《Your Little Ones Are Stirring Up Trouble, Mr. Zhan!》


 Chapter 1

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    ¡°I feel terrible¡­¡± Xiong Miao probably drank too much.


    She stumbled her way into the hotel room.


    Just as she lay down, she was abruptly seized by a large hand.


    ¡°Woman, you brought this on yourself!¡± The low, powerful voice of a man echoed in the room.


    Xiong Miao felt her world turn upside down.


    In an instant, the scene turned chaotic.


    The next morning, Xiong Miao jolted awake to see a handsome face. Thick eyebrows like a sword, features so finely crafted they seemed to be the work of God. He was devastatingly handsome, eliciting envy and resentment.


    The sunlight fell, casting a shadow beneath the man¡¯s long eyelashes, akin to the chill in his eyes.


    Wait a minute, who was he?


    Recognizing the face before her, Xiong Miao sat up in alarm. Her heart was pounding as she scanned the unfamiliar surroundings, a hotel room.


    What happened last night?


    She had celebrated her twentieth birthday with a party at a bar, organized by her half-sister, Xiong Jingxi. She drank a bit, her head was spinning and she felt hot. Her sister suggested she rest in a hotel.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected this to happen.


    While the man was still asleep, Xiong Miao quickly dressed and left.


    Just as she reached the elevator, the door opened to reveal Xiong Jingxi and a horde of reporters.


    Xiong Jingxi looked surprised, having not expected to run into Xiong Miao so early. But after a moment, her eyes became shrewd.


    Xiong Miao was dragged into the elevator by Xiong Jingxi before she could figure out the situation.


    The elevator doors closed, leaving her no escape. Next, Xiong Jingxi tugged at her shirt collar, purposely embarrassing Xiong Miao and revealing her neck.


    ¡°Everyone, look at this! She¡¯s leaving the hotel early in the morning, isn¡¯t this an attempt to hide her sins? Report the truth in your news articles. Once the news is out, everyone will see what the Xiong family¡¯s young mistress is really like!¡± Xiong Jingxi exclaimed, gripping her firmly, reciting lines she had rehearsed beforehand.


    Xiong Jingxi had intended to catch them in the act, but she was a step too late. However, the man from last night had left visible traces on Xiong Miao, enough to serve her purpose.


    The small space of the elevator was filled with blinding camera flashes, leaving Xiong Miao feeling as though she was trapped in a dim room, threatened and uneasy.


    Xiong Miao struggled to break free from Xiong Jingxi¡¯s grip. ¡°Stop filming, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you see this, Brother Su? Even now, she¡¯s still denying it. She was with you only for the Su family¡¯s wealth. She doesn¡¯t love you. She is so reckless, not considering you at all.¡±


    Only then did Xiong Miao realize that Xiong Jingxi was recording a video. Her embarrassed reaction had been broadcast to Su Hongyi through the phone.


    Panicked, Xiong Miao tried to explain, ¡°Hongyi, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough! Xiong Miao, I was wrong about you! You were the one who betrayed me first. We¡¯re over! The shares your mother invested in the Su Corporation belong to the Su Corporation. You won¡¯t get a cent, this was your promise to me!¡± Su Hongyi¡¯s face appeared on the phone screen, cold and ruthless, not giving Xiong Miao a chance to explain.


    Once Su Hongyi finished speaking, Xiong Jingxi promptly ended the video call. The reporters captured everything clearly.


    Xiong Miao was left speechless.


    ¡°You truly have no shame. If I were you, I would distance myself far away. Once this news airs, your reputation will stink and everyone will want a piece of you. The Xiong family will never allow a woman who tarnishes their reputation to enter the family. Be wise about your actions!¡± Xiong Jingxi said bitterly.


    As the elevator reached the first floor, Xiong Jingxi, followed by a horde of reporters, hastily exited.


    Xiong Miao stood on the spot, her face pale, Su Hongyi¡¯s determined words repeating in her head.


    She loved Su Hongyi for three years, and all she got in return was an end to their relationship!


    He wasn¡¯t even willing to listen to her explanation.


    Her heart ached as if it had been stabbed.


    ¡°Miss, this is your ID card that you left here yesterday,¡± said the receptionist, handing her the document.


    It was Xiong Jingxi¡¯s ID!


    Yesterday, Xiong Jingxi had booked the room for her. Today, she brought reporters to catch her in the act.


    Recalling all these, Xiong Miao snapped out of her painful daze.


    The drink she had last night must have been spiked. It was Xiong Jingxi who had plotted against her, causing her to lose everything!


    The 10% shares that she invested in the Su Corporation were the only thing her mother had left her.


    In order to give her some clout in front of the Su family, her mother had invested everything into the Su Corporation because she once told her mother that she loved Su Hongyi.


    Later, Su Hongyi was always suspicious of her, not believing her verbal promises, which made her agree to a clause stating that if she cheated, she would forfeit her shares.


    Little did she know, this was all part of their scheme to strip her of everything and kick her out of the game.


    Anger and pain intertwined as Xiong Miao clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white, and her body trembled.


    Her father had always favored Xiong Jingxi and his daughter.


    Initially, to bring Xiong Jingxi and her mom into the Xiong family, her father had driven Xiong Miao and her mother out. Only when her mother passed away did her father allow her back into the Xiong family.


    Now, even if she suffered greatly, she had no one to rely on.


    ..


    Four years later.


    The first floor of the international mall was bustling, especially in the stage area.


    There were little superstars shooting a commercial.


    Six uniformed little tots were on display, striking adorable poses as the director instructed.


    The photographer was going crazy, capturing their moments.


    In his entire career, he had never seen children as cute and exquisite as these. Even more impressive was that there were six of these perfectly crafted, doll-like children.


    They were dressed in bright red clothes, pursing their little lips, making adorable kissing poses. Their festive and adorable antics attracted a lot of attention from the mall¡¯s shoppers.


    When the shooting ended, a woman dressed in sweet, fresh clothing walked over with a warm smile, carrying six bottles of milk.


    The six little tots saw her, started waving their little legs, and rushed toward her as if in competition.


    ¡°Mommy, milk.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, milk.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, nana.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, drink milk.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, wuwu.¡±


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±


    ¡°Slow down, you guys.¡± Xiong Miao squatted down, handing out the milk bottles to each of them.


    Once the little tots got their milk bottles.


    The eldest, Qianqian, was standing like a little adult, one hand on her waist, the other gripping the milk bottle, sipping milk.


    The second child, Junjun, wasn¡¯t calm while drinking milk, wiggling his little butt all the while.


    The third child, Wanwan, stood obediently beside his mother.


    The fourth child, Mama, lay directly on the ground, clutching his bottle and happily sucking on it.


    The fifth, Lele, with his chubby little face puffed up, had a dazed expression as if wondering who he was and where he was, staring blankly at his milk bottle.


    After glancing at each child¡¯s reactions, Xiong Miao grinned, only to find there was one milk bottle left.


    She anxiously looked around, noticing a bundle of red on a temporary bed next to the photo booth.


    Who else could it be if not her youngest daughter?


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 2

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    In her sleep, the little one¡¯s, with two horn-shaped braids atop her head that had been mussed in sleep, puffed her chubby cheeks. Occasionally, she cracked a smile as if she was dreaming about something fun.


    Xiong Miao looked at her sixth child, who was sleeping soundly, and shook her head amusedly. This Xiong Baobei loved sleep so much she could doze off anywhere.


    She squatted down, gently patted her face a few times to wake her up.


    ¡°Baobei, are you hungry? It¡¯s time for your milk.¡±


    The little one moved, her eyebrows furrowed as if dissatisfied with being disturbed from her sleep. However, hearing that there was milk to drink, she slowly opened her eyes. Seeing her most trusted person, she raised her chubby hand: ¡°Mommy, hug.¡±


    Xiong Miao picked her up and brought the bottle¡¯s nipple to her mouth. The little one began to move her mouth, slowly eating.


    Four years ago, she was manipulated and ended up pregnant. She was only twenty years old then, the fear and terror at discovering her pregnancy were overwhelming.


    She had been admitted to the Paris Design Academy, and for the sake of her studies, she couldn¡¯t possibly have a child. But at the hospital, just as she was about to have an abortion, the doctor told her it was sextuplets¡ªsix little lives.


    Such an opportunity was rare. The doctor also told her that her womb was thinner than average and that if she had an abortion this time, it would be hard for her to get pregnant in the future. Despite the difficult circumstances, she decided to keep the children.


    As the pregnancy progressed and the children in her womb started to stir, she felt gratified every day and did not regret her decision. She had to both study and work, leaving no time to harbor hatred. Gradually, she let go of the past.


    The children were born during her summer break. On the first day, she gave birth to five boys, which shocked her so much she was bedridden for a day. The next day, a girl was born, named Xiong Baobei.


    One birth, six treasures, five boys, and only one girl. As the name implies, Xiong Baobei was the most pampered in the family. Each of the six children had their own distinct personalities, soft, cute, and endearing. The kids seem to have inherited more of their father¡¯s genes, not looking much like her.


    People who had seen her children all said she had hit the jackpot by finding such good genes and giving birth to such beautiful and delicate children.


    Xiong Miao would always smile faintly and not respond. That absurd night was a painful past she did not wish to revisit.


    ¡°Xiong Miao, the director wants you to go to the office to discuss the advertising fee.¡± Su Mumu, with her exquisite makeup, came over and took Xiong Baobei from her arms.


    Not only was Su Mumu Xiong Miao¡¯s best friend, but she was also the agent for the little ones¡¯ advertisement shoots.


    ¡°There¡¯s no other way. You have to personally discuss the fees.¡±


    ¡°Okay, watch the little ones for me, I¡¯m going.¡± Xiong Miao said, when they were outside, her biggest worry was always the children.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me, you go quickly.¡± Su Mumu patted her chest, indicating she was capable.


    Xiong Miao entered the office, finding a man seated behind the desk. He had neat short hair, wore a crisp white shirt and black pants. His demeanor was warm and sunny, reminiscent of his youth.


    A twinge of pain hit Xiong Miao¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Xiong Miao, it¡¯s you!¡± Su Hongyi turned his head and saw her. Her refined beauty took his breath away. He was about to reminisce when a thought struck him, causing a sarcastic smile to form on his lips. ¡°So, you¡¯re the mother of six. In just four years, you¡¯ve given birth to six children.¡±


    Suppressing all her emotions, Xiong Miao met his gaze with cold eyes, moving to the other side of the desk, ¡°Where¡¯s the contract?¡±


    Su Hongyi handed her the document. ¡°We were in a relationship for three years, and we never even kissed. Thinking back, I feel quite shortchanged.¡±


    Xiong Miao paused while skimming through the contract. What did he mean by that?


    ¡°I¡¯ve married your sister, Xiong Jingxi. But her domineering nature has made my life miserable these past years. Why don¡¯t we get back together? Look, your six children can earn sixty thousand per ad shoot. In the future, as long as I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll make sure they become famous. I promise you¡¯ll never have to worry about food and clothing again.¡± As Su Hongyi spoke, he urgently grabbed her hand.


    No one could possibly know the hardships he had faced over the past four years.


    Xiong Miao felt nauseous, ¡°Let go of me, you scumbag!¡±


    ¡°Xiong Miao, I¡¯m offering you a chance to be my lover. Why are you refusing?¡± Su Hongyi looked at her as if he were a god bestowing a great gift upon a mere mortal.


    Xiong Miao laughed in disbelief, ¡°Even after four years, you¡¯re still a piece of trash!¡±


    Su Hongyi¡¯s expression changed, ¡°You¡¯ve already had six kids, stop pretending to be high and mighty. Why can¡¯t you be with me?¡±


    Once, he had loved Xiong Miao. But his judgement had been clouded by his lust for power, leading him to join forces with Xiong Jingxi to exclude her.


    Over the years, he had been tormented by Xiong Jingxi to the point of despair, reminiscing about his comfortable and happy times with Xiong Miao.


    Seeing her now, still as beautiful and lively, he wanted her.


    ¡°Shut up! Su Hongyi, I have nothing to do with you. I¡¯ll sign the contract, but we¡¯re merely business partners, and this partnership is a one-time deal.¡± Xiong Miao strived to suppress her nausea and anger.


    After scanning through the contents, she signed her name on the last page and left.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, you won¡¯t get a penny, and the ad your children filmed won¡¯t be aired!¡±


    Su Hongyi¡¯s threat echoed behind her. Over the years, his wife had been excessively oppressive, and he was desperate for some respite.


    Xiong Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    What saddened Xiong Miao wasn¡¯t the loss of the money, nor the failure to make her little ones famous.


    She was heartbroken for her children¡¯s.


    Ever since they took on the ad, her children had started practicing their movements and lines a month in advance.


    Today was the official start of the shoot. They woke up even before dawn had broken. Due to this, her six little ones hadn¡¯t had a good sleep and had cried all the way to the set. After wrapping up the ad, they were so exhausted that they didn¡¯t even have the strength to drink their milk, eventually falling asleep in the studio.


    At just three and a half years old, all this was extremely hard on them.


    And now, despite their efforts, they weren¡¯t receiving any reward for it!


    Xiong Miao was frustrated, distressed, and indignant.


    ¡°That director Su is a beast! I¡¯m going to confront him right now!¡± Su Mumu rolled up her sleeves, ready to storm out of the room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. He¡¯s powerful, it¡¯ll be futile.¡±


    Xiong Miao¡¯s words stopped Su Mumu¡¯s. She didn¡¯t want Su Mumu to know that the director was Su Hongyi from four years ago ¨C that ambitious, inhumane man.


    But he should be the president of the Su Corporation. Why was he working as an insignificant ad director?


    ¡°Miao Miao, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to do this ad in the first place. The little ones have suffered so much and they¡¯re not even getting paid,¡± Su Mumu huddled her shoulders in an apologetic manner.


    The inability to do anything in the face of a bad situation was the sadness of the underprivileged.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself. You were just trying to make the children¡¯s dreams come true. Xiong Qianqian and Xiong Junjun have always wanted to be little superstars, haven¡¯t they?¡± It was indeed strange, how could a three-and-a-half-year-old child dream of becoming a star?


    To fulfil the dreams of her two little ones, Xiong Miao had agreed to return to her country with her children and shoot the ad.


    Su Mumu had secured the ad shooting rights by offering all six of their kids as a package deal. She was extremely enthusiastic about it, which provided Qianqian and Junjun with an opportunity to appear on TV.


    And so, the rest of the little ones also had to go through the hardship.


    ¡°But what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°The salary would be paid by the advertiser, and the director is just an employee. I found out that the advertiser is the advertising department of Rich Corporation. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go to their office and clear things up. We need to get back what belongs to us!¡± Xiong Miao had a plan in mind.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 3

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    A soft and sweet voice called out. Little Xiong, with his short legs, clambered onto Xiong Miao¡¯s leg like a koala, gripping her clothes as he tried to climb up.


    ¡°Mommy, Mama hit me, and he took my toy.¡± Following closely, Lele, the fifth child, came running out. Standing not too far away, tears welled up in his innocent, dark eyes, looking pitiful.


    Mama, the fourth child who had already climbed onto Xiong Miao, looked defiantly at Lele complaining, not afraid at all.


    He seemed to think that as long as he was clinging onto his mother, he could create all the mischief he wanted.


    Xiong Miao roughly figured out what was happening.


    ¡°Mama, what should you say when your little brother is crying?¡± Placing the squirming child properly on her lap, Xiong Miao gently and seriously looked at him.


    Mama was a playful and naughty child, while Lele was inherently slow and timid.


    If Lele was complaining, it must have been because Mama had really bullied him.


    Mama blinked at Lele and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, brother, let¡¯s go play.¡± After receiving an apology, Lele quickly forgave him, his wide smile returned as he wiped away his tears.


    Mama wriggled to get down, Xiong Miao squatted down to put him on the ground.


    The two little ones, hand in hand, cheerfully headed back into the playroom. Xiong Miao felt both relieved and burdened.


    Raising six children on her own was a huge pressure.


    Just the cost of milk powder alone was something most people couldn¡¯t handle.


    While a can of milk powder in an average home would last a week, in their home, it barely made it through the day.


    Over the years, despite having a regular job as a designer, Xiong Miao had to take on additional jobs to earn money. Only by working hard to earn money could she maintain the household expenses.


    This time, it was also because Su Mumu had landed a children¡¯s clothing ad. To fulfill the dreams of Qianqian and Junjun, she brought the children back to shoot this ad.


    But she never expected to encounter such an troublesome situation.


    Although before returning to the country, she had anticipated that she might run into Su Hongyi, she never thought the encounter would be so terrible.


    However, the past was smoke and clouds to her. What she urgently needed to do now was to earn money to support the family and protect her six adorable children.


    Their family of seven was already having a hard time; they could not be taken advantage of anymore!


    The next day, Xiong Miao arrived at Rich Corporation and approached the receptionist, ¡°Hello, I¡¯d like to speak to the person in charge of your children¡¯s clothing advertisements.¡±


    ¡°Please wait, our executives are in an urgent meeting.¡± The receptionist finished speaking and immediately answered a phone call.


    From the receptionist¡¯s careful words and friendly tone, Xiong Miao could tell that she was fearful of making a mistake.


    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am, our CEO is about to arrive. He¡¯s been in office for only a few days, and he¡¯s making some big changes. Everyone in our company is busy preparing to welcome him. I¡¯m afraid the advertising manager doesn¡¯t have time to see you.¡±


    Just as the receptionist finished speaking, a few women in professional black suits hurried over.


    ¡°Quick, quick, quick, the CEO¡¯s car is here. The hostess, come over!¡±


    In the ensuing chaos, Xiong Miao was mistaken by the head of the welcoming committee as the hostess, and was pulled to the company¡¯s entrance, standing neatly.


    She was about to explain when a black Rolls Royce slid to a stop in front of them.


    The car door opened, and a glossy leather shoe stepped out confidently onto the ground, followed by wrinkle-free suit trousers.


    Then, the man exited the car, dressed in a black, hand-tailored suit. He was tall and had a commanding presence.


    His face was well-defined, features deep-set, masterfully crafted, with drawn eyebrows and eyes as deep as a pond, cold and noble.


    His appearance seemed to freeze the air around him.


    Like everyone else, Xiong Miao was amazed by the man.


    He was handsome, but why did she find him familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before?


    As she tilted her head, a flash of light suddenly crossed her mind.


    It was him!


    Xiong Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Four years ago, although it was a fleeting encounter, such a handsome face was hard to forget.


    That night four years ago was full of passion and wildness. The memory of the man¡¯s strong physique seemed to have happened just yesterday.


    And now, he was right in front of her.


    As she stared at the man in surprise, he had already walked past her. In that instant, his gaze shifted to her.


    That look was cold and oppressive.


    Her heart fluttered, and she quickly lowered her head.


    Zhan Yeling only glanced at her momentarily before he shifted his gaze, and, surrounded by his bodyguards, walked into the exclusive elevator.


    Phew¡­


    Fortunately, she reacted quickly and buried her face in time. He probably didn¡¯t recognize her.


    Xiong Miao relaxed her tense shoulders, feeling relieved.


    Was he the new CEO of Rich Corporation?


    Wasn¡¯t he previously a special model who frequented hotels?


    Could it be that he climbed up to the CEO¡¯s position step by step using his looks, enticing wealthy women?


    While she was deep in thought, the receptionist came to find her: ¡°Miss, Mr. Gu¡¯s assistant just said that the company is undergoing restructuring these few days. Anyone who has complaints or wants to report something can find the person in charge.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll look for the General Manager of the Advertising Department.¡± Despite her surprise, Xiong Miao hadn¡¯t forgotten her purpose for being there.


    She followed the secretary all the way to the top floor.


    ¡°Miss, please wait here.¡± The secretary instructed her to sit in the waiting area, then quickly left under the weight of the oppressive atmosphere.


    Xiong Miao heard a woman¡¯s voice coming from the office and curiously walked over.


    Through the crack in the door, she saw a woman kneeling in front of a man.


    The man was seated. All she could see was a slightly raised leg, smooth suit trousers, and shiny black shoes. His aura was noble, somewhat familiar.


    ¡°President. Zhan, although our sales department¡¯s performance isn¡¯t outstanding, I am beautiful. I¡¯m willing to be your woman, to satisfy your needs every day. I am very good at serving people¡­¡± The woman crawled forward, trying to cling to the man¡¯s leg.


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    The woman was kicked to the floor by the man.


    ¡°Gu Yi, take care of this!¡±


    At the man¡¯s command, screams rang out from the office.


    Xiong Miao¡¯s heart fluttered with unease. The woman had attempted to flatter her way to safety, but instead, she was reprimanded.


    ¡°Who¡¯s out there!¡± A cold, angered voice resonated from within the room.


    Just as Xiong Miao thought about escaping, the door behind her swung open. A forceful hand grabbed her by the collar and unceremoniously hauled her into the office.


    When she lifted her gaze, she found herself face to face with the extremely handsome yet frosty-faced man.


    She took a sharp intake of breath, burying her head instantly. It¡¯s him, but where is the advertising manager?


    Before she could process this, she noticed that the woman who had tried to seduce the man earlier was now missing two teeth.


    A bodyguard dragged her away and with a ¡°thud¡± threw her out the door.


    The forceful demonstration had terrified Xiong Miao, leaving her speechless.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± The man¡¯s voice was deep and lazy, as if the person who¡¯d just been violent wasn¡¯t him.


    ¡°I was just passing by, nothing else, hehe¡­¡± Xiong Miao forced a smile, ¡°You must be busy, Mr. President. I¡¯ll be on my way¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    His voice trailed behind her. Slow and steady, it was a low, pleasing sound. But it held an authority that left no room for dispute.


    Upon hearing these words, Xiong Miao¡¯s feet felt as if they had been nailed to the floor.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 4

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    She found it strange; why was her body responding so obediently to this man¡¯s commands? When he ordered her to stop, she just did. Despite her brain screaming at her to run away!


    ¡°Turn around.¡±


    His words came across as a command she couldn¡¯t refuse. Instantly, Xiong Miao turned, unwillingly facing him.


    She stood, he sat. The situation made her feel as if he was looking down upon her from a high pedestal. Not everyone possessed such a commanding presence, but his was so powerful it left one speechless.


    ¡°When did our company establish a department for eavesdropping?¡± Zhan Yeling sarcastically quipped, a cold smirk playing on his lips. The chill in his eyes was akin to a frosty morning breeze.


    Feeling embarrassed, Xiong Miao forced a smile and gathered her courage to reply, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop. I was looking for your company¡¯s advertising manager, but unexpectedly, the secretary led me here.¡±


    What she implied was that she didn¡¯t intend to come here, she was just brought to the wrong place.


    ¡°Today, any business matters can be reported to President Zhan. Speak your mind directly.¡± After dealing with the overly bold woman earlier, Gu Yi returned to Zhan Yeling¡¯s side.


    This was a clear attempt to realign company loyalty with the new boss. The new president had a way about him.


    ¡°No big deal, I just wanted to apply for the advertising job. If I can¡¯t, then so be it. I won¡¯t disturb the president anymore.¡± Having finished her sentence, Xiong Miao stepped back and hastily took her leave.


    Her swift departure stirred a light breeze carrying a delicate scent of magnolia, which brushed past Zhan Yeling¡¯s nose. His deep-set eyes involuntarily followed her exit.


    Gu Yi, standing beside him, caught his subtle expression. Shocking news! Their typically aloof and indifferent Zhan Yeling had actually spared a second glance at a woman!


    Like a scared animal, Xiong Miao fled from the Rich Corporation, taking a long breath of relief once outside.


    His emotionless face suggested he didn¡¯t recognize her.


    And rightly so, a man as handsome and wealthy as him must¡¯ve encountered countless women, passing through them like a sightseer admiring flowers, untouched.


    How could he remember someone as plain as her after all these years?


    This was a good thing, though. If he didn¡¯t recognize her, he wouldn¡¯t investigate her, and even more importantly, he wouldn¡¯t find out about the kids.


    Otherwise, he¡¯d surely take her little treasures away from her.


    People her age, after graduation, usually aim to fulfill their dreams and secure a promising future.


    But her biggest wish was to raise her children to be healthy and happy. From the moment they were born, they became the most precious thing in her life, and she¡¯d do everything to keep them safe.


    ¡°What ? You¡¯re giving up?¡± Su Mumu was shocked to hear that she wanted to abandon the opportunity to have her advertisement aired.


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to mess with the Rich Corporation. Let¡¯s just drop it. I got a callback from a job I applied to earlier. I¡¯ll go for the interview tomorrow.¡± The moment she saw the president of the Rich Corporation, she decided she couldn¡¯t let her children¡¯s clothing advertisement be aired.


    The kids looked so much like that man, especially her eldest and second child. They were his miniatures!


    If they appeared on the screen, they would definitely be recognized by that man, and that would be disastrous.


    She wanted to hide the children and not let him discover their existence.


    The next day, Xiong Miao, wearing light makeup, a mid-length black skirt, and a stylish blue blouse, went for the interview full of enthusiasm.


    However, Su Mumu was not ready to let go of the children¡¯s clothing advertisement without a fight.


    Since Xiong Miao couldn¡¯t handle it, she decided to bring the six little ones to encircle the person in charge at Rich Corporation.


    Unless the executives of Rich Corporation were saints, how could they resist the adorable cuddling of the six soft and cute little children?


    In the face of their cute antics, their hearts should melt, how could they not agree to their small request?


    Su Mumu organized her troops, ¡°Qianqian, you explain the situation later. Junjun, you massage the uncle with your little hands. Wanwan, you take care of serving tea and water. Mama, Lele, you two be cute. Xiong Baobei, you cuddle up to the uncle. Did everyone understand?¡±


    ¡°We understood!¡± Six little voices chimed in.


    The little ones were all spirited and determined, ready to fight a big battle.


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    With that, Su Mumu and the six little ones squeezed onto the bus and headed towards Rich Corporation.


    Meanwhile, at Rich Corporation¡¯s highest level, the CEO¡¯s office.


    A glamorous woman, dressed in a revealing, tight-fitting dress, was sitting on a leather couch. She poured a cup of tea and gently handed it to the cool man opposite her, ¡°Yeling, this tea I brought from Singapore, I brewed it myself, please try it.¡±


    Zhan Yeling was looking at his phone, ignoring the woman¡¯s words.


    Ling Xiaoxiao felt slighted by the cold treatment and a hint of annoyance flashed in her eyes, but she kept a radiant smile on her face, ¡°Yeling, our names already match so well. If it weren¡¯t for your prosopagnosia, you would¡¯ve seen me clearly. Once your condition gets better, you¡¯ll be able to see me clearly and then you won¡¯t refuse our marriage anymore.¡±


    As she spoke, she had already moved towards Zhan Yeling, bringing the tea cup to his lips, ¡°Yeling, please take a sip. This is a token of my feelings for you, oh¡­¡±


    Before she could get any closer, he adeptly moved aside. She almost stumbled, but managed to steady herself.


    Ling Xiao Xiao forced out some tears, and tearfully said, ¡°I just wanted to serve you tea.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, I can do it myself.¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. He took the cup from her hands, took a sip, and set it down, ¡°You can leave now.¡±


    He was annoyed by the marriage arrangement the family had made with the Ling family behind his back.


    And he was more annoyed by the incessant chatter in his ear.


    ¡°I suddenly feel a bit tired, Yeling, your rest room is inside right? I¡¯ll go take a nap.¡± Ling Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t act like a guest at all and made herself at home in the rest room inside his office.


    She had put a strong sleeping pill in the tea she gave Zhan Yeling. When he gets sleepy later, she¡¯ll move him to the rest room.


    Once the deed is done and the journalists coincidentally report photos of them sleeping together in his office.


    By then, it would be hard for Zhan Yeling not to marry her.


    Thinking of this, a cunning glint flashed in Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s eyes, and she lay down on the bed in the rest room.


    Zhan Yeling worked for a little while longer until he started to feel a throbbing pain in his temples.


    It was probably due to the fatigue from working these past few days without proper rest; he needed a change of scenery.


    ¡°Gu Yi, you can leave,¡± Zhan Yeling instructed.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Zhan, do you want me to drive you home?¡± Gu Yi could tell that he wasn¡¯t feeling well.


    ¡°No need, you can take the car. I¡¯ll go to the park.¡±


    The park was just across the company, not far at all. So Gu Yi left without worry.


    The bus happened to stop at the entrance of the park opposite the Rich Corporation. Su Mumu and the little ones got off the bus.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly caught sight of a handsome figure.


    ¡°Hey, handsome, wait for me!¡± Su Mumu excitedly chased after the handsome man.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 5

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Su Mumu¡¯s mind and eyes were filled by the handsome man.


    The six little ones, abandoned by their only adult, lined up by the roadside, becoming a vivid sight to behold.


    Passersby would pause for a few seconds to admire them.


    Third-born Wanwan, stood clueless: ¡°Did Auntie Mumu abandon us?¡±


    Eldest Qianqian, furrowed his tender brows: ¡°She said she was bringing us to the park, then she saw a man and ran off.¡±


    Youngest Baobei, the love-struck little one looked up: ¡°Long-legged uncle, so handsome¡­¡±


    Oh no! Was another boy planning to kidnap their favorite youngest sister? The five older brothers simultaneously lifted their heads, following their sister¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Thud!¡± The handsome uncle they were gazing at, walked past them and then suddenly collapsed.


    The sudden incident caused all six little ones to step back in fright. The six little heads, previously lifted, were now lowered in unison, staring at the unconscious, handsome man in front of them.


    Youngest Baobei covered her mouth: ¡°Did he die?¡±


    Eldest Qianqian, scratched his head seriously: ¡°He probably fell ill.¡±


    Second-born Junjun, opened his mouth wide as if he had discovered something new: ¡°Wow, this uncle looks a lot like Qianqian.¡±


    Third-born Wanwan : ¡°Yes, he looks like Qianqian and also like Junjun.¡±


    Fourth-born Mama, grinned: ¡°Is he our daddy? We should take him home.¡±


    Fifth-born Lele stared at the unconscious man, asking, ¡°Where did this uncle come from? And where am I?¡±¡±


    Eldest Qianqian, was the most sensible one, he had promised to take care of his siblings, he waved his little chubby hands like a conductor: ¡°Everyone step back, Mommy said not to approach strangers.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t have a dad, let¡¯s take him home and make him our dad.¡± Fourth-born, Mama, was the naughtiest and most creative one, daring to think anything.


    Second-born Junjun, raised both hands in agreement: ¡°I agree.¡±


    Third-born Wanwan, echoed: ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Youngest Baobei, the little one, also raised both hands: ¡°Let¡¯s take him home.¡±


    Then, the little faces that had voted in favor turned towards Fifth-born Lele, to ask his opinion.


    Lele, feeling shy under their gaze, gave a slight nod.


    Eldest Qianqian, sighed, looking resigned: ¡°Alright then.¡±


    The minority must follow the majority. Qianqian decided to fulfill his siblings¡¯ wishes. He pressed his wristwatch phone and made a call: ¡°Uncle officer, my dad fainted. We are lost. You can locate us using my phone¡­¡±


    At this time of the day, there were few people and cars on the road, so no one noticed the man surrounded by six little ones had fainted.


    Three minutes later, the police arrived. Five minutes after that, with the help of the police, the ¡°dad¡± of the little ones was sent home.


    ¡°The doctor just checked him; your dad just fell asleep. He¡¯s alright, he will be fine after some sleep, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± the police officer reassured them, in case the kids got scared.


    Upon seeing the six adorable children, the officer couldn¡¯t help but admire what a happy family this was.


    ¡°Thank you, uncle officer. My mom¡¯s bed is big, we can let Dad sleep in her room.¡± Eldest Qianqian has always been capable, he is the most mature among the six children.


    The two policemen managed to carry Zhan Yeling into the room and laid him on the bed.


    Worried about the children¡¯s safety at home, one of the policemen squatted down to Qianqian¡¯s eye level: ¡°Do you have your mom¡¯s phone number? If so, call her to come back and take care of you guys. It¡¯s not safe for you to be home alone.¡±


    ¡°I can take care of my siblings, don¡¯t worry, uncle officer. Our mom will be back soon.¡± Qianqian patted his small chest as a sign of assurance.


    The officers couldn¡¯t help but smile at his adorable manner.


    The kids seemed so sensible, they probably were used to taking care of themselves at home.


    After the policemen left, the little treasures gathered around the bed, curiously staring at the handsome man.


    The youngest Baobei pinched his nose with her chubby fingers: ¡°He has such a high nose, and a pretty mouth.¡±


    Second-born Junjun brought out a mirror, comparing himself to the man on the bed, and exclaimed in his small voice: ¡°He¡¯s as handsome as I am.¡±


    ¡°Bam!¡± The door was abruptly pushed open.


    Eldest Qianqian panted, ¡°Mom, mom is back.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out quickly.¡±


    The room turned into a whirlwind of activity.


    The six children obediently lined up in the living room and the bedroom door was closed.


    When Xiong Miao walked in, she saw six small figures lined up neatly. Their dark eyes were moving around, as if they were thinking up mischief.


    ¡°What are you guys up to?¡± Xiong Miao asked, one hand covering her face and the other taking off her backpack and hanging it at the door.


    The keen-eyed Qianqian saw the bruise hidden behind her hand: ¡°Mom, did you get into a fight? Are you hurt?¡±


    Xiong Miao let out a small smile, realizing she couldn¡¯t hide the truth, she removed her hand from her face.


    ¡°Look, look, mom has turned into a real panda now.¡±


    Not only her mouth, but the area around her eyes was also darkened.


    Clearly, she was beaten.


    ¡°Mom, let me get you some water,¡± Eldest Qianqian sympathized.


    ¡°Mom, let me help you.¡± Youngest Baobei walked to her feet, looking up with her small head, extending her tiny hand, worried that her mom might be in pain.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll get medicine for you, don¡¯t cry,¡± Second-born Junjun quickly shuffled to the refrigerator.


    But the medicine box was too high, even on tiptoes, his little hands couldn¡¯t reach.


    ¡°Thank you, my treasures. Mom is fine, I don¡¯t need medicine. You all go play in the toy room. I¡¯m feeling dizzy and want to lie down for a while.¡± The children¡¯s concerned, innocent eyes felt like a sugar rush that replaced her bitterness with sweetness.


    She had just finished an interview at a design company. As she left the taxi in her residential area, she was grabbed by Xiong Jingxi and beaten.


    She refused Su Hongyi¡¯s offer to support her financially, but he played the victim and blamed her instead.


    Xiong Jingxi, without knowing the full story, accused her of seducing Su Hongyi.


    He took advantage of her unpreparedness and beat her up.


    Two despicable men and a vile woman; they¡¯re all the same ¨C a match made in heaven.


    Xiong Miao¡¯s head was buzzing now, she wondered if she was experiencing a concussion.


    She needed to rest, and soon.


    With little thought, Xiong Miao pushed open the bedroom door, and collapsed onto the bed.


    Zhan Yeling, laid by the police on the bed, was partially covered with a blanket by Youngest Baobei to prevent him from getting cold, leaving only his face exposed.


    Xiong Miao didn¡¯t pay much attention, completely unaware that there was another person lying beside her.


    Her eyelids felt heavy, and she fell asleep within seconds.


    Ten minutes later.


    The front door of Xiong Miao¡¯s house was forced open from the outside.


    Xiong Jingxi, leading a large group of people, some carrying cameras, some holding microphones, and others clutching notepads and pens ¨C a bunch of journalists.


    Seeing the living room empty, Xiong Jingxi commanded excitedly, ¡°That vixen must be living here, let¡¯s find her quickly. Once found, you can freely take her photos, let everyone see that bewitching face of hers!¡±


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 6

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    The children who were playing with their toys in the playroom, heard a commotion outside.


    Just as Second-born Junjun was about to stand up, Eldest Qianqian held him by his shoulder, making him sit back down on the foam flooring.


    With a keen look, Qianqian focused on the closed door, ¡°Mom said that when she¡¯s not around, and strangers come in, we have to hide and are not allowed to go out.¡±


    The other siblings, Second-born Junjun, Third-born Wanwan, Fourth-born Mama, Fifth-born Lele, and Youngest Baobei, echoed in unison, ¡°Qianqian is right.¡±


    Xiong Miao, who was asleep, heard the sound of the door being forced open, which startled her awake. Instinctively, she pulled up the covers over herself.


    Suddenly, she felt something warm in her hand. Something was off about this sensation.


    Could it be one of the little ones lying next to her?


    She turned her head in panic, her bewildered eyes met a man¡¯s face¡ªa face where cold arrogance and nobility coexisted, an incredibly handsome face!


    ¡°Ah!¡± Xiong Miao¡¯s scream pierced the room like an arrow.


    The sound disturbed the sleeping man, causing him to frown.


    ¡°It¡¯s her who seduced my husband! Shameless as ever, just like a seductive water flower. So many years have passed, and she¡¯s still as brazen, using the excuse of shooting advertisements to climb up! Everyone, take photos, and expose her ugly face!¡± Xiong Jingxi was the first to walk in, pointing at Xiong Miao, who was just showing her head, she exclaimed arrogantly.


    The reporters, who were paid, were certainly there to do Xiong Jingxi¡¯s bidding.


    In an instant, all cameras pointed towards Xiong Miao. Some nosy reporters even asked sharp questions.


    ¡°Miss Xiong, do you often make money off men?¡±


    ¡°Miss Xiong, up till now, how many men have you slept with?¡±


    Just as this bespectacled reporter finished speaking,


    A man sat up leisurely next to Xiong Miao, rubbing his temples in a headache.


    The scene froze for a moment.


    Soon after, camera flashes went crazy, and the reporters started clicking pictures of Xiong Miao and the man like crazy.


    Caught off guard, Xiong Miao quickly pulled up the covers to hide herself.


    ¡°Such a flirty fox, seducing men every day. She¡¯s even sleeping with a man in the broad daylight at home, really shameless!¡± Xiong Jingxi¡¯s harsh words pierced into Xiong Miao¡¯s ears one after the other.


    Inside Xiong Miao, a wave of anger welled up. She hadn¡¯t settled the incident from four years ago, and now, this woman had the audacity to bully her again. This was truly intolerable!


    ¡°Ah, how could I forget, in the past, she slept with a random man and lost the chance to become Mrs. Su. Now, she¡¯s repeating her old tricks, trying to seduce my husband, but ends up sleeping with another random man at home!¡± Xiong Jingxi¡¯s cruel words not only ripped open Xiong Miao¡¯s wounds but also poured salt into them.


    This sentence was like a spark igniting the rage within Xiong Meow.


    She couldn¡¯t suppress her anger anymore.


    Abruptly, she jumped off the bed, catching Xiong Jingxi off guard. With the height advantage, Xiong Meow tackled her to the ground, rapidly slapping her across the face.


    ¡°Not sticking your nose in other people¡¯s lives is basic human decency! If you can¡¯t even do that, are you even worthy to be a human?¡± Xiong Meow fiercely scolded her.


    ¡°You dare hit me! Ah!¡± Xiong Jingxi tried to fight back, but Xiong Meow forced her back down, silencing her with another slap.


    ¡°Barging into people¡¯s homes without manners! You¡¯re just asking for a beating!¡±


    ¡°You¡ªI¡¯m going to sue you! Ah!¡± Having been pampered since childhood, Xiong Jingxi had never been so humiliated. She started screaming and clawing at Xiong Meow, but before she could finish her sentence, another slap silenced her.


    ¡°You just called someone shameless? You¡¯re the shameless one! Your whole family is shameless!¡± Xiong Meow held her down, one hand forcefully pinning her arms to the ground as she sat on her stomach, relentlessly slapping her. She couldn¡¯t swallow her anger.


    They had pushed her too far, all the way to her own home. This was beyond tolerable!


    She had wanted to slap Xiong Jingxi, this capricious woman, for a long time.


    Xiong Jingxi struggled but couldn¡¯t escape. Xiong Meow had her pinned at her weak point. All Xiong Jingxi could do was flail helplessly. She was on the verge of tears, ¡°Stop taking pictures, someone call the police, call the police!¡±


    ¡°Who dares to call the police!¡± A frosty voice echoed, chilling the air.


    The man dressed himself and strode over.


    His presence seemed to freeze the room.


    Upon seeing his face, Xiong Jingxi fell silent.


    The reporters, who were previously snapping photos without a care, retreated hesitantly.


    ¡°Everyone out!¡± His voice commanded respect and obedience.


    The reporters who were just bombarding her with questions obediently fled with their equipment, fearing they would be caught if they lingered.


    Xiong Jingxi took the opportunity to scramble away when Xiong Meow finally released her.


    ¡°Scram, you vile woman!¡± Xiong Meow dusted off her hands, wincing slightly from the pain of the slaps.


    A chill ran down her spine, and Xiong Meow sensed something.


    She slowly turned her head and saw his face. Her scalp tingled.


    Why was he in her house?


    Was he here to take her children away?


    Upon that thought, she quickly turned around, wanting to run. But then she realized, this was her home, where could she run? Confronted with the imposing man, her legs turned to jelly, but she forced herself to stay calm, chin held high and threatened, ¡°I don¡¯t care why you¡¯re in my house, but you need to leave. Now. I can be pretty fierce, you just saw that.¡±


    ¡°This is my house. You¡¯re the one who should leave,¡± the man coolly shot her a glance.


    Xiong Meow tensed under his gaze, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. How could the grand house of the CEO of the Rich Corporation be this old and shabby? Your home is a luxurious mansion!¡±


    ¡°Do I know you?¡± Zhan Yeling raised an eyebrow, the confusion in his deep eyes didn¡¯t seem feigned.


    Damn it!


    They had just met yesterday, and he had already forgotten about her?


    Was she so insignificant that she could be forgotten just like that?


    Well, better off not knowing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you. You better go back to your own home,¡± Xiong Meow responded, heading for the door as soon as she finished her sentence.


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s face hardened.


    His inexplicable appearance here must have been her doing.


    He had heard what those people had said earlier; she had seduced someone else¡¯s husband and got chased all the way home by his wife.


    And now, he found himself mysteriously in her house.


    Could it be true what those people were saying? Was she playing tricks to sleep with other women¡¯s men?


    What had she done to bring him here!


    She had quite the nerve to target him!


    The more Zhan Yeling thought about it, the more annoyed he became.


    Xiong Meow paced around in the living room, unsure of what to do. Fortunately, her six little treasures were still in the toy room and hadn¡¯t come out. If the man saw them, he would undoubtedly take them away from her!


    Just as she was growing more anxious, the sound of steady footsteps echoed from behind her.


    From the corner of her eye, Xiong Meow caught sight of the tall figure. She froze in fear, stopping in her tracks. She leaned against the dining table behind her, barely able to keep herself upright, let alone collapse to the ground.


    Facing the man¡¯s steady approach, she panicked to the point of helplessness.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 7

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    At this moment, the man emanated an icy aura, making the surrounding atmosphere tense.


    Upon seeing his handsome face tight with tension, looking as though he might snap at any moment, Xiong Miao¡¯s heart beat faster uncontrollably.


    She clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and mustered the courage to puff out her chest and speak. ¡°Everything here has nothing to do with you. You should leave immediately.¡±


    The man, Zhan Yeling, advanced with long strides. Seeing him move, Xiong Miao backed away in fear. ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t come any closer.¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending to be innocent. Did you trick me into coming home just to sleep with me? Was it all for the money?¡± His tall figure loomed closer, his powerful aura engulfing her, creating an oppressive pressure.


    Xiong Miao¡¯s back hit the wall. Escape was impossible. The man¡¯s handsome face was right in front of her, his eyebrows knitted in anger, chilling like a demon.


    The cold aura was so oppressive that Xiong Miao¡¯s fingers began to tremble. She stammered, ¡°You, I, it wasn¡¯t me¡­¡±


    Wasn¡¯t it him who came to her house on his own? How had it come to the point where she was the one who tricked him?


    A million questions swirled in Xiong Miao¡¯s mind. Under the shadow of his tall figure, she lowered her head anxiously, avoiding his fiery gaze. Her head was near his nose, the elegant magnolia scent from her hair unceasingly infiltrating his senses.


    This familiar smell¡­


    Images from four years ago rolled in his mind. The woman¡¯s unique sweet fragrance felt as if it was just yesterday. He remembered her taste every moment, yet she was always with other men, always finding new ways to sneak them into her bed!


    He, the esteemed second son of the Zhan family, was obsessing over such a woman!


    Damn it!


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s eyes, as dark as ink, sank deeper, and his aura grew even colder.


    ¡°It really wasn¡¯t me, we just slept together, that¡¯s all.¡± Sensing his growing anger, Xiong Miao looked up and quickly explained.


    He clenched his teeth, his black eyes deep as ink.


    ¡°When I say ¡®slept,¡¯ I mean it as a noun, not a verb, so don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Realizing that her words could be misinterpreted, she hurriedly clarified the situation.


    ¡°No matter your intentions, don¡¯t expect to gain anything from me!¡± He squeezed out cold words from his thin lips.


    His phone in his pocket rang. He answered, ¡°Be here to pick me up in two minutes!¡±


    Then, he walked away with long strides.


    The sound of the closing door snapped Xiong Miao out of her daze. She looked around the empty living room, confirming that the man had indeed left.


    Only then did she let her tense body relax, feeling utterly drained.


    What on earth had happened?


    Why was the president of Rich Corporation in her home, sleeping in her bed?


    If he hadn¡¯t come on his own, then who had knocked him out and brought him here?


    Could it be the work of Su Mumu, who was always obsessed with handsome men?


    With that thought, she opened her mouth wide in surprise.


    Wait, now was not the time to ponder why he was in her house.


    When he went back, would he investigate her, and then find out about her child?


    If he found out the children were his offspring,


    Wouldn¡¯t he take her precious children away from her?


    With her current capabilities, there was no way she could compete with the Rich Corporation.


    As they are the symbol of power and wealth.


    She had to come up with a plan quickly!


    At this moment, Xiong Miao was frantic like an ant on a hot pan, all in a mess.


    At this moment, there was the sound of the door being unlocked.


    Just then, there was the sound of unlocking the front door.


    Xiong Miao, startled like a frightened deer, stared at the entrance.


    Impossible, was he back so soon to claim the children?


    The door opened, and Su Mumu, in a state of panic, rushed in, ¡°Miao Miao, you¡¯re home. Where are the little one? Oh no¡­ I¡¯ve lost the six children¡­¡±


    Su Mumu circled the living room, not seeing a single sign of the little ones, and she started crying in fright.


    Compared to Su Mumu¡¯s anxiety, Xiong Miao heaved a sigh of relief, ¡°They¡¯re in the playroom playing with toys.¡±


    Su Mumu rushed to push the door open, spotting the tiny figures sitting on the foam-assembled cartoon floor, each engrossed in their own toys.


    ¡°One, two, three, four, five, six. None are missing. Whew¡­ that scared me.¡±


    ¡°Auntie Mumu, did you manage to catch your handsome guy?¡± the six adorable children asked, their plump little faces looking up, their voices babyish.


    ¡°I lost him.¡± Su Mumu replied, scratching her head awkwardly.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Xiong Miao picked up some clues.


    Under her questioning, Su Mumu confessed everything.


    Now, Xiong Miao was even more confused. If it wasn¡¯t Su Mumu who brought him home, who could it be?


    The six little ones had no idea about their mother¡¯s concerns, happily playing with their toys. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t tell their mom that they had asked the friendly police officer to bring Zhan Yeling to their mother¡¯s bed for a nap.


    ¡°Ah! Miao Miao, you¡¯re trending!¡± Su Mumu, who was leisurely browsing through TikTok, suddenly screamed.


    Before Xiong Miao could react, she had placed her phone in front of her.


    In the TikTok video, Xiong Miao had Xu Jingxi pinned to the ground, one hand holding her wrists down, not giving her a chance to fight back, while her other hand ruthlessly slapped her a few times.


    For every slap, the words she spoke were strong and impressive.


    ¡°It must have been some nosy reporter filming this.¡± Xiong Miao rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Oh my gosh, what did I miss in the few hours I was away?¡± Su Mumu lamented over missing the thrilling event.


    ¡°How can these netizens be like this? It¡¯s clear that Mrs. Su deserved to be hit, but why are they scolding you?¡± The online comments were disturbing to read.


    Xiong Miao couldn¡¯t help but glance over.


    The comments were, : ¡°Shameless, seducing someone else¡¯s husband and assaulting the wife. This kind of woman should be dunked in a pig cage.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this world, so brazen even as a mistress.¡±


    ¡°Vixen, don¡¯t let us see you, we will beat you every time we see you.¡±


    ¡°Relying on her beauty, seducing men everywhere, isn¡¯t it all just for money?¡±


    ¡­


    After reading all these nonsensical comments, Xiong Miao felt as if there was a block of dung in her heart, a disgusting feeling.


    People who start ranting without discerning right from wrong truly left her speechless.


    It was clear that she was the victim, but now she had become the target of public criticism.


    ¡°Miao Miao, that panda-shaped bruise on your face, was it also given by Mrs. Su?¡± Su Mumu had been meaning to ask earlier but held back, seeing her preoccupied.


    Now everything seemed to have an answer.


    ¡°I think I should take the kids and move to a different city,¡± she said. Her current biggest worry wasn¡¯t the online slanders but the CEO of Rich Corporation.


    ¡°Miao Miao, don¡¯t be silly. The internet is interconnected nationally. No matter where you go, people will recognize you. So it¡¯s best you stay here. We¡¯ve done nothing wrong, so we¡¯ve nothing to fear,¡± Su Mumu tried to boost her spirit.


    Xiong Miao couldn¡¯t bring herself to mention her encounter with Zhan Yeling at home today, and the misunderstandings that had ensued.


    ¡°You are so talented and excellent at design, you must have passed the job interview. You should focus on going to work and raising the kids. Leave the online matters to me,¡± Su Mumu said, draping an arm around her shoulder, displaying a determination to handle everything on her own.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 8

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    At the top level of the Rich Corporation, in the President¡¯s office.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take pictures of me. What¡¯s so interesting about me alone?¡± Ling Xiaoxiao blocked the camera in frustration. She initially planned to sleep with Zhan Yeling, but unexpectedly, she fell asleep first and had no idea where Zhan Yeling had gone.


    The high-grade glass door to the office opened. A man in a black handmade suit, tall and imposing, strode in with an air of refinement.


    ¡°President Zhan is back!¡±


    Reporters swarmed, while the bodyguards and Gu Yi swiftly shielded the man from the onslaught of trouble.


    Unable to get close, the reporters had to settle for interviews from the periphery of the circle formed by the bodyguards.


    ¡°President Zhan, is it true that Miss Ling shared the office rest-room with you?¡±


    ¡°Are you blind? President Zhan just came back from outside,¡± Gu Yi retorted.


    ¡°President Zhan, your engagement party with Miss Ling is near, and while you are inseparable, you are not sharing a bed. This suggests you care for Miss Ling¡¯s reputation while being unable to bear separation. It shows you truly love Miss Ling,¡± another reporter who had been paid tried to portray Zhan Ye Ling and Ling Xiaoxiao as a loving couple.


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s dark eyes momentarily shifted to the reporter, frightening him so much that he nearly dropped his camera.


    ¡°Fengxiang Entertainment, if you are still with the company tomorrow, it will no longer exist,¡± Zhan Yeling glanced at his work badge, speaking calmly but forcefully. His intimidating presence was evident.


    Zhan Yeling was annoyed!


    Everyone got the message.


    Within two seconds, the surrounding chatter ceased, and the office was once again quiet.


    ¡°Ye Ling, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Ling Xiaoxiao, realizing her plan had failed, looked at him, a mix of guilt and regret in her eyes, tears welling up.


    She played the role of the pitiful victim to perfection.


    ¡°Get out!¡± Zhan Ye Ling¡¯s voice was low, but impactful.


    Ling Xiaoxiao, startled, her shoulders trembling, reluctantly left the room for fear of upsetting him further.


    After Ling Xiaoxiao left, Gu Yi brought over the recently tested teacup, saying respectfully, ¡°President Zhan, the tea contains a large amount of sleeping pills.¡±


    So this was all a big show staged by Ling Xiaoxiao!


    ¡°President Zhan, Miss Ling was just trying to foster a relationship with you. I think it¡¯s understandable, after all, you two are about to get engaged,¡± Gu Yi bravely advised him.


    Wasn¡¯t Ling Xiaoxiao drugging Zhan Yeling¡¯s tea just a way to bed the uninterested man, make a fuss, and force him to take responsibility?


    Zhan Yeling shot him a cold look.


    Gu Yi bowed his head: ¡°I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°The overseas product launch for this quarter has already begun,¡± Gu Yi swiftly changed the subject back to work.


    He picked up the remote and turned on the large computer screen in the office.


    ¡°That vixen, sleeps with a different man every day¡­¡±


    Suddenly, a chaotic scene appeared on the computer screen. A richly dressed woman was pointing at a woman hiding in the corner of a bed, showing just her face.


    Wait, that woman was hiding in the arms of a handsome man. And that man was¡­


    Their President Zhan!


    Stunned by the news, Gu Yi froze.


    In just a short while, their usually aloof and reticent President Zhan had left his fianc¨¦e to sleep with another woman!


    And in such an affectionate manner, no less!


    Zhan Yeling looked at the computer screen. A woman sat on him, looking desperate to nestle into his chest. He rubbed his throbbing temples, showing no signs of resisting her.


    Anger stirred within him. ¡°Gu Yi!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I played the wrong one,¡± Gu Yi replied, startled, and quickly switched off the power.


    ¡°Find out who released the news and suppress them!¡± Zhan Yeling commanded, fiery anger burning in his eyes.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get right on it.¡± Gu Yi promptly left to carry out the order.


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s handsome face turned dark with rage.


    Ling Xiaoxiao sat in the car on her way home when she suddenly came across a news article featuring Zhan Yeling in bed with another woman. As soon as she recognized the woman¡¯s face, the video was blocked.


    So, Zhan Yeling had been with another woman!


    It turned out that it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t like sleeping with women; he just didn¡¯t like her.


    A look of resentment and unwillingness flashed in Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s enchanting eyes.


    At the same time, Xiong Miao also happened to see the news featuring her and Zhan Yeling in bed together.


    The video showed her in an awkward and helpless state while Xiong Jingxi was arrogant and overbearing. Zhan Yeling¡¯s appearance was an unexpected accident.


    But this unexpected event turned a simple domestic dispute into a sensation, gaining over a million shares in just two minutes.


    The only consolation for Xiong Miao was that neither the previous nor this video had captured her children.


    ¡°You¡¯re in bed with the CEO of the Rich Corporation again!¡± Su Mumu lost her composure after watching the video.


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®again¡¯? Mind your words,¡± Xiong Miao retorted, feigning innocence.


    ¡°Those six little ones are Zhan Yeling¡¯s kids, right? They look so much like him. You can¡¯t fool me. Four years ago, you slept with the handsome Zhan Yeling!¡± Su Mumu pouted, devastated as if she had lost a treasure.


    All the handsome guys in the world should be hers!


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll investigate and find my children?¡± Xiong Miao was still worried.


    ¡°Oh please, not everyone is as obsessed with their kids as you are,¡± Su Mumu dismissed her worries as baseless.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°But nothing! If he wanted to investigate you, he would have done it four years ago. Why would he wait until now?¡± Su Mumu might be usually hazy, but she always hit the nail on the head when it mattered.


    ¡°Besides, he¡¯s about to get engaged to Ling Xiaoxiao, the heiress of the Ling family. They¡¯re very much in love. As for you, you¡¯re just a fleeting joy before his marriage. He won¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Su Mumu, having looked up Zhan Yeling because he was handsome, had stumbled upon this information.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll go to work without any worries tomorrow,¡± Xiong Miao decided, feeling reassured.


    Xiong Miao started her new job at a professional fashion design company.


    ¡°This is your seat. Take the day to familiarize yourself with the environment. Come to my office to collect your uniform after work,¡± said Manager Zhang, a good-looking young man.


    After arranging Xiong Miao¡¯s workspace and greeting his colleagues, he returned to his office.


    Although it was her first day, Xiong Miao really liked the environment of the company. The space was roomy, the d¨¦cor was artistic, and every desk had potted plants in front of it.


    Right next to her were two pots of green luo and a few pots of hyacinths.


    The hyacinths bloomed in pink clusters, their fragrance wafting through the air, invigorating and refreshing.


    Without any work assigned to her on the first day, she took out the paper and pencil she had brought along and started doodling out of boredom.


    Soon, it was time to leave work.


    Following instructions, Xiong Miao headed to the manager¡¯s office.


    ¡°Manager Zhang, I¡¯ve come to collect my uniform,¡± Xiong Miao said politely, standing in front of his desk.


    ¡°Close the door first,¡± he instructed.


    Xiong Miao didn¡¯t think much of it and closed the door.


    As she turned around, she almost bumped into Manager Zhang who had somehow closed the gap between them.


    Quickly stepping back, she stammered, ¡°Manager Zhang¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you can¡¯t do without a man in your life. How about I satisfy you today?¡± The once serious and meticulous man was now showing a lustful expression.


    He swiftly grabbed Xiong Miao by the waist.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 9

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Xiong Miao was on edge, managing to slip out of his grasp like a slippery fish and spinning to open the door.


    However, Zhang Huansheng was one step ahead of her, blocking the exit. ¡°What are you so shy about? When you¡¯re sleeping with other men, you¡¯re in your element, aren¡¯t you? As long as you¡¯re with me, you¡¯ll have my protection in the company.¡±


    ¡°Who wants to be with you, you pervert! Get out of the way!¡± Xiong Miao was so angry that her face turned red.


    It was now after work hours, and the company was nearly empty. There was no one to help her. She would have to handle this situation herself.


    ¡°Ashamed of your actions?¡± Zhang Huansheng said, reaching towards her chin.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Before Zhang Huansheng¡¯s hand could reach her, it was caught and bitten hard. He screamed in pain.


    Xiong Miao let go of his filthy hand and took the opportunity to run while he was still in shock.


    ¡°Trying to escape, are you? Stop right there!¡±


    Xiong Miao, being a woman, didn¡¯t have the stamina of a man. After running just a few steps, she was caught up to.


    Since they were still in the company, Zhang Huansheng dared not go too far. He gripped her hand tightly, self-righteously saying, ¡°It¡¯s your good fortune that I¡¯m interested in you, don¡¯t be ungrateful!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, you trash!¡± Xiong Miao was out of breath, a mix of anger and helplessness visible on her face.


    ¡°How dare you insult me.¡± Zhang Huansheng raised his hand, intending to slap her across the face.


    Xiong Miao held her chin high, a defiant look on her face.


    The hand that should have landed on her face was stopped mid-air by a larger hand.


    Xiong Miao was shocked, and upon seeing the stern face of the man who had intervened, she quickly broke free and moved several steps away.


    ¡°Zhan, President Zhan, she¡­ she made a mistake, and I was punishing her.¡± Seeing Zhan Yeling, Zhang Huansheng¡¯s arrogance deflated like a balloon that had been let out of air. He was compliant but still tried to make excuses for his actions.


    ¡°Treating the company like it¡¯s your own personal playground? Don¡¯t bother coming in tomorrow!¡± The booming voice held an authoritative tone that didn¡¯t allow for any argument.


    Zhang Huansheng couldn¡¯t believe it, and didn¡¯t want to. But the words had come from the CEO himself, and he had no choice but to obey.


    He hadn¡¯t expected his eight-year career to be destroyed in an instant.


    Just a moment of indiscretion had ruined everything.


    Within a minute, Zhang Huan had gathered his things and left.


    Xiong Miao was so shocked that she sat at her workstation, trying to calm her racing heart.


    Suddenly, the temperature around her seemed to drop. Looking up, she found herself staring into the man¡¯s deep eyes. She quickly started packing up the drawings on her desk, ¡°I¡¯ll leave right away.¡±


    ¡°Are these all your designs?¡±


    Pausing her work, she noticed his gaze resting on the designs she had sketched throughout the day.


    ¡°It¡¯s my first day at work, and I wasn¡¯t given any tasks, so I drew these out of boredom,¡± Xiong Miao answered truthfully.


    Over the years, no matter how tired or hard things got, she had always managed to get by on her own.


    So, no matter how wronged she felt now, she maintained her composure. She knew that tears were worthless in the public eye, even damaging to her dignity.


    ¡°Starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll be the manager of the design department. Gu Yi, get it sorted,¡± Zhan Yeling finished saying, his hands in his pockets as he walked away.


    Xiong Miao couldn¡¯t believe her own ears, ¡°I¡­I got promoted?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss Xiong, you heard right. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll take you to HR to process the paperwork,¡± Gu Yi stepped forward, answering her doubts.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve just graduated not long ago, and just started at the company¡­,¡± she said, unsure whether her experience or ability was sufficient.


    ¡°Our President Zhan values design, and your design talent is extraordinary, Miss Xiong. You¡¯re the best candidate to save our new products for the next quarter,¡± Gu Yi explained. He had been with Zhan Yeling for many years, and naturally understood his style.


    Zhang Huansheng was a spent force, leading a team that had seen disastrous product launches for several quarters in a row.


    A change in the design department was urgently needed.


    Luckily, today, President Zhan had witnessed Xiong Miao¡¯s exceptional design talent.


    ¡°But I want to resign, I don¡¯t want to work here anymore.¡± She never imagined that this company was the design department of the Rich Corporation, otherwise, she would never have come.


    ¡°Once President Zhan has spoken, you don¡¯t have the right to resign. Also, if you upset President Zhan, the consequences can be severe,¡± Gu Yi left her with these cryptic words to ponder over.


    On her way home, Xiong Miao felt like a lost soul, devoid of any joy from the promotion.


    People around her pointed and whispered, their strange looks making her feel as if she was under attack.


    ¡°It¡¯s her¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her, the famous homewrecker who beat up the wife.¡±


    ¡°How can she still show her face in public, walking on the street like this?¡±


    ¡°After being a mistress for so long, her face is all bruised from being beaten. Serves her right.¡±


    ¡°She has no shame¡­¡±


    Xiong Miao was inexplicably subjected to these insults, and as the crowd got more hostile, they surrounded her, incessantly hurling abuse and even throwing things at her.


    She had almost been violated today, her mood already at its worst. Now she was being treated like a pest, hated by everyone.


    Feeling wronged, in pain, under pressure, and on the brink of collapse, all her emotions teetered on the edge amidst the endless accusations from the crowd.


    Xiong Miao couldn¡¯t take it anymore, she shouted back defiantly, ¡°All of you, get lost! I¡¯m not a mistress! It was someone else who had improper thoughts about me, am I wrong to refuse? You so-called righteous people, twisting the facts and attacking me personally! I will sue you!¡±


    Those who were there for the spectacle, seeing her break down in a fit of madness, feared getting involved and quickly dispersed.


    Once the floodgates of her emotions were opened, they couldn¡¯t be shut again. Xiong Miao crouched down and sobbed loudly, ¡°Why, what have I done wrong!¡±


    A black Rolls-Royce stopped by the roadside. Without even switching on the hazard lights, the stoic man inside watched everything unfold.


    Seeing the woman crying bitterly, the sound of her voice, a voice he recognized, stirred something within him.


    However, the thought of her seducing someone else¡¯s husband, even being beaten by his wife, ignited an unnamed anger in his heart.


    ¡°President Zhan, when I went to deal with the media, I checked. Yesterday, you were found sleeping on the roadside and the police took you away. Xiong Miao is the woman who appeared in the news with you, she is also the designer you took interest in,¡± Gu Yi, who was driving, reported while they were stopped at a red light.


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± His thin lips moved, revealing no emotional fluctuation.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s having a hard time. She¡¯s probably not as the internet portrays her.¡± Gu Yi, of course, didn¡¯t want to see their stoic boss¡¯ newfound feelings misunderstood and strangled in the cradle.


    ¡°If you spout nonsense again, you can get lost.¡±


    Gu Yi shut up, hastily driving the car away, unsure of what he said wrong that angered President Zhan.


    Once Xiong Miao had vented enough, she found a place to wash her face, washing away all signs of her distress.


    When she returned home, she was once again a warm and smiling mother.


    ¡°Mommy, milk.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, baby is hungry.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, tummy is so hungry.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, milk.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, milk.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, baby six is hungry.¡±


    As soon as she opened the door, six little ones were energetically waving their short legs, rolling towards her like six fluffy balls.


    Hearing her children¡¯s voices, softened by obvious hunger, Xiong Miao¡¯s nose tingled. The tears she had barely suppressed were threatening to surge forth again.


    ¡°Be good, my little treasures, stand still. Mommy is going to make you some milk.¡±


    The little ones obediently lined up, six pairs of innocent eyes looking expectantly at Xiong Miao.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 10

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Xiong Miao methodically sterilized the morning¡¯s washed milk bottles one by one with hot water. She filled six bottles from the thermostat and, following her daily routine, prepared six bottles of milk.


    After the little ones received their milk and began to drink it in their usual way.


    Without wasting a moment, Xiong Miao headed to the kitchen to prepare solid food for the children.


    The children were three and a half years old, and they couldn¡¯t just live on milk; solid food was necessary to fill their bellies.


    Today, she planned to make them carrot soup.


    Just as she put the cleaned carrots into the blender, her phone rang in her pocket.


    It was the landlord.


    ¡°Miss Xiong, you¡¯re three days behind on your rent. I¡¯m giving you one more day. If you don¡¯t pay, you¡¯ll have to move out. There are many people lined up to rent this place,¡± the landlord spoke harshly from the start.


    Forced by life¡¯s circumstances, Xiong Miao didn¡¯t retort, but maintained a good attitude and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been busy lately. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely pay the rent tomorrow.¡±


    Years ago, she had left her home country with nothing.


    Abroad, she worked multiple jobs to support herself and her child.


    In her home country, she had no fixed assets.


    The place where she and her children lived was rented.


    In the blink of an eye, they had been in this city for three months.


    For the first three months, she worked part-time, barely earning enough for the children¡¯s milk powder and daily expenses.


    In the blink of an eye, it was time to pay the rent again.


    For the time being, she couldn¡¯t come up with the twelve thousand yuan.


    Because she was too poor to hire a nanny, she usually asked Su Mumu to help look after the children.


    Fortunately, the six children were well-behaved and wouldn¡¯t run around even when left at home.


    However, this couldn¡¯t go on forever. A nanny was necessary; otherwise, if the children were always left alone at home, something would inevitably go wrong.


    Worried, Xiong Miao finished preparing the food, brought out the baby dining tables, and neatly arranged six tables. Five were blue, and one was pink, specially for Xiong Baobei.


    She first seated Xiong Baobei at the baby dining table, lowered the table board, fastened the safety belt, and then seated the other five children one by one.


    She then placed a bowl of the prepared, warm carrot soup in front of each one.


    Perhaps the little ones were really hungry. Even after having their milk, they were still eager to eat, picking up their spoons and eating happily.


    Xiong Miao stood to the side, watching them eat with relish, a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.


    But deep down, she was starting to feel troubled.


    Should she go to work at the company tomorrow?


    Not to mention being harassed by Zhang Huansheng on her first day, it turned out that the design company was part of the Rich Corporation.


    According to Gu Yi¡¯s assistant, the Rich Corporation was currently placing a lot of importance on design. The product launch was imminent, which meant that Zhan Yeling would often be inspecting the design department.


    If she went to work, she would run into him often.


    If you walk by the river often, your shoes will eventually get wet.


    If she frequently interacted with Zhan Yeling, he would inevitably discover her six children and take them


    But just now, Gu Yi made it very clear. She was a design talent personally selected by Zhan Yeling, and she can¡¯t quit her job.


    If she directly abstains from going to the company, it would provoke Zhan Yeling.


    And her, a commoner with no standing, has no way to challenge Zhan Yeling. He stood at the pinnacle of the pyramid, a symbol of wealth and power.


    Crossing him, she¡¯d be in trouble.


    While the little ones were still eating, Xiong Miao called Gu Yi.


    When she was onboarding earlier, Gu Yi gave her his phone number.


    ¡°Mr. Gu Yi, I forgot to ask earlier, is the salary for the design department manager high?¡±


    ¡°Not particularly, about thirty thousand a month,¡± Gu Yi answered.


    Thirty thousand! And he said it wasn¡¯t high!


    For Xiong Miao, who had not graduated long ago, thirty thousand was a figure she didn¡¯t dare dream of.


    Swallowing hard, Xiong Miao said, ¡°I¡¯ll report to work on time tomorrow.¡±


    In the future, she¡¯d just avoid Zhan Yeling when she saw him. There was no need to miss out on money because of him.


    The world is big, but earning money is the biggest.


    Next, Xiong Miao borrowed twenty thousand from Su Mumu and transferred twelve thousand to the landlord, leaving eight thousand for this month¡¯s daily expenses.


    In the evening, she¡¯d take on some part-time jobs to earn money for the baby milk powder.


    When she got her salary next month, she¡¯d repay Su Mumu.


    After she settled everything, the six little one had finished their meal.


    ¡°Mommy, are you unhappy?¡± Her Eldest son, Qianqian, climbed down from the table on his own, walked to Xiong Miao with his short legs, tilted his head up to look at her, furrowing his little brow.


    Xiong Miao looked down, saw the carrot puree smeared around his little mouth and his serious little expression, an amalgamation of maturity and childishness that made her laugh: ¡°Mommy¡¯s not unhappy, sweetie.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, Mama is Ultraman. Mama will help you fight the monster.¡± Her fourth child, Mama, was energetically swinging his little arms after his meal.


    ¡°Right, tell us who hurt you, Mommy. We will help you fight!¡± Her second child, Junjun, was also serious, ready to charge into battle.


    Xiong Miao touched the wound on her face, warmed by her children¡¯s words: ¡°Thank you, my babies. Mommy will keep trying. I¡¯ll strive not to be bullied.¡±


    The understanding shown by her children gave her courage. There¡¯s no hurdle that can¡¯t be overcome. As long as she had motivation, she must maintain a strong heart and keep moving forward.


    Usually, Xiong Miao would let the children sleep in their own room and only return to her room after they fell asleep.


    But today, she wanted to sleep with her chidrdens.


    The bed was a Japanese-style one. You could just sleep on the floor.


    In the daytime, it would be tucked away in the cabinet and filled with toys, turning it into a toy room.


    At night, the bedding was laid out, and she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the children rolling off.


    Xiong Miao slept in the middle, with her six little one scattered on either side of her, snuggling into her. They fell asleep in no time, some with their bottoms in the air, some sprawled out like turtles, various adorable poses. With steady breathing, they drifted off into dreamland.


    The next day, Su Mumu arrived early to look after the little ones.


    Xiong Miao went to report to the design department.


    In the morning, unexpectedly, Gu Yi was waiting for her in the design department.


    He introduced her to her colleagues: ¡°Starting today, Xiong Miao will be your design department manager, leading you in your design work. Everyone must cooperate with her and strive to complete this quarter¡¯s new product launch.¡±


    Xiong Miao also introduced herself.


    Afterwards, Gu Yi arranged an office for her.


    As she was the manager, her office was separate.


    While everyone else was in a shared office.


    After arranging everything, Gu Yi returned to headquarters.


    Xiong Miao, being new, was not familiar with the internal operations and needed to start feverishly studying. Only then could she keep up with the company¡¯s current pace.


    That thirty-thousand salary wasn¡¯t going to earn itself.


    At one point, feeling tired, she took her mug to pour some coffee.


    A cacophony of random, harsh words found their way into her ears.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 11

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she the new design intern from yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just an intern, and overnight, she transformed into a manager. Even got personally introduced by Gu Yi, the assistant to President Zhan.¡±


    She knows how to play her cards, as long as you please the man, what can¡¯t you get?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. The day before yesterday, a two-minute video went viral online, of a woman sleeping with Zhan Yeling. Even though the video was quickly taken down, I saw it, and that woman was Xiong Miao.¡±


    ¡°Look at the wound on her face; it¡¯s not fully healed yet. It¡¯s exactly like the one in the video; I can¡¯t possibly be wrong.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget, didn¡¯t the rumors go wild online about her stealing someone else¡¯s husband? The rightful wife even came to confront her.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, she¡¯s a notorious figure online now; who doesn¡¯t know about her?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand, how could a shameless woman with no integrity like her catch the eye of our esteemed President Zhan? His taste can¡¯t be that bad. How did he end up sleeping with her, and now even inserted her into the company.¡±


    Just as Xiong Miao walked out of her office, she saw a group of people huddled together, whispering and gossiping. The conversation was full of slander against her.


    ¡°What are you doing huddled up there! Not working during work hours, are you planning on freeloading off the company?¡± Xiong Miao reprimanded with the authority of a leader.


    When she was in school, she was a class monitor, managing her classmates, so she naturally possessed leadership qualities.


    At her reprimand, the gathered crowd dispersed, returning to their workstations.


    But there were still those who were discontented, jealous of her for becoming a manager at such a young age and being favored by President Zhan. One of them scoffed, ¡°What¡¯s so great about her, didn¡¯t she just use her body to climb up the ladder? Who couldn¡¯t do that?¡±


    Although his words were distasteful, he spoke in a low voice and directed his words at others, so Xiong Miao couldn¡¯t single him out. All she could do was swallow her anger.


    She poured herself a glass of water and returned to her office. Previously focused on her work, she now couldn¡¯t concentrate on a single word due to the sourness in her heart.


    At the end of the workday, people were still talking about her, all harsh words. Xiong Miao realized then that this position was not as comfortable as it seemed, she felt a sting from the very first day.


    The more it was like this, the more she needed to prove herself! When the time came, she would use her achievements to shut those who looked down on her!


    She was determined to make this quarter¡¯s new product launch a success.


    ¡°Hey, Mumu, if you¡¯re free tonight, could you help me take care of the little ones? I need to work overtime.¡± Xiong Miao called Su Mumu.


    The time left for the new product launch was not much, and she still knew nothing. She had to make up for her absence with overtime.


    ¡°What kind of job is this that requires overtime on your second day?¡± Su Mumu worried for her, ¡°Take care of your health and don¡¯t forget to eat, I¡¯ll take good care of the children¡¯s.¡±


    Thankfully, she had Su Mumu¡¯s help; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t know what to do.


    At the company, everyone had left, leaving only the manager¡¯s office alight. Xiong Miao, the new manager, was burning the midnight oil. She had only two days to familiarize herself thoroughly with the material for the upcoming new product launch before starting the design phase.


    ¡°Mr. Zhan, the old Master Zhan has asked you to come home for dinner, everyone¡¯s waiting for you.¡± Gu Yi reported to Zhan Yeling in the design department¡¯s elevator.


    ¡°Tell him I¡¯m working overtime, they can eat. I will not lose at the new product launch. By then, he must keep his promise.¡± Zhan Yeling replied, hands tucked in his pockets, face expressionless.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Gu Yi responded quickly and relayed the message.


    ¡°Ding!¡± The elevator stopped at the design department floor, the door opened.


    ¡°Seems like there¡¯s still a light on.¡± Gu Yi spotted the light from the office and started a conversation.


    Zhan Yeling, with his long stride, entered the office.


    The light came from the manager¡¯s office, where they could see a woman, head down, engrossed in her documents through the glass.


    ¡°The new manager, Xiong Miao, is still working.¡± Gu Yi chimed in timely.


    Because Zhan Yeling was face blind, he could not make out the face, let alone recognize who it was.


    As Gu Yi was about to enter, Zhan Yeling raised his hand, halting his steps.


    Gu Yi obediently stood still, unmoving.


    While Zhan Yeling, like a mighty mountain, stood before the glass window.


    Xiong Miao, fully engrossed in her documents, suddenly felt a huge shadow cast before her, sending chills down her spine. As she instinctively lifted her head, her gaze collided with the man¡¯s deep, icy eyes.


    Her shoulders shivered involuntarily out of fear.


    Zhan Yeling!


    Why was he here again?


    Xiong Miao bowed her head, feeling torn, wondering whether she should greet him or not.


    Why was he standing outside, was he watching her?


    What did he mean by coming to see her this late?


    ¡°Ahem, Manager Xiong, please get the background materials and fabric selections for this quarter.¡± Gu Yi coughed softly into his fist and instructed Xiong Miao.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xiong Miao quickly found the requested documents from the pile and handed them over.


    Thanks to her earlier sorting, she found precisely what Gu Yi asked for in no time.


    She brought them to the door, and couldn¡¯t resist stealing a glance to see Zhan Yeling¡¯s reaction.


    However, she only saw him turning around and walking away.


    ¡°Manager Xiong, please continue your work and rest early.¡± After uttering these courteous words, Gu Yi also departed.


    Having been interrupted, Xiong Miao could no longer focus.


    Besides, she had almost finished reviewing today¡¯s content.


    So she tidied up, turned off the lights, and called it a day.


    What puzzled her was, why did Zhan Yeling come to the design department at around seven or eight in the evening?


    Just for a document? It wasn¡¯t anything crucial that Gu Yi couldn¡¯t have fetched, there was no need for him to make a trip himself.


    What an odd person, she just couldn¡¯t understand him.


    Shaking her head, Xiong Miao lost interest in pondering.


    She had a quick bite at a roadside stall and went home.


    The six little ones were already asleep. Xiong Miao planted a kiss on each of their soft little faces. The smell of milk and their soft, tender skin always helped soothe her fatigue after a long day.


    ¡°Mumu, thank you for your hard work. I¡¯ll start looking for a nanny tomorrow,¡± Xiong Miao said. She felt bad for Su Mumu, having taken up too much of her personal time.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for formalities with me. You should rest early too, you¡¯ve had a long day.¡± Su Mumu replied. Xiong Miao¡¯s home was too small for her to stay, so she left for her place.


    After taking a shower, Xiong Miao cuddled with her soft little ones and fell asleep contentedly.


    A black Rolls-Royce Phantom sliced through the silent night, driving on the asphalt road, the neon lights reflecting off the car¡¯s body, creating a stream of vibrant colors.


    ¡°Mr. Zhan, the old lady and Miss Ling should have already left your office. Shall we go back?¡± Gu Yi asked, testing his reaction.


    ¡°Go to the midnight venue.¡± Zhan Yeling, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 12

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    At the midnight entertainment venue, in a luxurious private room, seven-colored lights flickered in the dim light, against a backdrop of pulsating heavy metal music.


    The door of the private room opened, and in stepped a man in a black suit. He was tall and straight, his hands tucked lazily into his pockets, exuding a powerful aura.


    ¡°Zhan Er Shao is here, quick, turn off the music,¡± Lu Chenyu immediately ordered the person controlling the music.


    In an instant, the noisy scene quieted down.


    Turning his head, Lu Chenyu met the cold gaze of Zhan Yeling, causing his lips to twitch. He quickly let go of the beauty in his arms, ¡°Go, all of you leave.¡±


    ¡°But Mr. Lu, I haven¡¯t had enough fun with you yet,¡± the lady protested, not wanting to miss out on spending time with such a rich young man.


    Lu Chenyu, the scion of Lu Corporation, was a notorious playboy known for his generous spending. To be with him, even for a short while, could bring great wealth.


    Hence, all the ladies at the midnight venue wished to catch Lu Chenyu¡¯s attention.


    Unfortunately, this wealthy young man feared no one, not even his own father, except for Zhan Er Shao.


    Just one look from Zhan Er Shao, and he would obediently follow his orders.


    And as for Zhan Er Shao, he was aloof and indifferent, showing no interest in women. Despite his handsome looks and wealth, no one had ever been able to get close to him.


    ¡°Get out now! Can¡¯t you see Zhan Er Shao is getting upset?¡± Lu Chenyu angrily ordered, annoyed at their lack of awareness.


    Soon, all the ladies were cleared from the scene.


    ¡°Ye Ling, shouldn¡¯t you be at the Zhan family reunion dinner right now? How come you¡¯re here with me?¡± Lu Chenyu moved to sit beside him and handed him a glass of red wine. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one else has touched this glass. It¡¯s brand new.¡±


    Knowing Zhan Yeling¡¯s obsession with cleanliness, Lu Chenyu quickly added.


    Zhan Yeling glanced at him, accepted the wine glass, and casually crossed his legs. He swirled the red liquid gently around the glass, ¡°That¡¯s the Zhan family¡¯s reunion dinner, not mine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still not on good terms with the Zhan family, huh? You shouldn¡¯t keep it up like this. You¡¯ll eventually marry Ling Xiaoxiao,¡± Lu Chenyu said, a playful smile on his face.


    Even he knew that old Master Zhan had arranged this marriage with the Ling family to mend the relationship with Zhan Yeling. The Ling family was highly respected by Master Zhan.


    ¡°Huh, I never acknowledged this engagement.¡± Zhan Ye Ling sneered dismissively.


    The Zhan family wanted to use this engagement to show the world how much they cared about him. Well, they could keep up the act if they wanted to.


    ¡°Ye Ling, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t like Ling Xiaoxiao? She¡¯s a real beauty. Many men would kill for a single smile from her, but they don¡¯t get the chance,¡± Lu Chenyu realized something, ¡°I get it. You have a mistress outside, right? I saw the video of you sleeping with another woman a few days ago. Don¡¯t think just because you cleaned it up promptly, I didn¡¯t see it. Come on, confess, who¡¯s that woman?¡±


    His words were cut off by the chilling gaze from Zhan Ye Ling. Scared, he quickly shut up.


    ¡°Pour me another,¡± Zhan Ye Ling handed him his empty glass.


    Lu Chenyu poured him another glass, his curiosity burning brightly. He couldn¡¯t hold back his curiosity, ¡°Come on, tell me. I¡¯m really curious. What kind of woman has managed to steal the heart of our Zhan Er Shao?¡±


    Zhan Ye Ling simply drank his wine, ignoring him completely.


    ¡°I get it, you two are just casual flings. You don¡¯t even know her background yet. Do you want me to help you investigate her?¡± Lu Chen Yu fearlessly provoked him.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    With a cold voice, half a glass of red wine was splashed precisely onto Lu Chenyu¡¯s face.


    Instinctively closing his eyes, Lu Chenyu wiped the wine off his face with his hand. Opening his eyes, he met Zhan Yeling¡¯s icy stare, which seemed to freeze people in their tracks.


    His heart was pounding uncontrollably.


    What had he said to anger Zhan Er Shao so much?


    ¡°If you dare to talk nonsense again, be careful with your tongue!¡± Zhan Yeling left behind this threatening statement and got up to leave.


    The breeze stirred up by his powerful aura brushed against Lu Chenyu¡¯s face, making it feel chillingly cold.


    Quickly, he covered his mouth, keeping silent, careful to not lose his tongue.


    Strange, he had only made a joke, but it had angered Zhan Er Shao.


    Did it feel like Zhan Er Shao was getting angry out of embarrassment?


    Had he guessed correctly just now?


    Oh my God, who could have thought that the normally reserved and silent Zhan Er Shao would one day become casual lovers with a woman he just met!


    Lu Chen Yu looked as though he had discovered a new continent, his shocked expression was priceless.


    The next day, after Su Mumu arrived, Xiong Miao hurried off to work.


    At the office, her colleagues treated her with cold indifference.


    ¡°Xiao Chen, can you work on this fabric report this morning? Once you¡¯re done, give it to me. I need to do an analysis,¡± Xiong Miao handed Xiao Chen some documents, simply assigning work as usual.


    But Xiao Chen didn¡¯t even accept them, ¡°When Manager Zhang was here, the fabric report was already settled. There¡¯s no need to redo it.¡±


    ¡°But this is not within our current design scope¡­¡± Xiong Miao¡¯s words were cut off.


    Xiao Chen scoffed, ¡°If you¡¯re not satisfied, then you can do it yourself.¡±


    ¡°What kind of attitude is that!¡± Xiong Miao was angered.


    ¡°What kind of attitude is that!¡± Xiong Miao was annoyed.


    ¡°Yeah, Manager Xiong. You¡¯ve only been here for two days and you want to overturn all our previous work. You¡¯re not really respecting our labor efforts, are you?¡± The other colleagues chimed in, taking Xiao Chen¡¯s side.


    ¡°Manager Xiong, you¡¯re fresh out of the gate and don¡¯t know how hard we work. You can¡¯t just squeeze our labor because you¡¯ve had a sudden whim.¡±


    Hearing these words, Xiong Miao could only laugh. She doesn¡¯t know the hardships of work?


    When she held multiple jobs, not only working but also taking care of six children, she didn¡¯t complain even once when she was so tired she could hardly stand!


    ¡°The new product launch is in half a month, and your Manager Zhang has left a mess behind! You want to bluff President Zhan with these junk products? Do you think President Zhan is a fool?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know why some work needs to be redone, do you? Let me tell you, the fabric report you did earlier, a part of it is fictitious and doesn¡¯t carry any practical significance. Some are even filling the numbers! It doesn¡¯t align with the type of fabric our company needs! And these designs are half copied, copied from major international brands, outdated styles! We are designers, not copycats! If you can¡¯t create original designs, then what are you doing in this company!¡±


    Faced with the difficulties from her colleagues, Xiong Miao didn¡¯t back down but logically explained and taught them.


    Indeed, what Xiong Miao said was all true, and some colleagues were starting to feel a bit guilty. They had indeed been slacking off before.


    However, Xiao Chen was the one who disagreed with Xiong Miao the most: ¡°You say our designs are not good, then design them yourself! If you can¡¯t do it, how can you deserve the position of manager!¡±


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 13

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Xiong Miao chuckled coldly, ¡°Of course, I can design. However, as company employees, you should assist your superior in completing the respective tasks! On the day of the new product launch, I will use my design to silence you all!¡±


    ¡°We can help you with your work, but if your design cannot lead to a successful product launch, you¡¯ll have to make a video admitting that you climbed the ranks by selling your appearance and acting as a mistress!¡± Xiao Chen, a distant relative of Ling Xiaoxiao, had this job thanks to her connection with Ling.


    Naturally, she sided with Ling Xiaoxiao. Xiong Miao, this mysterious woman, dared to compete with Zhan Yeling! She wouldn¡¯t let her have it easy.


    ¡°What if I succeed?¡± Xiong Miao wasn¡¯t afraid. When it came to design, she had never admitted defeat.


    Her graduation work not only ranked first in the school but was also recognized by an overseas company that bought the copyright.


    Even though it was a small copyright and she wasn¡¯t very famous, the money the company gave wasn¡¯t much. But that did prove her strength.


    ¡°If you succeed, we will all obey you as the manager, from now on, we will follow your orders without a word of refusal.¡± Xiao Chen had some authority among her colleagues, and was well-liked. On normal days, everyone listened to her.


    At this moment, she spoke for everyone.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s settled. In these two weeks, you need to cooperate with my work. Now, complete this fabric report.¡± Xiong Miao placed the files on Xiao Chen¡¯s desk, turned around in her mid-high heels, and returned to her office.


    From then on, everyone got down to their work. Even though they still showed hostility to Xiong Miao, they did not shirk their responsibilities.


    And Xiong Miao, not only did she need to understand the design direction and information, but she also had to do the designing, working day and night.


    In the blink of an eye, a week had passed.


    Today was the day Zhan Yeling visited the design department for a meeting.


    For some reason, Zhan Yeling was especially focused on this new product launch.


    The meeting room was ready, and the leaders from various departments were already seated.


    As the manager of the design department, Xiong Miao naturally had to wait for the arrival of her superior. Holding a stack of documents, she stood by the door of the conference room, waiting for the president¡¯s arrival. Today, she was wearing a black professional suit, and the arm wrap dress was somewhat short. She occasionally pulled it down with her hands.


    While she was pulling her dress down, she heard the steady and powerful footsteps from a distance. Looking up, she saw a man dressed in a black suit, tall and muscular, with a strong presence, striding towards her.


    Xiong Miao instantly tensed up, stood straight, and watched as the man approached. Her breathing also became more strained.


    As Zhan Yeling¡¯s towering figure approached and stood beside her, his shadow covered her petite body, and his overwhelming presence made her breathless.


    She lowered her head to avoid his gaze, so nervous that she forgot the welcoming speech she had prepared.


    The door to the meeting room was open, and Zhan Yeling just glanced at her indifferently before entering the room.


    But because of that glance, Xiong Miao¡¯s heart raced and every pore on her skin opened up.


    ¡°Manager Xiong, please come in,¡± Gu Yi¡¯s voice drifted over.


    Xiong Miao jolted back to reality, blushing at the realization that she had become flustered due to Zhan Yeling¡¯s arrival and her accelerated heartbeat.


    In the conference room, everyone was seated with grave expressions. Only Zhan Yeling, who sat at the head of the rectangular conference table, seemed at ease. His legs were casually crossed, his long fingers tapping on the desk absentmindedly. Despite his casual posture, his aura was intense. His indifferent gaze carried a formidable presence.


    Following Xiong Miao, Gu Yi sat down to Zhan Yeling¡¯s right. ¡°Manager Xiong, you can begin presenting the design proposal now,¡± he prompted.


    Taking a deep breath, Xiong Miao tried to push down the tension induced by Zhan Yeling¡¯s powerful aura. She confidently marched toward the projector.


    Since she had completed all the designs herself, it was essential for her to explain everything personally. As she approached the head of the conference table, her heart suddenly raced. Feeling dizzy, she stumbled and fell.


    There was a collective gasp from the room, but no one dared to speak.


    Xiong Miao found herself falling onto someone, a cold, crisp scent filled the air above her, and the breaths from above were equally chilly.


    She quickly regained her senses and felt a chill on her back. Looking up, she met the man¡¯s obsidian-like eyes, cold and authoritative.


    Xiong Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly tried to rise, apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±


    She hastily got to her feet, but due to her dizziness, she wobbled and bumped into the man beside her again.


    She fought to steady herself, only to see the man¡¯s handsome face frosty enough to form ice.


    Xiong Miao¡¯s eyes widened.


    His handsome face was as black as ink, and his deep gaze was sharp and cold.


    It felt as if he could tear her apart on the spot.


    In panic, Xiong Miao bowed her head and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Zhan, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    Zhan Yeling gritted his teeth.


    Did this woman not realize where she was?


    Did she think that by resorting to such silly tricks, he would pay her more attention?


    How incredibly naive!


    Gu Yi was sitting right next to Zhan Yeling and had witnessed the whole scene of Xiong Miao falling onto him.


    He had been by Zhan Yeling¡¯s side for years and understood him to some extent.


    Seeing Zhan Yeling¡¯s eyes changing from indifference to a hint of something different, he grasped the situation.


    Their always composed president, who remained unaffected by anyone, had revealed such an angry and gritted teeth expression because a woman had accidentally bumped into him.


    Did President Zhan have feelings for this woman beyond cold indifference?


    That was indeed interesting.


    Their normally icy President had angry emotions.


    But now was not the time to be curious.


    ¡°Cough, Manager Xiong, be careful when you walk. We can start now,¡± Gu Yi timely intervened, breaking the awkward silence.


    Xiong Miao felt somewhat grateful for Gu Yi¡¯s timely intervention.


    Taking several deep breaths, she managed to steady her emotions a bit. She walked up to the projector, turned on her computer, and displayed the contents of her USB drive on the large screen. Then she began to explain her design.


    ¡°This new product release is primarily aimed at young women. I wanted to use the theme of spring to depict the vitality and youthfulness of young women¡­¡±


    Due to the unexpected incident just now, Xiong Miao mind was in disarray. She forgot the well-structured speech she had prepared and had to improvise on the spot.


    As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but observe Zhan Yeling¡¯s reaction. The man, however, remained still. He seemed indifferent and nonchalant, his deep eyes shadowy. Instead of looking at the projector, he was looking at her.


    Xiong Miao felt her heart fluttering, leaving her at a loss.


    Why was he looking at her?


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 14

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    ¡°Manager Xiong, please continue,¡± Gu Yi instructed.


    Xiong Miao, as if jolted awake, returned to reality.


    She had been too absorbed in attempting to decipher Zhan Yeling¡¯s thoughts, she had frozen in place, causing an awkward silence.


    ¡°I used olive green to represent the vibrancy of youth, decorated with traditional Chinese elements, youthful yet dignified¡­¡± Xiong Miao recited according to the content on her PowerPoint presentation.


    She spent approximately twenty minutes explaining her design, then she finished.


    Now, she was waiting for Zhan Ye Ling¡¯s response.


    But he remained still, scrutinizing, not uttering a word.


    Xiong Miao was tense, unsure if he was satisfied with her design, a product of a week of sleepless nights.


    Due to a lack of rest and proper meals, her low blood sugar had flared up earlier, nearly causing her to faint.


    Fortunately, it was only a minor dizzy spell and didn¡¯t interfere with her work.


    ¡°Mr. Zhan, I believe that Manager Xiong¡¯s design is too monotonous,¡± Xiao Chen whispered, attempting to belittle Xiong Miao. She couldn¡¯t let Xiong Miao succeed easily.


    But before she could finish, Zhan Yeling¡¯s icy gaze sent her retreating in fear, not daring to continue.


    ¡°Xiong Miao, stay. Everyone else, dismiss,¡± Gu Yi, probably guessing his master¡¯s thoughts, made the decision, shut down his computer and left the room first.


    Everyone else left the conference room, leaving only Xiong Miao and Zhan Yeling.


    She was standing, he was sitting.


    His naturally imposing aura made her feel exceptionally small.


    When Gu Yi exited, he closed the door behind him.


    In the enclosed space, Xiong Miao felt surrounded by a heavy atmosphere, finding it difficult to breathe.


    Just as she was feeling uncomfortable, the iceberg of a man in front of her stood and started to walk towards her.


    The large shadow moved, enveloping her slender figure completely.


    Xiong Miao instinctively backed away, his steps quickened, hers hurried in response until her back hit the wall behind her. There was no more room to retreat.


    The man extended his long arm, his palm resting on the wall, trapping Xiong Miao¡¯s petite figure in front of him.


    The chill emanating from the man was like a winter breeze, hitting her full on. Xiong Miao was tensed up, nearly suffocating, ¡°Mr. Zhan, what are you trying to do¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you wanted?¡± The man raised his eyebrows, a question in his magnetic voice, pleasant yet mocking and infuriating.


    Even a fool like Xiong Miao understood his meaning. He thought she had deliberately fallen onto him earlier, trying to attract his attention and provoke something?


    What a joke !


    Her dignity trampled, Xiong Miao dropped her fear, looking at him with a cold smile, ¡°Mr. Zhan, what I want is to get through my design draft quickly. Not to be oppressed by you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s lips curled up slightly, his devilish charm on full display as his other hand gripped her waist, pulling her close.


    His grip was too strong, and it hurt Xiong Miao, ¡°Ah! What are you doing!¡±


    Xiong Miao blushed deeply from the shame.


    Her embarrassed actions made her want to escape, but she was held too tightly by the man and couldn¡¯t get away.


    ¡°This is what oppression looks like, do you understand?¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s handsome face, deep, cold, and wickedly charming, seemed to carry a hint of annoyance.


    Xiong Miao held her breath, barely daring to speak, ¡°Mr. Zhan, I¡¯m just a small-time designer. Please show me some respect.¡±


    ¡°Four years ago, why didn¡¯t you say these words? In bed, you seemed to enjoy it.¡± The man¡¯s warm breath brushed against her ear.


    The shock caused Xiong Miao¡¯s blood to freeze.


    He knew that she was the woman from four years ago.


    Could he be investigating her, to find out about her six children?


    Would his next step be to take her children away?


    Thinking about this, Xiong Miao felt unprecedented fear.


    Four years ago, she wasn¡¯t this scared even when she had nothing and was forced to leave the country.


    ¡°Women like you, unscrupulous and shameless, are nothing but repulsive! From now on, behave and stop playing tricks in front of me!¡± His stern words fell, authoritative and warning.


    The man turned and left.


    The immense pressure in front of her lifted, and only then did Xiong Miao find her breath, panting heavily.


    Watching his upright figure walk out of the conference room.


    Xiong Miao¡¯s legs went weak, and she slid down the wall, sitting on the ground.


    What did he mean by his words just now?


    He hates her? That would be the best. If he hates her, he wouldn¡¯t investigate her or find out about her children.


    She could safely hide her children, unbeknownst to him.


    Once she had saved enough money, she would leave this place. And never come back.


    Even he thought she was a flirtatious woman because of the day Xiong Jingxi made a scene at her house.


    Then let him think so.


    Thinking of this, Xiong Miao felt much more at ease.


    After the meeting, Zhan Yeling and Gu Yi returned to the headquarters.


    In the design department, rumors about Xiong Miao were rife.


    ¡°She even uses meetings as an opportunity to flirt with Mr. Zhan, truly shameless.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯ve never seen such a vixen.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Zhan probably gave her a piece of his mind just now, did you see how pale she was when she came out of the meeting room?¡±


    ¡°What kind of man is our Mr. Zhan, how could he possibly fall for her sort of vulgar woman.¡±


    ¡°I think her design wasn¡¯t that great either, probably got rejected by Mr. Zhan.¡±


    Led by Xiao Chen, a few colleagues gathered, gossiping behind her back, full of contempt.


    Xiong Miao heard these words as she passed by.


    Even though she knew she shouldn¡¯t care about other people¡¯s opinions, hearing these hurtful words still made her feel awful.


    The hand holding the cup tightened. She returned to her office, closed the door, and called Gu Yi.


    ¡°Assistant Gu, I¡¯d like to know, what does Mr. Zhan think of my design this time?¡± Zhan Yeling didn¡¯t express his opinion at the meeting just now.


    It left her in a state of anxiety, not knowing whether to continue or change direction.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not sure about Mr. Zhan¡¯s thoughts either.¡± Gu Yi finished speaking, probably busy, and hung up the phone.


    Xiong Miao put down the phone, leaned back in her chair, and sighed: ¡°I¡¯m having such a hard time !¡±


    Being a human is hard.


    Doing this job is hard.


    Being a single mother to six children is hard.


    Since she wasn¡¯t sure about the feasibility of her current design, she had no idea how to proceed with the rest of her work.


    Maybe it was better to put it aside for now.


    She had a part-time job tonight, which would earn her a thousand bucks.


    First, she¡¯d make enough to buy two cans of baby milk powder.


    After work, Xiong Miao went home, changed her clothes, and headed to the midnight venue mentioned by Su Mumu.


    There, she worked as a tea and water delivery person. If the customers tipped, she could earn even more.


    Upon arriving, she put on her work uniform and started her shift.


    ¡°Xiong Miao, suite 7088 needs two bottles of red wine, could you deliver them?¡± The manager couldn¡¯t find Xiang Qin, who usually served suite 7088, so Xiong Miao was asked to deliver the wine instead.


    This was to avoid keeping the customers waiting and offending them.


    It¡¯s important to note that all the clients there were rich young masters who shouldn¡¯t be neglected.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on it.¡± Xiong Miao picked up the two bottles of red wine and headed for the suite.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 15

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    The suite was a picture of decadence, bathed in the glinting lights and exuding an aura of opulence. Xiong Miao, carrying the red wine, stepped in and headed straight towards the wine table. A row of handsome men lounged on the sofa by the table; some engrossed in card games, others busy with their phones.


    Without giving them much notice, Xiong Miao reached the wine table, squatted down, and placed the wine bottles on it. Her every move radiated youthful charm. As she was about to get up after placing the wine, she heard a voice next to her, ¡°Pour me a glass of wine, and this money is yours.¡±


    A tip!


    Xiong Miao¡¯s first thought was that she could buy an extra can of baby milk powder for the little ones. It¡¯s not that she loved money, but the pressures of life were so great that she needed to work hard for her children¡¯s quality life. She glanced over to see a stack of red banknotes on the coffee table, seemingly around five hundred yuan.


    Pouring a glass of wine for five hundred yuan, it was worth it.


    Industry rules demanded that when pouring wine for guests, one must lean over since the guests were seated. Standing would give the impression of looking down on them. What she didn¡¯t realize was that while she was opening the wine bottle, the man who tipped her was staring intently at her chest, his gaze gradually turning inappropriate.


    Oblivious to this, Xiong Miao served him the wine, took the money, and was about to leave when he said, ¡°Wait.¡± She paused to see the man place another stack of banknotes on the table, seemingly around two thousand, ¡°Pour some for all my buddies.¡±


    Xiong Miao kept her smile intact. two thousand, the babies¡¯ winter clothes were accounted for. She squatted down and began to serve wine to each of the men.


    ¡°The new tea lady is pretty,¡± one of them remarked.


    Xiong Miao didn¡¯t respond. One vital thing about working in a nightclub was having a strong mental fortitude.


    ¡°Sir, here¡¯s your wine,¡± she said, offering the wine glass to the man seated in the corner. As she got a clear look at the man¡¯s face, her heart skipped a beat, and her smile froze on her face.


    Zhan Yeling, why was he here?


    Because he was in the corner and the suite was dimly lit with only colorful lights flickering, she hadn¡¯t noticed him when she entered. At that moment, she was squatting at his feet, looking up at his icy face.


    His dark eyes were profound, and as she offered him the glass of wine, the movement stirred up the faint scent of magnolia, a familiar aroma. She recognized it, and he recognized her distinctive voice that he¡¯d heard only that day.


    He knew exactly who she was.


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s gaze was chilling and intimidating, his slightly narrowed eyes radiating an endless danger.


    Xiong Miao felt a chill run down her spine, her hand, holding a wine glass aloft, remained frozen as he didn¡¯t take the wine.


    If he didn¡¯t accept the drink, how could she take the two thousand?


    For the winter clothes for her kids, she had to persist.


    She tried to stretch her lips into a professional smile, held the wine, and locked eyes with the man.


    ¡°Zhan Ershao doesn¡¯t like women approaching him. I¡¯ll do it,¡± Lu Chenyu, sensing the icy atmosphere emanating from Zhan Yeling, immediately recalled his habits.


    He took the wine from Xiong Miao¡¯s hand and handed it to Zhan Yeling.


    Phew¡­


    Xiong Miao let out a sigh of relief, picked up the money from the coffee table, and headed out.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Someone grabbed her hand from behind, pulled hard, and she was yanked onto the couch.


    Immediately afterward, her waist was circled, and the man¡¯s breath, mingled with alcohol, said, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re very beautiful. Accompany me tonight, I¡¯ll give you twenty thousand.¡±


    It was the man who tipped earlier, pulling her into his embrace.


    At that moment, Xiong Miao felt like she¡¯d been pawed by a dirty hand, her skin crawling with goosebumps.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just here to serve tea. If you¡¯re looking for a lady, I can call one for you,¡± Xiong Miao stayed calm, trying to free herself from his grip.


    But the man insisted, ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else. I want you.¡±


    ¡°Please respect me!¡± Xiong Miao, desperate, broke the rule of customer¡¯s always right and pinched the back of the man¡¯s hand, standing up in his moment of pain.


    ¡°Dare to defy me, you¡¯re asking for trouble!¡± The man, enraged, caught Xiong Miao who was about to escape, and held her from behind.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Xiong Miao was scared, struggling with all her might.


    Her common sense told her that the men who frequented nightclubs were wolves, beasts. They were ruthless towards women.


    ¡°Duan Hongjie, if you want to play with women, do it outside. Don¡¯t you know that Zhan Ershao doesn¡¯t like seeing this?¡± Lu Chenyu said impatiently.


    Everyone knew what kind of person Duan Hongjie was. Arrogant and overbearing, treating women like playthings.


    This scene was obviously not the first of its kind.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I found a woman with such a good figure, such a beautiful face, and such a fiery personality. Sorry, I¡¯ll take her out right now.¡± Duan Hongjie smiled at Lu Chenyu, his smile full of expectation for conquest.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± The arm behind her was like a shackle, and Xiong Miao couldn¡¯t break free even with all her strength.


    She was pushed towards the door.


    Despair flooded over her, she knew all too well where the man was taking her, and what he intended to do.


    Suddenly, the hand clenching her slender waist was forcefully pulled away.


    ¡°Zhan Ershao¡­¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    As Xiong Miao realized she was set free, she made to run away, only for her arm to be gripped by a large hand, as if with a vice, and was briskly led out.


    Through her tear-blurred eyes, Xiong Miao saw that it was Zhan Yeling who was dragging her along.


    Where was he taking her, what was he planning to do?


    Zhan Yeling had taken a woman from Duan Hongjie¡¯s clutches!


    This was earth-shattering news.


    Inside the private booth, the rich young men exchanged puzzled and astonished glances.


    Especially Lu Chenyu, his expression of disbelief was the most dramatic.


    As for Duan Hongjie, he was resentful but didn¡¯t dare compete with Zhan Ershao for a woman. He could only stand dejectedly by the door, watching the woman he desired being led away by Zhan Yeling.


    Once they were outside the club, Zhan Yeling abruptly let go of Xiong Miao. She stumbled backward a few steps before regaining her footing.


    Her chin was then gripped by him, causing her to wince in pain, her entire face cringing.


    ¡°Woman, you¡¯re desperately in need of a man, huh?¡± he spat out through gritted teeth.


    His jet-black eyes were filled with fury, threatening to burn everything around him.


    Neon lights flickered across his handsome face, mingling with the anger in his eyes, reflecting in Xiong Miao¡¯s, making him appear demonic.


    Just like those men in the booth, he was shaming her too.


    Xiong Miao grabbed his hand, which was clutching her chin, trying to free herself, ¡°I earn my money through hard work, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡±


    Zhan Yeling let out an angry laugh, ¡°Your work, is that what you do in bed? Your talents, are they physical revolution? Woman, you really open my eyes!¡±


    How did he ever get tangled up with a woman like this?


    Because of that night four years ago, he still remembered her kindness. He had planned to find her and take her home once everything settled down.


    What a fool he was!


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 16

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Xiong Miao wasn¡¯t at all surprised by his words.


    Yet, when she saw that disdainful look in his eyes, identical to how others perceived her, her heart sank: ¡°If in your heart, President Zhan, you think so poorly of me, why bother promoting me to the position of design department manager?¡±


    She forcefully pulled away his hand that was clenching her jaw, her cool eyes brimming with resilience borne of despair.


    She earned her money through her own abilities, never stealing, never crossing her own moral lines, and never selling her soul.


    She didn¡¯t need anyone to understand.


    She just needed to take good care of herself and her six little treasures.


    ¡°So, because the money from the design department isn¡¯t easy to come by, you¡¯ve resorted to selling your body at the night club. Do you have even a shred of decency?¡± He exclaimed, having earlier watched her lean over, her chest fully exposed and attracting the blatant gazes of those men.


    He might have face blindness, but he certainly wasn¡¯t blind.


    He saw the whole situation clearly!


    She was like this, relying on catching men¡¯s eyes and taking wads of cash in return.


    She was greedy and shameless.


    She kept surprising him over and over.


    Zhan Yeling casually put his hands in his pockets, his lethargic demeanor masking an air of authority, his voice was steady, deep, and carried a lot of weight.


    ¡°My working hours are during the day, and the evenings are my personal time. I¡¯m sorry, President Zhan, I don¡¯t have much time to discuss my sense of decency with you; I still have to go to work.¡± Xiong Miao didn¡¯t want to say much. She worked at night just to earn money.


    She hadn¡¯t reached the end of her shift yet. If she was absent for too long, she would miss out on the thousand yuan part-time fee.


    Just as she turned to leave, she was forcefully yanked back.


    Zhan Yeling grabbed her hand and pulled her along.


    ¡°President Zhan, please let me go.¡± Xiong Miao tried to pull back her arm, but her efforts were in vain.


    An inexplicable irritation rose within Zhan Yeling¡¯s heart.


    Didn¡¯t she realize that Duan Hongjie was watching her closely, and yet she wanted to go back to work!


    Surely she was planning to go back and complete that sordid deal with Duan Hongjie!


    Xiong Miao was thrown into a car by the man. He quickly got in too, his dominant presence filling the small space of the car.


    Just as Xiong Miao was about to push open the door on the other side to escape, she heard a click; the car doors were locked.


    The driver in front started the car.


    ¡°President Zhan, where are you taking me?¡± Xiong Miao asked, visibly uneasy. The man beside her emanated a dangerous aura; she didn¡¯t dare to be alone with him for a second.


    The man stayed silent, his obsidian-like eyes frosty as they stared straight ahead, as if she was nothing but air.


    Xiong Miao: ¡°¡­¡±


    He was the one who brought her into the car, and now he wasn¡¯t speaking. What on earth was he up to?


    He didn¡¯t answer, and she didn¡¯t dare to speak either, fearing that annoying him might lead to unthinkable consequences.


    The black Rolls-Royce slid through the darkness of the night, neon lights flashing and flickering across its body, casting an assortment of colors.


    Outside the car, the world was vibrant yet quiet.


    Inside, it was eerily silent, the air heavy and stagnant, making every breath feel like a burden.


    Especially with the chilling aura emanating from the intimidating figure sitting beside her.


    Xiong Miao carefully stole glances at the man¡¯s expression from time to time.


    His handsome face was stern, his long phoenix eyes were so attractive that they outshone all male celebrities. His nose was high, his facial contours sharp, and his thin lips were alluring. His exquisite features, sculpted as if by an artist, were perfectly arranged on his face, leaving no room for criticism.


    How could someone be born this good-looking?


    Even though her eldest son, Qianqian, bore a strong resemblance to him, the child still didn¡¯t hold the same stunning and heart-stirring beauty.


    Just a stolen glance at him was enough to captivate Xiong Miao¡¯s soul.


    ¡°Like what you see?¡± His magnetic voice suddenly resonated, low, pleasant, and overwhelmingly compelling.


    Xiong Miao froze, then hastily shook her head like a rattled drum and quickly averted her gaze.


    ¡°How much money did he give you just now?¡± His question wasn¡¯t a query; it was a command.


    Xiong Miao, being a little slow on the uptake, didn¡¯t understand what he meant: ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Duan Hongjie.¡± Those words seemed to be squeezed out between his teeth.


    Feeling that he was about to get angry again, Xiong Miao, being timid, quickly took out the banknotes from her pocket: ¡°About two thousand and five hundred.¡±


    ¡°Throw it away.¡± The man spoke lightly, brooking no argument.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Xiong Miao was taken aback. This was money, real hard-earned money.


    She had worked so hard to earn it. Was she supposed to just throw it away because he said so?


    While she was still hesitating, the money was snatched from her hands and thrown out of the window that she hadn¡¯t noticed had been rolled down.


    ¡°My money!¡± Xiong Miao instinctively tried to grab it, but it was too late. She could only watch helplessly as the red banknotes fluttered in the wind.


    The rush of air from the fast-moving car caused the red notes to spin like fallen leaves in mid-air before falling to the ground, where they were crushed by passing vehicles and sent spinning again.


    Seeing this, Xiong Miao had a strong urge to open the car door and pick up the scattered money.


    That was a lot of money of the baby milk powder, the sustenance for her precious little ones.


    Two thousand five hundred yuan could buy six to seven cans of baby milk powder, enough to feed her children for half a month.


    Moreover, winter was approaching, and it would be cold in their home country. Their little ones didn¡¯t have proper winter clothing yet. The money could have been used to buy them warm clothes.


    But all of these possibilities evaporated because of a single sentence from President Zhan.


    Seeing her face, displaying a pained expression as if she was cutting her own flesh, President Zhan looked at her with disdain.


    ¡°It¡¯s just two thousand five.¡± He scoffed.


    How greedy could she be? Was she so comfortable taking such filthy money? If he hadn¡¯t shown up on time, and if Duan Hongjie had forced himself on her, would she have happily accepted the twenty thousand he offered?


    Four years ago, their night together, it was clearly her first time. He could feel it, and there was no faking it. And the evidence left on the bed, it was so real.


    In just four short years, had she become so desperate?


    Was she even ready to exchange her body for money?


    The anger in President Zhan¡¯s heart was uncontrollable.


    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s just two thousand five! Do you know how hard it is for us common people to earn two thousand five hundred!¡± Xiong Miao couldn¡¯t help but turn around, saying in a huff.


    He was a wealthy young master, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, living a life of privilege from an early age. Now, even more so, with his billions of wealth, how could he understand the struggles of ordinary people to make a living?


    While she was abroad, she had to wash twenty-five thousand dishes to earn two thousand five hundred.


    Washing until her hands turned white, until they began to decay. Washing until her waist and back ached, until she could barely stand.


    Yet, he easily threw away the two thousand five hundred as if it meant nothing.


    ¡°So, you want to earn that twenty thousand.¡± President Zhan gritted his teeth, and a spark of anger flared in his eyes again.


    If she valued the two thousand five she earned by exposing herself so much, then did she also want to earn that twenty thousand from Duan Hongjie?


    Xiong Miao understood what he meant, hesitated slightly, steadied her breath, and said, ¡°I never said I wanted to earn that twenty thousand. I won¡¯t take what I shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 17

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    ¡°What exactly is it that you should be taking!¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s eyes locked onto her, his icy demeanor pervading the atmosphere.


    Xiong Miao didn¡¯t understand why he was so angry. ¡°In the nightclub, a waitress does a few small things as per the customer¡¯s request and gets a small tip. It¡¯s quite normal.¡±


    ¡°I only serve tea and pour water. Pouring alcohol is fine too. But for other things, I won¡¯t do it, nor will I take money for them.¡± Xiong Miao laid out her boundaries.


    She wasn¡¯t sure why she felt compelled to tell him all this.


    ¡°Heh¡­¡± Zhan Yeling chuckled, his extremely handsome face unflappable.


    She spoke well, but he feared she was full of lies.


    What did his contemptuous smile mean?


    Did he not believe her words?


    Of course, she knew she shouldn¡¯t tell others about her own matters. Because other than herself, nobody would care to know her circumstances.


    If she shared with others, it would only give them more reason to laugh at her.


    The car pulled up to the side of a shopping mall.


    Zhan Yeling was the first to exit the car, and Xiong Miao followed.


    Seeing him walk over to a clothing store¡¯s display window, Xiong Miao followed along.


    At this moment, the mall was already closed, and the clothing store¡¯s lights were off.


    But thanks to the streetlights, they could still see the clothes on the mannequin in the window.


    They were part of a green series.


    But they were grass-green, and every style incorporated popular Western elements.


    It was somewhat similar to her design, but her design leaned towards the domestic style, while this one leaned towards an international style.


    ¡°Take a good look, know where your design falls short.¡± The man¡¯s voice was as deep as the notes of a cello, rich and commanding.


    Xiong Miao turned around to look at him. The dim yellow light cast shadows over his chiseled, deep-set features, making it hard to discern his expression or see what was brewing in those bottomless eyes.


    But Xiong Miao knew that he was discussing work with her, and his words were his critique of her design.


    ¡°I get it now. My designs are still stuck in conventional thinking, they¡¯re too similar, and lack originality. Thinking that such designs would suffice for a new product launch is naive.¡± Xiong Miao¡¯s mind was quick, and she immediately understood where she fell short.


    ¡°You have some good ideas, like the use of traditional domestic elements.¡± Zhan Yeling didn¡¯t entirely dismiss Xiong Miao¡¯s design; instead, he was intrigued by the red knot she incorporated.


    Since ancient times, the red knot has been a symbol of celebration and happy endings.


    Incorporating the red knot into her design was indeed fitting for the theme.


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll continue to improve.¡± Xiong Miao became serious.


    Zhan Yeling returned to the car. Xiong Miao stood still, planning to watch him leave.


    ¡°Get in the car!¡± His command left no room for refusal.


    Xiong Miao, with her slow-witted demeanor, got in the car, her heart apprehensive, unsure of where he would take her next.


    This time, he parked the car in a deserted open field.


    The place was vast, cold, and uninhabited.


    The wind of the night was cold, sweeping over the skin, chilling and giving off a eerie vibe.


    Xiong Miao unconsciously hugged herself, indeed it was cold, and she was quite scared.


    Having watched too many crime movies, she knew this kind of place was perfect for committing a crime.


    If Zhan Yeling had any twisted ideas and decided to harm her, her cries would be useless, unheard by both heaven and earth.


    ¡°Youth is not necessarily lively and vibrant, it can also be ethereal.¡± Zhan Yeling stood at the top of the open space, hands in his pockets, lazily relaxed. His tall figure stood erect in the wind, his gaze looking into the distance.


    The wind fluttered his wrinkle-free trousers, the fabric swaying, making a subtle sound, adding a hint of liveliness to the silent night.


    Xiong Miao turned her head to look at him, his black eyes blending with the night, mysterious and profound.


    The combination of depth and etherealness didn¡¯t seem at odds at all.


    Suddenly, Xiong Miao had a flash of inspiration, a surge of ideas flooded her mind.


    She knew how to design it now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The man suddenly turned around and left.


    Looking at his tall retreating figure, Xiong Miao had a sense of desolation for the first time.


    She shook her head, how could a man as high and mighty as Zhan Yeling feel desolate?


    She was just overthinking.


    Inside the car, Zhan Yeling said, ¡°New City Hua District.¡±


    He was talking to the driver.


    Wasn¡¯t this the area where she lived? Was Zhan Yeling intending to take her home?


    ¡°No need, just drop me off in the city area, I can take a cab home by myself.¡± Xiong Miao quickly said.


    If Zhan Yeling were to send her home, what would happen if he saw the children?


    She couldn¡¯t take any risks.


    How had she not thought of it before? Zhan Yeling had been to her house, knew where she lived, what if he made a sudden visit in the future, and bumped into her six precious ones, if he found out about the children, that would be disastrous.


    Now, she had already paid three months¡¯ rent, it would be difficult to move.


    Zhan Yeling casually glanced at her, making Xiong Miao tense, she wasn¡¯t sure if he had heard her just now.


    And his icy gaze didn¡¯t dare her to say it a second time.


    The car still drove to the New City Hua District.


    Luckily, it only stopped in the neighborhood. She got out of the car, and the car drove away.


    Watching the receding black car, Xiong Miao¡¯s tensed shoulders finally relaxed.


    Thankfully, he didn¡¯t insist on going up.


    ¡°Slap!¡± Xiong Miao slapped her own forehead, muttering to herself, ¡°What are you overthinking about all day long, Zhan Yeling driving you to the neighborhood is already the limit. You thought he would escort you into your house? What a ridiculous idea. He drove you to the neighborhood, maybe he was just going the same way.¡±


    Thinking this way, the pressure in Xiong Miao¡¯s heart eased significantly.


    When she got home, she opened the door and a scent of milk assailed her nostrils, settling her weary heart.


    She bent down, kissing the soft and fragrant little ones¡¯ faces one by one.


    Only then did she go take a bath.


    Tonight, she was inspired and decided not to sleep.


    She pulled an all-nighter in the living room, drawing designs.


    In the morning, she made breakfast, dressed the little ones, and called them to eat. As soon as they finished, Su Mumu arrived.


    Xiong Miao tidied up and hurriedly left for the company.


    ¡°Manager Xiong, Mr. Zhan has vetoed your design. You¡¯re aware of this news, right?¡±


    As soon as she arrived, Xiao Chen cornered her on the side of the road, a look of excitement on her face. ¡°There¡¯s only a week left until the new product launch. Unless you can produce a mature design today that impresses Mr. Zhan, you¡¯ve lost. I see that one day is not enough for you. Better start preparing on how to release the video confessing that you¡¯re a homewrecker!¡±


    Xiong Miao really wanted to wipe the smug look off Xiao Chen¡¯s face.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me, I can handle my own business.¡± Xiong Miao gave her a glance, brushing past her, completely unaffected by her words.


    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ll see how you lose when the time comes!¡± Xiao Chen, frustrated, glared at her retreating figure and angrily returned to her desk.


    Xiong Miao gathered her materials, then took her laptop and USB drive and left.


    Xiao Chen was right, she only had one day to submit her design proposal.


    Since Mr. Zhan wouldn¡¯t come to the design department for a meeting, she would go to the headquarters to present her design proposal to him!


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 18

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    ¡°The president is currently meeting with a guest and doesn¡¯t have the time,¡± the receptionist informed Xiong Miao.


    True enough, Zhan Yeling was a high-ranking man, with a full schedule. Seeing him required an appointment. It wasn¡¯t something you could simply decide on a whim.


    Xiong Miao, feeling dejected, turned to leave.


    ¡°Manager Xiong, what brings you here?¡±


    Hearing a familiar voice, Xiong Miao turned around to see Gu Yi walking towards her. She motioned to the laptop in her hand, ¡°I wanted to show my designs to President Zhan, but he¡¯s currently busy.¡±


    Gu Yi looked at her. In her left hand, she held a laptop and a USB drive in her right. Clearly, she was ready to go.


    This was just what he needed. He hadn¡¯t figured out a way to help President Zhan yet, but now there was hope.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to see President Zhan,¡± Gu Yi said.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Xiong Miao was worried that showing up uninvited would upset Zhan Yeling.


    ¡°No worries, the president has some time now.¡±


    With Gu Yi¡¯s assurance, and considering her proposal was indeed urgent, Xiong Miao hesitated no longer and followed him into the elevator.


    ¡°Ding!¡± The elevator stopped at the top floor.


    Gu Yi led the way with Xiong Miao following behind.


    At that moment, inside the office, Zhan Yeling sat at his desk, frowning slightly as he read a document.


    A persistent woman by his side tried various ways to get close to him.


    ¡°Yeling, you¡¯ve been working non-stop for two hours now. Have some coffee to refresh yourself,¡± Ling Xiaoxiao said. She was holding a cup of coffee that the secretary had brought. As she leaned over to give him the coffee, she lowered her body to show off her chest, hoping to attract Zhan Yeling¡¯s desires.


    But the man was indifferent, not even bothering to glance her way.


    Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s smile froze on her face, and she felt a bit defeated.


    However, she quickly suppressed her frustration and disappointment, continuing to maintain a gentle smile. She lifted the coffee cup from the tray and brought it to Zhan Yeling¡¯s lips, ¡°Yeling, since it¡¯s inconvenient for you, let me feed you.¡±


    During her words, she leaned in close, her red lips almost touching Zhan Yeling¡¯s face.


    The overpowering smell of perfume and the unpleasant taste of lipstick invaded Zhan Yeling¡¯s nostrils, filling him with disgust and annoyance.


    ¡°Get away!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Ling Xiaoxiao was pushed and fell to the ground. The coffee splashed all over her, staining her white dress with coffee, making her look extremely embarrassed.


    Xiong Miao and Gu Yi walked into the office just in time to see Ling Xiaoxiao about to kiss Zhan Yeling, only to be unceremoniously pushed away.


    ¡°President Zhan, if it¡¯s not a good time, we can come back later,¡± Gu Yi said, standing inside the office. Although his words suggested leaving, his actions indicated otherwise. It was clear his words were meant for Ling Xiaoxiao.


    ¡°No need, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s voice was calm, yet authoritative.


    ¡°Manager Xiong from the design department is here to present a design proposal to you.¡± Since Zhan Yeling had prosopagnosia and couldn¡¯t recognize the person who had entered, Gu Yi deliberately emphasized the words ¡®Manager Xiong¡¯.


    Xiong Miao stood quietly to one side, not daring to speak.


    She hadn¡¯t expected to witness such a scene in Zhan Yeling¡¯s office.


    In broad daylight, a woman was bold enough to initiate a kiss.


    The fact that this woman could easily enter Zhan Yeling¡¯s office without getting kicked out indicated that she was no ordinary person.


    At the moment, the only one who could possibly have this privilege would likely be Zhan Yeling¡¯s rumored fianc¨¦e, Ling Xiaoxiao.


    Xiong Miao quickly guessed who the woman was.


    Ling Xiaoxiao struggled to her feet. Her high heels were not agreeing with the flat floor, and she almost fell again. She just barely managed to stay upright by grabbing onto the edge of the table.


    Her previously impeccable makeup was smudged, and her neatly styled wavy hair was a mess.


    Anger flashed across her face but she forcefully suppressed it, causing her features to appear twisted.


    Ling Xiaoxiao was so mad that her chest heaved. If anyone else had treated her like this, she would have lashed out, lost control, and started a fight. But this man was Zhan Yeling.


    He was the one person she couldn¡¯t provoke, couldn¡¯t bear to upset.


    All Ling Xiaoxiao could do was bury all her unwillingness and anger deep down, forcibly squeezing out a smile on her trembling face: ¡°Yeling, since you have work to discuss, I won¡¯t disturb you.¡±


    She tried to maintain her understanding and considerate appearance in front of Zhan Yeling, which was actually quite ridiculous.


    She was determined to make Zhan Yeling accept her and marry her! That was her ultimate goal!


    Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s foot was somewhat crippled, and she limped forward. When she passed by Xiong Miao, she suddenly stopped and looked at her face.


    Upon seeing her face, the fa?ade Ling Xiaoxiao had been maintaining collapsed, her face twisted in anger. Wasn¡¯t this the woman who had been sleeping with Zhan Yeling in that video last time?


    Even though Xiong Miao¡¯s face had been injured then, it was now completely healed.


    However, given Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s intolerance towards love rivals, she had long memorized the woman¡¯s face.


    She was the woman who was involved in the scandal with Zhan Yeling last time!


    Why was she here?


    Here to report a design to Zhan Yeling?


    So, she¡¯s been a part of the Rich Corporation all along!


    Zhan Yeling had actually kept her by his side!


    Upon realizing this, Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s beautifully made-up face twisted in a frightening way, and her fist clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palm.


    Xiong Miao felt a fierce gaze on her, and when she looked up, she met Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s terrifying eyes.


    She stepped back, thinking she was blocking Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s way and that was why she seemed so displeased.


    But Ling Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t look like she was going to let her off easy; her eyes looked as if she wanted to tear Xiong Miao apart.


    Thinking she might have upset Ling Xiaoxiao by not acknowledging her, Xiong Miao forced a smile and bravely greeted her, ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Huh, so you¡¯re the design department manager. Zhan Yeling¡¯s right-hand woman¡­¡± Ling Xiaoxiao emphasized the words ¡®right-hand woman¡¯ strongly, clearly implying something.


    With that, she left proudly, even though her high heels made her foot hurt.


    Xiong Miao was a bit confused. She didn¡¯t understand Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s attitude or the meaning of her words.


    ¡°Manager Xiong, don¡¯t just stand there. Start your presentation,¡± Gu Yi¡¯s reminder brought Xiong Miao back to reality.


    She opened her laptop, inserted the USB, and was about to put her laptop on the office desk when she realized it was Zhan Yeling¡¯s meticulously kept, spotless desk.


    She couldn¡¯t overstep.


    So she held her laptop with her left arm in front of Zhan Yeling while using her other hand to move the cursor.


    As she moved closer, the faint scent of magnolia from her drifted into Zhan Yeling¡¯s senses, a welcome change from the strong perfume that had filled the room just moments ago.


    It lifted his mood quite a bit.


    Before she began, Xiong Miao sneakily glanced at the man. Seeing that he seemed relaxed, with no signs of anger, she opened her PowerPoint and started her presentation. ¡°Youth is spirited and the soul pure and clean. Everyone carries a hidden wound within their heart, guarded by an ethereal space we hesitate to discuss. Hence, youth also carries a sense of calm. I used black to represent calmness, white to represent the ethereal. The addition of a red Chinese knot brings a touch of passion within this calmness.¡±


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 19

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Black and white are timeless classic colors. Combined with the traditional Chinese knot, this design will not be outdated with the passing of time. It will be a work of art that endures through the ages.


    The blend of stability and ethereality gives off a deep, yet melancholic feeling.


    Just like Zhan Yeling, he¡¯s powerful and mysterious. No one dares to disrespect him, let alone try to understand the depths of his soul.


    But isn¡¯t it the soul¡¯s depth that holds the most precious things?


    To be precise, the inspiration for this design came from Zhan Yeling.


    Of course, Xiong Miao couldn¡¯t possibly tell him this.


    Gazing at the computer screen, Zhan Yeling¡¯s deep-set eyes slightly squint at the trendy and stylish clothes. It¡¯s evident from the illustrations of the models that Xiong Miao¡¯s design skills are profound.


    Zhan Yeling remains silent, scrutinizing the images on the computer screen.


    Xiong Miao, thinking he was upset because her drawings were rushed and messy, quickly explained, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Zhan. These were all drawn overnight, and they¡¯re a bit rough. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll improve them later.¡±


    ¡°Did you draw all these in one day?¡± Gu Yi, who was watching along, widened his eyes incredulously upon hearing this.


    A single person completed so many designs in one night!


    Is she a genius?


    No, more than that, she¡¯s a god!


    ¡°Yes, I know we are out of time for the new product release,¡± said Xiong Miao, considering the company¡¯s interests.


    Clearly, Zhan Yeling was satisfied with the designs and Xiong Miao¡¯s performance today: ¡°Hmm, not bad.¡±


    His low voice rang out, not a deliberate compliment, but a typical workday sentiment.


    Yet those few short words made Xiong Miao¡¯s heart bloom with joy.


    Her designs had finally been approved by Mr. Zhan!


    The all-nighter was worth it!


    She hadn¡¯t even imagined that gaining Zhan Yeling¡¯s approval would make her so incredibly happy.


    Her heart was about to burst with elation.


    ¡°Then, Mr. Zhan, next we¡¯ll start drafting and producing,¡± Xiong Miao stammered excitedly.


    ¡°Alright, get to it,¡± Zhan Yeling said as he leaned back in his chair, his long legs stretched out on the desk, hands casually crossed over his chest.


    Leisurely and casually, yet his intimidating presence remained.


    Xiong Miao, still in the position of holding her computer, swallowed nervously at Zhan Yeling¡¯s relaxed demeanor.


    She had just been worried about her computer desecrating his meticulously kept desk.


    But now?


    He directly put his feet up on it.


    No matter, she won¡¯t argue with him. After all, she¡¯s just a subordinate.


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Zhan Yeling asked, his magnetic voice sliding from his thin lips.


    ¡°No, nothing else,¡± Xiong Miao quickly closed her computer. ¡°Please take your time, Mr. Zhan. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡±


    As she turned to leave, her vision suddenly blurred with stars. Feeling dizzy, her legs gave way, and she collapsed. The computer slipped from her hands and clattered onto the floor.


    Xiong Miao didn¡¯t fall to the ground, but onto Zhan Yeling¡¯s legs.


    His legs were stretched out on the desk, making a long makeshift bed. As Xiong Miao fainted backwards, she conveniently landed on his legs, unconscious.


    Xiong Miao fainted too quickly. Gu Yi was about to step forward to help her, but she had already collapsed heavily onto Zhan Yeling¡¯s long legs.


    In this situation, he didn¡¯t know whether to step forward or not. Not going forward made him seem negligent of his duty, which was to protect President Zhan.


    Going forward would be intrusive as she was already lying on President Zhan¡¯s legs, moreover, she was President Zhan¡¯s woman. If he moved her recklessly and angered President Zhan, it would be worse.


    Gu Yi cast a questioning glance at Zhan Yeling, only to be met with a cold, icy glare and a face as dark as ink.


    President Zhan was irritated, but why?


    Gu Yi wasn¡¯t sure.


    Thinking quickly, he aborted his step forward, turned around, and slipped out of the office.


    Zhan Yeling gritted his teeth, deep-set eyes swirling with anger.


    Great, Gu Yi had become daring enough to slack off on his duties!


    If he wanted to die!


    And this woman, could she faint to attract his attention on any occasion?


    She really overestimated herself!


    ¡°Hey, wake up!¡± Zhan Yeling jostled his long legs, his face sullen.


    The woman¡¯s body only swayed with his movement, offering no response.


    Her full weight was pressing on his leg, and if he withdrew, she would fall to the floor, shattering like a computer.


    She didn¡¯t seem to be faking it.


    Zhan Yeling sat up straight, propped Xiong Miao¡¯s shoulders, helped her sit upright, one hand supporting her, and the other pinching her philtrum.


    ¡°Hiss, it hurts!¡± Xiong Miao frowned, waking up in pain.


    ¡°Who was that? Applying so much force, are you trying to kill me?¡± Even if it was pinching the philtrum, couldn¡¯t he have been a bit gentler? Xiong Miao instinctively lashed out.


    She turned her head to see Zhan Yeling¡¯s cold, icy eyes and immediately fell silent.


    ¡°Repeating your old tricks, huh?¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s pleasant voice carried a hint of displeasure.


    At this moment, she was in his arms, leaning against him. His slightly cool body heat was transmitted through the cloth onto her skin. His strong masculine scent enveloped her.


    This intimate distance brought back memories of their encounter at the hotel four years ago.


    Rosiness instantly spread across Xiong Miao¡¯s fair face. She hurriedly got up but stumbled a bit as her body hadn¡¯t recovered yet. To prevent another fall, she quickly grabbed the nearest object for stability.


    The object she grabbed was warm, and she heard a faint grunt of pain.


    In her panic, she saw Zhan Yeling¡¯s handsome face showing a cold, stern expression.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she hadn¡¯t meant to grab his leg.


    The man didn¡¯t speak, just stared at her with icy eyes that felt like they could bore a hole through her.


    Fear crept into Xiong Miao¡¯s heart, worried that he might misconstrue her actions as a deliberate attempt to get his attention. She explained, ¡°I¡­ I have low blood sugar and didn¡¯t have breakfast, that¡¯s why I fainted¡­¡±


    After giving birth, she didn¡¯t have anyone to take care of her during her postpartum recovery. Her meals were poor, and she had to take care of six babies alone, which led to her developing hypoglycemia.


    She had spent the whole of last night awake and hurriedly prepared breakfast for her children in the morning. In her busyness, she hadn¡¯t even found time to eat a single bite for herself.


    That was why she had inevitably fainted.


    ¡°Knock, knock.¡± At this moment, the office door was knocked upon.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s face remained frosty.


    ¡°President, your coffee.¡± The secretary would deliver a cup of coffee every so often.


    Noticing President Zhan¡¯s unusual expression, the secretary quickly set down the coffee and fled the office as if escaping.


    They feared President Zhan¡¯s anger might spill over onto them.


    Xiong Miao naturally realized she had upset Zhan Yeling again. ¡°President Zhan, I¡­ I¡¯ll get back to work now¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t dare to meet his eyes.


    ¡°Wait.¡± His commanding voice rang out from behind her.


    Xiong Miao stopped in her tracks, her heart pounding.


    She knew he wouldn¡¯t let her off easily. How was he going to humiliate her this time?


    ¡°Drink the coffee,¡± he said.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 20

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Huh? Xiong Miao was a bit dazed, but she didn¡¯t dare to delay. She returned to the desk, picked up the coffee, drank it in one gulp, then bowed slightly to Zhan Yeling, gave a quick nod, and promptly walked out.


    Phew¡­


    Being in the same space with Zhan Yeling was truly a test of her heart¡¯s endurance.


    But, the coffee was quite sweet.


    Xiong Miao smacked her lips, savoring the flavor.


    Just now she was still a little dizzy, drinking coffee with sugar, a lot of sugar.


    Her head had been a bit dizzy before, but after drinking the sweetened coffee, she felt much better.


    She needed to find a restaurant to eat something first, then go to the company.


    Health was the capital of revolution, she needed to be full to have the energy to work.


    Just as she walked out of the Rich Corporation¡¯s main door, Xiong Miao felt something was missing from her hand.


    Right, where was her laptop and USB drive?


    Without these two items, how was she supposed to work?


    She had been so stupid to forget something as important as her laptop.


    Perhaps when she fainted, it was left in Zhan Yeling¡¯s office.


    She had just escaped the tiger¡¯s den, was she going to go back in?


    No choice, it was her fault for being absent-minded.


    With a determined look, Xiong Miao returned to the outside of Zhan Yeling¡¯s office.


    The office door was slightly ajar. She took a deep breath and was about to knock when the conversation inside made her hand freeze in mid-air.


    ¡°President Zhan, Old Master Zhan insists you must attend tonight¡¯s banquet because Zhan Da Shao is returning.¡± Gu Yi respectfully reported to the man.


    Initially, Gu Yi was also arranged by Old Master Zhan to be by Zhan Yeling¡¯s side as his special assistant.


    The old master¡¯s purpose was to have Gu Yip monitor Zhan Yeling and report any happenings.


    But after being with Zhan Yeling for a long time, Gu Yi gradually leaned towards his side.


    So, Gu Yi didn¡¯t become Old Master Zhan¡¯s monitor, but rather a messenger.


    ¡°Is that so? Then I must go.¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s voice sounded, deep and chilly.


    From outside, Xiong Miao could hear the coldness in Zhan Yeling¡¯s tone.


    ¡°Ling Xiaoxiao has been pestering President Zhan these days. She wants to appear as your partner at the banquet tonight. How will you arrange it?¡± Gu Yi asked.


    ¡°The old man just wants me to be a puppet of the Zhan family. Ling Xiaoxiao is just the string that pulls the puppet. If I follow his wishes, I won¡¯t be Zhan Yeling.¡± Zhan Yeling coldly sneered.


    Unexpectedly, Zhan Yeling¡¯s relationship with the Zhan family was so strained.


    You could hear the hatred for the Zhan family in his words.


    Xiong Miao had heard about Zhan Yeling¡¯s bad relationship with the Zhan family. At first, she thought it was just a rumor. Now it seems, the rumor wasn¡¯t unfounded.


    Xiong Miao knocked on the door, not intending to interrupt their conversation, but her laptop was inside, and she needed to work tonight.


    Her knock interrupted the conversation inside.


    ¡°Come in!¡± The man¡¯s voice was tinged with displeasure.


    ¡°Sorry, President Zhan, I left my laptop here.¡± Xiong Miao pushed the door open, bowed, full of apologies, her gaze landing on her laptop on the coffee table.


    She moved over, picked up her laptop, made an effort not to look into Zhan Yeling¡¯s eyes, carefully stepped out, and closed the door behind them.


    Immediately after, she fled into the elevator as if escaping.


    ¡°What went wrong?¡± Xiong Miao opened her laptop to discover that it was almost broken in half, with only a paper-thin component holding the display together.


    ¡°Oh my goodness, it picked the worst time to break down, it¡¯s really trying to kill me,¡± Xiong Miao slapped her forehead in frustration.


    With no other choice, she decided to get her laptop repaired.


    After a sleepless night, even the strongest person would succumb to exhaustion. While her laptop was being repaired, Xiong Miao decided to go home to rest.


    ¡°Miao Miao, you¡¯re back. The ones just fell asleep,¡± Su Mumu pointed to the toy room.


    At this time every day, the little ones would start taking their naps after lunch.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m really lacking sleep, need to get some rest,¡± Xiong Miao said listlessly.


    Su Mumu crumbled her face in worry, ¡°Look at your dark circles, you¡¯re turning into a real panda. You can¡¯t keep working around the clock, your body won¡¯t be able to take it. If you collapse, the little ones will have no one to depend on. How much are these capitalists paying you that you¡¯re working yourself to death?¡±


    Over the years, Xiong Miao had been tirelessly earning money, something Su Mumu knew all too well.


    When Xiong Miao worked herself to the bone, it scared her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be as busy after the season¡¯s release conference is over. Is there any food? I¡¯m starving,¡± Xiong Miao said, removing Su Mumu¡¯s hand and heading towards the kitchen. She found some of the children¡¯s leftover food, scooped it into a bowl, and started eating.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so hard on yourself. I can make you some noodles,¡± Su Mumu said, distressed by the sight of her friend.


    ¡°No need, I need to save time to sleep.¡± She planned to sleep for a few hours, and by the time she woke up, her laptop should be repaired, and she¡¯d have to get back to work.


    After finishing her meal, she pushed open the door and saw her six childrens sprawled out in sleep. The Second child, Junjun, was lying face down, snoring softly with drool soaking his sheets.


    As for the fourth child, Lele, he was half-awake, sucking on Junjun¡¯s big toe as if nursing.


    The fourth child, Mama, was tucked in a corner, her head resting on Qianqian¡¯s stomach, looking like a little kitten.


    Rolled onto the floor was the youngest, Baobei, still in his diaper, smacking his lips as if dreaming about something delicious.


    Seeing such diverse sleeping positions, Xiong Miao couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, her fatigue lessening significantly.


    She took off her shoes, laid her six darlings properly on the bed, detached the little foot Lele was sucking on, and straightened Mama out.


    Then, she lay in the middle of her little ones, smelling the sweet scent of baby milk powder and listening to their soothing breaths. Within seconds, she fell asleep.


    Su Mumu closed the door for the family of seven.


    Xiong Miao was dreaming, dreaming that a kitten was lying on her, licking her face.


    The feeling was soft and wet.


    In reality, her face was indeed being licked by something soft and wet, shocking her awake.


    What met her gaze was a cute, rosy face, with dark, innocent, and sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Hehe, Mommy, I really like you,¡± the little girl with twin ponytails giggled.


    ¡°My dear, Mommy likes you too,¡± she said, realizing it was her youngest daughter, Xiong Baobei who was licking her.


    Indeed, even a nap could surprise and delight her.


    She gently lifted Xiong Baobei, who was resting on her, and tried to get up, but found herself unable to move.


    She then realized that her waist was pinned down by two little chubby kids, and her legs were occupied by the children too. Junjun and Lele each clung to one leg, as if holding onto their treasured toys.


    ¡°My darlings, get up quickly. Mommy needs to get up and work,¡± said Xiong Miao.


    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t work. Stay with me,¡± Xiong Baobei whined pitifully.


    ¡°Mommy, how long will you work? Will we not be able to see you again?¡± Qianqian, the eldest child, asked in a soft voice, sitting in front of her.


    Only then did Xiong Miao remember. Ever since she started working, she had been burning the midnight oil every day, only to come home when the children were already asleep. She had hardly spent any quality time with them in the last eight or nine days.


    No wonder they were clinging to her so much now.


    ¡°My dears, be good. Once Mommy is done with this busy period, we¡¯ll go out and play. When Mommy has earned money, I¡¯ll buy toys for you all,¡± she said, acknowledging her lack of companionship and promising to make up for it with her time.


    ¡°Baby, don¡¯t cry. Mommy will take us out to play when she finishes her work,¡± Xiong Baobei comforted herself while her eyes welled up with tears.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 21

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Xiong Miao tidied herself up quickly before heading out the door.


    She had slept for longer than she usually did, and by the time she woke up, it was already dark outside.


    It looked like she¡¯d have to retrieve her laptop and put in some overtime.


    ¡°My laptop isn¡¯t fixed yet,¡± Xiong Miao said, feeling defeated.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it, the chips inside got smashed, and you wanted to keep all the important files. I can only try to repair it. If you opted for a new one, it would have been faster,¡± the computer repairman explained.


    ¡°How much longer will it take?¡± asked Xiong Miao.


    ¡°About half an hour.¡±


    There was nothing else she could do but wait patiently.


    Xiong Miao sat in the store, playing with her phone.


    Suddenly, a ruckus came from outside, seemingly a couple arguing.


    Driven by curiosity, Xiong Miao went outside to see what was going on.


    Next to the computer repair shop was a luxurious hotel, where a handsome man and a beautiful woman were standing at the entrance.


    The man was wearing a hand-made black suit, fitting perfectly on his impressive physique, giving him a sense of distinction and nobility. His innate aura of authority kept everyone at a distance.


    The woman was wearing a long white dress, showing off her smooth collarbone. Her wavy brown hair fell over her shoulders, an epitome of elegance and nobility.


    ¡°Ye Ling, I came all the way here. Why won¡¯t you take me in with you? Who else but me could be your companion tonight?¡± Ling XiaoXiao stood in front of the tall figure of Zhan Yeling, elegantly dressed, yet full of pleading.


    Indeed, she was pleading with Zhan Yeling to have her as his companion, to stay by his side.


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s handsome face remained unmoved, his deep eyes turning towards Xiong Miao, who was standing not far off.


    Tonight, a breeze was blowing, carrying the faint scent of magnolia from Xiong Miao to Zhan Yeling¡¯s nostrils.


    His sense of smell was keen.


    Moreover, she was still in the clothes she had worn during the day.


    Even with face blindness, Zhan Ye Ling could recognize her at a glance.


    Her unique scent, no one understood it better than him.


    Xiong Miao locked eyes with him and felt a shiver down her spine. She quickly turned to leave.


    ¡°Who said my companion had to be you!¡± Zhan Yeling left the remark behind, his long strides following.


    Xiong Miao hurriedly moved towards the computer repair shop. But before she could take more than a few steps, a strong force gripped her arm. She was forced to turn around, facing the imperious gaze of Zhan Yeling.


    ¡°Mr. Zhan, what are you¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop talking and come with me!¡± Zhan Ye Ling didn¡¯t give her a chance to argue. He took her by the arm and started heading towards the hotel.


    As they passed by Ling XiaoXiao, Xiong Miao caught a glimpse of her fierce and twisted face, her expression showing she wished nothing more than to tear her apart.


    Xiong Miao roared inwardly, ¡°Oh my God, how unjust it is to be used as a scapegoat for no reason and to be resented for it.¡±


    Had she known, she would never have come out to watch the commotion.


    Curiosity really does kill the cat.


    Zhan Yeling pulled Xiong Miao in.


    Ling XiaoXiao, furious, kicked the ground hard. Her fine makeup twisted with rage, ¡°Ah! Xiong Miao, it¡¯s always you ruining my plans! I¡¯ll never let you off!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Zhan, Mr. Zhan!¡± Xiong Miao tried to halt his steps, but it was in vain.


    Her wrist hurt where he was gripping it, and she still had work on her mind. In her desperation, she called out his full name, ¡°Zhan Yeling!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Before she could say what she intended, he pushed her away. She landed in a chair.


    Only then, in her surprise, did Xiong Miao realize she was in a stylist¡¯s room. The fashionable decorations and furnishings, the rack holding a variety of women¡¯s clothes.


    Small as a sparrow but complete in every detail.


    ¡°Mr. Zhan.¡± The stylist Xiao Rui immediately stepped forward and respectfully called.


    ¡°You have five minutes.¡± Zhan Ye Ling checked his wristwatch, sat down on a revolving chair nearby, propped up his legs and looked laid-back yet regal.


    Xiao Rui came in front of Xiong Miao, sizing her up: her black straight hair, delicate and pretty facial features, slender and graceful figure. But her attire was too plain.


    Casual outfits and flat shoes wouldn¡¯t cut it for a banquet.


    Following Mr. Zhan¡¯s command, Xiao Rui immediately gave Xiong Miao a makeover.


    Five minutes later, Xiong Miao emerged from the dressing room.


    Her elegant makeup was delicate without losing its purity. Her black hair was pulled up, revealing a long, fair neck. A silver necklace set off her glossy collarbone, making it even more enchanting.


    Her pink skirt was just the right length ¨C below the thighs but above the knees.


    Subtle yet beautiful.


    Five-inch heels adorned her feet.


    In just five minutes, it seemed as if an ugly duckling had transformed into a swan.


    Standing there, Xiong Miao felt somewhat uneasy.


    Zhan Yeling, who was engrossed in his phone, looked up and glanced at the woman in front of him. There was a moment of surprise, which quickly gave way to his usual cool demeanor.


    For him, women with good looks and figures were a dime a dozen.


    Still, he thought she wasn¡¯t attractive enough, didn¡¯t he?


    Seeing the dimming in Zhan Yeling¡¯s eyes, Xiong Miao felt a pang of disappointment.


    Right, she was nothing more than an ugly duckling.


    No amount of dressing up could change what was inherently plain.


    Ling Xiaoxiao was the genuine, well-bred, high society heiress.


    If even Ling Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t catch his eye, how could she stand a chance?


    ¡°Tonight, accompany me to a banquet,¡± Zhan Yeling spoke after a moment of silence.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Xiong Miao replied. She had overheard Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s argument with him earlier.


    She understood that Zhan Yeling wanted her to act as his companion to spite Ling Xiaoxiao. She knew her place.


    Hearing her dispirited voice, Zhan Yeling frowned slightly, ¡°For this act, twenty thousand.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Xiong Miao was surprised.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s your routine to help customers with minor things and receive small tips?¡±


    Xiong Miao understood his meaning. She would act for him and he would pay her.


    Good. That way, they would owe each other nothing.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for so much, two and a half thousand is enough,¡± Xiong Miao said before she walked away in her high heels.


    Zhan Yeling turned and watched her retreating figure, his eyes narrowing slightly.


    He knew she was angry. What was she angry about?


    Did she think twenty thousand was too little?


    Yet, she had haggled it down to two and a half thousand.


    The hotel¡¯s grand hall was luxurious and bustling with the elite and aristocrats, a place of mingling and conversation.


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Yeling arrived yet?¡± Fang Qian¡¯s voice carried a hint of provocation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯ll come,¡± Zhan Junyi said with a stern face.


    Xiong Miao stopped at the entrance of the banquet, as she didn¡¯t have an invitation.


    Zhan Yeling leisurely walked over, one hand in his pocket and his arm forming a circle.


    Xiong Miao looked at him, motionless.


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s brow furrowed in displeasure.


    Xiong Miao understood his meaning and hesitantly took his arm.


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s thin lips lifted in a hint of satisfaction as he led her into the banquet.


    ¡°Zhan Ershao is here!¡± Seeing Zhan Yeling, a murmur ran through the crowd.


    Especially when they saw the woman by Zhan Yeling¡¯s side, it attracted everyone¡¯s attention.


    Everyone knew that Zhan Yeling was soon to be engaged to Ling Xiaoxiao.


    Everyone had assumed that for such an important banquet, Zhan Yeling would arrive arm in arm with his fianc¨¦e, Ling Xiaoxiao.


    But to everyone¡¯s surprise, the woman by his side was a stranger, a woman no one had seen before.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 22

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Xiong Miao felt uncomfortable under the scrutinizing gazes from the crowd. Oddly, she thought, why were all eyes on her, someone so ordinary, instead of Zhan Yeling, the golden boy?


    ¡°Yeling, you finally made it. We¡¯ve all been waiting for you,¡± Fang Qian greeted warmly, her impatience from earlier replaced with a gracious smile.


    Noticing Xiong Miao next to him, a hint of surprise crossed Fang Qian¡¯s face but vanished instantly, her expression remaining perfect. Fang Qian was Zhan Junyi¡¯s third wife and the current head of the Zhan family.


    Zhan Junyi had three women and three sons in his life. His eldest son, Zhan Zifeng, was from his first wife. After her death, he had an affair with a woman, Zhan Yeling¡¯s mother. They were never married, and Zhan Yeling suffered mockery as an illegitimate child in his early years. After the tragic death of Yeling¡¯s mother in a car accident, Zhan Junyi married his current wife, Fang Qian, and had their son, Zhan Renxun.


    Fang Qian had always hoped to see her son, Zhan Renxun, to be the person in charge of the Zhan family. However, he was still young, not yet graduated from university, and with his capricious nature, he was far from being responsible.


    ¡°It¡¯s a welcome banquet for my elder brother, isn¡¯t it?¡± Zhan Yeling smirked disdainfully.


    ¡°Even though this banquet is in honor of your elder brother, as the CEO of the Rich Corporation, you¡¯re also managing half of the Zhan family business. This event is just as important to you,¡± Zhan Junyi calmly stated, showing a rare trace of gentleness on his stern face.


    As for the woman beside Zhan Yeling, he just glanced at her and didn¡¯t pay much attention. Young men could have their dalliances, he thought. And Zhan Yeling would eventually marry Ling Xiaoxiao, no matter what.


    Just as Fang Qian was about to introduce Zhan Zifeng, he arrived, holding a glass of red wine. Tall, wearing a silvery-grey suit, with a handsome face and a warm smile, Zhan Zifeng looked nothing like Zhan Yeling, given they were half-brothers from different mothers.


    Zhan Zifeng stopped a step away from Zhan Yeling, his gaze settling on Xiong Miao. He offered her a small, cordial smile, nodding in acknowledgment.


    Xiong Miao, shocked, quickly returned his greeting, ¡°Professor¡­¡± She was about to call him ¡°Professor Zhan,¡± but realized that it wasn¡¯t appropriate for the occasion, so she corrected herself, ¡°Hello, Zhan Da Shao.¡±


    She was amazed by the small world they lived in. She hadn¡¯t expected to run into her university lecturer at this event.


    Back when she was studying design in Paris, Zhan Zifeng was their design lecturer. His handsome looks and graceful demeanor attracted many girls who were crazy about him.


    But Zhan Zifeng was a gentleman. He treated his students with kindness and patience, never accepting any romantic advances or crossing professional boundaries. He handled this with great care.


    Xiong Miao, one of his students, was a mother already, thus even the handsomest man was fleeting to her. She never harbored any inappropriate thoughts about Zhan Zifeng.


    Compared to the other girls who were head over heels, Xiong Miao¡¯s calm demeanor set her apart, naturally attracting Zhan Zifeng¡¯s attention.


    Zhan Zifeng saw her as someone unique and helped her quite a bit with her graduation project.


    For this, Xiong Miao was sincerely grateful to him.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 23

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    At that time, she had to take care of six babies, work nights shift to earn money, and also handle her graduation project. It was really exhausting.


    During her toughest times, she would never forget the ones who offered help.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Zhan Zifeng simply greeted her with a warm, sunshine-like gaze, which then landed on Zhan Yeling, ¡°Second brother, you seem to have lost quite a bit of weight. You¡¯ve worked hard for the Rich Corporation.¡±


    Second brother? Xiong Miao was startled. So Zhan Zifeng was Zhan Yeling¡¯s elder brother!


    Well, that made sense. Both of them had the surname Zhan and carried a noble aura.


    Being young masters of the Zhan family was not strange at all.


    ¡°You, on the other hand, brother, are living the high life, all alone overseas. Now that you¡¯re back, you must be planning to settle down,¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s eyes were dark and deep, his words carrying hidden meanings.


    The brothers exchanged words that were sharp as swords, clashing silently in the air.


    Xiong Miao, standing next to Zhan Yeling, suddenly felt a cold chill, despite the warm surroundings. It felt eerily quiet.


    ¡°That will depend on the outcome of the new product launch,¡± Zhan Zifeng¡¯s face always held a gentle smile, yet it also gave off a distance that one should not breach.


    The reason was simple, his smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    Zhan Zifeng raised his glass towards Zhan Yeling, finished his red wine in one gulp, and turned around to greet the other guests.


    Xiong Miao noticed that Zhan Yeling¡¯s eyes had become frighteningly gloomy.


    It made her feel uneasy standing beside him.


    ¡°President Zhan, it¡¯s not often we get to see you,¡± a man greeted Zhan Yeling with a face full of rare excitement.


    Social events like this were perfect for businessmen to network and build relationships.


    ¡°Wait for me over there,¡± Zhan Yeling signaled Xiong Miao, and then started chatting with the man.


    Finally free to move around, Xiong Miao felt relieved and excited.


    There was a lot of delicious food at the banquet. She selected some desserts that she loved, got a cup of juice, found a corner, and sat down to eat.


    She hadn¡¯t had a decent meal in days. It was time to reward her stomach.


    ¡°How far have you and Zhan Yeling gone?¡±


    Xiong Miao, engrossed in her food, suddenly heard a disdainful female voice beside her.


    Turning around, she saw a woman with an elegant and luxurious face. Despite being in her forties or fifties, her skin was well-maintained, showing no sign of age.


    Recognizing the woman who was just talking with Zhan Yeling, Xiong Miao guessed her identity, took a napkin to wipe her mouth, and said, ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s not what you think.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. You are just like those unknown women approaching rich men with no good intentions. I tell you, you better leave him early. Don¡¯t wait until he gets bored and discards you! You and him will never end up together! The one he will marry is only Ling Xiaoxiao!¡± Fang Qian said arrogantly, her words sharp and warning. She walked away after speaking.


    She was determined not to let Zhan Yeling slip from her control and be with another woman!


    Xiong Miao felt wronged by the words.


    Being considered a love rival by Ling Xiaoxiao for no reason was one thing.


    But now, she was even being warned off.


    Such a feeling¡­ was terribly awful.


    Where did she fall short?


    Why did they all look down on her?


    Was it just because she didn¡¯t have a wealthy and dependable father?


    Was it because she had to struggle at the bottom, relying on her own abilities?


    Why was she looked down upon by these so-called noble people, one after another?


    The more Xiong Miao thought about it, the angrier she got.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 24

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    The dessert that was originally delicious suddenly tasted bland as Fang Qian spoke. Xiong Miao ate with difficulty, her face filled with sadness. A gust of wind brushed by, causing a chill to run down her already cold skin.


    Looking up, she met the sharp gaze of Ling Xiaoxiao sitting opposite her. The woman wore a smile, yet it felt like there was a knife hidden within it. ¡°This kind of high-class place, it must be your first time here, you even find the dessert fascinating.¡± Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s sarcastic remark ended with her gaze scornfully landing on the cake in front of her.


    Xiong Miao¡¯s hand, which was feeding herself, froze. No sooner had Fang Qian, who had mocked her, left than Ling Xiaoxiao arrived. Was she just destined for bad luck today?


    Already in a bad mood, Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s words only made her feel worse, as if her heart was stuffed with cotton. ¡°Miss Ling, Zhan Yeling is over there, not here,¡± Xiong Miao put down her spoon, pointed towards Zhan Yeling who was chatting with others, her eyes calm and cold.


    ¡°Regardless of where Zhan Yeling is, his heart is always with me. Even if he gets temporarily entangled with wildflowers and weeds, he will discard them like trash after they¡¯ve served their purpose,¡± Ling Xiaoxiao, the wealthy heiress, spoke with a proud demeanor even while belittling others.


    ¡°Women like you, unworldly and thinking that you can become a phoenix by climbing onto a rich man, I¡¯ve seen many. They all end up badly in the end. Zhan Yeling isn¡¯t something you can covet, you¡¯d best stay away from him!¡± Her words became increasingly harsh.


    Xiong Miao felt a fire rising in her chest, her face flushed with anger, ¡°The phrase ¡®sour grapes¡¯ refers to people like you. You say I¡¯m not good enough for Zhan Yeling, but where do you stand? Zhan Yeling doesn¡¯t even see you.¡±


    She had seen it with her own eyes, how indifferent Zhan Yeling was to her. How could she be so arrogant in front of her?


    ¡°You¡­¡± Ling Xiaoxiao was so angry her chest heaved. This was the Zhan family¡¯s banquet, she couldn¡¯t lose her temper here.


    Otherwise, she would have slapped this bumpkin who dared to talk back to her!


    ¡°I am his fiancee, we will marry sooner or later! You¡¯re nothing more than a plaything to Zhan Yeling!¡± Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s only shield was this title.


    ¡°Is that so? But Zhan Yeling and I are truly in love. I believe, love can conquer all,¡± Xiong Miao wouldn¡¯t let herself be bullied.


    The words of Fang Qian earlier had already upset her, and now came Ling Xiaoxiao. If she continued to back down, they¡¯d think she was easy to bully.


    Wasn¡¯t Ling Xiaoxiao saying she couldn¡¯t have Zhan Yeling? Then she would declare their love and let that rile her up!


    ¡°What!¡± Ling Xiaoxiao was shocked, her voice involuntarily rising.


    In that moment, she herself didn¡¯t even realize how panicked she was.


    If Zhan Yeling truly loved this woman, then she would truly lose.


    Suppressing the fleeting fear in her heart, Ling Xiaoxiao put on a nonchalant expression and sneered, ¡°Stop puffing yourself up. You should hurry up and leave the Rich Corporation, leave Zhan Yeling!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Xiong Miao was not someone who had grown up being threatened.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll make you suffer in all of Kyoto!¡± Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s face contorted in anger as she uttered her threat in a low voice.


    ¡°If you dare to harm her, I¡¯ll ensure your entire family can¡¯t live in peace in Kyoto!¡± A sharp, icy male voice broke through the palpable tension.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 25

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Xiong Miao quickly turned around, only to be enveloped by a tall shadow.


    Looking up, she saw Zhan Yeling¡¯s handsome face, its icy expression radiating chilliness.


    Upon seeing Zhan Yeling, Ling Xiaoxiao¡¯s previous arrogance immediately faded, a flicker of panic in her eyes.


    However, she quickly concealed her complicated emotions, switching to a guise of fragile innocence, ¡°Yeling, I¡­ I just care too much about you¡­¡±


    ¡°You care about the status of the Zhan family, don¡¯t you?¡± Zhan Yeling glanced at her dismissively, then turned his attention to Xiong Miao.


    He walked over to her, took her hand, pulled her up, and began heading towards the banquet exit.


    Xiong Miao followed him, bewildered and unresisting.


    Outside the hotel, a cool breeze swept past. The autumn wind, carrying a cold chill, made her already cold body even colder.


    She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to retain some warmth. ¡°Mr. Zhan, can I go home now?¡± She believed she had fulfilled her part of the agreement.


    ¡°In love with each other, huh?¡± He arched an eyebrow, his voice so enticing it could make her ears pregnant. His ambiguous smile was both charming and mysterious.


    Under his intense gaze, Xiong Miao¡¯s face turned hot. Initially feeling chilly, his heated gaze warmed her entire body. ¡°I was just bluffing, Mr. Zhan. Don¡¯t take it seriously.¡±


    She was mortified realizing he¡¯d heard her boastful claim to Ling Xiaoxiao.


    Whether he understood her explanation or not, she wasn¡¯t sure. All she heard was a soft chuckle.


    Was he mocking her? Or did he not believe she had made those remarks simply to preserve her dignity?


    Xiong Miao¡¯s ears turned as red as boiled shrimp. ¡°Mr. Zhan,¡± she said, ¡°I hope you and Ling Xiaoxiao get married soon and live a long, happy life together.¡±


    After saying this, she lowered her head and quickly disappeared into a nearby computer repair shop. Zhan Yeling¡¯s handsome face instantly darkened, as if black ink could drip from it.


    ¡°Mr. Zhan,¡± his chauffeur called out, as the black Rolls-Royce pulled up beside him. Sensing the chilly aura radiating from Zhan Yeling, the driver wisely stayed silent to avoid causing more trouble.


    Once inside, the black car sped off into the neon-lit night. When Xiong Miao emerged from the repair shop with her fixed laptop, Zhan Yeling was nowhere in sight. He must¡¯ve left. It was probably for the best to avoid more awkwardness.


    As she waited at the roadside for a taxi, she heard someone call her name. ¡°Xiong Miao.¡±


    As she turned around, she saw a man in a silver-grey suit, his tall figure striding towards her.


    ¡°Professor Zhan, the banquet isn¡¯t over yet. Why did you leave so early?¡± Seeing Zhan Zifeng, Xiong Miao gave a faint smile.


    Zhan Zifeng¡¯s face always had a warm and gentle expression, like a comforting spring breeze that could dispel anyone¡¯s bad temper.


    ¡°I had planned to see off Zhan Yeling, but it seems I was too late,¡± Zhan Zifeng said, stopping a step away from Xiong Miao.


    ¡°How did you end up with my younger brother?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Xiong Miao was at a loss for words. She couldn¡¯t exactly say that it was all just a deal for today.


    ¡°No matter what the reason, stay away from Zhan Yeling. He¡¯s ruthless and bloodthirsty. You¡¯ll get hurt,¡± Zhan Zifeng warned her.


    Three people had warned her to keep her distance from Zhan Yeling today.


    But Zhan Zifeng was the only one who seemed genuinely concerned for her.


    His words provided a small comfort to Xiong Miao¡¯s heavily burdened heart.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 26

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    ¡°Okay, I need to get going now. Goodbye, Professor Zhan,¡± Xiong Miao nodded. Zhan Zifeng¡¯s words added a touch of warmth to the chilly night.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Xiong Miao turned around just in time to see Zhan Zifeng taking off his overcoat and walking towards her.


    He draped the overcoat over her. His body heat still lingered on it, enveloping Xiong Miao.


    ¡°Professor Zhan,¡± Xiong Miao was flattered. ¡°This isn¡¯t good.¡±


    How could she wear his coat?


    ¡°Look at you, shivering and covered in goosebumps. Just wear it. When you get a chance, you can return it to me. Let me take you home,¡± said Zhan Zifeng, his eyes sparkling with kindness.


    ¡°I can take a taxi,¡± Xiong Miao replied, embarrassed.


    ¡°No problem, I don¡¯t have anything to do right now. And I want to leave that boring banquet early anyway.¡±


    Xiong Miao could not refuse.


    However, she couldn¡¯t let Zhan Zifeng go to her house and definitely couldn¡¯t let him know about her six precious ones.


    When she was in school, she had kept her children a secret, not letting anyone she knew find out.


    And now, knowing Zhan Zifeng was part of the Zhan family, it was even more critical he didn¡¯t find out about the children.


    If he found out, wouldn¡¯t that mean Zhan Yeling would know too? She couldn¡¯t take any risks. So, she named a different residential complex.


    Zhan Zifeng drove the car, and Xiong Miao sat in the back seat.


    Despite their mentor-student relationship, Xiong Miao had always been distant from Zhan Zifeng.


    Now, knowing he was from the Zhan family, she felt even more reluctant to speak to him.


    Feeling bored, she pulled out her phone to pass the time.


    ¡°Ding!¡± Her phone chimed, signaling an incoming message from an unknown number. Usually, Xiong Miao would ignore any messages from unfamiliar numbers, but this time, for some inexplicable reason, she decided to open it.


    ¡°Add me on WeChat. My phone number is my WeChat ID.¡± The message was short and commanding.


    The style seemed so familiar¡­ Blinking her eyes twice, Xiong Miao obediently added the sender on WeChat. The search yielded a WeChat username: Ye


    Ye? Could it be Zhan Yeling?


    Driven by curiosity, Xiong Miao sent a friend request.


    Immediately, a new chat box popped up on her WeChat interface: I am now your friend. Let¡¯s chat.


    Intrigued by WeChat¡¯s push notification system, Xiong Miao was staring at the chat box when suddenly, a money transfer notification popped up.


    The sender had transferred money to her. The initial figure was two, followed by four zeroes. Oh my gosh, he transferred twenty thousand to her just after becoming friends!


    What in the world! Xiong Miao was confused for a moment, then she remembered Zhan Yeling had promised to pay her twenty thousand for attending the banquet as his companion.


    Hadn¡¯t she mentioned that she only wanted two thousand five hundred?


    To her, the figure of twenty thousand was a symbol of humiliation, the blatant price tag Duong Hongjie had put on her body.


    The two thousand five hundred, on the other hand, was earned through her hard work, a standard tip!


    All she wanted was to get back the two thousand five hundred yuan that Zhan Yeling had casually tossed aside.


    Xiong Miao didn¡¯t accept the transfer.


    Instead, she typed ¡°2500¡± into the chat box.


    Just as she was about to send it, she felt it was too blunt.


    So, she added a smiley face emoji.


    It seemed better now, and she hit send.


    Staring at her phone for quite a while, she saw no response from the other end.


    ¡°Xiong Miao¡­¡±


    Inside the car, a gentle male voice broke the silence.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 27

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Xiong Miao looked up to see Zhan Zifeng looking at her from the corner of his eye.


    Only then did she realize that the car had already stopped. She had been so engrossed in her phone that she hadn¡¯t even noticed they had arrived.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, thank you for driving me home. Please drive safely,¡± Xiong Miao hastily said, pushing the car door open.


    ¡°Do you want me to walk you in?¡± Zhan Zifeng was quite the gentleman.


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s just a few steps away. I can manage,¡± Xiong Miao quickly dismissed, waving her hands.


    This wasn¡¯t even my house, which one was he trying to walk me to?


    ¡°Okay, go ahead. Don¡¯t catch a cold,¡± Zhan Zifeng said warmly before driving off.¡±


    It was only after the car left that Xiong Miao realized she was still wearing Zhan Zifeng¡¯s jacket. She had exited the car in such a rush that she forgot to return his clothes.


    Xiong Miao walked out of the residential area, hailed a cab on the roadside, and gave the driver the address for New City Hua District.


    Picking up her phone again, she noticed the friend, whose username was ¡°Ye,¡± had not responded. Ye¡¯s avatar was rather plain, a dark night sky with a few faintly glowing stars. In this day and age, it¡¯s rare for someone to use a night sky as their profile picture. Most people use their own selfies or family photos.


    Zhan Yeling, being so handsome, was wasting an opportunity not having a selfie as his profile picture.


    Xiong Miao clicked into his social feed. The most recent post was work-related, an announcement for a quarterly meeting, which was a repost.


    Below the post, a note read: ¡°Friends can only see content from the last three days.¡±


    Well, Zhan Yeling¡¯s social feed was just as boring as he was.


    When she arrived at New City Hua District, Xiong Miao instinctively adjusted the jacket on her, then walked into the community.


    ¡°Honk honk¡­¡± A car honked twice.


    Xiong Miao moved aside, thinking she was blocking someone¡¯s way. But the more she tried to give way, the closer the black car approached, leaving her no room to continue walking. So, she stopped.


    The car door opened, a pair of shiny black leather shoes hit the pavement, followed by a tall figure exiting the vehicle.


    When she recognized the extraordinarily handsome face of the man, Xiong Miao was dumbfounded on the spot.


    Why was Zhan Yeling in her residential complex?


    Had he come looking for her?


    She panicked. His tall, imposing figure towered over her petite body, making her take a couple of steps back involuntarily.


    ¡°Mr. Zhan, why are you here so late?¡±


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s gaze swept over her, his deep-set eyes cold as ice. ¡°You¡¯re quite something, managing to get Zhan Zifeng¡¯s attention in such a short time.¡±


    He¡¯d noticed their little interactions at the banquet.


    ¡°Mr. Zhan¡­ uh¡­¡± Before Xiong Miao could finish her sentence, her throat was abruptly gripped by his large hand.


    Her breath was cut off instantly, leaving Xiong Miao nearly choking.


    What had she done to anger Zhan Yeling this time?


    Was he really trying to strangle her?


    In a desperate fight for survival, Xiong Miao grabbed his arm, managing to gasp out, ¡°Let¡­ let me go¡­¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you live without a man? In that case, I¡¯ll send you to hell right now!¡± Zhan Yeling gritted his teeth, his words as chilling as a demon.


    His eyes, black as obsidian, were bottomless pits exuding a dangerous aura.


    This version of Zhan Yeling terrified Xiong Miao.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 28

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    All this while, she¡¯d been careful around him, hiding her children so he wouldn¡¯t find out.


    Now, he wanted her life. If she died, her six little children¡¯s would starve, or be handed off to an orphanage by society.


    She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her children being sent to such a desolate place while they were so young.


    ¡°Zhan Yeling, let me go!¡± Xiong Miao struggled with all her strength.


    The chilling autumn night, combined with Zhan Yeling¡¯s vicious aura, made Xiong Miao shiver from head to toe.


    ¡°Let you go to flirt with Zhan Zifeng? Over my dead body!¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s breath grew heavier and faster, anger flaring up uncontrollably within him.


    Sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, Gu Yi was so shocked by the scene unfolding outside the car that he was at a loss for words. Good heavens, what¡¯s wrong with President Zhan? What did Xiong Miao say to upset him so much?


    If he¡¯d known this would happen, he wouldn¡¯t have brought President Zhan to Xiong Miao¡¯s place and revealed her identity. Seeing Zhan Yeling¡¯s grip tightening, he knew someone would get hurt if this continued.


    Gu Yi rushed out of the car and forcefully pried Zhan Yeling¡¯s fingers from Xiong Miao¡¯s throat, ¡°President Zhan, calm down, someone could get hurt!¡±


    As soon as Zhan Yeling released his grip, Xiong Miao gulped in the air like a drowning woman breaking the surface of the water.


    She coughed violently, inhaling large gulps of fresh air. Until one has experienced suffocation, they could never know the true value of air.


    Once her breathing had steadied, she looked up to see Zhan Yeling¡¯s piercing gaze and stepped back in fear. Gu Yi, still acting as a human shield, told Xiong Miao to go home, ¡°Manager Xiong, you should head back. We can discuss the rest tomorrow at work.¡±


    Xiong Miao nodded and left without another glance at Zhan Yeling. She now understood what Zhan Zifeng meant when he said that Zhan Yeling was bloodthirsty and brutal.


    She needed to keep her distance from Zhan Yeling. He had nearly strangled her just a while ago. The thought of it sent shivers down her spine.


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s breathing was ragged as he watched her hastily retreating figure. His clenched hand still retained the warmth of her neck and the scent of her body seemed to linger in his nostrils.


    In this moment, his heart was suffocating as well.


    What was her relationship with Zhan Zifeng?


    Had they known each other before?


    What kind of relationship would prompt her to wear a man¡¯s clothes so naturally?


    ¡°Gu Yi, look into it.¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s command was as icy as his tone.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes, I¡¯ll investigate,¡± Gu Yi hurriedly replied, only then realizing what Zhan Yeling was asking him to do, ¡°President Zhan, what should I investigate?¡±


    ¡°Xiong Miao¡¯s relationship with Zhan Zifeng,¡± he said coldly.


    ¡°Yes sir!¡± Gu Yi immediately acknowledged the order. Only then did he understand why Zhan Yeling was angry.


    He had seen the silver-grey suit that Xiong Miao was wearing; it was Zhan Zifeng¡¯s. Xiong Miao wearing Zhan Zifeng¡¯s clothes had infuriated Zhan Yeling to the point of almost killing her!


    What was going on?


    Was it necessary for President Zhan to become so furious just because Xiong Miao wore another man¡¯s clothes?


    Gu Yi couldn¡¯t understand Zhan Yeling at all.


    ¡°President Zhan, I¡¯ve already sent someone to investigate. Should we go back for now?¡± Gu Yi asked after making arrangements on his phone.


    Zhan Yeling closed his dark eyes briefly, got into the car, and began to massage his throbbing temples.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 29

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Gu Yi, still feeling a little shaken, drove Zhan Yeling away from New City Hua District.


    Had he known, he would not have suggested to President Zhan to personally deliver the payment to Xiong Miao in her neighborhood.


    Xiong Miao returned home, utterly exhausted.


    ¡°Mommy, I missed you so much.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I missed you.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I missed you¡­¡±


    ¡°Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Mommy.¡±


    As she walked through the door, her six little children rushed towards her with their stubby little legs, clustering around her in a tight hug.


    Xiong Baobei¡¯s plump face rubbed against her leg, leaving a trail of tears and snot that felt warm and wet. The other five boys also clung to her leg, their faces showing signs of loss and longing.


    Seeing this, Xiong Miao¡¯s heart ached. She squatted down, wiped the tears off Xiong Baobei¡¯s face, and sat her on her lap. She then reached out and held Le Le and Jun Jun, the two closest to her.


    ¡°Mommy missed you too. Did you all have dinner?¡± she asked. No matter how many hardships she had to endure, seeing her lovely children made her forget all about them because nothing was more important than her babies.


    ¡°Uh-huh, we ate, and we¡¯ve been good,¡± all six children nodded with their innocent faces.


    ¡°Mommy, we¡¯re going to do a commercial to help you earn money,¡± Jun Jun, her second son, declared with furrowed brows and a pout. It was clear he was worried about his mother.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, we can earn money too!¡± her eldest son, Qian Qian, nodded, agreeing with Jun Jun¡¯s proposal.


    Even at just three and a half years old, they could see how tired their mother was every day. Xiong Miao had managed to swallow all her hardships, but hearing her children speak so considerately made her eyes well up with tears.


    She looked up and blinked back her tears, trying to hold back her sobs. ¡°My babies, you¡¯re still young. If you want to be little superstars, can we wait until you grow up a bit more?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mommy, don¡¯t cry.¡± Qianqian reached up to wipe the tears that had inadvertently slipped from her eyes.


    He thought his words had upset his mom.


    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be sad, we¡¯re being good,¡± Wanwan, her third son, insisted, his little face flushed with urgency.


    ¡°Mommy¡¯s not upset, I¡¯m just happy. You know what tears of joy are, right?¡± Xiong Miao chuckled, trying to amuse her children.


    ¡°It¡¯s late; you should all go to bed. Go lie down, and your mommy will come to sleep with you after she finishes her bath,¡± Su Mumu, who was standing nearby, intervened.


    Upon hearing this, the little ones obediently went to their rooms.


    After Su Mumu had tucked them in and returned to the living room, she found Xiong Miao sitting motionlessly on the couch.


    ¡°Miao Miao, has someone been bullying you? Was it that despicable Director Su again?¡± she asked. Su Mumu could tell something was off about Xiong Miao.


    ¡°That Director Su! He hasn¡¯t even paid for the kids¡¯ commercials yet, and he¡¯s been bullying you over and over! I can¡¯t stand it. I¡¯ll report him to the police tomorrow!¡± Su Mumu was livid.


    ¡°It¡¯s not Director Su, it has nothing to do with him. I¡¯m just tired from working overtime. I¡¯m cold and exhausted. I¡¯m going to take a bath now. Please don¡¯t call the police rashly. If things get out of hand, I might lose my job,¡± Xiong Miao said calmly and headed for the bathroom.


    She was concerned that Su Mumu might be too impulsive and actually call the police.


    In case her issues with Su Hongyi became public and made it to the media, her secret about her six precious ones wouldn¡¯t remain hidden for long.


    If Zhan Yeling found out that she had been hiding his children, there¡¯s no telling what harsh actions he might take.


    Today, for no apparent reason, he had nearly choked her to death.


    This man, she simply couldn¡¯t afford to cross him.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 30

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Su Mumu could tell that Xiong Miao was troubled.


    Since Xiong Miao asked her not to call the police, she decided that she would confront the advertiser tomorrow and get back the sixty thousand yuan.


    Why should they suffer in silence, being taken advantage of?


    The children had worked hard! She couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch Xiong Miao¡¯s family be tormented like this.


    After Xiong Miao had taken her bath, she entered her room to find the children still awake. ¡°Mommy, hug.¡± The six little darlings with chubby pink faces asked, their expressions filled with longing.


    Xiong Miao lay down in the middle of her children, holding their tiny bodies in her arms. The kids¡¯ young faces nuzzled into her, quickly falling asleep.


    Holding the soft, fragrant children in her arms, Xiong Miao felt considerably comforted and soon drifted off to sleep.


    In the middle of the night, she woke up feeling hot, her head heavy and her body sweating profusely. The children in her arms were running a fever, making her feel uncomfortably warm.


    Children naturally have a higher body temperature than adults, especially when they sleep soundly, their body heat increases and they sweat a lot.


    Xiong Miao¡¯s throat was dry, and she had to leave the children to take another bath and drink a cup of hot water before she felt a bit better.


    However, she still felt dizzy, probably due to lack of proper sleep. She had been extremely tired these days.


    She initially planned to work overtime today to finish drawing the finished product for the clothing line, but it seemed she wouldn¡¯t be able to do that now.


    After taking another bath in the middle of the night, Xiong Miao didn¡¯t go back to the children¡¯s room to sleep but instead went to her own room and fell asleep on the bed.


    Early the next morning, Su Mumu arrived. She had tidied up the six little ones, prepared breakfast for them, and saw that Xiong Miao was still sleeping. Understanding that Xiong Miao was exhausted and needed rest, she decided not to wake her up. She left with the six little ones.


    ¡°Do you kids care about your mommy?¡± In the community garden, Su Mumu made them line up and asked them excitedly, much like a coach. ¡°We care¡­¡± The six little ones, with their speech still unclear and their innocent faces stern, made it hard not to laugh. The rest of the siblings nodded in agreement.


    ¡°That¡¯s great! If you all care about your mommy, we can¡¯t let her risk her life for money. Now, listen to me, let¡¯s go to Rich Corporation, find the person in charge, reclaim the rights to the advertisement, and get back the sixty thousand yuan that¡¯s rightfully yours!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± All the little ones replied in unison. They then took each other¡¯s hands like a little train and followed Su Mumu out. The sight of six adorable kids, following an adult in a military-like march, became a beautiful scene that added color to the dull city.


    Once again, they took the bus.


    Su Mumu tried to focus, reminding herself not to get distracted by handsome guys again and not to lose the kids.


    Under her constant self-hypnosis, she successfully led the little ones to the front desk of Rich Corporation¡¯s building.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking for the person with the most authority here,¡± Su Mumu said to the receptionist.


    When you¡¯re looking for someone, you have to find someone whose words are treated like commands, someone who is obeyed unconditionally.


    The receptionist looked at Su Mumu¡¯s serious and excited face, then at the six kids obediently trailing behind her, holding onto each other like a train.


    When she noticed one of the children¡¯s faces, the receptionist was shocked. My goodness, how could this child look so similar to their President Zhan?


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 31

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Could he be the president¡¯s illegitimate child?


    After all, Zhan Yeling was 28 years old, incredibly handsome, and it would be more suspicious if he didn¡¯t have any women in his life.


    Having an illegitimate child show up was quite normal, wasn¡¯t it?


    Given this, the receptionist couldn¡¯t afford to neglect this matter.


    Furthermore, her superior had stated that any grievances or messages intended for President Zhan should be passed along without hesitation.


    After all, as the newly appointed president, Zhan Yeling needed to establish his rules and get a grasp of all matters within the company. Even if the truth may be unpalatable, it was still the truth. President Zhan was not one for false words.


    After placing a phone call, the receptionist politely addressed Su Mumu, ¡°You can take the elevator directly up to the 36th floor, to the President¡¯s Office.¡±


    This was President Zhan¡¯s matter, and she certainly didn¡¯t want to say anything wrong to upset the woman. ¡°Thank you,¡± Su Mumu replied with a polite smile, leading the six little ones into the elevator.


    Rich Corporation was the most luxurious, influential, and noble conglomerate in the city. Su Mumu had initially thought that getting to meet the person in charge of such a high-end company would be a massive endeavor, requiring the strength of nine bulls and two tigers. However, it was surprisingly easy to reach the President¡¯s office.


    This made Su Mumu think that the leader of the Rich Corporation seemed quite approachable. Inside the elevator, the reflection from the metal mirrored walls made the six little ones¡¯ chubby faces shine brilliantly. They were quiet, obediently following Su Mumu.


    Their little minds were already contemplating how to fully leverage their strengths to reclaim what belonged to them. ¡°Ding!¡± The elevator stopped at the topmost floor.


    Su Mumu led the children out into a luxuriously decorated, immaculately clean corridor with no one in sight. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know which way to go, so she chose a direction at random.


    After passing through a set of elegant glass doors, she suddenly turned back, her eyes locked onto a few large words on the door frame: President¡¯s Office.


    The president? That would be the highest authority.


    Hmm, seeking him out should be a good idea.


    So, Su Mumu knocked on the door.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    There was no response.


    The door was slightly ajar. She pushed it open to find the room empty.


    No one was there!


    But the six little ones didn¡¯t care whether anyone was inside or not. They rushed into the room, some climbing onto the high-end leather sofa, others onto the swivel chairs, playing with the controls, and some curiously playing with the remote.


    Seeing the children forget their manners and indulge their curiosity, Su Mumu became flustered, ¡°Qianqian, don¡¯t mess with the remote, it belongs to the president.¡±


    ¡°Junjun, don¡¯t draw on the papers, they are contracts.¡±


    ¡°Mama, don¡¯t scratch the sofa.¡±


    ¡°Baobei, don¡¯t eat that, it¡¯s coffee beans!¡±


    Su Mumu was struggling to keep the children under control.


    Seeing new and exciting things, the children just couldn¡¯t help themselves.


    And with only two hands, Su Mumu was struggling to keep up with their mischief.


    As Su Mumu was growing increasingly frantic, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a handsome figure passing outside the glass door.


    The magical glass allowed the people inside to see out, but not the other way around.


    She recognized him instantly ¨C it was the same handsome man she had seen outside the Rich Corporation previously. In her pursuit of him, she had even lost track of the little ones.


    And now, she had run into him again, and this time, he was so close.


    She was determined not to let him out of her sight again!


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 Chapter 32

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Su Mumu¡¯s intense desire for the handsome man caused her to ignore the children. She opened the glass door and chased after him, yelling, ¡°Handsome guy, wait for me!¡±


    Meanwhile, in the office, without any adult supervision, chaos ensued. The trash can was tipped over, and paper scraps were everywhere. The meticulously clean desk was smeared with ink from a marker by one of the children. The neatly arranged files were scattered and marked with circles and lines.


    The leather sofa, which was a favorite of one of the children, was picked at with little fingers and bitten, leaving drool everywhere. One of the children, who loved to eat, found candy and coffee beans in the drawer, grabbed them with chubby hands, and carelessly shoved them into their mouth.


    Zhan Yeling, who had just returned to his office after a meeting, was not aware of the spectacle inside.


    One of the executives was reporting this quarter¡¯s financial statement to him: ¡°President Zhan, our clothing line has hardly made any profit this quarter. In some areas, we have suffered heavy losses.¡±


    As he was reporting, President Zhan suddenly paused, a cold aura enveloping the air around him. The executive was scared, thinking he had said something wrong. However, following President Zhan¡¯s gaze, he saw that six children had turned his once pristine office into a mess.


    Seeing the fury in President Zhan¡¯s eyes, the executive took a deep breath and hurriedly tried to intervene, ¡°Children, stop it!¡±


    ¡°Leader is back!¡± one of the children, Qianqian shouted. The other five kids perked up their ears, froze for a moment, and then scampered over to Zhan Yeling, each grabbing one of his legs.


    Six kids were surrounding Zhan Yeling. The executive wanted to pull the children away but didn¡¯t dare to touch Zhan Yeling for fear of provoking his anger. So he bowed and quickly left the scene.


    Zhan Yeling stood still, his eyes cold, watching the little girl climb onto him. The innocent smell of milk lingered in his nose, a smell he didn¡¯t dislike.


    Suddenly, a babyish scream rang out. The little girl climbing on him almost slipped off. On impulse, Zhan Yeling reached out and held onto her small buttocks, pulling her up into his arms.


    At such a close distance, the little girl was smitten by his handsomeness, ¡°Mister, you are very handsome.¡±


    Complimented for his looks, Zhan Yeling¡¯s stern expression changed subtly, ¡°Who brought you here?¡±


    His deep and resonant voice was pleasing and melodious. The little girl giggled, ¡°Hee hee, we, we came to see the leader, for an advertisement¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t recall the specifics of their purpose for being there and stuttered through her explanation. ¡°We did an advertisement, but we didn¡¯t get any money¡­ and someone bullied our mommy¡­¡±


    A young boy¡¯s voice chimed in. Zhan Yeling lowered his gaze to see a small boy looking up at him, speaking to him.


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 Chapter 33

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Even though he couldn¡¯t see the faces of these children clearly, he could still sense their charming expressions.


    ¡°No matter what the reason, it¡¯s not an excuse for you to destroy my office.¡± Zhan Yeling said this with a calm tone, but the chilling aura he projected scared the little ones.


    Junjun and Wanwan, who were clutching Zhan Yeling¡¯s legs, weakly let go. This handsome man, who looked like their dad, was so fierce. They were very scared.


    Qianqian, who was braver and more sensible, picked up on the cold aura emanating from Zhan Yeling. He knew he was angry and understood they had done something wrong. ¡°Sir, we didn¡¯t do it on purpose. We will clean up immediately.¡±


    The girl, Xiong Baobei, in Zhan Yeling¡¯s arms, stared at the handsome man in front of her for a while, also intimidated by his icy demeanor. Xiong Baobei liked handsome guys, but she was scared. She struggled out of Zhan Yeling¡¯s arms and ran to his desk, pulling open the drawer. She took out all the candy wrappers and tossed them in the trash bin which she had picked up after noticing it was knocked over.


    Looking at Zhan Yeling, she reported proudly, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no trash in the drawer now, it¡¯s clean.¡± The other kids hurriedly picked up the paper scraps from the floor and threw them into the trash bin.


    The naughty Mama, realizing his mistake, began trying to clean the sofa. He used his sleeve to wipe it, even adding a bit of saliva when the dirt wouldn¡¯t come off.


    Seeing this, Zhan Yeling¡¯s head throbbed. ¡°Enough! Where are you from? Get out!¡±


    Just then, Su Mumu, who had once again lost track of the handsome man and returned to find the kids, heard Zhan Yeling¡¯s angry words. She approached him, prepared to argue, but the sight of his perfect and handsome face left her stunned.


    Wow, this man was an extremely rare sight to behold. He was so handsome, it was as if he were a celestial being, causing envy amongst both humans and gods!


    Although she had seen Zhan Yeling¡¯s pictures online before, in person, he was a hundred times more handsome. But his icy demeanor and arrogant aura swiftly suppressed her fighting spirit.


    Su Mumu, who initially wanted to argue, softened her approach with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the kids don¡¯t understand, I¡¯ll clean it up right away¡­¡±


    As she was about to start cleaning, Zhan Yeling¡¯s cold voice interrupted her. ¡°No need!¡±


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Zhan, I¡¯ll take the kids and leave you to your work.¡± Su Mumu signaled for the six little ones to line up. They formed a chain and left the icy office.


    The six children gazed back at the tall man with innocent eyes full of reluctance.


    Zhan Yeling inexplicably turned his head just in time to see six pairs of bright, clear eyes fixed on him.


    The little girl even opened her mouth to smile at him, a sweet, innocent smile, as refreshing as a spring breeze.


    This sight caused a slight ripple in Zhan Yeling¡¯s otherwise frosty heart.


    After Su Mumu had taken the children away, the Gu Yi and secretary finally arrived.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Zhan the front desk said that someone urgently needed to see you, so I let them up¡­¡± the secretary apologized carefully.


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 Chapter 34

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    This happened because the president had previously declared that anyone with any opinion could approach him. That¡¯s why she let them go up.


    When Gu Yu returned from running an errand, he learned that there had been a disturbance in President Zhan¡¯s office. The usually immaculate office was now a mess, looking like it had been the site of a wild chicken chase. No wonder President Zhan looked so gloomy. Seeing this, Gu Yi also became anxious.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have it cleaned immediately,¡± Gu Yi was efficient and promptly summoned the janitorial staff.


    Zhan Yeling stood and headed out, Gu Yi quickly followed.


    ¡°Look into whether the company recently took on a children¡¯s ad campaign. An ad campaign with six kids,¡± Zhan Yeling instructed.


    ¡°Yes, President Zhan,¡± Gu Yi took the order and got right to it.


    His efficiency proved effective when he quickly found out that indeed, the company¡¯s advertising department had recently used six children, sextuplets, for an ad. Gu Yi reported this to Zhan Yeling.


    Sitting in his office chair, Zhan Yeling massaged his temples, ¡°You can handle it through normal procedures, no need to inform me of every detail.¡±


    There was no need for him to handle such a small matter personally. The only reason he had asked Gu Yi to investigate the advertisement was that the little girl who had crawled into his lap had made him feel something warm and soft. The milky scent on her was quite pleasant. Moreover, her innocent smile when she left had washed over him in a wave of warmth.


    ¡°Yes, President Zhan, I will proceed as normal then,¡± Gu Yi originally wanted to explain every detail to Zhan Yeling. But seeing the disinterest on his face, Gu Yi decided it was better to just step back. Before he left, he took another glance at the scratched leather couch, sweating for those who had caused the disturbance.


    According to the head of the advertisement department, there had been some issues with the children¡¯s ad shoot, and it could no longer be aired. The director said that the advertising fee, sixty thousand yuan, could not be given according to the contract.


    However, Gu Yi knew President Zhan well. If he inquired about this matter, it meant he wanted to give the advertising fee to those two mischievous kids. So Gu Yi ordered the advertising department to directly transfer the sixty thousand to the other party¡¯s account.


    The contract was signed by someone named Su Mumu.


    So, this Miss Su Mumu was undoubtedly the children¡¯s mother.


    They referred to the children as ¡®little devils¡¯ because they had caused havoc in President Zhan¡¯s office. However, they still had to pay the standard labor fees of sixty thousand yuan, and also compensate for the damaged items.


    After leaving in high spirits, Su Mumu returned home with the kids and immediately became deflated.


    ¡°What? You took the kids to Zhan Yeling¡¯s office?¡± Upon hearing Su Mumu¡¯s admission, Xiong Miao almost fainted in excitement.


    She had gone through great lengths to hide the children from Zhan Yeling.


    And now Su Mumu had taken them to meet him?


    Oh god, why was her heart beating so fast?


    It felt like she was about to have a heart attack.


    Seeing Xiong Miao clutching her chest and gasping for breath, Su Mumu panicked, ¡°Miao Miao, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t scare me.¡±


    ¡°Wuu, don¡¯t be like this. I didn¡¯t know the RICH Corporation would let me meet Zhan Yeling. If I had known, I would never have taken the little ones there. Dont worry, Zhan Yeling didn¡¯t recognize them. He has no idea that they are his children!¡±


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 Chapter 35

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Su Mumu was on the verge of tears.


    She knew that the six little ones of Xiong Miao were Zhan Yeling¡¯s children. This was evident because Qianqian and Junjun looked too much like Zhan Yeling.


    She also deeply understood that Xiong Miao couldn¡¯t let Zhan Yeling know about the existence of the kids. She was terrified of losing them.


    Taking the little ones to meet Zhan Yeling had been an unintentional mistake.


    ¡°Are you sure? He didn¡¯t recognize them?¡± Xiong Miao grabbed Su Mumu¡¯s shoulders, asking the critical question.


    Su Mumu shook her head: ¡°The little ones messed up his office and even scratched his leather sofa. He was so angry that veins popped on his forehead.


    ¡°He was ready to throw the little ones out. If he realized they were his kids, he wouldn¡¯t have reacted like that.¡±


    A normal person wouldn¡¯t treat their own children so harshly.


    Unless he didn¡¯t know they were his children.


    ¡°What! The children¡¯s scratched Zhan Yeling¡¯s sofa!¡± Hearing this, Xiong Miao felt her vision darken even more.


    Oh god, the sky was falling!


    ¡°Miao Miao, calm down¡­¡± Su Mumu knew she had caused trouble.


    Seeing Xiong Miao almost scared to death by her words, she was about to cry too.


    Xiong Miao held her forehead. In just a few short minutes, her emotions had fluctuated wildly due to Su Mumu¡¯s words. It was like a roller coaster ride, and she almost fainted on the spot.


    Just then, Su Mumu¡¯s phone rang.


    ¡°Who is it!¡± Su Mumu was already upset about the mistake she had made, so she answered the phone with evident impatience.


    ¡°Su Mumu, the parent of six children, right?¡± From the other end came a pleasant low male voice.


    Although the children¡¯s last name was Xiong according to the contract, Su Mumu had signed as the guardian.


    The children took their father¡¯s surname, Su Mumu was the mother and guardian. It wasn¡¯t strange.


    Upon hearing the voice, Su Mumu instantly became serious: ¡°May I ask, who is this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from the Rich Corporation, Zhan¡¯s assistant. My last name is Gu¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Su Mumu¡¯s nerves tightened, and she quickly muted the phone and turned to Xiong Miao, ¡°Gu Yi, the assistant, is looking for me. He thinks I¡¯m the mother of the children¡¯s.¡±


    If Gu Yi was looking for Su Mumu, it certainly couldn¡¯t be good news.


    Xiong Miao said, ¡°Let¡¯s see what he has to say.¡±


    So, Su Mumu put him on speaker: ¡°Assistant Gu Yi, what can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Well, you brought your six children to our President Zhan¡¯s office today. Your kids scratched Zhan¡¯s sofa. You haven¡¯t forgotten, have you?¡± Gu Yi¡¯s words were affirmative.


    Xiong Miao slapped her forehead.


    As expected, they were asking for compensation.


    Su Mumu wanted to deny it, but even before she could speak, Xiong Miao knew her intention from her expression and immediately gestured for her to stop.


    Su Mumu looked at her, puzzled.


    Without making a sound, Xiong Miao mouthed: Ask him how much he wants.


    She knew Zhan Yeling¡¯s personality too well. He was a person who would exact revenge for the smallest slight. If he decided to settle this account, he would not give up.


    If Su Mumu tried to deny responsibility, it would provoke him.


    And Xiong Miao had experienced the consequences of angering Zhan Yeling before.


    Last night, she had somehow made a mistake that angered him, and he nearly strangled her to death.


    The memory of that suffocating feeling was still fresh.


    Although Su Mumu was reluctant, Xiong Miao was the guardian of the children, and she had no choice but to follow Xiong Miao¡¯s advice: ¡°I remember. How much do you want me to compensate?¡±


    ¡°One hundred thousand.¡± The other party named their price.


    ¡°What!¡± Su Mumu cried out in disbelief.


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 Chapter 36

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Xiong Miao was also shocked, drawing in a sharp breath.


    ¡°Are you robbing me? The sofa was just slightly scratched, a tiny bit of damage and you want a hundred thousand! Be careful, I might accuse you of taking advantage of a crisis!¡± Su Mumu, with her explosive temper, was not someone to be taken lightly.


    ¡°Sue me? You do realize, President Zhan¡¯s sofa is a limited edition, a one-of-a-kind crocodile leather sofa. Each chair costs a million. Even minor repairs can cost up to six figures. Asking for a hundred thousand from you is already the minimum.¡± Gu Yi spoke patiently.


    At this, Su Mumu fell silent.


    Poverty had limited her imagination.


    She didn¡¯t understand the life of the rich. X


    iong Miao also cringed at the price. She knew how expensive and extravagant Zhan Yeling¡¯s belongings were.


    So, Xiong Miao mouthed and gestured to Su Mumu: Play pitiful.


    Su Mumu understood her intent and immediately switched to a pitiful tone: ¡°Big brother Gu Yi, could you be a bit more forgiving.¡±


    ¡°Too old, I¡¯m not even married yet.¡± Gu Yi responded displeased.


    Su Mumu was stunned for a moment, then changed her address: ¡°Little Brother Gu Yi, could you be a bit more forgiving?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Gu felt something was off when he heard ¡°little brother,¡± but he couldn¡¯t point out on what it was.


    Seeing he didn¡¯t argue, Su Mumu continued to whine: ¡°Look at me, a simple woman, alone to care for six children. It¡¯s already not easy to make ends meet, where will I get so much money to pay a hundred thousand.¡±


    ¡°Where is the father of the children?¡± Gu Yi asked. Su Mumu looked towards Xiong Miao for guidance.


    Xiong Miao crossed her arms and mimed diving and swimming.


    Watching Xiong Miao¡¯s actions, Su Mumu told the phone, ¡°He jumped off a building and committed suicide.¡±


    Xiong Miao: ¡°¡­¡±


    She meant to say, drowned. Jumping off a building was too harsh.


    Gu Yi : ¡°¡­¡±


    After a few seconds of silence, he said, ¡°Fine, then pay fifty thousand.¡±


    Before Su Mumu could respond, he added, ¡°That¡¯s the lowest I can go.¡±


    Su Mumu quickly said, ¡°Thank you, big brother, uh, I mean, little brother. I¡¯ll contact you when I¡¯ve raised the money.¡±


    With that, Su Mumu quickly hung up the phone. Xiong Miao sighed deeply.


    It was one thing after another.


    It was exhausting.


    ¡°Xiong Miao, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all because I brought the kids and caused trouble. How about this, the twelve thousand you borrowed from me, you don¡¯t have to pay back. Consider it part of the fifty thousand compensation. I should take some responsibility too.¡±


    Su Mumu was also poor, with no money.


    Otherwise, she would share the burden with Xiong Miao.


    ¡°No need, it is what it is. You were just thinking of us. Besides, you¡¯ve helped me with the kids, I¡¯m already very grateful.¡± Even in her hard times, Xiong Miao would never take advantage of a friend.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll work hard to earn money and sort everything out.¡± Xiong Miao patted Su Mumu¡¯s shoulder, comforting her.


    ¡°Achoo!¡± Just as she finished speaking, Xiong Miao let out a big sneeze.


    ¡°Miao Miao, do you have a cold?¡± Su Mumu noticed something was off about her.


    Xiong Miao shook her head, ¡°Just a little cold, nothing serious. But I will have to trouble you to take care of the kids. I need to go to the office for a meeting.¡±


    Doing all the work by herself would certainly tire her out. She needed to delegate some tasks to others.


    Just as Xiong Miao arrived at the office, she noticed a group of people huddled together, gossiping.


    However, this time, the gossip wasn¡¯t about her.


    ¡°Have you guys heard? Our President Zhan is actually an illegitimate child.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the President Zhan¡¯s mother doesn¡¯t have a proper status. Only the eldest young master Zhan is the rightful heir and most prestigious person in the Zhan family.¡±


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 Chapter 37

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Zhan Dashao being abroad, Zhan Yeling wouldn¡¯t have had a chance to be the person in charge of Zhan family,¡± one of the employees whispered.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be so sure. Zhan Yeling is ruthless and bloodthirsty. Didn¡¯t the third son try to compete for the position of head of the Zhan family? Zhan Yeling broke his leg, he¡¯s still lying in the hospital. The family can¡¯t let a cripple to take charge.¡±


    Xiong Miao wasn¡¯t surprised to hear this. She knew all too well about Zhan Yeling¡¯s bloodthirsty nature. Breaking someone¡¯s leg was something he was certainly capable of.


    ¡°Stop the gossip, everyone. Let¡¯s clean up and have a meeting in the conference room.¡± Xiong Miao stepped forward, interrupting their ¡®party¡¯.


    The crowd dispersed, but some still looked at Xiong Miao with disdain, returned to their seats and continued chatting.


    ¡°She thinks she¡¯s powerful just because she has a wealthy backer. President Zhan only sees her as a plaything.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, can¡¯t wait for the day she gets her leg broken.¡±


    Xiong Miao felt a headache coming. Ever since her first day as the design manager, no one had ever obeyed her. Being alone and unsupported made managing difficult.


    Fortunately, due to a previous bet, the employees led by Xiaochen all went into the meeting room. Xiong Miao displayed her design on the screen. ¡°This design has been approved by President Zhan. I need everyone¡¯s cooperation to produce all the final products within a week.¡±


    ¡°Because in a week, we will be having a new product launch.¡±


    Xiao Chen, also a design student, was stunned by the design projected on the screen. It was a breath of fresh air, a masterpiece compared to the previous one. She couldn¡¯t believe that Xiong Miao could design such a soulful piece in just one day!


    ¡°Xiao Chen, do you have something to say?¡± Xiong Miao asked, noticing Xiao Chen¡¯s shocked expression.


    Snapped out of her surprise, Xiao Chen looked away from the projector, hiding her astonishment, and feigned indifference, ¡°What could I possibly have to say? I¡¯m just glad President Zhan approved it so our work wouldn¡¯t go to waste.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I showed it to President Zhan, and he said we could start production.¡± Xiong Miao knew the employees were still unconvinced, so she used Zhan Yeling to persuade them.


    ¡°Alright then, assign the work,¡± Xiao Chen said.


    And so, Xiong Miao assigned everyone their tasks. After the meeting, she felt a throbbing headache and a cold coming on. She must have caught a cold from attending the banquet and getting caught in the evening breeze yesterday.


    As she was busily working, she received a call from Gu Yi.


    ¡°Manager Xiong, come to the headquarters.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The thought of possibly seeing Zhan Yeling made Xiong Miao nervous.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get here.¡± Gu Yi hung up after saying this.


    It was one of those commands that she couldn¡¯t refuse. Could she say no? Sighing, she thought about her salary, and decided to go. After all, she was just a poor fairy.


    Xiong Miao turned off her computer, put on her coat, and left.


    As she was waiting for the bus, a silver Mercedes stopped next to her.


    The car window rolled down, revealing Zhan Zifeng¡¯s handsome and gentle face, ¡°Xiong Miao, where are you headed?¡±


    Xiong Miao was a bit surprised to see him here, ¡°I¡¯m on my way to Rich Corporation.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence, I¡¯m heading there too. Get in, I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± Zhan Zifeng¡¯s gentle smile always gave off a kind and warm feeling.


    Xiong Miao sighed.


    What a stroke of luck, he just happened to pass by here, was headed to the Rich Corporation, and could give her a ride.


    Everything seemed to align just perfectly.


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 Chapter 38

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Everything fell into place perfectly. The city bus came to a halt behind her, right on cue.


    The bus driver was honking his horn because a Mercedes had taken over the bus lane.


    ¡°Thank you, Professor Zhan, but I¡¯ll take the bus.¡± She smiled politely at Zhan Zifeng, then turned and got on the bus.


    Standing inside the bus, Xiong Miao watched the Mercedes drive away.


    Ever since her school days, Xiong Miao had always kept a low profile.


    She accepted a ride from Zhan Zifeng last night, firstly out of courtesy, and secondly because the night wind was too cold, and she was freezing.


    Even though Zhan Zifeng was her college professor, she understood the importance of maintaining appropriate boundaries, mindful of societal norms and the power of gossip.


    She knew better than to casually accept rides in other people¡¯s cars, especially men¡¯s.


    She understood exactly what Zhan Yeling meant by his words yesterday.


    He thought she was seducing Zhan Zifeng, viewing her as a flirtatious woman, frivolously engaging even with his elder brother.


    However, even if she was that kind of woman in his eyes, there was no need for such anger, he almost killed her.


    It was merely an incident four years ago where she had unintentionally ended up in bed with him.


    Did he really need to keep such a close eye on her, interfering with who she associated with?


    Even she, as a woman, didn¡¯t mind who he was with. But he, a grown man, was so petty. It had been four years, yet he remembered the incident so clearly.


    She worked at a nightclub, and he taunted her for doing anything for money.


    She merely wore Zhan Zifeng¡¯s coat, and he was so angry he wanted to strangle her.


    Soon, they arrived at the entrance of Rich Corporation. Xiong Miao got off the bus.


    Zhan Zifeng, driving his Mercedes, arrived earlier than Xiong Miao.


    At this moment, he was already in Zhan Yeling¡¯s office.


    ¡°Little brother, Rich Corporation has relied on you these days. You¡¯ve worked hard,¡± Zhan Zifeng¡¯s warm smile turned a bit cold.


    Ordinary people would feel uncomfortable and angry hearing these words.


    Let alone someone with a temper like Zhan Yeling?


    The words Zhan Zifeng spoke were provocative.


    What did he mean by relying on Zhan Yeling and appreciating his hard work?


    His tone was clearly that of a boss speaking to a subordinate.


    Was he implying that Zhan Yeling was managing Rich Corporation for him, and that he, Zhan, would eventually take charge?


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s eyes were filled with coldness, his lips curving into a sardonic smile, ¡°Are you mocking me, big brother? As the present and future president of the Zhan family, I¡¯m merely doing my duty. Otherwise, would you squander the money you take abroad?¡±


    Zhan Yeling was implying that the money Zhan Zifeng was using was earned by him. He, as the one in charge of the Zhan family, was supporting him. He should be more modest and tail between his legs in front of him.


    Being a smart man, Zhan Zifeng instantly understood his words.


    A flash of coldness passed through Zhan Zifeng¡¯s gentle eyes, but he quickly concealed it, ¡°You¡¯re joking, little brother. I can¡¯t always stay abroad. This time I returned home, and I don¡¯t plan on leaving.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then you need to find a job. After all, Rich Corporation can¡¯t hire a public school teacher,¡± Zhan Yeling calmly replied, his words brimming with dominance.


    The air between the two brothers was thick with tension, like a haze of gunpowder. Gu Yi stood on the side, continuously wiping his cold sweat. Both of these men were tough figures, and he didn¡¯t dare to utter a word.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to worry about my work, little brother. You should be focusing on the product launch in a few days. After all, when it comes to design, I¡¯ve never lost. The Rich Corporation mainly focuses on fashion design. If you lose this time, it won¡¯t look good in front of father. If he gets upset, it¡¯s not impossible for him to hand over the reins to me.¡±


    Zhan Zifeng¡¯s eyes gleamed with confidence, as if he held all the winning cards.


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 Chapter 39

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s position as the person in charge of the Zhan family was merely temporary, he was just the CEO. The real power still lay in the hands of the family patriarch, Zhan Junyi.


    Zhan Junyi had declared that at the upcoming product launch, his three sons would compete, and whoever won would take over the reins of the family business.


    This was a bloodless yet bloody competition.


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s fists clenched, his dark eyes filled with anger.


    He understood what this victory or defeat represented.


    ¡°You should worry about yourself, big brother.¡± Zhan Yeling¡¯s words were clipped, squeezed out through gritted teeth.


    ¡°But, little brother, you do have a talent, and that is charming women. I wonder how my student, Xiong Miao, was seduced by you. Just now, I went to the design department to pick her up. She didn¡¯t want to ride in my car or come to see you with me. She¡¯s probably worried about being misunderstood,¡± Zhan Zifeng said, nonchalantly adjusting his cufflinks.


    Just then, a knock sounded at the office door.


    ¡°Come in!¡± Zhan Yeling commanded.


    The door opened, and a petite woman walked in. She wore black straight-leg pants and a khaki short woolen coat. She looked plain.


    ¡°President Zhan, Assistant Gu Yi told me you wanted to see me,¡± Xiong Miao said, curtsying slightly and maintaining a professional smile.


    Seeing Zhan Zifeng, she also nodded slightly in greeting.


    ¡°Yes, Manager Xiong, President Zhan wanted to see you.¡± Seeing Xiong Miao, Gu Yi felt like he¡¯d seen a lifesaver.


    Being caught in the crossfire between the two sons, he was sweating bullets. Xiong Miao¡¯s arrival could help ease the tension.


    Zhan Zifeng glanced at Zhan Yeling again, his face stern, his gaze cold.


    It was clear he was not welcome.


    Zhan Zifeng got the hint, and as he passed by Xiong Miao, he paused slightly, ¡°Manager Xiong, I look forward to seeing your work on the runway on October 28th. I wonder if the student will surpass the master, or if the old ginger is still spicier. We¡¯ll see who wins at the show.¡±


    With that, Zhan Zifeng left the office.


    Xiong Miao¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    What did he mean?


    Her designs were going to compete with Zhan Zifeng¡¯s?


    Oh my god, Zhan Zifeng was her graduation project mentor!


    Her designs were all taught by Zhan Zifeng!


    Besides, she had just graduated not too long ago and was still a fresh grad. How could she compete with her university mentor¡¯s work?


    ¡°Manager Xiong, are you okay?¡± Gu Yi saw her expression and asked worriedly.


    ¡°Are our designs going to compete with Zhan Zifeng¡¯s?¡± Although she had gathered this from Zhan Zifeng¡¯s words, she wanted to confirm it.


    Gu Yi solemnly nodded. He too had just found out from Zhan Zifeng¡¯s mouth that Xiong Miao was his student!


    Could a student surpass their teacher?


    This was a matter of probability.


    ¡°Oh, my god.¡± Xiong Miao slapped her forehead, feeling like she wanted to die.


    Previously, she had made a sworn bet with Xiao Chen that she would definitely succeed at the new product launch.


    She thought it was just a regular launch.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected it to be a competition against others, and against her mentor, Zhan Zifeng, no less!


    Her fiery confidence, at this moment, was completely extinguished, like a frost-stricken eggplant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you still have me. We can lose anything but not our confidence,¡± a deep male voice chimed in.


    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 40

    Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation


    Xiong Miao turned to the source of the voice and found that it was Zhan Yeling who was speaking.


    Was he trying to comfort her?


    Looking at his naturally cold face that seemed incapable of smiling, and thinking back to how he nearly choked her to death last night, how could she accept his consolation or believe in him?


    ¡°Mr. Zhan, if we lose, I¡¯ll resign,¡± she said. After all, she was only competing with her colleagues in the design department and working hard to stay there to earn some money.


    If they ended up losing, she would pack up and leave. She could make money anywhere. It wasn¡¯t necessary for her to stay here. Xiong Miao had made up her mind.


    Hearing Xiong Miao¡¯s words, Gu Yi was really sweating for her. This girl had guts.


    Resignation wouldn¡¯t solve the problem.


    If they lost, her resignation would be a minor issue. If Mr. Zhan¡¯s position was threatened and they lost the family struggle, the consequences would be grave.


    Just as Gu Yi was about to admonish Xiong Miao, his words were swallowed under the immense aura of Zhan Yeling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t lose. You just need to do your best. Don¡¯t be so disheartened.¡± As Zhan Yeling spoke, he had already walked up to Xiong Miao.


    His tall figure cast a shadow over her, and she felt a chill envelop her.


    The cold made Xiong Miao shiver, and she instinctively backed away: ¡°Mr. Zhan, I understand¡­¡± Could you not stand so close when talking to me?


    What were you trying to do? Did you want to surprise and strangle her again? Last night¡¯s event had left a shadow in Xiong Miao¡¯s heart. She was very afraid of Zhan Yeling getting close.


    Zhan Yeling seemed to not hear her words. As she backed away, he followed. Gu Yi was a very insightful person. Seeing Zhan Yeling and Xiong Miao so close, he quietly left the office, even closing the door behind him for the two.


    After all, Xiong Miao had shared a bed with President. Zhan and even made the news. Although the video was quickly blocked by Zhan Yeling, Gu Yi had witnessed the intimate moment between the normally unapproachable President Zhan and Xiong Miao.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about last night¡­¡±


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    As Zhan Yeling got closer to her, and murmured something, Xiong Miao sneezed and missed what he said.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Xiong Miao asked curiously, staring at him nervously.


    She was afraid she might have missed some important task he had given her.


    Being so close, Xiong Miao¡¯s sneeze sprayed saliva onto Zhan Yeling¡¯s face. The faint smell of magnolias became increasingly evident. Looking at the little woman in front of him, smelling the distinctive magnolia scent that belonged to her.


    Zhan Yeling¡¯s vision suddenly became clearer bit by bit. The woman in front of him had a delicate face, her cherry lips slightly pouted, resembling a moist cherry, tempting one to have a taste.


    Her lively eyes were like a pool of spring water, her black pupils spinning, watching him nervously. Zhan Yeling found it unbelievable.


    He was face-blind, yet now, he could clearly see someone¡¯s face! This face, pretty and angelic. Yet, this angel seemed to be very afraid of him.


    In her boundless eyes, there was fear of him. It was then that Zhan Yeling realized the extent of the psychological shadow he had cast on her.


    Perhaps it was because he was too angry last night and had punished her by choking her, which had scared her to this extent.


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