¡°The Shi family is just so-so if you ask me. There are many talented and beautiful young ladies with affluent family backgrounds, so why limit yourself to the Shi family? Shi Xiu seems to be an unruly girl; she¡¯ll hardly listen to you in the future even if she becomes your daughter-in-law. Bai Jie, no offense, but you¡¯re being way too hasty. How can you just go straight to the Shi family after arriving here without checking out the other families?¡±

    Yun Nan and Xiang Yang exchanged a glance and didn¡¯t turn back. They could tell by her voice that it was Madam Gu speaking. Not the Madam Gu from the main family; this Madam Gu was from the rather influential branch family¡ª

    Chang Hui. The other lady she was speaking to could only be the main family¡¯s Madam Gu¡ªGu Fei¡¯s mother.

    ¡® The Gu familv is too large and complicated,¡¯ the two girls thouzht. ¡°Speaking

    of which, they¡¯re technically your aunties, aren¡¯t they?¡± Xiang Yang whispered.

    Yun Nan gave that some serious thought before replying, ¡°Yeah, looks like it.¡± The two looked at each other and smiled.

    ¡°Chang Hui, you mean you want me to set the Shi family¡¯s daughter aside first and consider other marriage candidates instead?¡± Bai Jie asked.

    Chang Hui¡¯s tone was arrogant as she answered, ¡°Of course! With Gu Fei¡¯s status, we can¡¯t decide on his marriage so hastily! There are so many other young ladies from prestigious families; shouldn¡¯t we take a good look at them all before making a decision?¡±

    Bai Jie, however, was very calm. She stated, ¡°But this engagement was personally made by Old Master Gu himself. We¡­ Moreover, Shi Xiu is a pretty good marriage candidate in terms of looks, wealth, and family background. I¡¯m already very pleased that Gu Fei can marry Shi Xiu.¡±

    Chang Hui sounded slightly anxious as she tried to dissuade Bai Jie, ¡°*Sigh* You¡¯re too easily satisfied, Bai Jie. Think about it¡ªShi Xiu has two powerful brothers on her side. Won¡¯t our Gu Fei be under her thumb in the future if he marries her?¡±

    She continued, ¡°That Shi Nian is very capable; the Shi family won¡¯t hand their business to Shi Xiu with him around, so what else can Shi Xiu offer us aside from her dowry? I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll get even the smallest of the Shi family¡¯s business with how business-savvy her brother is. Gu Fei should do what Gu He did if you ask me¡ªfind a wealthy family with an only daughter and marry her. That way, in the future, everything from her family will belong to our Gu He!¡±

    Bai Jie smiled and changed the topic. ¡°I heard that Uncle Gu Bei has found his daughter?¡±

    ¡°Hmph! She¡¯s a girl; what¡¯s the use of searching for her? Our family isn¡¯t foolish like Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao¡ªmaking a big fuss and wasting their whole lives desperately searching for their daughter. Hey, have you heard? Uncle Gu Bei found his daughter, but she was already dead! They spent so much effort searching for her, but she¡¯s gone! Hahahaha!¡± Chang Hui covered her mouth and laughed.

    Yun Nan clenched her fists and made to stand up, but Xiang Yang desperately pulled her back and whispered, ¡°Calm down! Take it easy!¡±

    Yun Nan suppressed the anger in her heart and sat down. Xiang Yang advised, ¡®Your identity is quite awkward. If you clash with them recklessly, I¡¯m afraid the one who¡¯ll be in a difficult position is Grandma Chen Yao.¡±

    Hearing that, Yun Nan finally calmed down and exhaled lightly. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to let Shi Xiu marry into such a family,¡± Yun Nan muttered.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Even if she ends up marrying into that family, Shi Xiu will cause complete chaos and drive them up the wall. Shi Xiu won¡¯t let them bully her!¡± Xiang Yang had known Shi Xiu several years longer than Yun Nan did, so she had a better grasp of Shi Xiu¡¯s nature. Yun Nan thought about it and agreed¡ª Shi Xiu wasn¡¯t one to be bullied.

    Xiang Yang peeked outside and said, ¡°Hey, that ¡®so-called¡¯ sister of yours is here, too.¡± Yun Nan and Xiang Yang¡¯s positions were relatively hidden. They could see outside, but those outside couldn¡¯t see them.

    Yun Nan looked over and saw Yun Liu affectionately holding Gu Wei¡¯s arm as they walked in. Beside them was Yun Liu¡¯s biological mother, Little Madam Gu, Zheng Xiu.

    Yun Nan frowned. ¡°That woman with her¡­ is your birth mother?¡± Xiang Yang asked hesitantly.

    Yun Nan nodded. Xiang Yang sighed. ¡°You look.. very much like her.¡±

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. ¡°So what? There¡¯s only Yun Liu in her eyes. She¡¯d raised her since she was a kid, after all. From the moment she adopted Yun Liu, I¡ªher biological daughter¡ªno longer existed to her. Therefore, emotionally, she couldn¡¯t accept me.¡±

    ¡°How foolish!¡± Xiang Yang angrily commented. Yun Nan was already numb to it so she didn¡¯t say anything further.

    ¡°Auntie Bai Jie, Auntie Chang Hui, sorry we¡¯re late,¡± Yun Liu spoke up to apologize on behalf of her two mothers.

    Bai Jie amicably said, ¡°I came out to relax, so there¡¯s nothing to be late for. Go on, have s seat.¡±

    On the other hand, Chang Hui sarcastically jibed, ¡°I know you three have a lot to catch up on, so it¡¯s understandable that you forgot the time.¡±

    Gu Wei had quite a good impression of the main family¡¯s Madam Gu, Bai Jie, but she didn¡¯t think much of the branch family¡¯s Madam Gu. Furthermore, because Zheng Xiu was Yun Liu¡¯s biological mother, Gu Wei naturally stood on her side and would protect her fellow sister-mother in every possible way.

    Annoyed at Chang Hui¡¯s remark, Gu Wei smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re right, I have a lot to talk about with Zheng Xiu. I have to tell her everything that has happened to Yun Liu since she was a kid. I feel like I won¡¯t be able to finish telling her everything even in several years! Yun Liu is now a young lady in her twenties, after all.¡±

    With that statement, Gu Wei had chosen sides and made her position clear..

 Chapter 225 - Chapter 225: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-Five: Infighting

    Chapter 225: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-Five: Infighting

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Chang Hui had an ugly expression on her face. Bai Jie tried to smooth things over, saying, ¡®You know, I think Yun Liu looks quite similar to you, Gu Wei. I guess it¡¯s true when people say that children resemble whoever raises them. This way, our two families have even closer ties.¡±

    Gu Wei nodded. ¡°Yeah, Yun Liu does look like me. Maybe Zheng Xiu and I were sisters in our previous life, and in this life, we¡¯re raising a daughter together.¡±

    ¡°Wow, it seems like Zheng Xiu and you were meant to be. Speaking of which,

    Yun Liu is quite lucky. My sister-in-law and I were talking about our Uncle Gu Bei¡¯s daughter just now. She also went missing when she was a child. I heard they found her recently, but she¡¯d already passed on. *Sigh* The poor thing,¡± Bai Jie stated. The woman¡¯s diplomatic ability was probably beyond the other women combined; she placated everyone with just a few words and successfully changed the topic.

    Zheng Xiu evidently hadn¡¯t known about this and said surprisedly, ¡°Really? Oh, my! How can this be?¡±

    Gu Wei and Yun Liu were confused, not knowing the Gu family well enough to know what they were talking about. Zheng Xiu hurriedly explained, ¡°Uncle Gu Bei is the Gu main family¡¯s second son and only has one daughter. She¡¯s the youngest child of our generation. She went missing when she was five years old. Uncle Gu Bei and his wife searched for her all their lives and didn¡¯t have another child. *Sigh* It¡¯s a real pity.¡±

    So saying, Zheng Xiu adopted a well-timed mournful expression. Gu Wei was shocked and commented, ¡°Heavens! They didn¡¯t have any other children just for the sake of their missing daughter?¡±

    Zheng Xiu nodded. ¡°Yeah. Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao are a loving couple. Aunt Chen Yao missed her child so much she went a little mental for a few years, so Uncle Gu Bei quit all his jobs and brought her everywhere to search for their child. *Sigh!*¡±

    Zheng Xiu sighed heavily and continued, ¡°Therefore, after our Yun Liu went missing, our elders didn¡¯t allow us to do as Uncle Gu Bei did, and that¡¯s why Yun Liu also has a younger brother. However, my health broke down after birthing him. Fortunately, Chang Hui took pity on me and helped me raise Gu He, treating him as her own.¡±

    Yun Nan and Xiang Yang looked at each other as they listened in on their conversation and thought, ¡®No wonder Yun Liu is such a schemer; it turns out she¡¯d inherited it from her biological mother. To think that you can inherit such a thing; how terrifying!¡¯

    This Little Madam Gu managed to wash herself of any blame with just a few words. She¡¯d conveyed that though someone else in their family had also lost their child and had chosen not to have any other children, she wasn¡¯t allowed such a luxury, so that¡¯s why Yun Liu had a younger brother. Zheng Xiu¡¯s son was the only male heir in their branch of the family, so he was raised by the branch family¡¯s matriarch, Madam Gu. Despite being the family matriarch, Madam Gu didn¡¯t have a son, so everything in the Gu branch family would belong to her son!

    In that one statement, Zheng Xiu mocked Gu Wei and Chang Hui but then turned around at the end and complimented Chang Hui, making her feel better. Zheng Xiu was truly masterful with her words.

    Bai Jie was also impressed and slightly threatened by Zheng Xiu¡¯s skill and secretly thought it was fortunate that Madam Gu and her husband were in charge of that branch of the family instead of Cheng Xiu. No matter how capable Zheng Xiu was, she could only be suppressed by Madam Gu and her husband, unable to do much. As for Madam Gu and her husband¡­ one was stupid, and the other honest and modest; they won¡¯t amount to much.

    ¡°Thankfully, you have my younger brother to accompany you, Mom.

    Otherwise, you would¡¯ve repeated Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao¡¯s mistake,¡±

    Yun Liu commented distressedly. Bai Jie was again impressed, this time by Yun Liu¡¯s clever and quick response. ¡®Indeed,¡¯ she thought. ¡®Good genes are important. Look how well Cheng Xiu¡¯s daughter turned out despite not being raised by her.¡¯

    Chang Hui frowned. Although she didn¡¯t have time to work out their intentions, she knew very well that these women were pretentious and overbearing. Thus, she interrupted their touchy-feely show and said indifferently, ¡°Speaking of which, I know you grew up with the Yuns, but Gu He is your biological brother, so he¡¯s the one you will be relying on in the future. Since you¡¯ve now returned to our Gu family, you should think of our family first before anyone else. You have to side with us. Your female cousins all dote on Gu He, doing everything he says since they were kids, and I hope you¡ªhis sister¡ªdo as well!¡±

    ¡°I will!¡± Yun Liu replied with a smile. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    Gu Wei felt slightly upset when she heard this and sighed lightly at Zheng Xiu before saying, ¡°When Yun Liu was with us, she only had one elder brother, and he also doted on her and did everything she said. We have all pampered her since she was a kid, and she grew up gentle and sensible. Don¡¯t worry, Zheng Xiu. Yun Liu is a caring and considerate child!¡±

    Chang Hui was very unhappy when she heard that¡ªGu Wei¡¯s words were obviously targeting her. ¡®IfI didn¡¯t ask Zheng Xiu to fonn connections with the Yun family, she would¡¯ve left after taking her child without even a backward glance. Who does Gu Wei think she is? How dare she spout such nonsense before me/ Chang Hui inwardly fumed.

    Hence, she glared at Zheng Xiu. Zheng Xiu lowered her eyes and took a sip of her coffee. She didn¡¯t appreciate Gu Wei¡¯s help, nor would she thank her. She didn¡¯t instigate her. What Gu Wei did had nothing to do with her.

    Bai Jie was delighted at the scene playing out before her. Despite their many children, the Gu¡¯s main and branch families only have one male heir each. Gu He, as the branch family¡¯s only male child, had grown up pampered and competed with Gu Fei in everything. Like Gu Fei, Gu He has been climbing higher in their family¡¯s company these past few years. Due to that fact, the branch family¡¯s women became brazen and occasionally tested and trampled on the Gu main family. Bai Jie ignored them, so they thought themselves powerful.

    During her trip here, Bai Jie had come to the understanding that the best way to make these women stop was to instigate them into fighting each other! Bai Jie would do whatever it takes to remove all obstacles for her son..

 Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-Six: Apologize

    Chapter 226: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-Six: Apologize

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Someone who seemed like a secretary hurried over and whispered a few words into Bai Jie¡¯s ear. Bai Jie immediately sat up straight and uttered, ¡°What? Uncle Gu Bei is being hospitalized here?!¡±

    Chang Hui and Zheng Xiu were also shocked. ¡°Is he only accompanied by Auntie Chen Yao?¡± Bai Jie asked the secretary.

    The secretary nodded and replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Straight away, Bai Jie told Chang Hui and Zheng Xiu, ¡°Dear sisters-in-law, we should go visit him at the hospital. Why don¡¯t you two go home with me and make preparations?¡±

    She sighed again. ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s really miserable to be childless at such an old age. He wouldn¡¯t be in this lonely state if he¡¯d at least adopted a child.¡±

    And with that remark, Bai Jie left. Ignoring Gu Wei and Yun Liu¡ªwho were standing beside them, confused¡ªChang Hui pulled Zheng Xiu close and asked anxiously, ¡°What does she mean?¡±

    Zheng Xiu gently broke free from Chang Hui¡¯s grasp and only said, ¡°We should hurry up and go with her. Let¡¯s talk about it when we get home.¡±

    Yun Nan and Xiang Yang sighed in relief after the group of women all left. ¡°I also have the same question. What do you think Mrs. Gu meant?¡± Xiang Yang inquired curiously.

    Yun Nan turned to look at the women¡¯s disappearing figures and shook her head, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t figure out what they mean; each and every one of those women seems like they have too many tricks up their sleeves.¡±

    Xiang Yang nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. I myself can¡¯t tell who Madam Gu is siding with. Which sister-in-law do you think she supports? It must be really hard on her with all the criticism and instigation she has to deal with and deliver. She still tries to be adroit and please both sides when she¡¯s not all that bright in the first place. ¡±

    ¡°Yun Nan,¡± someone called out softly, stunning Yun Nan.

    It was Yun Zhang, standing before them with a haggard expression. Yun Nan stood up and didn¡¯t say anything. Yun Zhang looked at her and smiled wryly.

    It was obvious that Yun Zhang had something to say to her, so Yun Nan sat down and said, ¡°Have a seat. What would you like to drink?¡±

    Yun Nan briefly introduced Yun Zhang and Xiang Yang to each other: ¡°This is my brother, Yun Zhang, and this is Big Brother Shi Ke¡¯s wife, my sister-in-law, Xiang Yang.¡±

    Xiang Yang got up and stated, ¡°You guys chat. I¡¯ll go check out the desserts.¡± Yun Zhang stood up apologetically and thanked Xiang Yang for giving them space.

    After Xiang Yang left, there was a momentary silence before Yun Zhang began the conversation: ¡°Yun Liu found her biological parents.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°I know. The Gu family of White City.¡±

    Yun Zhang didn¡¯t speak further. Yun Nan looked at him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He didn¡¯t seem to be happy for his beloved sister.

    ¡®Is he disappointed? she thought. Yun Nan felt slightly bemused. ¡®My relatives weren¡¯t happy when their biological child had been found, and now they aren¡¯t pleased that their adopted child had found her biological family. What do they want from us?

    Yun Zhang rubbed his face with his hands and told her, ¡°In the beginning, not only did the Gu family not thank us for raising Yun Liu, they even accused us of kidnapping her. ¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s eyes widened when she heard that, but then she gave it some thought. ¡® That does fit the style of those Gu family¡¯s madams.¡¯

    ¡°What about Yun Liu? What¡¯s her stance on this?¡± This matter mainly depended on Yun Liu¡¯s approach to it. Of course, the Yun family should also straighten things out with the Gu family themselves.

    ¡°Yun Liu moved to the Gu family without saying a word, but then she suddenly came back with her biological mother and a bunch of gifts, saying that she wanted to thank our family for raising her,¡± Yun Zhang answered, subconsciously using the words ¡°our family.¡±

    Yun Nan frowned. ¡°So Yun Liu convinced the Gu family?¡± Instinctively, she didn¡¯t believe Yun Liu would do that, but she thought the Yun family would believe she did.

    ¡°Yun Liu came to me yesterday and said that the Gu family wants to invest in Yun Entertainment. She asked me to hand over Yun Entertainment to her. She said, I¡¯m a man with great talents and should choose a field more suitable for myself rather than waste my potential in such a useless industry.¡±

    Yun Nan was both amused and angered by that. ¡°A useless industry?¡± she chuckled. Yun Zhang, however, didn¡¯t find anything funny about it. He didn¡¯t know how to describe his feelings and could only sigh.

    Yun Nan calmed down and questioned, ¡°So what do you plan to do? Are you going to give her Yun Entertainment?¡± In the end, this was the Yun family¡¯s private matter, and that family had long severed ties with her. It had nothing to do with her.

    ¡°Yun Nan, I¡¯ve been to the small town where you lived when you were young,¡± Yun Zhang suddenly uttered.

    Yun Nan froze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Yun Zhang said softly. Yun Nan stared at the

    dejected Yun Zhang. She didn¡¯t know what his apology was for, nor did she understand why he went to Lu Town.

    Yun Zhang smiled bitterly. ¡°My parents and I have done many things wrong, but they still don¡¯t believe that they were at fault. Yun Liu, she¡­ she¡ª¡± Yun Zhang couldn¡¯t continue speaking.

    Yun Nan inwardly sighed. Actually, Yun Zhang didn¡¯t believe he was at fault either. However, because he had seen some facts, he had no choice but to face them. Yun Nan feared that their parents wouldn¡¯t want to face the facts, even if those facts were an elephant that was dressed in a pink tutu..

 Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty- Seven: Weâ€™re Square

    Chapter 227: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty- Seven: We¡¯re Square

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡® Things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this if they were truly such clear-headed and sensible people,¡¯ Yun Nan thought sadly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll settle Yun Entertainment¡¯s copyright cases as soon as possible. I¡¯ll pay the compensation we owe you without delay. I won¡¯t hand Yun Entertainment over to Yun Liu. No matter what, the company is my life¡¯s work. Yun Liu is now a member of the Gu family. With her family backing her up, she doesn¡¯t need our small company,¡± Yun Zhang growled.

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t bear to watch him continue to be so foolish and said, ¡°Her parents are from a branch of the Gu family; her father is the second son, and only the eldest has the final say in that branch. The entire Gu family won¡¯t value her, so to her, the only thing she can use is the Yun family. In the past, she wanted to use Yun Entertainment to make herself famous. Now, she probably wants to own the Yun Corporation so that she¡¯ll have some status in the Gu family. Otherwise, she¡¯ll only be a puppet when she returns to the Gu family, and it¡¯ll be impossible for her to be pampered like she was in the Yun family.¡±

    Yun Zhang was shocked at that statement and frowned, saying, ¡°Yun Liu, she¡­ She won¡¯t¡­ It can¡¯t be. Our family raised her¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then, just do as you planned,¡± Yun Nan didn¡¯t want to argue about that and interrupted him. ¡® Why try to wake a person who was pretending to be asleep? she thought. ¡®It would only be futile.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m busy with some things today, so I gotta go,¡± Yun Nan said as she stood up.

    She was about to leave when Yun Zhang uttered, ¡°Yun Nan, I will convince Mom and Dad and have them acknowledge you. You are a member of the Yun family. We are your family.¡±

    Yun Nan turned around and smiled gently at her biological brother. ¡°It¡¯s fine; I don¡¯t need their acknowledgement. You¡¯ve been to Lu Town, so you should know that there are many kinds of families. Family isn¡¯t limited to blood relations. ¡±

    Yun Nan patted Xiang Yang, who had already inspected and admired the cakes and desserts for a few rounds, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s continue shopping.¡±

    Xiang Yang felt the change in Yun Nan¡¯s mood. After they¡¯d bought some more stuff, she spoke up, ¡°Did your brother upset you? You don¡¯t seem any happier even after buying several expensive pieces of jewelry.¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled when she heard this. ¡°Why would I be happy about spending so much money? My wallet is taking a big hit here.¡±

    Xiang Yang rolled her eyes. Yun Nan smiled and sighed softly. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because finding our biological family was my mother¡¯s obsession back then, so it¡¯s always a pity for me that my biological family doesn¡¯t accept me. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with that brother of mine. He seems to want to acknowledge me but doesn¡¯t completely want to at the same time. I don¡¯t know. ¡±

    She continued, ¡°When Grandpa and Grandma Gu saw my mother¡¯s portrait, it was an extremely bittersweet moment for them. I can only imagine how happy they would¡¯ve been if my mother were alive. So why weren¡¯t my biological parents happy when I returned to them? They didn¡¯t want me; my arrival made them feel at a loss. They completely denied me after Yun Liu ¡®committed suicide¡¯ several times, but I¡¯m their biological child!¡±

    Xiang Yang patted Yun Nan on the shoulder and remarked, ¡°Forget about them. With or without them, you¡¯re all grown up anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not like you renounced them¡ªthey¡¯re the ones who disowned you, so why worry yourself sick about it? They aren¡¯t concerned about such things at all.¡±

    She then pointed at herself. ¡°Feelings can fade. Take my parents, for example; they used to love each other to death. But now, I don¡¯t think my mother has a place in his heart anymore, you know?¡±

    ¡°It would be unreasonable for me to insist on asking him to keep my mother in his heart, but I couldn¡¯t accept him forgetting about my mother either, so I chose not to see him. If he wants to forget about my mother, then let him forget everything to do with her, including me. I wouldn¡¯t exist without her, after all. I didn¡¯t even invite him to my wedding. I think it¡¯s best for us to keep our distance.¡±

    Yun Nan reached out and hugged Xiang Yang. Xiang Yang smiled and stated, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me; I¡¯ve gotten over it long ago. My relationship with my relatives here gradually faded after my grandfather passed away. Nowadays, we¡¯re more business partners than anything else. However, because we¡¯re related, there¡¯s a stronger foundation of trust between our businesses than with others. We¡¯re all quite comfortable with our current state. It¡¯s a good balance to maintain.¡±

    Yun Nan pensively nodded. ¡°That is a useful lesson. Yun Liu has always been up to her tricks and has made up a lot of rumors about Shi Xiu when she didn¡¯t know Shi Xiu was our lead actress. Even if my studio doesn¡¯t prosecute them, Shi Nian won¡¯t let Yun Entertainment off. We¡¯ve been in a deadlock with them over these minor lawsuits, so it¡¯s just as well that he said he would settle those matters as soon as possible. We¡¯re square now.¡±

    Although she said that, Yun Nan inwardly still felt a little disappointed. However, thanks to Xiang Yang¡¯s consolation, her mood finally recovered slightly.

    ¡®All things happen as they will and can¡¯t be forced. There¡¯s no point in worrying about it,¡¯ she thought..

 Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-Eight: Cozying Up

    Chapter 228: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-Eight: Cozying Up

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The two sisters-in-law were enjoying their shopping trip when they bumped into Xi Cheng and Lin Yu. ¡°Xiang Yang? Yun Nan?¡± Xi Cheng stopped in his tracks and called out in surprise. Only then did Lin Yu, who was holding his arm, notice the two of them.

    Xiang Yang smiled and teased, ¡°Oh, my! Look who it is! I didn¡¯t think I would actually meet a nice guy willing to accompany his fianc¨¦e out shopping. Lin Yu, you should let him accompany you more often. You won¡¯t get this kind of treatment after you¡¯re married!¡±

    Xi Cheng chuckled embarrassedly, ¡°Big Bro Shi Ke and Shi Nian are just too busy; otherwise, they would be out here with you two as well. I happen to be free today, so I came with her to pick out a birthday present for my mother.¡±

    Before Lin Yu could say anything, Xi Cheng removed her hand from his arm and said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you two are here; you women can shop together since you have something in common to talk about. We¡¯re done picking out the gifts, so I¡¯ll be going now. You girls enjoy yourselves! Just swipe my card if you want to buv anvthinc. I¡¯ll go look for Shi Nian and Ye Kun: I haven¡¯t had the chance to meet up with them since they went on that trip together.¡±

    And with that, Xi Cheng ran away before Lin Yu could say anything, leaving behind a slightly embarrassed Lin Yu.

    Xiang Yang smiled and said, ¡°Never mind; let him go. You can deal with him when you get home. Once those boys get together, they instantly become children, each more immature than the last.¡±

    Lin Yu giggled. Xiang Yang asked, ¡°You two have met before, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. We had a meal together,¡± Yun Nan replied indifferently.

    Lin Yu¡¯s eyes narrowed at that, and she avoided Yun Nan¡¯s gaze as she commented to Xiang Yang, ¡°The jewelry pieces showcased at your exhibition are really beautiful, Xiang Yang. We ordered a lot of them.¡±

    Xiang Yang inquired, ¡°Have you received them yet? You can let me know if there are any problems with the after-sales service.¡±

    Seemingly overwhelmed and unsure of how to express her gratitude, Lin Yu proposed, ¡°Thank you. I will, Xiang Yang. Why don¡¯t I treat you two to lunch?¡± Xiang Yang glanced at Yun Nan and smiled. ¡°Sure! Why not?¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t have a good impression of Lin Yu. It wasn¡¯t only because she was close with Gu Man and Shi Gao, but also because she didn¡¯t stop her two friends despite knowing that they had designs on the married Shi brothers and even secretly created opportunities for them.

    However, seeing that Xiang Yang was in high spirits, Yun Nan didn¡¯t reject the offer. The trio went to a restaurant and made their orders. While they were waiting for the food to arrive, Xiang Yang went to the washroom.

    Now alone with Lin Yu, Yun Nan smiled at her, but before she could say anything, Lin Yu took the initiative to apologize. ¡°Yun Nan, I¡¯m sorry. Gu Man and Shi Gao are both my friends, and they¡¯ve caused you all a lot of trouble. I¡ª I¡¯ve wanted to apologize to you, but I haven¡¯t had the chance.¡±

    Since she¡¯d apologized, Yun Nan couldn¡¯t say anything about it any further. She gave it some thought and decided that Xiang Yang¡¯s emotional health was the priority here. Since that was the case, she wouldn¡¯t expose Lin Yu for now. Yun Nan told Lin Yu, ¡°My sister-in-law doesn¡¯t know that you and Shi Gao are good friends. Shi Gao just made a scene before her not long ago, so you¡¯d better not agitate her.¡±

    Lin Yu heaved a sigh of relief and replied, ¡°Thank you, Yun Nan. Thank you so much.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t say anything. Lin Yu pursed her lips and remarked, ¡°I¡¯m so envious that you sisters-in-law get along so well. Although Gu Man is my future mother-in-law¡¯s goddaughter and Shi Gao is my friend, they¡¯re actually both just using me. They don¡¯t really treat me as their friend, but I still greet them with a smile and clean up their mess.¡±

    Yun Nan frowned. ¡°Then why bother being friends with them? You can be friends with people you get along with, but you don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t get along. There¡¯s no need to make do and put up with them.¡±

    When Lin Yu heard this, she knew she¡¯d managed to convince Yun Nan and couldn¡¯t keep the joy from her face. However, that joy was tentative and fleeting. It was nowhere to be seen when Lin Yu said awkwardly, ¡°Shi Gao, Gu Man, and I are all family friends. Our families, including my in-laws, are all inextricably linked. I can¡¯t fall out with them for the sake of my birth family and my in-laws.¡±

    She timidly glanced at Yun Nan before saying, ¡°My birth family is in decline. Now, everything depends on my in-laws. Helping out my in-laws actually also means helping my birth family. I can¡¯t afford to make a mistake.¡±

    Although Yun Nan felt that Lin Yu was oversharing a little since they didn¡¯t know each other that well, her attitude did clearly soften after hearing her words. Yun Nan stated, ¡°Every family has their problems. Both Xiang Yang and I aren¡¯t hard to get along with, but no one in the Shi family will show mercy when someone bullies my sister-in-law. I¡¯m afraid things will also be difficult for you when that time comes. Since that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you distance yourself from Shi Gao? It¡¯ll be good for everyone.¡±

    Lin Yu nodded gratefully. ¡°Thanks for the advice. I know what to do now.¡±

    Xiang Yang was unaware of what had occurred between the two girls. Like Shi Ke, she treated Xi Cheng, Ye Kun, and the others like children, so she was quite genial to Lin Yu.

    The meal was peaceful. Lin Yu even did her best to cozy up and be nice to Yun Nan before Xiang Yang..

 Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-Nine: Persuasion

    Chapter 229: Chapter Two-Hundred and Twenty-Nine: Persuasion

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    In the hospital, looking at Gu Bei¡¯s sleeping face, Chen Yao finally sighed in relief. Fortunately, thanks to the timely medical treatment, it was a close call, but Gu Bei pulled through.

    ¡°Madam, the other madams from the family have rushed over,¡± Secretary Xiao Jiang whispered in her ear.

    Chen Yao was slightly surprised. She looked at Gu Bei, who was sleeping soundly, and nodded. She gestured to the two intensive care nurses to monitor Gu Bei before walking out with Xiao Jiang.

    ¡°Chen Nian called and asked me to tell you he has already informed Mr. Shi about our recent work processes. Mr. Shi has started to handle our official business with him. Please rest assured.¡±

    Chen Yao nodded. ¡°Shi Nian is Yun Nan¡¯s husband and our grandson-in-law. He¡¯s one of us. If anything happens in the future and we¡¯re not around, you can go to Shi Nian and Yun Nan directly.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Xiao Jiang replied.

    Bai Jie and the others all stood up when they saw Chen Yao. Chen Yao gave them a gentle smile and inquired, ¡°Why are you all here?¡±

    ¡°Auntie Chen Yao, how is Uncle Gu Bei?¡± Bai Jie asked worriedly. ¡°We were shocked when we heard the news just now and quickly came over.¡±

    Chen Yao gestured for everyone to sit down before sitting down on an armchair herself and saying gently, ¡°Sorry to have worried you all. Gu Bei¡¯s fine now. His heart isn¡¯t the healthiest, and he was probably stressed lately, so his heart

    acted up. Fortunately, we got him medical treatment in time.¡±

    Chang Hui heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s great. My, my, we were so worried all the way here.¡± She looked at her two sisters-in-law, and they both cooperatively nodded in unison.

    Chen Yao sighed. ¡®We¡¯re not getting any younger; things like this are bound to happen. I¡¯m sorry we made you guys worry too.¡±

    Bai Jie commented, ¡°Aunt Chen Yao, we¡¯re just afraid something bad might happen to you two. We understand that you and Uncle Gu Bei like your quiet life, but you can¡¯t live alone anymore. You two should bring bodyguards, assistants, secretaries, and all that wherever you go. That way, we¡¯ll feel more at ease.¡±

    Chen Yao smiled and uttered, ¡°Yeah, we did bring doctors along with us on our trip this time. You¡¯re right. If we weren¡¯t so well prepared and brought along such a wide selection of people with us, your Uncle Gu Bei wouldn¡¯t have pulled through so easily. We¡¯ve decided to stop running around so often and settle down. We¡¯re getting old, even if we don¡¯t want to admit it.¡±

    Zheng Xiu hurriedly stated, ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Aunt Chen Yao. It¡¯s not a bad thing for you and Uncle Gu Bei to travel around when your health still allows it. It¡¯s just safer if you bring a doctor along.¡±

    Chen Yao smiled at her, happy that she approved of their frequent travels. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been to quite a few places these past few days. But we won¡¯t be traveling much in the future. We¡¯ll settle down and retire.¡±

    Chang Hui saw the scene and felt very uncomfortable. ¡®Zheng Xiu and her clever words,¡¯ she inwardly grumbled. She had always disliked her and Bai Jie¡¯s sanctimonious behavior. ¡®Can¡¯t theyjust be straightforward for a change? Whats there to beat around the bush about?

    Of course, Chang Hui wasn¡¯t a fool and naturally knew how to read expressions. Judging by Aunt Chen Yao¡¯s relaxed composure, she knew that Uncle Gu Bei was fine. Now would be a great time to bring up their idea. Why wait when they could get things done as soon as possible?

    Chang Hui began to persuade Chen Yao. ¡°Aunt Chen Yao, I don¡¯t think just having a doctor on hand is enough. You and Uncle Gu Bei should at least have two youngsters by your side. They can take care of your health and also cheer you up. Physically and emotionally, it¡¯s the best cure for you two.¡± She looked at Bai Jie and Zheng Xiu, trying to get them to go along with her as she asked them, ¡°Aren¡¯t I right, ladies?¡±

    Chen Yao¡¯s smile faded, but she didn¡¯t deny Chang Hui¡¯s words. She nodded and replied, ¡°You have a good point, dear. We¡¯ll consider it in the future.¡±

    With that said, she turned to Bai Jie without waiting for Chang Hui to say anything else and inquired, ¡°I heard that you¡¯re here to arrange a marriage for Gu Fei? How¡¯s that going?¡±

    Bai Jie gave her a pursed-lip smile and answered, ¡°I went and spoke with the Shi family. The girl¡¯s¡ªShi Xiu¡¯s¡ªparents, brothers, and sisters-in-law didn¡¯t have any objections, so we¡¯re letting the two children get along first. Gu Fei went to a place called Lu Town with Shi Xiu several days ago and came back saying he was so tired he couldn¡¯t even get out of bed. But from the looks of it, I can tell that they had a lot of fun.¡±

    Chen Yao was bewildered. ¡®Lu Town? she thought. ¡®Shi Xiu indeed had a lot of fun there, but I¡¯m certain Gu Fei wasn¡¯t there with her. Gu Fei is most likely using Shi Xiu as a cover.¡¯

    She kept her expression neutral and didn¡¯t expose the matter. Shi Xiu was a decent and sensible child, and Gu Fei wasn¡¯t unreliable like Gu He. Hence, Chen Yao smiled and nodded without saying a word before changing the topic and chatting about their daily lives with the other ladies..

 Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty: A Daughter?!

    Chapter 230: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty: A Daughter?!

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    When Chang Hui saw that the atmosphere was more or less right, she once again mentioned, ¡°Aunt Chen Yao, once Uncle Gu Bei has recovered, I think you should persuade him to adopt two children from our clan so that they can be by your side and take care of you two. That way, everyone will be at ease. The kids will have to be able to care for you, so don¡¯t pick the younger ones. Pick those who are in their twenties¡ªadults and capable of doing things and helping you out!¡±

    Bai Jie and Zheng Xiu lowered their heads and pretended to drink water. Chen

    Yao froze for a moment. Her smile faded, and her voice cooled as she replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Every child is precious to their family. Their parents have painstakingly raised them, so how can we bear to take them away? That would be cruel.¡±

    Chang Hui felt her idea had a chance when she heard this and hurriedly said, ¡°Oh, come now, that¡¯s silly! It¡¯s really not such a big deal! The kids are all from our own family, no matter how you look at it. Does it make any difference which branch of the family they¡¯re in? They¡¯re all our family¡¯s younger generation; it¡¯s their duty and blessing to care for their elders!¡±

    ¡°Aunt Chen Yao, don¡¯t worry. No one would dare to have any objections, so feel free to pick whichever child you fancy. Or, you can let the children draw lots! You can choose to adopt any of the kids; it¡¯s fine even if you want Gu Fei and Gu

    Chang Hui was loud and melodramatic; she was generally an unlikeable person. Bai Jie and Zheng Xiu did their best to distance themselves from the woman; they continued pretending to drink water, stared intently down at their fingers, and looked around the room. They really wanted to find a hole and disappear into it!

    However, Chang Hui refused to let them off. She put them on the spot when she asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Bai Jie? Zheng Xiu?¡± And she started chuckling after she finished speaking.

    Bai Jie and Zheng Xiu could only nod; they didn¡¯t know what else to say. Chen Yao was well known for her good temper and only lightly said, ¡°You truly don¡¯t have to worry about that. Gu Bei and I will only have Xiao He as our child in our lives. Fortunately, Xiao He has a daughter, so we have a granddaughter. She¡¯s a lovely child, and we¡¯re very content to have her. She¡¯s all we need.¡±

    The room suddenly fell silent¡ªso quiet that one could hear a pin drop. ¡°A granddaughter?¡± Chang Hui repeated.

    Chen Yao nodded and smiled. ¡°Yes, we have a granddaughter! Your timing is unfortunate; she isn¡¯t here right now. After Gu Bei wakes up, we¡¯ll arrange a time to formally introduce her to everyone!¡±

    She continued, ¡°Now that you mention it, I think we might as well make it a bigger event. We¡¯ll hold a big party and invite all the wealthy and noble folk in the city. It¡¯ll be a good chance to get together and meet each other, and at the same time, our friends and family can meet our granddaughter! You¡¯ve all been worried about us for many years, but you can relax now. Although our Xiao He is no longer around, her daughter is thankfully here with us.¡±

    Chen Yao felt a little sad at the thought of her deceased daughter. However, the other three women didn¡¯t know what to say. They were too shocked by Chen Yao¡¯s words.

    ¡°Xiao He¡­ has a daughter?¡± Bai Jie asked in disbelief. Chen Yao nodded with a lively and bright expression, suddenly looking years younger.

    Chang Hui uttered anxiously, ¡°Auntie Chen Yao, you should be more careful! There are many scammers these days. You can¡¯t acknowledge someone as family so easily! Be careful not to invite disaster!¡±

    Bai Jie hurriedly coughed to interrupt Chang Hui and glared at her. Chen Yao¡¯s face had already darkened into a scowl.

    Bai Jie quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, ¡°Aunt Chen Yao, Chang Hui is blunt and tends to speak her mind without much thought. But you know that she¡¯s only saying this out of kindness. This is a big matter. You¡¯re right; the news of your granddaughter is worth telling everyone. However, you should inform Gu Su about the child¡¯s situation first. It¡¯s best to let someone check her background before announcinq her to the world.¡±

    Chen Yao detachedly stated, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. We know our own grandchild¡¯s temperament and character very well, so there¡¯s no need for you to worry. I still have to take care of Gu Bei. You guys can go about your own businesses. There¡¯s no need to pay your respects to us. Off you go.¡±

    She turned to leave and threw a meaningful glance at her secretary. Xiao Jiang let her pass before saying to the ladies present, ¡°Dear madams, my apologies. Our madam hasn¡¯t had a restful sleep these past few days and isn¡¯t in the state to entertain guests. It¡¯s best if you just go.¡±

    Of course, Chang Hui couldn¡¯t accept this! She had everything planned and even had an adoptee candidate in mind. She was only one step away from succeeding, and suddenly a ¡®granddaughter¡¯ appeared out of nowhere, ruining her plans! How could she let such a thing stand? She was so close to getting her hands on the two elders¡¯ wealth that she could smell the money, only to have it snatched from her hands!

    Chang Hui grabbed Xiao Jiang and demanded, ¡°Xiao Jiang, tell me what¡¯s going on. What¡¯s this about a granddaughter?¡±

    Xiao Jiang quickly replied, ¡°That¡¯s unclear to me, too, Madam. Chen Nian was the one who accompanied them on their trip this time, not me. I don¡¯t know the details either.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Chen Nian?¡± Chang Hui anxiously inquired.

    Xiao Jiang could only give her a generic answer: ¡°Chen Nian is accompanying the Master¡¯s grandson-in-law to help him familiarize himself with some of our company projects¡¯ operations.¡±

    Chang Hui felt even more shocked. ¡°Grandson-in-law? Xiao He¡¯s daughter is married?¡±

    Xiao Jiang nodded. ¡°Yes, she is. Well, I still have things to do. Madam, please see yourself out.¡± And with that, Xiao Jiang ran off..

 Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-One: Mother and Daughter

    Chapter 231: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-One: Mother and Daughter

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°How is this possible?¡± Chang Hui muttered in disbelief. ¡°There¡¯s no way this is possible! They¡¯ve been searching for their daughter for so many years and still couldn¡¯t find her. And suddenly, they skipped over their daughter and found themselves a granddaughter?! What on earth is going on?¡±

    Bai Jie and Zheng Xiu were also confused, but they didn¡¯t want to discuss this with Chang Hui out here in public. Bai Jie said, ¡°Let¡¯s head home. We need to let our husbands and family know about such a big matter.¡±

    Chang Hui regained her rationality and commented, ¡°Bai Jie, there¡¯s no need to worry. She¡¯s only a granddaughter; she won¡¯t affect anything.¡±

    Bai Jie held back her anger at Chang Hui¡¯s idiocy and replied, ¡°What I mean is, we should let our family know so we can be happy for them! Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao have been looking for their daughter for so many years. Shouldn¡¯t we all celebrate now that they¡¯ve found her and got a granddaughter as well?¡±

    Chang Hui realized she¡¯d spoken too plainly and openly and quickly shut her mouth. Zheng Xiu only wished that she could be anywhere but here at this moment. The more Chang Hui spoke, the deeper the hole she dug herself into.

    Yun Liu and Gu Wei returned to the Yun family home with an armful of shopping bags. Tired, Gu Wei sat on the sofa and sighed in relief before saying to Yun Liu, ¡°Guess I¡¯m getting old; my stamina isn¡¯t what it used to be.¡±

    Yun Liu personally brewed the health tea brew Gu Wei always drank and considerately helped Gu Wei massage her shoulders, all without saving a word.

    Gu Wei finally noticed her silence; she held Yun Liu¡¯s hand and pulled her close, asking, ¡°Sweetie, what¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s upset you? I have the feeling that you weren¡¯t very happy before your birth family either.¡±

    Yun Liu lowered her eyes and forced a smile as she said, ¡°No, Mom. Of course, I¡¯m not upset. We¡¯ve finally talked things through with my birth family, and now I can be with you, Mom. I can care for both my birth and adoptive families; I can¡¯t be happier.¡±

    However, the more she said this, the more obvious her daughter¡¯s unhappiness was to Gu Wei. ¡°Silly girl,¡± she chided. ¡°Although I didn¡¯t give birth to you, I raised you! I watched you grow up from a small child to the adult you are today, so don¡¯t think you can lie to me about your feelings. Tell me, who made you unhappy? Was it your brother?¡±

    Tears fell from Yun Liu¡¯s eyes when Gu Wei appeared to have read her mind.

    Yun Liu quickly shook her head when she heard her mother mention Yun Zhang and sobbed, ¡°No, no! Yun Zhang loves me so much; he would never make me unhappy! I only realized he was the best brother in the world when I went home with the Gu family! I feel so bad about making him angry in the past. It¡¯s all my fault; I was so immature!¡±

    Seeing Yun Liu¡¯s tears, Gu Wei felt distressed and uttered, ¡°Then tell me what¡¯s wrong so that I can help you!¡±

    Yun Liu threw herself into Gu Wei¡¯s arms and cried, ¡°Mommy! You¡¯re the best mom in the world! And Daddy and Yun Zhang, too! You¡¯re all the best! I was so lucky in the past, and I didn¡¯t even realize it, and I even felt unsatisfied with what I had! Only now do I know that not all parents love their children so much, and not all kids love their parents. Only our family is the best!¡±

    Gu Wei¡¯s heart just about melted. Teary-eyed, she hugged Yun Liu. Yun Liu calmed herself down, leaned against Gu Wei, and began to confide in her.

    Yun Liu¡¯s biological father, Gu An, and her uncle, Gu Ping, are from the Gu branch family in White City. Due to the talents and efforts of their family¡¯s past two generations, their branch family didn¡¯t fall behind and instead followed closely behind the main Gu family. Thanks to their hard work and achievements, although the Gu main and branch families didn¡¯t have very close blood ties, they had the closest interactions. The branch family also had a very large business but still more or less relied on the main family, so others jokingly referred to them as ¡°the Little Gu family.¡±

    There were very few males in the Gu family; Gu Fei was the main family¡¯s only grandson of their current generation, while the others were all daughters. The Little Gu family was in the same situation. Yun Liu¡¯s younger brother, Gu He, was the only male heir, and the whole family doted on him very much.

    Yun Liu¡¯s uncle, Gu Ping, was in charge of the Little Gu family, and Yun Liu¡¯s father, Gu An, was his little brother. Aside from having a younger brother, Yun Liu also had two older sisters, Gu Mei and Gu Li. Her uncle also had two daughters, Gu Ling and Gu Wen. Gu Ping and Gu An¡¯s two eldest daughters had married well; both were marriages of convenience that would benefit the family. That left Yun Liu with two older sisters¡ªone biological and the other a cousin¡ªwho were still unmarried.

    Yun Liu pitifully told Gu Wei, ¡°My second elder sister and my uncle¡¯s second daughter don¡¯t like me. They¡¯re worried I¡¯ll upstage them and steal away their marriage prospects, so they¡¯re always making things difficult for me. Fortunately, my parents treat us girls quite fairly. And then there¡¯s my younger brother, Gu He. He was raised by both my parents and my uncle¡¯s family and is very pampered. He¡¯s both our families¡¯ top priority and gets the first pick of everything. I love durians, but when I¡¯m with my birth family, I have to wait for Gu He to finish taking his fill before I can have some.¡±

    Gu Wei was shocked. ¡°It¡¯s just durian. Don¡¯t tell me the Gu family can¡¯t even afford durian!¡± she exclaimed, thinking, ¡®That¡¯s ridiculous!

    Yun Liu shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that we can¡¯t afford it, but it¡¯s how our elders set the ground rules. My younger brother will be the head of our branch of the family in the future, so everything our two families own will belong to him. We have to put Gu He first in everything. We have to always keep him in mind and do our best to help him, even after we get married.¡±

    Yun Liu lowered her head as she said, ¡°I look at him every day, and I think of how good Yun Zhang is to me. Ever since I was a kid, Yun Zhang has always been soft to me and gave me everything I wanted..¡±

 Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Two: Manipulating Hearts

    Chapter 232: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Two: Manipulating Hearts

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Wei¡¯s heart ached when she heard that. ¡°That¡¯s such a patriarchal attitude! I can¡¯t believe a wealthy family like theirs would be so hung up on such outdated notions. ¡±

    Yun Liu smiled wryly. ¡°It¡¯s because males are so rare in the family. There¡¯s only one male child in my and my uncle¡¯s families together. Gu He is the only male heir to our branch of the Gu family; it¡¯s little wonder they all spoil him. It¡¯s even more so for the Gu main family. Gu Fei is the sole inheritor of the Gu family¡¯s massive business corporation. You and Dad have never treated me differently than Yun Zhang. ¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Gu Wei stated furiously. ¡°In our family, boys and girls are all the same! Of course, we taught our boy to be more responsible, especially since

    Yun Zhang is the older brother, so he has to give in to his younger sister more. Otherwise, we will definitely give him a good smack. He had to bring you along when he went out to play when you two were younger, or he¡¯d be in trouble with us!¡±

    Yun Liu nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I said being born into our family would be the happiest thing. Mom, now you know how it is in the Gu family; I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have any status there.¡± Yun Liu again began to cry as she spoke. ¡°I doubt things would be any different even if I¡¯d never gone missing in the first place; that¡¯s why, even after I was lost for so many years, no one in the Gu family missed me.¡±

    Gu Wei¡¯s heart ached. ¡°The Gu family was quite imposing and aggressive when they first came to find us. Your father, brother, and I thought they were so hostile because they were worried about you and would surely value and treat you well. I didn¡¯t expect them to disregard you so.¡±

    Yun Liu gave a soft sigh. ¡°My second sister said that, in the Gu family, you need to either be quite capable or have a backer. I don¡¯t have a very close relationship with my parents because I went missing when I was young, so they probably won¡¯t fight so hard to give me a chance to marry into a prestigious family in the future. She told me our eldest sister only managed to have such a good match because she¡¯d started her own company after graduation and had some success. Her in-laws agreed to the marriage because they saw that she had talent. It¡¯s thanks to having her own independent company that my elder sister is now viewed favorably by her in-laws and has a say in both her birth and in-law¡¯s families. My second sister, on the other hand, is less capable than her, so her future is quite uncertain.¡±

    Gu Wei perked up at that and happily reassured her, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to worry, sweetheart! You still have us! Even if the Gu family doesn¡¯t want you anymore, you still have me, Dad, and Yun Zhang to back you up! There¡¯s nothing to fear! Our Yun family will always be your steadfast backers! If you¡¯re unhappy staying with your birth family, then you don¡¯t have to go back to them!¡±

    ¡°Mommy!¡± Yun Liu cried and once again put her arms around Gu Wei¡¯s neck, hugging her close. Gu Wei was very touched by her daughter¡¯s ¡®gesture of gratitude.¡¯

    Then, Yun Liu sullenly said, ¡°I lost a lot of fans a while back because Shi Xiu set me up. Tan Ning wanted to recoup our losses, so she made the fact that I found my biological parents public. If she hadn¡¯t done so, I¡¯m afraid Yun Zhang¡¯s investment in my movie would have gone down the drain.¡±

    ¡°Now that the fans know that I¡¯m the Gu family¡¯s long-lost daughter, I have to be careful in everything I do; everyone¡¯s watching, so I can¡¯t make any mistakes. It¡¯s useless even if I regret searching for my biological parents; the only thing I can do is continue on forward and earn more money so that I can

    hold my head high before the Gu family.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all Shi Xiu¡¯s fault, bullying you so on that show!¡± Gu Wei griped indignantly. ¡°Hmph! In the end, this is all Yun Nan¡¯s fault! Forget it; let¡¯s not talk about her! Sweetie, you don¡¯t have to worry. You have us to back you up! There¡¯ll always be a place for you in our family! You also have a share of the

    Yun family¡¯s assets!¡±

    Yun Liu hurriedly shook her head. ¡°No, Mom, no. You can¡¯t do that; it¡¯s unfair to Yun Zhang and Yun Nan! Yun Zhang gave up the things he wanted to do and worked so hard to keep up Yun Entertainment so he could support me. You can¡¯t do that to him.¡±

    She blamed herself deeply and said, ¡°Why can¡¯t I be as capable as Yun Nan? If I could run a studio as well as she can, I wouldn¡¯t have to be afraid of the Gu family; I could even contribute to the Yun family. It¡¯s all my fault for not being as promising as my sister.¡±

    Gu Wei couldn¡¯t help but feel touched by that, and her heart ached as she looked at her beautiful daughter before her. ¡°You¡¯re saying that your brother can¡¯t do the things he wants to because he has to watch over Yun Entertainment?¡± Gu Wei asked and nodded lightly. ¡°Hmm, makes sense.¡±

    Puzzled, Yun Liu stared at Gu Wei and then nodded apologetically. ¡°Yeah, Yun Zhang likes machinery, but he ended up running an entertainment company for me. For my sake, Yun Zhang really¡­¡±

    Yun Liu felt so choked up that she couldn¡¯t continue. Gu Wei patted her hand and said, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t say that. We¡¯re family; it¡¯s what we do. Don¡¯t fret; I¡¯ll discuss this with your father. We¡¯ll definitely find a way to let your brother do what he likes to do and also offer you good future development.¡±

    Inwardly, Yun Liu was delighted, but she outwardly uttered, ¡°All I want is for Yun Zhang to have a good future career path. I¡¯m a girl, so there¡¯s no¡ª¡±

    Gu Wei interrupted Yun Liu and scolded her for belittling herself. ¡°Enough of that ridiculousness. You¡¯re a girl, big deal! That doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t have a career. Girls should be independent, too. Have you forgotten what I taught you since you were a kid? I don¡¯t care what the Gu family thinks.. You¡¯re the daughter I raised; I can¡¯t let you lose to others! You have to be dazzling!¡±

 Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Three: Hanging Out

    Chapter 233: Chapter Two-Hundred Thirty-Three: Hanging Out

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    After her conversation with Gu Wei, Yun Liu called Tan Ning. ¡°Try and get all the company¡¯s core management personnel on our side as soon as possible.¡±

    Tan Ning was pleasantly surprised and asked, ¡°So, Mr. Yun agreed to transfer the company to you?¡±

    Yun Liu sneered. ¡°Of course not! He wouldn¡¯t agree to give me the company so soon. He¡¯s not stupid; he won¡¯t let it go so easily, so I can only go to my parents and snatch it through them. We¡¯ll just wait and see what my mother will do next. You best be prepared.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Leave it to me!¡± Tan Ning happily replied. ¡°Yun Liu, I came across a few scripts recently, and they¡¯re all pretty good. Are you interested in taking a look at them?¡±

    ¡°Oh? Are they all female lead roles?¡± Yun Liu languidly inquired.

    Tan Ning hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Yun Liu, it¡¯s not necessarily a good thing if we just focus on female lead roles. If you are open to playing some supporting roles, we can put a positive spin on it and announce that you¡¯re a cameo or a guest star acting free of charge. The main thing is to get you some exposure and let the audience remember you. The audience is capricious, and if you don¡¯t frequently appear before them, they¡¯ll soon forget about you.¡±

    ¡°No! I want to be the lead actress. I won¡¯t take it if it¡¯s not the female lead role. If no one¡¯s willing to give me the lead role, then I¡¯ll make my own movie with myself as the lead actress after I take over the company!¡± And with that, Yun Liu irritably hung up the phone.

    Tan Ning stared at her phone and sighed in frustration.

    ¡°She still doesn¡¯t agree?¡± Yun Liu¡¯s assistant, Xiao Yun, carefully asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tan Ning responded gloomily.

    Xiao Yun came close and said, ¡°Tan Ning, we can¡¯t keep waiting like this. Female artistes flop very quickly without constant exposure. How about¡­ we arrange for Yun Liu to meet a few directors? We can take some photos of them together and spread rumors about a new movie or some such. At least, there¡¯ll be some gossip about her or something¡­¡±

    An idea suddenly came to Tan Ning. She patted Xiao Yun¡¯s shoulder and praised, ¡°That¡¯s a great idea! Not bad, Xiao Yun; you¡¯re starting to use those brains of yours! Let¡¯s pick a candidate to arrange some scandals with Miss Yun Liu and hype it up. It¡¯s a good way to increase her popularity. Since no one from the Gu family is cooperating with us, we need to step up to the plate ourselves. We have to let them see our value!¡±

    Xiao Yun was quite thrilled at the positive encouragement. ¡°Then which male artiste do you think is suitable?¡±

    Tan Ning frowned. ¡°A male artiste? That won¡¯t do; it won¡¯t help her raise her status if she has a scandal with a male artiste, and that¡¯ll also risk retaliation from the artiste¡¯s fans. So, male artistes are out of the question. Let me think about who will be a good fit¡­¡±

    Liang Han squawked and hollered and felt like strangling Ye Kun. He felt extremely wronged as he grumbled to Shi Nian and Xi Cheng, ¡°I was only gone for a few months to shoot a film, and he goes and betrays our brotherhood.¡± He turned to Ye Kun and groused, ¡°That¡¯s not cool, man! Where are your principles? What happened to being single together?! Ye Kun! You traitor! Tell me, who is your girlfriend? I must snatch her away from you! Only then will I be appeased!¡±

    As he spoke, Liang Han pounced on Ye Kun, and the two tussled together again. Ye Kun shouted at Shi Nian as he wrestled against Liang Han, ¡°Shi Nian! You can¡¯t betray me! Don¡¯t you dare tell him who my girlfriend is! I¡¯ll destroy your marriage if my girlfriend gets snatched away!¡±

    Shi Nian and Xi Cheng only watched as the other two messed around. They then clinked their glasses and downed their drinks.

    ¡°What?! Shi Nian! You¡¯re in on it, too?¡± Liang Han exclaimed. ¡°Did you introduce him to her? Why?! I¡¯m also your pal! Why did you only introduce a girlfriend to him and not me? No, this won¡¯t do! You have to make this up to me!¡± So saying, Liang Han pounced on Shi Nian.

    Shi Nian stretched out an arm and pushed the meat sack that leaped at him far away as he lightly stated, ¡°I had nothing to do with this. It just so happens that his girlfriend is my wife¡¯s best friend.¡±

    Liang Hanzhi knew Shi Nian had some trauma about people suddenly getting close to him, so he sat at an arm¡¯s length away from him and grinned. ¡°Does your wife have any other best friends?¡± he inquired.

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Of course she does!¡±

    Liang Han¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Then what are we waiting for? Introduce me to them! You gotta introduce me to them!¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡± Shi Nian smiled. ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see you asking Ye Kun for benefits!¡± Liang Han angrily retorted. ¡°Shi Nian, you can¡¯t play favorites!¡±

    Shi Nian glanced at Ye Kun, who had finished tidying himself after Liang Han had messed his clothes up. ¡°Of course I won¡¯t! He¡¯d offered to be my slave in his next life.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be your slave for the rest of my life! So, hurry up and let Yun Nan introduce me to her friends!¡± Liang Han gave out his promise as uncaringly as if it were water.

    Even Xi Cheng couldn¡¯t help but laugh and chide, ¡°Have some dignity, will you?

    I can¡¯t believe you would say such things! You¡¯re a disgrace to your family¡¯s name. Aren¡¯t you afraid that your big brother will beat you up?¡±

    Liang Han nonchalantly answered, ¡°He¡¯s a mess himself, so he¡¯s in no mood to care about me right now. Hurry up and introduce me to a girl so I can beat my brother to the punch and flaunt the fact that I have a girlfriend before my mother!¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Xi Cheng said. ¡°Since you¡¯re so desperate for a girlfriend, Lin Yu has two best friends; you¡¯ve met them before. Pick one, and I¡¯ll put in a good word for you..¡±

 Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Four: Make Up For

    Chapter 234: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Four: Make Up For

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Liang Han vehemently shook his head. ¡°Thanks, but no thanks. Those girls of yours are scary.¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s expression darkened. Shi Nian glared at Liang Han for opening his big mouth before changing the subject. ¡°Stop fooling around. Anyway, Ye Kun, Yun Nan is planning on making an art film and asks if you¡¯re interested in investing in it.¡±

    Liang Han readily agreed. ¡°Of course I am! Director Yun only needs to say the word, and I¡¯ll be there immediately. What does she need? Staff? Actors?

    Money?¡±

    Shi Nian stretched out his leg, pretending to kick at him, and jokingly scolded, ¡°Be serious, or I won¡¯t let you meet Yun Nan!¡±

    Liang Han immediately replied, ¡°Aw, serious-smerious. How does it feel to be the man behind Director Yun? Your future is now all dependent on her! I¡¯ll have you know, if it weren¡¯t for Director Yun, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered with you!¡±

    And with that, Liang Han¡¯s previous stinging words to Xi Cheng were finally passed over. ¡°Xi Cheng¡¯s mother¡¯s birthday is coming up soon. What should we get Auntie?¡± Liang Han asked.

    The four boys¡¯ families would all send gifts whenever their elders celebrated their birthdays, and the boys would also jointly pick out gifts for them. They¡¯ve kept to this habit since they were young.

    Ye Kun said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My girlfriend and Yun Nan have already prepared the gift. You guys only need to pay your portion of the price.¡±

    Liang Han dramatically facepalmed and acted as if he were heartbroken. ¡°This is pure discrimination! This is discrimination against singles! Is there no justice? Flaunting your love lives before me like this should be a crime! May the heavens strike you all down and turn the three of you into charcoal!¡±

    The other three kicked him in unison. ¡°The heavens think that you¡¯ve gone too far. They won¡¯t strike us; They¡¯ll only strike you!¡±

    Liang Han whimpered, ¡°We came into this world hand in hand, yet you all got yourselves partners while I¡¯m still single. Don¡¯t you feel sorry for me?¡±

    ¡°Do you feel sorry for him?¡± the three boys asked each other as they held a hand to their chests. They then all shook their heads. ¡°Nope! Not at all!¡±

    Liang Han collapsed onto the sofa and whined, ¡°Goodbye life; it was nice knowing you.¡±

    The other three laughed heartlessly and didn¡¯t forget to kick the ¡®dead¡¯ Liang Han while he was down. Joking and making fun of each other was the most relaxing time for the four buddies.

    As soon as she finished her work, Yun Nan would hurry to the hospital to accompany her grandparents.

    Gu Bei had almost recovered and was in a great mood. He even had the appetite to ask Yun Nan to cook for him and make orders for what he would like to eat. Yun Nan was more than glad to do so and made all sorts of delicious food for Gu Bei. She also spoke to the doctor privately about Gu Bei¡¯s condition and his dietary needs so that she could provide him with proper and nutritious food. Gu Bei¡¯s meals were a perfect balance of meat and veggies that Yun Nan made with great care.

    Chen Yao¡¯s worried heart finally relaxed, and looking at Yun Nan running around every day, she was very happy. Not being able to meet their daughter before she passed away would always be the greatest regret of their lives. However, to a certain extent, Yun Nan made up for that regret. The girl was a blessing. The heavens probably saw how pitiful they were and gifted her to them.

    Yun Nan told them stories about the interesting things that happened to her parents and her when she was young, gradually soothing the pain in their hearts and slowly making them accept the truth. Yun Nan secretly swore to herself that she would definitely give the two elders peaceful and happy days for the rest of their lives.

    Likewise, Gu Bei and Chen Yao wished the same for Yun Nan. At the thought that their deceased daughter had raised and doted on the girl before them, they wanted more than anything to treat Yun Nan like a princess and love her with all their might.

    Shi Nian would come over to pick up Yun Nan when he was free. He would chat and laugh with the two elders, and when Gu Bei had recovered, Shi Nian returned the work he had been managing in Gu Bei¡¯s absence to him.

    Gu Bei didn¡¯t say anything. He only told Shi Nian in private that Yun Nan was Xiao He¡¯s only daughter and their only granddaughter, and he asked Shi Nian to take care of their entire family in the future.

    Shi Nian understood what the elders meant: they would leave all their businesses and wealth to Yun Nan and him. He knew the elders would inevitably be sad and think that he and Yun Nan didn¡¯t view them as family if he refused, so he could only accept it.

    Shi Nian could feel how happy she was lately and also felt happy for her. Yun

    Nan hadn¡¯t mentioned the Yun family for quite a while now. It was best that Yun Nan forget about the Yuns; her birth family was like a thorn in Yun Nan¡¯s heart. Though the wound they caused her no longer bled, it still hurt when touched.

    On the way home, Shi Nian suggested, ¡°We should let Mom and Dad meet Grandma and Grandpa Gu. Grandpa Gu¡¯s health wasn¡¯t the best previously, so I didn¡¯t let them come visit.¡±

    ¡°Sure! Let¡¯s have a get-together at our house. I¡¯ll cook!¡± Yun Nan immediately agreed.

    Shi Nian smiled. He knew how much she loved to cook. ¡°Don¡¯t work too hard,¡± he cautioned; even if she loved doing it, Shi Nian couldn¡¯t bear seeing her toil away.

    ¡°I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll invite Ye Kun and Fang Xi to come over too, and I can cook together with Fang Xi, ¡± Yun Nan replied.

    ¡°You can also ask Ye Kun to help. He¡¯s a good cook, ¡± Shi Nian unhesitatingly offered up his best friend.

    Yun Nan smiled and looked out the window, thinking, ¡®Fang Xi¡¯s ex-boyfriend liked eating Fang Xi¡¯s cooking. Fang Xi once said that the way to a man¡¯s heart is through his stomach. At least, that¡¯s what the ancients say. However, that man still left her in the end..¡¯

 Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Five: Out of Control

    Chapter 235: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Five: Out of Control

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡®FangXi then met Ye Kun, who¡¯s actually a master chef. With him around, Fang Xi didn¡¯t even have to wash vegetables, so she no longer believes in ancient sayings,¡¯ Yun Nan continued thinking.

    ¡®Perhaps the heavens sent Ye Kun to Fang Xi to make up for all the hurt she went through before. Hopefully, Ye Kun won¡¯t hurt Fang Xi.¡¯ Yun Nan knew there was a wound¡ªa hole¡ªin Fang Xi¡¯s heart left behind by that scumbag ex-boyfriend. She hoped Ye Kun would be the one to fill it in.

    Fang Xi had arranged a busy schedule for Shi Xiu recently. In the past few days, Shi Xiu has been a guest star in five TV shows, from historical romance dramas to modern urban thrillers. She played small roles, not even a second female lead role. All of her roles were supporting characters.

    Fang Xi advised Shi Xiu, ¡°You never attended professional acting schools. If you want to develop your acting career further, you have to hone your acting skills, and there¡¯s no better way to learn and hone your acting skills than through actual experience. You should act and perform more¡ªtry out different roles and characters. Don¡¯t be in a hurry to promote your fame; it can break an artiste as easily as it can make them. We don¡¯t need such temporary fame. You can only consider yourself a success in this industry when the audience comments that you¡¯re a versatile veteran actor.¡±

    Shi Xiu listened well to Fang Xi. She threw herself into the film studios and learned as much as possible, absorbing everything like a sponge. When she had free time and didn¡¯t have any roles lined up, she would squat in the corner of the film set and watch others act. She got so into it that she would even take notes.

    Even Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but remark, ¡°Didn¡¯t she say she was interested in fashion? Why is she suddenly so obsessed with acting?¡±

    Fang Xi smiled and sighed. ¡°This wealthy little miss is quite remarkable. She¡¯s good at whatever she does. She¡¯s leaving those who don¡¯t work hard in the dust. Oh, by the way, she has a fan meeting later. Come with us. She¡¯s our studio¡¯s¡ª Yun Innovations¡¯¡ªartiste, so you should come to show your support and hold the line. ¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Yun Nan playfully replied. With Shi Nian and Ye Kun¡¯s help, their studio had been upgraded to a company. It was now called ¡®Yun Innovations¡ª Fang Xi came up with the name.

    After Shi Xiu changed her clothes, she sat at the front of the stage and signed autographs for her fans. This fan meeting was a short event led by her fan club.

    Her fan club had pre-prepared a set of questions for Shi Xiu. When they asked Shi Xiu why she took on small roles instead of acting in lead roles, Shi Xiu smiled and answered, ¡°I¡¯d like to correct you there. There is no role too small or too big; however, there is a ¡®newbie actor¡¯ like me! I didn¡¯t go to acting schools, nor do I have much experience in acting. I¡¯m only here on this stage today thanks to a bit of talent and luck. How can I live up to everyone¡¯s expectations and love if I don¡¯t study hard and hone my skills?¡±

    She continued, ¡°Being able to act out these so-called ¡®small¡¯ roles well is the duty of an actor. I had a chat with one of the extras one day, and she taught me a lot of things. I was shocked by how much she knew and how much there is about acting I still have to learn! Truly, I can learn something from anyone and everyone in the film studios, from the big stars to the smallest of actors and even the off-screen technicians and staff.¡±

    The crowd¡¯s applause was thunderous. Yun Nan and Fang Xi looked at each other, and Fang Xi mouthed softly, ¡°The kid learns fast, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Yun Nan smiled and nodded.

    When Shi Xiu was asked if there was anyone she fancied, she shook her head so hard that her braids whipped about. Everyone laughed before asking her about her criteria for a future partner.

    Shi Xiu gave it some thought before replying, ¡°I¡¯ve never really thought about this matter. I¡¯m the youngest in my family, and everyone¡ªincluding myself¡ª sees me as a child, and there are so many interesting things to do that I don¡¯t have the time to even think about romance, let alone fall in love.¡± Shi Xiu¡¯s eyes widened in confusion as she went on, ¡°As for my criteria for choosing my future partner¡­ Do all of you have a set criteria before finding your sweethearts?¡±

    Then, she gave everyone a bright smile and stated, ¡°I think love is something that happens naturally. You can¡¯t force or put restrictions on it. Take my brothers, for example. They didn¡¯t set out to look for a partner, but then they met my sisters-in-law and got married. Those two couples are so sweet and lovey-dovey, they¡¯re giving me cavities. And I think that¡¯s great; I want my romance to be just like theirs in the future. As for who my future partner will be, who knows? He¡¯s out there somewhere I don¡¯t know, nor do I want to. After all, he¡¯ll appear with a bang when the time is right.¡±

    Her statement was met with friendly laughter and applause. After all the pre-prepared questions were over and done with, it was time for the fans¡¯ Q&A session. The female fan who got picked stood up slowly and stared at Shi Xiu as she said, ¡°Miss Shi, I would like to tell you about my story.¡±

    Shi Xiu smiled at her in return and clapped her hands, encouraging her to continue. The woman began, ¡°I¡¯ve been together with my boyfriend for five years; I love him very much. To me, he¡¯s my life¡ªmy everything. I¡¯m willing to die for him! He¡¯s from a traditional, well-to-do, and strict family, and in these five years, I¡¯ve done my best to mold myself into the perfect daughter-in-law that would meet his family¡¯s requirements.¡±

    ¡°But he broke up with me because his family had arranged a marriage for him when he was born. Miss Shi, can you imagine how despondent and forlorn I was when I heard the news? The despair I felt?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve tried to commit suicide several times but failed. I had no choice but to come and beg you. Miss Shi, will you please have some pity on me and return Gu Fei to me? I swear, I¡¯ll definitely repay you and become your slave in my next life!¡± That said, the woman kneeled.

    Not only Shi Xiu but even Yun Nan and Fang Xi were stunned. The fans were in an uproar, and the situation was out of control..

 Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty- Six:

    Chapter 236: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty- Six:

    Establishing Order

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Yun Nan, take Shi Xiu and leave immediately. I¡¯ll deal with this,¡± Fang Xi said in a low voice.

    Yun Nan nodded and quickly strode forward to shield Shi Xiu with her body. All the cameras pointed at Shi Xiu. Yun Nan gestured for Shi Xiu to leave with her, but Shi Xiu hesitated.

    ¡°Miss Shi, I beg you! If you don¡¯t agree to my request, I¡¯ll find a building and jump today!¡± The woman yelled sharply into the microphone, cutting through the crowd¡¯s noise.

    Shi Xiu and Yun Nan both froze. Shi Xiu suddenly grabbed a microphone from the side and shouted, ¡°Wait!¡±

    Yun Nan moved aside and faced the cameras with Shi Xiu. She took the microphone from Shi Xiu and raised her voice to say, ¡°Everyone, please settle down. Please return to your seats! If you want to know the truth, please sit down and listen carefully!¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s calm and solemn voice had everyone fall silent. The staff standing on the sidelines understood her intentions and swiftly helped to maintain order. Fang Xi brought some people and had the kneeling woman surrounded. Fang Xi reached out to help the woman to her feet, but she struggled and refused to get up.

    Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but speak a little harshly: ¡°Miss, what¡¯s the meaning of this? Are you trying to use this method to force Shi Xiu to jump off a building as well?¡±

    The female fan raised her tear-stained face and hatefully glared at Fang Xi while saying, ¡°I¡¯m begging you! Please make her return Gu Fei to me! Please, I beg you! Otherwise, I can only choose to die. I¡¯ll commit suicide.¡±

    Fang Xi really wanted to slap this woman, but she couldn¡¯t even put a finger on her. Who knew what this woman might do or say next? Those who felt they had nothing to lose often did crazy things. Fang Xi wouldn¡¯t count on a person who¡¯d threatened others with her own death to have much rationality.

    Fang Xi could only patiently utter, ¡°Look, no one is forcing you to such ends.

    Rather, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s forcing Shi Xiu. Isn¡¯t that being unreasonable?¡±

    Yun Nan came over and stood before the woman. ¡°Nevertheless,¡± she said gently, ¡°you should get off the ground. Why debase yourself like this? Do you have a family? Parents, siblings? Why throw away your life so easily? Is your life so worthless that you¡¯re willing to lose it over a man? Aren¡¯t you letting your parents¡ªyour family¡ªdown?¡±

    The woman stared at Yun Nan and cried, ¡°Then what should I do? Five years, I spent five years of my youth with him. During these five years, I gave up my studies, my job, and also myself. I just want his family to accept me. If he breaks up with me, I¡¯ll have nothing left. What can I do?¡±

    Her words resonated with Fang Xi, and her heart ached as if someone had taken a hammer to it. She closed her eyes and thought, ¡®She reminds me of myself¡ªanother poor woman who¡¯d given up her dignity for a man who didn¡¯t love her.¡¯

    Yun Nan squatted down, pulled the woman closer, and gentled her voice as she asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Gu Fei instead of coming here and making things difficult for Shi Xiu?¡±

    The woman shook her head and sobbed, ¡°1 can¡¯t find him. They¡ªhis family hid him away.¡±

    She suddenly pointed at Shi Xiu on stage and stood up wildly, pulling Yun Nan up along with her. She grabbed Yun Nan¡¯s hand and hissed, ¡°As long as Miss Shi says that she doesn¡¯t want to marry Gu Fei and break off the engagement, Gu Fei will be able to return to me! So long as Miss Shi lets go, everything¡¯ll be fine!¡±

    The crowd had already quieted down, so everyone heard her. The more rational among them looked at the woman with pity, while Shi Xiu¡¯s more emotional fans started cursing.

    ¡°Are you out of your mind? That man doesn¡¯t love you! He won¡¯t return to you even if Shi Xiu breaks things off with him. Stop blaming Shi Xiu for your lousy relationship failing!¡±

    ¡°Why blame Shi Xiu when you can¡¯t hold onto your man?¡±

    ¡°So, you expect everyone to pander to you by playing the victim? Shi Xiu doesn¡¯t owe you anything! She doesn¡¯t have to take this from you!¡±

    ¡°Stop embarrassing yourself here. We have no interest in your dramatics. If you want to die so badly, then go away and do so!¡±

    ¡°Of course, she wouldn¡¯t commit suicide. She doesn¡¯t really want to die! She¡¯s just doing all this to seek attention! Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have come here and pretended to be pitiful!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder she got dumped! Who would want such a selfish woman? The very thought is revolting!¡±

    ¡°Get her out of here! Kick her out! Kick her out!¡±

    Yun Nan raised her head and gestured for everyone to calm down. ¡°Everyone, please, settle down! Calm yourselves!¡± She turned to look at Shi Xiu, who had regained her composure and nodded at her.

    Yun Nan said to everyone, ¡°We have a slight situation today; we didn¡¯t expect this to happen, and we apologize for the inconvenience. Most of you here are Shi Xiu¡¯s fans. We actually intended to have Shi Xiu leave the scene and let the staff handle the rest. After all, Shi Xiu has done nothing wrong, and the truth will speak for itself. We¡¯re not afraid of any baseless accusations.¡±

    ¡°However, because a life is at stake here, we wanted to stay. Instead of having to send out notices and lavvyer¡¯s letters later, let¡¯s have everything out in the open right here and right now so we can prove our innocence!¡±

    The applause that came after was thunderous..

 Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Seven: Explanations

    Chapter 237: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Seven: Explanations

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Before I hand things over to Shi Xiu and let her personally explain this matter, I have something to say to all you young adults. Love is an important emotion in life. It is beautiful, romantic, and sacred, but love is not everything in our lives!¡± Yun Nan stated.

    ¡°We only have the one life. We came to this world to experience the setting sun, hear the summer insects chirp, see the autumn moon, feel the winter snow, and smell the spring breeze. We are here to experience all the world has to offer! Both the good and the bad!¡± Yun Nan said fervently.

    The woman calmed down slightly as she listened to her. Yun Nan saw this and continued, ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s a wonderful thing if you fall in love. It¡¯s undoubtedly the most romantic thing if the person you love also feels the same for you. However, not everything comes to fruition; not everything in life is perfect. What if, just when your love for your partner is going strong but they no longer love you¡­ What then? Is that the end of your world? Then, your world is too fragile!¡±

    Someone chuckled softly at that. Yun Nan continued, ¡°Why give up the whole forest for a blade of grass? There are plenty more fish in the sea. Is it worth giving up all future romances and all the things the world can offer for one man?¡±

    Someone laughingly replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s not worth it!¡±

    Yun Nan looked at the woman. ¡°You said you trained and honed yourself for that man; you made yourself outstanding, but he still doesn¡¯t want you. So what? That only shows he¡¯s a blind idiot; you¡¯re not at fault, so why punish yourself? So long as you are good enough, you will naturally meet someone who¡¯ll admire you. It you don¡¯t have anyone who admires and loves you now, then there surely will be someone who does in the future. Learn to value yourself. How can others love you if you don¡¯t love yourself?¡±

    The woman leaned into one of the staff members¡¯ arms and cried. ¡°You think you¡¯ll get your happily ever after so long as Shi Xiu is out of the picture, do you? You think that man will come back to you?¡± Yun Nan asked gently.

    The woman nodded slightly and immedia tely received disdainful looks from the crowd. Yun Nan had set the facts out for her, but the woman still refused to come to her senses. She truly was hopeless.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll let Shi Xiu chat with you,¡± Yun Nan told her. She¡¯d already said her piece, and there was little more she could do here. Yun Nan was more worried about Fang Xi, so she pulled her friend along and returned to the stage. Fang Xi¡¯s hand was cold to the touch. Yun Nan looked at her in worried surprise, and Fang Xi returned her gaze with a bright smile.

    Shi Xiu took the microphone one of the staff handed her and cleared her throat. ¡°I just told you all that I don¡¯t have a boyfriend, and I didn¡¯t lie! I don¡¯t have a clear standard for choosing a spouse; I believe my Mr. Right will appear before me someday when the time is right. But something like this happened right after I said that. I¡¯m quite speechless, to be honest.¡±

    Some fans immediately felt sorry for her and shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shi Xiu. We believe you, sweetie!¡± The others instantly echoed that sentiment and clapped in encouragement.

    Shi Xiu raised her hand to signal for everyone to be quiet. She then looked at the woman, and her voice was full of pity as she stated, ¡°I do know Gu Fei, and his family have indeed come to propose a marriage between us. However, Gu Fei and I have no feelings for one another, nor do we intend to get married. The betrothal back when we were kids was merely a joke between our elders.¡±

    She continued, ¡°You can ask the mothers here if they¡¯ve ever joked with their besties, saying things like, ¡®I¡¯ll let my son marry your daughter when he grows up,¡¯ or ¡®I want your daughter to be my daughter-in-law when she¡¯s older.¡¯ But does anyone take such comments seriously and actually have their children marry each other when they¡¯ve grown up?¡±

    Immediately, some of the fans called out, ¡°No! Of course not!¡±

    ¡°No! No way!¡±

    Shi Xiu gestured for them to quieten down. ¡°Of course, sometimes betrothals do work out. Take my brother, Shi Nian, and my sister-in-law, Yun Nan, for example.¡±

    She turned and looked at Yun Nan, standing to the side, before smiling at her audience. ¡°They were also betrothed from birth. However, they are together now because they love each other, not because of their parents¡¯ wishes.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no love between Gu Fei and me¡ªnot now and not ever. So, girl, wipe away those tears and relax. I swear to the heavens that I, Shi Xiu, am not¡ªand will never be¡ªan obstacle to your romance. You really don¡¯t have to die because of this; that would be such a waste.¡± That said, Shi Xiu smiled sweetly at the woman.

    ¡°Then, what should I do?¡± The woman muttered uneasily, feeling lost, and tears poured down her cheeks.

    Shi Xiu tilted her head and frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t have any experience in matters of the heart. But if you¡¯re willing to listen, I bet the other girls here can give you some ideas. However, don¡¯t take their ideas too seriously; their suggestions are very likely to be terrible.¡±

    She looked at her fans and remarked, ¡°Guys, don¡¯t bully her. She¡¯s already quite pitiful. Do tell her if you have a feasible suggestion. If not, don¡¯t give her any random ideas, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Her fans cheerily agreed in unison..

 Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Enlightened

    Chapter 238: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Enlightened

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan and Fang Xi heaved a sigh of relief, as did all the staff present.

    The media reporters were all busy taking notes and recording the scene, furiously tapping away on phones, tablets, laptops, and so on. Their equipment was nearly smoking under such intense usage, and so were their brains. They hadn¡¯t expected such a huge incident to occur during a simple fan meeting; this would have been enough to make headlines and trending searches for half a month! And then, just as everyone thought this fan event would end up in a mess, Shi Xiu and her company managed to flip things around. Judging by the peaceful and harmonious atmosphere, this fan meeting was clearly a success!

    ¡® The Shi familVs young lady must surely be born under a lucky star. She¡¯s probably chosen by destiny to be the next superstar,¡¯ the reporters thought. Ever since Shi Xiu debuted, she had been inundated with all sorts of rumors and troubles but was miraculously able to land on her feet each and every time. And with her frank and honest nature, her enemies and naysayers had no excuse to slander her and could only envy her good luck.

    The reporters reminded themselves, ¡®It seems like she¡¯s truly fate¡¯s favored child. It¡¯s best not to mess with Miss Shi; we should be careful with what we publish about her in the future. Don¡¯t ever think about slandering her; she¡¯ll probably come out ofit smelling like roses and then go after the instigators.¡¯

    Shi Xiu spoke to Yun Nan and Fang Xi as soon as she returned to the company. ¡°Fang Xi, don¡¯t bother controlling the narrative,¡± she ranted. ¡°Let them write what they want! I¡¯d like to see which media outlet would dare to spout nonsense!¡±

    Yun Nan frowned. ¡°That Gu Fei! I never took him for such a heartless and fickle man! I¡¯ve already told Shi Nian about this; he¡¯ll make sure Gu Fei and his family won¡¯t bother us anymore! With what has happened, I doubt they¡¯ll show their face here again.¡±

    Fang Xi calmly asked Shi Xiu, ¡°Do you want to confirm this with Gu Fei? What if that woman made everything up? What if it was all some sick fantasy of hers? You¡¯ve only heard her side of the story. What if the one Gu Fei likes is really you and not her?¡±

    Shi Xiu unhesitatingly refused. ¡®What¡¯s there to confirm? If it¡¯s not that woman¡¯s problem, then it¡¯s Gu Fei¡¯s problem. If that woman was lying, then that¡¯s something he needs to deal with. If her story is true, then I absolutely have nothing to do with it. Thankfully, I¡¯m not in love with Gu Fei, so I don¡¯t have to deal with this troublesome matter.¡±

    ¡°Shi Xiu,¡± Fang Xi asked, ¡°if¡ªand I mean, if¡ªyou did fall in love with Gu Fei, and Gu Fei really did abandon the girl who¡¯d loved him for so many years for you, what would you do?¡±

    Shi Xiu didn¡¯t even think twice before answering, ¡°I would break up with him! If he really did do that, it only shows Gu Fei¡¯s character is questionable! If he can treat a girl who loves him so irresponsibly, then he naturally won¡¯t treat our relationship with respect either. He probably only chose me because of my family background, which means he¡¯s with me for all the wrong reasons. A relationship like that isn¡¯t worth continuing, and a guy like him isn¡¯t worth keeping, so I would break up with him.¡±

    She continued, ¡°That woman doesn¡¯t have her head on straight, either. Gu Fei used and abandoned her, but she still stubbornly refused to see the truth and made a mess of herself. How pathetic!¡±

    ¡°Then, what do you think that woman should do?¡± Fang Xi asked, her voice holding a hint of anxiousness she wasn¡¯t aware of.

    ¡°She should cut her losses and forget about that jerk. There are plenty of good men out there! Why hurt herself for a guy who doesn¡¯t love her? Isn¡¯t that masochistic? How silly!¡± Shi Xiu angrily berated.

    Fang Xi visibly relaxed. Yun Nan saw this and chuckled, ¡°It seems like we don¡¯t have to worry about you getting into relationship troubles. You¡¯re rational and mature enough to handle such things yourself.¡±

    Fang Xi nodded. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re very mature.¡±

    Shi Xiu would be in a good mood with only the littlest of praises, and she immediately brightened up. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go watch Director Mika shoot his film.¡±

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t speak for a long time after Shi Xiu left. Yun Nan didn¡¯t disturb her and quietly dealt with the work at hand. Fang Xi picked up her phone and sent a WeChat message to Ye Kun: ¡°Do you want to go watch a movie with me?¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡± Ye Kun instantly replied. ¡°What movie do you want to watch? I¡¯ll book the tickets! Which cinema is the closest to you? I¡¯ll come pick you up!¡±

    Fang Xi smiled and typed a reply back to Ye Kun. Then she stood up and stretched. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m taking a half-day off work. I have a date,¡± she told Yun

    Nan.

    Yun Nan was momentarily stunned before she quickly understood and made an ¡°OK¡± gesture. She smiled and said, ¡°Finally! You should have done this a long time ago, Fang Xi! Shi Xiu¡¯s right; there are plenty of men out there! I think Ye Kun is a good choice!¡±

    Fang Xi raised her eyebrows and said frankly, ¡°Yeah! That girl really taught me a lesson!¡±

    Yun Nan playfully shooed her away, saying, ¡°Go already; take your romantic day off!¡±

    Fang Xi cheerfully headed towards the door before she suddenly turned around and commented, ¡°You should also consider truly accepting Shi Nian as your husband! As a bystander and your best friend, I think he did great during his probation period! It¡¯s time you guys turned your fake marriage into a real one!¡±

    Her statement was met with a thrown cushion and the words, ¡°Get lost!¡± Fang Xi caught the cushion and stated in mock surprise, ¡°Was I too late? Did you guys already¡ªI¡®

    Fang Xi dashed off and closed the door behind her before Yun Nan could throw any more cushions at her..

 Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Nine: Bothered

    Chapter 239: Chapter Two-Hundred and Thirty-Nine: Bothered

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan subconsciously reached out and touched her lips. Shi Nian¡¯s kiss was still imprinted in her mind, and her face heated up when she recalled it.

    Ye Kun and Fang Xi hadn¡¯t had the chance to speak with each other lately; they had all been too busy these past few days after returning from Lu Town. Ye Kun had immediately sensed the subtle change in Fang Xi¡¯s attitude and wasn¡¯t one to question his good luck. Straightaway, he turned his boyfriend charms to the max and cared for Fang Xi 24/7, letting her feel the happiness of being so completely loved.

    Fang Xi was very touched and thought, ¡®So this is howit feels to be loved. It turns out that love needs to go both ways.¡¯

    Videos of Shi Xiu¡¯s fan meeting swiftly became a hot topic, resulting in Gu Fei¡¯s instant fame, or infamy, as it may be.

    Chang Hui, Gu Wen, Zheng Xiu, and Yun Liu rushed to Bai Jie¡¯s place as fast as they could when they heard the news. Chang Hui secretly rejoiced while trying her hardest to maintain a worried and anxious expression, whereas Zheng Xiu hid behind her sister-in-law and acted like her puppet, as usual. Gu Wen was arrogant like her mother, and Yun Liu followed her mother¡¯s cautiousness.

    ¡°Bai Jie, how could this have happened? Our Gu Fei is such a good boy! He couldn¡¯t have done something like that! Who is this girl smearing him?¡± Chang Hui quickly stated her stance on the matter.

    Bai Tie scowled darkly. She looked terrible and had dark circles beneath her

    eyes; she obviously hadn¡¯t slept well. She didn¡¯t feel like answering any of Chang Hui¡¯s questions.

    Chang Hui didn¡¯t let that deter her and pressed on. ¡°Where is Gu Fei, anyway?

    Didn¡¯t he say he was going on a trip with Shi Xiu? Why is Shi Xiu back, but our Gu Fei isn¡¯t? Oh, dear. He was such a good child before, but look how much he¡¯s changed since he came to Rong City and got involved with that Miss Shi!¡±

    She continued, ¡°Bai Jie, no offense, but we should go and have Gu Fei and Shi Xiu¡¯s fortunes told. It might be that their birth charts are incompatible. How else would something like this happen to our good and obedient Gu Fei?¡±

    This slightly mollified Bai Jie. No mother was willing to admit that her child was at fault; the fault naturally lies elsewhere. She regained her composure and senses and told them, ¡°I¡¯ve asked Gu Fei about this, and he said he did no such thing. I¡¯ve already sent someone to speak to that girl. If Gu Fei really did mess around with her, we¡¯ll arrange a meeting to discuss compensation.¡±

    Chang Hui scoffed, ¡°Compensation? She¡¯s slandering our Gu Fei¡¯s reputation, and you want to compensate her?! She should be the one paying us compensation! It¡¯s Gu Fei¡¯s reputation we¡¯re talking about; we can¡¯t let her get away with this!¡±

    ¡°If Gu Fei says he didn¡¯t do it, then he didn¡¯t do it! That girl made everything up! She just wants to cling to our family. Bai Jie, you can¡¯t be so soft-hearted. This concerns our Gu family¡¯s reputation! ¡± Chang Hui indignantly uttered.

    Gu Wen glanced at Yun Liu and asked, ¡°Could this woman be someone Shi Xiu and her company hired? Yun Liu, aren¡¯t you quite familiar with Shi Xiu and her family? Do you know who this woman is?¡±

    Bai Jie didn¡¯t want to talk to Chang Hui and the others, so she also stared at Yun Liu when she heard this. Gu An and Zheng Xiu¡¯s newly recovered daughter was pretty, as obedient as Zheng Xiu, didn¡¯t talk much, and had good manners. Bai Jie didn¡¯t dislike her as much as the other girls from the Gu branch family, but she hadn¡¯t spoken much to her because she didn¡¯t know her well.

    Bai Jie smiled and said gently, ¡°I almost forgot that our Yun Liu is also a big star. Is it common to suddenly ask such questions at a fan meeting like this?¡±

    Zheng Xiu¡¯s gaze fell on Yun Liu. She knew her daughter was adaptable, so she wasn¡¯t worried about her at all. She now loved and cared more for Yun Liu than her other daughters¡ªGu Mei and Gu Li¡ªbecause this daughter, whom she didn¡¯t raise, was more attentive and knew her mind.

    Yun Liu¡¯s fingers curled slightly on her knees. She reservedly glanced at her aunt, and only when Chang Hui nodded did she reply, ¡°I¡¯m not too sure how something like this could have happened, either. Logically speaking, the fans at a fan meeting are all strictly screened, and the questions raised by the fans are all reported in advance. Fan events like this are meant to increase an idol¡¯s image, so they won¡¯t allow questions that¡¯ll embarrass their idol, unless¡­¡± Yun Liu let her words trail off and tentatively glanced at Bai Jie.

    Gu Wen sneered, ¡°Unless it was intentional? Auntie, I told you that Shi Xiu was up to no good! If she doesn¡¯t like Gu Fei, she should have just said so; it¡¯s not like the Shi family is our only marriage option! What right does she have to humiliate Gu Fei? Humiliate our Gu family? Now, thanks to this matter, her popularity has risen, and everyone¡¯s praising her to the heavens. She¡¯s stepping on our Gu family to get to the top! She¡¯s really too much!¡±

    Yun Liu nodded lightly and carefully remarked, ¡°Sometimes, celebrities create news topics to increase their popularity and exposure. However, they usually create scandals or fight for a spot in a show, movie, or something. It¡¯s quite rare for celebrities to slander themselves as Shi Xiu did. I don¡¯t get it, either..¡±

 Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty: Sowing Discord

    Chapter 240: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty: Sowing Discord

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Wen sneered disdainfully, ¡°Small-time news like those wouldn¡¯t be as sensational as dragging Gu Fei¡¯s name through the mud. And, as we can all see, it worked quite well. This Shi Xiu is really devious! I heard that you also got bullied by her; is that right?¡±

    Yun Liu lowered her head and said, with some difficulty, ¡°There was a period of time when her fans would often scold me and demand that I quit the entertainment industry. She¡¯s the Shi family¡¯s princess, and she also has the support of her sister-in-law, who¡¯s a director. Thanks to that, she has all the limelight. It was just my bad luck that I became her whetstone.¡± As she finished, Yun Liu forced a smile.

    ¡°Auntie, did you hear that?¡± Gu Wen exclaimed, thrilled that her deduction was proven right.

    Bai Jie sighed, ¡°I truly never imagined that little girl from the Shi family could be so scheming. I really liked her.¡±

    Yun Liu uttered softly, ¡°Shi Xiu is quite naive, but Yun Nan, on the other hand¡­ She has a powerful team.¡±

    Zheng Xiu was very pleased with how Yun Liu glibly handled this. She managed to humor both Gu Wen and Bai Jie, getting them on her side without outwardly saying anything that would implicate her. ¡®This is the main familys matter, not ours. Let them handle it themselves; we¡¯lljust watch how this all plays out,¡¯ she thought.

    Bai Jie frowned. She hadn¡¯t wanted to push the blame for this matter onto Shi Xiu, but after hearing what Yun Liu said, she couldn¡¯t help but be of two minds about it.

    Even Chang Hui, who wasn¡¯t the best at reading people, could tell that Bai Jie was wavering. She quickly suggested, ¡°Bai Jie, didn¡¯t we plan to hold a formal ceremony for Yun Liu to celebrate her return to our family at the Grand Imperial Restaurant tomorrow? We were originally just going to have a meal together as a family. I think, why don¡¯t we make it a bigger event and invite all the influential families in Rong City? We¡¯ll confront the Shi family before everyone and see what they have to say!¡±

    ¡°If they insist on canceling the betrothal, then we won¡¯t lose anything either. Everyone will know we aren¡¯t the ones at fault if we make a scene about it in public, and this way, no one will lose too much face. If it turns out that Miss Shi really was the one behind this, or if everything was just a misunderstanding, then we¡¯ll have the upper hand, and when she marries into our family, she¡¯ll have to listen to Gu Fei!¡±

    Bai Jie couldn¡¯t help but be tempted by that. Seeing this, Zheng Xiu hurriedly added, ¡°Uncle Gu Bei has recovered, so he and Aunt Chen Yao can also participate. ¡±

    Bai Jie finally nodded and gently said, ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll pay for all the ceremony¡¯s expenses. Consider it a welcoming gift to Yun Liu.¡±

    Zheng Xiu wanted to decline, but Chang Hui was already thanking Bai Jie on her behalf. ¡® Who wouldn¡¯t want to spend less money? Chang Hui thought. ¡®The main family offered to pay, so why not accept it?Moreover, BaiJie already said it was a gift to Yun Liu; sh¨¦s giving her face by acknowledging her this way! Of course, the main thing is that we get to save our money!¡¯

    Xu Yun naturally knew about Gu Fei¡¯s matter as well. She was furious and didn¡¯t want to accept the Gu family¡¯s invitation. However, Shi Xiu just so happened to bump into them, and she accepted the invitation.

    As she read through the invitation, she stated, ¡°Mom, we should attend this celebration; otherwise, people will think that I¡¯m in the wrong. The Gu family invited you to celebrate the return of their newly-found daughter and didn¡¯t mention me or Gu Fei at all. The others will see it as an admission of guilt if you don¡¯t go. I¡¯ll go with you! I want to see what they have to say!¡±

    ¡°Why bother arguing with them about this?¡± Xu Yun asked. ¡°We won¡¯t marry you into their family anyway! Even your brothers and sisters-in-law won¡¯t agree!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s two separate things. Mom, listen to me. Let¡¯s attend this together!¡± Shi Xiu told her. She had her own intentions for going to the celebration. Forget

    ¡®arguing with idiots will only bring you down to their level.¡¯

    Gu Fei had asked her to help cover for him, but now she got dragged into his mess at her fan meeting. So, sorry, not sorry; she could only throw him under the bus. She wasn¡¯t that close with Gu Fei and had no obligation to take the blame for such a tasteless matter.

    Bai Jie left the matter of dealing with the girl from the fan meeting to her eldest daughter, Gu Rou, and had her second daughter, Gu Wan, secretly escort her son, Gu Fei, back home to her. Bai Jie was furious when she saw her son reeking of alcohol.

    ¡°When did you mess around with such a little b*tch?¡± she snappily asked. Gu Fei only grinned at her dopily, clearly still drunk.

    Bai Jie took her anger out on her other two daughters, Gu Jing and Gu Xiang. ¡°How could you two let a girl like that stay by his side for five years?! Five whole years! How could you not notice? Are you all dead?!¡±

    Gu Jing and Gu Xiang naturally didn¡¯t dare to say anything.. Gu Wan couldn¡¯t bear to watch and defended her sisters, saying, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s that got to do with us? This brat uses every trick he knows on us and guards everything against us like we¡¯re thieves, and yet you¡¯re blaming us instead of him? Look at how drunk he is! Do you know where I found him? I found him at ¡®Devil¡¯s Hamlet,¡¯ the famous gay bar!¡±

 Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-One: Dumbfounded

    Chapter 241: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-One: Dumbfounded

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°What?!¡± Bai Jie, Gu Jing, and Gu Xiang exclaimed, shocked.

    Bai Jie felt her chest tighten and asked, ¡°You¡­ Are you serious?¡±

    Gu Wan angrily nodded. ¡°I had to ask around a lot of people to find him! I gave the bartender a large sum of money before he told me that that man had broken up with Gu Fei and was ignoring him. That¡¯s why Gu Fei¡¯s drowning his sorrows in alcohol!¡±

    ¡°T-Then, what¡¯s up with that woman who said she was with him for five years?¡± Gu Xiang suddenly asked. ¡°If Gu Fei is gay, then doesn¡¯t that mean that woman is lying?¡±

    Bai Jie glared at her. ¡°I¡¯d rather that girl was telling the truth!¡± The Gu family¡¯s ancestors would turn in their graves if their sole heir was gay.

    Gu Rou had also rushed back and informed them, ¡°I¡¯ve got her sequestered away in my villa and have someone watching over her.¡±

    ¡°Did you ask her exactly what is going on?¡± Bai Jie anxiously questioned.

    Gu Rou¡¯s expression darkened, and she replied, ¡°She said she¡¯s two months pregnant. I¡¯ve already contacted a reliable doctor to do a checkup on her. We¡¯ll have to wait for the results.¡±

    Gu Jing was stunned. ¡°How is that possible? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Bai Jie walked up to her son and viciously slapped him. ¡°You idiot! Look at the trouble you¡¯ve caused! How am I supposed to live with this? Do you want me to die? Is that it? You¡¯re doing all this to force me to death?!¡±

    She felt extremely aggrieved. She may appear glamorous to everyone else after marrying into the Gu family, but only she knew what kind of life she was leading behind the scenes. Not only did she feel suffocated by all the infighting between her and her various sisters-in-law, but the pressure of trying to birth a son after having four daughters in a row still haunted her dreams, enough that she was often woken up by nightmares.

    Her only son had finally allowed her and her daughters to hold their heads high. She didn¡¯t expect him to cause such a huge mess. ¡®How am I going to explain this to my husband? she inwardly panicked.

    Her four daughters also panicked. ¡°What¡¯s going on? One of you said he¡¯s gay, and the other said a woman¡¯s two months pregnant with his child! This¡ªthis¡­¡±

    ¡°What about the Shi family? What are we going to tell them?¡±

    Gu Wan and Gu Xiang were perplexed; Gu Jing and Gu Rou were also dumbfounded. All the while, Gu Fei lay on the sofa, snoring away under the watchful eyes of his four sisters. He was completely unworried; even if the sky was falling, it had nothing to do with him. His parents and sisters would help him deal with everything!

    ¡°Mom,¡± Gu Ling quietly informed Chang Hui, ¡°Gu Rou brought Du Juan to her villa. She¡¯s pregnant with Gu Fei¡¯s child.¡±

    Chang Hui was delighted at the news. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant?! Good job! I¡¯d like to see how Bai Jie will exonerate her son¡¯s actions this time! Let¡¯s see what the Shi family will say after this gets out! I¡¯d like to see how she plans to ally with the Shi family now! It¡¯s not fair that she gets all the good things in life. So what if she¡¯s the madam in charge of the main family? I¡¯m also the matriarch of our branch of the family! Hmph! I hate her condescending and arrogant attitude the most!¡±

    ¡°Mom,¡± Gu Ling counseled, ¡°you¡¯ve seen what happened to Gu Fei; you really should discipline Gu He, or else he might end up in the same situation!¡±

    Chang Hui dismissed her daughter¡¯s words. ¡°Gu He is still young. Let him have his fun. It¡¯s not too late to discipline him later!¡±

    Gu Ling sighed. Her mother only saw the shortcomings of others and was blind to her own; there was nothing she could do about it.

    ¡°What do you think Bai Jie will do next?¡± Chang Hui elatedly inquired.

    ¡°Mom, you should be more cautious of Aunt Bai Jie. She¡¯s not a simple woman!¡± Gu Ling had to remind her mother once again.

    ¡°I know! So what? It doesn¡¯t matter how capable she is; her son is a disappointment, and that¡¯s enough to destroy her. Hmph! Let¡¯s see how she deals with her son¡¯s mess this time,¡± Chang Hui crowed.

    Gu Bei looked at Yun Nan and Shi Nian and said tenderly, ¡°Our family has arranged a gathering. I heard that they invited many friends and family from Rong City. As family elders, we should go and show our support. You two should come with us; I want to introduce you to everyone. Our poor Xiao He is gone, but we still have our granddaughter!¡±

    Chen Yao shielded her face with her hands and told the young couple, ¡°If he had his way, your grandfather would keep you by his side constantly and take you everywhere he goes. He can¡¯t wait to show you two off. He wants to announce the fact that he has a granddaughter and grandson-in-law to the world!¡±

    Gu Bei laughed. ¡°You say that like you don¡¯t want the same thing! You also can¡¯t wait to keep Yun Nan by your side every day! ¡± The old couple lightheartedly continued to expose each other¡¯s shortcomings, making Yun Nan and Shi Nian laugh.

    On the day that Gu Bei was discharged from the hospital, Gu Bei and Chen Yao had a happy gathering with the Shi family¡¯s elders at the Shi family¡¯s home. All of them were straightforward and easy to get along with, and their relationship with Yun Nan only brought them closer.

    The Shi family treated Gu Bei and Chen Yao as Yun Nan¡¯s real family. Everyone tacitly viewed the two elders separately from the other Gu family members.

    Shi Nian looked at Yun Nan and mentioned, ¡°Let¡¯s go out together and look for a dress to wear to the ceremony.¡±

    Yun Nan held Chen Yao¡¯s hand when she heard this and said, ¡°I want to wear a matching dress with Grandma.¡±

    Chen Yao laughed heartily. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m much too old for that. If we wear matching dresses, everyone would laugh and say that I¡¯m ridiculous..¡±

 Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Two: Acknowledging Kin

    Chapter 242: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Two: Acknowledging Kin

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Bei chuckled and said to Shi Nian, ¡°Yun Nan sure is good at making her grandmother happy!¡±

    Shi Nian stared at Yun Nan with a smile, his eyes shining. Gu Bei whispered to him, ¡°You gotta work harder, boy! You can¡¯t let such a good girl slip through your fingers!¡±

    Shi Nian looked at Gu Bei in shock. Gu Bei had a smug look on his face and kept his gaze on the laughing Chen Yao and Yun Nan, deliberately ignoring Shi Nian. Shi Nian opened his mouth but could say nothing in the end.

    Gu Bei once again whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we all have high hopes for you.¡±

    Shi Nian smiled. He also lowered his voice and replied, ¡°Alright. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Grandpa. I hope you¡¯ll lend me a hand during crucial moments!¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Gu Bei stuck his nose in the air.

    Shi Nian laughed and sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve never wooed a girl before; I have no idea what to do! I need help!¡±

    Gu Bei rolled his eyes at him. ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so difficult about it. As the saying goes, ¡®a persistent pursuer can soften the staunchest lady¡¯s heart! I can tell she¡¯s more ooen to vour advances since returning from Lu Town. You iust need to put in more effort, kid.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I might scare her off,¡± Shi Nian said in a hushed voice.

    Gu Bei rolled his eyes at him again, and Shi Nian smiled in return. ¡°What are you two whispering about over there?¡± Chen Yao playfully chided.

    Gu Bei cleared his throat and answered, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, honey. We were just discussing what to wear to the ceremony. We also wanted to wear something festive.¡±

    Chen Yao looked at him in mock askance, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you two want matching outfits as well. You should match with Shi Kong instead; you guys would make a more convincing pair of brothers!¡±

    Yun Nan laughed so hard that she collapsed into Chen Yao¡¯s arms. After Yun

    Nan and Shi Nian left, Chen Yao asked Gu Bei, ¡°What didyou say to Shi Nian?¡± ¡°I told him we could tell that he and Yun Nan are a fake couple,¡± Gu Bei said.

    ¡°Why are you so impatient?¡± Chen Yao scolded him. ¡°I think the two of them are quite good right now. There¡¯s no need to rush; let things play out naturally.¡±

    Gu Bei shook his head. ¡°No way! You never know what will happen in the future. Look at the mess Gu Fei is in! Shi Nian is a good man; we wouldn¡¯t want our Yun Nan to lose him. She has to keep an eye on him.¡±

    Chen Yao chuckled. ¡°Hey, our Yun Nan is also a gem! Shi Nian will be sorry if he doesn¡¯t cherish her!¡±

    Gu Bei nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, but we have to give them a push. Why wait when we know those two will be happy together? And if they¡¯re happy, we¡¯re happy!¡¯

    ¡® That¡¯s true,¡¯ Chen Yao silently admitted. The two of them were only able to get over the pain of losing their daughter so quickly because they had Yun Nan around. Xiao He had chosen and sent this child to their side; she was their blessing.

    Everyone in the Gu main family was in a bad mood, but they still had to force a smile onto their faces to deal with the guests.

    Yun Liu was dressed to the nines today because this gathering was organized in her name. She was the star today. There wouldn¡¯t be another opportunity as good as this to elevate her fame. Yun Liu and Tan Ning had made careful arrangements beforehand. This was the most important comeback for her after Shi Xiu backstabbed her.

    Chang Hui and Bai Jie both agreed to their arrangements. First, there was a

    press conference in the afternoon. Tan Ning personally hosted the event and weaved an emotional story about Yun Liu¡¯s tragic life while Yun Liu was in tears beside her.

    Under Tan Ning¡¯s lead, Yun Liu kowtowed to her adoptive parents and thanked them for raising her, vowing she would always be filial to them. They treated her like their own child, so in return, she would treat them like her biological parents. The fans and reporters were moved to tears.

    Then Yun Liu kowtowed to her biological parents. Her biological father, Gu An, had rushed over to attend the ceremony. He businesslikely welcomed his newly found daughter into the family. He was quite neutral towards this newly recovered daughter of his; he didn¡¯t lack children or daughters, but he still had to put on a show of parental love before the public.

    Zheng Xiu and her daughter hugged each other and cried bitterly, perfectly portraying the sad scene of a loving mother reunited with her long-lost daughter.

    Zheng Xiu gifted Yun Liu a set of precious jewelry and told her, ¡°We always prepared and gave every daughter in our family a set of jewelry during their coming-of-age ceremony. You are our daughter, so anything your sisters have, you will also have. The Yuns raised you, so you can¡¯t forget your debt of gratitude. It would be cruel to take you from them; therefore, you are a daughter of our Gu family as well as a daughter of the Yun family.¡±

    That was a recognition of Yun Liu¡¯s identity. Even if she didn¡¯t change her surname, her status was now more noble than before. Her fans were all very happy for her!

    Gu Wei walked over with a folder and handed it to Yun Liu. ¡°You¡¯ll always be our daughter, dear child. Your brother first founded Yun Entertainment for your sake, so now he is officially handing the company over to you. This is a

    gift from your brother and us.. Take it!¡±

 Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Three: The Company

    Chapter 243: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Three: The Company

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Mom!¡± Yun Liu exclaimed in disbelief, shocked and touched. She hugged Gu Wei again and shed tears of gratitude.

    The fans and even the Gu family were shocked. Stunned, Gu An looked at Zheng Xiu. ¡® The Yuns gave away their companyjust like that? he thought disbelievingly. Although Yun Entertainment hadn¡¯t been established for very long, it had quite a good reputation. It became famous due to several low-cost documentaries and had many artistes under it. ¡®The company has prettygood prospects, and the Yun family actuallygave it to Yun Liu? They really value their adopted daughter,¡¯ Gu An thought.

    The gifts given by Yun Liu¡¯s biological parents seem too meager in comparison. However, Zheng Xiu didn¡¯t feel embarrassed. She hadn¡¯t expected Yun Liu to really be able to get her hands on the Yun family¡¯s company. ¡® That child is really something,¡¯ Zheng Xiu thought. ¡®Her capability is one to be reckoned with. It seems Gu He has to rely on this young lady in the future.¡¯

    Gu Wei was touched by this big moment for her daughter and pushed the unpleasant argument she had with her son to the back of her mind. Yun Zhang had accused her of not knowing her own daughter. ¡®I raised Yun Liu myself. Of course, I would know her character the best! Yun Liu is, and will always be, my daughter!¡¯

    The press conference ended and left the audience, especially the media reporters, with much material and topics to discuss. This time, Yun Liu was finally able to dominate the trending searches and headlines as she wished. Tan Ning and Yun Liu looked at each other and smiled. It felt good to get what they wanted.

    Next up was the banquet. Some reporters had invitations and stayed to attend the evening banquet, while the fans received small gifts and autographed photos that Yun Liu had carefully prepared and left satisfied.

    Bai Jie, Chang Hui, and the others only came before the banquet began. There was no need for them to come any earlier¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t want to give the girl too much credit. Yun Liu wasn¡¯t that important to the Gu family, after all!

    That was the implied message the Gu family constantly gave Yun Liu and everyone else. Yun Liu secretly endured the subtle humiliation. Thanks to the Yuns, she now had wealth and resources. With that, she could slowly plot and get the respect she deserved. ¡®Theres no hurry,¡¯ she reassured herself. ¡®Once I become more popular, I¡¯ll have the Gu family vilified for their every neglect. Then they¡¯ll know howpowerful I am and regret looking down on me.¡¯

    The others were nothing as long as she was of one mind with her biological mother and controlled her adoptive family. Since the press conference was successfully over, she and Tan Ning had achieved their goal. As for the Gu family using her banquet later to deal with Gu Fei¡¯s matter¡­ If things went well, it would count as her contributing to the family; if things didn¡¯t go well, the ones shamed would be the Gu family and not her. Her fans would sympathize with her, and she might even be able to use this to gain a new batch of followers!

    Therefore, she shrugged off her timid physicality and welcomed the guests gracefully and composedly. This caused her female cousins to look at her with new eyes, jealousy clear in their gazes. Yun Liu straightened her back and inwardly disdained these women, who could only rely on marriage to gain a place in their family.

    Chen Yao wasn¡¯t dressed in her usual dark and drab colors. Instead, she wore a sky-blue embroidered cheongsam, looking imposingly regal and elegant. Her nieces paled in comparison and even seemed a little frumpy. Gu Bei, on the other hand, was dressed in a navy blue Chinese-style suit, and there were no traces of his previous illness on his face.

    Gu An hurriedly came forward to greet them. ¡°Uncle Gu Bei! I heard you were sick! I wanted to visit right away, but I was overseas and couldn¡¯t make it back in time. I was so worried! Judging by your complexion, I take it you¡¯re all fine

    Gu Bei chuckled, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve never been better. I¡¯ll even race you to prove it. How about it? I feel like I can run half a marathon now.¡±

    Gu An¡¯s Uncle Gu Bei wasn¡¯t too much older than he was and wasn¡¯t as austere and serious as his brother, Gu An¡¯s father. The man was very close to Gu An and his elder brothers.

    Gu An said smilingly, ¡°Then your health is better than mine, Uncle. I wouldn¡¯t dare humor the thought that I could still run half a marathon.¡±

    Chen Yao laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to his bragging! With that heart of his, we won¡¯t even let him watch half a marathon, let alone let him run it! He can¡¯t stress his heart too much!¡±

    Gu An quickly smiled and said, ¡°Uncle Gu Bei¡¯s health is only so good thanks to you taking such great care of him, Aunt Chen Yao.¡±

    Zheng Xiu praised with a smile, ¡°Aunt Chen Yao, you look so beautiful today in that dress. Your elegance and poise leave us all in the dust.¡±

    Chen Yao spread her arms to show off her cheongsam and remarked, ¡°It looks good, doesn¡¯t it? I didn¡¯t dare to wear it at first because I felt the design was a little too young for me. It was Yun Nan who urged me to wear it. Come, let me introduce you all to my granddaughter!¡±

    She pulled Yun Nan, who was following behind her, to the front.

    Yun Nan was wearing a pale blue modified cheongsam today. It was obvious at a glance that it was from the same series as Chen Yao¡¯s dress. However, judging by the color, Chen Yao¡¯s dress was the main star, while Yun Nan¡¯s was a supporting piece. Both dresses complemented and reflected each other¡¯s beauty and were so beautiful that others couldn¡¯t take their eyes off them..

 Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Four: Sisters

    Chapter 244: Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Four: Sisters

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    However, everyone was shocked not only shocked by their clothes but also by Chen Yao¡¯s words.

    ¡® Their granddaughter? they all thought. Even though, from that visit to the hospital, they knew that Chen Yao had found her daughter and got themselves a granddaughter in the process, they didn¡¯t expect that granddaughter to be Yun Nan, the second daughter-in-law of the Shi family.

    They couldn¡¯t believe it at first, but there, standing next to Yun Nan, was the youngest chairman in Rong City, the Shi family¡¯s second young master, Shi Nian.

    ¡°This is Yun Nan. She¡¯s our daughter¡¯s¡ªXiao He¡¯s¡ªadopted child, and also our granddaughter! This is Yun Nan¡¯s husband, Shi Nian. You guys know him too, don¡¯t you? Yun Nan, Shi Nian, come and meet your uncle, aunts, and cousins!¡± As Chen Yao spoke, she pulled Yun Nan along and introduced her and Shi Nian to her relatives one by one.

    When the Gu family visited the Shi family before, it was an exchange between family friends. Now, Shi Nian was visiting Yun Nan¡¯s maiden family as Yun Nan¡¯s husband¡ªa completely different identity.

    Yun Liu had noticed Shi Nian and Yun Nan the moment they entered and wondered why these two people were there at her banquet. She called Tan Ning over and quietly ordered her to get the reporters to pay attention to the couple. They were to write articles about anything they found, no matter what it was, and bring all hell down on Yun Nan.

    Tan Ning nodded and left. When Chen Yao revealed Yun Nan¡¯s identity soon after, Yun Liu was dumbstruck. ¡®How is this possible? Yun Liu thought. ¡®How can Yun Nan be Gu Bei and Chen Yao¡¯s granddaughter? Then, doesn¡¯t that make us cousins? No, no way! How is this possible? ICs impossible!¡¯

    Yun Liu glared at Yun Nan so hard that her eyes nearly bled! ¡®Why is this woman so d*mn lucky? Yun Liu inwardly raged. Yun Nan was the Yun family¡¯s biological daughter, while Yun Liu was only adopted. Although Yun Liu had managed to chase her out of the Yun family, the woman then went and married the man of her dreams, Shi Nian. After that, Yun Nan was able to resolve all her predicaments and make her career flourish, no matter what carefully calculated plans she threw at her. No matter how much Yun Liu didn¡¯t want to admit it, she knew Shi Nian had feelings for Yun Nan; he never looked at anyone else the way he looked at her.

    Yun Liu had let go of her feelings for Shi Nian with much difficulty and started to focus on her own career. She thought the heavens finally smiled on her when she found her birth parents, who were much wealthier and more reliable than the Yuns. The Gu family had just acknowledged her as their daughter, but not even half a day later, her happiness was ruined when Yun Nan appeared and actually became her cousin!

    ¡®I haven¡¯t even gotten used to my identity as the Gu familrs daughter yet, and Yun Nan is already squeezing in? Yun Liu silently fumed. ¡®No way!

    ¡®Judging from Chen Yao¡¯s attitude towards Yun Nan, it¡¯s obvious how much she likes her! It¡¯s so unfair!¡¯ Gu Bei and Chen Yao were people that everyone in the Gu family admired and revered! Gu Bei had long retired from all his posts in the Gu family and spent most of his life looking for his daughter. While he searched, he started up his own businesses, independent of the Gu family, but became rich enough to rival the Gu family! It was said that even Yun Liu¡¯s father and uncles often had to borrow money from Gu Bei, which just showed how capable the man was!

    Yun Liu mentally ranted, ¡® What kind of dumb luck does Yun Nan have? Didn¡¯t she grow up in the countryside? Her adoptive mother was barely literate; how could she be Gu Bei and Chen Yao¡¯s daughter?

    Yun Liu¡¯s heart nearly bled as she thought, ¡® Why are the heavens so biased? Why niust They give everything good to Yun Nan? Why is it that Yun Nan can effortlessly reach the heights andpeaks that I could never reach, no matter howpainstakingly I tried?

    Chen Yao now stood before Yun Liu. ¡°Is this your newly recovered daughter?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she is!¡± Zheng Xiu quickly answered. ¡°Yun Liu, this is your Grandma Chen Yao!¡± Yun Liu stared at Yun Nan in a daze and didn¡¯t react.

    Yun Nan whispered a few words to Chen Yao, who raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Oh? How could there be such a coincidence? You¡ªYou both have the same surname, Yun. Why didn¡¯t I notice that earlier?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled at Yun Liu. ¡°What a coincidence, sis. It looks like we¡¯re destined to be sisters. After all the twists and turns, we¡¯re still sisters. Well, cousins, actually, but close enough.¡±

    Zheng Xiu chuckled, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s destiny for you. Such a bond has to be cherished! You two sisters must get along well in the future.¡±

    She tugged at her daughter¡¯s wrist. Yun Liu finally came back to her senses and said bitterly, ¡°You truly are lucky, Yun Nan.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled. She guessed Yun Liu was probably thinking, ¡®Why are you still haunting me? To be honest, she didn¡¯t want to be around Yun Liu either, but life just so happens to be full of coincidences. There was nothing she could do about it.

    The ones present who felt most awkward were Yun Xiang and Gu Wei. When Chang Hui enthusiastically introduced them to Gu Bei and his wife, she excitedly said, ¡°These are Yun Liu¡¯s adoptive parents.. They raised Yun Liu since she was a kid and treated her like their own, so they are our Gu family¡¯s benefactors! Oh! Speaking of which, they are also Yun Nan¡¯s biological parents!¡±

 Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Five: Biological Parents

    Chapter 245: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Five: Biological Parents

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Chang Hui was so thrilled. ¡®Oh my gosh! This is proving to be an explosive situation! Hahahaha!¡¯

    Gu Bei sized up the couple without saying anything. Chen Yao frowned. ¡°You¡¯re

    Yun Nan¡¯s biological parents?¡±

    Yun Xiang was a businessman and naturally knew about Gu Bei. He quickly reached out to shake hands with Gu Bei. ¡°Hello, Mr. Gu. I¡¯m Yun Xiang.¡±

    ¡°Yun Nan is my granddaughter,¡± Gu Bei calmly replied without reaching out his hand.

    Yun Nan had just finished speaking to Bai Jie when she turned around and saw her parents and grandparents facing each other and couldn¡¯t help but frown. She didn¡¯t expect them to show up at the Gu family¡¯s gathering. She had just received WeChat messages from Yun Zhang and Fang Xi, telling her that her biological parents had given Yun Entertainment to Yun Liu for free. Yun Zhang said his mother had threatened him with her death, so he had no choice but to sign away the company.

    Yun Nan was speechless when she found out and thought, ¡®How absurd!¡¯ She came over and put her arm around Chen Yao¡¯s, gently asking, ¡°Grandma, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Chen Yao said nothing. Faced with her daughter, Gu Wei felt a little guilty and angrily reprimanded, ¡°You won¡¯t even greet us now, Yun Nan? We didn¡¯t kick you out; you¡¯re the one who wanted to leave our family, so don¡¯t give us that attitude. What, you don¡¯t even feel like calling us Mom and Dad? We¡¯re your birth parents, after all.¡±

    Yun Nan took a deep breath and calmly greeted them, ¡®Mom, Dad.¡±

    Yun Xiang¡¯s face darkened, and he didn¡¯t respond. Gu Bei¡¯s cold attitude hurt him deeply, but he didn¡¯t dare say anything. He didn¡¯t have the right to argue with Gu Bei in terms of capabilities, birthright, status, and everything else. He had no choice but to accept this humiliation.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Gu Wei huffed. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve found someone better than us, you naturally don¡¯t give a d*mn about us.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t say anything and thought bitterly to herself, ¡® What can I say to that? She felt even more disappointed in her parents when she saw how they tried to turn the tables on her when they were the guilty party.

    Shi Nian strode over and stood beside Yun Nan. Chen Yao glanced at Gu Wei and delicately asked, ¡°What does Madam Yun mean by that? You scolded Yun Nan when she didn¡¯t greet you, but when she did greet you, you sarcastically insulted her. Is that any way to treat your biological daughter? Are you that dissatisfied with her?¡±

    Chang Hui cheerfully fanned the flames and told her, ¡°Don¡¯t you know, Aunt Chen Yao? Madam Yun personally gave Yun Entertainment over to Yun Liu during the press conference this afternoon! Our Yun Liu is such a lucky child! I guess the saying ¡®adopted family is more important than genetic family is quite true. Her adoptive parents treat her better than their own biological children!¡±

    Chang Hui¡¯s words stabbed many in the heart. As expected, Chen Yao¡¯s expression darkened. However, she held back her anger and coldly uttered, ¡°You¡¯re right. I agree, an adopted family does mean more than a genetic one.¡±

    Gu Wei unhappily glared at Chang Hui and tried to explain herself. ¡®Madam Gu, it¡¯s not that we¡¯re partial towards Yun Liu. We don¡¯t need to worry about Yun Nan because she is so capable, but Yun Liu isn¡¯t. She grew up spoiled and pampered, and we¡¯re worried she¡¯ll get bullied when she returns to the Gu family, so we thought we might as well give her something for a rainy day¡ªa dowry.¡±

    Chen Yao nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. A parent has to plan far for their child¡¯s future. I understand the heart of a loving mother. But Yun Nan is also your daughter. I don¡¯t understand why you disregard and criticize her so.¡±

    She continued, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. Yun Nan has us. We only have one daughter, and my daughter only has one adopted daughter, Yun Nan. We¡¯ve been saving up for our daughter¡¯s dowry our entire lives. As her mother has unfortunately passed away, it all belongs to Yun Nan.¡±

    Chang Hui was stunned. ¡® Wait, is she serious? Theyre giving it all to Yun Nan? Uncle Gu Bei andAunt Chen Yao plan to give all their assets to Yun Nan? To this girl who isn¡¯t even related to us? No way that¡¯s happening!¡¯

    Chen Yao stated, ¡°Your adopted daughter is blessed to receive so much love from you, Madam Yun, but our Yun Nan doesn¡¯t have it bad either. Although her biological parents don¡¯t acknowledge her, we¡ªher grandparents¡ªlove her with all our hearts.¡¯

    Chen Yao told Gu Wei and her husband, ¡°Since you two don¡¯t like Yun Nan, stop forcing her to greet you in public; it¡¯s tedious. Just focus on your adopted daughter and treat her well. As for your biological daughter, just pretend that you never found her. She¡¯s our child now.¡±

    Chen Yao pulled Yun Nan along as she turned around and walked away. Gu Bei and Shi Nian hurriedly caught up, one on each side, protecting their respective wives.

    The Yun couple watched in a daze as their daughter left without looking back and felt quite upset. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong, ¡± Gu Wei grumbled to Yun Xiang. ¡°Tell me, do you think what I said was wrong? I didn¡¯t do anything to her, either! What right does she have to throw a tantrum at me? I gave birth to her; I¡¯m her biological mother!¡±

    Gu Wei felt so aggrieved that tears flowed down her face..

 Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Six: Come Show Support

    Chapter 246: Chapter Two-Hundred Forty-Six: Come Show Support

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Chang Hui scowled and left to look for Bai Jie and Zheng Xiu without even

    looking at the Yuns. She had to tell them the news quickly; they couldn¡¯t let this happen!

    They even had a perfect adoption candidate ready to present to Uncle Gu Bei, and all they had to do was wait for Uncle Gu Bei to die, and his massive family fortune would be theirs. But now, a granddaughter suddenly popped out of nowhere, and their plan was toast!

    This was no longer a simple matter of fighting over whose daughter they should give to Uncle Gu Bei for adoption; even their husbands had to know about this.

    Before Chang Hui could get to Bai Jie¡¯s side, Madam Shi and her husband arrived with their daughter, Shi Xiu. When Shi Xiu saw that there were media reporters around, she had no intention of avoiding them and graciously allowed them to take photos.

    A reporter who was familiar with her quickly came forward and asked, ¡°Miss Shi, aren¡¯t you afraid of being gossiped about for coming to the Gu family¡¯s banquet? Shouldn¡¯t you lay low and avoid the Gu family at a time like this?¡±

    Shi Xiu was waiting for someone to ask her that! She smiled charitably and took her parents¡¯ arms as she answered, ¡°What¡¯s there to avoid? I have nothing to fear, as my conscience is clear! The Gu family and mine have been friends for a couple of generations, so of course we would come and show our support to them at such an important banquet!¡±

    She added, ¡°Oh, right. If you guys see Gu Fei, you can ask him what¡¯s going on to prevent others from gossiping about it and making things up. I¡¯m from the entertainment industry, so I¡¯m used to being slandered, but Gu Fei isn¡¯t. We wouldn¡¯t want to see his reputation ruined, right guys?

    Shi Xiu had a baby face. When she smiled, she looked harmless and cute. She was also open and generous. She would meet others with an ¡°I¡¯m an open book, so ask me anything you want¡± type of honesty. She had been straightforward and truthful ever since she debuted. However, if you think that means she was guileless and naive, you would be completely wrong.

    No trick or scheme got past Shi Xiu. She easily saw through those two-faced goody-two-shoes and conniving b*tches and wasn¡¯t afraid to directly confront them about it. Therefore, the girl was actually quite sharp. None of the media reporters were idiots either, and they gradually began to admire this young lady.

    And with her identity and family background, she didn¡¯t need to lie. Shi Xiu was born a princess and could just return to her family and live as a wealthy heiress if things in the entertainment industry didn¡¯t work out for her.

    The reporters didn¡¯t even have to ask Gu Fei anything else, as everyone had already determined he was the one at fault. They knew exactly how and what to write in their articles.

    The media reporters his family had arranged were already interviewing Gu Fei. ¡°Young Master Gu, I heard you and Miss Shi Xiu were childhood sweethearts, and you two have been betrothed since you were kids. Is that true?¡±

    Gu Fei chuckled and didn¡¯t give that question a direct answer. ¡°Can we talk about something else? Shi Xiu is now developing her career in the entertainment industry; a scandal like that isn¡¯t good for her. Let¡¯s not bully girls, shall we?¡±

    This was the strategy his new cousin, Yun Liu, had taught him. Don¡¯t admit or deny anything. Being ambiguous would allow flexibility for both defense and offense.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Young Master Gu to be so protective of Miss Shi. Don¡¯t worry, we get it. We get it!¡± The reporter replied, and a round of heckling sounded off at the comment.

    Gu Fei was slightly embarrassed and pretended to be anxious as he said, ¡°Hey, there¡¯s really nothing between us, guys! I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t make things up! Shi Xiu is a very kind girl. I¡¯ve never seen such a hardworking and clear-headed young lady like her.¡±

    He continued, ¡°She¡¯s even brave enough to try something as hard and tiring as acting. She was able to quickly integrate into the local community when she went to a small place like Lu Town without a word of complaint or dislike. I was really impressed. I admire her a lot, so don¡¯t tie us up in a scandal together!¡±

    Another reporter took the chance to ask, ¡°Oh, so Mr. Gu really did go to Lu Town with Miss Shi?¡±

    ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t Miss Shi admit it?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what Mr. Gu said? Mr. Gu fears it will affect Miss Shi¡¯s career, so he doesn¡¯t want any scandals! That¡¯s why they won¡¯t admit they went to Lu Town together.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Mr. Gu is such a caring boyfriend! Miss Shi is very lucky to have found such a handsome and rich boyfriend!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that surprising; Miss Shi and Mr. Gu are of equal status, after all.¡±

    The reporters uttered questions and comments in a similar vein. They were all hired by Tan Ning and had received benefits and payment beforehand. They were to turn the public¡¯s opinion of Gu Fei and imply he was in a relationship with Shi Xiu.

    Gu Fei listened to all the ¡®whispers¡¯ being bandied around with a faint smile. ¡® That new cousin ofmine is truly something,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I should get to know her better; she¡¯s quite useful.¡¯

    He didn¡¯t think Shi Xiu would come today. She was a small celebrity after all; she was probably laying low to avoid arousing suspicion. ¡®Don¡¯t blame me for using you, Shi Xiu,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Not that she can do anything about it. I didn¡¯t say anything, so I have nothing to worry about even if she sends me a lavvyers letter.¡¯

    ¡®Haha, women really do understand women the most. I should ask for more advice from Cousin Yun Liu in the future. She¡¯s much more capable than my sisters, who only know to nag and tattle to myparents whenever something happens..¡¯

 Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Seven: Set Up

    Chapter 247: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Seven: Set Up

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Some media reporters ran over and whispered to their colleagues. Whatever news they brought rippled through the crowd, and the wind gradually changed directions.

    Gu Fei sensed the change in atmosphere, raised his eyebrows, and dashingly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Shi is here, Mr. Gu. Why don¡¯t we accompany you to greet her?¡± A seasoned media reporter replied with a mischievous smile and thought, ¡®This is too interesting to pass up. One party is trying her best to distance herselffrom the other, while the otherparty is doing his best to get close.¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t seen such a situation before, but usually, it was two celebrities with different levels of popularity involved, where one party wanted to ride on the other¡¯s popularity. He didn¡¯t expect to be lucky enough to see such a situation occur between two wealthy families today. He could only imagine how exciting the two¡¯s confrontation would be!

    Gu Fei was clearly stunned as panic flashed across his face. He instinctively looked for Yun Liu but couldn¡¯t see her anywhere.

    Faced with the pressure from the media reporters, Gu Fei had no choice but to bite the bullet and smilingly respond, ¡°Sure!¡±

    Gil Fei tried to think of countermeasures as they made their wav to Shi Xin- Shi

    Xiu had already distanced herself from him completely at that fan meeting. He had to admit that he didn¡¯t expect Shi Xiu to be so straightforward. She didn¡¯t drag things out, nor did she show any regard for him.

    She disrespected him, which was the same as disrespecting the Gu family. But so what? Gu Fei wasn¡¯t in charge of the Gu family yet, so he didn¡¯t have the right to accuse the Shi family of this. Even if he took over the Gu family, Shi Nian probably wouldn¡¯t buy it.

    Gu Fei¡¯s mind already went through innumerable twists and turns over the distance of just a few steps. He was nervous; his palms were sweating.

    Meanwhile, Gu Fei¡¯s mother¡ªBai Jie¡ªand his two elder sisters¡ªGu Rou and Gu Wan had Shi Xiu surrounded and were praising her nonstop.

    Bai Jie grabbed Shi Xiu¡¯s hand and anxiously pleaded, ¡°Shi Xiu, Auntie knows you¡¯re a good child. Our families have been friends for generations¡ªever since your great-grandfather¡¯s generation, in fact. Auntie has a presumptuous request. Will you please help me?¡±

    As she spoke, Bai Jie¡¯s eyes darted to her other two daughters further ahead. They were badgering Chen Yao to buy them some time.

    Shi Xiu smiled at her innocently. ¡°Auntie, if there¡¯s anything I can help you with, just tell me. We¡¯re not just family friends; we¡¯re also relatives now. The Gu family is my sister-in-law¡¯s maiden family, so if there¡¯s anything I can help with, just say the word.¡±

    Bai Jie¡¯s chest tightened. She wasn¡¯t afraid of offending the Shi family if they were only family friends. However, if they were speaking in terms of relatives, that would involve Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao, so no matter what, she didn¡¯t dare to cause an affront.

    Gu Wan agitatedly pulled Shi Xiu towards her and stated, ¡°We just need a small favor from you, darling. That crazy woman you met at your fan meeting is a lunatic. She¡¯s not Gu Fei¡¯s lover, so don¡¯t believe her!¡±

    ¡°Your betrothal has stood since you were children. Our family only recognizes you as our daughter-in-law, and that won¡¯t change! However, the fuss that crazy woman kicked up isn¡¯t good for you or Gu Fei. Why don¡¯t we confirm you and Gu Fei¡¯s relationship before those reporters today and have Gu Fei propose to you? What do you say?¡±

    Before Shi Xiu could say anything, Gu Wan continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Gu Fei is our family¡¯s only heir, so you¡¯re our family¡¯s only daughter-in-law. I promise you, all of our Gu family¡¯s assets will belong to you and your child in the future, and we Gu family never goes back on our words!¡±

    Shi Xiu looked at Gu Wan¡¯s eager expression, and her smile remained unchanged as she slowly pulled her hand from the woman¡¯s grip. ¡°What are you saying, Gu Wan? I¡¯m confused. Auntie asked me for a favor, yet you¡¯re telling me Gu Fei wants to propose to me. Could it be that the favor you want me to do is¡­ you want me to agree to Gu Fei¡¯s marriage proposal?¡±

    Gu Wan nodded vigorously. Shi Xiu¡¯s smile disappeared as she replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t help you with that. There are things in this world that have to be done and things that shouldn¡¯t be done. I¡¯m only a little girl; what little girl would joke about her own marriage? You can¡¯t ask someone to agree to something as serious as a marriage proposal as a favor!¡±

    ¡°Gu Wan, why don¡¯t you ask that woman who claimed to be Gu Fei¡¯s lover for help? She¡¯s not a lunatic; her mind is sharp, and her arguments are well-structured, so there¡¯s no way she¡¯s a lunatic. Wealthy and powerful families like ours don¡¯t need to rely on marriage alliances in the first place. Your Gu family won¡¯t reject her because her family background isn¡¯t good enough, right? I don¡¯t think you guys should obsess over family backgrounds.

    It¡¯s fine so long as she and Gu Fei truly love each other! So let it go, Gu Wan.¡±

    Gu Wan felt her chest tighten and unhappily glanced at her sister, Gu Rou. ¡®See? Didn¡¯t I say this girl wasn¡¯t easy to manipulate? And you didn¡¯t believe me. She didn¡¯t buy it at all.. What should we do now?

 Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Eight: Lies

    Chapter 248: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Eight: Lies

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Rou was also quite anxious. Neither of them had expected Shi Xiu to come today. Logically, she should be avoiding the Gu family like they were the plague! If she hadn¡¯t come, they would naturally have taken the opportunity to spin the situation however they wanted.

    The public doesn¡¯t care about the truth; true and false are determined by the current mood and preferences of the audience. By the time Shi Xiu and her family caught on to their plans, Shi Xiu wouldn¡¯t be able to explain and defend herself against the rumors, and they could seize the chance to broker the marriage. However, they didn¡¯t expect Shi Xiu to come; the Shi family really didn¡¯t play by the rules. It messed up all their plans.

    They had noticed the reporters heading towards Shi Xiu and had no choice but to respond urgently. They were betting on the hope that Shi Xiu would show some respect to the Gu family as well as care about her own reputation. Moreover, Gu Fei was definitely one of Shi Xiu¡¯s best candidates for marriage, and with the offer of their family fortune, they thought Shi Xiu would surely be tempted.

    However, they didn¡¯t expect Shi Xiu to be so stubborn and difficult to deal with. Seeing Gu Fei among the crowd of reporters, they knew the press was eagerly awaiting a confrontation and made sure it would happen by bringing Gu Fei along.

    Before Gu Fei and his group could say anything, Gu Wan had already stood before Shi Xiu and smilingly said, ¡°What took you so long, Gu Fei? We were just talking about the fun things you and Shi Xiu encountered in Lu Town.¡±

    Gu Fei frowned. His sisters were acting weird. Gu Wan was taller than Shi Xiu and kept Shi Xiu firmly behind her, completely blocking the girl from view, whereas Gu Rou had placed her arm around Shi Xiu¡¯s shoulders, all but covering Shi Xiu¡¯s mouth.

    Yun Nan happened to turn around and saw that there were a lot of people gathered over there. She frowned; due to her profession, she was quite sensitive to media reporters and had recognized a few of them among the crowd.

    And when she noticed the nervous expressions on the Gu family members¡¯ faces, Yun Nan felt something was wrong. She walked a few steps closer and caught a glimpse of Shi Xiu¡¯s skirt. ¡®Okay, now I know what¡¯s going on,¡¯ Yun Nan thought.

    Yun Nan raised her voice and called out, ¡°Shi Xiu!¡± In a classy event like this, it was naturally impolite to speak so loudly, so many of the guests looked over.

    ¡®Yun Nan!¡± Shi Xiu responded even more loudly but didn¡¯t break free from Gu Rou, and at her call, even more people looked over. Yun Nan came over, so Gu Rou had no choice but to let go of Shi Xiu and look at Shi Xiu with pleading eyes.

    One of the reporters immediately grabbed hold of Gu Wan¡¯s words and asked, ¡°Miss Shi, did Mr. Gu Fei go to Lu Town with you or not?¡±

    The crazy woman from Shi Xiu¡¯s fan meeting had mentioned that Gu Fei had accompanied Shi Xiu to Lu Town. Shi Xiu had denied it, but the Gu family was saying Gu Fei did go with her. What exactly was going on here?

    Sometimes, the press would publish one thing and then go back on their words. It wasn¡¯t that they, the media reporters, lacked basic human decency but that the people involved were playing them like monkeys, and the reporters had no choice but to suffer in silence.

    Now, regardless of whether they had accepted Yun Liu¡¯s money to come and put in a good word for the Gu family or not, the reporters were all angry for the sake of their own dignity and stared at these rich people with unfriendly gazes.

    Shi Xiu smiled and looked at Gu Fei. ¡°Did you go to Lu Town? Why didn¡¯t I see you there?¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes switched toward Gu Fei. Gu Fei didn¡¯t bat an eyelid and returned Shi Xiu¡¯s gaze with an affectionate one. ¡°I didn¡¯t dare to let you know that I¡¯ve been following you an this white, he answered somewhat

    embarrassedly.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s expression darkened. She didn¡¯t expect Gu Fei to lie so blatantly and even set a trap for her.

    Gu Fei became more confident as he spoke, and his words ran smoother. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shi Xiu. I didn¡¯t mean to stalk you, but ever since you agreed to go slow and give our relationship a try, I¡¯ve taken a serious liking to you. You¡¯re the most special girl I¡¯ve ever met!¡±

    He continued, ¡°I¡¯d planned to lie to my family and say that I was going to Lu Town with you and then secretly go and have fun somewhere else. But then I changed my mind at the last minute and secretly followed you all to Lu Town. I was afraid you would feel uncomfortable, and I was also afraid you would laugh at me for being clingy, so I didn¡¯t tell you. But I was there in Lu Town the whole time.¡±

    Gu Fei was the most experienced when it came to lying. Ever since he was young, he has lied to his parents, sisters, and relatives countless times. And he got away with it every time. One of the key things about lying is believing that what you say is the truth. As long as your behavior was convincing and your attitude was sincere enough, a lie could become the truth!

    Gu Fei had completely composed himself by now and stared lovingly at Shi Xiu with amorous eyes. Shi Xiu was so mad that her face reddened, but to others, she looked like she was shyly blushing.

    A reporter concluded aloud, ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what happened. Young Master Gu likes Miss Shi and is currently in the process of wooing her.¡±

    Gu Fei nodded frankly. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m begging you all to be magnanimous and not write nonsense. Shi Xiu is different from the average girl.. I admire her from the bottom of my heart!¡±

 Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Nine: Appalling People

    Chapter 249: Chapter Two-Hundred and Forty-Nine: Appalling People

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Wan¡¯s worried heart finally settled down, and she chimed in, ¡°Our Gu Fei doesn¡¯t want to make Shi Xiu marry him just because of their childhood betrothal. Relationships can¡¯t be forced, after all. Gu Fei wants to prove himself to Shi Xiu. This is the first time he¡¯s been in a serious relationship. As for that girl who harassed Shi Xiu at the fan meeting, we don¡¯t know her; I think she¡¯s just a troublemaker trying to attract attention. In any case, our Gu Fei doesn¡¯t know her at all.¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s expression cooled. ¡®You two have some nerve. I¡¯m right here, you Imow!¡± She was trembling with anger; she¡¯d never been so taken advantage of in her life! She didn¡¯t expect to meet such appalling people as Gu Fei and his sisters today. They actually had the nerve to lie to the public right before her! ¡®I¡¯ve been standing here the whole time, and they still have the audacity to set me up! I never thought such shameless people existed!¡¯ she inwardly fumed.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s temper flared; she wished nothing more than to tear Gu Fei apart right now and glared daggers at him. Gu Fei immediately looked terrified. Gu Rou and Gu Wan were all smiles as they quickly grabbed Shi Xiu, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. She¡¯s just shy. Shi Xiu, don¡¯t be angry. We¡¯ll definitely teach Gu Fei a lesson for you.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we all head over to the tables and get something to eat first?¡± Gu Fei suggested to the media reporters, thinking, ¡®I¡¯ll stuff them some money later, and thats that. They have their ¡®truth¡± and pictures to go with it. This whole thing is finally over and done with!¡¯

    Yun Nan stepped forward and shielded Shi Xiu behind her as she calmly looked at Gu Fei. ¡°Hold on, Mr. Gu Fei. I have something to ask you.¡±

    Gu Wan wanted to get them out of there before any more trouble arose and hurriedly said, ¡°You can ask anything you want after the banquet is over, dear cousin. You and Yun Liu are the stars of the party tonight. Let¡¯s not let these two kids spoil everyone¡¯s fun now, shall we?¡±

    As she spoke, Gu Wan pushed Yun Nan. Yun Nan didn¡¯t want to go with her and shoved her back. Yun Nan was about to explode in anger, so she¡¯d put some strength into it. The push off-balanced Gu Wan and forced her to take a few steps back. She would have had a bad fall had Gu Rou not been there to catch her.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t even look at her and asked Gu Fei directly, ¡°Mr. Gu Fei, we didn¡¯t see you in Lu Town. Were you staying at the inn on the east side of the town? When we left, someone told us they¡¯d found a Rolex watch someone had lost there. Is it yours?¡±

    Gu Fei¡¯s mind raced as he smiled and replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite, cousin. Just call me Gu Fei. I did stay on the east side of the town; I didn¡¯t want to bother you guys, so I just quietly followed you guys around town. I didn¡¯t lose my watch, so the Rolex definitely isn¡¯t mine.¡±

    He was quite smart and was on guard against the possibility of Yun Nan tricking the truth out of him, so he took care to answer her question tactfully. Unfortunately for him, Yun Nan had predicted his answer.

    She looked towards the confused reporters and stated coldly, ¡°There is no inn on the east side of Lu Town; that¡¯s where the town¡¯s public cattle pens are. If any of you wish to verify this, you can go and check it yourself. So, Mr. Gu Fei, you were actually willing to live in a cowshed for Shi Xiu? You went over and beyond my expectations, Mr. Gu Fei! That¡¯s some dedication you have there!¡±

    Gu Fei¡¯s face reddened, paled, and then purpled with rage. Yun Nan continued, ¡°As for the Rolex I mentioned, it wasn¡¯t found in Lu Town. The woman who claimed to be your lover showed it to us; it has your initials on it, Mr. Gu Fei. I can send you all a photo of it as proof.¡±

    The media reporters began whispering among themselves. The situation was a little awkward¡ªfor the Gu family rather than Yun Nan and Shi Xiu. Gu Wan was furious. She lowered her voice and said, ¡°Yun Nan, you¡¯re our family¡¯s adopted child. Why are you siding with outsiders to humiliate us so? Is this how you repay Great Uncle Gu Bei and Great Aunt Chen Yao?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯ll have to agree to disagree with you there, cousin. Shi Xiu is my little sister, and you¡¯re all slandering her so brazenly. Is it because you think the Shi family won¡¯t fall out with you over this due to their image?

    Isn¡¯t it too much to bully a little girl like this?¡±

    Seeing Yun Nan¡¯s tough stance, Gu Wan said through gritted teeth, ¡°Shi Xiu and Gu Fei have been betrothed since birth! They¡¯ll be a married couple one day, so making him look bad will only hurt Shi Xiu. Gu Fei did go to Lu Town! He was just too embarrassed to show himself to you guys. What¡¯s wrong with that? It¡¯s not like the entire Lu Town is under your surveillance, is it? Couldn¡¯t he have hidden himself from you guys?

    ¡°He couldn¡¯t have.¡± Chen Yao¡¯s voice sounded out behind Gu Wan. Gu Wan turned around in surprise and saw an unhappy-looking Chen Yao standing behind her. She stuttered out, ¡°G-Great Aunt¡ª¡±

    Chen Yao shut her up with a glance before turning to Gu Fei and uttering, ¡°If you were truly in Lu Town, we would certainly have known about it because we visited every household in Lu Town to give gifts as thanks for their kindness toward my daughter¡ªwe visited each and every abode..¡±

 Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty: Cut the Ground From Under Their Feet

    Chapter 250: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty: Cut the Ground From Under Their Feet

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Chen Yao calmly said to Gu Fei, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go find the girl that you got pregnant instead of clinging onto Shi Xiu? Shi Xiu is impetuous and hot-tempered; aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll make the Gu family suffer in a fit of anger if you keep harassing her like this?¡±

    She went on to say, ¡®You¡¯re to blame if the Gu family¡¯s reputation is tarnished or their interests get affected. This whole mess started because of you. You¡¯re the future head of the Gu family, and this is how you act?! You¡¯re a disappointment; there¡¯s no hope for the Gu family with you at its helm.¡±

    Gu Fei sweated profusely. Gu Wan hurriedly stated, ¡°Great Aunt Chen Yao, our Gu Fei and Shi Xiu have been betrothed to each other since they were young¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let the matter of their betrothal go,¡± Chen Yao detachedly interrupted her. ¡°That was just a joke made by the elders. Shi Xiu isn¡¯t suitable for Gu Fei. I¡¯ve decided to annul the betrothal right here and now; this issue is over and done with.¡¯

    Shi Xiu burst into relieved tears and threw herself into Chen Yao¡¯s arms, feeling extremely aggrieved. Chen Yao gently consoled her while Yun Nan glowered darkly at Gu Fei and his sisters.

    Shi Nian rushed over and saw that Yun Nan was upset. Thinking Yun Nan had been bullied, he immediately put his arm around her shoulders and worriedly asked, ¡°What happened? Who bullied you?¡±

    Yun Nan briefly told him what had happened just now, and Shi Nian heaved a sigh of relief. Gu Rou and Gu Wan secretly felt anxious when they saw that things had gotten out of hand, and seeing their current situation, Gu Fei wanted to beat a hasty retreat.

    However, Shi Nian called out to him before he could slip away and looked around at the media reporters present. A few of them shrank back under Shi Nian¡¯s gaze, and Shi Nian Imew what was going on.

    Shi Yun, Gu Bei, and Gu An also rushed over. Shi Nian impassively remarked, ¡°This is the first time the Gu family has come to visit Rong City. They¡¯re here to discuss investment and development opportunities in our city. Please be nice and don¡¯t make malicious comments about their private lives. You wouldn¡¯t want to offend our city¡¯s future investors, would you?¡±

    His lukewarm words made the reporters¡¯ hearts skip a beat. A reporter familiar with Shi Nian quickly assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chairman Shi. We definitely won¡¯t write nonsense. We definitely won¡¯t.¡± The more timid reporters were already chiming in their agreement.

    The jibe in Shi Nian¡¯s words was unmistakable, and Gu An looked toward Gu Bei and Shi Yun. Although he was considered Shi Nian¡¯s elder, it really wasn¡¯t his place to lecture Shi Nian.

    Shi Nian seemed satisfied with the media reporters¡¯ attitude and went on to say, ¡°As for my sister¡¯s betrothal to Mr. Gu Fei¡­ That¡¯s just a rumor. There¡¯s no such thing! My sister is still young and hasn¡¯t finished her studies; it¡¯s too early for her to fall in love and marry.¡±

    ¡°You all can criticize her acting skills but don¡¯t make an issue of her love life and marriage. I don¡¯t want to read or hear of any groundless rumors and scandals. I have an army of legal consultants who can put down their business at any time to help my little sister fight a lawsuit. I¡¯ll sue whoever dares to spread rumors and cause trouble into bankruptcy!¡±

    Shi Nian reached out and patted Shi Xiu¡¯s shoulder, and his tone softened as he consoled her, ¡°Alright, stop crying. It¡¯s only a small matter; what¡¯s there to cry about? If someone bullies you, just beat them up. There¡¯s no need to cry.¡±

    Shi Xiu sobbed, straightened up, and stood properly. Yun Nan helped her tidy her hair. Shi Nian then told Gu Bei and Chen Yao, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, we still have things to do, so we¡¯ll be taking our leave.¡±

    Gu Bei nodded. ¡°Alright. Go home and calm your little sister down. Don¡¯t scold her! Shi Xiu, come find your grandma and me if your brother bullies you!¡±

    Shi Yun and Xu Yun politely bid farewell to everyone and left the banquet early with their daughter, son, and daughter-in-law. For a moment, the entire place was silent after they departed.

    Gu Bei cleared his throat and said to Gu An, ¡°Your elder brothers, Gu Ping and Gu Su, aren¡¯t here. As their younger brother, you should stay in the city and preside over things here. Don¡¯t leave a group of women here to cause trouble. Look what a mess they made of this celebration! I¡¯ll help you mediate with the

    Shi family, but don¡¯t get any more ideas about their daughter!¡±

    If you can¡¯t even do that, what will become of the Gu family business when it ends up in your hands? I¡¯ll leave the scolding to your father. You better shape up, boy.¡±

    Chen Yao saw that Gu Bei was truly angry and quickly went forward to hold his arm and support him, chiding, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough. If you have something to say, you can say it in private. This isn¡¯t the place to scold the youngsters. Are you tired? Why don¡¯t we also go home?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until the two had left that the Gu family¡¯s womenfolk sighed in relief. Chang Hui complained, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Aunt Chen Yao exposing Gu Fei in front of everyone, things wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way! They messed up everything and just left, leaving us to clean up after them! And they blame us for it!¡±

    Gu An frustratedly commented, ¡°That¡¯s enough, Chang Hui! You should worry about how to explain this to my big brother when he gets back!¡±

    Chang Hui shut her mouth, and even Bai Jie looked worried. ¡°The most important thing right now is shutting those reporters up,¡± Zheng Xiu said softly.

    ¡°Yun Liu hired most of those media reporters, so she should be responsible for this!¡± Chang Hui stated irritably. ¡°Let her deal with them!¡±

    Zheng Xiu stared at Chang Hui in shock. She didn¡¯t expect her sister-in -law to be so shameless as to push this onto her daughter..

 Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-One: Discussion

    Chapter 251: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-One: Discussion

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Bai Jie hurriedly stepped forward and gently comforted her, saying, ¡°Zheng Xiu, don¡¯t mind Chang Hui. You know how she is. She just said that because she was feeling anxious. However, we really do need Yun Liu¡¯s help to deal with this matter. She¡¯s familiar with the rules and the way things are done here, after all.¡±

    Zheng Xiu nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Bai Jie. Yun Liu is a sensible child. She will put our Gu family first.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a good child. We won¡¯t forget her efforts; our Gu family will reward her handsomely for this,¡± Bai Jie quickly replied.

    For once, Chang Hui didn¡¯t argue. After Zheng Xiu left to look for her daughter, Chang Hui urgently told the others, ¡°There¡¯s something more important than the reporters and Gu Fei¡¯s matter right now¡ªsomething we have to tell Gu Ping and Gu Su as soon as possible! Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao are determined to take Yun Nan in as their granddaughter and want to leave all their assets to her!¡±

    Gu An was stunned and blurted out, ¡°There¡¯s no way they would do that.¡±

    Chang Hui stomped her feet. ¡°I heard this from Aunt Chen Yao herself! Didn¡¯t the Yun family give Yun Liu a company? Aunt Chen Yao was very unhappy at that; she felt the Yun family wasn¡¯t being fair to their biological daughter. She said that the Yun family should pretend Yun Nan, their biological daughter, doesn¡¯t exist; they¡¯ll raise Yun Nan from now on, and they¡¯ll give all their assets to her!¡±

    Gu An and Bai Jie looked at each other. Bai Jie mumbled, ¡°No way. Uncle Gu Bei can¡¯t possibly give everything to Yun Nan, right? She¡¯s just an adopted daughter¡ªno, she¡¯s just an unrelated granddaughter. Would Uncle Gu Bei seriously go so far for her? We, the Gu family, are his flesh and blood relatives, not her!¡±

    ¡°What if it¡¯s true?¡± Chang Hui demanded. ¡°What if Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen

    Yao really decide to do so?¡±

    Bai Jie and Gu An went silent. Chang Hui saw this and calmed herself before continuing, ¡°Bai Jie, if you think about it, even if Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao¡¯s assets are distributed to the Gu family, my branch of the family won¡¯t get anything, so the main party who would be losing out if they give their assets to Yun Nan instead are you guys, isn¡¯t it? Bai Jie, your daughters, Gu Rou and the other three, have all married off, so in the end, Gu Fei would inherit Aunt and Uncle¡¯s assets if it weren¡¯t for Yun Nan.¡±

    ¡°Look at Yun Nan¡¯s attitude today. She¡¯s already finding Gu Fei an eyesore! This means she already knew Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao planned to leave her their assets. She must have coaxed Aunt Chen Yao and Uncle Gu Bei into promising her their assets long ago. That¡¯s why she¡¯s wary of Gu Fei and dislikes him so much!¡±

    Bai Jie raised her head in shock. Chang Hui became more and more certain of her plan as she spoke, ¡°I mean, think about it; Yun Nan¡¯s surname isn¡¯t Gu. Even if her adoptive mother, Uncle Gu Bei¡¯s biological daughter, were still alive, she¡¯s only a daughter. So when it comes to distributing the family assets, it¡¯s only natural that your main Gu family would also get a portion.¡±

    ¡°Now that that daughter is gone, all of Aunt and Uncle¡¯s assets should rightfully be yours and Gu Fei¡¯s. And this Yun Nan, who appeared out of nowhere, wants to inherit all of it? What¡¯s all that about?! That¡¯s absurd!¡±

    ¡°Those assets belong to Uncle Gu Bei, so they naturally belong to the Gu family! Yun Nan¡¯s surname isn¡¯t even Gu, so there¡¯s no reason to give her our family¡¯s assets! But look at Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao¡¯s attitude! They¡¯re clearly partial toward Yun Nan and take her side in everything, so much so that they don¡¯t even care about Gu Fei anymore. That Yun Nan is a scourge to our family if you ask me!¡±

    Bai Jie bit her lip and remained silent. Gu An spoke softly, ¡°Bai Jie, I think Chang Hui has a point. Why don¡¯t I call my brothers now and discuss this with them?¡±

    Bai Jie nodded lightly. Before Gu An went to make the call, Chang Hui called out to him and stated, ¡°Gu An, please mention to your brothers the issue of having Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao adopt one of our kids. We need to put that on the agenda as soon as possible.¡±

    Gu An suddenly brightened when he heard that, and Bai Jie also realized where Chang Hui was going with all this. Gu An thought, ¡®Just as Chang Hui said, even if Gu Bei¡¯s assets were distributed to the Gu family, iCd have little to do with our branch of the family. Most ofit would probably go to the main family; the amount we would get would be a mere pittance. But if Gu Bei adopts one of our kids, we could also get a share of the pie. ¡®

    ¡°Chang Hui, if Uncle Gu Bei agrees to adopt, who do you plan to offer to him?¡± Bai Jie asked.

    ¡°Since this is to continue Uncle Gu Bei¡¯s line, we¡¯ll let him adopt Gu He!¡± Chang Hui answered proudly.

    ¡®I knew it! Bai Jie thought but outwardly showed a shocked expression. ¡°But Gu He is the only male in both your branch families!¡±

    Chang Hui shrugged. ¡°This is the only way to show our sincerity! Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao value relationships; this is the only way to move their hearts. If I were to, say, offer Yun Liu, who we just got back into the family, don¡¯t you think that would be too insincere?¡±

    Bai Jie nodded but knew better. ¡®Indeed, Chang Hui wasn¡¯t one to do things without benefits,¡¯ she thought. ¡®That woman is scheming so hard and so ambitious that she¡¯s encroaching on my territory. I¡¯m right here, and the Gu main family is still around! She has no right to what¡¯s ours!

    But today, Bai Jie had to swallow her anger no matter what because the trouble her son had caused had yet to be resolved !

 Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Two: Entrust

    Chapter 252: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Two: Entrust

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Zheng Xiu frowned and looked at Yun Liu. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry about this, dear child. It¡¯s all my fault; your aunties bully me around because I¡¯m too incapable, and now they¡¯ve pushed this mess onto you to clean up.¡±

    Yun Liu reassuringly patted Zheng Xiu¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Mom. I¡¯ll handle it. But¡­¡± Yun Xiu let her sentence trail off, looking awkwardly at Zheng

    Xiu.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zheng Xiu hurriedly asked.

    ¡°Mom, half of those media reporters were hired by me. We even had our people prepare news articles for them to publish after they received money from us.

    It¡¯s a mutually beneficial deal. But now that they¡¯ve discovered such juicy news, if we don¡¯t want them to publish it, it¡¯ll naturally¡ªI¡®

    ¡°Money isn¡¯t a problem! Don¡¯t worry about the cost; just do what you have to. As long as you can keep this matter hushed up, your Aunt Bai Jie won¡¯t hesitate to give you however much money you want,¡± Zheng Xiu told her daughter as she patted the hand Yun Liu had placed over hers.

    Yun Liu understood. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I¡¯ll get everything sorted out.¡±

    Zheng Xiu nodded, looking very gratified. Something else occurred to Yun Liu, and she informed her mother, ¡°Mom, Yun Nan is now Great Uncle Gu Bei and

    Great Aunt Chen Yao¡¯s granddaughter.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it seems you two are destined to be sisters!¡± Zheng Xiu replied.

    Yun Liu bit her lip and uttered, ¡°I heard that Great Aunt Chen Yao plans to give all their assets to Yun Nan.¡±

    Zheng Xiu was shocked. ¡°That can¡¯t be! Yun Nan is just an adopted daughter¡­¡±

    On second thought, Yun Liu was also the Yun family¡¯s adopted daughter, but

    the Yun family still gave Yun Liu an entire company!

    Zheng Xiu quickly tried to reassure herself and her daughter, stating, ¡®Yun Nan¡¯s circumstances are different from yours. The Yun family raised you, whereas Yun Nan¡ªeven her adoptive mother hadn¡¯t grown up by Uncle Gu Bei and Aunt Chen Yao¡¯s side. So what if she¡¯s their biological daughter? They¡¯d only had a few years together before she went missing, and they didn¡¯t even get to see each other before she died. They¡¯re nearly strangers, and Yun Nan is even more so, being unrelated as she is. Aunt and Uncle couldn¡¯t possibly give all their assets to her!¡±

    Yun Liu said, ¡°But Great Aunt Chen Yao said it herself. I hear she dotes on Yun Nan very much. It¡¯s obvious from how protective Great Aunt was over Shi Xiu that her heart is biased towards the Shi family and Yun Nan.¡±

    Zheng Xiu pondered her words before saying, ¡°Never mind. Let¡¯s just wait and see. Far be it for us to worry about this matter. Let your two aunties handle it; they¡¯re probably already quite anxious about the issue. We¡¯ll benefit in the end, anyway.¡±

    Yun Liu stared at her mother, puzzled. Zheng Xiu lowered her voice and whispered, ¡°Your Aunt Chang Hui plans to have your great-uncle adopt Gu He. That way, Gu He will become a member of the Gu main family, and he¡¯ll naturally be able to inherit your great uncle¡¯s inheritance in the future!¡± ¡°But Gu He is the only boy in our family!¡± Yun Liu exclaimed, shocked.

    Zheng Xiu shot her a reproachful look. ¡°I¡¯m the one who gave birth to Gu He, so with me around, who do you think he¡¯ll be close to? Despite your Aunt Chang Hui keeping him by her side, even she can¡¯t snatch my son away from me, let alone your great-aunt and -uncle.¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu, although you didn¡¯t grow up by my side, you resemble me the most out of all my children. I¡¯m entrusting your brother to you from now on. You two should look out for each other; if he¡¯s doing well, then you¡¯ll have someone to rely on in the family, and if you do well, he¡¯ll have support out there. Your dad and I can rest assured so long as you two siblings stand united.¡±

    Yun Liu nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I¡¯ll take good care of my little brother.¡±

    Zheng Xiu nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Your Aunt Chang Hui has always spoiled Gu He. That¡¯s not a good thing for him. In the future, I will find an excuse for you to bring him out with you so you can help me slowly educate and advise him. You only have this one brother¡ªthis one person¡ªto rely on. We can¡¯t let him become a good-for-nothing playboy!¡±

    Yun Liu was inwardly extremely thrilled at having this heart-to-heart with her mother and being entrusted with such an important task. Her anxieties about returning to the Gu family disappeared without a trace. She could now be considered to have a firm standing with her mother. As for her idiot sisters and cousins, they were nothing to worry about.

    Yun Liu called Tan Ning over to discuss how to direct public opinion on Gu Fei¡¯s issue.

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to take advantage of this opportunity to fleece money from your aunt?¡± Tan Ning asked.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Yun Liu sneered. ¡°What she cares about is her son¡¯s reputation. That¡¯s not something money can buy. I¡¯m only asking for some money in return. If she doesn¡¯t want to pay the price, then she can only watch as her precious son is ruined.¡±

    Tan Ning hesitated. ¡°But if she finds out you tricked her one day¡­¡±

    Yun Liu rolled her eyes at Tan Ning. ¡°Tan Ning, just pay the reporters and media companies more to say that that¡¯s the price they¡¯re asking for when someone asks. If they can¡¯t even do that much, you should fire them and help me find other press companies. What¡¯s the point of keeping them if they don¡¯t even dare to take money when offered?¡±

    Tan Ning got the message and smiled. ¡°Understood! Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll get things done properly; we¡¯ll hush up Young Master Gu Fei¡¯s matter and have our publicity done spectacularly while we¡¯re at it. From now on, our Yun Liu is the princess of the Yun and Gu families. We won¡¯t lose to anyone in terms of status!¡±

    Yun Liu felt pleased at that. ¡°Pick out a few scripts for me,¡± she ordered. ¡°It¡¯s about time I joined a cast and performed.¡±

 Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Two: Analysis

    Chapter 253: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Two: Analysis

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Everything has been smooth sailing for Shi Xiu ever since she entered the entertainment industry, and even though Yun Nan and Fang Xi repeatedly reminded us, our entire family hadn¡¯t realized the seriousness of this matter. We can consider this the first setback that Shi Xiu has encountered, and I think it¡¯s a good thing it has happened,¡± Shi Nian stated. He¡¯d called for a family meeting with his entire family, including Shi Ke, who¡¯d just returned.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s all this about?¡± Shi Ke asked Xiang Yang, puzzled. ¡°What trouble did Shi Xiu get into?¡±

    Xiang Yang rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Shi Xiu got bullied! Pay attention and listen carefully! ¡±

    Shi Xiu was immediately upset when he heard that. ¡°Shi Xiu got bullied, and you¡¯re still wasting time here talking? Who was it? Shi Xiu! Tell me who bullied you. I¡¯ll kill him!¡± Shi Ke angrily demanded, thinking, ¡®Someone dares to bully my little sister?! They must really have a death wish!

    Shi Nian glared at him. ¡°I¡¯m already dealing with it. You can wait your turn! Sit down!¡± he ordered. ¡®All of them are so troublesome!¡¯ he mentally grumbled.

    Shi Xiu lowered her head and didn¡¯t speak. Xu Yun frowned and suggested,

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we retire from acting, Shi Xiu? You¡¯ve tried it out and had your fun.

    Just quit now that you¡¯re done playing.¡±

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not playing,¡± Shi Xiu said unhappily. ¡°I¡¯m working hard here! It¡¯s true! You can ask Yun Nan if you don¡¯t believe me. I finally found a job to prove my value; I don¡¯t want to give it up just because of those creeps from the Gu family. Shi Nian, I know I was wrong. I learned from my mistake, so can we please skip the lecture?¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s expression turned strict as he questioned, ¡°Do you know where you went wrong?¡±

    ¡°I should have just had a huge fight with Gu Fei the moment I saw him. I underestimated their shamelessness,¡± Shi Xiu mumbled.

    Shi Nian was so angry at his sister that he was struck speechless. ¡°You call this learning from your mistakes?!¡± he scolded. ¡°No one can predict what will happen. Your resilience and ability to adapt aren¡¯t enough to stand against the Gu family! You were only able to escape unscathed from all kinds of trouble before because you haven¡¯t met truly bad people, and you also have your family background supporting you. You¡¯re safe because Yun Nan and Fang Xi are protecting you. You understand?¡±

    Shi Xiu nodded reluctantly; that was indeed the case. This time, even Shi Ke didn¡¯t get angry at Shi Nian for yelling at their sister. When Shi Nian saw that his sister had truly learned her lesson and realized her errors, his temper subsided. He calmly told her, ¡°What you see isn¡¯t everything in this world. The Gu family is just more shameless and insolent than you¡¯d imagined, and yet, they got you so furious and defenseless that you hugged the Gu family¡¯s grandmother and cried in public. What will you do if you encounter things that are even more outrageous in the future?¡±

    ¡®What?!¡± Shi Xiu stared at her brother with wide eyes. ¡°There are people worse than that family?¡±

    And with that, everyone no longer felt sorry for her. ¡®This girl still isn¡¯t taking this seriously enough,¡¯ Yun Nan inwardly sighed before saying, ¡°Alright, stop scolding her. It won¡¯t do her any good, even if you lecture her for three days straight. You can¡¯t teach life lessons; you can only learn them and grow up quickly through experience.¡±

    She then turned to Shi Xiu and said, ¡°Shi Xiu, think carefully about whether vou want to continue as an actress. If you do, Fang Xi has chosen a script for you, and you can join the casting crew in a few days. If you don¡¯t want to continue acting, you can give yourself a break and start thinking about a new career path.¡±

    Shi Xiu immediately returned to her usual cheerful self. ¡°I do! I do! I want to continue acting! I want to join the casting crew! Yun Nan, I¡¯m not quitting the entertainment industry just because of such a small matter¡ªthat would be silly. I know that an artiste must first have strong psychological endurance. Don¡¯t worry; I don¡¯t care about rumors! However, allow me to repeat myself: I do NOT want to marry Gu Fei! Do you hear me, Dad?¡±

    Shi Yun frowned at her. ¡°Nobody said you had to! You were the one who went and agreed to cover up for him, smartass! Now you know that not everyone pampers and dotes on you or has your best interests at heart. People will set traps for you to fall into at any time and anywhere! Ultimately, this matter isn¡¯t entirely the Gu family¡¯s fault! Shi Nian, don¡¯t be too overprotective of her!¡±

    Although Shi Nian was unwilling to, he still nodded in the end. ¡®It¡¯ll take some talking to the Gu family for them to drop the matter. I¡¯ll leave this to Chang Yuan,¡¯ he thought.

    Shi Xiu still felt upset. ¡°Those people from the Gu family are the worst! How dare they frame me so brazenly?!¡±

    Xu Yun sighed, ¡°They know how important reputation is to a girl, especially for a family like ours, and are convinced that, for the sake of our reputation, we won¡¯t make a fuss. If things have gone as they planned, they¡¯ll wait until the matter is over before coming to apologize and appease us. In the end, you would have to marry Gu Fei because who else would marry a girl with a ruined reputation? Even if your husband doesn¡¯t mind, what about your in-laws?

    What decent family would accept a daughter-in-law with a bad reputation?

    Your brother¡¯s right, Shi Xiu! You¡¯re still too inexperienced!¡±

    Xiang Yang listened quietly and lowered her eyes. Shi Ke reached out to hug her and kissed her on the top of her head..

 Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Four: Tailed

    Chapter 254: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Four: Tailed

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Mom, stop scaring her! Shi Xiu, that being said, you can¡¯t avoid things just because of fear. That¡¯s just throwing the baby out with the bath water. You can¡¯t approach things too cautiously just because you care about other people¡¯s comments; that¡¯ll only handicap you,¡± Shi Ke stated.

    ¡°When you¡¯re outstanding enough, even if you don¡¯t do anything, people will still be jealous and spread ugly rumors about you. You have to know what your goal is and ignore the rest. You got that?¡± Shi Ke looked at Shi Xiu as he spoke, but he patted Xiang Yang¡¯s shoulder. Xiang Yang glanced at him gratefully. Shi Xiu nodded vigorously, and her gaze firmed. ¡°Yeah!¡±

    Shi Ke looked towards Shi Nian and asked, ¡°I heard the Gu family¡¯s two elders are going to hand over all their assets to you and Yun Nan?¡±

    Shi Nian could feel a headache coming on. ¡°Grandpa Gu Bei was seriously ill previously, so I helped him manage his business with his assistant. They transferred all their feelings for their deceased daughter to Yun Nan and wanted to give us their assets, but Yun Nan and I didn¡¯t want to accept them. However, if we were to reject them directly, we¡¯re afraid the two elders would think too much. They may seem normal, but deep down, they still can¡¯t let go of their daughter.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded in agreement. ¡°They are old and have some problems with their health. We shouldn¡¯t upset them for the time being. We¡¯ll try to dissuade them once they¡¯ve slowly moved on.¡±

    Shi Ke wryly said, ¡°The entire Gu family is probably quite anxious about this. Shi Nian, you better be careful.¡±

    Shi Yun glared at his eldest son. ¡°Don¡¯t just sit there and make irresponsible and sarcastic remarks. Your younger brother wouldn¡¯t have to deal with such things if you hadn¡¯t dumped your responsibilities on him!¡±

    Shi Ke retorted, ¡°Dad! Look at how old Grandpa Gu Bei is, but he still manages his businesses himself. And here you are, throwing all the heavy responsibilities to Shi Nian despite your young age. Aren¡¯t you being unreasonable?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you little brat! You¡¯re asking for it! Clearly, no one has dared to teach you manners in the army, but no one in our family cares what rank you have! Xiang Yang, bring me the discipline cane; I¡¯ll spank him!¡± So saying, Shi Yun stood up and made as if to strike Shi Ke, but Shi Ke had already gotten to his feet and dodged the attack.

    ¡°Dad, Dad!¡± Xiang Yang quickly called out. ¡°Don¡¯t stoop to his level. Don¡¯t ruin your health by being angry with him; it¡¯s not worth it! Why don¡¯t you punish him with a monetary penalty instead? Make him pay you money, and you and

    Mom can split it equally!¡±

    Shi Yun couldn¡¯t stop himself from laughing at that, and everyone did, too. Thus, the family meeting that started seriously ended with laughter.

    Shi Nian handed his car keys to Yun Nan. ¡°You drive. I have a headache.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it serious? Do you want to go to the hospital first?¡± Yun Nan asked, concerned.

    Shi Nian shook his head. ¡°No need. It¡¯s probably because I haven¡¯t slept enough recently.¡±

    He opened the car door on the passenger side and got in. Yun Nan started the car and turned to look at Shi Nian. She thought he didn¡¯t look too good, so she reached out to touch his forehead. ¡°Oh, good, you don¡¯t have a fever. Let¡¯s go home. I¡¯ll make you a bowl of wonton noodles. You should have a rest in the meantime.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, okay,¡± Shi Nian mumbled, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair.

    The Shi family mansion wasn¡¯t too far from their house, and it was a smooth route, so usually there weren¡¯t many traffic jams. However, there was a traffic jam today due to a traffic accident on their usual route. Yun Nan glanced at the navigation system and then at the drowsy Shi Nian before deciding to take a slightly longer route to avoid the traffic jam so they could reach home earlier.

    There were very few people and cars on this road, so Yun Nan increased her speed a little. Suddenly, from the rearview mirror, she noticed the car behind them had also increased its speed. Her heart jolted. Yun Nan gently stepped on the brakes, slowing down, and the car behind her slowed down instead of overtaking them.

    Yun Nan had a bad feeling about this. ¡°Shi Nian! Shi Nian!¡± she softly called out to Shi Nian.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Shi Nian opened his eyes and glanced at her before he looked out the window. He closed his eyes again and casually asked, ¡°Why are we taking this path?¡± He wasn¡¯t too curious about it; he also took this route occasionally when there was a traffic jam on the main road. There was nothing special about it.

    ¡°Shi Nian, I think the car behind us is following us,¡± Yun Nan whispered, feeling as if the car behind them would hear her if she spoke too loudly.

    Shi Nian woke up with a start. He checked the back through the side mirror on his side and saw that a car was following closely behind them. There weren¡¯t many cars on this road, and Yun Nan wasn¡¯t driving all that fast. The car behind them could have overtaken them, but it didn¡¯t, following them closely instead. It was indeed unusual.

    ¡°How long has that car been following us?¡± Shi Nian asked a little tightly.

    Yun Nan kept her eyes on their surroundings as she replied, ¡°I just noticed it. There was a traffic jam on the main road, so I turned onto this road. It seems to have been behind us from the moment I turned in here. I¡¯ve already checked; if I speed up, the other car speeds up, and if I slow down, that car slows down, too.¡±

    Shi Nian knew something was wrong and took out his phone to call Chang Yuan. However, just as the phone rang, a loud bang came from the back of their car. The car behind them had rear-ended them.

    Shi Nian was caught off guard, and his phone flew out of his hands. Yun Nan screamed..

 Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Five: Car Accident

    Chapter 255: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Five: Car Accident

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Hit the accelerator!¡± Shi Nian yelled, trying to use his hands to protect Yun Nan¡¯s head. At that moment, their car had reached the intersection, and another vehicle was speedily rushing toward them from the left. Yun Nan subconsciously stepped on the brakes.

    *Boom!* *Bam!* Two deafening noises rang out.

    The last thing Yun Nan realized before she blacked out was that the car behind them and the car before them on the left had both crashed into theirs. The huge impact caused the airbags to pop out, and regardless of his own safety, Shi Nian had dove to shield her head in his arms.

    When Yun Nan slowly came to, the first thing she felt was the intense pain throughout her whole body. Every part of her body hurt except her head. She couldn¡¯t help but let out a low grunt at the pain. Yun Nan opened her eyes, then shut them again and blinked hard.

    Her surroundings were dark and unfamiliar. Yun Nan tried to recall the last thing she remembered¡­ ¡®We had a car accident/ At that thought, she immediately exclaimed, ¡°Shi Nian!¡± but her voice came out low and hoarse.

    Yun Nan struggled to sit up, pain everywhere on her body. ¡°Shi Nian! Shi Nian!¡± She called out lowly and groped around in the darkness, searching for him. Finally, her fingers met something soft; it was a body. Yun Nan¡¯s spirits lifted, and ignoring her pain, she crawled over and fumblingly pawed at it. Her eyes gradually adapted to the darkness, allowing her to see that the person lying motionlessly not far away from her was Shi Nian.

    ¡°Shi Nian! Shi Nian!¡± Yun Nan cradled Shi Nian¡¯s head and called his name softly. Her palms were wet with what was probably blood. ¡®Shi Nian is also injured,¡¯ she realized. She remembered that, at the end, he had shielded her head instead of himself.

    Yun Nan felt both touched and heartbroken. ¡°Shi Nian!¡± she cried. She carefully lifted his head slightly and gently pressed her forehead against his. Shi Nian was burning up; he had a fever.

    Yun Nan could feel a sharp pain in her left leg; it probably got injured in the car crash. Her ribs were probably injured as well because every breath she took stung. A few spots on her arms were also numb with pain.

    Shi Nian must have hurt his head. Yun Nan couldn¡¯t tell if he had any other injuries. ¡®He¡¯s running a fever right now. What should I do? Yun Nan thought anxiously.

    Yun Nan forced herself to calm down and began muttering to Shi Nian, telling him about their current situation despite his state of unawareness. ¡°Shi Nian, our car is missing, and we¡¯re in a house, not at the crash site. Shi Nian, we might¡ªmight be kidnapped. Our phones are gone. What should we do, Shi Nian?¡± Although she knew Shi Nian couldn¡¯t hear her, Yun Nan was at the end of her rope.

    She had no idea who would want to kidnap them. She was hungry, thirsty, and in pain. Shi Nian was also injured, and he had a fever. What now? she inwardly despaired.

    Yun Nan closed her eyes and focused, trying to sense her surroundings. When she opened her eyes once more, her vision was clearer, and she could hear the faint sound of water dripping.

    She gently put Shi Nian down and tried to stand up, but her left leg was in excruciating pain and couldn¡¯t support her body. She fumbled around, and her fingers bumped into an iron rod. The rod rolled to the side, clanging noisily.

    Yun Nan was shocked at the loud noise and even held her breath, fearful of any nearby kidnappers that might have heard the clamor. No one came in, but the din seemed to have awoken Shi Nian.

    ¡°Yun¡ªYun Nan¡­¡± Shi Nian mumbled softly. Yun Nan couldn¡¯t care less about the rod. She quickly crawled back to Shi Nian¡¯s side. ¡°Shi Nian, Shi Nian. Wake up. Wake up.¡±

    Shi Nian reached out and felt around, only stopping when he touched Yun Nan¡¯s hand. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± Yun Nan calmly lied. Shi Nian visibly relaxed at that.

    Yun Nan supported his head and let him lean against her body. She tried her best to ignore the pain her body was in and inquired, ¡°Shi Nian, your head¡¯s injured, and you¡¯re running a fever. Aside from your head, does anywhere else hurt?¡±

    Shi Nian paused momentarily before answering, ¡°¡­My chest¡ªchest hurts, and¡­ and my right hand.¡±

    Yun Nan mentally sighed and pressed her face against Shi Nian¡¯s forehead. ¡°Someone must have dumped us here. We¡¯re in what seems like an abandoned house, but it¡¯s very dark. I can¡¯t see anything clearly.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Shi Nian grunted and drifted off once again. Yun Nan knew Shi Nian had a fever. She had to think of a way to get Shi Nian¡¯s fever down. She needed water.

    She carefully put Shi Nian down and said, ¡°Shi Nian, wait here. I¡¯ll go look for some water.¡± She groped around for the rod again, and after a few attempts, she managed to stand up with the rod¡¯s support. It was a painful and tiring endeavor, and she was sweating all over.

    However, the pain in her chest and leg made it impossible for her to walk over, even with the rod¡¯s support. Yun Nan had no choice but to put down the iron rod and crawl once more.

    Following the sound of dripping water, she finally crawled to the water source. It was an old faucet situated not far from the ground. It was about the height of those taps used to wash mops. Yun Nan propped up her body and managed to reach the faucet, but she couldn¡¯t twist it open.

    After some strenuous efforts, she panted and rested beside the tap. She gathered her strength and went back to twisting the faucet. After several attempts, she finally turned on the tap. Only a thin trickle of water flowed out of it, but Yun Nan was just glad to have water at all. She was extremely thirsty and started drinking in large mouthfuls..

 Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty- Six: Love Confession

    Chapter 256: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty- Six: Love Confession

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    After she had enough water, Yun Nan leaned against the tap and pondered,

    ¡®How can I get some water to Shi Nian without a container? Judging by Shi Nian¡¯s injuries, she was afraid that, like her, he wouldn¡¯t be able to walk. It was also impossible for her to carry Shi Nian to the tap!

    Yun Nan looked up at the sky and sighed. Her head almost hit the faucet before she instinctively avoided it, which pulled at her chest injury, and she gasped at the pain. However, that gave her an idea.

    Shi Nian greedily sucked the cool liquid pressed to his lips. ¡®How many times has it been? he wondered. It was very short each time, and the intervals in between were quite long. However, the water offered to him tasted sweet and made his dreams even sweeter. He dreamed of Yun Nan¡ªdreamed he was kissing her lips. The kisses they shared were sweet, refreshing, gentle, and beautiful.

    Even though his entire body felt like one big bruise, even though his head throbbed and felt like it was about to explode, Shi Nian still craved the beautiful moments that accompanied the pain.

    There was no more water, and Yun Nan¡¯s soft lips left his, but Shi Nian still yearned for more. He heard Yun Nan panting beside him, murmuring, ¡°Shi Nian, I¡¯m too tired to crawl anymore. Let me rest for a bit. Just for a bit.¡±

    Shi Nian opened his eyes and could vaguely make out Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan immediately sat up when she heard that and moved Shi Nian up while being mindful of his head. She let his body lean against hers as she leaned against the wall.

    Shi Nian could hear Yun Nan breathing very heavily. He reached out to stroke her face and held her hand. ¡°Yun Nan, where are you hurt?¡± he asked.

    ¡°¡­My leg, my left leg, seems to be broken¡­ And my ribs¡­ My arms hurt, too, ¡± Yun Nan softly replied.

    Shi Nian was silent. ¡°Shi Nian, are we¡ªare we going to die here?¡± Yun Nan muttered, exhausted.

    Shi Nian almost blurted out, ¡°No, we won¡¯t!¡± But that wasn¡¯t something he could promise her right now, so he forcefully swallowed his words, causing him to choke and cough.

    Yun Nan hurriedly pulled herself together and helped massage his chest, but Shi Nian let out a pained hiss. Yun Nan quickly let go and smiled bitterly, saying, ¡°Your ribs are probably injured too.¡±

    Shi Nian panted lightly, trying his best to suppress the pain. ¡°Yun Nan, are you willing to die with me?¡± he asked softly.

    Yun Nan froze for a moment before stating wryly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether

    I¡¯m willing or not; it¡¯s not like we have any other choice.¡±

    Shi Nian held Yun Nan¡¯s hand once more. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yun Nan, for not having the chance to ask if you¡¯re willing to marry me before directly asking you if you¡¯re willing to die with me. ¡®We don¡¯t share the same bed, but we shall share the same grave;¡¯ that¡¯s the deepest vow between husband and wife in ancient times. Although we were forced into this situation, I still want to ask how you feel about me.¡±

    ¡®Seriously, this guy! How can he still be in the mood to be romantic under such circumstances? Yun Nan thought.

    She exhaled lightly, and there was a hint of laughter in her voice as she answered, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m willing. But if we manage to survive this, you have to propose to me, okay? You silly man, who would ask to die together before even proposing? *Sigh* I really didn¡¯t expect my life would end so haphazardly; there are still many things I wanted to do and many wishes to fulfill.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t die,¡± Shi Yan said firmly.

    Yun Nan sighed. ¡°How are you so sure? Do you have a way to escape? Even if you do, I don¡¯t have the strength to get us out.¡±

    Shi Nian gripped Yun Nan¡¯s hand tightly before gentling his hold as he stated, ¡°Because I love you.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Yun Nan, I¡¯m in love with you,¡± Shi Nian continued. ¡°Can we cancel our five-year agreement? I want to sign a lifetime contract with you. What do you say, Yun Nan?¡± Shi Nian had a splitting headache and was running such a high fever that his breaths came out hot, but he tried his best to keep himself conscious and aware. ¡®I have to make things clear, even ifit means I die here/

    ¡®Yun Nan? Are you listening?¡± Shi Nian asked. Yun Nan still didn¡¯t say anything, and Shi Nian was so worried that he shifted his body, wanting to look at her.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± they both hissed out and gasped in pain.

    ¡°Just hold still and say what you have to say,¡± Yun Nan irritably reprimanded him.

    Shi Nian adjusted the angle of his body, careful not to press down on Yun Nan for fear of her injuries, but he still solemnly said, ¡°Yun Nan, I love you!¡±

    Yun Nan finally replied, ¡°¡­I got it.¡±

    Shi Nian wanted to facepalm, but he didn¡¯t have the strength to lift his hand. ¡® Who on earth would answer ¡°I got it¡± to ¡°I love you¡±? What does she mean by ¡°I got it¡± ? Is that a yes or a no? Does she accept my feelings or reject them?

    Shi Nian¡¯s mind was working at top speed, and still, he couldn¡¯t think of what to say next. ¡® Yun Nan sure is something; sh¨¦s practically the terminator oflove confessions!¡¯ he thought wryly.

    ¡°When did you fall in love with me?¡± Yun Nan suddenly inquired..

 Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Seven: Dreaming

    Chapter 257: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Seven: Dreaming

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian gave it some thought before shaking his head lightly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure; I probably started having feelings for you the first time you barged into my office to exchange terms with me and sign the agreement. I never really looked at any girls aside from my mother and sister, but that day, I suddenly thought you were quite good-looking! That thought scared me; it¡¯s why I deliberately made things difficult for you when I got home.¡±

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but smile when she thought about the first night she moved into Shi Nian¡¯s house.

    ¡°After that, I couldn¡¯t help but be attracted to you. I realized that I liked you, and then I fell in love with you. When did it start? I don¡¯t know, but who cares? Either way, I¡¯m in love with you, Yun Nan.¡± Shi Nian¡¯s words trailed off as he felt his consciousness begin to blur.

    Yun Nan subconsciously rubbed the web of skin between Shi Nian¡¯s thumb and forefinger. Shi Nian spoke hesitantly, ¡°Yun Nan, do you¡­ do you like me?¡± He dreaded she might reject him, but he would rather know the truth.

    Yun Nan nodded gently, but then she remembered that Shi Nian couldn¡¯t see it from the angle he was sitting at, so she stopped. Instead, she told him, ¡°Shi

    Nian, I have actually been asking myself that same question since we were in Lu Town. I was trying to figure out my feelings for you until you dove over to shield my head when the car crashed¡­ Shi Nian, I think¡ªI think I¡¯ve fallen in love with you some time ago. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know how to love someone. But that doesn¡¯t matter now; we¡¯re about to die¡­ You should come find me sooner, in our next life¡­ Then, you can teach me¡­ teach me how to love someone¡­ ¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s voice gradually sank to a whisper and then stopped. She was so tired. Dragging her injured body and crawling around, holding water in her mouth to pass to Shi Nian had exhausted all her strength.

    Shi Nian¡¯s injuries were more serious than hers, but Yun Nan¡¯s last words gave him a boost, allowing Shi Nian to regain his senses for a moment. He delightedly patted Yun Nan¡¯s sweaty head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! We won¡¯t die! Let¡¯s go on a proper date once we get out of here!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, sure.¡± Yun Nan groggily agreed and fell into a deep sleep. Yun Nan had a very, very long dream. In the dream, her mom and dad were living happily in their small town.

    Her mother braided Yun Nan¡¯s hair in different styles every day, which made her classmates jealous, so her mom invited all her female classmates to their house and braided their hair. She would braid each child¡¯s hair differently so no one would be jealous. Yun Nan was so proud of having such an amazing mom. With her mom¡¯s help, all the children liked to play with her.

    Mom remarked, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to come to this world, so everyone should be happy and joyful. You must cherish each and every day of your life!¡±

    Her mother also said, ¡°Yun Nan, when you grow up, you have to find a man you love and who loves you back, just like me and your father, and live happily together.¡±

    ¡®Mom¡¯s hands are so gentle and warm,¡¯ Yun Nan thought. If it was possible, Yun Nan wanted to never grow up because so long as she didn¡¯t grow up, her mother would always be by her side. Yun Nan knew she was in a dream. Her heart couldn¡¯t help but ache, and tears fell down her cheeks as her mother¡¯s face and figure gradually became indistinct.

    ¡°Yun Nan, Yun Nan,¡± she heard someone calling out softly. Yun Nan opened her eyes, but her tears flowed and blurred her vision.

    Xiang Yang wiped Yun Nan¡¯s tears with a tissue and sighed in relief. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake,¡± she uttered. ¡°If you woke up any later, Mom and Grandma would have collapsed in worry!¡±

    Chen Yao had also visibly relaxed and asked with a smile, ¡°Why are you crying? Did you have a nightmare? Did it scare you?¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s tears fell in large drops as she replied, ¡°Grandma, I dreamt of Mom.¡± Chen Yao was stunned, and then she also cried along with Yun Nan.

    When Xiang Yang saw this, she hurriedly smiled and tried to cheer them up. ¡°Alright, alright, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. There, there, Yun Nan, don¡¯t cry. Look, you even made Grandma cry. So dry your tears now; that¡¯s enough crying!¡±

    Yun Nan found her clowning around so funny that she burst into laughter. Xu Yun mock-chided, ¡°Really, you two! So naughty!¡±

    Yun Nan was now completely awake, and seeing Chen Yao still crying, she quickly consoled her, saying, ¡°Grandma, I dreamt of Mom. Mom said that she and Dad are doing well and told us to also be happy and well!¡±

    Chen Yao didn¡¯t doubt Yun Nan¡¯s words and repeatedly nodded. ¡°Alright, okay, we will!¡±

    Yun Nan subconsciously shifted her body and was immediately in so much pain that she was gasping. She remembered what had happened and hurriedly asked Xiang Yang, ¡°Where¡¯s Shi Nian? How is he? He had a fever!¡±

    Xiang Yang teased, ¡°Oh, you finally remembered Shi Nian?¡±

    Yun Nan blushed. Xu Yun hit Xiang Yang lightly and scolded, ¡°Stop teasing her.¡± She then turned to Yun Nan and gently informed her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shi Nian is also no longer in critical danger. The hospital staff will send him here in the afternoon.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s face reddened even further. Xiang Yang noticed, coughed lightly, and winked at Yun Nan as she commented, ¡°Looks like someone found love in times of adversity..¡±

 Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Eight: Still Unconscious

    Chapter 258: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Eight: Still Unconscious

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan avoided her gaze and said, ¡°For some reason, someone crashed into us, and then I think they kidnapped us, but I didn¡¯t get a look at them. Have you called the police?¡±

    Xiang Yang¡¯s expression turned serious, and she answered, ¡°When the accident happened, Shi Nian was on the phone with Chang Yuan. Chang Yuan heard the crash and immediately contacted Shi Ke. When Shi Ke¡¯s men rushed to the scene, the kidnappers had already taken you both away. The road you guys were on was a side street with too few surveillance cameras, so it took us a while to find you. The police are looking for them¡ªthe kidnappers. I¡¯m sorry it took us so long to save you.¡±

    Yun Nan finally felt relieved when she heard that. ¡°I was so scared. I thought I was going to die in that d*mn place.¡±

    Chen Yao¡¯s heart ached, and she uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t say that! Knock on wood! You and Shi Nian had a close brush with death; things will only look up from now on! I¡¯ll invite a feng Shui master over tomorrow and get them to check the feng Shui from your house to your car to your work office!¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled. ¡°Grandma, when you get in touch with the feng Shui master, please tell them that we have a screenwriter named Annie who likes metaphysics very much. Ask them to go and have a chat with her, and she can write a script about it.¡±

    Chen Yao glared at her and chided, ¡°Leave work aside and take care of yourself first! You have to keep yourself well and healthy, you hear me? Your mother owes me a lifetime, which you have to pay! You can¡¯t leave your grandpa and I alone!¡±

    As she spoke, Chen Yao¡¯s eyes reddened. Yun Nan stretched out the hand not hooked up to a drip and held Chen Yao¡¯s arm to her chest. ¡°Okay, Grandma! I¡¯ll definitely take care of myself. You have to take care of yourself, too, and live to a ripe old age with Grandpa.

    Chen Yao stroked Yun Nan¡¯s head, feeling a myriad of emotions in her heart. Heaven knew that when she heard the news of Yun Nan¡¯s accident, she felt like she got struck by lightning and almost collapsed then and there.

    Xu Yun¡¯s eyes also reddened. Seeing this, Yun Nan gave Xiang Yang a look. Xiang Yang smiled and said, ¡°Grandma, Mom, you can relax now that Yun Nan and Shi Nian are fine. Go home and get some rest; you can visit them again tomorrow and bring some delicious food with you!¡±

    Chen Yao was still slightly worried and couldn¡¯t bear to part with Yun Nan.

    Xiang Yang smiled as she helped the elderly woman up and handed her over to

    Xu Yun, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; Shi Xiu and I are here, and so are Shi Ke and Chang Yuan. There¡¯s no need to worry; you two should take care of your health, too! Leave everything to us youngsters! Just prepare some good food for us; hospital food sucks!¡±

    Xu Yun nodded. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go back and prepare some food.¡± She helped Chen Yao along and left, her mind set on the task her daughters-in-law gave her.

    Only after they left did Yun Nan finally dare to groan, ¡°Xiang Yang, it hurts!¡±

    Xiang Yang quickly rushed to her bedside, held her hand, and teasingly comforted her. ¡°Aww, there, there, sweetie! There, there, little Yun Nan¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Yun Nan giggled, both annoyed and amused by her.

    Xiang Yang laughed and asked, ¡°Are you thirsty?¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. Xiang Yang poured her a glass of warm water, mixed in some honey, and fed it to Yun Nan with a straw. The two then began to have a quiet chat.

    ¡°You were unconscious for three days,¡± Xiang Yang told Yun Nan. ¡°You have a fracture in your left leg, and two of your ribs are broken. Fortunately, your internal organs weren¡¯t damaged. Otherwise, if you had internal bleeding, I¡¯m afraid we wouldn¡¯t have been able to save you. The place where you two were locked up was very far from the road where you crashed; we had to use police dogs to find you.¡±

    Yun Nan immediately sensed something was wrong and anxiously asked, ¡°What about Shi Nian? He was more seriously injured than me and was running a fever when I came to after the crash!¡±

    Xiang Yang lowered her eyes before seeming to have made up her mind and looked up and said, ¡°Yun Nan, Shi Nian¡­ He¡¯s still unconscious. But Mom and Grandma don¡¯t know yet.¡±

    Yun Nan froze, and tears fell from her eyes as she muttered, ¡°His injuries are more serious than mine. When the car crashed, he used his body to protect my head. He also has a fever.¡±

    Xiang Yang patted her hand, wiped away her tears, and informed her, ¡°He suffered multiple fractures, and four of his ribs are broken. What¡¯s most concerning is his head injury; there¡¯s internal bleeding. But don¡¯t worry; the doctor said that he¡¯ll be fine so long as he wakes up this afternoon.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t?¡±

    Xiang Yang hurriedly reassured her, ¡°Of course he will! He¡¯ll definitely wake

    Yun Nan wasn¡¯t assured and struggled to sit up, saying, ¡°No, I have to go see him!¡± Her movements jolted her ribs and sent a sharp pain through her, making her scream.

    Xiang Yang quickly got up and pressed Yun Nan back onto her bed, scolding anxiously, ¡°What are you doing?! You¡¯re still injured. What if you knocked a bone out of place, and it healed wrong?¡±

    Tears welled in her eyes, and Yun Nan cried, ¡°I have to go see him. I have to wake him up! He¡ªhe¡¯s waiting for me to wake him up!¡±

    Unable to dissuade her, Xiang Yang relented and called the hospital staff. Before long, Yun Nan was sitting in a wheelchair, her arms wrapped in thick gauze and her chest fixed to a special frame to prevent her broken ribs from being squeezed and shifted out of place..

 Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Nine: Worthy

    Chapter 259: Chapter Two-Hundred and Fifty-Nine: Worthy

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xiang Yang was busy hanging the IV bag on the IV pole and asked concernedly, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up to this? If you¡¯re tired, don¡¯t push yourself. Your health and his are both important. Don¡¯t strain yourself, or Shi Nian will be anxious and angry when he wakes up; do you understand? Shi Nian¡­ he really loves you a lot!¡±

    Yun Nan lifted her head and stared at Xiang Yang. ¡°You guys¡­ knew?¡±

    Xiang Yang hung the IV bag in place and nodded lightly. ¡°Yun Nan, he loves you. The way he looks at you is different from how he looks at everyone else. Shi Nian can see no one else so long as you¡¯re around; his gaze always unconsciously follows you. He¡¯s waiting for you, waiting for you to fall in love with him.¡±

    Yun Nan felt like there was a lump in her throat and wanted to cry. ¡®Am I the only one who didn¡¯t notice? Why am I so dumb? she thought.

    Xiang Yang bent down and covered Yun Nan¡¯s legs with a blanket as she said softly, ¡°Yun Nan, true love is rarer than the Pink Star diamond. Give Shi Nian a chance. Shi Nian¡­ is worthy of your love.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded lightly. When they got to the intensive care unit, the nurse put an isolation gown on her before pushing her in. Xiang Yang stood outside, and her tears unknowingly slid down her cheeks as she stared through the isolation window. ¡® Why can¡¯tpeople who love each other be happy and safe? Why must the heavens put lovers through such adversity? she inwardly sighed.

    A hand landed on her shoulder, and she leaned against Shi Ke¡¯s firm chest, Imowing who it was without looking. Chang Yuan stood beside Shi Ke and heaved a sigh of relief as he looked at Yun Nan, who had already reached Shi Nian¡¯s bedside. ¡°I think Shi Nian will wake up when he hears Yun Nan¡¯s voice,¡± he remarked. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the power of love.¡±

    Shi Ke rolled his eyes at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a bachelor like you would have such insights.¡± Chang Yuan¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change; he and the Shi brothers had been volleying jibes at each other since they were kids, so his skin was thicker than bark.

    ¡°Who were the ones that did this?¡± Xiang Yang asked with a frown. ¡°Did the police catch them? Have they interrogated them?¡±

    Shi Ke glanced at Chang Yuan, who replied, ¡°The police interrogated them. The paparazzi were the ones tailing their car, and the ones who crashed into them were a few hooligans. They said the accident happened because they were driving drunk. They wanted to cover it up, so they took Shi Nian and Yun Nan and dumped them in the middle of nowhere. They only realized the severity of their crime when they sobered up and got scared, so they ran away.¡±

    Xiang Yang was stunned. ¡°That¡¯s absurd!¡±

    Shi Ke patted her shoulder, gestured at the two inside with his chin, and stated, ¡°At least they bonded from this incident. It was quite a tragic scene; Shi Nian had a fever and a head injury, so he couldn¡¯t move, whereas Yun Nan had a fracture in her leg and couldn¡¯t walk, so she had to crawl back and forth to carry water to Shi Nian. The kid¡¯s brain would¡¯ve fried if it weren¡¯t for Yun Nan.¡± Xiang Yang¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°She carried the water? How?¡±

    Shi Ke laughed and didn¡¯t say anything. A thought suddenly occurred to Xiang Yang, and her mouth fell open, but she didnt find it funny at all.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s how that scrape on the outside of her uninjured leg came about? She was crawling and dragging herself across the ground.¡± Xiang Yang uttered, thinking, ¡®That¡¯s incredible.¡¯

    Shi Ke nodded. ¡°Yeah, she probably did. There are traces of friction on the ground and¡­ blood.¡±

    It took a while for Xiang Yang to process that before she threatened, ¡°Shi Nian will rot in hell if he were to betray Yun Nan!¡±

    Shi Ke smiled wryly. ¡®There¡¯s my wife on one hand and my younger brother on the other. I guess I shouldjustpretend I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡¯

    Xiang Yang sighed, ¡°Yun Nan mentioned that when the accident happened, Shi Nian pounced over and used his body to shield her head. I think that¡¯s how his head got injured.¡±

    Chang Yuan also sighed, ¡°Finding love in adversity indeed. I guess their five-year agreement should be voided now.¡±

    Xiang Yang and Shi Ke both glared at him. ¡°So you knew about it and didn¡¯t tell us!¡±

    Chang Yuan quickly turned around and walked away, saying, ¡°I have to go and see if the police have closed the case. If there¡¯s nothing else you need, I¡¯ll be leaving now! ¡±

    Xiang Yang turned around and worriedly asked Shi Ke, ¡°Honey, those people didn¡¯t attack and kidnap Shi Nian because of you, did they? Are you sure your enemies aren¡¯t the ones behind this?¡±

    Shi Ke reached out to ruffle her hair, and there was a hint of heartache in his eyes as he answered, ¡°Relax; this matter really has nothing to do with me. I¡¯m worried, too, so I asked my men to continue digging. My enemies really aren¡¯t behind this.¡±

    Xiang Yang felt relieved and sighed, ¡°Oh, good. If that were the case, I¡¯d feel so guilty for this happening to them.¡±

    He ruffled her hair once more, kissed the top of her head, and promised, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to protect you all. All of you are my nearest and dearest.¡±

    Xiang Yang patted him and reassured him, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about us, darling. You just focus on protecting our country; we¡¯ll protect ourselves.¡±

    Shi Ke put his arms around his wife as they walked toward the ward, eyes filled with guilt as he stared ahead. In the intensive care unit, Yun Nan held Shi Nian¡¯s hand as her tears fell like rain.

    ¡°Shi Nian,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m here. Can you hear me? I¡¯ve woken up; I¡¯m fine. Why aren¡¯t you awake yet? I¡¯m waiting for you. I¡¯m waiting for you to wake up and repeat what you said to me before..¡±

 Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty: Coming

    Chapter 260: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty: Coming

    Awake

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan¡¯s tears fell onto Shi Nian¡¯s palm. ¡°You said that you loved me,¡± she cried. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that was the fever talking, so I want you to say it again when you¡¯re clear and awake!¡±

    ¡°I told you to come find me earlier in our next lives and teach me how to fall in love. Now, you could say we¡¯ve both died once, haven¡¯t we? This is our new life, so hurry up and wake up and teach me how to fall in love! I can do a lot of things, but I don¡¯t know how to fall in love. I don¡¯t know how to love someone. How can I learn if you¡¯re not here to teach me?¡±

    Yun Nan was crying uncontrollably. The nurse couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore and quietly retreated. Yun Nan wrapped Shi Nian¡¯s hand around hers and gently rubbed the skin between his thumb and forefinger. ¡°Shi Nian,¡± she sniffled. ¡°I know now that I love you too. I¡¯ve never been as worried about anyone else as I was about you. Shi Nian, I get it; I know my own feelings now.

    Will you please wake up? Let¡¯s be together properly, okay? Let¡¯s go on dates like

    Fang Xi and Ye Kun. Please, Shi Nian, wake up! Wake up, okay?¡±

    The last time Yun Nan cried so badly was when her adoptive parents passed away. She had thought she had no more tears to give until she looked at Shi Nian lying there, attached to all kinds of machines and an oxygen mask on his face.

    The fear she felt at losing her adoptive parents back then once again enveloped her. She couldn¡¯t lose Shi Nian; she wanted to live with Shi Nian and love him well. She¡¯d found someone who loved her¡ªsomeone she loved. She wanted a life with Shi Nian.

    ¡°Shi Nian, I¡¯m begging you, please, can you wake up? I¡¯m scared; I¡¯m scared that you¡¯ll leave me alone,¡± Yun Nan said as she placed her face in Shi Nian¡¯s palm.

    Shi Nian always liked to touch her¡ªsmall gestures like ruffling her hair, touching her face, and¡­ and he even kissed her out of the blue once. Yun Nan suddenly understood. ¡®So, he has liked me since long ago,¡¯ she thought. ¡® Those little gestures were all filled with love.¡¯

    Yun Nan wished Shi Nian could touch her face again. She suddenly felt a butterfly-light touch on her face; Shi Nian had bent his finger slightly. Thinking she¡¯d imagined it, Yun Nan cried even harder. And then she stopped short, stunned because Shi Nian¡¯s fingers twitched and curled further. This time, Yun Nan clearly felt it.

    Yun Nan¡¯s eyes widened. She pulled herself up off the wheelchair to look at Shi Nian¡¯s face under the oxygen mask. His breathing had visibly quickened, and his eyelashes were also trembling slightly.

    Yun Nan forgot about her injuries, the special frame on her body, and her IV pole. She abruptly stood up and shouted, ¡°Doctor! Doctor! He¡¯s awake! Come quickly! Shi Nian¡¯s awake! Nurse! Nurse!¡±

    *Bang!* *                Yun Nan fell to the ground along with the IV pole, wheelchair, and frame. The doctors and nurses rushed over.

    Shi Nian kept walking on a very, very dark path. He had been walking for so long that he was exhausted, but he still hadn¡¯t reached the end of it. He was really tired and wanted to stop and rest. However, he heard Yun Nan crying. Shi Nian was very anxious, thinking, ¡® Why is Yun Nan crying? Is she crying because she¡¯s in pain? Her injuries are so serious; what should I do?

    He then heard Yun Nan say, ¡°Shi Nian, I know now that I love you too. I¡¯ve never been as worried about anyone else as I was about you. Shi Nian, I get it; I Imow my own feelings now. Will you please wake up? Let¡¯s be together properly, okay? Let¡¯s go on dates like Fang Xi and Ye Kun. Please, Shi Nian, wake up! Wake up, okay?¡±

    Shi Nian was delighted and mentally answered, ¡®Okay, okay! I¡¯ll wake up! I¡¯ll wake up right now!¡¯ He ran forward, trying to find a way out to Yun Nan. ¡® Why is there no exit on this d*mn road? Why can¡¯t I reach the end ofit? ¡°Shi Nian, I¡¯m begging you. Please, can you wake up? I¡¯m scared; I¡¯m scared that you¡¯ll leave me alone.¡±

    Shi Nian felt quite anxious. He wanted to touch Yun Nan¡¯s face. He yelled into the dark space around him, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Yun Nan. I won¡¯t leave you all alone. I won¡¯t!¡±

    The moment Shi Nian opened his eyes, he saw Yun Nan¡ªwrapped in gauze and put on a drip¡ªfall to the ground along with her wheelchair and IV pole.

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan were arranged to stay in the same ward. The interns and nurses who came to help settle them in all had smiles on their faces.

    Curious, Shi Xiu pulled a nurse over and asked, ¡°Why are you all so happy that the patient is awake? Do you get a bonus for that?¡±

    The young nurse couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°It¡¯s true that we¡¯re happy when our patients awaken. However, we¡¯re especially happy because this couple is different from the others!¡±

    ¡°How so? Is it because they¡¯re good-looking?¡± Shi Xiu kept on asking.

    The young nurse glanced at the two so wrapped up they looked like mummies and was quite hesitant to call them ¡°good-looking.¡± However, she still replied, ¡°It¡¯s because they showed us what love looked like..¡±

 Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-One: Farewell

    Chapter 261: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-One: Farewell

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°You can tell that?¡± Shi Xiu exclaimed in surprise. ¡°You guys are amazing!¡±

    ¡°You can smell the scent of their love throughout the whole ICU,¡± the nurse replied, straight-faced. After saying that, the young nurse couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    Xiang Yang came over and playfully swatted Shi Xiu¡¯s arm. ¡°Quit fooling around,¡± she chided. ¡°Hurry up and tell Mom, Dad, and Grandma so they can stop worrying.¡± Xiang Yang had sent the elders home as it was impossible to predict if Shi Nian would wake up today, so now they needed to inform them of the news.

    Shi Xiu quickly went to make the call, and Xiang Yang heaved a sigh of relief, thinking, ¡® Thank heavens therre okay now. They made it through; therre alive.¡¯

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan both had a rest after the afternoon¡¯s excitement. Shi Nian woke up first this time and saw his brother sitting beside his bed, dressed in military uniform.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Yun Nan?¡± Shi Nian asked, voice hoarse.

    Shi Ke held his index finger to his lips in a hush gesture before pointing to the bed next to his and saying softly, ¡°She was too agitated, so the doctor gave her a sedative. She won¡¯t be waking up until tomorrow morning. Don¡¯t worry; the rest will be good for her.¡±

    Shi Nian was relieved to hear that. Shi Ke poured a cup of warm water for Shi

    Nian and helped him sit up to drink it. ¡°Do you feel dizzy?¡± Shi Ke inquired. ¡°You have a concussion; it¡¯ll take a while to recover.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Shi Nian said quietly. He glanced at his brother¡¯s attire and asked, ¡°Are you leaving again?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Shi Ke murmured.

    Shi Nian inwardly sighed gently and uttered, ¡°Stay safe. You must come back alive.¡±

    ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry,¡± Shi Ke responded and just looked at his little brother; these few words were enough between the two brothers.

    He then went on to another subject, stating, ¡°Chang Yuan is still investigating who is behind this. From what we can tell, these people probably have nothing to do with me; this might be related to your business. Chang Yuan¡¯s reviewing the people you¡¯ve been in contact with recently.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll handle it. Don¡¯t worry. Focus on completing your mission. Our entire family is waiting for you; you have to come back alive. Don¡¯t even think about leaving the task of supporting our family to me alone!¡±

    Smiling, Shi Ke stood up, lightly clicked his heels together, and saluted his little brother before he left without looking back. Xiang Yang, who had been a silent figure beside him, followed Shi Ke out. Shi Ke kissed his wife goodbye at the hospital exit and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to go. Help me take care of our family.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Xiang Yang kept her emotions in check as she replied with a smile. They had parted like this countless times. Xiang Yang knew the significance of each farewell, so she never shed tears before Shi Ke and always sent him off with her brightest smile. She liked to believe that her smiles would give Shi Ke more courage when he was in trouble and help him through adversities. Even if the worst comes to worst, Shi Ke will have the memory of her smile with him.

    After sending Shi Ke off, Xiang Yang went back and quietly checked the equipment monitoring Shi Nian¡¯s vitals. Seeing that he had fallen into a peaceful sleep, Xiang Yang returned to Yun Nan¡¯s side. The IV drip needle stuck in her hand had shifted when Yun Nan fell in the afternoon, so now there was a bruise on the back of her hand. The nurse had instructed Xiang Yang to apply a

    hot towel to it, and Xiang Yang did so. When she gently pressed the warm towel against the bruise, Yun Nan frowned in her dreams.

    When Fang Xi and Ye Kun rushed over, Yun Nan and Shi Nian had just woken up. Xiang Yang pulled open the curtain between them so they could see each other and be at ease.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ye Kun shouted. ¡°We¡¯ve only been away for a few days. How could such a big thing have happened? Shi Nian, what b*stard did this? Have the police caught them yet? I¡¯ll have them rot in prison!¡±

    Shi Nian was dizzy, and listening to Ye Kun, he felt even dizzier. He leaned against his pillow and said weakly, ¡°Alright, go for it. I¡¯m just waiting for you to avenge me!¡±

    Ye Kun grabbed a folding chair and sat beside Shi Nian¡¯s bed. ¡°Is Chang Yuan around? Just you wait, Shi Nian. I¡¯ll definitely avenge you! Tell Chang Yuan to give me everything he has on this!¡±

    ¡°You can ask him for the info yourself,¡± Shi Nian replied feebly.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Ye Kun snorted, unwilling to do so. ¡°He only listens to you. He doesn¡¯t care for me at all!¡± Shi Nian, his buddies, and Chang Yuan were all classmates, but Chang Yuan was only close with Shi Nian and completely ignored the others, even when they were nice to him. Chang Yuan had been a straight-A student since elementary school and didn¡¯t regard Shi Nian¡¯s slacker friends highly.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Shi Nian faintly responded.

    Ye Kun quickly stated, ¡°Liang Han isn¡¯t in the country right now and won¡¯t be back anytime soon, and Xi Cheng is busy with his mother¡¯s birthday party. I¡¯m free, so I¡¯ll stay by your side to look after you 24/7. Let Chang Yuan investigate the matter.¡±

    Shi Nian smiled. ¡°Thanks. I know you¡¯re not good at such things, but I appreciate your kindness.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, not good at it?¡± Ye Kun unhappily retorted. ¡°I CAN do it!¡±

    Shi Nian placed his hands together and begged off, saying, ¡°Alright, alright. I want water. Could you get me some?¡±

    Ye Kun hurriedly went to pour him some water. Meanwhile, Fang Xi was attentively listening to Xiang Yang¡¯s retelling of how they found Yun Nan and Shi Nian, so she wasn¡¯t paying the boys any attention.

    When women had best friends, even their boyfriends had to stand aside..

 Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Two: Visit

    Chapter 262: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Two: Visit

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°I was so anxious at the time that I prayed to all the gods and Buddhas, and I didn¡¯t dare to let it show because I was afraid Mom and Dad would be worried,¡± Xiang Yang recounted her feelings back then.

    Shi Xiu quickly came closer and said, ¡°Yun Nan and Shi Nian were in a terrible state when we found them. I was so scared that I cried when I saw them, all covered in dirt and blood.¡±

    Fang Xi was so frightened by the two¡¯s shocking narration that her hair stood on end. She couldn¡¯t help but worry, even though Yun Nan was right in front of her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked. ¡°Why would someone kidnap them? Did we offend anyone recently?¡±

    Xiang Yang and Shi Xiu stopped talking. That was something even Shi Ke and Chang Yuan hadn¡¯t figured out, so they had no clue whatsoever. Yun Nan saw this and changed the subject. ¡°You went to attend the seminar organized by Mr. Mo. Did you get anything out of it?¡±

    Fang Xi nodded. ¡°Yes, I did! Mr. MO invited all the renowned directors, producers, publishers, and some film critics, both within the country and abroad, to set up a new award.¡±

    There¡¯ll be a complete range of awards, and the prize money is very generous. They also set up a director¡¯s fund; anyone with a good production but insufficient funds can apply. They¡¯ll be able to receive financial aid as long as they meet the requirements. The point of setting up the director¡¯s fund is to support young directors.¡±

    Yun Nan was also quite delighted when she heard that. ¡°I brought back a lot of information and materials. Mr. MO also gave us a mission¡ªhe¡¯s asking you to complete a few of his unfinished works. He says he only trusts us to do them justice,¡± Fang Xi informed Yun Nan in high spirits.

    Looking at her beaming friend, Yun Nan thought, ¡®Indeed, love can change a person¡¯s mental outlook.¡¯ However, Yun Nan didn¡¯t comment on it. She only said, ¡°Then bring me the materials next time. Oh, and bring my computer, too.

    I want to take a look at everything.¡±

    ¡°Slow down there, eager beaver!¡± Fang Xi scolded. ¡°You¡¯re so injured, and yet you still want to work?! Even Mr. MO will scold you if he hears about this! Your current job is to take care of yourself and recover quickly! Do you hear me? Don¡¯t worry about anything else!¡±

    Shi Xiu agreed. ¡°Fang Xi¡¯s right, Yun Nan. You should leave your work for now and rest. Otherwise, my brother will be worried about you!¡±

    Fang Xi tugged at Shi Xiu¡¯s hair and asked Xiang Yang, ¡°Is she any help here?¡± Xiang Yang gave that a thought before replying, ¡°She¡¯s more a hindrance than help. If you need her, be my guest and take her away!¡±

    Fang Xi nodded. ¡°I do need her! Shi Xiu, you¡¯ll be coming with me later.¡±

    ¡°Xiang Yang, don¡¯t you love me anymore?¡± Shi Xiu protested. ¡°How can you reject me like this?¡±

    Xiang Yang stared at her with a smile. Fang Xi tugged Shi Xiu¡¯s hair and teased, ¡°Since no one wants you here, you can go somewhere where you¡¯re wanted. It¡¯s time for you to join the casting crew.¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, and she looked anticipatingly at Yun Nan. Yun Nan smiled and said, ¡°Go ahead. Annie has modified the role quite a bit for you this time. Do your best and act well; you¡¯ll definitely gain a lot from it.¡±

    ¡°I will! Don¡¯t worry, Yun Nan!¡± Shi Xiu excitedly replied. The girls then continued chatting for a while.

    Ye Kun couldn¡¯t help but lower his voice and grumble, ¡°They sure do talk a lot. When are they going to finish? Fang Xi only has eyes for them; she hasn¡¯t even looked at me the entire time we¡¯re here.¡±

    Shi Nian glared at him, thinking, ¡®And I haven¡¯t spoken to Yun Nan since I woke up! Despite him not saying anything, Ye Kun, being Shi Nian¡¯s buddy, understood him. Ye Kun gently poked him and urged, ¡°Fake a yawn, man. Do that, and I can get them to leave!¡±

    Shi Nian understood and gave Ye Kun an appreciative look. Ye Kun stood up and deliberately let his chair scrape noisily as he did while Shi Nian faked a yawn. ¡°Shi Nian, are you tired? Then, I¡¯ll visit you tomorrow. Rest well; make sure to sleep whenever you want to. Just treat this as a vacation. Call us if there¡¯s anything!¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s words successfully attracted the girls¡¯ attention. Fang Xi noticed that Yun Nan also looked tired and concernedly stated, ¡°You should get some sleep, too, Yun Nan. We¡¯ll leave you to your rest. Don¡¯t worry about the company; I¡¯ll handle it! Xiang Yang, you should go home and rest, too. Look at those dark circles under your eyes!¡±

    Yun Nan hurriedly nodded. ¡°Go back and have a good night¡¯s sleep, Xiang Yang.

    You¡¯ve lost weight.¡±

    Xiang Yang was slightly worried about leaving the two alone in the hospital. Yun Nan told her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xiang Yang. We¡¯ll be fine. There are doctors and nurses around to help us if we need it.¡±

    Fang Xi patted Xiang Yang¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yeah, listen to her. Go back and have some rest. You can come back after you wake up. There are doctors and nurses here, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    After a few rounds of persuading each other, Ye Kun and the others finally left. Shi Nian and Yun Nan both heaved a sigh of relief and turned to look at each other. Xiang Yang had thoughtfully pushed their beds closer together before she left; they were close enough to hold hands if they stretched their hands out..

 Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Three:

    Chapter 263: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Three:

    Target

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    And they did. Seeing the bruise on the back of Yun Nan¡¯s hand, Shi Nian felt pained as he caressed it gently. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± he asked.

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°I hurt everywhere; the small pain here is negligible. What about you? Are you still dizzy?¡±

    Shi Nian replied, ¡°Yeah. I feel dizzy every time I move my head.¡±

    They stopped talking and looked around. After a while, they both spoke in unison, ¡°You¡­¡± The two then turned and smiled at each other.

    Shi Nian sighed softly, ¡°I think this little injury is worth it.¡± Yun Nan looked at him in confusion.

    Shi Nian smiled and stared at her as he said, ¡°Yun Nan, I want to be together with you for the rest of my life.¡±

    ¡® To h *Il with that five-year agreement!¡¯ he vehemently thought.

    Yun Nan¡¯s face warmed. She closed her eyes and shook their joined hands, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s sleep for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Shi Nian replied, but he insisted on holding her hand, so the two fell asleep hand in hand. When the young nurse went on her rounds to check on the patients and opened their ward door to see this scene, she quietly retreated and quickly went to the nurses¡¯ station to share the gossip with her friends and colleagues.

    Yun Liu finished filming her scenes and returned to her van to rest. Her assistant prepared hot ginger tea for her, and Yun Liu frowned.

    The assistant hurriedly stated, ¡°Yun Liu, ginger tea is good for you; it can warm your stomach, cleanse the body, and help brighten your skin tone. However, sugar isn¡¯t good for your body, so I didn¡¯t add any. The traditional Chinese doctor said you should watch your diet; it¡¯ll be fine once you get used to it.¡±

    Yun Liu took the cup of ginger tea and frowningly took a big gulp. Tan Ning got into the van and gave the assistant a look. The assistant quickly got out and closed the door.

    ¡°Your Aunt Chang Hui¡¯s branch of the family didn¡¯t manage to get things done,¡± Tan Ning whispered.

    Yun Liu downed the entire cup of ginger tea, and her stomach did feel warm. Yun Liu sneered when she heard the news, ¡°Hah, I knew it; they aren¡¯t cut out for that kind of thing. How are they?¡±

    Tan Ning took a sip of water before answering, ¡°They¡¯re in the hospital. They were seriously injured, so they won¡¯t be able to leave for a while.¡±

    Yun Liu was very satisfied with that. ¡°Not bad. I¡¯m quite happy to let her suffer a little.¡±

    Tan Ning hesitated for a moment. She didn¡¯t want to ruin Yun Liu¡¯s good mood, but there was no going around it, so she told Yun Liu, ¡°Shi Xiu joined a casting crew. She¡¯s acting in a romance film this time. Annie adapted the script based on Yun Nan¡¯s novel. Yun Innovations is quite focused on this film.¡±

    Yun Liu was stunned and felt upset. She knew Yun Innovations was untouchable for now, so she had to go at it another way. ¡°Find out who their investor is.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Liang Zhou Pictures.¡± Tan Ning informed her before her eyes lit up as she suddenly had a good idea. ¡°Yun Liu, why don¡¯t I introduce you to Mr. Liang?

    He¡¯s Liang Zhou Pictures¡¯ CEO and about the same age as Shi Nian. He¡¯s rich but doesn¡¯t advertise his wealth and is currently single.¡±

    Yun Liu raised her eyebrows, and Tan Ning knew she was tempted, so she said, ¡°I¡¯ll have it arranged; wait for my message. Judging from his previous two girlfriends, Liang Han likes pretty and demure girls who¡¯re into literature and the arts.¡± Tan Ning knew the likes and dislikes of these wealthy investors and producers like the back of her hand.

    ¡°Why did he break up with them?¡± Yun Liu asked.

    ¡°The girls were pressuring him into marriage; they wanted to get married and didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. In doing so, they must have ruined the image of a literary girl Liang Han had of them, so he broke things off with them,¡± Tan Ning answered and laughed mockingly. ¡°That young master doesn¡¯t have a very mature outlook; he¡¯s a little stubborn, willful, and obsessed with emotional purity.¡±

    ¡®Hmm,¡¯ Yun Liu mused before something else occurred to her. ¡°How do Gu Fei¡¯s older sisters and cousins plan to handle Gu Fei¡¯s matter? They better not affect me!¡±

    She and Tan Ning had put so much effort into organizing her family reunion banquet, but Gu Fei and Shi Xiu had ruined it and became the stars of the event. And Yun Nan, too. Yun Liu would gnash her teeth whenever Yun Nan was mentioned. She wished more than anything for an accident or something to happen to that woman so that she would die!

    ¡®It was a shame that car crash didn¡¯t kill her,¡¯ Yun Liu thought venomously. She calmed herself and thought, ¡®Forget about her. The most important thing right now is not to let Gu Fei¡¯s mess affect me.¡¯

    Tan Ning smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s fine! The Shi family can¡¯t afford such a disgrace, so they naturally did their best to seal the mouths of those media outlets. It won¡¯t do Shi Xiu any good if this matter spreads, after all. Therefore, regardless of whether it¡¯s the media that we hired or not, all of them can only report on the ceremony and celebration of your return to your family. All the headlines and trending searches for the past few days are ours, so I guess Gu Fei¡¯s matter can be considered a blessing in disguise. We at least got a small compensation out of it!¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s brows relaxed slightly, and she bluntly said, ¡°This all happened because Gu Fei is an idiot! He could have solved this sort of thing with money, but he just had to go and embarrass himself. I really had to give it to him; I didn¡¯t think it was possible to mess up so badly! I just returned to the Gu family; we can¡¯t let him affect me!¡±

    Tan Ning nodded in agreement. ¡°Of course, of course¡­ I think Gu Fei¡¯s situation isn¡¯t that easy to deal with. Why don¡¯t you try to get close to Madam Bai Jie and give her some advice?¡±

    Yun Liu rolled her eyes at her.. ¡°And what advice can I give her?¡±

 Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Four: Fallen Ill

    Chapter 264: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Four: Fallen Ill

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°You remember Gao Bei, don¡¯t you?¡± Tan Ning stated with a cold smile, and Yun Liu¡¯s expression darkened.

    Tan Ning hurriedly said, ¡°Ding Pei may be muddle-headed, but she¡¯s quite capable. The way she dealt with Gao Bei was truly brilliant, but she was just a little unlucky; who would¡¯ve expected a woman who ¡®went missing¡¯ like that could come back?¡±

    She continued, ¡°That Gao Bei must have had help from someone high up if you ask me. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to return even if she had nine lives, causing Ding Pei¡¯s plan to backfire on herself. That woman¡¯s escape was simply a miracle.¡±

    Yun Liu was silent; she didn¡¯t want to think about Ding Pei. She murmured,

    ¡°You mean¡­ to make that woman disappear?¡±

    ¡°How would Gu Fei¡¯s crisis be resolved otherwise? That woman¡¯s existence will always be a stain on Gu Fei¡¯s reputation, and if that stain remains, Gu Fei will become a ticking time bomb that might blow up at any time. Gu Fei¡¯s protected by his entire family, so naturally, he¡¯ll be fine¡ªbut you won¡¯t. Every time Gu Fei ¡®explodes,¡¯ you¡¯ll also be implicated. We can¡¯t possibly spend all our time and effort constantly cleaning up after him,¡± Tan Ning analyzed.

    Yun Liu frowned. Tan Ning noticed and remarked, ¡°The Gu family probably has that woman under control and hidden away somewhere now. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll ask around. You should keep the idea in mind, and when the opportunity arises, you can subtly suggest it to Madam Bai Jie; if she does consider it, then great. We can¡¯t be as stupid as Ding Pei and do it ourselves.¡±

    Yun Liu nodded almost imperceptibly.

    Bai Jie had fallen ill, and her daughters were all busy showing their concern, so Gu Fei¡ªthe main culprit of her current condition¡ªalso had to remain by her side.

    Bai Jie was so angry that she¡¯d come down with a fever. She had a slight cough, didn¡¯t have much energy, and looked haggard, but her mental health was fine. She¡¯d instructed her daughters to absolutely not let Chang Hui¡¯s branch of the family know she was sick. Otherwise, her illness would definitely worsen if her sisters-in-law came to visit her.

    ¡°Did you give your dad a call?¡± Bai Jie asked Gu Rou.

    Gu Rou quickly nodded. ¡°I did. Dad tells you to take good care of yourself. He¡¯ll rush over once he¡¯s finished his work.¡±

    That immediately caused Bai Jie to panic and set her off coughing again. ¡°Who told you to *cough* inform him I was sick? *Cough*¡±

    Gu Rou glared at Gu Fei, who was standing at the side. ¡°I didn¡¯t dare tell Dad about Gu Fei!¡±

    Bai Jie got even angrier and coughed even harder. ¡°Not that! I wanted *cough* *cough!* I wanted you to tell him¡­ about your great-uncle Gu Bei!¡± Bai Jie coughed violently after she finally managed to get her sentence out.

    ¡°I did, I did,¡± Gu Rou hurriedly placated. Gu Wan rubbed and patted her mother¡¯s back, and Bai Jie¡¯s breath evened.

    ¡°What did he say about it?¡± she inquired.

    ¡°Dad said to leave it for now and deal with it when he comes over,¡± Gu Rou hastily answered.

    Bai Jie leaned against her pillow and took a few deep breaths, looking worried. Gu Fei couldn¡¯t help but interject, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry so much about it. Great-Uncle Gu Bei was just saying that; he probably didn¡¯t mean anything by it. There¡¯s no way he would give all his assets to someone completely unrelated!¡±

    Bai Jie glared at him and snapped, ¡°This is all your fault!¡±

    Gu Fei was both annoyed and amused by that. ¡°What¡¯s this got to do with me?! Mom, don¡¯t make such a fuss, okay? And you guys! Don¡¯t cause any more trouble! The Shi family wouldn¡¯t have fallen out with us if it weren¡¯t for you all. I almost had Shi Xiu in the bag, but you guys had to go and make a scene. Thanks to you, I got exposed, and now you¡¯re all giving me dirty looks because of it. How¡¯s that fair? You women are just so unreasonable!¡±

    Gu Rou threw the cushion beside her at her brother. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk! That

    Du Juan is still at my place!¡±

    Gu Fei shut his mouth at that. Bai Jie rubbed her temples, and Gu Xiang, her youngest daughter, quickly came over to massage her head.

    ¡°Is the child in that woman¡¯s stomach really yours?¡± she asked Gu Fei calmly.

    Gu Fei started up and exclaimed, ¡°I don¡¯t know! She didn¡¯t say she was pregnant when I broke up with her!¡±

    Seeing his attitude, Gu Xiang couldn¡¯t help but chide, ¡°Oh, have a heart, will you? She said she¡¯d been with you for five years! Five years! How many five years does a woman have, Gu Fei? She¡¯s truly unlucky to be with a b*stard like ¡°Gu Xiang, you¡¯re my sister, so why are you siding with her?¡± Gu Fei cried out. ¡°I¡¯m your younger brother; how could you speak for an outsider? I don¡¯t know whose child she¡¯s carrying. Why don¡¯t you guys let her give birth? Then, you can do a paternity test; if the child is mine, I¡¯ll take responsibility for them. If the baby¡¯s not mine, then it¡¯ll prove my innocence! Well?! What do you think of the idea?¡±

    His four sisters didn¡¯t say anything and looked toward their mother. Bai Jie also fell silent. She gave the idea some thought. ¡® What our Gu family lacks the most is children¡ªboys, to be exact! IfDu Juan is really pregnant with our familys child and it turns out to be a boy, then at least we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about our lack of descendants or the family fortune being divided up and given to the branch families..¡¯

 Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Five: Idea

    Chapter 265: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Five: Idea

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡®Even if the child turns out to be a girl, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal to raise her.¡¯

    Gu Jing angrily snorted, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how will you explain this child to your future wife? What girl of status is willing to marry a man with a child and become a stepmother straight off?¡±

    Gu Fei turned to look at Gu Jing and had a thought. ¡®Gu Jing is pregnant but hasn¡¯t announced it to the public because it hasn¡¯t been three months yet. Since that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯

    ¡°Sis, why don¡¯t we say the child is yours after Du Juan gives birth? We can tell everyone that you gave birth to twins. What do you think?¡± Gu Fei suggested, practically patting himself on the back for his brilliant move.

    Gu Jing froze and subconsciously reached out to touch her stomach. Gu Xiang jumped up and said, ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, Mom! It¡¯s a fantastic idea! It¡¯s the best solution to all our problems! Gu Jing, just treat it as raising one more child.¡±

    Gu Jing looked toward her two elder sisters and mother. Bai Jie, Gu Rou, and Gu Wan exchanged looks and nodded. ¡°Gu Jing, we¡¯ll have to trouble you to care for the child.¡±

    ¡°Whoo!¡± Gu Fei heaved a sigh of relief. ¡®Greatjob, me! It seems like I¡¯m quite smart, after all, being able to come up with such a terrific idea in a flash of inspiration,¡¯ he smugly thought.

    Gu Rou couldn¡¯t stand his puffed-up demeanor and coldly stated, ¡°Now that this matter is resolved, what were you doing in ¡®Devil¡¯s Hamlet? Do you know what kind of people visit that bar?¡±

    A hint of unease flashed through Gu Fei¡¯s face, but then he annoyedly replied, ¡°Big Sis, I was just curious. Stop monitoring me, will you? Focus on your own family instead. Why didn¡¯t you say something about my brother-in-law when he went to a nightclub with a hot girl a few days ago?¡±

    Gu Fei angered Gu Rou so much that tears welled in her eyes. ¡°1 wouldn¡¯t have to do this if you could just behave yourself, ¡± she cried.

    Bai Jie stared daggers at her son. ¡°That¡¯s enough! Gu Fei! How can you speak to your sister like that? She¡¯s doing this for your own good! Do you think it¡¯s easy for her? She¡¯s been running around all over the place for your sake, yet you still hurt her heart like this.¡±

    Gu Fei knew he¡¯d misspoke and reluctantly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Big Sis. I was wrong. I won¡¯t fool around anymore.¡±

    Gu Rou could no longer hold back her tears. She sat to the side and took the tissue Gu Jing had handed her without saying anything. ¡°Gu Fei,¡± Bai Jie sighed, ¡°you know how much your sisters have sacrificed for you. Where¡¯s your conscience? Your sisters have given up so much; you must stand strong and be their stalwart support when you take over the Gu family in the future! Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°When a woman marries, she can only have a firm standing in her husband¡¯s family with the support of a powerful maiden family. All five of you are siblings ¡ªfamily¡ªso you need to help each other! Especially when we¡¯re facing internal and external problems like right now! * Cough* *cough* *cough*¡±

    The five siblings saw that Bai Jie was getting worked up and quickly went to comfort her. Bai Jie calmed herself and took a deep breath. ¡°Gu Ping and Gu An¡¯s families are hellbent on having your great-uncle Gu Bei adopt one of their kids because then they would have a chance to take a share of our main family¡¯s assets. Gu Fei, you¡¯re our family¡¯s only male heir; do you really think you have the time to think about such nonsense?¡±

    Gu Fei lowered his head. The best thing he could do at this moment was to remain silent and, at least, maintain a good attitude. Seeing her son¡¯s obedient behavior, Bai Jie felt slightly better, and her voice softened as she said, ¡°Chang Hui wants to let Uncle Gu Bei adopt Gu He even though he¡¯s the only male heir in their branch family. I know what she¡¯s planning. Gu Fei, don¡¯t ever go to those kinds of places again. Unless¡­¡±

    Gu Fei was baffled. ¡°Unless? Unless what?¡±

    ¡°Unless you can bring your cousin Gu He along,¡± Bai Jie replied expressionlessly.

    Her four daughters were stunned. Gu Xiang blurted out, ¡°Gu He¡¯s only sixteen years old¡­¡±

    Gu Wan rolled her eyes at her and said to Gu Fei, ¡°Mom¡¯s right. Gu He is your younger cousin. As the older cousin, you should share anything new or fun with him.¡±

    She added, ¡°But do keep in mind that Gu He is quite spoiled by Auntie Chang Hui and is a little tyrant. He¡¯s always been very insolent, so be careful not to tick him off. Whatever your little cousin wants to play or do, let him. As his older cousin, you just have to accompany him. Just follow his wishes and let him have his way! Do you understand?¡±

    ¡®Even a fool could understand that!¡¯ Gu Fei thought before he quickly smiled and answered, ¡°Got it, sis! Don¡¯t worry. Although I¡¯m a good-for-nothing younger brother, I¡¯ll definitely be a good older cousin. I¡¯ll certainly bring my younger cousin out to experience the world!¡±

    Bai Jie, Gu Rou, and Gu Wan relaxed while Gu Jing and Gu Xiang lowered their heads.

    ¡°Your great-uncle Gu Bei¡¯s assets can only belong to Gu Fei!¡± Bai Jie stated firmly. ¡°He¡¯s a member of our family, which means his assets belong to us. Outsiders can forget about touching it! And that goes double for Yun Nan; her adoptive mother can¡¯t even be considered a member of our Gu family, let alone her¡ªan unrelated adopted daughter. Gu Rou, you have to inform your father about this again.. He has to understand the stakes!¡±

 Chapter 266 - Chapter 266: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Six: Attitude

    Chapter 266: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Six: Attitude

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Just like in previous years, friends and family who knew about Madam Xi¡¯s birthday banquet would send gifts in advance, and the Xi family would host a banquet to entertain these friends and family, making it a lively occasion.

    Such family banquets weren¡¯t only a platform for madams and young ladies to bond and compete with each other; they were also a tacit opportunity for business cooperation between the men. Therefore, every year, the scale of each wealthy family¡¯s birthday banquet was large, and the standards high.

    Not only would Shi Nian, Ye Kun, Liang Han, and Xi Cheng be hosts during their own family¡¯s birthday banquets, but they would also play hosts during each other¡¯s family banquets. Being close friends, the four buddies have accompanied each other to handle these social engagements since they were kids.

    As the boys took on heavy responsibilities in their respective families, the closeness of the small group of four also increased the confidence and expectations of their elders, subordinates, investors, and shareholders. They were the hopes and future of their respective families; even if they weren¡¯t the head¡ªor future head¡ªof their family, they would still be the backbone of their families. The four of them weren¡¯t just good friends and buddies but also a community of shared benefits.

    Fortunately, this was quite clear to the boys, and they¡¯d accepted it, so it didn¡¯t affect their relationship. With their high EQ the four had a tacit understanding to not involve anything else in their brotherhood. And every year, they unitedly collected rare treasures for their mothers¡¯ birthday banquets to please the madams.

    This year, the gift they gave Xi Cheng¡¯s mother, Han Yuan, was also unique. It was an evening gown worn by a famous female star in a movie. The four boys had obtained it through Yun Nan. That movie was the female star¡¯s classic work, and that female star was Han Yuan¡¯s favorite actor. It was a gift that even money couldn¡¯t buy! Han Yuan was so delighted by their gift that she told everyone she met about it.

    ¡°How DID you lugs think of such a special gift?¡± Lin Yu asked curiously. ¡°Auntie is so happy about it.¡±

    Xi Cheng was in a great mood today, and his tone was unusually excited as he answered, ¡°I heard it was Ye Kun¡¯s girlfriend who thought of it. Yun Nan also contributed a lot. She has quite the status in the entertainment industry and managed to help us get the gown. After all, this gift isn¡¯t something that money can buy.¡±

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t bat an eyelid and lowered her eyes. ¡®That Yun Nan again! That woman is so annoying,¡¯ Lin Yu inwardly grumbled.

    ¡°Oh, right! Ye Kun will be bringing his girlfriend over today. I heard from Liang Han that Ye Kun has met his true love this time. He¡¯s incredibly protective of his girlfriend and sticks to her every day. He¡¯s even more henpecked than Shi Nian, who is married. Ah, Shi Nian and Yun Nan can¡¯t come today; they can¡¯t be discharged yet. We¡¯ll visit them at the hospital when we¡¯re free tomorrow,¡± Xi Cheng told Lin Yu with rare good humor. He even said more than usual.

    Lin Yu was overjoyed, and her smile brightened. ¡°Alright!¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go prepare some supplements and tonics as gifts!¡±

    That took Xi Cheng slightly aback, and his tone cooled. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formalities. We¡¯re buddies; we don¡¯t have to be so formal.¡±

    ¡°Alright. I got it,¡± Lin Yu said hurriedly.

    Xi Cheng thought for a moment before uttering, ¡°Let¡¯s set a date and have a get-together when Shi Nian gets discharged. We can also introduce Liang Han to some girls; he¡¯s the only one still single out of the four of us.¡±

    Lin Yu was inwardly relieved that Xi Cheng didn¡¯t get angry and chucklingly agreed, ¡°Yeah, he is. Why don¡¯t you try matchmaking him with Gu Man or Shi Gao? Those two are also looking for a good match; they¡¯re not getting any younger, after all.¡±

    Xi Cheng recalled the two times Liang Han had met those girls and commented, ¡°Forget about them. If Liang Han was interested in them, he would¡¯ve come and asked me long ago. He didn¡¯t even mention them, so he definitely hasn¡¯t taken a fancy to them. And don¡¯t ask Gu Man out when Yun Nan and Shi Nian are around in the future. After what happened last time, I don¡¯t even have the face to meet them anymore.¡±

    Lin Yu saw that Xi Cheng¡¯s tone was calm as he spoke and couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved. She deliberately sighed and said, ¡°Auntie really dotes on Gu Man; Gu Man¡¯s her goddaughter, so Auntie¡¯s very anxious about her marriage. If you know of any suitable young man, you should introduce them to your godsister.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a matchmaker,¡± Xi Cheng replied detachedly.

    Lin Yu smiled and handed Xi Cheng his coat. ¡°Neither am I, but I want to help relieve Auntie¡¯s worries. If you know of a suitable candidate, it¡¯s best to get Gu Man and them together as soon as possible. It¡¯ll also stop her from always chasing after Shi Nian and making things difficult between us and him. Oh, speaking of my friends, Shi Gao doesn¡¯t seem to like Shi Nian¡¯s sister-in-law, Xiang Yang, for some reason. Could it be that she likes Big Brother Shi Ke?¡±

    She¡¯s giving Xi Cheng a heads-up so that if anything happened, at least Xi Cheng wouldn¡¯t think it had anything to do with her.

    Xi Cheng frowned. ¡°Is she out of her mind? Shi Ke and Xiang Yang are a loving couple! What is she thinking?¡± Shi Ke was one of the boys¡¯ most respected figures, and Shi Ke¡¯s love for Xiang Yang had always been a role model for them.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Lin Yu posited, ¡°Those two girls are really¡­ I can¡¯t do anything about them. I¡¯ll try to persuade them, but the best way is to quickly introduce a few young and talented men to them and marry them off!¡±

    As Lin Yu finished speaking, she laughed..

 Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Seven: Meet Again

    Chapter 267: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Seven: Meet Again

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    As expected, Xi Cheng didn¡¯t say anything else. Lin Yu helped him straighten his clothes. Seeing that it was about time, the two went out together to welcome the guests.

    Lin Yu was now regarded as the future mistress of the Xi family, and Han Yuan brought her with her wherever she went. Lin Yu¡¯s sisters-in-law in the Xi family were all capable career women and were very glad to have Lin Yu around ¡ªhaving her accompany their mother-in -law saved them a lot of trouble.

    Lin Yu was smart and had good people skills, so she got along well with her future brothers- and sisters-in-law. That covered up the relationship problems between Lin Yu and Xi Cheng; Xi Cheng and Lin Yu were as good as married in everyone¡¯s eyes despite only being engaged.

    Lin Yu noticed that someone from her maiden family had come to deliver a gift, and her expression changed. She quickly said to Xi Cheng, ¡°I¡¯ll head over first. I¡¯ll come find you later.¡±

    Xi Cheng had also spotted them. He frowned but replied, ¡°Alright.¡±

    That frown hurt Lin Yu deeply. The Lin family had declined and now completely depended on the Xi family. Lin Yu¡¯s relatives would come to her every now and then to ask for money. After all, it wasn¡¯t easy to adapt to a modest lifestyle after living a life of luxuries.

    They say, ¡®The father buys, the son builds, and the grandchild begs.¡¯ The main reason was that the third generation no longer had the spirit and mettle to forge ahead. Lin Yu just so happened to be the Lin family¡¯s third generation. Many of her siblings and cousins were born with a silver spoon in their mouths and had never lived a hard day in their lives. Therefore, Lin Yu was the only person they could count on when their family declined.

    Lin Yu hurriedly walked to the side hall. She couldn¡¯t let her relatives come into contact with the guests here; she knew very well what they were planning. Lin Yu was walking so fast that she was panting slightly when she suddenly heard someone call out, ¡°Fang Xi! Wait for me!¡±

    Lin Yu felt like her blood froze in her veins, and her heart skipped a beat. She immediately stopped and turned around but only saw a group of women smiling and walking into the main hall. Their dresses fluttered in the wind, but the woman she had met once before wasn¡¯t among them.

    ¡®Perhaps I misheard? Lin Yu lowered her head and thought. She had been busy organizing this birthday banquet for more than a month. She¡¯d handled everything, from the guest list to the type of flowers at every corner. She was exhausted and only wanted a good rest after today¡¯s banquet.

    ¡®Tm probably hearing things because Tm so tired,¡¯ Lin Yu thought. Although why she would hallucinate the last name she wanted to hear was a mystery, that woman was a thorn in her heart. Lin Yu looked up and saw her aunt had already grabbed the butler¡¯s sleeve. Her heart sank, and she quickly walked over.

    Meanwhile, Fang Xi¡¯s heart began to throb for no apparent reason, and her palms were suddenly covered in sweat, whereas Ye Kun was beaming with joy beside her, looking as if he was here to get married instead of being here to attend his friend¡¯s mother¡¯s birthday party.

    Today¡¯s banquet was of great importance to Ye Kun; he said that this was the first time he¡¯d brought a female companion out in public. He told Fang Xi that he was a man with integrity and had never had a girlfriend!

    There was even a time when it was rumored that he didn¡¯t like women and was going out with Liang Han. Because of that, Liang Han didn¡¯t dare to go anywhere with Ye Kun; if they had to go out together, he would drag Shi Nian along with them. Ye Kun was quite confused, thinking, ¡®Shi Nian was also single back then, so why didn¡¯t anyone say anything about him? Why did they only make up rumors about me and Liang Han?

    When Fang Xi heard Ye Kun grumble about this, she laughed so hard she couldn¡¯t stand up straight.

    But when she arrived, she found out the family hosting the banquet had the surname Xi. It wasn¡¯t a common surname, and it happened to be one she didn¡¯t want to bring up for the rest of her life.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be them; the world isn¡¯t that small. It¡¯s probably a coincidence,¡± Fang Xi tried to reassure herself.

    Xiang Yang, who was beside her, noticed her strange behavior and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling alright? Why are your hands so cold?¡±

    Fang Xi forcefully calmed herself down and answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Maybe it¡¯s just the crowd getting to me. I get dizzy when there are too many people around.¡±

    Xiang Yang amusedly stated, ¡°This is nothing! You should see the crowd at me and Shi Ke¡¯s wedding. There were so many people that I wanted to dig a hole and bury myself in it. It won¡¯t be any better when you get married to Ye Kun! ¡±

    Fang Xi facepalmed. ¡°You¡¯re starting to scare me, Xiang Yang. If that¡¯s the case,

    I have to seriously consider whether I should get another boyfriend.¡±

    Xu Yun chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, sweetie. Ye Kun will be so nervous again after hearing you say that. You know how whipped he is. Don¡¯t scare him, dear child.¡±

    Ye Kun wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead. ¡°Thanks, Auntie Xu; you¡¯re the best. My heart felt like it got stabbed just now.¡±

    Xu Yun and Xiang Yang laughed. Fang Xi patted Ye Kun lightly and rolled her eyes. As Shi Nian and Yun Nan hadn¡¯t been discharged from the hospital and

    Shi Xiu had joined the casting crew, the Shi family¡¯s representatives today were

    Xu Yun and Xiang Yang..

 Chapter 268 - Chapter 268: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Eight: Met

    Chapter 268: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Eight: Met

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xiang Yang wasn¡¯t good at socializing. She had always presented herself as cold and aloof when secretly she had severe social anxiety and only felt safe beside her socially savvy mother-in-law. Fang Xi followed the duo because she was close to Xiang Yang, and while Ye Kun was the Ye family¡¯s representative today, now that he had a girlfriend, he followed her like a loyal dog, tail wagging.

    Fang Xi found him slightly too clingy and said, ¡°Go and talk to your friends. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll stay with Auntie Xu and Xiang Yang. Come find me after you¡¯ve finished socializing, and we¡¯ll leave early and accompany Yun Nan and Shi Nian at the hospital.¡±

    Ye Kun only focused on the last sentence and uttered, ¡°I don¡¯t think those two need or want us to accompany them.¡±

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t say anything and stared at him reproachfully. Ye Kun immediately surrendered. ¡°Okay, okay! I¡¯ll find Liang Han and comfort the poor bachelor. I finally don¡¯t have to fear being gossiped about when I¡¯m with him!¡±

    He took a few steps forward but was still worried, so he pointed at the dining tables on both sides of the main hall. ¡°Later, when Auntie Xu and the others are chatting, you and Xiang Yang can head over and get something to eat. Don¡¯t just stay beside them and starve yourself like a silly duckling.¡±

    Xu Yun couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°Oh, is that so? Well, she¡¯s your precious girl so you can look after her yourself! We wouldn¡¯t want her to starve, would we?¡±

    Embarrassed, Ye Kun walked away with a smile. Xu Yun and Xiang Yang teased Fang Xi, who blushed, but her heart felt warm. ¡®I didn¡¯t know the feeling of being cherished and loved could actually be so great,¡¯ Fang Xi thought. She¡¯d lived for 28 years but never had such an experience.

    Like a moth, she dove into the flames of kinship and love without hesitation, but their scorching light and heat never had any pity for her. No one had ever cared when her heart got burned to ashes. Betore she met Ye Kun, Fang Xi had never been loved or experienced being loved¡ªnot by her parents or the man she¡¯d loved with all her might.

    Ye Kun came into her life unexpectedly but gave her a warmth and experience she¡¯d never had. Ye Kun respected all her habits; he put her feelings first and didn¡¯t allow her to compromise even one little bit¡ªhe took care of her, from food, clothing, accommodation, and transport to her mental health and emotions.

    Ye Kun said that she deserved the best in the world. That was the highest praise Fang Xi had ever received in her life. She drowned in Ye Kun¡¯s love, unable to extricate herself. She learned that time means nothing when it comes to love; she¡¯d spent seven years and still couldn¡¯t warm that man¡¯s cold stone heart. However, Ye Kun only used seven months to heal and fill up her torn and tattered heart, bit by bit.

    Xi Cheng turned around and saw a smiling face imprinted in his bones and the depths of his soul. It brought back all the memories of the time they¡¯d shared together.

    ¡°Xi Cheng, what kind ofgirl do you like? Ifyour ideal girl is a hundred points, how manypoints am I?¡¯

    ¡°Xi Cheng, do I look good in pink? Oh, you don¡¯t like pink?Alright, I won¡¯t wear this color again. I won¡¯t like anything you don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Xi Cheng, we¡¯re going to put on a play, and the director chose me as the female lead. Do you not like me acting? Then, I¡¯ll reject it. There¡¯s nothing more important than you in this world! I only want to be the female lead in your life¡¯,

    ¡°Xi Cheng, don¡¯t drink so much; it¡¯s not good for your health. I¡¯m worried about you.¡±

    ¡°Xi Cheng, don¡¯t call a designated driver when you¡¯re out drinking in the future;

    I¡¯ll go pickyou up instead. That way, I can feel more at ease. I won¡¯t be able to sleep waiting for you, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Xi Cheng, a guy is pursuing me, but I rejected him directly. I told him I have a boyfriend, and he¡¯s super handsome! I love him so much/¡¯

    Xi Cheng¡¯s body swayed. He closed his eyes before opening them again, staring straight at her. She was attentively listening to the person beside her. Her eyes had curved in mirth, and her soft and cute appearance hadn¡¯t changed at all.

    ¡®She¡¯s here! My Fang Xi is actually here!¡¯ Xi Cheng mentally cried. He strode over and grabbed Fang Xi¡¯s wrist, his rapid breathing showing his excitement as he exclaimed, ¡°Fang Xi, you¡¯re here!¡±

    Thunderstruck, Fang Xi looked at Xi Cheng in shock. Xi Cheng pulled her into his arms, closed his eyes, and lowered his head to bury his face in her shoulder. It was the same comfortable position she used to hold him every time he drank too much. He mumbled, ¡°Fang Xi, I finally found you! I¡¯ve finally found you! I¡¯m sorry; I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s all my fault! I was wrong. Please forgive me. Forgive me, okay? Will you come back? Please come back..¡±

 Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Nine: Dignity

    Chapter 269: Chapter Two-Hundred and Sixty-Nine: Dignity

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi froze on the spot and didn¡¯t dare to move. All her blood chilled in her veins as she just let Xi Cheng hug like that.

    Fang Xi¡¯s tears fell uncontrollably. Seven years¡­ Xi Cheng hadn¡¯t said such warm words to her in all the seven years they shared.

    ¡°Lin Yu, your younger cousin Lin Zhu¡¯s happiness depends on you. Look at all the vounc and talented men here. lust Dick one for her¡ªno. no. we can¡¯t iust pick one. Pick someone who can help Xi Cheng, and Lin Zhu can be a good helper for you in the future. That way, you and Lin Zhu can work and be a family together. Wouldn¡¯t that be great?¡± Lin Yu¡¯s aunt said with a smile and pushed a heavily made-up Lin Zhu before her.

    Lin Zhu looked at Lin Yu presumptively. Lin Yu couldn¡¯t even bother to frown and scolded, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m not a pimp, and Lin Zhu isn¡¯t a prostitute. I know our Lin family has declined, but we haven¡¯t fallen to such lows, have we? If you guys had more self-respect and self-love, people wouldn¡¯t look down on you as well as me like this!¡±

    She continued, ¡°This is Madam Xi¡¯s birthday banquet. If you can¡¯t do me credit, then return home quietly. Uncle and my cousins¡¯ businesses and jobs will all be lost if you ruin my relationship with the Xi family!¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s aunt froze at that. Lin Zhu rolled her eyes and scoffed, ¡°We¡¯re just asking you to introduce me. That¡¯s not a big deal. Who knows, what if I meet someone more outstanding than Xi Cheng? Then, I can also help out, and you wouldn¡¯t have to be so tired. Or are you afraid that I¡¯ll steal your limelight?¡±

    Lin Yu sneered, ¡°Your goading is useless against me, so I suggest you put away that attitude. I didn¡¯t let you in because I feared you would embarrass me. The tastes of the wealthy young men here aren¡¯t so bad that they¡¯ll be interested in someone like you. They¡¯re not fools!¡±

    ¡°Leave immediately if you guys still want me to give you aid and benefits! Otherwise, don¡¯t go blaming me for turning against you! You guys had better think carefully about who the most important person in the Lin family is now!¡±

    ¡°You¡ªI¡® Lin Zhu wanted to argue, but her mother stopped her in time. Even though they were used to being arrogant, they knew how important the Xi family¡ªand, in turn, Lin Yu¡ªwere to the Lin family.

    Lin Yu¡¯s aunt gritted her teeth. ¡°Alright, of course, we wouldn¡¯t want to offend you. However, we came here with a gift for Madam Xi and the money¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Lin Yu snorted coldly, interrupting her aunt before she could finish. Lin Yu took out her phone and transferred 10,000 dollars over to them. ¡°Don¡¯t try and ask me for more; your gift can¡¯t cost more than this figure!¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s aunt was offended and wanted to say something, but seeing Lin Yu¡¯s glacial expression, she had no choice but to swallow her words. In their current position, they had no choice but to concede! Their very livelihoods were dependent on this young lady¡¯s whims and mercy.

    She grabbed her daughter, Lin Zhu, and pulled her along as she reluctantly walked out. Lin Yu stared at their leaving figures and felt a sense of helplessness rise from the bottom of her heart.

    The Xi family¡¯s butler came over, and Lin Yu called out to him, ¡°Mr. Zhou, thank you! ¡±

    Mr. Zhou was slightly confused and hurriedly replied, ¡°Miss Lin, I¡ª

    Lin Yu smiled wryly and explained, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Zhou, for bringing my aunt and cousin to the side hall. You saved my dignity.¡± Mr. Zhou couldn¡¯t help but look a little sheepish, thinking, ¡®It¡¯s the Xi familVs dignity I wanted to save, not yours.¡¯

    ¡°Mr. Zhou, I have a favor to ask,¡± Lin Yu said softly, tears in her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m at your command,¡± Mr. Zhou quickly and respectfully responded.

    Lin Yu calmly stated, ¡°When anyone from the Lin family comes to visit in the future, regardless of whether I¡¯m here or not, tell them I¡¯m not and give them my phone number. Mr. Zhou, I don¡¯t mind telling you that they¡¯re only looking for me to ask for money or do something for them. I¡¯m willing to help them as much as I can, but I can¡¯t damage the Xi family¡¯s reputation, so please do me this favor, Mr. Zhou. Tell the servants and staff to do so as well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, okay, Young Madam. I¡¯ll give them the order immediately,¡± Mr. Zhou replied even more respectfully than before and even addressed her as ¡± Young Madam.¡±

    Lin Yu pretended she didn¡¯t notice the change and smiled at him before turning around and walking towards the banquet hall. She instantly stopped in her tracks when she reached the hall¡¯s entrance because she saw a face from her nightmares.

    ¡® Why is she here? What¡¯s she doing here? It¡¯s already been so long; has she been spending all this time licking her wounds, and now she¡¯s here to snatch Xi Cheng away? Lin Yu thought fearfully.

    ¡®Xi Cheng has already begun to accept me; just now, he¡¯d spoken to me amiably and even discussed things with me. As long as I¡¯m patient enough and have enough forbearance, Xi Chengs heart will eventually return to me!¡¯

    However, Fang Xi showed up; she was here. ¡®IfXi Cheng sees FangXi, all my hard work will go to waste! It definitely will; I know it!¡¯ Lin Yu panicked.. ¡® What should I do? What should I do?

 Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy: Heartbreak

    Chapter 270: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy: Heartbreak

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Han Yuan rushed over and was furious when she saw her son tightly hugging that woman. ¡°Xi Cheng!¡± she yelled sternly.

    Xi Cheng flinched and realized where he was. Fang Xi, too, woke from her daze and pushed Xi Cheng away. Han Yuan took a closer look and angrily thought, ¡®So it IS her.¡¯

    She stepped forward and soundly slapped Fang Xi in the face. Han Yuan didn¡¯t care about the people present and started to curse loudly, shocking everyone. ¡°Vixen!¡± she hissed. ¡°How dare you walk in here?! What do you take the Xi family for?¡±

    Fang Xi held a hand to the cheek Han Yuan had slapped and slowly straightened her back. Xi Cheng snapped out of it and quickly went to check on Fang Xi, concerned. ¡°Fang Xi! Fang Xi, are you al¡ªI¡®

    ¡°Xi Cheng! What do you think you¡¯re doing? Come over here!¡± Han Yuan demanded.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Xi Cheng fiercely shouted and reached out to protect Fang Xi. However, Fang Xi pushed him away.

    ¡°Fang Xi? What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on?¡± Ye Kun hurriedly squeezed through the crowd, pulled Fang Xi into his arms, and examined her face.

    Seeing the red handprint across her cheek, Ye Kun asked coldly, ¡°What happened? Who did this?¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi?¡± Xi Cheng stared dumbfoundedly at the two and went to pull Fang Xi over.

    Fang Xi took a step back and avoided Xi Cheng¡¯s hand. She looked at Ye Kun and forced herself to whisper, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Ye Kun looked at the crowd in confusion but agreed without hesitation. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Stop right there!¡± Han Yuan roared, and Fang Xi stopped in her tracks.

    ¡°So, I see you¡¯ve hooked up with Ye Kun after you left Xi Cheng. What? Are you planning to get another five million from the Ye family?¡± Han Yuan questioned.

    Fang Xi slowly turned around and met Han Yuan¡¯s gaze before calmly replying, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand?¡¯ Han Yuan sneered. ¡°Why are you here pretending to be confused? It¡¯s only been, what? A few months? Did you already spend all the five million I gave you?¡±

    Fang Xi realized Han Yuan didn¡¯t know and looked at Xi Cheng. Xi Cheng recovered and loudly exclaimed, ¡°Fang Xi didn¡¯t take a single cent, Mom! She left that card behind!¡±

    Han Yuan was slightly surprised but wouldn¡¯t concede. ¡°So? She didn¡¯t take the money because she wanted you to feel guilty. A temptress like her must have some ability.¡±

    She then turned to Ye Kun and commented, ¡°Ye Kun, is she the girlfriend you¡¯ve been going on about? I suggest you break up with her immediately! This woman stayed by Xi Cheng¡¯s side for seven years! She knew Xi Cheng had a fianc¨¦e but still didn¡¯t leave him¡ªnot until I gave her five million dollars!¡±

    Ye Kun paled. He took a step back and looked toward Xi Cheng and Fang Xi. Xi Cheng stepped forward, but Fang Xi instantly retreated. However, she didn¡¯t withdraw to Ye Kun¡¯s side, and the three stood in a triangle.

    Fang Xi had already calmed down. She looked at the domineering Han Yuan and detachedly stated, ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve misunderstood. I¡¯m here today to accompany my boyfriend to his best friend¡¯s mother¡¯s birthday party, but I didn¡¯t know this was yourbirthday party! As for the five million you mentioned, I don¡¯t know about it.¡±

    That said, she turned and walked out.

    ¡°¡±Fang Xi!¡±¡± Ye Kun and Xi Cheng called out in unison and chased after her.

    ¡°Xi Cheng, stop right there!¡± Han Yuan yelled. Xi Cheng turned around and bellowed, ¡°I told you, she never took your money! She didn¡¯t take the card you gave her!¡±

    When he turned back again, a heavy punch landed on his face. Xi Cheng hissed in pain and brought his hand to his face before his eyes met Ye Kun¡¯s angered orbs. ¡°What was that for? Are you crazy?¡± he yelled at his friend.

    ¡°You¡¯re the crazy one! Your whole family is crazy!¡± Ye Kun shouted back at Xi Cheng and chased after Fang Xi without looking back, thinking, ¡®So Xi Cheng was the scumbag who hurt Fang M!¡¯

    Right now, Fang Xi wished the world would stop and collapse. She wished to be smashed to smithereens, turn into dust and smoke, and disappear into the wind.

    *Screech!* *Bam!* Fang Xi felt a force slam into her, and she went flying through the air. ¡®Oh, looks like I got my wish,¡¯ she thought, and the last thing she saw was a red car and the woman in it.

    ¡°Fang Xi!¡± Ye Kun heart-wrenchingly cried out.

    Lin Zhu got out of the car in a panic, stuttering, ¡°No, no, i¡ªit wasn¡¯t me. I¡ªI, I didn¡¯t see her. S-she¡ªshe suddenly rushed out. Th-this¡ªthis is my cousin¡¯s car. It wasn¡¯t me; it wasn¡¯t my fault!¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi! Fang Xi!¡± Ye Kun held Fang Xi in his arms and cried loudly, his heart in near-absolute despair.

    ¡°Quick, Ye Kun! Carry Fang Xi into the car. I¡¯ll drive her to the hospital!¡± Xiang Yang shouted as she kicked off her high heels and rushed off at top speed to get the car.

    Xi Cheng slumped on the steps as he watched the car drive off. Before him was a pool of blood¡ªFang Xi¡¯s blood. He didn¡¯t know how things turned out this way. The Fang Xi he¡¯d been looking for for so long¡ªa living and breathing Fang Xi¡ªhad been knocked flying by his family¡¯s car at his house, right in front of him.

    The last time Fang Xi¡¯d left him, she left nothing behind. This time, she left him with a pool of blood spread across his driveway in an alarming shade of red. Looking at it, Xi Cheng¡¯s heart, too, shattered into a puddle of blood..

 Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-One: Angrily Scolded

    Chapter 271: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-One: Angrily Scolded

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lin Yu pushed past the crowd, ran over, and asked in a panic. ¡°What¡¯s all this? What happened here?¡±

    No one answered her. Lin Yu carefully walked up to Xi Cheng and inquired, ¡°Xi

    Cheng, are you okay? Are you not feeling well? Here, let me help you up.¡±

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t move an inch, so Lin Yu reached out to try and pull him up. Xi

    Cheng pushed Lin Yu away and exploded at her. ¡°F*ck off!¡±

    Off-balanced, Lin Yu cried out in surprise and took a step back, only to meet air. She was about to fall down the steps if a housemaid hadn¡¯t caught her, but she still sprained her ankle.

    Lin Yu was in so much pain that tears flowed down her face, but she didn¡¯t make a sound. Han Yuan, who had rushed out and witnessed everything, couldn¡¯t help but scold her son. ¡°Why are you taking it out on Lin Yu? What¡¯s this got to do with her?¡±

    Xi Cheng slowly turned around and stared at his mother with reddened eyes. He softly and calmly uttered, ¡°Mother, what are you still angry about? You guys got what you wanted, didnt you? Do you guys really think I don¡¯t know anything? Would you guys mind telling me what you two said to Fang Xi and what you did to her? Do you dare to tell me?¡±

    ¡°Seven years!¡± Xi Cheng roared. ¡°Seven! Years! Fang Xi and I have been together for seven years. She gave me the best years of her youth and didn¡¯t get anything in return! She didn¡¯t even take the bank card I gave her for our daily expenses, let alone the five million you gave her!¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t touch a single cent on that bank card! I wasn¡¯t the one supporting her; she was the one who fed and took care of me for seven years! She supported me! I didn¡¯t give her anything! Not a single thing! She doesn¡¯t want anything; she only wants love. She wasted seven years of her youth just because she loved me!¡± That said, Xi Cheng squatted down and started crying like a child.

    Han Yuan was shocked and dazed by Xi Cheng¡¯s words. The guests watched this scene and murmured amongst themselves. Lin Yu¡¯s entire body felt cold. The pain in her ankle was nothing compared to the aching in her heart.

    The operating room¡¯s red light was still on. Covered in blood, Ye Kun sat on one of the chairs outside in a daze, watching the blood on his hands dry up bit by bit. The blood congealed on his hands just as his blood coagulated in his veins.

    Yun Nan was there, sitting in her wheelchair and looking at the operating room¡¯s light without moving. A hospital staff had also wheeled Shi Nian over to Yun Nan, and he silently accompanied her. Xiang Yang was pacing back and forth, wearing a pair of flats a nurse had lent her, nervously wringing her hands.

    Xi Cheng ran over, panting. He swept his gaze across the people present before heading towards Shi Nian. ¡°How is Fang Xi?¡± he asked.

    Shi Nian shook his head gently at him. Ye Kun heard his voice and looked up. He abruptly stood up and strode over to shove Xi Cheng, saying, ¡°What are you doing here? Leave! She doesn¡¯t want to see you!¡±

    Xi Cheng grabbed Ye Kun¡¯s hand and pushed him away. ¡°No way! The person she wants to see the most is me! I¡¯ve been with her for seven years! She¡¯d loved me for seven years!¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s back slammed into the wall, and like a deflated balloon, he suddenly lost the courage to argue with Xi Cheng. Xi Cheng turned to look at Shi Nian. Just as he was about to say something, Yun Nan spoke coldly, ¡°So what?¡±

    Xi Cheng was about to speak when Yun Nan said coldly, ¡°You guys were together for seven years, yet your buddies have never seen her! To their Imowledge, Fang Xi is just a woman you kept on the side! You didn¡¯t even deign to give them her name! You treated her like she was just a sordid lover instead of a girlfriend! Mr. Xi! What do you take her for? A nanny! A maid! A bed warmer! A slave!¡±

    Yun Nan glared at Xi Cheng. ¡°She spent seven years with you. Even a rock would¡¯ve warmed to her, but your heart didn¡¯t! You didn¡¯t take the initiative to woo her, but you never rejected her either. You let her stay with you without ever taking any responsibility. You enjoyed her love while portraying yourself as a pitiful man whose hands are tied, but you didn¡¯t tell her you already had a fianc¨¦e!¡±

    ¡°Because of that, she became a homewrecker out of the blue! If you want to break up, all you have to do is say the word, and she¡¯ll leave you. She¡¯d long prepared herself to do so because, in her heart, she felt that her family background wasn¡¯t good enough for you, but you didn¡¯t even have the courage to break up with her! Instead, you let your mother and fianc¨¦e come to humiliate her. You truly are a vicious scum!¡±

    Xi Cheng couldn¡¯t bear the weight of Yun Nan¡¯s words. He stepped back and cried in anguish, ¡°No, that¡¯s not how it is. I looked for her! I love her! I honestly do! I¡ªI¡¯ve fallen in love with her long ago!¡±

    ¡°You fell in love with her long ago?¡¯ Yun Nan sneered. ¡°How long ago was that? If you love her, then where were you when your mother and fianc¨¦e came to humiliate her? Did you stand up for her? You said you looked for her, but this city isn¡¯t that large.. If you¡¯d put your mind to it, you would¡¯ve been able to find her even if she¡¯d moved out of the state or even the country, let alone the city! She only moved accommodations within the city, and you can¡¯t find her?¡±

 Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Two: Confronted

    Chapter 272: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Two: Confronted

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan nodded and sneered, ¡°But I guess I shouldn¡¯t be so surprised you couldn¡¯t find her. You don¡¯t even know what she works as, do you?¡±

    Xi Cheng turned pale, then red, and then pale again. Yun Nan wiped away the tears on her face and said, ¡°That year, Fang Xi excitedly told us that she had a boyfriend; she¡¯d found her Mr. Right. They met when he¡¯d saved her from some hooligans harassing her. She said he was her gift from the heavens, Fate¡¯s compensation for her life¡¯s difficulties.¡±

    ¡°Her parents had divorced and remarried. Each built their own family, so technically, Fang Xi has two families, but in reality, she has none because there¡¯s no place for her in any of them. She¡¯s an awkward guest in both her parents¡¯ families, but then she got a boyfriend. Everything¡¯s different; she has her own family now. There¡¯s someone she loves waiting for her at home.¡±

    ¡°She took many part-time jobs for that man and worked hard to earn money. Because her boyfriend was very picky about food, she learned how to cook and cook well. She carried a notebook with her everywhere, which she used to note down all her boyfriend¡¯s likes and preferences.¡±

    ¡°She marked down each and every special and commemorative date. She clearly counted and remembered the number of days you two were together. Fang Xi is calm and rational at work, but when it comes to relationships, she isn¡¯t one to hesitate and immersed herself with a passion that could burn her to ashes. ¡±

    Yun Nan took a deep breath and looked at Xi Cheng. ¡°And you? Do you know what she likes to eat? Do you know what movies she enjoys watching? Do you know what her favorite color is?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know any of that! You don¡¯t know anything because you¡¯ve never cared about her, Mr. Xi. Belated affection is meaningless! Right now, her life is hanging in the balance on the operating table, and you¡¯re here playing the tragic lover! Who¡¯s the act for? No one gives a rat¡¯s       about it. How¡¯s this helping anything? You have no right to be here! You have no right to know whether she lives or dies!¡±

    Xi Cheng was dumbstruck. Yun Nan couldn¡¯t be bothered to look at him. She turned around and saw Ye Kun standing there, frozen. Her tone gentled slightly but was still cold as she said, ¡°Thank you for helping Fang Xi move on from her failed relationship. She has been very happy during this period of time with you. But unfortunately, as fate would have it, you and Xi Cheng turned out to be buddies. Although Fang Xi didn¡¯t do anything wrong, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be comfortable with such a relationship, so please leave quietly. Even if you can¡¯t love her, please don¡¯t hurt her.¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s eyes reddened at that. The door to the operating room opened, and everyone looked over. ¡°Which one of you is her family?¡± the nurse asked loudly.

    ¡°Me!¡± Yun Nan said as she raised her hand firmly. The young nurse walked over and handed the clipboard she was holding to Yun Nan. Her voice was a little gentler as she told Yun Nan, ¡°This is the notice of critical condition. You, her family member, need to sign here. The patient is suffering from a massive cerebral hemorrhage. The doctors are currently operating on her. If¡ªI¡®

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t wait for the nurse to finish speaking and anxiously uttered, ¡°No ifs! I¡¯m begging you and the doctors; please save my sister! She¡¯s only 28 years old! I¡¯ll sign whatever you need, but please, you must save her, no matter what!¡± She snatched the pen and signed her name on the critical condition notice.

    The young nurse recognized Yun Nan; her life-and-death romance with Shi Nian had caused a sensation several days ago, after all. Seeing that Yun Nan was the family member of the patient inside, she felt sympathetic and softly replied, ¡°The doctors will definitely do their best, but her injuries are very severe. You have to be mentally prepared.¡±

    The nurse went back in. Xiang Yang came to Yun Nan¡¯s side and gently held her hand. Yun Nan hugged Xiang Yang¡¯s waist and sobbed uncontrollably. Xiang Yang also cried. She stroked Yun Nan¡¯s head, not knowing how to comfort her.

    Xi Cheng and Ye Kun had moved closer when the nurse came out, wanting to know how Fang Xi was, but they didn¡¯t dare to get too close. Shi Nian looked at his two buddies and mentally sighed, ¡®Fate truly dealt them a rotten hand.¡¯

    ¡°Guys, go home. There¡¯s no need to wait here. I¡¯ll let you know if there¡¯s any news,¡± Shi Nian said softly.

    Xi Cheng and Ye Kun both didn¡¯t move. Neither of them looked at each other. Shi Nian sighed, ¡°Xi Cheng, go home. Things at your house are probably a mess right now. You have to give Auntie Han Yuan an explanation, don¡¯t you? They might blame Fang Xi even more if you don¡¯t explain everything clearly. Who knows what will happen then.¡±

    Xi Cheng lowered his head. Shi Nian then told Ye Kun, ¡®Ye Kun, go back and get some sleep. Everything can wait until you wake up.¡± Shi Nian knew that Ye Kun had suffered multiple emotional hits today. In this complicated mess of relationships, Ye Kun was the most innocent but also the most deeply hurt.

    Ye Kun didn¡¯t say a word. Then he suddenly turned around and walked away without looking back. Shi Nian smiled bitterly before looking toward Xi Cheng.

    Mr. Zhou, the Xi family¡¯s butler, rushed over and shouted, ¡°Young Master, Young Master! I¡¯ve finally found you! Everything¡¯s a mess back home. Madam had fainted but refused to go to the hospital. We need you back home, Young Master!¡±

    When Xi Cheng heard that, he immediately asked, ¡°How is my mother?¡±

 Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Three: Manipulation and Mind Games

    Chapter 273: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Three: Manipulation and Mind Games

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Mr. Zhou pulled at Xi Cheng¡¯s arm and replied, ¡°Young Master, there¡¯s no time to stand around and chat! Hurry home and see for yourself. Miss Lin is also injured and still has to calm Madam down. Madam¡¯s in bad condition!¡±

    Hearing that, Xi Cheng left in a hurry. Yun Nan watched him go with a look of contempt on her tear-covered face.

    [Halfan hour ago]

    Lin Yu ignored her foot injury and kneeled beside Han Yuan¡¯s feet. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m sorry. My cousin just wanted to borrow my car for something. She didn¡¯t mean to hit someone. It¡¯s all my fault; I¡¯ve caused trouble for our family¡­¡±

    Tears dripped down Lin Yu¡¯s cheeks as she spoke, and by the end, she broke down into sobs. Lin Zhu had been shocked and afraid, but when she heard Lin

    Yu¡¯s words, she immediately pounced over and gave Lin Yu a hard slap, yelling, ¡°You b*tch! You¡¯re trying to frame this on me?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Lin Yu cried out and covered her face.

    ¡°How could you?¡± Han Yuan yelled, enraged. She furiously hollered, ¡°Someone come and get this woman out of my sight!¡±

    A couple of the household staff came to drag Lin Zhu away, saying, ¡°Miss Lin,

    ¡°Auntie Han, don¡¯t be deceived by that b*tch, Lin Yu!¡± Lin Zhu shouted as she struggled against the staff. ¡°She¡¯s vicious; be careful she doesn¡¯t scheme against your entire family! She doesn¡¯t even care about her own family, so how sincere can she be to yours? Wake up and open your eyes! She used me! She used me and is pretending to be a good person!¡±

    The staff wanted to throw Lin Zhu out when Han Yuan suddenly called out, ¡°Wait!¡±

    The household staff and Lin Zhu stopped. Han Yuan stood up from the sofa and looked at Lin Zhu loftily as she instructed, ¡°Take Ms. Lin to the police station and have her turn herself in. She¡¯d hit someone with a car, after all. This incident happened in our family¡¯s courtyard, so whether that woman survives or not, we can¡¯t cover up for Ms. Lin, lest that little b*tch try to blackmail us! Whoever caused this mess should take responsibility for it! It has nothing to do with the Xi family!¡±

    Lin Zhu was dumbfounded. With a trembling voice, she begged, ¡°Auntie Han! Auntie Han, you can¡¯t throw me to the wolves like this! I¡¯m also a member of the Lin family! Auntie Han, I don¡¯t want to go to the police station. I don¡¯t want to go! Please, don¡¯t make me go there! I¡¯ll pay compensation! I¡¯ll pay, okay? Lin Yu! Lin Yu! Sis! Sis! Save me! Save me!¡±

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t say a single word for Lin Zhu. She remained kneeling on the floor and collapsed onto the sofa, crying. Lin Zhu¡¯s curses gradually faded into the distance, and Han Yuan reached out to pull Lin Yu up. ¡°Dear child, get up. I know you¡¯re aggrieved.¡±

    Lin Yu kneeled before Han Yuan and put her arms around her waist as she cried uncontrollably. A maid rushed in and panickedly informed them, ¡°Madam!

    Young Master¡­ The young master left! He took his car and drove off!¡±

    Han Yuan nearly choked on her anger. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you all to keep an eye on him? Mr. Zhou, hurry up and get him back! If he won¡¯t listen, tell him I¡¯m dead!¡±

    Mr. Zhou, the butler, didn¡¯t dare to argue and quickly left to chase after Xi Cheng. Han Yuan patted Lin Yu¡¯s head and said coldly, ¡°Alright; no more crying now. ¡±

    She pulled Lin Yu up, and Lin Yu sat on the sofa, looking pitiful. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and her makeup had long been ruined. She lowered her head and wept, her tears falling in large drops.

    Amidst her tears, Lin Yu said, ¡°My aunt came here with Lin Zhu to see me; she wanted me to bring Lin Zhu in and see if she could win the interest of the madams or wealthy young men here. She said that should Lin Zhu be able to get together with someone of influence here, she could help me in the future. I rejected her; our Lin family is in dire straits, and I¡¯m not very capable, but I

    can¡¯t let my little cousin become a tool.¡±

    ¡°Xi Cheng and I are childhood friends, and I¡¯ve liked him since I was young, so our engagement isn¡¯t me selling myself to the Xi family for my family. My aunt treated the relationship between the Lin and Xi families too lightly. My aunt and cousin were unhappy that I¡¯d rejected them, and my aunt asked for 50,000 dollars, saying it was the money she spent on your gift.¡±

    Lin Yu continued, ¡°My little cousin asked for my car. She said she wanted to look good when she¡¯s out looking for a job. There were many guests here today, and I was afraid they would cause trouble, so I quickly gave them what they wanted and got them to leave. But in the end, that incident happened¡­ I don¡¯t think Lin Zhu ran her over on purpose. She doesn¡¯t even know Miss Fang¡ª¡±

    When Han Yuan heard that Lin Yu¡¯s relatives were blackmailing her, her face was full of heartache, but when she heard Fang Xi¡¯s name, her expression immediately darkened. ¡°Don¡¯t mention that woman to me!¡± Han Yuan snapped, cutting Lin Yu off. Lin Yu quickly shut her mouth. She carefully glanced at her future mother-in-law and didn¡¯t dare to say anything else.

    ¡°That woman must have done it on purpose! She¡¯s such a schemer; she unexpectedly didn¡¯t take our family¡¯s money. And now look! Xi Cheng¡¯s heart is once again seduced by her! He probably thinks she¡¯s an amazing woman who¡¯s unmoved by money. Pfft! If she¡¯s not here for money, I¡¯d give my son to her!¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s fingers subconsciously curled into a fist, nails digging into her palms..

 Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Four: Plans

    Chapter 274: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Four: Plans

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Lin Yu, the Xi family¡¯s daughter-in-law has to be you, Lin Yu!¡± Han Yuan said sternly. ¡°Remember, I don¡¯t care what method you use, but you must hold onto

    Xi Cheng¡¯s heart. I¡¯m handing my son over to you! You mustn¡¯t let me down.¡±

    Lin Yu hurriedly straightened her body and assured her, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m a member of the Xi family in life and in death!¡±

    Satisfied, Han Yuan added, ¡°As for the Lin family, don¡¯t worry. As long as the Xi family is around, we¡¯ll definitely protect your family for you. Our families are united; it¡¯ll be better for you and Xi Cheng¡¯s child if the Lin family does well!¡± When she heard that, Lin Yu was so grateful that she wanted to kowtow to Han

    Yuan.

    Meanwhile, the Gu family members reacted differently to what¡¯d happened; some were shocked, some sighed, and some were overjoyed.

    Yun Liu sent a message to Tan Ning while nobody was looking. She had to sell such explosive news for a good price as soon as possible. Not only could she make a small profit, but this would also be a hit to Yun Innovations. It would be killing two birds with one stone!

    After sending the message off, Yun Liu obediently followed behind her mother,

    Zheng Xiu, to watch the show. Chang Hui was the most surprised and stated, ¡°Gu Man, to think that the Xi family¡¯s youngest son actually kept a woman on the side. Oh my, what an embarrassing situation this is for the Xi family. I wouldn¡¯t want to be in Lin Yu¡¯s shoes! Hahahaha!¡±

    Chang Hui couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Gu Man pouted disdainfully and commented, ¡°Lin Yu doesn¡¯t care about such things, hmph! That woman is very skilled at tolerance; she would endure it even if Xi Cheng had a current girlfriend, let alone an ex-girlfriend. She¡¯s the very model of a dutiful wife! You guys should see how humble she is before Xi Cheng; she¡¯s such a disgrace to women!¡±

    ¡°So, does Xi Cheng like her?¡± Gu Xiang asked curiously.

    Gu Man boiled with jealousy at the mention of Lin Yu. She pouted even harder and answered, ¡°Of course not! Xi Cheng¡¯s family forced him to get engaged to her, and he has no choice but to marry her in the future! That girl¡¯s lucky; she¡¯s nowhere near worthy of Xi Cheng. Who would want to marry a girl like her? She¡¯d have to do her best to show her loyalty to my godmother this time or risk losing her position as Xi Cheng¡¯s fianc¨¦e!¡±

    ¡°Xi Cheng¡¯s ex-girlfriend is Fang Xi, the partner of the entertainment company Yun Innovations,¡± Yun Liu said timidly. ¡°She¡¯s quite famous in the industry.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s words immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°What¡¯s this? She¡¯s actually a successful career woman?¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s rather beautiful. She¡¯s prettier than Lin Yu!¡±

    ¡°Hey, do you think she was here to trash the party? Mrs. Xi doesn¡¯t seem to like her at all!¡±

    ¡°She came here with a tall and handsome man. She doesn¡¯t look like she was here to cause trouble¡­ Now that Yun Liu mentioned it, I remember seeing her together with Xiang Yang and the others.¡±

    Yun Liu softly remarked, ¡°The young man with her is the Ye family¡¯s young master, Ye Kun. He¡¯s very close friends with Xi Cheng, along with Shi Nian and Liang Han.¡±

    When she brought up Liang Han, Yun Liu unconsciously lowered her eyes. ¡®He¡¯s the wealthy husband candidate Tan Ning had chosen for me. As long as I can nab Liang Han, I¡¯ll gain a stable foothold in the upper-class society circles,¡¯ Yun Liu thought.

    ¡® With the Yun family backing me and the Gu family as my background, my life will be perfect when I marry into the Liang family and become their young mistress. And now, I even have the opportunity to destroy Yun Nan and her company. Someone up there is truly looking out for me!¡¯

    ¡®FangXi is Yun Nan¡¯s soft spot. Fang Xi is definitely done for this time. Ha! If Fang Xi is finished, so is that wretched girl, Shi Xiu! ICs just a shame that even ifShi Xiu retires from the entertainment industry, she¡¯ll still live a life others could only dream of. But at least she wouldn¡¯t stand in my way anymore,¡¯ Yun Liu mentally reassured herself.

    Chang Hui listened to the girls¡¯ chatter, and an idea gradually came to her. ¡°All you unmarried girls, listen up¡ªespecially you, Gu Man. You¡¯ve been here longer than the others, so you¡¯ll take the lead. There¡¯s a great opportunity before you all. There are many wealthy young men here. You¡¯ve all complained that White City is a small place with too few high-society families and rich young heirs. There¡¯s no shortage of eligible young bachelors here in Rong City, so it¡¯s up to you to get yourself a good catch!¡±

    ¡°Do your best, girls, and don¡¯t say we didn¡¯t give you all a chance! Do you girls understand? I only have one request: don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re a member of the Gu family. Feel free to use whatever methods you need to, whether it¡¯s shameless or not because as long as the Gu family is around and as long as you¡¯re working for the Gu family, we will be your staunch backers!¡±

    The Gu family¡¯s unmarried daughters looked at each other with eager expressions. Seeing this, Gu Man felt nervous and blurted out, ¡°Hey, you guys aren¡¯t allowed to make a move on Xi Cheng!¡±

    Chang Hui raised her eyebrows and smiled slyly as she said, ¡°Our Gu Man has good taste. I¡¯m glad my teachings haven¡¯t gone to waste. Are you planning to steal Xi Cheng from Lin Yu?¡±

    Gu Man whined, ¡°Oh, come now, auntie. The word ¡®steal¡¯ is so unpleasant. I¡¯m not stealing anything; it¡¯s not like Xi Cheng is married, is he?¡±

    Chang Hui understood and said, ¡°Our Gu Man certainly has good taste..¡±

 Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Five: Conspiring

    Chapter 275: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Five: Conspiring

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu¡¯s eyes flashed. She didn¡¯t expect the Gu family to be so unscrupulous. They were even more shameless than the Yun family.

    Seeing that the girls understood, Chang Hui was in a good mood, so she said to Zheng Xiu, ¡°Bai Jie¡¯s branch of the family may seem like they have all the power just because they¡¯re the main branch of the Gu family, but the Gu family doesn¡¯t just belong to the main family. And with how Gu Fei turned out, he probably won¡¯t be able to keep hold of the Gu family¡¯s wealth and assets.¡±

    ¡°By then, no one in the Gu family will be able to contend with us. Our Gu He is born lucky because everything in the Gu family will belong to him in the future. It will definitely belong to him!¡± Chang Hui stated ambitiously.

    Zheng Xiu gently replied, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you and your husband, Chang Hui.

    Gu He¡¯s lucky because he has his uncle, auntie, and cousins to look out for him. That¡¯s why, whenever he¡¯s disobedient, I really want to smack him! Everyone¡¯s hopes are resting on him, and he¡¯ll let everyone down if he doesn¡¯t live up to expectations. If he became like Gu Fei, spoiled and misbehaving, it¡¯d be a waste of all the blood and sweat we¡¯ve put in for him. Isn¡¯t that right, Chang Hui?¡±

    Chang Hui pondered Zheng Xiu¡¯s words and turned to ask Gu Wen, ¡°Did the people following Gu He say anything?¡±

    Gu Wen hurriedly answered, ¡°Gu He has been doing quite well recently, and his grades are also pretty good. He¡¯s much more sensible than before. Don¡¯t worry, Mom. We definitely won¡¯t let Gu He become a good-for-nothing like Gu Fei.¡±

    Chang Hui nodded and didn¡¯t doubt Gu Wen¡¯s words; she trusted her very much. Zheng Xiu and Yun Liu looked at each other before withdrawing their gazes.

    [Back at the hospital]

    Shi Nian silently accompanied Yun Nan. He had never expected things to turn out like this. In retrospect, the clues were there all along. He just didn¡¯t expect fate to deal them such a cruel hand. He only now understood that Xi Cheng was always drinking because of Fang Xi, and Fang Xi¡¯s depression was because of Xi Cheng.

    Shi Nian believed that Xi Cheng loved Fang Xi because he¡¯d seen how Xi Cheng had tortured himself after she left him. However, it had taken Fang Xi everything she had to get over him and accept Ye Kun into her heart. ¡®And what of Ye Kun? H¨¦s innocent in all this. This whole thing is too cruel to him,¡¯ Shi Nian inwardly sighed for what felt like the thousandth time.

    A nurse came over to persuade Shi Nian and Yun Nan to return to their ward. Yun Nan naturally refused. However, she turned to Shi Nian and said, ¡°You should head back and rest. You don¡¯t have to wait here.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s tone was much colder than the way she¡¯d spoken to him before, and Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. ¡®Looks like I¡¯m guilty by association. In the end, I still got dragged down by my buddies.¡¯

    He waved the nurse off and reached forward to hold Yun Nan¡¯s hand before gently saying, ¡°I¡¯ll wait with you. Don¡¯t worry; Fang Xi will definitely make it through. She¡¯s not someone who leaves things unfinished.¡±

    He continued, ¡°There are so many things in Yun Innovations and so many people waiting for her. Fang Xi¡¯s too worried about them to leave like this. Shi Xiu still needs her; she wouldn¡¯t let Shi Xiu run around recklessly on her own in the entertainment industry. You¡¯re her best friend, Yun Nan, and she hasn¡¯t seen you live a happy life yet, so how could she bear to leave?¡±

    Yun Nan immediately teared up when she heard that, and her tears fell onto Shi Nian¡¯s hands. Shi Nian reached out and hugged Yun Nan. Yun Nan leaned on Shi Nian and finally let herself cry.

    Watching from the side, Xiang Yang heaved a sigh of relief. ¡®Oh, good. She¡¯s letting it all out. I was worried she would keep everything inside,¡¯ she thought.

    The operating room¡¯s red light went out. Shi Nian quickly helped Yun Nan sit back straight in her wheelchair as three doctors walked out with solemn expressions on their faces. Yun Nan was so nervous when she saw them that she stood up from her wheelchair, and Xiang Yang hurried forward to stop her.

    ¡°Doctor, how is she?¡± Yun Nan asked, ignoring her sister-in-law.

    The doctors hesitated and then informed them, ¡°The surgery¡¯s complete, but due to the massive intracranial hemorrhage, the rest is now up to the patient. She¡¯s still unconscious and isn¡¯t breathing on her own. We¡¯ll send her to the ICU for further observation. She¡¯ll only wake up after the blood is reabsorbed to a certain extent. As for whether there¡¯ll be any complications after she wakes up¡­ that remains to be seen.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s mind was in a mess, and there was a ringing in her ears. She understood every word the doctor said individually, but strung together, she was completely lost. She instinctively looked toward Shi Nian for help.

    With the help of the armrest of his wheelchair, Shi Nian also stood up. He put an arm around Yun Nan¡¯s shoulders in a comforting manner and asked the doctors, ¡°What do we need to do next to help her recover?¡±

    The doctors thought for a moment and looked at the couple. ¡°Just like the two of you back then, she might wake up if you guys talk to her more. I¡¯ll tell the doctor in charge of the ICU to increase the number and time of visits for the patient and pay attention to the changes in the patient¡¯s vital signs at all times¡­ We¡¯re unsure when she¡¯ll wake up. You guys have to be mentally prepared; she may need long-term care.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded hurriedly. ¡°Okay! As long as she¡¯s still alive, we¡¯ll do our best to wake her up! Isn¡¯t that right, Yun Nan?¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s tears streamed down her face. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely wake her up.. She must wake up!¡±

 Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Six: Propose

    Chapter 276: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Six: Propose

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian, Yun Nan, and Xiang Yang didn¡¯t sleep the entire night. They stayed up outside the ICU, waiting for the visiting hours to come so that they could change into isolation gowns and enter.

    Suddenly, they saw Ye Kun strode over with a big bouquet of red roses in his arms. Yun Nan and the others looked at him in confusion. He was still in the suit he wore yesterday, and his face was ungroomed, overnight stubble shadowing his jaw.

    ¡°How is Fang Xi?¡± he asked, voice hoarse.

    Shi Nian repeated the doctor¡¯s diagnosis, and Ye Kun¡¯s expression visibly relaxed. He looked at Yun Nan and pleaded, ¡°Could you let me go in and see her first? I want to propose to her.¡±

    Yun Nan stared at him with mixed feelings. She felt touched that he returned but was afraid he would leave again. She hoped he could be Fang Xi¡¯s comfort, but she feared he might hurt her.

    Yun Nan turned her head away and gently wiped away her tears, saying,

    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to bring flowers into the ICU.¡±

    ¡°These aren¡¯t real flowers; they¡¯re silk flowers. I hand-made them one by one. You can¡¯t propose without a ring and flowers!¡± Ye Kun replied softly. The others then took a closer look at the bouquet. Sure enough, the red roses in Ye Kun¡¯s hand were of fine silk, so lifelike that they could be mistaken for real flowers.

    Ye Kun looked at the ring box in his palm and said quietly, ¡°I was planning to arrange a grand proposal with you two and everyone else as witnesses when you guys have recovered. I¡¯ve wanted to propose for a long time. She would be my fianc¨¦e now if I¡¯d proposed earlier, and no one could¡¯ve hurt her.¡±

    Yun Nan burst into tears at that. The nurse came out of the ICU and asked,

    ¡°Who wants to come in first?¡±

    ¡°Let him go in tirst. Let him spend a little more time With Fang Xi,¡± Yun Nan uttered, her voice trembling.

    Ye Kun was overjoyed and bowed to Yun Nan. ¡°Thank you, Yun Nan! Thank you!¡±

    After Ye Kun went in, Yun Nan covered her face with her hands and cried. ¡°If he dares to hurt Fang Xi, I¡¯ll kill him!¡± she sobbed. Shi Nian placed his hand on Yun Nan¡¯s shoulder and patted it lightly, inwardly sighing for his buddy.

    Ye Kun placed the silk roses on Fang Xi¡¯s bedside table and neatly arranged them before combing Fang Xi¡¯s hair with his fingers and gently kissing her bandaged forehead. Then he took out the ring box and removed the ring from it; his every action was methodical and meticulous.

    The nurse helping to film the event pursed her lips tightly and held her breath, afraid she would disturb this beautiful scene. Ye Kun knelt down on one knee and held Fang Xi¡¯s pale hand. ¡°Fang Xi, will you marry me?¡± he solemnly asked and waited for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll take your silence as a ¡®yes,¡¯ so you¡¯re my fianc¨¦e from now on. I¡¯ll always be with you, protect you, and we¡¯ll get married when you wake up.¡±

    Ye Kun slid the ring on Fang Xi¡¯s middle finger; it was just the right size. He lovingly kissed the back of Fang Xi¡¯s hand and stood up.

    The nurse quickly handed the phone back to Ye Kun. Ye Kun went over the clip and was very happy with it. He politely told the nurse, ¡°Thank you! I would like to accompany her for a while.¡±

    The nurse nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes, talk to her more. The doctors said that you guys should talk to her more. It¡¯ll help her wake up.¡±

    Ye Kun dipped his head. ¡°Okay, I will.¡±

    The nurse considerately pulled the bed curtains close to create a private space for them. Looking at Fang Xi, eyes closed and head wrapped in bandages with a large bruise on the side of her face under the oxygen mask, Ye Kun¡¯s heart ached.

    Ye Kun sat down and held Fang Xi¡¯s hand in his palm. His voice was as tender as it was during their usual chats when he spoke. ¡°Fang Xi, Tuan Tuan misses you very much. Both of us can¡¯t live without you. We¡¯ve been so busy with a lot of things since we got together that we haven¡¯t had the time to plan our future.¡±

    Ye Kun slowly prattled on, warm and calm. ¡°If you like the apartment you¡¯re living in now, I¡¯ll talk to Shi Nian and ask him to sell it to us. Or, if you don¡¯t like it, we can buy another house elsewhere. I¡¯m not a man with big ambitions; when it comes to work, my brother gives me directions, and I follow them. As for my private life¡­ I¡¯ll listen to you once we get married, so I don¡¯t have to use my brain with you around. Fang Xi, spending my days with you is the life I yearn for the most.¡±

    Yun Nan, who came in later, had tears streaming down her face as she listened through the

 Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Chapter Two -Hundred and Seventy-Seven: Quarrel

    Chapter 277: Chapter Two -Hundred and Seventy-Seven: Quarrel

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    A slap landed soundly on Xi Cheng¡¯s face, causing it to tilt sideways. ¡°Do you really want me to die?¡± Han Yuan shouted, trembling with anger. ¡°You want to abandon Lin Yu and your family for that hussy? What did Lin Yu do wrong for you to treat her like this?¡±

    Xi Cheng held a hand to the cheek she¡¯d slapped and didn¡¯t look at his mother. ¡°What about Fang Xi?¡± he asked sorrowfully. ¡®What did she do wrong for you two to treat her so?¡±

    ¡°Of course, she did something wrong!¡± Han Yuan replied coldly. ¡°She knows you¡¯re engaged, but she still stayed with you. Isn¡¯t that shameful enough?¡±

    Xi Cheng slowly turned to look at his mother. ¡°She didn¡¯t know I was engaged. I just told her that I couldn¡¯t marry her.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Han Yuan huffed, unconvinced. ¡°She has been gunning to become your wife from the very beginning; her intentions are despicable!¡±

    Xi Cheng smiled bitterly. ¡®Mom, you think too highly of me. You also think too lowly of Fang Xi. She spent seven years with me; how many seven years does a woman have? She gave me the best seven years of her life and didn¡¯t take a cent from me.¡±

    ¡°She left the card you gave her and the one I gave her when she walked out. She didn¡¯t touch a single cent on them. Mom, is that what you call despicable? She didn¡¯t know my family background this entire time, so what¡¯s there for her to covet?¡±

    Xi Cheng slowly turned around and stated, ¡°I¡¯ve done my duties to the Xi family and the Lin family my whole life, but the only one I¡¯ve wronged is Fang Xi! I won¡¯t be able to make it up to her even in ten lifetimes. If possible, I¡¯d rather the one who got hit by the car was me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Xi Cheng!¡± Han Yuan exclaimed, shocked and furious.

    Xi Cheng trudged out and faced away from his mother, tears streamed down his face. Han Yuan may not have noticed, but his tears were clear to Lin Yu, standing in the side hall. Xi Cheng turned to look at her blankly before looking away and walking out.

    As if nailed to the spot, Lin Yu was unable to move, her heart in so much pain that it felt numb. At that moment, she hated Fang Xi so much that she would chop her into pieces if she could. She hated Fang Xi to the bone!

    Yun Liu dropped onto the sofa in exhaustion. ¡°Go get me a glass of water,¡± she instructed her assistant, Xiao Yun. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡±

    Tan Ning was in the middle of a video call, and seeing that Lin Yu was back, she quickly hung up after a few words and came over to ask, ¡°How was it? Did Madam Liang have a happy time with you?¡±

    Yun Liu took the cup of water Xiao Yun handed her and guzzled it down before throwing the cup aside and leaning back against the sofa. She grumbled, ¡°I¡¯m risking life and limb to accompany her, so how can she not be happy?

    Tan Ning smiled. ¡°Good! That¡¯s good!¡±

    Yun Liu sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t get it; that woman¡¯s so old, so where does she get all that energy from? After playing golf, she wanted to go riding, so we did. And after we finally took a break to eat something, we went swimming. I¡¯m in my twenties, but I can¡¯t keep up with her¡ªand she¡¯s almost sixty!¡±

    Tan Ning laughed. ¡°Indeed, she doesn¡¯t seem like someone who¡¯s pushing sixty. People would believe it if you said she¡¯s only forty!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect being the Liang family¡¯s daughter-in-law to be so tiring,¡± Yun Liu sighed.

    ¡°Oh? Then do you want to be their daughter-in-law or not?¡± Tan Ning teased.

    Yun Liu wailed. ¡°I do, I do! Ugh, but this is killing me!¡±

    Tan Ning encouraged her, saying, ¡°There are no shortcuts in life. Considering that your relationship with Yun Nan is so bad and Liang Han and Shi Nian are close friends, we can¡¯t go straight to Liang Han and force you on him. If Yun Nan did say something about you in front of Liang Han, then even if he has a good impression of you, he¡¯ll probably reject you because of his friendship with Shi Nian. That would be a huge loss for us.¡±

    Yun Liu nodded dejectedly. ¡®Yun Nan and I must have been enemies in our previous lives,¡¯ Yun Liu silently fumed. ¡® Nothing has gone my way ever since she appeared, and now I¡¯m constrained by her even when it comes to dating!

    Yun Liu gritted her teeth and said ruthlessly, ¡°Why is that d*mn woman so godd*mn lucky? That branch of the Gu family is worthless at handling things!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Tan Ning glared at her. ¡°Some things are better kept to yourself!¡±

    Yun Liu felt resentful but shut her mouth as instructed. Tan Ning softened her tone as she continued, ¡®We can¡¯t rush things on Madam Liang¡¯s side. You still need to work hard and be patient. As for Yun Nan, I think Fang Xi¡¯s matter will be enough to deal her a debilitating blow. Right now, her company has three movies waiting to be released. Hmph, looking at the box office figures, they¡¯ll be a flop before they even air!¡±

    Yun Liu was delighted; she¡¯s happy as long as Yun Nan¡¯s in trouble. However, Tan Ning didn¡¯t allow her to revel in her triumph. ¡°You have to consolidate your standing in the Gu family,¡± Tan Ning told her. ¡°Whether it¡¯s the Yun or the Gu family, your foundation is still unstable. You need to make sure that they can¡¯t do without you.¡±

    Yun Liu nodded, inwardly secretly rejoicing. ¡®Tan Nings much more reliable and capable than Ding Pei. She always has everything meticulously planned for me. I¡¯m lucky to have Tan Ning on my side..¡¯

 Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Eight: Dilemma

    Chapter 278: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Eight: Dilemma

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan turned their hospital ward into an office. Since Fang Xi got hit by a car and was still unconscious, everything she¡¯d been in charge of got urgently sent to Yun Nan, and Mika hadn¡¯t slept or rested for several days.

    Negative news about Fang Xi had also occupied the headlines and top of the trending searches; they couldn¡¯t remove them even if they spent money. Those in Fang Xi¡¯s public relations team were all pale from exhaustion and looked grim.

    In times like this, Yun Nan was very calm and steady. She¡¯d encountered and dealt with countless crises ever since she was young. From the time they¡¯d cooperated as a school club in university until now, their group had risen to fame, not by the power of Yun Nan or Fang Xi alone, but by the joint efforts of their entire team.

    Therefore, in the face of their greatest crisis to date, everyone went all out to meet the challenge. They didn¡¯t complain because Fang Xi was their family, and they didn¡¯t grieve because tears wouldn¡¯t solve anything.

    Shi Nian witnessed the orderly manner in which Yun Nan was handling the problems, and his love and respect for her increased. ¡®With a wife like this, what more can a man ask for? he thought admiringly.

    Shi Nian became a supernumerary member of Yun Innovations. Because they didn¡¯t keep him from their meetings¡ªhe and Yun Nan shared the same ward, so they couldn¡¯t¡ªhe would give them advice and counsel. After all, he was the chairman of more than a dozen listed companies. His perspective on problems and the way he handled them were on a higher level.

    Yun Innovations¡¯ staff soon discovered their ¡°brother-in-law¡¯s¡± superpower, so they shifted the more essential reports from Yun Nan to Shi Nian. Shi Nian was very pleased with himself, whereas Yun Nan found it funny and could only remind the others¡ªand Shi Nian himself¡ªfrom time to time that Shi Nian was a patient and needed to rest.

    Thanks to everyone¡¯s efforts, the administrative matters quickly got settled. However, negative news about Fang Xi was running rampant.

    Mika¡¯s expression was grave as he commented, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with that madam from the Xi family. She actually had an interview with a media reporter and said that her son only has a fianc¨¦e. To quote her, ¡®All the other women arejust flings that he doesn¡¯t need to take any responsibility for. God knows how many women would fling themselves at her son all year round in the hopes ofmarrying into the Xi family! She just went and stabbed Fang Xi in the back once again with those words.¡±

    Annie¡¯s and Meida¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°The Xl family is kicking Fang Xi when she¡¯s down. They know Fang Xi can¡¯t defend herself now in her current state, so they¡¯re throwing sh*t at her. This is plain bullying! They¡¯re trying to crucify Fang Xi on the wall of shame.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What about Xi Cheng? Did he say anything?¡±

    Meida shook her head. ¡°Fang Xi might as well have fed her heart to the dogs,¡± she remarked darkly.

    Yun Nan frowned and contemplated. ¡°Even if Fang Xi is awake, it¡¯s still useless for her to defend herself. Anything we do or say will be in vain if Xi Cheng won¡¯t speak up for Fang Xi. The more we try to explain, the worse it¡¯ll be instead.¡±

    Annie looked at Shi Nian. ¡°Mr. Shi, you and Xi Cheng are close friends. Can you¡­ persuade him to speak up for Fang Xi?¡±

    Shi Nian glanced at them and said nothing. Meida pouted and grumbled, ¡°It takes two to tango, so why is he making Fang Xi bear the reputation of a hussy alone? Is he a man or not?¡±

    Shi Nian smiled wryly and tactfully replied after some thought, ¡°Xi Cheng is¡­ very filial. He won¡¯t refute his mother.¡±

    ¡°He goes along with his mother even if she¡¯s in the wrong?¡± Meida angrily demanded. Shi Nian could only smile bitterly; there were some things that he was indeed powerless to do.

    Yun Nan saw his helplessness and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not dwell on this issue anymore. I don¡¯t think Fang Xi will ask the Xi family for help if she¡¯s awake, so why don¡¯t we leave this matter be and let them say whatever they want?¡±

    ¡® We don¡¯t know when FangXi will wake up. Perhaps these rumors would no longer need explanations when she wakes up,¡¯ Yun Nan thought.

    Although everyone at Yun Innovations felt indignant, they had no choice but to let the issue go. After everyone dispersed and left, Yun Nan didn¡¯t speak for a long time.

    ¡°Yun Nan, are you mad at me?¡± Shi Nian nervously asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to help with Xi Cheng¡¯s matter.¡±

    Yun Nan sighed after a long while. ¡°I am quite mad, but there¡¯s no reason to be mad at you. You¡¯re just a bystander who got involved in this mess. But I¡¯m really quite angry.¡±

    Shi Nian chuckled and stretched his hand out to Yun from his hospital bed. Yun Nan momentarily hesitated before holding it. Shi Nian tried to cheer her up by joking, ¡°I feel so aggrieved, Yun Nan. As an innocent and unlucky bystander, I very much want to call Xi Cheng over and beat him up!¡±

    Yun Nan rolled his eyes at him. ¡°What good would beating him up do? It¡¯ll just be a waste of stamina! He is your buddy, and Fang Xi is my bestie. In the future, we should stand on our respective sides on Xi Cheng¡¯s matter so that we won¡¯t be in a difficult position with our friends!¡±

    Shi Nian hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all! Of course, I¡¯ll stand on your side!¡±

 Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Nine: Declaration of Love

    Chapter 279: Chapter Two-Hundred and Seventy-Nine: Declaration of Love

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Ye Kun went to Liang Han. Liang Han was shocked when he saw Ye Kun. ¡°Dear heavens! What happened to you, buddy? Why have you lost so much weight?

    Are you sick? You look even more haggard than Shi Nian!¡±

    Ye Kun didn¡¯t answer; he just took out a stack of photos and placed them on Liang Han¡¯s table one by one, explaining each picture as he did so. ¡°This is the engagement ring I bought! It¡¯s the only one in the world and the most expensive in Xiang Yang¡¯s shop.¡±

    ¡°These are the flowers I gave her when I proposed!¡±

    ¡°This is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait, wait!¡± Liang Han cut him off and held Ye Kun¡¯s hand down, looking at his good friend in shock. ¡°Propose? You proposed? To whom? Are you alright in the head?¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi! My fianc¨¦e, Fang Xi!¡± Ye Kun broke his hand from Liang Han¡¯s grip and placed a photo of Fang Xi on the table. The beautiful bright-eyed woman with a sweet smile was attractively charming. Ye Kun reached out and gently stroked Fang Xi¡¯s smiling face in the picture, his face full of adoration.

    Puzzled, Liang Han stared at Ye Kun and asked, ¡°Have you gone mad?¡±

    Ye Kun ignored him and stated unhurriedly, ¡°I would like you to use your channels to help me publish an exclusive interview about my relationship with Fang Xi. I fell in love with her at first sight and lost my heart to her completely once I got to Imow her. I¡¯ll protect her no matter what she becomes in this life. I will marry her immediately if she wakes up.¡±

    Liang Han looked at his buddy in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯ve truly gone mad, Ye Kun!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m mad for Fang Xi,¡± Ye Kun replied as he calmly returned Liang Han¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°She¡¯s the one I love most.¡±

    Liang Han glared at him. ¡°Rumors are running wild out there. Even Auntie Han

    Yuan has personally confirmed that Fang Xi is a trollop who¡¯s been clinging to Xi Cheng for seven years. Can¡¯t you tell? Fang Xi¡¯s ruined.¡±

    Liang Han continued, ¡°Auntie Han Yuan is determined to destroy Fang Xi, and Lin Yu isn¡¯t easy to deal with, too, you know! Buddy, there are so many girls in the world; why does it have to be her? Listen to me. Let it go and forget about her. Find another nice girl, and I¡¯ll write you as many love declarations as you want me to! Okay?¡±

    ¡°Not okay!¡± Ye Kun refused without hesitation. Liang Han choked.

    Ye Kun told him, ¡®What happened between her and Xi Cheng is long over. She¡¯d already walked out of that relationship when I met her. Fang Xi didn¡¯t do anything wrong. In those seven years, whether she was the one who was pestering Xi Cheng or Xi Cheng was the one who refused to let her go¡­ has nothing to do with my relationship with Fang Xi. I fell in love with Fang Xi as a person; it has nothing to do with her past. My feelings for her are only relevant to her present and future; I¡¯ll be beside her now and forever! ¡± Ye Kun said seriously, carefully enunciating each and every word.

    Liang Han felt like stomping his feet in anger at his friend¡¯s stubbornness. ¡°Why won¡¯t you listen to what I¡¯m saying? The Xi family has dragged Fang Xi¡¯s reputation through the mud. And now, you want to step up to the plate and take her over¡­ Doesn¡¯t that make you feel uncomfortable at all?¡±

    Ye Kun shook his head. ¡°My only regret is that I didn¡¯t get to know Fang Xi earlier. Fang Xi wouldn¡¯t have been hurt by the Xi family if I¡¯d met her first; she wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much. Liang Han, her relationship with Xi Cheng is in the past. Who doesn¡¯t have a past? Since I didn¡¯t meet Fang Xi earlier, then no matter who she fell in love with or who she was with, I have no right to ask or be jealous or bothered by it, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Liang Han looked at Ye Kun¡¯s calm expression and determined gaze and cursed in his heart, ¡®D*mn it! Why do I feel that he has a point?

    Liang Han¡¯s article was quickly taken up and reprinted by all the media outlets and swiftly occupied the headlines and top of the trending searches.

    Everyone at Yun Innovations was dumbfounded. ¡®Ye Kun¡¯s a saint. I want to make him an altar.¡± That was the first thing Mika said after reading the article.

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    All the editors, directors, and staff members expressed their approval one after another with solemn faces. If Ye Kun were here, they might not even need an altar and just directly kneel and worship him.

    Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He knew at a glance that Liang Han had written the article at Ye Kun¡¯s request. It was a method he¡¯d come up with to woo Yun Nan. Ye Kun was a quick study and had much more success with it than Shi Nian.

    Which also meant that Liang Han had chosen to stand on Ye Kun¡¯s side. ¡®Xi Cheng, you brought this upon yourself,¡¯ Shi Nian thought.

    With Liang Han¡¯s article and Ye Kun¡¯s deep affection, things immediately took a turn for the better. Yun Innovations¡¯ fans, who were suppressed, and the big bloggers, who were censored, all reposted the article one after another, and there was an overwhelming reversal in the comments online..

 Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty: Drunk

    Chapter 280: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty: Drunk

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    These days, Xi Cheng locked himself up, drinking all day. He spent each and every day getting himself completely drunk before falling into a drunken sleep.

    Lin Yu was worried, but Han Yuan was quite angry with her son and told Lin Yu not to bother with him. Han Yuan knew very well that, though her youngest son might appear cold and unruly on the surface, he was actually very filial underneath that. No matter how fiercely they quarreled, Xi Cheng would always obediently relent in the end. However, she had to give him some time to adapt in the process.

    Even the strongest man is vulnerable to a woman¡¯s soft wiles. Han Yuan had yet to teach this ultimate move to Lin Yu; she wanted to wait a few years to test and wear Lin Yu down before she¡¯d feel comfortable teaching it to her. But that hussy Fang Xi also seemed to know this trick, so Han Yuan had to be on her guard.

    Lin Yu showed Han Yuan the news on the Internet in a panic and asked,

    ¡°Auntie, what should we do?¡±

    Han Yuan read through the content and was shocked and angry. ¡°Has Ye Kun gone mad? Of all the women in the world, he picks Xi Cheng¡¯s used goods.¡±

    Lin Yu apprehensively remarked, ¡°If Ye Kun does this, people will accuse Xi Cheng of being heartless, and they¡¯ll see Fang Xi as a poor woman who was used and dumped by a wealthy young heir. Auntie, this will do great damage to Xi Cheng¡¯s reputation.¡±

    ¡®And mine, too, especially,¡¯ Yun Liu thought anxiously. ¡®I¡¯ve become the most contemptible woman in this four-sided love triangle. Talk about shooting myselfin the foot!¡¯ She¡¯d thought that with Han Yuan¡¯s help, she would be able to crucify Fang Xi. She didn¡¯t expect Ye Kun to suddenly enter the picture and be Fang Xi¡¯s knight in shining armor.

    ¡°Ye Kun¡¯s just asking for it!¡± Han Yuan sneered. ¡°Even if he wants to be the Romeo to her Juliet, he¡¯ll need the Ye family¡¯s permission first! There¡¯s no way the Ye family will accept such a woman! I¡¯ll have a great big laugh at them if they dare to take her in! Hmph! Marrying my son¡¯s used goods, how disgusting! ¡±

    A myriad of thoughts raced through Lin Yu¡¯s mind, and she didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡®I can¡¯t lose!¡¯ she thought. ¡® Whether it¡¯s for my reputation or Xi Cheng, I can¡¯t lose! I can¡¯tjust rely on Han Yuan alone; her intelligence isn¡¯t always on the ball. Xi Chengs the only one who can stop Ye Kun now. I have to send Xi Cheng out and make Ye Kun withdraw!¡¯

    ¡®However, I can¡¯t be the one to send Xi Cheng out! That¡¯ll only sour our relationship further,¡¯ Lin Yu mentally plotted. ¡®Hmm, I have just the person¡­¡¯

    The smell of alcohol burned Gu Man¡¯s nostrils as soon as she pushed open the door, causing her to take a step back.

    ¡°Ugh, are you all dead or something? Why did you guys let your young master drink to such a state? Why didn¡¯t anyone stop him? Do you want him to drink himself to death?¡± Gu Man reprimanded the bodyguards and maid guarding at the door.

    The maid replied, ¡°Miss Gu, Miss Lin said that the young master is in a bad mood, so we shouldn¡¯t stop him and just let him be.¡±

    Gu Man glared at her. ¡°Your young madam can¡¯t wait for Xi Cheng to die, huh? Get in here and open up the windows! Disperse the smell and tell the kitchen to send some hangover soup up! I¡¯ll feed it to him! You guys clean up this room and change Xi Cheng¡¯s clothes!¡±

    Gu Man swiftly assigned everyone their tasks like she was the house¡¯s mistress.

    The household staff didn¡¯t dare to speak up and quickly followed suit. The hangover soup soon arrived, and Gu Man chased everyone out and sat beside Xi Cheng as she blew on the soup herself.

    ¡°Xi Cheng, get up and drink some hangover soup. Otherwise, your stomach will feel uncomfortable later,¡± Gu Man said gently.

    Xi Cheng¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he heard her gentle voice. It was how and what Fang Xi had always spoken to him when he got drunk. ¡®Fang Xi has come to look after me again,¡¯ he thought. Xi Cheng tried hard to open his eyes. The figure before him and Fang Xi gradually overlapped.

    Xi Cheng agitatedly reached out and grabbed ¡°Fang Xi¡¯s¡± wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me!¡± he cried out gruffly.

    Gu Man quickly put down the soup bowl and helped Xi Cheng sit up before picking up the bowl once more. She spooned some hangover soup and fed it to Xi Cheng, saying, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m not leaving. I won¡¯t leave. Here, have some hangover soup.¡±

    Xi Cheng cooperatively drank the hangover soup, and Gu Man¡¯s heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest. When Xi Cheng finished the soup, he threw the bowl aside and hugged Gu Man tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Fang Xi! Don¡¯t go!¡± he murmured. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me!¡±

    The happy bubble that had just popped up in Gu Man¡¯s chest immediately burst. She pushed Xi Cheng away and made him look at her. ¡°Wake up, Xi Cheng! Look, I¡¯m Gu Man! I¡¯m not Fang Xi! Stop thinking about Fang Xi! She¡¯s already with Ye Kun¡ªyour buddy, Ye Kun! So, don¡¯t think about her anymore! I¡¯m Gu Man! The Gu Man who has always been by your side! I¡¯m Gu Man!¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s head was a little muddled. He stared at the swaying figure in front of him; one moment, it was Fang Xi, and the next moment, it wasn¡¯t. His head hurt. He reached out, pulled Gu Man into his arms, and kissed her fiercely.

    Gu Man stiffened and then softened as she enthusiastically responded to Xi Cheng.. ¡®No matter who Xi Cheng is thinking about, the person he¡¯s kissing right now is me!¡¯ At this thought, Gu Man responded to Xi Cheng even more aggressively!

 Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-One: Caught in the Act

    Chapter 281: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-One: Caught in the Act

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    *BANG!* Someone broke down the door.

    ¡°Gu Man! Xi Cheng!¡± Han Yuan exclaimed. She was so angry at the scene before her that she was trembling. ¡°Quick, separate them!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Lin Yu cried out and went limp. Fortunately, a maid was there to hold her up. Tears streamed down Lin Yu¡¯s face as she watched the household staff separate Xi Cheng and Gu Man in a flurry. She covered her mouth and turned to run off.

    Han Yuan slapped Gu Man hard across the face, and Gu Man fell onto the sofa. She held a hand to her face and said tremblingly, ¡°Godmother, 1¡ª¡±

    Han Yuan vibrated in anger as she demanded, ¡°I know hes drunk to delirium, but what¡¯s your excuse? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re also delirious! How could you?! Lin Yu is your best friend, and you want to snatch her husband? You¡¯re even worse than Fang Xi!¡±

    ¡°Godmother!¡± Gu Man kneeled by Han Yuan¡¯s feet and sobbed. ¡°Godmother! It¡ª

    it wasn¡¯t me! It was Xi Cheng! Xi Cheng, he, I¡ªI couldn¡¯t stop him..

    Han Yuan stepped back, disdainfully avoiding Gu Man¡¯s reaching hands, and sneered, ¡°Oh? Are you saying he forced himself on you? If that¡¯s so, don¡¯t you know to call for help? Did that never occur to you? You saw an opportunity, so you simply went along with it! You¡¯ve been eyeing Xi Cheng for a long time, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°And poor Lin Yu treats you like her best friend. You disappoint me, Gu Man!

    Someone, please see Miss Gu to the door. Don¡¯t come around in the future, Miss Gu. The Xi family doesn¡¯t welcome you!¡± That said, Han Yuan turned around and walked away. Gu Man sank to her knees in despair, her clothes drenched in sweat.

    Xi Cheng lay at the side, completely drunk. When the household staff helped him up, he was still dazedly mumbling, ¡°Don¡¯t go, Fang Xi. Don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t leave me!¡± Gu Man¡¯s heart froze and fell.

    Han Yuan rushed to Lin Yu¡¯s room, and her heart ached when she saw Lin Yu crying so hard that she was heaving. Lin Yu threw herself into Han Yuan¡¯s arms, and Han Yuan comforted her, ¡°There, there, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s all Xi Cheng¡¯s fault. Auntie will ask him to apologize to you.¡±

    Lin Yu sobbed and sniffled, ¡°It¡¯s not his fault¡­ Xi Cheng, he¡¯s so drunk he doesn¡¯t¡ªdoesn¡¯t know anything at all. It¡¯s my fault. I have poor taste in friends and have made the wrong choices. It¡¯s is all my fault!¡±

    Han Yuan fell silent; she, too, had been deceived by Gu Man for so long. Lin Yu¡¯s eyes were red and swollen from crying, but that didn¡¯t stop her from seeing Han Yuan¡¯s expression. She decided to give Han Yuan an extra push and worriedly asked, ¡°Auntie, if word of this gets out, it¡¯ll be even worse for Xi

    Cheng and our family¡¯s reputation.¡±

    Han Yuan came back to her senses and patted Lin Yu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.

    Gu Man can¡¯t possibly spread such a scandal around.¡±

    Lin Yu lowered her head and wept softly. Han Yuan frowned and contemplated. ¡°We can¡¯t let things go on like this; it¡¯s just one trouble after another. I think you and Xi Cheng should get married as soon as possible. You can rightfully keep Xi Cheng in line after you guys are married, and with the identity of Mrs. Xi, it¡¯ll be more convenient for you to do things.¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s words seemed to stun Lin Yu. ¡°Auntie¡ª¡±

    Han Yuan patted her hand and cut her off. ¡°I know your wedding date is supposed to be in a year¡¯s time, but plans can change. The situation is different now, so why can¡¯t we be flexible? This way, Xi Cheng will settle down. Otherwise, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll give up on Fang Xi!¡± Han Yuan snarled her last sentence through gritted teeth. She was really frustrated by this son of hers!

    Han Yuan gave Lin Yu a few more words of comfort before leaving Lin Yu¡¯s room. Lin Yu leaned against the door when it closed and slowly slid down to the carpet. She covered her face with her hands and laughed lightly. She tried hard to suppress her laughter and curled up on the carpet, trembling with mirth.

    ¡®Xi Cheng is mine, and no one can take him away from me,¡¯ she thought. ¡®Not FangXi, and definitely not Gu Man, either!

    Not all women can be handled the same way; different methods are required to deal with different women. Fang Xi thought she loved Xi Cheng very much, but that actually wasn¡¯t the case; Fang Xi loved herself more! Because what she wanted was love¡ªlove with self-respect. When one truly loves a man, they¡¯ll love him to the bone, so why care about self-esteem?

    Women like Gu Man were the ones who didn¡¯t care about self-esteem. She was like a fly that would circle and pounce the moment she smelled her prey¡ª unapologetically shameless. The only way to deal with such a woman was to find the right time and swat the ¡°fly¡± to death to prevent any future trouble.

    Having had her fill of laughter, Lin Yu slowly got up, raised her head, and wiped her tears off her face before smiling smugly. ¡®There¡¯s no need to rush; I¡¯m notin a hurry. Whoever has the last laugh is the winner, so short-term gains and losses aren¡¯t important. The loss ofreputation is only temporary; it doesn¡¯t matter. After a while, when something new comes along, the public will quickly forget all about this small incident.¡¯

    ¡®However, I¡¯ll soon be the rightful Mrs. Xi, and Fang Xi and Gu Man can only grovel at my feet forever, rotting in hell..¡¯

 Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Two: Sleep Talking

    Chapter 282: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Two: Sleep Talking

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng woke up with a splitting headache. He got up and reached for the cup of water at his bedside table but misjudged his strength and knocked the cup to the ground. A maid heard the sound and came in, saying, ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re awake!¡±

    Xi Cheng sheepishly retracted his hand and rubbed his temples. The maid deftly cleaned up the mess and brought Xi Cheng another cup of water. Xi Cheng drank it all in one gulp before leaning against the headboard and casually asking, ¡®Where¡¯s Lin Yu?¡±

    The maid seemed to have been waiting for Xi Cheng to ask and quickly replied,

    ¡°Miss Lin has fallen ill. She has a fever over 390C.¡±

    Xi Cheng was still hungover and only gave a soft, ¡°Oh.¡±

    The maid stood by the bed, looking as if she had something to say but hesitated. Xi Cheng glanced at her wonderingly.

    ¡°Young Master,¡± the maid hurriedly said, ¡°do you¡­ want to go and see Miss Lin? She¡¯s¡­ quite sad.¡±

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t respond, so the maid carefully continued, ¡°Because of what happened between you and Miss Gu¡­ Miss Lin is very upset, and Madam is also extremely angry.¡±

    ¡°Miss Gu? What Miss Gu?¡± Xi Cheng asked, perplexed.

    The maid had a complicated expression. Xi Cheng threw off his blanket and got out of bed. ¡°What Miss Gu?¡± he repeated with a frown. ¡°What happened between Miss Gu and me? Which Miss Gu?¡±

    He quickly ran through the people he knew in his mind; he didn¡¯t remember there being any Miss Gu! Feeling anxious, the maid told him the truth. ¡°You¡ªyou were making out with Miss Gu Man i¡ªin the tea room. Madam and

    Miss Lin caught you two in the act¡­ and Miss Lin fainted.¡±

    Xi Cheng was stunned. ¡°Me? With Gu Man?¡±

    The maid vigorously nodded. ¡®Me and Gu Man¡­ were making out?¡± Xi Cheng wanted to confirm once more.

    The maid was so frightened by Xi Cheng¡¯s expression that she took a few steps back before nodding firmly. ¡°Impossible!¡± Xi Cheng squeezed the word through gritted teeth and rushed out the door, heading straight for Lin Yu¡¯s room.

    Lin Yu was lying on her bed, her cheeks burning red and her forehead covered with a wet towel. A family nurse was at her bedside, and when Xi Cheng slammed the door open and entered, the nurse frowned and gestured for him to be quiet before turning around to check on Lin Yu.

    Sure enough, the noise had disturbed Lin Yu¡¯s sleep. Her eyes were closed, but she cried, ¡°Xi Cheng, I beg you! Please, don¡¯t abandon me. Don¡¯t leave me.

    Please, I beg you. You¡¯re the only thing I have left¡­ the only thing I have left.¡±

    Seeing this, Xi Cheng bit back the question on the tip of his tongue. He looked at Lin Yu on the bed, clearly dazed from the fever, and suddenly felt like he was a jerk.

    The nurse hurriedly shook Lin Yu awake. ¡°Miss Lin, Miss Lin, wake up! Wake up! Did you have a nightmare?¡±

    Lin Yu stopped talking in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Here, have some water,¡± the nurse hastily said. ¡°Your fever is so high; you should replenish your water stores.¡±

    Lin Yu took a few sips of water from the straw in the nurse¡¯s hand. When she looked up and saw Xi Cheng standing at the side, her expression immediately changed to surprise. ¡°Xi Cheng, you¡¯re awake! Does your head hurt? Did you drink some hangover soup?¡±

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t say a word. He walked to her bedside and sat down. Breathing slightly heavily, Lin Yu gestured for the nurse to leave. After she left, Xi Cheng finally opened his mouth. ¡®You¡­ Why are you sick?¡±

    Lin Yu was taken aback before she smiled bitterly and answered, ¡°Everyone gets sick sometimes. It¡¯s not a big deal; it¡¯s just a cold. But you¡ªdrinking is bad for your health! I know you don¡¯t like to hear me nag but think about Auntie.

    You got yourself so drunk; she¡¯s going to be angry again.¡±

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t say anything. He¡¯d come prepared to question Lin Yu and face her questions, but Lin Yu didn¡¯t demand anything and only showed concern for him. How could he voice his questions now?

    Xi Cheng rubbed his face. ¡°Lin Yu¡ª¡±

    Lin Yu immediately interrupted him, ¡°Xi Cheng.¡± Xi Cheng looked at Lin Yu.

    Noticing the resentment in his gaze, Lin Yu lowered her eyes and said softly, ¡°Xi Cheng, I know¡­ you don¡¯t like me. The only reason I¡¯m able to stay in this house, in the Xi family, and keep our engagement is because Auntie is pressuring you. Forgive me for being a selfish person. I¡¯m carrying the entire Lin family on my back; they¡¯ll have no one to rely on if our engagement falls through. That¡¯s why I chose to ignore your dislike for me.¡±

    ¡°After all, I knew you were my fianc¨¦ since I was young. All my fantasies about love were based on you. I¡¯ve never had any other man in my heart aside from you. But Xi Cheng, I know very well that relationships can¡¯t be forced.¡± As she finished, tears slowly fell from Lin Yu¡¯s eyes onto the blanket, leaving two dark water stains..

 Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty- Three: Strategy

    Chapter 283: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty- Three: Strategy

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng opened his mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say. In the end, he couldn¡¯t say a word. Lin Yu let out a soft sigh and gave him a tearful and bitter smile. ¡°Xi Cheng, I¡¯m sorry. Although it wasn¡¯t my intention to seek out Miss Fang Xi, and it was Auntie who asked me to go with her to learn how to be a matriarch, I¡¯m still an accomplice, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    Fang Xi, and it was Auntie who asked me to go with her to learn how to be a matriarch, I¡¯m still an accomplice, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    Lin Yu added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hurting her. I¡¯ll definitely personally apologize to her if I get the chance. She¡¯s such a fine young woman. If things were different¡­ maybe we could¡¯ve been friends.¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s expression softened. Lin Yu then covered her mouth with her hand and started to cry. ¡°But I never expected you to also have feelings for Gu Man! She¡¯s my best friend! She even asked us to introduce Shi Nian to her, but it all turned out to be fake. The one she truly likes is you!¡±

    ¡°*Sobs* Xi Cheng, why don¡¯t we break up? I¡¯ll give my position as your fianc¨¦e so, so you and Gu Man can be together! *Cough* *cough* *cough*¡± Lin Yu cried so hard that she started to cough violently.

    Xi Cheng quickly patted her back and said anxiously, ¡°That¡¯s nonsense; there¡¯s nothing between Gu Man and me. Things are impossible between us! I know she¡¯s Mom¡¯s goddaughter and your best friend, so how could I have any intentions towards her?¡±

    Lin Yu stopped coughing, took the opportunity to hold Xi Cheng¡¯s hand, and glanced up at him in disbelief. Seeing this, Xi Cheng hastily continued, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth! I really don¡¯t have any feelings for Gu Man! I drank too much yesterday and don¡¯t know what I did at all. It was a maid who just told me that ¡ªthat I¡¯d imposed myself on her. I¡¯m sorry! I was completely drunk, I swear!¡±

    Xi Cheng looked quite chagrined. Lin Yu could never bear to see Xi Cheng uncomfortable and immediately relaxed her attitude. However, she still couldn¡¯t help but ask softly, ¡°Really? You aren¡¯t lying to me?¡±

    Xi Cheng nodded earnestly. ¡°I swear to God, it¡¯s true!¡±

    Hearing that, Lin Yu completely relaxed and laid back on her pillow with Xi Cheng¡¯s help, staring at Xi Cheng with an aggrieved expression.

    Xi Cheng hated himself for not remembering anything that had happened last night, but from his conversation with the maid and Lin Yu, he already realized that he¡¯d made a very serious mistake. Now, he could only sit down and bite the bullet, hoping to get the full picture from Lin Yu.

    Lin Yu reached for the glass of water at her bedside. Xi Cheng quickly took it and inserted a straw before handing it to Lin Yu. He couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for her as he watched her gulp down the large glass of water, knowing she was that thirsty because of her fever.

    Feeling more refreshed after drinking some water, Lin Yu let out a long sigh and looked at Xi Cheng with pity. ¡°If you don¡¯t have any intentions toward Gu Man, I¡¯ll go and apologize to Gu Man on your behalf and give our two families an out.¡±

    Xi Cheng frowned. ¡°I¡¯m the one at fault, so naturally I¡¯ll take responsibility for it. I¡¯ll go to the Gu family and apologize to her myself.¡±

    Lin Yu glared at him without any heat and sighed, ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± Xi Cheng didn¡¯t understand why and looked at Lin Yu in confusion.

    Lin Yu explained, ¡°If I¡¯m the one who goes to apologize, it¡¯ll be a matter between us women and won¡¯t escalate further. But it¡¯ll be different if you go. What will you do if they cry, make a fuss, and demand you marry Gu Man? Are you going to marry her?¡±

    Lin Yu stared at Xi Cheng. Xi Cheng obviously hadn¡¯t thought about that and was dumbfounded. Lin Yu continued, ¡°Even if you¡¯re willing to compromise and marry Gu Man, you¡¯ll have shamed the Xi family. The Gu family can use this infraction to restrain you and your family in the future.¡±

    ¡°The Gu family is moving their sights to Rong City right now. They have their eyes on us, the four big families, and are doing everything they can to get close to us, especially Gu Man¡¯s side of the family. Gu Man is just a daughter from an insignificant branch of the family, but her aunt took her in and raised her so that they could use Gu Man¡¯s looks to gain a marriage alliance with an influential family.¡±

    ¡°In other words, they can¡¯t wait for you to break up with me so that Gu Man can take my place. That way, they can gradually infiltrate the Xi family. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can investigate what situation the Gu sisters¡¯ in-laws are in,¡± Lin Yu finished.

    Xi Cheng was shocked. Indeed, he¡¯d never paid attention to these things. However, after listening to Lin Yu¡¯s explanation, he immediately went through the situation of the Gu family and their in-laws in his mind. Even if the Gu family¡¯s base was in White City, it was truly a little scary to think about it from the point of view Lin Yu suggested.

    Lin Yu knew Xi Cheng had taken her words to heart. She sighed softly, ¡°Even you guys didn¡¯t notice these things, so it¡¯s impossible for me to see through them myself. I only thought from this angle because I¡¯ve had a few gatherings with the Gu sisters and got some clues from listening to their conversations..¡±

 Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Four: Confrontation

    Chapter 284: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Four: Confrontation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Xi Cheng, we have to prioritize the Xi family no matter what. Personal grudges, small gains and losses, and even romance are nothing in the face of that, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Lin Yu said as her slightly cold hand covered Xi Cheng¡¯s. Xi Cheng nodded and quietly uttered, ¡°Thank you; it¡¯s been hard on you.¡±

    Lin Yu gave him a gratified smile. ¡°As long as you understand where I¡¯m coming from, such a small matter is nothing.¡±

    After Lin Yu fell asleep, Xi Cheng left her room with mixed feelings. Lin Yu wasn¡¯t very pretty, and currently, her family background was far from the best. However, there was no doubt that she was the most suitable person to be the Xi family¡¯s young mistress. Some things were indeed better for her to do than doing them himself.

    Xi Cheng casually looked at the news on his phone, and the headlines instantly caught his attention¡ª¡¯ Ye Kun actually confessed to Fang Xi in such a high-profile manner? Xi Cheng thought, blood singing in his ears, and he immediately ran out.

    Lin Yu shut her eyes tiredly, thinking, ¡®Now that the biggest crisis is resolved, I can finally rest for a while.¡¯ She knew that no one gets a free ride in life; only by planning everything step-by-step can one become a winner in life. The same goes for the Lin family.

    Lin Zhu and her aunt learned their lesson after Lin Zhu ended up in the police station. It was also a wake-up call for the rest of the Lin family. What her family had to understand now was that Lin Yu could do her best for them, but some things were beyond her. As the Lin family¡¯s eldest daughter, she owed and had a responsibility to her family, so she would sacrifice a lot for them. However, all her sacrifices were based on her willingness and autonomy¡ªno one could order her around.

    As for things on the Xi family¡¯s side, Fang Xi wasn¡¯t a cause for concern for Lin Yu. Fang Xi was too talented; that woman would eventually make her own path in the world. Xi Cheng wasn¡¯t worthy of her. And it wouldn¡¯t be bad for Lin Yu if Xi Cheng and the guys¡¯ indestructible friendship fell apart because of Fang Xi.

    Lin Yu was happiest about getting rid of her biggest threat, Gu Man. Lin Yu would have nothing to fear as long as she got Gu Man kicked to the curb. Lin Yu knew she was no match for Gu Man because she had to watch her reputation; for the sake of the Lin family, she had to. However, Gu Man didn¡¯t have that problem; she could throw away her reputation and, for the sake of the Gu family, was more than willing to do so. But now that Gu Man was kicked out, Lin Yu could rest easy.

    Ye Kun walked out of the intensive care unit, looking exhausted, and took off his isolation gown while something was on his mind. Xi Cheng rushed over and punched him in the face. Caught off guard, Ye Kun staggered back until he hit the wall. When he saw that it was Xi Cheng who attacked him, Ye Kun didn¡¯t say anything and punched Xi Cheng back in the face.

    The two fought. The nurse at the side cried out in alarm and quickly called for the doctors. A group of hospital staff finally separated the two, and one of them swiftly ran off to report the incident.

    The two boys panted and glared at each other, but neither said a single word. Xi

    Cheng grabbed a doctor¡¯s arm and coldly demanded, ¡°How¡¯s Fang Xi? I want to see Fang Xi!¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s tone was even colder as he replied, ¡°No one¡¯s allowed to see Fang Xi without my permission, especially you!¡±

    Xi Cheng glowered at him. ¡°What?! What right do you have to make that decision?¡±

    Ye Kun scowled back at him. ¡°I certainly have more right to do so than you, and you know it!¡±

    Xi Cheng tried to attack Ye Kun again, but the doctors hurriedly pulled them apart and warned, ¡°If you two don¡¯t settle down, we¡¯ll call security!¡±

    ¡°Guys, stop!¡± Shi Nian, who had rushed over, shouted at them from his wheelchair. Following behind Shi Nian was Yun Nan, leaning on a walking stick. Seeing them, the doctors and nurses sighed in relief.

    Yun Nan¡¯s expression turned icy the moment she saw Xi Cheng. Xi Cheng ignored her and quickly asked Shi Nian, ¡°Shi Nian, how¡¯s Fang Xi? Can I see her?¡±

    Shi Nian looked at his buddy¡¯s haggard appearance and inwardly sighed before calmly saying, ¡°Xi Cheng, Fang Xi is still unconscious. Her condition doesn¡¯t look good. Whether she can wake up or not depends on her own will.¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s legs gave way when he heard that. He staggered and muttered, ¡°How can this be?¡±

    Yun Nan snorted. ¡°You should know better than anyone how this happened!¡±

    Xi Cheng looked at Yun Nan guiltily and pleaded softly, ¡°Can I go in and see

    ¡°No!¡± Yun Nan stated firmly. Xi Cheng wanted to rage at her, but he had no choice but to suppress his anger. He stared at Shi Nian pleadingly, hoping he would help.

    Shi Nian shook his head gently. ¡°Fang Xi¡¯s relatives aren¡¯t in the country, and

    Yun Nan is her best friend, so all of Fang Xi¡¯s matters are decided by Yun Nan. Xi Cheng, as outsiders, it¡¯s not appropriate for us to say anything about your relationship with Fang Xi, but do you really think it¡¯s okay for Auntie Han Yuan to add insult to injury at a time like this?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to love her, and you can abandon her, but you shouldn¡¯t hurt her again.. She has already left you, and you know very well how she left, so why are you guys still slandering her like this?¡±

 Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Five: Dressing Down

    Chapter 285: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Five: Dressing Down

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng lowered his head and mumbled, ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t know my mother did that. I¡ªI spent these past few days drunk¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you come up with a better excuse?¡± Yun Nan sneered, interrupting him. ¡°Fang Xi is lying in there because of you, and you can¡¯t even do her the courtesy of being honest. You don¡¯t even have the right to be a scumbag, Xi Cheng! You don¡¯t even have the courage to admit that you¡¯re scum, pushing everything onto your mother and fianc¨¦e instead. Tsk! Fang Xi was truly blind to have fallen for someone like you!¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s face darkened. Ye Kun huffed, ¡°You may not know this, Yun Nan, but Young Master Xi Cheng here values the Xi family¡¯s reputation the most, so of course he wouldn¡¯t own up to such foul deeds. Someone will take the blame for him, after all.¡±

    He added, ¡°Fang Xi isn¡¯t blind. She just fell in love with the idea of love; anyone would make such a mistake. All she has to do is realize and correct that mistake. I¡¯ll help her with that; I¡¯ll show her what love truly is and heal all the hurt she¡¯s suffered!¡±

    Xi Cheng was furious. ¡°That¡¯s b*llsh*t! The person Fang Xi loves the most is me! Me! I won¡¯t let go! I¡¯ll definitely take responsibility for her all the way!¡± Ye Kun was stunned and blurted out, ¡°You broke up with Lin Yu?¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he replied, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business! And the same goes for Fang Xi¡¯s matters, too!¡±

    Yun Nan was furious. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Xi Cheng took a deep breath and stated seriously, ¡°I said, I¡¯ll take care of Fang

    Xi¡¯s matters. I¡¯ll take responsibility for Fang Xi until the very end!¡±

    ¡°You want to take responsibility? How?¡± Yun Nan demanded. ¡°What do you think Fang Xi needs from you? She doesn¡¯t need your care; there are doctors and nurses here who can provide her better care than you. What else can you do? Provide money? Although I¡¯m not as wealthy as the Xi family, I can still afford Fang Xi¡¯s medical fees! Tell me, what can you give her? Marriage? Love? Can you even afford that? Do you have any love to give? Do you?¡±

    Xi Cheng was speechless. He glanced at Ye Kun standing on the side and asked, ¡°What about him? What can he give Fang Xi?¡±

    Ye Kun calmly looked at Xi Cheng; he suddenly realized that in the past nearly 30 years, his understanding of Xi Cheng was close to zero. He answered, ¡°I can give her my heart! I can give her love and marriage. I can promise her a lifetime together and that I¡¯ll love only her! Whether Fang Xi wakes up or not, no matter what she becomes in the future, I¡¯ll be with her until the end of our lives.¡±

    ¡°Who are you kidding?!¡± Xi Cheng sneered. ¡°That¡¯s all just talk; your family won¡¯t allow you to do that!¡±

    ¡°The Ye family isn¡¯t the Xi family,¡± Ye Kun retorted. ¡°We don¡¯t associate our reputation with who we marry! My family¡¯s not one for such pomp and frivolity! And if my family really won¡¯t accept us, I¡¯ll disown myself, leave the Ye family, and establish my own family and career. In short, I¡¯ll accompany

    Fang Xi wherever she goes because I love her!¡±

    Xi Cheng looked at Ye Kun disbelievingly and muttered, ¡°Have you gone mad?¡±

    Ye Kun returned his gaze steadily as he uttered, ¡°I¡¯ve never been as clear-headed as I am these past few days! I know what I want¡ªwhat kind of life I want! If you can¡¯t let go of the Xi family and your reputation, then go back and love your fianc¨¦e! Cherish what you have. Don¡¯t make the same mistake again and hurt another woman!¡±

    Xi Cheng froze on the spot. ¡°Xi Cheng, go home,¡± Shi Nian gently urged. ¡°Ye

    Kun¡¯s here, and that¡¯s enough.¡±

    ¡®Even Shi Nian is saying that,¡¯ Xi Cheng thought, feeling like his heart got stabbed by a knife.

    The nurse ran out and anxiously informed them, ¡°Fang Xi¡¯s blood pressure and heart rate are dropping. She¡¯s in critical condition and needs immediate medical attention. Are her family members around? We need them to sign the critical condition notice!¡±

    ¡°¡±Here! Ye Kun and Yun Nan both rushed to answer in unison. Xi Cheng didn¡¯t even have the chance to open his mouth, nor did he have the courage to speak up immediately. He wasn¡¯t Fang Xi¡¯s family member¡ªhe realized he¡¯d never thought of her as family all this time. ¡®Even so, Fang Xi loves me,¡¯ he thought. ¡®She has loved me for seven years. Fang Xi loves me, and only me!¡¯ Xi Cheng firmly believed.

    Thanks to the doctors¡¯ efforts, Fang Xi was once again out of danger. When Yun Nan heard, she lay in Shi Nian¡¯s arms and cried tears of joy, whereas Ye Kun¡¯s legs weakened, and he sat down on a chair in a daze.

    Shi Nian stroked Yun Nan¡¯s back and said softly, ¡°We need to contact Fang Xi¡¯s family. Her parents or siblings¡ªany one of them will do. No matter what, her family has the right to know.¡±

    Yun Nan and Ye Kun were too emotional, so Shi Nian had to be clear-headed. ¡® This whole thing with Xi Cheng is already one big mess,¡¯ Shi Nian thought. ¡®If something really does go wrong with Fang Xi, who knows what kind offuss her family will kick up? Then, it¡¯ll be even more troublesome if we don¡¯t inform them.¡¯

    Yun Nan wiped her tears and shook her head. ¡°I left a message with Fang Xi¡¯s parents using her phone. Her mother¡¯s assistant said Fang Xi¡¯s mother has to participate in a Fashion Week event and can¡¯t leave. As for her father, it was Fang Xi¡¯s stepmother who replied. She said that Fang Xi¡¯s father is busy with a large project these days and doesn¡¯t have time. Fang Xi¡¯s brothers and sisters¡­

    aren¡¯t very familiar with her.¡±

    In short, Fang Xi was like an orphan despite not being one!

 Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Six: Support

    Chapter 286: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Six: Support

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Ye Kun¡¯s heart ached, and he said sadly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. No matter what happens, I¡¯ll handle it as her husband. I don¡¯t care about those worldly things.¡± He knew Shi Nian was saying this for his own good.

    Shi Nian gazed at him and sighed, ¡°Xi Cheng¡¯s wrong in many ways, but he¡¯s right about one thing: you got to think about your family. You¡¯ll be laying up trouble for Fang Xi if you insist on forcefully handling this matter.¡±

    Ye Kun immediately understood what Shi Nian meant. ¡°Alright,¡± he replied, lowering his head. ¡°I¡¯ll talk this out with my family.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t care about this at all right now. Although she and Fang Xi had different family backgrounds, they had one thing in common¡ªthey were used to relying on themselves and each other. Their relatives had never bothered with them, and the girls didn¡¯t need their help either.

    Mr. MO rushed over and appeared at the ward¡¯s door at nightfall. Yun Nan was stunned to see him at first, then her eyes reddened as she uttered, ¡°Uncle Mo¡­¡¯

    Mr. Mo¡¯s expression was solemn as he came forward and hugged Yun Nan. ¡°I¡¯ve just returned to the country. How are your injuries? You¡¯ve all suffered a lot.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s tears fell like rain when she heard that. Mr. MO had always taken meticulous care of her and Fang Xi; he was their teacher and father figure. Yun Nan answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine, but Fang Xi¡­ she¡¯s still unconscious.¡±

    Mr. MO nodded. ¡°I know, Shi Nian told me. I¡¯ll go see her first.¡±

    Mr. MO met Ye Kun after he came out of the intensive care unit and said to the trio, ¡°Fang Xi¡¯s parents are my friends. However, I looked out for Fang Xi purely out of my personal admiration for her. That child is quite pitiful, being unloved by her parents. Fortunately, she worked hard and pulled through¡ªshe¡¯s a good child.¡±

    He looked at Ye Kun and inquired, ¡°Young man, have you thought this through? You can be impulsive in love, but marriage is another thing.¡±

    Ye Kun nodded firmly. ¡°Fang Xi and I love each other. I believe that the person she loves now is me. Although we didn¡¯t discuss marriage before the accident, she is my marriage partner in my heart; this won¡¯t change whether she¡¯s awake or not.¡±

    ¡°And what of your family?¡± Mr. MO inquired.

    Ye Kun glanced at Shi Nian, and his tone became even more determined as he stated, ¡°Shi Nian had already warned me before you came. I¡¯ll go home to talk with my parents and family and make my position clear. If they disagree with the marriage, I¡¯ll leave the family to avoid making things difficult for them.¡±

    Mr. MO was pretty satisfied with Ye Kun¡¯s honesty. ¡°Go home and talk with your parents. Please tell them that Fang Xi is my daughter in all but blood, and the MO family is her family. The MO family will be the ones to hand her off if she marries in the future, and she has three brothers to back her up in the MO family.¡±

    Ye Kun was shocked and then stood up and bowed. ¡°Thank you, Mr. MO!¡±

    Mr Mn waved him off_ gaving_ ¡°Go ¡±

    After Ye Kun left, Mr. MO concernedly asked Yun Nan, ¡°How¡¯s your company doing? Are there any difficulties?¡±

    Yun Nan shook her head. ¡°No, we¡¯re good. ¡±

    Mr. MO snorted. ¡°Stubborn girls, the both of you! Negative news about your company is all over the place outside, and you call that fine? What¡¯s with the outsider treatment? Or do you think you don¡¯t need me now that you have a strong backer?¡± So saying, he glanced at Shi Nian.

    Yun Nan hurriedly replied, ¡°Of course not, Uncle Mo. Everything in the company is proceeding in an orderly manner; the most concerning thing now is Fang Xi.¡±

    Mr. MO told Yun Nan, ¡°I¡¯ll stay and accompany you. I meant what I said to Ye Kun¡ªfrom now on, I¡¯ll treat Fang Xi as my daughter. I will be your supporter! I¡¯d like to see who would dare to bully you girls!¡±

    Yun Nan was delighted and touched, and Shi Nian finally felt relieved. ¡®Fang Xi will have an easierpath ahead ofher with an elder like Mr. MO supporting her, and mypoor buddy Ye Kun will be that one step closer to a happily ever after,¡¯ he thought.

    Han Yuan angrily returned from the Ye family house. She didn¡¯t expect the Ye family to be so ungrateful. ¡®Its so infuriating! she silently fumed. She¡¯d kindly warned Madam Ye that Fang Xi was a floozy and shouldn¡¯t be allowed to marry into their family.

    But Madam Ye only lightly remarked, ¡°I believe in my son¡¯s taste and won¡¯t interfere in his relationship. He¡¯s already an adult, so he should at least be able to distinguish between good and bad! I don¡¯t want to worry about such things.¡±

    Being retorted in such a manner, Han Yuan had no choice but to swallow her anger, causing her to be very upset. When she returned home and saw that Lin Yu was so ill, she had to put down her anger to show concern for Lin Yu.

    Lin Yu was best at reading people and immediately noticed Han Yuan¡¯s mood. She forced herself to sit up and weakly asked, ¡°Auntie, what¡¯s wrong? Was it something the Ye family said?¡±

    Han Yuan wasn¡¯t someone who could keep things to herself, especially before Lin Yu, who was like a daughter to her, so she couldn¡¯t help but spill everything Ye Kun¡¯s mother had said..

 Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty- Seven: Showing Loyalty

    Chapter 287: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty- Seven: Showing Loyalty

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Seeing Lin Yu¡¯s shocked expression, Han Yuan finally felt her anger vented. She waved her hand and said, ¡°Forget it; it¡¯s none of our business, so let¡¯s not worry about it.¡±

    Lin Yu held Han Yuan¡¯s hand. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m sorry you suffered such a thing for Xi Cheng and my sake. Please don¡¯t be angry anymore; it¡¯s not worth getting yourself so worked up over such an unreasonable person!¡±

    With someone understanding her, Han Yuan felt even more aggrieved. ¡°Madam Ye and I had a close relationship; we entered the delivery room together and watched our sons grow up together. I said all that to her for the good of her family and Ye Kun. Who knew she would be so ungrateful?¡±

    Lin Yu soothed her, saying, ¡°You always expect others to live up to your standards, but not everyone is as kind as you. You¡¯ve done your best, so let¡¯s leave the rest to fate.¡±

    Han Yuan felt her insides warm at that. Lin Yu then told her, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m planning to make a trip to the Gu residence.¡±

    Han Yuan frowned once more. ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going there to apologize on behalf of Xi Cheng, ¡± Lin Yu replied softly.

    ¡°What?!¡± Han Yuan jumped up in shock. ¡°Apologize? Why should we apologize? Gu Man¡¯s the one in the wrong! You¡¯re so nice to her and treat her like a true sister, yet she has designs on Xi Cheng. What kind of person does that? She should be the one to apologize to you instead! She should kneel and kowtow to you for what she did!¡±

    Lin Yu panicked and started to cough, causing her face to pale and bead up with sweat. Han Yuan quickly patted her back to calm her down. Feeling sorry for her future daughter-in-law, Han Yuan chided, ¡°Sweetie, your health is the most important thing. Take care of yourself, and don¡¯t worry about this nonsense. Xi Cheng can settle his own problems! The Gu family can¡¯t throw a fuss; this is Rong City, not White City. Even if they are dissatisfied, they¡¯ll have to suck it up!¡±

    The Xi family¡¯s position in Rong City was unshakable, and everyone Imew what the Gu family was up to with their little tricks. Honestly, Han Yuan looked down on them from the bottom of her heart. She only gave them some regard previously due to Gu Man, and now that she knew about Gu Man¡¯s malicious intentions, Han Yuan was even more furious at them.

    Lin Yu drank some water from the glass Han Yuan held up to her mouth, calmed down, and said, ¡°Auntie, listen to me first before rushing into things.¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s heart ached as she stared at Lin Yu¡¯s frail state, so she grudgingly settled down and listened to Lin Yu. ¡°Auntie,¡± Lin Yu began, ¡°no matter what tricks the Gu family uses or what their motives are, we have to protect the Xi family¡¯s reputation above all. If we don¡¯t handle this matter well, knowing Gu Man and her aunt, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll spread the news and slander Xi Cheng.¡±

    ¡°If that happens, Xi Cheng¡¯s character will be called into question. This isn¡¯t the same as Fang Xi¡¯s case; we have the upper hand there because she has no one to back her, but the Gu family is different. Should this matter escalate, we either have to sacrifice Xi Cheng¡¯s reputation or pay them a fortune or benefits to let it go. It¡¯s not worth it, no matter which option it is,¡± Lin Yu spoke slightly too anxiously, and her breathing got a little unstable.

    Han Yuan nodded repeatedly at Lin Yu¡¯s statement. Lin Yu sighed softly and continued, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to the Gu family¡¯s residence to apologize as Gu Man¡¯s close friend. I¡¯ll say that this was a misunderstanding between us three and use Gu Man¡¯s reputation as a threat so the Gu family won¡¯t stir up trouble.¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s heart ached for Lin Yu. ¡°But that¡¯s so unfair to you. This is clearly Xi

    Cheng¡¯s fault, so why¡ª¡±

    Lin Yu smiled bitterly as she interrupted her, ¡°Auntie, I have to. If I don¡¯t apologize, then who will? Xi Cheng?¡±

    Han Yuan averted her gaze. Lin Yu sighed again. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m a member of the

    Xi family in life and in death. I¡¯ve long tied my fate to Xi Cheng¡¯s for the rest of my life. I can only be fine if Xi Cheng is doing well; if Xi Cheng isn¡¯t doing well, what else do I have? Like you, Auntie, helping and assisting Xi Cheng is my mission. You are my role model; Xi Cheng and I are lucky if I can be 20- or 30% as capable as you in my life.¡±

    Extremely touched by that, Han Yuan reached out and hugged Lin Yu. ¡°My dear child, it¡¯s really, truly heartwarming to hear you say that. What did my disappointment of a son do to deserve such a wonderful wife like you? Our Xi family is lucky to have you!¡±

    Lin Yu obediently leaned on Han Yuan¡¯s shoulder, but her gaze was cold as she stared into the distance. ¡®Thank you, Gu Man, forgiving me such a great opportunity,¡¯ she thought. Whether it was Lin Zhu or Gu Man, both were merely stepping stones for her to solidify her position in the Xi family..

 Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Eight: Younger Brother

    Chapter 288: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Eight: Younger Brother

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu grimly ¡®escorted¡¯ Gu He back to the Gu residence. She saw a sickly-looking Lin Yu sitting in the living room as soon as she entered the house and was stunned. Chang Hui immediately left Lin Yu to one side when she saw Gu He come through the door and worriedly asked, ¡°What happened?

    Why is Gu He back? Is today a school holiday?¡±

    She looked toward Yun Liu before suddenly recalling that Lin Yu was here, so she quickly ordered the maid, ¡°Go and call Miss Gu Man over to accompany our guest!¡±

    Then she turned her attention to Gu He. ¡°Auntie Chang Hui!¡± Gu He stammered aggrievedly and hid behind Chang Hui.

    Chang Hui¡¯s expression instantly turned cold, and she stared at Lin Yu, asking, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you bullying your brother? I¡¯ll have you know that our Gu He has never suffered a single grievance since he was a child. Each and every one of his sisters and cousins treats him like a gem! Our Gu He is a good and honest child¡ª¡±

    ¡°Aunt Chang Hui, Gu He skipped school and was singing and drinking at a bar with Gu Fei, surrounded by several bar girls!¡± Yun Liu impassively interrupted Chang Hui.

    Chang Hui got anxious when she heard that and shouted at Yun Liu, ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±

    Yun Liu glared at Gu He¡ªstanding behind Chang Hui¡ªand calmly stated, ¡°Are you going to tell her yourself, or should I show Aunt Chang Hui the evidence?¡±

    Gu He quickly grabbed Chang Hui when he heard this and whined, ¡°Aunt Chang Hui, it was Gu Fei who brought me there; he said he wanted to take me out to experience the world. I didn¡¯t know what kind of place it was; I didn¡¯t go there on purpose. Aunt Chang Hui, I was wrong. It won¡¯t happen again!¡±

    Judging by how skillfully Gu He apologized, Yun Liu knew that the kid was a repeat offender and glared at him. Gu He looked away and hid behind Chang Hui, sticking to her like glue. ¡°Auntie, I truly learned my lesson. It really won¡¯t happen again. Don¡¯t be angry, Auntie. Please forgive me this once.¡±

    As he spoke, Gu He began to cry. Straight away, Chang Hui¡¯s heart softened. She hugged his head and comforted him. ¡°It¡¯s okay; it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve learned your lesson. Now that you¡¯ve realized your mistake, don¡¯t do it again, alright?¡±

    She sensed Gu He was very afraid of Yun Liu and frowned. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so fierce to your little brother! If you have something to say, say it to him properly! He¡¯s still a child; he doesn¡¯t know better. Be more patient and teach him slowly; you¡¯re his elder sister, so how can you bully him?¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t expect Chang Hui to defend Gu He so. Recalling her mother¡¯s instructions, she held back her anger and looked at Gu He. Her voice was gentle yet devoid of any warmth as she uttered, ¡°Gu He, think about it carefully. I won¡¯t stop you if you want to become a good-for-nothing playboy like Gu Fei.

    After all, no matter how much you slack off and skate by in life, you have

    Uncle, Auntie, Mom, Dad, and us¡ªyour cousins and sisters¡ªto cover for you. However, we spoil and dote on you because we love you, but we can¡¯t live your life for you. No matter how much we love you, we can¡¯t live out your life for you!¡±

    ¡°Gu Fei is the main family¡¯s only male heir, and you¡¯re inferior to him in terms of background. You may be willing to be his lackey, but our branch of the family won¡¯t tolerate it! Aunt Chang Hui, how and whether or not to punish him is up to you.¡± She had said her piece; it¡¯s up to the others whether to listen or not. Yun Liu finally understood where her mother¡¯s deep worry came from at this moment.

    Gu He lowered his head. Chang Hui shot a disapproving glare at her before turning to Gu He and speaking in a gentle voice, ¡°Alright, everything¡¯s fine now. Go upstairs and get some rest. Don¡¯t hang out with Gu Fei again.¡± Pardon granted, Gu He swiftly ran off, but Chang Hui still glared at Yun Liu in dissatisfaction. Yun Liu just submissively accepted it; she wouldn¡¯t go into direct conflict with Chang Hui without her mother, Zheng Xiu, by her side¡ª there was really no need for that.

    Chang Hui didn¡¯t think much of Yun Liu¡¯s words just now, but they attracted Lin Yu¡¯s attention. Lin Yu had heard about Yun Liu but never paid much attention to her because of their difference in status. Yun Liu¡¯s words just now made Lin Yu realize that the woman was quite clear-minded and insightful. Lin Yu snuck a sideways glance at Yun Liu, thinking, ¡®Shes much more capable than Gu Man and the other Gu family girls.¡¯

    Yun Liu sensed Lin Yu¡¯s gaze and lifted her eyes to nod at her. Yun Liu was a little surprised when Gu Man appeared. ¡®Ifs only been a few days since I last saw Gu Man; how did she become so haggard? Even her heavy make-up couldn¡¯t hide her worn state,¡¯ Yun Liu wondered.

    Chang Hui frowned. ¡°What on earth happened between you two girls? Why did you both get yourselves in such a state? Those who don¡¯t know better might think the two of you are a couple having a fight!¡±

    Lin Yu felt relieved. Just as she¡¯d expected, Gu Man hadn¡¯t dared to tell the Gu family about it. ¡®Since that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t blame me for taking the opportunity to put an end to your intentions, Gu Man!¡¯ Lin Yu thought.

    Tears were already falling from her eyes before Lin Yu said anything. She grabbed Gu Man¡¯s hand, crying, ¡°Gu Man, I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m here today to apologize to you on behalf of Xi Cheng. I¡¯m sorry. I know Xi Cheng was an *sshole! He was drunk, mistook you for someone else, and imposed himself on you. I¡¯m sorry! Please forgive him for the sake of our friendship..¡±

 Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Nine: Making Overtures

    Chapter 289: Chapter Two-Hundred and Eighty-Nine: Making Overtures

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Before Gu Man could speak, Lin Yu had already stood up and kneeled before Chang Hui, saying, ¡°Auntie, Xi Cheng lost his conduct after he got drunk and mistook Gu Man for me. He got handsy with Gu Man, and a-almost¡ªalmost¡­ Fortunately, the maids found out in time and stopped him from making a big mistake.¡±

    ¡°My mother-in-law has already given Xi Cheng a beating, and I volunteered to come here to apologize on behalf of Xi Cheng and the Xi family. We¡¯re besties; I can¡¯t let the Xi family come to apologize themselves because if that happens, it¡¯ll be difficult for our families to work together in the future.¡±

    Lin Yu continued, ¡°If the Gu family loses this opportunity, Gu Man¡¯s sisters and cousins will definitely blame her. I fear that she¡¯ll suffer more grievances, so I came today. Auntie, Gu Man always says you dote on her the most, so please don¡¯t blame her. It¡¯s my fault; I didn¡¯t take good care of Xi Cheng, resulting in him making a mistake.¡±

    Chang Hui had no clue what Lin Yu was talking about but still subconsciously helped Lin Yu up. Just the phrase ¡°itll be difficult for our families to work together in the futur¨¦¡¯ was enough to stir her heart.

    ¡°Dear child, there¡¯s no need for this! Come now, get up. Why are you being so formal? What¡¯s there to forgive between friends?¡± Chang Hui said benevolently.

    Gu Man¡¯s anger flared up. She pointed at Lin Yu and snapped, ¡°Have you no shame? You say Xi Cheng mistook me for you? Hah! Lin Yu, you really know how to flatter yourself! Xi Cheng clearly mistook me for Fang Xi!¡±

    Lin Yu stared at Gu Man in surprise, as if shocked by her words. Only then did Gu Man realize that she¡¯d outed herself. She glared fiery death at Lin Yu and hissed, ¡°Lin Yu, you ruthless b*tch! I truly didn¡¯t expect you to do this to me when I treated you like my best friend! If I¡¯d known, I would have, would have¡ª¡±

    ¡°Gu Man, I know you like Shi Nian. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll keep this matter between our two families¡ªonly the few of us will know about it,¡± Lin Yu interrupted, her voice sincere and with tears in her eyes. ¡°I promise you I¡¯ll do my best to matchmake you and Shi Nian. I promise!¡±

    Gu Man couldn¡¯t help but stagger backward, so furious that she nearly spat blood. Chang Hui understood what Lin Yu meant and beamed with joy. ¡°You¡¯re such a good friend! Gu Man, look at how nice Lin Yu is to you! Lin Yu, Shi Nian already has a wife; it won¡¯t be easy getting him to marry Gu Man.¡±

    Lin Yu smiled. ¡°Auntie, where there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way. In terms of looks and family background, Gu Man is in no way inferior to Yun Nan¡ªshe¡¯s just a step too late. But that doesn¡¯t matter; life is long, and you never know what¡¯s ahead of you, so it¡¯s not necessarily bad to be a step late. Our Gu Man is a lucky girl. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll work hard together and definitely marry her into the Shi family.¡±

    Chang Hui was immediately delighted. ¡°What if I want to marry into the Xi family instead?¡± Gu Man sneered.

    Lin Yu¡¯s smile vanished, and she asked timidly, ¡°Gu Man, you want to marry Xi

    Cheng? You¡­ want me to give Xi Cheng up?¡±

    Tears pooled in her eyes as she dejectedly said, ¡°I¡¯m fine with that. As long as you don¡¯t hold a grudge against Xi Cheng and the relationship between the Xi and Gu families remains intact, I¡¯m fine with anything. If my apology can¡¯t appease you and you insist on marrying Xi Cheng, I¡¯ll give up my position as his fianc¨¦e. I¡¯d rather¡ªI¡¯d rather lose Xi Cheng than lose you as a friend. Gu Man, I mean it.¡±

    Gu Man stared at Lin Yu coldly, thinking, ¡®We both know what¡¯s what, so stop pretending otherwise. Do you really think you can deceive me?

    However, many thoughts had run through Chang Hui¡¯s mind in those few seconds. She quickly held Lin Yu¡¯s hand and glared at Gu Man before smiling and saying to Lin Yu, ¡°Oh child, what a one-track mind you have! Can¡¯t you tell that Gu Man is only sulking? She¡¯s used to being bossy among her sisters and cousins. It¡¯s my fault; I¡¯m the one who spoiled the girls so much that they have such difficult tempers. Really, all of our girls combined aren¡¯t as sensible as you!¡±

    She continued, ¡°Lin Yu, Auntie understands what you¡¯re saying, and I appreciate your gesture. No matter what, the relationship between the Gu and Xi families is the most important. You said it yourself: Xi Cheng imposed himself on Gu Man because he was drunk; he didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Gu Man is just throwing a tantrum, so ignore her!¡±

    Lin Yu glanced at Gu Man. Gu Man was so angry that she was trembling, wishing she could pounce on Lin Yu and tear her apart. Lin Yu mentally sneered, ¡®You think you can squeeze me out with this little bit ofskill? How naive!¡¯

    Lin Yu timidly uttered, ¡°Auntie, my mother-in-law said that, no matter what,

    Xi Cheng is in the wrong. So, we plan to give you our jewelry store in West

    Town. Consider it a small token of our appreciation, and please forgive us..¡±

 Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety: Defection

    Chapter 290: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety: Defection

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Chang Hui¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°A store in West Town? Which part of West Town?¡±

    Lin Yu smiled. ¡°It¡¯s on West Town¡¯s 2nd Street. It¡¯s the Xi family¡¯s famous jewelry store; many customers far and wide go to buy things there because of its reputation. My mother-in-law said that, to show her sincerity, she¡¯s giving it to you. You can go over whenever it¡¯s convenient, and we¡¯ll complete the transfer procedures on the spot.¡±

    Chang Hui grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Alright, okay. Oh, you and your mother-in-law! This is too much! This¡ªI¡¯m a little too embarrassed to accept this.¡±

    Lin Yu hurriedly replied, ¡°When all¡¯s said and done, with my relationship with

    Gu Man, we¡¯re family. Go ahead and take it; this is just a small courtesy. Your Gu family has just arrived in Rong City and has yet to familiarize yourselves with the businesses here. If Uncle Gu Ping and Uncle Gu An need anything, just let Xi Cheng know.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Lin Yu added. ¡°Xi Cheng is quite capable when it comes to work. That matter with Gu Man was really¡­ *sigh* It was truly because he lost his conduct after drinking too much. He¡¯s also incredibly chagrined about it. I was hoping you could talk to Uncle Gu Ping and give Xi Cheng some errands, even if it¡¯s something small and inconsequential¡ªit would resolve this awkwardness. At least it would lighten Xi Cheng¡¯s guilt and let him know you elders don¡¯t blame him.¡±

    Chang Hui beamed. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so formal, dearie! When you go home, tell Xi Cheng it¡¯s okay and don¡¯t take it to heart. Gu Man is your best friend, and he only did that because he was drunk out of his mind, so it¡¯s forgivable. A big man like him shouldn¡¯t worry so much about these small things. However, Auntie does have a request for you, Lin Yu.¡±

    Lin Yu quickly straightened up and listened carefully. Chang Hui was even more satisfied with Lin Yu¡¯s attitude and stated, ¡°Help me make an appointment with your mother-in-law. Arrange a time for us to drink tea and go shopping together.¡±

    Lin Yu hurriedly said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite. My mother-in-law is someone who likes to be lively the most. She often complains about the generation gap between us and doesn¡¯t want me to accompany her. If you could meet up with her often and ask her out, my mother-in-law would definitely be happy.¡±

    Yun Liu watched from the sidelines as the Xi family¡¯s future young mistress managed to butter up Chang Hui with just a few sentences and couldn¡¯t help but feel amazed. The methods she herself used to charm Gu Wei and Zheng Xiu were child¡¯s play in comparison. Moreover, her cousin Gu Man could only stand at the side and didn¡¯t even have a chance to interrupt. Yun Liu had never been one to be impressed by anyone, but at this moment, Lin Yu really impressed her.

    Lin Yu took her leave, so Yun Liu also quickly excused herself; hence, Chang Hui asked Yun Liu to send their guest off on her behalf. After they exited the house, Lin Yu leaned against her car door and coughed non-stop. Yun Liu hurriedly went up and asked concernedly, ¡°Are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital?¡±

    Lin Yu stopped coughing, her face slightly flushed as she smiled at Yun Liu. ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m fine. If I remember correctly, you¡¯re the young lady the Gu family found after going missing for many years, right?¡±

    Yun Liu nodded lightly, showing a hint of forlornness in her expression. Chang Hui didn¡¯t introduce her to Lin Yu the whole time, completely turning a blind eye to Lin Yu. Therefore, she should act humble and unhappy before Lin Yu.

    Lin Yu looked at Yun Liu and praised, ¡°You¡¯re very beautiful. The Gu family¡¯s

    daughters are indeed extraordinary.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°From what you said, I take it you know my adoptive sister, Yun Nan. My looks aren¡¯t worth mentioning before Yun Nan.¡± They were both shrewd, so there¡¯s no need to waste time saying anything more.

    As expected, Lin Yu understood, and her smile became more genuine. ¡°Of course I know her. Didn¡¯t you hear it back there? Even now, Gu Man still wants to marry Shi Nian. I have to do my best to help her, or she won¡¯t give up on Xi

    Cheng otherwise.¡±

    Yun Liu stared at Lin Yu. ¡°Can you really break Yun Nan and Shi Nian up?

    ¡°So, you also want to marry Shi Nian?¡± Lin Yu asked bluntly; such directness stunned Yun Liu.

    Lin Yu chuckled, ¡°I heard about the scandal between you and Shi Nian. I didn¡¯t expect Yun Nan to beat you to it. The Shi family and our Xi family have been friends for generations; Shi Nian and Xi Cheng are also best friends. There¡¯s nothing they don¡¯t tell each other.¡±

    Yun Liu gazed at Lin Yu, her eyes wide open in disbelief. Lin Yu glanced at the mansion behind Yun Liu and smiled. ¡°1 don¡¯t care who Shi Nian marries, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll help someone who covets my husband. It¡¯s best if someone like that doesn¡¯t even have the right to see him again.¡±

    Yun Liu also smiled and relaxed. ¡°You have a point. Since the Shi and Xi families are on good terms, it would be convenient for anyone marrying into the Shi family to meet Xi Cheng in the future. Don¡¯t worry, Lin Yu, I¡¯ll help you keep the riff-raff away.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Yun Liu, you¡¯re so kind, beautiful, and smart. That¡¯s how a daughter-in-law of the Shi family should be..¡±

 Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-One: Big Brother

    Chapter 291: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-One: Big Brother

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu got into her car. She looked at Lin Yu¡¯s figure, let out a breath, and smiled disdainfully, thinking, ¡®It seems like the heavens haven¡¯t forsaken me yet; every cloud has a silver lining.¡¯

    After she perfunctorily entertained Han Yuan and sent her off, Madam Ye¡ªLu Ying¡ªimmediately called her eldest son, Ye Tang. ¡°Ye Tang, son, come home quickly. Mom can¡¯t take it anymore. I really can¡¯t take it anymore! I can¡¯t!¡± Lu Ying groaned over the phone.

    There wasn¡¯t a hint of fluster in Ye Tang¡¯s voice as he replied, ¡°Mom, if you have something to say, say it. If not, I¡¯m hanging up. I¡¯m in a meeting.¡±

    ¡°Ye Tang! If you dare hang up on me, I¡¯ll go to your office and cry!¡± Lu Ying energetically retorted.

    ¡°Okay, Mom! Then tell me, what exactly is the matter? I have a meeting to get back to,¡± Ye Tang said patiently.

    Lu Ying knew her sons¡¯ temperament and hurriedly told Ye Tang, ¡°You really need to come home. It¡¯s about Ye Kun. Something happened, something important.¡±

    Lu Ying could imagine her son¡¯s frown over the phone as he demanded, ¡°What¡¯s that kid done now? Is he there? Get him to answer the phone!¡± The boys¡¯ father had passed away early on in their lives, so Ye Tang had taken up their father¡¯s role. He was their mother¡¯s pillar and his younger brother¡¯s mentor.

    ¡°Oh, just come home. This is about his marriage; I can¡¯t explain it all in a few sentences. I need you here, son. Only you can handle such an important matter,¡± Lu Ying pleaded.

    ¡°I can¡¯t handle this alone. You know I¡ªI¡¯ll surrender once Ye Kun whines and makes puppy eyes at me. You have to come home and keep an eye on him. Besides, I heard that this matter is quite troublesome.¡± Lu Ying was somewhat rambling because she was thinking about what to say as she spoke.

    Ye Tang paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go home after the meeting ends. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    Ye Tang put down his phone and glanced at the others in the meeting before impassively uttering, ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±

    As he listened to the others¡¯ report, Ye Tang took out his phone and entered his younger brother¡¯s name, ¡®Ye Kun,¡¯ in the search box. The content that popped up on his screen made his eyes widen.

    ¡°Meeting dismissed!¡± he suddenly shouted at the person currently giving a report. ¡°Everyone, go back and reorganize your info; I¡¯ve already heard no less than ten errors in the data. I¡¯ll give you all three days to update your report and reconvene!¡± Ye Tang said and left.

    Everyone in the conference room fell deafeningly silent; some took out tissues to wipe the sweat off their foreheads. A brave soul asked Yu Xin, the secretary packing up documents for their chairman, ¡°Secretary Yu, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Yu Xin was always the grease between their big boss and everyone else. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone,¡± he answered. ¡°There is indeed a discrepancy between your data and Chairman Ye¡¯s, so hurry up, get back, and recheck your data.¡±

    ¡°I repeat, don¡¯t take things lightly, everyone. Our boss has a photographic memory for all kinds of data, and his mental arithmetic skills can compete with those who work in finance, so don¡¯t take any chances.¡±

    His words made everyone feel even more uneasy. The year-end accounts were coming up; this meeting was just the beginning. Everyone secretly had some private intentions, but they didn¡¯t expect their big boss to reject them before they could finish suggesting them. Everyone quickly wiped off their sweat and silently packed their things before leaving the meeting room.

    Yu Xin shook his head as he packed the documents, thinking, ¡®When will these people learn their lesson? Don¡¯t they realize who they¡¯re trying to fool? Our chairman had single-handedly taken over the entire Ye family and corporation at the age ofsixteen. The Ye family would probably have collapsed countless times ifhe could be so easily deceived.¡¯

    Ye Tang sat in the car, fury mounting as he read all kinds of news about his younger brother on his phone. However, he was a rational man; after some thought, he made a call.

    ¡°Shi Nian, this is Ye Tang speaking.¡± There was a hint of pressure in Ye Tang¡¯s voice. Even though, like him, Shi Nian was already the chairman of a corporation, he was still several years younger than him. Before him, Shi Nian would always be his non-related younger brother.

    Aside from Ye Kun, Ye Tang also treats his little brother¡¯s three buddies like his own siblings. Even now, he and Shi Ke still occasionally lectured each other¡¯s younger brothers. Thus, Shi Nian treats Ye Tang like he does his older brother, Shi Re.

    ¡°Ye Tang, I¡¯m a witness in Ye Kun¡¯s matter. Don¡¯t believe those rumors out there.¡± Shi Nian spoke bluntly, not wasting any time.

    ¡°Okay, then tell me what all this is about,¡± Ye Tang replied as he loosened his tie.

    Not knowing that his good friend had helped him, Ye Kun mustered up the courage to go home. He¡¯d made countless drafts in his mind and planned numerous steps in advance. He thought, ¡®I¡¯ll appeal to and move Mom first and get her on my side. Then, I¡¯ll go and beg my big brother; no matter if Ye Tang beats or scolds me, I¡¯ll accept it. This time, I¡¯ll use all the strategies I can think of, including the 36 Stratagems.. It doesn¡¯t matter how much I have to suffer; for Fang Xi¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll do so gladly!¡¯

 Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Two: Stand Up To

    Chapter 292: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Two: Stand Up To

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The moment Ye Kun saw Ye Tang, all of his plans shattered into a million pieces. Ye Kun didn¡¯t know how he managed to ask, ¡°Big Brother, you¡­ W-Why are you here?¡±

    ¡®What? Are you the master of the house now? Are you saying I can¡¯t come home?¡± Ye Tang nonchalantly replied without moving his eyes away from the document before him.

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Ye Kun could feel sweat beading on his forehead. Ye Tang ignored him, so Ye Kun could only bite the bullet and inquire, ¡°Bro, why aren¡¯t you at the company today?¡±

    ¡°Am I not allowed to come home?¡± Ye Tang shot back.

    Ye Kun pinched his thigh hard. He grimaced in pain and mentally warned himself, ¡®Don¡¯tpanic, don¡¯t panic. I mustn¡¯tpanic. I need to stay calm. Stay calm!¡¯

    However, looking at Ye Tang regally sitting on the sofa and working, Ye Kun panicked. He had an innate fear of his big brother! If there¡¯s one person Ye Kun feared the most in this world, it would be his big brother. There was no one else he didn¡¯t dare face aside from his big brother.

    ¡°Ye Tang!¡± Ye Kun stammered.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Ye Tang didn¡¯t lift his head, but he did respond. ¡®His tone¡¯s quite calm,¡¯ Ye Kun thought. ¡®It seems like he¡¯s in a good mood.¡¯

    Ye Kun glanced at the folders scattered on the sofa and saw a few familiar projects, so he ventured, ¡°Ye Tang, why don¡¯t you let me take a look at those? I¡¯ll help you deal with them. You don¡¯t get to come home often, so take the opportunity to rest up.¡±

    Ye Tang looked up at him and then lowered his gaze back to the documents without saying anything.

    Ye Kun carefully poked the bear, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll tell the kitchen to prepare your favorite dishes then!¡± He turned around without waiting for Ye Tang¡¯s response; he had to talk to his mom and get her on his side quickly.

    ¡°Come back here!¡± Ye Tang stated in a moderate voice. Ye Kun immediately froze on the spot and felt his heart skip a beat.

    Ye Kun turned and hesitantly shuffled back. ¡°Ye Tang,¡± he called out. Ye Tang shut the folder in his hands and fixed a beady stare on Ye Kun. Ye Kun visibly trembled.

    ¡°What¡¯s with you? Do you have something to hide?¡± Ye Tang calmly asked his brother.

    When their father passed away, Ye Tang¡¯s little brother cried his eyes out but still thought to bring food and water to his busy older brother. His little brother would always endure it and apologize when Ye Tang would drag him over to hit or scold him during fits of bad temper, becoming more and more obedient over the years.

    It was already a few years later when Ye Tang truly took over the family and corporation, and his little brother had also grown into a young man. Ye Tang always sent him off to the most difficult jobs and places to train him, making him start work from the bottom. Ye Tang was constantly hard on him to hone his brother.

    His little brother is thankfully able to stand on his own now. He didn¡¯t have any bad quirks or habits, nor did he have any degenerate behaviors common in the rich and wealthy. Ye Tang was pleased with his little brother but had never told him because he was afraid that Ye Kun would become arrogant.

    Ye Kun fearfully looked at Ye Tang as he answered, ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, Ye Tang. Didn¡¯t I submit my reports on time? I read through all the documents, and the projects and sales I¡¯m in charge of are going well. Ye

    Tang¡ªI¡¯

    Ye Tang waved his hand to interrupt him, ¡°I read your reports.¡± Ye Kun heaved a sigh of relief, thinking, ¡®I¡¯m never careless when it¡¯s about work. But why else is he here ifhe¡¯s not asking about my work?

    ¡°Mom said that Auntie Xi came to visit today,¡± Ye Tang uttered detachedly.

    ¡°What¡¯s she here for?¡± Ye Kun asked coldly, instantly on guard.

    Ye Tang didn¡¯t bat an eyelid at his brother¡¯s reaction. ¡°She told Mom to be careful of a girl. She said that the girl is a vixen who targets and strings along young men from wealthy families; she got her claws into Xi Cheng and almost caused Xi Cheng and Lin Yu to break up. She has a new target now; Auntie Xi Cheng says it¡¯s you!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s bullsh*t!¡± Ye Kun snarled, agitated. ¡°She¡¯s the vixen! Her whole family are vixens!¡±

    Ye Tang¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Ye Kun, language!¡±

    Ye Kun subconsciously paused, but straight away, he anxiously said, ¡°Big

    Brother, Fang Xi isn¡¯t a vixen. She¡¯s a good girl¡ªthe best girl I¡¯ve ever seen. Ye

    Tang, I want to marry her! I won¡¯t marry anyone other than Fang Xi!¡±

    Ye Kun simply and directly said it aloud. ¡®Forget about all the plans, schemes, and drafts,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I don¡¯t care anymore; I¡¯ll be with Fang Xi even ifBig

    Brother objects.¡¯

    ¡® The worst Big Brother can do is kick me out; even so, I¡¯ll still be with Fang Xi. The Ye family has my outstanding brother, so theVll be fine; they don¡¯t need me to bringglory to the family name.. I¡¯ll spend my life with Fang M!¡¯

 Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Three: Win Over

    Chapter 293: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Three: Win Over

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Ye Tang looked at his younger brother¡¯s agitated state and suddenly had the emotional thought, ¡®Ye Kun has really grown up.¡®

    ¡°This Fang Xi¡­ she was once Xi Cheng¡¯s lover?¡± Ye Tang asked bluntly. Ye Kun opened his mouth and nodded reluctantly. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°You and Xi Cheng are best buds,¡± Ye Tang lightly commented.

    Ye Kun grudgingly nodded but retorted, ¡°So what? Before they broke up, we had no idea that the girl Xi Cheng had hidden away was Fang Xi. He doesn¡¯t love her at all! He monopolized and wasted her youth!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t comment on other people¡¯s relationships so easily; you¡¯re not the one involved, so you don¡¯t have the right to judge. Just tell me what happened between you and her,¡± Ye Tang coldly reminded his brother.

    Ye Kun shut his mouth, having calmed down. He took a deep breath and told Ye Tang, ¡°I fell in love with a girl called Fang Xi. I¡¯m the one who pursued her, but when I finally got her to fall for me, she got into a car accident and is still in the intensive care unit right now.¡±

    He continued, ¡°The doctors said they aren¡¯t certain when she¡¯ll wake up. They advise her family members to talk to her often; it might stimulate her to wake up sooner. When Shi Nian was unconscious previously, Yun Nan¡¯s constant crying by his ear was what woke him up.¡±

    Ye Tang looked at his little brother¡¯s determined expression. ¡°Are you planning to wake her up by crying, too?¡±

    Ye Kun choked, stunned. ¡®Big brother¡­ is he teasing me? He felt his big brother wasn¡¯t out to make things difficult for him, so he boldly voiced his thoughts. ¡°Ye Tang, I plan to marry Fang Xi when she wakes up. I¡¯ve already put the engagement ring on her finger!¡±

    Ye Tang glared at him. ¡°You put a ring on her finger while she¡¯s unconscious, and you¡¯re just going to treat it as if she¡¯d agreed?¡±

    Ye Kun nodded and confidently replied, ¡°Shi Nian and Yun Nan agreed. They are our witnesses! Ye Tang, Fang Xi will agree when she wakes up!¡±

    Ye Tang inclined his head. ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why, when Auntie Xi denounced Fang Xi, you publicly announced that Fang Xi is your fianc¨¦e? And even published an article to tell the world about you two¡¯s love story?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Ye Kun openly admitted. ¡°I asked Liang Han to write it for me!¡± Ye Kun added, feeling quite proud of this move.

    Ye Tang¡¯s voice became stern as he demanded, ¡°Have you thought about the consequences your actions will bring our family? I know you¡¯re defending your girlfriend, but where does that leave the Ye family¡¯s reputation?¡±

    Ye Kun did a double-take. Then, he bravely met Ye Tang¡¯s gaze and stated, ¡°Big Brother, this has nothing to do with the Ye family¡¯s reputation. I fell in love with a girl, so naturally, I must stand up for her when others slander her. What consequence can such a thing bring to our Ye family? Is our family¡¯s reputation so fragile that we need to sacrifice a girl¡¯s innocence to protect it?¡±

    Ye Tang was a little surprised. ¡® Ye Kun has come a long way; he actually learned how to argue his case. It seems that the power oflove is mighty indeed!¡¯

    Ye Kun was slightly nervous as he stood up to his big brother. He glanced at Ye Tang and couldn¡¯t help lowering his voice. ¡°Big Brother, Fang Xi truly is a good girl. Yun Nan is her best friend, and Shi Nian and Liang Han can vouch for her. She really is a good girl. Liang Han said they can vouch for her if you¡¯re worried about her character!¡±

    Ye Tang lowered his head and rubbed his nose bridge, thinking, ¡®These four dolts who came out of the same delivery room are all troublemakers.¡¯

    Ye Kun looked at Ye Tang nervously. ¡°Ye Tang?¡±

    Ye Tang lifted his head to gaze at his brother. ¡°Tell me, what do you plan to do next?¡±

    ¡°My plans? I plan to marry Fang Xi when she wakes up!¡± Ye Kun answered firmly.

    Ye Tang stared at Ye Kun. ¡°What if she never wakes up?

    Ye Kun¡¯s face fell, but he swiftly pulled himself together. ¡°That won¡¯t happen, bro. Fang Xi will definitely wake up. She¡¯s a woman of her word; she promised me a relationship. She won¡¯t leave me alone like this!¡±

    Ye Tang was truly speechless this time. He stood up and started up the stairs.

    Ye Kun called out, ¡°Ye Tang?¡± and quickly followed. ¡®That¡¯s it? He didn¡¯t give any indication. What does he mean? Ye Kun inwardly wondered.

    Ye Tang turned around and asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±

    ¡®Hmm? Ye Kun thought, almost bumping into Ye Tang. ¡® What does he mean by ¡°Is there anything else?¡± We haven¡¯t finished talking! You haven¡¯t given me a conclusion yet!¡¯

    Ye Kun almost bit his tongue as he said, ¡°Big Brother, you¡ªI¡­ What do you want me to do?¡±

    Ye Tang looked at his foolish little brother. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already think of what to do? Why are you still asking me? Exactly what did that girl see in you? She should get her eyes checked.¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s mind blanked for a moment. Ye Kun cleared his head and then recalled his brother¡¯s statement word-by-word. He was abruptly delighted.

    ¡°Bro, you¡­. you aren¡¯t here to stop me?¡±

 Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Four: Agreed

    Chapter 294: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Four: Agreed

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Can I stop you? Would you abandon that girl if I said no to the marriage?¡± Ye Tang casually asked.

    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Ye Kun answered resolutely. ¡°I¡¯ve thought it through; if you don¡¯t accept us, I¡¯ll run away from home. If you guys dislike Fang Xi, I won¡¯t bring her home¡ªI¡¯ll elope with her!¡± Ye Kun blurted out his plans.

    Ye Tang glared. ¡°Run away from home? Ye Kun, I¡¯ll break your legs if you dare to leave!¡±

    Ye Kun instinctively retreated and subconsciously touched his legs as he retorted, ¡°Then you and Mom shouldn¡¯t try to separate us!¡±

    Ye Tang didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or get angry. ¡°Do you know how Mom replied to Auntie Xi?¡±

    Ye Kun shook his head. ¡°Mom said that she believes in your taste. You¡¯re an adult and can distinguish between good and bad. Auntie Xi was very unhappy when she left,¡± Ye Tang detachedly told him.

    Ye Kun¡¯s eyes lit up, and there was a dopey grin on his face. ¡°I¡¯ll go and thank

    Mom!¡±

    Ye Tang poured cold water on him, stating, ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate just yet. Even if

    Mom and I don¡¯t object, you two still have a long, difficult road ahead.¡±

    Ye Kun nodded heavily and thought, ¡®As long as you don¡¯t stop me, I don¡¯t care about the others at all!¡¯

    ¡°Ye Kun!¡± Ye Tang called to his little brother, who was heading upstairs. Ye Kun turned around with a sunny expression and responded chirpily, ¡°What is it,

    ¡°I had a small meeting today,¡± Ye Tang drawled. ¡°It was to check up on the budget and year-end accounts of the various departments. I found out some departments were fudging their data to fool me.¡±

    Ye Kun stared at his brother, attentively waiting for the rest of the story. Ye Tang adjusted his cufflinks and slowly continued, ¡°It¡¯s the end of the year. I don¡¯t feel like scolding people. Go and settle this for me.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious, bro?¡± Ye Kun whined as his legs gave way, and he sat on the stairs.

    Ye Tang smiled. ¡®You should at least have a presentable identity when your girlfriend wakes up, right? If you settle this matter for me, I¡¯ll put you on the board of directors next year.¡±

    Ye Tang put one hand in his pocket and turned to leave suavely.

    ¡°Oh right, our family will pay for your girlfriend¡¯s medical expenses, so get her the best doctors and treatment. Look for Yu Xin if you need anything. There¡¯s no need to let Shi Nian spend money on ourfamily matters, and that girl shouldn¡¯t have to rely on her friend¡¯s financial help! She¡¯s your fianc¨¦e, and if you dare to embarrass our family, I¡¯ll break your legs!¡±

    Ye Kun got up and shouted at his brother¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°Got it, Ye Tang!¡± The medical fee was a small matter; the main thing was his brother¡¯s attitude. Ye Kun felt like he had a long and cool drink in the middle of summer; he was euphoric!

    Ye Kun rushed to the hospital in high spirits after he buttered up his mother, feeling as if he were reborn. However, his good mood vanished the second he saw Xi Cheng.

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan were finally discharged from the hospital today. Shi Nian¡¯s parents and Chen Yao had come to pick them up, and Xi Cheng had also come. Xi Cheng looked extremely haggard; he¡¯d lost a lot of weight, and his complexion was deathly pale.

    Yun Nan turned her head away, blowing him off. She could never forgive Xi Cheng. It was only out of respect for the Shi family that she wasn¡¯t chasing him out.

    Xi Cheng knew that and didn¡¯t try to talk to her. He greeted the elders and went to Shi Nian, asking, ¡°Can I see Fang Xi?¡±

    Before Shi Nian could answer, Yun Nan was already replying, ¡°No! Please leave! You aren¡¯t welcome here!¡±

    With a pained expression, Xi Cheng had no choice but to face Yun Nan. ¡°I know you have issues with me, but you guys don¡¯t understand my relationship with Fang Xi. If Fang Xi¡¯s awake, she¡¯ll definitely be willing to see me. You can¡¯t make her choice for her!¡±

    Yun Nan stared at Xi Cheng and said, ¡°Then you can wait for Fang Xi to wake up; you can go and see her when she says she¡¯s willing to see you. I won¡¯t make her choice for her!¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s words caught in his throat at her retort. He could only ask Shi Nian for help. ¡°Let me see her; just one peek.¡±

    Shi Nian looked at Xi Cheng and sighed, ¡°She hasn¡¯t woken up yet. She¡¯s unconscious. There¡¯s no point in seeing her.¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s voice suddenly sounded from the door. ¡°Let him see her!¡±

    Only then did everyone notice him and look over. Yun Nan was about to say something, but Ye Kun waved his hand and calmly stated, ¡°I¡¯ll go in with him, Yun Nan. He¡¯s a stubborn man; he¡¯ll pester us every day if we don¡¯t let him see her. We don¡¯t have the time or mood to bother with him. Fang Xi isn¡¯t awake yet, anyway, so his visit won¡¯t hurt her.¡± Yun Nan silently took a step back after she heard this. It could be counted as a tacit agreement.

    In the intensive care unit, Fang Xi lay quietly on the bed, tubes stuck all over her body and surrounded by machines. Her face was bloodless under the oxygen mask..

 Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Five: Visitation

    Chapter 295: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Five: Visitation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Ye Kun replaced the wilting rose in the small vase by the bedside with a fresh red rose. He wrapped the withered rose up and handed it to the nurse behind him.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t supposed to bring things from outside into this room for the risk of polluting the air. I had to plead with the nurses to disinfect the flowers, and I can only bring one at a time. Fang Xi likes red roses. She said that others might think this flower and its color are tacky, but she likes it for its passion,¡± Ye Kun stated calmly.

    Xi Cheng felt a pang in his heart. He¡¯d never given Fang Xi flowers before and never knew what colors or flowers she liked. He just gave her money for all the important dates: birthdays, Valentine¡¯s Day, anniversaries, and all the other festivals. He never bothered to find out her preferences; he gave her money so she could buy whatever she liked, but she didn¡¯t spend his money.

    Ye Kun stood behind him and told him, ¡°Right now, she has a blood clot pressing against her brain. There is hope that she¡¯ll wake up if the blood clot gets absorbed within the stipulated time, but we don¡¯t know to what extent she¡¯ll recover.¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s voice was hoarse as he asked, ¡°What if she can¡¯t absorb the blood clot?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll lie motionless like this forever until the day her organs fail,¡± Ye Kun replied as calmly as before, and Xi Cheng visibly swayed on his feet.

    Ye Kun continued, ¡°The day of the accident, the car that hit her was Lin Yu¡¯s, and the one behind the wheel was Lin Zhu, the Lin family¡¯s second daughter. Lin Zhu insisted that she¡¯d wanted to stay for the banquet that day, hoping to meet a few talented young men, but her cousin Lin Yu didn¡¯t allow it. Lin Yu gave Lin Zhu¡¯s mother tens of thousands of dollars and sent them away.¡±

    ¡°Lin Zhu was already out the door, but her cousin returned and threw her car keys at her, saying that she would give the car to her if Lin Zhu could drive it out of the courtyard within ten minutes. That¡¯s why Lin Zhu was driving so fast.¡± Ye Kun closed his eyes as he finished, his heart aching. ¡®The accident would have been avoided ifI¡¯d stayed by Fang Xi¡¯s side,¡¯ he thought.

    Xi Cheng turned around and looked at Ye Kun. ¡°You suspect Lin Yu¡¯s the one behind this? No, that¡¯s impossible!¡± He denied it, defending Lin Yu.

    Ye Kun didn¡¯t expect Xi Cheng to be so stupid. Seeing that Ye Kun wasn¡¯t saying anything, Xi Cheng hurriedly said, ¡°Lin Yu wasn¡¯t even there back then. It was my mother who had a conflict with Fang Xi. I watched the security camera playback afterward; Lin Yu had nothing to do with this incident.¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s gaze fell on Fang Xi¡¯s face. He was glad she wasn¡¯t awake to hear Xi Cheng¡¯s words. Xi Cheng, on the other hand, didn¡¯t think that his words were inappropriate at all. He continued to explain, ¡°This was an accident; no one wanted this to happen. Although Lin Zhu is brash and ignorant, she didn¡¯t mean to do it. She didn¡¯t know Fang Xi; she wouldn¡¯t have purposefully harmed her. ¡±

    ¡°Lin Yu¡­ She¡¯s actually very kind at heart. Her actions may say otherwise, but she¡¯s just trying to please my mother. She told me everything; it wasn¡¯t her idea to go to Fang Xi and force her to leave. It was my mother who did that for her sake¡ªI¡®

    ¡°Xi Cheng, what are you trying to say?¡± Ye Kun interrupted Xi Cheng¡¯s rambling. Xi Cheng froze.

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Ye Kun repeated as he stared at Xi Cheng. ¡°Are you telling Fang Xi that Lin Zhu and Lin Yu aren¡¯t at fault, and your dear, sweet mother, who could do no wrong, is also blameless? Are you saying Fang Xi¡¯s to blame since everyone else is innocent?¡±

    ¡°So, she shouldn¡¯t have accompanied me to your mother¡¯s birthday party and shouldn¡¯t have left when your mother heaped verbal abuse on her?¡± Ye Kun angrily demanded. ¡°Fang Xi didn¡¯t know that we were friends at all. She didn¡¯t know that the banquet she was attending was your mother¡¯s birthday party, either! Do you think she would¡¯ve attended if she¡¯d known? Do you think she would¡¯ve even accepted my suit if she knew? Fang Xi did her best to give the whole world to you. What else do you want?¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s voice became more and more agitated as he spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re standing here before her hospital bed, trying to justify your family hurting her! You might as well have just stabbed her and let her die! It would¡¯ve hurt less!¡± He stepped forward, grabbed Xi Cheng¡¯s collar, and growled lowly, ¡°Get out of here! Get lost!¡±

    Xi Cheng was stumped. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Ye Kun forcefully dragged him out, alarming the nurses at the nurses¡¯ station, and they rushed over.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to love her,¡± Ye Kun said icily. ¡°But you and your family can¡¯t hurt her! Yon want to see her? Fine. you¡¯ve seen her- Are you satisfied now?

    She¡¯s lying in there, dead to the world, and won¡¯t be a threat to your reputation anymore. Are you satisfied, Young Master Xi? Stop pretending you love her. You¡¯re so f*cking disgusting!¡±

    ¡°Get him out of here!¡± Ye Kun roared at the nurses. The machines beside Fang Xi suddenly started to beep erratically, and Ye Kun paled. ¡°Doctor! Doctor! Call the doctor! Quick, call the doctor!¡±

    Xi Cheng was pushed out and could only watch as a large group of doctors and nurses ran over. Ye Kun held Fang Xi¡¯s hand and kept calling her name. The door closed, cutting off the hectic and chaotic scene from his sight..

 Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Six: Ideas

    Chapter 296: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Six: Ideas

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng frustratedly stumbled into his chair and miserably put his arms around his head. Shi Nian slowly walked over and stopped before him.

    ¡°Go home and live your life well,¡± Shi Nian said evenly.

    Xi Cheng lifted his head. ¡°You blame me too, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t say anything. Outsiders can¡¯t comment on matters of the heart. However, as his buddy, Shi Nian had watched Xi Cheng stray further and further from the right path, making more and more mistakes. ¡®Xi Cheng no longer has a chance with a good woman like Fang Xi,¡¯ Shi Nian thought. ¡®Even if we¡¯re close buddies, there¡¯s nothing we can do! Xi Cheng brought this onto himself; there¡¯s no turning back!¡¯

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan devoted themselves to their respective work as soon as they got discharged from the hospital, and life wasn¡¯t as sweet as it was during their hospital stay as they were unable to see each other every day like they did in the hospital. Although they had many things to worry about back then, at least they could spend time together.

    Yun Innovations was different from the Shi Corporation; Yun Nan and Fang Xi needed to handle a lot of things there personally; they were the company¡¯s backbone. Mika and the others were in a terrible state after the two of them successively met with accidents.

    ¡°Yun Liu took over Yun Entertainment; she squeezed Yun Zhang out of the company. Yun Liu¡¯s manager, Tan Ning, is now in charge, and almost every one of their events and projects is targeted at us. I really don¡¯t understand. What¡¯s the point in doing this?¡± Lu Hui¡ªFang Xi¡¯s assistant¡ªreported to Yun Nan, furious at Yun Entertainment¡¯s actions.

    Yun Nan wasn¡¯t surprised at this. She smiled and said, ¡°Calm down. Look on the bright side: if they want to target us, they¡¯ll naturally boost themselves by trampling us. But even so, this is free publicity! At least, thanks to them, we¡¯ll always be in the public¡¯s eye and won¡¯t be forgotten.¡±

    Lu Hui¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at her boss, thinking, ¡® What kind of comfort is that?

    Yun Nan stopped teasing her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; let them do what they want. We don¡¯t have to get into a fight with them for a petty feud. We¡¯ll only suffer greater losses if we hastily rush into battle with them. We should focus on our own things. Fang Xi wanted to pick out some artistes for exclusive interviews; how are the preparations for that going?¡±

    Lu Hui quickly replied, ¡°We got the preliminary preparations done, but before we even started filming, Yun Entertainment had already produced a show called ¡®The Priceless Youth.¡¯ The program mainly films their artistes¡¯ daily training and acting. Although the editing quality isn¡¯t that great, the audience loves watching the show because it¡¯s a record of the artistes¡¯ daily private lives.

    It also netted their artistes a lot of fans.¡±

    Lu Hui shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I guess, but it does increase their artistes¡¯ fans, and more fans mean more fame and fortune, after all.¡±

    Yun Nan fell silent. Lu Hui told her, ¡°The exclusive interviews we previously intended to do were about the artistes¡¯ mental journey. We wanted to promote positive outlooks and encourage today¡¯s youths to not get caught up in entertainment, idols, and so on. But this topic seems old-fashioned now, Boss. I don¡¯t think the audience will be interested.¡±

    Yun Nan leaned back in her chair and subconsciously tapped her fingers on the tabletop. Lu Hui continued resignedly, ¡°The hottest thing we have right now is Shi Xiu¡¯s variety show, ¡®Embracing Life.¡±¡®

    Yun Nan suddenly had an idea. Lu Hui went on, ¡°All of our films are in the midst of filming. Fang Xi said that filming takes priority, and our artistes aren¡¯t to take on other activities during the filming period. That¡¯s why we can¡¯t drag Shi Xiu out to do some publicity events. Mika said Shi Xiu is in an optimum mindset right now, and we can¡¯t disturb her.¡±

    Unable to suggest anything helpful, Lu Hui moped, thinking, ¡®When will I be as capable as FangM?

    Seeing that Lu Hui looked like she was about to cry, Yun Nan reached out and patted the girl¡¯s head in comfort. ¡°Things will eventually work themselves out, so don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t treat Yun Entertainment as an opponent; Yun Liu may treat us as her enemies, but she¡¯s far from being a match for us!¡±

    Her boss¡¯ consolation didn¡¯t manage to cheer Lu Hui up. Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°Alright, enough with the long face. Smile! The sky hasn¡¯t collapsed; there¡¯s hope for us yet. Do you remember the guests who participated in Shi Xiu¡¯s variety show? I recall someone saying back then that these people have stories and that we should do exclusive interviews with them if we have a chance in the future. ¡±

    Lu Hui mulled over Yun Nan¡¯s words, and her eyes abruptly lit up as she exclaimed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡±

    Yun Nan deliberately poured cold water on her. ¡°However, they don¡¯t have much popularity. In your words, they¡¯re all bygone celebrities.¡±

    Lu Hui momentarily froze before saying with slight hesitancy and regret, ¡°But they were once kings and queens in the industry. Everything, from their experience to their character, is tried and tested. They¡¯ll be good role models if we want to promote positive outlooks.¡±

    ¡°Then what are we waiting for?¡± Yun Nan asked. ¡°Go sort out your ideas and give me an outline.. Then, get in touch with them and persuade them to work with us; that¡¯s what you¡¯re good at, isn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Seven: Returning Home

    Chapter 297: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Seven: Returning Home

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lu Hui immediately perked up and stood up to leave. Yun Nan called out to her, ¡°Lu Hui, I don¡¯t want a tasteless feature where we follow the artistes around, filming their private lives. I want a high-quality documentary. The audience can doubt the artistes, but they have to be able to understand them through our film to the point of becoming them!¡±

    ¡°Got it, boss!¡± Lu Hui excitedly replied.

    Yun Nan leaned back on her chair and gave a soft sigh. ¡®Yun Entertainment won¡¯t last long if they keep pandering to the public. Yun Liu¡¯s too shortsighted, looking only for quick successes and instant benefits. She¡¯ll probably lead Yun Entertainment to ruin sooner or later,¡¯ she thought. ¡®However, that¡¯s Yun

    Zhan@s Droblem: there¡¯s nothing I can do!¡¯

    Yun Liu looked at the data report her assistant, Xiao Yun, gave her in delight. ¡°This is great! This way, we can overpower Yun Nan!¡± Yun Liu excitedly said to Tan Ning.

    Tan Ning frowned and hesitantly stated, ¡°But I don¡¯t think this method is sustainable or beneficial for the company in the long run.¡±

    Yun Liu dismissively remarked, ¡°I understand your concerns, but the best way for these newcomers to make a name for themselves is to increase their online traffic. We can attract more traffic and fans if we package them up as idols, and then we can cash in on the traffic. Isn¡¯t that a faster way of making money than filming movies?¡±

    Tan Ning remained silent. Yun Liu proudly commented, ¡°Look, those big film and entertainment companies are all doing the same thing we are. Small-scale companies like ours can make a profit by following suit. We¡¯ll have both fame and fortune! What¡¯s not to like about it?¡±

    Tan Ning gave her a perfunctory grunt of agreement and changed the topic. ¡°Madam Liang¡¯s event has been arranged. According to reliable sources, Liang Han will return to the family mansion to attend it. Don¡¯t let this opportunity pass you by.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Liang is quite nice to me now. She likes me even more than my two aunts,¡± Yun Liu replied self-assuredly.

    Tan Ning heaved a sigh of relief, thinking, ¡®It¡¯s best if Yun Liu can get close to the Liangs. Then, she won¡¯t have to worry about getting online traffic and exposure anymore.¡¯

    Meanwhile, at the Liang Mansion, Madam Liang¡ªKong Zhen¡ªwas holding a thick stack of photos and carefully looking over and evaluating them with the head housekeeper, Auntie Gui. Liang Han strode in but turned around to walk out without hesitation when he saw those photos.

    ¡°Stop right there!¡± Kong Zhen yelled as she gestured for Auntie Gui to stop Liang Han.

    Aunt Gui smilingly walked over to Liang Han, who was standing stock still.

    ¡°Young Master, you finally came home! Madam missed you so much!¡±

    Straight away, Liang Han cupped Aunt Gui¡¯s face and whined, ¡°Only Mom missed me? You didn¡¯t miss me, Auntie Gui? That really hurts. Since Auntie Gui doesn¡¯t miss me, I¡¯d better leave. I can see that I¡¯m not wanted in this house!¡±

    Tempered by her experience as the family¡¯s housekeeper over the years, Auntie

    Gui wasn¡¯t at all susceptible to Liang Han¡¯s little tricks. ¡°Isn¡¯t having the Madam miss you enough for you, Young Master?¡± she inquired. ¡°Madam is going to be so heartbroken to hear that. I reckon she¡¯ll be so sad that she can¡¯t stay in this house anymore.¡±

    Kong Zhen didn¡¯t hesitate at all; she immediately slapped her thighs and howled, ¡°Oh, dear Heavens, woe is me! Boo-hoo! My own son doesn¡¯t care about me! What¡¯s a mother to do?¡±

    Liang Han facepalmed and rushed over to Kong Zhen. ¡°Mom! My dear, sweet mom! Can we please stop acting? Your acting skills haven¡¯t improved, but I see you¡¯ve learned to rhyme your lines. I just got back; let me catch my breath, will you? Auntie Gui, can you get me something to drink? I¡¯m dying of thirst!¡±

    Kong Zhen reached out her hand and forcefully poked at Liang Han¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°I might as well let you die of thirst, brat. You ungrateful thing, you!¡±

    Liang Han accepted the abuse and replied, ¡°Alright, okay, let me die of thirst. I¡¯m a brat! I¡¯m an ingrate; I fed my conscience to the dogs!¡±

    Kong Zhen rolled her eyes at her son and harrumphed. Liang Han knew he couldn¡¯t escape this and went with the flow. He sat on the chair beside his mother and watched Kong Zhen happily push the photos to him. She¡¯d done this countless times before, and even her lines were the same as always: she enthusiastically said, ¡°Take a look, son. These are a new batch of photos of girls that I¡¯ve collected! ¡±

    Liang Han wasn¡¯t interested and uttered, ¡°Mom! Can we change the topic?¡±

    Kong Zhen agreed readily: ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk about when you¡¯ll give me a grandson.¡±

    Liang Han covered his face with his hands. ¡°Give me a break, Mom. If you keep on about this, I might just go and spend the rest of my life with Ye Kun.¡±

    Kong Zhen froze for a moment before coming close to cautiously ask, ¡°Son, is this you coming out?¡±

    Liang Han looked at his mother in horror. Kong Zhen leaned back and said with some helplessness, regret, and sadness, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you want to come out of the closet. I can at least rest assured since your partner¡¯s Ye Kun.. I just want to know, are you the catcher or the pitcher?¡±

 Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Eight: Mother and Son

    Chapter 298: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Eight: Mother and Son

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Liang Han jumped up in shock. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re killing me here! I¡¯m dying! I¡¯m dying, okay? Mom, what¡¯s going on in that head of yours every day? What¡¯s this about me ¡®coming out of the closet? Ye Kun has a girlfriend¡ªno, scratch that¡ª has a fianc¨¦e, you know! Whatever gave you such an idea? Oh, dear Heavens, Mom!¡± Liang Han felt like crying.

    Kong Zhen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh? So you knew Ye Kun has a girlfriend, now fianc¨¦e?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I was the one who wrote that passionate love declaration of his¡ªI¡® Liang Han replied before he stopped short, wishing he could go back in time and slap himself. He was too proud of his work and had unsuspectingly outed himself to his mother.

    As expected, Kong Zhen threw the cushion beside her at her son and angrily roared, ¡°You have the time and ability to help your buddy get a fianc¨¦e and still have the nerve to be single? You have the nerve to return home without a girlfriend! I now look bad, thanks to you!¡±

    Liang Han hugged the cushion and swallowed the sigh that threatened to leave his mouth. Kong Zhen stood up and glared at her son with her hands on her waist. ¡°I¡¯ll leave Xi Cheng aside, as he has been betrothed to Lin Yu since he was young. That¡¯s on me; I¡¯m not an adequate mother, as I haven¡¯t thought to prepare a bride for you since your childhood. Then what about Shi Nian?! Your best friend, who you hang around with every day, has quietly gotten himself a beautiful and capable wife. Look at how happy that made Xu Yun¡ªshe¡¯s skipping everywhere in joy!¡±

    She continued, ¡°And now, even Ye Kun has a fianc¨¦e. Although rumors about her are going wild in the city, Lu Ying has already started to prepare betrothal gifts, which means that that girl is good wife material! Now, take a look at yourself! You¡¯ve been gallivanting out there for so long and still have the nerve to come back to see me without a girlfriend? I didn¡¯t fall behind the other madams when we four gave birth to you boys together back then, so why did you turn out so disappointing? How can I face the others during our gatherings?¡±

    Still hugging the cushion, Liang Han raised his head to sheepishly say, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s there to compare? I, your son, am now a rich and eligible bachelor. I¡¯m quite popular with the ladies! Shouldn¡¯t you be proud?¡±

    Kong Zhen twisted Liang Han¡¯s ear and said through gritted teeth, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t care about you if you weren¡¯t my son! But you ARE my son, and no son of mine can be so useless!¡±

    Liang Han winced in pain, covered his ear, and begged mercy. ¡°Mom! Mom, stop, let go! Let go, please! I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll listen to you, alright?¡±

    Kong Zhen loosened her hold on his ear before pinching it again. ¡°Really?¡± she asked.

    Liang Han hurriedly nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll listen! I¡¯ll listen! So let go of my ear, Mom, let go!¡± Only then did Kong Zhen let go.

    Liang Han hissed in pain as he covered his ears and said aggrievedly, ¡°Mom! I¡¯m almost in my thirties. Can you not scold and punish me like this? What¡¯ll my future wife think if she sees this?¡±

    Kong Zhen gave him a sideways glance. ¡°You¡¯ll have to marry one first!¡±

    ¡°All this is just to get me to go on blind dates, isn¡¯t it?¡± Liang Han whined plaintively. ¡°I¡¯ll go, okay? You didn¡¯t have to go through so much trouble. We¡¯re mother and son, so let¡¯s be more direct. Although I can¡¯t compare to my three best buds in other aspects, I¡¯m most certainly the most filial!¡±

    Kong Zhen coldly snorted. ¡°Who cares?!¡± Exasperated, Liang Han took the initiative and picked up the stack of photos on the table. He pointed at the girl in the topmost photo and commented, ¡°Oh, this girl¡¯s quite pretty. She¡¯s a sight for sore eyes.¡±

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Kong Zhen immediately looked toward the photo. ¡°Let me have a look. ¡±

    Liang Han saw his opportunity and fanned out the photos. ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve met them in person, haven¡¯t you? Is there any one of them you like in particular? Someone who, at first glance, made you think, ¡®Yes, this is the daughter-in-law I¡¯m looking for!¡¯ Is there? Did you meet such a girl?¡±

    Kong Zhen rolled her eyes at her son, but her tone had unknowingly softened as she answered, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t, but feelings grow through spending time together; love at first sight is mostly unreliable. Besides, you¡¯re the one who¡¯ll be spending the rest of your life with her, not me, so what does it matter if I like them or not?¡±

    Liang Han speaks as well as he writes. He stated, ¡°Of course it matters. The girl

    I marry must, above all, be filial to my mother and pass her muster. Why would I marry her if my mother doesn¡¯t like her? Besides, my taste was cultivated by you, Mom. If Mom likes her, I will, too, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Kong Zhen couldn¡¯t help but smile at that. She was overjoyed but still kept her senses and inquired, ¡°So, you agree to meet the girls I picked out?¡±

    Liang Han unhesitatingly nodded. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a filial son¡ªthe most filial¡ª after all!¡±

    For extra insurance, Kong Zhen asked, ¡°You won¡¯t deliberately leave a bad impression on the girls like before, will you?¡±

    Liang Han sheepishly chuckled, ¡°Of course not.. Why would I? I¡¯ve never done such a thing before!¡±

 Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Nine: Encounter

    Chapter 299: Chapter Two-Hundred and Ninety-Nine: Encounter

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Kong Zhen loftily lifted her head, saying, ¡°It¡¯s fine; I¡¯ve already thought of a countermeasure. We¡¯ll have you meet with five girls together this time!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Liang Han¡¯s jaw dropped, and Kong Zhen smiled smugly.

    Liang Han quickly grabbed Kong Zhen¡¯s hand. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s appropriate. How will others see us if word gets out? You make it like we¡¯re choosing a consort here; what will people say about us? You have to think about our family¡¯s reputation. You can¡¯t do that!¡±

    Kong Zhen snorted, ¡°Why can¡¯t I? What¡¯s going to affect our reputation is you being unable to find yourself a wife!¡±

    Seeing her son¡¯s troubled expression, Kong Zhen finally relented slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make it so obvious! I¡¯ve organized a small party here at home and invited your aunt, cousins, and those girls over. You can come over after the party starts and pretend you¡¯ve just returned home without notice. Then, you can stay and sit with us for a while. Stay longer and chat if you hit it off with the ladies; if not, you can leave first. Is that okay? That¡¯s not much to ask, right?¡± Kong Zhen could imagine the scene now; it was simply perfect.

    Liang Han knew she¡¯d planned this long ago when he heard this. ¡®No wonder Mom tricked me into going home today,¡¯ he thought. Since it was already a foregone conclusion, it would definitely make his mother furious if he continued to question her decision. ¡®I don¡¯t want her to twist my ear again.

    Thankfully, no one else saw that, or nobody would ever take me seriously in the future!¡¯

    ¡® Whoa, the wealthy sure know how to live!¡¯ Yun Liu inwardly exclaimed the moment she entered the mansion. The Yuns¡¯ house could only be considered humble compared to the Liang Mansion.

    Although the Gu family was also wealthy, their roots were in White City. They were gradually buying property and businesses in Rong City, but their influence there still couldn¡¯t compare to that of the Xi, Shi, Liang, and Ye families. Moreover, Yun Liu¡¯s family wasn¡¯t even the main Gu family branch, so they naturally couldn¡¯t compare to them.

    It was Yun Liu¡¯s first time visiting the Liangs. Unlike the Xi Mansion¡¯s lavishness and the Shi family house¡¯s understated luxury, the Liangs tend toward a more fashion style. Madam Liang was generous, outgoing, and didn¡¯t put on airs at all.

    ¡°Miss Yun Liu, Madam is waiting for you in the back garden.¡± Auntie Gui, the housekeeper, said warmly. Yun Liu joyfully thanked Auntie Gui and headed toward the back gardens after getting directions from her.

    Liang Han glanced over his back as he walked to check if anyone had followed him from the garden, thinking about how to fool the staff his mother must have stationed at the door. They were ostensibly there to welcome their guests, but in reality, they were there to keep an eye on him, as he had the habit of running away. ¡®As long as it isn¡¯t Auntie Gui at the door, the staffguarding there are no match for me.¡¯

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Liang Han was too busy looking around to pay attention to where he was going and bumped into Yun Liu, who was walking towards him.

    Yun Liu staggered back a few steps in her high heels and stumbled over the edge of the flagstone walkway. She screamed and was about to fall messily to the ground when Liang Han reacted quickly and grabbed her waist, saying, ¡°Careful now!¡±

    Yun Liu clung to Liang Han¡¯s arm and managed to avoid falling due to Liang Han holding onto her waist. Liang Han immediately let go of her when he saw that she had stabilized herself and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡±

    Yun Liu held onto a lamp post at the side with a pained expression and said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Liang! I¡ªI think my ankle¡¯s sprained.¡±

    Today, Yun Liu wore a white spaghetti strap dress with a light beige knitted shawl and a pair of white sandals with thin heels. Right now, the heel of her left sandal was visibly crooked.

    Liang Han took a closer look at her and exclaimed, ¡°Miss Yun, it¡¯s you?! You, how, why are you¡ª¡± He wanted to ask, ¡®Why are you here at my house? but swallowed his words. ¡® Why else would she be here ifnot for the blind date¡ªah, no, party? My silly mother must have invited her. It seems Yun Liu is also one of the girls that my mother has taken a liking to!¡¯

    ¡°Oh dear, what happened, Miss Yun?¡± Auntie Gui came over, and Liang Han couldn¡¯t help but curse in his heart.

    Sure enough, after Auntie Gui heard the situation, she loudly bade Liang Han, ¡°Young Master, why are you just standing there? Come and help Miss Yun treat her sprained ankle. Oh dear, Miss Yun, you can¡¯t put weight on that ankle. Young Master, hurry and carry Miss Yun up. Her high heels aren¡¯t stable!¡±

    Liang Han exasperatedly looked at Auntie Gui before gentlemanly stating, ¡°Auntie Gui, that¡¯ll be rude to Miss Yun. Have someone bring a wheelchair over.¡±

    Aunt Gui knowingly smiled and said, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Silly me. We can¡¯t be rude to the fair lady..¡± Seeing Liang Han sigh while ordering the staff to get a wheelchair, Auntie Gui thought, ¡®It seems like the young master doesn¡¯t fancy Miss Yun!¡¯

 Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: Chapter Three Hundred: Surprised

    Chapter 300: Chapter Three Hundred: Surprised

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    While waiting for the staff to get her a wheelchair, Yun Liu said apologetically,

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Liang. Do you have somewhere to be?¡±

    Liang Han hurriedly replied, ¡°Uh, no, I wasn¡¯t planning to go out. I just came here to welcome the guests.¡±

    Yun Liu lowered her head slightly and turned her side profile to Liang Han, thinking, ¡®All the photographers who shot myphotos for a magazine said that my side profile is perfect.¡¯

    Unfortunately for her, Liang Han had met countless people and had long been immune to beauty. Seeing this, Yun Liu quickly judged the situation and decided to change tacks and talk about work instead. ¡°Mr. Liang, our company has recently produced a variety show. I wonder if you¡¯re interested in learning more about it.¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t wait for Liang Han¡¯s reply before she sincerely apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry; it must seem abrupt of me to make a sales pitch at your house.¡±

    Liang Han smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s better to talk about work than be forced to chat up girls by my mother.¡±

    Yun Liu was momentarily shocked before she chuckled, ¡°Mr. Liang is also forced to go on blind dates?¡±

    Liang Han shrugged noncommittally, and Yun Liu smiled prettily at him. A maid pushed a wheelchair over, and looking at Auntie Gui breathing down his neck, Liang Han knew escape was impossible, so he very gentlemanly stated,

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring Miss Yun over to Mom.¡±

    Auntie Gui was immediately all smiles and commented, ¡°Our young master is really becoming more and more sensible.¡±

    Liang Han facepalmed. ¡°Auntie Gui, that¡¯s no way to compliment someone who¡¯s almost thirty.¡±

    Auntie Gui grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m sorry for being uneducated. How about¡­ Our young master is becoming more and more obedient to Madam!¡±

    ¡® Yikes. She might as well not have praised me!¡¯ Liang Han thought dryly. Wishing to avoid any further awkwardness, Liang Han pushed Yun Liu¡¯s wheelchair further into the house. As he left, he instructed, ¡°Call a doctor over to check if Miss Yun¡¯s ankle is okay.¡±

    Auntie Gui happily agreed. Yun Liu was quite embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to make you escort me there personally, Mr. Liang.¡±

    Liang Han scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re my mom¡¯s guest; it¡¯s only right for me to do this.¡±

    Yun Liu smiled. ¡°Mr. Liang, speaking of work, are you interested in our variety show? To tell you the truth, we¡¯re looking for an investor. To be honest, I didn¡¯t come here for a blind date. I¡¯m here to find a suitable investor.¡¯

    ¡°Oh?¡± Liang Han was rather surprised. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Yun to be interested in business. I thought you would focus on your acting career.¡± Liang Han said coolly.

    Yun Liu sighed softly and briefly explained her background. ¡°My background is rather complicated. My biological parents only found me this year, but my adoptive parents had raised me for more than 20 years. They couldn¡¯t bear to part with me, so they gave me an entertainment company. My adoptive brother was the one originally managing this company, but now I¡¯m in charge of it, and thanks to that, I¡¯m under a lot of pressure.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard a little about that,¡± Liang Han detachedly replied. The Gu family had held a press conference over this, after all. With his status in the industry, Liang Han couldn¡¯t have been unaware of it.

    Yun Liu softly told him, ¡°I plan to run the company well and then return it to my brother. He¡¯s the Yuns¡¯ biological son, so he should be the one to inherit this company.¡±

    ¡°Why would you do that? Didn¡¯t they give the company to you?¡± Yun Liu knew from the shock in Liang Han¡¯s tone that she had successfully attracted his attention.

    Yun Liu smiled. ¡°The Yun family has already been kind enough to raise me. I can¡¯t take any more from them. However, it would hurt my parents and brother¡¯s hearts if I refused the company, so I decided to compromise. I¡¯ll run the company well first and then find a suitable opportunity to return it to the Yun family.¡±

    Liang Han was slightly moved by that. ¡°That¡¯s very loyal and selfless of you, Miss Yun. I admire that.¡±

    Yun Liu embarrassedly uttered, ¡°Mr. Liang, please stop making fun of me. I have zero experience in business or management; this is uncharted waters for me. That¡¯s why I wanted you, Mr. Liang, to be my investor! It¡¯ll be easier for me to do things with the aid of your reputation.¡±

    Liang Han smiled. ¡°Show me your proposal when you¡¯re free.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Yun Liu replied excitedly. ¡°Why don¡¯t I give it to you now?¡±

    Yun Liu took out a folder from her bag and handed it to Liang Han. Liang Han was stunned; he was truly surprised. He¡¯d never believe Yun Liu wasn¡¯t here for the blind date. ¡®As for Yun Liu¡¯s words, she¡¯s probablyjust trying to attract my attention,¡¯ Liang Han thought. ¡®However, I didn¡¯t expect Yun Liu to have brought the proposal with her!¡¯

    ¡°I came prepared!¡± Yun Liu smiled smugly.

    Liang Han chuckled and accepted the folder, his voice a hint friendlier as he said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely read it.¡±

    Yun Liu elatedly responded, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Liang!¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s head in.¡± Liang Han pushed Yun Liu¡¯s wheelchair into the greenhouse. It was filled with girls, all clustering around his mother and plying her with flattery. This girl before him, who¡¯d used the blind date to deliver a proposal, seemed much more unique in comparison..

 Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: Chapter Three Hundred and One: Trending Searches

    Chapter 301: Chapter Three Hundred and One: Trending Searches

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu left the Liang Mansion feeling smug and lay on the sofa once she returned to the company. Tan Ning walked over with a serious expression and

    spoke before Yun Liu could boast, ¡°Something happened to the Gu family.¡±

    ¡°Something happened to the Gu family?¡± Yun Liu repeated, surprised. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Tan Ning lowered her voice and said, ¡°I¡¯ve received inside information that the

    Gu family spent a lot of money to silence a trending topic.¡±

    Yun Liu sighed in relief. ¡°Is that all? Isn¡¯t that normal? And here I thought it was something big.¡±

    Tan Ning shook her head. ¡°No, this is definitely not anything ordinary. You should go back and find out more.¡±

    However, Yun Liu was unwilling to do so. ¡°Why should I get myself involved? Shouldn¡¯t I stay away if something has happened? I have my reputation to think about. They¡¯re not worth my time.¡±

    ¡°No, you have to go!¡± Tan Ning analyzed the pros and cons for Yun Liu. ¡°It¡¯s precisely because of your reputation that nothing can happen to the Gu family now! We have to be cautious now! Although many people are currently doubting you, and even the Gu family doesn¡¯t take you seriously, you¡¯ll definitely be affected if there¡¯s truly some scandal in the Gu family! Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Argh, annoying! This is so annoying!¡± Yun Liu angrily ranted, thinking, ¡®Its true what they say, ¡°Heavy is the head that wears the crown!¡± I must bear the

    Gu familVs responsibilities since I wish to borrow their power. There¡¯s no way around that.¡¯

    Seeing that Yun Liu had realized this and changed her attitude, Tan Ning asked, ¡°How was your trip to the Liangs¡¯ place today?¡±

    Good mood ruined, Yun Liu glumly replied, ¡°I gave the proposal to Liang Han and managed to attract his attention.¡± She paused and sighed, ¡°He wasn¡¯t the friendliest, but he wasn¡¯t unkind. I feel like he¡¯s keeping me at arms¡¯ length, probably because of that b*tch, Yun Nan. He¡¯s good friends with Shi Nian, so who knows what Yun Nan is saying about me behind my back?¡± Yun Liu gritted her teeth when she mentioned Yun Nan.

    Tan Ning remarked, ¡°It¡¯s fine so long as Liang Han is willing to accept your proposal. He¡¯s a businessman, and all businessmen want to make money. No businessman can be unmoved by bright prospects and huge benefits. We just have to set the hook and slowly reel him in. You must put your focus on Liang Han; that¡¯s more reason the Gu family can¡¯t have any negative news.¡±

    Yun Liu felt annoyed and vented her anger on the sofa cushion. ¡°What¡¯s going on with the Gu family? Isn¡¯t it just Xi Cheng¡¯s fianc¨¦e come knocking on their door because that b*tch, Gu Man, tried to seduce Xi Cheng?¡± After she finished, Yun Liu momentarily froze as she recalled Lin Yu¡¯s show of goodwill.

    Tan Ning was shocked. ¡°Gu Man tried to seduce Xi Cheng? Didn¡¯t you say that she¡¯s interested in Shi Nian?¡±

    Yun Liu shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s a fickle woman. The Gu family¡¯s girls were raised and taught to aim for marriage with wealthy young heirs or sons of government officials, so it doesn¡¯t make much difference to Gu Man whether it¡¯s Shi Nian or Xi Cheng. She even told the other Gu family girls that Xi Cheng and Shi Nian are both off-limits, meaning she¡¯ll be the one to bag the two men! Hmph! What a sl*t! Let¡¯s see if she¡¯ll have the nerve to show her face in the future now that she got taught a lesson by Xi Cheng¡¯s legitimate fianc¨¦e!¡±

    ¡°Then, won¡¯t she switch sights to Shi Nian?¡± Tan Ning wondered.

    ¡°Someone like her will never manage it,¡± Yun Liu sneered. ¡°I won¡¯t allow any of them to have designs on Shi Nian! Oh, right, do keep an eye on Yun Nan. That woman sure is tenacious, hmph!¡±

    Tan Ning knew the priorities and agreed.

    Yun Liu returned to the Gu family residence on crutches and went to see her mother, Zheng Xiu.

    ¡°What happened to you?¡± Zheng Xiu asked when she saw her state. Yun Liu briefly explained how she got injured, and Zheng Xiu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®You went to the Liangs¡¯ place?¡±

    Yun Liu nonchalantly nodded her head. ¡°Did Madam Liang specifically invite you?¡± Zheng Xiu pressed. ¡°Did you meet the Liang family¡¯s young master?¡±

    Zheng Xiu chided, ¡°Oh, you silly child! Why did you waste your chance and make the blind date into a work meeting? But I guess it¡¯s not a bad thing. This way, Young Master Liang is bound to have a deep impression of you. You did great, sweetheart!¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s heart warmed at Zheng Xiu¡¯s praise. ¡°Mom, is there anything going on at home these past couple of days?¡± Yun Liu inquired.

    ¡°No, there isn¡¯t,¡± Zheng Xiu replied.

    Half-relieved, Yun Liu asked, ¡°What about Uncle¡¯s side?¡±

    Hearing Yun Liu¡¯s question, Zheng Xiu couldn¡¯t help but worry and treat it more seriously. She frowned and said, ¡°Now that you mentioned it, your aunt didn¡¯t call me over today.. That woman usually likes to put on airs and enjoys having us around to flatter her ego, so why hasn¡¯t she called me over for dinner today?¡±

 Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: Chapter Three-Hundred and Two: Flesh and

    Chapter 302: Chapter Three-Hundred and Two: Flesh and

    Blood

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go over and take a look.¡± So saying, Yun Liu hooked her arm around Zheng Xiu¡¯s.

    Zheng Xiu, however, was unwilling to go. ¡°Why should I voluntarily go there when she¡¯s not asking me to? I¡¯m not going! ¡±

    Yun Liu quietly told her mother what happened between Gu Man and the Xi family before saying, ¡°Mom, do you think Aunt Chang Hui is avoiding us because of what happened with Gu Man?¡±

    Zheng Xiu shook her head. ¡°Not possible. She only raised Gu Man by her side because she¡¯s pretty. Gu Man¡¯s biological parents were such disappointments that your aunt holds her in disdain! We¡¯ll think more highly of her if she can get her hands on Xi Cheng or Shi Nian. If not, hmph! She¡¯s nothing to us; our Gu family has never lacked girls!¡±

    Zheng Xiu¡¯s casual words struck Yun Liu deeply. Yun Liu bit her lip and tried her best to ignore those words. ¡°Mom, that¡¯s all the more reason for us to go and take a look,¡± she uttered. ¡°We should find out what happened. To put it bluntly, if we¡¯re affected by this, we should at least know why, right? Our Gu He is still so young; what if this affects him?¡±

    Zheng Xiu immediately recovered her wits at the mention of Gu He. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go over now. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll definitely find out what happened.¡±

    Yun Liu heaved a sigh of relief. In the past, in the Yun family, she only needed to put in a little effort to coax her adoptive parents and brother to achieve her goals, whereas now, she has to have hundreds of tricks up her sleeves. ¡®Zheng Xiu only has Gu He in her heart. She¡¯ll do her best on anything involving Gu He,¡¯ Yun Liu thought. ¡®Only two branches of the Gu family are in Rong City right now, but every one of them is competing against each other. I have to deal with outsiders AND them; how tiring!¡¯

    Chang Hui grimly waited for her daughters to return with news. Gu Man was the only one by her side. She carefully waited on Chang Hui, not daring to even breathe loudly.

    The silence broke when Zheng Xiu came in and smilingly asked, ¡°Oh my! What happened to you, Gu Man? Your eyes are so swollen. Did someone make you

    Chang Hui¡¯s gaze shot directly toward Yun Liu. Yun Liu hurriedly shook her head and glanced at her mother, implying that she hadn¡¯t told her about it.

    Chang Hui¡¯s expression lightened up slightly. She glared at Gu Man and sighed, ¡°Why else can I say? In the end, it¡¯s our own flesh and blood that¡¯s most dependable! Look at Yun Liu; although she wasn¡¯t raised by us, she has our family¡¯s style¡ªunlike a certain someone who never learns no matter how much we educate her!¡±

    Gu Man lowered her head even further. ¡°Yun Liu, go see if the garden¡¯s tulips have bloomed. I¡¯ve been itching to see them,¡± Zheng Xiu said and smiled at Yun Liu¡ªan obvious excuse to send her away. The mother and daughter couldn¡¯t appear to be too intimate before Chang Hui; the woman preferred it if everyone was only close with her, Chang Hui.

    Yun Liu quickly stood up and left. This little act was really a child¡¯s play for her. Gu Man looked at Yun Liu leisurely scrolling through her phone in the greenhouse and felt extremely upset. Anger burned inside of her; there was a time when Gu Man wouldn¡¯t even bother to acknowledge this timid girl, even if she¡¯d kneeled before her. But now, Yun Liu had slowly but steadily secured her status as the Gu family¡¯s young lady, forcing Gu Man into an unbearable position.

    ¡® my?! It isn¡¯t fair!¡¯ Gu Man inwardly cried. ¡®How am I any inferior to Lin Yu, Shi Gao, and Lin Yu in terms of beauty and mentality? Why do they all get to be high and mighty while I¡¯m still struggling at the bottom? Its so unfair! I won¡¯t accept this!¡¯

    ¡°Gu Man, do you want to know what Lin Yu said to me?¡± Yun Liu suddenly asked, still looking down at her phone.

    Gu Man was startled, thinking, ¡®So she knew I was here all along? Gu Man snapped, ¡®What she said to you has nothing to do with me.¡±

    She angrily sat down opposite Yun Liu. Yun Liu put down her phone and lifted her head to smile at Gu Man. ¡°What she said was about you, so of course, it has something to do with you. She said she doesn¡¯t want you to end well because you embarrassed her.¡±

    Gu Man didn¡¯t know how to handle Yun Liu¡¯s straightforwardness. ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡±

    Yun Liu smiled. ¡°Because we share the same surname, Gu. We¡¯re family. She¡¯s gone so far as to ally with me to get rid of you; it¡¯s obvious how much she hates you. Shouldn¡¯t you think of a way to get back at her?¡±

    Gu Man couldn¡¯t help but cry and mumble, ¡°I know Xi Cheng has feelings for me. The only reason I lost to Lin Yu is because I lost Madam Xi¡¯s favor. I trusted Lin Yu too much in the past. She¡¯s a wretch, through and through! She deceived me. Even Shi Gao was deceived and still treated her like a good friend. We¡¯re both so¡­ so stupid!¡±

    Yun Liu was now certain that Lin Yu was indeed a ruthless character and made her decision. It seemed that Lin Yu was someone that Yun Liu could use.

    ¡°I must marry better than her!¡± Gu Man hissed.. ¡°I¡¯ll show her who¡¯s more capable!¡±

 Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Chapter Three-Hundred and Three: Compete

    Chapter 303: Chapter Three-Hundred and Three: Compete

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu¡¯s heart skipped a beat and thought, ¡®Ifshe wants to marry better than

    Lin Yu, then she can only marry Shi Nian. Lin Yu was right.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you have such ambitions, Gu Man. We¡¯ll all naturally benefit if you marry well. Do you currently have someone in mind?¡± Yun Liu probed.

    Gu Man gave her a vicious smile. ¡°The Shi family¡¯s young masters are both giants among men, so marrying into the Shi family is the best choice, of course. ¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t bat an eyelid and smiled meaningfully at Gu Man. ¡°The Xi family and the Shi family have close ties. It won¡¯t be easy for you to marry into the Shi family if Lin Yu has it out for you. I would choose a different target if I were you, Gu Man. Marrying better than Lin Yu doesn¡¯t mean you have to marry into the Shi family, right? All roads lead to Rome, so choose carefully, Gu Man.

    Don¡¯t let Lin Yu ruin things for you again.¡±

    Gu Man pondered her words deeply, evidently having taken Yun Liu¡¯s words to heart. However, Gu Man wasn¡¯t willing to admit defeat before Yun Liu, so she said sourly, ¡°You¡¯re indeed amazing, little cousin. You¡¯ve only returned to the Gu family for a short time and already have your finger in every pie. And now, even Lin Yu favors you. Hmph!¡±

    Yun Liu knew she¡¯d never be on the same page with someone like Gu Man, so she discourteously retorted, ¡°What are you saying, Gu Man? We¡¯re just striving for some benefits of our own. But we¡¯re all members of the Gu family, so we have to work together against outsiders!¡± And with that, Yun Liu left.

    Yun Liu and Zheng Xiu shared information after they returned home. Zheng Xiu frowned. ¡°On the surface, it seems Chang Hui¡¯s side of the family is tense because of Gu Man¡¯s matter. Chang Hui is angry at having offended the Xi family and wants to find a chance to apologize. But I get the feeling that something more serious has happened.¡±

    ¡°What do you think it could be?¡± Yun Liu asked. Currents run deep in the Gu family. She had no one else to rely on other than Zheng Xiu.

    Zheng Xiu replied, ¡°Your Aunt Chang Hui had used countless women to seduce Gu Fei to destroy him, but none had succeeded. However, I have a vague feeling that someone did successfully get close to Gu Fei, but your Aunt Bai Jie isn¡¯t someone to trifle with, and her daughters are also very shrewd. I¡¯m afraid they would be quickly removed even if they succeeded.¡±

    Yun Liu thought of Yun Nan and Shi Nian¡¯s ¡®car accident¡¯ and expressed deep doubts about Chang Hui¡¯s ability to get things done. ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as it has nothing to do with us,¡± she said.

    Zheng Xiu looked reflective as she nodded before she collected herself and uttered, ¡°The most important thing for us now is to keep a close eye on Gu He. We can¡¯t let your two aunts ruin him. That, and your marriage¡ªif things go smoothly between you and Young Master Liang, then it¡¯ll really be a blessing for the Gu family! Dear child, if you need any support, all you need is to ask.¡±

    Yun Liu nodded shyly. ¡°Should I meet with Madam Liang?¡± Zheng Xiu inquired.

    Yun Liu frowned. ¡°Will Aunt Chang Hui make things difficult for you if she finds out?¡±

    Zheng Xiu immediately understood that Yun Liu¡¯s worried about her; her daughter didn¡¯t want to risk her as she needed her to back her up. Zheng Xiu couldn¡¯t help but feel even happier, thinking, ¡® This daughter ofmine is so considerate.¡¯ She patted Yun Liu¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I know what to do. I will ensure you can borrow the Gu family¡¯s power when you need it, but I won¡¯t let the Gu family¡¯s troubles affect you.¡±

    Yun Liu happily nodded and hugged Zheng Xiu. Benefits were the first priority, even between family and kin. You would be doted on only when you were useful¡ªYun Liu understood this very well.

    Just as Zheng Xiu had analyzed, Chang Hui and Bai Jie were currently worried about the same person¡ªthe woman who got knocked up by Gu Fei, Du Juan.

    Bai Jie ordered her daughters, ¡°I don¡¯t care what method you use; we must find her. We¡¯ll no longer be able to silence the public opinions that have finally calmed down if she goes out there and blabs! We finally have an in with Lin Yu and made some progress with this future Young Madam Xi. We can¡¯t let Du Juan ruin things! If it¡¯s impossible to bring her back, then I don¡¯t care if she lives or dies! Do what you must!¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡± Gu Rou exclaimed, shocked. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant with Gu Fei¡¯s child!¡±

    Bai Jie glared at her. ¡°So what? It¡¯s not like Gu Fei can¡¯t have more children in the future. Do you want your brother¡¯s life ruined for a child whose gender is unknown? This is all your fault. You can¡¯t even keep an eye on a pregnant woman! Why are you all still standing here? Find her! Figure it out yourselves! I have a headache, so don¡¯t come to discuss this with me again. I only want results!¡±

    Her daughters didn¡¯t dare speak and quietly walked out. Bai Jie leaned back in her chair and let out a long sigh. Such days were the norm in her entire life. She¡¯d racked her brains for her husband when she was young, and now she had to worry about her son. ¡®A woman¡¯s life is truly a tribulation,¡¯ she thought..

 Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: Chapter Three-Hundred and Four: The Pregnant Woman

    Chapter 304: Chapter Three-Hundred and Four: The Pregnant Woman

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    It was Yun Nan¡¯s first time driving after recovering from her injuries. That morning, a still-worried Shi Nian begged her to let the chauffeur drive her around for a while longer, but Yun Nan firmly refused. She preferred doing things by herself, even if it was a small matter like driving.

    Shi Nian then insisted on driving her to the studio himself and only allowed her to drive herself after work. Yun Nan found it funny; Shi Nian could sometimes be as childish as a three-year-old, and the way he expressed his feelings was also quite strange. Yun Nan found it amusing and hilarious, but let him have his way¡ªthis was a little romantic byplay between them.

    Yun Nan thought of Shi Nian as she drove, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile. Her car had just turned out of the studio¡¯s courtyard when a figure suddenly dashed out before it from the sidewalk. Yun Nan subconsciously stepped on the brakes, so frightened she closed her eyes. Her heart pounded. Yun Nan was sure she didn¡¯t hit that person, but she didn¡¯t see anyone before her through the windshield. She collected herself and got out of the car to check.

    A woman was crouched in front of the car, trembling like Yun Nan was. She had her eyes tightly shut and was carefully hugging her stomach¡ªthe woman was pregnant.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Yun Nan hurriedly asked.

    The pregnant woman raised her head and stared at Yun Nan. Yun Nan froze. The woman looked familiar, but Yun Nan couldn¡¯t recall where she¡¯d seen her before.

    ¡°Save me, please, save me,¡± the pregnant woman cried and pleaded, holding her stomach as she kneeled.

    Yun Nan was shocked and quickly went to help her up. ¡°Get up; it¡¯s cold on the ground. Who are you? Why do I feel like I¡¯ve met you before?¡±

    The pregnant woman stood up with Yun Nan¡¯s help. She grabbed Yun Nan¡¯s hand tightly and panickedly looked around, imploring, ¡°Save me. Please, take me away from here. Please, I know you¡¯re a good person.¡±

    Yun Nan followed her gaze and glanced around. This place was connected to the outside by a small alley. It was very secluded, and few people would walk around here.

    ¡°Did something happen? Do we need to call the police?¡± Yun Nan asked. The pregnant woman clutched her hand and refused to let go.

    ¡°No! Don¡¯t call the police. I¡¯m dead if you call the police,¡± the pregnant woman cried, terrified.

    Yun Nan felt a little helpless. ¡°Then, are you okay? How about we go to the hospital?¡±

    The pregnant woman desperately shook her head. ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to go to the hospital. I¡¯m fine. I just¡ªI just want to hide; I want to hide somewhere safe. Please, help me! Please! I know you¡¯re a good person!¡±

    Yun Nan tried to free her arm but failed. She didn¡¯t dare use too much strength; the other party was a pregnant woman, after all. The pregnant woman wiped her tears and said, ¡°My name is Du Juan. I¡ªI¡¯m the one who begged Miss Shi to return Gu Fei to me at the fan meeting.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s mind jolted, and she took a closer look at the woman. ¡®It¡¯s her. No wonder she seems familiar,¡¯ Yun Nan thought.

    Yun Nan was stunned. ¡°It¡¯s you! Why are you¡­ Your child..

    Du Juan sobbed, ¡°The child is Gu Fei¡¯s. The Gu family had me imprisoned all this time, and it wasn¡¯t easy for me to escape. I¡¯m close to giving birth, but I overheard them discussing that they¡¯ll take the child away after I give birth and leave me to die, creating the illusion that I¡¯d died in childbirth. They only want the child. They¡¯ll kill me because I¡¯m not fit to be the mother of Gu Fei¡¯s child¡­¡¯ Du Juan¡¯s words trailed into sobs, but she didn¡¯t dare to make too much noise and could only gasp heavily.

    Yun Nan looked at Du Juan¡¯s extended belly. It was already quite large; indeed, she seemed like she could give birth any day now. Yun Nan felt pity for her, thinking, ¡®No matter what, there¡¯s one¡ªno, two lives¡ªbefore me that needs saving. I should let bygones be bygones and help her out.¡¯

    ¡°Then, where do you plan to go? Where do you live? I can send you home,¡± Yun

    Nan offered.

    However, Du Juan shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have a home. I grew up in an orphanage. I have no place to go.¡±

    Yun Nan felt troubled. Du Juan wept, ¡°I know I¡¯ve wronged you guys and Miss Shi, but you¡¯re all good people. I have no one to ask for help, so I can only come to you.¡±

    Resigned, Yun Nan calmed herself down and uttered, ¡°Get in the car. I¡¯ll see if I can find a place for you to settle down.¡±

    Surprised, Du Juan stared at her with tears all over her face. ¡°Really? You¡ª you¡¯re willing to help me? Y¡ªyou¡¯re really willing to help me?¡±

    Yun Nan frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you here for my help?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Du Juan happily responded. ¡°She turned around, went straight to Yun Nan¡¯s car, opened the door, and climbed in. Looking at her nimble movements, Yun Nan truly didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Yun Nan made a call to Chen Yao. Before she could speak, Chen Yao surprisedly asked, ¡®Yun Nan, are you calling to tell me you¡¯re coming to Grandma¡¯s house? Shi Nian said you¡¯re driving alone after work today. He was worried and made me worry, too. Where are you? Come over to Grandma¡¯s.. Grandma will get someone to make you something delicious!¡±

 Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Chapter Three-Hundred and Five: Questioning

    Chapter 305: Chapter Three-Hundred and Five: Questioning

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Grandma,¡± Yun Nan guiltily said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m bringing trouble along with me.¡±

    Chen Yao unconcernedly replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Having lived to such an old age, Grandma has seen all sorts of trouble, so go ahead. Tell me what you¡¯ve gotten yourself into this time.¡±

    Yun Nan glanced at Du Juan¡ªwho stared back at her in the car¡ªand relayed the whole thing to Chen Yao. Then, Yun Nan silentlv drove while Du Juan told

    her how Gu Fei¡¯s sisters had tricked and locked her up in a villa for several months.

    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I thought I could marry into wealth with this child. Who knew that rich people could be so cruel? They actually wanted to take the child and kill the mother,¡± Du Juan uttered, feeling extremely aggrieved.

    Yun Nan suddenly asked, ¡°How did you meet Gu Fei?¡±

    Du Juan was momentarily stunned before she turned her gaze to the outside of the car. ¡°I worked as a waitress at the restaurant Gu Fei often visits with his friends, and we got to know each other after a while. He treats me quite well, buying me clothes, taking me to luxury hotels, and giving me pocket money that¡¯s even higher than my salary. I thought¡ªI thought I¡¯d met Mr. Right; I thought I was the one he liked the most.¡±

    Her voice gradually trailed off. Yun Nan sighed, ¡°So, you went to look for Shi

    Xiu after you found out about the betrothal between Gu Fei and Shi Xiu?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I love Gu Fei too much. I can¡¯t live without him. Without him, my life will return to how it was before, but it¡¯s different for Miss Shi. She¡¯s rich to begin with, so she can live without Gu Fei,¡± Du Juan answered.

    ¡°How did you know Gu Fei and Shi Xiu might become lovers?¡± Yun Nan asked.

    Du Juan didn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°Actually, the two of them aren¡¯t in a relationship, then or now,¡± Yun Nan said. ¡°It¡¯s just that their families¡¯ elders had intended for them to marry. However,

    Shi Xiu and Gu Fei don¡¯t have any feelings for each other, so they aren¡¯t lovers.¡±

    Du Juan was shocked. ¡°Really?¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°It¡¯s true! Shi Xiu is the youngest child in the family. She has yet to graduate from university and is currently obsessed with acting; she¡¯s high on ambition right now and has no intention of dating, and her family won¡¯t rush her to get married. Her two older brothers, as well as her father and grandfather, are all extremely outstanding, to the point that Gu Fei can¡¯t even compare to them. What makes you think she¡¯ll take a fancy to Gu Fei?¡±

    Du Juan¡¯s eyes lit up. Yun Nan patiently led and guided the conversation, and stated, ¡°That¡¯s why I think you might have been misled by someone, causing you to mess up the fan meeting. Not only did you offend the Shi family, but you also gave the Gu family a reason to despise you even more. Gu Fei hasn¡¯t spoken to you again after that, has he?¡±

    Du Juan lowered her head. ¡°His sisters told me at the beginning that I could live comfortably as long as I quietly gave birth to the child. Gu Fei can¡¯t marry me, but he can come and visit me and our child often. They said marriage is just a piece of paper, and I don¡¯t have the capability to be Mrs. Gu anyway, so I might as well just quietly raise the child for the Gu family and be handsomely rewarded.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°I believed them,¡± Du Juan continued. ¡°It was the best option for me.¡±

    She fell silent for a moment before wailing, ¡°But they all turned out to be liars. They lied to me! They just want me to give birth to this child. The Gu family lacks boys; they¡¯ll have an heir if I give birth to a son. However, the child can¡¯t have a mother like me, so I have to die!¡±

    Du Juan covered her face and wept. Yun Nan inwardly sighed, ¡®I¡¯ll have to tell Annie and Meida about this later. Regardless of whether ifs true or not, its such good script material! Art is inspired by life, indeed.¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t until they reached the main entrance of the Gu family¡¯s house that Du Juan looked at the magnificent villa and apprehensively asked, ¡°W¡ªWhere is this place? Where are you sending me?¡±

    Yun Nan scoffed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I¡¯m not a bad person? You didn¡¯t ask where I was sending you all the way here, but you¡¯re afraid now that we¡¯ve reached our destination? Alright, fine. Why don¡¯t you give me an address, and I¡¯ll send you there instead?¡±

    Du Juan hurriedly smiled. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I¡ªI¡¯m just a little on edge. I trust you. You¡¯re a good person; you surely won¡¯t harm me!¡±

    Yun Nan laughed. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know about that! Maybe you¡¯ll regret asking me for help!¡± Du Juan had already gotten out of the car and didn¡¯t hear Yun Nan¡¯s words.

    Yun Nan chuckled and put her arms around Chen Yao¡¯s neck. ¡°Grandma, dear, who else can I turn to when I¡¯m in trouble if not you?¡±

    This sentence was sweeter than honey to Chen Yao, and she immediately beamed.. ¡°Good, and don¡¯t you forget it!¡±

 Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Chapter Three-Hundred and Six: Seen Through

    Chapter 306: Chapter Three-Hundred and Six: Seen Through

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Du Juan stood at the side, supporting her stomach with her head lowered to hide the envy in her eyes. Chen Yao and Yun Nan chatted intimately for a while before Chen Yao seemed to suddenly realize Du Juan¡¯s presence, and her smile faded. She called for a maid and stated, ¡°Take this¡ª¡±

    ¡°Miss Du Juan!¡± Yun Nan hurriedly introduced her.

    ¡°Oh, take Miss Du to a guest room so she can rest and have Doctor Li and Nurse Ding take good care of her,¡± Chen Yao detachedly ordered, not saying anything to Du Juan.

    ¡°Thank you, Madam Gu,¡± Du Juan said gratefully, and Chen Yao smiled.

    Chen Yao watched Du Juan¡¯s figure disappear through the door before softly asking, ¡°Did you tell her you were going to send her here to me?¡±

    Yun Nan shook her head. ¡°No, I never mentioned who you were. I never even told her that this is my grandmother¡¯s house.¡±

    Chen Yao frowned slightly. Yun Nan hooked her arm around Chen Yao¡¯s and remarked, ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t think this is as simple as it seems; she came to me specifically. I really can¡¯t guess what her intentions are, and the child in her belly has the surname Gu, so I can only send her here to you for the time being. In any case, this is a matter of life and death.¡±

    Chen Yao patted the arm Yun Nan placed around hers. ¡°You did the right thing. Although your grandfather and I gradually left the Gu family after your mother went missing and are no longer involved in the family¡¯s affairs, we are still family. Now, your grandfather is the only elder left in the Gu family. We can¡¯t just watch these juniors destroy the inheritance left by our ancestors.¡±

    Yun Nan lightly nodded and sighed, ¡°I¡¯m just worried that someone is up to no good and is scheming against us.¡±

    Chen Yao chuckled and sighed. ¡°Yeah, people will do anything for wealth. They originally thought that we had no descendants and planned to take possession of all our family assets after we died. Now that they heard that we¡¯d found our daughter and had you guys, they immediately couldn¡¯t sit still and even slandered Shi Nian. It just goes to show that human hearts can never stand up to the test.¡±

    Yun Nan froze. ¡°Shi Nian got slandered? Why didn¡¯t I hear him mention it before?¡±

    Chen Yao chided, ¡°He didn¡¯t want you to know he¡¯s covering for you! Thankfully, you have Shi Nian around to protect you, or who knows what will happen to you, you muddle-headed girl!¡±

    Yun Nan disagreed. ¡°You make it sound like I¡¯m useless! I was fine before he came along, wasn¡¯t I?¡± Despite her words, Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    Chen Yao laughed as she looked at Yun Nan and replied, ¡°Okay, fine! Yes, you¡¯re amazing! You can live well without him! What a heartless girl you are! Shi Nian¡¯s feelings are all wasted on you!¡±

    Yun Nan giggled, ¡°Alright, Grandma, enough already. I know he¡¯s good to me.¡±

    Chen Yao reached out and tidied Yun Nan¡¯s hair. ¡°Do cherish him, dear. He¡¯s a good man worthy of your heart!¡± Yun Nan obediently nodded. She knew how good Shi Nian was to her.

    Chen Yao was very gratified at that. ¡°Although you two went through a life-and-death experience, you guys also gained something from it. At least you know each other¡¯s feelings. Both of you will have to support each other in the future; it¡¯s better than fighting alone.¡±

    The two, grandmother and granddaughter, talked for a long time before Yun

    Nan bade farewell and left without going to see Du Juan once more. When Chen Yao went to see Du Juan, Du Juan was crying as she stared out the window, looking pitiful.

    Chen Yao stood at the door, her tone calm and friendly as she said, ¡°Something on your mind? You¡¯re pregnant; being unhappy isn¡¯t good for the baby.¡±

    Du Juan turned around in shock. Slightly flustered, she hurriedly stood up. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Chen Yao smiled and walked in. ¡°The doctor said there¡¯s nothing wrong with the baby. However, since you¡¯re this late in your pregnancy, it¡¯s best to send you to the hospital as a precaution. I¡¯ve already contacted the hospital for you.¡±

    Du Juan had a complicated look as she lowered her head and mumbled, ¡°Madam, can you please take me in and let me stay here? I¡¯ll leave after I give birth. If I go to the hospital now, I¡ªI¡¯m worried that Gu Fei¡¯s sisters will harm me. They want to kill me and take my child. I¡ªI¡¯m really afraid!¡±

    Du Juan started to cry. Chen Yao looked at her and asked, ¡°I¡¯m also a member of the Gu family, so why aren¡¯t you worried that I¡¯ll harm you?¡±

    Du Juan answered without any hesitation, ¡°Because it was Yun Nan who sent me here. She¡¯s a good person; she won¡¯t harm me. She trusts you, so you must be a good person, too.¡±

    Her logic was irrefutable. Chen Yao gave her a half-smile. ¡°So that¡¯s what you¡¯re after; you want to drag Yun Nan into this and make her your guarantor! It¡¯s a good plan. I¡¯d like to know if you came up with this idea yourself or if they came up with it!¡±

    Du Juan was momentarily stunned, unable to react..

 Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Chapter Three -Hundred and Seven: Defection

    Chapter 307: Chapter Three -Hundred and Seven: Defection

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Chen Yao glanced at Du Juan¡¯s pregnant belly. ¡°You want to be acknowledged by the Gu family, but Gu Fei can¡¯t have any stain to his name; otherwise, he won¡¯t be able to marry a lady from a wealthy family of equal status. They want to do away with you, but they also want the child in your belly. They¡¯re trying to have their cake and eat it too, if you ask me. Tsk, tsk, how tough for them.¡±

    Du Juan¡¯s face paled slightly. Chen Yao continued as if she hadn¡¯t noticed, ¡°That¡¯s why someone clever thought to send you to me. That way, you¡¯ll be under the Gu family¡¯s care, and I naturally won¡¯t just stand by and watch as the child is born without a guardian in the Gu family. They¡¯ve been wanting to get us to adopt their children and were worried we wouldn¡¯t take them in, so this child of Gu Fei¡¯s¡ªhis genuine flesh and blood¡ªis the perfect candidate, and this will resolve all their troubles. What a smart person indeed!¡±

    Du Juan shook as she held her belly. ¡°Madam Gu, I¡ªI don¡¯t know anything. I¡ªI just want to protect myself.¡±

    Chen Yao raised her eyebrows. ¡°Protect yourself, huh? Well, you¡¯re a smart woman. However, you¡¯re unforgivable to me since you chose to target Yun

    Nan.¡±

    Du Juan didn¡¯t understand what she meant. Chen Yao¡¯s expression turned icy. ¡°You best put away those little plots and schemes of yours. Don¡¯t go having ideas. If you¡¯d stayed with the Gu family, they would at least keep you alive since they care about your child, but here at my place, I actually don¡¯t care about you or the child, so tread carefully.¡±

    And with that, Chen Yao turned around to leave. Du Juan fell to her knees with a thud, crying, ¡°Madam, please save us! My child and I truly have no other way out. I don¡¯t want to die.¡±

    She reached out and handed her phone over. ¡°They installed a GPS in my phone. You¡¯re right; they want me to give birth here and have you raise my child. That way, he can inherit your assets.¡±

    Cold sweat beaded on Du Juan¡¯s forehead. Chen Yao stopped, looked down at her condescendingly, and coldly uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas here if you want to live!¡±

    Du Juan lowered her head, breathing heavily. Chen Yao strode out, and when she got to the door, she instructed, ¡°Send her to the hospital. Just leave her anywhere if she doesn¡¯t behave herself.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± The staff outside the door respectfully replied.

    Du Juan felt a chill from the bottom of her heart, and all her strength sapped away, allowing the medical staff to come in, help her up, and take her away. There was a dull ache in her abdomen, and the back of her clothes were soaked in sweat.

    Tan Ning told Yun Liu about the news she¡¯d heard. ¡°You say someone is pregnant with Gu Fei¡¯s child?¡± Yun Liu exclaimed, shocked.

    Tan Ning nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s the trending topic the Gu family silenced. Your Aunt Chang Hui probably knows the person who leaked the news ¡ªshe probably had a hand in it¡ªand the ones keeping it silent are Gu Fei¡¯s sisters! ¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Yun Liu fell into deep thought. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the fight between them to have already come to a head. So where¡¯s that pregnant woman now?¡±

    Tan Ning shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The Gu family¡¯s young ladies have always been clean, decisive, and ruthless when doing things. Come to think of it, you¡¯re indeed like the Gu family in that aspect.¡±

    Yun Liu wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to her flattery. Her mind raced, and she stated, ¡°Tan Ning, we have to find this pregnant woman by all means. We might be able to control the entire Gu Corporation if we have her in our hands.¡±

    Tan Ning was dumbfounded, thinking, ¡®Aren¡¯t you aiming a little too high there?

    Yun Liu was busy thinking about her own plans and didn¡¯t notice Tan Ning¡¯s expression. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s still a way to get this matter on the trending searches?¡± she asked.

    Tan Ning hesitantly answered, ¡°That¡­ won¡¯t be easy. The media is sure to give some face since your cousin personally stepped in to silence it.¡±

    Yun Liu disagreed. ¡°The most important thing in the news industry is making a name for yourself. The media won¡¯t care about offending the Gu family if the news is big enough. Spread the news, and remember not to leave any trails. We can¡¯t let Gu Fei¡¯s sisters find out I betrayed the Gu family¡­ Oh, right, we can direct the blame to Yun Nan.¡±

    Tan Ning¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that? Alright, I¡¯ll get to it immediately! ¡±

    Yun Liu leaned back on the sofa in satisfaction. ¡®Yun Nan, just you wait. The Gu familVs daughters aren¡¯t ones to be trifled with. Now that you¡¯ve lost Fang Xi, let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll deal with such a troublesome matter!¡¯

    In the bar, a man walked towards Yun Liu and introduced himself. ¡°Hello, Miss Yun. I¡¯m Ding Ning, the planning director of Mr. Liang Han¡¯s entertainment company. Mr. Liang asked me to come and discuss a proposal with you.¡± Yun Liu was stumped. ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Liang?¡± she inquired.

    Ding Yu sat down and smiled warmly. ¡°Mr. Liang isn¡¯t free right now, so he left this matter to me.¡±

    Yun Liu couldn¡¯t hide the disappointment on her face. Noticing this, Ding Yu smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Yun. Mr. Liang has already instructed us.

    We¡¯ll immediately invest in this proposal if we can settle the details today..¡±

 Chapter 308 - Chapter 308: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eight: Little Brother

    Chapter 308: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eight: Little Brother

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu gritted her teeth, thinking, ¡®That Liang Han is really something, tossing me aside when I helped him! What a sanctimonious jerk!¡¯ She didn¡¯t believe that Liang Han didn¡¯t understand the signals she was sending him, yet he used such a method to brush her off. ¡®H¨¦s too much!¡¯ Yun Liu inwardly raged.

    Seeing her daze off, Ding Ning called out, ¡°Miss Yun?¡±

    Yun Liu managed to collect her thoughts and focus on the present. Just as she was about to speak, she heard glass shattering from the side, startling her.

    The two of them looked to the side and saw a group gathered together. Ding Ning sighed, ¡°These useless and ignorant youths drink themselves silly and mess around every two or three days. They¡¯ve got way too much energy to burn!¡±

    Yun Liu was about to retract her gaze when she inadvertently caught a glimpse of a face within the group and immediately stood up. ¡®That¡¯s Gu He!¡¯ she thought.

    Yun Liu walked over and saw a group of people surrounding Gu He, laughing and plying him with drinks. Gu He was already drunk; he had a dazed smile but didn¡¯t reject any of their toasts. The sound of glass shattering just now was Gu He kicking the wine bottle over when he slid down the booth.

    Yun Liu pushed everyone aside and went forward to pull Gu He up. She growled, ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Drunken and bleary-eyed, Gu He asked, ¡®Why do you care?¡±

    The young men around them laughed and hooted. ¡°Who are you, gorgeous, to get in Young Master Gu He¡¯s business? Hey, she¡¯s a beauty. Young Master Gu He, you have quite the luck with the ladies!¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s hair stood on end, and already, she was filled with regret. She inwardly scolded herself, ¡®Have I lost my mind being angry at Liang Han? How can I be so impulsive? I can¡¯tjust rush to the fore, even ifits for Gu He! It¡¯s is too damaging to my image/

    However, what¡¯s done is done; there¡¯s no turning back. Yun Liu gritted her teeth, scowled at Gu He, and hissed lowly, ¡°You¡¯re coming home with me!¡±

    Gu He shook her hand off with force. ¡°What do you care? Go away! I haven¡¯t had enough fun yet! I¡¯m not leaving! Bro, you said you were going to take me to¡ª to¡­ Devil¡¯s Hamlet! I want to go to Devil¡¯s Hamlet!¡±

    The group of drunkards jeered, ¡°Oh, so Young Master Gu He doesn¡¯t like women either! Then, let¡¯s go to Devil¡¯s Hamlet together! Young Master Gu Fei, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Only then did Yun Liu notice Gu Fei sitting on the other side of the booth with a wicked expression. She felt so angry that she glared daggers at him.

    Gu Fei shakily stood up and grinned. ¡°I was wondering who it was. Guys, meet my new cousin! Oh, you guys don¡¯t know, do you? My cousin here is a celebrity! She¡¯s a small celebrity, hehe. She¡¯s pretty, isn¡¯t she? Although she¡¯s no Helen of

    Troy, she can still be considered a demure beauty, right?¡±

    Everyone burst into laughter. ¡°Yes, of course. The Gu family is known for producing beauties, after all.¡±

    Yun Liu was already trembling with anger and really wished she could disappear on the spot. She deeply regretted her reckless action. ¡®I must have been brainwashed by Zheng Xiu, constantly instilling the idea of taking care of my little brother, to rush over immediately when I saw him.¡¯

    Ding Ning walked over and asked politely, ¡°Miss Yun, do you need any help?¡±

    Gu Fei nudged Ding Ning. ¡°Yo, cousin, is this your boyfriend, my future brother-in-law? Dude, don¡¯t tell me you want to marry into our Gu family. Hahaha, let me tell you, our Gu family doesn¡¯t have any dowry for someone like my cousin, so stop dreaming! Hahahaha! ¡±

    Gu He added, ¡°That¡¯s right. How can a wild child who grew up in an orphanage be worthy of our family? Let¡¯s go, bro! Take me to Devil¡¯s Hamlet!¡± Gu He and Gu Fei had their arms around each other¡¯s shoulders as they laughed at Yun Liu without restraint.

    Yun Liu landed a fierce slap on Gu He¡¯s face, and everyone instantly fell silent. Yun Liu shook her numb hand and viciously glared at Gu He. ¡°If I¡¯m not worthy of the Gu family, what about you? Are you worthy of the hard work your sisters have put in for you?¡±

    Gu He was dumbfounded. Gu Fei reached out and pushed Yun Liu away. ¡°Why did you hit him? Don¡¯t touch my little brother.¡±

    Yun Liu was already mad with rage. Her mind was blank as she glowered at Gu Fei with reddened eyes. ¡°You say he¡¯s your little brother; then how dare you bring him to such a place? Stop trying to lead my brother astray. I advise you to go home and look after your illegitimate child instead!¡±

    Gu Fei froze before he snapped, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I don¡¯t have an illegitimate child!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Yun Liu sneered. ¡°You don¡¯t even remember the heinous things you¡¯ve done? Why don¡¯t you go home and ask your sisters where your illegitimate child is? That woman¡¯s about to give birth any day now, isn¡¯t she? How dare you care about others if you can¡¯t even give proper care to your own child? You¡¯re trying to lead Gu He astray so that he won¡¯t have the right to inherit, aren¡¯t you? Well, dream on! The entire Gu family will belong to Gu He when your scandal gets exposed!¡±

    Yun Liu dragged Gu He over and left. Gu He got slapped and wanted to cry, but he was too scared by Yun Liu¡¯s menacing state to do so. Thanks to that, Yun Liu brought Gu He out without much effort..

 Chapter 309 - Chapter 309: Chapter Three-Hundred and Nine: Humiliated

    Chapter 309: Chapter Three-Hundred and Nine: Humiliated

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu pushed Gu He onto the sofa when they got home. Zheng Xiu immediately rushed to her son and exclaimed, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened? Gu He, were you out drinking?¡±

    Gu He hugged Zheng Xiu and cried loudly. He pointed at Yun Liu and tattled,

    ¡°She hit me! Mom, she hit me!¡±

    Zheng Xiu¡¯s face darkened, and she shouted at Yun Liu, ¡°How can you hit your little brother?!¡±

    She turned back to Gu He and reached out to touch his face. Gu He cried out in pain, and Zheng Xiu quickly called the maids to bring an ice pack and a hard-boiled egg. She babied and comforted Gu He while she busied around without even giving Yun Liu a second glance.

    It was only now that Yun Liu¡¯s blood gradually flowed from her numb limbs back to her heart and then flowed back to her limbs. Yun Liu recovered her wits, and desolation welled in her heart.

    Gu He and Gu Fei¡¯s verbal abuse and Zheng Xiu¡¯s disregard for her made Yun Liu feel extremely aggrieved. She regretted stepping forward¡ªregretted standing up for her unworthy brother. She should have turned around and left, turning a blind eye to him. What did it have to do with her if he got corrupted and turned bad?

    Gu He finally calmed down under Zheng Xiu¡¯s consolation but still glared at Yun Liu hatefully.

    Zheng Xiu yelled at Yun Liu. ¡°You¡¯re his elder sister! How can you bully your little brother? This is outrageous!¡±

    She stretched out her hand and lightly swatted Yun Liu twice, giving Yun Liu a look as she did so. Yun Liu only felt numb. Zheng Xiu turned around and said to her son, ¡°See, I¡¯ve punished your sister. She has learned her lesson. She won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    Gu He jumped up and bossily stated, ¡°No, that won¡¯t do! You hit her too lightly. I¡¯ll teach this wretched girl a lesson she won¡¯t forget!¡±

    Gu He picked up the crystal fruit plate on the table and threw it straight at Yun Liu¡¯s head. Yun Liu subconsciously dodged, and the crystal plate struck her collarbone. Yun Liu fell to the ground in pain. She was in so much pain that tears streamed down her face as she covered her injured collarbone, and she couldn¡¯t speak.

    Gu He condescendingly stared at her and meanly uttered, ¡°Let¡¯s see if you still dare to poke your nose into my business in the future! Hmph!¡±

    That said, he swaggered away. Yun Liu was in so much pain that her vision turned black. Zheng Xiu hurriedly called out to her son¡¯s disappearing figure, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, sweetie. I¡¯ll be sure to lecture your sister.¡±

    Only when Gu He was gone did Zheng Xiu squat down and ask Yun Liu, ¡°How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?¡±

    Yun Liu gasped in pain. ¡°I¡­ need to go¡­ to the hospital.¡±

    Zheng Xiu frowned. ¡°It¡¯s just a plate. Why would you need to go to the hospital for such a small thing? It won¡¯t be good for our reputation if this gets out.¡±

    Yun Liu raised her head and tearfully looked at Zheng Xiu. ¡°Mom, Gu Fei brought Gu He to a bar to drink and got him bar girls. He even wanted to bring him to a gay bar. Aren¡¯t you afraid that he¡¯ll be drugged and get addicted to drugs?¡±

    Zheng Xiu was shocked. ¡°What?! It was Gu Fei who brought him out to drink?¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t say anything. She stood up with some struggle and started walking out. Zheng Xiu hurriedly caught up to her, saying, ¡°That Gu Fei is so malicious!¡±

    Yun Liu gritted her teeth and walked out without saying a word while holding a hand to the injury on her collarbone, thinking, ¡®And your son who struck his own sister isn¡¯t?

    The media and trending searches exploded with the news that Gu Fei, the only male heir of the Gu Corporation, had an illegitimate child. By the time Gu Rou and Gu Wan knew about it, it was already in the top three trending searches, and there was nothing they could do.

    Gu Rou furiously told the others, ¡°The news came from Yun Innovations. We don¡¯t have any grudges against Yun Innovations, so why would they cause trouble for us?¡±

    Gu Fei angrily stated, ¡°It wasn¡¯t Yun Innovations! It was that b*tch, Yun Liu, who spilled the beans! I was there; she said it herself! News spreads fast in a place like a bar¡ªfaster than the Internet! That b*tch! We must kick her out of the Gu family!¡±

    The others looked at each other in disbelief. Gu Jing analyzed and asked, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it seems Yun Nan and Yun Liu have quite a close sibling relationship. Are those two trying to ruin our reputation together? Is Yun Nan still holding a grudge against us because of Shi Xiu? Isn¡¯t that going too far? The Shi family hasn¡¯t even said anything. She¡¯s just Shi Xiu¡¯s sister-in-law, so what is she making a fuss for?¡±

    Gu Xiang remarked, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to be so insidious as to meddle in our family¡¯s matters. I told you guys that Yun Liu would never be one of us, but all of you praised her and said she was obedient and sensible. As expected, it¡¯s the quiet ones that bite.¡±

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have registered her in the family tree if you ask me. We should have told the public there was a mistake; she¡¯s not the Gu family¡¯s biological daughter. I¡¯d like to see how she can live the shame down! Hmph!¡± Gu Xiang continued, feeling extremely upset when she thought of the company that the Yun family had given to Yun Liu.

    Gu Wan was very clear-headed and asked Gu Fei, ¡°What did you do to provoke her? Why would she say such things to discredit you?¡±

    Gu Fei nonchalantly replied, ¡°I was just bringing Gu He out to experience the world. Who knew that I would bump into her? She¡¯s such a busybody! Oh, right, she even slapped Gu He.. Her mother and auntie won¡¯t let her off easily when she gets home!¡±

 Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ten: Disenchanted

    Chapter 310: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ten: Disenchanted

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Rou glared at him. ¡°Mind your own business before you mind others¡¯!¡± she scolded.

    Gu Wan looked at Gu Rou and asked, ¡°What should we do now? Have you still not found Du Juan yet?¡±

    ¡°No, someone must have hidden her away. If I find out who¡¯s hiding her, they¡¯ll suffer!¡± Gu Rou said venomously.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why you guys insist on keeping her alive,¡± Gu Fei commented coldly. ¡°It¡¯s just a child; I can have more in the future. Why put all your expectations on her child?¡±

    His sisters didn¡¯t look at him. Feeling snubbed, Gu Fei got up to leave, saying, ¡°Either way, I don¡¯t care. You all should settle the trouble you¡¯ve caused yourselves. Don¡¯t bother me, and Big Sis, take down the trending searches about me! I don¡¯t care how you do it or how much money it takes! I¡¯ve just made some progress with Xi Feng. You guys can¡¯t ruin it for me!¡± Gu Rou scowled at him. Gu Fei hugged her and whined, ¡°Big Sis, you gotta help

    Gu Rou couldn¡¯t take it anymore and pushed him away. ¡°Alright, fine. I¡¯ll handle it, but you have to behave yourself. You can¡¯t cause any more trouble!¡±

    Gu Fei placed two fingers on his forehead and playfully saluted her before he carefreelv left. Gu Xiang sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I owed him in my previous life to have to clean up his mess after him endlessly in this life.¡±

    Gu Rou shot her a look. ¡°Cut the crap. Hurry up and get someone to take down the trending searches. Gu Jing, keep an eye on Yun Liu. I keep having the feeling that she¡¯ll ruin our plans! Big Sis and I will continue to look for that b*tch, Du Juan!¡±

    A slap landed on Yun Liu¡¯s face, tilting her head to the side. The sudden movement pulled at her collarbone injury and sent a sharp pain through her body, causing her tears to fall involuntarily.

    Yun Liu questioned a furious Bai Jie as she cried, ¡°Auntie, what was that for?¡± She had just gotten her collarbone checked and completed the hospitalization procedures. The crystal fruit plate had fractured her collarbone, so she needed convalescence. She was home to pack up and wait for the hospital¡¯s call. Zheng Xiu felt slightly guilty about the whole thing and was comforting her when Bai Jie and Chang Hui barged in, and Bai Jie just slapped her without warning.

    Chang Hui was indifferent, while Zheng Xiu¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Bai Jie? Yun Liu¡¯s your niece, and it¡¯s only right for you to teach her a lesson if she did something wrong, but you have to give us a reason, right?¡±

    Bai Jie coolly stared at her sister-in-law, who usually hid behind Chang Hui and never dared to speak up. ¡®She¡¯s finally showing her true colors. As expected, she¡¯s not as timid and subservient as she seems.¡¯

    Chang Hui quickly went up to play the mediator when she heard Zheng Xiu¡¯s words, ¡°Bai Jie, don¡¯t be angry. Zheng Xiu has always been honest. I reckon she still doesn¡¯t know about it!¡¯

    She then turned to Zheng Xiu and sighed, ¡°Zheng Xiu, dear, I don¡¯t want to criticize you, but since Yun Liu has returned to our family, you should do your part in educating her. If you can¡¯t manage that, just let me know, and Bai Jie and I will help you teach her. Look what she¡¯s done; she doesn¡¯t even treat us like family!¡±

    Chang Hui continued, ¡°She actually spread the rumor that Gu Fei has an illegitimate child! Our Gu Fei is the next head of the family; how could she slander him like this? He¡¯s her cousin! The news that Gu Fei has an illegitimate son is now on the trending list! Tell me, how are we supposed to resolve this?¡±

    Shocked, Zheng Xiu turned to look at Yun Liu, who was sobbing uncontrollably. Zheng Xiu gave it some thought and already had an idea of how the entire situation came to be. Facing Chang Hui, who was gloating over her misfortune, Zheng Xiu coldly said, ¡°Chang Hui, did you not know that Gu Fei brought Gu He to a bar? Not only did he get him drunk, he even wanted to bring him to Devil¡¯s

    Hamlet to ¡®broaden his horizons.¡±¡®

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Chang Hui asked sharply.

    ¡°Those two have the closest relationship in the family, so what¡¯s the big deal about Gu Fei taking Gu He out to play?¡± Bai Jie frostily replied.

    Chang Hui felt her chest tighten in anger. ¡®If that isn¡¯t a big deal, then what is? she inwardly fumed.

    Bai Jie glanced at them coolly and uttered, ¡°Gu Rou spent five million dollars to take that news down from the trending list. Yun Liu¡¯s the one who spread the rumor, so you guys have to pay her back!¡± With that, Bai Jie turned around and left.

    Chang Hui exclaimed, ¡°Do you hear the nonsense she¡¯s spouting? It¡¯s her son on the trending list, and she wants us to foot the bill! Pah!¡±

    Zheng Xiu looked at her fence-sitter of a sister-in-law and felt bitterly disappointed, thinking, ¡®How did such a stupid fool become my sister-in-law? It¡¯s this woman who spoiled my son into a worthless, recalcitrant man!

    Chang Hui gloatingly stated, ¡°Look at her acting so high and mighty now, hmph! She¡¯s in for some interesting times in the future! We¡¯ll give her the five million and then spend another five million to put Gu Fei back on the trending list! We¡¯ll see how she likes that!¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t respond. She kept looking outside, her hair covering the side of her face. Chang Hui noticed Yun Liu¡¯s mood and awkwardly said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave you guys in peace. Yun Liu, take good care of yourself. I have to go back and check on Gu He.. Oh, dear, how could you hit your little brother? Don¡¯t you dare do it again, alright?¡±

 Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Chapter Three -Hundred and Eleven: Mobbed

    Chapter 311: Chapter Three -Hundred and Eleven: Mobbed

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Zheng Xiu walked up to Yun Liu and gently hugged her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through all that, dear.¡± Yun Liu burst into tears. She¡¯d never suffered such grievances in the Yun family.

    A group of reporters had mobbed Yun Nan at the studio, firing rapid questions at her.

    ¡°Director Yun, I heard that Shi Xiu and Gu Fei have an illegitimate child. Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Director Yun! Shi Xiu hasn¡¯t shown up in public for a while now. Is she busy filming, or is she pregnant?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so mysterious if she¡¯s filming, right? Shi Xiu hasn¡¯t appeared in public for several months now. That isn¡¯t normal!¡±

    ¡°There have been rumors that Gu Fei and Shi Xiu are in a relationship and that Gu Fei is deeply in love with Shi Xiu. Is Shi Xiu keeping their relationship quiet because she¡¯s afraid it will affect her career? That¡¯s being irresponsible to her fans!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! She denied it so firmly before, but they secretly have a child!¡±

    ¡°Director Yun, why haven¡¯t the Shi family arranged a wedding ceremony for you and Shi Nian? Is it because Shi Xiu is pregnant and can¡¯t make an appearance?¡±

    ¡°Director Yun, Shi Xiu and Gu Fei even have a child together, so why did the Shi family still not agree to her marriage with Gu Fei? Did you guys think that the Gu family wasn¡¯t worthy enough? Then, what now?¡±

    ¡°Director Yun, I heard that Gu Fei and the Xi family¡¯s young miss, Xi Feng, are an item. What¡¯s up with that?¡±

    ¡°Could it be that Gu Fei cheated on Shi Xiu while she was pregnant?¡±

    ¡°Director Yun!¡±

    ¡°Director Yun!¡±

    Yun Nan took a deep breath amidst all the racket and imagined how Fang Xi would control her emotions if she were in her shoes. Yun Nan silently told herself, ¡®You can¡¯t be angry or anxious. You must keep calm.¡¯

    Beside her, Lu Hui was so angry that her entire body was trembling, and she loudly raged, ¡°Call the police! Call the police! Where¡¯s our legal counsel?

    Lawyer! We need a lavvyer here to collect evidence!¡±

    The noise of the media reporters drowned out her voice. Yun Nan finally got hold of a microphone. She tapped the mic , and the sound waves that action caused cut through the media reporters¡¯ din.

    Yun Nan held the microphone and raised her voice to say, ¡°Can everyone please listen to me quietly?¡± Everyone finally quieted down.

    Yun Nan swept her gaze across the crowd. ¡°I¡¯ve strung together everyone¡¯s questions just now and worked out the complete storyline: Miss Shi Xiu and Mr. Gu Fei were unable to get married due to the difference in their family status, so they got pregnant out of wedlock. Shi Xiu hid her pregnancy and gave birth to their illegitimate child under the guise of filming, and Gu Fei cheated on Shi Xiu with Miss Xi Feng during Shi Xiu¡¯s pregnancy. Is that what you guys are trying to say?¡±

    Everyone was silent. Yun Nan nodded and gestured to Lu Hui. ¡®Write this down and send it to our top screenwriters. Have them write a melodramatic story about the love and hate between two wealthy families. Then, we¡¯ll find a stupid investor with too much money to invest and film it. We¡¯ll use actors with the biggest fanbase and traffic to act it out for our most brainless audience.¡±

    Someone within the crowd indignantly called out, ¡°How eloquent of you to scold and call us fools without using a single curse word, Director Yun!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Yun Nan replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t scold anyone. Isn¡¯t that the story you told me? You guys were talking about it all at once that I didn¡¯t even have the chance to explain. Let me put it another way: Would you guys believe me if I explained?¡±

    She continued, ¡°People will believe what they want to believe. As for the truth, do you guys even care? Shi Xiu is miles away, and with just your imagination and tongues, you made her out to be a woman who got pregnant out of wedlock. I just want to ask, Do you guys have any evidence?¡±

    Before anyone could say anything, Yun Nan stated, ¡°I know what you guys will say: If Shi Xiu didn¡¯t have a child out of wedlock, then we must produce the evidence to prove it. However, everyone here has forgotten that, according to the law, it¡¯s the ones who raised contention that have to prove such contention by providing proper evidence, not the other way around. You all said that Shi Xiu was pregnant with an illegitimate child. Where is the evidence? Is there any evidence?¡±

    ¡°You all wagged your tongues and pushed Shi Xiu into the abyss without evidence. You all should be ashamed! You guys work in the media, after all. Aren¡¯t you letting down the trust of thousands upon thousands of viewers out there with such unscrupulous behavior?¡±

    The smile on Yun Nan¡¯s face had already disappeared, and her expression became stern. ¡°For everyone to jointly come to Yun Innovations and gather into a crowd to condemn Shi Xiu shows that you all received the same information. It¡¯s been commonplace for people to slander and discredit us since Yun Innovations¡¯ establishment, but you all better go back and check. Have Yun Innovations lost any of our lawsuits?¡±

    ¡°We never lost a single lawsuit because we have a clear conscience; honest and upright folks like us have nothing to fear, and I never compromise with those with malicious intentions. Everyone here today will indiscriminately receive a lavvyer¡¯s letter from Yun Innovations. I won¡¯t let anyone who spreads rumors and slanders others off!¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s words made some media reporters fly into a humiliated rage. ¡°Are you trying to make enemies of us all, Director Yun? What we do is news, so of course, we have to verify things with the parties involved in the first instance. What¡¯s wrong with that? If the info we have isn¡¯t the truth, then Director Yun should call Shi Xiu out to meet with the audience and her fans, and the rumors will naturally fall apart..¡±

 Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twelve: Deter

    Chapter 312: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twelve: Deter

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan looked at the reporters who were badgering the issue, staring at them until they stopped talking, and the entire place fell silent before saying, ¡°Why should we have to come out to prove and explain ourselves every time there¡¯s a rumor about us?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re public figures, but we don¡¯t have the obligation to satisfy everyone¡¯s need for gossip and curiosity. I¡¯m tired of saying things like ¡®the truth will speak for itself.¡¯ For those who can tell right from wrong, there¡¯s no need for us to explain, and for those who want to slander Shi Xiu, there¡¯s no use in explaining.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s firm and imposing manner deterred the media reporters, who had come prepared with a whole load of twisted logic. Yun Innovations had never been soft-hearted when it came to those who spread rumors and slandered others, after all.

    Yun Nan suddenly smiled. ¡°I might as well keep everyone in suspense today. I want to see how the truth will come to light and who will get slapped in the face then. Even though things get recorded and preserved on the Internet, it doesn¡¯t stop people from stirring up trouble. Isn¡¯t that because the cost of spreading rumors is too slight?¡±

    ¡°This time, to teach these rumormongers a lesson, I¡¯ll pay to put the matter on the trending list out of my own pocket on the day the rumors get exposed as false. I¡¯ll put the truth up with the rumors on the headlines for others to compare!¡±

    Some of the reporters¡¯ expressions changed when they heard that. ¡°Yun Nan, don¡¯t do that! It¡¯s not a good idea to do that!¡± Lu Hui said, looking serious. ¡°Why not?¡± Yun Nan glanced at her and asked, thinking, ¡®This girl has finally caught on and knows how to set up a conversation. As expected, it¡¯s easiest to learn through experience. She grew up more in this instance than in learning from Fang Xi and I.¡¯

    Lu Hui replied with a cheery smile, ¡°There are too many rumors about Yun Innovations. You¡¯ll have to pay to put them on the trending list every time one gets exposed, and they¡¯ll have to be on the list for ten days at a time. I¡¯m worried you¡¯ll go bankrupt!¡±

    Yun Innovations¡¯ employees started to laugh, and the media reporters¡¯ momentum weakened. They came here en masse to condemn Shi Xiu and Yun Innovations but were unexpectedly and forcefully led astray by Yun Nan.

    Shi Nian rushed home to see Yun Nan calmly cooking in the kitchen, and his nerves relaxed slightly. Yun Nan heard him come in, so she turned and called out, ¡°Dinner will be served soon.¡±

    Shi Nian changed out of his shoes and went to the kitchen. ¡°I heard that some reporters caused a ruckus at Yun Innovations today. I¡¯m sorry, I was in a meeting the entire afternoon¡ªI¡®

    Yun Nan turned around and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Everything¡¯s resolved!¡±

    Shi Nian exhaled lightly. Yun Nan was too independent, making him seem redundant. Shi Nian already knew the ins and outs of the whole thing from Chang Yuan, but still asked, ¡°I heard rumors about Shi Xiu are flying around again; is that right?¡±

    Yun Nan handed the dishes that were done to him, gestured for him to bring them to the dining table, and loudly told him, ¡°That¡¯s how the entertainment industry works. They¡¯ll believe anything they hear and make a fuss about nothing! I¡¯ve already informed Mika; Shi Xiu will be fine.¡±

    Shi Nian helped to set the cutlery as he remarked, ¡°Tell the legal department to have at it. You can use our company¡¯s lavvyers if you don¡¯t have enough manpower.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to raise such a big commotion. I did tell those media reporters today that I would send them a lawyer¡¯s letter, but it was just talk. I don¡¯t have the time to fuss over such nonsense with them.¡±

    Shi Nian pulled Yun Nan into his arms and said seriously, ¡°No one is allowed to bully my wife or my sister! ¡±

    And with that, Shi Nian kissed Yun Nan¡¯s lips. Yun Nan struggled for a bit, but Shi Nian wouldn¡¯t let her escape. Ever since the man recovered from his injuries, it was as if he had been released from his shackles. As long as they were together, he constantly wanted to kiss and hug Yun Nan and got extremely clingy.

    When Shi Nian finally ended the long kiss, Yun Nan lightly hit him in mock rebuke and said softly, ¡°Stop fooling around and eat dinner!¡±

    Shi Nian was reluctant to let her go. He kissed her earlobe and muttered,

    ¡°Dinner can¡¯t compare to my wife!¡±

    Yun Nan blushed and mock-scowled. ¡°Are you saying my food isn¡¯t delicious? I worked hard to make it!¡±

    Shi Nian chuckled. The coquettish woman in front of him was a completely different person from the sharp- tongued and domineering director he had seen in the video of her talking the crowd down. He had to admit that, no matter which side of Yun Nan it was, he loved them all. She was his treasure girl.

    Yun Nan pushed him away to scoop some soup and rice. Face still blushing, she forcefully changed the topic. ¡°I reckon the media will throw a bigger fuss tomorrow, so be mentally prepared!¡±

    Shi Nian sat down, took a sip of the soup, and stated with a look of satisfaction, ¡°I¡¯ll see which media outlet is causing a ruckus and get Chang Yuan to evaluate its worth.¡±

    Yun Nan was momentarily stunned and laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit much?¡±

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t even look up as he replied, ¡°This is nothing. Liang Han is expanding his business in the industry, so I¡¯m only helping him..¡±

 Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirteen: Culprit

    Chapter 313: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirteen: Culprit

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Liang Han called, and Shi Nian immediately put him on speaker.

    ¡°Hey, Shi Nian, I have some news that I can¡¯t tell is good or bad. I wonder if you¡¯re interested,¡± Liang Han indolently stated, his tone filled with anticipation.

    Shi Nian knew his buddies too well and lightly replied, ¡°Great timing, Liang Han. I was just talking to Yun Nan about helping you expand your territory in the media industry.¡±

    Liang Han¡¯s voice instantly became eager and excited. ¡°Really? Shi Nian, my man! You¡¯re the best! No need to help me expand my territory; I only need Yun Nan to help me direct a film!¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s lips curled into a smile. He and Yun Nan looked at each other and grinned. Then, Shi Nian indifferently said, ¡°That depends on whether the news you have is good or bad.¡±

    Liang Han had completely missed what Shi Nian had meant before¡ªthe couple had been discussing helping him before he¡¯d even stated his conditions. They would help him even if he didn¡¯t have news for them. Not knowing this, Liang Han hurriedly blurted out, ¡°Yun Liu knew about Gu Fei¡¯s illegitimate child before Yun Nan did! I reckon Yun Liu was the reason those media reporters went to cause trouble at Yun Innovations!¡±

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan looked at each other, and Shi Nian¡¯s smile turned cold. ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    Liang Han briefly explained his thought process. ¡°I think Yun Liu is trying to divert the blame to Yun Nan. She¡¯s a member of the Gu family; those people would eat her alive if they knew she¡¯d exposed their family¡¯s secrets. That¡¯s why she came up with this stupid idea to escape unscathed.¡±

    Liang Han continued, ¡°That woman is truly quite scheming. My mom is no match for her at all. Yun Liu played her like a fiddle and sweet-talked her way into my mom¡¯s favor, and now my mom¡¯s forcing me to go on blind dates with her. She¡¯s constantly asking me if I liked Yun Liu, and if I answered no, she¡¯d ask why I didn¡¯t like her. Tsk! I know my mom¡¯s hoping I¡¯ll marry her. Why would I want to marry such a woman? I don¡¯t have a death wish!¡±

    Shi Nian detachedly uttered, ¡°Come and discuss your expansion plans with me when you¡¯re free. I¡¯ll invest!¡±

    ¡°If you need anything from me, feel free to look for me!¡± Yun Nan shouted at the phone.

    Liang Han didn¡¯t expect Yun Nan to be there, too, and was momentarily stunned by the sudden promise. Pleasantly surprised, he replied, ¡°Alright!¡±

    Shi Nian frowned as he put down his phone. ¡°Why is Yun Liu always causing trouble?!¡±

    Yun Nan remarked, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. The biter gets bit; she¡¯ll get her comeuppance! Let¡¯s visit Fang Xi after dinner and relieve Ye Kun from his shift. He¡¯s been eating and living in the hospital for more than half a month. The hospital¡¯s about to become his home at this rate.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded. He was at first surprised by Ye Kun¡¯s deep and unwavering love, and then he admired it. He would do his best to help Ye Kun, whether in business or life.

    Yun Nan sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ye Kun¡¯s family to accept Ye Kun and Fang Xi¡¯s relationship. I thought they would be as heartless as the Xi family.¡± After saying that, she realized she had misspoken. After all, the Xi and Shi families were old friends, and Shi Nian and Xi Cheng had been good friends since they were kids.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t mind. After all, the fault lies with Xi Cheng in this matter. He told Yun Nan, ¡°The Ye family¡¯s eldest son, Ye Tang, is my big brother¡¯s best friend. That¡¯s why Ye Kun would come to ask for my brother¡¯s help when there¡¯s something that his brother, Ye Tang, wouldn¡¯t let him off for. Ye Tang took over the entire Ye family when he was very young. His situation is different from mine; my father, big brother, and grandfather are still around. Although I also took over my family¡¯s businesses at a young age, I didn¡¯t have to face as many obstacles as Ye Tang did.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy for Ye Tang to handle all the different factions in the Ye clan and care for his mother and little brother alone. Ye Kun may complain and argue with his brother, but it¡¯s just talk. He respects his older brother very much and knows his brother¡¯s difficulties, so he¡¯s always thinking about sharing Ye Tang¡¯s burdens.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s great! If only Fang Xi could wake up and tie the knot with Ye Kun. A supportive and caring family like Ye Kun¡¯s would definitely be able to heal the wound in Fang Xi¡¯s heart.¡±

    Shi Nian hesitated before stating, ¡°I heard from Xi Cheng that, during the years they were together, Fang Xi never used his money.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s face darkened the moment she heard Xi Cheng¡¯s name. ¡°I hate his type the most. He thinks he¡¯s so great just because he has money. He thinks he bought Fang Xi¡¯s seven years of youth! As if that¡¯s something money can buy!¡±

    ¡°He never cherished Fang Xi¡¯s love, unashamedly wasting away Fang Xi¡¯s youth because he thought he¡¯d bought it, and when he realized that wasn¡¯t the case¡ªthat she didn¡¯t take any of his money¡ªhe started to whine and moan, blaming everything and everyone but himself. Then, he puts on a heartbroken act for others to see, as if he were the victim in all this. Hah! Such belated affection is meaningless!¡±

    Shi Nian reached out and stroked Yun Nan¡¯s head. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be angry. Xi Cheng is indeed quite messy when it comes to relationships. No one can help him with this kind of thing¡ªhe has to make his own choice.¡±

    ¡°I wish him and Miss Lin Yu a long life together!¡± Yun Nan said huffily. ¡°Those two deserve each other. I hope he¡¯ll marry her and not break the hearts of good women out there anymore! What happened to Fang Xi is a cautionary lesson.¡±

    Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but inwardly sigh deeply, thinking, ¡®Yun Nan¡¯s worldview is a little too naive and simple..¡¯

 Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fourteen: Regaining Consciousness

    Chapter 314: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fourteen: Regaining Consciousness

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Ye Kun placed the fresh champagne roses into the vase and arranged the bouquet. Then, he stroked Fang Xi¡¯s head before sitting down and holding her hand. He began to speak to the unconscious Fang Xi.

    ¡°How are you feeling today? Did you miss me? I bought the last bouquet of champagne roses in the flower shop today. Luckily, I asked the florist to reserve a bouquet of champagne roses for me every day. I told her they¡¯re for my wife, and she said she would definitely keep them in reserve for me because there aren¡¯t many good men out there who are as affectionate as me! Fang Xi, she praised me. I¡¯m such a good man, so you should wake up soon, or someone can easily snatch me away!¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi, you¡¯re probably traveling alone in your inner world and have forgotten about home because you¡¯ve encountered a place with beautiful scenery. Fang Xi, don¡¯t forget I¡¯m still waiting for you here. Don¡¯t leave me here alone. I¡¯ll be miserable without you! So, come back if you¡¯ve had enough fun and rest. I¡¯ll take you to visit all kinds of places all over the world!¡±

    ¡°My big brother is very nice to me now, Fang Xi. He doesn¡¯t arrange for me to

    go abroad anymore. He was very strict with me in the past¡ªhe¡¯d send me to the other side of the globe without any discussion. I¡¯ve been to many, many countries¡ªthe coldest, the hottest, the richest, and the poorest. I¡¯ve seen a lot of suffering in the world. I¡¯ll take you to visit those places again in the future. Didn¡¯t Yun Nan ask you to write a script? You can gather info and collect materials for it along the way.¡±

    ¡°My housekeeper told me my mother has secretly prepared a betrothal gift, Fang Xi. She even told my big brother that she¡¯d give his betrothal gift to you, my wife, if he doesn¡¯t find a girlfriend soon. Hehe, serves him right!¡±

    ¡°This is all thanks to you. With you, I can hold my head high before my mother and big brother. It doesn¡¯t matter how outstanding my big brother is; to my mother, he¡¯s not a good son if he can¡¯t bring home a wife!¡±

    Ye Kun chuckled smugly at this point and placed Fang Xi¡¯s palm on his face. Suddenly, he felt Fang Xi¡¯s fingers twitch slightly. Ye Kun froze, not daring to move. Fang Xi¡¯s index finger brushed against his face once more; he felt the movement clearly this time.

    Ye Kun carefully held Fang Xi¡¯s hand up before his eyes and softly called out, ¡°Fang Xi?¡± He didn¡¯t dare raise his voice and even quieted his breathing, afraid that he would scare this miracle away if he spoke too loudly or breathed too heavily.

    ¡°Fang Xi?¡± he gently repeated. Sensing the slightly quickening pace of Fang Xi¡¯s breathing, Ye Kun raised his head to look at Fang Xi¡¯s face and saw Fang Xi suddenly frown and her eyelashes quiver.

    ¡°Fang Xi?¡± Ye Kun called out again, feeling as if this were a dream, and blinked his eyes hard. Fang Xi¡¯s eyes moved under her lids, and her eyelashes fluttered. Ye Kun was ecstatic. ¡°Fang Xi! Fang Xi, wait here! I¡¯ll go get the doctor!¡± In his frenzy, he forgot about the call bell at the bedside and ran out.

    Yun Nan and Shi Nian had just arrived at the corridor when they saw Ye Kun run out of the ward, manically yelling, ¡°Doctor! Doctor! Doctor, come quickly!¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s heart skipped a few beats. She rushed over, grabbed Ye Kun¡¯s arm, and anxiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened to Fang Xi?¡± Without waiting for Ye Kun to answer, she pushed him away and rushed into the ward.

    Ye Kun hugged Shi Nian, overwhelmed by his emotions, and babbled, ¡°Shi Nian! Shi Nian! Fang Xi moved. Her hands moved. Her eyes, too.¡± He then remembered what he came out to do and shouted, ¡°Doctor! Doctor!¡±

    The doctors and nurses heard his calls and rushed into the ward. Yun Nan was squeezed to the side, and her legs went weak. Shi Nian happened to come in right then and support her.

    Seeing him, Yun Nan threw herself into Shi Nian¡¯s arms and burst into tears. Shi Nian hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. Fang Xi¡¯s alright. They¡¯re checking her over because she¡¯s showing signs of waking up!¡±

    ¡®Huh? Yun Nan stared disbelievingly at Shi Nian with teary eyes.

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Yes, Fang Xi¡¯s hands and eyes moved. Ye Kun is delirious with joy. Don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s not what you think.¡±

    *Ba-dump* Yun Nan¡¯s heart settled back in her chest and resumed its steady beat. All her strength sapped away, and she collapsed in Shi Nian¡¯s embrace, letting him keep her upright.

    The doctors and nurses were working busily around Fang Xi while Ye Kun paced circles around them, muttering, ¡°Fang Xi, did you hear me? I¡¯ll take you traveling around the world when you wake up. You can do whatever you want and eat whatever you want. I just want you to be happy! You can¡¯t leave me here alone. I¡¯m scared of being alone. Fang Xi, you have to come back soon!¡±

    The various examination results came out very quickly, and the young nurses rushed to deliver them to the attending doctor. The attending doctor¡¯s expression became more and more relaxed as he read through the results, and

    he gradually smiled..

 Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifteen: Secretly Peeping

    Chapter 315: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifteen: Secretly Peeping

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Doctor, how is she?¡± Shi Nian asked softly, his buddy still muttering crazily to himself at one side. Yun Nan was so anxious that she could hardly stand on her own.

    ¡°Mr. Shi, the blood clot in Miss Fang¡¯s skull is being absorbed at a fast rate. That¡¯s very good news! It means that the current medication and treatment plan are very effective,¡± the doctor replied, a little excited.

    Shi Nian was puzzled. ¡°So, she¡¯s still not awake? Ye Kun said that Fang Xi¡¯s fingers moved just now, and so did her eyes.¡±

    The doctor turned around to glance at the mumbling Ye Kun and stated, ¡°Miss Fang¡¯s brain waves react when she hears Mr. Ye¡¯s voice. Therefore, Mr. Ye needs to talk to her often to stimulate her. Miss Fang may wake up at any moment.¡±

    Yun Nan was delighted. ¡°Really?¡±

    The doctor nodded heavily and put his hands in his pockets, relieved. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. Generally, with an injury as serious as Miss Fang¡¯s, there¡¯s a high probability of her not waking up and spending the rest of her life in a vegetative state. But to my surprise¡­ It¡¯s truly a miracle!¡±

    Shi Nian thanked the doctor and walked up to Ye Kun. Ye Kun¡¯s eyes glistened with tears¡ªhe¡¯d heard everything the doctor had said. Shi Nian patted his buddy¡¯s shoulder and uttered, ¡°Hang in there, bro!¡±

    Ye Kun nodded lightly.

    Yun Nan waited for the nurses to put away the equipment before coming forward and holding Fang Xi¡¯s hand. She cried and said, ¡°Fang Xi, you have to wake up soon! I can¡¯t¡ªI can¡¯t manage Yun Innovations alone. I can¡¯t do anything without you. I need you. I¡¯m being bullied. You gotta wake up and help me! Fang Xi!¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s tears fell onto Fang Xi¡¯s palm. Ye Kun looked at Fang Xi and noticed a tear dripping from the corner of her eye. His eyes widened, and he patted Yun Nan¡¯s shoulder, signaling her to continue speaking.

    Yun Nan hurriedly wiped away her tears and continued, ¡°Fang Xi, Yun Liu is spreading rumors again. She¡¯s spreading rumors about Shi Xiu this time. I was mobbed and questioned by reporters at the company entrance. Lu Hui doesn¡¯t have much experience, so I could only face them alone. I need you, Fang Xi. I can¡¯t do without you! Wake up soon, Fang Xi! Wake up and help me! Protect me! Alright, Fang Xi?¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s fingers visibly moved, and the three were ecstatic.

    The nurse came over and softly advised, ¡°Let the patient rest for a while. The doctor suggests not stimulating her too much. You have to go at it step by step.¡±

    Ye Kun and Yun Nan immediately nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. That makes sense.¡±

    Yun Nan held Fang Xi¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Hang in there, Fang Xi! Don¡¯t tire yourself out. We¡¯re all waiting for you to wake up. You can do it!¡±

    Yun Nan then looked at Ye Kun. ¡°We came here to relieve you of your shift. You¡¯ve been by her bedside all this time. You must be exhausted.¡±

    Ye Kun immediately shook his head. ¡°No, no. There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m not leaving. I¡¯ll stay here with her. She might wake up at any moment now. She¡¯ll be disappointed if she wakes up to find no one by her side. I can¡¯t have that. I won¡¯t disappoint her in my entire life! I¡¯ll stay with her! I¡¯ll stay with her no matter what she becomes! You guys can go home. Yun Nan, guard Yun

    Innovations and wait for Fang Xi¡¯s return. If anyone dares to bully you girls,

    Shi Nian and I will bury them alive!¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and wiped away her tears. ¡°Alright, I will definitely guard Yun

    Innovations properly. The studio is me and Fang Xi¡¯s life¡¯s work!¡±

    Xi Cheng watched Yun Nan and Shi Nian enter the elevator before silently walking into the doctor¡¯s office.

    Shi Nian frowned when he saw Xi Cheng¡¯s car in the parking lot and told Yun Nan, ¡°Wait for me in the car for a bit. I need to go up and talk to Ye Kun about some things. I¡¯ll tell him to stay here with Fang Xi for the next few days, and I¡¯ll help him handle his company¡¯s matters.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t suspect anything. She nodded, took the car keys, and left. Sure enough, Shi Nian saw Xi Cheng pacing back and forth outside the ward when he returned upstairs.

    Xi Cheng stopped in his tracks when he saw Shi Nian. Shi Nian tilted his head at him, and the two entered the stairwell. Shi Nian looked at Xi Cheng and sighed, ¡®Why are you doing this? Ye Kun¡¯s mind is all on Fang Xi right now. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll be angry again if he sees you.¡±

    Xi Cheng sullenly stated, ¡°The person Fang Xi loves the most is me!¡± Shi Nian frowned. ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s important here!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the one Fang Xi loves the most!¡± Xi Cheng repeated stubbornly.

    Shi Nian patiently tried to talk some sense into Xi Cheng. ¡°So what? Can you marry her? Will your mother accept her? What about Lin Yu? Are you going to break things off with her, or do you plan to have Fang Xi be your lover on the side forever? Does that seem possible to you? Do you think that¡¯s fair to Fang

    Shi Nian continued, ¡°Wake up and solve your problems more maturely, Xi Cheng! If you can¡¯t be by Fang Xi¡¯s side and give her the future she deserves, then stay right where you are! You have Lin Yu. Stop being so greedy, and be content with what you already have! Love isn¡¯t a game! Stop playing with people¡¯s feelings, especially Fang Xi and Lin Yu¡ªboth are obstinate girls.. Be more mature and don¡¯t hurt them anymore, okay?¡±

 Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixteen:

    Chapter 316: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixteen:

    Casanova

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng¡¯s eyes reddened, and he muttered, ¡°I want to know if she¡¯s alright.¡±

    Shi Nian felt like punching him awake, thinking, ¡®This guys truly unbelievable!¡¯

    ¡°Then come in and see her.¡± Shocked, Xi Cheng and Shi Nian looked toward the speaker from the stairwell and saw Ye Kun at the ward¡¯s door.

    ¡°Come on in,¡± Ye Kun impassively said as he opened the door. Xi Cheng immediately strode in without hesitation, and Shi Nian quickly followed, worried that the two would fight in front of Fang Xi.

    Fang Xi lay quietly on the hospital bed, the head of the bed elevated. She looked as if she were peacefully sleeping if you ignored the machines beeping around her and her too-pale face.

    Xi Cheng couldn¡¯t help but walk towards the bed. He stretched his hand out from afar, wanting to caress Fang Xi¡¯s face. Ye Kun stopped him and warningly uttered, ¡°Keep your hands to yourself! Don¡¯t push your luck!¡±

    Xi Cheng glared at him, wanting to barge right through. ¡°Calm down!¡± Shi Nian scolded as he came forward and separated the two, pulling Xi Cheng some distance away from Ye Kun.

    Xi Cheng glowered defiantly at Ye Kun. Ye Kun glanced back at him indifferently before turning to Fang Xi. His voice softened as he stated, ¡°Don¡¯t disturb her. She¡¯s immersed in her own world right now; she¡¯ll wake up when she has thought things through and wants to wake up. Only she knows who she loves. None of us have the right to interfere. You and I shouldn¡¯t think overly much about it or hold any illusions.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been together for seven years!¡± Xi Cheng heavily enunciated each word.

    Ye Kun didn¡¯t even turn his head as he replied, ¡°Seven years, huh? All the cells in the human body get replaced every seven years; you¡¯re now a completely different person from who you were seven years ago, and it¡¯s the same case for her. She gave you seven years, but you wasted your chance, and you choose now¡ªwhen she¡¯s in this state¡ªto remember the seven years you spent together? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s ridiculous?¡±

    Ye Kun turned around and stared at Xi Cheng. ¡°If she wakes up one day and still chooses you, then I¡¯ll back out and never disturb you guys ever again! Is that okay, Xi Cheng? Is that fair enough for you?¡±

    Xi Cheng gaped at Ye Kun in shock. The Ye Kun before him suddenly seemed unfamiliar. Even Shi Nian was surprised. Ye Kun gazed coldly at Xi Cheng and told him, ¡°But before she wakes up, she¡¯s still my fianc¨¦e because, on the day of the accident, she attended your mother¡¯s birthday party as my fianc¨¦e, not your so-called lover!¡±

    ¡°And Xi Cheng, you have an obligation to clear her name! Of course, you¡¯ve never done anything for her, and Fang Xi doesn¡¯t care, so it¡¯s up to you! Can you leave now that you¡¯ve seen her?¡±

    Xi Cheng opened his mouth, but there was nothing he could say. Shi Nian pulled him away, saying, ¡°Xi Cheng, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Xi Cheng got pushed out of the ward by Shi Nian. He wanted to turn back for another look at Fang Xi, but Ye Kun had pulled the bed curtains close.

    Xi Cheng sat on the bench by the door, covered his face with his hands, and buried it between his knees. Shi Nian stood before him and stared, not knowing whether to comfort him or blame him.

    After a long while, Xi Cheng whispered, ¡°My mother wants me and Lin Yu to get married as soon as possible.¡±

    Shi Nian was stunned when he heard that and then became furious. ¡°Then why did you come to provoke Ye Kun and Fang Xi?!¡±

    Xi Cheng lifted his head and gave Shi Nian a lost look. ¡°But I love Fang Xi. No matter who I marry, it won¡¯t affect my love for Fang Xi!¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you marry the one you love?¡± Shi Nian asked coldly. Xi Cheng stilled, speechless.

    Shi Nian¡¯s sympathy for him vanished. ¡°Don¡¯t play Romeo if you don¡¯t have the ability to protect her. Xi Cheng, you¡¯re not worthy of her!¡±

    ¡® You¡¯re not even worthy of Lin Yu,¡¯ Shi Nian wanted to say, but in the end, he swallowed the second half of his sentence for the sake of his many years of friendship with Xi Cheng.

    Xi Cheng returned home drunk as a skunk. He heard the maid say they had guests as soon as he entered the house, so he bypassed the main house areas and went straight to his room.

    Lin Yu rushed over when she heard he¡¯d returned. She helped him change his clothes as she asked the staff to make a pot of strong tea.

    ¡°I want honey water!¡± Xi Cheng mumbled. Fang Xi would always prepare honey water and hangover soup for him. It had been a long time since he had had that sweet and sour hangover soup.

    Lin Yu quickly ordered the staff to prepare honey water and complained, ¡°What kind of social event did you have this time to come home so drunk? The Gu family is here today to discuss Xi Feng¡¯s matter with Mom. They want to finalize Xi Feng and Gu Fei¡¯s marriage as soon as possible. Our aunts are all here, too, but you won¡¯t be able to go over and greet them in your current

    state. ¡±

    Xi Cheng gave her a short hum and fell asleep on the bed. Lin Yu had no choice but to help him take off his shoes and jacket. While she did so, Xi Cheng suddenly held her hand and muttered, ¡°Fang Xi, I was wrong. Don¡¯t go!¡±

    Lin Yu froze and looked at Xi Cheng, who was sleeping soundly, feeling as if something was slowly tearing a hole in her heart..

 Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventeen: Frustrated

    Chapter 317: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventeen: Frustrated

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu angrily swept everything on the desk to the ground, but it still wasn¡¯t enough, so she kicked her chair hard and felt a sharp pain bloom from the tips of her toes. Yun Liu fell to the ground, and when the pain subsided, she hugged her knees and cried.

    Gu Jing and Gu Xiang came to Yun Entertainment and made a scene just now, not giving her identity as the president of Yun Entertainment, nor her identity as the Gu family¡¯s daughter, any regard at all.

    The two even warned her before they left, ¡°We¡¯ll make sure you regret it if you dare to ruin Gu Fei and the Gu family¡¯s reputation again!¡± The staff and security at the door had watched the two Gu family ladies stride off in fear. No one dared to come forward to help her.

    Yun Liu felt aggrieved, thinking, ¡®Why am I always the one being crushed underfoot?

    Nothing was going Yun Liu¡¯s way. Liang Han had only sent his assistant to discuss a collaboration with her that day. Then Gu He appeared out of nowhere, and she just had to go and be a busybody. Not only did she not get any thanks for it at home, but the project with Liang Han also got shelved. That planning director, Ding Ning, said their boss had gone overseas for work, but it was fine because she could just contact him if there was anything to discuss.

    ¡® What¡¯s fine about that?!¡¯ Yun Liu mentally fumed. She wanted to use this opportunity to date Liang Han, not talk with a planning director!

    As for Madam Liang, Yun Liu wanted to visit her, but she was again met with rejection. Yun Liu secretly thought that Gu Fei¡¯s reputation had affected her. After all, she was only able to get close to the Liangs because of her status as the Gu family¡¯s daughter, but Gu Fei¡¯s reputation was now so tarnished that even she was affected.

    Furthermore, the Gu family had somehow pinned the blame for Gu Fei¡¯s scandal on her! ¡® What kind ofrotten luck do I have? Yun Liu inwardly wailed.

    Tan Ning pushed the door open to enter Yun Liu¡¯s office and was shocked at the mess she saw. She was relieved when she spied Yun Liu crouched in a ball behind her desk. Tan Ning handed Yun Liu a tissue and called out, ¡°President

    Yun.¡±

    Yun Liu raised her head to look at Tan Ning. Her tears had ruined her makeup, and she looked hideous. Tan Ning inwardly sighed and gently said, ¡°Xiao Yun called me, so I rushed back. How did something like this happen? How could the Gu family¡¯s young ladies be so unreasonable?¡±

    Yun Liu stood up with Tan Nings help, feeling much more at ease with Tan Ning before her. However, she couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed, too. ¡°Well, this wouldn¡¯t have happened if you¡¯d done a better job shifting the blame onto Yun Nan like I told you to.¡±

    Tan Ning looked helpless as she replied, ¡°Yun Nan is too good at whipping up the media and playing hardball. Their legal department collects negative news about them on the Internet every day; their methods of recording evidence are truly outrageous. The average small media outlet doesn¡¯t dare provoke them and even rushes to curry favor with them.¡±

    Tan Ning continued, ¡°Yun Nan and her team know what the media needs and have always been very generous when it comes to releasing information. Therefore, there aren¡¯t many media outlets that we can use against them. Some received word from their higher-ups and didn¡¯t dare write their articles according to our agreed-upon draft. I¡¯m still trying to settle this matter, and then this happened on your end. These media outlets want their expos¨¦, and since Yun Innovations is a tough nut they don¡¯t want to provoke, they all focus on us instead.¡±

    Tan Ning had been in the entertainment industry for many years, but she¡¯d never encountered such a tricky situation. She couldn¡¯t believe how bad Yun Liu¡¯s luck was; every time the girl was a step away from the top, she would always miss her footing at the most critical moment and end up at the bottom.

    Tan Ning handed Yun Liu a makeup remover pad, and Yun Liu subconsciously

    took out her mirror. Shocked by her appearance, she panically stuttered, ¡°You ¡ªgo outside first!¡±

    ¡°You should take a rest. I¡¯ll arrange for the PR and legal departments to deal with these matters,¡± Tan Ning quickly stated.

    When Xiao Yun saw Tan Ning come out of the office, she anxiously told her, ¡°Tan Ning, everyone on the Internet is enjoying the show at our expense, and some are fanning the flames, saying that Yun Liu¡¯s a backstabber and an evil woman with bad intentions. What should we do?¡±

    Tan Ning took a deep breath and said, ¡°Just take it easy; don¡¯t panic. No amount of explanation will help at this point. Hurry and get the publicity department to write a few articles to expose a few scandals about some of our popular artistes. Let¡¯s leave the matter until after we divert the public¡¯s attention from

    Yun Liu.¡±

    Xiao Yun was about to cry as she held up her tablet. ¡°Tan Ning, take a look at this. It¡¯s a photo of Yun Liu falling down at the airport long ago. Yun Nan and

    Shi Nian were there at the time. Someone said they were at the scene and saw Yun Liu try to pounce on Shi Nian and commented that Yun Liu is a super conniving b*tch.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Someone else claimed that the guy who fell beside her was Yun Liu¡¯s boyfriend, and the two broke up right then because of Shi Nian. They said that Yun Liu is scheming and always likes to snatch other people¡¯s things; she looks like an innocent and delicate beauty, but she¡¯s actually a two-faced, manipulative woman. What should we do, Tan Ning?¡±

    Tan Ning took the tablet and looked at the contents carefully. Then she instructed, ¡°Go and try to find that man. We¡¯ll take advantage of this matter¡¯s popularity to hype Yun Liu¡¯s fame up!¡±

    ¡°What? Uh, okay¡­¡± Xiao Yun was surprised and confused but still chose to obey unconditionally..

 Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighteen: Poaching Staff

    Chapter 318: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighteen: Poaching Staff

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Tan Ning took the tablet back to her office and carefully searched out and studied all the scandals about Yun Liu from back then. She had to help Yun Liu make a comeback. They were in this together, so it wouldn¡¯t be to anyone¡¯s benefit if Yun Liu went down. Most importantly, Fang Xi wasn¡¯t by Yun Nan¡¯s side right now, so Yun Nan currently doesn¡¯t have her right-hand woman. Now was their best chance to make a move against Yun Innovations.

    Although Yun Liu had the Gu family to back her up, the Gu family was too undependable, and their relationship with Yun Liu was too shaky. Tan Ning had to find someone more reliable for Yun Liu.

    As for the Liangs, judging by Yun Liu¡¯s demeanor, it was obvious she hadn¡¯t managed to capture Liang Han¡¯s heart. She would have to spark and fan their relationship.

    Liang Han flipped through the manuscript that Lu Hui had sent over and was amazed. ¡°You came up with this? Newbies truly have a fresh and different outlook. Do you want to jump ship and work for me? I¡¯ll offer you double your salary, hehe!¡±

    Lu Hui¡¯s eyes widened, and she pushed up the thick glasses on the bridge of her nose. ¡°I heard from President Yun that you and Chairman Shi are close friends. Does Chairman Shi know that you¡¯re openly poaching his wife¡¯s personnel?¡±

    Liang Han calmly answered, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯ll poach you even if you¡¯re Shi Nian¡¯s staff! It says a good thing about their ability if they can keep their staff, and it shows that I¡¯m also quite capable if I can poach their people.¡±

    Lu Hui thought about it and nodded. ¡°You have a point.¡± But Lu Hui thought to herself, ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone act with impertinence so righteously.¡¯ She subconsciously pushed her glasses up again.

    ¡°Well, how about it? You¡¯re¡­ Lu Hui, right? Miss Lu Hui, will you consider jumping ship to my company?¡± Liang Han asked.

    Lu Hui shook her head violently. Her naturally curly and messy shoulder-length hair made her look like a Pekingese dog. It was the first time Liang Han had seen a girl so ugly that she was cute.

    ¡°Our President Yun was the one who came up with this idea. I¡¯m just the executor. Our President Fang isn¡¯t in good health right now, or she would be the executor. I work under President Fang and am only temporarily taking up her work. Mr. Liang, we originally planned to produce this program ourselves, but President Yun said that if we collaborate with you, your people can bring me along and teach me a lot. It¡¯s a good opportunity for me to learn from people with experience, and President Yun won¡¯t have to worry about training me.¡±

    Liang Han stared at the ugly girl before him and resisted the urge to stroke her

    ¡®fur¡¯ before saying, ¡°You¡¯re telling that to me straight, just like that?¡±

    Lu Hui nodded. Liang Han immediately appeared very sad. ¡°You guys look down on me. You can¡¯t even be bothered to match wits with me. You¡¯re so direct that it¡¯s hurtful.¡±

    Lu Hui secretly laughed, though her expression was serious, as she stated, ¡°Our President Yun said that there¡¯s no need for bureaucratic niceties or insincere cordiality because you¡¯re a true breath of fresh air in the entertainment industry. She¡¯s in a hurry to hire people, and I¡¯m in a hurry to finish my apprenticeship, so only by handing the project and me over to you can this program be presented to the audience in its most perfect form. Only you can invite some of the legends on our list!¡±

    Liang Han felt moved. ¡°Yun Nan really said that?¡±

    Lu Hui nodded heavily. Liang Han was once again in high spirits as he remarked, ¡°Yun Nan has good taste. Shi Nian, that punk, is lucky to have her! Hmph! Such a talented and beautiful girl is truly wasted on him!¡±

    Lu Hui thought judgingly, ¡®I heard that you were the one who said our Director Yun was fat and ugly at the beginning, or did you forget that?

    Right now, Liang Han was already immersed in his own excitement. ¡°Leave the matter of inviting the legends to me. Since you guys came up with the program, you¡¯ll continue to be in charge. Just let me go through the script for each episode. As for the other preparatory work.. There¡¯s nothing much to add ¡ªyou guys have everything written on the proposal. It seems you¡¯re nearly done with your preparations¡ªwe can get started.¡±

    ¡°Now, all we lack is a host. I¡¯ll pick a few candidates, and we can decide who to use. As for the platform, we¡¯ll be in charge of that. Okay, that settles that.¡± Liang Han stood up and extended his hand to Lu Hui, saying, ¡°I look forward to working with you, Little Lion! Ah, sorry, it¡¯s Lu Hui, right?¡±

    Lu Hui also stood up and shook his hand. ¡°It¡¯s alright. My colleagues often call me Little Lion!¡± Seeing Lu Hui¡¯s unguarded manner, Liang Han once again secretly cheered at his ¡°cleverness.¡±

    Lu Hui sent a WeChat message to Yun Nan after she left: ¡°Yun Nan, are you sure Mr. Liang is mentally sound?¡±

    Yun Nan immediately called. ¡°How did the talk with Liang Han go?¡± she asked. Lu Hui recounted what had happened in detail to her.

    Yun Nan spoke with a smile in her voice. ¡°Think back to the details of the collaboration talk. You guys settled the division of labor and the steps, didn¡¯t you? The vague and blurry areas are clear now, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    Lu Hui nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Yun Nan laughed. ¡°Liang Han stands at the top of the entertainment industry.

    Think about it: can someone with such a status really be stupid?¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Lu Hui suddenly realized. ¡°He¡¯s playing dumb!¡±

    Yun Nan had just put down the phone, a smile still on her lips, when someone pushed her office door open and barged in.

    ¡°Yun Nan!¡± It was Shi Xiu, who¡¯d evidently just returned.

    Yun Nan hugged Shi Xiu, who had pounced over, pleasantly surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were coming back a few days later? Your brother and I were planning to go pick you up.. Why did you come back early on your own?¡±

 Chapter 319 - Chapter 319: Chapter Three-Hundred and Nineteen: Rest

    Chapter 319: Chapter Three-Hundred and Nineteen: Rest

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Xiu had lost some weight but gained muscles. She looked toned and healthy.

    Shi Xiu grabbed Yun Nan¡¯s hand and said, eyes wet, ¡°Yun Nan, take me to Fang

    Xi.¡±

    ¡®This kid!¡¯ Yun Nan thought and patted Shi Xiu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush; Fang Xi isn¡¯t going anywhere. I¡¯ll bring you home to see your parents and grandfather. Then, you should take a shower and get some sleep.¡±

    The one Shi Xiu respected and obeyed the most was Yun Nan, so she readily agreed. Anxiety had plagued her the entire journey back, but her agitated emotions suddenly calmed the moment she saw Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan told Shi Xiu about the recent scandals about her on the way home. Shi Xiu was very calm about it. ¡°Mika told me everything when I finished filming. Don¡¯t worry, Yun Nan. I won¡¯t be rash. Let those rumors spread; they won¡¯t hurt me anyway. Time will tell, so I¡¯ll leave it to time to make them eat their words.¡± Yun Nan looked at her and sighed, ¡°That¡¯s very mature. You¡¯ve grown up.¡±

    Shi Xiu embarrassedly rubbed her face. ¡°My life was too smooth in the past compared to you, Fang Xi, and Xiang Yang. This little bit of slander is no big deal! My paltry grievances aren¡¯t worth mentioning compared to what those girls who had to spend their whole lives in the mountains have suffered.¡± Yun Nan thought, ¡®As expected, real-world experience is the best way to grow.¡¯

    Shi Xiu looked at Yun Nan. ¡°Yun Nan, I want to stop taking on roles for now. I want to return to the company to gain experience in other kinds of work. Just send me wherever the company is lacking people, okay?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and agreed. ¡°Alright! What would you like to do?¡±

    Shi Xiu shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not about what I would like to do; I¡¯ll become whatever kind of person the company needs. I don¡¯t want to always be catered to by everyone. I want to do my best for the company and everyone.¡±

    Warm feelings surged in Yun Nan¡¯s heart, and she solemnly replied, ¡°Alright.

    Return to the company with me for a meeting after you¡¯ve finished visiting Fang Xi.¡±

    Shi Xiu was relieved. She leaned back in her seat and gently closed her eyes. She was so exhausted that she fell asleep as soon as her eyes closed. Yun Nan reached out and stroked her head. She recalled that when she was Shi Xiu¡¯s age, she had already suffered a lot but still firmly believed that her future would definitely be bright. No matter what, people must have confidence in themselves and firm goals and move forward bravely.

    ¡°Ye Kun?¡± Shi Xiu exclaimed as she looked at the gaunt and emaciated Ye Kun in shock, almost unable to recognize him.

    Ye Kun was pleasantly surprised to see Shi Xiu. He pulled her over and said, ¡°Shi Xiu, come and talk to Fang Xi. Her condition has been quite good these past few days. The doctor said she might wake up at any moment. I was just about to tell Yun Nan to come and talk to Fang Xi more often. We must wake her up!¡±

    Shi Xiu immediately walked to Fang Xi¡¯s bedside when she heard that. Ye Kun held Fang Xi¡¯s hand and softly uttered, ¡°Fang Xi, Shi Xiu is back. I¡¯ll let her talk to you.¡±

    He handed Fang Xi¡¯s hand to Shi Xiu. Shi Xiu¡¯s tears streamed down her cheeks as she said, ¡°Fang Xi, I¡¯m back. I finished my scenes. I didn¡¯t embarrass you. I performed very well; the director and my teachers are all quite satisfied.¡±

    Ye Kun silently retreated. Just as he walked out, his vision blacked out, and he swayed. Shi Nian quickly grabbed and supported him, asking worriedly, ¡°Ye Kun? Are you alright?¡±

    Ye Kun composed himself and waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s probably just low blood sugar.¡±

    Yun Nan immediately summoned a nurse. Not allowing Ye Kun to object, she stated, ¡°Please give Ye Kun a physical examination. Give him a tranquilizer if necessary and force him to rest.¡±

    Ye Kun anxiously protested, ¡°Yun Nan, I can¡¯t leave right now¡ªI¡®

    ¡°You need to rest!¡± Yun Nan interrupted him. ¡°Ye Kun, how are you going to take care of Fang Xi if you¡¯re not in good health? If Fang Xi wakes up and you collapse¡­ Are you two planning to be a pair of tragic lovebirds? Listen to me:

    Rest up, sleep, and wait for Fang Xi¡¯s good news!¡±

    Ye Kun fell silent. Shi Nian patted his shoulder and added, ¡°Yun Nan¡¯s right. Fang Xi isn¡¯t fighting alone, Ye Kun. You must maintain your strength¡ªyou can¡¯t collapse!¡±

    Ye Kun obediently followed the nurse, and Yun Nan sighed softly. Shi Nian patted and reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine.¡±

    Shi Xiu pushed Liang Han¡¯s office door open and shouted, ¡°Liang Han!¡±

    Liang Han was thrilled to see her. ¡°My little angel, when did you come home? Aren¡¯t you out on a filming trip? What brings you here? Your brother and sister-in-law didn¡¯t even tell me you were coming back. Oh, our little angel is truly getting more and more angelic! You actually remembered to visit your dear brother, Liang Han. I¡¯m very flattered.. Tell me, what would you like to eat or play? Big brother Liang Han will take you out for a wild ride!¡±

 Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty: SelfRecommendation

    Chapter 320: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty: SelfRecommendation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Xiu couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°You have such a honeyed tongue, Liang Han. No wonder Lu Hui said your mouth seemed like it had been stung by a bee.¡±

    Liang Han¡¯s expression changed. ¡°S-stung by a bee? What kind of descriptor is that? That little lion can write such exquisite scripts, so why is she so verbally inept?¡±

    Shi Xiu laughed so hard that she bent over. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same? You¡¯re always calling her ¡®Little Lion.¡¯¡±

    ¡°She said that her colleagues also call her Little Lion!¡± Liang Han indignantly retorted.

    ¡°No, they don¡¯t!¡± Shi Xiu laughed so hard that she was gasping. ¡°You¡¯re the only one¡­ who calls her that. And you blurted it out¡­ directly to her face, too. She was afraid you¡¯d¡­ put yourself on the spot, so she gave you a way out.¡± ¡°I, 1¡ª¡± Liang Han¡¯s words stuck in his throat, and he sullenly moped.

    After she finished her laughing fit, Shi Xiu took the coffee Liang Han handed her and had a sip. ¡°Liang Han, I¡¯m here to ask for work.¡±

    Puzzled, Liang Han asked, ¡°You want work? What work do I have here that can catch your eye, princess?¡±

    Shi Xiu put down the coffee cup, her expression serious. ¡°Your company¡¯s in charge of picking the host candidate for Lu Hui¡¯s program, right?¡± Liang Han nodded, and that poofy-haired girl with thick glasses flashed in his mind again.

    Shi Xiu looked at Liang Han and calmly uttered, ¡°I want to be the host of that show.¡±

    Liang Han did a double take. ¡°What?!¡±

    Before he could wrap his head around it, Shi Xiu continued, ¡°I was also a member of the reality show ¡®Embracing Life,¡¯ so I know these legends personally. It would be more natural and smooth if I were the host. I¡¯m very familiar with each and every one of them, so it would be easier for me to plunge into their life stories.¡±

    ¡°They previously had a small rise in popularity because of the show ¡®Embracing Life.¡¯ It would appear slightly stiff if other hosts were to talk about it again now, but I wouldn¡¯t have this problem if I were the host. So, how about it?¡± Shi

    Xiu asked.

    Liang Han hesitantly nodded. Before he could say anything, Shi Xiu added, ¡°Of course, there are two risks in choosing me. I don¡¯t have any experience as a host, for one. And two, I¡¯m currently plagued by negative publicity. I¡¯ve already thought of a solution to my lack of experience. I¡¯ll hire a teacher for urgent training, and I¡¯d like you to ask the show¡¯s director to look after and give me pointers. As for the negative publicity about me, Big Brother Liang Han, will you please help me out? I want to use this show to make a comeback.¡±

    Liang Han chuckled, ¡°You don¡¯t need my help to make a comeback. Besides, no one believes those negative news stories anyway. There¡¯s no need to care about those clowns. ¡±

    Liang Han saw through her, so Shi Xiu only smiled and didn¡¯t say anything.

    Liang Han gave it some thought before stating, ¡°You make a compelling argument; other than the issue of experience, you are indeed the most suitable. As for your lack of experience, it¡¯s not a big problem since everyone has to start somewhere. I¡¯ll certainly give you the most generous pay as your hiring fee! However, I have a small condition¡­¡±

    Liang Han looked at Shi Xiu with a smile, and Shi Xiu loudly promised, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill your orders, big brother!¡±

    She thought, ¡®Just as Yun Nan said, Big Brother Liang Han is smart and cunning. You¡¯d find yourselffollowing his lead after only a few sentences, and even your style ofspeech would deviate from the norm.¡¯

    Liang Han remarked, ¡°I heard that even your sister-in-law, Yun Nan, didn¡¯t sign you on with her company. You only work with them on a contract-per-job basis. I reckon your family and the other guys will kill me if I dare to think about signing you on¡ªit¡¯s not worth it.¡± He then tested the waters and carefully asked, ¡°How about you do me a favor and sign a contract for two movies with my company?¡±

    Shi Xiu smiled. ¡°Sure, okay. Fang Xi¡¯s in charge of all my contracts, and now they¡¯re in Yun Nan¡¯s hands. If you have a suitable script, we can study it together.¡±

    Liang Han was overjoyed to hear that. ¡°Alright! Forget about being the host of this show; even if you want to come over and be a full-time host, I¡¯ll raise my hands¡ªand feet¡ªin welcome!¡±

    Shi Xiu thought, ¡® Yun Nan¡¯s predictions were right, as expected. Big Brother Liang Han is one to take advantage of every opportunity. He even wants to hire me as a full-time host.¡¯

    Shi Xiu took out her phone and sent a WeChat message to Lu Hui. Lu Hui owed her a meal now because the two had made a bet over Yun Nan¡¯s predictions. Lu Hui had bet that Liang Han would agree to Shi Xiu being the host, whereas Shi Xiu trusted Yun Nan and bet that Liang Han would add the condition of her signing a contract with him for a movie or two.

    Lu Hui responded with an incredulous emoji and a text message: ¡°He¡¯s a scoundrel indeed.¡±

    Shi Xiu couldn¡¯t help but laugh when she read that. Baffled, Liang Han inquired, ¡°What¡¯s so funny? Did something good happen?¡±

    Shi Xiu hurriedly put away her phone and replied, ¡°I told Lu Hui that you agreed to let me be the host, and Lu Hui praised you for being wise and brave!¡± ¡°But of course!¡± Liang Han uttered proudly, and Shi Xiu collapsed in laughter.

    Then Shi Xiu stood up and said her goodbyes. She still had other preparations to make. She didn¡¯t fight to be this show¡¯s host just for those surface excuses. She was aiming for Yun Liu. ¡®No one can get away unscathed after bullying me and my sister-in-law.. I absolutely won¡¯t let that trollop, Yun Liu, off!¡¯

 Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-One:Strongly Recommended

    Chapter 321: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-One:Strongly Recommended

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu smiled and poured some tea for Shi Gao. ¡°Did you ask me out for a meal as soon as you returned because you have good news to share?¡±

    Shi Gao picked up the teacup and took a sip. She looked at the menu and raised her eyebrows, saying, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one with good news to share?¡±

    Lin Yu chuckled, ¡°What good news would I have? My life¡¯s a stagnant pool of water these days. You, on the other hand¡­ Did you meet anyone you fancy during your travels abroad?¡±

    Shi Gao pursed her lips and stated, ¡°I heard that Gu Man failed to seduce Xi Cheng, revealing her true colors to your mother-in-law in the process. Not only did your mother-in-law kick her out, but she also brought forward your wedding date with Xi Cheng.¡±

    Lin Yu smiled. ¡°You¡¯re quite well-informed.¡±

    ¡°Everyone knows about it,¡± Shi Gao uttered, slightly jealous. ¡°Congratulations, Lin Yu. So, how¡¯s the wedding preparation going? Is there anything you need my help with?¡±

    Lin Yu thought about it and answered, ¡°Yes, I need you to choose the bridesmaid dress yourself. I¡¯m worried you won¡¯t like what I pick out.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll like what you pick out,¡± Shi Gao smilingly replied. ¡°Your taste has always been the best.¡±

    Lin Yu changed the topic. ¡°What¡¯s the situation on your side? The Shi family strictly guards their personal news and comings and goings, so it¡¯s quite difficult for outsiders to know what¡¯s going on in that family. I couldn¡¯t find out exactly when Xiang Yang had left the Shi family¡¯s place. The only one I managed to get a little more information on is Yun Nan, as she¡¯s a public figure, after all.¡±

    Shi Gao sipped her tea and impassively said, ¡°That¡¯s not surprising. Shi Ke has a sensitive job, so the Shi family will inevitably be on guard. Xiang Yang has already returned to the military barracks because Shi Ke has accepted a new mission. It must be important. Xiang Yang is protected and out of reach once more.¡±

    Lin Yu frowned. ¡°Would you want to live like that? That¡¯s what you¡¯re signing up for if you¡¯re aiming for Shi Ke. I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it if it were me. How much energy can a man spare for his wife if he can¡¯t even control his own freedom? Do you think it¡¯s worth it?¡±

    Shi Gao nodded and said firmly, ¡°Of course. I love this man, and that includes everything he does. I¡¯m willing to do anything for him.¡±

    Lin Yu sighed, ¡°I gotta hand it to you. So, what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait!¡± Shi Gao quietly replied.

    Lin Yu shrugged. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll support you no matter what you do! I¡¯m going to meet up with someone later. Wanna come with?¡±

    ¡°Who are you meeting?¡± Shi Gao inquired, not very interested.

    Lin Yu smiled. ¡°Yun Liu.¡±

    Shi Gao raised her eyebrows. ¡°How did you¡ªwhat use is she?¡± Shi Gao was smarter than Gu Man, which was why Lin Yu liked her.

    ¡°A person who is despised by everyone will definitely be useful. She¡¯s backed into a corner now that the Gu family dislikes her, and she offended Yun Nan and Shi Xiu. I¡¯ll go and show my concern.¡± Lin Yu plainly stated her objective.

    ¡°She offended Yun Nan?¡± Shi Gao put down her teacup. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you.

    After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Han Yuan smugly asked as she proudly took back the betrothal gift list booklet that Kong Zhen had finished reading. ¡°Come help me see if there¡¯s anything else I need to add or take off the list!¡±

    Kong Zhen had an admiring expression as she commented, ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s there to add or take off! I think it¡¯s just perfect. I don¡¯t think the weddings and gifts our three families have thrown for our daughters and daughters-in-law are as grand and perfect as the one you arranged! I can really see how much you value Lin Yu. People might think it¡¯s your daughter you¡¯re marrying off with the amount of attention and cash you spent on the betrothal gifts. Lin Yu is lucky to have a mother-in-law like you.¡±

    Han Yuan was ecstatic to hear that. ¡°I¡¯ve watched that child grow up. Even though the Lin family has declined, it has nothing to do with her. She¡¯s the girl I chose to be a part of our Xi family, so with or without her family¡¯s support, she¡¯s our family¡¯s young madam. No one can disrespect her! It doesn¡¯t matter if her family doesn¡¯t back her because I¡¯m her biggest backer!¡±

    Kong Zhen sighed, ¡°Seeing the close relationship between you two, I regret not picking a candidate to betroth Liang Han to when he was a kid like you did. That way, I would be preparing for a wedding now instead of having to worry about finding that jack*ss a wife!¡±

    Right then, Lin Yu came in with Shi Gao and Yun Liu. Lin Yu hurriedly bowed and greeted Kong Zhen when she saw her before smiling and saying, ¡°Auntie, what brings you here today?¡±

    Kong Zhen chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m here because your mother-in-law wanted someone to show off to. I¡¯ve been listening to her go on for the better part of the day and have been jealous for several rounds already. Luckily, you¡¯ve returned to save me from this torture.¡± Then, Kong Zhen saw Yun Liu and smilingly asked, ¡°Oh,

    Miss Yun¡¯s here too! Are you guys good friends?¡±

    Yun Liu pursed her lips into a smile and nodded lightly. Lin Yu dragged her closer to Kong Zhen and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Yun Liu and I are close as sisters. She¡¯s a good and honest girl.. I would definitely recommend her to be our family¡¯s daughter-in-law if Xi Cheng had a younger brother!¡±

 Chapter 322 - Chapter 322: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Two: Plotting

    Chapter 322: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Two: Plotting

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Kong Zhen couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances at Yun Liu when she heard this, and some thoughts began to stir in her mind. She pulled Yun Liu to her side and said, ¡°I also think Yun Liu¡¯s a fine girl!¡±

    Lin Yu smiled. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you let Yun Liu be your daughter-in-law? Our Xi family doesn¡¯t have more sons available for marriage, but it¡¯ll be a shame to lose such a good girl to an outsider.¡±

    Kong Zhen laughed, and Han Yuan teased, ¡°Well, what are you waiting for,

    Kong Zhen? If I have another son, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t have a chance at her! Anyone that our Lin Yu has taken a fancy to is naturally outstanding.¡±

    Yun Liu remained shyly silent amidst everyone¡¯s teasing. Her demure manner moved Kong Zhen even more, and Kong Zhen thought to herself that she must create more opportunities for her son to spend time with this girl.

    While Kong Zhen was busy coming up with plans to match her son and Yun

    Liu, Shi Gao pulled Han Yuan close and spent quite some time badmouthing Gu

    Man, which was akin to expressing her loyalty to Han Yuan and Lin Yu. Han Yuan was originally cold to Shi Gao because of Gu Man, but she finally felt at ease and warmed up to Shi Gao when she saw this.

    Han Yuan¡¯s attitude softened, and she uttered, ¡°Shi Gao, Auntie truly is blind when judging people!¡±

    Shi Gao hurriedly said, ¡°That¡¯s not true at all, Auntie. Lin Yu and I feel even more ashamed if you say that. Lin Yu¡¯s already quite guilty over this matter. It¡¯s our fault for mistakenly making the wrong friend, and it almost led to a big mess. Fortunately, you were there to keep everything under control and decisively dealt with the situation.¡±

    Shi Gao continued, ¡°Otherwise, with Lin Yu¡¯s soft personality, I don¡¯t even dare to think about what would¡¯ve happened. Lin Yu even told me today that all the misfortune she had experienced in the past was so she could meet a mother-in-law like you. ¡±

    Han Yuan was pleased to hear that. She looked up at Lin Yu and saw that the girl¡¯s eyes had indeed reddened, and she couldn¡¯t help but pull her over. ¡°I treat her well because she deserves it!¡±

    Han Yuan was also very satisfied with Shi Gao and remarked, ¡°Shi Gao, you¡¯re a good girl, unlike those with ill intentions. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find your happiness!¡±

    Lin Yu and Shi Gao exchanged glances where no one else could see. They¡¯d finally passed this hurdle and completely removed Gu Man¡¯s influence.

    Kong Zhen had taken a shine to Yun Liu and was very close to Yun Liu. She asked Yun Liu to go with her when she was about to leave.

    ¡°I knew it!¡± Lin Yu joked with Han Yuan. ¡°Auntie Kong Zhen wants to take Yun Liu home and make her her daughter-in-law!¡± Kong Zhen didn¡¯t mind and left with Yun Liu.

    Curious, Han Yuan inquired, ¡°Are you two intending to help that girl marry into the Liang family?¡±

    Lin Yu gently massaged Han Yuan¡¯s shoulders and arms as she answered, ¡°That¡¯s not something we can decide; these things are up to fate. But, Yun Liu has caught Madam Liang¡¯s eyes, and if she does manage to marry into the Liang family, with the relationship between us girls, Liang Han will naturally be close to Xi Cheng.¡±

    Lin Yu continued, ¡°Though we¡¯re one of the four big families in Rong City, we¡¯re not on the best terms with the Ye family currently; that¡¯ll definitely affect the cooperation between our two families in the future. We don¡¯t have problems with the Shi family, but the Shi family isn¡¯t exactly close with us, either! If Yun Liu does get together with Liang Han, then our families¡­¡±

    Han Yuan nodded approvingly and patted Lin Yu¡¯s hand. ¡°Good thinking! I hadn¡¯t thought of that. Our men are too busy with their work out there to care about such things, so we women have to think about these things for them all the time. They can only depend on us on such matters.¡±

    Shi Gao chuckled, ¡°Lin Yu is only so perceptive thanks to your teachings, Auntie. But I admit that Lin Yu is very quick on the uptake. She has me beat there.¡±

    Han Yuan was very pleased with Shi Gao¡¯s attitude and said, ¡°You¡¯ll also have to be like Lin Yu when you¡¯re married. Do your best to learn; don¡¯t say I play favorites and didn¡¯t teach you!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Lin Yu teased. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re my friend and get to join me in class!¡±

    The three of them laughed and chatted for a while. Then, Han Yuan asked Lin

    Yu seriously, ¡°Do you think that Yun Liu can succeed?¡±

    Lin Yu gave it some thought before replying, ¡°That depends on Auntie Kong Zhen, but Yun Liu is quite smart. She used to like Shi Nian, but she naturally can¡¯t pester him anymore now that Shi Nian is married.¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Xu Yun is simply blind! Look at the daughters-in-law she chose¡ªeach one is worse than the last! Hmph! I¡¯ll definitely mock her after we¡¯re done with your wedding ceremony! Just wait and see. She¡¯s so proud of them now, but she¡¯ll come crying in the future. Having two such unpresentable women as her daughters-in -law¡ªwhat a disgrace!¡±

    ¡°That eldest daughter-in-law of hers calls herself an artist and looks down on everyone else. Hmph! Her other daughter-in-law works in the entertainment industry. None of those ilk are decent people. What a joke!¡±

    Shi Gao loved hearing people badmouth Xiang Yang and couldn¡¯t keep the smile off her face. ¡°The Shi family¡¯s daughters-in -law all work in artistic industries, unlike Lin Yu and I, who are more mundane. The others out there probably all praise and admire them. You¡¯re the only one who would prefer us over them, Auntie.¡±

    Han Yuan snorted.. ¡°They¡¯re just saying nice things about those girls because of the Shi family¡¯s influence! Who would like a daughter-in-law like them?

    Hmph!¡±

 Chapter 323 - Chapter 323: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Three: Slinging Mud

    Chapter 323: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Three: Slinging Mud

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Gao chuckled and lowered her voice to say, ¡°Auntie sure is perceptive. Did you know Xiang Yang was a bad character all along? Tsk, if only Lin Yu and I were half as skilled as you.¡±

    Han Yuan was flattered and in the mood for gossip. ¡°Are you talking about¡­ those rumors that were going around about Xiang Yang before?¡± she asked. ¡°What was it about anyway? I didn¡¯t hear much. Don¡¯t let Xu Yun¡¯s quiet demeanor fool you; she¡¯s swift and efficient¡ªshe silenced all the rumors before they could take off.¡±

    Shi Gao was secretly delighted at the chance to discredit Xiang Yang. Her lips curled in contempt as she said, ¡°The truth is the truth. They can silence it for now, but they can¡¯t silence it forever. Xiang Yang only managed to hide her filthy past after she married into the Shi family! Why do you think she never shows her face in the media? It¡¯s not because she¡¯s cold and aloof¡ªshe just couldn¡¯t show her face in public because of her shameful past! Hmph! Let me tell you¡­¡±

    The three women gathered together and gossiped. Han Yuan was dumbfounded by what she heard, but at the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but feel vindicated.

    Shi Gao was also elated. ¡®The Shi family can suppress the media and silence the rumors, but they can¡¯t stop the news from beingpassed by word ofmouth amongst the upper-class ladies,¡¯ she thought. ¡® What right does a disreputable woman like Xiang Yang have to enjoy glory and wealth? What right does a woman like Yun Nan, who crawled out of a rubbish dump, have to be superior to me?

    Yun Nan knew nothing about these schemes hidden in the shadows and wouldn¡¯t care, even if she knew. Right now, all her thoughts were on Fang Xi.

    Fang Xi woke up. However, there were some problems with her memory. She didn¡¯t remember who Yun Nan or Shi Xiu were; she¡¯d lost her memory of everyone and everything. Fang Xi had even lost the memory of who she was¡ªdidn¡¯t know her name, where she lived, or who her family were. It was as if only her physical body was awake, but her soul was trapped elsewhere. The current Fang Xi was like a blank sheet of paper.

    ¡°Post-traumatic amnesia is common after a serious head injury,¡± the doctor explained. ¡°The patient suffered a head trauma, and there¡¯s still some blood clots in her head that haven¡¯t been completely absorbed. The blood clots probably restricted certain areas of her central nervous system, causing her to lose her memory. The memory loss might be temporary, but with our current medical knowledge and technology, it¡¯s unclear whether or not she¡¯ll fully recover her memories and when she will recover them.¡±

    When the doctor came to such a conclusion, Ye Kun breathed a sigh of relief and stated firmly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s fine if she doesn¡¯t remember anything. She¡¯s awake, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡¯

    Yun Nan looked at Ye Kun approvingly, thinking, ¡® Yeah. It¡¯s not a bad thing for her to forget certain things.¡¯

    Ye Kun looked at Yun Nan. ¡°Yun Nan, you can go and have a chat with Fang Xi first. It¡¯s always easier for girls to get close to each other.¡±

    Yun Nan once again had a whole new level of respect for Ye Kun. ¡®Ye Kun¡¯s a true gentleman for not taking advantage ofFang Xi¡¯s current state.¡¯

    Mr. MO was also quite surprised and, after some thought, said, ¡°Go ahead, Yun Nan. Answer whatever Fang Xi asks truthfully. She has lost her memory, but she can¡¯t become stupid.¡±

    Yun Nan understood what Mr. MO meant and spoke to everyone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.

    Ye Kun¡¯s right. All that matters is that she¡¯s awake.¡± No one understood Fang Xi¡¯s resilience, clarity, and rationality better than Yun Nan. Even if she¡¯d lost her memories, Yun Nan believed that Fang Xi was still Fang Xi and who she is at heart wouldn¡¯t change.

    Fang Xi dazedly looked at the Yun Nan sitting before her and slowly reached out her hand. Yun Nan held her hand and stared at her with a tearful smile. ¡°Are you my little sister?¡± Fang Xi inquired. ¡°I think you should be my sister.

    When I see you, I want to hug and protect you.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s tears fell immediately. She hugged Fang Xi and sobbed, ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m your little sister. You¡¯ve always protected me and taken care of me! I¡¯m your non-blood-related sister!¡±

    Yun Nan told Fang Xi about her past. She talked about Fang Xi¡¯s care and love for her during all these many years. She spoke about the entertainment company, Yun Innovations, which they¡¯d created together. She talked about the hardships they had gone through together and the sweet times they had shared.

    Fang Xi sighed, ¡°What exciting lives we lead!¡±

    Yun Nan smiled as she wiped her tears. ¡°Yeah! We¡¯ve always lived spectacularly.¡±

    Fang Xi sighed once more. ¡°Although I don¡¯t remember any of it, all that feels very familiar when you mention it.¡± She rubbed her temples and asked, ¡°Did I¡­ have a boyfriend who I loved very much?¡±

    Yun Nan was stunned. She wasn¡¯t sure if Fang Xi was talking about Xi Cheng or Ye Kun. Fang Xi rapped her head, complaining, ¡°Why can¡¯t I remember? This brain of mine is useless!¡±

    ¡°Stop hitting your head.¡± Yun Nan quickly grabbed Fang Xi¡¯s hand to stop her and tentatively probed, ¡°Fang Xi, try and see if you can remember his name.¡± Fang Xi tilted her head and thought hard. ¡°I think¡­ we had a puppy together?¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s heart settled back in her chest, and tears glistened in her eyes as she replied, ¡°Yes, you two have a cute black and white puppy called Tuan Tuan. Ye Kun said that Tuan Tuan was you guys¡¯ matchmaker..¡±

 Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Four: Amnesia

    Chapter 324: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Four: Amnesia

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi pensively nodded. ¡°Ye Kun¡­ He¡¯s been by my bedside, accompanying me all this time, hasn¡¯t he? I could always hear him speak, but not clearly. I don¡¯t remember what he said, but whenever I couldn¡¯t walk any further in that dark place, I thought, ¡®There¡¯s someone out there who loves me so much, so I mustpersevere. I have to make my way out!¡¯ I thought I would see that person who loves me so much when I opened my eyes, but no luck.¡±

    Yun Nan laughed and cried at the same time. ¡°Fang Xi, that¡¯s great. So you did sense him! We really, really owe a lot to Ye Kun! Fang Xi, I¡¯ll go call Ye Kun over!¡±

    Yun Nan quickly ran out, dragged Ye Kun into the ward, and excitedly said,

    ¡°Fang Xi, she remembers Tuan Tuan. Quick! Go talk with Fang Xi!¡±

    With that, Yun Nan left the two alone to talk. Fang Xi and Ye Kun stared at each other quietly. Ye Kun didn¡¯t even dare to breathe too heavily; he was afraid that the lively Fang Xi before him would again be lying unconscious on the bed with the blink of an eye.

    Fang Xi frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy that I¡¯m awake? Or are you unhappy because I don¡¯t remember you?¡± she asked in a disgruntled and teasing tone.

    Flowers bloomed in Ye Kun¡¯s heart. ¡°No, of course, I¡¯m happy!¡± he hurriedly reassured her. ¡°I¡¯m crazy happy that you¡¯re awake. It doesn¡¯t matter that you don¡¯t remember me; what matters is that you¡¯re awake. I¡¯ll be right there with you anyway and let you get to know me again. We can start over anew. Nothing else matters as long as you¡¯re alive and awake!¡±

    Ye Kun was so anxious that his voice trembled as he spoke. ¡®He looks a little silly,¡¯ Fang Xi thought, her heart suddenly feeling warm and safe for some reason.

    Ye Kun carefully reached out and held Fang Xi in his arms. ¡°Fang Xi,¡± he murmured. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, aren¡¯t you? You won¡¯t go back to sleep again, will you?¡±

    Fang Xi breathed in deeply. Ye Kun had a fresh smell of the forest on him. It was the scent she often smelled in her dreams. She felt inexplicably at ease in his arms, surrounded by his scent, and nodded gently.

    ¡°I loved you very much, didn¡¯t I?¡± Fang Xi asked softly.

    Ye Kun let go of her and looked at her. Fang Xi¡¯s eyes were crystal clear as she said, ¡°I must have loved you very much. When I was exhausted and couldn¡¯t walk or crawl anymore in that dream, I could always hear you encourage and beg me to keep going. I know you love me very much.¡±

    Fang Xi continued, ¡°I thought to myself then, ¡®I can¡¯t give up when someone out there loves me so much. You¡¯ll be quite sad ifI give up.¡¯ I think I must love you very much; that¡¯s why I gritted my teeth and persevered. Although we¡¯re a little unfamiliar with each other now, you don¡¯t mind that I¡¯ve forgotten all the nice things you¡¯ve done for me and all the sweet times we¡¯ve had together in the past, right?¡±

    Ye Kun embraced Fang Xi again and chokingly replied, ¡°I don¡¯t mind! I don¡¯t mind it at all! Fang Xi, nothing is more important than you being alive! It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t remember¡ªlet the past be the past. We still have a

    present and a future together. I can treat you well all over again. Let¡¯s start over anew!¡± Ye Kun was overwhelmed by the exultation of recovering his lost love. To him, nothing was more important than Fang Xi waking up!

    Fang Xi was in fine spirits. Although her memory was a blank slate, Fang Xi absorbed everything like a sponge as she listened to her friends¡¯ narrations and asked about her past.

    The good news was that, with the re-infusion of these ¡®stories,¡¯ Fang Xi could vaguely recall some of her past. However, she never asked about her parents or how she got into that car accident, thus completely removing her relatives and Xi Cheng from her world.

    Fang Xi¡¯s situation probably belonged in this category. As for whether she would remember those memories in the future, that would depend on Fang Xi herself.

    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief but couldn¡¯t help but feel worried when they thought of the people and things Fang Xi had forgotten. Mr. MO comforted everyone, stating, ¡°1 think Ye Kun did good. We shouldn¡¯t be overly anxious about things that haven¡¯t happened. Accidents are accidents because they happen when we least expect them to, so let¡¯s take things as they come. As long as Fang Xi is healthy and happy, the rest is nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°I believe that even if she remembers those upsetting things from her past, she can face them bravely. As her friends and family, we only have to protect and give her our blessings. The Fang Xi I know is a strong and brave person. We have to believe in her and be her stalwart supporters!¡±

    Fang Xi was soon discharged from the hospital. Mr. MO insisted she move to his house and refused to let her stay in her rented apartment. He claimed that it was inappropriate for her and Ye Kun to live opposite each other as fianc¨¦ and fianc¨¦e, when in fact, he was preparing for Fang Xi¡¯s wedding.

    Ye Kun valued love and friendship, and the Ye family was the understanding sort; they¡¯d already put the couple¡¯s marriage on the agenda..

 Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Five: Forgotten

    Chapter 325: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Five: Forgotten

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Mr. MO insisted that Fang Xi get married at his house. Since she was his goddaughter, the MO family was Fang Xi¡¯s maiden family. For the sake of Fang Xi and the Ye family¡¯s dignity, what Fang Xi¡¯s parents couldn¡¯t do, Mr. MO would do for them.

    Fang Xi¡¯s legs hadn¡¯t fully recovered, so she still had to sit in a wheelchair most of the time. However, this didn¡¯t affect the wedding preparations. Ye Kun couldn¡¯t believe how lucky he was; he felt like he was reborn anew, even though the one truly reborn was Fang Xi.

    The current Fang Xi was cheerful and lively. The depression and melancholy she¡¯d occasionally exuded in the past had disappeared. Her lost memories had taken the pain in her heart with them.

    Their wedding rings were designed by Xiang Yang after several all-nighters, and their wedding outfits were personally hand-sewn by Miss An and the others. They were a set of Chinese-style wedding attire, and Fang Xi¡¯s wedding dress was especially breathtaking, coupled with a phoenix coronet. Their friends and family had handled everything for them; the only thing the brideand groom-to-be needed to do was take the wedding photos¡ªthis was something others couldn¡¯t do for them.

    Xi Cheng irritably flipped through the photo album the bridal shop assistant had given him while he waited for Lin Yu to finish changing. He and Lin Yu were on their fourth set of wedding photos, but it was still far from enough for Lin Yu. Xi Cheng really didn¡¯t understand women, thinking, ¡®Why go through all this trouble? We¡¯re onlygetting married.¡¯

    Lin Yu used to be so anxious to get married, but now that they¡¯ve finally set the wedding date, she was no longer in a hurry. Each and every detail had to be done to the extreme. Xi Cheng was already exhausted just from when they started trying on wedding outfits until their photoshoot.

    Looking at the various wedding dresses in the album, Xi Cheng couldn¡¯t help but think of Fang Xi. ¡®Fang Xi must have dreamed of wearing a wedding dress countless times, hasn¡¯t she? Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t give her what shed wanted.¡¯

    Xi Cheng¡¯s chest throbbed at the thought. ¡°Ye Kun, I¡¯m tired. I don¡¯t want to take any more photos. Let¡¯s make this our last set, okay?¡± Xi Cheng heard a voice say coquettishly and felt like lightning had struck him. He stood up and walked towards the voice.

    A male voice answered, ¡°Alright! I told you we should have let Yun Innovations¡¯ photographer come to our house and take the photos there, but you insisted on coming here for our wedding photos just because you wanted to ¡®share in¡¯ Yun Nan and Shi Nian¡¯s happiness. It¡¯s very tiring, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯ve already taken some photos, so how about we go home and not take this set of photos?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve already changed my clothes; we should finish this photoshoot. Besides, what¡¯s wrong with taking our wedding photos here? Look at how happy Yun Nan and Shi Nian are together! I just want a share of their happiness.¡±

    The male replied, ¡°We¡¯ll live happily on our own. We don¡¯t have to borrow their happiness!¡±

    Xi Cheng pulled open the curtains before him with all his strength, and the people behind the curtains turned around in shock. Ye Kun and Xi Cheng¡¯s expressions changed when they saw each other.

    ¡°Fang Xi? You woke up?!¡± Amazed, Xi Cheng took a step forward.

    Ye Kun subconsciously shielded Fang Xi behind him, and Xi Cheng pushed him away. Ye Kun couldn¡¯t take it anymore and growled, ¡°Xi Cheng! Don¡¯t go too far!¡±

    Fang Xi looked at the two of them in surprise and asked, ¡°Ye Kun, who¡¯s this?¡±

    Xi Cheng stared at Fang Xi in shock. She met his gaze blankly. Eyes fixed on

    Fang Xi, Xi Cheng blurted, ¡°Fang Xi, don¡¯t you know who I am? I¡¯m Xi Cheng.¡±

    Fang Xi looked toward Ye Kun. ¡°Xi Cheng? Should I know him? I haven¡¯t heard you guys mention him before.¡±

    Ye Kun gazed at Xi Cheng, and the anger in his eyes suddenly faded. He stepped to the side, put his arms around Fang Xi¡¯s waist, and said gently, ¡°None of us mentioned him because he¡¯s no one important. His name¡¯s Xi Cheng; we¡¯re childhood friends.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Fang Xi replied softly and briefly sized Xi Cheng up. She was confused by his anxious behavior but still politely greeted him, ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Xi Cheng!¡± Lin Yu¡¯s voice trembled as she called out from behind Xi Cheng. Dressed in a bridal gown, Lin Yu stood pale-faced behind Xi Cheng.

    Fang Xi¡¯s gaze also fell on Lin Yu, and she inquired, ¡°Is she your friend¡¯s bride?¡±

    Ye Kun nodded lightly and tightened his hold on Fang Xi. Fang Xi noticed Ye Kun¡¯s nervousness and was slightly puzzled. To comfort him, she hugged Ye Kun¡¯s waist in return.

    A shop assistant came over to say, ¡®Miss Fang, we¡¯ve altered the waistline of your gown. Come try it on.¡±

    Fang Xi turned around and happily exclaimed, ¡°That was fast! Okay, I¡¯m coming! ¡±

    ¡°You stay and talk to your friend, ¡± she said to Ye Kun. ¡°I¡¯ll go try on my dress.¡±

    Ye Kun didn¡¯t object and lifted her into her wheelchair. Fang Xi nodded apologetically at Xi Cheng and Lin Yu before she spun her wheelchair around and left with the shop assistant.

    Only when she was gone did Ye Kun speak. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know you guys! She lost all her memories of the past,¡± Ye Kun stated coldly.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! How can she not know me? How can she not remember me?¡± Xi Cheng suddenly exploded at Ye Kun and pushed him away, intending to chase after Fang Xi.

    ¡°Xi Cheng!¡± Lin Yu lifted her dress slightly and pulled Xi Cheng back. Xi Cheng stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°Do you want to embarrass the Xi and Ye families?¡± Lin Yu asked, keeping her grip on Xi Cheng tight as her heart hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Don¡¯t, Xi Cheng. We¡¯re about to get married,¡± Lin Yu pleaded, nearly sobbing..

 Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: Chapter Three -Hundred and Twenty-Six: Hell

    Chapter 326: Chapter Three -Hundred and Twenty-Six: Hell

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Ye Kun looked at them and detachedly remarked, ¡°Xi Cheng, your wedding date is coming up, isn¡¯t it? So why bother acting like you¡¯re indelibly infatuated with someone who has forgotten you?¡±

    Lin Yu closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face. Ye Kun calmly continued, ¡®You¡¯ve already let Fang Xi down; do you want to hurt Lin Yu, too? The wedding date between Fang Xi and I has also been set. I¡¯ll have someone send you the invitation some other day.¡±

    Xi Cheng abruptly shook Lin Yu¡¯s hand off and ran out the door without looking back. ¡°Xi Cheng!¡± Lin Yu called out, her voice shrill and desperate.

    Fang Xi, who had changed clothes, wheeled over and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?

    Did your friends fight?¡±

    Ye Kun patted her hand and answered, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You¡¯ve finished changing? Let¡¯s go take some photos.¡±

    Lin Yu suddenly cried out to Fang Xi, ¡°Fang Xi! Do you really not know me?¡±

    Fang Xi looked at Lin Yu, shook her head gently, and apologetically said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I got sick, and my brain isn¡¯t working so well. I don¡¯t remember what happened in the past. Please don¡¯t take offense.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Lin Yu¡¯s entire body trembled, and her eyes blazed with intense hatred. ¡°You think you can wipe the slate clean just by saying, ¡®I don¡¯t remember? You think you can start a new life by saying, ¡®I don¡¯t remember? What about us? Why should you be able to start anew, leaving us in hell?¡±

    Frightened by Lin Yu, Fang Xi instinctively raised her hand to grab Ye Kun. Ye Kun¡¯s face turned cold, and he uttered stonily, ¡°What? Is hell not so pleasant after all? Fang Xi¡¯s not the one who sent you guys to hell. What were you guys doing when Fang Xi was in hell? And just who sent Fang Xi to hell, hmm?¡±

    He continued, ¡°Lin Yu, what goes around, comes around! What Xi Cheng does is your business, but Fang Xi is my wife. From now on, anyone who hurts her is an enemy of the Ye family!¡±

    Ye Kun took hold of Fang Xi¡¯s wheelchair, shielded Fang Xi from Lin Yu¡¯s resentful gaze, and wheeled Fang Xi away. Lin Yu stood there, trembling like a leaf in the autumn wind.

    [In Shi Nian and Yun Nan¡¯s bedroom]

    Shi Nian pulled Yun Nan, who had her back to him, into his arms, grumbling,

    ¡°What are you doing so far away from me?¡±

    Yun Nan fell into his warm embrace and curled up. ¡°Blame your ridiculously large bed. This thing¡¯s so big you won¡¯t fall off even if you somersault on it!¡± Shi Nian chuckled, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll change it to a smaller bed tomorrow.¡±

    ¡®Why?¡± Yun Nan sleepily inquired.

    Shi Nian nibbled her earlobe lightly and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t want you so far away from me. I want you in my arms all the time.¡±

    Yun Nan felt prickly and tingly, so she shifted slightly and pushed him away, protesting, ¡°Stop that! That¡¯s annoying!¡±

    Shi Nian breathed into Yun Nan¡¯s ear, ¡°Annoying? I¡¯ll show you annoying.¡± As he spoke, he began to get handsy with Yun Nan. Yun Nan was ticklish, so she tried to dodge his hands while laughing. With such a soft and warm beauty in his arms, how could Shi Nian control himself?

    He gave Yun Nan long and deep kisses, and after some time, Yun Nan tried to push him off, pantingly saying, ¡°No, enough. That¡¯s it for tonight. I¡¯m tired. I want to sleep.¡±

    Shi Nian kissed her as he coaxed, ¡°Alright, okay. Just a few more kisses. Just a couple more kisses, and we¡¯ll go to sleep.¡±

    Of course, Yun Nan didn¡¯t believe him. He was kissing her everywhere, setting her bodv on fire with every kiss, havinq no intention of lettinq her sleep peacefully. The man was unwilling to waste any time or chance to make love with her ever since he¡¯d gotten a taste.

    After a delightful and sweaty in-bed cardio, Yun Nan was so tired that she couldn¡¯t even lift her fingers and could only whine coquettishly, whereas Shi Nian was in great spirits. He carried Yun Nan to the bathroom to wash up, helped her put on a fresh set of pajamas, kissed her slightly swollen lips, and then contentedly went to sleep with her in his arms.

    As of right now, Shi Nian automatically declared himself the happiest person in the world! Before falling asleep, he thought to himself, ¡® The first thing to do tomorrow is to change the bedroom¡¯s bed to a smaller one!¡¯

    The next day, Xu Yun, Lu Ying, and Kong Zhen visited Yun Innovations out of the blue. Yun Nan, Fang Xi, and Shi Xiu, who were in the middle of a meeting, hurriedly put the meeting on hold and invited them into the lounge.

    ¡°Mom, Auntie Lu, and Auntie Kong, what brings you here?¡± Shi Xiu asked, still holding the interview script for the show she would be hosting in her hand.

    ¡°Did we come at a bad time?¡± Xu Yun inquired apologetically.

    Yun Nan smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve always said I would bring you guys here for a tour, but I never had the chance. Now¡¯s as good a time as any.¡± She raised her voice and called to someone outside, ¡°Lu Hui, come here for a moment!¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± They heard someone shout in response from afar before hearing the sound of footsteps approaching.

    Lu Hui rushed in with a folder in her arms and unhappily complained, ¡°Fang Xi, I managed to contact Mr. Liang. He forgot about today¡¯s meeting but refused to admit it, insisting that he¡¯s very confident in our abilities and trusts us to take complete charge. Hmph! That man¡¯s full of lies! I could smell the alcohol on him through the phone. He¡¯s clearly hungover!¡± Everyone looked at the girl with bushy and curly hair as she ranted..

 Chapter 327 - Chapter 327: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty- Seven: Visiting

    Chapter 327: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty- Seven: Visiting

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Can you truly smell the alcohol on him through the phone?¡± Kong Zhen asked curiously.

    Only then did Lu Hui notice the three distinguished-looking middle-aged women in the room. Knowing that she¡¯d been imprudent, Lu Hui quickly pushed her black-rimmed glasses up her nose and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I thought we were continuing with the meeting.¡±

    Yun Nan knew Lu Hui very well. Her staff all had the bad habit of being muddle-headed over small matters; moreover, Lu Hui¡¯s workload had indeed been particularly heavy recently. The silly girl was always thinking about things while she walked, paying no mind to where she was going or the people around her. Seeing that Lu Hui was distressed, Yun Nan decided to help her out. ¡°I¡¯m also curious about how you can smell the alcohol on him through the phone.¡±

    Slightly embarrassed, Lu Hui said softly, ¡°Mr. Liang¡¯s manner of speaking is exaggerated and flamboyant when he¡¯s in his normal state, with ¡®gorgeous¡¯ and ¡®little lady¡¯ liberally interspersed in his speech! Whereas drunk, he becomes more serious¡ªhis way of speaking is more formal and business-like¡ªwhen he¡¯s lying.¡±

    Yun Nan, Fang Xi, and Shi Xiu shared a look. Shi Xiu chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s true. If you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed.¡±

    Lu Hui hurriedly nodded when she saw that someone agreed with her and added, ¡°That guy¡¯s harder to deal with when drunk than when sober. He¡¯s cunning and sly and has numerous tricks up his sleeves.¡±

    Lu Hui was a poor victim of Liang Han¡¯s schemes and couldn¡¯t help but complain a little. However, her casual words caught someone¡¯s attention. Kong Zhen¡¯s eyes lit up as she stared at the girl. It was the first time she¡¯d heard someone comment on her silly son like that. ¡®How refreshing,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°Have you found a way to deal with him now?¡± Kong Zhen asked with a smile, gazing at Lu Hui as if she was a precious treasure.

    Lu Hui was slightly reserved before strangers and didn¡¯t answer. Seeing this, Fang Xi smiled and uttered, ¡°Yeah, Lu Hui. We have to work closely with Mr. Liang in the future, so there¡¯ll indeed be many difficulties if we can¡¯t grasp his temperament. We can¡¯t let him take too much advantage of us, right?¡±

    Lu Hui saw that Fang Xi was also asking the same question and quickly nodded, stating with great confidence, ¡°That won¡¯t happen. That guy is difficult to deal with but still has principles when doing things. As long as we¡¯re careful of his verbal traps and flatter him more, there shouldn¡¯t be any big problems.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already signed the contract. As for the other small details, we¡¯ll give in once if he mentions it five times, but we can¡¯t promise him everything. He¡¯ll take a mile if we give him an inch, and he won¡¯t feel a sense of accomplishment if he gets what he wants too easily. He¡ªhe¡¯s cunning and sly, but he¡¯s not a bad person. He¡¯s just¡­ a little childish!¡±

    Shi Xiu laughed hard as she fell into Kong Zhen¡¯s arms and stated, ¡°Auntie, I find that Lu Hui knows Liang Han quite well. I managed to bag the role of this show¡¯s host due to Lu Hui¡¯s advice. It was very effective.¡±

    Kong Zhen patted Shi Xiu and gave Yun Nan a look. ¡°Yun Nan, I wonder if this charming little lady has time to show us around.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and nodded. ¡°Of course. Lu Hui, please give these aunties a tour around the company. Shi Xiu, you can accompany them if you like.¡±

    Shi Xiu jumped up in joy. ¡°Alright! I like this mission; I love showing off the most!¡± Everyone couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    Then, Xu Yun said with slight frustration, ¡°We¡¯re not here for a tour. We came to discuss something with you guys!¡±

    Before Yun Nan could say anything, Kong Zhen chimed in, ¡°Oh, dear, there¡¯s no rush. We can take a look around first and then talk later. Isn¡¯t that right, Lu Ying? Let¡¯s go have a look around first.¡±

    Lu Ying knew what the biggest thing on Kong Zhen¡¯s mind was¡ªto find her son a suitable wife¡ªand noticed that Lu Hui seemed to have caught her friend¡¯s eye, so she smiled and uttered, ¡°Fang Xi, I¡¯d also like to take a look at your wedding gown and see what kind of jewelry would suit it.¡±

    Fang Xi blushed and nodded lightly. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Lu Ying glanced at Fang Xi¡¯s crutch and asked, ¡°Are you okay making the trip? It won¡¯t be too hard on you, will it?¡±

    Fang Xi smiled and shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m used to it. The doctor told me to exercise more, but Ye Kun never lets me walk anywhere.¡±

    Lu Ying chuckled, ¡°He¡¯d love nothing more than to have you rely on him all the time. Don¡¯t listen to him. Exercise more! You have to properly recover so that you can run fast and let my idiot son chase after you.¡±

    Shi Xiu clicked her tongue and remarked, ¡°I must find a mother-in-law like you and Mom in the future, auntie. It doesn¡¯t matter how my husband is, but my mother-in-law has to be nice! ¡±

    Xu Yun glared admonishingly at her, scolding, ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡±

    Kong Zhen hugged Shi Xiu and replied, ¡°I think Shi Xiu is right. Choosing a mother-in-law is very important. Of course, choosing a husband is also important! Don¡¯t worry about making the wrong choice, Shi Xiu. There are loads of people who¡¯ll help you check!¡±

    Everyone laughed as they walked out together, and Kong Zhen deliberately walked beside Lu Hui. When Shi Xiu introduced the middle-aged women to Lu Hui, she only addressed them by name and didn¡¯t point out their identities. Therefore, Lu Hui only knew that Auntie Lu was Fang Xi¡¯s mother-in-law to be, Auntie Xu was Yun Nan¡¯s mother-in-law and Shi Xiu¡¯s mother, and Auntie Kong beside her was just Auntie Kong. Since the lady wasn¡¯t the mother-in-law or related to the other girls, Lu Hui would be the one to

    accompany her..

 Chapter 328 - Chapter 328: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Eight: Intention

    Chapter 328: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Eight: Intention

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Kong Zhen had been quite resentful over her son¡¯s matter these past few days. She was very envious when Han Yuan invited her over to help her choose a gown and matching jewelry for Lin Yu. Han Yuan read her mind and strongly recommended Yun Liu.

    Kong Zhen also knew the girl and had a good impression of her. However, her son immediately ran for the hills and didn¡¯t return home for several days when he heard she planned to match him with Yun Liu. Kong Zhen was so furious that she almost issued an arrest warrant for him. Seeing that there was nothing she could do, she could only share her grievances with Xu Yun.

    Then, Kong Zhen heard many things about Yun Liu from Xu Yun and understood why her son would hide far away from the girl. She couldn¡¯t help but be angry at Han Yuan, thinking, ¡® Why would she introduce such a girl to me? What bad intentions she has.¡¯

    Coincidentally, Lu Ying came to Xu Yun to discuss her son¡¯s wedding and decided to visit Fang Xi at her workplace, so Kong Zhen followed them. Rumor had it that Lu Ying¡¯s daughter-in-law was Xi Cheng¡¯s ex-girlfriend, and Han Yuan had called the girl a hussy in public. Thus, her reputation was fairly bad, but Lu Ying ignored it completely. She was filled with love and pity when she mentioned her daughter-in-law and only had good things to say about the girl.

    Kong Zhen was the straightforward type and quickly agreed with Xu Yun and Lu Ying¡¯s viewpoint: As long as their sons were happy, they¡ªas mothers-in-law¡ªwould accept their daughters-in-law a hundred percent. After all, their sons would be living their lives with their daughters-in-law, so as long as their sons liked these girls, then their sons¡¯ happiness was their happiness.

    The betrothal gifts Lu Ying and Xu Yun chose weren¡¯t as ostentatious as Han Yuan¡¯s; that woman was all about showing off the Xi family¡¯s wealth and status. Lu Ying would choose gifts according to her daughter-in-law¡¯s temperament and preferences; this respect was more welcoming and heartwarming. Kong Zhen mostly saw a mother-in-law¡¯s authority and a daughter-in-law¡¯s obedience in Han Yuan and Lin Yu¡¯s interactions. Kong Zhen felt she wasn¡¯t cut out to be Han Yuan¡¯s type of mother-in-law. Lu Ying and Xu Yun¡¯s type was more suitable for her.

    Lu Ying wanted to pick a set of jewelry from her heirloom accessories to give to her daughter-in-law, but she didn¡¯t know what kind of accessories would suit Fang Xi¡¯s bridal dress, so the three women promptly went to Yun Innovations to have a look at the wedding dress. More importantly, Xu Yun also had the intention of holding a wedding ceremony and wanted to discuss it with Yun

    Nan.

    This trip wasn¡¯t only an eye-opener for Kong Zhen, but she also had an unexpected gain. ¡®So that good-for-nothing son ofmine is actually such a ¡°promising¡± man!¡¯ she thought. ¡® This fluffy-haired girl called Lu Hui beside me is quite genuine and adorable!

    However, before Kong Zhen could chat further and get to know Lu Hui more closely, she was stunned by Fang Xi¡¯s gown. The three madams were blown away when they saw the hung-up red auspicious dress.

    Lu Ying finally spoke after a long while. ¡°Fang Xi, it¡¯s a good thing I came to take a look. Otherwise, it would be a great pity if I matched the wrong jewelry to this splendid dress.¡±

    Fang Xi beamed at her, full of happiness.

    ¡°Thank goodness the Ye family has some wealth and status, or we wouldn¡¯t be worthy of this lady!¡± Lu Ying said to the crowd gathered around them as she lightly stroked the embroidery on the gown.

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t think much of Lu Ying¡¯s words because of her lost memories, but they shook the others in Yun Innovations. No betrothal gift¡ªno matter how expensive¡ªcould compare with this show of Lu Ying¡¯s approval.

    Miss An¡¯s eyes were moist as she replied, ¡°Thank you, Madam. It was the least we could do. We only wish for Fang Xi and Ye Kun to be happy for the rest of their lives. ¡±

    Lu Ying nodded. ¡°They surely will. They¡¯ll definitely live happily with you all¡¯s blessings!¡±

    She looked at Fang Xi tenderly and held her hand. Fang Xi leaned her head gently on Lu Ying¡¯s shoulder. Losing her memories didn¡¯t seem to be a loss to her. The people around her loved her very much, and she was very happy.

    ¡°*Cough*¡± Xu Yun cleared her throat and politely asked Miss An and her costume team, ¡°If Yun Nan and Fang Xi are to hold a wedding together, how long would it take to rush out another red auspicious dress?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Everyone at Yun Innovations was shocked and then pleasantly surprised.

    Xu Yun hurriedly said, ¡°I actually came here today to discuss this matter with Yun Nan, but I haven¡¯t had the chance to tell her yet. And now, seeing Fang Xi¡¯s gown, I want to hold her and Shi Nian¡¯s wedding as soon as possible, even more.¡±

    Shi Xiu was elated. ¡°Mom, that¡¯s a great idea! It¡¯s awesome! This way, it¡¯ll be double the excitement! Fang Xi, what do you think?¡±

    Fang Xi was naturally overjoyed. ¡°Miss An, can you rush out another dress in time?¡±

    Miss An chuckled, ¡°We can¡¯t disappoint such a good occasion. We¡¯ll rush the dress out even if we have to work nonstop!¡±

    Xu Yun and Shi Xiu were delighted at that. ¡°But I have a suggestion. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s feasible, though,¡± Miss An continued. Everyone looked at her, curious.

    Miss An smiled mischievously. ¡°How about we give Yun Nan a surprise? Let¡¯s not tell her the news.¡±

    The crowd did a double-take..

 Chapter 329 - Chapter 329: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Nine: Plan

    Chapter 329: Chapter Three-Hundred and Twenty-Nine: Plan

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lu Hui pushed her glasses up. ¡°Miss An, are you saying that we should secretly make preparations for Yun Nan¡¯s wedding and only tell her about it when the time comes? Um¡­ Won¡¯t that be more of a scare than a surprise?¡±

    Shi Xiu punched her palm excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s brilliant! Miss An! I think your idea is simply fantastic! We¡¯ll work together to hide this from my sister-in-law so she won¡¯t be nervous about the wedding and have it affect her work. With so many of us, Yun Nan doesn¡¯t have to worry about a small matter like her wedding at all. Isn¡¯t that right, everyone?¡±

    Everyone agreed.

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! That¡¯s right!¡±

    Shi Xiu stared at the strained-looking Lu Hui and patted her shoulder. ¡°Hey,

    Lulu, what¡¯s with that expression? You¡¯re not planning to be a traitor, are you? Keep this quiet, or I¡¯ll execute you on the spot!¡±

    Lu Hui adjusted her glasses and said with a straight face, ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t you give me some hush money if you want to buy my silence? I won¡¯t ask for much either; just be more cooperative when we¡¯re filming the interviews and control your temper!¡±

    Shi Xiu pushed Lu Hui¡¯s forehead with her index finger and uttered through gritted teeth, ¡°Did you secretly become Liang Han¡¯s disciple? When did you learn all of his skills at ripping people off?¡±

    Lu Hui pushed her glasses up and huffily replied, ¡°He¡¯s not anywhere near qualified to be my master! Just tell me, yes or no! If the answer is no, I¡¯ll go straight to President Yun right now!¡±

    Everyone else laughed as they watched the two girls bicker like children. Shi Xiu took a deep breath and stated, ¡°Alright, alright, you win! I¡¯ll behave myself and control my temper! However, we have to write down an agreement: You can¡¯t betray us. There¡¯ll be punishment if you violate that. As for the punishment¡­ Hmm, I¡¯ll need to think about that carefully!¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Lu Hui agreed readily. ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. I¡¯ll even give you an extra condition: I can be in charge of the overall planning of the wedding. You guys need someone to help plan the wedding, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s my specialty!¡±

    Shi Xiu placed her hands on her hips and commented, ¡°Huh, I think you must have caught something from Liang Han! You¡¯re even talking like him! Alright!

    Yes, we need someone like you to coordinate and make overall arrangements! That settles it, then!¡±

    Lu Hui¡¯s lips curled in disdain, saying, ¡°Who would want to catch something from him? I¡¯d rather drink poison instead.¡±

    Kong Zhen¡¯s eyes never left Lu Hui. ¡® This girl is really interesting,¡¯ she thought. ¡® Come to think ofit, her way of doing things truly is similar to Liang Han¡¯s.

    However, when Liang Han schemed against others, anyone who¡¯s experienced or familiar with Liang Han would be able to see through it, whereas this girl is really superb at playing dumb.¡¯

    The more Kong Zhen observed her, the more Lu Hui grew on Kong Zhen. After that, Lu Hui didn¡¯t waste a single minute. She swiftly listed out the entire wedding preparation process, including the parts that Lu Ying hadn¡¯t completed yet, and even arranged them in order in passing. Her hand-drawn flowchart was neat and clear.

    Lu Ying praised, ¡°Wow, this kid is amazing. Looking at this chart, I can see that I still have a few important things to do, but with how she arranged them, I have a clear idea of my time schedule! Not bad!¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much, Lulu,¡± Xu Yun said. ¡°This flowchart of yours is so clear.¡± Seeing how skillful she is, Kong Zhen¡¯s liking for Lu Hui instantly increased several levels.

    Yun Nan, kept in the dark, was chatting with Yan Tang¡ªthe has-been singer who¡¯d participated in ¡®Embracing Life¡ªin the meeting room.

    Yan Tang¡¯s smile was slightly bitter as she remarked, ¡°If it were in the past, I never would¡¯ve imagined that there would be a day when I could calmly sit down and expose my feelings to the world. I would rather die.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°Was Shi Xiu the one who changed your mind?¡±

    Yan Tang shook her head gently. ¡°Yes, and no. When I first met her, I felt we were people from two different worlds. She was a rich girl who never knew the world¡¯s suffering. How could someone like that understand the hardships we¡¯ve suffered since we were young?¡±

    She continued, ¡°After I spent some time with her, I realized that everyone suffers their fair share in this world; everyone has their own difficulties, and there¡¯s no way to compare them. I¡¯m even more certain of this when I later learn about your life stories from her.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded in agreement. ¡°No one has it easy. Only by living your life well can you not have any regrets. You¡¯re letting your life down if you keep dwelling in one state. Looking back now, do you find that you can face your pasts calmly?¡±

    Yan Tang nodded. ¡°Thank you! I think I can set off on my life again.¡±

    Yun Nan reached out to shake her hand. ¡°I look forward to working with you!¡±

    After everyone reached an agreement, there was a secretive air in Yun Innovations. Everyone became busier, but they all had cheerful smiles on their faces. Seeing how hard they were working, Fang Xi went to the coffee shop down the street on her crutches, wanting to buy some drinks for everyone. ¡°Fang Xi!¡± A tall figure suddenly called out and rushed over, startling Fang Xi.

    Fang Xi narrowed her eyes..

 Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: Chapter Three -Hundred and Thirty: Confirmation

    Chapter 330: Chapter Three -Hundred and Thirty: Confirmation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng looked at Fang Xi and felt his heart ache. He was very familiar with Fang Xi¡¯s behaviors; she¡¯d narrowed her eyes because she had slight myopia. She would habitually squint her eyes whenever she felt confused about something or her vision was blurry.

    Xi Cheng had forbidden her from doing that before and asked her to rid herself of the bad habit. Fang Xi had specially gotten glasses for this. To this day, she still doesn¡¯t know why he forbade her from narrowing her eyes. It wasn¡¯t because she looked ugly doing so. It was actually the opposite¡ªshe was too seductive with her eyes half-masted!

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t know her own allure. Any man would be unable to resist such an innocent and sensual gaze from a beauty like her and would want to kiss her.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Ye Kun¡¯s friend. You¡¯re¡­ Sorry, I can¡¯t remember your name.¡± Fang Xi said and smiled apologetically.

    Xi Cheng grabbed Fang Xi¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Fang Xi, do you really not remember me?¡±

    Shocked, Fang Xi pulled her hand from his grip, backed away, and almost lost her balance. Her face darkened, and she snapped, ¡°Why should I remember you?!¡±

    ¡® What an inexplicable man!¡¯ she thought.

    Xi Cheng stared at Fang Xi blankly. One of the things Fang Xi wasn¡¯t good at was lying. Whenever she lied, she would lower her eyes, her gaze would wander, and her breathing would become faster. That was why he could catch her lying every time, making it impossible for her to hide anything from him.

    He could tell that, right now, Fang Xi truly didn¡¯t know him! ¡®Hovrs this possible? Xi Cheng thought. ¡®How could she have possibly forgotten about me? It¡¯s impossible!

    Fang Xi looked at him coldly and uttered, ¡°You are Ye Kun¡¯s friend. Please respect your friendship with him, and respect me too!¡±

    Xi Cheng took a deep breath, feeling as if his internal organs were in great pain. He tried to soften his voice as he told her, ¡°Fang Xi, I am Xi Cheng. You¡¯re right; I am Ye Kun¡¯s friend, but we were also once lovers! Do you really not remember anything? We were together for seven years! Don¡¯t you remember anything?¡±

    Fang Xi seemed at a loss for a moment, but it was fleeting. ¡°I¡¯m calling Ye Kun!¡± she stated, thinking, ¡®Since this guy is his friend, Ye Kun can deal with him himself! What kind ofperson is this!¡¯ She had lost her memory, not become stupid. Xi Cheng¡¯s obviously trying to get with her, his friend¡¯s fianc¨¦e. ¡®What a sleazeball this guy is!¡¯

    Xi Cheng snatched Fang Xi¡¯s phone away and anxiously urged, ¡°Can you try to think back again? Think about it carefully. We spent seven years together. We loved each other so passionately. How could you have possibly forgotten all of it? You and Ye Kun have known each other for less than a year. How is it possible that you only remember him? That¡¯s unfair, Fang Xi! Think back carefully. Try and recall who I am.¡±

    Fang Xi was initially furious that he¡¯d snatched her phone away, but she froze when she heard Xi Cheng¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t have her past memories, and the people around her were trying their best to help her remember. However, all the things everyone was trying to help her recall were happy and joyful; everyone except for Yun Nan.

    However, the things Yun Nan told her were basically Yun Nan¡¯s own life story. No one had ever mentioned the unhappiness that Fang Xi had experienced. Fang Xi could understand; she¡¯d narrowly escaped death, and everyone hoped that there would only be happiness for the rest of her life.

    No one only experienced joyful things in life, and everyone was working hard to make Fang Xi happy. There could only be one possibility¡ªshe had once been extremely unhappy!

    Having come to that conclusion, Fang Xi calmly looked at Xi Cheng. ¡°Alright, then tell me. How did I get injured?¡±

    Xi Cheng felt as if lightning had struck him, and his heart was in his throat. ¡®Fang Xi hadn¡¯t forgotten! Fang Xi remembers everything! Fang Xi¡¯s blaming

    Xi Cheng hurriedly stuffed Fang Xi¡¯s phone into her hands and beat a hasty retreat, only leaving behind a low and heartbreaking, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! ¡±

    Fang Xi stared dazedly at her phone, thinking, ¡® That guy must be mental! He¡¯s nuts/

    Fang Xi recalled Xi Cheng¡¯s expression and what he had said. ¡®It seems my injury wasn¡¯t an accident like what Yun Nan and Ye Kun had told me! My recovery might be the only thing that¡¯s unexpected about my ¡°accident,¡±¡® she thought. ¡®But what does it have to do with Xi Cheng?

    ¡® Could he truly be my ex-boyfriend? Seven years? We¡¯d been together for seven years and still hadn¡¯t gotten married? What good is a relationship like that? Isn¡¯t being in a relationship without intentions ofmarriage just playing with your partners feelings?

    ¡®Besides, doesn¡¯t Xi Cheng have a fianc¨¦e whom she met when they took weddingphotos at the bridal shop that day? Oh, right! His fianc¨¦e was also quite strange that day. What did she say back then?

    ¡®She said that I had managed to escape hell, but they¡¯re still in hell? What does that mean? Xi Cheng and his fianc¨¦e are about to get married, but Xi Cheng said he and I were once lovers. Were we in a love triangle? Fang Xi mused.

    However, Fang Xi and Ye Kun were about to get married. Fang Xi knew very well how much Ye Kun loved her, which meant that, even if she¡¯d been in a love triangle, she was the one who withdrew from that relationship and later fell in love with Ye Kun.

    Fang Xi nodded to herself, feeling that her deduction was very reasonable. She wasn¡¯t someone who would persist in a fruitless relationship. Why would she be involved with someone who had a fianc¨¦e when she could love a man like Ye Kun?

    ¡®Fang Xi, you¡¯re always right!¡¯ Thinking of Ye Kun¡¯s words, Fang Xi smiled and swept all thouqhts about that ridiculous man, Xi Cheng, to the back of her mind..

 Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-One: Found Out

    Chapter 331: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-One: Found Out

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan arrived home and was dumbfounded when she saw the bedroom. ¡°Shi Nian!¡± she shouted.

    Shi Nian ran up the stairs, asking, ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yun Nan pointed at the bed and glared at Shi Nian.

    Shi Nian realized what this was about, smiled, and went to pat the bed before gleefully saying, ¡°Not bad. As expected, a normal bed is more pleasing to the eye. You won¡¯t be sleeping so far away from me now that I¡¯ve changed the bed to a smaller one, right?¡±

    Shi Nian pulled Yun Nan over before she could answer and kissed her. ¡°Great! I look forward to tonight.¡±

    With that, he ran back downstairs. Yun Nan recalled what happened between them in the morning and couldn¡¯t help but blush. She muttered, ¡°This bed isn¡¯t all that small either. It must be at least two meters wide, isn¡¯t it? Why don¡¯t you change it to a meter-wide bed? I guarantee that we won¡¯t even be able to flip over !

    ¡°What was that?¡± Shi Nian asked. Seeing that he was about to turn around and come back, Yun Nan jumped in fright.

    Yun Nan hurriedly ran downstairs as she replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I didn¡¯t say anything. Tell me what you want to eat tonight.¡± She didn¡¯t doubt that if he knew what she was mumbling about, Shi Nian would really change their bed to a meter-width one so they couldn¡¯t even turn over!

    Shi Nian was in an extremely good mood, and Yun Nan knew at a glance that he was thinking inappropriate thoughts. She had to talk about something serious to purge his mind. She picked up a piece of pork rib and placed it on Shi Nian¡¯s plate. ¡°We¡¯re going to film a show; it¡¯s a documentary about various people. We want to reserve a segment for Hai Hua. Can you help us talk to her about it?¡±

    Shi Nian grinned so widely that his eyes curved into crescents. ¡°You should talk to her yourself. She favors you more than she does me! Hai Hua will only scold me for meddling in other people¡¯s business.¡±

    ¡°But won¡¯t I have more of her favor with your support?¡± Yun Nan flattered him.

    Shi Nian was very pleased with that and readily agreed. ¡°We should invite Hai

    Hua when we hold our wedding and have her give us a big red packet.¡±

    Yun Nan remembered what happened during the day at the mention of their wedding. ¡°Mom came to my company today with Ye Kun¡¯s and Liang Han¡¯s mothers. They said they wanted to look at Fang Xi¡¯s bridal dress so that they would know what jewelry to match it with.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Yes. I heard from Ye Kun that they¡¯ll be holding a Chinese wedding. Aunt Lu is very particular about the betrothal gifts and even brought out all the family heirlooms.¡±

    Yun Nan rested her chin on her hand and looked at Shi Nian. ¡°They also secretly plotted something together with the rest of my staff! The entire company is working together to keep it from me! Hmph! I waited until I got off work, but no one came to tell me the secret. I¡¯m sad; I can¡¯t believe my relationship with everyone is so bad that they won¡¯t confide in me!¡±

    Shi Nian stared at Yun Nan. She said she was sad but didn¡¯t seem unhappy, so he curiously asked, ¡°What are they secretly plotting?¡±

    Yun Nan answered, ¡°They¡¯ve decided to hold our wedding together with Fang

    Xi and Ye Kun¡¯s. They¡¯ve even plotted to get Miss An to rush out my wedding dress. Now, the costume team has secretly arranged for people to make my wedding dress even if they have to work nonstop!¡±

    Yun Nan pouted. ¡°Hmph! All of them are working together to keep this from me! No one came to tell me! If I hadn¡¯t happened to take a look at the surveillance footage over there, I would have truly been kept in the dark!¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really? That¡¯s what they¡¯re planning?¡±

    Yun Nan rolled her eyes at him. ¡°I take it you¡¯re very excited about this?¡±

    ¡°Of course, how could I not be excited?¡± Shi Nian rubbed his hands in glee. ¡°Oh, do you think the two of us should also prepare? What should we prepare?¡±

    Yun Nan grinned naughtily as she replied. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare to elope on the day of the wedding. Let them have their hopes dashed!¡±

    Shi Nian was momentarily stunned before he pleaded, ¡°No, no! Don¡¯t do that! You can¡¯t! This is everyone¡¯s good intention! They¡¯re all doing this for our sake, aren¡¯t they? You can¡¯t break everyone¡¯s hearts like this! We¡¯re going to hold a wedding! That¡¯s great, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    He continued, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s great that you can hold your wedding together with Fang Xi¡¯s? Ye Kun and I were born on the same day in the same delivery room, and it¡¯ll be awesome to have our wedding on the same day! Yun

    Nan¡­¡±

    Shi Nian dragged out her name as he reached out and swung Yun Nan¡¯s hand back and forth slightly with a fawning smile. Yun Nan was amused by his expression but uttered, ¡°I¡¯m still quite discontented!¡±

    Shi Nian became nervous. ¡°Discontented? Are you discontented at having to marry me?¡± he tentatively inquired.

    Yun Nan rolled her eyes at him. Shi Nian got up to sit beside Yun Nan and anxiously asked. ¡°Then¡ªthen, what would you like me to do? As long as you say the word, it¡¯s not a problem, even if I have to walk through fire and rain!¡±

    Yun Nan smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. Shi Nian felt like he was at his wit¡¯s end. This had come on so suddenly. This blissful opportunity had fallen into his lap before he could ask Liang Han and Ye Kun for advice on how to propose. He was slightly nonplussed but knew he couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity; tonight might be his only chance. He had to get Yun Nan to agree, no matter what.

    Yun Nan watched as Shi Nian got as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof and found it funny.. After he finished with all his sweet talk and persuasions, she slowly said, ¡°I know they secretly plotted this surprise, but I didn¡¯t expose them!¡±

 Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Two: Old Residence

    Chapter 332: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Two: Old Residence

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Enlightened, exhilaration overwhelmed Shi Nian. He hugged Yun Nan and kissed her fiercely. ¡°So that¡¯s a yes? You agree to marry me? You¡¯ll be my wife?¡±

    Yun Nan smilingly pushed him away while avoiding his stifling kisses and panted, ¡°Aren¡¯t we already married, you silly man?¡±

    Shi Nian abruptly stood up, carried his dear wife in his arms, and headed upstairs. ¡°Let¡¯s go and try out our new bed, sweetheart!¡± Shi Nian ignored Yun Nan¡¯s struggles and protests and celebrated in his own way.

    Late at night, Yun Nan was woken up by the phone ringing. Shi Nian had already switched on the bedside lamp and handed the phone to Yun Nan. ¡°It¡¯s Fang Xi.¡±

    Yun Nan answered the call. ¡°Fang Xi?¡± She glanced at the time¡ªit was midnight, 12:30 a.m.

    ¡°Yun Nan, can you come over and keep me company?¡± Fang Xi asked, her voice nasal.

    Yun Nan was instantly fully awake. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m at No. 10, Ling Yun Borough,¡± Fang Xi told her.

    ¡°You¡ªwhy are you at Ling Yun Borough? Don¡¯t go anywhere; I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Yun Nan stated, putting on her clothes and sprinting downstairs at top speed.

    Shi Nian chased after her. ¡°What happened?¡± he inquired. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you there!¡±

    1 um Sd1U BLILLeU Leetll Cts sne puL UH nel snues, 1 wun L le?L Al Cheng off if he dares to hurt Fang Xi!¡±

    *Bang!* The door slammed shut, with Shi Nian inside. Shi Nian smiled wryly; Yun Nan was venting her anger towards Xi Cheng on him. ¡®Ling Yun Borough,¡¯ he thought. ¡® That¡¯s where Xi Cheng and Fang Xi used to live. What is Xi Cheng trying to do? I really don¡¯t get that guy.¡¯

    Shi Nian called Ye Kun while he changed his clothes. ¡®Those two best get married quick Xi Cheng would give up after theVre married, right? Shi Nian sighed; he finally knew what it felt like to be dragged down by his ¡®friend!¡¯

    Fang Xi had received an envelope in the afternoon. She found a key and an address inside. Fang Xi was bewildered but put the items aside as she was busy and didn¡¯t pay them any attention.

    That night, she received a call from Lin Yu¡ªshe wanted to ask her out for coffee. Thinking about Xi Cheng¡¯s weird behavior and Lin Yu¡¯s strange words the other day, Fang Xi was curious and agreed.

    Lin Yu was no stunning beauty; she could only be considered above average in looks. Fortunately, her elegant air and bearing cultivated from a life of wealth made up for her lack in appearance. Lin Yu had spent the entire day primping and dressing up in her best attire for the meeting with Fang Xi. However, her built-up confidence completely collapsed the moment she saw Fang Xi, her self-esteem already bleeding rivers before they even exchanged words.

    Fang Xi had her long hair casually done up in a bun with a simple wooden hair stick. She was wearing a beige-white Chinese-style blouse and a long green linen skirt. Even with crutches, her elegance shone through.

    Fang Xi was unaware of the mental storm in Lin Yu¡¯s mind the instant she saw her. She placed her crutches by the chair and apologized. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late. I have difficulty getting around on my legs.¡± She waved the waiter over. ¡°A glass of passion fruit juice, please.¡±

    Lin Yu secretly took several deep breaths, but her voice was still off when she spoke. ¡°I heard you like to drink coffee, but now you¡¯ve changed to juice instead? Are you truly planning to turn over a new leaf?¡± Fang Xi frowned. ¡°Miss Lin, why did you ask me out if you hate me so much?¡±

    Lin Yu froze before saying, ¡°I¡­ When did I say I hated you?¡±

    Fang Xi looked at her. ¡°You don¡¯t? Then what¡¯s this about turning over a new leaf? Was I a rotten person before?¡±

    Lin Yu couldn¡¯t say anything to that. Fang Xi smiled, picked up the passion fruit juice the waiter had brought, and continued, ¡°Besides, you don¡¯t believe that I¡¯ve lost my memories; you¡¯re trying to sound me out. What kind of story did you invite me out to tell me? Go on, I¡¯m all ears!¡±

    Lin Yu took a deep breath and stared at the carefree and unrestrained woman before her. The anger in her heart made her almost want to kill her immediately. Lin Yu could guarantee that Xi Cheng would irrevocably fall for Fang Xi again if the current Fang Xi appeared before Xi Cheng. Lin Yu knew only too well what kind of woman Xi Cheng liked. ¡® This Fang Xi is fatally attractive to a man like Xi Cheng!¡¯ she inwardly seethed.

    ¡°I truly wish I was the one who lost my memory instead,¡± Lin Yu said slowly. Fang Xi drank her juice and smiled but didn¡¯t respond.

    Lin Yu sighed softly, ¡°Xi Cheng and I grew up together. I¡¯ve decided that Xi

    Cheng is the one I am to rely on for the rest of my life ever since I was young. Every skill I¡¯ve learned since I was a kid is in preparation to become the Xi family¡¯s young mistress in the future. I¡¯ve lived my entire life centered around Xi Cheng; I have nothing of myself.¡±

    Lin Yu stopped there and sighed before forcing a smile. ¡°It sounds sad, doesn¡¯t

    Fang Xi bit her straw and nodded. ¡°Yeah, it does..¡±

 Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Three: Mislead

    Chapter 333: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Three: Mislead

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu gritted her teeth and glared at Fang Xi, who had lowered her eyes, drinking her fruit juice. Lin Yu said stubbornly, ¡°But I feel quite happy, anyway. I¡¯ve always felt I¡¯m the happiest person in the world.¡±

    She looked at Fang Xi and continued, ¡°It wasn¡¯t until I heard that Xi Cheng had another woman by his side that I panicked. Before that, I thought he and I had a tacit understanding. I thought, like me, he wouldn¡¯t have any romantic entanglements with others since he already has a lifelong partner. But I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°Xi Cheng protected that woman very well. He didn¡¯t let anyone know of her existence. He was afraid that we would hurt her. Do you know how I lived all those years? Every day, I lived in fear; I was too afraid of losing Xi Cheng. I waited humbly, waiting for Xi Cheng to get tired of her and return to me, to let all of this pass and disappear into smoke.¡± With that, Lin Yu lowered her head and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

    Fang Xi frowned. She had a feeling that Lin Yu was talking about her. Lin Yu sighed gustily and went on, ¡°But I waited year after year. Xi Cheng didn¡¯t break off his engagement with me but didn¡¯t break up with that woman either. So, I thought it was fine so long as Xi Cheng didn¡¯t reveal that woman to the public.

    It¡¯s fine as long as I¡¯m still openly the Xi family¡¯s young mistress. After all, Xi

    Cheng still has feelings for me¡ªhe didn¡¯t cancel our engagement. Do you think

    I¡¯m silly for putting myself so low?¡±

    ¡°And then what happened?¡± Fang Xi asked impatiently. ¡°Did that woman of Xi Cheng¡¯s fall in love with someone else?¡±

    Lin Yu looked at Fang Xi with disdain as she replied, ¡°No! After she pestered Xi Cheng for seven years, hoping to marry into the Xi family, but to no avail, she took five million dollars from my mother-in-law and left Xi Cheng.¡±

    Fang Xi stared at Lin Yu, stunned. Lin Yu laughed viciously. ¡°Fang Xi, you took five million dollars as breakup fee from the Xi family. You can¡¯t write that off just because you lost your memory.¡±

    Fang Xi pointed at herself. ¡°You¡¯re saying I took five million dollars from you

    Lin Yu nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±

    Fang Xi lowered her hand and sat up straight. ¡°Then what do you want? Do you want me to return the money? Or return him?¡±

    Lin Yu looked at her and measuredly stated, ¡°You already have Ye Kun and are getting ready to marry into the Ye family. Don¡¯t tell me you still want to return to Xi Cheng¡¯s side! You have one other choice! I¡¯ll give you another five million to leave this country and go far away! What do you say?¡±

    Fang Xi gazed at Lin Yu, saw her nervous expression, and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Miss Lin, are you that worried about me? You¡¯re still worried even though I¡¯m marrying Ye Kun and want to send me far away. You want me to never appear before Xi Cheng again, right?¡±

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t say anything. Fang Xi touched Lin Yu¡¯s coffee cup and said,

    ¡°Although you¡¯re a terrible storyteller, I understand your story. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not very familiar with my financial status¡ªI don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve received five million dollars in my account. I need to confirm this with my financial manager, but if I had accepted it, then we¡¯d already concluded our business. You guys paid me to leave Xi Cheng, and I did.¡±

    She continued, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t received that money, please pay me the due amount or write me an IOU, Miss Lin. I can¡¯t have people say I¡¯ve taken that sum when I haven¡¯t actually done so. As for you asking me to leave Ye Kun¡­ I¡¯m sorry; that¡¯ll be another price. You want to buy me and Ye Kun¡¯s future with five million dollars? Impossible. Even if I agree, Ye Kun won¡¯t.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s expression changed. Fang Xi stood up and propped herself up with her crutches before she turned around and said, ¡°Thank you, Miss Lin, for coming to settle our accounts. This kind of business is quite easy. However, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the type to trade my relationship for money. You¡¯re free to believe what you want, but we need to clarify the matter of that five million dollars.¡± With that, Fang Xi left. Lin Yu was so angry as she stared at Fang Xi¡¯s retreating back that she trembled all over. She didn¡¯t expect that this meeting she had meticulously planned would actually turn out to be a lesson in humiliation!

    ¡® Not only is Fang Xi unscathed, but she also cleared herself of those five million dollars,¡¯ Lin Yu inwardly fumed. ¡® That woman is too shrewd!¡¯

    There was no way Lin Yu would believe Fang Xi had lost her memory. Recalling the silent and defeated-looking Fang Xi back when she¡¯d met her and Han Yuan, Lin Yu really regretted not giving her a bigger blow then. She should have driven her into jumping off a building.

    Fang Xi, who had returned to her office to work overtime, suddenly looked at the envelope she¡¯d received during the day. She had a hunch that the set of keys and address had something to do with her and Xi Cheng. She packed up and decided to go to the scene to take a look..

 Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Four: Stimulus

    Chapter 334: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Four: Stimulus

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    When she opened the door, the interior design and furnishings inside gave Fang Xi a sense of familiarity, and her heartbeat quickened. She immediately called Yun Nan; she needed confirmation from the person she trusted the most.

    Every part of the house was spotless. It didn¡¯t look like someone was living there, but someone must have meticulously cleaned the place. Fang Xi¡¯s hand caressed the ornaments and knick-knacks on the shelf in the living room; they were her favorite cartoon characters. Everything here seemed to be tailor-made for her, though there were some men¡¯s items that she was unfamiliar with. ¡®These aren¡¯t Ye Kun¡¯s,¡¯ she thought.

    Fang Xi stood in the living room and closed her eyes, feeling the flow of the surrounding air and her sealed memories. Gradually, she seemed to hear the sounds of water flowing in the kitchen.

    Even with her eyes closed, Fang Xi knew where the kitchen and bathroom were. There was a bird sculpture on the balcony of the south bedroom. She had spent a lot of effort bringing it back from a trip she went on. She¡¯d wanted it in the living room as decoration, but he said it was too ugly, so she placed it on the balcony, where it became a rack for drying shoes.

    Fang Xi took a deep breath and opened her eyes, feeling uncomfortable for no apparent reason. She slowly walked over and pushed open the doors. She saw the kitchen, the bathroom, and¡­ that bird sculpture on the south balcony. Fang Xi was stunned.

    ¡°You remember now, don¡¯t you, Fang Xi?¡± Xi Cheng¡¯s bass voice suddenly came from behind. Fang Xi abruptly turned around; she hadn¡¯t noticed that there was another person in the room.

    Fang Xi tried her best to calm her pounding heart, and her head throbbed slightly. A horde of images rushed out at her, vying for her attention. However, there were too many of them crowding her mind¡ªit was a mess. She couldn¡¯t see anything clearly. She shut her eyes, and her body swayed.

    Xi Cheng caught her. ¡°Fang Xi?¡±

    Fang Xi instinctively pushed him away and stood against the wall as support. ¡°Don¡¯t come over!¡±

    Xi Cheng stared at her pleadingly. ¡°Fang Xi, do you remember? This used to be our home! We¡¯ve lived here for seven years; every item here was carefully selected by you. They¡¯re all your favorites. Do you remember?¡±

    Pinpricks of pain stabbed through Fang Xi¡¯s brain. She slowly slid down the wall and sat on the ground. ¡°Fang Xi! Fang Xi!¡±

    Fang Xi glanced at him weakly. She wanted to push him away, but her strength had left her. Her head hurt so badly that her consciousness blurred. White lights flashed behind her eyes, so blinding that she was unable to open her eyes. Xi Cheng¡¯s voice was getting further and further away, and Fang Xi felt slightly weary. She was weary of him, of this house, of¡­

    *Bang! Bang! Bang!* Someone knocked on the door. Xi Cheng paid no heed to it. He picked Fang Xi up and gently placed her on the sofa, thinking, ¡®Fang Xls much thinner than before, and she wasn¡¯t fat to begin with.¡¯

    When they were together, Fang Xi was very concerned about her weight. She would weigh herself in trepidation even if she ate an extra piece of meat. She monitored her weight closely; she had to maintain her figure at its most perfect state, always worried that he wouldn¡¯t like her if she wasn¡¯t.

    Xi Cheng¡¯s tears fell onto Fang Xi¡¯s face as he cried, ¡°Fang Xi, the person I love the most is you, no matter what you become! Fang Xi, please stay with me. Stay here in our home and spend our lives together. I¡¯ll love you for the rest of my life! Let¡¯s go back to how we used to be, okay? I promise I¡¯ll love and cherish you in the future, Fang Xi!¡±

    He carefully kissed her face, ignoring the knocking on the door. The door banged open, and Yun Nan rushed in, swift as an arrow. She grabbed Xi Cheng by the back of his collar and roughly pushed him away, yelling, ¡°Get off! Don¡¯t touch her!¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s heart felt like it was about to jump out of her chest as she supported Fang Xi, who was wobbling where she sat on the sofa. ¡°Fang Xi! Fang Xi! It¡¯s me, Yun Nan! I¡¯m here! I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late. Hang in there, Fang Xi. Open your eyes and look at me, please! It¡¯s me! It¡¯s Yun Nan!¡± Yun Nan burst into tears.

    Furious, Xi Cheng got up from the floor and shouted, ¡°Get out! This is my home!¡±

    Yun Nan turned around, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at Xi Cheng. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if you dare to touch her!¡±

    Xi Cheng was about to step forward when Shi Nian and Ye Kun came up behind him and held him back. ¡°Xi Cheng! Calm down!¡± Shi Nian ordered, shocked and angry.

    Xi Cheng struggled and yelled, ¡°I just want Fang Xi to remember me. Is that so wrong?¡±

    Shi Nian was so infuriated that he wanted to strangle this b*stard and unconsciously increased the strength he used to hold him down. Ye Kun let go of Xi Cheng to check on Fang Xi.

    ¡°Fang Xi? Fang Xi?¡± Ye Kun called out, his heart aching as he looked at Fang Xi¡¯s pained expression. He held her hand and found that she was burning up..

 Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Five: Memory Recovered

    Chapter 335: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Five: Memory Recovered

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Yun Nan, go find some ice,¡± Ye Kun shouted in a panic. Yun Nan hurriedly got up, tripped over the coffee table, and fell heavily to the floor.

    Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but cry out distressedly. ¡°Careful, Yun Nan!¡±

    Yun Nan got up and stumbled to the kitchen. She rummaged through the refrigerator and shiveringly took out some ice from the freezer compartment. She wrapped the ice up with a towel close at hand and handed it to Ye Kun.

    Ye Kun placed the makeshift ice pack on the back of Fang Xi¡¯s head and said in a deep voice, ¡°Call an ambulance!¡± Yun Nan immediately did as she was told. Xi Cheng was shocked by the scene before him. ¡°W¡ªWhat¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Yun Nan and Ye Kun were too busy to pay attention to him. Shi Nian let up slightly and allowed Xi Cheng to stand up, but he still held him back, not letting him get close to Fang Xi.

    Shi Nian softly replied, ¡°Fang Xi has a clot of blood in her brain that hasn¡¯t been completely absorbed all this time. That¡¯s why she lost her memories. The doctors can¡¯t tell when she¡¯ll recover or even if she will ever recover. That blood clot in her brain is like a ticking time bomb. The consequences are unpredictable if it explodes one day, so she can¡¯t be agitated!¡±

    Xi Cheng panicked. ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t know. I¡ªI just, I just want her to remember me!¡±

    Yun Nan turned around and looked at Xi Cheng coldly. ¡°What good would remembering you do? Why should she remember that you wasted seven years of her youth and that you hurt and lied to her for seven years? Why should she remember that you got together with her despite having a fianc¨¦e and kept it a secret, causing her to unknowingly become a homewrecker?¡±

    Yun Nan continued, ¡°Do you want her to remember how your mother and fianc¨¦e came to humiliate her? Xi Cheng, just kill her and be done with it if you hate her! Why torture her to death slowly? Why torment her? What did she do to you to make you hate her guts?¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s heart ached; he ached to the marrow. ¡°No! I don¡¯t¡ªI didn¡¯t¡ªthat¡¯s not how it is!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t hate her! I love her! I love Fang Xi, not Lin Yu! I just want Fang Xi to remember me. I just want to live my life with Fang Xi and be with her like before, just the two of us. I want to be with her¡­¡± Xi Cheng covered his eyes and sobbed as he spoke the words deep in his heart.

    Yun Nan icily stared at him. ¡°How disgusting! Xi Cheng, you are the most selfish and shameless person I¡¯ve ever met! Fang Xi originally thought that you didn¡¯t make your relationship with her public because your family couldn¡¯t accept her background, but she had no idea that you were two-timing her!¡±

    Yun Nan clenched her fists tightly. ¡°You say you want to be with Fang Xi and live a life with her? What kind of life would that be? Do you expect her to live in the dark like before? Dream on!¡±

    Shi Nian was truly worried that Yun Nan would stab Xi Cheng directly in the heart if she had a knife. He hugged Yun Nan and patted her gently, indicating she shouldn¡¯t get too agitated.

    Ye Kun was single-mindedly focused on the temperature of Fang Xi¡¯s forehead and paid no attention to anything else. The room suddenly became quiet, and only the sounds of their breathing could be heard. Ye Kun could feel Fang Xi¡¯s breathing gradually becoming stable. Glad and relieved, he softly called out, ¡°Fang Xi, Fang Xi? Can you hear me?¡±

    Xi Cheng also lifted his head and stared at Fang Xi¡¯s face. Head held in Ye Kun¡¯s hands, Fang Xi lightly nodded, her eyes still shut. Ye Kun¡¯s heart fell back down to his chest, and he couldn¡¯t help but reach out and pull her into his arms. He choked, ¡°You scared me to death, Fang Xi!¡±

    Fang Xi slowly raised her hand and placed it on Ye Kun¡¯s back as if to comfort him. Ye Kun carefully held her head and said gently, ¡°Take it easy. Don¡¯t think about anything. We¡¯ll be heading to the hospital soon.¡±

    Xi Cheng stepped forward and quietly called out, ¡°Fang Xi¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Yun Nan and Shi Nian hissed lowly in unison. Shi Nian dragged Xi Cheng behind him and warned, ¡°Do you want to watch her die?¡±

    Xi Cheng opened his mouth, but Shi Nian glared at him before he could say anything and said, ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Fang Xi slowly opened her eyes while Ye Kun looked at her, worried. His hands were as stiff and cold as ice. Fang Xi gazed at him, her voice quieter than a whisper as she uttered, ¡°I remember now.¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s face went taut, and he said softly, ¡°No, don¡¯t think about it. Don¡¯t think about anything. Let¡¯s wait for the ambulance; see what the doctor¡ªI¡®

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t let him finish and continued, ¡°Why are you so silly?¡±

    Ye Kun looked at Fang Xi, his eyes red. ¡°Do you still insist on marrying someone like me? Idiot,¡± Fang Xi teased.

    The tears swimming in Ye Kun¡¯s eyes finally fell. He tried his best to smile as he replied, ¡°A Fang Xi like that is who I¡¯m marrying! I must marry you and take you home with me! To love and cherish! To treasure for a lifetime! So, for my

    sake, you must hang in there! Nothing can happen to you! I¡¯m very fragile, Fang Xi. I¡¯m really very fragile! Don¡¯t leave me alone!¡±

    Fang Xi sighed softly. ¡°Alright, I promise you, I¡¯ll hang in there, you silly man!¡± She slowly closed her eyes.

    ¡°Fang Xi!¡± Ye Kun cried out, scared witless, and didn¡¯t dare move..

 Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Six: Family Matters

    Chapter 336: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Six: Family Matters

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Luckily, the blood clot in Miss Fang¡¯s head is now no longer pressing on her nerves, but it hasn¡¯t been dissolved or absorbed. It could cause unforeseen consequences no matter where the blood flow may carry it,¡± the attending doctor informed everyone of the patient¡¯s condition.

    He continued, ¡°Therefore, after weighing the pros and cons, we performed a second craniotomy on Miss Fang. This is a very high-risk surgery, but fortunately, it was very successful. Next, we¡¯ll have to see the prognosis. She should be fine if all her indicators show signs of recovery after forty-eight hours.¡±

    Ye Kun had signed so many consent forms and other medical documents that night that his hand was cramped. He was extremely stressed, to the point that a feather was enough to crush him. When he heard the doctor¡¯s words, his entire body swayed. Shi Nian quickly supported him, patted his shoulder sympathetically, and helped him to a chair.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Fang Xi¡¯s a lucky girl; she¡¯ll make it through. Besides, she promised you she would hang in there. She¡¯ll definitely keep her word,¡± Shi Nian comforted him. Eyes red, Ye Kun nodded and rubbed his face with his hands.

    Yun Nan was also finally relieved and leaned against Shi Nian, relaxing as the tension left her body. Shi Nian hugged her, kissed her gently on the forehead, and murmured, ¡°You stay here and accompany Ye Kun. He¡¯s really fragile right now. I¡¯ll get Shi Xiu to bring you guys some food and daily necessities later. I¡¯ll go deal with something else first.¡±

    So saying, he glanced at Xi Cheng, sitting far away on the other side. The guy had also stayed up the entire night. Yun Nan glared hatefully at Xi Cheng and turned her head away, whereas Ye Kun didn¡¯t even look at him.

    Shi Nian walked over and stood before Xi Cheng. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll send you home.¡±

    Xi Cheng got up, swaying slightly. ¡°Fang Xi¡¯s fine now, right?¡± He¡¯d also heard the doctor¡¯s words¡ªhe just wanted to verify them again.

    Shi Nian looked at him. In the end, he took pity on him and said lightly, ¡°1 hope so. I¡¯ll send you home; your staying here isn¡¯t going to fix anything.¡±

    Xi Cheng lowered his head and didn¡¯t move his feet. Shi Nian sighed, ¡°Go home. You were a stranger when she didn¡¯t remember anything, and should she remember you, you¡¯re worse than a stranger. Xi Cheng, why bother?¡±

    Xi Cheng choked out, ¡°I¡­ I regret it all so much.¡± But what¡¯s done is done; there¡¯s no use crying over spilled milk.

    Xi Cheng had just gotten into Shi Nian¡¯s car when his phone rang. ¡°Young Master, where are you? Come to the hospital, quick! Madam fell down the stairs! She¡¯s badly injured. Come quickly!¡± His butler, Mr. Zhou, shouted hoarsely and anxiously over the phone.

    Xi Cheng panicked. ¡°What?! What did you say? Mom¡ªWhich hospital is she at?¡± Shi Nian hurriedly stepped on the brakes and watched as a few familiar faces from the Xi family ran past in front of their car. Seeing them, Xi Cheng rushed out.

    Lin Yu¡¯s hands were covered in blood as she grabbed the doctor¡¯s sleeve and begged, ¡°Please, please save my mother. Please, I beg you!¡±

    Xi Cheng went forward and pulled her back. When Lin Yu saw that it was Xi Cheng, she burst into tears and sobbed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t take good care of her. It¡¯s my fault; it¡¯s all my fault!¡±

    Xi Cheng calmly took the surgery consent form from the doctor and signed his name, saying, ¡°Doctor, please! I leave my mother in your care!¡±

    When the doctor went into the operating room, Xi Cheng held Lin Yu, who was crying on him, up and asked, ¡°How did Mom get injured?¡±

    Lin Yu cried so hard that she couldn¡¯t catch her breath and didn¡¯t answer. Xi Cheng¡¯s gaze then landed on the butler. Mr. Zhou¡¯s expression was helpless and resentful as he replied, ¡°Young Master, Madam heard that you were tangling with another woman again and wanted to go look for you. Young Madam didn¡¯t manage to stop her. Madam lost her footing when she came down the stairs and¡­ *Sigh!* Young Master! You¡ªMadam was furious¡­¡±

    What Mr. Zhou was implying was very obvious. Xi Cheng¡¯s mother found out he¡¯d gone to see Fang Xi and got injured when she wanted to go find him. ¡°Who told Mom about it?¡± Xi Cheng asked Lin Yu.

    Lin Yu¡¯s eyes were red and swollen. She bit her lip and turned her head away, avoiding his gaze. Mr. Zhou stomped his foot and chided, ¡°Young Master!

    Young Madam is innocent; don¡¯t wrongly accuse her! Madam knew about what happened that day you two went to try on your wedding attire. It wasn¡¯t Young Madam who told her about it; Madam heard the staff in the bridal shop talking about it when she went to look at the wedding dress!¡±

    Xi Cheng looked at Lin Yu apologetically and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lin Yu turned around and leaned against the wall, crying so hard that her shoulders shook. Mr. Zhou sighed heavily.

    Xi Cheng took out his phone and called Shi Nian, asking him to help arrange the best doctors for his mother. ¡®Fang Xi and Mom both suffered head injuries,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Since the doctors could save Fang Xi, then they could definitely save Mom. After all, FangXi was so badly injured, whereas Mom had only fallen down the stairs.¡¯

    Xi Cheng sat down on the chair after he arranged everything, took a deep breath, and rubbed his face vigorously..

 Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Wedding

    Chapter 338: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Wedding

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Ye Kun had fallen asleep by the bed when Fang Xi woke up¡ªhe was too tired. The sunlight was warm as it shone on them. Fang Xi reached, wanting to stroke Ye Kun¡¯s head, but hesitated, afraid of waking him up.

    Everything felt like a dream to Fang Xi. Whether it was the seven years she¡¯d been with Xi Cheng or when Xi Cheng pestered her when she¡¯d temporarily lost her memory¡­ It all felt like it had happened in a dream. She remembered everything, but her heart no longer stirred at the thought of that man. Only this fool before her made her heart warm again and again.

    Ye Kun suddenly trembled and blankly lifted his head to see Fang Xi¡¯s hand raised mid-air. He subconsciously grabbed it and uttered, ¡°Fang Xi? Fang Xi, you¡¯re awake?¡±

    He was still in a daze. Fang Xi looked at him with a smile and didn¡¯t say anything. Ye Kun shook his head and stared dumbly at the hand he held in his before he suddenly came fully awake and stood up, overjoyed. ¡°Fang Xi, you¡¯re awake? You¡¯re awake! Do you feel unwell anywhere? I¡¯ll call the doctor! I¡ªI¡­ Doctor! Doctor!¡± Ye Kun was so delighted that he didn¡¯t know what to do. He turned around straight away, wanting to find a doctor.

    Fang Xi held Ye Kun¡¯s hand and stopped him. ¡°Ye Kun.¡± Her voice was very soft, but it sounded like heaven¡¯s choir to Ye Kun. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here. I¡¯m here,¡± he replied.

    Fang Xi¡¯s eyes traced Ye Kun¡¯s eyes and brows as she stated, ¡°I remember everything now.¡±

    Ye Kun froze, and his heart tightened all of a sudden. He said carefully, ¡°Fang Xi, it doesn¡¯t matter if you remember or not. We¡ªwe¡¯re getting married soon. W¡ªwe¡¯re all ready.¡±

    Fang Xi nodded lightly. ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Ye Kun looked at Fang Xi, nonplussed. ¡°Ye Kun, thank you for wanting to marry me even after knowing everything,¡± Fang Xi said softly.

    Ye Kun frowned almost imperceptibly. ¡°I¡¯m marrying you because I love you, Fang Xi! That¡¯s all that matters. Everyone has a past. I can only blame myself for not being lucky enough to meet you earlier, but I¡¯m already quite glad I got to meet and marry you. We can spend the rest of our lives together and make up for what we lost before, okay?¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Fang Xi answered quietly.

    Relieved, Ye Kun asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re officially agreeing to my marriage proposal, right? Right?¡±

    Fang Xi smiled. ¡°Go ask the doctor when I can be discharged and see if we can still hold our wedding as scheduled.¡±

    ¡°Okay, alright! I¡¯ll look for the doctor now! I¡¯ll go right now!¡± Ye Kun leaned over to gently kiss Fang Xi¡¯s forehead and then happily headed out to look for the doctor.

    ¡°Help me call Yun Nan over,¡± Fang Xi bidded.

    ¡°Alright, got it.¡± With that, Ye Kun rushed out without looking back.

    Shi Nian and Liang Han were attending Xi Cheng and Lin Yu¡¯s wedding. Liang Han watched as the bride and groom exchanged rings and nudged Shi Nian. ¡°Hey, doesn¡¯t this wedding have a tragic feel to you? Xi Cheng doesn¡¯t even have a smile on his face. It¡¯s truly a wedding to ward off ill fortunes! Tsk! Lin Yu even agreed to this; her tolerance sure is impressive!¡±

    Shi Nian rolled his eyes at him. ¡°Be nice. Stop being so sarcastic!¡±

    Liang Han snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m saying anything wrong. This couple were probably enemies in their previous lives who have come together in this life to torture each other, and our boy Xi Cheng seems to be the disadvantaged party. I really don¡¯t understand what he¡¯s thinking. He wants Fang Xi when he already has Lin Yu; if he keeps vacillating between the two, he might end up losing them both in the end.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s married now,¡± Shi Nian stated detachedly. ¡°He¡¯s got her, at least.¡±

    Liang Han sneered disdainfully, ¡°Oh, puh-lease. Lin Yu has so many tricks up her sleeve. I¡¯m afraid our buddy will have a hard time in the future! Serves him right! Hmph!¡±

    Shi Nian looked at him, speechless. ¡°Hey, is Ye Kun really going to break off our friendship?¡± Liang Han suddenly asked.

    Shi Nian rolled his eyes at him once more. ¡°Ye Kun didn¡¯t break off his friendship with me!¡±

    Liang Han thought about it and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right! He didn¡¯t say he would break off his friendship with me either; were not the ones he¡¯s cutting ties with. Moreover, Fang Xi, Yun Nan, and I aren¡¯t just friends but also business partners. I can be considered part of Fang Xi¡¯s maiden family, too. I don¡¯t think Ye Kun would dare to cut ties with me! However, does Ye Kun truly not mind that Fang Xi used to be with Xi Cheng? Shi Nian, I¡¯m a little worried.¡±

    Looking at the wedding host spouting blessings and congratulations, Shi Nian lightly remarked, ¡°I advise you to find yourself a girlfriend as soon as possible! You poor bachelor! You won¡¯t say such stupid things when you fall in love with someone anymore!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, you have a point! Hey, wait a minute. What do you mean by that, Shi Nian? You¡¯re mocking me, aren¡¯t you? How dare you mock me for being single!¡± Liang Han commented indignantly and pounced towards Shi Nian.

    Shi Nian stopped Liang Han with a gesture, indicating that he couldn¡¯t fool around on such an occasion..

 Chapter 339 - Chapter 339: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Nine: Talk and Gossip

    Chapter 339: Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty-Nine: Talk and Gossip

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Liang Han gave Shi Nian a dirty look. Just as he was about to say something, he heard a middle-aged woman on one side say, ¡°The Xi family should get an expert to see if their new daughter-in-law is bad luck if you ask me. Han Yuan was fine and healthy; why would something like that happen to her so suddenly? And just when her son is about to get married, too!¡±

    ¡°I know, right? A good and proper wedding turned into a ward against ill fortune. What an unlucky presage! I definitely wouldn¡¯t have agreed to it if I were the bride¡¯s family!¡± Another woman chimed in, as did the others around them.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. There¡¯s no way the Lin family won¡¯t agree. The entire family is waiting for the Xi family to offer them financial help, so what¡¯s there to disagree about? They can¡¯t wait to marry their daughter off to the Xi family!¡±

    ¡°This Lin Yu has such a good temper, agreeing to and tolerating all this. Obeying unconditionally just so she could marry into the Xi family! But unfortunately, the more she lowers herself like this, the more the Xi family won¡¯t cherish her!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re worrying too much there! Han Yuan treats Lin Yu like her very own daughter!¡±

    ¡°So what? No matter how close she is to her daughter-in-law, it still can¡¯t compare to her son! A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event for a woman; Lin Yu agreeing to this kind of wedding is a terrible move on her part!¡±

    ¡°What terrible move? For Lin Yu, getting married now is the best option. If Han Yuan recovers, she¡¯ll naturally be grateful for everything her daughter-in-law has done, and if anything happens to Han Yuan, Lin Yu will still be the Xi family¡¯s legitimate daughter-in-law. It¡¯s quite the clever plan!¡±

    Liang Han and Shi Nian were stunned as they listened to the women gossip. Liang Han couldn¡¯t help but pity Lin Yu and remarked, ¡°Lin Yu lowered herself to such an extent for the Xi family, only for others to have such an opinion about her. How sad will she be if she finds out?!¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, the more you lower yourself, the more people look down on you,¡± Shi Nian said softly.

    There was a commotion at the door. Xi Cheng looked over and immediately froze stock-still, and when Lin Yu raised her head to follow his gaze, a chill ran down her spine.

    The beautiful and elegant group who¡¯d entered the venue attracted everyone¡¯s attention. There Yun Nan stood, arm looped in Xu Yun¡¯s, while Lu Ying was standing beside Fang Xi¡¯s wheelchair, and the one pushing that wheelchair was Ye Kun. Liang Han¡¯s eyes widened when he saw his mother arm-in -arm with a girl.

    ¡®Who¡¯s that girl? Auntie Xu Yun and Auntie Lu Ying all brought their daughters-in-law, so who did my mom bring?¡± Liang Han asked, curious and surprised. Shi Nian didn¡¯t give him any explanations before dragging him over.

    Kong Zhen spotted her son and waved for him to come over. Only then did Liang Han see that the pretty girl standing beside his mother was actually that little lion, Lu Hui! Liang Han was shocked. ¡°Y-you¡ªyou, why are you here? You know my mom?¡± He didn¡¯t expect that¡ªwith her bushy hair in an updo and glasses removed¡ªthe girl was actually a delicate-looking beauty!

    Lu Hui subconsciously moved to push up her glasses but quickly put down her hand when she remembered she was wearing contact lenses. Kong Zhen lightly whacked her son¡¯s hand and scolded, ¡°Shut up you! Lu Hui came to accompany me! You stand beside her and don¡¯t make a peep. If you dare to speak, I¡¯ll beat you up!¡±

    Liang Han was exasperated. ¡°Mom, can you pay attention to the time and place? We¡¯re out in public. I have a reputation to uphold!¡±

    Kong Zhen rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Whether you keep your reputation or not depends on your own performance. Make like a proper prop, and don¡¯t make a sound!¡±

    Liang Han vigorously swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue but couldn¡¯t help but ask Lu Hui in a whisper, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Lu Hui made a shushing gesture before answering, ¡°We¡¯re here to help watch over the wedding.¡±

    Liang Han glanced at Ye Kun and Fang Xi, and the newlyweds on the stage, and commented, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not here to cause trouble instead?¡± Lu Hui rolled her eyes at him and didn¡¯t say anything.

    Lu Ying walked up on stage gracefully and, under the crowd¡¯s astonished gazes, borrowed the microphone from the host. She smiled at Xi Cheng and Lin Yu. ¡°Congratulations on your wedding, and best wishes to you both!¡±

    Xi Cheng and Lin Yu¡¯s expressions were slightly stiff, and they momentarily didn¡¯t respond. Lu Ying turned to face the guests and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry we¡¯re late.¡±

    She bowed slightly to everyone. ¡°As a lot of you know, Han Yuan, Xu Yun, Kong Zhen, and I gave birth to our sons on the same day in the same delivery room, and our boys grew up together. Now Xi Cheng is the first to get married, but Han Yuan isn¡¯t lucky enough to be here to witness it. We three old aunties can¡¯t let the children have any regrets, so we¡¯re here today to witness the wedding ceremony on Han Yuan¡¯s behalf and give our blessings and best wishes to these two youngsters!¡±

    The applause was thunderous. Xu Yun and Kong Zhen walked onto the stage hand in hand and gave the bride and groom their well wishes before standing behind Lu Ying.

    Shi Nian whispered a question to Yun Nan, who shook her head gently and smiled before placing her hand on the back of Fang Xi¡¯s wheelchair. Liang Han touched his nose and leaned towards Shi Nian. ¡°Is it me, or is something unusual going on here?¡±

    Shi Nian nodded almost imperceptibly.. Liang Han looked at the impassive-looking Ye Kun and didn¡¯t dare to bother him after some thought, so he turned his head and quietly said to Lu Hui, ¡°I¡¯ll agree to any of your conditions! Just give me a clue as to what you guys plan to do here!¡±

 Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: Chapter Three -Hundred and Forty: Drama

    Chapter 340: Chapter Three -Hundred and Forty: Drama

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lu Hui glanced at him. Liang Han realized that her eyes, when not hidden behind her thick glasses, actually had a lustrous beauty that he couldn¡¯t help but admire.

    Lu Hui whispered, ¡°We¡¯re here to accompany Auntie Lu Ying. Auntie Kong Zhen said that Auntie Lu Ying and Auntie Xu Yun both have a daughter-in-law accompanying them, and it¡¯s too embarrassing for her to show up alone, so she asked me to come with her to keep up appearances. That¡¯s all I know.¡±

    ¡°Tsk!¡± Liang Han didn¡¯t know what to say and could feel a headache coming on. Lu Hui glanced at him and added, ¡°Don¡¯t forget the favor you owe me. I¡¯ll come for it when I¡¯ve thought about how I want to spend it!¡±

    ¡°Tsk!¡± Liang Han glared at her, thinking, ¡® This girl truly doesn¡¯t lose out on any advantage she can get.¡¯

    Lu Ying did a great job setting the mood by telling the audience about the four boys¡¯ interesting childhood stories. Everyone enjoyed the stories, and even Xi Cheng¡¯s expression relaxed.

    Lu Ying smiled. ¡°Xi Cheng is the one we never had to worry about out of our four unruly rascals. Han Yuan had the foresight to arrange a betrothal for him long ago, and Lin Yu is also a sensible girl. Kong Zhen, Xu Yun, and I are really envious of Han Yuan for having such a daughter-in-law.¡±

    ¡°Seeing them finally get married today, we¡¯re filled with admiration as we wish them well. Fortunately, our deadbeat sons also managed to find their own life partners. Everyone will soon be able to share in our families¡¯ joyous occasion and give our sons your well wishes, just like you did for Xi Cheng today!¡± Another round ot thunderous applause met her words. Xi Cheng¡¯s gaze, however, had been fixed on Fang Xi. Sitting in her wheelchair, she looked elegant and tranquil, perfectly complementing the tall and handsome Ye Kun behind her. Xi Cheng felt very upset as he looked at the lovely couple.

    Xi Cheng¡¯s expression didn¡¯t escape Lin Yu¡¯s notice, and every word Lu Ying said was a mockery to her, piercing her heart like needles. Lin Yu¡¯s wish was fulfilled¡ªshe was finally married to Xi Cheng today¡ªbut she didn¡¯t feel any joy or happiness about it. Instead, she felt quite unhappy, especially when she saw Fang Xi¡¯s calm and unconcerned manner below the stage. Lin Yu dearly wished she could grind the woman¡¯s bones to dust and scatter her ashes!

    The anger in Lin Yu¡¯s heart burned brighter and brighter as she watched Lu Ying chatter on, burning out her rationality. She took a step forward and stood beside Lu Ying. ¡°Auntie Lu,¡± she interrupted.

    Lu Ying stopped and stared at Lin Yu with a kind smile. However, Lin Yu¡ªwho was standing right next to her¡ªfelt a chill in her heart. Lu Ying¡¯s smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes; there was a cold warning in them as she looked at Lin Yu.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m getting chatty in my old age. I¡¯d better not delay your wedding any longer!¡± With that, Lu Ying handed the microphone to Lin Yu.

    Lin Yu looked at Lu Ying and gave her a smile that spoke volumes. ¡°Thank you for being here today, aunties. It¡¯s my big day today, and Xi Cheng¡¯s childhood buddies he grew up with are all present. Why don¡¯t I invite them up on stage so they can share in me and Xi Cheng¡¯s joy?¡±

    Lu Ying nodded graciously. ¡°Sure!¡± She waved at the audience below, signaling for Shi Nian and the others to come over quickly. Shi Nian and Yun Nan strode on stage, arm-in-arm. Ye Kun followed, pushing Fang Xi, and Lu Hui looped her arm with Liang Han¡¯s.

    Lu Hui hushedly uttered, ¡°Sorry, Mr. Liang, please put up with this. I have to complete the task that Auntie Kong Zhen gave me. You¡¯d best cooperate, or you¡¯ll get beaten up when you return home.¡±

    What could Liang Han say to that? What else could he say? He could only do as told. Liang Han couldn¡¯t afford to offend his mother, and he couldn¡¯t afford to offend any woman that his mother had handpicked. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just help me the entire way? My mom will be even happier if you keep pretending to be my girlfriend.¡±

    Lu Hui haughtily raised her head. ¡°Then, you¡¯ll have to pay for my services since you¡¯re the one I would be helping, not Auntie Kong. We¡¯ll have to negotiate the terms properly!¡± Liang Han was furious but still cooperated with Lu Hui.

    The audience exclaimed at the gathering on stage. It wasn¡¯t easy to see the four young masters of the four great clans gathered together, especially when they¡¯d all brought a female companion along. It was a rare scene indeed. The crowd began to talk as they observed the people on stage.

    ¡°Oh, my! This Lin Yu is like an ugly duckling compared to the other women. The daughters-in-law of the Shi, Ye, and Liang families are all so beautiful!¡±

    ¡°Hey, look at the one in the wheelchair¡ªthe one Second Young Master Ye is wheeling around. She¡¯s Second Young Master Ye¡¯s fianc¨¦e, but I heard that she¡¯s also Xi Cheng¡¯s ex-girlfriend! Yikes, talk about awkward! ¡±

    ¡°Good heavens! I¡¯d forgotten about that! No wonder Xi Cheng is so enamored with her¡ªshe¡¯s beautiful. But why is she in a wheelchair?¡±

    ¡°You need to get your head checked. Have you forgotten? She got hit by the Xi family¡¯s car during Han Yuan¡¯s birthday banquet. From the looks of it, that incident crippled her. She might have to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair. Tsk tsk! The Second Young Master of the Ye Family is truly a devoted lover! He¡¯s willing to marry his pal¡¯s old flame, even if she¡¯s a cripple. Tsk tsk!¡±

    ¡°Could there be more to the story? Han Yuan may appear to be the toughest and scariest among the four madams, and the others seem gentle and sweet, but look at their husbands and sons. Their men are all outstanding. There¡¯s no way meek and mild-mannered women could marry or raise powerful men like that. Lu Ying dotes on her youngest son the most; she would never have agreed to their marriage if that woman was so deplorable.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true! Well, there¡¯s no use guessing.. Let¡¯s watch this drama unfold!¡±

 Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-One: Picking a Fight

    Chapter 341: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-One: Picking a Fight

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lu Ying didn¡¯t grab another microphone. She stood beside Xi Cheng and Lin Yu with a genial smile but uttered coldly, ¡°This is your wedding. It¡¯ll affect the Xi family¡¯s reputation if you make a scene here, Lin Yu.¡±

    Lin Yu returned her words with a smile equally as cold. ¡°There¡¯s not much left of the Xi family¡¯s reputation to ruin, thanks to you guys. Besides, aren¡¯t you here to watch the show, Auntie?¡±

    Lu Ying didn¡¯t expect Lin Yu to drop all pretense. Lin Yu held the microphone and walked straight to Fang Xi. Xi Cheng quickly went to grab her, his voice filled with warning as he hissed, ¡°Lin Yu!¡±

    Lin Yu lightly shook off his hand, smiled gently at him, and said to him with the microphone, ¡°This is my wedding. I value it more than anyone else, so naturally, I won¡¯t allow anyone to defile it!¡±

    Before Xi Cheng could respond, she turned to Fang Xi. ¡°Miss Fang, it¡¯s been a while! I didn¡¯t expect you would actually come to my wedding. You¡¯re the most special guest here.¡±

    She once again pushed Xi Cheng, who was trying to stop her, away and faced the audience. ¡°Let me introduce her to you all. This is Miss Fang Xi. She used to be Xi Cheng¡¯s girlfriend. Back then, for my mother-in-law, I kneeled and begged her to leave Xi Cheng.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Fang Xi to turn around and promptly find a new boyfriend, Ye Kun. I heard that Ye Kun swore in public that he would marry no one but her and that he would never abandon her, even if she was crippled. As everyone knows, Xi Cheng and Ye Kun were childhood friends, but because of Miss Fang Xi, the two buddies are now at odds with each other,¡± Lin Yu remarked.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little worried that the two will rekindle their old flame, to be honest. I¡¯m not as pretty as Miss Fang Xi, after all! With my mother-in-law being seriously ill nowadays, there¡¯s no one to stand up for me. Since Auntie Lu said they¡¯re here to witness the wedding ceremony on my mother-in-law¡¯s behalf, then allow me to brazenly ask you, Auntie, to keep an eye on your daughter-in-law. I also ask you, Ye Kun, to watch over your fianc¨¦e for the sake of your childhood friendship with Xi Cheng!¡± Lin Yu stated and bowed to Lu Ying and the others.

    Lu Ying was livid, and her chest felt tight with anger. She staggered back, and Ye Kun hurriedly supported his mother. ¡°Mom, calm down!¡± he said, worried.

    Fang Xi strenuously stood up by pushing on the wheelchair¡¯s armrests with both hands, and Yun Nan quickly reached out to support her. Fang Xi reached out her hand to one side, and Lu Hui immediately snatched the host¡¯s microphone and handed it to Fang Xi.

    Fang Xi smiled at Lin Yu. Her voice was clear and pleasing with a hint of laughter as she said, ¡°Miss Lin, today¡¯s your wedding day, and we¡¯re here to give you our blessings out of goodwill. I didn¡¯t expect you to ruin your own wedding when I haven¡¯t done anything. It doesn¡¯t bode well for the bride to be so unconfident! ¡±

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t give in. ¡°Excuse me for making a fool of myself, Miss Fang. Xi Cheng and I were childhood sweethearts who grew up together. To me, he has long been a part of my life. It¡¯s precisely because he holds too much value to me that I have such worries, fearing he would leave me for someone else. It¡¯s because there are too many women like you in this world, Miss Fang, that I have no choice but to put all my efforts into guarding against them!¡± ¡°Lin Yu!¡± Xi Cheng came and grabbed Lin Yu, his eyes pleading.

    Fang Xi looked at the two pulling and tugging and smiled. ¡°Miss Lin, as the most special Quest here, I think I must make a comment, iust to be clear. When I was with Xi Cheng, he never mentioned that he had a fianc¨¦e he had to marry. Obviously, you¡¯re not as important to him as he is to you!¡±

    ¡°Back then, you kneeled before me the moment we met and begged me to leave Xi Cheng. I didn¡¯t say a word and immediately returned him to you. I think I¡¯ve done the best I could, right? However, isn¡¯t it too much for you to want to kill me time and time again just because of your insecurities, Miss Lin?¡±

    Fang Xi continued, ¡°Today is your wedding day. Instead of treating us as honored guests, you used a method that hurt everyone, including yourself, to publicize our past to all and sundry. Evidently, even if you two are standing here holding a wedding, you guys may outwardly appear to be a harmonious couple but are divided at heart.¡±

    Fang Xi looked at the stunned Xi Cheng and smiled sweetly. ¡°Mr. Xi, you seem very surprised. You didn¡¯t expect me to be so brutal, did you? But you and your wife asked for it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been through two life-and-death situations in the past six months. Those two near-death experiences were God¡¯s punishment to me for being a lovestruck fool, but if you¡¯re curious to know, Mr. Xi, why don¡¯t you ask Miss Lin Zhu why she hit me with her car? Why don¡¯t you ask how you guys were

    ¡®coincidentally¡¯ at the bridal shop at the same time we were?¡±

    ¡°Go find out where your fianc¨¦e was when you locked me up in Ling Yun Borough that day.. *Cough!* I have the sneaking suspicion that the accident that landed your mother in a hospital bed also has something to do with your fianc¨¦e!¡±

 Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Two: Wedding Disrupted

    Chapter 342: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Two: Wedding Disrupted

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°That¡¯s rubbish!¡± Lin Yu screamed and made to pounce on Fang Xi, but Xi Cheng stopped her.

    Fang Xi chuckled, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m talking rubbish. But do you think Mr. Xi Cheng believes it or not? Ms. Lin, you¡¯re well aware of the power of the mouths of the masses, so you spared no effort to spread rumors to slander Ye Kun and I. I¡¯m only returning the favor. I¡¯m not one for such wicked and foul tricks, so I expressed my suspicions right before you. As for how to clear your name and prove your innocence, that¡¯s your business!¡±

    Lin Yu was so furious that she trembled all over. ¡°Fang Xi! You b*tch!¡±

    ¡®I lost to Fang Xi again,¡¯ Lin Yu inwardly raged. She¡¯d thought she would pull Fang Xi into hell even if she had to burn bridges with the Ye family today. She didn¡¯t expect Fang Xi to be even more shameless than she was, actually bringing up all that nonsense.

    ¡°Miss Lin¡ªah, my apologies¡ªYoung Madam Xi,¡± Fang Xi sneered. ¡°Do mind your manners! Don¡¯t get angry just because I hit the nail on the head! Really, with your education and qualifications and your close friendship with Madam Xi, you should be at her bedside dutifully right now, no matter what. So, what¡¯s this ridiculous and archaic farce about holding a wedding to ward off ill fortune?¡±

    Fang Xi continued, ¡°I think it can only come down to two reasons: one, you¡¯re afraid that you¡¯ll have to observe a three-year mourning period should Mrs. Xi pass away. You fear that if you wait any longer, Xi Cheng will have a change of heart and leave you. Or two, you¡¯re afraid that Mrs. Xi won¡¯t let Xi Cheng marry you when she wakes up, and you¡¯ll lose everything.¡±

    ¡°So, the best option is to take the chance to get married immediately! Well, did I get it right? But it doesn¡¯t matter whether my speculations are right or wrong. No matter what, it has nothing to do with us. We¡¯re just spectators watching the show!¡±

    Xi Cheng stared sorrowfully at Fang Xi with a complicated expression. ¡°Fang Xi

    Fang Xi looked at him calmly and detachedly. ¡°Mr. Xi Cheng, I have two things to thank you for! First, thank you for not marrying me, thus allowing me to meet someone who truly loves me. I¡¯m getting married soon.¡±

    ¡°Second, thank you for trapping me in Ling Yun Borough that day. Although your trap almost took my life, it also allowed me to recover my memories through some odd coincidence. Though my memories aren¡¯t the happiest, I have never been one to cower from the truth. I don¡¯t deny that I once loved you, but that was in the past!¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t cherish it when I loved you, but you¡¯re madly trying to salvage our relationship when I don¡¯t love you anymore. Don¡¯t you find it ridiculous? Belated affection is meaningless. Xi Cheng, thank you for letting me know who loves me the most in comparison!¡±

    Fang Xi then swept her gaze across the audience and stated, ¡°We came here in all sincerity today to give our well wishes! Unfortunately, the newlyweds don¡¯t appreciate it, so I might as well be clear. I, Fang Xi, walk the straight and narrow path with integrity, but I¡¯m also petty and vindictive. I will repay the slander to my person in full; I will not tolerate or forgive such actions.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t wish to take up public resources with my private matters, and I¡¯m even more reluctant to expose my personal relationships to the public. I have the right to protect my honor and dignity and will not compromise with any slanderer.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s enough about me. Today is a special day, and the stars of the show are the bride and groom. I sincerely wish you two a happy marriage! I hope you two live together to a ripe old age! Be good to each other and stop harassing others!¡±

    When she finished, Fang Xi sat back in her wheelchair with the help of Yun Nan and Lu Hui. Xu Yun and Kong Zhen busied themselves handling the host and the guests, telling the host, ¡°Hurry up and get this wedding moving along,¡± and the guests, ¡°Everyone, please enjoy yourselves!¡±

    Lin Yu dearly wished she could chase the group out. Lu Ying impassively said to her, ¡°I would pretend that none of this happened if I were you. Otherwise, if you continue to cause trouble, all your efforts will be in vain.¡±

    Ye Kun shielded Fang Xi from Xi Cheng¡¯s gaze and wheeled her down the stage. Yun Nan turned around and told Xi Cheng, ¡°Her leg will never be as it was. Are you and your wife satisfied now? Xi Cheng, search your heart and ask yourself, What did she do wrong aside from falling in love with you without hesitation?

    What wrong did she commit that she had to pay for it with her legs?¡±

    Xi Cheng trembled as he stared at Yun Nan in disbelief. Yun Nan coldly looked away and fixed her gaze on Lin Yu. ¡°What goes around, comes around. There¡¯s no proof, so we can only suffer in silence, but I believe in karma! Everyone will get their just rewards and punishments, so look out, Lin Yu!¡±

    Under Shi Nian¡¯s instructions, the host finally got his act together and did some fast-talking to smooth over the awkward atmosphere. He proceeded on with the wedding ceremony, taking the guests to the banquet phase of the wedding.

    Everyone tacitly pretended that nothing had happened and gathered in groups of three to five, bonding and giving each other polite compliments. The whole scene appeared festive and peaceful on the surface.

    However, Xi Cheng and Lin Yu didn¡¯t show up again even until the end of the banquet, but Xu Yun and Kong Zhen kept their word about acting on behalf of Han Yuan and took on the role of being hospitable and attentive hosts to the guests..

 Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Three: Acknowledgement

    Chapter 343: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Three: Acknowledgement

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lu Ying took Fang Xi¡¯s hand and slid a jade bracelet onto her wrist. Fang Xi was shocked and immediately said, ¡°Auntie, I can¡¯t have this! It¡¯s too much¡ª¡±

    Lu Ying only held her hand and admired the bracelet before patting Fang Xi, stating, ¡°It looks great on you! Wear it; I¡¯ve prepared two of these¡ªone for you and the other for Ye Tang¡¯s future wife. Jewelry is meant to be worn and complement us, no matter how expensive. What matters is whether we like it or not, not its price.¡±

    Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but nod in agreement. She¡¯d seen and handled countless pieces of clothing and jewelry, and her point of view was very much in line with Lu Ying¡¯s.

    Fang Xi touched the bracelet on her wrist, feeling slightly uneasy. ¡°Auntie, I thought what I did today would disgust you.¡±

    Lu Ying smiled at her. ¡°Why did you do something so extreme if you¡¯re afraid

    I¡¯ll be disgusted?¡±

    Fang Xi looked up at Lu Ying and calmly replied, ¡°I¡¯m really not someone who can turn the other cheek and suffer in silence. Perhaps I¡¯m not a suitable candidate to be a wealthy family¡¯s daughter-in-law. However, I won¡¯t give up my dignity for love. That¡¯s why I still chose to speak up for myself before Lin

    Yu and Xi Cheng. As for whether the Ye family can accept me, that comes after.¡±

    She continued, ¡°I will clarify my feelings for Ye Kun to you and Ye Tang, and I will also respect Ye Kun¡¯s choice. I won¡¯t make him choose between me and his family. I will make things as painless as possible for Ye Kun if we must break things off because he truly loves me.¡±

    Lu Ying looked at Fang Xi¡¯s sincere face, and her smile faded. ¡°So, what you mean is that you were prepared to ask for forgiveness from Ye Tang and me from the get-go?¡±

    Fang Xi nodded lightly. ¡°This is who I am; I don¡¯t want to pretend to be someone I¡¯m not because I don¡¯t have the energy to keep up the pretense, so I

    might as well be honest with you. Even if the outcome isn¡¯t good, I¡¯ll have at least done right by myself.¡±

    Lu Ying laughed, and Fang Xi was a little dumbfounded. Lu Ying told Fang Xi seriously when she was done laughing, ¡°You did the right thing. You have to do right by yourself first to have the energy to do right by others. I despise those who constantly go on about contribution and sacrifice as if everyone around them owes them something; people like that are actually the greediest. Ye Kun didn¡¯t make the wrong choice in loving you, Fang Xi. Our Ye family¡¯s daughter-in-law should be someone who can achieve great things like you!¡±

    Fang Xi was slightly overwhelmed by the unexpected goodwill she received from her future mother-in-law. Later, Ye Kun was pushing Fang Xi¡¯s wheelchair up the neighborhood¡¯s path, listening to her talk about the conversation she had with his mother, and he couldn¡¯t help but laugh when he saw Fang Xi raise her hand with the bracelet to the night sky in joy and amazement.

    ¡°My father passed away very suddenly from an illness when I was young. My brother had just come of age and wasn¡¯t strong enough to take on responsibility for the family company, and I was still a snot-nosed kid back then. My mother was the one who supported and pushed my brother into the top seat against all opposition. She just about paved the way for us two brothers with a kitchen knife,¡± Ye Kun remarked.

    ¡°My brother and my mother have had it tough. We¡¯ve seen too much of the world¡¯s fickleness. That¡¯s why we never care about public opinions or reputations. It¡¯s exhausting to live for others. The most important thing in life is to be happy. Only those who are whole and fulfilled are qualified to love and properly care for those around them. It may seem selfish and heartless, but how can you be truly tolerant if you are harsh even to yourself?¡±

    Ye Kun¡¯s gentle and serene voice made Fang Xi feel at ease. She reached out and took Ye Kun¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve never thought to get security from others, but you make me feel that I¡¯m not alone anymore, Ye Kun.¡±

    Yun Nan and Shi Nian fought over the binoculars up inside the building. Yun

    Nan jumped up, reaching for the binoculars in Shi Nian¡¯s hands as she said, ¡°Come on, let me see! Why aren¡¯t they coming up yet?¡±

    Shi Nian had seen enough, so he handed the binoculars to Yun Nan before turning around with his back facing the outside and sighing, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this. *Sigh!*¡±

    Yun Nan retorted, ¡°Are you feeling sorry for Xi Cheng? No one forced him; he chose this path himself. I don¡¯t pity him at all!¡±

    Shi Nian could only sigh. He finally understood the old saying, ¡® There must be hateful deeds behind everypitiful man.¡¯ Xi Cheng had gone too far, and there was nothing anyone could do. Shi Nian could only wish his friend luck.

    Yun Nan lifted her binoculars, looked out, and coincidentally saw Ye Kun lean over and kiss Fang Xi. She was so shocked that she quickly put down the binoculars and muttered, ¡°Ugh! Talk about seeing no evil! Seriously, those two should get a room. Stop with the PDA! You should wait until you get home to make out, guys!¡±

    Shi Nian laughed.. ¡°Did you see something inappropriate? Let me see!¡±

 Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Four: Questioning

    Chapter 344: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Four: Questioning

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng¡¯s face was livid as he asked, ¡°How did my mother fall down the stairs?¡±

    ¡°My young master!¡± Mr. Zhou exclaimed with a pained expression. ¡°Why are you still asking such questions? Are you trying to kill Young Madam? The most important thing for us now is to pray to the heavens for Madam to wake up soon. You can¡¯t betray Young Madam¡¯s hopes!¡±

    Xi Cheng ignored him and looked at Lily, who involuntarily trembled and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Young Master! I was busy with something else when Madam fell down the stairs. Madam had already fallen down when I rushed over.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you guys fix the surveillance cameras at home when they broke?¡± Xi Cheng asked coldly.

    ¡°We called someone to come fix them, but¡­ the incident happened before the repairman could arrive,¡± Mr. Zhou hurriedly answered, looking plaintive.

    Lin Yu suddenly appeared at the door and said coldly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just ask me directly what you want to know?¡±

    Lily stared at Lin Yu uneasily. ¡°Young Madam¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mr. Zhou, Lily, please step outside for a moment,¡± Lin Yu softly instructed, cutting her off. Mr. Zhou looked at Xi Cheng, wanting to say something but hesitating before he finally sighed and walked out with Lily.

    ¡°I was right by Mom¡¯s side when she fell, so why don¡¯t you ask me? Xi Cheng, you believe what that b*tch said, don¡¯t you?¡± Lin Yu demanded, gaze burning.

    Xi Cheng wasn¡¯t used to Lin Yu being like this. He avoided her gaze and murmured, ¡°I just want to hear their version of the story. I don¡¯t want anyone to slander you.¡±

    ¡°Slander me?¡± Lin Yu laughed self-deprecatingly. ¡®You actually care about others slandering me? Then why didn¡¯t you speak up for me when Fang Xi openly accused me?¡±

    Xi Cheng frowned. ¡°Lin Yu, you were the one who started it. Fang Xi wouldn¡¯t say such things about you if you didn¡¯t put her on the spot. I¡¯ve never seen her like that before; she¡¯s usually very nice. You must have backed her into a corner!¡±

    Tears flowed from Lin Yu¡¯s eyes as she retorted, ¡°Shes backed into a corner?

    What about me?! Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll kill her if I get backed into a corner?¡±

    Xi Cheng stared dumbfoundedly at Lin Yu. He then took a deep breath, suppressed the shock and anger in his heart, and softened his voice to say, ¡°Lin Yu, we¡¯re married now¡ªwe¡¯re husband and wife. You¡¯re the Xi family¡¯s young madam! What more do you want?¡±

    Lin Yu wiped her tears and mournfully replied, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! I¡¯m the Xi family¡¯s young madam now. I¡¯ve known that¡¯s what¡¯s in store for me since I was a kid, but I¡¯ve spent so many years trying my best to get to where I am today! I¡¯m finally the Xi family¡¯s young madam, but so what? So WHAT?! Does anyone care about me?¡±

    Xi Cheng walked to Lin Yu¡¯s side and said softly, ¡°Come on, Lin Yu. Don¡¯t do this. We¡¯re already married, so let¡¯s live a good life together.¡±

    Lin Yu looked at Xi Cheng through her tears. ¡°Can we? Can we still live a good life together?¡±

    Xi Cheng looked at Lin Yu, whose eyes were filled with despair, and his heart couldn¡¯t help but soften. He gently hugged her thin, waifish body and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s live a good life together.¡±

    Lin Yu burst into tears, and after Xi Cheng calmed her down, he inquired solemnly, ¡°Tell me, how did Mom get injured?¡±

    Lin Yu knew she couldn¡¯t avoid this no matter what and answered, ¡°That day, after you sent that envelope to Fang Xi, she called me and asked me to meet with her. I saw your car outside Ling Yun Borough, and then I saw Fang Xi arrive there. I knew she was telling the truth; you really were seeing her in private.¡±

    Lin Yu continued, ¡°I cried all the way home. Mom asked me what was wrong when she saw me crying. I told her that you had rekindled things with Fang Xi. Mom was furious and rushed out, intending to look for you guys. I stood up to stop her but knocked my leg against the corner of the coffee table and fell. By the time I got up to chase after her, Mom had already fallen down the stairs.¡± Lin Yu lifted the hem of her dress as she finished to show Xi Cheng the large bruise on her leg.

    Xi Cheng patted Lin Yu¡¯s back and gently apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have doubted you.¡±

    Lin Yu looked extremely aggrieved as tears streamed down her face. Xi Cheng stood up and told her, ¡°It¡¯s been a long day, so get some sleep. I¡¯m going to the hospital to visit Mom.¡±

    Lin Yu immediately got up. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Xi Cheng was slightly hesitant, and Lin Yu said, ¡°I¡¯ll go get changed. You should get changed, too. Let¡¯s tell Mom the good news of our marriage.¡±

    Xi Cheng nodded slowly, thinking, ¡®I should live my days properly with Lin Yu. I shouldn¡¯t disturb Fang Xi anymore. I can¡¯t let Lin Yu down again..¡¯

 Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Five: Nightmare

    Chapter 345: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Five: Nightmare

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu hazily felt someone strangling her neck, and it suddenly became difficult for her to breathe. She took a look and saw that it was Han Yuan strangling her, the woman shrieking, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Lin Yu fearfully watched as Han Yuan¡¯s expression gradually turned savage, and she couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡®She¡¯s going to kill me!¡¯ Lin Yu thought and struggled hard.

    * Thud* Lin Yu fell from the chair and suddenly woke up. ¡®It was a dream, a nightmare.¡¯ she realized. a thin laver of cold sweat on her forehead.

    Lin Yu got up from the floor. Xi Cheng, sleeping on the sofa, turned over and continued to sleep. She carefully picked up her overturned chair and sat back down on it. Looking at Han Yuan¡¯s face before her and thinking about the dream she had, Lin Yu couldn¡¯t help but shiver.

    The machines around them were making monotonous and steady sounds, showing that Han Yuan¡¯s bodily functions were returning to normal, and she would wake up at any moment. ¡® Would she want to strangle me immediately if she woke up? Lin Yu thought.

    She looked toward Xi Cheng, who had his back to her. His breathing was even, and he was sleeping soundly. Lin Yu was surprised that the commotion just now didn¡¯t wake him. ¡®Orperhaps he woke up and is too lazy to move.¡¯ Lin Yu smiled bitterly. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t hold any hopes or expectations ofXi Cheng. Tharll only lead to disappointment.¡¯

    Her gaze fell on Han Yuan¡¯s intravenous drip. ¡®I can¡¯t let her wake up. She mustn¡¯t wake up. There¡¯s no need for her to wake up again!¡¯

    Yun Liu stared darkly at the television screen in front of her. On-screen, Yun Nan, Fang Xi, and Shi Xiu sat in a broadcast studio for an interview.

    ¡°Director Yun, I heard that you¡¯re best at making documentaries,¡± the host stated politely.

    Yun Nan smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, I prefer making documentaries. I like to capture the details of the characters and events in the process of development.¡±

    The host asked Fang Xi, ¡°What about you, President Fang? I heard you two have been partners since your university days and have quite the tacit understanding. ¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s crutches were beside her seat, and her hand unconsciously stroked the handle of her crutches as she smiled charmingly and replied, ¡°Yes, the tacit understanding between us is unparalleled. We¡¯re very proud of it!¡±

    ¡°Unparalleled, you say? Does that include the understanding between you and your husbands?¡± the host teasingly inquired.

    The two smiled and nodded in unison. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Shi Xiu chuckled, ¡°We¡¯re all extremely envious of their divine friendship. We even specially tested the tacit understanding between them.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± The host stated, interested. ¡°How do you test that?¡±

    Shi Xiu answered, ¡°We did that by asking them the same questions when they weren¡¯t in the same place. Gosh, they usually don¡¯t even hesitate when they answer. It¡¯s simply incredible.¡±

    The host asked Yun Nan and Fang Xi for confirmation, but the two just smiled and didn¡¯t say a word. Seeing this, the host then inquired, ¡°So, did you guys also decide to have Shi Xiu be the host of your newest documentary at the same time?

    Fang Xi smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine for Yun Nan to decide on this matter alone. I support her unconditionally.¡±

    ¡°And you, Shi Xiu? Why did you decide to host this show?¡± the host asked.

    Shi Xiu playfully batted her eyes as she replied, ¡°Because I want to increase my public exposure! I¡¯ve just finished filming my new movie, and there are still a few months before it airs. I have to get active; I heard a manager tell her artiste on set that, in this era where traffic is king, you have to frequently appear before the audience for them to remember you. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been busy making full use of my time between acting, see?¡±

    Shi Xiu laughed out loud after saying that. Yun Liu¡¯s face was livid; the manager Shi Xiu was talking about was Tan Ning, and she had indeed told Yun Liu that, but Yun Liu didn¡¯t expect Shi Xiu to go to such lengths to belittle her with these comparisons!

    ¡®My nemesis was originally only Yun Nan alone, and now there¡¯s another: Shi Xiu!¡¯ Yun Liu inwardly raged. ¡®Argh, how frustrating! And that Liang Han¡¯s as slippery as an eel. He hasn¡¯t replied in all this time after he¡¯d read ourproposal, and then he turns around to invest in Yun Nan and Shi Xiu¡¯s show instead. He¡¯s truly not giving us any respect at all.¡¯

    Tan Ning pushed open the door and came in. Yun Liu threw the pen holder beside her straight at the opposite wall, catching Tan Ning off guard and giving her a shock.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Tan Ning reflexively snapped.

    Yun Liu pointed at the television screen. ¡°See for yourself! Look how creative they are, and compare it with our shows! Our planning and publicity department staff are a bunch of trash! Fire them all and recruit a new batch of people! I want creativity! Originality! I don¡¯t want those outdated things; they won¡¯t be able to attract investments at all! Those guys are a bunch of trash!

    What¡¯s the use of keeping them on my payroll?¡±

    Tan Ning silently let her vent and rant. After Yun Liu finished, Tan Ning said, ¡°Calm down. Take it easy.¡±

    ¡°How can I take it easy? They¡¯re already making jibes at us in their pre-show publicity! Shi Xiu is truly shameless. Not only is she¡ªthe daughter of a wealthy family¡ªsnatching jobs from ordinary people like us, but she¡¯s also publicly mocking us.. How shameless! It¡¯s simply too much!¡±

 Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: Chapter Three -Hundred and Forty- Six: Vent

    Chapter 346: Chapter Three -Hundred and Forty- Six: Vent

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°They¡¯ve gotten the upper hand and have the limelight once again! Are we just going to sit here and die? I don¡¯t care. You have to find me a talented planner! We have to poach one over no matter how much it costs!¡± Yun Liu ordered.

    Tan Ning couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Yun Liu, why bother getting into such petty feuds with Shi Xiu? Your target has never been Shi Xiu but Yun Nan! Yun Nan is already a famous director. Don¡¯t tell me you want to be an actress forever. Do you know how famous you have to be as an actress to stand on equal footing with Yun Nan?¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. ¡°You mean I¡¯ll never be famous enough to be on equal footing with Yun Nan? Are you saying I¡¯m not qualified to be compared to her?¡±

    Tan Ning¡¯s expression also turned cold as she replied, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡±

    ¡°Then what DO you mean? You¡¯re all looking down on me! All of you! Whether it¡¯s the Yun family, the Gu family, or you¡ªyou all look down on me! You all think I¡¯m not as good as Yun Nan¡ªthat I can¡¯t compare to her¡ªdon¡¯t you?¡± Yun Liu roared hysterically and swept everything on her desk to the ground.

    Tan Ning composedly stared at Yun Liu, found a safe corner, and sat down. She¡¯d seen many artistes who would never amount to much in all her years working in the entertainment industry, and Yun Liu was one of them. Tan Ning could still sit here and tolerate the girl right now because of her background, which she could use to help achieve her goals one day. However, Tan Ning wasn¡¯t one to spoil or enable others. Yun Liu had to change her bad habits. Tan Ning never bothered wasting her breath on those who didn¡¯t learn.

    When she¡¯d vented enough, Yun Liu sat down on her chair and panted, the makeup on her face long ruined. Tan Ning then languidly stood and walked up to Yun Liu before she detachedly stated, ¡°You know very well the gap between you and Yun Nan, but you have the ambition to surpass her. I support you and will do my best to get you resources and assist you. But I don¡¯t like emotionally unstable people! Come find me when you¡¯ve properly thought about what you want.¡±

    Tan Ning turned around, and Yun Liu quickly grabbed her hand and said anxiously, ¡°Tan Ning, don¡¯t go! I¡¯ll do anything you say!¡±

    Tan Ning smiled coldly, but that coldness instantly disappeared when she turned back around, and her voice softened. ¡°What are you so anxious about? You¡¯re the young lady the Yun family dotes on, and the young miss the Gu family has publicly acknowledged and written into the family tree.¡±

    ¡°Your status can¡¯t compare to Shi Xiu¡¯s, but your background is stronger than everyone else¡¯s in the entertainment industry. so why must von choose to

    compare yourself to Shi Xiu? Everyone knows it¡¯s impossible for Shi Xiu to stay in the entertainment industry forever, so why not bide your time, improve yourself while her popularity is running high, and wait for your moment to shine?¡±

    Yun Liu hesitated and unconfidently asked, ¡°Do you think I can make it big?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Tan Ning responded as she sat down. ¡°Have you given up on Liang Han so easily? Did just one or two rejections hurt your self-esteem? This grievance now is nothing compared to becoming the wife of the Liang family¡¯s youngest and most favored son.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Look at Lin Yu. You saw how many people are mocking her to her face and behind her back, but she endured it all for so many years to marry in the Xi family and has finally become the true young madam of the Xi family. You can be the next Lin Yu if you have her determination and patience.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s spirits lifted, and she muttered, ¡°Lin Yu hinted at a collaboration with me, but I didn¡¯t pay it much attention. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s too late to contact her now.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to be late for. Lin Yu¡¯s the most patient and forbearing person I¡¯ve ever met. She offered a partnership with you, so naturally, she wants to put you in a higher position because not only will that fulfill your wish, but it¡¯ll also put you in a better position to help her. Yun Liu, why don¡¯t you calm down and cooperate with someone who¡¯s truly beneficial to you instead of getting into pointless disputes with Yun Nan and Shi Xiu?¡±

    Enlightened, Yun Liu nodded. ¡°I understand, Tan Ning!¡±

    Tan Ning secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Still slightly discontented, Yun Liu stated, ¡°But Yun Nan and the others are making a documentary and invited all guests from Wu Wei Residence in the show ¡®Embracing Lif¨¦ back then for interviews and even reserved a whole section of the documentary for them. She invited everyone but me. It¡¯d be very awkward if someone asked about that. Wouldn¡¯t that confirm the rumors that I¡¯m not on good terms with them?¡±

    Tan Ning smirked coldly. ¡°You weren¡¯t the one who made things tense between you guys. If anyone asks, just say you¡¯re too busy filming to go for the interview, but Yun Nan and the others didn¡¯t discuss it with you either. You don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. Perhaps you weren¡¯t invited because they don¡¯t like you!¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu, you have to learn to make fun of yourself. Self-mockery is the highest form of wit. If you say those things about yourself, others won¡¯t be able to say anything. Moreover, it¡¯ll arouse the public¡¯s sympathy and help you gain favorability.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard that.. ¡®Yeah, you¡¯re right! Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡±

 Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: Chapter Three -Hundred and Forty-Seven: Took the Bait

    Chapter 347: Chapter Three -Hundred and Forty-Seven: Took the Bait

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Tan Ning immediately corrected Yun Liu. ¡°Self-deprecating doesn¡¯t mean pretending to be weak and pitiful. Do you understand? It¡¯s a sense of humor that comes from within!¡±

    Yun Liu gave her a perfunctory ¡°Got it.¡± Tan Ning sighed, thinking, ¡®Some things just can¡¯t be taught.¡¯

    Yun Liu remembered that the important matter right now was to gain cooperation with Lin Yu. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Lin Yu out for tea immediately.¡±

    Tan Ning corrected her once again. ¡°You should buy some gifts and visit her at the hospital. She must be watching over her mother-in-law by her bedside nowadays. ¡±

    Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but be shocked when she saw Lin Yu. Lin Yu looked haggard; she seemed to have aged five or six years since they¡¯d last met.

    Yun Liu knew that were she in Lin Yu¡¯s shoes, she wouldn¡¯t be as filial as her. ¡® The Xi family¡¯s really lucky to have such a daughter-in-law,¡¯ she thought before saying, ¡°It¡¯s been hard for you, Lin Yu.¡±

    Lin Yu smiled and invited her to sit on the sofa. ¡°This is nothing. My mother-in-law treats me like her own. Everything I¡¯m doing now is the least I could do for her. How have you been? I¡¯ve been so busy with my own matters that I haven¡¯t contacted you for a long time. Thank you for coming to visit me.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s heart instantly calmed down. She¡¯d never met anyone like Lin Yu, who could warm her heart with just a few words. Even though she was quite leery of Lin Yu, Yun Liu had to admit that Lin Yu treated others with extreme sincerity.

    After Yun Liu had let down her guard with Lin Yu, she had a heartfelt reliance on her and spilled her guts to the woman. ¡°I¡¯ve not been so great lately. Lin Yu, to be honest, Liang Han is awfully cold to me, and Mrs. Liang hasn¡¯t invited me out again. I think they don¡¯t like me very much.¡±

    Lin Yu smiled at her, her eyes full of compassion. ¡°Silly girl. Liang Han has been surrounded by girls since he was young and has seen all sorts of tricks. You¡¯re too naive if you think you can get close to him and arouse his interest with such inflexible methods.¡±

    Yun Liu was dumbfounded. ¡°Then what should I do?¡±

    Lin Yu smiled as she picked up her phone and made a call. ¡°Shi Gao, this is Lin Yu.¡± Lin Yu gazed at Yun Liu with a gentle and kind smile. Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but want to rely on her because of her elder sister-like attitude.

    ¡°Can you throw a party and find a way to get Liang Han to attend it? Yes, it¡¯s for my friend, Yun Liu. You¡¯ve met her before and have probably seen her on TV too. She¡¯s a starlet and still a step away from being truly famous. Give her a hand; she fancies Liang Han.¡±

    Yun Liu listened to what Shi Gao said on the other end of the phone before turning to ask Yun Liu, ¡°My friend asks if you¡¯re truly determined to get with Liang Han.¡±

    Yun Liu nodded without hesitation. ¡°Including sacrificing yourself?¡± Lin Yu inquired with a smile full of meaning. Yun Liu¡¯s face flushed red, but she still nodded firmly.

    Lin Yu¡¯s smile deepened, and she spoke into her phone. ¡°Yes, she is! Miss Shi Gao, please help my little friend! She really likes Liang Han. We¡¯ll be more than grateful and repay you if you could help her get with him!¡±

    After hanging up her phone, Lin Yu grinned and stated, ¡°She told us to wait for her news. Some high-society young masters and ladies have organized a party recently, and she¡¯ll bring you along when the time comes. You¡¯ll definitely be able to score Liang Han!¡±

    Yun Liu tentatively asked, ¡°Score, how?¡±

    Lin Yu looked at her with charming eyes and uttered, ¡°How do you want to score with him?¡± Yun Liu blushed and stammered unintelligibly.

    Lin Yu reached out and patted her shoulder. ¡°Silly girl. Everything in this world has a clear price tag. If you want to get the best thing, you naturally have to pay the most expensive price. That¡¯s the unchangeable principle of equivalent exchange. Think about your goal; it¡¯s fine so long as you feel it¡¯s worth it.¡± Yun Liu nodded lightly. ¡°I¡¯ll do as you say, Lin Yu!¡±

    Lin Yu chuckled and sighed, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s good to be young! I didn¡¯t have such courage when I was your age, so I especially admire girls who have goals and are willing to work hard for them.¡±

    Shi Gao called after Lin Yu sent Yun Liu off. ¡°So, you agree to cooperate with

    ¡°I¡¯m someone who acts in my own best interests,¡± Lin Yu said detachedly. ¡°I¡¯m willing to cooperate with anyone that can bring me benefits. As for whether or not that involves sacrificing others, that¡¯s not within my consideration.

    Lin Yu was momentarily silent before saying, ¡®We had a deal. I send girls to you, and you help me get things done. My request is straightforward: I want Fang Xi and Yun Nan dead! I don¡¯t care how; I just want them to die. Whoever gets in the way, kill them!¡±

    There was a hint of a smile in Shi Gao¡¯s voice as she responded, ¡°Alright! No problem! We two are the best of partners and friends!¡±

    Lin Yu chuckled and hung up the phone. ¡® The best offriends? Hmph! I¡¯m not anyone¡¯s best friend! There are only two kinds ofpeople in this world: one is people that I can use, and the other is people that I can¡¯t use!

    Shi Gao put down her phone and sneered. Someone pushed open the door and came in.. ¡°Shi Gao, that Gu Man is going crazy again!¡±

 Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Eight: Negotiations

    Chapter 348: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Eight: Negotiations

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Gao slowly got up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±

    Gu Man was disheveled and reeked of alcohol. She was holding a half-broken glass bottle in one hand and grabbing a woman¡¯s hair with the other. ¡°You b*tch! How dare you challenge me! Who gave you the guts, huh?¡± she viciously snarled.

    The woman shrieked, ¡°Let me go! Let go of me! You shameless cow! Who are you calling a b*tch, b*tch?!¡±

    Shi Gao gave her men beside her a look, and two burly bodyguards immediately stepped forward to separate the two and snatch the broken bottle from Gu Man¡¯s hand.

    Gu Man gazed at Shi Gao drunkenly. ¡°Hey! You¡¯re here! The noble Miss Shi finally showed up! What¡¯s up? Are you here to inspect your girls? I¡¯m a sl*t now, just as you wanted! Are you satisfied? I¡¯m yours so long as you give me the goods to keep me going. How about it, my dear friend?¡±

    Gu Man struggled to break free from the bodyguards restraining her and pounced towards Shi Gao but was once again suppressed. Shi Gao stared at her with disgust and indifferently ordered, ¡°Clean her up and bring her to my room.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± The bodyguards dragged the kicking and screaming Gu Man away.

    ¡°How¡¯s Xi Cheng?¡± Shi Gao inquired.

    ¡°He¡¯s dead drunk,¡± a subordinate replied.

    ¡°Good. Send him over as well. Let¡¯s fulfill Gu Man¡¯s wish,¡± Shi Gao sneered. She and Lin Yu were the same types of people in certain aspects. They had no friends; only benefits mattered to them. Shi Gao was only working with Lin Yu this time because of Shi Ke. Therefore, everyone related to Shi Ke was doomed.

    Gu Man unceremoniously sat on the sofa after being pushed into Shi Gao¡¯s room. She picked up the cigarette pack on the coffee table, took out a cigarette, and eagerly lit it up. She greedily took a puff, leaned back comfortably on the sofa, and closed her eyes.

    Shi Gao quietly said, ¡°Lin Yu and Xi Cheng got married.¡±

    There was a long silence before a tear rolled down the corner of Gu Man¡¯s eye. ¡°What does that have to do with me? Look at the ghastly state I¡¯m in. What right do I have to compete with that b*tch Lin Yu?¡± she rasped hoarsely.

    Shi Gao stood with her arms crossed, looking down at Gu Man from up high.

    ¡°That depends on whether you want to or not. If you want to, I can fulfill your

    wish.¡±

    Gu Man opened her eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you her best friend? Why are you offering to help me? Are you messing around with me again?¡±

    Shi Gao laughed. ¡°You were once her best friend, too. Friends? What a joke.¡± Gu Man looked away.

    ¡°If I help you fulfill your wish, will you willingly work for me in exchange?¡± Shi Gao asked.

    ¡°Cut the crap about fulfilling my wish. I¡¯m already working for you now, aren¡¯t I?¡± Gu Man jeered. ¡°Do I currently count as your top call girl?¡±

    Shi Gao chuckled, ¡°All the girls here at my place are in this field, but you¡¯re different. If you¡¯re willing to help me, I won¡¯t continue to make you do things you don¡¯t want to do or serve men you don¡¯t want to serve. How about it?¡±

    Gu Man was momentarily stunned and stared at Shi Gao in disbelief. Shi Gao sat down on another sofa and smiled. ¡°I mean it. Your arrogance and aggression are just about ground away. Now is the best time for me to negotiate with you. You know how it¡¯ll end for the girls here.¡±

    Shi Gao continued, ¡°You have no way out other than obeying me. After all, even dying isn¡¯t so easy here. Besides, it¡¯s better to be a live dog than a dead lion! I¡¯ll help you get the men you like, whether it¡¯s Xi Cheng or Shi Nian, and you work for me!¡±

    Gu Man¡¯s mind raced. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you. Your credibility with me is zero.¡±

    Shi Gao gave her a dazzling smile before getting up and pulling open the curtains on the side. There was a secret room behind the curtains. The lighting inside was warm and ambivalent, and in the room was a big bed with a man lying on it.

    Gu Man stood up in surprise. Shi Gao made an after-you gesture and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Do what you want. He¡¯s all yours! No Xi family madams will be coming to catch you in the act anymore.¡±

    Gu Man quickly walked over. The person lying on the bed was indeed Xi Cheng. ¡°What did you do to him?¡± Gu Man asked sharply.

    Shi Gao shrugged. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re worried about him? It seems you truly do have some feelings for him! The night¡¯s short, and the drug we gave him only lets him mistake you for the woman he loves for a few hours. It¡¯s up to you how you want to lie and explain this away after he wakes up! ¡±

    Shi Gao pulled the curtains shut, leaving Gu Man with Xi Cheng. The best weapon that could make people submit was desire, followed by drugs.

    Everyone was in full swing preparing for Ye Kun and Fang Xi¡¯s wedding and Shi Nian and Yun Nan¡¯s secret wedding. Everyone kept a tight lid on it, and the two who already knew the secret cooperated with everyone, pretending that they knew nothing about it. Only when the couple returned home would they laugh and exchange information about the progress in the wedding preparations they¡¯d noticed..

 Chapter 349 - Chapter 349: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Nine: Sweet Moments

    Chapter 349: Chapter Three-Hundred and Forty-Nine: Sweet Moments

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Dad insisted that I accompany him out to try on suits today and made me try on suit after suit. Grandpa came halfway through it and pretended to be angry that we didn¡¯t invite him. Even Chang Yuan is in on it now. He¡¯s doing his best to reduce my work schedule,¡± Shi Nian told Yun Nan.

    In return, Yun Nan shared, ¡°Today, Miss An¡¯s eye lit up when I gave her the embroidery pieces my mother had prepared for me and told her to prepare a similar set for Fang Xi based on them. Chang Yuan aside, they even dragged Grandpa Gu Bei and Grandma Chen Yao into this. Everyone knows about it, and only us two are kept in the dark, or so they think!¡±

    Yun Nan and Shi Nian laughed. This novel feeling of being both the main character and a bystander was too fun. After they¡¯d finished laughing, Yun Nan remarked, ¡°1 wonder if they¡¯ve informed Shi Ke and Xiang Yang. Xiang Yang¡¯s really amazing; her work won another international gold medal. I wonder if she¡¯ll return early to join everyone in their madness for our wedding. ¡±

    ¡°She probably will. Big Brother¡¯s mission is confidential, so let¡¯s not count on him to show up. There have been a lot of people protecting us in secret recently, so I reckon that, once again, his mission this time isn¡¯t simple. That guy¡¯s risking his life out there. I¡¯m always on tenterhooks during such times and don¡¯t dare to tell my family,¡± Shi Nian replied, patting Yun Nan¡¯s shoulder somewhat apologetically.

    ¡°I think about it sometimes. We can live so peacefully because of people like Big Brother who are protecting us with their lives. Don¡¯t worry, I know what¡¯s important. It¡¯s fine as long as Xiang Yang comes back. We can spend more time with her; I always feel that it¡¯s quite hard on her to be alone so often. We can help Big Brother make up for leaving her on her lonesome by treating her better,¡± Yun Nan stated.

    Shi Nian kissed her and sighed softly, ¡°What more can a man ask for with a wife like you? I¡¯m really afraid that God will think that he has given me too much and take back some of it or give me more suffering!¡±

    Yun Nan glared at him and chided, ¡°Don¡¯t say that! Knock on wood! If you feel you¡¯re too blessed, then do more good deeds, help others more, and spread

    God¡¯s kind intentions. Why curse yourself like that?¡±

    Shi Nian smiled and pulled Yun Nan into his arms, embracing her tightly. ¡°Okay, alright. I¡¯ll listen and do as you say! A man¡¯s greatest happiness is marrying a good wife! And listening to his wife is the basic principle of a good man!¡±

    Shi Nian then reached his hand into Yun Nan¡¯s clothes and got Yun Nan panting. The curtains shielded and concealed the steamy scene from view.

    Xi Cheng opened his eyes. His entire body felt sore, and his head felt heavy. However, he still recalled the spectacular dream from last night. He hadn¡¯t let loose and enjoyed himself like that for a long time.

    ¡°Mm¡­¡± A soft moan came from where the pillows were. Xi Cheng turned around and saw a familiar face.

    ¡°Ah! Why are you here?¡± Xi Cheng sat up and stared at Gu Man in shock. His movement pulled the blanket, exposing a good portion of Gu Man¡¯s body. She was naked, and bruises and kiss marks covered her fair skin. Xi Cheng instantly understood what had happened.

    Gu Man curled up and tried her best to grab the blanket and wrap herself in it. Her tears flowed before she even said anything. ¡°Xi Cheng, don¡¯t you remember? You¡ªyou were in a bad mood yesterday, so I drank with you.¡±

    Gu Man reached up to wipe away her tears, revealing her creamy breasts, and uttered sadly, ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t remember. It¡¯s okay so long as I remember. It¡¯s my fault. Xi Cheng, I know you and Lin Yu are already married.

    You can¡¯t do anything that will ruin your marriage. It¡¯s fine. Forget about this.

    Nothing happened between us.¡±

    Gu Man covered her mouth, trying to suppress her sobs, and the blanket slid down. Xi Cheng¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t move away from her even if he wanted to, and his body heated up.

    Xi Cheng reached out to hold Gu Man¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m sorry, Gu Man. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Gu Man took the opportunity to throw herself into his arms, crying, ¡°Xi

    Cheng¡­¡±

    With a warm and soft beauty in his arms, the fire in Xi Cheng¡¯s core abruptly ignited. He couldn¡¯t suppress the desire raging through him, even though he Imew this was Gu Man. ¡®No man can be the perfect gentleman in such a situation, and I¡¯m not a saint!¡¯ Just as that thought flashed through Xi Cheng¡¯s mind, he was already pressing down on Gu Man. It¡¯d been a long time since he¡¯d had such a good time.

    When the nurse came in to change the patient¡¯s dressing, Lin Yu was carefully helping Han Yuan cut her nails. She smiled at the nurse and thanked her for her hard work. All the medical staff had a good impression of this young Madam Xi, so the nurse hurriedly said, ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s working hard. You can call a nurse to do things like cut nails and so on. You should take care of yourself and get more rest.¡±

    Lin Yu sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t stop worrying so long as my mother remains unconscious.. How can I be in the mood to rest?¡±

 Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty: Car Accident

    Chapter 350: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty: Car Accident

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The nurse smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Madam¡¯s check-up results have all been good these past few days. Her bodily functions are recovering rapidly, and her brain activity is getting more and more active, so I believe she¡¯ll wake up soon. The attending doctor had specifically emphasized that we should intensify patrols and check up on Madam more often during our meeting this morning. ¡±

    Lin Yu was shocked. ¡°Really?¡±

    The nurse thought Lin Yu was overjoyed by the news and quickly nodded. ¡°Yeah! The doctor will inform you of the details when he comes for ward rounds later.¡± The nurse changed the dressing and left, closing the door behind her.

    Lin Yu approached Han Yuan¡¯s bed step by step. Her legs gave way, and before she knew it, she was kneeling on the ground. ¡°Mother, that day¡­ I really didn¡¯t mean to do it! I didn¡¯t mean to push you down the stairs. Can you please forgive me?¡±

    She held Han Yuan¡¯s hand against her face, and her tears fell onto Han Yuan¡¯s palm. ¡°Mother, you of all people know how difficult it is for me. I have already lowered myself to the dust in order to marry Xi Cheng. I have nowhere else to go or return to; I have nothing but the Xi family. Ever since I was young, everything I did was to become the Xi family¡¯s young mistress. I don¡¯t know how to live if I leave the Xi family. Please, Mother, don¡¯t chase me away!¡±

    Lin Yu covered her mouth and sobbed; that was the scene Xi Cheng saw when he pushed open the door. He hurriedly ran over to help Lin Yu up. ¡°Lin Yu? What¡¯s wrong?¡± He turned around to check on his mother, who was sleeping peacefully as usual, and inquired, ¡°What¡¯s all this about?¡±

    Lin Yu quickly wiped her tears and forced a smile. ¡°Just¡ªjust now, the nurse said that Mom might¡ªmight¡­¡¯

    Xi Cheng anxiously urged, ¡°Might what?¡±

    ¡°She might wake up at any moment now. I¡ªI was so happy that I cried,¡± Lin Yu hastily replied.

    Xi Cheng¡¯s tense nerves finally relaxed. ¡°Oh, thank goodness. You gave me a fright.¡± He hugged Lin Yu and comforted her, saying, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s nose picked up a delicate fragrance, and she couldn¡¯t help but shiver. She abruptly pushed Xi Cheng away, asking, ¡°Where were you last night? Who were you with?¡±

    Xi Cheng was taken aback. Lin Yu¡¯s tone was a little harsh; he wasn¡¯t used to it and instinctively avoided her gaze. ¡°I had a business social last night. We all drank a lot at the nightclub, and I didn¡¯t want to disturb you and Mom at such a late hour, so I booked a room and spent the night there.¡±

    Lin Yu looked at Xi Cheng and felt a chill in her heart. She had only smelled that fragrance on one person before¡ªGu Man.

    Xi Cheng told her, ¡°I got someone to send lunch over. They¡¯re all your favorites. You should eat more. Mom will definitely worry if she wakes up and sees you¡¯ve lost so much weight.¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s normal behavior had Lin Yu in anxious doubt. On one hand, she dismissed her own suspicions, but on the other, she felt that her feeling was right. She gave the excuse of going out to find the doctor and immediately called Shi Gao after she left. ¡°Help me check Xi Cheng¡¯s whereabouts yesterday.

    Also, do you know where Gu Man is?¡±

    Shi Gao chuckled, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? Why so serious? You and Xi Cheng just got married; why are you investigating your husband? Gu Man left the country, so don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s best not to keep men on a tight leash, Lin Yu. You were never like this before; why have you become so petty now that you¡¯re officially married? Xi Cheng might rebel if you keep this up. Calm down, Lin Yu. Take it easy.¡±

    Lin Yu slowly put down the hand holding her phone after Shi Gao hung up. ¡®Am

    I being too sensitive?Maybe! The most pressing thing now isn¡¯t Gu Man, but Han Yuan! I can¡¯t let her wake up! I¡¯d rather stay by her bedside, looking after her unconscious form forever¡­ or make it so that she can never wake up again!¡¯

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to be so shrewd,¡± Gu Man sneered.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you fell into her trap,¡± Shi Gao replied lightly.

    Feeling quite satisfied that they¡¯ve managed to trick Lin Yu, Gu Man asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡±

    Shi Gao gave her an enigmatic smile. ¡°It¡¯s my man next! Shi Ke¡¯s injured. Once he returns and I¡¯m in a good mood, I¡¯ll give Shi Nian to you, too.¡±

    Gu Man¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really?¡±

    A serious car accident occurred in the southern suburbs of the city. A heavy-duty truck had collided with a private car, and the car got smashed beyond recognition.

    Yun Nan rushed to the hospital and unexpectedly saw Xiang Yang. ¡® Whys she back all ofa sudden? Yun Nan thought. However, she didn¡¯t have time to ask. Yun Nan went straight to the operating room, and Xiang Yang followed behind her without a word.

    The news had already spread that the private car that got hit belonged to Shi Nian, and Shi Nian was the only one in the car at that time. When she heard the news, Yun Nan felt like she¡¯d had ice-cold water poured on her.

    ¡°The surgery was very successful. We¡¯ve moved the patient into the ICU.¡± Yun Nan turned around and ran towards the ICU before the doctor could finish speaking. She was too familiar with this hospital.

    However, when Yun Nan saw the person lying inside through the glass, she felt like a hammer had struck her heart. She turned around to look at an equally pale Xiang Yang, and the first thing she said to the woman since they¡¯d met today was the question, ¡®Where¡¯s Shi Nian?¡±

    Then she blacked out and fell into Xiang Yang¡¯s arms..

 Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-One: Spices

    Chapter 351: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-One: Spices

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Shi Gao, it¡¯s been confirmed that Shi Nian was in a car accident! He got hit by a large truck on the road, and his car was very badly damaged. He¡¯s currently in the hospital and is still in critical condition!¡± Shi Gao¡¯s subordinate, Ah Tao, reported.

    Shi Gao¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Who did it?¡±

    ¡°It was an accident. The truck driver was caught on the spot; the police have already concluded the car crash occurred because the driver was driving while fatigued,¡± Ah Tao answered smoothly.

    Shi Gao frowned. ¡°An accident¡­ at a time like this? Coincidence?¡±

    Ah Tao didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Any news on Shi Ke?¡± Shi Gao asked.

    Ah Tao shook his head. ¡°Nothing new. We got news from there saying that Shi

    Ke was training with his men at the drill ground this morning.¡±

    Shi Gao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?! How¡¯s that possible? Didn¡¯t they say he got injured? Didn¡¯t they say his injury was serious and that he had to return for surgery?¡±

    Ah Tao shook his head in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Shi Ke has always been cunning. Perhaps the news of his injury is fake. With his status, they wouldn¡¯t have kept him from treatment if he was seriously injured.¡±

    Shi Gao frowned again and coldly stated, ¡°It¡¯s not easy sniffing around military matters. Tell our people there to be careful not to expose themselves. We¡¯ll investigate this from our side. Let¡¯s go visit Shi Nian at the hospital. I have the feeling that something¡¯s strange about his car accident!¡±

    Ah Tao hesitated before saying, ¡°Witnesses saw Yun Nan faint after seeing Shi

    Nian¡­ She couldn¡¯t have mistaken him for someone else, right?¡±

    After a long silence, Shi Gao said, ¡°We¡¯ll wait a bit longer. Keep a close eye on the Shi family.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Ah Tao replied and left, but he soon returned. ¡°Shi Gao, Mrs. Xi is here.¡±

    Shi Gao scowled. ¡°Go tell Gu Man to steer clear and keep out of sight!¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Ah Tao responded and left once more.

    Lin Yu looked around Shi Gao¡¯s office, which was decorated in a romantic ambiance, and felt slightly bitter.

    Shi Gao walked in with a smile. ¡°Look who¡¯s here! Where did you find the time to come over? Don¡¯t you need to care for your mother-in-law by her bedside?¡±

    Lin Yu turned around and stared at Shi Gao. For some reason, she felt that there was something different about Shi Gao, but she couldn¡¯t tell what was different about her. ¡®Perhaps I¡¯m too sensitive,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°I came to see you and get some fresh air while I¡¯m at it,¡± Lin Yu replied, gentle as ever.

    Shi Gao chuckled and poured Lin Yu a cup of tea. ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can help with, just say the word.¡±

    ¡°Actually, there is something I need your help with,¡± Lin Yu uttered straightforwardly.

    Shi Gao didn¡¯t expect that, and her hands that were pouring tea paused briefly. She smiled and said, ¡°Go ahead, what is it?¡±

    Lin Yu locked her eyes with Shi Gao¡¯s as she stated, ¡°I heard that Xi Cheng has been having business socials at your hotel recently. I want to know who he¡¯s been with. ¡±

    Shi Gao put down the teapot and returned Lin Yu¡¯s gaze with a smile. ¡°Stop beating around the bush. You want to check if Xi Cheng and Gu Man are together, right?¡±

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t say anything. Shi Gao chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve asked the Gu family; they think she¡¯s an embarrassment and have already sent her abroad. Aren¡¯t you a little too sensitive? What? Is Xi Cheng not treating you well lately, or are you too tired? Why are you so paranoid?¡±

    Lin Yu sighed softly, ¡°I don¡¯t mind if he has some fun outside. He¡¯s a man, after all. But I caught the scent of Gu Man¡¯s perfume on his clothes.¡±

    Shi Gao was slightly surprised. ¡°You can¡¯t say that it¡¯s Gu Man just because of a perfume. It¡¯s not like that perfume is only sold exclusively to her!¡±

    Lin Yu looked at Shi Gao. ¡°Gu Man always likes to add her own homemade spices to her perfume. It¡¯s unique.¡±

    Shi Gao¡¯s smile froze before she quickly chortled, ¡°Alright, fine. I¡¯ll help you find out which women have been around Xi Cheng recently, okay? Don¡¯t worry!

    It¡¯s definitely not Gu Man!¡±

    Lin Yu seemed to be reassured by that. She took a sip of her tea and remarked, ¡°Your business here appears to be going well. I really envy you for already starting up your own business.¡±

    Shi Gao pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m the one who envies you. I wouldn¡¯t have had to start a business if I could be like you and successfully become the young madam of a rich family.¡±

    Lin Yu lightly sighed, ¡°Shi Gao, you¡¯re my best friend. I really need your help.

    Currently, in the Xi family, I¡¯m in a precarious situation. 1¡ª¡±

    Shi Gao patted Lin Yu¡¯s shoulder, cutting her off. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Look at you; what¡¯s with all the doom and gloom? Why did you become so mawkish after you got married? It seems that Xi Cheng has gone too far, huh? Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me. I¡¯ll definitely find out who Xi Cheng has been close to lately. Oh, right, I heard that Shi Nian got into a car accident and was hospitalized. Is it true?¡±

    Lin Yu sipped her tea, lowered her gaze, and nodded. ¡°Yes, it is. I saw Xiang Yang at the hospital and heard that Yun Nan fainted when she saw Shi Nian¡¯s injured form.¡±

    Shi Gao raised an eyebrow. ¡°Xiang Yang? She¡¯s back?¡±

    Lin Yu looked at Shi Gao calmly and said, ¡°I heard that the Shi family originally planned to hold Shi Nian and Yun Nan¡¯s wedding soon together with Ye Kun and Fang Xi¡¯s..¡±

 Chapter 352 - Chapter 352: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Two: Mission

    Chapter 352: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Two: Mission

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi¡¯s name felt like a burn on Lin Yu¡¯s tongue, and she glossed over it vaguely. A sneer flashed across Shi Gao¡¯s face. Everyone knew about the farce at Lin Yu¡¯s wedding. She was impressed that Lin Yu could mention Ye Kun and Fang Xi so calmly.

    Shi Gao covered up her emotions and asked, ¡°So, Xiang Yang came back for the wedding?¡±

    Lin Yu nodded. ¡°Yeah. Since Shi Nian and my mother-in-law are both staying in the same hospital, I went to visit him on behalf of the Xi family and had a chat with Xiang Yang.¡±

    Lin Yu looked at Shi Gao and continued, ¡°I know you want to know more about the Shi family¡¯s news, so I came here to tell you as soon as I could. Xiang Yang also sighed that Shi Ke¡¯s too busy and never has the time to accompany her around. He still has to carry out his mission in the army even though something this serious happened to Shi Nian, so he could only fully entrust her to look after the family.¡±

    Shi Gao¡¯s expression turned ugly at Lin Yu¡¯s words, but Lin Yu turned a blind eye to it and remarked, ¡°I heard from Xiang Yang that Shi Nian is hurt pretty badly this time. He suffered multiple fractures throughout his body and is still in a coma. The wedding is certain to be out on hold: the entire Shi familv is in a

    mess.¡±

    Shi Gao didn¡¯t say anything. She didn¡¯t care if the Shi family was in a mess. She only wanted to know that person¡¯s¡ªShi Ke¡¯s¡ªsituation.

    ¡°Shi Gao, have you met up with that Yun Liu I recommended to you? I think she should be able to help you. The person she wants to marry the most is Shi Nian, and she only chose Liang Han because Shi Nian doesn¡¯t like her,¡± Lin Yu said meaningfully.

    Shi Gao looked at Lin Yu. Lin Yu put down her teacup and stated, ¡°I should get going. Don¡¯t forget about what I asked you to do. I¡¯ll help you keep an eye on Yun Nan and the others since I¡¯m close at the hospital.¡±

    Shi Gao felt her chest tighten and watched Lin Yu leave without standing up to send her off or say goodbye.

    Ah Tao quietly walked in. ¡°Shi Gao, what do you need me to do?¡±

    ¡°Arrange a party, ¡± Shi Gao uttered coldly. ¡°Invite Yun Liu and Liang Han over and be subtle about it. Make sure they both come! Take some videos of Xi Cheng and edit the dates to match the previous ones. Lin Yu is a cunning woman, but since she¡¯s so domineering, don¡¯t blame me for fooling her!¡± ¡°Yes, Shi Gao,¡± Ah Tao replied.

    ¡°Tell Gu Man that the Xi family¡¯s young madam has noticed her scent on Young Master Xi Cheng. Tell her to be careful,¡± Shi Gao said lightly.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Having gotten his instructions, Ah Tao turned around and left.

    Shi Gao picked up her phone and dialed a number. When the call connected, she demanded, ¡®What¡¯s going on? Why didn¡¯t Shi Ke return? Didn¡¯t we agree to make Shi Ke come back?

    The person on the other end answered, ¡°Shi Ke is definitely seriously injured; our people saw it with their own eyes. He¡¯s sure to return!¡±

    Slightly angry, Shi Gao raised her voice to retort, ¡°But he didn¡¯t! He¡¯s not seriously injured at all! We¡¯ve already received news that Shi Ke is still in the army training today! It was the Shi family¡¯s second son who got in a car accident and was seriously injured!¡±

    ¡°I was just about to talk to you about that. We want to take this opportunity to target the Shi family!¡±

    Shi Gao stood up, and her voice was shrill as she exclaimed, ¡°Are you guys crazy? Do you think the Shi family is like the Xi family? I don¡¯t object to you guys targeting the Xi family. The Xi brothers don¡¯t stand united and have long gone their own ways; their companies are under the Xi Corporation¡¯s banner but are all divided. Xi Cheng is an idiot fixated on love; it won¡¯t be difficult to take down the Xi family with him managing the family.¡±

    She then continued, ¡°But the Shi family is different! Shi Nian is in charge only because Shi Kong and Shi Yun don¡¯t want to be, not because they can¡¯t! Even if Shi Nian is injured¡ªno, even if Shi Nian dies¡ªthe Shi family won¡¯t fall into chaos. Shi Nian¡¯s grandfather and father can step up to the plate at any time!¡±

    Fury ignited in Shi Gao, and she hissed, ¡°The Shi family is a steel drum compared to the Xi family! Who gave you guys the courage to touch the Shi family?¡±

    The other party listened to her rant in silence before clearing their throat and saying, ¡°Shi Gao, don¡¯t think we don¡¯t know what your intentions are! You plan to get Shi Ke out of the army and make him an ordinary citizen. Then, you¡¯ll kill his younger siblings and leave the Shi family to him alone. That way, when you marry into the family, you¡¯ll be the sole ruler of the family!¡±

    The person warned, ¡°However, I advise you to rein in your ambitions and curb your plans. The organization has its own arrangements. Targeting the Shi family isn¡¯t our idea; this order came from the higher-ups. Don¡¯t forget, obedience is our first duty! ¡±

    Shi Gao was at a loss for words. Her anxiety and fury had her taking deep breaths, her chest heaving up and down violently. Unfortunately, the other party didn¡¯t know that her expression was extremely ugly at this moment and added, ¡°Oh right, the organization is very satisfied with the ¡®goods¡¯ you¡¯ve selected during this period of time. Keep up the good work! The bosses have high hopes for you!¡±

    The next thing Shi Gao heard from her phone was the call-disconnected tone.

    All of them are a**h*les! This truly is a world full ofa**h*les!¡¯

 Chapter 353 - Chapter 353: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Three:

    Chapter 353: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Three:

    Infiltration

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Xi Cheng! Lin Yu¡¯s quite impressive! She figured out that we were together from just a whiff of the smell on your clothes,¡± Gu Man complained as she cuddled close to Xi Cheng.

    Xi Cheng froze. Gu Man caressed his face and reassured him, ¡°It¡¯s alright; I¡¯ve covered it up. I gave away all the perfumes I use; the girls accompanying you on your business socials each have a bottle. We gave Lin Yu the information she wanted when she came to investigate who you were with. She¡¯ll naturally let it go after she¡¯s done with her investigation and finds nothing. ¡±

    Xi Cheng relaxed, and his expression eased. Seeing that, Gu Man unhappily asked, ¡°Xi Cheng, are you that afraid of her? Is she that formidable?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m afraid of her; I just¡­ respect her. After all, it hasn¡¯t been easy for her all these years. She had to shoulder the heavy burden of the Lin family¡¯s responsibilities while attending to my mother at home in my place. It really hasn¡¯t been easy for her,¡± Xi Cheng said slowly.

    Gu Man was delighted to hear that. ¡°Xi Cheng, you don¡¯t love her, do you? You only respect her and don¡¯t love her, right?¡±

    Xi Cheng remained silent. Gu Man cupped his face and kissed him hard. ¡°I knew it. I¡¯m the one Xi Cheng loves the most! It¡¯s definitely not that two-faced backstabber, Lin Yu!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that about her! Lin Yu has never done anything bad to anyone. She¡¯s good to everyone and doesn¡¯t offend anyone, swallowing whatever grievances she has; she has been like that since she was young. It hasn¡¯t been easy for her. I¡¯m the one who let her down,¡± Xi Cheng uttered despondently, thinking, ¡®I¡¯ve let down both Fang Xi and Lin Yu in this life, and I can never make it up to them.¡¯

    ¡°Hah!¡± Gu Man barked out as if she¡¯d just heard the funniest joke in the world. ¡°Xi Cheng, you¡¯re really¡­ You¡¯re so naive and kind that it¡¯s cute! *Sigh* Lin Yu¡¯s truly lucky to have actually met a man as gullible as you! Xi Cheng, go and visit Lin Zhu when you have the time. She¡¯s still in prison, you know! Would Lin Yu have left her there to rot if she¡¯d really shouldered the Lin family¡¯s responsibilities? Is that what you call taking responsibility?¡± Gu Man huffed disdainfully.

    ¡°Also, your household staff has long been bought by her. Otherwise, how else could she know Godmother¡¯s preferences so accurately and even precisely manipulate Godmother¡¯s emotions? You¡¯re all fooled by her calm and disinterested appearance! Hmph!¡± Gu Man annoyedly added.

    Xi Cheng was stunned and wanted to retort her, but in the end, he swallowed his words. Gu Man felt she¡¯d said enough and didn¡¯t say anything more. Instead, she pressed close to Xi Cheng, and he was immediately distracted from his thoughts.

    Gu Man placed her arms around Xi Cheng¡¯s neck and leaned up to kiss him. As she got intimate with Xi Cheng, she inwardly cursed Lin Yu, ¡®Just you wait, Lin Yu! I¡¯ll reveal your true colors bit by bit for Xi Cheng to have a good look!¡¯

    Lin Yu returned to the hospital and went straight to Yun Nan¡¯s ward. She had to act calmly on the surface, no matter how much hatred she felt. She had to appear to be concerned, even if she wished that Yun Nan would die instantly. ¡®I¡¯m notjust me; I¡¯m also the Xi familrs young madam!¡¯

    Yun Nan was talking to Xiang Yang; her face was very pale. Xiang Yang was also auite haggard. Lin Yu knew best how hard it was to care for a Datient.

    Therefore, before Xiang Yang could speak, Lin Yu politely stated, ¡°There¡¯s no need to get up on my account; I¡¯m not an outsider. I just came to see if there¡¯s anything you need my help with.¡±

    In the face of Lin Yu¡¯s genial manner, Xiang Yang still stood and gave up her seat with a smile.

    Lin Yu looked at Yun Nan¡¯s peaky appearance and inquired with a tone filled with heartache, ¡°Are you feeling any better? I heard from the doctor that you fainted because you¡¯re anemic and have overworked yourself lately, plus you¡¯ve suffered a nasty shock on top of all that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m much better, thank you,¡± Yun Nan replied lightly.

    Lin Yu tentatively smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t see Shi Xiu and your elders around. You didn¡¯t tell them about what happened to Shi Nian? I guess that¡¯s to be expected; as daughters-in-law, we have to take care of everything. *Sigh!* It¡¯s been hard on you, Xiang Yang! Yun Nan, I heard that Shi Nian is still in critical condition, so you must stand strong! What would Shi Nian do without you?¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s eyes reddened, and she turned her head away. Xiang Yang gently tugged Lin Yu¡¯s sleeve and shook her head. Lin Yu tactfully stopped talking about the subject and stood up, saying, ¡°Please feel free to let me know if there¡¯s anything you need my help with. My mother-in-law¡¯s condition is relatively stable, so I don¡¯t have to watch over her all the time. Just come look for me if you need anything.¡±

    Xiang Yang thanked Lin Yu and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you off!¡±

 Chapter 354 - Chapter 354: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Four: Sounding Out

    Chapter 354: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Four: Sounding Out

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t turn her head back. Lin Yu knew she was sad and couldn¡¯t help but feel pleased. Xiang Yang walked Lin Yu to the door and said, ¡°Thank you, Lin Yu.¡±

    Lin Yu chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure. There¡¯s no need to be so polite. Don¡¯t treat me like an outsider.¡±

    Xiang Yang nodded and watched Lin Yu leave. When she returned to the ward, Yun Nan subconsciously closed her eyes. Xiang Yang walked over and patted her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. She left. I saw her go downstairs myself. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Only then did Yun Nan open her eyes and let out a deep breath. Xiang Yang sighed, ¡°She sure is incredible. I wouldn¡¯t be able to control myself as easily and freely as she does and act like nothing unpleasant had happened between us in the past if it were me!¡±

    Yun Nan agreed. ¡°She must hate us very much for making a mess of her wedding, and she clearly knows about my relationship with Fang Xi but still came to see me so peacefully today. Just this calculative manner of hers is enough for us to be more wary.¡±

    Yun Nan continued, ¡°I would be more at ease if she were here to gloat. But you saw how she was; she was clearly here to see if I really fell ill and if Shi Nian was truly injured. Moreover, she even asked the doctor in advance. This perfect way of handling things often hides a true purpose.¡±

    Xiang Yang nodded and sighed. ¡°This is why I stay away from crowds. With people like her, I won¡¯t even know if she sold me off.¡±

    Yun Nan patted her hand. ¡°Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. There¡¯s no need to compare your shortcomings with others¡¯ strengths. I really admire you for being able to remain so calm in the face of such a big matter.¡±

    Xiang Yang smiled bitterly. ¡°I was already mentally prepared before I married Shi Ke. But I¡¯m still very flustered when it really comes down to it. Shi Ke often leaves without saying goodbye; that means he¡¯s out on a mission.

    Every time he¡¯s out on a mission, I lose sleep and am on tenterhooks until he suddenly returns. It¡¯s like my feelings are on a roller coaster. The longest he was away for a mission was three months, and I lost ten pounds that time.¡±

    Yun Nan held her hand, not knowing how to comfort her. Xiang Yang smiled lightly. ¡°I can see the question in your eyes. You want to ask me if I regret marrying him, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. Xiang Yang answered, ¡°I¡¯ve asked myself that same question in the dark nights when I couldn¡¯t sleep, and every time, my answer was, ¡®No, I don¡¯t regret it!¡¯ I would still stand by his side without hesitation if I were to choose again. I love that man for who he is. I support him no matter what he does or what profession he takes up.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Every time he and his men go on a mission, they write a will in advance. I feel like crying when I think of that. Yun Nan, if that day truly comes, I don¡¯t think I can live without him.¡± Here, Xiang Yang covered her mouth to stop herself from crying aloud.

    Yun Nan hugged Xiang Yang and gently stroked her back. Xiang Yang¡¯s love always gave her the feeling of a moth darting into the flame, ready to die at any time without hesitation.

    Xiang Yang calmed down and looked gratefully at Yun Nan. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you guys got dragged into this.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and brushed the loose strands of hair beside Xiang Yang¡¯s ear back into place. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for. We¡¯re family!¡± With that, she inwardly sighed softly.

    The person lying in the intensive care unit behind her wasn¡¯t Shi Nian but Shi Ke. He had a through-and-through bullet wound in his chest. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t damage his heart or lungs, but he still lost half his life due to excessive blood loss. During the last moments before he collapsed, Shi Ke arranged for his younger brother, Shi Nian, to be his substitute, take his place, and return to the army to cover up the matter of his injury. He did that because there was a mole in the army, and there would be serious consequences if they weren¡¯t caught as soon as possible.

    They staged Shi Nian¡¯s ¡®tragic¡¯ car accident to cover up the brothers¡¯ exchange of identities because Shi Ke had to be hospitalized. It was easy to deceive everyone when something unexpected happened in a hurry. However, their plans were soundly defeated by Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan realized the person lying inside wasn¡¯t her husband, even through the glass window and such a far distance. Thus, she turned to question Xiang Yang, who was beside her. Xiang Yang told her to ¡°faint immediately¡± in a whisper only she could hear. Yun Nan followed her instruction without hesitation and ¡®fainted¡¯ in Xiang Yang¡¯s arms.

    That¡¯s how they managed to spread the news that Shi Nian had suffered serious injuries in the car accident, and it¡¯s unclear if he¡¯ll make it through, confirming that the person lying in the hospital was indeed ¡®Shi Nian.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m curious; how did you tell I¡¯m not Shi Nian even with my head half wrapped up in bandages from such a distance?¡± Shi Ke asked, his injury making his tone slightly weak..

 Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Five: Replacement

    Chapter 355: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Five: Replacement

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan shook her head gently. ¡°It wasn¡¯t by sight; it was a feeling. Xiang Yang should understand that sort of feeling. I don¡¯t need to look at someone¡¯s face to know straightaway they aren¡¯t my husband.¡±

    Xiang Yang looked at Shi Ke and nodded. ¡°Yeah. Your small team of five all share similar heights and builds, but I can still pick you out at a glance. It¡¯s a woman¡¯s intuition.¡±

    Shi Ke looked back at Xiang Yang and smiled dotingly. ¡°You guys simply passed it off as intuition. Did you know how scared out of our wits we were? We¡¯d feared that something had gone wrong somewhere.¡±

    Yun Nan worriedly replied, ¡°You and Shi Nian aren¡¯t twins. You guys might be able to fool those unfamiliar with you two, but before those who spend a lot of time around you guys, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be exposed at any moment.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time Shi Nian and I have switched places. I had a sudden idea in the past and brought Shi Nian into the army. I had him wear my clothes, and even the colonel didn¡¯t suspect he wasn¡¯t me from far away,¡± Shi Ke told her seriously.

    He continued, ¡°Shi Nian is also very familiar with my life and habits, so he¡¯ll be fine for now. Moreover, my entire team is beside him to cover for him; he¡¯ll be fine for the time being. It¡¯s imperative we catch the mole. We must get them fast and clean in one shot, or it¡¯ll be catastrophic if they stay hidden in the army.¡±

    ¡°Someone would definitely take advantage of my injury to come out and cause trouble this time. I can¡¯t afford to be down and out before we investigate thoroughly and find out who the mole is. That¡¯s why I came up with this plan.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°Before, Shi Nian was lamenting that he couldn¡¯t help you. He¡¯ll definitely do a good job now that he has the chance to.¡± She was saying this more to herself. Anyone would be as afraid as she was at this moment if they were in her shoes. After all, this was a matter of life and death.

    Xiang Yang softly informed Shi Ke about Lin Yu¡¯s visit. Then she stated, ¡°I have to go back now, or it¡¯ll arouse more suspicion. Yun Nan, I¡¯ll leave the Shi Ke to you. Please take care of him! I¡¯ll appreciate it!¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°I¡¯m also handing Shi Nian over to you. We¡¯ll wait for you both to return and attend our wedding!¡±

    Xiang Yang smiled and nodded, but her tears still fell uncontrollably. Shi Ke reached out and patted her head. ¡°Silly girl! Don¡¯t cry; it¡¯s okay! I¡¯m fine!¡± Xiang Yang sniffed, ¡°I¡¯m going now! Be good and get well soon!¡±

    Shi Ke lightly tugged her hair and replied, ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know! You¡¯re such a nag!¡±

    Xiang Yang smiled through her tears. ¡°Hmph! Well, you won¡¯t be able to hear me nag in the future!¡± She couldn¡¯t help but shiver after saying that. Shi Ke spent more time away on missions than with her, and though it might be goodbye forever every time he left, Xiang Yang still firmly believed that Shi Ke would definitely return. However, just now, she suddenly had an ominous feeling.

    It was already late at night when Xi Cheng rushed to the hospital. He went to see Shi Nian first, but a nurse stopped him, telling him he couldn¡¯t visit as visiting hours were over. He wanted to go and ask Yun Nan how Shi Nian was, but he then thought of her relationship with Fang Xi and knew Yun Nan didn¡¯t like him, so he could only give up and head over to check on his mother.

    When he arrived at his mother¡¯s ward, he looked in through the crack of the slightly opened door. Lin Yu was wiping his mother¡¯s body. This was originally the nurse¡¯s job, but Lin Yu was worried about handing that task to others and insisted on doing it herself.

    Xi Cheng would¡¯ve been very touched by this scene if it were in the past. But today, for some reason, Gu Man¡¯s words suddenly rang in his mind as he stared at Lin Yu. ¡± Your household staffhave long been bought by her. Othervvise, how else could she know Godmothers preferences so accurately and even precisely manipulate Godmothers emotions? You¡¯re all fooled by her calm and disinterested appearance!¡±

    ¡®Did she? Did Lin Yu really do that? he thought. He then heard a low sob.

    ¡°Mom, can you please wake up? I really can¡¯t take it anymore. I don¡¯t know what to do. In this world, no one is sincerely kind to me aside from you. How am I supposed to live without you?! Mom, please wake up!¡± Lin Yu cried, kneeling on the ground and leaning against Han Yuan¡¯s bed.

    Xi Cheng¡¯s chest tightened, and he quickly pushed the door open and walked in.

    ¡°Lin Yu¡­¡±

    Lin Yu was shocked and hurriedly stood up. She didn¡¯t even wipe her tears before asking, ¡°Why are you back? Didn¡¯t you say you have a business social tonight?¡±

    ¡°You and Mom are more important than any social. I came to see you two!¡± Xi Cheng said loudly.

    Lin Yu was stunned. It was the first time she¡¯d heard such words from Xi

    Cheng. Xi Cheng stepped forward to look at his mother and raised his voice. ¡°Mom, wake up. Lin Yu is about to fall apart. Wake up for her sake, if not for mine.¡±

    Lin Yu quickly stopped him. ¡°How can you talk to Mom like that? Xi Cheng! Don¡¯t shout at Mom! She¡¯ll get angry!¡±

    Xi Cheng nonchalantly uttered, ¡°She can be as angry as she wants so long as she wakes up! We can¡¯t let her continue to sleep like this.. Look at how exhausted you are! Mom¡¯s heart will definitely ache when she wakes up and sees the state you¡¯re in!¡±

 Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Six: A Stay of Execution

    Chapter 356: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Six: A Stay of Execution

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu looked at Xi Cheng with teary eyes and said plaintively, ¡°Xi Cheng, don¡¯t worry. Mom will definitely wake up. Definitely!¡±

    Xi Cheng hugged Lin Yu gently, saying, ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hearing that, Lin Yu hugged Xi Cheng tightly and sobbed. She really didn¡¯t need much; all she needed was a little bit of warmth and a sense of security. Since no one else could give it to her, she could only seek it herself. No one knew the pain in her heart.

    Xi Cheng felt a tug on the corner of his shirt and thought his shirt had caught on something on the side of the bed, so he quickly reached out to pull it free. He abruptly saw Han Yuan staring at him when he turned around.

    Xi Cheng pushed Lin Yu away and leaned over to look at Han Yuan in delighted surprise. ¡°Mom! You¡¯re awake!¡±

    Lin Yu just stood there, scared out of her wits. ¡°Hurry up and call the doctor!¡± Xi Cheng shouted at her, and she ran out automatically, her mind blank.

    Han Yuan had woken up. After a flurry of tests, the doctor concluded that though Han Yuan had woken up, she hadn¡¯t recovered her verbal ability, and other than her two left fingers that could make simple movements, the rest of her body remained immobile. However, this result was already very gratifying. The doctor believed Madam Xi would definitely make better progress in her recovery with intensive care and treatment.

    Xi Cheng looked toward Lin Yu excitedly and was surprised to see her curled up in a corner, dull-eyed and pale-faced. She¡¯d broken out in a cold sweat and was trembling. ¡°Lin Yu? Lin Yu?¡± He called out twice before Lin Yu realized it and turned around to meet his gaze. She subconsciously shivered and stuttered, ¡°N-No, i-it¡¯s not¡ª¡±

    Xi Cheng held Lin Yu¡¯s arms, overjoyed. ¡°Lin Yu, Mom¡¯s awake. Thank you for caring for her. Mom will definitely get better!¡±

    The doctor beside them sighed, ¡°Ms. Lin played a huge role in helping the madam wake up. I believe she¡¯ll make greater progress in her recovery given time!¡±

    Xi Cheng embraced Lin Yu. ¡°Thank you, Lin Yu! Thank you!¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s brain slowly made sense of what everyone was saying around her, and she finally understood what was going on. She looked at Han Yuan, who was glaring at her on the hospital bed. The woman¡¯s eyes flashed dangerously at her, but she still lay helpless on the bed.

    Lin Yu¡¯s heart finally resumed its slow beating. She lightly¡ªvery lightly¡ª heaved a sigh of relief, feeling like a prisoner on death row who¡¯d received a stay of execution.

    For the first time, Xi Cheng stayed overnight in the hospital to accompany her. Han Yuan¡¯s eyes alternated between looking at her son and following Lin Yu, while Lin Yu busied herself around the place. She didn¡¯t stop or even meet Han Yuan¡¯s gaze.

    In the meantime, Xi Cheng rambled on to Han Yuan about how Lin Yu had cared for her these past few days. Lin Yu glanced at Xi Cheng from time to time, thinking, ¡®So, he does know and remember the good I¡¯ve done for them. Was I overthinking things? He¡¯s not fooling around with someone else outside?

    Xi Cheng was tired. He stood up, patted Lin Yu¡¯s shoulder, and said, ¡°Mom keeps staring at you. I think you¡¯re the one she dotes on the most. I¡¯m going to rest for a while. You can accompany Mom.¡±

    Lin Yu gently replied, ¡°Go get some sleep. I¡¯ll take care of Mom. Don¡¯t stay up late; you still have work tomorrow.¡±

    Xi Cheng turned back to glance at Han Yuan and nodded. He lowered his head to kiss Lin Yu and stated, ¡°I¡¯ll go and sleep for a while.¡±

    After Xi Cheng left, Lin Yu slowly walked to Han Yuan¡¯s bedside and sat down. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll definitely get better. Look! You¡¯re awake now, aren¡¯t you? I will definitely do a good job caring for you,¡± Lin Yu tenderly remarked.

    Han Yuan glared at Lin Yu, her eyes almost spitting fire. Lin Yu lowered her own eyes and smiled faintly. ¡°Xi Cheng has told you that we¡¯d already held our wedding. Fortunately, Mr. Zhou was very familiar with everything you¡¯ve prepared for us, and the wedding went smoothly. Everyone praised Xi Cheng and I for being such sensible and good children, using our wedding to help you ward off ill health. It seems that these things are very effective. You woke up, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s breathing became a little heavy. ¡°That day, Aunt Xu Yun, Aunt Kong Zhen, and Aunt Lu Ying all brought their sons and daughters-in-law to attend our wedding. They said they were there to witness the wedding in your stead,¡± Lin Yu continued.

    ¡°Auntie Lu Ying even used our wedding to help Ye Kun and Fang Xi clear their names. No one says that Fang Xi is a hussy or a homewrecker now. Instead, they call Xi Cheng a heartless playboy. And me? Why, I¡¯m the conniving schemer who would do anything to marry Xi Cheng,¡± Lin Yu calmly commented. Han Yuan¡¯s eyes flashed, but she couldn¡¯t speak.

    Lin Yu reached out to tuck in her blanket and whispered, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be angry. I¡¯m not angry; no matter what, I¡¯m now officially a member of the Xi family. You¡¯ve taught me before that those who wish to achieve great things shouldn¡¯t be bothered by trifles..¡±

 Chapter 357 - Chapter 357: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Seven: Heaven is Smiling

    Chapter 357: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Seven: Heaven is Smiling

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu sighed, ¡°I¡¯m the daughter-in-law you personally chose; trust your own judgment. I¡¯ll definitely manage the Xi family properly. Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯ve always wished for?¡±

    She continued, ¡°I will pay back the humiliation I suffered bit by bit. It¡¯s a pity you can¡¯t give me any pointers now, but it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll report to you from time to time. I endured so many years to marry into the Xi family, so I¡¯m naturally willing to endure even more to get my revenge.¡±

    ¡°By the way, the Shi family is currently in trouble. Shi Nian had an accident and also got hospitalized; he¡¯s in serious condition. I¡¯ll go and visit Yun Nan later. I¡¯ll be quite happy as long as she¡¯s miserable. Get some sleep; I¡¯ll suggest the nurse give you some sleeping pills if you don¡¯t. No one will suspect anything. I¡¯m now a good daughter-in-law that everyone praises!¡±

    Han Yuan glared furiously at her but couldn¡¯t say a word. Lin Yu looked at her and laughed softly. ¡® The heavens are finally smiling on me.¡¯

    Lin Yu walked to the hospital¡¯s balcony with a spring in her steps, breathing in the fresh air. Looking at the dazzling lights and pedestrians in the night, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh once more. ¡®Although my world is tattered, there¡¯s always a chance to mend it. How wonderful!¡¯

    She noticed Yun Nan and Xiang Yang downstairs, hugging each other before reluctantly saying goodbye. Lin Yu watched as Xiang Yang left the hospital alone and calmly dialed a number. ¡°Mr. Zhou, tail the Shi family¡¯s young madam. ¡±

    ¡°Yes, young madam!¡± the butler replied. Lin Yu smiled at the night sky after she hung up the phone. ¡® Why should I be the only one to suffer? IfI¡¯m going to hell in this chaotic world, then let¡¯s all go together.¡¯

    Yun Nan saw Lin Yu at the ward¡¯s door as soon as she got off the elevator and paused in her tracks before going up to her. Lin Yu raised her head and gave her an ingratiating smile. ¡°Yun Nan, I came to see you, but you weren¡¯t here. The nurse said I couldn¡¯t enter the ward, so I stood here and waited for you.¡± Yun Nan looked at her and returned her smile slowly. Lin Yu¡¯s words appeared to have explained her intentions but were filled with grievance, as if everyone in the whole world, including this ward¡¯s nurses, were bullying her. Yun Nan didn¡¯t say anything to that; she simply gestured her hand and invited Lin Yu to sit on the chair in the corridor.

    ¡°Is there something you need from me?¡± Yun Nan asked.

    Lin Yu shook her head. ¡°I just wanted to see you and Shi Nian. My mother-in-law has woken up but still can¡¯t speak or move. She¡¯s awake, but that¡¯s it. Even so, it¡¯s great that she woke up. I was glad and came out for a walk. You guys came to mind, so I came over to visit.¡¯

    ¡°Congratulations! I¡¯m glad your mother-in-law¡¯s awake,¡± Yun Nan uttered sincerely but remained secretly vigilant.

    Lin Yu looked ahead and said with a hint of sadness, ¡°I know you guys don¡¯t like me and look down on me. You all think that I¡¯m a weak woman, a dodder flower who can¡¯t live without her in-laws¡¯ support. I envy you guys. You and Xiang Yang both have your own careers. How wonderful! *Sigh* If only I have friends like you! Perhaps, under you guys¡¯ influence, I might¡¯ve been able to achieve something for myself.¡±

    She turned to smile at Yun Nan. Yun Nan met her gaze and also smiled. ¡°Everyone has a lifestyle that suits them; there¡¯s no right or wrong way to go about it. It¡¯s fine as long as you like it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Lin Yu asked excitedly. ¡°Yun Nan, do you truly think so?¡± Yun Nan nodded lightly. Although it was partly just a perfunctory sentence, it was also what she seriously thought.

    ¡°Thank you for not looking down on me!¡± Lin Yu stated gratefully. Yun Nan smiled and didn¡¯t say anything; she found Lin Yu¡¯s change in attitude a little abrupt.

    Lin Yu heaved a light sigh of relief. ¡°Before things went south for us, although my family couldn¡¯t compare with the Shi, Ye, Xi, and Liang families, we weren¡¯t too far off. Everything in this world was beautiful to my eyes at the time. Then, unexpectedly, my family¡¯s empire crumbled overnight, and I finally understood how fickle this world was. Those so-called family friends and old acquaintances¡­ are all built on the basis of mutual benefit. Once this balance is broken, they¡¯ll come and bite a chunk off of us, no matter how good a friend they were. I truly envy the mutual support between the four big families.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t know the ins and outs of the Lin family¡¯s bankruptcy, nor had she heard Shi Nian mention it. Hearing Lin Yu¡¯s melancholic lament, she couldn¡¯t help but comfort her. ¡°Things will change.¡±

    Lin Yu nodded gently. ¡°Yeah, things change. To me, it all happened overnight. My father died of a heart attack, my uncles ended up in prison or the hospital, and my family¡¯s company was dissolved in an instant. After that, it was reorganized and auctioned. Everything was over when my father¡¯s funeral ended. I barely managed to get my share of the inheritance thanks to the Xi family¡¯s protection. As for the rest¡­ I knew then that nothing can be obtained for nothing. Nothing in this world comes free, and everything has to be fought for by myself..¡±

 Chapter 358 - Chapter 358: Chapter Three -Hundred and Fifty-Eight: Bugged

    Chapter 358: Chapter Three -Hundred and Fifty-Eight: Bugged

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan was slightly confused about why Lin Yu was telling her all this. Lin Yu continued, ¡°Everything, including Xi Cheng. I was extremely panicked when I found out he had another woman back then. I no longer have a home; I can¡¯t lose Xi Cheng, too.¡±

    Yun Nan frowned. She and Lin Yu weren¡¯t that close; the woman was oversharing a little. Lin Yu lowered her head and said, ¡°I know you all think I hurt Fang Xi. But Fang Xi wouldn¡¯t have met Ye Kun if it wasn¡¯t for that!

    Therefore, all of this is just fate.¡±

    Hearing that, Yun Nan was both furious and amused. She stood up and detachedly replied, ¡°If that¡¯s how you want to put it, then I suppose I have to thank you on Fang Xi¡¯s behalf!¡±

    Lin Yu stared up at Yun Nan, looking pitiful as she rebutted, ¡°Why are you giving me such a hard time, Yun Nan? I¡¯m also a victim here!¡±

    Yun Nan tried her best to suppress her anger. ¡°You should go demand an explanation from the person who harmed you instead of quibbling and twisting words here, seeking forgiveness from those irrelevant to the issue!¡±

    Yun Nan pushed the door open and entered the ward. Lin Yu followed closely behind and stopped Yun Nan from closing the door. She forced her way in and anxiously cried out, ¡°Yun Nan! Yun Nan, listen to me!¡±

    Yun Nan took a step back. Lin Yu shut the door behind her, her eyes swiftly scanning the room before she raised her voice and agitatedly uttered, ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Yun Nan. You misunderstood! I-I truly mean no harm to you all, including Fang Xi! Fang Xi¡¯s so outstanding; she can surely find someone better than Xi Cheng, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled angrily, ¡°You¡¯re right! Ye Kun is indeed much better than Xi Cheng! Didn¡¯t Ye Kun and Fang Xi already thank Xi Cheng for not marrying her? Or rather, it¡¯s you they should thank! Fang Xi wouldn¡¯t have gotten free from him so quickly if you hadn¡¯t held onto and guarded Xi Cheng so persistently. I thank you on Ye Kun and Fang Xi¡¯s behalf! Take care, and goodbye!¡±

    Yun Nan opened the door, and Lin Yu immediately adopted the look of a bullied little woman. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I-I said the wrong thing again! I-I¡¯ll come back another day to properly apologize to you.¡±

    With that, Lin Yu turned around and left. Yun Nan turned back to look toward the hospital bed in the inner room and locked the ward door. Shi Ke opened his eyes when she entered the ward, his silent question clear in his gaze.

    Yun Nan scowled, ¡°It was Lin Yu. She waited outside the ward, said some strange things to me, and then forcefully barged in. She probably wanted to see you.¡±

    Shi Ke didn¡¯t say anything. He pressed his index finger to his lips and pointed at the phone in Yun Nan¡¯s hand. Yun Nan handed it to Shi Ke, and he typed out a text message: ¡°Be careful; she might be eavesdropping.¡±

    Yun Nan froze and quickly understood. She pulled open the door of the inner room and raised her voice to say, ¡°Lin Yu is so strange! What¡¯s she trying to do? Apologizing one moment and threatening me the next! I don¡¯t know what act she¡¯s trying to put on! Shi Nian, please wake up. Even Auntie Xi has woken up!

    When will you wake up?¡±

    Yun Nan quickly checked all the places outside as she spoke. Lin Yu had only stood by the door and didn¡¯t walk further in, so she¡¯d most likely ¡®dropped¡¯ some things in the corner of the room.

    Sure enough, Yun Nan soon found listening devices smaller than buttons behind the door of the inner room and under the sofa. She took a photo of them and showed them to Shi Ke on her phone. He gestured for her not to touch the listening devices. They might as well use this opportunity to feed them misinformation.

    Yun Nan nodded and opened the door. She moved closer to the door¡ªand the listening device¡ªand remarked, ¡°Xiang Yang went back to the army base. She¡¯s worried about Big Brother; she said he¡¯d accepted a particularly dangerous mission some time ago. Someone in his team got seriously injured, and Big Brother¡¯s very angry. He swore he would capture those crooks and bring them to justice, and he¡¯s now rigorously training his men day and night.¡±

    ¡°Shi Nian, can you hear me? Aren¡¯t you always worried about Big Brother? Let¡¯s persuade him to retire from the army when you wake up, okay? We¡¯ll get him to come back to work at Shi Corporation. That¡¯ll lighten your load and allow you more time to spend with me, and Xiang Yang won¡¯t have to be on tenterhooks anymore. What do you think?¡±

    Shi Ke gave Yun Nan a thumbs-up for her quick thinking. Yun Nan sent a WeChat message as she continued, ¡°If you two brothers manage the Shi

    Corporation together, we¡¯ll definitely be more powerful than the Xi family. Look at how the Ye family thrives with Ye Kun and his brother working together. The Xi family is nothing in that respect by comparison.¡±

    ¡°I heard that Xi Cheng¡¯s brothers and his sisters-in-law are unhappy with him because Madam Xi is biased towards Xi Cheng. Some even say they¡¯re quite discontented about their family using their money¡ªincluding the company funds¡ªto aid the Lin family but didn¡¯t dare speak out.. Now, Madam is sick; if she doesn¡¯t get better soon, I fear Lin Yu and Xi Cheng¡¯s good days will come to an end!¡±

 Chapter 359 - Chapter 359: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Nine: Appointed

    Chapter 359: Chapter Three-Hundred and Fifty-Nine: Appointed

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu gritted her teeth in fury and trembled as she listened to the voice coming through her phone, thinking, ¡®I didn¡¯t expect this Yun Nan to be so extremely despicable. To actually speak ill ofme behind my back like this!¡¯ Shi Gao also heard Yun Nan¡¯s words at the same time. Shi Gao frowned. ¡®Could it be that the one who¡¯s injured was truly Shi Nian? Shi Ke is fine? What the h *Il are those people doing over there? Such incompetence! Each one of them is more idiotic than the next!¡¯

    Yun Nan tried to keep up the one-sided conversation while communicating with Shi Ke on her phone. Puzzled, she typed, ¡°Why is Lin Yu paying so much attention to us? Whether it¡¯s me, Shi Nian, or even you, Big Brother¡­ we have nothing to do with the Xi or Lin families on the surface.¡±

    Shi Ke read the text, shook his head, and used his specialized phone to send out orders. At the same time, he also received news from Shi Nian: ¡°Their target is the Shi Corporation.¡±

    Shi Guang¡¯s eyes widened, and he showed the message to Yun Nan. Yun Nan¡¯s eyes also widened, and her heartbeat quickened.

    Yun Nan thought of many possibilities in a flash but knew she couldn¡¯t panic; they still had to fool their eavesdroppers. Shi Ke had a solemn expression, and Yun Nan simply took a magazine and sat down with it. Her brain was working at top speed, and she didn¡¯t have any spare energy to organize her words, so she robotically recited an article.

    It was a sleepless night for them both and others, too. There was an overcast atmosphere in the Shi Corporation¡¯s headquarters. The mood was so low that all the employees walked on eggshells. The Shi Corporation¡¯s stock price suddenly soared yesterday, causing huge waves in the stock market, but before the shareholders could jump for joy, it plummeted and continued to do so until the stock market closed.

    The news that the Shi Corporation¡¯s chairman, Shi Nian, was dying from serious injuries had spread like wildfire and immediately made the headlines of all the major news sections. All the shareholders rushed to the company today to hold an emergency meeting. The issues that everyone was most concerned about were Shi Nian¡¯s injuries and who would take over the Shi Corporation.

    Chang Yuan expressionlessly sat beside the chairman¡¯s seat, listening as everyone expressed their views and spoke as if Shi Nian was already dead. Seeing them all stealing glances at the empty chairman¡¯s seat, Chang Yuan really wanted to rage at them!

    These people usually spent their days in pampered leisure, contributing nothing to the company, and would grin from ear to ear when they received their dividends. Yet they¡¯re showing such ugly greed at the slightest hint of trouble now.

    Someone pushed open the door of the conference room. Shi Yun leisurely walked in with one hand in his pocket, and behind him were his daughter-in-law, Yun Nan, and his secretary. Chang Nian finally heaved a sigh of relief and stood to welcome them, giving up his seat to Yun Nan.

    room gradually quieted. Everyone felt slightly embarrassed by Shi Yun¡¯s gaze.

    Shi Yun cleared his throat and stated, ¡°I have a piece of news to share with you all. I don¡¯t know or care if it¡¯s good or bad news for you guys, but Shi Nian isn¡¯t dead!¡±

    Everybody was stunned. A shareholder at the side took advantage of his ties with the Shi Corporation and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s going a little too far, isn¡¯t it? Of course, we know that Shi Nian isn¡¯t dead, but isn¡¯t he seriously injured and still in critical condition? Mr. Shi! ¡®A country cannot be without a king,¡¯ and our huge corporation cannot be without a master!¡±

    Shi Yun nodded. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right! I¡¯m here today to announce that while

    Shi Nian is hospitalized, his wife, Yun Nan, will handle all the affairs of the Shi

    Corporation!¡±

    Yun Nan stood up under everyone¡¯s stunned gazes and bowed slightly. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all. I look forward to working with you.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Shi¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± the shareholder who was the first to recover said unhappily. ¡°How can you let an outsider manage the Shi Corporation? Isn¡¯t that a joke?¡±

    The others also responded furiously. ¡°Yeah! It won¡¯t do! Isn¡¯t that fooling around with the interests of us shareholders?¡±

    ¡°Our stocks would fall and hit the down limit once this news is announced!¡±

    ¡°This is preposterous! You can¡¯t mess around like this, Shi Yun! We have no objections if it were you coming back to manage the Shi Corporation, but¡ªbut this? Shi Nian¡¯s wife?! That won¡¯t do at all! No, no way! Absolutely not!¡±

    Shi Yun didn¡¯t say anything in the face of the crowd¡¯s doubts. Some older shareholders moaned and groaned, ¡°I would¡¯ve sold my shares when someone came and asked to buy them these past two days if I¡¯d Imown this would happen!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I might as well have sold my shares and cashed out! How stupid of me not to do so!¡±

    ¡°How could our Shi Corporation fall into such a state? This is ridiculous!¡±

    Shi Yun, Yun Nan, and Chang Yuan shared looks. Everything was as they¡¯d expected; someone was trying to buy out the Shi Corporation. Shi Yun raised his hand, signaling for everyone to be quiet..

 Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty: Backer

    Chapter 360: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty: Backer

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°It seems that you all Imow the reason behind our company¡¯s abnormal stock changes these few days, so I won¡¯t waste time saying any more about that. Everyone here is a long-time partner and contributor to the Shi Corporation and has stayed firm in your stance to support our corporation despite the stock price fluctuations these couple of days,¡± Shi Yun stated.

    ¡°However, I can understand everyone¡¯s hesitation. The Shi Corporation has an unprecedented battle ahead. I don¡¯t want to explain anything or make beautiful promises. You can leave or stay as you wish,¡± he continued. ¡°Yun Nan will temporarily take over Shi Nian¡¯s duties until he returns. This matter is settled; there¡¯s no need to raise your hands to vote. Also, if anyone wants to sell their shares, feel free to go and find Yun Nan. She¡¯ll give you guys a fair and good price.¡±

    Everyone was speechless and stared dazedly at Yun Nan. Shi Yun stood up and said, ¡°Yun Nan, you can clean up this mess yourself. I¡¯ll go back first and accompany Shi Nian. I haven¡¯t been in this conference room for many years, and stepping foot in here again is making me dizzy.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Mr. Shi¡ª¡± ¡°Shi Yun¡ª¡±

    Shi Yun turned a deaf ear to the people urging him to stay and strode out. Some shareholders slammed their hands on the table and angrily smashed things, exclaiming, ¡°This¡ªThis is outrageous!¡±

    Yun Nan and Chang Yuan sat quietly as the shareholders raged. Chang Yuan tried to stand up several times to maintain order, but Yun Nan stopped him. The shareholders only stopped making a scene and calmed down once more after more than 20 minutes had passed. They looked toward Yun Nan in unison, ready to revolt.

    However, Yun Nan didn¡¯t wait for the crowd to speak and spoke up first. ¡°I don¡¯t need you guys to acknowledge me, so please remain silent. If anyone wants to leave the Shi Corporation and sell their shares, state your price, and we¡¯ll talk business. ¡±

    The shareholders immediately threw a fit. ¡°Hmph! Is that what the Shi family is after with this ridiculous idea? Do they wish to own the whole company themselves? Is Shi Yun getting senile in his old age?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! You want to buy our shares? Can you even afford it? Do you know how many shares we own? We¡¯re not those retail investors out there, you know! ¡±

    ¡°Listen to how arrogant she is! Is Shi Yun pushing this young lady to the front to shut us up?¡±

    ¡°If you want to talk business, fine! Then we might as well demand an exorbitant price. I¡¯d like to see how much capital you have!¡±

    Yun Nan stuck to her guns amidst it all; she crossed her arms and sat calmly in her seat, looking at the indignant shareholders before her as they clamored and frothed at the mouth. Only when the crowd noticed her silence did they slowly calm down and begin to glare at her furiously.

    Yun Nan smiled faintly. ¡°Are you all done? Then sit down and drink some water before listening to what I have to say.¡±

    Yun Nan stretched out her hand to Chang Yuan, and he handed a folder to her. Yun Nan didn¡¯t flip it open and only tapped the folder with the knuckles of her index finger. ¡°I¡¯ve already read through Shi Corporation¡¯s sales and dividends over the years, and I also know the price that the ¡®well-intentioned¡¯ buyer outside has offered for your shares. You guys and I know why you haven¡¯t sold your shares.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Business is business; no matter what decision you make, I won¡¯t object. I also won¡¯t say anything if you still want to sell your shares to outsiders, even though the price I give you is slightly higher than the ones they offer. However, I can only say this: You never know what the future will bring, so it¡¯s best not to burn your bridges. You are all my seniors, so I trust I don¡¯t need to explain any more.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the problem of my capital strength that you guys are worried about. Rest assured, I have some savings. It¡¯s not much more compared to what you gentlemen here have, but it doesn¡¯t pale in comparison either. My grandfather had also specially sent someone to deliver a letter of guarantee from the Gu Corporation before I came to this meeting. I think the name Gu Bei is enough to make everyone feel at ease, right?¡±

    The conference room instantly fell silent. The shareholders had forgotten that Yun Nan wasn¡¯t only a daughter-in-law of the Shi family who hadn¡¯t yet had a wedding; she was also an up-and-coming director on the rise. She was a young director with a lot of say in the entertainment industry, and her movies and documentaries had already earned her a lot of money. Several shareholders here didn¡¯t have as high a net worth as her.

    More importantly, she was Gu Bei¡¯s granddaughter! Gu Bei wasn¡¯t a member of the Gu Corporation, but his personal financial resources were greater than the whole Gu Corporation¡¯s! That fact was indisputable.

    ¡®No wonder Shi Yun dared to appoint her as the acting chairman of the Shi Corporation and would rather have her take over than do so himself,¡¯ the shareholders thought. ¡®Its because the Shi family is fully confident in Yun Nan¡¯s ability and background.¡¯

    ¡°How about it? If anyone has any thoughts, feel free to speak up. I don¡¯t tend to drag my feet when doing things. Everyone leaving this conference room today must decide whether to leave or stay. Make your decision, and I¡¯ll honor it on the spot. I¡¯ll meet your demands should you wish to leave and sell your shares.

 Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-One: Confront

    Chapter 361: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-One: Confront

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan took over the Shi Corporation at lightning speed and temporarily took over the chairman position, heavy-handedly quelling all the shareholders. Every shareholder came out of the Shi Corporation¡¯s conference room with a complicated expression that day, but their statements were surprisingly unanimous when faced with the reporters waiting outside for the breaking news.

    ¡°The entire Shi Corporation stands united. We believe in Shi Nian and Yun Nan and trust they¡¯ll lead us through this crisis. We support them unconditionally!¡±

    Although this news was explosive, it didn¡¯t meet the expectations of the reporters and the mastermind behind them. Hence, they staked out the Shi Corporation¡¯s headquarters building and waited for Yun Nan. Yun Nan didn¡¯t come out of the Shi Corporation¡¯s building until dusk, with the special assistant, Chang Yuan, and two secretaries following at her side.

    Chang Yuan was reporting to Yun Nan with a serious expression as he walked, and Yun Nan nodded as she listened. Seeing them, the reporters in the lobby rushed over and surrounded the four. Chang Yuan and the two secretaries tried their best to protect Yun Nan from being swarmed, and they shouted for security when they found they couldn¡¯t stop the reporters.

    The reporters didn¡¯t waste a minute and bombarded Yun Nan with questions. ¡°Director Yun, do you know the Shi Corporation¡¯s administrative rules? Isn¡¯t it disrespectful to the Shi Corporation¡¯s shareholders to come in out of nowhere and take over?¡±

    ¡°Director Yun, is the Shi family treating the Shi Corporation as a joke?¡±

    ¡°Is the Shi Corporation going to be privatized? Then who¡¯ll guarantee the interests of the shareholders and retail investors?¡±

    ¡°Director Yun, may I ask when you started planning to take over the Shi family?

    Marrying Shi Nian was the first step of your plan, right?¡±

    ¡°Director Yun, you managed to take down the Shi Corporation in such a short time. Please share your insights with us!¡±

    The reporters scrambled to hand and point their various types of equipment at Yun Nan, squeezing and pushing against each other. Seeing this, Yun Nan snatched one of the microphones that was thrust at her face and shouted into it, ¡°Call the police immediately. Someone¡¯s causing trouble here! Everybody, calm down! If a trample incident occurs, then each and every one of you is culpable!¡±

    Her stern voice echoed throughout the lobby. Everyone was stunned and froze. Chang Yuan saw the opportunity and swiftly shielded Yun Nan as he pushed her to the bar counter in the corner of the lobby and took the mic from her. He called the police on his phone, and the call connected before anyone else could react.

    Chang Yuan looked at the surrounding reporters coldly and reported the address to the police operator. ¡°There¡¯s someone causing trouble here, attempting to stir up trouble by deliberately pushing and squeezing in a crowd!¡±

    Chang Yuan¡¯s glance swept through the crowd after he hung up the phone. ¡°The Shi Corporation has maintained a good cooperative relationship with all media outlets that uphold the spirit of media and abide by professional ethics. However, we won¡¯t tolerate heinous behavior such as inciting emotions, falsifying facts, or making up fictitious stories.¡±

    He continued, ¡°Think about it. If a trampling incident happened today because you guys were aggressively going after a story and resulted in casualties, then wouldn¡¯t each and every one of you standing here right now be culpable?¡±

    ¡°I believe that some of you are indeed here for news, but you¡¯ve been pulled into a trap without knowing it! Think about it: Did someone deliberately push you from behind during the commotion just now? Think back to the scene: Was the person who pushed you someone you know, or are they your rivals? What were their motives in doing so?¡±

    As soon as Chang Yuan said this, the reporters, cameramen, and media staff immediately looked around, examining each other before they started blaming each other. Yun Nan inwardly smiled when she saw this scene, thinking, ¡® Chang Yuan is indeed brilliant. ICs no surprise that the Shi brothers trust him so much.¡¯

    The police arrived at the scene very quickly, and thanks to the media staff¡¯s help in identification, they forcefully pulled out more than a dozen fake ¡®media personnel¡¯ who¡¯d taken advantage of the chaos to cause trouble and took them away on the spot.

    This turn of events caused an abrupt change in the lobby¡¯s atmosphere. The crowd¡¯s initial righteous indignation and fervor cooled. Only then did Yun Nan pick up the microphone again. She bowed to the media staff and stated, ¡°First of all, thank you for your concern and love for the Shi family and the Shi Corporation.¡±

    ¡°Shi Nian had a sudden car accident, and although his condition has stabilized, he still needs to recuperate. His parents and grandfather aren¡¯t in the best of health, so as a member of the Shi family, it¡¯s my responsibility to shoulder this burden.¡±

    ¡°The Shi Corporation has long had its own mature operating system and method of operation. Although I¡¯m temporarily taking over Shi Nian¡¯s position, it won¡¯t impact the Shi Corporation¡¯s normal operations much. Friends and partners who work with the Shi Corporation, please rest assured on this point. The Shi Corporation¡¯s sky hasn¡¯t changed and will still be clear and bright when the dark clouds dissipate!¡±

    The crowd burst into applause at her speech..

 Chapter 362 - Chapter 362: Chapter Three -Hundred and Sixty-Two: Setting a Trap

    Chapter 362: Chapter Three -Hundred and Sixty-Two: Setting a Trap

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan bowed once more in gratitude before stating, ¡°So, why did things come to this if my temporary taking over has no impact on the Shi Corporation? That¡¯s because¡­ Everyone has seen the Shi Corporation¡¯s current situation. From the turbulence of our corporation¡¯s stock prices to the perplexing disruption just now, I trust that everyone understands without me saying it that the Shi Corporation has become the target of some unseen mastermind.¡±

    She continued, ¡°I¡¯m standing here to announce on behalf of the Shi family and the Shi Corporation that we won¡¯t bow to anyone! We will not compromise and admit defeat, no matter who they are! Please give us your strength and support, everyone!¡±

    The applause was thunderous. This time, it wasn¡¯t just the media reporters clapping; even the shareholders standing on the periphery and watching the show applauded.

    ¡®She¡¯s indeed an outstanding woman. It¡¯s no wonder Shi Yun trusts her so,¡¯ they thought. ¡®And it¡¯s very much like the Shi family to bravely take responsibility during such a criticaljuncture and protect everyone who followed and supported them.¡¯ The shareholders couldn¡¯t help but feel secretly thankful that they fortunately didn¡¯t sell their shares. ¡®A Shi family like that is worth following for generations.¡¯

    [At the Shi familyHs house]

    Chen Yao and Xu Yun watched the TV where they were broadcasting the impromptu interview live and heaved a sigh of relief in unison.

    Shi Kong chuckled, ¡°I told you guys not to worry, didn¡¯t I? Our Yun Nan is awesome! This is child¡¯s play to her!¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡± Xu Yun complained. ¡®Yun Nan is a girl, after all. Don¡¯t you feel sorry for

    her this time for putting such a heavy burden on her?¡±

    Chen Yao stuffed a tangerine into Xu Yun¡¯s hand and smilingly remarked, ¡°Old Shi means well. If we don¡¯t push Yun Nan to the fore, I¡¯m afraid those hiding in the dark won¡¯t dare to show themselves. They¡¯ll only act when they¡¯re sure that Old Master Shi here and Shi Yun are too old to do anything!¡±

    Shi Kong nodded vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s right. Right now, I¡¯m just an old man who fell ill because something had happened to my grandson.¡± He burst out in laughter after saying that.

    Chen Yao and Xu Yun met each other¡¯s gazes and smiled. Xu Yun sighed, ¡°I understand the logic. I just can¡¯t bear to see the children suffer.¡±

    Chen Yao chortled, ¡°You¡¯re fussing like an old hen. You¡¯d like to protect the children under your wing and shelter them against all danger. That won¡¯t do! Moreover, even your youngest, Shi Xiu, doesn¡¯t need to be protected anymore. I really like that girl! She reminds me of myself at that age. I was slightly mad that she forgot about me when looking for investors for her show the other day.¡±

    Xu Yun smiled at the mention of her younger daughter, and the worry in her heart eased quite a bit. Shi Kong held the remote control and urged, ¡°Let¡¯s watch Shi Xiu¡¯s show! She asked us to give her pointers!¡±

    Chen Yao and Xu Yun quickly agreed. The maid came and informed, ¡°Madam, the Xi family¡¯s young madam, Lin Yu, has come to visit the old master with a gift. ¡±

    Xu Yun and Chen Yao looked at each other, and Xu Yun uttered, ¡°That Lin Yu is truly Han Yuan¡¯s good daughter-in-law. I think the Xi family will be quite amazing when she becomes accomplished. However, that girl never puts her mind in the proper place.¡±

    Chen Yao didn¡¯t know much about these youngsters and asked, ¡°You mean, she¡¯s here to probe you?¡±

    Xu Yun nodded. ¡°It must be. She doesn¡¯t have a great relationship with Yun Nan and Shi Xiu. Although our family has a good relationship with the Xi family, it¡¯s not her place to represent the Xi family and come to visit Dad. That should be Xi Cheng¡¯s business. It looks like Lin Yu took charge of the Xi family after she took advantage of the chaos caused by Han Yuan¡¯s coma and got married to Xi Cheng. That girl is really something!¡±

    ¡°Dad,¡± Xu Yun turned to Shi Kong and said, ¡°you should return to your room and lie down. We still have to keep up the act.¡±

    Shi Kong put down the remote control and complained as he walked to his bedroom, ¡°Why is such a young girl so full of schemes? How dislikeable! ¡±

    Chen Yao told Xu Yun, ¡°You should lie on the chaise lounge here, too. Pretend you¡¯re sick. I¡¯ll get rid of her!¡±

    Lin Yu and Shi Gao didn¡¯t expect Chen Yao to be the one receiving them. Xu Yun lay on the chaise lounge to one side, looking very pale, and weakly stated, ¡°It¡¯s kind of you girls to think of us and come visit.¡±

    Lin Yu hurriedly replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Auntie. I¡¯m here to visit you on my mother-in-law¡¯s behalf. She¡¯s awake now, but she can¡¯t speak or move. I came to see you so that I can let her know how you¡¯re doing when I get back and let her rest assured.¡±

    Xu Yun smiled faintly. She knew very well what kind of person Han Yuan was. However, it was a good thing she woke up. Hence, Xu Yun said to Chen Yao, ¡°The Xi family has truly gotten themselves a good daughter-in-law. Lin Yu is managing everything on her own. Han Yuan is really lucky.¡±

    Chen Yao smiled.. Shi Gao looked around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Xiang Yang? Didn¡¯t you say that she¡¯s back, too?¡±

 Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-Three:Missing

    Chapter 363: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-Three:Missing

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xiang Yang was missing. She should¡¯ve returned to the army to meet with Shi Nian after she left the hospital. However, Xiang Yang didn¡¯t return.

    Shi Nian thought Xiang Yang wanted to spend more time with Shi Ke. He was too focused on other things, so he didn¡¯t pay this matter attention, whereas Yun Nan thought Xiang Yang hadn¡¯t contacted her after she left because she was too busy dealing with things on the army side with Shi Nian. Shi Ke had gone through a second operation and was in a semi-conscious state. For everyone¡¯s safety, he no longer contacted Xiang Yang directly.

    By the time Yun Nan and Shi Nian realized the issue, Xiang Yang had already been missing for more than 48 hours. Yun Nan blacked out for a second when she found out and quickly reached out to support herself with the desk.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Chang Yuan asked worriedly. Yun Nan shook her head and sat in her chair. She closed her eyes and calmed herself down. ¡®I¡¯ve got to keep it together. I¡¯m still on an encrypted call with Shi Nian.¡¯

    ¡°Yun Nan? What¡¯s wrong? Are you alright?¡± Shi Nian anxiously inquired.

    Yun Nan calmly reassured him, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry, Shi Nian.¡± She turned to Chang Yuan and instructed, ¡°Chang Yuan, check all the surveillance cameras you can, from the moment Xiang Yang left the hospital. I don¡¯t care what method or how much manpower we use; we have to find out where Xiang Yang disappeared! ¡±

    Chang Yuan nodded. ¡°Okay! Leave it to me!¡±

    ¡°Shi Nian, Chang Yuan and I will handle Xiang Yang¡¯s matter. Right now, you need to put all your effort into settling Big Brother¡¯s matter in the army. The chances of something happening increase the longer you delay it,¡± Yun Nan level-headedly stated.

    Shi Nian said, ¡°I can send half of Big Brother¡¯s team over to you¡ªI¡®

    ¡°No!¡± Yun Nan cut him off. ¡°Shi Nian, you mustn¡¯t act rashly. We have no idea what happened to Xiang Yang. If you rush into things and alarm the people over at your end, not only will it not help anything, but it might also affect your plan there. Right now, we can only grit our teeth and keep things secure at your end first,¡± Yun Nan insisted.

    She took a deep breath. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shi Nian. I¡¯ll definitely find Xiang Yang! Definitely! ¡±

    Yun Nan forced herself to calm down after she ended the call. ¡®Xiang Yang has been missing for more than 48 hours. Ifsomeone kidnapped her for money, why hasn¡¯t anyone called to ask for a ransom or make demands? There¡¯s no doubt that Xiang Yang is the Shi family¡¯s weakness; the kidnappers could use her to threaten anyone in the Shi family. If theVre staying quiet right now, it means that it¡¯s not yet the time.¡¯

    ¡® They want to wait until the very last moment and use Xiang Yang to threaten Shi Ke or me, so I have to hurry up and find Xiang Yang! I can¡¯t let them succeed! But I also have to ensure Xiang Yangs safety!¡¯

    That was Yun Nan¡¯s goal; if she wanted to achieve it, she had to figure out a plan to find and rescue Xiang Yang. However, she doesn¡¯t even have a single clue to start with right now!

    Yun Nan bit her lip, picked up her phone, and began making calls.

    Shi Nian turned off the communication device, closed his eyes, and breathed deeply. ¡® Yun Nan¡¯s right. I have to remain calm right now and get this over with quickly. Only by settling Big Brothers matter here first, can I rush back to Yun Nan¡¯s side as soon as possible.¡¯

    There was a social gathering today to commend them for successfully completing their mission last time; it was an utmost honor. To them, as soldiers, completing a mission was their duty and not something that needed celebrating. However, the higher-ups had ¡®well-intentionally¡¯ arranged such a grand event.

    Shi Ke¡¯s men were all on alert as they surrounded Shi Nian.

    They usually referred to each other by their code names, like they did in missions. ¡°D*mn it!¡± Dragon cursed softly. ¡°I¡¯m not even this nervous during assassination missions.¡±

    White Tiger shared the same sentiment. ¡°This kind of thing really doesn¡¯t suit me. I¡¯d rather go on an assassination mission! Boss, we¡¯re all counting on you!¡±

    ¡°Relax,¡± Shi Nian said composedly. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Think of it this way: Your seniors are worried about your marriage prospects and want to introduce girls to you guys. Shouldn¡¯t you guys be happy?

    Dragon and White Tiger looked at each other and scratched their noses in unison. ¡°Tch! What¡¯s there to be happy about? The girls there are either unfeminine comrades-in-arms or ladies we don¡¯t see eye-to-eye with. None of them are suitable partners! None!¡±

    Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Alright, fine. Stay single, then. What am I going to do with you guys?¡±

    Behind them, the unsmiling Gray Wolf lowered his voice and said, ¡°The higher-ups brought in girls from outside this time. Be careful not to run into any familiar faces, Boss. The four of us should try not to split up and cover for Boss.

    Dragon and White Tiger were immediately on guard, and Shi Nian also stopped smiling. This tough battle was about to begin..

 Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: Chapter Three -Hundred and Sixty-Four: Familiar Faces

    Chapter 364: Chapter Three -Hundred and Sixty-Four: Familiar Faces

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu looked at Shi Nian, sitting far away beside their country¡¯s president, in shock. She felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest.

    ¡® That¡¯s Shi Nian!¡¯ Yun Liu was very certain and subconsciously reached for the phone in her handbag.

    ¡°Do you see that officer beside the president? Your mission today is to seduce him. By the way, you know him, right? He¡¯s the Shi family¡¯s young master, Shi Ke,¡± Miss Hong, who¡¯d brought Yun Liu over, suddenly said.

    Yun Liu slowly withdrew her hand from her phone, glanced at Miss Hong, and nodded lightly. ¡°Yes, I saw him a few times when I was a kid. We barely saw each other again after he joined the army.¡± She was telling the truth, but she was sure that that man was Shi Nian, not Shi Ke!

    Miss Hong whispered, ¡°He¡¯s ten times better than Liang Han, so if you can seduce him¡­¡±

    ¡®Ofcourse, he¡¯s much better than Liang Han,¡¯ Yun Liu inwardly muttered.

    ¡°Our guys will find a way to send you to him when the social gathering begins. You must seize this opportunity and seduce him, understand?¡± Miss Hong instructed.

    Yun Liu nodded obediently, and Miss Hong felt very satisfied. Yun Liu felt a surge of emotions as she looked dazedly at Shi Nian in the distance.

    Lin Yu had introduced her to Shi Gao, who soon arranged for her to appear at many parties with Liang Han. But for some reason, Liang Han deliberately avoided her and even dragged along a shield¡ªan ugly woman named Lu Hui, who wore a pair of thick black-rimmed glasses and dressed like a country bumpkin.

    It was obvious at a glance that Lu Hui wasn¡¯t Liang Han¡¯s girlfriend, and the woman¡¯s words were vicious and mean, always hitting the nail right on the head about the thoughts of the women milling around Liang Han. Yun Liu was a minor celebrity nowadays and didn¡¯t want to be caught in the blast of Lu Hui¡¯s sharp tongue, so she didn¡¯t manage to talk to Liang Han at several

    Shi Gao encouraged her, saying, ¡°There are plenty of good men out there; you should keep your options open. So what if Liang Han doesn¡¯t like you? Your sister, I, will find a chance to introduce more men to you! You¡¯ll surely find a good man with your looks, poise, and family background.¡±

    Although Shi Gao¡¯s words were slightly belittling, as if she were a woman from an ancient brothel, Shi Gao¡¯s friendliness still warmed Yun Liu. None of her sisters and friends around her treated her as sincerely as Shi Gao did. Therefore, under Shi Gao¡¯s arrangement, Yun Liu participated in this military social as the president of Yun Corporation. Those who participated in the social this time were all girls of some social status and identity. However, they also had different tasks.

    Yun Liu¡¯s mission was to confirm Shi Kels identity. Yun Liu had seen Shi Gao and Xiang Yang fighting, so she guessed that Shi Gao must be in love with Shi Ke, but she didn¡¯t say anything, thinking that she was bound to get more benefits if she helped Shi Gao out.

    However, this person here wasn¡¯t Shi Ke, but Shi Nian!

    ¡®IVs Shi Nian!¡¯ Yun Liu thought, but she didn¡¯t immediately tell Shi Gao. She didn¡¯t tell her because this person was Shi Nian¡ªbecause Miss Hong had said that her mission was to get close to Shi Nian. To her, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

    Yun Liu threw all thoughts of her mission, benefits, and so on to the back of her mind. As for the future¡­ Shi Nian was her future! When she stood before Shi Nian, Yun Liu was so excited that she felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest.

    Yun Liu looked at Shi Nian with teary eyes, lowered her voice, and uttered dolefully, ¡°Shi Nian! I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here!¡±

    Shi Nian frowned as he stared at Yun Liu. He never expected Gray Wolf¡¯s words to come true and that he would really meet an acquaintance. At this moment, Dragon, White Tiger, and Gray Wolf were watching them warily from a few steps away.

    Yun Liu quickly stated, ¡°Shi Nian, I won¡¯t tell anyone, I promise. Do you need my help? If there¡¯s anything I can do, just ask. I¡¯ll definitely get it done!¡±

    Yun Liu hurriedly reassured him that she was on his side. She believed that Shi Nian must be in the middle of something right now¡ªa secret mission of some sort¡ªand needed her help. ¡®This is a God-given opportunity; ifI don¡¯t seize it, that¡¯ll be wasting Gods gift and letting Him down,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Shi Nian mused aloud.

    Yun Liu readily answered, ¡°Shi Gao asked me to come here to confirm if you¡¯re Shi Ke!¡±

    Seeing that Shi Nian¡¯s expression had eased up, Yun Liu took another step forward and showed Shi Nian her phone. She raised her voice and asked, ¡°Can I add you on WeChat?¡±

    Shi Nian reached out and pushed her phone away as he detachedly replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m married! I can introduce you to my subordinates who are single.¡±

    Yun Liu lit up her phone screen and showed it to Shi Nian. On it was a text that read, ¡°Shi Gao, I see Shi Ke.¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s eyes flashed, and he raised his hand to wave White Tiger over. ¡°Tiger, let me introduce you. This is Miss Yun Liu. Our two families are close friends!¡±

    His last sentence was for Yun Liu as a form of acknowledgment of her identity. Yun Liu¡¯s eyes immediately lit up..

 Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-Five: Cover For

    Chapter 365: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-Five: Cover For

    Translator: Draaon Boat Translation      Editor: Draaon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian turned around to leave, and Yun Liu shouted, ¡°Shi Ke! If you ignore me, I¡¯ll tell Grandpa Shi you bullied me!¡±

    Her coy and tender voice immediately attracted the surrounding people¡¯s attention. Shi Nian turned back with an exasperated expression and raised his voice to say, ¡°Okay, alright! I¡¯ve introduced Tiger to you; he¡¯s good boyfriend material. You two should spend some time getting to know each other. I still have something to do, so I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    White Tiger gave Yun Liu a standard military salute, shielding Shi Nian from her sight. White Tiger loudly introduced himself, ¡°Miss Yun Liu, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you! I¡¯m our boss¡¯ most favored and valued subordinate!¡±

    Laughter rang out from the surrounding crowd, and the awkward atmosphere instantly became lively. The government executives began to speak one after another, telling jokes about White Tiger. No one noticed that ¡®Shi Ke¡¯ and his men had already disappeared into the crowd.

    Miss Hong¡¯s eyes narrowed, and with a gesture, one of her subordinates immediately sent out the news: ¡°We¡¯ve confirmed Shi Ke¡¯s identity. He is healthy and uninjured.¡± Those who received the news would send the news to another, and another, and so forth, like a relay.

    Dragon and Gray Wolf silently appeared before the first person who sent out the message¡ªit was a little-known and inconspicuous guard in their troop.

    ¡°I, I-I¡­¡± The guard looked at the two, who¡¯d appeared suddenly, so scared that he couldn¡¯t even speak coherently.

    Dragon rubbed his nose and chuckled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? We¡¯re not ghosts. Why are you so scared?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s got something to hide!¡± Gray Wolf said coldly. He moved, and the guard¡¯s phone was in his hand before the man could react. Gray Wolf tossed it to the back, and Shi Nian raised his hand to catch it before walking out of the shadows.

    The guard stared at Shi Nian, stunned and then shocked. ¡°Y-You¡ªYou,¡± he stuttered.

    Shi Nian quickly flipped through all the information on the phone and impassively stated, ¡°Is ¡®You, you, you¡¯ and ¡®Me, me, me¡¯ all you can say?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not Captain Shi?!¡± The guard cried out, terrified. Shi Nian didn¡¯t even look at him and turned to leave.

    Dragon smiled. ¡°You just realized? It¡¯s a little late now, though. Thanks for sending out the confirmation message!¡±

    ¡°Cut the crap, you!¡± Annoyed at Dragon¡¯s chattiness, Gray Wolf knocked the guard unconscious with a knife-hand strike and carried him up.

    The atmosphere was quite lively when Shi Nian returned to the venue. Shi Nian quietly walked to his superior¡¯s side and was surprised to find two unfamiliar faces with him. Shi Nian glanced at their epaulets and immediately gave them a salute and the two chiefs looked at him in a friendly manner.

    ¡°Shi Ke, I¡¯m giving you and your team a week off, specially approved!¡± Shi Ke¡¯s superior, his chief, said with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you, Chief!¡± ¡®Shi Ke¡¯ saluted him and nodded lightly at the two unfamiliar chiefs before he turned around and left.

    ¡°Boss!¡± White Tiger caught up to him and exclaimed delightedly, ¡°I¡¯d like to meet up with Miss Yun during our vacation. Help me ask her out, please!¡±

    ¡®Shi Ke¡¯ turned around and smiled at him and Yun Liu. ¡°Our leave has been approved. Yun Liu, we¡¯ll send you home later.¡±

    Yun Liu nodded obediently. ¡°Okay, Shi Ke. I¡¯m fine with anything you say!¡± White Tiger couldn¡¯t help but glance at Yun Liu a few more times.

    They brought Yun Liu to a lounge, and White Tiger accompanied her. He was very attentive, serving her tea and whatnot. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite. I can do it myself,¡± Yun Liu hurriedly said.

    White Tiger replied, ¡°You¡¯re our boss¡¯s honored guest. He¡¯ll skin me alive if I don¡¯t treat you well!¡±

    Yun Liu covered her mouth and giggled. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. Shi Ke is never that fierce. He¡¯s the nicest!¡±

    White Tiger discreetly rubbed his arm and thought, ¡®Ah, a girl like this is too much for a rough person like me.¡¯ Trying to find a conversation topic, he asked, ¡°When did you and our boss meet, Miss Yun?¡±

    Yun Liu gave him a lovely smile and answered, ¡°I was betrothed to Shi Ke¡¯s younger brother, Shi Nian when we were kids. We grew up together!¡±

    White Tiger was shocked. Yun Liu smiled beautifully and added, ¡°So, I¡¯ve known Shi Ke since we were kids, but he probably only thinks of me as a silly little girl.¡±

    White Tiger couldn¡¯t stop his heart from beating wildly at the sight. Although he was smiling, he was secretly complaining, ¡®So this person before me is a hot potato! How on earth did she end up in that social gathering?

    Yun Liu paid his silence no mind and continued to talk about the interesting things that had happened between her and Shi Nian since they were young to prove that she and Shi Nian were indeed ¡® betrothed since childhood.¡¯

    Yun Liu¡¯s phone vibrated on the table. White Tiger¡¯s gaze landed on it like an eagle¡¯s. Yun Liu unlocked her phone before him and opened the WeChat message she just received. The message was from Shi Gao: ¡°Take a clear photo of him and send it to me.¡±

    Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but panic and look helplessly at White Tiger..

 Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-Six: Tracking

    Chapter 366: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-Six: Tracking

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    White Tiger immediately took out his phone, his fingers moving lightning fast, and he swiftly photoshopped and produced a photo. ¡°Add me on WeChat, quick. I¡¯ll send you the photo.¡±

    Yun Liu instantly did as told and sent the photo to Shi Gao. White Tiger took Yun Liu¡¯s phone and removed all traces of the photo¡¯s transmission path, turning it into one taken by Yun Liu herself. Yun Liu was dumbfounded as she watched it all.

    White Tiger heaved a sigh of relief after everything was done and said sincerely, ¡°Thank you, Miss Yun.¡±

    Yun Liu smiled gently. ¡°I¡¯m glad to be of help to the Shi brothers.¡±

    White Tiger inwardly sighed, ¡®Favor is a debt hardest to pay. How are we supposed to repay her for this?

    Yun Liu suppressed the excitement in her heart, thinking, ¡®This truly is a God-given opportunity! I can already see the Shi familys door slowly opening to me.¡¯

    While Shi Nian was intensively hunting and clearing out the spies in the troop, Yun Nan and the two special assistants, Chang Yuan and Chen Nian, were meticulously searching for clues by following the route that Xiang Yang took on the day she disappeared.

    Chen Nian had been by Gu Bei¡¯s side for many years as the Gu couple tried to track down their missing daughter, and thus had his own methods of tracking down those dark networks and dirty dealings, whereas Chang Yuan could obtain internal information from the police and the military through Shi Ke and Shi Nian¡¯s connections. It wasn¡¯t difficult for them to track someone down; they just needed time.

    Yun Nan closed her eyes and thought carefully about Xiang Yang¡¯s past. Xiang Yang was most reluctant to talk about her past, and the only person who knew Xiang Yang¡¯s past and was very hostile to her was Shi Gao.

    Yun Nan immediately put her thoughts into action. ¡°Chang Yuan, help me investigate Shi Gao! I want to know where she has been these past few days and if there¡¯s anyone suspicious around her.¡± Yun Nan wasn¡¯t sure if Shi Gao was involved, but she didn¡¯t have time to analyze it in detail; she couldn¡¯t let go of anyone suspicious.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Chang Yuan didn¡¯t ask why and just followed her instructions. Every minute is precious right now; there¡¯s no need to waste it on unnecessary things. A few hours later, Chang Yuan handed Yun Nan a thick stack of information and asked solemnly, ¡°Yun Nan, what made you suspect Shi Gao?¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t give him an answer and directly inquired, ¡°Is there any news on

    Xiang Yang?¡±

    Chang Yuan shook his head. ¡°No, but I found out that there¡¯s a mysterious organization behind Shi Gao. This organization has close connections with those in the military. Moreover, the ones that attacked the Shi Corporation are also related to them.¡±

    Yun Nan narrowed her eyes. ¡®It seems like Tm on the right track.¡¯ She asked,

    ¡°Did Xiang Yang meet Shi Gao in the past few days since she returned?¡±

    Chang Yuan again shook his head. ¡°No, only the family knows about her return this time,¡± he paused, ¡°as well as Lin Yu!¡±

    Yun Nan looked up and met Chang Yuan¡¯s eyes. ¡®Lin Yu and Shi Gao are friends.

    Ifshe knew, then Shi Gao would definitely know!¡¯ Yun Nan took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll go visit Auntie Han Yuan and meet Lin Yu! ¡±

    Chen Nian knocked on the office door, entered, and straightforwardly reported, ¡°We tracked the car that Xiang Yang might¡¯ve been in. It was last seen in the Ning village area in the western suburbs!¡±

    Chang Yuan straight away replied, ¡°Ning Village! That¡¯s a combination of urban and rural areas. Someone came to us to discuss a development plan for that land at the beginning of the year. Currently, it¡¯s an unsupervised area filled with a mixed bunch of people. It¡¯s a good place to hide someone.¡±

    Chen Nian nodded. ¡®My lady, this matter may have something to do with the people attacking the Shi Corporation. There are a lot of outsiders coming to Rong City these days, all well-known figures in the business world, as well as several groups of overseas investors.¡±

    Yun Nan quickly sorted out her thoughts. ¡°Overseas investors? ¡­Chen Nian, investigate those overseas investors. Xiang Yang doesn¡¯t have much contact with anyone in the country outside of the Shi family. I¡¯ll see if I can meet Shi Gao through Lin Yu. You check if any of those outsiders were overseas during the same period of time as Xiang Yang. If there are, focus on them!¡±

    ¡°Chang Yuan, go to Ning village and investigate secretly. Remember, we mustn¡¯t alert the enemy. The most important thing for us now is to ensure Xiang Yang¡¯s safety.¡±

    Chang Yuan and Chen Nian accepted her orders and left, and Yun Nan went straight to the hospital.

    Lin Yu scooped up a spoonful of cereal porridge and gently blew on it before putting it back down and stirring the bowl of porridge. With a smile, she tenderly whispered, ¡°Mom, look how great everything is now! I¡¯m the Xi family¡¯s young madam now. I used my own marriage to help you ward off ill health, and you¡¯ve indeed woken up. Everyone is saying that I¡¯m the Xi family¡¯s lucky star. Thank you for making this all possible. Otherwise, I really don¡¯t know what my next steps would be.¡±

    Han Yuan glared hard at Lin Yu with wide eyes, looking like she wanted nothing more than to burn her to a crisp. Lin Yu blew on the cereal porridge to cool it and brought it to Han Yuan¡¯s lips. ¡°Eat, Mom. Don¡¯t throw a tantrum!

    You should let go of your anger and take better care of yourself. Look at Mrs. Shi, Mrs. Ye, and Mrs. Liang; you¡¯re about the same age as them, but they all take good care of themselves and seem so healthy and young. Look at you; you¡¯re disabled and unable to even take care of yourself now. How tragic.. The heavens probably don¡¯t like you very much, huh?¡±

 Chapter 367 - Chapter 367: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-Seven: Clash

    Chapter 367: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-Seven: Clash

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Han Yuan pursed her lips tightly and refused to eat the food fed to her. Lin Yu smiled gently and put down the spoon and the bowl of porridge. ¡°You don¡¯t want to eat? Then you don¡¯t have to. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t force you! You should know very well that I¡¯m the last person who wants you to recover.¡±

    Lin Yu leaned close and lowered her voice to say, ¡°It¡¯s best if you continue being like this forever. I¡¯ll keep caring for you, and my reputation as a filial daughter-in-law will only grow bigger and bigger! You¡¯re my benefactor, Mom ¡ªmy benefactor for life! ¡±

    Lin Yu straightened up, all smiles. Han Yuan¡¯s eyes widened as she glared even harder at her, opening her mouth to hiss, ¡°Ha-argh, hah, ah-ss.¡±

    Lin Yu laughed out loud, her laughter growing in strength until she bent over. She felt extremely happy as she looked at Han Yuan struggling in agony. Someone knocked on the ward door twice before opening it. Surprised, Lin Yu turned to look at the newcomer before the smile on her face could fade.

    Yun Nan noticed, glanced at the furious-looking Han Yuan, and smiled. ¡°You seem happy. Has Madam Xi¡¯s condition improved again?¡±

    Lin Yu reached out, brushed her hair back, and calmly answered with a faint smile, ¡°Yes! My mother¡¯s condition is good today. I¡¯m trying to get her to eat something.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how filial of you,¡± Yun Nan uttered, walking past Lin Yu and coming to Han Yuan¡¯s bed. Han Yuan stared at Yun Nan before her, and her gaze changed. It was no longer fierce; there was a hint of plea in her eyes instead. It caught Yun Nan¡¯s attention but was soon dismissed, thinking she¡¯d mistook it.

    Lin Yu quickly stood and blocked Han Yuan from Yun Nan¡¯s sight. She stretched her hand out and gestured to one side, saying, ¡°Yun Nan, my mother¡¯s tired now. Let her rest for a while. Let¡¯s talk over there.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled at Han Yuan and said, ¡°I¡¯ve come to visit you. You must get better; otherwise, Lin Yu will be left in charge of the family. You at least care about your son even if you don¡¯t care about your daughter-in-law, right? Will you be at ease leaving the Xi family in their hands?¡±

    Lin Yu looked at Yun Nan with a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t your in-laws put you in charge of the Shi family without worry? If you can do it, why can¡¯t I?¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°How can you compare yourself to me?¡± Lin Yu¡¯s expression darkened, and she gazed at Yun Nan somewhat hostilely.

    Yun Nan¡¯s smile became even more amiable as she uttered, ¡°You¡¯re much more pleasing to the eye like this.¡± She then threw the two listening devices onto the table before Lin Yu. ¡°You dropped these in our ward. I thought you might have use of them, so I¡¯m returning them to you.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s expression changed. She took a step back and stubbornly stated, ¡°No!

    Those aren¡¯t mine! Take them away! They aren¡¯t mine!¡±

    Yun Nan smiled lightly and put away the listening devices. ¡°Oh? Is that so?

    Then, they¡¯re Shi Gao¡¯s?¡±

    Lin Yu glared at Yun Nan. Yun Nan took out a folder and placed it on the table. ¡°Lin Yu, you know the relationship between the Xi and the Shi families better than I do. This document is an internal resolution of the Xi Corporation to acquire 12 of the Shi Corporation¡¯s companies. I only want to know if this is yours, Xi Cheng¡¯s, or all of the Xi Corporation¡¯s shareholders¡¯ idea.¡±

    Yun Nan gave her a faint smile. ¡°The day has eyes, and the night has ears, Lin Yu! I don¡¯t begrudge you for using the Xi family¡¯s power to clear away all obstacles in your path, but it was unwise of you to touch the Shi family!¡±

    She continued, ¡°Don¡¯t play games with me! You came with guns blazing to kick the Shi family when they¡¯re down, so don¡¯t come crying to me about how hard it¡¯s been for you when you get defeated and ask me to let you go. That move might work once or twice, but not always. You¡¯ve already used up all my goodwill towards the Xi family! You won¡¯t have the chance to regret your actions from now on!¡±

    Yun Nan turned around to glance at Han Yuan on the hospital bed and smiled at the woman when she saw Han Yuan staring at her before heading towards the ward¡¯s door.

    Lin Yu calmed herself down and snapped sharply, ¡°Stop right there! Yun Nan, what do you mean?¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t turn around when she replied, ¡°What did you mean when you turned against the Shi family? I have nothing to say about you backstabbing the Shi family when I was mindful of the friendship between the Xi and Shi families. Business is business, after all. But since you don¡¯t care about our two families¡¯ friendship, I hope you won¡¯t come and talk to me about friendship when something happens. That would be beyond the pale!¡±

    ¡°Xi Cheng and Shi Nian may be close friends, but you and I are just their wives, and we don¡¯t know each other well, so there¡¯s no need for all that! Isn¡¯t that what you thought when you made that decision?¡± With that, Yun Nan closed the ward¡¯s door and left..

 Chapter 368 - Chapter 368: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-Eight: Defeated

    Chapter 368: Chapter Three-Hundred and Sixty-Eight: Defeated

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu¡¯s hands trembled as she picked up the document and read through it again. Then she threw it back onto the table as if it burned. Her breathing sped up, and her hands still trembled uncontrollably.

    Her phone vibrated, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the name on the screen. Lin Yu gritted her teeth and picked up the phone. The caller on the other side anxiously stated, ¡®Young Madam, the stocks! We¡¯re stuck! I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll lose everything, let alone acquire the companies. What should we do now?¡±

    Lin Yu collected herself and tried to sound composed as she hissed, ¡°Are you an idiot? How could you not even tell that it was a trap?¡±

    The caller choked, ¡°Young Madam, didn¡¯t you say you had inside information and that the Shi Corporation would definitely be too busy to pay attention to this matter this time? Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t dare touch the companies under the Shi Corporation even if we had the guts to.¡±

    Lin Yu gritted her teeth. The caller didn¡¯t want to continue arguing with Lin Yu about whose responsibility it was. He couldn¡¯t seriously settle the score with the lady boss, right? He¡¯d have no chance of winning at all. Instead, the caller asked again, ¡°What should we do now, Young Madam? Should we grit our teeth and persevere, or cut our losses and quietly withdraw?¡±

    ¡°Withdraw! However, make sure you do it neatly and cleanly. Leave no trace behind. It¡¯s best not to let Xi Cheng find out about this. I can¡¯t protect you if he does!¡± Lin Yu answered.

    ¡°But Young Madam¡ª¡± Shocked, the caller began to say before he swallowed the rest of his words.

    ¡°Xi Cheng and I are childhood sweethearts. Who do you think he¡¯ll believe?¡± Lin Yu said detachedly.

    The caller immediately assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Madam. Young Master Xi Cheng won¡¯t know about this. The Xi Corporation is huge, with numerous things to manage; the young master can¡¯t micromanage and personally oversee everything.¡±

    Lin Yu hung up her phone and lightly heaved a sigh of relief. She turned her head, saw Han Yuan staring at her fiercely, and smiled sweetly at the woman. ¡°Oh, so you heard all of that, Mom? I had no choice; Xi Cheng couldn¡¯t give me a sense of security, so I could only make some plans for myself. I wanted to take advantage of the chaos in the Shi family to make a fortune, but I didn¡¯t expect Yun Nan to be so tough. She nearly made me lose everything.¡±

    Lin Yu laughed and continued unhurriedly, ¡°Of course, the money and resources lost were the Xi family¡¯s. It has nothing to do with me; I¡¯m the Xi family¡¯s good and most virtuous daughter-in-law.¡±

    Furious, Han Yuan panted heavily, but she couldn¡¯t move an inch.

    Yun Nan parked her car and eyed the resplendent building before her. It was the most famous entertainment establishment in Rong City, and inside it was the most luxurious bar in the city, ¡®Vision of Eternity.¡¯

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t know where Xiang Yang was, or she would¡¯ve used Xiang Yang as a bargaining chip during Yun Nan¡¯s test just now. Since that¡¯s the case, the one who kidnapped Xiang Yang was most likely Shi Gao.

    A horn sounded behind her, and Yun Nan subconsciously turned around to see

    Fang Xi and Shi Xiu exiting their car. Fang Xi was holding an exquisite cane; Ye Kun got someone to design it specially. It could help Fang Xi walk and was also inexplicably fashionable. It didn¡¯t clash with Fang Xi¡¯s beauty at all.

    When Fang Xi stood firm, Shi Xiu subconsciously ran to help her. ¡°See that?¡± Fang Xi pointed her chin at Yun Nan and said to Shi Xiu: ¡°That woman is quite heartless, coming out here alone to have fun and relax without telling us! She has no sense of loyalty!¡±

    Yun Nan smiled resignedly and walked over to them. ¡°Why are you two here? Who tipped you off?¡±

    Shi Xiu frowned. ¡°Sister-in-law, how could you do this? We asked you to take over the company, not put yourself in danger! You clearly know there¡¯s danger in there, so why did you come alone? Do you know how worried we were? My legs were weak with fear during the entire drive here! ¡±

    Yun Nan patted Shi Xiu¡¯s shoulder apologetically. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Shi Xiu grabbed her hand and uttered, ¡°We¡¯re going in there with you.¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°Look at you two. Why are you guys so nervous? It¡¯s not like they¡¯ll dare to do anything to me in broad daylight!¡±

    Shi Xiu looked at her worriedly. ¡°But Xiang Yang¡ª¡±

    Yun Nan pressed her index finger to her lips and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go in and meet

    Shi Gao. I didn¡¯t expect her to be able to gain such a huge influence so quickly. Even Lin Yu is afraid of her. Xiang Yang has almost no contact with the outside world, and Shi Gao obviously dislikes and targets her. I can¡¯t think of any other person with the motive and ability to make a move on Xiang Yang.¡±

    Fang Xi nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right! That group of crazy women is truly capable of anything, and right now, we have to be cautious.¡±

    ¡°Who cares!¡± Shi Xiu said indignantly. ¡°I¡¯ll teach them a lesson today! So they think I¡¯m weak? I¡¯ll show them!¡±

    Standing on her left and right sides, Yun Nan and Fang Xi unanimously had helpless smiles. The battle was bound to escalate with Shi Xiu¡¯s participation..

 Chapter 369 - Chapter 369: Chapter Three -Hundred and Sixty-Nine: Deliberate

    Chapter 369: Chapter Three -Hundred and Sixty-Nine: Deliberate

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The three sat in the booth on the third floor and looked down at the hustle and bustle of the first floor¡¯s hall. Staring down from up high gave people a sense of superiority.

    Shi Xiu was angry and ready to explode like a small bomb filled with explosives. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, Shi Xiu, you can do whatever you want. However, do keep in mind that you¡¯re a public figure. Feel free to go wild, but make sure you don¡¯t end up as a trending topic,¡± Yun Nan instructed Shi Xiu.

    Shi Xiu was a little surprised. ¡°What if I didn¡¯t come today, Yun Nan? What was your original plan?¡±

    Yun Nan smiled, but before she said anything, Fang Xi poked Shi Xiu¡¯s forehead and answered, ¡°She¡¯s here to spook the enemy. She would probably make a scene herself if you didn¡¯t come. Now, she can give this opportunity to you!¡±

    Shi Xiu pursed her lips and rolled up her sleeves. ¡°Okay, Yun Nan! Just leave it to me!¡±

    ¡°If Xiang Yang is really in Shi Gao¡¯s hands , will our plan be detrimental to Xiang Yang?¡± Fang Xi asked, slightly worried.

    Yun Nan exhaled lightly. ¡°I don¡¯t think she would dare to endanger Xiang Yang.

    Like us, she¡¯s cautious¡­ because of Big Brother!¡±

    Fang Xi pondered and nodded, feeling that Yun Nan¡¯s words made sense.

    Shi Gao sneered, ¡°I already told you guys the Shi family is difficult to deal with! The Shi family can¡¯t be easily touched, even without Shi Nian around! You guys wouldn¡¯t listen to me, and look what happened! You guys now have the tiger by the tail, don¡¯t you?¡±

    The person on the other side of the call sounded exasperated as they replied, ¡°What¡¯s the use of saying such things now? The immediate concern now is taking down the Shi family. Otherwise, our losses will be too great!¡±

    ¡°Are you asking me to think of a way? I have nothing! What do you think I can do? What do you expect me to do? Kidnap the Shi family¡¯s precious daughter to threaten them?¡± Shi Gao stated bluntly.

    The other party went silent, and just as Shi Gao was about to hang up, they suddenly said, ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea.¡±

    Shi Gao immediately got to her feet. ¡°Have you gone mad? You¡¯re crazy, but I¡¯m not! You guys can¡¯t even get accurate information and still have to rely on my people to confirm that Shi Ke is fine! And you guys still want to make a move on Shi Xiu with such paltry skill? Aren¡¯t you afraid that Shi Ke¡¯ll wipe you all out when he finds out? You¡¯re digging your own graves!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ¡®laud others and diminish your own morale,¡¯ right? I know you fancy Shi Ke, but he¡¯s not yours yet! There¡¯s no need to constantly defend and speak up for him, right?¡± the other party uttered.

    They continued, ¡°Shi Gao, don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re where you are today because of the organization. The organization¡¯s in terests are paramount to everything else! Help us take down the Shi family. This is an order, not a request! I¡¯m giving you three days to think up a concrete plan!¡±

    The other party hung up the phone before Shi Gao could curse them out, so she viciously stomped her feet angrily.

    Ah Tao pushed the door open and barged in. ¡°Miss Shi Gao! Miss Shi Gao! Someone is causing trouble in the bar!¡± Seeing Shi Gao¡¯s p*ssed-off expression, he couldn¡¯t help but be startled.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Shi Gao asked peevishly.

    Ah Tao paused before saying, ¡°The Shi family¡¯s young miss is throwing down cash from upstairs. The people downstairs are fighting for the money like crazy. We can¡¯t stop them.¡±

    ¡°Shi Xiu? She¡¯s here?¡± Shi Gao muttered, thinking, ¡®Speak of the devil!

    Stunned, Shi Gao said, ¡°She¡¯s a public figure. Why would she dare do such a thing? Isn¡¯t she afraid of getting on the headlines by doing something like this?¡±

    Ah Tao gulped before answering, ¡°The Shi family¡¯s young miss seems to be here to cause trouble today. She¡¯s on the third floor and had asked someone to call the people on the first floor up. I don¡¯t know what they talked about, but those people began making a scene on the first and second floors. The atmosphere is quite lively thanks to them, but the more timid guests were all scared away. We also don¡¯t dare provoke those guys.¡±

    As he said that, Ah Tao thought, ¡®How would I know what goes on in the heads of these bigshots? I wouldve let the Shi familvs young miss have her fun, but this matter is so troublesome that I don¡¯t dare to decide on my own.¡¯

    When she saw Shi Gao, Shi Xiu looked left and right at Yun Nan and Fang Xi. ¡°See? I told you this would work.¡±

    Yun Nan and Fang Xi nodded, and Fang Xi personally poured Shi Xiu a drink. Shi Xiu took it and drank it before looking at Shi Gao. ¡°Miss Shi Gao, you¡¯re finally here.¡±

    Shi Gao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her smile. ¡°Oh, did you three come here especially to see me? Then why didn¡¯t you guys ask someone to call me over? I would¡¯ve come out to meet you if I knew you were here.¡±

    She glanced at the three women. Since Xiang Yang wasn¡¯t with them, they were meaningless to her. She had no intention of making things sour between her and them. Not out of the kindness of her heart, naturally, but because of her own plans. She didn¡¯t want to offend two of the three people before her if she wanted to marry into the Shi family in the future.

    Yun Nan took two listening devices from her bag and placed them before Shi

    Gao. ¡°Lin Yu said you asked her to put these in our ward.¡±

    Shi Gao¡¯s smile froze.. ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

 Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy: Warning

    Chapter 370: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy: Warning

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°You asked Lin Yu to go to the hospital to confirm how serious Shi Nian¡¯s injuries are, didn¡¯t you?¡± Yun Nan asked detachedly.

    ¡°Why would I want to confirm Shi Nian¡¯s injuries?¡± Shi Gao retorted, her tone unfriendly.

    Yun Nan looked at Shi Gao. ¡°That¡¯s what I don¡¯t get, so I thought I¡¯d come and ask you! Or do you suspect that the person lying in the ward is Shi Ke? I really don¡¯t get it; for someone who claims to like him, do you wish him good or bad?¡±

    Shi Gao sneered, ¡°Young Madam Shi! Aren¡¯t you being a little aggressive?

    Putting aside you causing trouble on my turf, isn¡¯t pinning such a groundless allegation on me too much? No matter how good my temper is, I can¡¯t let you guys bully me like this, right?¡±

    Shi Xiu scoffed, ¡°Good temper? Stop flattering yourself!¡± Yun Nan glanced at her, and Shi Xiu shifted back and stopped talking.

    Yun Nan unhurriedly said, ¡°Miss Shi Gao, you went abroad for some time and took over Rong City¡¯s largest entertainment establishment after you returned. Your capability is extremely admirable. However, everyone could¡¯ve lived in peace if Miss Shi Gao hadn¡¯t extended your reach to the Shi family!¡±

    Shi Gao calmly replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m just an employee; I¡¯m simply the ¡®face¡¯ of my employer. In my mind, I¡¯ve always kept a wide berth from you guys because I can¡¯t afford to offend the Shi family in this

    Rong City! ¡±

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°Yes, you only mess with Xiang Yang, because you¡¯re jealous that she has a good husband and good in-laws. You think that you¡¯re in no way inferior to Xiang Yang, and everything she has can also be yours! That¡¯s why you wish for something to happen to Xiang Yang the most, right?¡± ¡°You!¡± Shi Gao jumped up as if Yun Nan had touched a nerve. ¡°That¡¯s absurd!¡±

    Yun Nan stared up at her. ¡°Is that so? Absurd, am I? Don¡¯t you want to marry into the Shi family and be the eldest young madam? You think Xiang Yang isn¡¯t worthy of Shi Ke, and you¡¯ve always wanted to replace her, so you used every opportunity you could to get rid of her! Make her disappear from the face of the earth! Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Shi Gao couldn¡¯t stop Yun Nan from speaking and accidentally bit her own tongue the moment she opened her mouth, the pain causing her brain to short-circuit momentarily. She could hear her own voice trembling a little as she asked, ¡°What did you say? Disappear? Xiang Yang?¡±

    Yun Nan slowly stood up and looked at Shi Gao at eye level. ¡°That¡¯s right! Xiang Yang has gone missing. Who do you think is the biggest suspect when someone as reclusive as her goes missing?¡±

    Yun Nan continued, ¡°Did you also receive the news that Shi Ke¡¯s returning for a vacation? What would he do if he knew that Xiang Yang had gone missing? Do you want to see Shi Ke so badly that you¡¯re okay with letting him interrogate you like a criminal?¡±

    Shi Gao unconsciously stepped back and fell onto the booth¡¯s cushion. Now,

    Yun Nan was the one looking down at her. Yun Nan stated, ¡°You used Xiang Yang¡¯s insignificant past as a knife, wishing to tear her into pieces, but let me tell you something: Xiang Yang never hid her past from anyone, especially Shi Ke. Do you think those things can be used against Xiang Yang in the Shi family? If you do, then you¡¯re dead wrong. Don¡¯t compare Lin Yu to Xiang Yang. You can get Lin Yu under your thumb, but you can¡¯t control Xiang Yang!¡±

    ¡°Do you know why Shi Ke loves Xiang Yang so much? And Xiang Yang¡¯s admirers in the past¡­ Do you know why they like her but not you?¡± Yun Nan inquired. ¡°Do you know why you can¡¯t compare to Xiang Yang no matter how hard you work? Because Xiang Yang is pure and honest. Unlike you, who¡¯s full of schemes, she never weighs the pros and cons of anyone or anything. That¡¯s why those men are willing to stay with and protect her! Whereas with you, you guys will only use and be on guard against each other!¡±

    Shi Gao abruptly stood up and made to slap Yun Nan across the face. Yun Nan grabbed her hand before the hit could land and stared at her coldly. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ve ruffled some feathers. Then, I¡¯ll have to trouble you to pass a message to that boss of yours. If he dares to harm a single hair on Xiang Yang¡¯s head, the Shi family will definitely make him pay a heavy price!¡±

    Yun Nan added, ¡°Also, the Shi family welcomes all those ambitious to challenge us personally. Our family has been living in comfort for too long and needs to ¡®borrow¡¯ people to help us train!¡±

    She flung Shi Gao¡¯s hand away and said to Shi Xiu and Fang Xi, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Shi Xiu helped Fang Xi up, and before they left, she suddenly asked Yun Nan, ¡°Yun Nan, I want to try my hand at business acquisition. Can you send someone to teach me?¡±

    Yun Nan and Fang Xi both understood what she was thinking. Fang Xi looked around and remarked, ¡°Then, can you leave the renovation to me after you¡¯ve successfully acquired the business? I really don¡¯t like the environment here; the design is so outlandish.¡±

    Shi Xiu nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like that. It¡¯s a deal! Yun Nan, I don¡¯t need funds from the Shi family. I want to have my own business and save money for my dowry myself! ¡±

    The three acted like no one else was around¡ªas if the Shi family¡¯s young miss already had this top-notch entertainment establishment in the bag..

 Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-One: Torment

    Chapter 371: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-One: Torment

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    There was dizziness.

    And agony.

    Xiang Yang¡¯s body twitched slightly. She opened her eyes before shutting them tightly once more. All she could see was pitch black¡ªshe was blindfolded.

    It took several minutes for Xiang Yang¡¯s other sensory organs to slowly wake up, and her awareness returned bit by bit. ¡®I¡¯ve been kidnapped,¡¯ she thought.

    The past few days¡¯ events flashed through her mind: from Shi Ke returning from his mission with serious injuries to realizing that there was a mole in the troop, to covering for Shi Ke and returning him home, and having Shi Nian take his place.

    Xiang Yang had constantly been in a state of high tension, so much so that when a girl driving a car stopped to ask her directions after she left the hospital, she unsuspectingly gave her directions and then lost consciousness. An unfamiliar voice sounded out close by: ¡®You¡¯re awake?¡±

    Xiang Yang turned her head to the side to identify the speaker but didn¡¯t panic. Truth be told, from the day she decided to marry Shi Ke, she¡¯d been mentally prepared for the possibility that she would one day encounter danger and become Shi Ke¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel.

    *Splash!* A basin of ice-cold water got poured right down her head. Xiang Yang almost jumped up at the shock, but her hands were tied behind her back, and her feet were also bound. She couldn¡¯t move at all and could only curl up tighter.

    Xiang Yang started to cough; her throat felt like it was on fire. ¡®I must be having a fever, and that basin ofice-cold waterjust added fuel to the fire.¡¯ Xiang Yang smiled bitterly to herself. ¡®Alright. What will come, will come.¡¯ ¡°How does it feel to be at someone else¡¯s mercy?¡± that voice asked.

    Xiang Yang didn¡¯t move an inch. *Splash!* A second round of ice-cold water came. Xiang Yang coughed even harder but clenched her teeth and didn¡¯t say a word. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her scalp. Someone had grabbed her by the hair and lifted her, forcefully sitting her up with her back against a wall.

    Xiang Yang¡¯s breathing was slightly smoother in that position. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall, quietly waiting for the next torment. There was the sound of footsteps gradually moving away, and following the sound of a door opening and closing, the surroundings became quiet.

    Xiang Yang adjusted herself into a comfortable position and exhaled gently. A slightly raspy voice sounded out not far away. ¡°What? Did you think that was the end of it?¡±

    Shocked, Xiang Yang turned her head towards the voice but couldn¡¯t see anything. *Pah!* A whip landed on Xiang Yang¡¯s body, slashing diagonally from her shoulder.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Xiang Yang cried out hoarsely in pain. The burning pain nearly made her faint.

    Someone forced her chin up with great strength. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± they asked. Xiang Yang bit her lips tightly. Even though she was trembling in pain and drenched in cold sweat, she didn¡¯t make a sound.

    The voice spoke slowly, word by word, beside her ear, ¡°Xiang Yang, this bit of pain is nothing compared to death. How much pain do you think Leilei felt when he died?¡±

    Xiang Yang felt like lightning had struck her, and she struggled out of that person¡¯s grip. ¡°Who are you?¡± Her voice was so scratchy that it was almost impossible to tell what she was saying. Xiang Yang didn¡¯t receive an answer. Instead, the whip struck her body once more, and Xiang Yang fainted from the pain.

    Xiang Yang was woken up by another basin of ice-cold water poured onto her face. She was burning from the inside out; it was unbearable.

    *Clang!* The door was kicked open. ¡°Stop!¡± Someone came in and stopped whoever was torturing her. Xiang Yang couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved, thinking, ¡®Finally, someone has come to save me. It¡¯s Shi Ke¡¯s men, isn¡¯t it? He finally found me.¡¯

    However, things weren¡¯t as she¡¯d hoped. ¡°Who told you to lay your hands on her? How are you going to answer to the boss if you kill her?¡± someone said angrily.

    Xiang Yang¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t let her die! How can she die when she hasn¡¯t tasted this world¡¯s suffering yet?¡± The other voice drawled indifferently.

    ¡°If you want to court death, do it somewhere else. Don¡¯t drag us down with you! Boss didn¡¯t say what to do with her, so you can¡¯t take matters into your own hands!¡± the newcomer stated firmly.

    The other person replied, ¡°Boss didn¡¯t kill her because he wants her to suffer in purgatory for the rest of her life. She has to pay back all the injuries and pain she¡¯s caused others. Boss didn¡¯t do it himself because he didn¡¯t want to dirty his hands. Don¡¯t think that you can suck up to him like this, hmph!¡±

    The newcomer retorted, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business whether I suck up to the boss or not, but laying hands on his people without his permission is against the gang rules! I know you hate her, but don¡¯t drag me and the guys down with you! There have been strangers coming and going outside these past couple of days. As a precaution, we should leave this place as soon as possible!¡±

    ¡°Will you stop being so paranoid? Many strangers come and go in this lousy place every day. Go outside first! Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill her! How can she die when she hasn¡¯t suffered enough yet?¡±

    *Bang!* Someone else barged in.. ¡°Brother Mao! Shi Gao¡¯s here! She wants to see you!¡±

 Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Two: Rescue

    Chapter 372: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Two: Rescue

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°What¡¯s she doing here? First, it¡¯s Miss Hong, and now there¡¯s Shi Gao. Did you all decide to get together to rebel against me today?¡± the guy called Brother Mao grumbled. ¡°Miss Hong, you can¡¯t torture her anymore. Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to protect you if anything happens! I¡¯ll go and see what¡¯s up with Shi Gao first!¡±

    ¡°Oh no! Brother Mao! Brother Mao! A group of people has barged in!¡±

    Xiang Yang listened as the chaotic voices around her grew further and further away, and she could no longer hold on. During the last moment before she lost consciousness, Xiang Yang inwardly sighed, ¡® There really is retribution in this world!¡¯

    ¡°Xiang Yang!¡± Yun Nan exclaimed and rushed over to hold the bloody Xiang Yang. ¡°Ambulance! Call the ambulance!¡± Yun Nan cried out, her voice filled with extreme fear.

    It was a mess outside, and the sounds of fighting, wailing, and screaming rose and fell. A tall man had Shi Gao¡¯s hands gripped behind her back, and she struggled as she watched Yun Nan and paramedics rush out with a stretcher carrying a badly mutilated person.

    Shi Gao stared at the bloody figure with wide eyes. ¡°She¡¯s really here? Yun Nan, you despicable woman! You used me!¡±

    Yun Nan stopped in her tracks and walked over to Shi Gao. She raised her hand and slapped the woman hard across the face. ¡°Even your life won¡¯t be enough compensation if anything happens to Xiang Yang! What value do you have that¡¯s worthy for me to use?¡±

    With that, Yun Nan turned around and ran after the paramedics. She caught up to them and hopped into the ambulance. The police sirens rang out; the police had arrived. Shi Gao looked at Chen Nian and Chang Yuan before her, her eyes finally showing despair.

    ¡°Did you guys follow me here?¡± Shi Gao asked in a trembling voice. Chang Yuan replied expressionlessly, ¡°Would you like us to thank you?¡±

    Shi Gao¡¯s legs went weak, and her eyes glazed over as she muttered, ¡°Why? Why? Didn¡¯t you hate her? Why didn¡¯t you kill her? Why did you bring her back here instead?¡±

    Lan Long elegantly wiped the purplish red fruit juice on his hands with a wet towel before a huge TV screen. On the screen, Xiang Yang was carried into the ambulance, covered in blood, and Yun Nan turned around and slapped Shi Gao before following Xiang Yang.

    Lan Long chuckled and used the remote control to freeze the image on Yun Nan¡¯s angry and hostile face as she turned around. Someone gently pushed open the door. A middle-aged man walked in and called out softly, ¡°Young Master.¡±

    Lan Long nodded in response and pointed at the screen. ¡°Mr. Lou, is this Yun Nan?¡±

    Mr. Lou glanced at the screen and replied, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Lan Long smiled and said, ¡°Hm, she¡¯s quite pretty. I like her; she¡¯s lively, vivacious, and gorgeous, too.¡±

    Mr. Lou was silent before stating, ¡°I¡¯ve sent people to get Ah Xi and Miss Hong out. As for Shi Gao¡­¡±

    ¡°Get her out too, if it¡¯s convenient, and send her to Plum City. She has a way with managing people, but her temper needs adjusting. I don¡¯t like people who are full of themselves! I heard that someone wants to buy the bar, ¡®A Vision of Eternity?¡± Lan Long inquired.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Lou answered truthfully. ¡°Shi Gao somehow offended the Shi family¡¯s young lady. The Shi family¡¯s young lady threatened to buy ¡®A Vision of Eternity and has already begun working towards it.¡±

    Lan Long sighed softly, ¡°Look at them; they¡¯re all so motivated and hardworking! Whereas our people? They¡¯re busy thinking about fighting each other all day long. All of them are useless! We have to do everything ourselves!

    Hmph! How disappointing.¡±

    Mr. Lou didn¡¯t dare to speak. ¡°I take it that the Shi Corporation¡¯s shareholders are holding firm and have decided not to sell their shares?¡± Lan Long asked unhurriedly.

    ¡°Yes, but our people haven¡¯t given up. They¡¯re still working hard,¡± Mr. Lou said softly.

    ¡°That Yun Nan is truly amazing! She managed to convince and gain the shareholders¡¯ trust with just a few words. Mr. Lou, why are the Shi brothers so lucky? They¡¯re so lucky that I really hate them so much! In my mind, I can¡¯t tolerate the existence of such people because they make me seem especially unfortunate in comparison!¡± Lan Long complained, sounding like a child lamenting his lack of toys.

    ¡°Young Master, even though things aren¡¯t going well for us on the Shi family¡¯s side, we¡¯re making excellent progress on the Xi and Liang families¡¯ sides, especially the Xi family. Shi Gao was the one who helped us out with that,¡± Mr. Lou carefully stated.

    Lan Long knew what Mr. Lou was thinking. ¡°Mr. Lou, you don¡¯t have to protect them. Would they need you to worry about them if they¡¯re truly capable? Those who are incapable will remain useless losers, no matter how much you help them. Hmph! I think that Lin Yu isn¡¯t bad. She¡¯s better than Shi Gao in terms of scheming and resourcefulness. See if we can make her one of our own.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Young Master! Then, about Xiang Yang¡­¡± Mr. Lou finally asked the most important question.

    Lan Long lightly sighed, ¡°Tell me, Mr. Lou, how can a woman become so unrecognizable after marrying someone? She was so arrogant and domineering in the past.. Really, that self-conceited and superior attitude of hers! Any man would fall in love with her! *Sigh* Why did she become so meek after she married Shi Ke? I don¡¯t get it; I really don¡¯t!¡±

 Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Three: Come Across

    Chapter 373: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Three: Come Across

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xiang Yang had a high fever and would tremble from time to time because of the pain. Many of her wounds were inflamed; the water that was poured on the wounds after her whipping was unclean, causing her to have multiple infections. Yun Nan clenched her fists tightly when she thought about the torture Xiang Yang had suffered, while Shi Xiu wiped her tears at the side.

    Yun Nan said to Fang Xi, ¡°Fang Xi, you and Shi Xiu stay here and care for Xiang

    Yang. I have to go and see how Big Brother is doing.¡±

    Fang Xi nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Leave things here to us. Go do what you have to do. ¡±

    In the elevator, Yun Nan leaned against the wall tiredly and gently closed her eyes. ¡®Big Brother Shi IVs second surgery has been completed, and he should be waking up soon. I¡¯ll tell him about Xiang Yang later ifhis condition seems fine.¡¯

    Her thoughts turned to Shi Nian. ¡® There¡¯s suddenly no news from Shi Nian¡¯s side. I don¡¯t know what the progress is over there or whether Shi Nian is safe or not.¡¯ Yun Nan was scared to think about what could¡¯ve happened to Shi Nian that would result in his loss of contact.

    ¡® With Chen Nian and Chang Yuan¡¯s help, we stabilized the situation over at the Shi Corporation and discovered a mysterious mastermind from abroad. This mastermind has already deeply infiltrated the various aristocratic and high-society families and conglomerates. This mysterious adversary has a hand almost everywhere, and we don¡¯t know where to begin dealing with them for now.¡¯

    ¡®On Yun Innovations¡¯ side, Shi Xiu¡¯s documentary has been well received. We have to keep at it; there¡¯s a lot offollow-up work to do. Everythings a chaotic mess,¡¯ Yun Nan inwardly sighed.

    *Ding* The elevator door opened, and Yun Nan subconsciously opened her eyes. She saw a young man walk in with one hand in his pocket who smiled when he noticed Yun Nan looking at him. The man was very good-looking; he wasn¡¯t handsome¡ªas in attractive in a masculine way¡ªbut was rather androgynously attractive, and there was a hint of ingratiation in his smile.

    Yun Nan nodded politely and averted her gaze. When the elevator stopped once more, she¡¯d reached the floor Shi Ke was on and walked out, paying no mind to the pair of eyes glued to her from behind.

    Shi Ke had already woken up. The doctors and nurses had just come and done various examinations on him. He was taking out the special equipment to contact his men when he saw Yun Nan, so he nodded and signaled her to help him keep watch.

    Yun Nan understood and turned around to go outside and check their surroundings. She saw that the man who¡¯d taken the elevator with her was also on this floor and was standing at the door of a ward talking to a nurse.

    Their eyes met across the distance, and the man¡¯s lips curled into a smile. Yun Nan looked away and softly asked the nurse at the nurse¡¯s station to help her get the medication list. A moment later, the man came over and politely said to the nurse, ¡°Miss, did my grandfather lose his temper again? I¡¯m really sorry about that.¡±

    As he spoke, two tall men in suits walked over with four large fruit baskets and, under the young nurses¡¯ and Yun Nan¡¯s gazes, placed the fruit baskets at the nurse¡¯s station. They then bobbed their heads at the young man, stood straight, and greeted him, ¡°Young Master!¡±

    The young man told the nurses, ¡°These are a small token of my appreciation. My grandfather is cranky in his old age; please bear with him. I really appreciate it.¡±

    Amidst the nurses¡¯ thanks, the man returned to the ward with two tall men¡ª his bodyguards, apparently. When the nurse at the side saw that Yun Nan was also staring at the man¡¯s back, she kindly introduced him. ¡°That Mr. Lan Long¡¯s grandfather came in yesterday with a heart attack. We nearly lost him.¡±

    Yun Nan was stunned. ¡°He threw a tantrum just after having surgery?¡±

    The nurse chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s a lady by the old man¡¯s side. I¡¯m told that she understands the old man¡¯s feelings the best, and her words represent the old man¡¯s intentions. The old man enjoys seeing her scold and lambast the people around them into silence. Young Master Lan, however, has a good temper and is gentle and considerate toward everyone.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t care about that new patient and his family but found the young nurse¡¯s lovestruck behavior funny¡ªshe could nearly see hearts in the nurse¡¯s eyes when she talked about that Mr. Lan. The nurses happily split the fruits in the fruit baskets and even gave Yun Nan a guava.

    Yun Nan¡¯s phone vibrated; it was a call from Chen Nian. She picked up the call while she walked, tossing and catching the guava in one hand. Lan Long ran into her as he walked out of the ward and smiled like a child being praised when his gaze fell on the guava in her hand. Yun Nan then remembered that the fruit was bought by him, and she¡¯d actually become a beneficiary for nothing, so she smiled back at him.

    Meanwhile, Chen Nian said through the phone by her ear, ¡°Someone paid a large sum of money to bail out a few people at the police station, including Shi Gao.¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s smile instantly disappeared. ¡°Keep a close eye on those who got bailed out, and investigate the police and lawyers who were involved in the bail process! We can¡¯t let go of any one of them! Also, there¡¯s definitely something wrong with ¡®A Vision ofEternity.¡¯ Go and discuss the bar¡¯s acquisition in Shi Xiu¡¯s name and inform Shi Xiu about the important aspects. She¡¯ll have to learn these sooner or later.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Chen Nian replied..

 Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Four: Telling It As It Is

    Chapter 374: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Four: Telling It As It Is

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    When Yun Nan returned to the ward, Shi Ke had finished his meeting. He was deep in thought with his eyes shut, turning his phone over repeatedly in his hand.

    ¡°Did it not go well?¡± Yun Nan asked softly.

    Shi Ke opened his eyes at that and gave her a faint smile. ¡°No, it went smoothly. Shi Nian will be back soon.¡±

    Yun Nan was delighted. ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡± Her worried heart was finally at

    Shi Ke looked at Yun Nan and hesitated before saying, ¡°Yun Nan, it¡¯s all thanks to someone that Shi Nian was able to bluff his way through this time.¡± ¡°Oh? Then we must thank them properly,¡± Yun Nan replied with a smile.

    Shi Guang inwardly sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s Yun Liu.¡±

    Yun Nan was stunned.

    Yun Liu smiled sweetly as she held Shi Nian¡¯s arm. ¡°Shi Ke, thank you for sending me home!¡±

    Shi Nian calmly freed his arm and indifferently stated, ¡°Get in the car.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s face was filled with disappointment, which Shi Nian, already taking large strides forward, ignored. Dragon followed him and whispered to Yun Liu, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that Boss hates physical contact with people the most? Especially when you suddenly run over and touch him like that. He¡¯s already being pretty nice to you by not throwing you over his shoulder!¡±

    Yun Liu was shocked. ¡°Really?¡±

    Dragon gave her a ¡®trust me¡¯ expression, so Yun Liu let the small incident go and smiled at Dragon. ¡°Thank you!¡± she said before chasing after Shi Nian. Dragon was a little dazzled by her smile and momentarily froze before Gray Wolf caught up and kicked him, scolding, ¡°What are you standing around here for? Move!¡±

    Dragon sighed as he looked at Yun Liu¡¯s retreating back. Grey Wolf warned him, ¡°Stay focused on the job, and don¡¯t get distracted! Didn¡¯t you see Boss¡¯s attitude? He would¡¯ve already introduced her to us if she¡¯s a good girl and there¡¯s nothing wrong with her, but you¡¯ve seen it for yourself; do you think he has any intention of that? It¡¯s not just her; I think the other girls and the people who brought them to the gathering are all questionable!¡±

    Dragon didn¡¯t say anything. He knew that, but he felt that it was a pity.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t take the same car as Yun Liu to the airport, but they sat together on the plane, to Yun Liu¡¯s satisfaction. Right now, they¡¯d already changed back into casual clothes.

    ¡°Are you now Shi Ke or Shi Nian?¡± Yun Liu asked carefully in a quiet voice.

    After a moment of silence, Shi Nian answered, ¡°Shi Nian.¡±

    Yun Liu smiled from ear to ear and replied happily, ¡°Alright.¡±

    When the plane took off, Yun Liu uttered softly, ¡°Shi Nian, do you know? I¡¯ve always dreamed of sitting side by side with you like this one day since I was five. This dream had lasted more than twenty years and has finally become a reality today.¡±

    Shi Nian closed his eyes to rest, ignoring her as if he¡¯d also closed off his ears. Yun Liu tilted her head slightly to look at him and said emotionally, ¡°Shi Nian, I know I wasn¡¯t born lucky enough to be with you! I¡¯m no match for my younger sister in anything, but my feelings for you aren¡¯t any less than hers. I¡¯m not asking for anything except for you not to hate me, okay?¡±

    Yun Liu looked like she was about to cry as she finished. Shi Nian¡¯s eyes remained closed as he finally spoke slowly: ¡°Yun Liu, you¡¯ve indeed been a big help to us this time, but that is an entirely separate matter from my personal life. Let me tell you, if you didn¡¯t help me this time and revealed my true identity instead, you would be in an interrogation room now and in prison after that. And I can guarantee that no one will know which prison you¡¯ll be in because what you leaked is a military secret.¡±

    His words rang in Yun Liu¡¯s ears, and she subconsciously shrank back. Shi Nian continued, ¡°Therefore, we are grateful to you, but you should also thank yourself for making the right choice. You should clearly realize which path is the right one to take from this incident. Some things are too late to take back if you take the wrong step! If we find the identity of Miss Hong¡ªthat woman who brought you girls to the gathering¡ªis questionable during our subsequent investigations, then your presence there will be a very serious problem!¡±

    Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but panic at that. Shi Nian added, ¡°Of course, no matter what you guys¡¯ motives are, the choice you make for yourself can save your life!¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s heart, which had jumped into her throat due to Shi Nian¡¯s words, suddenly fell back down to her chest, the abrupt change giving her a whiplash.

    She understood what Shi Nian meant: They already knew there was something wrong with those girls who came to the social gathering¡ªthey just hadn¡¯t finished their investigations. However, Yun Liu¡¯s problem could be offset since she¡¯d covered for Shi Nian this time. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t be considered meritorious! She¡¯d only saved herself!

    Shi Nian opened his eyes and glanced at the clouds outside the window before detachedly stating, ¡°My grandfather and the Yun family¡¯s grandfather have arranged a marriage engagement between Yun Nan and I since we were kids. This matter has nothing to do with you because you are not Yun Nan..¡±

 Chapter 375 - Chapter 375: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Five: Media Reporters

    Chapter 375: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Five: Media Reporters

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°But Yun Nan and I got married because we fell in love; it has little to do with our marriage engagement. We truly love each other. Yun Nan is the best woman I¡¯ve ever met, and I will love only her for the rest of my life,¡± Shi Nian uttered. ¡°I have a lot of things to do. and the space in mv heart is very small.

    and completely occupied. It¡¯s impossible for my heart to accommodate anyone else, so don¡¯t waste your time on me!¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t have a chance, because I¡¯m not giving you any. And while I¡¯m at it, let me warn you: don¡¯t even think of using any improper means to sow discord between me and Yun Nan. I don¡¯t care what you do¡ªyou can even hurt me¡ªbut you can¡¯t hurt Yun Nan!¡± Shi Nian stated without even looking at Yun Liu.

    Yun Liu¡¯s tears finally fell. Shi Nian shut his eyes once more. ¡°No matter what, you¡¯ve done us a favor. I¡¯ll let Yun Nan know, and both she and the Shi family will find a suitable opportunity to return the favor.¡±

    With that, Shi Nian put on his blindfold and didn¡¯t say another word. He didn¡¯t change seats with the other team members, no matter how awkward he felt, because he knew that those who didn¡¯t know the inside story would probably be unable to resist Yun Liu¡¯s wiles. Even just one person saying anything wrong might result in unpredictable consequences. Shi Nian absolutely couldn¡¯t let his brother¡¯s team be ¡®contaminated.¡¯

    However, he took the matter too lightly, and he also underestimated Yun Liu. A gentle and charming smile appeared on Yun Liu¡¯s face once more when the plane landed, her previous sorrow gone as if it were never there. She followed closely behind Shi Nian, who was wearing sunglasses and had a cold expression, while White Tiger, Dragon, and Gray Wolf spread out in a fan in their usual team formation to protect them.

    A group of people swarmed over as soon as they stepped out of the gate. Yun Liu immediately threw herself into Shi Nian¡¯s arms like she was frightened, her face filled with fear. Shi Nian was also shocked by the sudden appearance of a crowd, and when Yun Liu pounced over, he subconsciously hurled her off.

    It was a textbook over-the-shoulder throw. White Tiger and Dragon quickly helped the disheveled Yun Liu up, and Gray Wolf stood before Shi Nian, shielding him from the others, and asked him in a low voice, ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Shi Nian¡¯s expression turned cold as he forcefully slowed his rapid heartbeat and answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Dragon concernedly asked Yun Liu, ¡°Are you alright? Is everything okay?¡±

    Yun Liu was as white as a sheet, but the media reporters were shoving their microphones at her before she could even shed a tear, shooting out questions at rapidfire speed. ¡°Miss Yun, why were you out traveling with Mr. Shi?¡± ¡°Is Mr. Shi cheating on his wife and faking being hospitalized?¡±

    ¡°Then is Yun Nan taking over the Shi Corporation to cover up the fact of the upheavals in her marriage?¡±

    ¡°Did the Shi Corporation¡¯s shareholders know about the upheaval in your marriage, Mr. Shi? Is that why they sold their shares, causing the corporation¡¯s stock price to plummet?¡±

    ¡°Miss Yun, rumors are that you and Mr. Shi were childhood sweethearts. Have you two finally gotten together despite all odds?¡±

    ¡°Yun Nan and Mr. Shi have only been married for a very short period of time.

    Miss Yun, is it possible that Yun Nan was actually the interloper in your and Mr. Shi¡¯s relationship?¡±

    Yun Liu cried but didn¡¯t speak. White Tiger and Dragon looked at each other. The way things were going was completely beyond their expectations. They had no experience dealing with media reporters, and even though they could tell that these questions were all malicious, they didn¡¯t know how to answer them.

    They looked to Gray Wolf for help. Gray Wolf¡¯s face looked as cold as if it were sculpted out of ice. Shi Nian¡¯s hand slowly rested on Gray Wolf¡¯s shoulder as he walked out from behind him. His eyes swept across the crowd like a hawk¡¯s. His gaze was intense, even through the sunglasses, and everyone couldn¡¯t help but take a step back as he stepped forward.

    ¡°You guys got the wrong person,¡± Shi Nian uttered coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not Shi Nian. I¡¯m his brother! You guys are smearing my brother so indiscriminately while he¡¯s still lying on the hospital bed, so I guess I can sue you all for slander, right?¡± ¡® What?!¡¯ the media reporters thought and stared at each other.

    Shi Nian turned his head to glance at Yun Liu and said impassively, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t expect to cause you to be involved in a scandal. If you want to sue any of them, we can all be your witnesses.¡±

    White Tiger snapped back to his senses and coolly flashed his military ID while stating, ¡°You guys dare to spread rumors about us? Shouldn¡¯t you go back and consult your supervisors first?¡±

    The crowd retreated in unison, making way for Shi Nian¡¯s group. Shi Nian grimly walked through the crowd and strode out. One of the media reporters cried out, ¡°Miss Yun, what should we do?¡±

    Yun Liu turned around and viciously glared at him before quickly following after Shi Nian. ¡°Shi Nian, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡ªI didn¡¯t expect this to happen. It¡¯s all my fault. There¡¯s no helping it; things like this are inevitable when you¡¯re in the entertainment industry,¡± Yun Liu explained pitifully.

    White Tiger couldn¡¯t bear seeing her like that and hurriedly reassured her, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a small matter.¡±

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°Our itinerary was decided ad hoc,¡± he said detachedly.. ¡°They couldn¡¯t have been waiting for you here every day, could they?¡±

 Chapter 376 - Chapter 376: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Six: Attack Plan

    Chapter 376: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Six: Attack Plan

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    White Tiger was stunned before he quickly realized what was going on and stared at Yun Liu in surprise, whereas Dragon and Gray Wolf looked indifferent as they already had suspicions about her.

    Yun Liu appeared extremely aggrieved as tears streamed down her face. ¡°You suspect I have something to do with this, Shi Nian? I¡ªI really don¡¯t know what that was all about. I¡¯ve been with you guys the whole time. I¡ªI never had anything else in mind, and I can¡¯t possibly have the capability to call so many reporters over. Shi Nian, please believe me! I really don¡¯t know what that was all about! *sobs*¡±

    Yun Liu wept delicately, and White Tiger couldn¡¯t bear it and softly consoled her. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t cry. We¡¯re not blaming you. Isn¡¯t that right, Shi Nian?¡±

    Shi Nian impassively uttered, ¡°The Shi family¡¯s chauffeur will come to pick you up and send you home. We¡¯ll visit the Gu family¡¯s residence to thank you in person another day.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s eyes instantly widened when she heard this, and she looked at Shi Nian in disbelief. Shi Nian turned away from her. Yun Liu gently wiped her tears and said piteously, ¡°Thank you, Shi Nian. Then¡ªthen I¡¯ll go home and inform my parents. They¡¯ve wanted to pay you a visit for a while now. It¡¯s just that our status in the Gu family isn¡¯t all that high, so we didn¡¯t dare to extend an invitation.¡±

    ¡°If I manage to invite you and your family over, my parents will definitely be impressed with me, and my life at home will be better afterward. However, you don¡¯t have to take the matter of me helping you to heart, Shi Nian. I¡¯m glad that I could be of help.¡±

    Seeing this, White Tiger couldn¡¯t help but feel compassion for her, and he looked at Shi Nian. Shi Nian nodded lightly and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Yun Nan will take care of this matter.¡±

    Hearing that, Yun Liu paled.

    Yun Nan¡¯s palms were wet with sweat. When the last scene flashed and froze on the screen, Yun Nan couldn¡¯t even feel herself breathing. Chen Nian and Chang Yuan finally heaved a deep sigh of relief, and Chen Nian whispered, ¡°It¡¯s done!¡±

    Only then did Yun Nan feel her heart beat again. ¡°That was close! Too close! It¡¯s all thanks to Ye Kun and Liang Han that we got through it this time, and Xi

    Cheng, ot course,¡± Chang Yuan stated.

    Yun Nan shut the folder before her and sighed, ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re in the clear for now. ¡±

    ¡°Now that the tide has gone out, we can clearly see who has been swimming naked. This incident exposed all the problems in the Shi Corporation, so it¡¯s not a bad thing for the Shi family,¡± Chen Nian remarked.

    Chang Yuan still shuddered when he thought back to it. ¡°Yeah! No wonder Uncle Shi said that we¡¯ve been living in comfort for too long and are bound to suffer losses sooner or later if we don¡¯t prepare ourselves for potential danger. Those hidden risks and problems wouldn¡¯t have been exposed if it weren¡¯t for this sudden ordeal. We wouldn¡¯t be able to end those problems so easily if they were given time to snowball and gain momentum. I don¡¯t know if I should thank these people or hate them.¡±

    Yun Nan pondered deeply before replying, ¡°From the looks of it, their sudden attack this time was clearly unprepared. Something must¡¯ve happened that caused them to change their attack plan at the last minute and launch a rash attack. Therefore, we¡¯d indeed just won by chance.¡±

    She continued, ¡°I have the feeling that their target is Big Brother and Xiang Yang. We¡¯d obviously disrupted their plans when we faked Shi Nian¡¯s car accident. They saw a chance to take down Shi Corporation with Shi Nian out of the picture, got greedy, and rashly launched an attack on us even though they weren¡¯t fully prepared to face us, giving themselves away in the process. We may have won the battle, but not the war. They¡¯ve only cut their losses and pulled back for now, but they definitely won¡¯t give up. We have to be on guard.¡±

    Chen Nian and Chang Yuan both nodded in agreement. Chen Nian smiled at Chang Yuan and said, ¡°Your two old masters Shi are quite composed! They didn¡¯t step in during such a big matter. I doubt anyone else would be so unperturbed in their shoes.¡±

    Chang Yuan¡¯s admiration for the two Shi family elders was blatant as he stated, ¡°Although Uncle Shi has retired from the corporation, he warned us early on, and when the incident just began, he told us not to panic and to treat this as a rare training opportunity. He said that the Shi family and corporation¡¯s futures are bound to be handed over to us younger generation, and we have to face the storms ourselves. A temporary loss is nothing; it¡¯s a win as long as we keep our foundation stable.¡±

    Chen Nian mused over those words and nodded in agreement. ¡°Chen Nian, do you feel like you¡¯ve learned a lot and benefited greatly from that?¡± Yun Nan asked with a smile.

    ¡°Of course! Although I¡¯ve been through a lot and learned many things with Old Master Gu, the things I¡¯ve seen in this incident¡ªespecially the courage and magnanimity of the two old masters Shi¡ªare enough for me to learn for the rest of my life,¡± Chen Nian replied sincerely.

    ¡°Then, if that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t need to thank you for racking your brain together with me and Chang Yuan for so many days. Just think of it as a tuition fee,¡± Yun Nan joked.

    Chen Nian and Chang Yuan were stunned by that before laughing out loud.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ve gotten the better end of the deal!¡± Chen Nian said. ¡°You guys have to bring me along if you have any good learning opportunities in the future.¡±

    The three of them had an unspoken understanding. Chen Nian was Gu Bei¡¯s most trusted¡ªlike a son and a disciple to the man¡ªwhereas Yun Nan was Gu Bei¡¯s specified heir, and Gu Bei also admired Shi Nian a lot.. Chang Yuan was Shi Nian¡¯s unrelated brother, so the trio were destined to work together in the future!

 Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Seven: Yearning

    Chapter 377: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Seven: Yearning

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Before they parted, Chang Yuan asked Yun Nan a little worriedly, ¡°What do you plan to do about Yun Liu?¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s smile faded slightly. ¡°Let the public opinion build for now; that¡¯s what Yun Liu¡¯s best at. We can discern her intentions from the direction she leads the public opinion and then act.¡±

    Chen Nian frowned. ¡°Should we use the Gu family to give her some pressure? We¡¯ve got so many things to do; it¡¯s quite tiring if we still have to take time out to play mind games with this type of brainless idiot!¡±

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s see what tricks she¡¯s up to first. I heard that she was previously close to Lin Yu and Shi Gao. Using her to draw out more on those two isn¡¯t a bad idea.¡±

    Chen Nian was still worried. ¡°Be careful. There¡¯s no need to handle this matter on your own. Old Master Shi doesn¡¯t like the Gu family¡¯s behavior nowadays and is looking for a chance to get angry with them; don¡¯t waste this opportunity.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled and nodded.

    Yun Nan went to check up on Xiang Yang first, only to see that Shi Ke was sitting by Xiang Yang¡¯s bedside, holding her hand to his lips and giving it a lingering kiss. Noticing Yun Nan¡¯s arrival, Shi Ke looked up at her and nodded lightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shi Ke. I kept Xiang Yang¡¯s kidnapping from you because I was afraid it would affect your injury. I was going to wait for Xiang Yang to recover before telling you everything,¡± Yun Nan said softly.

    ¡°I understand. Thank you!¡± Shi Ke replied calmly.

    Yun Nan looked at the bruises on Xiang Yang¡¯s face that hadn¡¯t faded yet. Xiang Yangs injuries were quite serious, but they were all external, so she was quickly out of danger. However, she¡¯d slept quietly this whole time and showed no signs of waking up.

    Xiang Yang¡¯s situation was somewhat similar to Fang Xi¡¯s. Fang Xi said she was trapped in a pitch-dark dream back then. She¡¯d kept walking, and when she got exhausted, she¡¯d wanted to give up and rest on the spot. It was Ye Kun¡¯s incessant calling for her that made her decide to continue walking; she was afraid that silly man would die of exhaustion if she didn¡¯t get out of the dream.

    Xiang Yang and Fang Xi both had pasts that they were unwilling to face, and they both had people they cared about. The only thing that could help them get over their past was love.

    When Yun Nan returned to ¡®Shi Nian¡¯s¡¯ ward, Shi Nian was indeed already there, growing impatient as he waited for her. He pulled Yun Nan into his arms, hugged her tightly, and complained softly into her ear, ¡°What took you so long? Don¡¯t you miss me at all?¡±

    Yun Nan reached out and hugged him back around the waist. She rubbed her face against his chest as she teased, ¡°I¡¯m dead tired. I don¡¯t have the spare energy to miss you! What are you going to do about it?¡±

    Shi Nian roughly held her chin and kissed her forcefully. They¡¯d been separated for more than three long months. For too long, they¡¯d had to split up, rack their brains, and tread carefully, their nerves extremely tense. As Yun Nan said, they really didn¡¯t have the energy to miss each other because they didn¡¯t dare to.

    While Yun Nan was on her toes protecting the Shi family and the corporation, Shi Nian had also been in a strained situation; he felt like he was walking on a minefield every day. Undercurrents were surging at every moment in the seemingly calm troops. Even with his brother¡¯s superiors and subordinates¡¯ careful arrangements, he was ultimately a fake. Once things failed, all the consequences would be borne by his brother alone because they couldn¡¯t involve any more people in this.

    Shi Nian had no way out. He had to succeed, as failure wasn¡¯t an option.

    Therefore, seeing Yun Nan again, he felt like a man reborn. As for what Yun Nan had experienced, just listening to Chang Yuan¡¯s narrative was heart-pounding enough for Shi Nian.

    The kiss was deep and lingering, their endless longing flowing through their lips and tongues. When the kiss ended, Yun Nan leaned into Shi Nian¡¯s arms and told him about Xiang Yang first, her tone filled with worry.

    Shi Nian patted her back gently. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine since Big Brother¡¯s back. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Yun Nan then told Shi Nian about the Gu, Ye, Xi, and Shi families¡¯ situation during the time he was away, though she knew that Chang Yuan must¡¯ve already reported it to him.

    Yun Nan remarked, ¡°I think that even though Madam Xi is unable to speak, she Imows very well what¡¯s going on. The way she looked at me was very different from how she looked at Lin Yu. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Madam Xi hates me, but I feel that she was asking me for help. Instead, she was glaring at Lin Yu fiercely. I don¡¯t think that was my imagination.¡±

    Shi Nian was silent as he ran his fingers through Yun Nan¡¯s hair, thinking, ¡®The phrase that was our parents¡¯ and elders¡¯ primary concern was ¡°pick a virtuous

    wife. ¡°¡®

    Lin Yu was the virtuous wife the Xi family had handpicked for Xi Cheng; because of that, Xi Cheng had always been the ¡®benchmark¡¯ that the buddies¡¯ mothers used to repudiate the other three boys, but it was evident to the guys that Xi Cheng was miserable and unhappy.

    However, when it comes to relationships, only the ones involved have the right to an opinion. No matter how close the boys¡¯ friendships were, even if they¡¯d been friends who were as thick as thieves since childhood, they had nothing to say about Xi Cheng¡¯s choice.

    Shi Nian never expected Lin Yu to be someone like that..

 Chapter 378 - Chapter 378: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Eight: Struggles

    Chapter 378: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Eight: Struggles

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Xi Cheng, I¡¯m telling the truth! Lin Yu really isn¡¯t as gentle or virtuous as you think! You¡¯re too naive; that¡¯s why you got deceived by her!¡± Gu Man twisted her sinuous body and clung to Xi Cheng¡¯s neck as she spoke saccharinely.

    Xi Cheng, who had just had some ¡®vigorous bedroom activity,¡¯ felt so extremely comfortable that he didn¡¯t stop Gu Man like he usually did when she badmouthed Lin Yu again. He¡¯d gotten used to it, in fact, and just detachedly said, ¡°Stop badmouthing her. You know I don¡¯t like hearing it.¡±

    Gu Man pouted. ¡°You men! You¡¯re never convinced until you¡¯re faced with the grim reality! You¡¯ll only know who truly has your best interests at heart when you¡¯ve suffered a great loss from her! Hmph!¡±

    ¡°I know. You¡¯re the most sincere to me!¡± Xi Cheng drawled as he traced his fingers across Gu Man¡¯s smooth back.

    Gu Man didn¡¯t appreciate his perfunctory reply. ¡°You¡¯re just saying that, but in your heart, you still treat that young madam of yours as the head of the family. Just you wait! You¡¯ll regret it one day, sooner or later!¡±

    Gu Man bit Xi Cheng¡¯s chest lightly after she finished. Xi Cheng smiled, pressed Gu Man close by the back of her head, and kissed her hard.

    He didn¡¯t sense anything bad about Lin Yu, but he was slowly getting to know the good about Gu Man. The past between him and Fang Xi had become a wound in his heart that was difficult to think back on. However, Gu Man was gradually filling that hole. Moreover, the present him had a different state of mind than before; he didn¡¯t need to treasure Gu Man and treat her with great care¡ªshe wasn¡¯t as fragile as Fang Xi. He can completely release himself with Gu Man; this relaxed feeling is one that Lin Yu couldn¡¯t give him.

    It was already late at night when Xi Cheng arrived at the hospital. He gently pushed open the door to his mother¡¯s ward. The machine beside his mother constantly emitted a faint light and a monotonous ticking sound. Xi Cheng looked around the room and realized Lin Yu wasn¡¯t there. He then inexplicably relaxed and no longer took silent steps as he walked straight to his mother¡¯s bed.

    The readings on the machine flickered and jumped, indicating that the patient¡¯s condition hadn¡¯t changed at all¡ªthere was no improvement or deterioration. Xi Cheng was already numb to it, so he didn¡¯t spend more time accompanying his mother at the hospital. Lin Yu treated the hospital as her home, anyway; she was much more dutiful to his mother than he was. It was also why he didn¡¯t allow Gu Man to speak ill of Lin Yu.

    Lin Yu had truly done her best to treat his mother well, so she at least deserved some credit for her efforts. It had nothing to do with whether she was a wife that he was satisfied with or not.

    Xi Cheng thought, ¡®It has been some time since Mom woke up, but there¡¯s no improvement in her condition. When will she get better? Xi Cheng himself was starting to lose faith in that.

    Suddenly, something tightly gripped his hand on the edge of the bed. Xi Cheng jumped in fright, and every single hair on his body stood on end. He looked down and saw that it was actually his mother¡¯s hand that was holding his. When he looked up again, he noticed that his mother had opened her eyes and was gazing at him with teary eyes.

    Xi Cheng jumped to his feet and looked at Han Yuan in surprise. ¡°Mom? Mom, do you have something to say to me?¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s tears streamed down her face, and she tried her best to open her mouth. The voice her throat emitted sounded like sandpaper scraping over gravel. ¡°S-son¡­¡¯

    Xi Cheng held his mother¡¯s hand. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m here! Mom, I¡¯m right here. What is it that you¡¯re trying to say, Mom?¡±

    ¡°Lie¡ªah, lie¡­ son, lie¡ªI¡® Han Yuan did her utmost to open her mouth and spit out a few relatively clear characters amidst the hissing sounds she couldn¡¯t stop making.

    ¡°Mom, someone lied to you? You think that someone lied to you?¡± Xi Cheng guessed. Han Yuan nodded with all her might¡ªso much so that the veins on her forehead bulged¡ªbut couldn¡¯t express anything coherently.

    ¡°Mom?¡± came Lin Yu¡¯s panicked voice from the doorway.

    Xi Cheng turned around and saw Lin Yu. He hurriedly said, ¡°Lin Yu, come quickly. Come help me guess what Mom is trying to say.¡±

    Lin Yu rushed over and grabbed Han Yuan¡¯s hand, her voice trembling as she asked, ¡°Mom, what are you trying to say? What do you want to tell Xi Cheng?¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s eyes were dry of tears as she glared at Lin Yu. She glanced at her son, who appeared anxious but didn¡¯t come forward and only pushed his wife before her. Han Yuan slowly closed her mouth and pursed it tightly, unwilling to say another word.

    Lin Yu¡¯s palms were wet with sweat. ¡°What did you say?¡± She looked up and scanned Xi Cheng¡¯s face, not missing a simple expression as she asked carefully, ¡®What did Mom say just now?

    Completely oblivious, Xi Cheng shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. She just called me ¡®son¡¯. I couldn¡¯t make out the rest.¡± He looked at Han Yuan. ¡°Mom, what were you trying to say? Could you repeat it? Lin Yu knows you the best.. She¡¯ll definitely understand it, even if you can¡¯t say it!¡±

 Chapter 379 - Chapter 379: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Nine: Scheme

    Chapter 379: Chapter Three-Hundred and Seventy-Nine: Scheme

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The light in Han Yuan¡¯s eyes faded bit by bit as she looked at her son. She slowly closed her eyes. Seeing this, Lin Yu finally loosened the fingers tightly gripping Han Yuan¡¯s arm and secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

    Xi Cheng was confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Mom? She seemed very anxious just now, as if she was in a hurry to say something, so why did she close her eyes and not say anything now?¡±

    Lin Yu carefully tucked the blanket in and replied softly, ¡°Maybe Mom had a nightmare. She started having mood swings these past few days. The doctor says it¡¯s a good sign; she might miraculously regain her senses one day!¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s eyes seemed to sparkle as she spoke, and Xi Cheng couldn¡¯t help but be touched as he listened. He gently held Han Yuan¡¯s hand and tenderly uttered, ¡°Mom, you must do your best! You must wake up!¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s breathing was steady, and the episode from before appeared to really be because she¡¯d just had a nightmare in her unconscious state. Seeing that, Xi Cheng calmed down and sat down for a chat with Lin Yu. ¡°Where did you go just now?¡±

    Lin Yu soaked a towel in hot water and wrung it out before leaning over and using it to wipe Han Yuan¡¯s face. ¡°My aunt came to ask me for money,¡± she casually answered. ¡°I walked her to the main entrance and chatted with her for a while.¡±

    Xi Cheng understood and quickly asked, ¡°Why is she asking you for money again?¡±

    Lin Yu rolled her eyes at him as she continued with what she was doing. ¡°It¡¯s because of Lin Zhu! My aunt thinks Lin Zhu got arrested because of me, so I owe her and the Lin family. I was no help to the Lin family, and instead, I

    caused Lin Zhu to bear the blame for me.¡± Lin Yu sighed lightly and didn¡¯t continue, just concentrating on the job at hand.

    Xi Cheng¡¯s mood darkened. Lin Zhu had run Fang Xi over and got charged with intentional homicide. Lin Yu had run around, trying to resolve Lin Zhu¡¯s matter, but Ye Kun was adamant and wouldn¡¯t budge, so Lin Zhu was sentenced in the end.

    ¡°Lin Yu, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault,¡± Xi Cheng said apologetically. He only had Fang Xi on his mind back then and ignored Lin Yu¡¯s situation. ¡®I should¡¯ve known,¡¯ he thought. ¡®How could a leech like the Lin family let Lin Yu off? Shed truly suffered too much alone.¡¯

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t stop what she was doing. After all, she¡¯d heard too many apologies. Such things were superficial and had no real meaning. Xi Cheng thought of a solution. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll get the lawyers to go out tomorrow and see if they can get Lin Zhu out earlier.¡±

    Lin Yu straightened up and glanced at him before lightly saying, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Ye Kun will be mad if you get Lin Zhu out. You guys¡¯ relationship finally eased up slightly in the Shi Corporation¡¯s incident this time. Don¡¯t stir up trouble again. The Lin family won¡¯t let me off, even if you get Lin Zhu out. It is how it is; that¡¯s life. I¡¯ve accepted it.¡±

    Her tears quietly fell and splashed on the back of her hand. Xi Cheng¡¯s heart ached. He took Lin Yu¡¯s hand and pulled her into his arms. ¡°Lin Yu, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault. I didn¡¯t care enough for you.¡±

    He placed his chin on Lin Yu¡¯s head and stated, ¡°Lin Yu, thank you! Honestly, I¡¯ve gotten used to having you by my side¡ªgotten used to enjoying the sense of security you give me. I never worry about things at home with you by my side because you always help me handle everything. You¡¯re my strongest support, Lin Yu. I¡¯ll definitely treat you well.¡±

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t say anything. She slowly reached out and wrapped her arms around Xi Cheng¡¯s waist. After a long while, she sobbed, ¡°Xi Cheng, let¡¯s have a child. Will you give me a child?¡±

    Xi Cheng paused and then lifted Lin Yu¡¯s chin and kissed her. Small suppressed moans fell from Lin Yu¡¯s lips before she hurriedly said, ¡°Not¡ªnot here!

    Mom¡¯s¡ª-¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go outside, ¡± he whispered, cutting her off. Xi Cheng quickly carried her and left his mother¡¯s patient room.

    The soundproofing of the hospital suite wasn¡¯t good, and the amorous sounds next door traveled to Han Yuan¡¯s room. In the darkness, Han Yuan¡¯s eyes were wide open, and she gripped her covers tightly, dearly wishing that it was Lin Yu¡¯s slender neck. She wanted to strangle that woman to death with her own hands.

    Han Yuan hated herself for being so blind, and her son was even more blind for allowing that scourge to take root in their home. ¡® The heavens are cruel to destroy the Xi family with such a despicable method! she inwardly wailed.

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t stay for the night. It wasn¡¯t until mid-morning that Lin Yu slowly got up. She sat on the chair by the bed as she tidied her clothes.. Her calm voice carried a hint of seductive languor as she uttered, ¡°Did you enjoy listening to us the entire night?¡±

 Chapter 380 - Chapter 380: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty: Mad

    Chapter 380: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty: Mad

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Han Yuan¡¯s breathing was steady as if she were sleeping soundly. Lin Yu¡¯s lips curled up slightly as she said, ¡°I know you¡¯re awake, but no matter. You can close your eyes, but you can¡¯t close your ears! Your son worked hard at sowing his seed yesterday, so I won¡¯t be surprised if I get pregnant with the Xi family¡¯s child. Are you totally disgusted?¡±

    She continued, ¡°Hehehe, but I¡¯m happy. I have a ¡®Get Out of Jail Free¡¯ card as long as I get pregnant with the Xi family¡¯s child. You can¡¯t do anything, even if you¡¯re awake and can speak! You wouldn¡¯t want to kill the Xi family¡¯s child, right?¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s eyes and lips trembled slightly. Lin Yu noticed but didn¡¯t care at all. She laughed gloatingly until tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped her tears, ceased her laughter, and remarked, ¡°You hate me to the bone, don¡¯t you? But it doesn¡¯t matter; I don¡¯t care. I hate you guys, too! You heard Xi Cheng¡¯s sweet talk yesterday, didn¡¯t you? Do you think your son is a lovestruck fool? Hehe, well, he¡¯s not! Do you know who he was fooling around with before he came here? It¡¯s that Gu Man who you chased out!¡±

    Lin Yu took a deep breath and straightened up. Her tone was cold as she uttered, ¡°I accepted the fact that he¡¯s infatuated with Fang Xi, but I didn¡¯t expect he would even take a fancy to a b*tch like Gu Man. He really will sleep with anyone! Can you believe it? That¡¯s the man I¡¯ve decided to rely on for life since I was a kid. You must think you¡¯re blind to pick me as a daughter-in-law, right? But so am I! I¡¯m also blind for choosing a man like that as a husband! My life was so easily ruined by him!¡±

    Lin Yu covered her mouth and sobbed softly. ¡°The Xi family owes me! Xi Cheng owes me, and you owe me! You all owe me! So, you guys have to compensate me! Compensate me with your entire Xi family!¡±

    She reached out and placed her hand on her belly. ¡°I don¡¯t like children,¡± she murmured. ¡°But if this child can save my life, I¡¯ll keep them. After all, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s gaze fell back to Han Yuan. She reached out to pat Han Yuan¡¯s slightly swollen face and said, ¡°I¡¯m warning you one last time. Don¡¯t think about tattling or badmouthing me. No one will believe you! I naturally won¡¯t mistreat you if you¡¯re willing to play along with my ¡®filial daughter-in-law¡¯ act and lie here and wait for death. However, if you stubbornly insist on telling things to your son or others, then¡­ Well, you¡¯ve been sick for so long, it wouldn¡¯t be a big surprise if you suddenly died! ¡±

    Lin Yu slowly got up and smiled at Han Yuan. ¡°I¡¯m going to go get some rest. I have to take care of the little seed in my belly!¡±

    Shi Nian looked at the report in his hands and frowned. ¡°Xi Cheng had no idea about this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he knows,¡± Ye Kun replied impassively. ¡°With his temperament, he wouldn¡¯t go so far as to attack the Shi family, even if he might attack the Ye family.¡±

    Shi Nian glanced at Ye Kun and believed his objective judgment. Liang Han tentatively asked, ¡°Should we give him a heads-up?¡±

    Ye Kun rolled his eyes at him. ¡°Who do you think he trusts more: you or his wife?¡±

    Liang Han patted his chest and loudly stated, ¡°Me, of course!¡± Ye Kun stared at him without saying anything, and Liang Han¡¯s confidence crumbled bit by bit under Ye Kun¡¯s gaze.

    Yun Nan came to Liang Han¡¯s rescue, saying, ¡°I also think Xi Cheng doesn¡¯t Imow about it. I went to sound out Lin Yu, and she was very flustered, which means that this was Lin Yu¡¯s idea. Although the four great families are independent of each other, they have long been an intertwined community of shared interests after generations of cooperation. The rise and fall of one family will more or less affect the other three families sooner or later. However, I don¡¯t understand where Lin Yu got the courage and capital to do this.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°The Lin family definitely doesn¡¯t have such power, so someone must be behind her. Either way, Liang Han, you should go and warn Xi Cheng. See if he¡¯s wary of his wife. Give him a word of advice if he isn¡¯t. He¡¯s obstinate, so take care in how you approach this. Don¡¯t let this backfire on you.¡±

    Ye Kun pursed his lips and remained silent. Shi Nian explained, ¡°I¡¯m worried that an external force is invading us. They might start with him, but ultimately, they want to destroy all of us. If he falls, we all fall. We have to stand together.¡±

    Ye Kun sneered, ¡°I, too, would start with him if I were an external force. After all, it¡¯s easiest to break through on his side.¡± Xi Cheng had always been strong on the outside but weak on the inside.

    Liang Han quickly accepted Shi Nian¡¯s order. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll mind my manners and watch my words. We¡¯re true buddies, after all!¡±

    He squeezed Ye Kun¡¯s shoulder as he said that. Ye Kun didn¡¯t say anything. The fact that he was still sitting here and participating in this discussion was already the greatest concession he could make. He was only here for Shi Nian and Liang Han¡¯s sake. Whatever happened to the Xi family and Xi Cheng had nothing to do with him..

 Chapter 381 - Chapter 381: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-One: Exhortation

    Chapter 381: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-One: Exhortation

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Liang Han only called Xi Cheng when he arrived at Xi Corporation¡¯s headquarters, but Xi Cheng said that he was at ¡®Vision ofEternity instead.

    ¡°Why are you at ¡® Vision ofEternity in the middle of the day? The bar isn¡¯t even open during daytime!¡± Liang Han complained as he restarted the car.

    Xi Cheng avoided the question. ¡°Just come over. There¡¯s something I need your help with.¡±

    Gu Man burrowed into Xi Cheng¡¯s arms when he put down his phone. ¡°Xi Cheng, you¡¯re the best. I love you to bits!¡± She cupped Xi Cheng¡¯s face and kissed him fiercely.

    Xi Cheng finally freed himself from Gu Man¡¯s overwhelming kisses and stated, ¡°Alright, enough! You have to behave yourself later when Liang Han comes.

    Don¡¯t let him see through you. The guys¡­ It won¡¯t be good for your takeover of

    ¡® Vision ofEternity in the future if they find out about us.¡±

    Gu Man pouted and shifted down to his side, resentfully mumbling, ¡°They¡¯re so nosy. It¡¯s none of their business who you¡¯re with, and they don¡¯t seem to like Lin Yu that much in the first place! We love each other and are perfectly happy together. If they were true friends, shouldn¡¯t they be happy for you?¡±

    Xi Cheng frowned slightly. ¡°Stop disparaging Lin Yu if you want to be with me. I¡¯m helping you secure ¡®Vision ofEternity because I want you to have a place to settle down and something to rely on in the future. I know the Gu family doesn¡¯t treat you well.¡±

    Gu Man¡¯s eyes reddened as she murmured, ¡°Xi Cheng¡­¡±

    Xi Cheng gently patted her hand and didn¡¯t say anything else. Gu Man hugged his waist, buried her face in his chest, and silently cried. She was from an insignificant branch of the Gu family, and it was only thanks to her having caught Aunt Chang Hui¡¯s eye that she got raised by her side and had as noble a status as her cousins. Even if she knew she would only be a marriage alliance tool in the future, Gu Man was happy to do so because that was how a daughter of the Gu family should be.

    She would naturally be able to marry better by staying by Aunt Chang Hui¡¯s side. Therefore, Gu Man treated Aunt Chang Hui and her cousins like they were her closest kin and rarely contacted her birth family.

    She fell in love with Xi Cheng at first sight, but Xi Cheng had Lin Yu. She lost badly just in terms of origin. However, Aunt Chang Hui said whether a woman could marry a man worthy of marriage depended on their ability to fight for it themselves. As for whether that man had a wife or not, that wasn¡¯t within the scope of consideration at all.

    Thus, Gu Man had the confidence to fight for her own happiness. She coaxed Han Yuan into acknowledging her as her goddaughter, and even Lin Yu got trampled underfoot. However, Gu Man didn¡¯t expect to be set up by Lin Yu in the end and lose Han Yuan¡¯s favor. Aunt Chang Hui found her a disgrace and kicked her out.

    Gu Man thought that she and Shi Gao were each other¡¯s best friends, but she did not expect the woman to mercilessly conspire against her and turn her into a woman of the night. Gu Man wouldn¡¯t even have this chance to be bait if Xi Cheng hadn¡¯t been one of their targets.

    Gu Man calmed herself down and was already all smiles when she looked up at Xi Cheng. ¡°Xi Cheng, your word is enough for me to die happy. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t fight with Lin Yu; she has her position as the Xi family¡¯s young madam while I have your heart, and that¡¯s enough for me. Xi Cheng, you¡¯ve done so much for me. I¡¯ll surely repay you in this life and my next.¡±

    Xi Cheng kissed Gu Man¡¯s lips in satisfaction. ¡®I like women who are sweet, obedient, and sensible.¡¯ He felt a pang in his heart when the thought flashed through his mind. ¡®I lost the sweetest, most obedient, and sensible woman in my life.¡¯

    Gu Man leaned into Xi Cheng¡¯s embrace and smiled as she stared unfocused, thinking, ¡® The only one you should rely on in life is yourself. Family? Friends? That¡¯s all rubbish. I¡¯ll definitely seize the opportunity before me, and once I have a firm footing, I¡¯ll settle the score with those who owe me/

    Liang Han frowned and asked as soon as he entered and saw Xi Cheng, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at work?¡±

    Xi Cheng looked at Liang Han in confusion. ¡°What do you need from me? And what does it matter if I¡¯m at work or not? It¡¯s not like I need to watch over the company from nine to five!¡±

    Liang Han spluttered. He glanced at Gu Man, who was sitting quietly at the side, and in the end, swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue and said through gritted teeth, ¡°You should pay more attention to the company, or the Xi Corporation might be gutted!¡±

    Xi Cheng grinned. ¡°What¡¯s gotten you in such a foul mood, cursing the Xi Corporation out of the blue like this? Relax, no one can gut the Xi Corporation with me around!¡±

    Liang Han inwardly sighed, ¡®No wonder Shi Nian is so troubled, and Ye Kun didn¡¯t want to bother with the Xi familrs matters. Since when did Xi Cheng become so headstrong? Or was it that T ve been looking at my buddy through rose- tinted glasses before?

    ¡® What now? It¡¯s obvious that Xi Cheng won¡¯t believe us even if we tell him

    everything.. ¡®

 Chapter 382 - Chapter 382: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-Two: Rear-Ended

    Chapter 382: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-Two: Rear-Ended

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Liang Han collected his thoughts and asked, ¡®You said you needed my help with something over the phone. What is it?¡±

    Xi Cheng gestured for him to sit down, and Gu Man quickly poured him a cup of tea. Liang Han looked at her strangely but didn¡¯t say anything. Xi Cheng answered, ¡°Help me talk to Shi Xiu. Tell her to stop her acquisition of ¡®Vision of Eternity.¡¯ I¡¯m interested in this place; I want to purchase it.¡±

    Liang Han was surprised. ¡°Shi Xiu wants to buy out ¡®Vision ofEternity?¡±

    Xi Cheng nodded. ¡°Yes, the person previously in charge of this place was Shi Gao. She offended Shi Xiu, so Shi Xiu started a forceful acquisition of the place.

    I¡¯d like to ask you to be the middleman and have Shi Xiu give this place to me. I¡¯ll treat her fairly in terms of the price. Shi Xiu doesn¡¯t lack such businesses, anyway. She only wants this place out of childish anger.¡±

    Liang Han picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. ¡°Can¡¯t you just talk to her yourself? Why do you need me to be the middleman for this?¡±

    Xi Cheng frowned and replied, ¡°You know the girls don¡¯t like me.¡±

    Liang Han put down his teacup and thought, ¡®So he does know.¡¯ He leaned back against the sofa and huffed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a go.¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s expression eased, and he personally poured Liang Han a cup of tea. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a meal later.¡±

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me what you plan to do with this place. You have better places to use as an office, and Lin Yu doesn¡¯t like the bar scene, either,¡± Liang Han stated without even sparing Gu Man a glance.

    Gu Man looked at Xi Cheng nervously. Xi Cheng slowly drank his tea, put down the cup, and lifted his head to stare at Liang Han. ¡°I¡¯m buying this place for Gu Man,¡± he said calmly.

    Liang Han looked at him, and the two buddies stared at each other, wordlessly speaking with their eyes alone. After a long while, Xi Cheng remarked, ¡°Gu Man hasn¡¯t had it easy. There¡¯s not much I can do for her other than this.¡±

    Liang Han looked at Xi Cheng. ¡°Bro, I think you haven¡¯t had it easy, either.¡± He impassively picked up his phone and made a call. The moment the call went through, his face immediately lit up. ¡°Shi Xiu, darling, where are you? Hey, I¡¯ve got a proposition for you: how about I help you sell off ¡® Vision of Eternity?¡±

    There was a loud noise at Shi Xiu¡¯s end of the call. ¡°Liang Han, I had an accident on the road¡­

    Liang Han stood up in shock. ¡°What?! Are you alright?¡±

    Shi Xiu replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine, but I rear-ended someone¡¯s car. *Sigh* What did you say just now? Someone wants to buy ¡® Vision ofEternity? You should call Chen Nian; he¡¯s the one helping me run that operation. I can¡¯t talk now, Liang Han; I have to rush off to work, or I¡¯ll be late.¡±

    Shi Xiu hung up her phone and apologized to the person who got out of the car in front of her¡ªthe car she rear-ended. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please wait here for a bit. Someone from my family is coming to deal with this. I¡¯m in a hurry, so I¡¯ll be leaving now. ¡±

    Shi Xiu flagged down a taxi, opened the car door, and got in. Just as she was about to close the door, the person she rear-ended grabbed the car door, stopping her. With an insouciant smile on his good-looking face, the man stated, ¡°Miss, you look like you¡¯re doing a hit-and-run.¡±

    Shi Xiu hung her phone on her wrist and pressed her palms together. Her face scrunched into a pout as she pleaded, ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, handsome. I really have something urgent to attend to, so I have to leave now. Don¡¯t worry, someone from my family will be here soon. I admit I was the one at fault; I take full responsibility for this. I¡¯ll pay for all the damage expenses! I promise! I won¡¯t go back on my word!¡±

    The handsome man chuckled before opening the taxi¡¯s front passenger door with one hand and closing the door on Shi Xiu¡¯s side with the other. He swiftly got in the car and said, ¡°No can do, miss. I¡¯m worried you¡¯ll run off, so how about I follow you? Sir, please drive us to this lady¡¯s destination.¡±

    Shi Xiu was stunned at the man¡¯s audacity. ¡°You!¡±

    The handsome man turned around and smiled gently. ¡°My name¡¯s Lan Long.¡±

    The taxi driver started the car, and Shi Xiu turned to look back toward the two cars that had collided. Lan Long smiled cheerily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my driver is there. He¡¯ll wait for your family to come over and settle things. Now, may I ask for your name?¡±

    Seeing as what¡¯s done is done, Shi Xiu graciously introduced herself. ¡°My name is Shi Xiu. I¡¯m very sorry about what happened today.¡±

    Lan Long smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. These things happen when you¡¯re on the road. I¡¯m just curious. You look quite young, so what kind of emergency have you in a rush like that? Are you late for an exam?¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s phone rang before she could say anything. Shi Xiu quickly answered the call and cried, ¡°Yun Nan, help! I¡¯m going to be late!¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s gentle voice could be heard saying, ¡°Chang Yuan said you had a traffic accident. Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m taking a taxi over right now. If I don¡¯t make it in time, you have to help me deal with things for a while!¡± Shi Xiu uttered anxiously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fang Xi has everything arranged,¡± Yun Nan replied. ¡°You should be careful and stay safe. I think it¡¯s best to let the chauffeur pick you up in the future. You driving really delays things.¡± Yun Nan couldn¡¯t bear to be harsh with Shi Xiu even though she was reprimanding her.

    Shi Xiu pouted. ¡°I want to say no, but since I don¡¯t have a leg to stand on, alright!¡±

    ¡°Yan Tang asked us out for a meal. She said she has something to discuss with us. Do you know what it is?¡± Yun Nan asked..

 Chapter 383 - Chapter 383: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-Three: Elder Brother

    Chapter 383: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-Three: Elder Brother

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Xiu¡¯s spirits lifted. She stretched and leaned back in her seat as she said, ¡°Yan Tang and Xiao Zhao want to form a band, Yun Nan. They¡¯ve already written a few songs and made demos. I¡¯ve heard the songs. They¡¯re really, really good! Their voices are simply amazing!¡±

    ¡°Yan Tang wants us to do a few interviews with them before they officially release their songs, as a teaser for the new band and their songs and also as an official farewell to the past. What do you think of this idea?¡±

    Before Yun Nan could say anything, Shi Xiu continued, ¡°Lu Hui and I checked their previous figures. Their fans from before are now in their thirties and forties. If these fans return, their sway will be something to reckon with. Yun Nan, I really think that this matter is a good idea! We should do it!¡± Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then go ahead and do it!¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t have any experience. I want your support!¡± Shi Xiu bashfully uttered. ¡°What would I do without you? Our entire family wouldn¡¯t know what to do without you! Dearest sister-in-law, I can live without my brother, Shi Nian, but I can¡¯t live without you, Yun Nan!¡±

    Yun Nan interrupted Shi Xiu¡¯s continuous stream of flattery. ¡°Alright, keep your sweet talk for someone else! Try to hurry up and arrive within the next five minutes. I can delay things for that bit longer, so there¡¯s still hope for you getting here before things start!¡±

    ¡°Five minutes?¡± Shi Xiu looked at the alley not far away. ¡°Five minutes is enough!¡± She got out of the taxi and bolted off in her nearly ten-centimeter-high heels before suddenly remembering that she still had a ¡®debtee¡¯ to deal with. She turned around, ran back, and grabbed an eyebrow pencil from her handbag but realized she had no paper. Seeing this, Lan Long handed his phone over to her.

    Shi Xiu took the phone and keyed in her phone number. ¡°This is my number. There¡¯s a cafe downstairs. You can wait for me there. I¡¯ll be done in about two hours. You can give me a call then. Put the coffee on my tab!¡±

    Lan Long looked at the string of numbers on his phone and then at the girl sprinting away in a hurry, and smiled in amusement. ¡®D*mn, the Shi family sure is lucky. Why are all the beautiful and cute girls gathered in that family? That won¡¯t do. The heavens are too biased. I¡¯ll have to correct this!¡¯

    Thanks to the nearby entertainment company, Yun Innovations, the coffee shop at the alley¡¯s entrance was doing quite well. The owner of the shop, a lady called Miss Wang, was smart and good with people. Through her efforts and people skills, she managed to make her coffee shop ¡®Creative Yun¡¯ the second home of Yun Innovations¡¯ staff.

    As soon as Yun Nan entered the shop, Miss Wang came over and smilingly asked, ¡°Oh, hello there. I heard you¡¯re busy lately; where did you find the time to come here today?¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been quite busy. I need a pick-me-up. Quick, get me a large cup of black coffee!¡±

    ¡°Did you stay up all night again?¡± Miss Wang lightly chided. ¡°You can¡¯t disregard your health just because you¡¯re young, you know! Have a seat and wait.¡± Miss Wang turned around and instructed the barista, ¡°Prepare a cup of black coffee and a cup of warm milk for Miss Yun. Oh, and cut up a plate of fresh fruits for her. Go!¡±

    Lan Long saw Yun Nan the moment she entered the cafe. He picked up his coffee and was about to head over when he noticed a man with stubbles sitting himself down opposite her.

    Yun Nan stared at the man sitting before her, Yun Zhang, speechless and in shock. Yun Zhang looked at his younger sister, and the bitter sadness in his smile was evident as he stated, ¡°You can¡¯t recognize me?¡±

    Indeed, the Yun Zhang before Yun Nan was nearly unrecognizable; he looked worn out and as if he¡¯d been through turbulent times. His hair was long, and his face was full of stubble. There was no trace of the dashing and suave man he once was. Instead, he seemed like he¡¯d experienced strenuous hardships on some remote mountain. ¡°Where have you been? How did you end up like this?¡±

    Yun Nan asked.

    The barista brought over coffee, warm milk, and fruits. Yun Nan pushed the glass of milk toward Yun Zhang. ¡°Drink some warm milk first.¡±

    Yun Zhang smiled, his eyes gentle. ¡°Thank you!¡± He reached out and held the glass of milk but made no move to drink it, feeling the warmth of the glass in his hands. Yun Nan noticed the calluses on his fingers and was even more puzzled about what Yun Zhang had experienced.

    Yun Zhang looked at Yun Nan and said calmly, ¡°I went to where you lived when you were a kid and followed the route you wandered all the way home. I did all the odd jobs you¡¯d done and re-walked the path you¡¯d once tread.¡±

    ¡°Yun Nan, I¡¯m sorry. Our entire family, all of us, has let you down.¡± Yun Zhang had repeated this sentence countless times in his heart along his journey, and now that he could finally say it to his sister in person, his voice couldn¡¯t help but catch.

    Yun Nan was at first surprised, and then she found herself letting go of the disappointment she¡¯d felt toward her elder brother in her heart. Her eyes slightly reddened as she muttered, ¡°There was no need for that, silly.¡±

    ¡®Yes, there is! Only then will I know how much we owe you. Yun Nan, I¡¯m not asking for your forgiveness. I only hope that you can still acknowledge me as your brother,¡± Yun Zhang said softly..

 Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-Four: New Acquaintance

    Chapter 384: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-Four: New Acquaintance

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan lowered her eyes and composed herself before saying, ¡°I¡¯ve always thought of you guys as my family! I never disowned you! I went through so much trouble to find my way home, but I never thought it would be like this.¡±

    Yun Nan couldn¡¯t hold back her tears in the end. She smiled as she wiped them away and looked at Yun Zhang. ¡°You should shave and get a haircut. You don¡¯t look good like this.¡±

    Yun Zhang nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll clean myself up when I go back. I¡¯m here to work with you to resolve Yun Liu¡¯s matter. I know she has her eyes on Shi Nian again.¡±

    Yun Nan was stunned. ¡®He¡¯s been away for so long; how does he know that?

    Yun Zhang said, ¡°Yun Entertainment is now in her hands, but I was the one who laid its foundation; I was the one who personally set up the staff lineup. Yun Liu knows little about management, and while Tan Ning is good at handling clashes between artistes, she¡¯s not good at operating a company. The ones who can have Yun Entertainment running normally are all my people, so it¡¯s not that difficult for me to know what she¡¯s been up to.¡±

    Yun Nan understood the meaning behind his words. ¡°You want to take back Yun Entertainment?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think I should?¡± Yun Zhang asked.

    Yun Nan replied, ¡°But your parents gave Yun Entertainment to Yun Liu¡ª¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re also your parents!¡± Yun Zhang interrupted her. Yun Nan said nothing, thinking, ¡®I know that, but they don¡¯t see me as their daughter.¡¯

    Yun Zhang softly sighed, ¡°Yun Nan, I¡¯ll definitely let my parents know what kind of person Yun Liu is. I won¡¯t let them continue to be muddle-headed.¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled. ¡®I don¡¯t care about that anymore.¡¯ She inquired, ¡°How do you plan to get Yun Entertainment back?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it back in a legitimate manner, of course,¡± Yun Zhang answered detachedly with a serious glint in his eyes. He then smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that for now. I have to go back, get myself cleaned up, and come out a new man. As for Yun Liu, if she starts any new rumors and smear propaganda, ignore it and leave it to me.¡±

    Yun Nan looked at him, and Yun Zhang¡¯s return gaze was firm and sincere. ¡°Trust me this once, Yun Nan. I mean it, sincerely.¡±

    Yun Nan nodded lightly. ¡°Alright.¡± Yun Zhang stretched out his hand and gently placed it on Yun Nan¡¯s head but quickly retracted his hand and stood up to leave.

    Yun Nan stared at the cup Yun Zhang had just held in a daze when a clear voice sounded above her. ¡°May I sit here?¡±

    Yun Nan looked up and saw a familiar face. Lan Long sat down without waiting for Yun Nan¡¯s permission. Yun Nan glanced around. ¡® Why is he sitting next to me when there are many other empty sea ts?

    ¡°We¡¯ve met a few times already, miss. I didn¡¯t expect to run into you again here.

    I think this must be fate, so I shamelessly came over to get to know you.¡± Lan

    Long extended his hand to Yun Nan. ¡°Hello!¡±

    Yun Nan¡¯s phone rang, interrupting Lan Long. Yun Nan grabbed her phone and answered the call. ¡°Hey, Fang Xi!¡±

    ¡°Are you at ¡®Creative Yun? Come back quickly! It¡¯s urgent!¡± Fang Xi stated, sounding very serious.

    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Yun Nan stood up to leave, nodding slightly at Lan Long as she went.

    Lan Long looked at his outstretched hand and shrugged before retracting it. He felt like a feather had lightly brushed across his heart as he stared at Yun Nan¡¯s retreating figure. ¡®It¡¯s right when they say, ¡°The unattainable is the most attractive. ¡°¡®

    Shi Xiu didn¡¯t forget about the ¡®debtee¡¯ she¡¯d left in ¡®Creative Yun.¡¯ She rushed over after she¡¯d finished her live broadcast and sighed in relief when she saw Lan Long looking at his phone in one of the coffee shop¡¯s booths. She hurried over and immediately apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry for making you wait.¡±

    Lan Long put down his phone and gave her a gentle smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t have anywhere to be, anyway. It makes no difference where I spend my time.¡±

    ¡°Let me treat you to coffee,¡± Shi Xiu said. ¡°What would you like to drink? Dong Dong!¡± Shi Xiu called out to the barista.

    Dong Dong walked over, and Shi Xiu asked for a glass of fruit juice for herself.

    Lan Long chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll have the same; a glass of fruit juice for me, please.¡±

    Shi Xiu graciously stretched out her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s start over. My name is Shi Xiu. I¡¯m an employee of Yun Innovations, the entertainment company up the road.¡±

    Lan Long shook Shi Xiu¡¯s hand and smiled as he introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m Lan Long, currently unemployed. I just came back from abroad. I¡¯m what they call a

    ¡®seaweed!¡±¡®

    Shi Xiu was stunned before she laughed. ¡°Seaweed? *Laughs* This is the first time I¡¯ve heard someone describe themselves like that.¡±

    Lan Long chortled, ¡°Because, for all the education I¡¯ve received overseas, I¡¯m indeed useless. I¡¯m relying on my father to arrange everything for me while waiting for employment¡ªaka a seaweed.¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s humor immediately drew the two closer. They happily chatted as they drank their juice.

    Yun Nan returned to her office, and Fang Xi handed her a report with a solemn expression. ¡°As expected, Yun Liu released some photos. She didn¡¯t mention Shi Nian and was deliberately vague to arouse conjecture. It¡¯ll be more talked about that way. She¡¯s in the top ten on the trending searches today. Although she¡¯s currently at the bottom of the list, anyone can tell she¡¯s building momentum and is poised to attack. On our side, Shi Xiu¡¯s show has just taken off.. It¡¯ll be a real shame to let Yun Liu ruin it!¡±

 Chapter 385 - Chapter 385: Chapter Three -Hundred and Eighty-Five: Pre -wedding Jitters

    Chapter 385: Chapter Three -Hundred and Eighty-Five: Pre -wedding Jitters

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan roughly read through the report and placed it on the table before she moved behind Fang Xi and rubbed her shoulders. ¡°Alright, Fang Xi, my President Fang! You¡¯ll be a bride soon, so let¡¯s not bother with these messy issues! Why don¡¯t we see if anything¡¯s missing in your wedding proceedings?¡±

    Fang Xi grabbed her hand and huffily stated, ¡°I¡¯m being serious here! Don¡¯t change the subject!¡±

    Yun Nan walked round to the front, squatted beside Fang Xi¡¯s legs, and looked up at her. ¡°Your marriage with Ye Kun is the most serious and important thing to me! Everything else comes after that! Fang Xi, you¡¯re nervous, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Fang Xi quieted down at that, and the no-nonsense front she¡¯d been trying to put up crumbled. ¡°Yun Nan, do you think Ye Kun and I will be happy?¡± Fang Xi¡¯s words exposed her vulnerabilities and the worries tormenting her.

    Yun Nan got up and gently hugged Fang Xi. She softly but firmly told her friend, ¡°Yes, I do! You and Ye Kun will definitely be happy. You two will have a happy life and grow old together!¡±

    The two girls quietly hugged each other. Fang Xi had her arms around Yun Nan¡¯s waist as she said in a choked voice, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that such happiness would belong to me. The nicer Ye Kun and his family treat me, the more terrified I am. I¡¯m too afraid of losing them. If I¡¯m destined to lose them one day, then I¡¯d rather I didn¡¯t have them from the very beginning.¡±

    Yun Nan released Fang Xi and pulled a chair over to sit beside her. She brushed Fang Xi¡¯s hair behind her ear and smiled tenderly. ¡°Fang Xi, you just have pre-wedding jitters. You¡¯re so worried about losing Ye Kun because you love him too much.¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°The two of you are truly a match made in heaven. Shi Nian told me yesterday that Ye Kun had dragged him out for drinks because he¡¯s been having insomnia lately and has trouble sleeping every night. He¡¯s worried that the happiness will all turn out to be just a dream, and it¡¯ll be gone when he wakes up. Shi Nian said he¡¯d never seen Ye Kun like that, and he teased him badly for it.¡±

    Fang Xi laughed. ¡°Really?¡±

    Yun Nan nodded and remarked, ¡°You guys look forward to your future together so much that you¡¯re hesitant because you¡¯re apprehensive about things going wrong. That¡¯s all it is. The two of you have experienced so many hardships and even been through a near-death experience. What more verification do you need? If what you two have isn¡¯t true love, I don¡¯t know what is.¡±

    She continued, ¡°I know how you feel, Fang Xi. When you¡¯re used to suffering, it¡¯s hard to believe and accept when the April showers bring May flowers. Trust me, Fang Xi. You two deserve the best and most beautiful things in life!¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s nervous heart finally settled somewhat after she received Yun Nan¡¯s comfort. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Auntie Lu Ying is so nice to me that I don¡¯t even know how to repay her.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled. ¡°Auntie Lu Ying doesn¡¯t need your repayment. She just wants you and Ye Kun to be happy. As a mother, she¡¯ll be happy as long as you two are happy, and that¡¯s all the repayment she needs.¡±

    Fang Xi smiled embarrassedly and nodded before she patted Yun Nan¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you, Yun Nan. I¡¯m in a much better mood now. You¡¯re indeed my lucky star!¡±

    Shi Xiu and Lan Long had an enjoyable time together, and Shi Xiu rushed back to the company to work after setting up a time for their next meeting. Lan Long stood by the street and smiled as he looked at Shi Xiu¡¯s retreating figure and Yun Innovations¡¯ small and quaint courtyard in the distance. However, his smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes.

    ¡® What a beautiful courtyard with many talents,¡¯ he thought. ¡®It¡¯s hard to believe that there¡¯s a big collection of beautiful and interesting girls in such a small place.¡¯

    Lan Long¡¯s chauffeur stopped the car beside him and got out of the car before opening the door for him and bowing to welcome him into the vehicle.

    ¡°Young Master, where to?¡± the driver asked.

    Lan Long stretched and¡ªafter a moment¡¯s thought¡ªanswered, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the driver replied, smoothly turning the steering wheel. Lan Long closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, reminiscing about the girls, who each had their own merits.

    His phone vibrated. Lan Long picked up the call and lazily drawled, ¡°Speak!¡±

    ¡°Boss, Lin Yu wants to see you. Also, Gu Man has convinced Xi Cheng to help her secure ¡® Vision ofEternity.¡±¡®

    Hearing that, Lan Long instructed, ¡°Mm, hold Lin Yu off for a little longer. She¡¯s not yet driven into a corner, so there¡¯s no hurry. Tell Gu Man to try a little harder; ¡®Vision ofEternity is hers if she manages to help us keep it¡ªShi Gao¡¯s authority will be hers in the future.¡±

    ¡®Yes, boss.¡±

    After he hung up, Lan Long turned his phone over repeatedly in his hands. He then reached out and rubbed his forehead, muttering to himself, ¡°What a useless bunch of idiots. I have to do things myself!¡±

    The chauffeur cautiously glanced at his young master through the rearview mirror. Lan Long asked him, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Xiao Ran?¡±

    Called out, the driver hurriedly replied, ¡°Yes, Young Master! Young Master is smart and wise!¡±

    Lan Long smiled..

 Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty- Six: Anxious

    Chapter 386: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty- Six: Anxious

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu tried to find out about Shi Nian and Xiang Yang¡¯s condition from the Shi family¡¯s private nurse but failed again. The entire Shi family guarded them up like a fortress, but the more they did that, the more unusual it was.

    Lin Yu urgently wanted to get the information to give to the big boss as a token of her loyalty. She was like a cat on hot bricks, thinking, ¡®I have to leave myself a way out.¡¯

    ¡®Han Yuan¡¯s a ticking time bomb. If that woman suddenly recovers, she would definitely kill me.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that Lin Yu didn¡¯t want to tamper with Han Yuan¡¯s meds, but this was a hospital, and Han Yuan was a VIP patient. The hospital staff monitored all her vital signs closely every day and frequently did all kinds of tests and examinations. Lin Yu really didn¡¯t have the chance to tamper with Han Yuan¡¯s meds, so she could only constantly torture her mentally, but that, in return, was also a form of torture for Lin Yu.

    Lin Yu pushed Han Yuan¡¯s ward door open and saw the young nurse come over with a happy expression. ¡°Madam just asked me for some water. She spoke very clearly.¡±

    Lin Yu paled and quickly looked at Han Yuan on the hospital bed. The nurse didn¡¯t notice her reaction and continued, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you that Madam can make such good progress in her recovery. Everyone in the hospital says Madam is blessed to have a daughter-in-law who¡¯s better than her biological daughter.¡±

    Lin Yu collected herself and smilingly replied, ¡°I¡¯m the one who should thank you guys. You all did a great job.¡± As soon as the nurse left, Lin Yu closed the door and stalked to Han Yuan¡¯s patient room with a dark expression.

    Han Yuan only glanced at her indifferently before slowly closing her eyes; her expression was extremely haughty, looking like she thought nothing of Lin Yu at all. Lin Yu couldn¡¯t help but be furious. ¡°You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?

    You want me to be afraid, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Han Yuan adjusted to a comfortable position and snuggled into her pillow before she closed her eyes and ignored Lin Yu¡¯s words. Lin Yu couldn¡¯t take it anymore and slapped Han Yuan hard.

    Han Yuan glared daggers at Lin Yu, and Lin Yu slapped her again. ¡°You still refuse to learn your lesson and won¡¯t accept reality?¡± Lin Yu spitefully said as she met Han Yuan¡¯s infuriated glare. ¡°You still want to kill me? Well, I won¡¯t give you the chance! I¡¯ll let you live if you behave yourself; otherwise, just wait for your death! Wait and watch as I kill your entire family!¡±

    Han Yuan glowered death at Lin Yu but didn¡¯t hiss and roar like before. She just gazed viciously at Lin Yu as if she wanted nothing more than to burn a hole in her face.

    Lin Yu¡¯s blood sang. She reached out and grasped Han Yuan¡¯s neck, squeezing as she snarled hatefully, ¡°Die, b*tch! Go to hell!¡±

    Someone suddenly pushed the door open, and Xi Cheng strode in. ¡°Lin Yu!

    What¡¯s wrong with Mom?¡± Lin Yu paled and hurriedly retracted her hands.

    A large volume of air rushed into Han Yuan¡¯s windpipe, and she started to cough violently. ¡®Mom! Mom, are you okay?¡± Xi Cheng flusteredly helped Han Yuan sit up and let her lean against him, stroking her back to calm her breathing.

    Lin Yu¡¯s blood chilled. Her mind was blank as she looked at Xi Cheng and his mother, and she trembled involuntarily.

    ¡°Hurry up and go call the doctor!¡± Xi Cheng roared. Frightened, Lin Yu¡¯s entire body shook, and she turned around and ran out. Not long after, the doctors and nurses swarmed over.

    Han Yuan was fine; all her vital signs had returned to normal after a short period of small fluctuations. Under the doctors¡¯ and nurses¡¯ meticulous care, she lay peacefully on her pillow once more. Xi Cheng considerately raised the head of the bed before sitting on the chair by the bedside, holding Han Yuan¡¯s hand with an expression full of heartache.

    Lin Yu had stood outside of the crowd the whole time and, though the medical staff had now all left, still stood far away, her appearance numb and dazed as her mind raced.

    Han Yuan was honestly tired after the bout of trouble she went through, and feeling a sense of security with her son holding her hand, she contentedly fell asleep. After a while, her breathing became stable and even.

    Xi Cheng gently released his mother¡¯s hand, and seeing that she didn¡¯t react, he got up quietly. When he turned around and saw the pale-faced Lin Yu, he opened his arms and embraced her.

    ¡°That must have scared you badly. There, there. It¡¯s alright,¡± Xi Cheng whispered into Lin Yu¡¯s ear.

    Lin Yu stiffened. Her ears buzzed, and her heart felt like it had stopped beating. A sudden chill surged up her spine, and her stomach turned. She broke free from Xi Cheng¡¯s embrace and ran straight to the bathroom. She held onto the sink and started to retch.

    Xi Cheng followed behind Lin Yu and panickedly asked, ¡°Lin Yu, what¡¯s wrong? Are you sick?¡±

    Lin Yu turned on the tap as she held onto the sink. She scooped a handful of water to wash her face as she reined in the intense glee in her heart..

 Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-Seven: Pregnant

    Chapter 387: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-Seven: Pregnant

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng came over and supported her by the shoulders. ¡°Lin Yu, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lin Yu looked up at Xi Cheng and went limp, falling into Xi Cheng¡¯s arms. Xi Cheng was shocked. ¡°Lin Yu! Lin Yu, you¡¯re scaring me. Wake up, Lin Yu!¡± he shouted as he carried her to look for the doctor. Han Yuan, lying on the hospital bed, had opened her eyes at her son¡¯s exclamations and stared unmoving at the ceiling.

    When Xi Cheng saw Lin Yu, who was on a hospital bed, opening her eyes, he cried out in surprised joy, ¡°Lin Yu, you¡¯re awake! That¡¯s great! You¡¯re going to be a mom! We have a child!¡±

    Lin Yu stared at Xi Cheng dazedly, seemingly not comprehending his words. Xi Cheng held Lin Yu¡¯s hand and placed it on his face as he tenderly stated, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant! The doctor said that the child is a little unstable and that you need plenty of bed rest. You¡¯re exhausted from taking care of Mom. Lin Yu, I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s tears gushed out, and she sobbed. Xi Cheng quickly comforted her: ¡°Don¡¯t cry. The doctor said that pregnant women can¡¯t get too emotional. You have a baby in your belly; you have to protect him well.¡±

    Lin Yu hurriedly nodded, but her tears wouldn¡¯t stop, no matter what. ¡°How¡¯s Mom?¡± Lin Yu asked with a sob.

    Xi Cheng quickly answered, ¡°Mom¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll get Lily over to care for her. The most important thing for you now is to take care of yourself and our child.¡± Xi Cheng gently placed his hand on Lin Yu¡¯s belly and uttered emotionally, ¡°Lin

    Yu, we have a child. We¡¯re going to be parents.¡±

    Deep inside, Lin Yu was extremely calm. She pretended to be unconscious and was awake throughout the examination; she had to do that and act surprised to make sure that Xi Cheng wasn¡¯t suspicious of what had just happened. Fortunately, she was lucky; Xi Cheng didn¡¯t suspect a thing. ¡®This child¡¯s my lucky star,¡¯ she thought. ¡®It¡¯s great that the matter got passed overjust like that.¡¯

    Lin Yu pulled herself together and began showing concern for Han Yuan. ¡°Xi Cheng, let me stay with Mom. Lily¡¯s uninformed about Mom¡¯s situation; I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to take good care of her.¡±

    Xi Cheng mused, ¡°Alright, but you should take care of yourself, too. If you need anything done, get Lily to do it. Stop doing everything yourself, understand?¡±

    Lin Yu smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take good care of myself and Mom. You, on the other hand, should take some time to visit Shi Nian and Xiang Yang. I¡¯ve gone over several times myself as we¡¯re staying in the same hospital, but I¡¯ve only said hello and stayed for a short while each time. After all, I¡¯m not as close as you buddies who grew up together, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Xi Cheng nodded repeatedly when he heard that. ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s really thoughtful of you. I¡¯ll go and see Shi Nian in a bit. I happen to have something to tell him.¡±

    Shi Nian looked at the overjoyed Xi Cheng, and after congratulating him, he deliberated for a long while before finally deciding to tell Xi Cheng that Lin Yu might have participated in the siege against the Shi Corporation.

    Xi Cheng was shocked. ¡°What?!¡± He then chuckled, ¡°Shi Nian, you must have misunderstood.¡± He glanced at Yun Nan sitting at the side and remarked bluntly, ¡°I admit that Lin Yu did try to introduce a girlfriend to you without knowing you were married. However, she didn¡¯t mean any harm; she did it for your own good on account of our friendship.¡±

    He continued, ¡°I know Yun Nan has a problem with her¡ªthat¡¯s understandable ¡ªbut you¡¯ve also known Lin Yu for so many years. You know what kind of person she is. She would never do such a thing, and she doesn¡¯t have the ability to do so, right?¡±

    He looked at Yun Nan. ¡°Lin Yu isn¡¯t like Yun Nan; she¡¯s incapable of taking charge by herself. Lin Yu is most suited to be a good wife and mother; I don¡¯t think anyone can match her in that regard. But she truly doesn¡¯t know anything about business. Shi Nian, it¡¯s really impossible. I remember now:

    Liang Han had also explicitly and implicitly hinted that Lin Yu interfered in the

    Xi Corporation¡¯s matters. You guys truly got the wrong idea! Really!¡±

    Yun Nan and Shi Nian looked at each other and had a silent conversation with their eyes. Yun Nan got up and said, ¡°You guys talk. I¡¯m going out for a walk.¡± However, Shi Nian stopped her. They were husband and wife, so she had the right to know everything.

    Xi Cheng unhappily commented, ¡°Shi Nian, I know you two are close, but you can¡¯t just believe her side of the story, can you? You know what kind of person

    Lin Yu is.¡±

    ¡°No, Xi Cheng, I don¡¯t know. And now, I find that I don¡¯t even know you!¡± Shi

    Nian brusquely replied. ¡°You asked Liang Han to help you buy ¡®Vision of

    Eternity off Shi Xiu to give to Gu Man, and yet, you¡¯re now avidly defending Lin Yu. Xi Cheng, what on earth do you want? Don¡¯t tell me you plan on two-timing them.. Have you so quickly forgotten how Lin Yu forced Fang Xi away?¡±

 Chapter 388 - Chapter 388: Chapter Three -Hundred and Eighty-Eight:

    Chapter 388: Chapter Three -Hundred and Eighty-Eight:

    Deaf to Reason

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    It was as if he¡¯d touched upon a forbidden subject at the mention of Fang Xi. Xi Cheng instantly turned ashen and lowered his head without saying a word.

    Shi Nian looked at his buddy, and his tone eased as he said gently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,

    Xi Cheng.¡±

    Xi Cheng crossed his arms and whispered, ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. This is different¡­ They¡¯re all different!¡±

    Xi Cheng stood up abruptly and headed out without looking back. ¡°Xi Cheng!¡± Shi Nian called out, so angry that he stood up from his wheelchair. ¡°Open your eyes and wake up already!¡±

    Xi Cheng pulled the door open and walked out without a backward glance at Shi Nian. Yun Nan sighed while Shi Nian fell back into his wheelchair and heavily slammed his hand on the armrest. ¡°That man¡¯s impossible!¡±

    Yun Nan counseled, ¡°Forget it. Don¡¯t be angry anymore. You¡¯re lucky he didn¡¯t turn around just now. If he saw you standing up¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t continue. Shi Nian unhappily changed the topic. ¡°How¡¯s Xiang Yang? Any progress?

    Yun Nan shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s still unresponsive to the outside world.¡± Xiang Yang had woken up, but no matter if it was people, objects, sound, or light, she was unresponsive to them all. She spent her days in a daze as if her soul was gone. Shi Ke stayed by her side, helpless and at a loss. It pained him extremely seeing his wife in such a state, and he vowed to find the ones who¡¯d hurt Xiang Yang.

    Shi Nian mused, ¡°It¡¯s about time. Put the word out that I¡¯m going to be discharged soon. We¡¯ve got to move things on and let those rats all jump out into the open. It¡¯s time to round them up.¡±

    He stood up, pulled Yun Nan into his arms, and gently kissed the top of her head. ¡°It¡¯s been tough on you. I¡¯d thought I could protect and shelter you. I didn¡¯t expect I would bring you so much trouble instead.¡±

    Yun Nan wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against his chest.

    ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife, which means we are of one flesh, in weal and woe. When you return to the Shi Corporation, everything will return to normal, at least on the surface. We can put everything else aside and focus on Fang Xi and Ye Kun¡¯s wedding; they can¡¯t delay it anymore. They¡¯ve already changed their wedding date again and again for our sake; we can¡¯t delay their wedding any longer.¡±

    Shi Nian smiled at that. ¡°I wonder if they¡¯ll still hold our weddings together!¡±

    Yun Nan also smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Shi Nian patted her. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll go give Mom a hint,¡± he assured her.

    Xu Yun swiftly gathered her best friends and excitedly joined the wedding preparation team. Yun Nan pretended not to know anything about their ¡®secret plan¡¯ and continued to busy herself with her work as usual, discussing her next documentary with the investors she¡¯d made appointments with.

    Yun Nan¡¯s documentaries were well-known in the industry, so there was no lack of people who wanted to invest in her upcoming work. However, the person she was about to meet today had offered very generous conditions, so Fang Xi strongly suggested Yun Nan meet him in person. Yun Nan didn¡¯t think that was necessary, but given Fang Xi¡¯s pre-wedding jitters, Yun Nan explicitly and implicitly shared a part of Fang Xi¡¯s workload, which included meeting their investors.

    Before their guest arrived, Yun Nan noticed that Fang Xi looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated several times and asked with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, Fang Xi? Did Ye Kun do something that made you unhappy? Tell me, I¡¯ll get Shi Nian to remind him!¡±

    Fang Xi rolled her eyes at her. ¡°Beat it, you! Don¡¯t tease me about that.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Hey, Yun Nan. Ye Kun and I are holding our wedding soon, so when do you and Shi Nian plan to hold yours?¡± Fang Xi asked.

    Yun Nan looked at her and shrugged. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it!¡±

    ¡°Then think about it now!¡± Fang Xi urged.

    Yun Nan shook her head and chuckled, ¡°The Shi family had just experienced such a huge ordeal. How could any of us still have the mood and energy to think about these things? Don¡¯t worry about me; what matters now is getting you married off first!¡±

    Fang Xi rolled her eyes at her again and said disgruntledly, ¡°That wretched girl, Yun Liu, still hasn¡¯t given up. I think you should announce your marriage to the world. See what she can do then! Shut those vile rumors and hearsay down in one move. Hmpf!¡±

    Yun Nan shook her head and smiled. ¡°What¡¯s my wedding got to do with her? No matter what she does, it¡¯s not worth me using my wedding to counter her.

    She¡¯s not worth it!¡±

    Fang Xi gave Yun Nan a thumbs-up. ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s right! I like your attitude! We¡¯re purely getting married for our own happiness!¡±

    Yun Nan nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yun Nan,¡± Fang Xi stated earnestly. ¡°With me around, you¡¯ll definitely get a grand wedding full of blessings!¡±

    Yun Nan went forward and hugged Fang Xi. ¡°Alright, my almighty Fang Xi. My happiness depends on you!¡± The two laughed and joked until Lu Hui came in to inform them that their guest had arrived.

    Fang Xi headed out on her cane. ¡°Work hard, Yun Nan. You have to secure this investor! This next documentary isn¡¯t just your dream; it¡¯s mine too!¡±

    Yun Nan placed her right hand on her forehead and saluted Fang Xi before sitting back down at her desk, waiting for the guest to come in..

 Chapter 389 - Chapter 389: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-Nine: Collaboration

    Chapter 389: Chapter Three-Hundred and Eighty-Nine: Collaboration

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lan Long looked straight ahead as he walked through the corridor with a smile. He mentally sighed, ¡® Yun Nan is indeed extraordinary. Why can¡¯t I have been the first to meet such a woman?

    He once again sighed at the Shi brothers¡¯ luck and had even more intentions of destroying them. ¡®I have to admit, I¡¯m jealous of them!¡¯

    Yun Nan was slightly stunned when she saw Lan Long, thinking, ¡®This guy looks a little familiar.¡¯

    Lan Long gave Yun Nan a warm and modest smile as he held her hand.

    ¡°Director Yun, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. It¡¯s an honor to meet you today.¡±

    Yun Nan retracted her hand and invited Lan Long to take a seat before she smilingly replied, ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mr. Lan.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve met before,¡± Lan Long uttered frankly, looking at Yun Nan with a gentle and honest gaze.

    In a flash, Yun Nan suddenly recalled the few times she¡¯d run into Lan Long: in the elevator, the hospital, and the coffee shop. Lan Long could tell that Yun Nan remembered. He smiled and said, ¡°I heard that even the briefest brush of shoulders in a crowd is a kismet connection 500 years in the making. It seems

    Director Yun and I have quite a deep bond in our previous lives.¡±

    His words made Yun Nan feel slightly uncomfortable for some reason.

    Somehow, she felt that Lan Long was being a little deliberate. Yun Nan smiled faintly. ¡°So, Mr. Lan wants to invest in the film industry because of fate?¡±

    Lan Long nodded. ¡°Come to mention it, it still comes down to our bond, Director Yun. Someone recommended your past documentaries to me, and I was deeply fascinated. I immediately volunteered when I heard you were gathering funds to shoot your next documentary. I hope Director Yun can give me a chance to be involved!¡±

    Yun Nan pursed her lips, and her smile faded slightly. ¡°That¡¯s very nice of you,

    Mr. Lan.¡±

    ¡®I¡¯ve never seen such an enthusiastic investor. Something fishVs going on here,¡¯ Yun Nan thought. She instinctively disliked this man before her.

    Lan Long could tell Yun Nan¡¯s change in mood from her micro-expression and secretly couldn¡¯t help but feel even more delighted. He suddenly turned serious and stated, ¡°My apologies, Director Yun. I hope you don¡¯t think that I¡¯m being too forward. I¡¯m just speaking from the bottom of my heart, but perhaps my behavior is a little unctuous and flamboyant for the first time we meet to discuss a collaboration. I truly and sincerely want to work with Yun

    Innovations. I wish to use your talent to produce another amazing work,

    Director Yun.¡±

    He was so sincere that, for a moment, Yun Nan had the false impression that the person before her was a completely different man from the one who first came in. Lan Long commented on Yun Nan¡¯s previous documentaries one by one and mentioned the points that moved him. His interpretation was profound and accurate, and Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but be moved.

    When the time came for Lan Long to leave, Yun Nan personally sent him downstairs. The two shook hands and bid farewell; they¡¯d reached preliminary intentions to cooperate.

    Lan Long got into his car and heaved a sigh of relief. ¡®Talented women sure are different. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had to be on my toes like that with a woman.¡¯

    ¡°Young Master, where to?¡± the driver respectfully asked.

    ¡°Take me to ¡®Vision of Eternity,¡±¡® Lan Long answered cheerfully. He took out his phone and made a call. ¡°Hey, this is Lan Long.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I was just about to call you.¡± Shi Xiu¡¯s merry voice came instantly through the phone.

    Lan Long smiled and replied, ¡°It just goes to show that we have a telepathic connection. I booked a table at ¡®Vision ofEternity.¡¯ I¡¯ll come pick you up. When do you get off work?¡±

    Shi Xiu chuckled, ¡°Nah, no need. I¡¯ll head over myself after work. Help me order some delicious food. I¡¯m so hungry right now.¡±

    Lan Long dotingly said, ¡°Okay, okay, little princess. You better get back to your work. Let me know when you¡¯ve finished with work. I¡¯ll ask the kitchen to cook something good for you.¡±

    After he hung up, Lan Long stared at his reflection in the rearview mirror and watched as the smile on his face faded bit by bit. ¡®How interesting!¡¯ he thought.

    Chang Yuan handed the file in his hands to Shi Nian. ¡°This is the list of all the companies that participated in the siege against the Shi Corporation, as well as their backgrounds. Chen Nian and I have screened and compared all the information. On the surface, the main force behind it appeared to be our old rivals, but after further digging and analysis, we found that a company called ¡®Blue Shield had business dealing with all these companies. The range and scope of that company¡¯s business are shocking.¡±

    Shi Nian raised his head to look at him. ¡®¡±Blue Shield?¡±

    Chang Yuan nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t pay attention to this company because it never had any contact with the four great families. Although a lot of our business intersects with theirs, ¡®Blue Shield has never touched the four great families.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t touch the Xi family either?¡± Shi Nian asked.

    Chang Yuan nodded. ¡°None whatsoever. That¡¯s also why we didn¡¯t have any other suspicions when we found out about Lin Yu¡¯s meddling. However, there are two sides to everything. It was precisely because of Lin Yu¡¯s cover-up attempts that we were able to trace ¡®Blue Shield.¡¯ Our findings shocked Chen Nian and I. This ¡®Blue Shield has been setting up their plans for more than a year or two. The earliest that we can trace ¡®Blue Shield back to is the year Big

    Brother Shi Ke got married.¡±

    Shi Nian frowned..

 Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety: The

    Chapter 390: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety: The

    Sweetness of Love

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The year Shi Ke and Xiang Yang got married was just a point in time. Chang Yuan used it as a time frame merely because he wanted to give a deeper impression of the time period, but Shi Nian¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the expression for some reason.

    He couldn¡¯t help but think of Xiang Yang¡¯s ordeal. ¡®If those people had kidnapped Xiang Yang for money, then why did we never receive a call from the kidnappers?

    ¡® If they kidnapped Xiang Yang in retaliation to my brother, then why did none ofShi Ke¡¯s enemies come forward and own up to the matter? Logically speaking, if Shi Ke¡¯s enemies were behind the kidnapping, as Xiang Yangs consciousness hadn¡¯t woken up yet, it would be impossible for them not to use this matter to provoke Shi Ke.¡¯

    A thought briefly formed in Shi Nian¡¯s mind, but it was too vague; he didn¡¯t manage to grasp it for the moment.

    Chang Yuan continued, ¡®¡±Blue Shield is registered in the Aman Islands. Tracking the situation there is meaningless; any information we may get from that place is probably all fake. We currently know nothing about ¡®Blue Shield while they¡¯ve spent almost ten years setting up their plans against us. Shi Nian, the opponent we¡¯ve encountered this time is unlike any other we¡¯ve faced before.¡±

    ¡°Did they not touch the four great families before because we were united or because they wanted to wait for the opportunity to annex us all at once?¡± Shi Nian asked, seemingly talking to himself.

    Chang Yuan shook his head lightly and didn¡¯t say anything. Shi Nian smiled wryly. ¡°Lin Yu helped him tear open a hole in our offense and defense, didn¡¯t she?¡±

    Shi Nian knew the answer without needing Chang Yuan to nod his head. He sighed softly, ¡°The Xi Corporation is now in Xi Cheng¡¯s hands, and the Xi brothers have already gone their own way several years ago, so the Xi family is the best entry point. What¡¯s more, blinded by love as he is, Xi Cheng won¡¯t listen to anyone¡¯s advice right now.¡±

    Chang Yuan coolheadedly asked, ¡°Then should we protect or give up on the Xi family?¡±

    Shi Nian rolled his eyes at him. ¡°We have no other choice but to protect them. Xi Cheng is Xi Cheng, and the Xi Corporation is the Xi Corporation. We can¡¯t just leave the corporation to its demise.¡±

    ¡°But how are we to ally with Xi Cheng when we clearly know there are rats like Lin Yu in the Xi Corporation? Xi Cheng won¡¯t listen to us either,¡± Chang Yuan replied, worried.

    Shi Nian closed the file and tapped his finger on it. ¡°In other words, we¡¯re in the open right now, whereas our enemy is in the dark; I¡¯m afraid they can see every move we make clearly. What happened to Big Brother and I this time is most certainly also related to them.¡±

    Shi Nian heaved a long sigh. ¡°Chang Yuan, arrange a meeting between me and

    Ye Tang. You can¡¯t let anyone know, including Ye Kun.¡±

    Although Chang Yuan didn¡¯t understand why Shi Nian wanted to keep it a secret, he still habitually agreed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange it immediately.¡±

    Shi Nian leaned his head back on his chair, closed his eyes, and went over all the past events in his mind to the best of his ability, searching out relevant parts and analyzing them carefully. A cold and severe expression appeared on his handsome face. ¡®Anyone who dares to touch the Shi family will be killed without mercy!

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I know they had such delicious desserts here? I¡¯m a regular here!¡± Shi Xiu praised profusely as she ate the desserts. ¡°How did you know about their desserts? Didn¡¯t you just come back from abroad not long ago?¡±

    Lan Long looked at Shi Xiu with a gentle and loving gaze as he answered,

    ¡°Because I¡¯m a true-blue foodie, and you, on the other hand, don¡¯t quite meet the standards to be one.¡±

    Shi Xiu laughed and grinned widely. ¡°Then what are the standards of being a true-blue foodie? Tell me so that I can see which ones I haven¡¯t met.¡¯

    Lan Long chuckled, ¡°There are no rules to such things. I was just joking with you. Taste is subjective; we like this kind of snack, but others might not, so we can¡¯t say they¡¯re the best. It only means that we share the same tastes.¡±

    Shi Xiu tilted her head and gave it some thought. ¡°Hmm, that makes sense. I think that also applies to a lot of things.¡±

    ¡®Yes, it can also be applied to people. For example, while you like me, there are bound to be people who hate me. It¡¯s the same principle,¡± Lan Long uttered, seemingly casually.

    Under the lights, no one noticed Shi Xiu¡¯s blush; only she herself could feel her cheeks heat up. Shi Xiu pretended obliviousness to Lan Long¡¯s words but quickly picked up another piece of dessert and loudly said, ¡°I¡¯ll try how this one tastes!¡±

    The lights reflected in Lan Long¡¯s eyes made them gleam and sparkle, and his smile had the sweetness of the osmanthus syrup of the dessert in Shi Xiu¡¯s mouth. Something rippled and spread in Shi Xiu¡¯s heart as she looked at him, bit by bit.

    Lan Long pushed the glass of water beside him toward Shi Xiu and laughingly said, ¡°Slow down and drink some water. These snacks are delicious but high in calories, so be careful not to eat too many, or your manager will make you go on the treadmill later.¡±

    Shi Xiu froze with her cheeks puffed up, looking like a hamster with her mouth stuffed full of snacks. She then moaned despondently, ¡°I¡¯m doomed! Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? Fang Xi¡¯s going to chew my head off!¡±

    Lan Long was greatly amused and laughed from the bottom of his heart. ¡®Such a cute girl should be locked in a private cage and kept away from others¡¯ coveting eyes..¡¯

 Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-One: Deception

    Chapter 391: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-One: Deception

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng returned to his mother¡¯s and Lin Yu¡¯s ward in a dark mood. Lin Yu quickly sat up in her hospital bed and asked, ¡°How did it go? How are Xiang Yang and Shi Nian¡¯s injuries?¡± Han Yuan, who was on the bed beside her, also quietly opened her eyes.

    Xi Cheng hurriedly strode over to Lin Yu¡¯s bed and helped her lie down, grumbling, ¡°You should care about yourself more; don¡¯t always put others first

    ¡ªthey don¡¯t appreciate it.¡±

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t resist and laid down before saying gently, ¡°We¡¯re good to others because we¡¯re just doing what we should be doing, not because we want their appreciation or gratitude. Did they say something to make you unhappy?

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t say anything. He sat on the chair beside the bed and rubbed circles into Lin Yu¡¯s hand before uttering softly, ¡°Lin Yu, you¡¯ve done well. As the Xi family¡¯s young madam, no one could¡¯ve done better than you. You¡¯ve suffered a lot for the Xi family, and even I¡¯ve let you down. Lin Yu, I, sometimes

    Lin Yu cut Xi Cheng off. ¡°Enough, Xi Cheng. Say no more. We¡¯re husband and wife. We¡¯re of one flesh.¡± She smiled warmly and continued, ¡°The four great families have been friends for generations. Putting aside your families¡¯ intertwined business relationships, you four guys¡¯ close bonds can¡¯t be fractured just because of us, right?¡±

    Xi Cheng disgruntledly replied, ¡°Those three have now gotten together and are all against me.¡±

    Lin Yu was inwardly anxious but outwardly still patiently smiled as she stated,

    ¡°Alright, you big kid. So tell me, how¡¯s Shi Nian¡¯s injury?¡±

    Xi Cheng waved his hand. ¡°He¡¯s fine. I felt like he¡¯d stood up when I left, but only briefly¡ªhe sat back in his wheelchair after a short while. Who knows what he¡¯s up to this time? That guy, hmph! Perhaps he¡¯s pretending to be seriously injured to use Yun Nan to straighten up his corporation¡¯s shareholders! That¡¯s something he would do!¡±

    Lin Yu was secretly spooked but calmly questioned, ¡°Then what about Xiang Yang? Is Xiang Yang better?¡±

    Xi Cheng sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I heard from two nurses passing by that Xiang Yang¡¯s condition seems to be quite serious. She¡¯s gone crazy or dumb¡ªsomething like that; I didn¡¯t hear clearly. There¡¯s no point in asking the nurses. They won¡¯t say anything in respect of the patient¡¯s privacy.¡±

    Lin Yu nodded and said a few perfunctory words to Xi Cheng before sending him away. Before he left, Xi Cheng stood up and went over to check on his mother. Han Yuan closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. Xi Cheng turned around and whispered to Lin Yu, ¡°Mom¡¯s asleep. I¡¯ll be leaving now. You rest up.¡±

    After he was gone, Lin Yu quietly got up and pulled open the curtain slightly to look at Han Yuan. She saw that the woman¡¯s breathing was steady and was reassured when she recalled that the doctor had increased Han Yuan¡¯s sedative dosage.

    Even so, Lin Yu still lowered her voice when she made her call. ¡°Shi Nian¡¯s injuries are most likely fake. Xiang Yang¡¯s wrecked.¡± Han Yuan silently opened her eyes, secretly eavesdropping on Lin Yu.

    ¡°Mr. Lan, as long as you help me take over the Xi Corporation, I only want however much the Lin family had back then. I¡¯ll give the rest to you as my thanks, but those people must die!¡±

    After the call ended, Lin Yu slowly put down her phone and leaned against her pillow. She stroked her stomach and said softly, ¡°You must give Mama power, dear child. The Xi Corporation is yours; Mama¡¯ll definitely take care of it for you. But before that, Mama has to help you cleanse the Xi Corporation! Let those unnecessary people go to hell! Your father¡¯s an incompetent bungler, so Mama has to do things myself.¡±

    Lan Long put down his phone and looked at Shi Xiu¡ªwho was eating with relish¡ªwith eyes full of love. ¡°Is it really that delicious?¡±

    A little embarrassed, Shi Xiu nodded before asking, ¡°Am I eating too much?¡±

    Lan Long chuckled, ¡°It just shows that you have a good appetite, and that¡¯s a good thing! I see many girls control their appetite for the sake of their figures; it¡¯s terrible! I think happiness is the most important thing in life. Isn¡¯t it a waste of God¡¯s gift if you don¡¯t enjoy your youth while you¡¯re still young?¡±

    Shi Xiu mock-chided, ¡°You sound like an old man there. Don¡¯t treat me like a kid. I¡¯m not a little girl anymore¡ªI¡¯m an adult!¡±

    Lan Long nodded and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Yes, yes. Our Miss Shi Xiu isn¡¯t just an adult; she¡¯s a big star! Who would dare say that she¡¯s silly and childish?¡±

    With that, he burst out in laughter, and Shi Xiu lightly whacked him. Lan Long stopped laughing and reached out to ruffle Shi Xiu¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯re so cute,¡± he said earnestly. ¡°You¡¯re the cutest girl I¡¯ve ever met.¡± The sudden praise and earnestness stunned Shi Xiu, and her cheeks burned.

    *Bang!* A wine bottle fell and shattered explosively beside Shi Xiu¡¯s chair. Shi

    Xiu jumped in shock and instinctively dodged in Lan Long¡¯s direction, and Lan Long shielded Shi Xiu in his arms. His eyes were icy cold when he looked back at the perpetrator..

 Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Two: Taunt

    Chapter 392: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Two: Taunt

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    A group of men jeered and surrounded Lan Long. His bodyguard was about to step forward when Lan Long¡¯s gaze stopped him. Shi Xiu realized what was happening and broke free from Lan Long¡¯s protective hold to look back. ¡®It¡¯s Gu Fei,¡¯ she thought, surprised.

    Gu Fei, who was slightly drunk, also recognized Shi Xiu. ¡°Oh, I was wondering who it is. So it¡¯s the high and lofty Miss Shi! What? Did you finally find a prince charming who¡¯s to your liking and matches your status? Does this prince of yours know that you¡¯re a scheming b*tch?¡± Gu Fei mocked, walking over as he half-supported and half-leaned himself against a tall, muscular man.

    Shi Xiu stood up and called out angrily, ¡°Gu Fei! What nonsense are you talking about?¡±

    Gu Fei smugly glanced at the ¡®thin and frail-looking¡¯ Lan Long standing beside Shi Xiu, and his courage rose. ¡°Am I spouting nonsense? You guys don¡¯t know, do you? This Miss Shi Xiu is scheming and mercenary; she¡¯ll use any friend and family as a stepping stone to achieve her goals. She abused her family¡¯s privileged status to bully a lot of people. I¡¯m telling you, bro, don¡¯t think you¡¯ve found a treasure¡ªshe¡¯s a piece of trash that no one wants!¡±

    Shi Xiu delivered a sound slap on the left side of Gu Fei¡¯s face, so infuriated that she trembled all over. Stunned, Gu Fei covered his blistering cheek and then laughed. ¡°Oh, did I hit a nerve? Look at the furious and flustered look on your face! It¡¯s so ugly! Hahahaha!¡±

    Gu Fei laughed with impunity, and the next second, his laughter suddenly cut off. ¡°Oof!¡± Lan Long sent Gu Fei flying with a punch to the stomach, crashing and knocking over a bunch of tables, chairs, cups, and plates.

    ¡°Gu Fei!¡±

    ¡°Young Master Gu!¡±

    Gu Fei¡¯s posse rushed over to help him up, and then they glared in unison at the handsome man beside Shi Xiu. Shi Xiu was a little shocked at Lan Long¡¯s actions but stretched out her hands to protect him.

    Still bent over and clutching his stomach, Gu Fei got up with his friends¡¯ help, and his lips curled into an even more malicious smile than before. ¡°Bro, you sure are in a hurry to show off to this beauty, but here¡¯s my advice: things won¡¯t end well for you if you get involved with this woman. She¡¯s a vicious woman who likes to pretend to be weak and vulnerable and have men wrapped around her little finger. Oh, by the way, she¡¯s also quite good in bed. You can give it a try!¡±

    Lan Long slapped Gu Fei hard on the right side of his face. He retracted his hand and wiped it with a tissue as he said, ¡°Sir, isn¡¯t it despicable to insult a young girl in public like this?¡±

    Gu Fei glowered at Lan Long, his head ringing from the slap. ¡®You¡¯re working so hard to gain her favor. Did she promise you some generous terms?¡± he sneered. ¡°Did she promise you could marry her and be her matrilocal husband? I can tell at first glance that you¡¯re just a kept man!¡±

    Lan Long looked at him indifferently. ¡°Young Master Gu, I presume? Is it public knowledge that you¡¯re gay? Oh, it seems that your friends here all know. Then do your parents know? Does your Gu family know? Do your Gu family¡¯s business partners know? If they don¡¯t, how about I help you inform everyone?¡± His gaze fell on the burly man beside Gu Fei, and his tone was filled with pity as he added, ¡°If anything happens to this gentleman in the future, it¡¯s probably because the Gu family¡¯s ladies wanted to silence him, right?¡±

    The man unconsciously let go of Gu Fei when he heard that, causing him to stagger. ¡°Gu Fei!¡± A worried voice sounded from outside the crowd. Gu Rou and Gu Wan pushed through the crowd and stood protectively on both sides of their little brother, glaring at Lan Long and Shi Xiu while scrutinizing the men around Gu Fei.

    ¡°Gu Rou, Gu Wan, you should bring Gu Fei home first,¡± Yun Liu¡¯s voice suddenly said. Gu Rou and Gu Wan started to panic. Yun Liu¡¯s presence meant that the media reporters always following after her would be here. Gu Wan stared daggers at Yun Liu and warned, ¡°I¡¯m blaming it all on you if any news about what happened today gets leaked!¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t dare to talk back and replied with extreme grievance, ¡®Gu Wan, I didn¡¯t know Gu Fei would be here. I came to discuss some matters with Shi

    Xiu. ¡±

    There was a camera flash in the distance, and Yun Liu instinctively covered her face, intentionally or unintentionally shielding Shi Xiu and Lan Long behind her. ¡°Shi Xiu,¡± Yun Liu uttered quietly, ¡°you leave first. I¡¯ll handle this.¡±

    Shi Xiu was momentarily startled before detachedly stating, ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡± She stepped forward and stood beside Yun Liu before proudly saying, ¡°We haven¡¯t talked about our business yet, have we?¡±

    Yun Liu looked at Shi Xiu timidly, seeming as if she didn¡¯t dare say anything else..

 Chapter 393 - Chapter 393: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Three: Conflict

    Chapter 393: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Three: Conflict

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Rou and Gu Wan stared at Shi Xiu discontentedly. Shi Xiu returned their looks coldly, stating, ¡°Misses Gu, I can let Gu Fei off the hook for offending me on account of the relationship between our two families¡¯ elders. As for what kind of rumors will spread outside, that¡¯s not something I can control. I believe the Gu family has the capability to shut people¡¯s mouths up.¡±

    Shi Xiu then raised her voice to state clearly at the paparazzi hiding sneakily in the various corners, ¡°Miss Yun Liu and I have made an appointment to discuss our future cooperation, and I don¡¯t want the news to leak before we¡¯ve successfully negotiated things, so please keep quiet about this!¡±

    The implied meaning behind her words was that the paparazzi could publish whatever they wanted about Gu Fei, and the Shi family wouldn¡¯t pursue the matter. The media reporters and paparazzi were all momentarily dumbfounded. Everyone knew that no one dared to provoke Shi Xiu. This young miss had even bought over ¡® Vision ofEternity a while back merely because of a slight disagreement with the bar¡¯s previous owner. The media and paparazzi didn¡¯t dare to offend Shi Xiu, fearing they would be unable to survive in their industry otherwise.

    ¡® Now that we¡¯ve received the princess¡¯s ¡®decree, ¡® what are we waiting for? the media reporters and paparazzi thought. Cameras were aimed right at Gu Fei and his bunch of male friends and began to flash brazenly, and the scene quickly devolved into chaos.

    Shi Xiu glanced at Yun Liu¡ªwho was standing beside her¡ªand turned to leave. Yun Liu hurriedly followed with a timid expression. Lan Long saw the two¡¯s entire exchange and pressed his lips together to hide his smile as he followed after them.

    After leaving the rowdy hall, Shi Xiu looked at Yun Liu coldly. ¡°Is this your way of forcing me to allow you to join in the documentary?¡± she asked.

    The timidity on Yun Liu¡¯s face had disappeared without a trace, and although her head was still half-lowered, her voice was calm and bland as she replied, ¡°Shi Xiu, I think you and I should have a proper talk about this matter. There are many things we can¡¯t help in the entertainment industry. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything because you come from a good family.¡±

    She continued, ¡°But you¡¯re a member of Yun Innovations. You should consider problems from your company¡¯s perspective, shouldn¡¯t you? Unlike you, I don¡¯t come from a great family, and my status there isn¡¯t high either. I¡¯ve never thought of competing with you for anything. It¡¯s just that I was the only one not invited to the follow-up documentary of the show ¡®Embracing Life¡¯ that we participated in together, and that¡¯s awkward for me.¡±

    Shi Xiu sneered, ¡°That has nothing to do with me, and don¡¯t use my company¡¯s name to blackmail me emotionally. Yun Liu, you¡¯d better not try your little tricks before me. I won¡¯t fall for them!¡±

    Yun Liu didn¡¯t cry and play the victim like she usually did. Instead, she looked at Shi Xiu detachedly and uttered, ¡°Then, what if I use Shi Nian as a condition?¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s pupils dilated, and Yun Liu smiled faintly. ¡°Shi Xiu, we can be considered helping each other with this deal. If you let me join in the documentary, I¡¯ll consider not pestering Shi Nian and not causing trouble for

    Yun Nan anymore.¡±

    Shi Xiu bit her lip and said stiffly, ¡°Alright, deal. Tell your manager to come to my office tomorrow to discuss the details!¡±

    Yun Liu smiled and gently responded, ¡°Thank you, dear Shi Xiu!¡±

    Shi Xiu glared at her viciously before saying to Lan Long. ¡°I¡¯ve got something to do, so I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    Lan Long smiled and stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you back.¡± Lan Long walked with Shi Xiu to the lobby¡¯s entrance, and Shi Xiu thought for a moment and stated, ¡°I think I should leave by myself. My celebrity identity is a little sensitive. I don¡¯t want to cause you any trouble.¡±

    Lan Long nodded in understanding. ¡°Why don¡¯t I get someone to drive you? Take my car. Those reporters aren¡¯t familiar with it.¡±

    Shi Xiu gave it some thought and accepted Lan Long¡¯s kind offer, and Lan Long watched her leave. When Lan Long returned to his office, Yun Liu was already there waiting for him.

    Seeing him, Yun Liu stood up respectfully and said, ¡°Mister Lan.¡±

    Lan Long walked straight to his office chair and sat down. ¡°Please take a seat, Miss Yun.¡± Yun Liu carefully sat down.

    ¡°So you want to become the head of the Gu family, Miss Yun?¡± Lan Long casually asked as he flipped through the documents on his desk.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Yun Liu composedly answered. ¡°Please help me achieve my wish, Mr. Lan.¡±

    Lan Long looked up at her and smiled lightly. ¡°Miss Yun truly has some big ambitions. ¡±

    Yun Liu bit her lip and didn¡¯t speak. ¡®Why do I feel like you don¡¯t have much confidence?¡± Lan Long questioned. ¡°Are you not confident that I can help you achieve your wish, or are you not confident in your ability to take charge of the Gu family alone in the future?¡±

    Been seen through, Yun Liu looked at Lan Long in shock. Lan Long chuckled, ¡°I heard you¡¯re deeply in love with Shi Nian. I thought you would beg me to help you get together with him instead.¡±

    Yun Liu mustered up her courage to reply, ¡°I need a powerful family background and status to be on equal footing with Shi Nian.¡±

    ¡°But Yun Nan doesn¡¯t have a powerful family background,¡± Lan Long indifferently reminded her.

    ¡°She does,¡± Yun Liu told him. ¡°She¡¯s the named successor of the Gu family¡¯s second branch, Gu Bei. Mr. Lan, you don¡¯t know Yun Nan well; that woman is especially good at flattery and scheming to further her own interests..¡±

 Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Four:

    Chapter 394: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Four:

    Deal

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a deal?¡± Lan Long cut Yun Liu off. Having been interrupted midway through, Yun Liu swallowed her words and stared at Lan Long. Lan Long rubbed the bridge of his nose as he continued, ¡°You break Shi Nian and

    Yun Nan up, and I¡¯ll give you Gu Corporation!¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s jaw dropped, and she looked at Lan Long in shock. ¡°What?¡± Lan Long asked. ¡°You can¡¯t do it? I do worry; can you manage the Gu Corporation I give you well if you can¡¯t even do such a little thing?¡±

    Yun Liu nodded vigorously. ¡°I can! I can do it!¡±

    Lan Long raised his eyebrows, unconvinced. Yun Liu¡¯s voice trembled as she inquired, ¡°Mr. Lan, are you serious? You¡¯ll truly give me Gu Corporation so long as I can break Shi Nian and Yun Nan up?¡±

    ¡°What did you plan to trade with me for the Gu family in the first place?¡± Lan Long insouciantly asked.

    Yun Liu was at a loss for words. Lan Long flipped through the folder in his hands and glanced at the documents before commenting, ¡°Oh! You planned to help Shi Gao bring in some rich young ladies as goods?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely make Shi Nian and Yun Nan divorce!¡± Yun Liu spoke carefully. ¡°For sure!¡± She would gladly accept the task of making Shi Nian and Yun Nan divorce, even without Gu Corporation as a reward. To her, Shi Nian was the goal, and Gu Corporation was simply an additional bonus.

    Lan Long didn¡¯t say anything and continued flipping through the documents. Seeing that, Yun Liu understood and quickly stated, ¡°Mr. Lan, I¡¯ll continue with my plan and introduce some friends to Miss Shi Gao.¡±

    Lan Long didn¡¯t look up from the folder as he told her, ¡°Shi Gao won¡¯t be here in the future.¡±

    Yun Liu was stunned by that. Right then, someone gently knocked on the office¡¯s door thrice, then pushed the door open and entered. Gu Man walked in with a seductive sway, smiling fawningly as she uttered, ¡°Mr. Lan!¡±

    Yun Liu was dumbfounded, and so was Gu Man when she noticed her. Lan Long looked up and informed Yun Liu, ¡°Oh, Gu Man will be in charge of this place from now. You can just introduce your friends to her.¡±

    He then told Gu Man, ¡°Yun Liu has a different mission, but she says she wants to introduce some girls to you. Do a good job; don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±

    Gu Man glanced at Yun Liu and respectfully replied to Lan Long, ¡°Yes, Mr. Lan!¡± She then turned to size up Yun Liu. ¡°I actually forgot about you, my talented cousin. My mistake. I hope that you¡¯ll strongly support me in the future, dear cousin!¡±

    She looked at Yun Liu with a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes, and Yun Liu gazed at Gu Man in shock, her mind whirling. Lan Long stood up and walked out, saying, ¡°You two have a good chat. I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡± With that, he left his office to his two subordinates.

    Yun Liu composed herself first and remarked, ¡°You managed to be highly regarded by Mr. Lan, Gu Man. You¡¯re quite amazing. If Aunt Chang Hui and the others know about this, they¡¯ll surely see you in a new light!¡±

    Gu Man unceremoniously sat on the sofa, crossed her legs, and began to trim her nails. She casually replied, ¡°Who cares about what they think? I¡¯m nothing but a pet dog to the Gu family, sucking up to them in every way possible to please my masters. I didn¡¯t expect to gain Mr. Lan¡¯s favor after being chased out by them. The Gu family? Hmph! They¡¯re nothing! I won¡¯t return even if they ask me to!¡±

    She gave Yun Liu a once-over and commented disdainfully, ¡°I really don¡¯t get why you would leave the Yun family that adores and dotes on you excessively to go to the long-decayed and infested Gu family. How ignorant! If I were you, I would continue to ride on the Yun family¡¯s coattails instead of choosing the Gu family. Although you¡¯re an adopted daughter in the Yun family, it¡¯s still a hundred times better than being the Gu family¡¯s biological daughter! Hmph! Talk about taking your good fortune for granted!¡±

    Yun Liu took a deep breath to calm herself down before putting on a smile and saying, ¡°You¡¯re right; what you said is exactly what¡¯s eating at me the most. But I¡¯ve made my bed. I can only continue to move forward on the path I chose, and there¡¯s no turning back. I hope you understand.¡±

    Hearing this, Gu Man felt slightly better. She gave Yun Liu a side glance before stating, ¡°There¡¯s no use in asking for my understanding; Mr. Lan has to approve of you! Do well on the mission Sir gave you, and you¡¯ll definitely be able to make a name for yourself. What did Shi Gao promise you before? Don¡¯t worry; I won¡¯t treat you any worse than Shi Gao did. If the terms she previously promised are reasonable, I¡¯ll fulfill them for her. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m not doing it for her; no one hates her more than I do. I¡¯m doing it for Mr. Lan. After all, I¡¯m someone who cares about the big picture.¡±

    Yun Liu quickly followed her lead and responded, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the genuine type, Gu Man. You¡¯re the most straightforward and honest. When I work with you in the future, I can do things boldly with an eased mind.¡±

    Gu Man was in a great mood after hearing this round of flattery. She looked at

    Yun Liu and asked, ¡°What do you plan to do about Gu Fei¡¯s matter?¡±

    Yun Liu stared straight back and deliberately inquired, ¡°Do you want to suppress this matter for the Gu family, Gu Man?¡±

    As expected, that got a furious reaction from Gu Man. ¡°Suppress it for them? Why should I? In their dreams!¡±

    With a thump, Yun Liu¡¯s heart settled back in her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gu Man. I Imow most of the reporters at the scene. I¡¯ll give them the word,¡± Yun Liu fawningly assured her..

 Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Five: Come to the Door

    Chapter 395: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Five: Come to the Door

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Good!¡± Gu Man nodded haughtily, unabashedly saying, ¡°I want Gu Fei disgraced. I want the Gu family completely discredited!¡±

    Yun Liu hesitated before replying, ¡°I¡¯ll be careful to cover my tracks. Otherwise, if the family finds out you were the one who instructed me to do so, I¡¯m afraid Aunt Chang Hui will come knocking on your door.¡±

    Gu Man sneered, ¡°No matter. Do you think I¡¯m afraid of them? They¡¯ve trampled us under their feet for so many years.¡± She glanced at Yun Liu and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be much better off than me because you¡¯re their biological daughter. Girls like us are nothing more than tools in the Gu family. When they find a suitable man to marry us off to, they¡¯ll start to wantonly feed on us and our in-laws, putting us in a difficult position. Hmph! I hate the Gu family¡¯s women!¡±

    Yun Liu uttered softly, ¡°Calm down, Gu Man. If Gu Fei¡¯s matter isn¡¯t enough to vent your anger, we can slowly make other plans. In any case, I¡¯m on your side, Gu Man. I don¡¯t have any feelings for the Gu family. You know my situation there best.¡±

    Gu Man calmed down. She¡¯d already accepted Yun Liu¡¯s overtures in her heart but just refused to admit it out loud. Finally, she couldn¡¯t help but caution Yun Liu, ¡°You should be careful for yourself, too. Don¡¯t go against them head-on; you¡¯re no match for those Gu family women! You can lure them over once we have a firm foothold here, and I¡¯ll send them to the dirtiest places to relieve our anger!¡±

    The two women looked at each other and smiled maliciously with mutual understanding.

    Shi Xiu couldn¡¯t help but feel angry as she looked at the various gifts the Gu family had brought. She glared at Yun Liu and hissed lowly, ¡°I¡¯ve already agreed to let you join in the documentary, so why are you still getting up in my face?¡±

    Yun Liu gave her an innocent look and timidly turned to glance at Madam Gu and Xu Yun chatting in the living room before whispering, ¡°I came with my aunt and mother for a visit. I don¡¯t have any other intentions¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, we have guests!¡± Yun Nan¡¯s clear voice came from the second floor, cutting Yun Liu off. Yun Nan walked out of the elevator, pushing Shi Nian in his wheelchair, and Yun Liu¡¯s lovestruck gaze immediately fell on Shi Nian.

    Shi Xiu disgruntledly nudged her and warned, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about having any designs on my brother!¡±

    Yun Liu smiled at her. ¡°Shi Xiu, dear, Shi Nian and Yun Nan are already married. What designs could I have on him?¡± Shi Xiu glowered at her and turned to go over to Yun Nan; she was too afraid that Yun Nan would be wronged.

    Xu Yun couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the Gu family¡¯s visit. Although the incident between Gu Fei and Shi Xiu last time was only a small matter, quite a few of her friends and family knew about it, so she was extremely displeased with them.

    Chang Hui came over the moment she saw Shi Nian, commenting, ¡°Oh dear, why are you still in a wheelchair? Did the doctors not say when you¡¯ll fully recover?¡±

    She reached out to snatch the wheelchair¡¯s push handle as she spoke and squeezed Yun Nan to the side. She then said concernedly to Xu Yun, ¡°For a mother, it¡¯s as if the sky has fallen when their child gets injured. I understand that all too well, Xu Yun. How anxious you must¡¯ve been when this happened to Shi Nian!¡±

    Xu Yun smiled detachedly and didn¡¯t say anything. Seeing that, Chang Hui continued, ¡°Yun Liu, take Shi Nian out for some fresh air. He must feel stuffy being cooped up in his room all day.¡± Chang Hui handed the wheelchair¡¯s push handle to Yun Liu. Without giving Yun Nan a chance to object, she grabbed her hand and pulled her to her side, walking over to Xu Yun as she uttered, ¡°Oh, Yun Nan, we came here especially to ask you something!¡±

    Yun Nan looked at her reddened hand and impassively commented, ¡°Madam

    Gu, you¡¯re hurting me!¡±

    Chang Hui ignored her and somewhat forcefully pushed Yun Nan to sit on the sofa before turning to Xu Yun. ¡°Xu Yun, we came here this time to ask for your help. We wish to beg this good daughter-in-law of yours if she could shoot a promotional film for the Gu family.¡±

    Xu Yun frowned. She stretched out her hand to gesture for Yun Nan to sit beside her and said, ¡°We never talk about work at home, and I won¡¯t ever get

    involved in Yun Nan¡¯s work.¡±

    Yun Nan moved to sit beside Xu Yun and saw Yun Liu pushing Shi Nian out the door from the corner of her eye. Shi Xiu was worried and wanted to follow them, but Yun Nan shook her head gently. Shi Xiu stopped in her tracks but glared burningly at Yun Liu¡¯s retreating figure as if she wanted nothing more than to burn two holes in her back.

    Shi Nian silently let Yun Liu push him out as if tacitly allowing Yun Liu¡¯s approach, and Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but be secretly overjoyed. ¡®Beginnings are never easy, and now I¡¯ve already taken the most difficult first step,¡¯ she thought.

    Someone walked over and said in surprise, ¡°Yun Liu, why are you also here?¡± Yun Liu lifted her head and couldn¡¯t help but step back when she saw who it was.

    ¡®Its Yun Zhang!¡¯ she inwardly exclaimed. Dressed in casual clothes with one hand in his trouser pocket, he was tall and dazzlingly handsome. ¡°Big Brother?¡±

    Yun Liu stuttered..

 Chapter 396 - Chapter 396: Chapter Three -Hundred and Ninety-Six: Unease

    Chapter 396: Chapter Three -Hundred and Ninety-Six: Unease

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Zhang smiled. He reached out to tuck Yun Liu¡¯s hair behind her ear and uttered gently, ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Yun Liu. How are you?¡±

    For some reason, Yun Liu shivered and took two steps back, at a loss. Yun Zhang turned his body slightly to reveal Gu Wei behind him. The woman looked Yun Liu over with a complicated gaze, and her smile was forced as she greeted, ¡°Yun Liu.¡±

    ¡°Mom?¡± Yun Liu blurted out in surprise and then hastily and subconsciously turned around to look at Zheng Xiu in the living room.

    Gu Wei detachedly said, ¡°I raised you. Even if you¡¯ve acknowledged your biological parents, I should still deserve being called ¡®Mom¡¯ by you, shouldn¡¯t

    Yun Liu was alarmed. She quickly smiled and looped an arm around Gu Wei¡¯s.

    ¡°Mom, what are you saying? You¡¯ve always been my mother and always will be.

    We¡¯re mother and daughter for the rest of our lives.¡±

    Gu Wei¡¯s expression lightened slightly but darkened once more when she glanced at Shi Nian in his wheelchair. ¡°What are you two heading out for? Why are you the one accompanying Shi Nian? Where¡¯s Yun Nan? Why is she so insensible, leaving her husband alone when he¡¯s in such a state?¡±

    Shi Nian frowned slightly at that. Yun Liu hurriedly replied, ¡°Mom, Yun Nan¡¯s busy, so I brought Shi Nian out for some fresh air. Are you here to look for Auntie Shi today? Then you better head in quickly. Everyone¡¯s inside.¡±

    Yun Liu couldn¡¯t wait to send Gu Wei away, afraid the woman would spring some counterproductive help at this time. Gu Wei looked inside before instructing her son coolly, ¡°Yun Zhang, you stay with Yun Liu. We wouldn¡¯t want anyone to see her alone with Shi Nian and gossip about her. It won¡¯t affect Shi Nian as he¡¯s already married to Yun Nan, but Yun Liu¡¯s reputation is extremely important to our family in the future!¡±

    Yun Zhang smiled warmly. ¡°Okay, Mom! I¡¯ll accompany them.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Mom, Yun Zhang. I just¡ªI¡® Gu Wei had already stepped into the living room before Yun Liu could finish speaking. Yun Liu stared at Gu Wei¡¯s back, stunned.

    ¡®Gu Wei¡¯s a little different from usual,¡¯ Yun Liu thought, but she couldn¡¯t tell what was different. After all, she hadn¡¯t returned to the Yun family for too long a time. She hadn¡¯t returned since the Yun family transferred Yun

    Entertainment to her and she took complete control of the company. Since her goal was achieved, she¡¯d lost the patience to pretend and play house with them.

    Therefore, she felt a little guilty and panicked when she saw Gu Wei and Yun Zhang just then. However, Yun Zhang was as gentle as ever to her, and Gu Wei didn¡¯t say anything. If they were unhappy with her, with Gu Wei¡¯s personality, she would probably slap her to vent her anger.

    Even so, Yun Liu felt an inexplicable uneasiness in her heart. She looked at Yun Zhang and asked, ¡°Yun Zhang, what are you and Mom here at the Shi family¡¯s house for?¡±

    Yun Zhang smiled and put his arm around her shoulders as he answered, ¡°Mom came to ask Auntie Shi for help; I just happened to be free today, so I came with her. I didn¡¯t expect you to be here, too.¡±

    He turned his head to ask Shi Nian, ¡°How are your injuries?¡±

    Shi Nian looked at Yun Zhang judgingly but still nodded. He touched his legs and said, ¡°They¡¯re alright. It¡¯s nothing serious. I¡¯m slowly recovering.¡±

    Yun Liu pressed her lips together and smiled as she watched Yun Zhang and Shi Nian. She knew Shi Nian wasn¡¯t injured at all; it was a secret that belonged to her and Shi Nian. ¡®Even if Yun Nan also knows, I¡¯ve already successfully torn a hole between her and Shi Nian, allowing me to step in,¡¯ Yun Liu thought.

    Lan Long was her backer, but she still chose to keep a few cards hidden from him and didn¡¯t tell him the Shi brothers¡¯ secret. This was the secret between her and the Shi family¡ªthe ladder that could allow her to enter the family.

    Shi Nian and Yun Zhang chatted a little about business matters. Yun Zhang spoke confidently, a distinct change from his previous humble and shrinking attitude before Shi Nian, and Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised. She turned to look at Yun Zhang¡¯s side profile, slightly lost in thought.

    Not long after, Shi Xiu ran out excitedly and stated, ¡°Yun Liu, come with me to the company quickly. Yun Nan says she wants us to figure out the early drafts first. We have to speed up and get the filming going!¡±

    Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but secretly feel smug. ¡®I finally got Yun Nan under my thumb! she inwardly crowed. ¡®No matter what, to protect herposition in the Shi family, Yun Nan couldn¡¯t stubbornly defy the Shi family straight on, right? And I helped out both Shi Nian and Shi Xiu. Even if those two siblings didn¡¯t help me, with Auntie Xu Yun there, Yun Nan had no choice but to give in!¡¯

    Yun Liu hid her victorious glee and replied calmly, ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Our elders are all here today, so why don¡¯t we do it some other time?¡±

    Shi Xiu hurriedly said, ¡°Oh, come on! Why wait for some other time? Our time is most precious, you know! Hurry up and go! Shi Nian, Yun Nan is busy entertaining the guests with Mom. Do you want to come with me to the company to relax?¡± As she asked that question, Shi Xiu placed her hand on Shi Nian¡¯s shoulder and inconspicuously gave it a light squeeze..

 Chapter 397 - Chapter 397: Chapter Three -Hundred and Ninety- Seven: Because I Don â€˜t Love You

    Chapter 397: Chapter Three -Hundred and Ninety- Seven: Because I Don ¡®t Love You

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian got her message and nonchalantly replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll accompany you so you won¡¯t mess around.¡±

    Yun Liu immediately beamed when she heard that. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go together then. ¡±

    She moved to push Shi Nian¡¯s wheelchair, but Shi Xiu smoothly got to it before she did, making Yun Liu slightly annoyed and disappointed. Yun Zhang, who was following her step by step, placed his arm around her shoulders and patted her consolingly, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you guys.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s heart warmed. Shi Xiu smiled at Yun Zhang and commented, ¡°Big

    Brother Yun Zhang, you¡¯re so nice to Yun Liu.¡±

    Yun Zhang smiled and said nothing, and Yun Liu lowered her head shyly out of habit. Yun Liu was completely absorbed in the joy of finally having cracked open a way into the Shi family right now and had no idea that while she was setting up others, she was also being set up.

    ¡°I want Gu Man to disappear off the face of the earth!¡± Lin Yu uttered coldly.

    Lan Long looked at her and slowly gave her a warm smile. ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine someone as gentle as Young Madam Xi would say such vicious words. Evidently, Gu Man has done something you very much can¡¯t tolerate.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s expression was icy, and she didn¡¯t say anything. The two were standing in a corridor of the hospital. At the end of the corridor was Xiang Yangs ward, and no one could approach it.

    Lan Long stared at the ward from afar and stated, ¡°You can get rid of one woman, and another will appear. Young Madam Xi, are you sure you want to clear the obstacles between you and your husband by constantly using this method?¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s eyes misted, and Lan Long sighed lightly, ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for the Xi family, but Xi Cheng betrays you like this. What¡¯s the point of keeping him?¡±

    Lin Yu trembled. ¡°What are you planning to do? You can¡¯t touch him!¡±

    Lan Long chuckled, ¡°So you still love him. Relax; I won¡¯t touch him. He has nothing to do with me. We¡¯re partners; I¡¯ll naturally look out for those you care about. I¡¯m just reminding you not to let him hold his seat of power if he¡¯s useless. After all,¡± Lan Long¡¯s gaze swept across Lin Yu¡¯s abdomen before continuing, ¡°you already have a successor in your belly; what are you afraid

    Lin Yu subconsciously placed her hand on her stomach. ¡°The most important thing to you is to take the Xi Corporation into your own hands. As for what woman Xi Cheng has with him¡­ She¡¯s only just a woman. Why do you care which one it is?¡± Lan Long asked softly.

    ¡°You¡¯re protecting Gu Man?¡± Lin Yu said with astute sharpness.

    Lan Long shrugged. ¡® This woman¡¯s indeed smart¡ªsmarter and more perceptive than Shi Gao and Gu Man.¡¯ He smiled and answered, ¡°Not really. I need her to do work for me.¡±

    Lin Yu looked at him. After a while, her expression eased. ¡°If she¡¯s just a tool to you, can you give her to me when you no longer need her?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Lan Long replied unhesitatingly.

    Lin Yu was quite satisfied with his prompt attitude. She turned around and glanced at the room at the end of the corridor. ¡°Xiang Yang¡¯s awake, but she¡¯s not altogether there mentally. She doesn¡¯t talk or move; she¡¯s like a puppet. No, more like, she¡¯s the living dead. Shi Ke is with her all the time, and the Shi family watches over her very closely. No one else can get close. I went to great lengths before I got the information out of the cleaner bit by bit.¡±

    Lan Long squinted and looked at the end of the corridor without saying anything. Lin Yu tentatively inquired, ¡°You want to kill her? Or do you want to snatch her over?¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s expression cooled, and he detachedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions you shouldn¡¯t ask.¡±

    Lin Yu shut her mouth. A nurse ran over to say, ¡°Mr. Lan! Mr. Lan! The old man¡¯s asking for you!¡±

    Lan Long turned to follow the nurse but stopped after taking a couple of steps and turned back to tell Lin Yu, ¡°The drug you asked for is ready. Just contact Ah Tao when you need it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Lin Yu uttered softly. Her gaze followed Lan Long into the ward before she turned around and left.

    When she reached the elevator, Lin Yu couldn¡¯t help but look back toward Xiang Yang¡¯s ward. ¡®I don¡¯t understand why some women could garner such possessiveness from men,¡¯ she thought. ¡®They clearly don¡¯t have anygood points and are incapable of doing anything; all they have is a bad temper, whereas some women would spend their entire lives working hard, exhausting all efforts, but fail to get a single shred oflove. Instead, everything they do is taken for granted.¡¯

    ¡®Like me, for example,¡¯ she inwardly sighed. ¡® Therefore, I¡¯ll do anything to get everything I want, and I¡¯ll destroy those worthless women who make me jealous by any means necessary.¡¯

    ¡®In the future, I¡¯ll onlyplease myself,¡¯ Yun Liu thought as she placed her hand on her belly. In there lies a small being connected to her by blood, but she couldn¡¯t establish any emotional bond with it.

    Because she didn¡¯t love the child..

 Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Eight: Regained Sentience

    Chapter 398: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Eight: Regained Sentience

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation      Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Han Yuan slept quietly. Lin Yu looked at her disinterestedly and returned to her bed. She¡¯d begun increasing Han Yuan¡¯s sedative dosage, and when the time was right, she would use the drug Lan Long provided to put Han Yuan out of her misery.

    ¡® There¡¯s no turning back for me now that I¡¯ve come this far,¡¯ Lin Yu silently told herself, and her heart hardened and turned cold at the thought that Xi Cheng was probably together with Gu Man right at this moment.

    Staring at the insensate and unaware Xiang Yang before him, Shi Ke rubbed his face hard. The grief he felt in his heart strained him both physically and mentally. His phone vibrated, and he picked up the call. It was Shi Nian. Shi Ke listened to Shi Nian report his findings and muttered, ¡°Lan Long and Lin

    ¡°Ah!¡± Xiang Yang let out a sharp cry all of a sudden and curled her body into a ball, trying hard to bury herself in her pillow.

    Shi Ke threw his phone aside and rushed over to put his arms around Xiang

    Yang. ¡°Xiang Yang! Xiang Yang!¡± It was the first time in a long time that Xiang Yang had reacted. Shi Ke was shocked, overjoyed, and at a loss. He tried his best to comfort Xiang Yang¡ªstruggling and going berserk in his arms¡ªwhile using his shoulder to hit the emergency call button.

    Seeing that Xiang Yang had finally fallen asleep, Shi Ke let out a sigh of relief. Xiang Yang had great strength in her berserk mode. She didn¡¯t recognize Shi

    Ke, and her consciousness seemed to be in a state of extreme fear and hatred. She¡¯d wildly kicked and bit Shi Ke, and despite his build and training, Shi Ke had to use all his strength to restrain her. There were several clear teeth marks on his arms thanks to Xiang Yang, and some of them were bleeding freely.

    A nurse came over to clean Shi Ke¡¯s wounds and give him a tetanus shot. Yun Nan and Shi Nian looked on, shocked at the scene. Yun Nan looked at the deeply sleeping Xiang Yang and whispered, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Shi Ke watched the nurse clean his wounds with not a single furrow on his brow and answered delightedly, ¡°She woke up¡ªher consciousness, I mean. She regained her sentience. It¡¯s a good sign.¡±

    Shi Nian picked up Shi Ke¡¯s phone on the ground. He and Yun Nan had immediately rushed to the hospital after hearing Xiang Yang¡¯s scream through the phone. He handed the phone to Shi Ke and asked, ¡°Why did Xiang Yang suddenly wake up? What agitated her from her deadened state? Shi Ke, think back carefully. ¡±

    Shi Ke shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t remember. I, I was¡ª¡± His brain started working again, and he looked at Shi Nian and abruptly stopped talking.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest. Thank you,¡± Yun Nan said as she took the iodophor from the nurse. After sending the nurse out, Yun Nan continued disinfecting Shi Kel s wound.

    Now that they were alone, Shi Ke stared at Shi Nian as he stated, ¡°I picked up your call and only said five words: Lan Long and Lin Yu!¡± Shi Kels gaze subconsciously turned to the sleeping Xiang Yang, who suddenly frowned in her sleep.

    The three of them fell silent. ¡°Is it Lan Long or Lin Yu?¡± Yun Nan asked very quietly. The two brothers didn¡¯t say anything.

    Yun Nan tugged Shi Nian¡¯s arm and quietly retreated towards the door. ¡°Leave it to us, Big Brother. You take care of Xiang Yang.¡± Shi Ke nodded and flipped his phone between his fingers. He had his own channels and ways to deal with things.

    Shi Nian sent a message to Chang Yuan and Chen Nian as soon as he left Xiang

    Yang¡¯s room. telling them to gather lin- The truth behind this matter was now

    all too apparent.

    Thinking Lin Yu might be involved, Yun Nan said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and visit Madam Xi.¡±

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Be careful.¡±

    Yun Nan stopped when she passed by the Lan family¡¯s ward and heard a voice inside very patiently say, ¡°Grandpa, you have to behave. Only then will

    Yangyang come to see you!¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s Lan Long,¡¯ Yun Nan realized.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Yangyang would be here soon?¡± An old, croaky voice spoke, sounding very dissatisfied.

    ¡°Yeah, Yangyang¡¯s already on the way. Calm down, Grandpa. She¡¯ll be here,¡± Lan Long replied patiently.

    ¡°You¡¯re a liar! You always lie to me!¡± The old, crotchety voice now sounded very angry.

    *Bang!* The door opened unexpectedly, and Yun Nan took two steps back. ¡°Yangyang! You¡¯re here!¡± A twig-like hand grabbed Yun Nan¡¯s, and a delighted smile appeared on the wrinkled and thin face of the hand¡¯s owner.

    Yun Nan was startled. Lan Long came forward to support the old man and exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Yun Nan?¡± He told the old man, ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯ve got the wrong person. She isn¡¯t Yangyang; she¡¯s my friend. Hurry up and let go, or you might scare her.¡± Lan Long tried to persuade the old man to release Yun Nan¡¯s hand patiently.

    He turned to apologize to Yun Nan. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My grandfather has cerebellar atrophy, so his memory¡¯s a little messed up.¡±

    Yun Nan composed herself and told him it was alright. However, the old man gripped Yun Nan¡¯s wrist and refused to let go, shouting at Lan Long, ¡°You¡¯re lying. She¡¯s Yangyang! Yangyang, why did it take you so long to visit Grandpa? Did this rascal bully you? Grandpa will beat him up for you! Don¡¯t go! Stay and eat! Grandpa will buy you something delicious!¡±

    Lan Long gave Yun Nan an awkward and helpless look. Yun Nan suddenly reached out and patted the old man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not leaving. I¡¯m not going anywhere. Let¡¯s head inside..¡±

 Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Nine:

    Chapter 399: Chapter Three-Hundred and Ninety-Nine:

    Save Me!

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan walked into the ward under Lan Long¡¯s surprised gaze, and the old man was overjoyed. She helped the old man onto the bed and said, ¡°Grandpa, lie down and let the nurse take your blood pressure, okay?¡±

    The old man lay down obediently, and the nurse holding the blood pressure monitor at the side quickly came forward to measure his blood pressure. Then, she stuffed two white pills into Yun Nan¡¯s palm.

    Yun Nan understood and poured a glass of water. After the old man had his blood pressure measured, she coaxed him into taking the meds. The old man lay down, holding Yun Nan¡¯s hand, feeling quite satisfied. ¡°I¡¯ll take a nap. We¡¯ll go eat something delicious when I wake up,¡± he told Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan agreed with a smile and let him hold her hand. The meds were probably sleeping pills, as the old man fell asleep shortly, and his breathing evened out. The nurse beside her heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re here, Mrs. Shi. The old man had quite the tantrum today, and no one could coax him. Thank you.¡± Since Shi Ke¡ªand now Xiang Yang¡ªstayed on this same floor, the young nurse was familiar with Yun Nan.

    Yun Nan gently removed her wrist from the old man¡¯s grasp and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She smiled at Lan Long and walked out.

    Lan Long followed, effusively thanking her. ¡°Yun Nan, thank you so much! Oh, I can¡¯t even express my gratitude. What a coincidence to meet you today! You¡¯re truly our lady luck.¡± He was somewhat incoherent with gratitude.

    Yun Nan turned around and chuckled, ¡°Mr. Lan, it was nothing. There¡¯s no need to take it to heart. I just happened to be passing by. If it were anyone else, they would¡¯ve done the same. I still have some things to do, so I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±

    Lan Long stared at Yun Nan with a gaze full of tenderness, making Yun Nan feel slightly uncomfortable. She could still feel Lan Long¡¯s gaze following her when she entered the elevator. Yun Nan felt a slight chill down her back.

    Han Yuan tried her best to raise her upper body and support herself with her elbow. She reached out to close the valve of the infusion tube. She wanted to use this period of time when no one was around to exercise the limbs she could move. She would open the infusion tube¡¯s valve when a nurse came in and let the sleeping meds enter her body.

    Someone suddenly pushed open the ward¡¯s door silently, and Yun Nan¡ªwho was at the door¡ªand Han Yuan¡ªon her elbows¡ªlooked at each other, both stunned.

    Then, Han Yuan¡¯s elbow weakened, and she crashed onto her bed; at almost the same time, Yun Nan entered the room and closed the door. Han Yuan¡¯s head was covered in sweat. Yun Nan quickly strode to her bedside and looked around. There was no one else in the ward.

    ¡°Auntie?¡± Yun Nan called out softly. Han Yuan didn¡¯t move. Yun Nan continued gently, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m Yun Nan. I¡¯m Shi Nian¡¯s wife. My mother-in-law is one of your best friends, Xu Yun.¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s heart beat violently, causing more sweat to bead on her forehead. ¡® There¡¯s no time to wait any longer. This opportunity is too rare for me!¡¯ she thought. Han Yuan opened her eyes and said hoarsely, ¡°Help me!¡±

    Yun Nan stepped back in shock. ¡°You¡ªI¡®

    Han Yuan reached out to grab Yun Nan¡¯s wrist and anxiously uttered, ¡°Help me! Get me out of here! Tell Xu Yun to save me! For the sake of our many years of friendship, save me! I¡¯m about to be killed! Save me! Get me out of here!¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s grip was like iron. Yun Nan was shocked and didn¡¯t have time to think. ¡°Do you want me to tell Xi Cheng?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t! You can¡¯t! That idiot¡­ can¡¯t see through people¡¯s intentions at all! Get me out of here! Otherwise, Lin Yu will kill me sooner or later! My son¡¯s¡­ useless! I¡¯ll save myself¡­ without his help!¡± Han Yuan panted.

    Her gaze fell on the clock on the opposite wall, and she released Yun Nan. ¡°Leave now! Hurry! Lin Yu went for a prenatal check-up and will be back soon!¡±

    Yun Nan subconsciously turned around to glance at the ward¡¯s door and went forward to hold Han Yuan¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Auntie. I¡¯ll think of a way to get you out right away! Hang in there; I¡¯ll definitely save you! Take care!¡±

    With that, she left. Yun Nan¡¯s figure had just disappeared around the corner when Lin Yu came out of the elevator. She walked very carefully. The results of her prenatal check-up weren¡¯t optimistic; the doctor told her to rest in bed and try to move around as little as possible. Lin Yu was slightly annoyed. ¡®I can¡¯t lie in bed and comfortably recuperate right now. After all, there are too many things waiting for me to do.¡¯

    ¡® However, this child shares the closest blood ties with me in this world. He might even be the only one I could rely on in my life. After all, Xi Cheng isn¡¯t the good husband I wished for; I can¡¯t depend on him. There are too many uncertainties in the future. Only this child belongs to me completely, and therre also the most important tool for me to control the Xi Corporation in the future. Therefore, I have to protect this child!¡¯

    Lin Yu absentmindedly entered her ward and habitually checked on the sleeping Han Yuan. ¡® The old hags health has probably started to deteriorate.

    She would sweat profusely every day at this time, but she sleeps like a log.¡¯ Lin Yu had stuck a needle in Han Yuan¡¯s foot before to check if the woman was pretending to be asleep but got no reaction.

    ¡®Hurry up and die already. If she¡¯s dead, I¡¯ll be free..¡¯

 Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: Chapter Four Hundred: Been Played

    Chapter 400: Chapter Four Hundred: Been Played

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu was engulfed in great happiness and didn¡¯t sleep for almost the entire night. Such good fortune came upon her too suddenly, making her both delighted and panicked.

    ¡®Shi Nian is indeed my lucky star. I¡¯m glad I¡¯d been quick-witted back then. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to make Shi Nian have a good impression ofme ifI hadn¡¯t decisively chosen to cover for him, ¡® she thought.

    ¡® With Shi Nian¡¯s approval, even that bullheaded princess, Shi Xiu, gave in and allowed me to participate in the documentary. Moreover, she put my interview filming as an urgent priority, letting me cut the queue and finish filming before Yan Tang and the others. Even my script was emergently completed by Fang Xi and Lu Hui. I don¡¯t think any other person would receive such treatment other than me, Yun Liu,¡¯ she thought smugly.

    ¡®And Yun Nan didn¡¯t say anything the whole time,¡¯ Yun Liu inwardly crowed. ¡® What can she say? All her attention is probably on coaxing Shi Nian right this moment.¡¯ Thinking of the crack that must¡¯ve appeared in Yun Nan and Shi Nian¡¯s relationship, Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but want to jump up and do a jig or two in joy.

    ¡®Not only that, I also had an unexpected bonus. Yun Zhang, whom I hadn¡¯t seen for a long time, had also come. He muse ve come around during this period of time and seen my capabilities. He finally decided to get close and curry favor with me.¡¯

    Honestly, Yun Liu still had some feelings for Yun Zhang. This big brother of hers had been a fool since he was a kid¡ªhe was easily duped and would always listen to her. Compared to those in the Gu family, who didn¡¯t take her seriously, Yun Zhang was a brother who warmed her heart. ¡®Having an obedient lackey by my side is truly quite enjoyable,¡¯ Yun Liu thought.

    Her phone vibrated silently on her blanket. It rang for quite sometime before Yun Liu, who was immersed in exultation, noticed. She grabbed it and looked at it. It was Tan Ning calling.

    Yun Liu picked up the call and spoke as she glanced out the window. The sky had just started to lighten. ¡°Hey, Tan Ning. Why are you calling so early?¡±

    Tan Ning¡¯s agitated voice came through: ¡°Yun Liu, why didn¡¯t you tell us about this? How are we supposed to advertise this if you don¡¯t let us know beforehand? How are we supposed to work this?¡±

    Thinking she was talking about her being out in public with Shi Nian, Yun Liu chuckled, ¡°Tan Ning, why are you making such a fuss? What¡¯s there to advertise about? That¡¯s just the beginning of my plan; the show hasn¡¯t even started yet. I¡¯ll definitely discuss it with you once things are set. When that time comes, isn¡¯t it better to stay quiet before shocking the world all at once?¡±

    Tan Ning replied anxiously, ¡°This matter isn¡¯t shocking enough for you? Yun Liu, you, have you really thought it through?¡±

    Yun Liu turned over in her bed and said coquettishly, ¡°Yes! Of course, I have! This has been my greatest wish since I was a kid. It¡¯s my only goal in life.¡±

    Tan Ning fell silent as if she were still digesting this shocking news. Yun Liu suddenly realized something was wrong. ¡°Tan Ning, how did you know about it? Were we photographed by the paparazzi? That can¡¯t be! I would love to let the paparazzi take a picture of us together, but Shi Xiu would hardly be willing to let such news leak so quickly. It seems that I have so many paparazzi following me that Shi Xiu couldn¡¯t manage to silence them all,¡± Yun Liu uttered gloatingly, her mood great.

    Tan Ning replied gravely, ¡°Yes, the news has been out since midnight and has gotten everyone abuzz. Xiao Yun¡¯s phone and mine have been ringing non-stop, and even the company¡¯s PR and publicity staff aren¡¯t spared. This news of yours is truly too unexpected.¡±

    Yun Liu was pleased, thinking, ¡®Yun Nan, I finally one-upped you!¡¯

    ¡°Yun Liu, are you truly sure about getting together with Yun Zhang?¡± Tan Ning inquired.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Yun Liu answered offhandedly, and Tan Ning went quiet. Yun Liu belatedly realized what Tan Ning had said and was stunned. ¡°Wait, what?! Tan Ning, what did you say?

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, have you really decided to marry Yun Zhang?¡± Tan Ning asked once more in confirmation.

    Yun Liu jumped out of bed and screamed, ¡°Yun Zhang?! Me, marry Yun Zhang? Why would I want to marry Yun Zhang? Are you crazy? Why would I possibly marry Yun Zhang?¡±

    Fearing her eardrums would burst, Tan Ning moved her phone away from her ear, and her heart sank. ¡®Sh*t! We¡¯re in trouble! The news has already spread everywhere, but Yun Liu is actually unaware ofit!

    Tan Ning had felt that something was wrong when she saw the news. However, she had to believe it because there were pictures to prove it. In the photos, Yun Zhang was extremely affectionate to Yun Liu, and Yun Liu also had a tender and sweet expression. In one of the photos, Yun Zhang was brushing Yun Liu¡¯s hair to the back of her ears, and Yun Liu had her head lowered with a shy smile. Seeing this, no one would think they were siblings, blood-related or not!

    ¡® Yun Liu was tricked,¡¯ Tan Ning realized. ¡®And the one who played her was her non-related brother, Yun Zhang. The Yun Zhang who treated her like his own sister.. The Yun Zhang who was my ex-boss¡ªthe ex-boss that I betrayed?

 Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: Chapter Four-Hundred and One: Venting Anger

    Chapter 401: Chapter Four-Hundred and One: Venting Anger

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Public opinion was shaken! People from all walks of community were shocked!

    It wasn¡¯t just the entertainment industry, even the financial world shook¡ªto the point that stock prices fluctuated after the market opened.

    This was because the news that was spreading all over the place involved several long-standing influential families. Naturally, this affected many top listed companies, including but not limited to popular new stocks. Even the old established A-shares that were stable all year-round weren¡¯t unaffected. It can¡¯t be helped; the Gu family had gotten themselves in a truly deep mess this time!

    Gu Fei, the only male heir of the Gu main family, was exposed as a gay man. Not only did he frequent gay bars and get involved with all sorts of men, he even brought his younger cousin, Gu He, along with him on many occasions. From this alone, his character leaves a lot to be desired.

    The Gu family¡¯s previous attempt to form a marriage alliance with the Shi family¡¯s young daughter was merely to hide the scandal of Gu Fei getting another woman pregnant. Who would¡¯ve thought that not only did Gu Fei swing both ways, he was also an irresponsible scumbag who had no regard for human lives?

    It was a well-known fact that Gu Fei was the successor the Gu family had been grooming. The Gu family had spent the past two years expanding their domestic market for his sake, even shifting their focus from White City to Rong City, trying their best to forge ties with the four great families of Rong City. The unmarried young ladies of the Gu family¡ªGu Fei¡¯s sisters and cousins¡ªoften socialized with the children of the rich and powerful in Rong City just to pave the way for Gu Fei.

    The various media outlets went wild the moment this scandal broke out, digging far and wide for evidence. Despite how powerful and resourceful the Gu family sisters were, they weren¡¯t able to shut down all of them, and could only watch as the ivory tower they built for Gu Fei through blood and sweat crumbled and fell, beyond tears.

    Bigshots from all branches of the Gu family rushed to Rong City to save the situation. Having nowhere to vent, the Gu family¡¯s women took their anger out on Yun Liu, thinking that things wouldn¡¯t have gotten out of hand if Yun Liu hadn¡¯t brought the media reporters to the scene back then.

    ¡®Gu Fei¡¯s scandal not only ruined Gu Fei, but Gu He as well!¡¯

    Chang Hui was the first to jump up and point fingers at Yun Liu, scathingly scolding her. Chang Hui didn¡¯t dare to say anything to Gu He as he was the hope of their branch and was dragged down by Gu Fei, but Yun Liu made the best punching bag.

    Yun Liu hadn¡¯t even had time to deal with her own matters before she was brought over to be lectured. Even her biological mother wasn¡¯t on her side this time.

    Zheng Xiu only cared about her son, Gu He, and only had eyes for him. She was currently at a loss for what to do and cared for nothing else as she insistently asked Chang Hui, ¡°What of Gu He? Sister-in-law, what should we do?¡±

    Chang Hui unceremoniously pushed her away and angrily retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, ask your precious daughter! Ask her if she has our family in her heart, if she treats Gu He as her biological brother, and if she seriously takes you as her mother! We kindly let her back into the family, but what about her? Is she trying to dig up our Gu family¡¯s grave?¡± Chang Hui¡¯s sharp words were spoken at Zheng Xiu, but her eyes were glaring at Yun Liu.

    Yun Liu, too, was filled with grievances that had no outlet, and Chang Hui¡¯s venomous words and attitude was the last straw for her. ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s not like you just found out about Gu Fei¡¯s character today. Why didn¡¯t you stop Gu He? This is all because you guys want him to suck up to Gu Fei and don¡¯t dare to offend him! You¡¯re blaming me now that things have gone south? Gu Fei¡¯s the one at fault so shouldn¡¯t you go throw a tantrum at him instead of me since you¡¯re so capable?¡±

    No one expected Yun Liu to snap back. Everyone immediately quieted down and stared at Yun Liu with wide eyes. Chang Hui¡¯s face was already purple with rage, and the finger she pointed at Yun Liu trembled.

    Yun Liu looked at her fearlessly. Seeing this, Chang Hui backhandedly slapped Zheng Xiu, who was the closest to her, and snarled, ¡°What a ¡®good daughter¡¯ you raised!¡±

    Zheng Xiu was dumbfounded. ¡®No matter what, I¡¯m still the second madam of the Gu family. Even if she¡¯s my sister-in-law, Chang Hui has no right to hit me! Especially not under the eyes of everyone from the main family branch,¡¯ Zheng Xiu inwardly fumed. She pushed Chang Hui so hard she staggered, and countered, ¡°You have something to say about how I raise my kids? What about you?! Gu He is my son. I haven¡¯t even gotten started with you for raising him into this!¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with me?! It¡¯s clearly your genes that are at fault!¡± Chang Hui returned fire.

    ¡°He¡¯s a good boy! You¡¯re the one who spoiled him rotten!¡± The two women began to blame each other, moving closer and closer together.

    Seeing that they were about to come to blows again, Bai Jie coldly stated, ¡°That¡¯s enough! You two knock it off! What¡¯s most important now is Gu Fei! If his reputation is ruined, I assure you no one will have it easy!¡±

    Gu Rou and her sisters glared at Chang Hui and Zheng Xiu coldly. Chang Hui turned to Yun Liu and shouted, ¡°Yun Liu! Apologize! Get out of the Gu family if you don¡¯t resolve this matter!¡±

    Yun Liu looked at her mother. Zheng Xiu tilted her head to the side and busied herself with tidying up her messy hair, avoiding Yun Liu¡¯s pleading gaze. Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but recall Gu Man¡¯s words. ¡®We are all pawns of the Gu family. We¡¯ll be thrown away once we¡¯re useless.¡¯

    Initially, she¡¯d thought that she wouldn¡¯t end up like Gu Man, no matter what, but it turned out that¡­

 Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: Chapter Four-Hundred and Two: Infuriated

    Chapter 402: Chapter Four-Hundred and Two: Infuriated

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡®Ah, human nature! Something that could never stand up to the test,¡¯ Yun Liu thought. She turned to Zheng Xiu and said, ¡°Mom! This had nothing to do with me! I was there because I had an appointment with Shi Xiu to discuss some matters. She only agreed to cooperate because of Shi Nian.¡± Yun Liu stared at her mother with tearful eyes, the very picture of pitiful fragility.

    She was taking a bet. As expected, Zheng Xiu¡¯s eyes flashed when she heard Shi Nian¡¯s name. She walked over and took Yun Liu¡¯s hand. Without even sparing a glance at Chang Hui, she turned to Bai Jie and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, Yun Liu has always been well-behaved. There¡¯s no way she would deliberately set Gu Fei up. This is all a misunderstanding!¡±

    Bai Jie replied icily, ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a misunderstanding or not. I want a solution! Yun Liu, you have to suppress the public opinion and prove Gu Fei¡¯s innocence! Otherwise¡­ pack your bags and scram!¡±

    ¡®Yet another person telling me to get out of the Gu family,¡¯ Yun Liu thought, her heart turning cold.

    Zheng Xiu quickly took a few steps forward and approached Bai Jie before lowering her voice to say, ¡°Sister-in-law, Yun Liu has gotten quite close to the Shi family recently.¡±

    Bai Jie glanced at Zheng Xiu and Yun Liu in confusion. Zheng Xiu quickly pulled Yun Liu over and smiled subserviently as she uttered, ¡°Bai Jie, Yun Liu helped Shi Nian with a very important favor, you see. The Shi family has been treating her like a distinguished guest recently. Even Shi Xiu is willing to work with her because of that.¡±

    Zheng Xiu looked around and lowered her voice even further: ¡°Rumor has it that Shi Nian and Yun Nan¡¯s relationship has gone sour, and they¡¯re currently in a stalemate. Now, Shi Nian and Yun Liu¡­¡±

    Zheng Xiu didn¡¯t continue. Instead, she stared at Bai Jie fervently. Bai Jie¡¯s face was filled with disbelief as she sized Yun Liu up. Yun Liu pursed her lips and didn¡¯t speak.

    Chang Hui couldn¡¯t hear what Zheng Xiu said clearly. Seeing Bai Jie¡¯s expression ease up, she had a bad feeling and quickly came over to listen in. However, Zheng Xiu stopped there and didn¡¯t continue.

    ¡°Are you saying that Shi Nian will get a divorce?¡± Bai Jie asked uncertainly. Zheng Xiu smiled and didn¡¯t say anything, so Bai Jie turned to ask Yun Liu, ¡°Shi Nian has feelings for you?¡±

    Yun Liu duly lowered her head, acting shy. Bai Jie pondered over the matter but heaved a sigh of relief in the end. Chang Hui caught on and immediately snorted disdainfully, ¡°What?! You¡¯re saying Shi Nian has taken a fancy to Yun Liu? Ha! Hahaha! What a joke!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, sis?¡± Zheng Xiu turned to the side and stated lightly, ¡°We can go visit the Shi family together some day.¡±

    Chang Hui pursed her lips, sizing up Yun Liu as she scoffed, ¡°The Shi family has known Yun Liu since she was a child. If they like her, Yun Nan never would¡¯ve had a chance. Besides, girls should maintain good reputations. Even if you don¡¯t care much about it yourself, our Gu family won¡¯t abide for such embarrassment. After all, you¡¯re a member of the Gu family to the outsiders!¡±

    Chang Hui rolled her eyes and continued, ¡°Weren¡¯t you getting quite close to the Liangs some time ago? I heard that you want to be the Liang family¡¯s second young madam. What, did things not work out for you? And now you want to be a mistress instead? Don¡¯t you think there should be a limit to your flights of fancy?¡±

    Zheng Xiu was furious. ¡°You¡­¡±

    Yun Liu softly spoke up: ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m a daughter of the Gu family, and everything I¡¯m doing is for the Gu family. Isn¡¯t it still best for the Gu family regardless of whether I marry into the Liang or Shi family?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the other Gu family girls¡ªmy sisters and cousins¡ªfail to get into the four great families¡¯ circle despite their best efforts? Gu Man got the closest, but you chased her out in order to curry favor with Madam Xi. Oh, Auntie doesn¡¯t know yet, do you? Gu Man is now Xi Cheng¡¯s mistress. Xi Cheng has been secretly transferring a lot of benefits to Gu Man!¡± Yun Liu informed Chang Hui with a soft voice that everyone could hear.

    Chang Hui¡¯s eyes widened. Yun Liu sneered, ¡°I may be useless, but at least my plans are for the sake of the Gu family. Everything I do is for the Gu family, unlike you, Auntie. You¡¯ve never thought about the Gu family. Everything you do is just so that you could one day overpower Auntie Bai Jie and the Gu main family!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Chang Hui pounced over, intending to hit Yun Liu but Yun Liu took a step back, bringing her close to Bai Jie. Bai Jie looked at Chang Hui coldly, expression dark.

    Chang Hui quickly smiled obsequiously. ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t listen to this little sl*t¡¯s nonsense! I think she¡¯s gone mad! She thinks she¡¯s all that just because she has the Shi family¡¯s backing. Things between her and Shi Nian haven¡¯t even gotten anywhere and she already dares to disrespect her elders. Do you think she¡¯ll still keep the Gu family in mind if she really succeeded and got together with him? She¡¯s an ingrate, if you ask me! Sister-in-law, don¡¯t be deceived by her!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to teach me how to judge people!¡± Bai Jie said detachedly. Rebuffed, Chang Hui couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed and glared hatefully at Zheng Xiu and Yun Liu.

    Bai Jie¡¯s face was still dark as she stated, ¡°I don¡¯t care who you want to marry as long as you remember that you are a daughter of the Gu family, remember and think about the Gu family. Your marriage is still sometime in the future; we can talk about it later; what¡¯s most important right now is Gu Fei¡¯s matter. Gu Fei isn¡¯t just my son, nor is he just the Gu family¡¯s successor. He¡¯s also the future shield and backing for all of you girls, his sisters and cousins!¡±

 Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: Chapter Four-Hundred and Three: Elders

    Chapter 403: Chapter Four-Hundred and Three: Elders

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°You all can only be fine if he¡¯s fine! Therefore, I don¡¯t care who, or what method you use, this matter has to be suppressed. Protecting Gu Fei¡¯s reputation also means protecting our Gu family¡¯s reputation! So, ladies! I want you to come up with a feasible solution right now!¡±

    Bai Jie¡¯s words were directed at everyone, but her gaze remained only on Yun Liu. Bai Jie¡¯s intentions were clear, so Yun Liu had no choice but to straighten her back and utter through gritted teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll go explain to the media¡ª¡±

    ¡°Explain? Do you think you can successfully explain this away?¡± A clear and cool voice rang out from the doorway. Chen Yao strode in and coldly glanced at Yun Liu.

    ¡°Auntie, what brings you here?¡± Bai Jie hurriedly stood up and respectfully asked. Chang Hui and Zheng Xiu also quickly and courteously stood on both sides as they greeted Chen Yao. All the Gu family¡¯s young ladies also stood up to greet her, not daring to even breathe too loudly.

    Chen Yao swept a gaze at them all before sitting herself down on the seat Bai Jie had given to her. She frostily uttered, ¡°The Gu Corporation¡¯s stock price is about to collapse, and you culprits are still here arguing amongst yourselves. It¡¯ll truly be a letdown to your filial efforts if the Gu family doesn¡¯t collapse!¡±

    Bai Jie was visibly embarrassed. As the eldest daughter-in-law of the Gu family and with her parents-in-law having long passed away, she was the leading senior of the Gu family and was used to being the domineering figure. Although Chen Yao was her elder, the old lady had never interfered in their matters, so naturally, she¡¯d never spoken harshly to her.

    However, Chen Yao¡¯s seniority was an undeniable fact. She was Bai Jie¡¯s elder and it wouldn¡¯t be too much even if the old lady asked her to kneel and be lectured. Bai Jie was just¡­ not used to it.

    Chen Yao¡¯s gaze landed on Gu Fei, who was curled up in a corner playing games on his phone. The women of the family were in an uproar quarreling with each other, but he acted as if it had nothing to do with him at all. He didn¡¯t lift his eyes off his phone or bat an eyelid, because even if the sky fell, someone would take care of it for him anyway. When Chen Yao came in, he only got to his feet because his sister dragged him up, and then he sat back down again.

    Chen Yao calmly stated, ¡°Gu Fei, your granduncle has already gone to the company to discuss this with the shareholders. If the shareholders still won¡¯t let you off the hook, your granduncle will take over your Gu Corporation!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Bai Jie cried out in shock but quickly shut her mouth when Chen Yao looked over. Only then did Gu Fei put down his phone and stared at Chen Yao, dazed.

    Chen Yao said to Gu Fei, ¡°Your father and uncles worked hard to develop the Gu Corporation to where it is today, all to pave the way for you, the family¡¯s sole male heir. But from what I¡¯ve seen, you don¡¯t care for it. Since that¡¯s the case, why not be a wealthy idler?¡±

    ¡°Although your granduncle has not involved himself in the Gu family¡¯s matters for a long time, he¡¯s still part of the family. In order to let you live a carefree life, he¡¯ll just have to work hard once more and take over the Gu Corporation!¡± Chen Yao uttered in an indifferent tone.

    ¡°N-No, that won¡¯t do! I-It¡¯s quite inappropriate to trouble Uncle Gu Bei, isn¡¯t it?¡± Bai Jie replied, voice trembling.

    Chen Yao frowned at her and asked, ¡°Then do you have any good ideas? You can either let the Gu Corporation¡¯s reputation be ruined by Gu Fei¡ªthe corporation¡¯s stock price is falling to the limit as we speak, the shareholders are arguing in vain with your overwhelmed husbands¡ªor let another person with the surname Gu take over and reorganize the Gu Corporation. You guys choose.¡±

    Bai Jie clenched her fists tightly. They were scheming to take Gu Bei¡¯s wealth all the time, but they¡¯d never expected one wrong move would allow Gu Bei to invade them, and even had them offer up the entire Gu Corporation.

    ¡®This-this is simply asking for our family¡¯s lives!¡¯ Bai Jie cried mentally. Still slightly dumbfounded, Gu Fei looked at his mother for help.

    Chen Yao didn¡¯t wait for Bai Jie to speak. She stared at Gu Fei as she stated, ¡°Of course, there is a third option¡ªif you¡¯ll agree to it, that is.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Fei couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Find a girl and get married. That¡¯ll prove those rumors false and make them go away. Let your¡ªthat man¡ªbe your best man. That¡¯s the best endorsement of your marriage. It¡¯ll save everyone effort.¡± Chen Yao answered, looking at Gu Fei.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t! I¡¯m not getting married!¡± Gu Fei blurted out heatedly.

    Chen Yao turned her eyes away in disappointment, but Bai Jie took a step forward and said anxiously, ¡°Auntie, will that really work?¡± Chen Yao glanced at her and didn¡¯t say anything. She accepted a cup of tea from the maid and took a sip.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Gu Rou couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°In this current situation, where can we find a wealthy young lady who¡¯s willing to marry Gu Fei?¡±

    Bai Jie nodded in agreement and looked at Chen Yao. Chen Yao sneered, ¡°You guys are still thinking about finding a wealthy young lady? Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s wishful thinking?¡±

    The other women all anxiously regarded Chen Yao. The old lady raised her hands and clapped twice. Two middle-aged maids came in at the signal. One of them was supporting a frail and thin young woman, and the other held a baby in her arms.

    Some of the Gu family¡¯s women stared at them curiously, while others exclaimed. Chen Yao quietly noted everyone¡¯s reaction. ¡°Gu Fei,¡± she said, ¡°Du Juan risked her life to give birth to your child. You should seriously consider whether you want to marry her or not.¡±

    Chen Yao glanced at him and didn¡¯t bother giving him a second look.

 Chapter 404 - Chapter 404: Chapter Four-Hundred and Four: Warning

    Chapter 404: Chapter Four-Hundred and Four: Warning

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Bai Jie, Du Juan isn¡¯t dead. She even gave birth to a daughter. It¡¯s up to you whether you want to acknowledge her or not,¡± Chen Yao said detachedly. Her eyes searched around and found Chang Hui and her daughter were moving to the back of the crowd to hide. They had on indifferent expressions, but their gazes were sharp.

    Du Juan took her child from the maid and stood beside Chen Yao, not lifting her head up to look at anyone, including Gu Fei. Bai Jie stared at the child in Du Juan¡¯s arms in shock and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s a girl?¡±

    Chen Yao nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a girl. If you want a grandson, they can work hard to get pregnant again. They¡¯re still young, after all. Of course, that is on the premise that Gu Fei is willing to marry Du Juan, and she, in turn, also willing to marry him¡ªeven after narrowly escaping death because of him.¡±

    Bai Jie gritted her teeth and replied, ¡°He¡¯s willing! Gu Fei is willing to marry her!¡±

    ¡°Mom! I don¡¯t want to!¡± Gu Fei blurted out without hesitation.

    ¡°Shut up! You have no say in this matter!¡± Bai Jie snapped at Gu Fei.

    Gu Fei glared at Yun Liu. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you have a solution? Go and settle this matter! If you can¡¯t, I can also kick you out of the Gu family!¡±

    Yun Liu furiously glowered back at Gu Fei, thinking, ¡®What a genuine bastard! Feeding my kind efforts to the dogs would be better than helping him!¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯re asking her to settle this?¡± Chen Yao chuckled. ¡°She can¡¯t even settle her own matters, and you think she has the ability to settle your catastrophic mess? Isn¡¯t that right, Yun Liu?¡±

    Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly. Chen Yao looked at her and commented, ¡°Yun Zhang is a nice young man!¡±

    As if she¡¯d been struck by lightning, Yun Liu quickly refuted, ¡°No! That¡¯s not how it is! Yun Zhang and I aren¡¯t together! My beloved is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Your beloved is Yun Zhang, and can only be Yun Zhang! Our Gu family can¡¯t afford to be the butt of another joke right now!¡± Chen Yao sternly interrupted Yun Liu, who went silent, frightened by her imposing manner.

    ¡°Yun Zhang? What¡¯s this about?¡± Zheng Xiu asked, voice trembling. ¡®What does she mean by Yun Liu¡¯s beloved can only be Yun Zhang?¡¯

    Chen Yao rolled her eyes at her. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard? You¡¯re only concerned about Gu Fei getting on the trending searches, but you didn¡¯t see the news about Yun Liu? Don¡¯t you care about your own daughter? The news of Yun Liu and Yun Zhang¡¯s intimate relationship also made it onto the trending searches. Everyone in the city knows about it.¡±

    Zheng Xiu shot a sharp gaze at Yun Liu, and the girl paled. Hearing this, Chang Hui immediately became spirited. ¡°Oh? Auntie, what¡¯s this about? We¡¯ve all been worried sick about Gu Fei¡¯s matter and didn¡¯t pay attention to anything else, and it¡¯s all Yun Liu¡¯s fault, too. If she hadn¡¯t brought so many paparazzi with her, the media wouldn¡¯t have been able to drag his reputation through the mud.¡±

    ¡°Before you came, I just scolded her a little, and the girl threatened me, saying that she was someone bound to marry into the Shi family, and that I couldn¡¯t afford to offend her! So, why¡­ What¡¯s this about her and Yun Zhang?¡±

    Chang Hui didn¡¯t bother to hide her gloating and gleeful expression as she continued, ¡°Weren¡¯t the Yuns the ones who raised her? Wasn¡¯t Yun Zhang her brother? How did he suddenly become her sweetheart? Oh, what an ill-informed woman I am. Auntie, tell me, what¡¯s this all about?! Gu Wen, quick, search it up on the Internet!¡±

    Everyone took out their phones to search through the news¡ªno, there was no need to search. Yun Liu¡¯s news was very eye-catching. No one had noticed it before because she wasn¡¯t worth their attention.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not how it is!¡± Yun Liu shrieked. ¡°They¡¯re making things up! There¡¯s nothing between Yun Zhang and I!¡±

    Everyone gathered together and whispered to each other; no one listened to her at all. Only Zheng Xiu paid her any attention. The woman grabbed her daughter¡¯s arm, gripping it with all her might. However, Yun Liu could no longer feel the pain from her mother¡¯s actions because Chen Yao was standing before her.

    Chen Yao stared at her with a gaze colder than arctic glaciers and uttered in a quiet voice that only Yun Liu and Zheng Xiu could hear, ¡°You would dare to ruin Yun Nan¡¯s marriage with me around? She¡¯s my granddaughter, or have you guys forgotten? I don¡¯t care if you have designs on others, but don¡¯t blame me for adding fuel to the fire if you dare to target Yun Nan. You guys brought this on yourselves!¡±

    Chen Yao took two steps back and gestured to her subordinate at the doorway. A moment later, Yun Zhang walked in, neatly dressed in a suit. He didn¡¯t spare a glance at Yun Liu but instead, bowed very politely to Chen Yao. Chen Yao looked at him, gave him a kind smile that she didn¡¯t have for her own family, and praised, ¡°What a nice boy you are, dear.¡±

    Only after their greeting did Yun Zhang turn to Yun Liu, and he gently said, ¡°Yun Liu, I¡¯m here to take you home.¡±

    Yun Liu retreated from him as if she had seen a ghost, stammering in horror, ¡°Who wants to go home with you? I don¡¯t want to go home with you! I have nothing to do with you! Not a single thing!¡±

    She hid behind Zheng Xiu, who glared at Yun Zhang warily. Zheng Xiu had already had things planned out in her head: as long as Yun Liu could marry into the Shi family, her status in the Gu family would rise far above Chang Hui¡¯s. With that, she could keep Gu He by her side and raise her son personally so she didn¡¯t have to worry about him being badly taught by Chang Hui.

    She knew everyone else in the room only cared about Gu Fei, and not a single one of them was worried for her Gu He even though his reputation had clearly been affected by Gu Fei¡¯s. But, even though it pained her, she knew that in the face of Gu Fei, Gu He was nothing.

 Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: Chapter Four-Hundred and Five: Compromise

    Chapter 405: Chapter Four-Hundred and Five: Compromise

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Only she, as his mother, would love and care for Gu Fei whole-heartedly. Zheng Xiu had to spare no effort to fight for everything for Gu He. Yun Liu was her most handy knife, and Yun Zhang was going to steal her away. ¡®There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll let Yun Zhang take such an advantage so easily!¡¯

    ¡°Right now, no one can save you except for me,¡± Yun Zhang said sedately. ¡°You can preserve the Gu family¡¯s reputation only by leaving with me.¡±

    ¡®Not in a million years!¡¯ Yun Liu silently and vehemently refused. She stared warily at him, her feelings complicated. Never had she ever expected that Yun Zhang would one day become a threat to her. They¡¯d grown up together and knew each other only all-too-well. However, at this moment, she didn¡¯t understand Yun Zhang¡¯s intentions at all. ¡®Did his brain get switched? What¡¯s he trying to do? Why is he doing this?¡¯

    This was the first time in her life that Yun Zhang made her feel scared. ¡°Rubbish! I won¡¯t go with you! Absolutely not!¡± Yun Liu screamed.

    Bai Jie frowned. She didn¡¯t like Yun Liu, but it would bring great benefits to the Gu family if the girl could manage to marry into the Shi family. However, privately, she didn¡¯t want Yun Liu to marry into the Shi family¡ªbecause Yun Liu doesn¡¯t deserve to. ¡®On what grounds does she get to marry better than my daughters?¡¯ Bai Jie thought. And now, seeing Yun Liu like this, she only felt disgusted and also somewhat relieved.

    ¡°Auntie, let¡¯s settle Gu Fei¡¯s matter like this, then?¡± Bai Jie tried to bring the subject back to Gu Fei. ¡®I have yet to resolve Gu Fei¡¯s matter, and now Yun Liu¡¯s matter pops up. That girl can marry whoever she wants, I couldn¡¯t care less¡ªthe worse her marriage is, the happier I am. It¡¯ll be even better if she can¡¯t marry into the Shi family,¡¯ Bai Jie thought, at this point no longer having the intention of using Yun Liu to exchange for benefits.

    Gu Fei was also stupefied by Yun Zhang¡¯s sudden appearance. ¡®What on earth is that all about?¡¯ Hearing his mother¡¯s words, he quickly recovered and adamantly uttered, ¡°I¡¯m not getting married! It¡¯s only negative publicity. Just throw money at the matter to suppress it! What¡¯s such a big deal? Why make a mountain out of a molehill? What does the corporation¡¯s stock price drop have to do with me? Don¡¯t blame everything on me!¡±

    Bai Jie wished she could go over and cover Gu Fei¡¯s mouth. Chen Yao ignored the mother and son and looked at Zheng Xiu, who was on her guard against Yun Zhang.

    ¡°Gu An¡¯s wife, Zheng Xiu, right? We¡¯ve applied for a degree programme for Gu He at Country Y¡¯s Eton College. I wonder if you¡¯re willing to send him there to study,¡± Chen Yao said warmly.

    Zheng Xiu¡¯s expression went blank for a second, her mind a little dumbstruck by the words ¡°Eton College.¡± She couldn¡¯t imagine it. Eton! It was the academic establishment where the children of the world¡¯s top aristocrats and royals from various countries studied¡ªit wasn¡¯t a place you could get into just because you had money. Students had to be vetted through multiple stages, with referrals and guarantees by top figures, and had to be extremely outstanding to make it in there.

    ¡®Gu He, go to Eton College?!¡¯ That was something that Zheng Xiu didn¡¯t even dare to imagine in her entire life. ¡°Auntie, what did you say?¡± she asked tentatively, wishing she could transfer all her blood to her ears to let her hear Chen Yao¡¯s words clearly.

    Chen Yao understood the woman¡¯s feelings and repeated what she¡¯d said word by word. ¡°Gu He can go to Eton College to study with those nobles and royalty. Are you willing to let him go there?¡±

    Zheng Xiu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes! Yes, I¡¯m willing! Absolutely!¡± She stepped forward and clutched Chen Yao¡¯s arm with both hands, so excited that she could jump and skip around the room.

    ¡°Are you serious, Auntie? This is for real? Can Gu He really make it? Really?¡± Zheng Xiu was so overwhelmed she didn¡¯t notice her tears were already flowing down her cheeks.

    Chen Yao patted her hand. ¡°We know your expectations of Gu He. He is a son of the Gu family, so of course we can¡¯t just watch him take up bad habits and abandon his studies.¡±

    Zheng Xiu nodded vigorously, her heart already drowning in ecstasy. For her son, she had compromised, bent over backwards, schemed, and planned carefully, but her capability was limited. Until now, she hadn¡¯t managed to completely free Gu He from Chang Hui and his female cousins¡¯ manipulations as well as the harm and corruption from the main family¡¯s Bai Jie and her children.

    Zheng Xiu¡¯s worries led to many sleepless nights and she was at the end of her tether. Chen Yao¡¯s sympathy and understanding was like a cool glass of water in the desert, saving her from the brink of a parched death. At this very moment, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do whatever Chen Yao asked of her, even if it meant sacrificing her life.

    Chen Yao stated, ¡°After settling Gu He down, you and Gu An should work to have the best interest of the Gu family at heart in peace. Keep the big picture in mind with everything you do. You two have to truly care for the Gu family, and guard it well for Gu He¡¯s sake.¡±

    Zheng Xiu nodded again and again, muttering fervent agreements: ¡°Whatever you say, Auntie. Gu An and I and my daughters will obey all your orders.¡± Chen Yao finally smiled kindly at her and patted her hand. Zheng Xiu released Chen Yao¡¯s arm and stood at her side obediently.

    Having witnessed the whole scene, a chill ran down Yun Liu¡¯s back.

    Chen Yao turned around to look at Bai Jie and her son, her smile nowhere to be seen. ¡°Have you guys come to a decision? Du Juan is under my protection. We¡¯ve already tested her child¡¯s DNA and proven the baby is truly Gu Fei¡¯s flesh and blood. I¡¯ll take them with me if you guys have other ways to preserve the Gu family. We can raise the child; it¡¯s all the same anyways as the child will still be in the Gu family either way. As for the Gu Corporation¡­¡±

 Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: Chapter Four-Hundred and Six: Coercion

    Chapter 406: Chapter Four-Hundred and Six: Coercion

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°We choose to marry!¡± It was as if Bai Jie¡¯s every word dripped blood as she continued, ¡°Auntie, let¡¯s have Gu Fei and Du Juan get married and make my little granddaughter legitimate. We¡¯ll show everyone that Gu Fei isn¡¯t gay¡ªit¡¯s all false accusations and made-up rumors. And I¡¯m going to sue those unscrupulous media outlets! Girls, your brother is getting married so go prepare a wedding immediately! Pronto! Make sure no expense is spared! Our Gu Fei is to marry Du Juan in a grand manner!¡±

    Of course, Gu Fei refused to agree to this. He screamed and protested, but his sisters had already sorted out their thoughts and wouldn¡¯t let him mess around. They safeguarded Gu Fei because he represented the Gu family¡¯s interests. If Gu Fei¡¯s interests were to clash with the Gu family¡¯s, it was evident which side they would stand on.

    Besides, it¡¯s just marrying a woman. Marrying a wealthy young lady was to bring glory to the family whereas marrying Du Juan was to wipe away the stain on their family¡¯s name. It was the same logic whether he marries a wealthy young lady or Du Juan, so Gu Fei had no room for rebuttal.

    Watching the scene from where he stood beside Yun Liu, Yun Zhang detachedly uttered, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a place for you in the Gu family? What do you think they¡¯ll do to you if you bring shame to the Gu family at a time like this?¡±

    His words struck Yun Liu like a whip, and she instantly retorted, ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, I can¡¯t be with you. Yun Zhang, you¡¯re my brother!¡±

    Yun Zhang was expressionless as he replied, ¡°As everyone knows, you¡¯re the Gu family¡¯s daughter that was raised by our family. We aren¡¯t blood-related.¡±

    Yun Liu stared at Yun Zhang in shock. ¡°Big bro? Are you saying¡­ Don¡¯t tell me you really have feelings for me beyond that of a brother and sister?¡±

    Yun Zhang unperturbedly looked at Yun Liu. ¡°Does it matter? Isn¡¯t saving you from this hellhole more important?¡±

    Yun Liu was stunned by that. Yun Zhang shared a meaningful look with Chen Yao from afar before continuing, ¡°You were raised by us, the Yun family. I can¡¯t just sit by and watch you suffer. Let¡¯s go. The Gu family¡¯s matters have nothing to do with you anymore.¡±

    Yun Liu eyed Yun Zhang in bewilderment. She didn¡¯t believe Yun Zhang would be so kind. If it was in the past, she would¡¯ve because Yun Zhang had cherished her since they were kids. He¡¯d always put her first and foremost, following her lead and protecting her at all times.

    However, she wasn¡¯t sure that¡¯s still the case now. After all, she¡¯d emptied out the Yun family and then abandoned them after she returned to the Gu family. Yun Xiang and Gu Wei came looking for her many times but she ignored them. ¡®Could Yun Zhang still treat me like before under such circumstances?¡¯ she wondered. Yun Liu couldn¡¯t if she were in his shoes.

    Yun Zhang returned her gaze and suddenly gave her a faint smile. ¡°What? You don¡¯t believe that I¡¯ll still treat you well?¡± Yun Liu didn¡¯t know what to say as he¡¯d hit the nail right on the head.

    Yun Zhang glanced at the Gu family sisters who were in a messy flurry before asking her, ¡°Then you still want to stay? Do you think you have a place here if you stay?¡±

    Yun Liu followed his gaze and looked over, and her heart filled with despair at the scene. ¡®None of them care about me now.¡¯

    Gu Fei and Gu He were the ones the Gu family truly cared about. Even her own mother had forgotten all about her after Gu He¡¯s future was settled, single mindedly waiting for further news at Chen Yao¡¯s side¡ªwaiting for confirmation of her son¡¯s future spot in Eton.

    Yun Liu knew that even if she could marry into the Shi family as she wished, her mother would only use her to help her son. At the thought, Yun Liu¡¯s tears fell.

    Yun Zhang placed his arm around her shoulder like he always used to. ¡°Save your tears for the reporters we¡¯ll be seeing shortly. You have to cooperate well with me if you don¡¯t want your reputation ruined, sister dear!¡± Yun Zhang said, emphasizing the last two words especially.

    The Gu family¡¯s residence was already surrounded by reporters. It was impossible for Yun Liu to leave the Gu residence without a trace.

    Yun Zhang drove out of the Gu residence directly via the main entrance. Faced with the swarming reporters, Yun Zhang considerately honked twice and then rolled down the window. Met with the noise of cellphone and camera shutters clicking nonstop, Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but raise her hands to cover her face, heart filled with despair as she thought, ¡®So this is how it feels like to have nowhere to hide or escape in this big, big world.¡¯

    Yun Zhang graciously smiled at the reporters. ¡°I can hold a press conference if you all think it¡¯s necessary.¡±

    Seeing his genial manner, the reporters instantly bombarded him with questions. ¡°Mr. Yun, are you really going to marry Miss Yun Liu?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Yun, aren¡¯t you and Miss Yun siblings?¡±

    Yun Zhang stated lightly, ¡°It¡¯s true that she was raised by our family but she¡¯s not blood-related to me. You all know this. We grew up together so no one knows us and our feelings better than each other. Who else can compare with our relationship?¡±

    ¡°T-Then, then, may I ask, will you be taking over Yun Entertainment, Mr. Yun?¡±

    Yun Zhang smiled and answered, ¡°Yun Corporation has always belonged to us Yuns. It¡¯s Yun Liu¡¯s dowry and also her bride price.¡± As the reporters gasped in surprised realization, Yun Zhang slowly drove away.

    Yun Liu glared at Yun Zhang¡¯s side profile and asked through gritted teeth, ¡°You want to take over Yun Entertainment?¡±

    Yun Zhang kept his focus on the road ahead. ¡°I said it before: Yun Corporation is your dowry and your bride price.¡±

 Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Chapter Four-Hundred and Seven: Objective

    Chapter 407: Chapter Four-Hundred and Seven: Objective

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu was angry enough to throw a fit, but she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Yun Zhang watched as they got further and further away from the Gu family residence and finally heaved a sigh of relief before saying calmly, ¡°Not only did the Yun Corporation fail to improve in your hands, it has fallen to this point. What, you still want to hold on to it?¡±

    Yun Liu bit her lip tightly. She had nothing to say to that.

    ¡°Yun Entertainment is my life¡¯s work! I¡¯m not going to leave it unattended!¡± Yun Zhang concluded.

    Tan Ning¡¯s heart sank when Yun Zhang and Yun Liu appeared at Yun Entertainment together. ¡°President Yun, y-you¡¯re here?¡± She forced a smile and went forward to welcome him with a bow, the hand placed behind her back signaling the crowd of workers to quickly clear the area.

    Yun Liu finally relaxed after seeing that everyone had left. ¡°Yun Zhang,¡± she said coldly, ¡°what do you want? Stop with the excuse that you¡¯re doing this for my own good, okay? It¡¯s just some negative publicity, no big deal. Are you going to joke about our relationship like this? Don¡¯t you think things are chaotic enough as it is?¡±

    Stumped, Tan Ning asked, ¡°What do you mean? You two, haven¡¯t you two already officially announced your relationship? Yun Liu, when I asked you, didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ve already thought it through?¡±

    Yun Liu glared at her frostily and roared, ¡°Thought what through? I was talking about Shi Nian back then!¡±

    Tan Ning blurted out, ¡°But today, we¡­w-we released a press release admitting you two¡¯s relationship¡­¡± She stared at Yun Zhang and Yun Liu in despair as she finished.

    Yun Liu was furious. She reached out and swept everything on the desk onto the floor. However, Yun Zhang smiled faintly at Tan Ning and said, ¡°Well done.¡± Tan Ning didn¡¯t know what expression to put on in response for a moment.

    ¡°Do you really want to marry Shi Nian that badly?¡± Yun Zhang casually threw the question out as he examined the decorations in the office. Yun Liu huffily looked away and answered, ¡°You know I do! That has been my wish since I was a kid!¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m afraid your childhood dream now has to become another story,¡± Yun Zhang said calmly. ¡°An adopted daughter slowly realized she couldn¡¯t live without her adoptive family after finding and returning to her biological parents. Moreover, she realized she had fallen in love with her adoptive brother whom she had grown up with. She kept denying it at first and even tried to stop and correct such feelings by going on blind dates and meeting different guys. However, in the end, she decided to be loyal to her heart.¡±

    ¡°What do you think of this story, Tan Ning? Is it aesthetic or romantic enough?¡± Yun Zhang smiled at Tan Ning, but his smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. Tan Ning avoided his gaze and didn¡¯t dare to speak.

    Yun Liu finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore and screamed, ¡°Yun Zhang, what on earth do you mean by that? That¡¯s disgusting!¡±

    ¡°Disgusting? What¡¯s so disgusting about it? Tan Ning, from a marketing perspective, this story¡¯s attractive enough, isn¡¯t it?¡± Yun Zhang asked Tan Ning. ¡°It¡¯ll increase your online traffic.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to attract attention! I don¡¯t want online traffic!¡± Yun Liu retorted, trembling with anger. Tan Ning didn¡¯t dare say a word.

    Yun Zhang slowly tucked his smile away. ¡°You don¡¯t want attention or online traffic. You merely want to be a mistress that everyone hates? You¡¯re so willing to cheapen yourself?! Yun Liu, I can¡¯t believe I never saw this of you in the past!¡±

    Yun Liu and Tan Ning were stunned. Yun Zhang had never used such a tone or such words to speak to Yun Liu. Never!

    Yun Zhang looked at them and uttered slowly, word by word, ¡°From now on, clean up your act and stow away your little tricks and schemes. As long as I¡¯m here, you won¡¯t make it to Shi Nian¡¯s side in this lifetime!¡±

    Yun Liu stared at him in a daze, something in her mind cracking open bit by bit. ¡°You¡¯re helping Yun Nan?¡±

    Yun Zhang stood up, smoothed the wrinkles from his clothes and looked around before stating, ¡°I¡¯m doing this for the Yun Corporation. Tan Ning, the Yun family doesn¡¯t support idlers. Arguably speaking, I should fire you since you¡¯ve betrayed me. Trust lost is hard to regain, but I¡¯ll still give you another chance. You¡¯re quite capable, after all! Keep this in mind: Yun Entertainment belongs to the Yuns, and its owner is me, Yun Zhang!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still leaving Yun Liu¡¯s matter to you as before. If there¡¯s even the slightest mistake, I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t be able to gain a foothold in this industry or Rong City!¡± Yun Zhang headed towards the door and added, ¡°Good job on the press release; keep up the hard work! You¡¯ll only be in charge of Yun Liu¡¯s matters from now on. We can talk about the next step for you when I¡¯m satisfied with you!¡±

    He turned around when he got to the door as he suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Have Yun Liu focus on just her acting career like before. She need not get involved with any of the company¡¯s management. My woman should naturally live a pampered life and not put herself out there, troubling herself over work and so on!¡±

    In short, Yun Liu¡¯s freedom was restricted from now on. With that, Yun Zhang left and shut the door behind him.

    Bang! Yun Liu threw a pen holder at the door. It bounced back and crashed to the ground.

    ¡°Yun Zhang, come back here! What right do you have to treat me like this?! How dare you treat me like this!¡± Yun Liu cried and ran to pull open the door, but she found that it couldn¡¯t be opened at all. The door was locked from the outside.

 Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Chapter Four-Hundred and Eight: Tricked

    Chapter 408: Chapter Four-Hundred and Eight: Tricked

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu¡¯s face was covered in tears. ¡°Where are the staff outside? Are they all dead?¡± she complained as she grabbed her phone, intending to make a call. She then stared blankly at the phone in her hand. Her contact list was completely blank.

    She didn¡¯t know when, but Yun Zhang managed to delete and reformat her phone. Yun Liu was so peeved she viciously threw her phone aside. Then, she went for Tan Ning¡¯s phone. ¡°I¡¯m calling the police! Give me your phone, I want to call the police!¡±

    Tan Ning quickly moved her phone out of Yun Liu¡¯s reach, pushing and holding her off. ¡°Yun Liu, calm down! You have to calm down!¡±

    ¡°How do you expect me to calm down? Why should I? Give me the phone, I¡¯m calling the police!¡± Yun Liu raged. She shoved past Tan Ning¡¯s hands and snatched her phone.

    Tan Ning finally managed to push Yun Liu away and retreated to a safe distance. ¡°What will you say to the police, huh?¡± she gasped. ¡°If the police come, the reporters will follow too! Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s already chaotic enough now? You want to add another thing we have to explain when we haven¡¯t even cleared up our current mess?¡±

    Yun Liu stopped in her tracks. The word ¡°reporter¡± was like a curse that locked her feet in place. Yun Liu trembled, her voice near tears as she wailed, ¡°I never wanted to marry Yun Zhang!¡±

    Here, Tan Ning generally understood what was going on. She went over to gently hug Yun Liu and patted her back. Yun Liu leaned against her and sobbed, ¡°How did this happen? How did things end up like this? Where did things go wrong? Why did it end up like this?¡±

    Tan Ning silently took out her phone and opened a webpage. It was the interview Shi Xiu and Yun Liu had urgently filmed two days ago. Yun Liu had at one time thought that Shi Xiu had no choice but to help her because Shi Nian asked her to, and had been quite pleased with herself for that before this mess occurred.

    On camera, Shi Xiu asked, ¡°What do you think is the most romantic love, Yun Liu?¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s eyes were filled with love as she replied: ¡°I think the most romantic love is growing up together, where the seed of love is cultivated bit by bit when the partners are still young and ignorant. Even when they¡¯ve grown up, and many things have changed, the seed planted in their hearts back then will always be there. And it will sprout and branch out with flourishing green leaves when you least expect it, making it impossible to extricate themselves from there on.¡±

    Shi Xiu chuckled, ¡°Yun Liu, that sounds so romantic. I already have an image of the scene of a pair of childhood sweethearts playing together when they were kids thanks to your words.¡± Yun Liu pursed her lips and lowered her head with a slight smile.

    ¡°Then, what about you yourself, Yun Liu?¡± Shi Xiu leaned forward and asked curiously, expression eager for gossip. ¡°Do you and your childhood sweetheart share the same feelings?¡±

    Yun Liu smiled shyly and refused to answer. ¡°Oh!¡± Shi Xiu grinned mischievously. ¡°I get it, I get it. The feeling is mutual between you two, huh. No wonder you never bother to explain those groundless scandals since you debuted. It turns out your heart already belongs to another! Looks like there¡¯ll be mass heartbreaks among your male fans, Yun Liu.¡±

    Yun Liu rolled her eyes at Shi Xiu. ¡°We¡¯re artistes. If we only aim to please our male fans, how shallow would that be?¡±

    Shi Xiu nodded. ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯m sorry for being shallow. But I have to say I¡¯m quite envious of your romance with your childhood sweetheart!¡±

    The Yun Liu onscreen looked at Shi Xiu with a doting smile. At that time, she was thinking that Shi Xiu would be her future sister-in-law; she had to get along well with Shi Xiu so that Shi Nian would be satisfied with her.

    Yun Liu could still clearly remember her thoughts back then. She was worried Shi Xiu would suppress the program¡¯s progression and put her interview at the end of the broadcast list. She didn¡¯t expect Shi Xiu to release her exclusive interview so quickly, but it was released at such a critical juncture, matching perfectly with the news of her and Yun Zhang being together. Coincidence? Yun Liu would absolutely never believe Shi Xiu didn¡¯t do it on purpose!

    ¡®I was played! They tricked me, all of them! Shi Nian, Yun Nan, Shi Xiu, Yun Zhang¡­ They all joined forces to trick me!¡¯ Having come to this realization, Yun Liu¡¯s strength vanished from her entire body, and she sat on the ground weakly, defeated.

    ¡®Yun Nan! It must¡¯ve been Yun Nan!¡¯ she mentally fumed. ¡®Yun Nan must have instructed Shi Xiu and Yun Zhang to get her in such a mess!¡¯ Yun Liu burst into tears and pounded the carpet as she cried.

    Tan Ning carefully stepped forward and tried to help her up. ¡°Yun Liu, don¡¯t cry. Why don¡¯t you get off the floor first, okay?¡±

    ¡°Why are they doing this to me? Why? How could they do this to me?¡± Yun Liu hugged Tan Ning and cried indignantly.

    Tan Ning felt bitter as she thought, ¡®Yun Liu had chosen this path herself, with some help and enabling from myself, of course.¡¯ Now, Yun Zhang had clearly warned her that should she not follow his instructions, Yun Zhang would make it impossible for her to stay in the industry or even gain a foothold in Rong City.

 Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: Chapter Four-Hundred and Nine: Disappeared

    Chapter 409: Chapter Four-Hundred and Nine: Disappeared

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    No one knew better than Tan Ning herself how far she¡¯d gone on the path of betraying Yun Zhang. She¡¯d placed all her hopes on Yun Liu, thinking that by supporting Yun Liu and bringing her into fame, and with the Gu family backing her, Yun Zhang would soon be water under the bridge and not a cause of concern. By then, she would¡¯ve achieved her goals and become very successful.

    However, she¡¯d placed her bets on the wrong horse. The woman before her was a milksop who only knew how to cry in frustration when something happened¡ªtruly beyond help. This idiot had ruined the meticulous plans she¡¯d painstakingly set up time and time again, causing her efforts to go down the drain.

    However, Tan Ning had no other choice now. She could only continue down the path Yun Zhang instructed her to take, supporting Yun Liu along with her. ¡®Yun Zhang is wholly intending on treating Yun Liu as a tool¡­ used to avenge his past humiliation, seize back the family property, and help his sister¡ªhis real sister, Yun Nan!¡¯

    With that thought, Tan Ning took a deep breath and whispered into Yun Liu¡¯s ear, ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time to cry. You still have a mission from Young Master Lan you haven¡¯t completed. He¡¯s a thousand times more terrifying than Yun Zhang!¡±

    Yun Liu immediately stopped crying and lifted her tear-streaked face to look at Tan Ning nervously.

    Lin Yu was beaming as she walked back to her hospital ward with one hand holding her belly while Lily¡ªthe maid¡ªwas clutching the other to support her.

    ¡°Young Madam, Little Master is quite healthy and robust! Isn¡¯t that great? You truly are blessed, Young Madam! No one else can compare!¡± Lily said proudly, feeling very happy for her mistress.

    ¡°When Little Master is born, I¡¯ll make delicious food for him every day; I¡¯m sure to raise him to be plump and chubby. Young Madam, you have to eat more for Little Master¡¯s sake! You¡¯re really too thin right now. My heart aches just looking at your state!¡± Lily visibly had more to say, but after a careful glance at Lin Yu, she swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.

    Lin Yu patted her hand and said consolingly, ¡°Xi Cheng¡¯s just too busy to come to the hospital. He knows he can rest assured because you¡¯re by my side! And with the two of us keeping watch over Mother, he¡¯s even more at ease! You know how it is. Men should put their careers first; the many mouths in our Xi family are depending on him!¡±

    Seeing that Lin Yu truly didn¡¯t have any complaints and was so sincere, Lily couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved. In turn, she comforted Lin Yu, ¡°Young Madam, never mind the Young Master. When our Little Master is born, you¡¯ll have him to accompany you!¡±

    Lin Yu smiled and nodded. Feeling the child¡¯s heartbeat, she inexplicably felt at ease. ¡®Everything¡¯s going well so far. Even the heavens are helping me and my child. Now¡¯s about the time to send that old hag Han Yuan on her way.¡¯

    Meanwhile, Lily was cheerily muttering to herself, ¡°I have to tell Madam about Little Master¡¯s checkup results today when I wipe her body later. Who knows, she might suddenly recover completely and be able to talk due to the happy news! And then we can happily move back home!¡±

    She continued, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been easy for Young Madam and Little Master. You and the little one in your tummy have been accompanying Madam in the hospital all this time. I¡¯ve not seen any other daughter-in-law or grandson so filial! Come to think of it, our young master is really lucky to have you two¡­¡±

    Lin Yu frowned. She honestly didn¡¯t want to hear that Han Yuan could possibly recover. She couldn¡¯t even stand to imagine it. She couldn¡¯t help the hostility rising within her at Lily¡¯s words. Lily¡¯s voice suddenly cut off when they pushed open the door of the ward.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Madam? Where did Madam go?¡± Lily panickedly ran to Han Yuan¡¯s hospital bed. Han Yuan¡¯s bed was placed facing the door so it was impossible to miss, even at a glance¡­ Currently, the bed lay empty.

    Panic flooded Lin Yu, and her vision went black for a split-second. Strength seemed to have fled her and she had to quickly hold onto the ward¡¯s door for support.

    Lily flipped over the blankets on the bed in disbelief as if Han Yuan could be hiding under them somehow. She then swiftly squatted down to check under the bed, which was also empty.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Madam?¡± Lily asked, looking towards Lin Yu at the doorway in dazed bewilderment, not realizing that her mistress could barely stand right then. Lily didn¡¯t wait for Lin Yu to speak before rushing out the room like a gust of wind, calling out, ¡°Nurse! Nurse! Our madam is gone! Where¡¯s our madam?¡±

    Lily¡¯s voice resounded throughout the corridor. Lin Yu closed her eyes and stroked her stomach. Her pregnant belly felt like it was stretched slightly too taut, making her very uncomfortable.

    ¡°Be good, little one. We can¡¯t panic. We can¡¯t!¡± Lin Yu murmured quietly. She gritted her teeth and turned to look at the bed that Lily had tossed and flipped into a mess, thoughts running through her mind at top speed.

    ¡®Han Yuan disappeared! She¡¯s gone!¡¯

    ¡®Han Yuan can¡¯t walk or speak! She can¡¯t hold a pen in her hand so she can¡¯t write!¡¯

    ¡®However, her other vital signs were normal. She can¡¯t move or speak but she¡¯s conscious. She¡¯s aware of what¡¯s going on around her¡­¡¯

    ¡®Someone must¡¯ve taken her. Who? Who could it be?¡¯

    ¡®Could it be Xi Cheng? Why would Xi Cheng take her away? Was I exposed?¡¯

 Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: Chapter Four-Hundred and Ten: Throwing A Fit

    Chapter 410: Chapter Four-Hundred and Ten: Throwing A Fit

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡®If that¡¯s the case, then Xi Cheng already knows my secrets. Why did he only take Han Yuan away and didn¡¯t come to confront me?¡¯

    Lin Yu¡¯s legs gave out, and couldn¡¯t keep her standing any longer. She sank to the floor on her knees and carefully protected her belly as she panted heavily.

    Lily ran over and shouted in panic, ¡°Young Madam! Young Madam! What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Tell me what¡¯s wrong. Don¡¯t scare me like this!¡± Lily and two nurses following behind her helped Lin Yu up and into the ward.

    Lin Yu fought back her discomfort, looked at the two nurses and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my mother? Where did my mother go?¡±

    One of the nurses softly and patiently answered as she helped her onto the bed, ¡°Mrs. Xi went for an MRI scan on her head. The director personally came to pick her up. We ordered in new and more precise equipment that happen to be suitable for Mrs. Xi¡¯s condition. The fact that Mrs. Xi hasn¡¯t recovered yet has been chewing at the director so he¡¯s decided to handle her case personally this time, stating that he¡¯ll do his absolute best to treat Mrs. Xi.¡±

    Lin Yu grabbed the young nurse¡¯s wrist and yelled anxiously, ¡°No, you guys can¡¯t do that! How can the hospital director bring my mother to a checkup when we, her family members, aren¡¯t there with her? Can you guys take the responsibility should anything happen?¡±

    The two young nurses didn¡¯t expect the usually gentle and amiable Lin Yu to suddenly be in such a temper and were a little intimidated. The other nurse quickly tried to reassure Lin Yu, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing will go wrong. Rest assured, with our director personally supervising the situation, everything will be fine!¡±

    The nurse Lin Yu was still holding onto also chimed in, ¡°Calm down, ma¡¯am! Relax! The director brought along quite a few doctors and nurses with him. All of them are our hospital¡¯s elites. They¡¯ll definitely ensure that Mrs. Xi will be fine! If things go well, Mrs. Xi might be able to speak when she comes back later!¡±

    This last sentence angered Lin Yu completely. She slapped the nurse and snapped, ¡°Who do you think you are, fooling me like this? My mother is Madam Xi of the Xi Corporation! What gives you the right to gossip about her?¡±

    Lily was also intimidated by Lin Yu¡¯s sudden anger and hurriedly came over to placate her, ¡°Young Madam, there, there. Don¡¯t be mad. Lie down and have a rest first. I¡¯ll go and check on Madam immediately. I¡¯ll personally bring her back after she¡¯s done with the examination.¡± At a loss, the nurse held a hand to her slapped cheek as Lily spoke.

    Lily promptly smiled and reassured Lin Yu, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Madam. Madam will surely be fine. You need to take care of Little Master first so leave Madam¡¯s matters to me. Don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine.¡±

    Lin Yu knew this wasn¡¯t the time or place so she reined in her temper and let Lily help her lay her down on the hospital bed. Ignoring the nurses, she grabbed Lily¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Go check on Mother. Don¡¯t startle her. She¡¯s prideful and strong-headed, so she would definitely hate being gawked at in a wheelchair. Take a scarf with you and cover her up on your way back.¡±

    Lily readily agreed, picked up a scarf, and gestured for the young nurses to leave quickly with her. After everyone left, Lin Yu leaned against the pillow and gradually calmed down.

    ¡®I can¡¯t keep Han Yuan around anymore. She has to die. It¡¯s just too risky letting her stay alive,¡¯ Lin Yu decided. She turned her head to look at Han Yuan¡¯s empty bed at the side and slowly reached under her bed to take out a small ampule holding a faint yellow liquid, the color so faint you could barely see it.

    ¡®Han Yuan will die in her sleep tonight. Her life holds no value anymore,¡¯ Lin Yu thought. She picked up her phone and made a call. It was picked up after two rings, and Lin Yu calmly uttered, ¡°Everything¡¯s ready on my side. You can make your move.¡±

    There was a pause on the other end before they briskly answered, ¡°Alright, as long as you¡¯ve thought it through. I¡¯m good to go any time on my end.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s hand holding her phone slowly slid down to hang limply as she stared into space in a daze, eyes empty. Her stomach felt a little too stretched taut¡ªit was uncomfortable. Lin Yu quickly put her hand on her belly and said softly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, my child. Calm down, take it easy. Mommy will have everything prepared and sorted out for you. I won¡¯t let you suffer like Mommy did.¡±

    ¡®My mother must¡¯ve loved me like this once upon a time, right? She must¡¯ve wanted all the best for me,¡¯ Lin Yu mused. Unfortunately, her incompetent father and uncles couldn¡¯t manage to hold onto their family wealth, and she fell from grace to grass. She had no choice but to extremely carefully hunker down and keep a low and humble profile in the best years of her youth. In order to survive, she curried favor with Han Yuan, thinking that Xi Cheng and the Xi family could give her a carefree life.

    ¡®However, you can¡¯t rely on anyone but yourself in this world,¡¯ Lin Yu inwardly sighed. She was a little tired from today¡¯s events and fell asleep before she knew it. She came to when she heard the sounds of a wheelchair and slowly opened her eyes, slightly muddleheadedly watching Lily push Han Yuan into the ward.

    Lily excitedly informed her, ¡°Young Madam, Madam¡¯s check-ups are all done. The doctor says that Madam¡¯s recovery is progressing well, she may recover her speech functions any time now, and advise us to talk more to Madam.¡±

 Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Chapter Four-Hundred and Eleven: Top Quality

    Chapter 411: Chapter Four-Hundred and Eleven: Top Quality

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t say a single word as she numbly watched as Han Yuan lay back on her bed. Lily rambled on, not noticing Lin Yu¡¯s expression. Lin Yu got out of bed and walked over to Han Yuan¡¯s bedside. She subconsciously wanted to touch Han Yuan¡¯s face.

    ¡°Oh, Young Madam, what are you doing out of bed?¡± Lily quickly grabbed Lin Yu¡¯s hand. ¡°Madam is fine. The doctor said that the checkup took too long and was afraid Madam wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it, so he gave her some sleeping meds. She¡¯s fine, she¡¯ll wake up in a while,¡± Lily cheerily told Lin Yu. ¡°Go to bed and rest, Young Madam. Oh, what a day. I¡¯m so tired!¡± Lily uttered as she gave a stretch.

    Lin Yu came back to her senses and hurriedly said, ¡°Lily, go back home and take a rest. I¡¯ll take care of Mother. I¡¯m fine and you¡¯re exhausted!¡±

    That small show of concern was enough to make Lily beam. ¡°Thank you, Young Madam, but I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m young and sturdy. I¡¯m not that delicate! You just head back to bed.¡±

    Under Lily¡¯s help and care, Lin Yu got on the bed. Looking at the faithful and honest girl before her, she could only say, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I suddenly crave your fish soup.¡± She looked at Lily with some embarrassment as she spoke.

    Lily was pleasantly surprised to hear that. ¡°That¡¯s great! You finally feel like eating something, Young Madam!¡±

    Lin Yu replied a little shyly, ¡°I don¡¯t know why myself. I just suddenly started craving it.¡±

    Lily chuckled, ¡°Then it must be that our little master wants to try my cooking. No problem, easy-peasy. I¡¯ll head back and make it now. I¡¯ll bring it right over to you when it¡¯s done, Young Madam, and make our little master a happy baby!¡±

    Lin Yu quickly nodded. ¡°Thank you, and sorry for the trouble.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all! I¡¯ll be back real soon, Young Madam, so please sleep for a bit. Call the nurse over if you need anything,¡± Lily instructed attentively.

    Lin Yu shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I wager your fish soup will probably be ready when I wake up from my short nap.¡±

    Lily nodded with a smile and left happily. The ward fell silent once more. Lin Yu quietly listened to her own and Han Yuan¡¯s breathing and finally made up her mind.

    Lan Long put down his phone and looked at Shi Xiu, who was smiling beatifically and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What¡¯s gotten you so happy?¡±

    Shi Xiu frankly shared, ¡°There¡¯s a woman who¡¯s been trying to ruin my second brother and his wife¡¯s relationship, taking advantage of our current situation to get close to my brother. Hmph! I taught her a lesson this time! Let¡¯s see if she still dares to play such tricks in the future! I hate people who wreck other people¡¯s relationships the most! Man or woman, they¡¯re all repulsive!¡±

    The grip Lan Long had on his cup tightened, and he smiled as he questioned, ¡°But how do you determine that? After all, it¡¯s hard to say who¡¯s the interloper in a relationship. Aren¡¯t you afraid of misjudging things?¡±

    Shi Xiu lifted her chin haughtily as she answered, ¡°What¡¯s there to misjudge? The love between my second brother and his wife is evident to everyone. That conniving woman insists on interfering in their relationship. It¡¯s disgraceful! Now, she has shot herself in the foot!¡±

    Lan Long lowered his head and swirled his cup gently, lightly stating, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re so talented and capable underneath all that playing around.¡± Hearing that, Shi Xiu proudly dangled the cherry she was holding before eating it, not noticing the coldness in Lan Long¡¯s eyes.

    ¡®Top quality girls are truly hard to come by. Look at how smoothly Shi Xiu dealt with Yun Liu. In comparison, those girls I have by my side are just unbearably stupid and incompetent!¡¯ Lan Long thought.

    A subordinate hurried over and whispered a few words into Lan Long¡¯s ear before standing up straight to wait for Lan Long¡¯s instructions. Lan Long didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Are you busy with something?¡± Shi Xiu asked. ¡°Then I¡¯ll head back first.¡± She stood up, and so did Lan Long. He didn¡¯t try to get her to stay as he was a little distracted.

    Shi Xiu glanced back and smiled at him. ¡°Are you free the day after tomorrow? Would you come with me to go watch Fang Xi¡¯s wedding rehearsal?¡±

    Lan Long smiled and nodded. ¡°Alright!¡±

    ¡°How are things going on Gu Man¡¯s side?¡± Lan Long asked coldly, wiping the smile off his face as he watched Shi Xiu leave out the door.

    ¡°Things are going well,¡± the subordinate reported quietly. ¡°Xi Cheng is with Gu Man the whole time.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Then, let¡¯s do it.¡± Lan Long stated impassively.

    The subordinate took a step back and swiftly responded: ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the hospital to see Grandpa! Drive me over!¡± Lan Long said as he strode out.

    After he got out of the elevator and turned the corner, Lan Long could hear his grandfather¡¯s hearty laughter coming from his ward. ¡°Oh, you! Your wicked sense of humor hasn¡¯t changed a bit! You are a delight, my dear!¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s expression changed, and his heart skipped a beat. He quickened his pace and rushed into the ward.

    A woman in pink was sitting in front of his grandfather¡¯s bed.

    ¡°Yang¡ª¡± The half-spoken name was strangled in his throat. The woman turned around, and it was Yun Nan who was smiling at him.

    ¡°Oh, Ah Long, you¡¯re here! What took you so long? Yang Yang has been keeping me company here for a long while!¡± Old Master Lan waved at his grandson cheerfully.

    Lan Long¡¯s expression returned to normal in an instant, and he smiled warmly at Yun Nan. ¡°Thank you for coming to visit my grandfather.¡±

 Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twelve: Murder

    Chapter 412: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twelve: Murder

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan stood up. The nurse at the side informed Lan Long, ¡°Old Master Lan went out for a stroll when we weren¡¯t paying attention and couldn¡¯t find his way back to the ward. He got back thanks to Miss Yun.¡±

    Lan Long leveled a glacial stare at the nurse. The young nurse quickly lowered her head.

    Old Master Lan didn¡¯t seem to notice the scene; he was busy chatting with Yun Nan. ¡°Dear child, are you still angry at Lan Long? Do you want me to beat him up for you? He¡¯s foolish and immature; he¡¯s not worth staying angry over.¡±

    Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not angry, Old Master Lan. Now you be good and I¡¯ll bring your favorite snacks to visit you next time!¡±

    Old Master Lan was slightly distressed at her words. ¡°You¡¯re leaving? You won¡¯t stay and keep Grandpa company?¡±

    Old Master Lan made to get up. Lan Long came forward and gently pressed the old man back into bed. ¡°Grandpa, let Yang Yang get back to her classes. She¡¯ll cry if she¡¯s gets punished for being late.¡±

    At that, Old Master Lan hurriedly said, ¡°Then go, go. Hurry and head off. Lan Long, get someone to send Yang Yang there. I¡¯m worried about having her behind the wheel with her poor driving skills.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Lan Long replied. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to send her back now, so you be good and get some rest in bed. I¡¯ll bring her back to visit you when she¡¯s finished her classes!¡± Hearing that, Old Master Lan very cooperatively lay in bed and affectionately shooed Yun Nan off.

    When they exited the ward, Lan Long sighed heavily and fondly gazed at Yun Nan. ¡°I really don¡¯t know how to thank you. My grandfather is getting on in years and his memories are a little confused. The doctors said chances are it¡¯ll only get worse in the future. When I think about it, sometimes, I get¡­ very scared. Thank you, for making him so happy.¡±

    Yun Nan smiled politely in return. ¡°I just happened to bump into him, and coincidentally, the old man mistook me for someone else so I brought him back to his room. He¡¯s getting on in years, it¡¯s understandable.¡±

    Lan Long apologetically accompanied Yun Nan as they left the corridor. ¡°Where are you off to?¡± he asked.

    Yun Nan looked at him before answering, ¡°I¡¯m here to visit my sister-in-law. Her condition hasn¡¯t improved. I happen to be free today, so I came over to accompany her and also to switch shifts with Big Brother.¡±

    Lan Long stared out the window when he heard that. There was nothing there. Yun Nan sighed, ¡°My big brother and sister-in-law are very close. Their romance is quite touching. When I¡¯m done with everything currently, I¡¯ll write a love story dedicated to them, the sweet kind.¡±

    Yun Nan turned her head to look at the blank-faced Lan Long before chuckling, ¡°I wonder, would Mr. Lan be willing to invest if it¡¯s made into a movie?¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s lips twitched up into a faint smile. ¡°As long as it¡¯s your production, Director Yun, I¡¯m willing to follow.¡±

    As they neared Xiang Yang¡¯s ward, Lan Long stopped in his tracks. ¡°I¡¯ll see you off here. I have to go back and keep an eye on Grandpa.¡±

    Yun Nan watched Lan Long¡¯s figure disappear around the corner, and pensively turned around and entered Xiang Yang¡¯s ward.

    The nurses had done their routine rounds and checkups. The check-up during the day probably exhausted Han Yuan as she was asleep for the whole day and didn¡¯t even wake up for dinner.

    Lin Yu had been nervously waiting for this moment. Finally, the room had quieted down, and no one else was around as she¡¯d sent Lily away.

    Lin Yu got out of bed and took out the ampule from earlier. She drew out the drug within it and tiptoed over to inject the drug into the IV bag Han Yuan is hooked up to. Seeing the drug slowly mix with the IV contents, Lin Yu finally felt relieved.

    She lowered her head and was met with Han Yuan¡¯s eyes staring at her. ¡°Ah!¡± Lin Yu screamed in fright and dropped the syringe in her hand. Han Yuan reached out, closed the IV drip¡¯s valve, and pulled the IV drip needle out of her hand.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lin Yu cried out.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one asking you that?¡± Han Yuan spoke slowly, voice low, but her words were distinct.

    Lin Yu felt a chill run down her spine and took a step back. After a moment¡¯s thought, she rushed forward and grabbed the needle Han Yuan had pulled out, muttering, ¡°You can¡¯t stop taking your meds. Hurry up and¡ª¡±

    She tried to grab Han Yuan¡¯s hand and stab the needle back in again. Han Yuan broke free and slapped Lin Yu in the face. The slap wasn¡¯t heavy or light but it was enough to make Lin Yu tremble all over.

    ¡®When did the old hag recover her strength? When did she regain the ability to speak? Did she speak to anyone?¡¯ Lin Yu thought. Fear seized her heart, and her vision tunneled. Focused only on getting rid of the old woman, Lin Yu pounced over and choked Han Yuan, gibbering, ¡°I can¡¯t let you live, can¡¯t let you live any longer. You must die! Die!¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s strength was no match for a desperate Lin Yu. Han Yuan grinned nastily at Lin Yu as she fought her off with all her strength.

    Bang! Someone barged through the ward¡¯s door, and frantic voices rang out.

    ¡°Lin Yu, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Young Madam!¡±

 Chapter 413 - Chapter 413: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirteen: Changed Hands

    Chapter 413: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirteen: Changed Hands

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu only had one thought on her mind: ¡®Han Yuan must die! This old hag must die! I¡¯ll go down in flames if she¡¯s not dead!¡¯

    Lin Yu could feel several hands yanking at her hard, but she ignored them. She was single-mindedly focused on only one thing: ¡®I have to kill Han Yuan, even if it means doing it with my own hands.¡¯ Her fingers tightened, and Han Yuan¡¯s face went from red to purple, but the old woman still had that mocking smile on her face.

    Bang! Lin Yu felt something strike her head hard, and immense pain bloomed across her skull. At the same time, someone forcefully pried her fingers apart. Han Yuan began to cough violently as air rushed down her throat.

    Something warm dripped down Lin Yu¡¯s head. She could hear Lily shouting anxiously beside her ear, ¡°Madam! Madam! Are you alright?¡±

    ¡®See, you can¡¯t trust anyone but yourself. At critical moments, that little servant girl I took in is only thinking about others and not me, her mistress.¡¯ That was Lin Yu¡¯s last thought before she lost consciousness.

    Xi Cheng woke up from his dreams feeling dizzy. He¡¯d drunk a lot last night celebrating Gu Man¡¯s birthday and only went to bed very late after getting hot and heavy with her.

    Uncaring of her unclothed state, Gu Man got up behind him and wrapped an arm around his chest, coquettishly purring, ¡°Honey, come back to bed. I don¡¯t feel like getting up yet.¡± As she spoke, she pressed her luscious figure flush against him.

    Xi Cheng wouldn¡¯t mind another romp in the sheets, but he was quite spent from last night¡¯s activities, so he put his arms around her and coaxed, ¡°Okay, okay. Back to bed it is. Just let me check the time. I have a routine meeting today.¡±

    He reached for his phone, but Gu Man grabbed his hand and placed it on her bare chest. ¡°It¡¯s still early; the sun¡¯s not even up yet! Come back to bed,¡± she breathed into his ear. The beauty leaned in close, placed her arms around Xi Cheng¡¯s neck, and kissed him deeply as she wrapped her slender legs around his waist.

    In the end, the hand Xi Cheng reached out to grab his phone landed on Gu Man¡¯s naked back.

    At this very moment, there was complete pandemonium in Cheng¡¯an Industries, the Xi Corporation¡¯s subsidiary. All the employees were dumbfounded, because their company had changed hands overnight.

    Dawn and John¡ªXi Cheng¡¯s secretary and assistant¡ªmade nonstop calls to Xi Cheng, but both paled when all they got was the automated intercept message recording stating the number they dialed wasn¡¯t in service.

    The new boss was a cold and handsome man with an indefinably ferocious air. He had come to the company with a sales contract which Dawn and John had read over meticulously. They also had the company¡¯s legal department go over it¡ªit was indeed signed by Xi Cheng himself and there were no traces of forgery. Said contract clearly stated that from now on, Cheng¡¯an Industries belonged to this Mr. Chen Tao in its entirety, along with all its debts and assets.

    Anxious, John kept wiping the sweat off his forehead, very much aware of all the employees outside the office looking at them, eagerly awaiting their news.

    Chen Tao sat in Xi Cheng¡¯s chair and impassively uttered, ¡°Secretary Dawn and Assistant John, I¡¯m only here today as a formality. The company will continue its usual daily routine. It¡¯s just that the finance department needs to cooperate with my finance staff to conduct an audit. Is there a problem?¡±

    Dawn didn¡¯t say anything. John tried hard to compose himself as he wiped his sweat off his brow. ¡°Mr. Chen, I need to get in touch with Mr. Xi Cheng. He needs to give an explanation to the company¡¯s employees. He also needs to give headquarters and the corporation an explanation.¡±

    Chen Tao sneered, ¡°Go on, then. Knock yourself out.¡±

    John picked up his phone again. He didn¡¯t make the call to Xi Cheng this time¡ªhe called Shi Nian. The call successfully connected, and John¡¯s heart instantly settled back in his chest as he thought, ¡®In a certain sense, Mr. Shi is more reliable than my boss.¡¯

    ¡°Mr. Shi, it¡¯s John. Something happened on my end. Someone came over with a contract signed by our boss saying that he sold the company to him. We couldn¡¯t get in contact with Xi Cheng, and I¡¯m worried something might¡¯ve happened to him.¡± John urgently relayed everything to Shi Nian in one go, eyes fixed on the calm and relaxed Mr. Chen Tao. It wasn¡¯t the wisest to have this conversation in the man¡¯s presence, but needs must.

    There was a pregnant silence on Shi Nian¡¯s end before he said, ¡°John.¡±

    John¡¯s heart suddenly jumped to his throat. Shi Nian¡¯s voice was heavy as he went on, ¡°This is the fifth call I¡¯ve received this morning. If I recall correctly, there are only five companies under Xi Cheng¡¯s name of which he has full control over.¡±

    John was stunned. ¡°John,¡± Shi Nian reminded him, ¡°the most important thing now is to find Xi Cheng.¡±

    ¡°But none of our calls are getting through to him,¡± John nearly wailed.

    Shi Nian stated firmly, ¡°Go look for him at the places he frequents. Don¡¯t bother about the company anymore. There¡¯s nothing you can do to turn things around at this point. I¡¯m on my way to the Xi Corporation right now. I think your headquarters must¡¯ve received the news by now. Put everything else aside for now. We¡¯ll only know what happened when we find Xi Cheng.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Shi!¡± John replied with determination, suddenly appearing to have found his pillar of support. He ended the call, put down his phone, and met Chen Tao¡¯s gaze head on. ¡°Mr. Chen, I have to step out for a while. Dawn will help manage the company¡¯s work in the meantime.¡±

 Chapter 414 - Chapter 414: Chapter Four-Hundred and Fourteen: Lesson

    Chapter 414: Chapter Four-Hundred and Fourteen: Lesson

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Chen Tao stared at him with a cold smile. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll allow that?¡±

    John gritted his teeth. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll resign. I¡¯ll leave immediately, no company compensation required.¡±

    Chen Tao replied with a frosty gaze, ¡°Alright! Then call someone from HR over to handle the procedures, and you can do a proper handover as well!¡±

    John took a deep breath and started to head out as he said, ¡°No need for that. Just pretend I was never here today. You can fire me for skipping work or something!¡±

    John got to the door when the burly bodyguard standing guard there stopped him. He retreated a couple of steps and turned to look at Chen Tao.

    Chen Tao chuckled, ¡°I heard that Assistant John is your CEO¡¯s¡ªMr. Xi¡¯s¡ªtrusted aide. What, your Mr. Xi didn¡¯t tell you he transferred the company? Evidently, he doesn¡¯t trust you as much as you think he does!¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk! Pity, what a waste of your loyalty! However, even though he doesn¡¯t need you, I do. This company can continue to operate as usual without Xi Cheng, but not without you!¡±

    The bodyguard took another step forward after Chen Tao finished his little speech, and John subconsciously backed away. Dawn was so nervous and worried her face turned chalk white.

    John straightened his back. ¡°You flatter me, sir. No one is irreplaceable; the company doesn¡¯t specifically rely on any one person to operate normally, and I¡¯m merely an ordinary employee. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s a personal matter I have to deal with right now, so I¡¯ll appreciate it if you¡¯ll accommodate me.¡±

    ¡°Accommodate you?¡± Chen Tao jeered. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not good at accommodating others. I only know how to teach people a lesson.¡±

    Before John could react, the bodyguard before him punched him in the abdomen. Dawn screamed as John fell to the ground and curled up in pain.

    Chen Tao glanced at John, who was being kicked around by his bodyguard, and impassively ordered Dawn, ¡°Miss Dawn, please go out and tell the people outside to work hard and do what they¡¯re supposed to do¡ªdon¡¯t be like John here.¡±

    Dawn¡¯s legs went weak, and her voice trembled as she responded, ¡°Yes, yes, ok. I-I got it. I got it.¡±

    When Xi Cheng woke up again, it was already late in the morning. He immediately shot up and reached for his phone despite Gu Man¡¯s clinging. ¡°My phone¡¯s turned off? Why is it turned off? When? Oh sh*t!¡± Xi Cheng panicked. He hurriedly put on his pants while searching for a socket to charge his phone.

    Gu Man lazily sat up and yawned as she draped a blanket over herself. ¡°Xi Cheng, what¡¯s all the rush? It¡¯s just a routine meeting. They¡¯ll be able to work as usual whether you go or not, anyways.¡±

    Xi Cheng washed up at top speed. He pulled Gu Man over to give her a kiss after he pulled on his clothes, murmuring, ¡°I can¡¯t be sloppy with work. Otherwise, how can I afford to support you?¡±

    ¡°Who says I need you to support me?¡± Gu Man harrumphed coquettishly. After some thought, she pursed her lips. ¡°It¡¯s your wife that needs your support, isn¡¯t it? Hmph! Of course the Xi family¡¯s young madam would have heavy expenses; after all, she has her entire Lin family waiting for her financial aid!¡±

    Xi Cheng was doing up his tie when he heard that and said, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t talk about her like that. It¡¯s not easy for her, either.¡±

    Gu Man unhappily retorted, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not even allowed to say things about her? As expected, she¡¯s the one you care about the most, the apple of your eye! Unlike me, who doesn¡¯t have a family to back me because I got kicked out! I can¡¯t even compare to a woman from a declining family!¡±

    Xi Cheng frowned. ¡°You didn¡¯t go back to the Gu family, did you?¡±

    Gu Man sneered, ¡°Why would I go back? Didn¡¯t you hear about the Gu family¡¯s scandal? Gu Fei is gay and has no lack of bed partners! The Gu family went to great lengths to suppress the public opinion. They managed it by using the news that Yun Liu and Yun Zhang are getting married. Hah!¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu may appear to be living a grand life in the limelight, but she¡¯s actually not doing much better than me. She¡¯s just the unlucky scapegoat the Gu family pushed out to take the heat. However, fortunately, she has an older brother who grew up with her to save her at critical moments.¡±

    Gu Man went on, ¡°If I¡¯m with the Gu family now, I might be assigned some non-negotiable and unpleasant mission at this moment to help fend off Gu Fei¡¯s disaster.¡±

    Xi Cheng only smiled unconcernedly when he heard Gu Man¡¯s complaints and said, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. If you tell the Gu family you¡¯re with me, they might not make things difficult for you.¡±

    Gu Man looked at Xi Cheng. Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes, and she sniffed. ¡°Xi Cheng, you¡¯re really willing to stand up for me?¡±

    Xi Cheng nodded. ¡°If you need it, of course I will. But try and keep it a secret from Lin Yu.¡±

    Gu Man lowered her eyes at that. But even so, she was still touched. After all, this verbal promise meant she truly had a place in Xi Cheng¡¯s heart. He wasn¡¯t treating her as just a bed partner¡ªa tool to vent his desires with. ¡°Xi Cheng¡­¡± Gu Man gritted her teeth, wanting to confide in Xi Cheng.

    Xi Cheng had already gotten dressed and was about to head out. He unplugged his phone from the charger and turned it on. The moment the phone turned on, a series of messages flooded in.

    Xi Cheng¡¯s brows furrowed tight together. His phone kept ringing with notifications of missed calls, WeChat messages, SMS text messages. He raised his hand to stop Gu Man¡¯s words and stared blankly at the hundreds of missed calls on his phone.

 Chapter 415 - Chapter 415: Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifteen: Found

    Chapter 415: Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifteen: Found

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    There were missed calls from Dawn, John, Shi Nian, Liang Han, Lily the maid¡­ and the list went on.

    Xi Cheng dialed Shi Nian¡¯s number. The doorbell rang right when Shi Nian picked up. ¡°Where are you?¡± Xi Cheng could hear Shi Nian ask urgently as he opened the door at the same time.

    John¡¯s blood-covered figure, face bruised and swollen, tumbled on him. ¡°John! Who did this? Who beat you up like this?¡± Xi Cheng went to help John up, and his phone slid to the ground.

    ¡°Xi Cheng!¡± Shi Nian¡¯s voice blared from the floor. ¡°Where are you? Are you currently in danger? Say something!¡±

    John leaned against the wall and strugglingly sat up. He agitatedly said, ¡°Boss! You sold the company! You sold ALL of them! Why? WHY?¡±

    John began to cry. His tears mixed with blood made pink trails down his cheeks. Xi Cheng couldn¡¯t believe his eyes and ears. He heard John¡¯s every word clearly but couldn¡¯t make head nor tail of what he was saying.

    Dazedly, Xi Cheng subconsciously showed concern over John¡¯s injuries¡ªit was the only thing his brain chose to focus on right then. ¡°John, who beat you up?¡±

    John winced from his wounds, and seeing Xi Cheng¡¯s reaction, he just shook his head with a bitter smile and pointed at the phone on the ground. ¡°Mr. Shi. Ask Mr. Shi.¡±

    Xi Cheng picked up the phone and yelled at Shi Nian on the other end, ¡°Hello? Shi Nian, you there? F*ck! Someone beat up John! Someone actually beat up John! If I find out who did it, I¡¯ll kill him!¡±

    ¡°Xi Cheng, why did you transfer your company?¡± Shi Nian ignored Xi Cheng¡¯s words and asked gravely. He knew that, right now, what¡¯s most important to John wasn¡¯t his injuries. ¡®Xi Cheng¡¯s the only one ignoring the main problem and fiddling while Rome burned,¡¯ Shi Nian mentally sighed.

    Xi Cheng was dumbfounded. ¡°Transfer the company? What are you talking about? Which company has been transferred?¡±

    Shi Nian forced himself to patiently answer, ¡°You transferred the ownership of all five independent subsidiary companies under your name overnight. You didn¡¯t mention anything or notify anyone about it in advance. What exactly is this about? What happened?¡±

    ¡°What?! No! I didn¡¯t transfer any of my companies! Why would I? Are you kidding me? That¡¯s impossible! My companies are doing fine. Why would I transfer them? The Xi Corporation¡¯s shareholders would kill me if I did that.¡± Xi Cheng stood up and stared at the wall opposite him dazedly, disregarding John¡¯s predicament in his bewilderment, reflexively answering Shi Nian¡¯s questions.

    Shi Nian went silent for a moment before stating, ¡°Try and think a bit harder. What did you do recently? If you don¡¯t remember how this happened, your shareholders will bury you alive. I¡¯m at the Xi Corporation headquarters right now. Xi Cheng, if even you don¡¯t know what happened, that¡¯s more so the case for everyone else. Think, Xi Cheng! How did you make such a basic mistake?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t! There¡¯s no way! I really didn¡¯t!¡± Xi Cheng replied, slightly distraught.

    ¡°Then what are you loitering around for? Come to the Xi Corporation¡¯s headquarters and give everyone an explanation!¡± With that, Shi Nian hung up. Xi Cheng stared blankly at his phone, dumbstruck, feeling like his brain was having problems keeping up.

    John got up with much difficulty. ¡°Young Master Xi Cheng¡ª¡± he began.

    Xi Cheng finally snapped back to his senses and grabbed John¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What happened? What¡¯s going on? Tell me, what on earth happened?¡±

    John¡¯s heart completely sank. His boss still didn¡¯t know what had happened, or how, but the transfer contract he¡¯d signed, there in black ink on white paper, had come into effect. The contract was currently on the company¡¯s office desk; John had seen it with his own eyes¡ªhe had personally verified the signature was indeed his boss¡¯s handwriting.

    Before the door he knocked on opened, John even thought his boss might¡¯ve been kidnapped and coerced and had no choice but to sign away the companies as a delaying tactic. If that were the case, John would risk everything to rescue him, call the police, and ask for help.

    Then, it turned out his boss was safe and sound and totally unaware. He actually had no idea about the transfer of his own assets!

    John was beyond tears. Years of work experience and training allowed him to suppress the myriad of emotions in his heart and succinctly inform Xi Cheng about the company¡¯s matters.

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Xi Cheng cried out as he retreated and leaned against the wall opposite John.

    ¡°I called you, but your phone was switched off. I called Mr. Shi, and he asked me to come out and look for you, but they refused to let me go and even beat me up! Young Master Xi Cheng, why on earth did you sign those documents? Why didn¡¯t you tell us you signed such documents?¡± John couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore and started crying.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t! I didn¡¯t sign any such thing! I didn¡¯t!¡± Xi Cheng muttered.

    Gu Man came out, having gotten dressed. ¡°Oh? What was going on? Why all the waterworks?¡±

    Xi Cheng suddenly turned toward Gu Man. In a flash, he finally understood. He rushed forward, grabbed Gu Man¡¯s neck in a stranglehold, and held her against the wall. ¡°What documents did you have me sign? What did you make me sign when I was p*ss drunk?¡± he roared at her. ¡°You did this! B*tch! You did this?! To me?¡±

    Gu Man¡¯s face went from white to green and then purple. She couldn¡¯t break free from Xi Cheng¡¯s grip, nor could she speak.

 Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: Chapter Four-Hundred and Sixteen: Missing

    Chapter 416: Chapter Four-Hundred and Sixteen: Missing

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Seeing this, John quickly went to pull Xi Cheng off. ¡°Xi Cheng! Xi Cheng! Let go! Let go! She¡¯ll die at this rate! Xi Cheng, let go!¡±

    John used all his strength to pry Xi Cheng¡¯s hands off. Air rushed down her throat, and Gu Man coughed violently as she sat on the ground weakly.

    Xi Cheng was so angry he saw red. Even with John holding him back in a bear hug, he still swung his fists and feet at Gu Man. ¡°What did you do? What did you do behind my back?¡± he roared at her.

    Gu Man was terrified. She cried as she dodged Xi Cheng¡¯s kicks and punches, ¡°I didn¡¯t! Xi Cheng, I didn¡¯t do anything! I really didn¡¯t! Believe me, I really haven¡¯t done anything!¡±

    Xi Cheng wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to her at all. He firmly believed that Gu Man was the culprit.

    John tried his best to stop and hold Xi Cheng back despite his injuries, saying, ¡°Xi Cheng! Young Master Xi Cheng! The most important thing now is to go to headquarters! You have to go explain yourself to headquarters! Mr. Shi is waiting for you there! So let¡¯s go ASAP! Come on!¡±

    John pushed and pulled Xi Cheng away, leaving Gu Man on her own.

    Xi Cheng was still swearing up a storm when he walked out the hotel¡¯s front door, anger not yet abated. John didn¡¯t say a word. He endured the pain of his wounds and led his boss to the car.

    When the car started up and got on the road, Xi Cheng took out his phone again and looked at the many missed calls on it. He called Lily back, but no one picked up. Xi Cheng was taken aback for a moment. He promptly called Lin Yu, but again, no one picked up.

    John glanced at him but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°John, turn the car around immediately. We¡¯ll go to the hospital first,¡± Xi Cheng distractedly ordered before muttering to himself, ¡°Why aren¡¯t Lin Yu and Lily picking up?¡±

    John momentarily hesitated before suggesting, ¡°Maybe they went for a checkup and didn¡¯t bring their phones with them?¡±

    Xi Cheng shook his phone and replied, slightly anxious, ¡°No way. Lin Yu is very meticulous; she would always have her phone with her! Quick! Turn the car around! We¡¯re going to the hospital. I have an uneasy feeling about this!¡±

    John paused and then began, ¡°Young Master Xi Cheng, but headquarters¡ª¡±

    ¡°My mom is the most important! No one¡¯s more important than my mom!¡± Xi Cheng bellowed.

    John¡¯s mouth tightened into a thin line. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, turned the car around, and drove toward the hospital.

    Kneeling on the ground, Gu Man¡¯s mind wandered for a minute before she slowly got up with the help of the wall. A waitress came over and asked softly, ¡°Miss Gu, are you alright?¡±

    Gu Man shook her head. ¡°Do you know where Young Master Long is?¡±

    The waitress bowed her head and answered, ¡°Young Master Long is having a meeting in his office. No one is allowed to disturb him.¡±

    Gu Man bit her lip. ¡°Okay,¡± she uttered detachedly as she headed back towards her room using the wall as support.

    She clenched the corner of her shirt tightly and thought to herself, ¡®Xi Cheng, I¡¯m doing this for your own good! You¡¯ll see that Lin Yu will make you lose everything, and only I am genuinely protecting you. Even if you lose everything one day, I will still stay by your side. I will make you see that I¡¯m your best choice!¡¯

    Xi Cheng sped toward his mother¡¯s ward, John following closely behind in spite of his injuries. In the ward, Han Yuan¡¯s hospital bed was clean and tidy as if no one had ever been on it. Xi Cheng was briefly stunned by the sight, frightened by what it could mean, and then he turned around and ran towards the nurses¡¯ station, bumping into the young nurse who had rushed over after hearing news of his arrival.

    Xi Cheng grabbed the nurse¡¯s shoulder and shook her vigorously. ¡°Where¡¯s my mom? And my wife? Where are they? Where did they go?¡±

    Dizzy from all the shaking, the young nurse stuttered, ¡°G-gone, they¡¯re gone¡­¡±

    Dumbfounded, Xi Cheng released her. ¡°Gone? They¡¯re gone? How¡¯s that possible? They were fine a couple of days ago. How could they be dead?¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s eyes reddened, and he felt tears prickling. He¡¯d been hanging out with Gu Man for the past few days, living the dream in her arms and bosom, reluctant to wake up to the world outside.

    He¡¯d thought, ¡®In any case, Lin Yu¡¯s there to look after everything at home. There¡¯s nothing for me to worry about.¡¯ Unknowingly, he¡¯d gotten into the habit of relying on Lin Yu, just like how he relied on his mother.

    The nurse caught her breath and quickly said, ¡°No, no, they¡¯re not dead. They left us. They left!¡±

    Xi Cheng was flummoxed. ¡®Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡¯

    John¡¯s brow furrowed, and he asked the nurse seriously, ¡°When was this? Where did Madam and Young Madam go?¡±

    ¡°T-they went home t-this morning,¡± the nurse stammered, intimidated by Xi Cheng.

    John heaved a sigh of relief and quickly held Xi Cheng¡¯s shoulders in support. ¡°Young Master Xi Cheng! You misunderstood! Madam and Young Madam have gone home! They went home!¡±

    Xi Cheng looked at John blankly, still not recovered from the previous shock. ¡°Yes, they went home!¡± the nurse hurriedly said. ¡°They were discharged and went home!¡±

    John swiftly pulled Xi Cheng towards the exit. ¡°Young Master Xi Cheng,¡± he stated, ¡°Madam and Young Madam are fine. They were discharged from the hospital and returned home. Let¡¯s go to the corporation headquarters to settle company matters first and then we can go back to check on them, okay?¡±

    ¡°But why aren¡¯t they picking up my calls?¡± Xi Cheng asked, puzzled.

    John patiently reassured him, ¡°Young Master Xi Cheng, they¡¯re bound to be busy for a while after just arriving home. It¡¯s fine. With Young Madam around, what do you have to worry about? Young Madam will surely have everything sorted.¡±

 Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: Chapter Four-Hundred and Seventeen: Unwilling to Accept

    Chapter 417: Chapter Four-Hundred and Seventeen: Unwilling to Accept

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    That sentence was a most effective reassurance. Xi Cheng finally obediently followed John to the car and headed straight to the corporation headquarters.

    ¡®With Lin Yu around, everything in our family would go smoothly,¡¯ Xi Cheng thought. His mind finally returned to the business at hand.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t sign any contract selling those companies. I must have fallen into their trap! John! It must¡¯ve been that b*tch, Gu Man! She must¡¯ve tricked me into signing the documents when I was drunk!¡±

    John remained silent. He had seen Xi Cheng¡¯s signature on those papers with his own eyes. The handwriting was neat and smooth; Xi Cheng couldn¡¯t have signed those contracts while inebriated.

    However, John believed that his boss must¡¯ve been deceived. But that person¡¯s deception was so brilliant that, even now, his boss still didn¡¯t know when he¡¯d signed those contracts. Whoever it was, it couldn¡¯t be Gu Man. John didn¡¯t think that bimbo had such capabilities.

    The Xi Corporation¡¯s board of directors was already in an uproar. Shi Nian got called into the meeting room halfway because the situation there had gotten so out of control that they had no choice but to bring in an outsider for some balance.

    The Shi and Xi families were old friends so those of the Xi family were willing to respect Shi Nian¡¯s words, and the directors not of the Xi family trusted Shi Nian¡¯s family background and character so they didn¡¯t object to him being the middleman, either.

    The current situation was: The Xi family members were firmly doing their utmost to defend Xi Cheng. After all, Xi Cheng represented the Xi family, and his failings would shame the family name. Even if what he did made them want to bury him six feet under, how they would deal with him was their own business. They couldn¡¯t let the Xi family¡¯s reputation get dragged through the mud so they could only silently endure.

    Those not of the Xi family naturally wouldn¡¯t tolerate such a thing. No one¡¯s reputation was more important than money in the face of profit and interests, let alone the Xi family¡¯s. It was usually difficult for the other directors to gain the upper hand in the corporate power struggle with the Xi family faction, so how could they give up such a good opportunity?

    Shi Nian could guess how heated the situation was even if he hadn¡¯t gone in. So, when he was invited into the meeting room, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to appease everyone. Instead, he sat there and listened as both sides argued and disagreed, but under his calm exterior, he was anxiously waiting for the people he sent out to find Xi Cheng as soon as possible.

    ¡®After all, this started because of Xi Cheng, and he¡¯s the only one who can clear up this mess!¡¯ Shi Nian thought. Even though he¡¯d teamed up with the Ye and Liang families to make full preparations, the main character, Xi Cheng, couldn¡¯t be absent!

    The Xi family faction gradually gained the upper hand as the meeting went on as they had the advantage in numbers. It was only then that Shi Nian spoke up, ¡°Xi Cheng and I have been good friends since we were kids. I believe in his character, and he definitely wouldn¡¯t betray the company. I believe that he must have his reasons¡ªthere must be more to this matter. He¡¯s already on his way over. He¡¯ll definitely give everyone a satisfactory explanation.¡±

    Shi Nian paused before continuing, ¡°No matter how serious his mistake is, I hope everyone can give him a chance. As for the losses¡ª¡±

    Xi Cheng suddenly pushed open the meeting room¡¯s door and strode in, looking slightly disheveled. It was understandable; it would be difficult for anyone to maintain their elegance under such circumstances.

    ¡°I was tricked! You all have to believe me! I was framed! Those treacherous rats premeditatedly plotted against me!¡± Xi Cheng angrily stated.

    Shi Nian¡¯s heart sank when he saw Xi Cheng like this. ¡®Xi Cheng¡¯s thinking about shirking responsibility instead of solving the problem at such a critical moment!¡¯ Shi Nian inwardly sighed. ¡®This would only infuriate the directors even more.¡¯

    Sure enough, someone sneered, ¡°Young Master Xi Cheng, you¡¯re an adult. You should know better than to look for excuses for your mistakes. What kind of ¡®rat¡¯ could possibly trick away five of your companies in one sitting, Young Master Xi Cheng? What do you take us for, idiots?¡±

    The man had a way with words, politely cursing Xi Cheng out and calling him an ¡®idiot¡¯ without actually saying it. Embarrassed and knowing he was in the wrong, Xi Cheng apologized in earnest. ¡°This all happened because I was careless and made such a huge mistake. I¡¯ve brought shame to the Xi Corporation and let everyone down. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    However, the board members¡¯ patience had already been long eroded away by the Xi family faction¡¯s ¡°strong reasoning¡± for most of the day. ¡°Young Master Xi Cheng, what can a simple apology solve? The Xi Corporation¡¯s shares have now plummeted to ridiculous lows. Us suffering losses is only a minor problem. The main issue is: who¡¯s going to bear the responsibility for the shareholders¡¯ losses? How are we going to face their calls to account?¡±

    That rendered Xi Cheng speechless. He truly didn¡¯t know what to do. Ever since found out about the incident, he¡¯d been busy hating Gu Man and worrying about his mother and Lin Yu. There had been nothing else on his mind except for these women of his life. He hadn¡¯t thought about what to do with this matter at all. Or rather, he was subconsciously avoiding the matter. And now, he was without words or strategy.

    When those of the Xi family saw Xi Cheng¡¯s cowardly state, they just about gnashed their teeth in fury, but they could only swallow their anger and remain silent.

    One of the Xi family¡¯s elders said, ¡°We¡¯ve now heard the story from Xi Cheng. He¡¯s young and inexperienced. Getting tricked in a momentary slip up is forgivable.¡±

 Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: Chapter Four-Hundred and Eighteen: Came to the Rescue

    Chapter 418: Chapter Four-Hundred and Eighteen: Came to the Rescue

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    One of the directors scoffed, ¡°Then let¡¯s ask Young Master Xi Cheng who was it that plotted against him. It couldn¡¯t be that you were tricked by those shameless women you have on the side¡­ right, Young Master Xi Cheng? It¡¯s quite common for those of our status to flirt and have a little fun once in a while. We all get drawn to beautiful things, it¡¯s inevitable¡ªeveryone can understand that, but to go as far as giving away all his assets to his love like Young Master Xi Cheng here¡­ Isn¡¯t that being a bit overly infatuated? You don¡¯t plan to let your lady love have a stake in our corporation in exchange for those five companies, do you?¡±

    ¡°No! That¡¯s not it¡­¡± Xi Cheng suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°The person who bought all five companies is a man called Chen Tao.¡± Shi Nian finally spoke up, unable to stand seeing Xi Cheng¡¯s fumbling.

    The meeting room went silent, the directors giving Shi Nian their full attention and allowing him to take the lead of the meeting. None of them showed him any disrespect. They could diss and vent their anger out on Xi Cheng all they want, but everyone knew Shi Nian was currently the Xi Corporation¡¯s greatest life savior.

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in investigating how Xi Cheng was tricked right now. The problem Xi Corporation has to face currently is that you guys dumped out five of your companies for no reason. You¡¯ve got to give the public a reasonable explanation why. All of you here are core members of the Xi Corporation. As the saying goes, ¡®don¡¯t wash your dirty linen in public¡¯¡ªyou can¡¯t throw Xi Cheng to the wolves. This isn¡¯t to protect Xi Cheng, but to keep the shareholders from panicking,¡± Shi Nian stated calmly.

    Most of the directors nodded, and even those who aren¡¯t of the Xi family had looks of approval.

    Shi Nian continued, ¡°I¡¯ve talked to the Liang and Ye corporations. They¡¯ll support Xi Corporation wholeheartedly as well. We can cooperate with your corporation in a few projects and announce them to the public one after another to boost the confidence of your shareholders and employees. Let¡¯s strive to turn this situation around in as short a time as possible.¡±

    The board members all straightened their backs, and everyone let out sighs of relief.

    ¡°What about the losses incurred from this incident? Who¡¯s going to be responsible for that? It¡¯ll be quite unfair for the corporation to bear responsibility over a human error like this!¡± Someone asked the pointed question.

    Shi Nian glanced at Xi Cheng. Xi Cheng looked ashamed but only lowered his head and didn¡¯t say anything. Shi Nian couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly as he thought, ¡®Everything¡¯s as Ye Tang had predicted. Xi Cheng isn¡¯t a reliable or responsible man.¡¯

    The Xi family members wanted to speak up, but there really was nothing they could say, so they glared at Xi Cheng with displeasure. Seeing as no one piped up, Shi Nian slowly uttered, ¡°The losses this time¡ª¡±

    ¡°Xi Cheng should be the one responsible for the losses this time!¡± A somewhat hoarse voice sounded as the conference room¡¯s door opened. Everyone turned around to look at the newcomer.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Xi Cheng ran over in surprise. Yun Nan slowly pushed Han Yuan¡ªwho was sitting in a wheelchair¡ªinto the room. Han Yuan¡¯s face seemed swollen and aged due to the effects of medication, but her austere appearance still had an indescribable stateliness.

    Heedless of the pleasant surprise on his face, Han Yuan soundly slapped Xi Cheng. ¡°Kneel!¡± Han Yuan thundered.

    Yun Nan quickly leaned down and whispered in her ear, ¡°Calm down. You can¡¯t get too worked up.¡± Yun Nan¡¯s words worked like a charm. Han Yuan immediately reined in her temper, but she still glared at the dumbfounded Xi Cheng.

    Xi Cheng reflexively knelt down. ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Lin Yu?¡± he asked as he got on his knees. He didn¡¯t feel awkward about kneeling to his mother, even before the sight of everyone here, because she was his mother and he was a filial son!

    Han Yuan sighed and said to Yun Nan, ¡°Look at him. Do you understand now why it¡¯s so hard for me not to be angry? This is the useless son I nurtured with great care!¡±

    Yun Nan gently placed her hand on Han Yuan¡¯s shoulder and massaged it as a comforting gesture. No one could come up with any words of consolation to Han Yuan¡¯s remark.

    Directors of the surname Xi or not stood up and greeted Han Yuan respectfully. She nodded at everyone and stated, ¡°My legs are frail so please pardon me for not being able to stand up and return your greetings.¡±

    Everyone expressed that they were fine with it and that Madam Xi¡¯s health came first. Han Yuan didn¡¯t waste any time and cut straight to the chase. She declared, ¡°This matter is Xi Cheng¡¯s responsibility alone. All the losses should be borne by Xi Cheng himself!¡±

    The entire place fell silent at her words.

    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Xi Cheng began but swallowed his words at the menacing look Han Yuan shot at him.

    Han Yuan continued, ¡°This is his mistake alone, there¡¯s no reason to let the entire Xi Corporation bear the responsibility with him, nor can we shift the burden onto the Corporation¡¯s board of directors, and we definitely can¡¯t let our shareholders suffer losses. Therefore, the losses caused by the drop in our share prices will be deducted in its entirety from Xi Cheng¡¯s personal wealth and assets. As those are insufficient to cover the whole sum, the remaining portion can be deducted from his future dividends until the full due amount is paid and not a single cent less!¡±

    Han Yuan glowered at her son and added, ¡°My son should be grateful for the wealth the Xi family ancestors have saved and accumulated for him! Otherwise, he would be spending the rest of his life in prison! I only ask everyone here to show mercy on the account that he is my son and a wayward descendant of the Xi family. Show mercy and don¡¯t send him to prison!¡±

    Everyone, including the directors who don¡¯t have the surname Xi, never had any intention of sending Xi Cheng to prison, so they replied, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re overstating things, really.¡±

    The atmosphere finally eased up.

    ¡°Then, what do we do about those five companies that were under Young Master Xi Cheng¡¯s name?¡± One of the directors brought up the question that¡¯d caused the Xi Corporation so much shame.

 Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Chapter Four-Hundred and Nineteen: Unexpected Development

    Chapter 419: Chapter Four-Hundred and Nineteen: Unexpected Development

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Han Yuan lifted her head and stated firmly, ¡°Since Xi Cheng has sold these companies, whether willingly or tricked into doing so, what¡¯s done is done. Everyone, including the buyer, is currently waiting to see our corporation¡¯s attitude towards the matter, and they¡¯re also waiting for the corporation¡¯s next move.¡±

    She went on, ¡°I fear their target isn¡¯t simply those five companies, so I suggest we hold a press conference immediately. We have to make necessary sacrifices for the good of our corporation. As it was Xi Cheng¡¯s own personal decision to sell those companies, the Xi Corporation will remove him from office and terminate all business with those five companies from today onwards.¡±

    ¡°Mom!/Madam!¡± Exclamations rang throughout the meeting room.

    Xi Cheng moved forward on his knees and held Han Yuan¡¯s knees. ¡°Mom,¡± he cried, ¡°I¡¯m your son! You¡¯ve got to help me! You can¡¯t just toss me out! What am I to do then? You can¡¯t abandon me! This isn¡¯t my fault! I was tricked! I was deceived by that b*tch, Gu Man! And those five companies¡­ You¡¯ve got to help me get them back! Mom, please!¡± As he shouted, Xi Cheng shook Han Yuan¡¯s knees, eyes red with agitation.

    Han Yuan¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but bleed as she looked at her tall and handsome son before her. She raised her eyes toward Shi Nian, who was standing at the side, and felt as if she were stabbed in the heart. She was competitive and strove to be above others all her life, but she never imagined her son to be so inadequate compared to another¡¯s.

    ¡°Shi Nian, can you understand why Auntie is doing this?¡± Han Yuan asked Shi Nian slowly.

    Shi Nian reached out to pull Xi Cheng up, saying softly, ¡°Xi Cheng, Auntie is doing this for your own good!¡±

    The anger that Xi Cheng had nowhere to vent found its outlet. He forcefully pushed Shi Nian away and yelled, ¡°Stop with the good Samaritan act. You say this is for my own good? This is for my own good? Shi Nian, you sure know how to twist the knife. You guys just want to see me make a fool of myself, don¡¯t you? You guys have been waiting for this day, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    Xi Cheng abruptly stood up and directed all his ire at Shi Nian. ¡°You just sat there waiting for me to make a mistake so you can benefit from the Xi Corporation, didn¡¯t you? You! The Ye family! And the Liangs! You guys were all in on this together! I know you guys aren¡¯t happy with me because I failed Fang Xi! You guys ganged up on me just to stick up for Ye Kun!¡±

    Yun Nan slapped Xi Cheng across his face. ¡°That is for Ye Kun and Fang Xi!¡± she said icily.

    Xi Cheng was stunned for a moment before he roared, ¡°Shi Nian! Control your woman!¡±

    Shi Nian went and held Yun Nan¡¯s hand. ¡°That was well done, Yun Nan!¡± Han Yuan uttered coldly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened with Fang Xi. I was blind. It¡¯s my son who isn¡¯t worthy of her! I will pray to Buddha for the rest of my life and wish Fang Xi and Ye Kun a long and happy life!¡±

    ¡°Mom! How could you?!¡± Xi Cheng cried out, filled with despair. ¡®How can my own mother treat me like this?¡¯

    Han Yuan ignored him. She turned to the directors and stated, ¡°Everyone, I¡¯m also one of the Xi Corporation¡¯s directors. What do you guys think of my suggestion? Xi Cheng may be my son, but the Xi Corporation was founded together by the Xi family and each of your ancestors. We can¡¯t have the corporation lose everything for one rotten apple!¡±

    The directors that weren¡¯t of the Xi family were impressed by Han Yuan¡¯s impartial words, and even the Xi family¡¯s elders nodded. Only a few were silently observing the situation, and no one spoke up for Xi Cheng.

    Han Yuan couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. She¡¯d spent all these years paving the way for Xi Cheng but he still remained so unpopular among the board of directors. If it was in the past, she would¡¯ve thought that these directors were too black-hearted. But now, she truly realized that it was because her son was too great a disappointment and had nothing to do with anyone else!

    Han Yuan looked at Shi Nian and asked, ¡°Shi Nian, you said earlier that you¡¯ve talked to the Ye and Liang corporations and you¡¯ll all help the Xi Corporation out?¡±

    Shi Nian nodded. ¡°Yes, Auntie. Ye Kun, Liang Han, and I have everything all prepared. Ye Tang and Liang Han¡¯s older brothers all fully support us.¡±

    Han Yuan wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes as she thanked him earnestly. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you boys enough! The Xi family will remember your kindness!¡±

    ¡°Auntie, there¡¯s no need for that. Our four families are one united entity. It¡¯s only right for us to help each other,¡± Shi Nian replied hurriedly.

    Han Yuan looked toward one of the Xi family elders and sighed, ¡°Granduncle, see how capable other people¡¯s children are¡ªable to take charge and shoulder responsibilities by themselves and be a credit to their family¡ªwhereas my son has disgraced the Xi family. I¡¯ve let down the Xi family¡¯s ancestors for having such a disappointing son. I¡¯m guilty of doing wrong to the Xi family!¡±

    Han Yuan¡¯s tears fell as she finished. The Xi family¡¯s granduncle¡¯s heart went out to her, and he sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Xi Cheng¡¯s an adult; he has to take responsibility for his own actions. Niece-in-law, you did the right thing.¡± He turned to the others. ¡°We¡¯ll do as you say! Do you agree, fellow directors?¡±

 Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty: Entrust

    Chapter 420: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty: Entrust

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Cutting off all connections with Xi Cheng¡¯s five companies and firing Xi Cheng from the Xi Corporation while announcing the joint projects with the other three great families was their best solution so far. It would definitely cut losses in the shortest time possible, so naturally, none of the directors had any objections.

    And thus, the ¡°war¡± filled with the acrid smoke of gunpowder died down. Anyone could see that, despite her words, Han Yuan had still defended her son. However, the directors had gotten what they wanted so there was no need to drive Xi Cheng into a corner. It wouldn¡¯t do for the directors to have a falling out with the Xi family when they were all part of the Xi Corporation¡ªit¡¯s best not to burn their bridges. Therefore, no one objected to letting Xi Cheng off this time.

    When the time to leave came, Han Yuan informed everyone, ¡°My daughter-in-law, Lin Yu, is pregnant. Her family met with misfortune when she was young and it was a huge blow to her. She grew up frail as a result, and her current pregnancy doesn¡¯t look good. The doctor said she¡¯ll have to stay in bed until she gives birth.¡±

    ¡°Consequently, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do the things she has taken on for others, and she¡¯s also retiring from all her positions. Many of her positions and tasks involve charity work, which is linked to our corporation¡¯s reputation, so these projects can¡¯t stop.¡±

    Han Yuan went on, ¡°As for myself, although the matters I¡¯m responsible for in the corporation aren¡¯t important, they are still related to the bread and butter of many of our employees. You¡¯ve all seen for yourself that my health isn¡¯t doing so well, so I especially hired Shi Nian¡¯s wife, Yun Nan, to help take on Lin Yu and my work for a while. Does everyone agree with that?¡±

    ¡®Of course we agree!¡¯ was the director¡¯s collective thought. ¡®What¡¯s not to agree with?¡¯

    Firstly, just as Han Yuan had said, the matters and projects she and Lin Yu were in charge of weren¡¯t greatly important to the corporation¡¯s overall operation, but were still quite important to the maintenance of the Xi corporation¡¯s reputation. Since Lin Yu and Han Yuan were physically unable to work due to health issues, they naturally had to find someone reliable to take on their work.

    Secondly, Shi Nian was giving the Xi Corporation a huge amount of aid and support and the corporation had to rely greatly on the Shi family to rise once again. Entrusting Shi Nian¡¯s wife with these philanthropy and minor projects was the best choice as it would be a nod in respect to Shi Nian and also tie the Shi family name to the corporation, ensuring that they would do their best to help the Xi Corporation.

    Thirdly, Yun Nan was a much more prominent and known figure than Xi Cheng¡¯s wife. As a famous film director who built her own thriving company, she had talent and reputation in spades, and having her would only be a boon to the Xi Corporation.

    The directors dispersed after the meeting finished, leaving only Shi Nian, Yun Nan, Xi Cheng, Han Yuan, and John in the room. John stood silently at the side. Now that the crisis was over, he could finally feel his body¡¯s injuries in all their painful glory. However, he couldn¡¯t leave and get them checked out yet. He was Xi Cheng¡¯s chief assistant, which meant that other than work issues, he also handled many of Xi Cheng¡¯s private matters. He had to stay with Xi Cheng for the time being.

    Xi Cheng felt extremely wronged. At this point, he couldn¡¯t care less about the fact that Shi Nian and his wife were present. He kneeled beside Han Yuan¡¯s knees once more and called out aggrievedly to her, ¡°Mom¡­¡±

    Han Yuan stared at the top of her son¡¯s head, thinking, ¡®How can this son of mine, whom I had spent my entire life¡¯s effort nurturing, actually be so shameful?¡¯

    ¡°You still feel wronged?¡± she asked slowly. Xi Cheng looked up at his mother with teary eyes and whimpered, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve learnt my lesson, but I really was deceived. I¡¯m sorry, Mom. I cheated and fooled around with Gu Man, and she honey-trapped me. It¡¯s all my fault! I¡¯ve truly learnt from my lesson!¡±

    Han Yuan closed her eyes in disappointment and sighed, ¡°And what good is learning your lesson going to do? You don¡¯t even know where you went wrong.¡±

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t know what she meant. Han Yuan sighed once more and stared at Xi Cheng¡¯s eyes as she told him, ¡°Gu Man wasn¡¯t the one who cheated you of your companies¡ªLin Yu sold them. Think back. Did Lin Yu ever ask you to sign anything?¡±

    Xi Cheng froze. Lin Yu had asked him to sign a lot of things. However, he¡¯d never thought to flip through what he¡¯d signed to. He¡¯d thought that, in this world, only Lin Yu wouldn¡¯t hurt him.

    He¡¯d thought that all Lin Yu wanted was his sincere love¡ªto be the only one he holds in his heart. Xi Cheng couldn¡¯t give her that, so he obeyed all her other wants and wishes. After all, Lin Yu wouldn¡¯t be where she is today without the Xi family. Therefore, she would surely and wholeheartedly treat him and each and everyone in the Xi family well.

    That was what Xi Cheng most unwaveringly believed.

    ¡°Son, do you know what your mistake is? Your biggest mistake is you never take women seriously,¡± Han Yuan continued. ¡°Did you ever truly love Fang Xi? No, you don¡¯t love her. You only fell in love with her after you lost her. What you love isn¡¯t her, but your own ego!¡±

    ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t love Lin Yu, but do you love Gu Man? No, you don¡¯t love her either! She was just a momentary passion. When it comes down to it, you¡¯re only with her because it strokes your ego. Just like your love for me, it¡¯s all talk and lip-service¡ªyou¡¯ve never let any of us into your heart.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why Fang Xi left. She didn¡¯t leave just because Lin Yu and I went to see her. She saw right through you and had been hurt and disappointed for a long time. She was looking for an opportunity to break things off¡ªwhich I delivered. All your actions, and mine, were just products of our self-important delusions.¡±

 Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-One: Castigated

    Chapter 421: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-One: Castigated

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng was still dumbstruck over Lin Yu¡¯s betrayal, muttering, ¡°No way¡­ How¡¯s that possible? Lin Yu¡­ Why did she do that? Why would she do that? She¡¯s family¡­ one of us! She¡ªshe¡¯s the young mistress of the Xi family! What could she possibly gain by betraying us like that?¡±

    Han Yuan looked at her son and sneered, ¡°She¡¯s the Xi family¡¯s young mistress with you around. But if you and I are gone, she can use the child in her stomach to become the head of our branch of the Xi family! So, do you still not understand why she did that?¡±

    Xi Cheng was shocked, his disbelief written all over his face. ¡°Where¡ªwhere is she?¡± he blurted out. He wanted to go find her and ask her for an explanation.

    Han Yuan was beyond disappointed as she stared at her artless and unsophisticated son. She answered, ¡°She¡¯s pregnant with your child. No matter what she has done, the child is innocent. So, in the next few months, the only thing she has to do is take care of her unborn child. You two can talk after she has given birth. It¡¯s your own business whether you guys leave or stay. From there on, you two have nothing to do with the Xi family.¡±

    ¡°Mom?!¡± Xi Cheng abruptly lifted his head and asked, voice trembling. ¡°Do you really not want me anymore?¡±

    Han Yuan turned her face away and pushed her wheelchair away. ¡°It¡¯s my fault you are the way you are today,¡± she uttered detachedly. ¡°The only thing I can help you with now is to let you get up on your own and walk out. Otherwise, I would live and die discontented for having let down the Xi family¡¯s ancestors!¡±

    ¡°Mom! Mom! I¡¯ve learnt my lesson, I really have! Mom!¡± Xi Cheng rushed over and kneeled before Han Yuan again, begging imploringly.

    Han Yuan raised her head to stop her tears from falling. However, tears were already inadvertently streaming down her face. She forcefully pushed Xi Cheng away forcefully and said gravely, ¡°Shi Nian, John! Watch over him! I¡¯m leaving him to you guys!¡±

    John silently came forward and forcibly pulled Xi Cheng to his feet, stopping him from pouncing toward Han Yuan once more.

    ¡°Yun Nan, please send me back,¡± Han Yuan whispered. Yun Nan quickly went to take hold of the push handles on Han Yuan¡¯s wheelchair and left the meeting room with Han Yuan without saying a word.

    ¡°Mom!¡± They could hear Xi Cheng sadly cry out behind them. However, Han Yuan had no intention of stopping at all.

    Xi Cheng tried to chase after them, but Shi Nian and John stopped him. ¡°Xi Cheng, calm down! Don¡¯t do this!¡± Shi Nian commanded.

    Xi Cheng pushed him away. ¡°Calm down? How? Tell me, how am I supposed to calm down?! Of course you¡¯re calm! You¡¯ve won the hearts of everyone at Xi Corporation, and you had your wife win my mother¡¯s trust! Everything played into your hands! You got what you wanted! To think I treated you like a brother, and you pull something like this on me!¡±

    John couldn¡¯t stand to listen anymore. ¡°Xi Cheng! What are you on about?¡±

    Incensed, Shi Nian released Xi Cheng and stated evenly, ¡°Don¡¯t stop him. Let him talk!¡±

    John hurriedly said, ¡°Mr. Shi, Young Master Xi Cheng only said those things in the heat of anger. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

    Xi Cheng shoved John away. ¡°Was I wrong, though? We¡¯ve been close friends since birth, but he played me! You watched as I was deceived and waited for me to lose everything, didn¡¯t you? Didn¡¯t you, Shi Nian? You, and also Ye Kun and Liang Han! I treat you guys like my blood brothers, and you backstabbed me like this! You all backstabbed me!¡±

    Xi Cheng flew into a rage. Shi Nian looked at him with pity in his eyes as he scolded, ¡°Do you even hear yourself? Aren¡¯t you ashamed of what you¡¯re saying? So, the whole world has let you down, has it? And all the fault lies with others, do they? Then what about those signatures you signed personally? What¡¯s up with that? Do you have a brain up there at all?¡±

    ¡°If we truly wanted to see you make a fool of yourself, not only you, but even the Xi Corporation would already be in those people¡¯s hands by now. You don¡¯t even have a clue who your opponent is now! What a joke! And you have the cheek to yell at me and John here!¡±

    ¡°John was almost beaten to death just so he could go out to find you this morning. Did you show any concern or ask about his injuries? In your eyes, everything that others have done for you is what you rightly deserve, a matter of course! On what grounds, Xi Cheng? Who do you think you are?¡±

    Every time Shi Nian took a step forward when he threw out a question, Xi Cheng would take a step back until his back was against the wall and there was nowhere else to retreat.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t stop firing questions at him. ¡°What were you doing when your mother was lying in the hospital? You were fooling around with another woman! Did you think Lin Yu will take good care of your mother so you didn¡¯t need to worry about her? On what grounds do you have to ask your wife to devote herself to you and your family while you are fooling around outside?¡±

    ¡°Lin Yu abused Auntie Han Yuan for so long, but you never noticed! Today is the day your five companies transferred hands, and Lin Yu had also decided to make sure Auntie Han Yuan would never wake up today! If we had arrived a minute later, Lin Yu would¡¯ve injected the poison into Auntie¡¯s body!¡±

 Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Two: Plan Succeeded

    Chapter 422: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Two: Plan Succeeded

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The more Shi Nian spoke, the angrier he became. John¡¯s hair stood on end as he stared at Shi Nian in shock at what he¡¯d heard, whereas Xi Cheng was dumbfounded.

    Shi Nian went on, ¡°Auntie Han Yuan regained consciousness long ago; she was even able to speak. In order to escape, she used the time when Lin Yu wasn¡¯t around to exercise hard every day. You must¡¯ve been to the hospital during that period of time, so why did she never ask for your help?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because she knows you won¡¯t be of any help! You believe in Lin Yu, believe in Gu Man, and you believe in all the people you shouldn¡¯t! Yet you didn¡¯t believe the counsel Liang Han and I gave you!¡±

    ¡°We can forgive you for speaking without thought, but aren¡¯t you afraid Ye Kun and Liang Han will be sad? Do you think you deserve to have Ye Tang and Liang Han¡¯s big brothers go through the trouble of bailing you and the Xi Corporation out?¡± Shi Nian clenched his fists tightly as he finished his tirade, wanting nothing more than to punch Xi Cheng¡¯s face into a pulp. ¡®What a moron!¡¯ he inwardly fumed.

    ¡°How can this be? How could this possibly happen? I can¡¯t believe it! Lin Yu, she¡ªshe¡­¡± Xi Cheng was at first shocked, and then furious. He shouted at John, asking about Lin Yu¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°Where is she?¡±

    John dazedly shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Xi Cheng turned towards Shi Nian.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, either. This is your family¡¯s private matter,¡± Shi Nian said coldly. He turned around to walk out but thinking about it, he couldn¡¯t bear to see his best friend fall to such a state, so he stopped to say to Xi Cheng, ¡°I would straighten out matters at home and outside and sort out the people around you if I were you. You¡¯re lucky to have people like John and Dawn helping you.¡±

    In the end, Shi Nian didn¡¯t promise anything. It would be useless even if the three of them supported him if Xi Cheng didn¡¯t stand on his own feet¡ªthey couldn¡¯t help him forever!

    ¡°Well done,¡± Lan Long languidly said to an exhilarated Chen Tao while holding a glass of wine.

    Chen Tao quickly composed himself and respectfully replied, ¡°Everything went so smoothly thanks to your arrangement, Young Master. I can imagine the pandemonium the Xi Corporation is in right now.¡±

    The butler standing on the side, Mr Lou, informed them, ¡°I heard Shi Nian went to the Xi Corporation¡¯s headquarters early in the morning.¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s face darkened. ¡°That man is everywhere! This Shi Nian is truly a bothersome extra.¡±

    Miss Hong, who had been wiping her dagger with a soft cloth in the corner, asked, ¡°I can have a go at Xiang Yang now, right?¡±

    Lan Long didn¡¯t say anything. Mr. Lou glanced at her, indicating for her to shut up on the matter.

    Lan Long took a sip of his wine before giving his orders. ¡°Chen Tao, use those five companies from Xi Cheng to dismantle the Xi Corporation as fast as possible. Infiltrate the other great families while you¡¯re at it, and give them a taste of our methods. Hit them where it hurts and make them suffer physically and mentally! A quick death would be too easy on them!¡±

    Chen Tao hurriedly responded, ¡°Understood, sir. Then I¡¯ll head back first.¡± Lan Long nodded, and Chen Tao quickly went out to do his task.

    Mr. Lou remarked, ¡°Gu Man did a good job this time, stalling Xi Cheng for so long. She¡¯s quite obedient and doesn¡¯t act on her own. In this aspect, she¡¯s much better than Shi Gao.¡±

    Lan Long swirled his wine glass and uttered slowly, ¡°Mr. Lou, you don¡¯t understand women. It isn¡¯t that Gu Man is obedient to us. She did it for Xi Cheng.¡±

    ¡°Naturally, she¡¯ll obey us as you put Xi Cheng in your list of conditions. She¡¯ll agree even if you ask her to die for Xi Cheng, and think herself noble for doing so for love. An idiot like that can only be used against one person, she¡¯s useless for anything else.¡±

    Mr. Lou carefully thought over Lan Long¡¯s words. Lan Long said, ¡°Shi Gao has been making good progress in training the newcomers Yun Liu sent over. Tell her to continue brainwashing them, pick out the outstanding ones, and have them start carrying out missions. We have to test them out to know which ones are truly useful and which ones are trash.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Young Master!¡± Mr. Lou replied.

    Lan Long frowned. ¡°Why can¡¯t we get in touch with Lin Yu all of a sudden?¡±

    Mr. Lou stated, ¡°That woman is too cunning and full of schemes, always seeking to use us but holding out on us at the same time. Who knows what she¡¯s up to this time? Young Master, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to keep her around after we take down the Xi Corporation, right? That woman will only be trouble for us.¡±

    Lan Long chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s no need for us to do anything. Someone else will take care of her! I don¡¯t like smartass women like her who always think men and the world can be controlled by them.¡±

    Mr. Lou laughed. Miss Hong put away her dagger, walked over, and asked impatiently, ¡°Why can¡¯t I have a go at Xiang Yang?¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s smile faded. ¡°I never said you can¡¯t, but can you even get close to her? You know the type of person Shi Ke is and the power he holds. He¡¯s already on alert and has Xiang Yang protected tighter than a drum. How do you plan to put a move on her?¡±

 Chapter 423 - Chapter 423: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Three: Of Grandparents and Grandkids

    Chapter 423: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Three: Of Grandparents and Grandkids

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°All the Shi family men are blind!¡± Miss Hong resentfully commented. ¡°Cherishing a piece of trash like that like she¡¯s a gem, hmph! They¡¯ll cry in regret about it soon enough! I¡¯ll ruin everyone who¡¯s on good terms with Xiang Yang, hmph!¡±

    Lan Long warned her seriously, ¡°You can torture Xiang Yang however you want, I don¡¯t care, but there¡¯s one thing you should remember! Her life is mine! No one is allowed to take her life, including you and your brother!¡±

    ¡°Oh, and one more thing! Don¡¯t draw the Shi family¡¯s ire trying to get at Xiang Yang. I¡¯m not afraid of them, but now¡¯s not the time to make enemies of them. Don¡¯t mess up our plans!¡±

    Miss Hong fell silent. Mr. Lou quickly mediated: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Master. Miss Hong knows what to do.¡±

    Yun Nan gently covered Chen Yao with a thin blanket. Chen Yao opened her eyes and smiled when she saw Yun Nan. She¡¯d caught a bad cold a few days ago, and Yun Nan had watched over her diligently until she recovered.

    Losing her daughter was an unhealable pain Chen Yao would bear for the rest of her days. Even though she¡¯d found Yun Nan, and Yun Nan¡¯s thoughtfulness made up for the loss and regret in her heart, it wasn¡¯t until after falling sick this time and getting cared for meticulously by Yun Nun that Chen Yao¡¯s perpetual wound finally scab over.

    Seeing that she had woken up, Yun Nan leaned over and touched her forehead to check her temperature. Yun Nan only felt relieved when she had ascertained that Chen Yao wasn¡¯t sweating or had a fever. She said softly, ¡°Sorry, did I wake you up, Grandma? Would you like some more sleep, or get up and have something to eat?¡±

    Chen Yao got out of bed with Yun Nan¡¯s help and answered, ¡°I¡¯ve slept for quite a while. I should get up and move around. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m all recovered.¡±

    Yun Nan hurriedly put a coat over her before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s have something that¡¯s easy to digest. I¡¯ll go make some noodles.¡±

    Chen Yao chuckled and nodded. ¡°Sure. By the way, weren¡¯t you accompanying Madam Xi at Xi Corporation? Why are you back so soon?¡±

    As the two of them chatted, they entered the kitchen. Yun Nan had personally prepared Chen Yao¡¯s meals the past few days when she was sick, so the servants were used to seeing her in the kitchen. Chen Yao hadn¡¯t had much appetite due to her illness, so Yun Nan had made a variety of dishes for her, making her develop picky taste buds as a result.

    Yun Nan told Chen Yao what had happened at the Xi Corporation as she prepared their food. ¡°The matter was resolved very quickly.¡±

    Chen Yao nodded after listening to her recount. ¡°Madam Xi made the right decision. That is the best solution at the moment. I just don¡¯t know if her son understands her good intentions.¡±

    ¡°If he still doesn¡¯t understand, then there¡¯s nothing we can do,¡± Yun Nan replied. ¡°Grandma, I need your help with something once you¡¯re all better. I¡¯ve not had experience in corporate philanthropy projects, so I don¡¯t know much about managing Auntie Han Yuan¡¯s charity organization.¡±

    Chen Yao laughed. ¡°It¡¯s not all that difficult. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re learning about it now; I can hand my charity work to you too in the future.¡±

    Yun Nan playfully stuck out her tongue. ¡°Can¡¯t I just sponge off and rely on you to feed me?¡±

    Chen Yao¡¯s heart near-melted as she looked at her. ¡°Of course, you can. You can do whatever you like. Grandma will support you no matter what you do!¡±

    Yun Nan turned around and stared at her grandma. She left her food preparation and circled her arms around Chen Yao in a hug, careful not to get her wet hands on her. ¡°Grandma, I love you!¡± she cried. She let go of Chen Yao before hugging her again after a moment¡¯s thought, muttering, ¡°This one is for Mom!¡±

    Chen Yao couldn¡¯t help but tear up, and she reached out to return Yun Nan¡¯s hug. Yun Nan chuckled, ¡°I can¡¯t sponge off others. Mom said that I have to be someone who contributes to society. I must be a person of value, to myself and others!¡±

    Chen Yao patted her back and remarked, ¡°Your mother taught you well!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because Grandma passed on your good genes to her!¡± Yun Nan said in return.

    The grandma-and-granddaughter pair looked at each other and smiled. Even though the person connecting them was no longer physically around, she was still present. Perhaps she was watching the people she loved the most live happily together from the heavens.

    Something else occurred to Yun Nan. ¡°Grandma, Fang Xi is getting married and she would like you and Grandpa to be the officiators. She said that her family won¡¯t be coming over, so she doesn¡¯t have any suitable elders to fill that role.¡±

    Chen Yao froze for a moment before deliberately asking, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®no suitable elders?¡¯ Aren¡¯t we her elders? I¡¯ve always thought that we¡¯re her elders so shouldn¡¯t we be the clear choice as officiators?¡±

    Yun Nan was stunned and laughed. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ll go confront Fang Xi! To not treat Grandma and Grandpa as her elders¡ªIs she out of her mind? We¡¯ll have to punish her by making her cook a feast for Grandpa and Grandma as an apology!¡±

    Both of them began to laugh cheerily. When they were done chuckling, Chen Yao asked, ¡°Why isn¡¯t her family coming over to her wedding? Did Fang Xi say why? Or did she not want to tell her family about it at all?¡±

    Yun Nan shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask. Her parents have their own separate families, so Fang Xi has been on her own all these years. Only Mr. Mo treats her like his daughter, and this time, he¡¯ll be acting as the wedding¡¯s official witness. No one else is as suitable for the role.¡±

    Chen Yao nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll absolutely have Fang Xi marry off in a perfectly beautiful fashion. We¡¯ve prepared everything!¡±

 Chapter 424 - Chapter 424: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Four: Imprisonment

    Chapter 424: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Four: Imprisonment

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Did you guys also prepare Shi Nian and my share, too?¡± Yun Nan asked mischievously.

    Chen Yao grinned and pursed her lips. She avoided the topic and inquired, ¡°Are my noodles ready? I¡¯m hungry!¡±

    Watching Chen Yao eat her noodles in satisfaction, Yun Nan¡¯s heart filled with happiness. ¡®This is Mom¡¯s mom,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I have to take good care of her on Mom¡¯s behalf, make it so that she wouldn¡¯t be sad about losing her daughter anymore, and have her later years be full of cheer and happiness.¡¯

    When Lin Yu woke up, memories flooded into her mind. She couldn¡¯t help but panic as she remembered what had happened, and her hands immediately went to touch her belly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the child is still there,¡± a low and hoarse voice sounded from the side.

    Lin Yu jumped up in shock and saw Lily slowly wheel Han Yuan in. Han Yuan looked around the room and nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Although the time was a little tight, the construction is well done.¡±

    Han Yuan moved her wheelchair to the window and pulled the curtains open. Outside was a small living room. Lin Yu realized that it was the living room outside of Han Yuan¡¯s bedroom. The room next to Han Yuan¡¯s bedroom was the room Lin Yu had lived in before she got married. ¡®That means this¡­ is my room?!¡¯ Lin Yu realized, stunned.

    Han Yuan turned her wheelchair around to face her. ¡°Does this place look familiar? This is your room! However, I sealed the door and told everyone that I wanted to keep everything in this room the way it is for you. Everybody will sigh at the deep ¡®mother-and-daughter¡¯ relationship between us.¡±

    Lin Yu panted heavily. Han Yuan¡¯s gaze swept across her pregnant belly, and she said detachedly, ¡°Relax, the child is very healthy. He¡¯ll be fine. You don¡¯t have to use your child and pretend to be pitiful with me. I¡¯ll naturally raise him well and educate him diligently if he¡¯s successfully born, but if you can¡¯t manage to carry the baby to term¡­ Then, it¡¯s a pity he didn¡¯t have the fortune to become a child of the Xi family. Oh, right. The doctor checked¡ªit¡¯s a boy.¡±

    ¡°¡­Mom!¡± Lin Yu timidly called out.

    Han Yuan waved her hand to stop her. ¡°Forget it. I can¡¯t bear that title. What happened, happened¡ªit wasn¡¯t a dream. You and I both remember our past interactions very clearly. There¡¯s no making up after what had happened between us, Lin Yu, so stop with the act. It¡¯s best to be frank with each other.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s mind was a chaotic mess, and she couldn¡¯t hide her terror. Han Yuan looked out at the living room and stated, ¡°You can see the people coming and going in the small living room from here. You can also hear them talking. However, no one outside can hear you speak or shout.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Lin Yu finally eked out a complete sentence.

    ¡°To let you have a taste of despair, of course,¡± Han Yuan answered. ¡°You should be glad that you¡¯re pregnant with Xi Cheng¡¯s child. You were right in that I truly can¡¯t bring myself to hurt my grandson.¡±

    Iciness permeated Han Yuan¡¯s calm tone as she continued, ¡°However, it¡¯s impossible for me to have any deep feelings for the child because you are his biological mother. Let¡¯s wait until you give birth to him and see if that¡¯ll change. All you have to do in the next few months is sit here and watch as us Xi family live our lives.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s entire body trembled. ¡°No! Someone will look for me! Someone will definitely look for me! It¡¯s illegal for you to keep me here! It¡¯s illegal! Where¡¯s Xi Cheng? Xi Cheng will certainly look for me if I go missing!¡±

    Han Yuan stared at Lin Yu, at her pale, white face. Even her lips were pale and trembling. Although she was no great beauty, Lin Yu was currently the very picture of a delicate daisy.

    ¡®It would¡¯ve pained me to death seeing her like this if it were in the past,¡¯ Han Yuan thought. She¡¯d pitied the girl for the misfortune that befell her family when she was young and gave her the love and care even Xi Cheng had never received. However, Han Yuan never expected Lin Yu would actually want her dead in the end.

    Han Yuan only managed to survive, not because Lin Yu¡¯s heart had softened at the last moment, but because the reinforcements she¡¯d arranged had arrived. Had Yun Nan arrived a few minutes later, Han Yuan would be a ghost haunting the house right now.

    Naturally, Han Yuan was furious at Lin Yu¡¯s betrayal; she hated the girl beyond compare. However, after the initial shock and distress wore off, people often became unusually calm. She looked at Lin Yu impassively and informed her, ¡°I told the people outside that you¡¯re in poor health, and that you have to be in bed rest until you give birth. So, who do you think will look for you? The Lins?¡±

    ¡°They came, but they weren¡¯t that concerned about seeing you or not. They were content as long as they got their money. You have to admit¡ªeven if you don¡¯t want to¡ªyou¡¯re not that important to the Lin family. Don¡¯t go thinking you are of any significance.¡±

    ¡°Who else would be looking for you? The ones who helped you embezzle Xi Cheng¡¯s five companies? If they¡¯re looking for you, it¡¯ll only be to ask you why you set them up. You guys had agreed to use those five companies as a foothold to penetrate and usurp the Xi Corporation, so why did they end up with their hands tied instead?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Xi Cheng will be looking for you too. I won¡¯t let him find you, at least not now. I¡¯m afraid he might kill you. No matter how disappointing and wrong my son is, he is still my son. I can¡¯t let him become a murderer, especially not one who killed his wife and son.¡±

    Lin Yu felt as if there was metal ringing in her ears. Han Yuan¡¯s every word was deafening. She tried her best to analyze the meaning of each word, and the more she understood, the more her heart sank.

 Chapter 425 - Chapter 425: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Five: Revenge

    Chapter 425: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Five: Revenge

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lin Yu stared at Han Yuan in horror. She took two steps back and sat heavily on the bed. Lily, who was behind Han Yuan, subconsciously took a couple of steps forward, intending to support Lin Yu, before she stopped herself.

    Han Yuan saw this and sighed, ¡°Lily, you¡¯re still too soft-hearted. It¡¯s a pity you gave your compassion to the wrong person. She¡¯s a vicious and ruthless woman. How can a silly girl like you be her match?¡±

    Lily lowered her head. Han Yuan knew how to cut to the quick, so she proceeded to say to Lin Yu, ¡°Xi Cheng already knows. Just as you expected, he didn¡¯t suspect it was you who sold him out. He thought it was that stupid bint, Gu Man. But it¡¯s okay. As long as someone gives him a hint, he¡¯ll naturally recall who exactly had him sign those documents.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s looking all over for you right now. He probably wants to ask you why and then strangle you by the neck, wishing you dead. So, locking you up here is the safest thing for you. I¡¯m not trying to protect you, though. I¡¯m just protecting the child in your stomach because he has the surname Xi.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s chest heaved as she breathed rapidly. After a long while, she finally spoke. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I won¡¯t go through with the birth?¡±

    Han Yuan smiled coldly. ¡°Why should I be afraid? Xi Cheng is only 30 years old. He managed to get you with child, naturally, he can do the same with others. Do you think he¡¯ll have a lack of women willing to bear his child?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve said it before: I can¡¯t kill the child. That would be a sin. However, I won¡¯t love him much even after he¡¯s born because the fact that you¡¯re his biological mother makes it hard for me to like him. However, he is a Xi, so he naturally has a place in the Xi family. As for you riding on the coattails of your son to stay in the Xi family, that¡¯s impossible.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s breathing gradually calmed down as she comprehended Han Yuan¡¯s words. When a person has nothing to lose, they have nothing to be afraid of. She stared at Han Yuan with venomous hatred as she asked, ¡°In that case, why didn¡¯t you call the police? Won¡¯t having me locked up in prison and ruining my reputation resolve the hatred in your heart?¡±

    Han Yuan ignored the daggers Lin Yu glared at her and retorted, ¡°Ruin your reputation? Who do you think you are?! Who would care about your reputation after you leave the Xi family? Don¡¯t flatter yourself!¡±

    ¡°The reason I didn¡¯t publicize what you did is for the Xi family¡¯s reputation. After all, the Xi family can¡¯t have a daughter-in-law like you, especially when I raised you since you were a child, you ingrate. I¡¯m keeping all this quiet because I can¡¯t afford to lose face, and the Xi family can¡¯t afford such a stain to their name.¡±

    ¡°You? Merely a cheap existence left alive after the pros and cons are weighed. As you hoped, your unborn child is a boy. However, thanks to his relation to you, his life won¡¯t be easy. The Xi family will house and have a place for him at the table, but he won¡¯t be inheriting any of the Xi family¡¯s assets. He will have a stepmother in the future, and I dare say she won¡¯t treat him well either!¡±

    Lin Yu was furious at that. ¡°You! Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too vicious?¡±

    ¡°Vicious?¡± Han Yuan looked at Lin Yu in shock and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I¡¯m no more vicious than you. Compared to you, I¡¯m as kind as a Bodhisattva! I¡¯ll raise the child of a woman who wanted me dead, and you call me vicious?¡±

    Lin Yu stood up, looking as if she¡¯d made up her mind. ¡°If that¡¯s how it is, me and my son might as well die together right now.¡±

    Han Yuan looked at her. The two looked at each other in silence. Lily clenched her fists nervously, wanting to do something but having no idea what to do. Lin Yu didn¡¯t move a muscle as she waited for Han Yuan¡¯s response to her ultimatum.

    Han Yuan chuckled, ¡°Do as you wish! I don¡¯t care! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to lose sleep over it. It¡¯s your choice; I haven¡¯t done anything.¡±

    Lin Yu¡¯s tone unwittingly weakened as she said, ¡°How are you going to explain to the people outside if I die? Aren¡¯t you afraid someone will suspect something and come question you if I vanish into thin air?¡±

    Han Yuan gazed at Lin Yu, who was making her last struggles, and took satisfaction at her state, the hostility within her easing slightly. She smiled with evident smugness at Lin Yu, and answered, ¡°What is there to explain? All I have to do is announce to the public that, due to her weak health, the Xi family¡¯s young mistress died from complications during childbirth.¡±

    ¡°Or, I can say the Xi family¡¯s young mistress went and gave birth abroad, and after a few years, announce that the unfortunate mother and son died overseas in a car accident, or a fire, or drowned. All completely reasonable! More reasonable than your mother-in-law dying under your meticulous care, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Lin Yu was rendered speechless, and Han Yuan laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks. ¡°Lin Yu, I¡¯ve always thought you were a smart one¡ªit¡¯s why I was willing to put in so much effort to nurture you. But there was one key lesson I forgot to teach you. I forgot to tell you there¡¯s karma in this world. Karma and retribution!¡±

    Han Yuan continued, ¡°You don¡¯t know why I¡¯m doing this, do you? I know you don¡¯t want to die¡ªyou can¡¯t bear to! And I¡¯ll do my best to not let you die. You can only get your retribution if you¡¯re alive! Only then can I return to you what you did to me! Isn¡¯t that right, Lin Yu?¡±

    ¡°Lily, your Young Madam is tired and needs to rest. Let¡¯s leave for now.¡± With that, Han Yuan wheeled herself out with a delighted smile, leaving Lin Yu to digest her every cutting word.

 Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Six: Heartbreak and Torment

    Chapter 426: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Six: Heartbreak and Torment

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    However, even greater torment was yet to come. That night, a p*ss-drunk Xi Cheng finally came home to reason with his mother, bolstered by alcohol-induced courage.

    Han Yuan used a remote control to open the curtains of Lin Yu¡¯s locked room, allowing Lin Yu to witness the entire coming conversation between her and her son.

    Xi Cheng kneeled before Han Yuan with a thud, his expression gloomy and depressed. ¡°Mom¡­¡± he called out.

    Han Yuan looked at her son placidly, her emotions as calm as a lake. Her heart had already been broken by him during the time she was under Lin Yu¡¯s control. She¡¯d long accepted her son¡¯s incompetence.

    Han Yuan didn¡¯t speak. Xi Cheng lifted his head to look at her. ¡°Mom, I was wrong. Can you forgive me?¡±

    Han Yuan softly sighed, ¡°Son, I¡¯m your mother. What¡¯s there to forgive? If you blundered, it means that my mistake is more serious than yours because I gave birth to you!¡±

    ¡°Mom, I shouldn¡¯t have trusted Lin Yu, shouldn¡¯t have been taken in by her, leading to this kind of situation,¡± Xi Cheng said remorsefully.

    Han Yuan gazed at the wall that was actually a floor-to-ceiling window to Lin Yu and gave it a faint mocking smile as she commented, ¡°You can¡¯t push all the blame on her. After all, she is your wife. She¡¯s been with you for so many years.¡±

    Xi Cheng indignantly replied, ¡°She may appear gentle and virtuous on the surface, but she¡¯s secretly capable of doing all sorts of insidious deeds. If it wasn¡¯t for her driving Fang Xi away, I wouldn¡¯t have been so dispirited during that period of time.¡±

    He went on, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault for trusting her. Shi Gao and Gu Man warned me to be wary of Lin Yu, but I didn¡¯t give it much thought. It¡¯s because I put too much trust in her that I¡¯m in this mess today!¡±

    Han Yuan couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath and stare fixedly at her son. She didn¡¯t even have to imagine what Lin Yu must be feeling behind the window. Even she was rendered speechless by her son¡¯s shameless words.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve truly learnt my lesson this time. Please, help me. Help me get the companies back, okay? Help me talk to the elders and let me return to the Xi Corporation, please? I can¡¯t lose everything, Mom!¡± Xi Cheng entreated, tone turning upset as he finished.

    ¡°Son, you are the Xi family¡¯s young master. Even if you do nothing at all, the Xi family¡¯s funds are enough to support you and your children for generations. How is that ¡®losing everything?¡¯¡± Han Yuan said calmly.

    Xi Cheng shuffled closer to Han Yuan¡¯s wheelchair on his knees. ¡°Mom! I know you punished me in front of our family¡¯s elders for my own good. But that¡¯s just what is said and done on the surface; you¡¯ll still have to help me in secret, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Han Yuan raised her eyebrows. ¡°Oh, so you know I punished you in front of everyone for your own good?¡±

    Xi Cheng lowered his head. ¡°John said that if you didn¡¯t do that, I would only be in a worse state.¡±

    Han Yuan nearly choked on her anger. ¡®Something so clear and simple, and he actually needed John to point it out for him! Did this son of mine lose his brain or something? How did he become this way?¡¯

    Emotionally exhausted, Han Yuan stated, ¡°What is said can¡¯t be taken back. Since you know that I¡¯m doing this to appease the public, how do you expect me to help you now? I can¡¯t find even a single excuse, son.¡±

    Xi Cheng held his mother¡¯s knee and looked up at her as he offered, ¡°Mom, just tell them that everything was Lin Yu¡¯s doing; I took the blame to protect her, to protect the Xi family¡¯s reputation. We announce that before the public, and I can take the opportunity to divorce Lin Yu. This way, the Xi family¡¯s reputation is preserved, and everyone can turn their target to Lin Yu. It¡¯s the best of both worlds!¡±

    Han Yuan stared at her son numbly before slowly lifting her head. She didn¡¯t look toward the one-sided window this time. She didn¡¯t notice her voice was trembling as she uttered, ¡°Xi Cheng, Lin Yu is still pregnant with your child.¡±

    ¡°Mom, why are you still concerned about the baby at this point?¡± Xi Cheng retorted hastily. ¡°What¡¯s so good about the child of such a vicious woman? I can easily give you more grandchildren in the future. I¡¯ll go look for Fang Xi after Lin Yu and I are divorced. Fang Xi¡¯s just upset that I¡¯m already married. She¡¯ll surely come back to me once I¡¯m single again, and we¡¯ll have children together. A child raised and taught by her will definitely not go wrong. Mom, you don¡¯t know how outstanding Fang Xi is¡ª¡±

    Han Yuan slapped Xi Cheng crisply across the face. Xi Cheng held a hand to his injured cheek, dumbfounded. ¡°Mom, wha¡ª¡±

    Han Yuan pointed a quivering finger at Xi Cheng as she berated him, ¡°You¡¯re still entertaining thoughts about Fang Xi? You still have the nerve to think about Fang Xi?! She¡¯s about to get married to Ye Kun!¡±

    ¡°Our entire family did Fang Xi wrong, but despite that, Ye Tang and Ye Kun still helped us when the Xi Corporation was in trouble, and you¡ªyou¡¯re still dreaming about Fang Xi at this time? Xi Cheng! Have some shame! You¡ªhow did you become like this? How can you be so shameless and despicable?¡±

    Han Yuan was so infuriated that her breathing sped up.

 Chapter 427 - Chapter 427: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Seven: Delusional

    Chapter 427: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Seven: Delusional

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Cheng nursed his cheek. He still didn¡¯t understand why his mother had such a big reaction, and muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t you also think Fang Xi is better than Lin Yu? So, won¡¯t all of us be happy if I marry her?¡±

    Han Yuan sneered, ¡°No wonder Fang Xi wanted to thank us for not letting you marry her. You¡¯re indeed not worthy of her.¡±

    Xi Cheng was unconvinced. ¡°Mom! How can you say that?! I¡¯m your son!¡±

    Han Yuan had nothing to say. She wasn¡¯t even in the mood to gloat and jeer at Lin Yu anymore. Lin Yu was a failure, but she was a greater failure than her for having a son like Xi Cheng.

    Ye Kun and Fang Xi¡¯s wedding date was finally set after having been changed again and again. Ye Kun had lost a lot of hair worrying over this.

    As Fang Xi insisted on having a double wedding together with Yun Nan and wanted to make it a surprise to Yun Nan and Shi Nian according to the original plan, and with Yun Nan and the Shi family being met with one incident after another, Fang Xi had the wedding date pushed back and postponed again and again.

    Ye Kun had no complaints, of course, but he was still secretly anxious. Ye Kun was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief after settling the Xi Corporation¡¯s matters, and put the wedding date back on the agenda.

    Hence, everyone began to get busy again. Yun Nan and Shi Nian continued to pretend they didn¡¯t know anything, doing their best not to dampen everybody¡¯s excitement.

    Everyone was hyped up about the upcoming wedding, happily working on the preparations. It was just that Shi Xiu rarely came over to help recently. Fortunately, many hands make light work, and there was plenty of time. Soon, all the wedding¡¯s matters had been prepared.

    Even so, Xu Yun, Kong Zhen, and Lu Ying still came over to Yun Innovations every day. Xu Yun and Lu Ying came because they felt at ease when they saw the things prepared. Kong Zhen, accompanying them, was so envious that she was numb, but she adored Lu Hui, so she was happy to see the girl every day, busying away. ¡®This hardworking young lady is leagues better than that precious son of mine,¡¯ Kong Zhen thought.

    ¡°Shi Xiu, that girl! She hasn¡¯t been around every day these days. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s so busy with,¡± Xu Yun complained.

    Kong Zhen harrumphed, ¡°You should just be happy with what you have, you lucky woman. What other young lady her age is as motivated and hardworking as Shi Xiu? She has all her seniors and the staff here watching over her, so don¡¯t worry. You should think about your congratulatory speech at the wedding instead.¡±

    Xu Yun chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s for Shi Yun to worry about. It¡¯s none of my business.¡±

    Lu Ying hesitated for a moment before saying softly, ¡°Fang Xi invited Mr. Gu Bei and his wife to be the wedding officiants. They¡¯re also Yun Nan¡¯s grandparents, so they¡¯ll be with Yun Nan. With Mr. Mo being chosen to be the wedding¡¯s chief witness, Fang Xi has no family left to stand with her in her wedding. I feel sorry for her.¡±

    Xu Yun and Kong Zhen looked at each other and fell silent. After some thought, Xu Yun suggested, ¡°Kong Zhen, why don¡¯t you take Fang Xi as your goddaughter? That way, you can stand at Fang Xi¡¯s side as a member of her family.¡±

    Kong Zhen¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Sure! I have no problem with that! Lady Luck has finally smiled at me! I was originally lamenting the fact my family will be playing no part in such a grand occasion. My idiot son¡¯s romantic progress is too slow to make it in time to hold a wedding together with his buddies! So it¡¯s great that I get to have Fang Xi as a goddaughter! Oh my! I have to prepare a dowry for Fang Xi! There¡¯s still time! There¡¯s still time!¡±

    Xu Yun found Kong Zhen¡¯s eager antics funny, while Lu Ying was extremely grateful. ¡°Thank you for doing this, Kong Zhen. I just think that Fang Xi will be happier in the future if she has a formal family member standing at her wedding.¡±

    Kong Zhen replied, ¡°I¡¯m sure that, with a mother-in-law as nice as you, Fang Xi will be very happy. And I, her newly appointed godmother, will add icing to her cake! Xu Yun, help us take care of the godparent ceremony and settle the matter quickly!¡±

    Xu Yun smiled and agreed to her request before she said to Lu Ying, ¡°Look at how happy she is!¡±

    Kong Zhen rolled her eyes at her. ¡°You¡¯re the only one among us who¡¯s lucky enough to have a daughter. I didn¡¯t feel there was much difference when the kids were young but it¡¯s only when they grew up that I realized that daughters are indeed more caring and thoughtful than sons! So I¡¯m really happy to have found a ready-made daughter!¡±

    Xu Yun kept her promise. That night, she found a restaurant and invited everyone together to hold a small ceremony for Kong Zhen and Fang Xi. Everybody was delighted at the news.

    Shi Xiu was also informed that she had to go back to participate. She put down her phone and looked at the gloomy Lan Long sitting opposite her. She stopped smiling and asked with a frown, ¡°Why are you so unhappy today?¡±

    Lan Long looked up and smiled faintly. ¡°Because you haven¡¯t paid attention to me for the past few days,¡± he answered.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s cheeks warmed, and her lips curled into a smile. ¡°I¡¯m too busy these days. Work and family matters have all been squeezed together. I¡¯ll be able to relax a little after my brothers and sisters-in-law¡¯s wedding ceremony.¡±

    Lan Long changed the subject. ¡°Have you finished filming your interview program?¡±

    Shi Xiu nodded. ¡°The filming part is done. We still have some editing to do. After that, I¡¯ll be participating in the production of my sister-in-law¡¯s documentary.¡±

 Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Eight: Angry

    Chapter 428: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Eight: Angry

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lan Long stared at Shi Xiu¡¯s clear eyes and asked with affected casualness, ¡°By the way, I heard that your big sister-in-law is in the hospital? Why have I not seen you visit her? My grandfather is also staying in that hospital. Do you want to come with me to the hospital for a visit?¡±

    Shi Xiu was momentarily startled before her eyes curved into a smile, and she chuckled, ¡°My big sister-in-law isn¡¯t there anymore; she moved out of the hospital a long time ago. My brother has a villa in the eastern suburbs. The environment there is very good, suitable for my sister-in-law to recuperate in.¡±

    Lan Long was stunned at the news. ¡°Then, her ward in the hospital¡­¡±

    Shi Xiu smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a cover-up. My big brother¡¯s identity is sensitive, and our family is too eye-catching, so some things have to be kept secret. My older brother, Shi Nian, was seriously injured a while ago; he¡¯s the one who¡¯s often residing that ward, recuperating. However, we can¡¯t let this news leak out lest it affect the stock market.¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s hands clenched into fists at his side, and his chest roiled. However, he forced a smile on his face and muttered, ¡°I see. So that¡¯s how it is.¡±

    Shi Xiu didn¡¯t notice Lan Long¡¯s change in expression at all. ¡°Why is your grandfather hospitalized?¡± she asked, tilting her head.

    Lan Long exhaled gently and answered, ¡°He has Alzheimer¡¯s. He needs people watching over him 24/7. It¡¯s safest for him to stay in the hospital.¡±

    Shi Xiu immediately stopped smiling. Before she could say anything to comfort him, Lan Long said softly, ¡°There¡¯s this girl I grew up with. My grandfather adores her. She¡¯s the only one he remembers when he has forgotten nearly everything else. He mistook your sister-in-law, Yun Nan, for her and even urged me to marry her as soon as possible.¡±

    Lan Long laughed, but Shi Xiu paled.

    Mr. Lou came over and whispered a few words into Lan Long¡¯s ear. Shi Xiu quickly stood up, saying, ¡°Since you¡¯re busy, I think I¡¯d better leave. My mother told me to go home early today as I still have an event tonight.¡±

    Lan Long smiled and also stood up. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s meet up again tomorrow.¡±

    The smile on his face was replaced by a dark look as he watched Shi Xiu¡¯s figure leave. ¡°You¡¯re sure about this?¡± he asked Mr. Lou¡ªstanding in attendance at the side¡ªcoldly.

    Mr. Lou hurriedly nodded. ¡°Yes! Young Master, we¡¯ve verified that Lin Yu disappeared after Madam Xi left the hospital. Madam Xi put the word out that Lin Yu is unwell and will be on bed rest for the rest of her pregnancy. Madam Xi is currently still wheelchair-bound. The Xi family¡¯s servants say her appetite is very good since she returned as she¡¯s having sizable meals in her room, and no else is allowed in there other than her trusted butler. From all the signs above, Lin Yu is probably confined in Madam Xi¡¯s living quarters.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Lan Long sneered. ¡°Trash! She can¡¯t even beat a half-paralyzed old woman!¡±

    Mr. Lou softly informed him, ¡°The staff in charge of the Xi family during their stay in the hospital have all been changed out and nowhere to be found. From the clues we have, we deduced that the one who saved Madam Xi might be from the Shi family.¡±

    Lan Long pondered and sneered, ¡°There¡¯s no need to deduce anything. Shi Nian took the lead to help her at the board meeting, and the woman even handed her projects and business to Yun Nan. The Shi family definitely must have been the ones who helped her! The Shi family, why are they everywhere? It seems we need to get rid of them.¡±

    He recalled Shi Xiu¡¯s words just then and instructed, ¡°Mr. Lou, go check the Shi family¡¯s villa near the eastern suburbs. Shi Xiu said that Shi Ke and Xiang Yang are there. That idiot, Miss Hong, is still watching the hospital when we¡¯ve all been fooled! What trash! What a bunch of trash!¡±

    Mr. Lou paused before blurting out, ¡°Young Master, is this news reliable? Shi Ke¡¯s men are still standing guard at the hospital.¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s expression turned even colder as he told him, ¡°That¡¯s just a front for outsiders. Shi Xiu wouldn¡¯t lie, and it makes sense. They¡¯ve been so strict about keeping everyone away from the hospital ward that, even now, Miss Hong hadn¡¯t been able to get close, because there IS no Xiang Yang in the ward! How shrewd! How devious! Sure enough, Shi Ke isn¡¯t an easy man to deal with! Mr. Lou, go make the arrangements and personally deploy the men yourself. That idiot, Miss Hong, will only be played like a monkey if I let her lead.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Mr. Lou quickly responded. His mind raced, and he was extremely surprised. He really hadn¡¯t expected Shi Ke and Shi Nian to be so difficult to deal with. No wonder even the military was so wary of them.

    Something occurred to Lan Long. ¡°Have we gotten in contact with Yun Liu yet?¡± he asked.

    Mr. Lou shook his head lightly with a dark expression.

    Lan Long was so angry that he laughed, ¡°She was only brought back to the Yun family, not thrown in jail or something, so how is it that we couldn¡¯t get in contact with her? Don¡¯t tell me Yun Zhang restricted her personal freedom. Hah. She still owes us something! We¡¯ve almost used up all the girls here, right? So, it¡¯s about time she sends us new ones!¡±

    Mr. Lou said, ¡°That Tan Ning is being kept on a short leash by the Yun family. She must¡¯ve been quite intimidated, too. She doesn¡¯t dare to make a move.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not up to her!¡± Lan Long said. ¡°Tell Chen Tao to go find her with his men. Yun Liu must fulfill what she promised in full. We can¡¯t have her think that we can¡¯t do anything to her. It¡¯s time to give them a taste of our methods. Go pick out some of Yun Liu¡¯s nude photos and send them to her and Tan Ning. She¡¯s afraid of getting her reputation dragged through the mud, and now that the Yun family has taken her in, it¡¯s something they fear, too. They¡¯ll cave to our demands.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Mr. Lou agreed.

 Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Nine: Setting A Trap

    Chapter 429: Chapter Four-Hundred and Twenty-Nine: Setting A Trap

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lan Long leaned back on the sofa and combed his hair back in frustration with his fingers. He¡¯d thought he would be able to resolve everything here very quickly. He didn¡¯t expect to have such a rough time and encounter problems everywhere. ¡®Argh! How annoying!¡¯ he mentally grumbled.

    Yun Liu threw herself into Gu Wei¡¯s arms and cried uncontrollably. Yun Xiang furrowed his brow and wanted to comfort her, but he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue after glancing at his son standing at the side.

    He stood up and said, ¡°I should head back to the company. I still have a meeting to attend.¡±

    Yun Zhang sent him off. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t tire yourself out. I¡¯m here to help if you need anything.¡±

    Yun Zhang had recently sorted out the company¡¯s various businesses. First, he carried out drastic reforms in cost control, removing a lot of the company¡¯s chronic problems. And then, he brought in several considerable investment projects, giving the Yun Corporation a thriving momentum. This made Yun Xiang very pleased.

    On such a premise, Yun Zhang¡¯s words carried a lot of weight, and Yun Xiang and Gu Wei silently agreed to his plans for Yun Liu after some consideration. Yun Zhang and Yun Liu are both their children, both dear to their hearts, so they couldn¡¯t bear to hurt any one of their feelings by taking sides. Especially after seeing Yun Nan staying firmly with the Shi family now¡ªthey were very upset to be disregarded so by their own flesh and blood.

    They never expected Yun Liu, who they¡¯d raised like she were their own, to have a sharp change in attitude towards them after obtaining Yun Corporation, and were quite disappointed. Therefore, Yun Zhang had the final say in this family now.

    However, Yun Liu wasn¡¯t aware of that yet.

    Gu Wei allowed Yun Liu to hug her and cry in her arms, and her heart softened in spite of herself. She sighed and patted Yun Liu¡¯s back in comfort. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough tears now.¡±

    Yun Liu gradually stopped crying and stood up straight while sniffling. Gu Wei took her hand and pulled her over to sit down on the sofa before taking out some tissues and handing them to Yun Liu.

    Yun Zhang sat on the sofa opposite them and nonchalantly said to Gu Wei, ¡°Mom, Yun Nan sent you some formal dresses. I had the maids put them in your room. They¡¯re custom-made by Yun Nan¡¯s costume designers according to your size. You should try them on when you have time so that we can get her designers to fix and alter them first thing should they not fit.¡±

    Gu Wei felt a little uncomfortable upon hearing Yun Nan¡¯s name and looking at Yun Liu before her. Yun Zhang relaxedly leaned back on the sofa and continued, ¡°We¡¯ll be attending their wedding ceremony in two days. We wouldn¡¯t want you to not look your best.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Gu Wei snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll get to sit in the parental seat with her during her wedding anyway!¡±

    Yun Zhang¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he countered, ¡°Mom, you and Dad were the ones who renounced Yun Nan in public and disowned her. You can¡¯t blame anyone else for not being able to sit in the parental seat.¡±

    Gu Wei froze, and her face darkened. Seeing this, Yun Zhang uttered, ¡°She¡¯s your biological daughter after all. You and Dad are so heartless to her, but she still thinks of you two as her relatives and hopes you guys can attend her wedding. Although you guys can¡¯t attend as her parents, you¡¯re still important guests.¡±

    ¡°Mom, after the wedding, whether our relationship with Yun Nan can be repaired depends on what we do. Yun Nan doesn¡¯t need our help now that she¡¯s loved by everyone in the Shi family and has Old Master Gu Bei backing her, and all I ask is for you guys to show her some family love and affection. It¡¯s up to you and Dad to decide whether to take this way out.¡±

    Gu Wei pursed her lips in thought for a while before asking, ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Yun Zhang shrugged. ¡°I have collaborations with both Yun Nan and Shi Nian, and they help my business out a lot. For what reason would I not be a good brother?¡±

    Gu Wei¡¯s troubled expression eased slightly. Yun Liu, who was sitting at the side, had long forgotten to continue her sobbing. The shock she felt as she listened to every word the mother and son said was indescribable. ¡®No wonder!¡¯ she thought. ¡®No wonder Yun Zhang put in so much effort to help Yun Nan!¡¯

    ¡°Well, since Yun Nan acknowledges you as her brother, then won¡¯t she have to acknowledge Yun Liu as her sister as well?¡± Gu Wei stated coldly.

    Yun Liu trembled at being called out suddenly. It was only then that Yun Zhang glanced at her indifferently as he stated, ¡°Yun Liu will be her sister-in-law in the future, but you know how Yun Nan is. Treat her well and she¡¯ll repay that kindness tenfold, but if you plot against her once, she¡¯ll cut off all ties with you.¡±

    ¡°She grew up in such difficult circumstances and made it to where she is today without any of our help and support, so don¡¯t even think about using you guys¡¯ status as her biological parents to pressure or force her. If that backfires and makes things worse between us and Yun Nan, we¡¯ll be the ones embarrassed, not her.¡±

    Gu Wei was lost for words, but what her son said did sink in. Thinking back to the past, Yun Nan indeed wouldn¡¯t care about the consequences. That girl wouldn¡¯t give in just to protect her reputation. Gu Wei couldn¡¯t manipulate that biological daughter of hers at all.

    Yun Liu burst into tears. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to marry Yun Zhang. He¡¯s my brother! I¡¯m your daughter! How can I possibly become your daughter-in-law?¡±

    Gu Wei was upset over her sour relationship with her biological daughter so when she heard Yun Liu¡¯s words, her face darkened. ¡°What? Do you think you¡¯re too good for my son? Does the Gu family¡¯s young lady find our Yun family unworthy of her? Did we raise you all these years for nothing? I can forgive my other daughter¡¯s ungratefulness given her upbringing, but I won¡¯t allow the one I raised myself to also be so heartless!¡±

    Yun Liu stopped crying, intimidated by Gu Wei.

 Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty: Turn Against Each Other

    Chapter 430: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty: Turn Against Each Other

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The corner of Yun Zhang¡¯s lips curled up slightly into a disdainful smile as he stood watching at the side. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I notice Yun Liu¡¯s clumsy pretenses in the past?¡¯ he thought. ¡®Our whole family¡¯s blind. We¡¯re all fools, getting played around by trash like her, and we nearly lost everything to her, too. We brought it on ourselves, really.¡¯

    Gu Wei looked at her son and coldly asked, ¡°What about you two? When are you guys planning to get married?¡±

    Yun Zhang¡¯s expression was serious as he told her, ¡°That can wait, Mom. Everyone outside already knows Yun Liu and I are together, so there¡¯s no rush. Yun Liu¡¯s an artiste of Yun Entertainment, so when the hype about our relationship dies down, we can put out news of our wedding and use it to increase her publicity. It¡¯ll also be a good thing for Yun Entertainment.¡±

    Gu Wei was startled, not understanding what her son meant. Yun Liu asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Are you trying to use my reputation to benefit Yun Entertainment?¡±

    Yun Zhang gave her a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes as he said gently, ¡°Come now, don¡¯t put it like that. You¡¯re also a member of the Yun family, aren¡¯t you? Yun Entertainment was once handed to you before, too. It¡¯s our family¡¯s business, so shouldn¡¯t you contribute?¡±

    Yun Liu couldn¡¯t help but stand up and scream at Yun Zhang, ¡°And then what? What do you want to do after that, huh?¡±

    Gu Wei immediately frowned. ¡°Yun Liu, is that any way to talk to your brother? Is this how the Gu family taught you to behave?¡±

    Yun Liu turned around to glare at her, and snapped back, ¡°The Gu family didn¡¯t teach me my manners; the Yun family did!¡±

    Gu Wei slapped Yun Liu hard on the face, and Yun Liu fell onto the sofa. She brought a hand to her stinging cheek as she stared at Gu Wei in disbelief. ¡°Mom, you actually hit me!¡± Yun Liu stated, voice quivering, and tears of grievance dripped from her eyes.

    However, Gu Wei turned a blind eye to it. After all, Yun Liu normally acted the cute silly girl before her. She would be coquettish or whine, but she¡¯d never behaved so imperiously or arrogantly to her. In addition, Yun Zhang had often brainwashed Gu Wei, saying that she, as a mother, had let down her biological daughter, Yun Nan, by always taking Yun Liu¡¯s side even when Yun Liu was bullying her. Therefore, Gu Wei had already accumulated quite the disappointment in Yun Liu in her heart, and Yun Liu¡¯s current actions were the last straw.

    ¡°We never taught you to behave like this! We, the Yun family, have never been lax in our care for you! You, of all people, have no right to say that our family have done wrong by you! You have no call to shout and yell here! We raised you for more than twenty years and we¡¯ve never asked for repayment!¡±

    Gu Wei went on, venting her entire anger on Yun Liu, ¡°We were the ones who brought you out of the Gu family when you were spurned and bullied there! My son sacrificed his reputation, declaring you two are romantically involved, to help you smooth things over, and you still feel that you were wronged?¡±

    ¡°Yun Zhang! Show some manly spirit and control your own wife! Don¡¯t let her be an embarrassment to the family!¡± With that, Gu Wei turned around and headed upstairs.

    Smiling, Yun Zhang stood up and raised his voice to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I¡¯ll definitely have everything well-handled, and I¡¯ll work hard to make you proud so you can hold your head high amongst the other madams and ladies!¡± His words were like magic to Gu Wei; they instantly made her feel better and had her in a good mood.

    Yun Liu looked at Yun Zhang in horror. ¡°You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you? You purposefully mentioned Yun Nan to make Mom angry, and then let her vent her anger on me, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Yun Zhang sat back on the sofa, not sparing Yun Liu even a side-glance, and said lightly, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking things. I¡¯m not you, so don¡¯t judge me by your standards. You were the one who insisted on coming home to see Mom, I¡¯m just accompanying you. Aren¡¯t you the best at coaxing Mom? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you make her angry.¡±

    Yun Liu was both furious and depressed at that. Yun Zhang crossed his legs, clasped his hands together and put them on his knees. He gazed at Yun Liu calmly as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t do useless things, and enjoy the benefits that your status brings you. After all, fame is fame, good or bad. Your life-story has become a legend, you know, and all the dramas and movies you¡¯ve acted in are being re-released. They¡¯ve got quite high hits, too. Isn¡¯t this what you¡¯ve been hoping for the most?¡±

    ¡°Next, we¡¯ll show our faces in public occasionally, be a little romantic and intimate, and give the paparazzi some material to work with. You¡¯ll get a lot of exposure that way. There¡¯s nothing bad about that; in fact, it¡¯ll only do you good.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s heart was filled with fear as she asked tremulously, ¡°And then what? What¡¯s next? What do you plan to do after that?¡±

    ¡°Next?¡± Yun Zhang smiled. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Yun Liu bit her lip and tried to calm herself down, but tears fell down her cheeks in spite of herself. ¡°I mean, where are we going with our ¡®relationship¡¯ in the future?¡± she reiterated. ¡°Are we¡ªare we going to get married, for real?¡±

    Yun Zhang¡¯s smile was unchanged as he replied, ¡°Our future? Why don¡¯t we leave the future alone until it comes. After all, things change; you never know what can happen. We never expected we would be where we are today in the past, did we?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think so far ahead. Let¡¯s take things one step at a time. So far, you¡¯ve got the fame you wanted, and I¡¯ll be getting the benefits and profit I want, too. We both get what we want; what¡¯s so bad about that?¡±

 Chapter 431 - Chapter 431: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-One: Malicious

    Chapter 431: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-One: Malicious

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu looked at Yun Zhang in shock. ¡°Yun Zhang, when did you become so¡ªso shameless?¡±

    The smile on Yun Zhang¡¯s face disappeared. ¡°Oh? Shameless, you say. I¡¯m shameless? Yun Liu, you count this as being shameless? Then what does it say about you when you clearly know that Yun Nan and Shi Nian are married, but want to interfere in their marriage anyway? Isn¡¯t that even more shameless?¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re doing all this for Yun Nan? You want to destroy me, for Yun Nan?¡± Yun Liu roared.

    ¡°For the sake of my own biological sister, why not?¡± Yun Zhang replied lightly.

    Yun Liu fumed. She pointed at Yun Zhang and snarled, ¡°I¡¯ll hold a press conference! I¡¯ll tell the public the truth and have everyone know your true purpose, know your malicious character!¡±

    ¡°Alright! Up to you! Go ahead!¡± Yun Zhang said and slowly turned away. ¡°But don¡¯t say that I didn¡¯t warn you. Before you do anything, think about your current situation. Think about whether anyone will still believe your words.¡± With that, Yun Zhang headed to the garden.

    Yun Liu dejectedly slumped back onto the sofa. ¡®Yun Zhang, you¡¯re indeed ruthless,¡¯ she thought. Her phone kept vibrating in her bag, so Yun Liu subconsciously picked it up.

    ¡°Yun Liu, what took you so long to pick up?¡± Tan Ning¡¯s agitated voice sounded from the speaker. ¡°I¡¯m freaking out here! Yun Liu, we have an urgent matter we need to take care of right now. Chen Tao is urging us to deliver new goods to them quickly!¡±

    Yun Liu rubbed her face roughly with her hand in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m in no mood to look for ¡®new goods¡¯ for them,¡± she uttered coldly. ¡°Who do they think I am? The brothel madam?¡±

    Tan Ning didn¡¯t care about Yun Liu¡¯s complaints. ¡°Yun Liu!¡± she snapped. ¡°Do you dare to say that to Chen Tao? I certainly don¡¯t! Hurry up and think of a solution!¡±

    ¡°A solution? What can I do? The company is back in Yun Zhang¡¯s hands now, and he¡¯s personally responsible for the selection and training of newcomers. There¡¯s nothing I can do to intervene! You know that very well, so why are you saying all this nonsense?¡± Yun Liu replied, annoyed.

    ¡°Yun Liu!¡± Tan Ning lowered her voice. ¡°They have photos of you! Those kinds of photos! Chen Tao said that if you fail to deliver the goods according to the agreed amount, they¡¯ll release your photos to the public! Yun Liu, you have to figure something out! Otherwise¡­ That Chen Tao is capable of anything. How are we going to resolve things if he does go through with his threat?¡±

    Yun Liu froze. She couldn¡¯t help but imagine her future self in an awful state and the target of everyone¡¯s scorn and contempt, and shivered. Out of her wits, Yun Liu¡¯s tone softened as she asked Tan Ning for help: ¡°Tan Ning, what should we do?¡±

    Tan Ning was gobsmacked. ¡®Where¡¯s your unyielding attitude just now? Where did it go? Oh, now you¡¯re afraid and want my advice, but what can I do?¡¯

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we tell Mr. Yun about this and say that you were threatened and blackmailed into it? Mr. Yun won¡¯t ignore this,¡± Tan Ning hesitantly suggested.

    ¡°No! Absolutely not! You can¡¯t let my brother know about this!¡± Yun Liu objected frantically. ¡®Yun Zhang will kill me if he finds out!¡¯

    ¡°Then we have to continue to provide new girls to Chen Tao. They are even more ruthless than us or your brother; there¡¯s no way we can survive their ire!¡± Tan Ning countered, also very anxious. ¡®I can¡¯t do this, and I can¡¯t do that,¡¯ she mentally groused. ¡®And at the same time, I have to deal with you two siblings¡ª no, it¡¯s fianc¨¦ and fianc¨¦e, now. What can I do?¡¯

    Distraught, Yun Liu told Tan Ning, ¡°Let me think on this, Tan Ning. Help me think of something, figure something out¡­ Tan Ning, go to the idol training center and take a look at the trainees there. We¡¯ll figure something out after we confirm our targets!¡±

    Yun Liu had just put down her phone, her heartbeat still yet to calm down, when she heard Yun Zhang ask from behind her, ¡°What can¡¯t I know about?¡±

    ¡°Nothing!¡± Yun Liu was so scared out of her wits that she tossed her phone out and panickedly denied, ¡°Nothing! Nothing at all!¡±

    Yun Zhang bent down and picked up the phone. He handed it to Yun Liu and smiled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re looking at me like you¡¯ve seen a ghost. Tan Ning called?¡±

    Yun Liu forced herself to calm down. ¡°Yes, it was Tan Ning,¡± Yun Liu answered, a little stammeringly. ¡°She helped me take on a job. A job I don¡¯t like. We¡ªwe¡¯re still talking it out.¡±

    Yun Zhang raised his eyebrows and said detachedly, ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, then don¡¯t do it. Hand the job over to another artiste. It¡¯s not like our company doesn¡¯t have anyone else. As my fianc¨¦e, you¡¯ll be Yun Entertainment¡¯s boss lady in the future. It¡¯s meaningless to compete with your own employees for fame and profit.¡±

    Yun Liu endured his lecture and tried to calm herself down, but she had to make one last attempt. ¡°Yun Zhang,¡± she stated softly. ¡°In my heart, you¡¯ll always be my brother. I don¡¯t want to be Yun Entertainment¡¯s boss lady. I¡¯m willing to be your sister for the rest of my life!¡±

    So saying, Yun Liu stared pitifully at Yun Zhang with teary eyes. Yun Zhang looked at her and appeared to be touched. He nodded, but then he said, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s talk about it in two years.¡± He began walking toward the exit as he spoke, his voice gradually getting fainter as he moved further and further away. ¡°The dust will have settled after two years, and some things will be easier to move on from.¡±

    ¡®F*ck your two years!¡¯ Yun Liu thought venomously as she watched Yun Zhang¡¯s figure leave, nearly choking on her anger. ¡®What a malicious move! Two years! The dust will indeed have settled.¡¯

 Chapter 432 - Chapter 432: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Two: Let Go

    Chapter 432: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Two: Let Go

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡®By then, Yun Nan and Shi Nian would have children old enough to run and walk. By then, when Yun Nan has become famous and successful, and Shi Xiu a bright star, when the entertainment industry with its never-ending stream of newcomers has forgotten my existence, when I¡¯m of no value to Mr. Lan¡­ what else would I have?¡¯ Yun Liu thought.

    ¡®I fear that by that time, the best future for me would be to become the Yun family¡¯s young mistress!¡¯

    However, from what Yun Zhang had implied with his words, he wouldn¡¯t let her off even then. ¡®Ha! How vicious,¡¯ Yun Liu inwardly remarked. ¡®He plans to play a game of attrition; keep me under his thumb and wear me down to death!¡¯

    ¡®I won¡¯t just sit back and let that happen!¡¯

    The news that the Ye family was going to hold a grand wedding was a boost to the downturned Rong City¡¯s business world. Especially when the invited guests also received a wedding invitation from the Shi family at the same time. A closer look at the invitations revealed that the two families¡¯s wedding ceremonies were going to be held together at the same time and place, and it didn¡¯t take much thinking for them to realize these two great families were going to hold a double wedding.

    On further thought, it wasn¡¯t all that surprising, as Shi Nian and Ye Kun were close buddies who grew up together, and the two brides were also best friends.

    This great news added an air of jubilation to Rong City. Everyone was looking forward to this unprecedented event.

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan were called back to the Shi family residence three days in advance, and only then did Xu Yun tell the two about this ¡®surprise¡¯ gift. In respect for Xu Yun, the couple made a performance of being ¡®shocked,¡¯ giving her a sense of accomplishment at having pulled the whole thing off in secret.

    ¡°The only regret is that Shi Ke and Xiang Yang can¡¯t make it to the wedding,¡± Shi Xiu sighed behind her mother¡¯s back.

    Yun Nan patted her shoulder in consolation: ¡°It¡¯s alright. When you get married in the future, we¡¯ll all definitely be there in attendance. No one will be left out!¡±

    Shi Xiu gently brushed off her hand and pouted. ¡°No way! I¡¯m not going to get married! Who needs it anyways! I think it¡¯ll be more practical to hold a birthday banquet for Grandpa than to wait for my wedding day if you want a family reunion!¡±

    Yun Nan lightly tugged Shi Xiu¡¯s hair as she chuckled, ¡°Not getting married? Dream on! All of us are already married; how can we let you live your life alone and free of the trap that is marriage? Don¡¯t even think about it! We¡¯ll find you your Mr. Right, even if we have to search and comb through the entire world!¡±

    Shi Xiu and Yun Nan continued to roughhouse and play around. When they were done laughing, Shi Xiu sighed softly. Yun Nan noticed Shi Xiu¡¯s melancholic mood and shared a look with Shi Nian.

    Shi Xiu then raised her head and crossed her arms in an x before her to block the couple off. ¡°Okay, stop. You guys aren¡¯t allowed to talk to me! Don¡¯t say anything! Go away, shoo!¡±

    Shi Xiu chased the two of them away and stayed in the garden in a daze. Yun Nan was a little worried and asked Shi Nian, ¡°She couldn¡¯t have really fallen for that Lan Long, right?¡±

    Shi Nian turned around and glanced at his sister¡¯s figure. He held Yun Nan¡¯s hand and, as they returned to the main family house, he said lightly, ¡°She¡¯s a young girl full of emotions and feelings. It¡¯s not abnormal for her to like him. She knows what she¡¯s doing and where to draw the line.¡±

    ¡°But, if¡ªhow sad would Shi Xiu be then?¡± Yun Nan fretted.

    ¡°Yun Nan!¡± Shi Nian pulled her close and uttered gravely, ¡°No one can make decisions for others. Even if she¡¯s my sister, I can¡¯t do or plan everything out for her. It¡¯s not a good or healthy thing to let her be overly sheltered. She has to go through the storms and tribulations herself. No one can do that in her stead!¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t help her clear all her obstacles just because you¡¯re afraid that she¡¯ll get hurt or suffer. That¡¯s not love, and it¡¯s highly likely to harm her instead. Let her work through this on her own like she wanted.¡±

    Yun Nan fell silent. She admitted that what Shi Nian said was reasonable, but emotionally, she still found it difficult to accept. She did not want Shi Xiu to be hurt.

    Shi Nian patted her on the head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Shi Xiu knows what to do. She¡¯s not as fragile as you think. She¡¯s just waiting for an outcome in her own way. This is also to prevent herself from harboring resentment towards anyone.¡±

    This double wedding was the grandest wedding in the history of Rong City. The wedding that the three Madams of the Shi, Ye, and Liang families had put their all into creating was flawlessly perfect down to the last minute detail. The joint venture hotel under their banner set up hundreds of tables and hosted a three-day banquet. It was an unprecedented and grand occasion.

    Liang Han and Lu Hui were the designated chief bridesmaid and groomsman. The two made a stunning pair, and the guests were amazed the moment they appeared. Lu Ying was so happy at the sight of them together that she was grinning from ear to ear. The more she looked at Lu Hui, the more she liked the girl. ¡®I guess this can be considered a pre-rehearsal for my silly son¡¯s wedding in the future,¡¯ she thought.

    Liang Han and Lu Hui were also responsible for the wedding¡¯s atmosphere. The two entertained the guests with witty words and quips and cooperated with the emcee to raise the atmosphere of the entire venue.

    Liang Han really had a whole new perspective and level of respect for this girl who seemed to have become another person without her glasses. Lu Hui was probably the only one who didn¡¯t notice the cynical Young Master Liang¡¯s gaze was always on her, intentionally or unintentionally. Instead, she noticed Madam Liang¡¯s sticky gaze and sighed at how well the woman treated her.

    As her two bosses¡ªYun Nan and Fang Xi¡ªwere too busy to have time to offer her guidance and enlighten her of Liang Han¡¯s interest in her, the young Miss Lu simply happily busied herself as she flitted here and there around Liang Han.

 Chapter 433 - Chapter 433: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Three: Public Opinion

    Chapter 433: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Three: Public Opinion

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    When Shi Nian and Ye Kun appeared in Chinese-style groom outfits, the whole venue shifted from an anticipatory silence to thunderous applause. To see the two men, usually dressed in suits and ties or casual and elegant attire, in such traditional Chinese apparel could be said to be shocking.

    The music, lighting and setting of the venue also changed with the grooms¡¯ arrival. Before, the guests had been the ones holding the court, chatting and laughing happily amidst the soft music and tinkling of wine glasses. But now, the change in atmosphere indicated the wedding ceremony had officially begun, and it promised to be a refreshing one.

    The two brides showed up escorted by the bridesmaids, faces decorously covered by the round silk fans held in their hands.

    ¡°Oh my god! Those wedding dresses are just too gorgeous! How can there be such beautiful wedding dresses!¡± someone cried out. The exclamation was like a pebble thrown into a pond, causing susurrus of murmurs to ripple through the crowd, spreading and shaking the entire scene like a butterfly effect.

    ¡°You guys don¡¯t know, do you? Those wedding dresses were personally designed by the two brides! The dresses weren¡¯t made by outside parties either; they were hand-sewn by the experts in charge of costumes from their own film production company. They¡¯re definitely custom handmade haute couture. You won¡¯t find a second dress of its kind¡ªsorry, my mistake¡ªthere¡¯s only two of a kind in this world! This isn¡¯t something money can buy!¡±

    ¡°I heard that Yun Nan¡¯s mother, Mr. Gu Bei¡¯s daughter, was especially good at embroidery when she was alive! I reckon that no one in the country or abroad can match her craftsmanship. It¡¯s a pity she passed away early!¡±

    ¡°Truly a misfortunate fate! Look at how doting Mr. and Mrs. Gu are to Yun Nan; it seems, with the loss of their daughter, they¡¯d transferred their love for her over to Yun Nan, spoiling her twice-over.¡±

    ¡°Yun Nan is worth it. Not only is she beautiful, but she¡¯s also built herself a thriving business. The sky¡¯s the limit for her. Any family would be insanely happy to have such a woman marry them! Look at Xu Yun, she looks years younger with the way she¡¯s glowing with joy!¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not just Xu Yun¡ªlook at Kong Zhen! And Lu Ying! Look! She¡¯s been smiling non-stop for the past few days. She¡¯s over the moon!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Her daughter-in-law is also beautiful and capable, so of course she¡¯s overjoyed.¡±

    ¡°Hey, have you guys heard about Fang Xi and Xi Cheng¡¯s relationship?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s old history! That¡¯s old news from way back when. That Xi Cheng is truly a prodigal, good-for-nothing playboy. Poor Han Yuan had to climb out of her hospital bed to clean up her son and daughter-in-law¡¯s mess. Having such a son and daughter-in-law makes it hard to even die with peace of mind. The Xi family just isn¡¯t lucky enough to have such a good daughter-in-law, if you ask me!¡±

    ¡°Just look at what a stunning bride Fang Xi makes. You can tell at a glance she¡¯ll bring fortune to her husband! Ye Kun never left or abandoned her even after so many things had happened in the past two years, and in the end, the Ye family¡¯s business got better and better! This just goes to show that Fang Xi is lucky to her husband¡¯s family!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re right! Leaving aside the Liang family, you can absolutely tell which of the other three great families have daughters-in-law that are lucky to their husbands. The Shi and Ye families are currently unstoppable! Whereas look at the Xi family. Xi Cheng married a girl from the down-and-out Lin family, and sure, the Xi family gained a reputation for being loyal to their word and friendship, but what¡¯s the use of that? That Lin Yu hasn¡¯t brought any fortune to the family, and I hear she¡¯s even in danger of losing the child she¡¯s bearing!¡±

    ¡°Hey, aside from bringing in luck, Yun Nan and Fang Xi¡¯s capabilities aren¡¯t to be underestimated either! I guess some things are just meant to be. It¡¯s true when they say ¡®like attracts like!¡¯ It¡¯s no surprise that talented men like Shi Nian and Ye Kun would have such outstanding wives! Did you see Mr. Mo? He¡¯s the wedding¡¯s official witness! I hear he dotes on Fang Xi as if she was his own daughter, and his sons, the young Masters of the Mo family, also considers her their little sister, judging by the lavish congratulatory gifts they gave Fang Xi.¡±

    ¡°Even Old Master Gu Bei treats Fang Xi as if she were his biological granddaughter!¡±

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s strange. I glanced over and haven¡¯t seen any of Fang Xi¡¯s relatives in attendance. Why didn¡¯t any of her family come to her wedding?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Aren¡¯t the Mo and Gu families her family? It¡¯s written very clearly on the guest seating chart at the entrance!¡±

    ¡°But, still¡­ Does Fang Xi not have any relatives? Just like Yun Nan? The brides are both orphans?¡±

    ¡°Did you forget? Yun Nan does have a blood family¡ªthe Yuns! It¡¯s just that the relationship between her and her family isn¡¯t that great. Those Yuns are truly ignorant, treating their adopted daughter like she¡¯s a gem whereas they are cold and distant to their own biological daughter! How blind!¡±

    ¡°The Yuns are here today. I saw their names on the guest attendance list at the door!¡±

    ¡°Of course they should be here! Their biological daughter is getting married! They were so unsensible previously. They¡¯re lucky the Shi family and Yun Nan are magnanimous. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t even acknowledge them, let alone invite them to the wedding! Hmph!¡±

    The two newlywed pairs completed their wedding rituals in an orderly manner amidst the guests¡¯ discussion. The cheering and applause was thunderous. The grooms left hand in hand with their brides to get changed into formal attire. The guests took their seats, and the banquet began, everyone awaiting the newlyweds to come out and give toast.

    More than a dozen people were suddenly at the door. The emcee quickly came forward to receive them. The list of guests for the three-day banquet was arranged in advance. There shouldn¡¯t be any sudden guests, especially today, which was the day of the wedding.

    The emcee couldn¡¯t help but be shocked after his inquiries to the group, and hurriedly gestured for Liang Han and Lu Hui to come over.

 Chapter 434 - Chapter 434: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Four: Mother

    Chapter 434: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Four: Mother

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°You¡­¡± Lu Hui stared at the woman before in shock. The woman looked quite similar to her boss and master, Fang Xi, except older. Lu Hui asked nervously, ¡°Are you really Fang Xi¡¯s biological mother?¡±

    The woman smiled. Her smile was charming, and her charm had a kind of oppressive beauty. ¡°Little girl, do you think anyone would go around randomly acknowledging daughters?¡± she countered.

    Lu Hui knew she¡¯d misspoke and mumbled unintelligibly. The woman smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know that Fang Xi won¡¯t mention her family to others so I can¡¯t blame you for not knowing. I¡¯m Xi Yue. You¡¯re Fang Xi¡¯s friend, right? You can just call me Auntie Xi Yue.¡±

    ¡°Auntie, please wait a moment. I¡¯ll go look for Fang Xi,¡± Lu Hui uttered, inwardly panicking a little. ¡®This Auntie Xi Yue doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s here to attend a wedding; she looks like she¡¯s here to cause trouble instead,¡¯ she thought.

    She turned around and whispered into Liang Han¡¯s ear, ¡°You distract them while I go get someone to call Mr. Mo over.¡± Mr. Mo was Fang Xi¡¯s publicly recognized family, so presumably, only he had some understanding of Fang Xi¡¯s birth family.

    Liang Han indicated for her to rest assured. He smiled at Xi Yue and stated, ¡°If you would all please follow me over to this side. The wedding banquet is about to begin.¡±

    Xi Yue looked at him from head to toe, her eyes full of amorousness as she asked, ¡°My, what a fine young man you are! Are you married? I have two beautiful stepdaughters. Why don¡¯t I introduce them to you?¡±

    Liang Han was inwardly shocked but maintained his calm smile as he replied, ¡°Thank you, but I already have a girlfriend.¡±

    Xi Yue¡¯s alluring eyes flickered, and she coyly remarked, ¡°A girlfriend¡­ So? What does it matter? Why stick with just one? You should meet more girls and get to know a few of them better¡­ You won¡¯t know which one¡¯s the most suitable without comparison, right? You can¡¯t just settle things in one go when it comes to love. Life¡¯s short; you got to live a little. Why settle for a fish when there¡¯s a whole ocean out there?¡±

    Liang Han was so stupefied by her words that he didn¡¯t know how to respond. Xi Yue waved her hand, and two beautiful girls of mixed race immediately came over. ¡°These are my stepdaughters, Anna and Lina,¡± Xi Yue introduced. ¡°You guys should get to know each other!¡±

    The two young ladies immediately extended their hands to Liang Han. Feeling extremely embarrassed, Liang Han had no choice but to reach out and gently shake their hands, causing the two girls to smile and giggle.

    ¡®I can¡¯t let them stand near the door like this. A lot of people are starting to look over here,¡¯ Liang Han thought. ¡°Please follow me this way.¡± He gestured for the group to follow him to the dining table at the side and urged them to sit.

    Xi Yue, however, grabbed his hand. ¡°Young man, I am Fang Xi¡¯s biological mother, and they are all her siblings and relatives. We should be seated at the bride¡¯s table. You can¡¯t just simply stuff us in this corner here! You¡¯re the groom¡¯s friend, right? This absolutely won¡¯t do! Call the groom over. He hasn¡¯t bowed to me yet! Since he hasn¡¯t completed the ritual bows, this wedding doesn¡¯t count. I won¡¯t acknowledge it!¡±

    Xi Yue smiled as she spoke, but her expression was extremely serious. Liang Han secretly bemoaned, ¡®What is this turn of events? Why is my bro Ye Kun¡¯s life so bitter? His wedding ceremony had already gone through many setbacks before he finally got to marry the woman he loves. Why did a mother-in-law suddenly pop up at the doorstep on the day of the wedding?¡¯

    ¡®Fang Xi, what kind of bizarre relatives do you have? Someone, please help!¡¯

    ¡®No matter who or what, nothing¡¯s allowed to ruin my buddies¡¯ wedding today! That¡¯s my line in the sand!¡¯ Liang Han took a deep breath and made sure his smile was flawless as he inquired, ¡°Ms. Xi Yue, can I take a look at your invitation first?¡±

    Xi Yue froze. She glanced back at the group of people she¡¯d brought with her before she turned back to Liang Han and smiled. ¡°Oh, you silly child! Does a mother need an invitation to attend her own daughter¡¯s wedding? What kind of rule is that? Am I, the bride¡¯s mother, not welcomed here? It seems that this isn¡¯t a happy match for my Fang Xi!¡±

    She went on, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the groom¡¯s family? Are they bullying Fang Xi? Let me tell you, this won¡¯t do! Fang Xi is my one and only biological daughter. I won¡¯t allow anyone to bully my precious daughter! You, move aside! I want to meet the in-laws and ask what¡¯s going on!¡±

    So saying, Xi Yue went to push Liang Han away. Liang Han was determined to stop her and didn¡¯t move an inch. When the others saw this, they gathered around Liang Han. Especially Xi Yue¡¯s two stepdaughters; they leaned close and coquettishly said, ¡°Hey, handsome, what¡¯s the meaning of this? We¡¯re here to attend our sister¡¯s wedding! What right do you have to stop us from entering? Something to hide? Did you guys bully my sister?¡±

    Liang Han had to take a couple of steps back because he didn¡¯t want such women to get close to him. However, he immediately realized what they were trying to do, and his expression darkened at once. He coldly called out, ¡°Security!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Liang!¡± The security manager instantly ran over.

    ¡°No one is allowed to enter today¡¯s wedding without an invitation. So why are they here? Is this how you guys do your job?¡± Liang Han demanded.

    The security manager broke out in a cold sweat, thinking, ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have let them come in here if I could stop them. These people, especially the women, were very difficult to deal with. They were like succubi, getting up close and personal, and they couldn¡¯t be pushed away once they did.¡¯ The security manager and his team were forced to back away to avoid contact and that was how the group managed to push their way into the venue.

 Chapter 435 - Chapter 435: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Five: Quell

    Chapter 435: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Five: Quell

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation  Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The security manager grimaced, but he had no choice but to stand beside Liang Han. Fortunately, Liang Han was in charge, so he wasn¡¯t afraid that these women would act like hooligans again. ¡°Please show me your invitation cards,¡± the security manager said in a business-like manner.

    Of course, Xi Yue wouldn¡¯t play along. ¡°If you insist on doing things this way, then I¡¯ll call for Fang Xi! Let her come out and explain why her mother can¡¯t sit with her at the bride¡¯s family table?¡±

    ¡°Because someone else is there in her mother¡¯s stead!¡± A deep voice sounded out behind Liang Han. Liang Han quickly turned around, feeling extremely relieved. ¡°Mr. Mo!¡±

    Mr. Mo smiled at Liang Han and said, ¡°Go help the newlyweds attend to the guests. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡±

    ¡°Aye aye, sir!¡± Liang Han hurriedly nodded and turned to leave, not sparing a single glance at those women who could give succubi a run for their money. Xi Yue had an intrigued smile on her face as her gaze followed after him.

    Mr. Mo turned to instruct Liang Han, ¡°Tell Fang Xi to entertain the guests in peace. I have things handled here. There¡¯s no need for her to come over.¡± He turned back, met Xi Yue¡¯s gaze, and warned lightly, ¡°He¡¯s just a child.¡±

    Xi Yue took her eyes off Liang Han and said affectionately, ¡°Mo, it¡¯s been a long time! I knew you would be here! Hmph! That daughter of mine doesn¡¯t take us seriously at all since she has you backing her up!¡±

    Mr. Mo raised his hand and pointed at the side hall to the side, as he replied, ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Let¡¯s go over there and catch up!¡±

    Xi Yue¡¯s eyes flashed. She grabbed Mr. Mo¡¯s raised hand and harrumphed, ¡°I¡¯m the bride¡¯s mother. I didn¡¯t even agree to that Mr. Mcdreamy just now when he asked me to sit at the table at the back. And you want to send me to the side hall as soon as you come?! I¡¯m telling you, no way!¡±

    ¡°Mo! We¡¯ve been friends for decades! How can you treat me like this? I don¡¯t care if you dote on that girl, but you can¡¯t treat an old friend like me like this, right?¡±

    Mr. Mo¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he stated, ¡°It¡¯s only because we¡¯re old friends that I¡¯m inviting you to the side hall to catch up. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve asked someone to escort you out! Today is Fang Xi¡¯s big day. I¡¯ll send whoever tries to ruin it to hell! She¡¯s a good girl. I watched her grow up; you should know how much I love her, right?¡±

    A trace of unease flashed across Xi Yue¡¯s face, but she was still unwilling to give up. ¡°Then, I have to at least meet my in-laws. Won¡¯t you introduce me to them?¡±

    Mr. Mo had already taken a couple of steps toward the side hall as he answered, ¡°Xi Yue, we¡¯re both old foxes here, so quit your act. If you have something to say, come to the side hall and we¡¯ll talk it out. I suggest you take my suggestion while my word still holds some weight with Fang Xi. If you really make a scene and get Fang Xi involved, what can you do when she makes things difficult for you? Your goal here isn¡¯t to get to know your in-laws, right? Then stop doing these roundabout things.¡±

    Mr. Mo walked on ahead while Xi Yue stood on her tiptoes to peek into the lively great hall where the wedding banquet was taking place. She spotted the two pairs of newlyweds, already out and toasting their guests. However, she had to think twice about Mr. Mo¡¯s words. Xi Yue gritted her teeth and stomped her feet in frustration before turning around and following after Mr. Mo. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll go with you, but only because it¡¯s you asking! Not because I¡¯m afraid of that girl! You have to get that girl to kowtow to me and serve me tea later! It¡¯s only right as I¡¯m her mother! Hmph!¡±

    Although the group of people who came with Xi Yue were very interested in the lively event in the great hall, a crew of security guards had expressionlessly built a human wall. They couldn¡¯t get through, so they could only follow Xi Yue reluctantly. The security manager and his team secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

    They weren¡¯t the only ones. Liang Han and Lu Hui both reached out to wipe the non-existent sweat off their brows at the same time.

    ¡°No wonder Fang Xi is such a sheer force of character; she must¡¯ve inherited it from her mother!¡± Liang Han commented.

    Lu Hui was offended. ¡°Don¡¯t slander Fang Xi! Our Fang Xi¡¯s not that kind of person! They may look alike, but Fang Xi doesn¡¯t have any of that woman¡¯s man-eater aura!¡±

    Liang Han was amused. ¡°Lu Hui, you sure have a way with words! I didn¡¯t hear a single swear word in your bashing there. Little lady, I¡¯d advise you to watch your tongue and don¡¯t be so catty.¡±

    Lu Hui rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Why are you so quick to retort? I wasn¡¯t bashing you! Oh, I forgot. Men like those sorts of women, don¡¯t they? It¡¯s why they¡¯re called ¡®man-eaters.¡¯ Guys lose their minds when they see them, am I right?¡±

    Liang Han laughed. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I haven¡¯t lost my mind. Why are you always making up stories? You¡ªyou, hurry up and go substitute for Fang Xi before the guests ply her with too many drinks. Oh right, did you tell Fang Xi about what happened just now?¡±

    Lu Hui shook her head. ¡°Fang Xi was busy changing her clothes and touching up her makeup with the help of a band of make-up artists and clothing designers, so I decided not to squeeze my way in there. I saw Mr. Mo come over and thought things should be fine with him present, so I didn¡¯t tell Fang Xi.¡±

 Chapter 436 - Chapter 436: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Six: Objective

    Chapter 436: Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Six: Objective

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation  Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Liang Han nodded and praised, ¡°Good, at least you¡¯re clever where it counts!¡± Lu Hui rolled her eyes at him once more.

    Liang Han glanced into the side hall and nudged Lu Hui with his shoulder. ¡°Hey, do you want to know what Fang Xi¡¯s mother is here for?¡±

    Lu Hui frowned and replied, ¡°I feel like they¡¯re here to cause trouble.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go over and eavesdrop a little?¡± Liang Han goaded. Lu Hui was a little hesitant. She was worried about Fang Xi and gazed over in her direction.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry! Your company has mobilized all their manpower for this wedding. With so many people around, everything will be fine, with or without your help. Come on, let¡¯s go find out what those bunch of succubi are here for. That way, Fang Xi will be prepared if something really does happen,¡± Liang Han persuaded.

    Lu Hui was swayed this time. ¡®I can¡¯t let Fang Xi be taken advantage of!¡¯ she thought.

    Xi Yue sat on the chair, feeling a little self-conscious. She shifted in her seat and cleared her throat to hide her discomfort before saying, ¡°Mo, you look great; you haven¡¯t changed at all. Life must be treating you well; you seem even younger and more refined than before!¡±

    Mr. Mo glanced at her and said detachedly, ¡°Oh? But you seem to have become less and less capable as you age. Your coaxing skills have regressed.¡±

    Awkwardness had Xi Yue curl her fingers into her palms, and the smile on her face stiffened. Her reactions didn¡¯t go unnoticed, and Mr. Mo¡¯s gaze turned colder as he asked, ¡°What do you guys want with Fang Xi? Why don¡¯t you tell me first?¡±

    Xi Yue quickly answered, ¡°No, no, what are you talking about? I just found out that she¡¯s getting married. I¡¯m her mother; of course I have to come attend the wedding ceremony.¡±

    Mr. Mo scoffed, ¡°Wow, you actually remember you¡¯re her mother? That¡¯s rare!¡±

    Seeing his attitude, Xi Yue immediately changed her expression to a woeful one. ¡°Mo Sang, how can you say that to me?¡± she said sadly. ¡°All these years, you only cared about Fang Xi. Why can¡¯t you care about me? After all, I¡¯m your childhood friend; we grew up together. You haven¡¯t even asked me how I¡¯ve been doing. You don¡¯t care about how hard my life has been. You¡¯re so cruel! What did I do wrong to make you treat me so cruelly?¡±

    Mr. Mo frowned and made a shooing motion with his hand. ¡°Alright, enough with the act; you know I don¡¯t buy it. Stop beating around the bush. Tell me, what exactly do you want?¡±

    Xi Yue twisted around and huffed, ¡°I¡¯m truly just here to wish Fang Xi well. Why won¡¯t you believe me?¡± Mr. Mo didn¡¯t comment.

    ¡°Mr. Mo, we¡¯re really just here to attend the wedding,¡± Anna timidly spoke up for her stepmother. Mr. Mo glanced at the two stepdaughters beside Xi Yue, and they hastily nodded their heads.

    Mr. Mo¡¯s expression softened a little. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll bring you guys in. You guys are to sit wherever I arrange you to. You¡¯re not to be picky, and you most certainly aren¡¯t to gossip!¡± Mr. Mo¡¯s face darkened as he spoke. ¡°If any of you dare to cause trouble, I¡¯ll have you all thrown out! No talk about old friendships could save you guys then!¡±

    Even Xi Yue was somewhat cowed by him. She forced a smile and reached out to smooth her hand over the pocket square on Mr. Mo¡¯s chest. ¡°Oh, come now, don¡¯t be so fierce. We¡¯ll do as you say and behave! I am her mother, after all. How can I ruin her big day?¡±

    Her words didn¡¯t reassure Mr. Mo much at all; he was still worried. Lina chimed in, softly pleading, ¡°Mr. Mo, we absolutely won¡¯t cause trouble at my sister¡¯s wedding!¡±

    It seemed the two stepdaughters were more trustworthy in Mr. Mo¡¯s eyes than Xi Yue. Mr. Mo said measuredly, ¡°You two are young ladies from a prestigious family; I hope you¡¯ll keep your word. Don¡¯t mess around, and don¡¯t let your unreliable mother mess around, either!¡±

    Anna hurriedly smiled and assured him, ¡°Yes, Mr. Mo. If we don¡¯t keep our promise, you can just tie us up and send us back home and let our family elders punish us as they please!¡±

    The weight of these words finally had Mr. Mo make up his mind. He waved for his subordinates waiting at the door and happened to see Lu Hui and Liang Han poking their heads out at the doorway. ¡°You two come over as well!¡± he called out.

    Liang Han pulled Lu Hui with him as he cheerily came right over, not a single bit self-conscious at being caught eavesdropping. Lu Hui followed behind him with her head lowered and didn¡¯t even notice Liang Han was holding her hand; all her energy was spent on covering up her own embarrassment.

    ¡°Mr. Mo, I was just about to ask if you need any help,¡± Liang Han claimed.

    Mr. Mo naturally saw through his excuse. However, he had to side with Liang Han in front of Xi Yue and the others, so he didn¡¯t call him out on the lie and ordered seriously, ¡°Is it okay to arrange for them to sit next to your table?¡±

    Liang Han deliberately stopped his gaze on the faces of these seven or eight people with a face full of doubt.

 Chapter 437 - Chapter 437 Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Seven: Pressured

    Chapter 437 Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Seven: Pressured

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Mr. Mo said calmly, ¡°These are all Fang Xi¡¯s relatives. As they are all her family, let them sit together with Yun Innovation¡¯s people. Lu Hui, look after them. This is Fang Xi¡¯s mother, Ms. Xi Yue.¡±

    A little surprised at his decision, Lu Hui subconsciously moved to push her glasses up the bridge of her nose. It was only when her fingers met empty space that she remembered she was wearing contacts today. She asked nervously, ¡°T-then¡ªthen¡­¡±

    Mr. Mo¡¯s tone harshened slightly, ¡°Enough! Just stay by Ms. Xi Yue¡¯s side and make sure they dine and wine to their heart¡¯s content. There¡¯s no need to introduce their identities to the public. Just treat them as your company¡¯s members. Your entire company is Fang Xi¡¯s family, after all.¡±

    Lu Hui nodded hastily. ¡°Oh, okay. Got it!¡±

    Xi Yue was extremely aggrieved. ¡°Am I really so shameful? Why can¡¯t you let people know I¡¯m Fang Xi¡¯s mother?¡±

    Mr. Mo glanced at her indifferently as he replied, ¡°What was it that you said when she invited you? But now that she has the obligatory set of elders for her wedding, you show up to mess things up again? Xi Yue, either do as I say or leave this place immediately!¡±

    Anna hurriedly tugged Xi Yue¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Ma, let¡¯s listen to Mr. Mo.¡± Mr. Mo¡¯s gaze paused on Anna¡¯s small movement.

    Xi Yue let out an unhappy ¡°hmph¡± sound and uttered, ¡°Ok! Fine! So be it! It can¡¯t be helped since I¡¯m unqualified to be her mother!¡± She turned to look at Lu Hui and immediately gave her her signature smile. ¡°Young lady, I wasn¡¯t lying, was I? I am Fang Xi¡¯s bona fide mother. Please take us to the wedding ceremony! Thank you! Auntie will treat you to a meal after the wedding!¡±

    Lu Hui looked towards Mr. Mo for help. Seeing Mr. Mo¡¯s impassive face, Lu Hui had no choice but to straighten her back, professionally sweep her arm out, and say, ¡°This way, please!¡±

    Lu Hui led the group silently into the venue from the side. Liang Han came over to Mr. Mo and chuckled, ¡°Mr. Mo, what was that all about?¡±

    Mr. Mo sighed resignedly, ¡°Nothing good, I¡¯m afraid!¡± He raised his hand to rub his brows and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They won¡¯t dare to ruin the wedding. However, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯ll be trouble for Fang Xi again after this.¡±

    Liang Han chortled, ¡°That¡¯s Ye Kun¡¯s problem then! Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Mo. Ye Kun isn¡¯t someone to be trifled with, either. He would walk through fire and rain for Fang Xi. Nothing¡¯s too big a deal for him.¡±

    Mr. Mo was amused by his words. ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re gloating?¡±

    Liang Han unabashedly admitted, ¡°Oh, you can tell? It¡¯s only because I¡¯m jealous, really. Us buddies, we came into this world on the same day¡ªthere¡¯s only about a couple of hours¡¯ difference between us. Now, my two brothers-in-arms are marrying the women of their dreams in grand style, and I¡¯m still a single bachelor. What gives? That¡¯s why I can¡¯t wait for life to throw them some lemons, hmph!¡±

    Liang Han laughed out loud, bright and sunny, when he finished. Mr. Mo stared at him with admiration. ¡®This young man,¡¯ he thought, ¡®who¡¯s frank, open-minded and wears his heart on his sleeves, is also astute and decisive in the business world, having inherited his father and brother¡¯s talent. And in life, he treats his buddies sincerely and with all his heart.¡¯

    Liang Han¡¯s high-spirited character often reminded Mr. Mo of his youth. On the one hand, it had Mr. Mo bemoaning his old age, and on the other hand, he was gratified to see these youngsters continue the youth of the older generations.

    Today, the main table was occupied by Gu Bei and his wife, Mr. Mo, Shi Kong, and Shi Yun and his wife¡ªthe Shi family all present save Shi Ke and his wife. On the Ye family¡¯s side, there were Lu Ying and her son, Ye Tang, as well as a Ye family elder.

    The bridal family¡¯s side was made up entirely of the people from Yun Innovations. And the most special guests sitting close to them were the four members of the Yun family. Shi Xiu accompanied them and had a great time chatting with Yun Zhang. The two even had the intention for a preliminary cooperation.

    Yun Xiang and Gu Wei felt both pleased and sad. What made them sad was that they, as Yun Nan¡¯s parents, could be sitting at the main table, but had instead ended up with the guests today. What pleased them was that his son now had a much closer relationship with the Shi family than before, and the Shi family didn¡¯t have the slightest intention of making things difficult for them. They were glad to see Yun Zhang finally come into his own as he would be the one holding up the Yun family in the future.

    Looking at a resplendent Yun Nan, they felt extremely bitter. If they had come to their senses earlier, what glory this dazzling daughter of theirs would have brought them! But now, Yun Xiang and Gu Wei were afraid that they wouldn¡¯t be able to make up for the rift between them and Yun Nan in their lifetimes. ¡®At least, Yun Nan had left a place for us at her wedding,¡¯ they thought.

    Yun Liu wished she could disappear from this place in a cloud of smoke. ¡®Yun Zhang¡¯s doing this on purpose!¡¯ Yun Liu inwardly seethe. ¡®He¡¯s deliberately letting me witness Shi Nian and Yun Nan getting married with my own eyes and watch their wedding¡¯s entire process. He¡¯s doing this to make my heart twist and bleed in jealousy, so I¡¯ll give up on Shi Nian in heartbreak!¡¯

    Yun Liu recalled Yun Zhang¡¯s mocking words from before: ¡°The rumors you created previously will only be dispelled by you attending Yun Nan and Shi Nian¡¯s wedding as my fianc¨¦e! What, don¡¯t you want a clean and innocent reputation, O¡¯ Future Best Actress?¡±

 Chapter 438 - Chapter 438 Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Dejected

    Chapter 438 Chapter Four-Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Dejected

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu could feel her temper rise in her chest. ¡°What?¡± she said coldly. ¡°Not afraid that I¡¯ll make a scene at your sister¡¯s wedding?¡±

    Yun Zhang wasn¡¯t anxious at all. ¡°How are you going to do that, hmm? Cry and throw yourself into Shi Nian¡¯s arms and say that you love him the most? Putting aside the question of whether you¡¯ll be able to get into Shi Nian¡¯s arms, even if your fantasy comes true, you¡¯ll only end up a joke. After that, wherever you go, people will point and say, ¡®Hey, isn¡¯t she that young lady from the Gu family? The Gu family¡¯s discipline and values are just terrible. The Yun family raised her to be gentle and demure, but deep down, she still inherited the Gu family¡¯s inherent bad habits. Look how she turned out after the short time she spent with them.¡¯ Do you think the Gu family would hate you then?¡±

    Yun Liu was so furious that she could barely breathe for a second. Yun Zhang smiled and said, ¡°I will still come and be the hero who saves the damsel in distress. I¡¯ll take you away and say that you have mental problems and need treatment. Then, I can justifiably send you to a mental hospital. That is the perfect ending for you. And after I get rid of you, I can start living a normal life.¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s entire body trembled, and she glared at him viciously. ¡°I will never let you have your way!¡± she said fiercely. ¡°Yun Zhang, I hate you!¡±

    Yun Zhang waved his hand and left, not bothered at all, and Yun Liu slumped to the ground, dejected.

    ¡®Yun Zhang has made it clear that he wants to trap me until death so I couldn¡¯t hurt Yun Nan because Yun Nan¡¯s his biological sister! Ha, what a joke!¡¯ Yun Liu mentally sneered. ¡®Everyone in this family feels like they owe Yun Nan, and the way they portray their apology to Yun Nan is to trample me down under their feet, using this method to make up for the guilt in their heart, and attributing all their mistakes to their biasedly listening to, believing in, and doting on me. On what grounds?!¡¯

    Yun Liu had also tried to contact her biological mother, but Zheng Xiu only had her son, Gu He, on her mind. Ever since Chen Yao had Gu He¡¯s studies arranged, Zheng Xiu¡¯s world had narrowed to her son, and only him. All other disputes had nothing to do with her. Yun Liu, the daughter she¡¯d found decades after going missing, was even more irrelevant to her.

    Yun Liu hated herself for being so blind as to be born to such a family. Now, looking at Yun Nan, who was smiling beatifically, Yun Liu wished she could turn into a ball of fire and burn her to death, have Yun Nan perish together with her.

    However, Yun Zhang stuck to her like a burr, following her everywhere, step-for-step, and even his eyes never left her form. Seeing this, from time to time, people around them would talk and discuss, ¡°The Yun family¡¯s young master truly dotes on their adopted daughter. It¡¯s obvious he has deep feelings for her. It¡¯s not surprising; they grew up together, after all.¡±

    ¡°The Yun family has quite the good fortune. Their biological daughter has become the young mistress of the Shi family, and the adopted daughter they raised will become their daughter-in-law. Although it sounds a little awkward when you put it that way, the two did grow up together after all so they know each other¡¯s temperament and personality, which isn¡¯t a bad thing. In the past, there¡¯s something similar called *tongyangxi1!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re too old-fashioned. They call it ¡®wife husbandry¡¯ now! I also think it¡¯s not a bad idea. A daughter-in-law you¡¯ve raised yourself would be more considerate, and there won¡¯t be any sordid disagreements between the mother- and daughter-in-laws. It really is perfect!¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s heart filled with disgust hearing those words, but she didn¡¯t dare to make any movements. She was afraid that if she made a vomiting action now, rumors of her being pregnant would spread immediately. She knew the power of public opinion well and clearly. Once upon a time, she had also used public opinion to create a lot of trouble for Yun Nan. She never expected that she would one day be enmeshed in a trap of her own devising.

    Like Yun Liu, Shi Xiu was also preoccupied. At this moment, she was accompanying Yun Nan and Fang Xi in toasting the guests. She had a bright smile on her face, but she was anxious and uneasy underneath it all. She would glance down at her watch from time to time, and every minute was a torture.

    She could hear cheerful voices and laughter all around and close to her ears, but it also seemed very far away from her. She wished she could leave this place immediately and go to the Shi family¡¯s villa near the eastern suburbs to take a look. Heavy troops guarded that place, armed and ready. If someone attacked that villa today, there could only be one target, and it would be Xiang Yang.

    And the one who leaked the news about Xiang Yang was Shi Xiu.

    Shi Xiu only told one person. Therefore, if something happened at the villa, the mastermind could only be that person. That was the result Shi Xiu least desired, the result she could least accept.

    She raised her head in anticipation, hoping to see Chang Yuan¡¯s figure at the door. No one made the realization that Chang Yuan actually wasn¡¯t here on such an important day as Shi Nian¡¯s wedding. That was because he had a more important mission to carry out elsewhere.

    Shi Xiu anxiously waited for Chang Yuan¡¯s arrival. A warm hand rested on her shoulder. Shi Xiu turned her head and met her brother¡¯s firm but gentle gaze. Shi Nian gently rubbed his little sister¡¯s shoulder without saying anything. Tears pricked Shi Xiu¡¯s eyes, and she lowered them.

    ¡°Shi Xiu, you¡¯re still young,¡± Shi Nian whispered in her ear. ¡°Being deceived is a compulsory lesson in life. You don¡¯t have to take it to heart.¡±

    Shi Xiu gave him a teary smile. ¡°I know, Shi Nian. I understand.¡± But understanding and acceptance were two different things.

    ¡®I guess, in this world, things not going as one wishes is the norm,¡¯ Shi Xiu mentally sighed.

 Chapter 439 - Chapter 439 Chapter Four-Hundred Thirty-Nine: Toast

    Chapter 439 Chapter Four-Hundred Thirty-Nine: Toast

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The toasting segment made the wedding banquet¡¯s atmosphere soar, and with Liang Han as the opening act, cracking jokes and causing laughter, the hosts and guests were all having a great time.

    That is, until Fang Xi saw Xi Yue and her family. The smile on Fang Xi¡¯s face melted away like ice thrown on a fire and disappeared in an instant, and the hand that was raising her wine glass froze in midair.

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t know what was going on and gestured for Liang Han to introduce the guests before them. She was already holding up a glass of wine¡ªand Shi Xiu had also filled the glass in Fang Xi¡¯s hand with Sprite¡ªwaiting for Fang Xi to raise her glass for a toast.

    Liang Han smiled and said, ¡°This is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thank you for coming to my wedding!¡± Fang Xi interrupted Liang Han and downed the Sprite in her glass. Ye Kun caught the change in Fang Xi¡¯s mood and quickly placed his other hand on Fang Xi¡¯s waist to support her.

    Fang Xi¡¯s emotional tumult instantly calmed at the protective gesture. She took Ye Kun¡¯s hand and calmly stated, ¡°This is my mother, Ms. Xi Yue, and these are her stepsons and stepdaughters. Their surname is Zhu. I¡¯m not very familiar with them, so their names escape me. Fortunately, it doesn¡¯t matter. Since they¡¯re here, let¡¯s give them a toast.¡±

    Hearing that, Ye Kun raised his glass to Xi Yue and emptied it, followed by a ¡°Thank you for coming.¡± In Ye Kun¡¯s dictionary, what Fang Xi liked was good, and anything Fang Xi didn¡¯t like was nothing. Shi Nian and Yun Nan also drank the wine in their cups and politely thanked Xi Yue¡¯s group for their attendance.

    Xi Yue looked at Fang Xi, seemingly hurt by Fang Xi¡¯s cold indifference, and uttered aggrievedly, ¡°Is this how you treat me? I¡¯m your mother! I came to attend your wedding, but not only did I not get to sit at the main table, but I also have to suffer your dismissive disgust. Do I owe you anything, huh?¡±

    ¡°Even if that¡¯s case, no matter how much I owe you, I¡¯m still your mother! The one who brought you into this world! The only person in this world who shares the same blood as you! Are you truly going to be that heartless?¡± Xi Yue said as tears welled up in her eyes, looking like she¡¯d stooped to compromise for Fang Xi¡¯s sake.

    Fang Xi looked up and exhaled softly before asking, ¡°Then what do you want? You can¡¯t sit at the main table, because you are unqualified. The one who arranged for you to sit here was probably Mr. Mo. I¡¯ll give face to Mr. Mo at any time, but that¡¯s given to him, not you. You wouldn¡¯t even be able to sit at this table without him!¡±

    She continued, ¡°There¡¯s no need to talk about blood relations between us, right? How did you once put it? You said I should forget that I still have a mother and just treat myself as an orphan. What, have you forgotten because it¡¯s been so long? But I didn¡¯t.¡±

    Xi Yue¡¯s face darkened as she glared venomously at Fang Xi. Anna quickly smiled and tried to smooth things over. ¡°Fang Xi, don¡¯t be mad. Ma just spoke in anger back then. C¡¯mon, there¡¯s no overnight grudges between mother and daughter. Today¡¯s your big day, and we¡¯re truly here to wish you well. Ma really is honestly happy for you.¡±

    Anna raised her glass to Ye Kun. ¡°Congratulations! I wish you both a long and happy life together!¡± Ye Kun courteously nodded back and raised his glass to thank her before downing the wine in his glass.

    On the other side, Lina also stopped Xi Yue, who appeared to still want to speak. Thanks to Lina¡¯s persuasion, she unhappily settled down. The Zhu brothers and sisters toasted and gave their blessings to the newlyweds. Ye Kun responded politely, while Fang Xi didn¡¯t say a word. She only mechanically accompanied Ye Kun, face indifferent.

    Although Shi Nian and Yun Nan didn¡¯t know what was going on, they still had to keep up appearances. They were under the glare of the public, after all.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yun Nan. I¡¯ll be staying here with them. Mr. Mo made arrangements,¡± Lu Hui whispered into Yun Nan¡¯s ear. Yun Nan nodded lightly and turned to glance at the darkly scowling Xi Yue, with her two stepdaughters at her side comforting her.

    ¡®It¡¯ll be fine as long as she doesn¡¯t make a scene at the wedding,¡¯ Yun Nan thought. Fang Xi¡¯s background was complicated, but Yun Nan didn¡¯t know the details, either. However, that wasn¡¯t important. Like her, blood relations didn¡¯t mean anything. For example, her parents from the Yun family who were standing before her now.

    Yun Nan raised her glass and stood in front of the Yun family couple. Yun Xiang was a bit self-conscious, but he still tried his best to say, ¡°I wish you both happiness!¡±

    Gu Wei also silently raised her glass. She stared at the beautiful and dignified Yun Nan before her with mixed emotions, thinking, ¡®This is my daughter, my biological daughter. If this daughter of mine had grown up by my side, how happy and proud would I be today?¡¯

    She caught the sight of Gu Bei and his wife sitting at the main table from the corner of her eye, and her heart filled with bittersweetness. ¡®Originally, that should¡¯ve been our seats. Now, we, as her biological parents, could only be reduced to this spot. Everyone is laughing at us for being blind!¡¯

    ¡®We brought this on ourselves, step-by-step,¡¯ Gu Wei sighed. ¡®We have no one to blame but ourselves!¡¯

 Chapter 440 - Chapter 440 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty: Dowry

    Chapter 440 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty: Dowry

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Yun Nan, I wish you happiness!¡± Gu Wei said softly.

    ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Yun Nan clinked glasses with her and replied equally softly.

    The one smiling the most happily was Yun Zhang. Looking at his younger sister before him, he felt a weight lifted off his heart. He clinked glasses with Shi Nian and counseled, ¡°Treat my sister well. She deserves the best in this world!¡±

    Shi Nian nodded and drank a glass with Yun Zhang. They downed their drinks and upended their glasses, looked at each other, and smiled.

    Yun Liu raised her glass meekly and looked at Shi Nian with watery eyes. She was about to speak but Shi Nian was already turning away. Yun Zhang took half a step forward and blocked Yun Liu off, keeping her by his side. He then smiled and handed a folder to the bridesmaid behind Yun Nan, saying, ¡°This is the dowry Mom and Dad gave Yun Nan.¡±

    Yun Nan stared at Yun Zhung, stunned and confused.

    Yun Zhang gazed at her as he uttered, ¡°Our Yun family is a small one. You and I are probably the most presentable ones of the family. I¡¯m staying to manage and provide for the family, and you¡¯re married off, but even so, you¡¯ll still be a daughter of our Yun family. Mom and Dad picked out a seaside villa for you; go over and take a look when you have time. It¡¯s just a small token of our appreciation. I hope the two of you will live happily ever after and grow old together.¡±

    Gu Wei looked at Yun Nan earnestly and nodded repeatedly. ¡°Thank you!¡± Shi Nian patted Yun Nan gently and said to the Yun family. ¡°I will definitely treat Yun Nan well!¡±

    Yun Liu got squeezed to the back, unable to even be seen. It wasn¡¯t until the newlyweds¡¯ group went to the next table to give toast to other guests that Yun Zhang took her hand, pulled her back to their seats, and sat down. He was the picture of a gentle and attentive fianc¨¦, but the words he said by Yun Liu¡¯s ear were cold: ¡°You did well; you didn¡¯t embarrass yourself and the Yun family. I thought you would go for a desperate last play.¡±

    Yun Liu held back her anger and glowered at Yun Zhang. ¡°What if I did go for it?¡±

    Yun Zhang gave her a faint smile and replied, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be seeing you at the mental hospital. If you do something unseemly at such a grand event, I don¡¯t even need to make a public announcement of your ¡®psychosis,¡¯ what with all the witnesses here.¡±

    Yun Liu bit her lower lip before asking, ¡°This is your sister¡¯s wedding! Aren¡¯t you afraid this will affect her marriage?¡±

    Yun Zhang¡¯s gaze followed the newlyweds who were busy toasting their guests as he lightly answered, ¡°My sister¡¯s happiness doesn¡¯t need empowerment from any formality!¡±

    Yun Liu was gobsmacked. This kind of protection originally belonged to her. Once upon a time, Yun Zhang was willing to risk his life for her, his younger sister. Now, he would still risk his life, but it was for someone else and no longer her. In fact, for his real sister, he could use anyone as a stepping stone, and she, Yun Liu, was that stepping stone.

    The newlyweds¡¯ toasting reached its climax over at the Yun Innovations¡¯s side. The youths¡¯ enthusiastic liveliness attracted everyone¡¯s attention, completely unleashing the wedding¡¯s atmosphere in full.

    Shi Xiu quietly retreated from the hustle and bustle. She walked to the hotel¡¯s balcony and stared outwards. The busy streets were as lively as ever, a calm hubbub.

    Shi Xiu cast her gaze at the deep blue sky, her thoughts surging thunderously. Her anticipation was so torturous that she wished she could immediately grow wings and fly to the suburbs.

    Hearing light footsteps behind her, Shi Xiu quickly wiped away her tears and turned around. It was Yun Nan, who had changed into an evening gown. Shi Xiu forced herself to smile sweetly and greeted her, ¡°Hey, Yun Nan.¡±

    She didn¡¯t wait for Yun Nan to say anything and uttered, ¡°I came out to take a breather. It¡¯s too noisy inside. Those people have been holding it in for too long. They¡¯ve been waiting and looking forward to today¡¯s grand ceremony as a chance to let off steam. They definitely won¡¯t let you and Fang Xi off easily.¡±

    Yun Nan turned to look back into the room and smiled faintly at the festive scene. She then walked to Shi Xiu¡¯s side and glanced down at the streets before commenting, ¡°It¡¯s understandable. They¡¯re frustrated because Shi Nian and I weren¡¯t shocked or made a fool of ourselves by the ¡®surprise wedding¡¯ like they expected.¡±

    Shi Xiu had a silly smile as she asked, ¡°When did you and Shi Nian find out?¡±

    Yun Nan gave her a sideways glance. ¡°You think we¡¯re that stupid? Even if I¡¯m slow, your brother can¡¯t be. If he isn¡¯t even sharp enough to notice you guys¡¯ plans, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡±

    ¡®I¡¯m afraid he would be dead a thousand times over,¡¯ Yun Nan finished her sentence in her head. She chuckled; it was their big day, after all, so it was best not to say such things. Although, as youths of today, she and Shi Nian didn¡¯t believe in such superstitions, they wouldn¡¯t say no to good omens.

    Shi Xiu also chuckled, ¡°Yes, Shi Nian is quite sharp; he isn¡¯t inferior to Big Bro in that aspect. It¡¯s just that they work in different environments and also different types of people to guard against.¡±

    Shi Xiu couldn¡¯t help but sigh when she finished. Yun Nan looked at her. ¡°You¡¯re worried about things over in the eastern suburbs?¡±

    Shi Xiu hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. ¡°Yes. I wonder if Big Bro and Xiang Yang are safe.¡±

    Yun Nan stared deeply at Shi Xiu. ¡°You¡¯re already sure of Lan Long¡¯s identity in your heart, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Shi Xiu lifted her head before quickly turning it to the side. However, as she moved, her tears still fell.

 Chapter 441 - Chapter 441 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-One: Point Out

    Chapter 441 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-One: Point Out

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°No, what¡¯s there to be sure about? There¡¯s nothing between me and him!¡± Shi Xiu stubbornly said as she subtly reached out to wipe her tears away.

    Yun Nan turned to look into the distance. There was no need to ask Shi Xiu any more; her reaction says it all. Yun Nan stated, ¡°Fate is a magical thing. It¡¯ll be forced on you whether you¡¯re willing to accept it or not. In the past, I¡¯ve also wondered why I¡¯m not my adopted parents¡¯ real daughter and why, on top of that, did fate give me parents that didn¡¯t love me despite giving birth to me? If only I were my adopted parents¡¯ biological daughter, I would willingly bear everything.¡±

    She continued, ¡°However, being humans, it is impossible for our lives to only be smooth sailing and a bed of roses. Some people come into our lives to bring us happiness and wonder, while others are destined to cut a pound of flesh from us and leave a scar from the moment they appear.¡±

    Yun Nan looked at Shi Xiu as she finished slowly, ¡°But pain will heal with time, and the scar left behind is just a memento.¡±

    Shi Xiu¡¯s tears had dried. She stared at the night sky and didn¡¯t speak. Yun Nan reached out and hugged her.

    ¡°Yun Nan,¡± Shi Xiu choked. Yun Nan patted her back and said nothing.

    ¡°Hey, the Shi family¡¯s eldest young master is back!¡± someone outside shouted.

    Yun Nan and Shi Xiu turned their heads in unison to see for themselves. Shi Ke steadily walked in, dressed in a well-ironed suit, followed by his subordinate, the impassive Gray Wolf.

    Shi Xiu took a step forward but stopped, hesitating. Yun Nan gently took her arm and returned to the great hall with her. Shi Ke was greeting everyone.

    ¡°I came late because of a mission,¡± he answered one person. ¡°It¡¯s my brother¡¯s wedding. I have to rush back no matter how busy I am.¡±

    ¡°Xiang Yang is overseas participating in an exhibition. Her flight was delayed, so she didn¡¯t make it back in time,¡± he told another.

    ¡°Yes, yes. As long as I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll come back to visit everyone.¡±

    A group of relatives and friends surrounded Shi Ke, enthusiastically spouting pleasantries and polite chit chat. He extricated himself from their encirclement with some difficulty and smiled faintly when he saw his younger sister. His eyes were filled with heartache as he opened his arms to her.

    ¡°Bro,¡± Shi Xiu cried and threw herself into her brother¡¯s arms. The scene of the adoring big brother giving his sister a big hug was an extremely heartwarming one.

    ¡°Silly girl, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s all in the past,¡± Shi Ke whispered near-inaudibly in Shi Xiu¡¯s ear.

    The worry that had been hanging over Shi Xiu was relieved by his words, but instead, turned into a sharp blade that pierced straight into her heart. She trembled, but she bit her lip to prevent the question that was on the tip of her tongue from coming out.

    Shi Ke patted her back and gently supported her. He congratulated Yun Nan, who was behind her with a ¡°Happy wedding day!¡± Yun Nan thanked him with a smile.

    In the banquet hall where guests gathered, no one knew that under the surface of their warm smiles, the few eye contact exchanges between the Shi family members already told of a bloodbath.

    Yun Liu¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Gray Wolf. Just as she was about to get up, Yun Zhang stood before her, blocking her way. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked.

    Yun Liu gave him a pleading look as she answered, ¡°Yun Zhang, I want to go over and talk to the guy beside Big Bro Shi Ke. He saved me last time. I haven¡¯t had the chance to thank him yet!¡±

    Yun Zhang turned to gaze toward Shi Ke¡¯s direction and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Yun Liu paused for a moment and bit her lower lip tightly, but she had no way to refuse him. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Yun Zhang uttered as he placed an arm around Yun Liu¡¯s shoulder¡ªa seemingly sweet gesture, but in reality, he was holding her tightly. The two walked over to Shi Ke¡¯s group.

    ¡°Big Bro Shi Ke,¡± Yun Liu greeted timidly. When Shi Ke turned around and saw her, he couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly.

    ¡°Shi Ke, Yun Liu said that this gentleman beside you saved her before, so she came over to thank him,¡± Yun Zhang told him with a smile.

    Gray Wolf furrowed his brows like Shi Ke did, but his impassive expression remained unchanged. Everyone understood that Yun Liu was using the previous incident to threaten them. Yun Nan looked at Yun Liu, and her eyes darkened as a mocking expression appeared on her face.

    Before any one of them could speak, someone exclaimed, ¡°Mr. Lan is here! Oh, wow, Mr. Lan is here, too!¡±

    The crowd became excited. Some people swarmed forward, some moved back to make way, and the atmosphere became lively once more. These people who didn¡¯t know what was going on didn¡¯t realize that the air on their hosts¡¯ side suddenly went cold.

    Shi Ke and Shi Nian glanced at each other, and the two brothers went up to Lan Long in tacit understanding.

    ¡°Happy wedding day! Congratulations, Mr. Shi, Ms. Yun!¡± Lan Long beamed as he gave them a fist-and-palm salute.

    Shi Nian and Yun Nan held hands and smiled in return. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Lan.¡±

    Lan Long smilingly apologized, ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. It¡¯s a pity I didn¡¯t make it for the official ceremony.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Shi Nian quietly replied. ¡°My big brother just got here, too. It¡¯s our honor you could come here today!¡±

 Chapter 442 - Chapter 442 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Two: Pick Out

    Chapter 442 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Two: Pick Out

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Nian handled the conversation impeccably. Yun Liu subconsciously hid behind Yun Zhang, whereas Shi Ke ¡°politely¡± continued on with their previous topic of discussion.

    ¡°Speaking of which, we should be the ones thanking you, Yun Liu. I was seriously injured sometime a while ago and we couldn¡¯t let the news leak, so I had no choice but to have Shi Nian replace me and return to the army. It just so happened that the military mess club had a social event. It was all thanks to Yun Liu covering for us that we weren¡¯t exposed. I¡¯ve been so busy that I didn¡¯t have the time to thank you yet, Yun Liu. Today, I¡¯ll take this opportunity to give you a toast in expression of our gratitude.¡±

    Gray Wolf, who was behind him, immediately handed a wine glass to Shi Ke.

    The groomsmen and bridesmaids at the side also astutely handed each person a glass of wine. Shi Ke and Shi Nian raised their glasses to Yun Liu, and Yun Nan and Fang Xi followed suit.

    Yun Liu paled and couldn¡¯t help but look towards Lan Long. She pressed her lips together tightly, afraid that her heart would jump out of her throat if she opened her mouth.

    Lan Long¡¯s gaze was cold. He finally knew at this moment where his ambitious plans had gone wrong; they¡¯d been uncovered at Yun Liu¡¯s end and unraveled from there, causing all his efforts to fall short.

    Seeing Yun Liu¡¯s eyes on him, his expression remained unchanged as he also raised his wine glass and smilingly commented, ¡°That¡¯s very capable of you, Miss Yun.¡±

    Yun Liu shook and swayed at his words. Yun Zhang held her waist in support and stated in a clear voice, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you guys to be so formal. We were family friends before, and now and in the future, we¡¯re in-laws. We¡¯re family, and family members should help each other out. Yun Liu only did what she should¡¯ve.¡±

    The Shi family brothers and Yun Zhang looked at each other and smiled. No one seemed to care about Yun Liu¡¯s chalk white face and Lan Long¡¯s chilly glaring.

    Xi Yue had been following this group of people with her stare. She wasn¡¯t looking at her daughter, Fang Xi, but was instead focused on the tall and handsome men. She lowered her voice and said to her stepdaughters beside her, ¡°You girls should broaden your sights. There are so many young and talented men here, you can¡¯t just focus on Ye Tang.¡±

    Anna and Lina¡¯s eyes were glued to the Ye family¡¯s table the whole time, staring at Ye Tang so hungrily that Xi Yue was surprised they weren¡¯t drooling. Xi Yue rolled her eyes at them. Her stepson, Zhu Ping, chuckled, ¡°Ma, it¡¯s no use. My sisters are possessed. You¡¯re just wasting your time there.¡±

    Xi Yue sighed, ¡°They shouldn¡¯t be too persistent about him. There are plenty of good men out there, so why do they have to focus on that one? Besides¡ª¡±

    ¡®Besides, the two sisters have to make a choice in the end. They can¡¯t possibly turn against each other over a man, right?¡¯ was what Xi Yue was going to say, but she swallowed her words.

    Zhu Ping read her thoughts and smiled. ¡°You worry too much, Ma. My sisters can handle it themselves. You¡¯ve facilitated the platform for their introduction. How they fight for their man is their business. They certainly won¡¯t fall out over a man.¡±

    Xi Yue was relieved when she heard that, thinking, ¡®The Zhu family sisters are quite harmonious on this aspect.¡¯ Her worries allayed, Xi Yue pulled Zhu Ping over with a smile and uttered, ¡°I¡¯ll leave them to their own devices, then. Quick, see if any of the girls here catch your eye. Everyone who can enter this hall has a prominent family background. This saves us the trouble of doing background checks.¡±

    Zhu Ping smilingly pointed with his chin. Xi Yue followed the direction of his gaze and saw that it was the dazzling daughter of the Shi family, Shi Xiu. ¡°Oho! My son truly has good taste! That¡¯s the Shi family¡¯s one and only daughter!¡± Xi Yue couldn¡¯t help but praise.

    ¡°That¡¯s not why she caught my attention. I like the beauty of her prideful and yet fragile and broken air!¡± Zhu Ping replied.

    It had to be said that Zhu Ping had quite the accurate eye for people. The Shi Xiu tonight was indeed prideful, and also broken. The moment her eyes met Lan Long¡¯s, she quickly averted her gaze. But then, she thought, ¡®Why should I dodge him? I did nothing wrong!¡¯ With that thought, Shi Xiu stubbornly met Lan Long¡¯s gaze once more. Lan Long looked at her affectionately and walked towards her.

    Yun Nan had been paying attention to Shi Xiu while socializing. She couldn¡¯t help but want to keep an eye on her little sister-in-law with Lan Long around. ¡®I won¡¯t allow anyone to hurt Shi Xiu!¡¯ she thought. ¡®Of course, it¡¯s not like anyone can hurt her, but Lan Long¡¯s different!¡¯

    Seeing Lan Long head towards Shi Xiu, Yun Nan turned around and was about to rush over, but Shi Nian pulled her back. ¡°Shi Nian, I have to go over and take a look. We can¡¯t let Shi Xiu be deceived by that scumbag!¡± Yun Nan muttered anxiously.

    Shi Nian didn¡¯t loosen his hand. He looked in his sister¡¯s direction and said softly, ¡°This is Shi Xiu¡¯s own problem. Trust her. She¡¯ll definitely be able to resolve it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll get hurt,¡± Yun Nan said worriedly.

    Shi Nian shook his head gently. ¡°No one can hurt her on our Shi family¡¯s territory. However, heartbreak is something she has to experience herself. We have no right to deal with it on her behalf. Don¡¯t worry, Shi Xiu has the ability to protect herself.¡±

    Yun Nan was skeptical of that, but she finally stopped in her tracks and looked concernedly towards Shi Xiu¡¯s direction. She understood what Shi Nian was saying, and knew he was right. She knew that intellectually, but she still felt worried about leaving Shi Xiu to face Lan Long alone when she knew his ambitions.

 Chapter 443 - Chapter 443 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Three: Hurt

    Chapter 443 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Three: Hurt

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Xiu stared at Lan Long, who was a few steps away from her, and smiled gently. Tears shone in her eyes.

    ¡°Shi Xiu, you¡¯re so beautiful!¡± Lan Long commented sincerely.

    Shi Xiu didn¡¯t say anything. Whether it was the smile on her face or her bearing, she was dignified and noble¡ªshe was a beauty that couldn¡¯t be profaned.

    Lan Long slowly took two steps towards her, and Shi Xiu took two steps back at the same time. At this moment, despite standing in the bustling great hall, they felt as if they were far away from the crowd, isolated from the world around them.

    Lan Long was momentarily stunned and stopped in his tracks. Shi Xiu smiled and reached out to wipe away the tears that had accidentally fallen before looking away.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lan Long asked, eyes filled with heartache.

    Shi Xiu chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just a little sad to find out that I¡¯ve been cheated. Today is my brother and sister-in-law¡¯s big day. I shouldn¡¯t be such a downer.¡±

    ¡°Shi Xiu, you¡¯re the most beautiful and innocent girl I¡¯ve ever seen. If someone hurt you, he definitely didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Or maybe he has his reasons? You should give him a chance. At least let him die enlightened, right?¡± Lan Long remarked, his tone as gentle as ever.

    Shi Xiu¡¯s distant and cool attitude gave Lan Long a bad feeling, so he silently reviewed everything in his head. When he found that there were no flaws or slip ups in his interactions with Shi Xiu, he straightened his back confidently.

    Shi Xiu looked at the man before her who¡¯d moved her heart for the first time. It would be a lie she herself wouldn¡¯t believe if she said that she wasn¡¯t sad.

    Lan Long self-convincingly thought he¡¯d figured out the reason behind Shi Xiu¡¯s anger, smiled and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I regretfully didn¡¯t make it to your brother and sister-in-law¡¯s official ceremony because I had to attend a last-minute international conference today! I truly am sorry! In order to express my apology, why don¡¯t you¡ª¡± he stressed the last word teasingly, ¡°give me a chance to make it up to you?¡±

    Shi Xiu looked at him and recalled how she¡¯d been mesmerized by his smile and humility the first time she had met him. ¡®I¡¯ve been sincere with him, but he deliberately approached me from the beginning.¡¯ At the thought of this, Shi Xiu felt relieved. ¡®I was unsuspecting and he came to me with premeditated intentions¡­. That he succeeded in deceiving me was only to be expected. I didn¡¯t lose disgracefully.¡¯

    She smiled brightly and replied, ¡°Make it up to me, huh? Alright. After the wedding is over, can you accompany me to see my big sister-in-law?¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s smile froze, and his eyes narrowed. Shi Xiu pretended she didn¡¯t notice his reaction and went on to sigh, ¡°My elder brother came and attended the wedding alone. He said that my sister-in-law is attending an exhibition overseas and won¡¯t be able to make it back in time, but it¡¯s actually a lie. There are some things that shouldn¡¯t be known to outsiders, after all. My sister-in-law got a terrible scare and is in no condition to meet outsiders yet.¡±

    Shi Xiu sighed heavily again when she finished. Lan Long¡¯s smile became livelier at her words. ¡°Shi Xiu, does this mean you¡¯re treating me as one of your own?¡±

    Even his eyes had brightened; it was as if there were stars twinkling in his beautiful eyes. ¡®I¡¯ve lost count of how many times I¡¯ve drowned in this shining gaze of his,¡¯ Shi Xiu thought. She couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly in her heart, but she was also secretly glad she became aware of his true character early on.

    She took a deep breath before answering, ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ve always treated you as one of us.¡±

    Lan Long took two more steps forward, his face full of joy. And Shi Xiu once again took two steps back at the same time.

    Lan Long was stupefied. Staring at him, Shi Xiu smiled and asked, ¡°Do you know Chang Yuan? He¡¯s my older brother¡¯s special assistant.¡±

    Lan Long nodded. ¡°I do. Special Assistant Chang is a rare talent.¡±

    ¡°He grew up with Shi Nian and is his best friend. I¡¯ve always treated him like my own brother.¡± Shi Xiu¡¯s expression was solemn as she added, ¡°He didn¡¯t come to the wedding today.¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He looked over towards Shi Nian¡¯s direction. Indeed, Chang Yuan wasn¡¯t there. For some reason, he had a bad premonition.

    Shi Xiu sighed softly, ¡°He must regret it a lot. After all, it¡¯s his best buddy getting married. He¡¯s an only child, so he treats me and my brothers as his own siblings.¡±

    Lan Long frowned, unable to follow what Shi Xiu was getting at. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Special Assistant Chang? Did something happen?¡±

    Shi Xiu stared intently at Lan Long. Only when it got to the point that Lan Long was bafflingly tempted to touch his face to check if there was anything strange on it did she nod lightly and answer, ¡°Chang Yuan is injured, very seriously injured. Two of my big brother¡¯s subordinates are also injured.¡±

    Shi Xiu turned her body slightly to look at the lively scene in the great hall and said levelly, ¡°My big sister-in-law was kidnapped and injured, and because of that, she has been staying in the hospital. And during this period, some strange things keep happening; it seems that someone wants to hurt her again.¡±

    ¡°And ¡®coincidentally,¡¯ my big brother happened to get seriously injured then. He couldn¡¯t care for both himself and his wife, so he asked my elder brother to complete the mission in his place. Yun Nan covered for them while also protecting my big sister-in-law. She also had to maintain her image to the public.¡±

    ¡°Because even our family¡¯s enterprise was being targeted. In the end, even my father and grandfather had no choice but to get involved and act in secret to protect our family.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m the most useless one. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s completely fine, whole and healthy, yet needs everyone¡¯s protection. I¡¯m of no help at all.¡±

 Chapter 444 - Chapter 444 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Four: Expose

    Chapter 444 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Four: Expose

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Shi Xiu stopped, and Lan Long¡¯s worries were relieved. He smiled and reassured her, ¡°A little princess like you deserves everyone¡¯s care and protection.¡±

    Shi Xiu looked back at him. ¡°Thanks to them, I live a carefree life,¡± she said calmly and seriously. ¡°I also cause trouble for them without a care in the world.¡±

    Lan Long chuckled, ¡°What trouble can a sensible, well-behaved, and competent girl like you cause? Don¡¯t worry, your brothers won¡¯t blame you¡ª¡±

    ¡°But I do! I blame myself! I¡¯m a blind idiot,¡± Shi Xiu interrupted Lan Long. Lan Long was taken aback and stared at Shi Xiu.

    ¡°I told someone my sister-in-law¡¯s address,¡± Shi Xiu said slowly, looking at him. Lan Long felt nailed to the spot from head to toe at her words.

    Shi Xiu finally took two steps closer to him. She raised her head slightly and regarded Lan Long. Her tone was intense as she continued, ¡°I personally told Xiang Yang¡¯s address to the person I like the most. I only told him!¡±

    Lan Long stilled. Shi Xiu reached out and gently adjusted Lan Long¡¯s tie. ¡°If something happened to my sister-in-law, who do you think would have done it?¡± she asked rhetorically.

    Lan Long grabbed Shi Xiu¡¯s wrist and uttered coldly, ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose?¡±

    Shi Xiu gazed at him, scanning his face over and over again. Lan Long suddenly realized where they were and tossed Shi Xiu¡¯s hand away. Shi Xiu lightly took a couple of steps back and laughed. ¡°This isn¡¯t like you at all, losing your composure so easily.¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s breathing was a little hurried. He reached out to loosen his tie, and his expression darkened slightly.

    Shi Xiu sighed faintly in relief, ¡°Thank you, for letting me understand the dangers of this world! My family¡¯s education only lacked this. After all, growing up, all the men who could make it to my side can be easily seen through.¡±

    ¡°You were the only exception!¡± she went on. ¡°I thought that the heavens were looking out for me this time, but in fact, it was indeed. After all, lessons learned are the rarest treasures.¡±

    ¡°You siblings teamed up to deceive me?!¡± Lan Long hissed, still in slightly disbelief.

    Shi Xiu chuckled. ¡°Are you someone that easy to fool?¡± Lan Long nearly choked on his anger.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting, waiting for news from Big Bro¡¯s side. How I wish that things would be calm and quiet over there?¡± Shi Xiu¡¯s eyes filled with tears as she spoke. ¡°Unfortunately, the news I received was that Chang Yuan got seriously injured, and Dragon and White Tiger were also injured.¡±

    She smiled at Lan Long. ¡°At that moment, my dream shattered. I knew that all the excuses I made for you and myself weren¡¯t valid. My older brother said that things that have occurred is what is called truth; there¡¯s no other choice but to accept it. I am a daughter of the Shi family. I can¡¯t be swayed by my emotions!¡±

    After he managed to compose himself with some difficulty, Lan Long feigned surprise and uttered, ¡°What does this matter have to do with me?¡±

    Shi Xiu stared at him and smiled serenely. ¡°You¡¯re right, it has nothing to do with you. This is our Shi family¡¯s business.¡±

    They both fell silent. The hustle and bustle of the great hall couldn¡¯t seem to reach them. It was as if everything around them no longer existed, and only the two of them were left in the world.

    ¡°Shi Xiu¡ª¡±/¡±I only told you about the villa in the eastern suburbs!¡± Lan Long and Shi Xiu spoke at the same time, but what they said was completely different.

    Lan Long looked at Shi Xiu in shock. Shi Xiu met his gaze and smiled. ¡°Mr. Lan, now, the rest will be up to you and my older brother¡¯s abilities. However, unnecessary as it may be, I would like to give you another piece of advice: The love between my two brothers and sisters-in-law is unassailable and indestructible, so don¡¯t waste your efforts doing meaningless things.¡±

    Shi Xiu turned around and made to leave. ¡°Shi Xiu!¡± Lan Long called out to her.

    Shi Xiu stopped but didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to hear your sister-in-law¡¯s story?¡± Lan Long tempted.

    Shi Xiu turned her head and smiled. ¡°You can tell my sister-in-law¡¯s story to my big brother. However¡­ My big brother only likes to listen to stories my sister-in-law tells. Stories other people tell are meaningless.¡±

    With that, Shi Xiu strode over to the lively scene by the brides and grooms. Lan Long stood there and stared after her figure indifferently.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect all my efforts to go to waste just like that,¡¯ he thought. ¡®This is the Shi family siblings¡¯ conspiracy! And I was the one who defenselessly walked into their trap on my own, step-by-step. I lost, thoroughly and completely.¡¯

    When Shi Xiu had ¡°unintentionally¡± mentioned Xiang Yang¡¯s location, he¡¯d believed her without hesitation. He was confident that he had gained Shi Xiu¡¯s heart and trust. That young girl¡¯s love for him was clear in her eyes and written all over her face. She wasn¡¯t wary of him at all.

    He had been cautious. He¡¯d asked Mr. Lou to arrange for some people to investigate the villa in his caution. However, when he received confirmation, he was even more convinced of Shi Xiu¡¯s words and his own charm.

    It was reasonable to choose today as the day of attack. Anyone would choose today because today was the Shi family¡¯s big day; their defense would definitely be at its weakest today.

 Chapter 445 - Chapter 445 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Five: Breaking Through Defenses

    Chapter 445 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Five: Breaking Through Defenses

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Even when Miss Hong and Chen Tao failed to gain any advantage at the hospital or the villa and returned in defeat, Lan Long hadn¡¯t expected that this was a battle the Shi family had been well-prepared for. He¡¯d only lamented that Shi Ke¡¯s defense was too tight and his combat power too great.

    However, he never expected he would be so defenselessly exposed in front of them, and the one who sounded him out was Shi Xiu, whom he looked down on the most.

    ¡®It wasn¡¯t Shi Xiu who was unguarded against me, I¡¯m the one who was unguarded against her,¡¯ Lan Long thought before correcting himself, ¡®No, Shi Xiu wasn¡¯t guarded against me. I was the one who got careless.¡¯

    No one paid attention to Lan Long. In fact, the Shi family didn¡¯t even come over to kick him when he was down, because¡­ there was no need for that!

    The shares of the four great families¡¯ corporations, except for the Xi family, soared. The wedding banquet was far more than just a wedding banquet.

    The rise and fall of a family depended more on their descendants than anything else. For the long-standing influential families that had been passed down for generations, the worst thing was to have no qualified successors. Take the Xi family for example: Xi Cheng was just a pretty face with no brains. If the Xi family wanted to reach the heights again, it would have to depend on the development of the children from its other branch families.

    The Xi family was in a period suffering a shortage of young and talented successors, but so long as the Xi family still has people, there¡¯s hope. Moreover, they still had the strong support of the other three great families behind them.

    The other three great families had quite evidently already handed the reins over to the current generation of young talents, and the leader among them was Ye Kun¡¯s brother, Ye Tang, who was blindingly dazzling but kept an unobtrusively low profile.

    Ye Tang lost his father at a young age, so he independently held up the huge Ye family and its business, was filial to his mother, and raised his little brother all at the same time. Now, Ye Kun had also made a name for himself and wasn¡¯t to be underestimated.

    It was rare to see Ye Tang in public. This time, he showed up for his brother¡¯s wedding and gave the guests attention and respect to spare, brokering many collaborations, which greatly increased everyone¡¯s confidence in the Ye family and Ye Corporation.

    As for the Shi family, it goes without saying. Putting aside the fact that Shi Nian alone could take on a whole army of his peers and wipe the floor with them, Shi Kong and Shi Yun were both tough old birds who were still in the prime of their lives. More importantly, Shi Nian had even married a super capable wife into the family. Presently, the Shi family could be said to be at the height of power.

    The Liang family might seem weak in comparison, but Liang Han, despite being seemingly bohemian, never missed any opportunity in reality. All his businesses were thriving. And that was only mentioning Liang Han. The Liang family had four sons, and only the youngest was in the country. The other three overseas all had unfathomable power.

    In short, you definitely wouldn¡¯t go wrong riding on the coattails of these three great families.

    That¡¯s why, before when the Gu family barged in with noise and flare, people had thought there would be a change in the economic structure in Rong City, but they didn¡¯t expect that the Gu family would be all thunder and no rain. Other than the scandal about their son, the Gu family barely made a splash, nothing more than a joke. It really brought others to ponder the importance one¡¯s descendants were to a family.

    The Gu family¡¯s biggest exception was Gu Bei. Now, due to Yun Nan, the relationship between Gu Bei and the Shi family was inseparable, as is evident from today¡¯s wedding. The dowry that Gu Bei gave Yun Nan was also jaw-dropping; the other young ladies of the Gu family truly couldn¡¯t hold a candle to her.

    As for the two brides, Yun Nan¡¯s story and background had long been repeatedly exposed by various media outlets. And Fang Xi¡¯s ¡°headline news¡± past with Xi Cheng had long been buried six-feet under by Young Master Ye Kun¡¯s deep affection for her.

    What was exciting to the public now was the news that Mr. Mo actually had such a deep relationship with Fang Xi, taking on the roles of both father and teacher. Even his sons came to the wedding ceremony to support Fang Xi and provided her dowry. This was a proper marriage treatment for the Mo family¡¯s daughter!

    People had originally thought that with Gu Bei backing Yun Nan, Fang Xi¡¯s side would be overshadowed no matter what. They didn¡¯t expect that Fang Xi¡¯s backing wasn¡¯t any inferior to Yun Nan¡¯s.

    ¡®The Ye and Shi family had really lucked out to pick up these two gems,¡¯ was the public¡¯s collective thought; everyone was envious.

    Xi Yue did her utmost to learn about the quintessence of the upper class society in Rong City in the shortest time possible. She was so happy her eyes reddened¡ªshe couldn¡¯t sleep at all!

    ¡®Now, my children would all have a good match to settle down with,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°Anna, Lina, you two, don¡¯t just focus on Ye Tang, got it? You have to cast your nets wide, understand? Cast your nets wide!¡± Xi Yue gave the order to her two stepdaughters.

    Her stepdaughters lowered their heads in union and didn¡¯t speak. Their attitude made Xi Yue anxious, and she pleaded, ¡°Oh, my Anna, Lina, my beautiful daughters! I¡¯m doing this for your own good! We can¡¯t waste such a good opportunity. You can¡¯t put all your eggs in one basket! Keep your options open! What was that saying again? Zhu Ping¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give up the entire forest for a tree!¡± Zhu Ping spoke up, acting as a human-shaped translator machine.

    Xi Yue clapped her palms together and said, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! Anna, Lina, sweethearts, you must look around more and pick out more men! Give yourselves more options! Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°There are plenty of good men out there! It doesn¡¯t matter if our reputation is ruined back home, no one here knows! But, that may not stay the case for long! We have to use fast and fierce methods to take the men here down! Marry into their families! Do you understand?¡±

 Chapter 446 - Chapter 446 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Six: Appointment 1

    Chapter 446 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Six: Appointment 1

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    ¡°Ma,¡± Anna looked up timidly. ¡°I still need Fang Xi to help me pull some strings!¡±

    Xi Yue waved her hand nonchalantly and replied, ¡°Those are just minor issues. We have to set a direction and goal first, and then we can study the specific implementing methods, don¡¯t you think so? Zhu Ping?¡±

    Zhu Ping nodded with a smile. ¡°Ma, you¡¯re brilliant!¡±

    Xi Yue looked at these children she¡¯d raised and sighed, ¡°You guys can¡¯t just think about your own feelings right now. You also have to weigh the pros and cons. After all, our Zhu family are depending on you guys to make a comeback!¡±

    Her stepchildren all quickly expressed their determination.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ma.¡±

    ¡°Got it, Ma.¡±

    Xi Yue smiled. It wasn¡¯t until she coaxed everyone into leaving that she sat down on the sofa tiredly and closed her eyes to rest for a moment. Finally, she fought her exhaustion back, got up, and took out her phone to dial that familiar number.

    ¡°Hello, may I know who is looking for Miss Fang Xi?¡± A sweet voice sounded on the other end.

    ¡°Her mother!¡± Xi Yue answered testily.

    The other party paused for a moment, but her voice was still sweet and level when she asked, ¡°May I know what business you have with Miss Fang Xi? She¡¯s in a meeting and can¡¯t answer the phone now.¡±

    ¡°Who are you trying to fool here?¡± Xi Yue tried her best to suppress her anger. ¡°She just finished her wedding a few days ago and she¡¯s already at work? She¡¯s the Ye family¡¯s young mistress! I¡¯m sure you can use that brain of yours to think up a better excuse for her!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ma¡¯am, but Miss Fang Xi came to work the day after the wedding.¡± The other party¡¯s words made Xi Yue choke.

    Xi Yue took a deep breath to calm herself down. She put on a gentle and charming voice to say, ¡°Okay, then please tell her that if she doesn¡¯t call me back today, I¡¯ll go to her company tomorrow morning to look for her. It¡¯s Yun Innovations Entertainment, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s easy to find such a famous company! She knows my temper very well. She won¡¯t have much of a reputation left if I throw a tantrum!¡±

    Xi Yue hung up without waiting for the other party to speak. ¡®That wretched girl!¡¯ she silently fumed. ¡®Always so quick to such brattish anger and pulling long faces! Her temper and attitude are all because me and Fang Xi¡¯s unreliable father let her do as she pleased!¡¯

    When Yun Nan and Fang Xi left the meeting room hand in hand, almost everyone had left. The assistant timidly handed Fang Xi¡¯s phone to her and reported the contents of important phone calls before finally mentioning Xi Yue.

    Fang Xi¡¯s face instantly darkened. Xi Yue¡¯s threat was intolerable to her. Looking at her expression, Yun Nan asked, ¡°Do you want to talk to her?¡±

    Fang Xi snorted. ¡°She just wants me to meet her so she can make her conditions. After all, she didn¡¯t dare to act rashly back then with Mr. Mo pressuring her on the day of the wedding. However, how can she be willing to quit when she hasn¡¯t achieved her goal? I was wondering why she hadn¡¯t come to look for me yet, and look, now she has.¡±

    ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Yun Nan couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°You didn¡¯t invite her to the wedding, did you? I thought you couldn¡¯t contact her. So why did she suddenly show up? And with a favor to ask of you, too, it seems.¡±

    As the two of them talked, they arrived at ¡®Creative Yun.¡¯ When the coffee shop¡¯s owner, Miss Wang, saw them, she waved her hand before they could say anything and told them, ¡°Go find yourselves a seat. Your usual, I presume? I¡¯ll send it to you guys immediately!¡±

    Fang Xi found a seat and sat down before saying, ¡°Even Miss Wang knows my preferences, but my own mother doesn¡¯t. I don¡¯t need anyone else to tell me whether she sincerely cares about or not when it¡¯s very clear she doesn¡¯t.¡±

    Yun Nan consoled her: ¡°Miss Wang knows your preferences because, one, she¡¯s warm and kind, and two, you¡¯re her customer. You can¡¯t compare her to your mother.¡±

    Fang Xi pursed her lips. The waiter brought their drinks and snacks over. Fang Xi thanked him and took a big sip of her coffee, while Yun Nan unhurriedly waited for her to calm down.

    ¡°Did you notice the group of young people with my mother that day?¡± Fang Xi asked.

    Yun Nan nodded. ¡°Yeah, that group of handsome men and pretty women. They¡¯re all quite eye-catching, but they don¡¯t look similar to you at all.¡±

    Fang Xi huffed, ¡°Boy am I glad about that! I¡¯m forever grateful my parents didn¡¯t give me a half-brother or -sister on top of everything.¡±

    She went on to explain, ¡°They¡¯re all my mother¡¯s stepsons and stepdaughters. They are the children of the head of the Zhu family and his previous wives. They don¡¯t all have the same birth mother, but they like my mother¡­ because she¡¯s a great stepmother!¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s tone was dry as she recounted, ¡°In order to marry Mr. Zhu, she first fawned over his children. It was through them that she successfully advanced and became the Zhu family¡¯s mistress.¡±

    Fang Xi exhaled softly. ¡°Back then, she chose to leave me on my own in order to take good care of her stepchildren. She gave me a sum of money and sent me away. She said that our fate as mother and daughter had ended and told me to go look for my father and forget about her.¡±

    ¡°Back in my most difficult times, I also wanted to draw some warmth from my mother, but¡­¡±

 Chapter 447 - Chapter 447 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Seven: Her Past

    Chapter 447 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Seven: Her Past

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi raised her head and sniffled. She chuckled self-deprecatingly and uttered, ¡°My mother made it very clear; she told me everyone who comes to this world will get what comeuppance they deserve. No matter what I encounter, it¡¯s all my own karma. She can¡¯t help me even if she wants to.¡±

    ¡°She said our mother-and-daughter relationship is fated to be shallow, and that she worked hard on her own to get to where she is today. It would be a different story if I was willing to marry the person she wanted me to, allowing her to benefit from our ¡®bond.¡¯ That I wanted to get some pity and comfort and whatnot from her when I¡¯m of no help to her at all was just¡­ too ridiculous.¡±

    Yun Nan was shocked. Thinking back to that period, Fang Xi was very depressed when she came back from abroad. ¡®Looks like it was because of her mother¡¯s heartlessness. At the time, I only thought that it was because she got hurt too deeply by Xi Cheng.¡¯

    Fang Xi poked the small cake before her with a small fork and said detachedly, ¡°After the wedding, I asked Ye Kun to get someone to investigate the Zhu family. It seems that their family is facing a financial crisis. So, it¡¯s not difficult to know why my mother came to look for me.¡±

    ¡°She wants you to help her?¡± Yun Nan asked incredulously, a little blown away by this Ms. Xi Yue¡¯s low moral line.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Fang Xi snorted coldly. ¡°She¡¯s not interested in me. She¡¯s interested in the Ye family behind me.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t say anything. ¡®Ms. Xi has quite the¡­ unique perspective,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°Does Ye Kun know?¡± she softly inquired, thinking, ¡®Ye Kun and Fang Xi had been through too many twists and tribulations along the way. Their new dawn finally came after much difficulty, I can¡¯t let them be harassed by any more irrelevant things.¡¯

    Fang Xi put down her fork and smiled resignedly. ¡°I told Ye Kun that very night, as well as Ye Tang and my mother-in-law. To me, there¡¯s nothing to hide about this. Besides, my mother¡¯s moral line is different from normal people. Who knows what she¡¯ll do. I can¡¯t let the Ye family be dragged down by the Zhu family because of me. Just like how my mother made me bear my own comeuppance, I can¡¯t interfere with my mother¡¯s karma, either. She has to follow her own teaching and do as she taught me.¡±

    Yun Nan was slightly relieved to hear that. ¡°If she asks for financial help, just give it to her. You can use the money in our public account at will. If it¡¯s not enough, I¡¯m about to sell my paintings. I¡¯ll leave the earnings from that with you.¡±

    Fang Xi patted Yun Nan¡¯s hand gratefully. There was no need for thanks between them. Something suddenly occurred to Yun Nan and she asked, ¡°Does Mr. Mo know? I think she¡¯s quite afraid of him.¡±

    Fang Xi shook her head. ¡°My mother and Mr. Mo were childhood sweethearts. Back then, the Mo family encountered a crisis. My mother was worried the Mo family wouldn¡¯t be able to make it through, so she forced my grandparents to break off their engagement. I heard that the Mo family¡¯s old master was so infuriated that he vomited blood and immediately agreed to cancel the engagement then and there.¡±

    ¡°By the time the Mo family recovered, my mother was already married and pregnant with me. But who knew that the rich heir she¡¯d carefully selected and married was a man who appeared impressive but was actually useless. Aside from his looks, the only thing my father was good at was squandering away fortune, so the two of them divorced after giving birth to me.¡±

    ¡°My mother had a new target, and I was a burden, so she threw me to Grandpa and Grandma. Before she left, she even went to Mr. Mo¡¯s place to put on an impressive show, making Mr. Mo believe that she was forced to break things off back then due to circumstances and had no choice and that she was the most pitiful and innocent person in the world. Mr. Mo has been caring for me since I was young.¡±

    Yun Nan opened her mouth, but then closed it and forcefully swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue. Fang Xi scoffed, ¡°My mother is the best at manipulating men¡¯s hearts. She was once Mr. Mo¡¯s unforgettable first love, and even his care for me first started because I was her daughter.¡±

    ¡°However, after she¡¯d cheated money and benefits from him a few times, plus the fact that she¡¯d abandoned me, finally made Mr. Mo see her true colors, making him bitterly disappointed in her. My mother¡¯s good fortune is all ruined by herself.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t expect a person like Mr. Mo would be vulnerable to a woman¡¯s wiles. ¡®It just goes to show how cunning and powerful this Ms. Xi¡¯s means are,¡¯ she thought.

    Fang Xi continued, ¡°I think my mother¡¯s target this time is me; she doesn¡¯t dare to try anything with Mr. Mo. She thinks I¡¯m an easier target; after all, the Ye family is a famous wealthy aristocratic family. She always knew well the logic that those who have nothing fear nothing, and those who have everything to lose are always disadvantaged against those who have nothing. Now I¡¯m the one with everything to lose in her eyes. That¡¯s why she threatened me, saying that if I don¡¯t reply to her, she¡¯ll come to Yun Innovations to cause trouble.¡± Fang Xi analyzed calmly.

    ¡°In that case, I hope she does come to Yun Innovations to cause trouble. At least we won¡¯t trouble others. Don¡¯t return her calls. Let her come to Yun Innovations!¡± Yun Nan said.

    Fang Xi laughed. ¡®Yun Nan, best friend to the end,¡¯ she thought, heart warmed.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to first convince her that I¡¯m afraid of her coming to Yun Innovations to cause trouble. She won¡¯t come otherwise,¡± Fang Xi stated, knowing her mother¡¯s methods like the back of her hand.

    As she spoke, she picked up her phone and called her mother back.

    ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t my young lady herself! You finally called me back! Did you finally remember that you still have a mother? I¡¯m your biological mother, you know. And you had your assistant pick up my calls to you?! How arrogant of you, Young Madam Ye!¡±

 Chapter 448 - Chapter 448 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Eight: Appointment 2

    Chapter 448 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Eight: Appointment 2

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Yue continued to pour her woes in a rush. ¡°You should give that assistant of yours a bonus! She¡¯s an impressive one! She dares to stop even me, your mother, from seeing you! How incredible!¡±

    Fang Xi moved her phone further away and listened quietly. Even Yun Nan could hear Xi Yue clearly from where she sat. When Xi Yue finally took a pause, Fang Xi immediately interjected, ¡°If you have something to say, say it. I¡¯m very busy.¡±

    ¡°Busy? You¡¯re busy? What can you be busy with?¡± Xi Yue retorted straightaway. ¡°You¡¯re the Ye family¡¯s young mistress. What do you need to be busy with? Oh, I forgot. You¡¯re a successful career woman, how amazing. You¡¯re so awesome that you don¡¯t even need to acknowledge me as your mother!¡±

    Fang Xi hung up. Yun Nan was stunned. ¡°Um¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, she¡¯ll call back,¡± Fang Xi assured her. ¡°In three, two, one¡ª¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s cell phone rang. Yun Nan¡¯s eyes were wide as she stared at Fang Xi. Fang Xi answered the call, saying straight off, ¡°Did you actually call me for something or what?¡±

    Before Xi Yue could fly into a rage, Fang Xi stopped her by coolly stating, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m hanging up¨C¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, there¡¯s something, I called you for something, Fang Xi! I have something important to tell you!¡± Xi Yue hurriedly said.

    Fang Xi remained silent. Xi Yue¡¯s tone softened as she went on, ¡°Fang Xi, your brothers and sisters also came back with me this time. Why don¡¯t you treat us to a meal? Let¡¯s have everyone get together, and we can talk while we eat. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°When did I have brothers and sisters? You never gave birth to any siblings for me,¡± Fang Xi uttered deliberately.

    ¡°Oh, you! How can you say that? Although I didn¡¯t give birth to these children, I raised them myself. I treat them like my own, and they only recognize me as their mother. Naturally, that makes them your brothers and sisters! Don¡¯t talk about this nonsense. I think you should arrange a dinner feast at a grand hotel under the Xi family and give us a good welcome! Let¡¯s set the time for tomorrow night, what do you say?¡± Xi Yue said briskly.

    Yun Nan waved her hands repeatedly at Fang Xi and silently mouthed the name of a hotel. It was a hotel under the Shi family. She did not want Fang Xi to make a fool of herself in one of the Ye family¡¯s hotels.

    Fang Xi signaled for her to not be anxious. She gave her mother the name of another hotel and then told her, ¡°Let¡¯s have it at seven tonight. I have other plans tomorrow.¡±

    Xi Yue was overjoyed. She repeatedly reminded Fang Xi to make sure their dinner feast will be grand and the dishes must be sumptuous before hanging up.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you choose to go to the Shi family¡¯s hotel?¡± Yun Nan asked.

    Fang Xi answered, ¡°If the Ye family¡¯s hotel isn¡¯t an option, I can¡¯t go to the Shi family¡¯s hotel, either. The hotel I chose is under the Mo family¡¯s eldest son¡¯s name. I¡¯ll inform Big Bro Mo. If my mother really tries to pull something, Mr. Mo can help me cow her.¡±

    So saying, Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Seeing this, Yun Nan felt a little worried. ¡°It seems that your mother¡¯s quite the challenging foe,¡± she commented.

    Fang Xi smiled wryly and nodded. ¡°Then, do you want Ye Kun to accompany you there? He can protect you.¡± Yun Nan suggested.

    Fang Xi choked and hastily waved her hands. ¡°No! If Ye Kun¡¯s there, I can bet you my mom would be able to coax him into buying the whole Rong City. You don¡¯t know what a silver tongue my mother has against men. Up until now, I¡¯ve only seen Mr. Mo remain clear-headed in front of her. Even my father, who is the same level of charming as her, is no match for her. As long as my mother puts in the effort, he¡¯ll still fall for it. That¡¯s why his wife, my stepmother, has always avoided my mother like she was the plague.¡±

    Yun Nan was stupefied. ¡®What a complicated family relationship!¡¯ she thought. ¡®No wonder Fang Xi never mentioned her family all these years.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯ve never lacked money since I was young, but I didn¡¯t have love. Many people think that I¡¯m scheming and shrewd. That¡¯s because I grew up in such a wheeling-and-dealing environment, where there¡¯s no familial love, only tricks and calculations,¡± Fang Xi said softly.

    Yun Nan sympathized with her and was speechless. Fang Xi sighed lightly, ¡°I thought that by distancing myself from them, I¡¯ll be safe from all that. It seems that that¡¯s only my wishful thinking. Everyone living in this world has their own retribution to pay; you can¡¯t easily avoid your debt.¡±

    Yun Nan held Fang Xi¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. If anything happens, we can cooperate with each other.¡±

    Fang Xi shook her head and smiled bitterly. ¡°Forget it. My mother should already have an understanding of the people close to me by now. Your identity will only make my mother stick to you like flies to honey.¡±

    ¡°Just thinking about it makes me shudder. You have to be mentally prepared. No matter what my mother pleads you to do, don¡¯t agree to her request on my account. Or, let me put it another way. On my account, you must ignore any of their requests!¡± Fang Xi instructed seriously.

    Yun Nan playfully tugged Fang Xi¡¯s hair and smiled to ease the atmosphere. ¡°You¡¯re getting me all nervous. Your mother sounds scary from the way you go on about her. Don¡¯t worry. If it¡¯s a problem money can solve, then it¡¯s not a problem. Putting the Ye family aside, just you and me, and our Yun Innovations, should be enough for your mother to deal with. If things don¡¯t work out, we still have Grandpa, Grandma, and Mr. Mo!¡±

 Chapter 449 - Chapter 449 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Nine: Dinner Feast

    Chapter 449 Chapter Four-Hundred and Forty-Nine: Dinner Feast

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi was mentally prepared for her mother to demand an exorbitant price from her that night. However, Ms. Xi Yue wasn¡¯t after money this time. She didn¡¯t mention a word about money.

    Zhu An and Zhu Li, aka Anna and Lina, greeted Fang Xi very warmly. The daughters of the Zhu family would form their nicknames by adding a ¡°na¡± to the end of their names, as they thought it sounded more affectionate and elegant.

    Fang Xi didn¡¯t have any special feelings for these two non-blood-related older sisters of hers. Back then, her mother treated them far better than she did her. In comparison, her biological mother was more like her stepmother; whatever good things she had, she would give them to the two sisters first.

    Perhaps it was because they¡¯d lost their mother when they were young, Anna and Lina were soft, delicate, and timid. They would cry at a touch, and sometimes, they would cry endlessly even without being touched. Fang Xi was often beaten by her mother because of the two sisters¡¯ random crying when she was a kid as Xi Yue had been sure that Fang Xi had bullied the two sisters.

    In order to make her stepdaughters have a good impression of her as their stepmother and feel a sense of dependence on her, Xi Yue didn¡¯t hesitate to abuse her own biological daughter; she would beat her, scold her, punish her by forcing her to stand for long periods, withhold her food, and lock her up in a dark room.

    On the other hand, the two sisters often secretly brought her food. Fang Xi didn¡¯t hate them¡ªshe only hated her mother. As for Zhu Ping and the others who were a few years younger, Fang Xi had just about no impression of them.

    Xi Yue introduced them warmly. Fang Xi politely greeted them and nodded lightly. She then sat down with Xi Yue sitting opposite her, Zhu An and Zhu Li on her left and right.

    The head waiter came in and asked respectfully, ¡°Miss Fang, can we serve the dishes now?¡±

    Xi Yue didn¡¯t give Fang Xi a chance to speak and interposed, ¡°Serve the dishes. We¡¯re all here, you can serve the dishes now.¡±

    The head waiter smiled politely at Xi Yue, but directed his questioning gaze at Fang Xi. Fang Xi nodded and said gently, ¡°Thank you for your hard work. You can serve the dishes now.¡± Only then did the head waiter leave.

    Xi Yue unhappily pouted. ¡°I guess it¡¯s a given you¡¯ll be given preferential treatment. You¡¯re the Ye family¡¯s young mistress, after all. Looks like you¡¯re doing quite well for yourself in the Ye family. You¡¯re now a member of the gentry that everyone is deferential to. If it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t even be qualified to call them to serve the dishes!¡±

    ¡°Did you not get to know the background of this hotel before you came?¡± Fang Xi asked calmly. Xi Yue froze momentarily. ¡®Why would I need to investigate this hotel¡¯s background?¡¯ Xi Yue thought. ¡®Fang Xi¡¯s treating us here, so this must be the Ye family¡¯s hotel!¡¯

    Fang Xi began to wipe her hands with a wet towel as she informed her mother, ¡°This hotel is under the Mo Corporation, under Big Brother Mo¡¯s name to be exact.¡±

    Xi Yue was stunned and then displeased. ¡°Why did you arrange for us to come to the Mo family¡¯s hotel?¡± she scowled. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your Ye family have their own hotels? Oh, I get it! You¡¯re afraid that your mother, I, will embarrass you, right? You don¡¯t want anyone to know about our relationship, do you?¡± Xi Yue was frowning so hard her eyebrows were nearly drawn together in a straight line.

    Fang Xi unhurriedly wiped each and every individual finger as she replied, ¡°Then why do you want to go to the Ye family¡¯s hotel? Do you want all the Ye family¡¯s employees to know I have a mother who¡¯s on her third marriage and came to freeload with her stepsons and stepdaughters?¡±

    Bam! Xi Yue slammed her hands on the table and jumped to her feet. ¡°Who¡¯s freeloading? I came with your brothers and sisters to see you, but this is what my kindness gets me? Fang Xi, do you even have a conscience? I¡¯m your mother! Your biological mother! You are my flesh and blood! I birthed you from my womb! I was the one who brought you into this world!

    ¡°It¡¯s all to my credit that you¡¯re where you are today!¡±/¡±It¡¯s all thanks to you that I¡¯m where I am today!¡± Fang Xi and Xi Yue uttered that last sentence at the same time.

    Xi Yue choked in anger and Fang Xi stared fixedly at her.

    Zhu An quickly tried to smooth things over. ¡°Ma, look what you did. Why do you quarrel with Fang Xi as soon as you guys see each other? Do you hear what you¡¯re saying? You¡¯re breaking Fang Xi¡¯s heart!¡±

    Zhu Li also hurriedly said, ¡°Fang Xi, Ma has a fiery temper. She doesn¡¯t mean it. Please don¡¯t take any of it to heart.¡±

    Zhu Ping quickly dragged Xi Yue back down into her seat and chided, ¡°Ma! How can you say that about Fang Xi? Can you imagine how aggrieved she is today when you say such things? Fang Xi, don¡¯t be mad. Ma just has something on her mind these past few days so she¡¯s been feeling too anxious and temperamental. Please don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

    Fang Xi ignored them. She only looked at Xi Yue and coldly stated, ¡°Would you like me to borrow a knife to cut out my flesh and blood and return it to you?¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Xi Yue, who had just sat down, wanted to jump up again in fury, but Zhu Ping held her back and pressed her outstretched hand down.

    Xi Yue immediately covered her face as soon as she retracted her hand and cried woefully, ¡°Why is my life so bitter? Even my own daughter hates me. What have I done to deserve this? What¡¯s the point of living for someone like me? I might as well die! Even if I die, I won¡¯t be able to die content!¡±

    So saying, Xi Yue carefully peeked at Fang Xi through her fingers.

 Chapter 450 - Chapter 450 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty: Probe

    Chapter 450 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty: Probe

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi placidly looked at Ms. Xi¡¯s expression, a little lost in thought. ¡®If Ms. Xi had chosen to be a celebrity when she was young, she would¡¯ve won the Best Actress Award multiple times, wouldn¡¯t she?¡¯ Fang Xi thought. ¡®Pity she didn¡¯t choose that route. What a waste of her acting skills.¡¯

    Fang Xi only felt weary.

    Zhu An and Zhu Li left their seats to coax Xi Yue, and the woman finally stopped crying¡ªwell, stopped wailing to be exact, as she hadn¡¯t managed to squeeze out much tears in the first place.

    The waiters filed in and swiftly filled the table with all kinds of dishes. The head waiter personally brought a lobster over and said, ¡°Miss Fang, Mr. Mo has instructed us to add in a lobster for you. He has an important meeting and can¡¯t leave, so he won¡¯t be coming over to greet you. Please let us know if you need anything.¡±

    Fang Xi smiled and nodded. ¡°Thank you!¡±

    The head waiter led the staff out and closed the door. Fang Xi glanced at the boys who were staring at the food eagerly and softly uttered, ¡°You all must be hungry. Let¡¯s eat first.¡±

    Xi Yue¡¯s group had indeed spent the entire afternoon getting primped and preened for this evening¡¯s dinner. They were currently famished, and at Fang Xi¡¯s words, they¡¯d already picked up their chopsticks and started in on the food before Xi Yue could say anything.

    Xi Yue angrily wanted to stop them, but when she saw the boys had already begun wolfing down their food, she could only swallow her words. Looking at Fang Xi, Xi Yue switched her tone and remarked, ¡°Look at your younger brothers, Fang Xi. From the way they¡¯re acting, you wouldn¡¯t think they¡¯re also from wealthy families. See how much they¡¯ve suffered coming back to the country with me just to attend your wedding. They¡¯ve never suffered in their lives and are all pampered children, but they left their home and its comforts without hesitation when they heard that they were coming to attend your wedding.¡±

    Fang Xi¡¯s lips curled into a sneer as she lowered her head and took a sip of tea. She knew that they were changing their strategy again.

    Xi Yue started to play the sympathy card: ¡°When I first got to the Zhu family, my seventh and eighth step-children were still babies who couldn¡¯t even walk yet. When I saw them, my heart softened right then. Everyone said that I was a gold-digger, and they didn¡¯t believe that I could truly fall in love with someone, but no one knew how much I wanted a family. These poor children completely melted my heart.¡±

    ¡°Your father broke my heart, and if you weren¡¯t so little back then, I would¡¯ve jumped into the sea long ago. It was the Zhu family who gave me a safe haven, and it was these children who gave me the warmth of a family. I know you hate me. You think I don¡¯t treat you well enough!¡±

    ¡°But think about it from my perspective. I was alone with so many kids to look after, and my energy is limited. I had to prioritize the kids who are much younger than you, right? My conscience won¡¯t allow me to ignore them! But you don¡¯t understand. Why can¡¯t you just be a little kinder?¡±

    ¡°What does it matter if we¡¯re blood related or not? Is it really that important? Look at your brothers and sisters. They don¡¯t all share the same mother, either, but don¡¯t they still all love each other?¡±

    Fang Xi slowly took a sip of tea. Staring at Ms. Xi¡¯s ¡°kind¡± face as she tried to move her emotionally and convince her with reasoning, Fang Xi detachedly stated, ¡°So, how much do you want exactly?¡±

    ¡®All that talk and blather about the past is just her laying down groundwork for the money conversation,¡¯ Fang Xi thought dryly. ¡®It must¡¯ve been hard on her, going through all that trouble to emotionally blackmail me and all the Zhu siblings in one go, making herself as the sole ¡°Virgin Mary¡± in the whole matter.¡¯

    ¡°You think I¡¯m here to ask you for money? Why are you so vulgar?¡± Xi Yue exclaimed and looked towards her stepchildren plaintively. Zhu Ping, Zhu An, and Zhu Li also looked at Fang Xi silently.

    Fang Xi, however, was stupefied, thinking, ¡®What? They aren¡¯t here for money?¡¯

    Xi Yue began to yell at Fang Xi, loudly slamming her hands on the table to emphasize her words. ¡°You¡¯re just like that good-for-nothing father of yours! Is money the only thing you care about? Don¡¯t you have any familial love? Don¡¯t you remember? Anna and Lina gave you their dresses when you were kids! Aren¡¯t you even a little grateful at all?¡±

    ¡°You gave me the dresses that they couldn¡¯t fit in anymore, and then you bought them new ones. Remember that?¡± Fang Xi said indifferently. When they were kids, Xi Yue always brought the two sisters out to buy new clothes to please them, and Fang Xi would wear the old clothes that they had discarded until she returned to the country after high school.

    It wasn¡¯t that Xi Yue didn¡¯t have the money to buy Fang Xi new clothes, but Xi Yue wanted to emotionally move the two sisters. If she wanted to present herself as a good stepmother, the most convenient way was to sacrifice her own daughter.

    Zhu An and Zhu Li looked embarrassed and timidly glanced at Fang Xi. Fang Xi was exhausted. She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair before saying, ¡°Mother, you can stop with the act! You said that you brought the entire family over just to attend my wedding. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll believe that, and you don¡¯t have to try to explain any further. We¡¯ve been tormenting each other for so many years, I¡¯m already very clear about your tricks.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t spout any loving mother-and-daughter dialogues, so you don¡¯t have to emotionally kidnap me, either. Why don¡¯t you be straightforward and tell me your purpose here? Do you want money or things? How much do you want? What do you want? I¡¯ll consider it if it¡¯s within my ability to give them to you, but do forgive me for not being able to do it if it¡¯s beyond my ability!¡±

    ¡°Also, the Ye family is my line in the sand. If you have any designs on them, don¡¯t blame me for turning against you!¡±

 Chapter 451 - Chapter 451 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-One: Demands

    Chapter 451 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-One: Demands

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Xi Yue and her children couldn¡¯t help but look at each other and then avoid their eyes guiltily. Only a few of her younger step-kids were still pigging out. Xi Yue lightly coughed and pouted. ¡°Now that you¡¯re all grown up and married, you¡¯re on their side instead of your relatives¡¯! Don¡¯t worry! No one here has designs on your Ye family¡¯s money. Hmph, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re poor!¡±

    ¡°I heard that the Zhu family¡¯s business is losing money,¡± Fang Xi calmly pointed it out.

    Xi Yue opened her mouth and said stubbornly, ¡°So? There are always ups and downs in business. It¡¯s not a big deal. Your Uncle Zhu will definitely turn things around!¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid that the little money I have won¡¯t be of much help,¡± Fang Xi lightly replied.

    No one spoke for a moment. The scene fell silent, and the atmosphere was a little awkward. The children, who were gorging themselves, looked left and right with food still in their mouths, not understanding why suddenly no one was talking.

    Fang Xi waited for Xi Yue to speak. She knew the word ¡°awkwardness¡± never existed in her mother¡¯s dictionary. The reason her mother wasn¡¯t saying anything now was probably because she was trying to decide how to state her objective.

    Fang Xi was dead certain that Ms. Xi Yue was here to ask for money, and from the looks of it, it probably wasn¡¯t a small sum. But when Xi Yue finally spoke, Fang Xi was stunned.

    ¡°We don¡¯t expect any big help from you. We just want you to introduce your sisters to the young and talented men around you. Also, your brother Zhu Ping isn¡¯t young anymore. We want to find him a daughter from a wealthy family that¡¯s a good match with ours!¡±

    Fang Xi froze. ¡®¡­What?! Is she asking me to be a matchmaker?¡¯ Fang Xi stared at Xi Yue, and her pupils constricted. ¡®My mother! Always making use of every conceivable means to achieve her goals.¡¯

    Seeing that Fang Xi didn¡¯t say anything, Xi Yue guessed that she was still too shocked to react, so she spoke bluntly: ¡°You don¡¯t have to go through much trouble, we¡¯ve already picked out the candidates. You only need to be the middleman and introduce them to your brother and sisters. The rest is up to them.¡±

    ¡°You can rest easy on that aspect. We won¡¯t rely on you to help us with anything else. We, the Zhu family, still have our pride! You know your two sisters; with their looks and character, they definitely won¡¯t disgrace you. Your brother is also equally outstanding. He¡¯ll certainly be a great support to his sisters in the future!¡±

    Xi Yue went on, ¡°Married women get all their confidence from their birth family! Otherwise, who can they turn to when they have a hard time in the family they marry into? You must not be having an easy time in the Ye family yourself. Otherwise, why didn¡¯t you treat us to a meal at a hotel under the Ye family? Mom understands your difficulties! So, look, I¡¯m here to send you your aides!¡±

    Once the topic was opened, it was easy to continue. Ms. Xi Yue had relied on her silver tongue to help her plot her way into happiness all her life. Seeing that her daughter didn¡¯t speak¡­ She wouldn¡¯t give her a chance to speak, either.

    Xi Yue carried on, saying, ¡°The first candidate who caught our eyes is Ye Kun¡¯s brother, Ye Tang!¡± Xi Yue beamed exultantly.

    Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but gasp. Her gaze unwittingly swept past Zhu An and Zhu Li. The two of them were blushing shyly. ¡®How daring! They really know how to pick their men!¡¯ Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but sincerely praise them.

    Xi Yue said proudly, ¡°We were fortunate enough to attend a banquet together with Ye Tang when he was overseas. Your two sisters fell in love with him at first sight. Pity that kind of occasion isn¡¯t conducive to deep communications. In addition, your two sisters are simply too well-behaved. With how meek, modest, and frugal they are, how would they know anything about wooing men? But what a coincidence, right? The person you married happened to be Ye Tang¡¯s little brother. Now, if one of your sisters gets married to Ye Tang, you¡¯ll all be one big family! It¡¯s obviously fated to be!¡±

    Xi Yue smiled happily. ¡°Fang Xi, this matter is of utmost importance. You have to do a good job. No matter who is chosen by Ye Tang in the end, whether it be Anna or Lina, it¡¯ll still be your sisters who will become your sister-in-law. The Ye family will belong to you sisters in the future, and you girls can support and help each other out! How great is that? Sounds blissful, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    Xi Yue was immersed in her own fantasy, unable to extricate herself, her face full of pride. Zhu An and Zhu Li at the side blushed and lowered their heads.

    Fang Xi was truly amused by this one-sided, wishful blueprint of their lives and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me fork out some money instead?¡±

    Fang Xi finally understood Yun Nan¡¯s phrase: ¡°Any problem that money can solve isn¡¯t a problem.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s right!¡¯ Fang Xi thought. ¡®There are some problems money can¡¯t solve! Problems that can¡¯t be solved even with all the money in the world!¡¯

    Xi Yue didn¡¯t get it and was stumped. ¡°Why would I want your money?¡± she asked.

    Fang Xi sighed and stated frankly, ¡°This matchmaking job¡­ I can¡¯t do it!¡±

    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t tell me you won¡¯t even help us with such a small matter!¡± Xi Yue shouted exaggeratedly.

 Chapter 452 - Chapter 452 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Two: Turn Down

    Chapter 452 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Two: Turn Down

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    The Zhu sisters¡¯ expressions changed as well, and they looked at Fang Xi silently. Fang Xi crossed her arms and decided to lay her cards on the table. She knew that, when facing her mother, if she was even just a little bit unclear, it would be giving Xi Yue a chance to exploit.

    ¡°Ye Tang is the head of the Ye family,¡± Fang Xi stated. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the line of people who want to be his wife is long enough to stretch from here to the moon. If he had any intention of getting married, his kids would probably be attending middle school by now. Ms. Xi, the world isn¡¯t under your control. Although the first half of your life was all smooth sailing, it doesn¡¯t mean that you can do whatever you want. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t help you with this.¡±

    Xi Yue didn¡¯t care about the mockery in Fang Xi¡¯s words at all and mock-chided, ¡°Oh, look what you¡¯re saying. Seriously, why are you boosting the ferocity of others and discouraging your own family? Of course I¡¯m aware of the things you said.¡±

    She continued, ¡°The reason Ye Tang is still unmarried is because there aren¡¯t any reliable candidates! Think about it, with his status and achievements today, he can¡¯t simply just marry any woman he meets. To someone like him, his future partner¡¯s family background and status isn¡¯t important. What he wants is a sincere woman! However, ten out of ten women who approached him had ulterior motives, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t dare to accept them!¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi, hear me out! He needs a family member like you to introduce him to someone suitable. Part of the reason he¡¯s still single is because he¡¯s so busy that he doesn¡¯t have the time to waste on checking and testing potential candidates. So, this is the best opportunity for your two sisters! With your endorsement, he can accept your sisters without worry!¡±

    Xi Yue¡¯s eyes shone brightly at the prospect she described as she finished speaking. Seeing that, Fang Xi couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°You say that others have impure motives, but aren¡¯t you guys the same?¡±

    Xi Yue lightly swatted Fang Xi¡¯s arm and replied, ¡°Oh, you! Of course we¡¯re not the same! We are your relatives, which makes us his family, so we¡¯re naturally different from those girls outside! It¡¯s best to keep it in the family, after all!¡±

    Fang Xi sighed softly. ¡®Trying to reason with them is a useless venture before this group of relatives who¡¯d come prepared, so there¡¯s no need for me to waste my breath.¡¯

    She got up to leave, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t help you with this. I don¡¯t have such ability!¡±

    Zhu An stood up and asked anxiously, ¡°Fang Xi, you think we¡¯re not good enough for Mr. Ye, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Fang Xi looked at Zhu An, who had a look of desperate eagerness on her face, but didn¡¯t say anything. Her gaze had Zhu An bite her lip and lower her head. Fang Xi turned around and made to leave when Xi Yue shouted angrily, ¡°Stop right there! What do you mean, hm? You think our Anna and Lina aren¡¯t good enough for Ye Tang? If even you can manage to marry Ye Kun, on what grounds are they not good enough for Ye Tang? In what way are they not better than you?¡±

    Fang Xi paused and turned to look at her biological mother. The mother and daughter stared at each other, Xi Yue with a face full of anger, while Fang Xi was calm. The sorrow deep in her eyes didn¡¯t move her mother at all.

    Xi Yue ranted, ¡°You¡¯ve been with Xi Cheng for so many years and you can still manage to marry into the Ye family in the end. Ye Kun doesn¡¯t even mind your past relationship, and Madam Ye can accept you, so why can¡¯t our clean and pure Anna and Lina be good enough for Ye Tang? I¡¯m not asking you to do anything else, I just want you to introduce them. And yet, here you are, making excuses and assuming airs! What are you so smug about?!¡±

    Fang Xi clenched her hands into tight fists and gritted her teeth to stop herself from trembling before coldly stating, ¡°You guys should find someone else to help you. I don¡¯t have the ability!¡±

    She turned around and walked away, shaking off Zhu Li¡¯s outstretched hand and throwing Xi Yue¡¯s scolding to the back of her mind.

    The night wind blew gently. Fang Xi finally let out the breath she had been holding in. The blood that seemed to have frozen in her veins started flowing again. Supporting herself with her hand on the pillar at the entrance of the hotel, she panted heavily. Tears flowed down her cheeks without restraint.

    ¡°Fang Xi!¡± Yun Nan¡¯s car stopped right beside her. Yun Nan lowered the car window and said to Fang Xi, ¡°Come on, get in here.¡±

    Fang Xi got into the car. Yun Nan didn¡¯t ask anything and started the car. Fang Xi took out some tissues to wipe away the tears on her face. After she calmed down, she spoke: ¡°She asked me to introduce her two stepdaughters to Big Bro Ye Tang. She wants them to marry into the Ye family.¡±

    Yun Nan was surprised. ¡°She wants them both to marry him?¡±

    Fang Xi shook her head. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. The two of them have the capability to compete fairly. Mother paved the way for them, but she won¡¯t let them benefit so easily. How will she have the opportunity to show she¡¯s doing her best as their stepmother if everything goes so smoothly for them?¡±

    ¡°Not only that, but she¡¯ll also brainwash her two stepdaughters and make them fight among themselves, but she¡¯ll play both sides so both of them will be grateful to her. That is the kind of person Ms. Xi Yue is! Hmph!¡±

    Yun Nan glanced at Fang Xi. ¡°You rejected her?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let them latch onto the Ye Family,¡± Fang Xi said coldly. ¡°That would be a disaster!¡±

    Yun Nan nodded lightly and slowly remarked, ¡°But, evil should be dealt with by evil. Big Bro Ye Tang is too innocent; we can¡¯t drag him down into this. As for the others¡­ Why don¡¯t we divert this disaster elsewhere?¡±

 Chapter 453 - Chapter 453 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Three: Lost and Found

    Chapter 453 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Three: Lost and Found

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Fang Xi stared at Yun Nan with wide eyes. ¡°Yes! We must! Tell me, where to?¡±

    ¡°¡­Lan Long!¡± was her answer.

    (At the hospital)

    Shi Xiu looked at Xiang Yang sitting quietly under the window basking in the sunlight. The scene was as beautiful as a painting. Shi Ke walked over and gently draped a sweater over her shoulders. Xiang Yang turned to glance at him before docilely resting her head on his shoulder.

    Shi Ke picked her up in a bridal carry and tenderly planted a kiss on her forehead. ¡°Xiang Yang,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Xiang Yang made no reaction and let Shi Ke carry her, as if insensate to everything.

    ¡°Still no improvement?¡± Shi Xiu asked the nurse beside her in a low voice. The nurse shook her head lightly.

    Shi Xiu sighed. Xiang Yang couldn¡¯t bear to see anyone other than her big brother. The smallest noises or the littlest disturbances would make her curl up into a ball and scream. The physical wounds on her body had healed long ago, but they don¡¯t know where to start with healing the wounds in her heart.

    They had indeed captured some people during the battle at the villa, but the captives hadn¡¯t provided any useful information. Shi Ke and his men hadn¡¯t even obtained any evidence that could be used to testify against Lan Long.

    Even though they all knew that Lan Long was the mastermind.

    However, Lan Long had already cleaned up his background thoroughly. There was nothing to show that his life had any intersection with Xiang Yang¡¯s at all. Their trail had gone cold.

    Shi Xiu walked aimlessly along the hospital¡¯s tree-lined walkway as she thought about this, feeling depressed.

    ¡°Yang Yang! Yang Yang!¡± a near-sobbing voice suddenly cried out from the woods beside her.

    Shi Xiu suddenly had a thought. She hastily ran into the woods and saw an old man standing there with a bewildered expression, looking around helplessly, and all the while muttering, ¡°Yang Yang, Yang Yang¡­¡±

    Shi Xiu saw that the old man was about to fall so she stepped forward to support him. The old man¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw her. ¡°Yang Yang! Yang Yang! I¡¯ve finally found you! I finally found you! Quick, take me away from here. This place is full of bad people! They¡¯re all bad people!¡±

    Yun Nan stared at Shi Xiu and Old Master Lan, who were standing before her, in shock. ¡°You¡ª! This¡ª! He¡ª¡±

    Shi Xiu pushed her aside and turned around to gently say, ¡°Grandpa, let¡¯s hide here first.¡±

    Old Master Lan smiled happily at Yun Nan and called her, ¡°Yang Yang, Yang Yang!¡± Shi Xiu and Yun Nan looked at each other.

    Old Master Lan entered the house and looked around curiously, touching things here and there. He got to the kitchen doorway, pointed at the pot, and cried, ¡°Hungry! Hungry! Yang Yang, hungry!¡±

    Shi Xiu and Yun Nan hurriedly went forward. One of them helped the old man sit down at the dining table while the other quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll get you something to eat!¡±

    Yun Nan hectically brought some fruits and snacks to the old man, but the old man patted his stomach and bawled, ¡°Hungry! Hungry! Yang Yang, make dumplings! Dumplings!¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay, Grandpa, okay. I¡¯ll make some right away. You have to wait a bit, alright?¡± Looking at the old man throwing a tantrum like a child, Yun Nan and Shi Xiu hurriedly coaxed him gently.

    The old man was very obedient and settled down straight away. He then grinned at Shi Xiu. ¡°Watch the television, little television!¡±

    Shi Xiu understood what he meant immediately and replied, ¡°Alright, alright.¡± She took out her tablet and played a cartoon under the old man¡¯s ¡°instructions.¡± The old man, who had been fussing just now, immediately quieted down as he stared at the screen.

    Yun Nan, who was cooking dumplings, waved Shi Xiu over to the kitchen. She whispered, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Isn¡¯t that Lan Long¡¯s grandfather? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be in the hospital?¡±

    Shi Xiu recounted what had happened. ¡°Old Master Lan said that he wanted to leave with me. He said that he was surrounded by bad people. I¡ªok, so, I really want to know what¡¯s going on behind this! So I brought him here.¡±

    Yun Nan frowned. ¡°What if the Lan family calls the police?¡±

    Shi Xiu bit her lip. ¡°It¡¯s not like I kidnapped him.¡± Shi Xiu suddenly changed the topic. ¡°Yun Nan, why does Old Master Lan keep calling for Yang Yang? Who¡¯s Yang Yang? Why does he call me Yang Yang, and call you Yang Yang, too?¡±

    ¡®Since Shi Xiu already brought him here, it¡¯s better to let the old man eat his fill first,¡¯ Yun Nan thought. When Shi Xiu asked those questions, Yun Nan was also stumped and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the old man twice in the hospital. He also called me Yang Yang then. Lan Long seemed to be quite resigned to it.¡±

    As she spoke, Yun Nan brought the dumplings she had cooked over and called for the old man to come eat. Shi Xiu coaxed him into putting down the tablet and coming to the dining table to eat.

    ¡°Are they stuffed with pork, shrimp, and corn?¡± asked Old Master Lan as he looked at the dumplings on the plate. Yun Nan was momentarily startled before she nodded.

    Old Master Lan immediately beamed in joy and ordered, ¡°Fetch me my fennel sauce!¡±

    Under Shi Xiu¡¯s surprised gaze, Yun Nan took out a box of sauce from the refrigerator and placed it before the old man, and the old man ate happily.

    Shi Xiu looked at Yun Nan and asked softly, ¡°Yun Nan, why do you have such a strange sauce?¡±

 Chapter 454 - Chapter 454 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Four: Recognize Each Other

    Chapter 454 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Four: Recognize Each Other

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation  Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Nan stared blankly at the old man eating at the table and muttered, ¡°Xiang Yang brought this sauce over. I¡¯ve never seen such a strange item before then either.¡±

    Yun Nan suddenly looked at Shi Xiu. ¡°Shi Xiu, do you think the Yang Yang that Old Master Lan is going on about could be Xiang Yang?¡±

    Shi Xiu froze.

    ¡°No!¡± Shi Ke flatly rejected Shi Xiu and Yun Nan¡¯s request. ¡°Xiang Yang finally managed to calm down for a few days. I don¡¯t want to agitate her anymore. She can¡¯t stand seeing strangers, not even Mom, Dad, and Grandpa. You guys haven¡¯t seen how she is when she goes berserk. Really, I can¡¯t stand it¡­¡± Shi Ke frowningly explained as he stared at Old Master Lan, who was sitting on the sofa, attention completely attracted by the tablet in his hands.

    ¡°Big Bro¡ª¡± Shi Xiu still wanted to try and win her brother over, but Yun Nan stopped her.

    ¡°Big Bro, can you at least let the old man look at Xiang Yang through the window? He¡¯s a little muddle-headed and goes around calling everyone he meets Yang Yang. We just want to confirm things. If the old man really does recognize Xiang Yang, it¡¯ll further prove that this matter is related to Lan Long, and we can also follow this clue and find a way to rid Xiang Yang of her fears and worries and open up her heart,¡± Yun Nan advised.

    ¡°Bro, let¡¯s give it a try. Bring Xiang Yang to the sunroom. We promise not to let her see us,¡± Shi Nian said softly.

    Shi Ke hesitated. Seeing that Shi Xiu and Yun Nan still wanted to say something, Shi Nian stopped them to give Shi Ke time to think.

    After a long time, Shi Ke dragged his feet toward his room with heavy footsteps. Shi Nian heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Hurry up and coax that old man over to the sunroom,¡± he said quietly. ¡°You guys must take care. Don¡¯t agitate Xiang Yang.¡±

    Old Master Lan ate the flower cake in his hands and looked around excitedly. He was much happier now than when he was in the hospital. Suddenly, he saw a girl sitting on a rocking chair in the distance. At the sight of her, the flower cake he was holding instantly lost its appeal. His fingers loosened, and the cake fell to the ground. Old Master Lan swiftly walked to the glass window and pressed his whole body against it. ¡°Yang Yang!¡± he called out. ¡°Yang Yang!¡±

    Yun Nan and Shi Xiu looked at each other, thinking, ¡®Here we go again!¡¯ The two of them quickly went forward to peel the old man away from the window.

    Old Master Lan broke free from their hands and pointed at Xiang Yang through the glass, wailing, ¡°Yang Yang! My Yang Yang! Yang Yang!¡±

    Yun Nan took hold of the old man¡¯s outstretched finger and coaxed him: ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m Yang Yang too, remember?¡±

    Old Master Lan paused for a moment. Then, he pulled his hand free from Yun Nan¡¯s and once again pointed at Xiang Yang. He sobbed, ¡°Yang Yang! Xiang Yang! Xiang Yang!¡±

    Even though Yun Nan and Shi Xiu were mentally prepared for this possibility, they felt as if they¡¯d been struck by lightning.

    ¡®Old Master Lan indeed knows Xiang Yang!¡¯ they thought. ¡®The ¡°Yang Yang¡± he kept mentioning is Xiang Yang!¡¯ But even though they had guessed and imagined this happening, they suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do after they¡¯d confirmed it.

    While the girls were still in a daze, Old Master Lan took the opportunity to lie back on the glass window again. He slapped the glass hard and shouted, ¡°Yang Yang! YANG YANG! YANG YANG!¡±

    Xiang Yang, who had been oblivious to the outside world since her ordeal, suddenly moved, and her gaze became focused. Shi Ke¡¯s heart skipped at the sight, and spoke gently, ¡°Xiang Yang?¡±

    However, Xiang Yang¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t directed at him, but looked into the distance instead. Shi Ke followed her gaze, and then Xiang Yang suddenly stood up, and there was a slight change in her expression.

    This was the first time since her incident that Xiang Yang had taken the initiative to make a movement. It was also the first time that she hadn¡¯t had an outburst after having a physical reaction. Shi Ke¡¯s heart began to beat rapidly, and he tried his best to control his emotions as he watched quietly.

    Xiang Yang took a step forward, and then another¡ªshe hadn¡¯t been active for a long time so her legs went weak after her second step, and she was about to fall. Shi Ke strode forward and held Xiang Yang in his arms, steadying her. He looked at Xiang Yang tenderly and asked, ¡°Where do you want to go?¡±

    Xiang Yang turned her head anxiously and looked in Old Master Lan¡¯s direction, her expression a little excited. When Old Master Lan saw her looking over, he banged on the glass even harder. He kept shouting and tears were already streaming down his face.

    The Shi siblings and Yun Nan looked on helplessly and at a loss as Old Master Lan and Xiang Yang cried in each other¡¯s arms. These two seemingly unrelated people actually knew each other, and not just in the ordinary sense.

    ¡°Grandpa, Grandpa!¡± Xiang Yang hugged Old Master Lan and cried most aggrievedly.

    ¡°Where did you go? Grandpa couldn¡¯t find you anywhere, I couldn¡¯t find you anywhere!¡± Old Master Lan cried as he lightly whacked Xiang Yang, appearing as if he wanted to hit her in anger but was reluctant to hurt her.

    Xiang Yang sobbed gaspingly, while Old Master Lan both cried and smiled in joy. Shi Ke was about to step forward, but Shi Nian held him back and shook his head slightly at him.

    This was the first time Xiang Yang had actively and consciously reacted since the incident. It was an excellent development. No matter what the outcome was, this was a good thing for Xiang Yang. And with this, they were also very likely to open a gap in Lan Long¡¯s siege campaign.

 Chapter 455 - Chapter 455 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Five: Exploit

    Chapter 455 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Five: Exploit

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation  Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Fei solicitously invited Lan Long to sit in the seat of honor, rubbed his hands together and smiled obsequiously as he said, ¡°It¡¯s an honor to have you here, Mr. Lan!¡±

    Lan Long politely replied, ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Young Master Gu. I¡¯ve heard that the Gu family has many daughters and they all dote on you. Young Master Gu is truly fortunate.¡±

    Gu Fei chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s nothing worth mentioning. I¡¯m quite mediocre, unlike Mr. Lan yourself, who has the capability to expand your business territory. This Rong City really isn¡¯t a good place to invest in. It¡¯s all monopolized by the four great families, and those four families are all b*stards! Our Gu family suffered a huge loss thanks to them! Fortunately, we met you, Mr. Lan. This time, we¡¯re going to make a killing!¡±

    Gu Fei rolled up his sleeves as he spoke, his ambition soaring high. Lan Long smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. Gu Fei inched forward and lowered his voice to say, ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you to two top-tier ladies today, Mr. Lan. I guarantee that you¡¯ll be delighted with them.¡±

    ¡°Young Master Gu, must you sound so obscene?¡± Lan Long rebuked jokingly.

    Gu Fei chortled and got up and left out the door only to return seconds later with a group of girls enough to fill up the room¡ªGu Fei¡¯s sisters, accompanied by Xi Yue and her two stepdaughters.

    Lan Long politely stood up to welcome them. Gu Fei got straight to the point and introduced the new faces to Lan Long, ¡°This is Ms. Xi Yue and her two daughters, Zhu An and Zhu Li. They just returned from overseas.¡±

    Gu Fei whispered in Lan Long¡¯s ear, introducing Xi Yue¡¯s identity overseas. Lan Long glanced at Xi Yue and smilingly nodded. ¡°Hello, pleasure to meet you!¡±

    Xi Yue sat on Lan Long¡¯s other side and quite forwardly and affectionately said, ¡°We¡¯ve met before, Mr. Lan. Don¡¯t you remember?¡±

    Lan Long was a little bemused. Xi Yue covered a smile behind her hand and told him, ¡°We met at my daughter¡¯s wedding banquet a few days ago! Oh, it¡¯s only normal that you don¡¯t have a deep impression of us back then. It¡¯s mainly because my daughter¡¯s wedding banquet was too lively and too many people were there¡ªit¡¯s easy to miss a few faces in all that hustle and bustle.¡±

    ¡°*Sigh* Shouldn¡¯t marriages be heartwarming and romantic, instead of being so loud and boisterous? The customs in the country and abroad are really different. My daughter¡¯s in-laws, in order to show that they hold my daughter in great esteem, insisted on holding a three-day banquet for the wedding. It was extremely festive! But what a waste!¡± Xi Yue remarked disdainfully, but her face was full of pride.

    Lan Long turned to glance at Gu Fei before politely asking, ¡°And your daughter is¡­?¡±

    Xi Yue had been waiting for someone to ask this question and answered before Gu Fei could, ¡°My daughter is Fang Xi. She married the second young master of the Ye Clan, Ye Kun!¡±

    Lan Long¡¯s eyes lit up at that, and he sized up the prideful and extravagantly-dressed woman before him again.

    ¡°Young Master Lan truly stood out in the crowd that day, so dashing and stately! You probably don¡¯t even know how much attention you¡¯ve attracted, right?¡± Xi Yue complimented him warmly.

    Lan Long¡¯s brain was working at full speed, and he had a humble smile on his face as he replied, ¡°You flatter me.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. Come, let me introduce you to my other two daughters. This is Zhu An, Anna, and this is Zhu Li, Lina! You two, come greet Young Master Lan!¡± As Xi Yue spoke, she gave up her seat and let Zhu An and Zhu Li sit down next to Lan Long. She herself immediately went to get friendly with the Gu family sisters. Xi Yue¡¯s social skills amazed even the Gu family¡¯s womenfolk.

    A plan had already taken shape in Lan Long¡¯s mind as he had an enjoyable time chatting with the Zhu sisters¡ªsomething Xi Yue was happy to see.

    ¡®That Fang Xi is completely useless,¡¯ Xi Yue grumbled mentally. ¡®We¡¯ve been waiting for her to help pull strings and matchmake, and she rejects us with all sorts of excuses. In the end, we had to rely on me to pester and doggedly hunt after the Gu family sisters before we finally met them. I didn¡¯t expect the Gu family sisters to help me arrange a meeting with Young Master Lan so quickly. The heavens are truly smiling on me.¡¯

    ¡®Of course, we¡¯re still going to take down Ye Tang, but he¡¯s only one person, which isn¡¯t enough to go around. And I can¡¯t put all my eggs in one basket. And this Lan Long¡­ I thought he seemed remarkable that day at Fang Xi¡¯s wedding, and after some digging, I was right! He¡¯s an eligible bachelor who¡¯s status doesn¡¯t lose out to the four great families!¡¯ Xi Yue thought, well-pleased.

    Gu Fei and his sisters exchanged glances and had a whole conversation with their eyes. They had to give Lan Long a gift that would impress him the most in order to curry favor with him. With the Gu family¡¯s current situation, no one could help them except Lan Long.

    However, not just anyone could pledge allegiance to Lan Long; it wasn¡¯t an easy feat. And just when the Gu family was having difficulties figuring out an appropriate gift, Xi Yue had delivered herself to their doorstep.

    As the saying goes, ¡°when one door closes, another one opens,¡± there¡¯s always a way out!

    Speaking of which, they had to thank Yun Nan and Fang Xi. If it weren¡¯t for their cynical remarks and scorn toward Xi Yue, the Gu family wouldn¡¯t have hit it off so easily with Xi Yue.

    When all kinds of dishes were placed on the table, everyone was already chatting away happily. However, each of them had their own hidden agendas and were only busy working for the sake of their own goals.

 Chapter 456 - Chapter 456 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Six: Tractable

    Chapter 456 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Six: Tractable

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation  Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Yun Liu bashfully lowered her eyes and helped Lan Long get dressed. The messy bed and rumpled sheets to the side and the distinct smell permeating the room told a clear story of their previous activities.

    Lan Long was very satisfied with Yun Liu¡¯s performance. He held her chin and commented, ¡°You¡¯re smart. You¡¯re more sensible than all of them. Mr. Lou said that the ¡®goods¡¯ you sent us are pretty good. I¡¯m very pleased! You can stick with me from now on!¡±

    Yun Liu bit her lip and asked in a quiet voice, ¡°Then can you do me a favor, Young Master Lan Long?¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± Lan Long replied, his tone airy and light.

    Yun Liu gritted her teeth. ¡°I want everyone in the Yun family to die!¡±

    Lan Long chuckled, ¡°Oh? You were raised by the Yun family. Instead of giving back to the family, you actually want them decimated?¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s tears fell and she cried, ¡°They¡¯re vicious and greedy! They ruined my reputation!¡±

    Lan Long shook his head and stated, ¡°Are you talking about Yun Zhang wanting to marry you? This matter didn¡¯t ruin your reputation. Instead, everyone¡¯s saying you¡¯re a grateful girl who repays her debts.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all Yun Zhang¡¯s scheme. In actuality, he wants me dead! He did it all for his biological sister, Yun Nan! For Yun Nan, he¡¯s even willing to tear me into pieces! I hate them! I hate them all! I want the Yun family destroyed!¡± Yun Liu hissed hatefully.

    Lan Long lifted her chin once more and shook his head. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. The venomous look doesn¡¯t suit you. You should stick to looking weak and helpless¡ªit¡¯s more likable! Continue your sweet and innocent act. Don¡¯t be like this. I don¡¯t like it!¡±

    Yun Liu was flabbergasted at that.

    Lan Long ignored her reaction and went on, ¡°The girls you and Tan Ning sent over are of good quality, much better than what Shi Gao provided back then. Gu Man¡¯s in charge of this aspect after Shi Gao left. If you¡¯re willing, I can hand it to you and Tan Ning.¡±

    Yun Liu was shocked at the offer, and her heart beat wildly.

    ¡°As for Gu Man¡­ Since she¡¯s got a man on her mind, she won¡¯t listen to me anymore. I don¡¯t like disobedient women, understand?¡± Lan Long looked at Yun Liu meaningfully.

    ¡°I¡¯m obedient! I¡¯ll behave,¡± Yun Liu hurriedly assured him.

    Lan Long smiled in satisfaction. ¡°That¡¯s good. You can go back to the Yun family first. Now¡¯s not the time for you to fall out with the Yun family. After all, you don¡¯t have Yun Entertainment under your control yet. You and Tan Ning remember to restock us with girls as soon as possible!¡±

    Yun Liu stared blankly at the door after Lan Long left, her body trembling uncontrollably. ¡®No one will help me. I only have myself,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I must destroy the Yun family!¡¯

    She took up her phone, called Tan Ning, and coldly ordered her, ¡°Help me organize a team-building event for the newly signed artistes!¡±

    ¡°Yun Liu, where are you?¡± Tan Ning asked, voice quavering. ¡°Where are you now?¡±

    Sensing something had happened, Yun Liu asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Some of the artistes¡¯ family members are here making a scene at the company. They smashed the front desk, said they¡¯ve lost contact with their kids for a long time, and wanted us to give an explanation,¡± Tan Ning told her anxiously.

    Yun Liu frowned. ¡°Where¡¯s Yun Zhang? Isn¡¯t he at the company? It¡¯s not the first time this kind of thing has happened, just let him handle it. For the sake of the Yun family¡¯s reputation, he won¡¯t ignore it.¡±

    ¡°Yun Zhang isn¡¯t here at work. I heard he was drinking the entire night last night and got photographed by the media reporters. Some of the staff asked me early this morning if it¡¯s true that¡ªthat you¡¯ve fallen in love with someone else, and said that Yun Zhang was so saddened that he resorted to drinking his heartbreak away! Yun Liu, where the h*ll are you? Wherever you are, you mustn¡¯t let the media reporters find you, understand?¡± Tan Ning urged.

    ¡°Ah!¡± A scream came from the phone, and Yun Liu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she blurted out.

    ¡°S¡ªsomeone¡¯s smashing up my office,¡± Tan Ning muttered shakily. ¡°The police are here¡ª¡± The call ended on her end.

    Feeling jumpy, Yun Liu hurriedly packed her things and headed out. She just arrived at the first floor when she bumped into Gu Man. Gu Man stretched out her hands, stopping Yun Liu in her tracks, and remarked, ¡°Hey, Young Master Lan asked you to prepare new goods, so how¡¯s the preparation going?¡±

    Yun Liu wasn¡¯t in a good mood and icily replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t? That won¡¯t do. I¡¯m in urgent need of manpower!¡± Gu Man rebuked, not letting Yun Liu leave.

    Yun Liu stared at Gu Man, thinking of what Lan Long had said in the morning, and said disdainfully, ¡°You can always report me to Young Master Lan!¡±

    Gu Man froze momentarily before she retorted, ¡°You think I¡¯m afraid to?¡±

    Yun Liu¡¯s bellyful of anger found an outlet in Gu Man. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s nothing you¡¯re afraid to do, Gu Man. After all, you have Young Master Xi¡¯s support now! I definitely won¡¯t dare to displease you when you become the Xi family¡¯s young madam¡­ However, that will only happen if the current young madam of the Xi family is willing to give up her spot!¡±

    ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll bury the years of your youth in this place. In the end, you¡¯re just a shameful mistress. I advise you to consolidate your position first before anything else!¡±

    ¡°You b*tch!¡± Gu Man raged. ¡°Did you have gunpowder for breakfast? I only asked you when your girls will arrive, and you fire off on me! Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re superior just because you climbed into Young Master Lan¡¯s bed!¡± Gu Man was floored by Yun Liu¡¯s attitude, and she naturally wouldn¡¯t let her off.

 Chapter 457 - Chapter 457 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Seven: Kill with Oneâ€™s Own Hands

    Chapter 457 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Seven: Kill with One¡¯s Own Hands

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation  Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Gu Man looked Yun Liu up and down and said, ¡°A woman like you is only a phase for Young Master Lan. Once the novelty wears off¡­ Do you really think he likes you? Hah! You¡¯re just a tool to warm his bed.¡±

    Gu Man snickered behind her hand. ¡°By the way, does that childhood sweetheart brother of yours know about your affair? He¡¯ll probably be terribly heartbroken if he does, won¡¯t he?¡±

    Nowadays, Yun Liu hated it when people mention Yun Zhang the most; it disgusted her. Anger boiled in Yun Liu¡¯s heart when Gu Man brought him up. She picked up a wine bottle at the side and swung it at Gu Man.

    Gu Man had never expected Yun Liu to get physical. She screamed in fear and shielded her head with her hands. However, she didn¡¯t hear the sound of glass shattering. She carefully opened her eyes and saw Xi Cheng had Yun Liu¡¯s wrist gripped tightly in his grasp.

    Xi Cheng frowned and asked, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    Gu Man threw herself into Xi Cheng¡¯s arms and cried, ¡°Xi Cheng, this woman is crazy! She wants to kill me!¡±

    Xi Cheng snatched the bottle from Yun Liu¡¯s hand and viciously glared at her.

    Scared, Yun Liu took a step back. However, she didn¡¯t expect someone to push her with great force from behind, and the momentum had her crashing toward Xi Cheng with a scream.

    ¡°¡±Ah!¡±¡± Both Yun Liu and Gu Man exclaimed.

    Xi Cheng instantly pushed Yun Liu away after she crashed into him, causing her to hit her head on the cabinet at the side, and blood immediately flowed freely from the wound on her forehead. Yun Liu¡¯s vision went dark, and she fainted.

    Gu Man, on the other hand, was startled by the person behind Yun Liu. There Lin Yu stood, one hand supporting her huge belly and the other supporting her waist, panting heavily and glaring furiously at Xi Cheng and Gu Man.

    ¡°Lin Yu?¡± Xi Cheng cried out. After being stunned for a moment, he ran towards Lin Yu in surprise. He made to hug Lin Yu, but her huge pregnant stomach got between them, and Xi Cheng suddenly felt a sharp pain.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Xi Cheng lowered his head and looked at Lin Yu¡¯s stomach. Lin Yu¡¯s stomach was round and protruding, but he could also see that there was a dagger stuck in his own stomach, stabbed right to the hilt.

    Xi Cheng staggered back a couple of steps, one hand on the dagger¡¯s hilt. His panicked eyes were glued on Lin Yu as he asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what you owe me!¡± Lin Yu replied as she regarded Xi Cheng with a calm expression.

    ¡°Ah! Ah! Xi Cheng! Xi Cheng!¡± Gu Man screamed in fright behind him.

    Xi Cheng didn¡¯t turn around. He just stared dazedly at Lin Yu and uttered, ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time. I couldn¡¯t find you.¡±

    A faint smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes appeared on Lin Yu¡¯s face, and her tone was gentle when she remarked, ¡°Is that so? You looked for me? You couldn¡¯t find me, so you found another woman to replace me, is that right?¡±

    A little anxious, Xi Cheng shook his head. ¡°N¡ªno, I didn¡¯t. I¡ªI¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± He spoke with some difficulty because of the dull pain in his abdomen, but he still had things to say to Lin Yu.

    Lin Yu looked at him, and her gentle tone was unchanged as she told him, ¡°I¡¯ve always been in your mother¡¯s room. She has been keeping me locked up in there. I could see and hear you every time you came to find her. I heard you two talk about Fang Xi, about Gu Man, and I heard her scold me. But you never spoke in my defense. I heard you beg her to help you, but she refused. I heard everything. And after you left, I still had to endure her humiliation.¡±

    ¡°Xi Cheng, see, I was right by your side. I¡¯ve always been by your side and have never left you. I love you so much, how could I possibly bear to part with you? I love you so much, so why did you betray me?¡±

    Hands covering his abdomen, Xi Cheng stared at Lin Yu and digested her words. Finally, he thought of something, but his vision was going a little blurry, and he couldn¡¯t see clearly. He couldn¡¯t keep himself standing anymore; his legs went weak, and he fell to his knees on the ground. Gazing at the blood pooling on the ground, he felt a never-experienced-before panic.

    He glanced up at Lin Yu and asked, ¡°What about Mom? My mom¡­ Where is she?¡±

    Lin Yu looked down at him condescendingly. ¡°She¡¯s dead. I killed her.¡± Her tone was calm and gentle, without the slightest ripple in her words, as if she was saying something as common as ¡°It¡¯s raining outside.¡±

    Xi Cheng¡¯s breathing sped up, but he stubbornly clung onto consciousness and stared at Lin Yu. She took a step forward and said softly, ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to kill her for a long time. I¡¯ve wanted to kill her since she was paralyzed on the hospital bed. It¡¯s my fault; I¡¯ve been soft-hearted and hesitant time and time again. I missed my opportunity and allowed her to survive.¡±

    Lin Yu continued, ¡°It¡¯s all that b*tch Yun Nan¡¯s fault! She ruined my plans and gave your mother the chance to turn the tables on me. Your mother actually imprisoned me, tortured me, and took revenge on me!¡±

    ¡°Haha, she doesn¡¯t even care about you, her biological son, so there¡¯s no way she would care about the child in my belly either. Then don¡¯t blame me; I only did what I did because of her heartlessness.¡±

    Xi Cheng fell to the ground, his face soaked in blood. ¡®That¡¯s my blood,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Strange, it¡¯s both warm and icy cold.¡¯ He panted and gasped heavily as his eyes stared widely up at his wife.

 Chapter 458 - Chapter 458 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Eight: New Birth

    Chapter 458 Chapter Four-Hundred and Fifty-Eight: New Birth

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation  Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Stepping on his blood, Lin Yu slowly walked up before him. She supported her bulging stomach and bent down to look at him and said, ¡°When you reach hell, remember not to leave yet. Wait for me. Let¡¯s be husband and wife again in our next lives. You have to pay back what you, and your family, owe me in this life! We¡¯ll be together forever, life after life!¡±

    Lin Yu smiled at Xi Cheng, bit her lip, and viciously pulled out the dagger in Xi Cheng¡¯s abdomen. Xi Cheng shouted in pain and fell silent.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Gu Man was scared out of her wits. She shrieked and curled up into a ball, covering her head tightly. Her cry caught Lin Yu¡¯s attention.

    Lin Yu turned to look at her, and her eyes suddenly flashed with a fierce light. She rushed over and stabbed Gu Man wildly. Gu Man screamed and cried as she struggled against Lin Yu before she shoved Lin Yu away hard.

    Lin Yu¡¯s body was clumsy with pregnancy. She fell and sat on the ground, the dagger held tightly in her hand, but she couldn¡¯t get up again. At this moment, the contractions started.

    Lin Yu didn¡¯t have the mind to care about Gu Man as the contraction pains had her sweating profusely. She rolled around in pain, staining herself red all over from the pool of blood on the ground. The pain got so much that she wanted to stab herself in the stomach several times, but she didn¡¯t do it in the end.

    Gu Man, who was also covered in blood¡ªthough those were from her own profusely bleeding wounds¡ªwas so scared that she fainted without even trying to escape.

    Lin Yu gritted her teeth, crawled over, and slashed at Gu Man¡¯s face with her dagger. Gu Man woke up from the pain, and Lin Yu stabbed her in the abdomen. ¡°Hustling in on my man, will you?¡± Lin Yu ranted. ¡°Die and rot in hell! I warned you, Gu Man! I warned you! I warned you!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Lin Yu screamed and fell into a pool of blood¡ªboth Gu Man¡¯s blood and hers. She had finally given birth to the child she had been looking forward to. ¡®However, it¡¯s meaningless now,¡¯ Lin Yu thought. ¡®No one would care about this child, and there¡¯s nothing in the Xi family now that¡¯s worth me scheming for. My life is a complete joke!¡¯

    Her eyes were wide open as she stared at the dark ceiling. ¡®Is this all there is to my life?¡¯ she thought, frustrated and discontented. She didn¡¯t understand why she was no match for Fang Xi and Yun Nan despite all her hard work. ¡®Why is it that they can be happy without any effort or doing anything, whereas I tried my best and put everything on the line, but in the end, it was all for naught? What did I do wrong to have the heavens treat me so poorly?¡¯

    ¡°Wah, wah, wah!¡± Lin Yu could hear the baby¡¯s cries right beside her, but they also somehow sounded as if they were getting further and further away from her. Lin Yu let out a soft sigh.

    ¡®I have no love for anybody, not even my own child! Since no one in this world loved me, then I don¡¯t love anyone!¡¯ Those were her last thoughts before darkness took her.

    Lan Long received two pieces of news at the same time: ¡°Young Master, something has happened at ¡®Vision of Eternity.¡¯ There¡¯s been a murder. A large number of police officers are here!¡±

    ¡°Young Master, the old master has been missing for a day and night. The hospital kept a lid on the issue and didn¡¯t report it!¡±

    Lan Long was drinking and having a laugh with the Zhu sisters. He could open up a gap in the three great families¡¯ defenses through the Zhu family. This was a knife they had voluntarily delivered to him on a silver platter! Now, the ¡®knife¡¯s hilt¡¯ is in his hands, just waiting to be pointed at them. ¡®This is the cheapest deal in the world,¡¯ he had mentally smirked.

    When Lan Long was told the news, his brain stalled for a moment. ¡®What murder case? The old man¡¯s missing?¡¯

    ¡°Mr. Lou, slow down. What¡¯s going on?¡± Lan Long composedly pushed away the wine that Anna had brought to his lips and glared at Xi Yue, who was talking non-stop opposite him. Xi Yue was so cowed she immediately shut up.

    ¡°Young Master, Lin Yu killed Xi Cheng and Gu Man and even gave birth to a child here at ¡®Vision of Eternity.¡¯ Yun Liu was also knocked out; the police originally came here to arrest her, and¡ªand happened to bump into this murder. Young Master, leave quickly and don¡¯t come back!¡± Mr. Lou instructed, sounding extremely urgent.

    Lan Long immediately caught the main point and asked, ¡°Why are the police arresting Yun Liu?¡±

    ¡°Family members of Yun Entertainment¡¯s employees went to the company to look for them. Yun Zhang announced to the public that Yun Liu had an affair and their engagement was already canceled. He also provided evidence that Yun Liu was involved in human trafficking, so the police came to arrest her,¡± Mr. Lou recounted everything in one breath.

    Alarm bells rang in Lan Long¡¯s head. ¡®How could there be such a coincidence?¡¯

    ¡°Also, the old master has gone missing, it¡¯s been a day and night,¡± Mr. Lou said, furious. ¡°The nurses at the hospital were afraid they would take the blame for it, so they didn¡¯t report it to us. They only informed us now after they¡¯d failed to find him anywhere¡ª¡±

    Lan Long jumped to his feet in anger. ¡°Those b*stards! I want them all dead!¡±

    ¡°Young Master, Young Master! Now¡¯s not the time to get mad. Right now, you need to go and find the old master immediately. Don¡¯t come over to the bar. That Yun Liu is a useless pushover. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll rat us all out!¡± With that, Mr. Lou hurriedly hung up the phone.

    Lan Long was working his mind so furiously that it was about to start smoking. This turn of events was truly too sudden. Seeing that her two stepdaughters were frightened, Xi Yue quickly came to smooth things over. ¡°Young Master Lan Long, what¡¯s going on? Did something happen?¡±

    An idea occurred to Lan Long, and he smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have something urgent to deal with now. Would the three of you mind accompanying me somewhere?¡±

    ¡°Where to?¡± Xi Yue hastily asked.

    ¡°My home,¡± Lan Long answered, his smile having regained its usual charm.

    Xi Yue eagerly agreed and inquired, ¡°Who else is staying with you? Wouldn¡¯t it be too presumptuous of us to visit like this?¡±

 Chapter 459 - Chapter 459: Chapter Four-Hundred and Sixty: Downfall

    Chapter 459: Chapter Four-Hundred and Sixty: Downfall

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation  Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Lan Long smiled, but his smile did not reach his eyes, and answered, ¡°No, don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s only my grandfather at home. He loves lively scenes the most. I hope Ms. Xi Yue and you two ladies can chat with my grandfather and help me cheer him up!¡±

    Xi Yue immediately became happy at that. ¡®Meeting his elders so soon proves that Lan Long genuinely likes my girls.¡¯

    However, Lan Long¡¯s face turned cold the instant he got the Zhu family women into the car and shut the door. He went to the driver¡¯s side window and ordered the driver, ¡°Send them to the villa and keep a strict watch over them!¡±

    Only then did the three women realize that something was wrong, but it was already too late. The door was already locked, and they couldn¡¯t get out. Xi Yue anxiously shouted at Lan Long, who was standing outside the car, ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this? What do you mean by this?¡±

    The car started up, and the partition between the front and back seats rose up. The back seats area now became an enclosed space. No matter how much they knocked or slammed on the windows or partition, no one answered.

    Lan Long¡¯s breathing was slightly rapid as he watched the car drive away. There was no doubt that the battle between him and the Shi family brothers had come to a head. ¡®Then there¡¯s no need to be polite,¡¯ Lan Long thought.

    In the hospital, the private nurses kneeled on the floor in fear. ¡°Young Master!¡± Chen Tao ran over in frustrated anger. ¡°The surveillance cameras didn¡¯t catch the old master leaving the hospital!¡±

    Lan Long didn¡¯t say anything. He gently tapped his forehead with his knuckles again and again, combing through every detail. A flash of inspiration suddenly hit him, and he took a deep breath. He then dialed that familiar number. After a long while, someone picked up.

    ¡°Yun Nan, it¡¯s me.¡± Lan Long¡¯s voice sounded a little hoarse to his own ears.

    ¡°Mr. Lan, what can I do for you?¡± Yun Nan¡¯s voice was calm as usual.

    Lan Long cleared his throat to make his voice smoother, and told her, ¡°Yun Nan, my grandfather is missing.¡±

    Yun Nan didn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anyone else aside from you who can make my grandfather follow obediently,¡± Lan Long continued, his voice so mild it was as if he was talking about something unimportant.

    Lan Long¡¯s tone was nearly entirely flat when he spoke next: ¡°State your conditions, Yun Nan. Or, I can use your good friend Fang Xi¡¯s family as an exchange.¡±

    ¡°What? Fang Xi¡¯s family? Who are you talking about?¡± Yun Nan finally responded, but the subject she was concerned about was Fang Xi¡¯s family. Lan Long¡¯s worried heart finally eased. This meant that his grandfather was with the Shi family, and from what he knows of Yun Nan, at least his grandfather wouldn¡¯t suffer in their hands. Now, it was just a matter of terms.

    Lan Long forced himself to be patient and uttered, ¡°Tell me, what do you guys want?¡±

    Yun Nan was furious at his attitude. ¡°What do you mean ¡®what do we want?¡¯ The question is, what do you want?! What exactly are you trying to do? Where did the artistes signed with Yun Entertainment go? I don¡¯t believe it has nothing to do with you! Also, you have to give us an explanation for what happened to Xiang Yang!¡±

    ¡°Alright! I can tell you anything you want to know, but I want to see my grandfather! Give Grandpa back to me!¡± Lan Long was already gritting his teeth as he finished his last sentence.

    ¡°Young Master!¡± Chen Tao cried out, staring at Lan Long fixedly.

    Lan Long waved his hand at him and said, ¡°Grandpa is safe for now. The Shi family must have hidden him away. Go gather everyone immediately. We are going on a head-on war with the Shi family.¡±

    ¡°Miss Shi c-came to the hospital y-yesterday. Old Master Lan chased after her when he s-saw her figure and c-called her ¡®Yang Yang,¡¯ but he didn¡¯t c-catch up to her,¡± a nurse stammered.

    Chen Tao was stupefied. He stepped forward and kicked the nurse to the ground. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡±

    The nurse held her hands to the spot where she was kicked and didn¡¯t dare to make a sound. ¡®Old Master Lan calls Miss Yun and Miss Shi ¡°Yang Yang¡± everytime he sees them. All of us got used to it and thought the old man called every young lady by that name!¡¯

    Chen Tao took out his phone and checked the surveillance footage. He quickly found Shi Xiu¡¯s car and showed it to Lan Long. ¡°Find out where it went immediately!¡± Lan Long ordered.

    ¡°They¡¯re at the Shi family¡¯s seaside villa!¡± It didn¡¯t take Chen Tao much effort to find that out because Shi Xiu didn¡¯t make any attempts to hide her whereabouts. She first went to find Yun Nan, and then the two women returned to the Shi family residence together with Old Master Lan.

    Bang! Lan Long slammed his fist on the table and turned to leave. ¡°There¡¯s no need to keep these people around!¡± he coldly uttered before he left.

    Chen Tao followed behind him and gestured to his subordinates. When everyone had reached the underground parking lot, a piercing alarm sounded throughout the building, and blood flowed like a river in the nurse¡¯s station. Lan Long sat in the car and slowly closed his eyes.

    ¡®Xiang Yang, you forced me to do this. You forced me to where I am today, step-by-step.¡¯ Lan Long mentally stated. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with staying as that energetic and high-spirited girl by my side? Why did you have to escape? Why did you fall in love with someone else? How am I supposed to accept that?¡¯

    ¡°Tell Miss Hong that Xiang Yang is at the Shi family¡¯s residence. She has permission to use the weapons in the warehouse freely without having to report to me,¡± Lan Long ordered glacially.

    Chen Tao froze. ¡°Should I tell Mr. Lou?¡± he asked tentatively.

    Lan Long shook his head slowly. ¡°Mr. Lou is stuck in ¡®Vision of Eternity.¡¯ It¡¯s been raided by the police.¡±

 Chapter 460-END - Chapter 460: Chapter Four-Hundred and Sixty: End

    Chapter 460: Chapter Four-Hundred and Sixty: End

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation  Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

    Chen Tao was dumbstruck. It took him a while to recover and urgently say, ¡°Young Master! You must leave immediately! Use our own channels and leave immediately! Leave the old master to me. I¡¯ll definitely bring Old Master Lan back!¡±

    ¡°Ivan, stop the car! Turn the car around and take Young Master away from here!¡± Chen Tao instructed the chauffeur. With the screeching of brakes, the car came to a halt, and the chauffeur, Ivan, looked towards the back seats in slight panic.

    Lan Long lightly shook his head. ¡°Grandpa won¡¯t go with you. I¡¯ll go. I have to face this eventually! Chen Tao, get out of the car and use our channels to leave. I¡¯m afraid Mr. Lou and I won¡¯t be able to get off the hook. The rest is up to you now!¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t! Young Master! You go! I¡¯ll go save the old master. I¡¯ll get the old master back even if I have to carry him over my back! Young Master, we can¡¯t lose you!¡± Chen Tao said anxiously.

    Lan Long cast his gaze out the window and smiled slightly, ¡°Grandpa¡¯s too old to endure such rigor. We¡¯re still young; as long as we¡¯re alive, there¡¯s hope. Moreover, I also want to meet Yun Nan. If only I had met Yun Nan in the beginning!¡±

    Chen Tao didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. ¡®We¡¯d chased after Xiang Yang all the way here, but in the end, Young Master fell in love with Yun Nan.¡¯ He was a boorish man and didn¡¯t know what it meant to ¡°regret not having gotten to know a love interest before they were married,¡± but¡­ ¡®Young Master didn¡¯t manage to make Xiang Yang stay even when she was unmarried back then.¡¯

    ¡®Why would such a fine person suffer feelings for a woman? Isn¡¯t it better to earn money instead?¡¯ Chen Tao really didn¡¯t know how to persuade Lan Long. Without Mr. Lou around, there was no way to get the young master and him on the same wavelength.

    Lan Long snapped back to his senses and stated coldly, ¡°Get out of the car! That¡¯s an order! Take over our operation and come save Mr. Lou and I when you¡¯re safe and secure. That¡¯s your mission! Go, and don¡¯t look back!¡±

    The Shi family¡¯s villa by the sea was the only one in the area; the entire place was their private property. It was surrounded by mountains and the sea, making it very defensible and hard to access. Looking at the residence, Lan Long¡¯s heart sank before he even got out of the car. ¡®I still underestimated the Shi brothers¡­¡¯ he thought. ¡®But so what? There¡¯s no turning back for me.¡¯

    White Tiger, Dragon, and Gray Wolf stood upright at the gates, dressed in combat uniforms, and watched as Lan Long¡¯s five cars stopped before them, expressions unchanged. This place was wide and flat, completely without any cover; there wasn¡¯t even a spot for Lan Long¡¯s men to set up an ambush. Whereas the villa behind them had cover, natural or otherwise. Once an enemy entered their shooting range, there was no way to escape.

    Lan Long composedly got out of the car and waved at the back. The door of the last car at the back opened, and screams rang out. White Tiger and the others looked at each other, expressions dark.

    Lan Long lightly smiled and said, ¡°These three are Miss Fang Xi¡¯s family members. I wish to use them to exchange for my grandfather. Will that be acceptable?¡±

    ¡°Fang Xi!¡± Xi Yue screamed when she heard that. ¡°You jinx! Look what you¡¯ve gotten us into!¡± Unfortunately, no one was listening to her.

    White Tiger hesitated for a moment before tossing a phone over. Lan Long caught it, and his expression immediately froze when his eyes fixed on it. On the screen, Grandpa and Xiang Yang were sitting opposite each other. Xiang Yang was tenderly feeding Grandpa, and Grandpa was stroking Xiang Yang¡¯s head with a cheery smile. The scene was so heartwarming that one could cry.

    Lan Long raised his head and saw Shi Ke, Shi Nian, and Yun Nan walking over from the main door. Yun Nan¡¯s gaze fell on the screaming and crying Xi Yue and her stepdaughters. Lan Long shook his head towards the back. Something was immediately stuffed into the three women¡¯s mouths, and the scene quieted down.

    There was the faint sound of police sirens in the distance. ¡°Stop resisting,¡± Shi Ke said calmly. ¡°Your organization has already collapsed.¡±

    Lan Long narrowed his eyes and replied equally as calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure. If it weren¡¯t for my personal matters, your losses and the Shi family¡¯s losses would be very heavy. You guys should thank your lucky stars for marrying good wives! Xiang Yang¡¯s my first love; I found you guys because of her! As for Yun Nan¡­¡±

    He looked towards Yun Nan and continued, ¡°I like you! Just like how I liked Xiang Yang back then, it¡¯s the kind of love that is till death!¡± His voice was extremely tender as he stared at Yun Nan affectionately.

    ¡°That is Xiang Yang and I¡¯s misfortune,¡± Yun Nan said detachedly.

    Lan Long looked away with great reluctance and sighed softly, ¡°If Xiang Yang could remain unchanged, even if I¡¯d truly died back then, I would¡¯ve been willing. It was only when I met you that I realized that the woman I truly liked was you, Yun Nan! Although it¡¯s a little late now, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m confident that I can rise back again, and I won¡¯t let you become my second Xiang Yang!¡±

    The police sirens blared. Lan Long gestured to his subordinates not to act rashly before saying to Yun Nan, ¡°Yun Nan, thank you for taking care of my grandfather for me. He¡¯s happier with Xiang Yang than with me! Help me tell Shi Xiu that she¡¯s a fine woman, but my heart already belongs to someone else! I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    White Tiger and his two teammates felt bummed as they watched the police car leave with Lan Long. The guy who¡¯d stirred up the entire Rong City had been caught just like that; the guy still looked arrogant and calm even when he got into the police car. It was really annoying.

    Shi Nian read the trio¡¯s minds. He held Yun Nan¡¯s hand and gently massaged it before lightly stating, ¡°Perhaps this is just the beginning. If he escapes, we will fight him again. We¡¯re ready anytime.¡±

    Things have ended, at least for now!